Chapter 51: The Scripture Pavilion

Ruan Jianglong possessed the authority to recommend individuals for admission to the academy.

This was precisely why White Dragon City’s elites fawned over him so diligently.

Originally, all three of his recommendation slots for this year had been used, but Ruan Jianglong specifically made an exception for his nephew Chen Luo. He not only rejected one candidate but also spent a significant sum to replace their name with Chen Luo’s, personally handling it twice. With Ruan Jianglong’s assistance, many bureaucratic hurdles were effortlessly bypassed.

As a result, Chen Luo truly experienced the privileges of having influential connections.

It took nearly half a month for Ruan Jianglong to navigate through all the necessary channels and deliver Chen Luo’s official identification from the White Dragon Academy.

“The inscription on the White Dragon Academy doesn’t seem like something an ordinary person could write,” Chen Luo observed as he stepped down from the carriage, standing before the academy gate and gazing at the signboard above.

The simple four characters, upon closer inspection, appeared almost alive. The ‘dragon’ character seemed to transform into a real white dragon, gracefully moving across the signboard. However, with a blink, it reverted back to its original form without any change, truly mesmerizing.

On this day, Chen Luo wore a long, pristine white robe and a turquoise square headcloth, giving him the appearance of a genuine scholar.

“Are you here to pursue your studies as well?” someone nearby curiously asked Chen Luo.

Since its establishment, the White Dragon Academy had continuously attracted nobles and influential figures seeking education. It was even rumored that aristocrats from the capital sent their heirs to study here. Only the wealthy or elite could gain admission, prompting this individual’s inquiry upon recognizing Chen Luo as unfamiliar.

“Yes, indeed I am,” Chen Luo replied with a smile before entering the academy.

“Could he be a noble prince from some family? Quite impressive!” murmured the scholar, watching Chen Luo’s retreating figure.

The White Dragon Academy was teeming with privileged offspring; many came not for learning but to build social connections. As for pursuing spiritual cultivation, only a select few genuinely understood its significance.

The interior layout of the academy was unique, spanning three levels with a massive oak tree at the center. Ascending the stairs into the Inner Court, Chen Luo noticed it didn’t resemble a traditional school setting. Instead, it consisted of numerous Scripture Pavilions arranged across upper, middle, and lower tiers.

The lowest level was predominantly filled with merchant and noble heirs who had paid their way to network and build connections. Although dedicated tutors were present for instruction, most students’ focus lay not in learning but rather in idle chatter or exchanging contact details, clearly treating it as a social gathering place. The tutors, accustomed to this behavior, focused solely on teaching, paying little heed to other activities.

The second level was considerably quieter, housing individuals genuinely committed to their studies. When Chen Luo reached this floor, he observed several scholars diligently writing and deeply engrossed in scripture research.

The third level had even fewer people, comprising just one Scripture Pavilion.

This was the most crucial part of the White Dragon Academy.

Only those granted permission by immortals, deemed fortunate souls, or high-ranking nobles, such as sons of aristocrats and descendants of royalty, could study here. Upon entering, Chen Luo glanced around before finding a seat. Uncle-Master Ruan Jianglong had already briefed him about these specifics beforehand.

No one acknowledged his arrival; at most, a couple of curious women spared him an extra glance.

Women?

Chen Luo found it somewhat surprising that within the White Dragon Academy, unlike the Yue Kingdom’s academies, women were allowed to study and participate in scholarly examinations. Here, regardless of gender, anyone with the appropriate affinity could enter the academy for learning.

“Divination, formations, astrology, and mental cultivation…”

Shifting his gaze, Chen Luo looked down at the table before him.

Hand-copied books were neatly arranged, containing foundational knowledge prepared by the White Dragon Academy for those seeking enlightenment on the path to immortality.

Without mastering these basics, one would not progress further in studying immortal techniques, nor should they burden the immortal elders unnecessarily.

This approach allowed them to avoid offending individuals while maintaining tranquility—a clever strategy indeed from the headmaster of the White Dragon Academy.

“No, no, this formation requires ‘Mercury Technique’ deduction, incorporating celestial patterns, step by step, to unravel it.”

“That is greatly mistaken. With Saturn dimmed, the guiding principle lies in Mars, using force to break through.”

Two voices engaged in debate echoed nearby.

A pair of young scholars dressed in long azure robes were manipulating pieces on a chessboard-like setup. At first glance, it seemed like a game of chess, but upon closer inspection, their arrangement appeared peculiar, distinctly different from conventional chess play.

Is this a formation?

Chen Luo glanced at a book on the left, picked it up, and briefly skimmed through its pages.

He discovered that they contained profound references to terrain and calculations of elemental energies. The thick volume held countless pieces of knowledge, yet this was merely an introductory text for formations, still within the realm of ‘Mortal’ level.

“Are the foundations already this complex?” Chen Luo found it somewhat surprising.

He had assumed, much like martial training, one could simply find a secret manual and begin practicing.

Setting aside the formation book, Chen Luo examined several others on pharmacology, astronomy, and more. He realized that each book presented exceedingly intricate knowledge. For someone without aptitude, mastering even a single book would require a lifetime’s dedication, let alone comprehending them all.

“A means of selection based on aptitude.” A thought sparked in Chen Luo’s mind, instantly activating the Nineteenth Prince’s intellect.

In an instant, he felt the fog in his head dissipate, making the comprehension of these texts remarkably smooth. With just a glance, he absorbed the information effortlessly.

Pages flipped rapidly as vast amounts of knowledge were committed to memory and understood swiftly.

This state persisted for approximately ten minutes before exhaustion surged from the depths of his soul. As fatigue set in, the words on the page seemed to come alive, dancing chaotically before his eyes.

Realizing this, Chen Luo switched back to the original Imperial brain.

The clarity returned once more, but this time it lasted even shorter—approximately seven minutes before the Imperial brain grew weary.

Subsequently, Chen Luo sequentially activated each of his backup brains one by one.

He discovered that every brain could learn from the book, albeit for varying durations. The longest-lasting was Old Jiang’s brain, protector of the Nineteenth Prince, which endured for three minutes, while the shortest-lived managed only ten seconds.

By the time Chen Luo had utilized all hundred-plus backup brains, he had essentially finished reading the formation book in hand.

In just one day, he completed an entire volume!

“You’re quite amusing, pretending to read that book for so long. Don’t you realize these books contain spiritual knowledge? No ordinary person, no matter how much they try, can comprehend their contents.”

The individual wore a long dark blue robe with a pale green jade pendant hanging from his waist, exuding a subtle air of arrogance - clearly indicating he was a noble scion.

“Those who come here are no ordinary individuals. If you wish to associate with the influential, simply showcase your aptitude instead of resorting to such futile tricks.” With that, the man turned and exited the Scripture Pavilion.

Chen Luo found these words rather perplexing.

However, during this half-day, he had generally grasped the teaching method within the Scripture Pavilion.

There were no formal teachers.

Learning relied entirely on self-study. Once one felt proficient, they could seek out the instructors inside.

To reach the Inner Court where the teachers resided, numerous obstacles lay along the path. These challenges utilized foundational knowledge, ensuring only those accomplished academically could pass. Without sufficient understanding, even guidance wouldn’t suffice for entry.