Chapter 123: Making Moves

Since his dossier was submitted first, it naturally was the first one seen by the Elders of the County Sects. Since even the City Governor kept praising the Second Young Master of the Fang family, it was impossible for the County Sect Elders not to take notice of this Second Young Master. In fact, even without the City Governor’s praise, no one would overlook the Fang Family of Willow Lake.

And since every County Sect Elder saw Fang Cun’s dossier, and Fang Cun’s critiques were all top-tier, then the fact that Fang Cun still hadn’t received the County Sect’s notification now… well, that in itself was the answer.

The announcement on the third day was just for show.

Every disciple who got into the County Sect already knew the result by the second day; that was just the custom.

Because the County Sect Elders would leave on the third day, they stayed one night… precisely to allow for some ‘activities’.

Meng Zhixue bit her lip and whispered, “When the City Governor hosted the County Sect Elders, I attended as a junior member… I spoke up too…”

Fang Cun gently shook his head. “Useless!”

A month ago, Fang Cun had revealed some of the Fang family’s hidden strength, terrifying many people.

That was why the Academy Dean tacitly allowed him to write his own dossier critiques, and why he specially placed Fang Cun’s dossier at the top when submitting them to the County Sects. And the City Governor, naturally because of the same reason, had lavished praise on Fang Cun during the banquet for the Elders. While Fang Cun hadn’t seen it himself, he knew the City Governor’s expression must have appeared utterly sincere at the moment.

But it was useless!

The Fang family’s hidden strength could indeed intimidate some people.

But equally, it let them know that the Fang family was now even more problematic…

After all, Fang Cun had publicly executed those envoys on the street. Who knew their affiliations?

Now, even the Six Great County Sects, perhaps even the Prefect himself, probably wouldn’t dare provoke the current Fang family. But similarly, they could avoid it altogether. They just needed to see your dossier and then… quietly set it aside.

This was entirely within expectations!

…

“The so-called County Sects? They’re basically remnants of the old Qi Refining sects gathered up by the Divine Kings. Though they answer to the Divine Kings now, they still retain considerable autonomy. Put plainly, these County Sects belong to the Elders themselves. Since it’s their own sect, of course, they have the right to choose whether to accept me as a disciple or not. Why should I even fret over something so meaningless?”

Seeing Meng Zhixue look downcast and He Zhenzhang awkward, Fang Cun chuckled. “Besides, who said I must become a County Sect disciple?”

“What?”

Both Meng Zhixue and He Zhenzhang looked utterly shocked upon hearing this.

Even the disciples from the former Lan Shuang Pavilion, who usually seemed buried in books but were secretly eavesdropping, were all greatly astonished.

The Second Young Master Fang… not entering a County Sect?

Meng Zhixue panicked. “Second Young Master Fang, with your talent… for you not to join a County Sect, it’s such a waste…”

He Zhenzhang urgently tugged at Fang Cun’s sleeve. “Think carefully! Where else can you go if not the County Sect? Once you join the court administration, cultivation becomes much harder. And with your current situation… cultivating within the court… forget that! The Nightwatcher Palace? You can’t go there! Don’t you know that in every batch of disciples who join the Nightwatcher Palace, only a tiny few survive past three years?”

Upon hearing this, before Fang Cun could react, a few disciples in the Study Pavilion immediately grew gloomy.

They were the ones destined for the Nightwatcher Palace…

Accidentally caught in the crossfire, they silently set down their scrolls, walked out of the Study Pavilion, and gazed blankly at the sky…

Perhaps… take to the Jianghu?

…

“Ha, just trivial matters. Why mention them?”

Seeing how tense they were, Fang Cun couldn’t help but laugh. “I came to the Study Pavilion to ask for help. I’ve reached the peak of the Breath Refining Realm, but my grasp of actual techniques and arts is pitifully weak. So, I wanted to search the Academy for some cultivation notes. You, both being Immortal Seedlings of the Academy, surely you treasure your techniques less jealously than those higher up? You wouldn’t begrudge lending them to me, would you?”

“You… since you’ve reached the peak of Breath Refining, you should be contemplating the Treasure Body instead…”

Meng Zhixue looked at him, genuine concern breaking through her usual diffidence.

Fang Cun turned to her. “You begrudge lending me the notes?”

Meng Zhixue was momentarily at a loss for words.

After her initial protest, she essentially knew why Academy disciples rushed to cultivate the Treasure Body: it was custom that any disciple who mastered it within the Academy was almost guaranteed selection by a County Sect. But equally… once the County Sects had already made their choices, frantically rushing to cultivate the Treasure Body now was pointless. It would be better to solidify your foundation further.

At this stage, practical combat techniques actually mattered more.

“Wait here. I’ll go borrow some for you…”

After studying Fang Cun for a moment, Meng Zhixue reluctantly agreed.

The disciples proved surprisingly generous. Unlike those in the County Sects or Divine Palace, who later guarded their techniques and secrets like life itself, here, they freely shared their cultivation notes. When Fang Cun asked, Meng Zhixue promptly lent Fang Cun her own most meticulous notes on techniques – her Classic of Arts insights. Not only that, she swiftly went out and helped him borrow over a dozen more notebooks filled with cultivation notes.

