Chapter Fifty-Three
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Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the Dragon Clan Leader. The hall fell utterly silent, save for the muffled whimpering of Wo Biao, whose mouth had been covered.
Seeing this, Shen Yi hurriedly cleared his throat. “Everyone, I’ve gathered you here today because I’d like to discuss something of great importance.”
He continued, “Our continent has been plagued by endless conflict. The various races are burdened by deep-rooted grievances, and if things continue this way, it is the people of every race who will suffer. I have an idea. Let us establish an alliance to govern this continent together and safeguard its peace and stability.”
The moment he finished speaking, everyone began talking at once.
“Hmph. Human, what makes you think we would listen to you?” the Lord of the Undead challenged first.
“Exactly. We dwarves won’t easily believe the nonsense humans spout,” the Dwarf King added.
Med frowned. “An alliance? How can we guarantee that every race’s interests will be treated fairly?”
The hall once again descended into uproar. Everyone argued their own position, refusing to yield an inch. Wo Biao was even waving an axe at Med, gesticulating wildly.
Shen Yi quickly raised both hands. “Everyone, please calm down and let me finish. I can build a great city, and establish an Academy of Peace within it. The city will be called Peace City. Each race may send one representative to form the alliance’s first parliament, where we can jointly discuss and decide matters concerning the continent.”
He paused, looking around at the gradually subsiding crowd.
“Furthermore, each race may implement a civil-service examination system to select its most outstanding talents and send them to the Academy of Peace for further study. There, they will learn knowledge and skills aimed at developing virtue, intelligence, physical strength, aesthetic appreciation, and practical labor, and will one day contribute to the alliance’s development. The Academy of Peace will be founded upon fairness, ensuring that every race receives equal opportunities for advancement.”
“What are virtue, intelligence, physical strength, aesthetic appreciation, and labor? Could you explain them in greater detail?” the Elven King asked curiously.
The others turned toward Shen Yi as well.
“Virtue means moral character: cherishing kindness, treating others sincerely, acting with righteousness, and obeying the rules. It is the foundation on which we stand within the alliance.
“Intelligence means wisdom: mastering knowledge, thinking critically, and innovating, then using what we have learned to offer strategies for the alliance’s development.
“Physical strength means possessing a healthy and robust body. Only then can we face every challenge and temper our will through struggle.
“Aesthetic appreciation means discovering and appreciating the beauty of the world, enriching the soul through art, and promoting cultural exchange and integration.
“Labor means creating value with our own hands, cultivating a sense of responsibility, and working together to build our shared home.”
“Afterward, I will dispatch inspectors to assist every race with its selection process. Regardless of age, wealth, or status—even beings who have only just awakened their consciousness—everyone will be eligible to compete. Naturally, I will also accept supervision from every race to eliminate favoritism and corruption. What do you think?”
Shen Yi did not continue immediately. He waited until everyone had nearly finished digesting his proposal, then went on.
“Gathering the strengths of all, combining every branch of knowledge, and forging a holy land of learning! When the time is right, we shall strike at the heavens. I will make certain that the sky can no longer shield my eyes, and that the earth can no longer confine my body. All of this is merely a matter of time!”
Everyone fell silent after hearing this.
You really dare to dream.
“Why does this sound like you’re trying to create a god?” Demon Emperor Ao Qiong asked, his voice uncertain.
“This isn’t creating a god, damn it! He’s planning a rebellion!”
“You’re something else. So lofty and noble!”
“You—you—you—you—you!”
Wo Biao stammered again, pointing a claw at Shen Yi. In the end, he could not get another word out.
“What courage. Who agrees, and who objects? Let us vote by a show of hands.” Golden eyes swept over the crowd.
The Dragon Emperor raised his right hand, signifying his support for Shen Yi’s plan.
Shen Yi looked at those still deep in thought, then raised his own hand and said once more, “Who agrees, and who objects?”
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The third to raise his hand was Wo Biao, followed by the Elven King.
The Dwarf King came fifth.
The two great human powers, Great Xia and the Sacred Dragon Empire, were still hesitating.
Seeing that matters were not going in his favor, the Lord of the Undead said, “Er… is it still possible to withdraw now?” The ghostly flame above his head flickered erratically.
You lunatics. Have you all lost your minds?
The Dragon Emperor said, “You can try.”
Those who had raised their hands looked at the Lord of the Undead with amusement.
“You bunch of lunatics are utterly unreasonable! I am a sovereign of a mighty realm, with well over a million subjects under my command. Not even the gods could make me bow my head! And you think you can?” His tone was resolute, though his expression was impossible to read.
He then picked up a right-hand skeleton from beside him and slowly raised it.
His body and words were astonishingly well coordinated, without the slightest pause.
At last, the pressure fell upon the human kingdoms.
The two men exchanged a glance. They had already made up their minds. Clearly, there was no way back. If they withdrew, it would only be a matter of time before humanity was surpassed by the other races.
Xiao Jingqian gritted his teeth. “Very well. Great Xia agrees to join.”
