Chapter 1
Chapter 1: The Old Scholar Arrives in the Village
Chapter 1: The Old Scholar Arrives in the Village
At the foot of the Green Mountain, the village of Greenhill.
The sky was just beginning to lighten when a young boy hurriedly opened the door of his humble home.
"Changqing, don't rush off. Here are two wild eggs. Take them for the road."
A middle-aged man, slightly hunched and with a few silver strands in his hair, pressed two eggs into the boy's hand.
"Father, Mother isn't well. You should give them to her. I'm not hungry."
Su Changqing looked at the eggs in his hand, his throat moving, but he still handed them back.
"Cough, cough. Foolish boy, your mother has already eaten. Take them for the road. How can you study on an empty stomach?"
A woman stepped out of the house, looking at the boy with gentle eyes and patting his head.
"Father, Mother, I will work hard at my studies!"
After a moment of silence, Su Changqing nodded firmly, picked up the eggs, and ran off like the wind toward the foot of the mountain.
The couple watched Su Changqing until he was out of sight, then both let out a long sigh of relief.
"Can't see him anymore, right?"
"Yes, he's out of the village. He shouldn't be able to see us now."
"Phew, that was exhausting to pretend."
With a flash of light, the woman who had been coughing and looking unwell suddenly appeared vibrant and healthy. A noble and dignified aura emanated from her, making her look regal and elegant.
'Yeshu' turned to the man beside her and shook her head, amused.
"The head of the illustrious Su family, a Great Emperor, actually pretending to be an old man. People would laugh if they knew."
The middle-aged man, who had been hunched, straightened his back, revealing a tall and powerful figure. His mere presence seemed to command the world.
'Su Nan' replied, somewhat irritated, "Do you think I wanted to?"
"Do you want Changqing to end up like his older brothers? One is wild, the other is arrogant. Neither of them is fit to be the young master."
"This time, I want Changqing to start from the bottom, without the influence of the family name. He must endure hardships and absolutely cannot become a spoiled brat!"
Yeshu sighed, shaking her head.
For this youngest son, Su Nan had truly gone to great lengths. He had moved to Greenhill Village the moment Changqing was born.
Or rather, he had established Greenhill Village, for every person in the village was a member of the Su family.
They pretended to be simple mountain villagers, working from dawn to dusk.
And this charade had lasted for eighteen years. During these years, they did not teach Changqing any cultivation techniques or knowledge.
They simply focused on shaping his character and instilling proper values.
Only two days ago, after Changqing's coming-of-age ceremony, did Su Nan spend a great deal of effort to invite a tutor.
The current Scholar Immortal, Li Qingchen!
"Do you think Mr. Li's strict teaching methods might be too much for Changqing to handle?" Yeshu asked, worried about the renowned scholar.
"Strict is good. It will prevent him from becoming complacent. I've already told Mr. Li to be as strict as possible, regardless of my position."
Su Nan smiled confidently. "Besides, becoming a disciple isn't easy. Just wait and see, Changqing will come back with his tail between his legs after the first attempt. I've arranged for Mr. Li to only accept him after three attempts."
"This will make Changqing value the opportunity more and put his heart into his studies."
Having experienced two failed educations, Su Nan was well-prepared this time.
"Changqing should be fine with his studies. He's very smart. When I taught him to read, he remembered it after just one try," Yeshu said hesitantly.
Though they hadn't taught Changqing much else, he had learned basic reading and writing.
She remembered how quickly he had picked up the lessons, yes, very quickly.
Su Nan waved his hand dismissively, confident in his decision.
"Ha, fine? That's the current Scholar Immortal we're talking about. Just wait, Changqing will be back before noon."
...
On the small path of Greenhill.
Su Changqing, dressed in rough linen, ran through the morning light, heading toward his destiny.
As Su Changqing passed by the early-rising villagers, they all greeted him with warm smiles.
Once Su Changqing had run far enough, the villagers slowly put down their farming tools and began to whisper among themselves.
"Why is Young Master up so early today? Has the Head of the Family made new arrangements?"
"You don't know? The Head of the Family invited a scholar from Central Province yesterday to be the Young Master's enlightenment teacher."
"Ah? What kind of person would the Head of the Family need to invite personally? That's a huge honor!"
"Ha ha, the great Scholar Immortal Li Qingchen from the Zhongzhou Holy Academy. Is that enough for you?"
"Whew, that's more than enough. The foremost scholar in the literary world being an enlightenment teacher? The Head of the Family is really going all out."
The villagers were amazed. Li Qingchen's reputation was immense.
In the Five Realms and Ten Kingdoms, there were many great literary figures, but only Mr. Li had ever been honored with the title of Scholar Immortal.
He was the foremost scholar in the literary world, a man whose influence could shake the entire literary community with a single step.
And yet, such a person was only here to be Young Master's enlightenment teacher.
"If an Enlightenment teacher is required for a mere Scholar Immortal, then what kind of person will the Patriarch invite when the Young Master begins his cultivation journey?"
A burly man muttered, his aura inadvertently leaking, causing the surrounding space to tremble.
"Dad, I want to study too."
The burly man's son, a young boy, looked up at him with pleading eyes.
"Study? You think your old man is a Near-Emperor too?"
The burly man glared, and the young boy instantly shrank back and ran away.
"Fine, I won't study. I'll just have Young Master teach me."
The boy grumbled, and in a single step, he was already a hundred feet away.
...
Su Changqing was completely unaware of the whispers behind him.
On the road, he carefully took a bite of the precious egg, his eyes filled with determination.
"I've been in this place for eighteen years, and I still don't know which dynasty this is."
"This time, a failed scholar has finally come to the village. I can't miss this opportunity to learn!"
No one knew that at the age of ten, he had regained his memories from his past life.
Whether it was a dream or a cycle of rebirth, it was a good thing.
With the knowledge and experience of an entire lifetime, changing the course of this life should be easy.
However, Qingshan Village was too remote, with only a dozen households. There were no other villages nearby, and no one knew which dynasty they were in.
But now, an opportunity had come!
A few days ago, a failed scholar had come to the village. His father had begged for a long time and spent all their savings to secure him a chance to study.
"Father, Mother, rest assured. I won't let you down!"
Thinking of his hardworking parents, Su Changqing's eyes softened.
Though this family wasn't wealthy, his parents were wonderful.
They had little education and knew few things, and their health wasn't strong, but they placed great importance on his education.
Often, a small matter would guide him towards the right values and life perspective.
Especially this time, when the news of the scholar's arrival spread throughout the village, even the neighboring Second Niu had cried and begged to come, but his father had broken his leg to stop him.
In contrast, Su Changqing's parents were extremely supportive. They not only spent all their savings but also begged for a long time to secure this opportunity for him.
For a couple who had spent their entire lives in the mountains, having such foresight was rare.
In any case, for his own sake, and to not let his parents' efforts and expectations go to waste, he had to succeed in this apprenticeship!
"Phew."
Before long, the wooden house at the foot of the mountain came into clear view.
Su Changqing took a deep breath, his expression turning serious. He straightened his disheveled sleeves and slowly walked to the door. He bowed his head and knelt, speaking softly,
"Student Su Changqing, here to seek knowledge."
(End of Chapter)
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