Among them were Nie Quan’s Classic of Martial Arts training notes, Meng Qing’er’s Scripture of Souls notes, Yu Qingli’s insights on reflecting upon the Treasure Body, and also notes from other Academy disciples covering comprehension in Classic of Calculations, Herbal Canon, Classic of Spirits, and various other subjects. In short, the notes from most of the top disciples among White Xiang Academy’s three hundred students were gathered here.

Even He Zhenzhang produced his own notes hesitantly, saying to Fang Cun, “Second Young Master Fang… my notes on talisman techniques from the Classic of Documents are all here. But… uh… are you sure you still want to study our branch of the Classic of Documents, focusing on talismans?”

“Yes!”

Fang Cun casually took them and tossed them into his book chest, laughing. “My little Qingling needed handwriting practice anyway!”

He Zhenzhang, seeing Fang Cun wasn’t using them for cultivation, couldn’t help but feel it was a waste.

He wanted to hit something.

Having borrowed the notes, Fang Cun had no reason to linger any longer at the Academy. He bade farewell to Meng Zhixue and He Zhenzhang with a smile and prepared to leave. At the same time, spurred by the note-borrowing, astonishing news spread quietly through White Xiang Academy: Fang Cun, the illustrious Second Young Master of the Willow Lake Fang family, hadn’t been selected by any County Sect? And was planning to gamble his life in the Nightwatcher Palace?

Only disciples destined for the Nightwatcher Palace rushed to boost their combat prowess like this… solely to survive!

Under countless covert and sympathetic gazes, Fang Cun boarded his carriage and headed home, leaving behind a trail of rampant speculation and profound pity.

As Fang Cun reached the Academy gates, he encountered Instructor Zhang Shixian making a grand entrance, chest puffed out, returning on horseback. Smiling, Fang Cun lifted the curtain to greet him. Zhang Shixian glanced around, and seeing no one else, nimbly slipped into the carriage compartment. He looked at Fang Cun and sighed, clasping his hands:

“I was trying to figure out a good excuse to find you and give my thanks, and here we meet! Let’s skip the ‘Instructor’ nonsense – call me Zhang, please.”

Fang Cun smiled. “Thank me for what?”

Zhang Shixian lowered his voice. “The Twelve Continuous Docks… you took them back, didn’t you? And the Academy Dean didn’t say a word! Almost as if… he was waiting for you? Some Instructors were startled, some muttering angrily… but none could do a thing. I never thought… such consideration, Young Master Fang! You still left me two to retire on… actually brought in more income than before? This… truly… I offer my thanks!”

Fang Cun listened without further comment, simply smiling, “The thanks belong to you, Instructor Zhang.”

“Please, drop the ‘Instructor’! Embarrassing me…”

Zhang Shixian waved dismissively, leaning closer to Fang Cun. “About the County Sect matters… Young Master Fang has no thoughts?”

Fang Cun chuckled. “Thoughts about what?”

“Playing coy with me now?”

Zhang Shixian wrinkled his bearded face. “None of the Six County Sects dared choose you… does that mean the Second Young Master Fang truly won’t enter a County Sect?

“Don’t tell me it’s impossible! Remember when you first came to the Academy? The Academy Dean didn’t dare take you either! And look how that turned out?

“I won’t say more. Just this: the Elders of the Six County Sects arrived at the Academy a whole day early. They stayed one night, departing the next day. Ever wonder why that extra night was really there? Precisely to give certain people room to… make some moves!

“Young Master Fang is hardly a stingy fellow. Why not make the most of this opportunity? Those who should move about… should do so!

“No need to aim only at giants like the Nine Immortals Sect, those big, always-posing-as-an-ancient-sects types… annoying! But the other sects… room for bargaining remains. Take that declining Shoushan Sect – practically moribund! Who even counts them as a real County Sect anymore? Almost anyone can get in there with a hefty enough ‘contribution’. Seems perfectly suited for a distinguished gentleman like yourself…”

He coughed. “…an Immortal Seedling like yourself!

“All I’m saying is: get into a County Sect somehow first! Once in, the future path of cultivation brings ample hope…”

“This…”

Staring at Zhang Shixian’s ostensibly honest and earnest face, Fang Cun was genuinely taken aback for a second. He sighed, “Instructor Zhang, your cunning never ceases to amaze…”

“Compared to your vast valor, sir, such tricks are child’s play…”

Zhang Shixian waved dismissively, lifted the carriage curtain to peek outside, checked again they were truly alone, then turned back to Fang Cun: “I’ve said my piece. Young Master Fang must act decisively! The official list posts at noon tomorrow. After that… changing the results becomes very difficult…”

With that said, he clasped his hands briefly at Fang Cun, crouched low, slipped out of the carriage compartment, and vanished.

“Hah, would be nice to have that character as an advisor in the Jianghu someday…”

Fang Cun sat alone in the carriage cabin, chuckling softly to himself. After a moment’s quiet contemplation, he suddenly knocked on the carriage wall. “Don’t head home yet!”

The driver outside, Xiao Qingliu, immediately responded, “Where to, Young Master?”

Fang Cun smiled. “To the guesthouse where those County Sect Elders are staying. Time to… make some moves!”