Seeing this, Med could only nod helplessly. “The Sacred Dragon Empire agrees as well.”
After both men had stated their positions, Shen Yi said, “The first step is for me to send people to supervise the selection process in every race. Leave the construction of the city to me. You need only select your representatives and prepare the examinations. The preliminary examinations will be held within each race, while the second round will take place in Peace City, where the Academy of Peace will conduct the final selection. All right, everyone, go and make your preparations.”
With that, Shen Yi left the group video call and rubbed his temples.
He was preparing to spend his resources on building the city.
Soon afterward, the various leaders withdrew from the call as well, without hesitation.
In the days that followed, every race began to busy itself.
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At the same time, preparations for the civil-service examinations proceeded at full speed. Every race posted notices and spread the word, while young people eagerly signed up, longing to distinguish themselves in the examinations.
The dragons prepared on a floating island shrouded in clouds and mist. The young dragons were required to study all manner of subjects, from the history of the ancient dragon tongue to mysterious astral magic. Yet dragons were naturally free-spirited and carefree, and they deeply resented such rigid lessons.
Some young dragons secretly returned to their true forms during class and chased one another through the clouds, casting their studies completely aside. The Dragon Elder in charge of their education grew so furious that his beard bristled and his eyes bulged, yet he could do nothing with the mischievous little creatures.
To make them concentrate, the Dragon Elder tried offering precious dragon crystals as rewards. Only then did the young dragons reluctantly quiet down and begin earnestly gnawing through their books.
The beastfolk prepared on a vast grassland. Wo Biao personally supervised them, hoping his people would prove the strength of the beastfolk through the examinations. But these warriors, accustomed to battle and hunting, found book learning painfully difficult.
Some stared at the writing as though it were an incomprehensible celestial script. After reading only a few pages, they tossed the books aside and picked up their weapons to practice combat techniques.
“What use are these characters compared with my axe?” they muttered.
Wo Biao roared helplessly, trying to make them understand the importance of knowledge, but with little effect. Not until he announced that those who performed well in the examinations would receive more hunting opportunities did the beastfolk find a trace of motivation.
The demonfolk’s preparations were filled with fantastical color. Demon Emperor Ao Qiong summoned the finest experts of his race to teach the younger generation. However, the demonfolk were accustomed to solving problems with supernatural arts and were not well suited to traditional methods of study.
Some young demons could not resist casting spells to prank their companions. One moment the classroom would turn into a sea of flowers; the next, all manner of strange illusions would appear.
Hu Yu, an enthusiastic member of the demonfolk, worked hard to maintain order, yet she herself was occasionally sent into fits of laughter by the young demons’ tricks. Ao Qiong could only shake his head and sigh at the chaotic scene, hoping they would regain their composure before the examinations.
The two great human powers, Great Xia and the Sacred Dragon Empire, organized their preparations separately.
In Great Xia, students studied in ancient academies, swaying their heads as they recited the classics, attempting to find answers in the wisdom of their ancestors. The Sacred Dragon Empire, meanwhile, emphasized practical knowledge. Under the guidance of tutors from the imperial court, its students studied statecraft, administration, military strategy, and related subjects.
Yet humanity itself was divided. Some young scholars felt that traditional teaching methods were too rigid and longed to study matters related to interstellar technology. This sparked a fierce debate. The old scholars condemned such ideas as heretical, while the younger students insisted on innovation.
The dispute continued until the eve of the examinations, leaving the atmosphere tense and thick with the scent of gunpowder.
The undead prepared in gloomy graveyards. The Lord of the Undead personally urged them on, while a million undead struggled to study in the darkness. Though they possessed no physical eyes, the ghostly green flames within their skulls illuminated their books.
Their methods of study, however, were exceedingly peculiar. Some acquired knowledge by conversing with ancient spirits, while others fused fragments of memory together to comprehend difficult problems.
Yet the graveyard was often filled with wails and shrieks. It turned out that some undead had collapsed under the pressure of their studies. The Lord of the Undead had no choice but to comfort them again and again, urging them to persevere.
The elves prepared deep within a luxuriant forest. The Elven Queen hoped that the younger generation would pass the examinations and display the wisdom of the elves. They studied in the embrace of nature, conversing with flowers, grasses, and trees, and drawing inspiration from birds and beasts.
But the forest held too many temptations. Beautiful butterflies and adorable animals constantly distracted them. Some elven students could not resist putting down their books to chase these spirits of nature.
The Elven Queen could only cast a spell to quiet the forest temporarily, helping them focus on their studies.
The dwarves prepared beside blazing furnaces. The Dwarf King believed that the alliance needed more than military strength—it also needed wisdom. The dwarves forged weapons while studying various subjects.
Yet the heat and noise of the furnaces made learning extraordinarily difficult. The dwarves frequently argued because they could not hear their teachers clearly. Some became so absorbed in their smithing that they mistook their books for fuel and tossed them into the furnaces.
The Dwarf King was forced to mediate again and again, trying to persuade them to calm their minds and study even as they continued hammering away at the forge.