He longed for the day when the Sea of Learning would be filled with myriad schools of thought, each with its own teachings and doctrines. The flourishing of a hundred schools—that was the future he truly desired. He even dreamed of turning the undying Academy into a supreme sanctuary—where both scholars and cultivators would take pride in gaining admission. And within its gates, only the most exceptional prodigies would be accepted.
The undying Academy would inevitably become a place of legend.
"All right, that's enough sightseeing for today. There's still an aftermath to clean up from the battle. Those ten acres of spiritual farmland need to be protected, and that spirit spring even more so—it's an absolute priority. There can be no mistakes. The Iceheart Rice must be harvested immediately. Everything must be organized right away."
Yi Tianxing had no intention of exploring the other islands or inspecting their conditions.
The undying Academy had just been established—it was bound to be crude and undeveloped. Even if he visited, there wouldn't be much to see. It was better to wait until it matured. More pressing matters lay outside. Despite prior arrangements, caution remained essential.
"There may already be alien infiltrators hiding within the city."
Yi Tianxing frowned in contemplation.
Mouse Erosion's words earlier had clearly planted a seed of concern.
"The security protocols for entering and exiting Xuanhuang City are still incomplete. This is exactly the time when refugees and displaced citizens are pouring in. It wouldn't be hard for someone to slip through. And once inside, trying to find a hidden infiltrator would be like finding a needle in a haystack. The Tianji Cards can only serve as identification. Unless a city-wide sweep is launched, it's almost impossible to pinpoint them. What the Star Network lacks—is a pair of eyes."
A sudden inspiration flickered across Yi Tianxing's mind.
If the Star Network could gain a pair of eyes, then it would be able to monitor the entire city. Everything would be under surveillance. No matter how well a spy might hide, a clue would surely be revealed.
Leaving the undying Academy, Yi Tianxing returned to the City Lord's Mansion. By then, a portion of the Iceheart Rice had already been delivered to him.
Gazing at the glistening spiritual rice before him, he was struck by its beauty. Each grain was pure and flawless, like pearls, about the size of dates, appearing more like translucent hailstones from the heavens. A faint chill emanated from them, lowering the surrounding temperature just by sitting there.
"As expected of a top-grade Earth-rank spiritual rice. Iceheart Rice lives up to its name. Remarkable stuff—truly remarkable."
Yi Tianxing turned the grains over in his hand, admiring them before sending them into his Life Aperture in the Dantian, planting them in a vacant spot. The environment within was perfect for growing all spiritual plants, and Iceheart Rice was no exception.
"But beyond Iceheart Rice... I didn't expect to gain something extra."
His gaze fell upon another pile of rice seeds.
A closer look revealed subtle differences from the Iceheart Rice. They were about the same size as pearls, but shaped like tiny snow pears—translucent and inviting, making one instinctively want to take a bite.
"Snow Pear Rice—it really exists. So not all of the Snow Pear Rice transformed into Iceheart Rice under heaven's alchemy. A portion retained its original traits, becoming exactly what it was meant to be. Though only a mid-grade Yellow-rank spiritual rice, its simplicity makes it far easier to cultivate than higher-rank grains—ideal for mass farming and for everyday cultivators."
This was Snow Pear Rice—a creation originally bred by Song Yingxing through grafting and hybridization. A true spiritual grain.
Its rank may be modest, but that didn't change the fact: it was spiritual rice, containing authentic spiritual energy. The lower grade only meant it contained less energy—not that it was any less useful.
In fact, for the needs of present-day Xuanhuang City, this lower-grade rice was even more valuable.
Snow Pear Rice
Bred by Song Yingxing via grafting and hybridization. Produces spiritual rice resembling miniature snow pears. Flavor: crisp, sweet, juicy. Contains spiritual energy that calms the mind and eases agitation. Helps restore composure and improves mana upon digestion. Rank: Yellow-grade, mid-tier. Grows easily in varied environments.
To gain two new types of spiritual rice at once—this was undoubtedly a massive stroke of fortune.
"The Golden Wheat in my Dantian Aperture is also about to mature. Once it does, I can start supplying it in small quantities to the upper echelons of Xuanhuang City. I got a decent haul of it from the scarecrow. Though most were used for planting, there's still some left for tasting. Time to try some spiritual wheat-based cuisine."
Since scarecrows didn't need to eat, any grain they harvested just got stockpiled.
That meant Golden Wheat, once mature, could be purchased from the scarecrows directly. They needed only straw—Golden Wheat stalks were perfect for making more scarecrows. As for the grain, it was essentially wasted unless traded.
And from what he'd seen, Eternal Coins were of great interest to the scarecrows.
So if he used things they needed in exchange for what they didn't—he'd likely succeed.
"If I can get a large batch of Golden Wheat, the entire foundation of Xuanhuang City will grow stronger."
He swallowed unconsciously.
"I have to get Lai He to make some food from this Golden Wheat. Just the thought of it is driving my gourmet cells wild."
Mouth watering, eyes gleaming, he couldn't wait.
Wheat meant flour. Flour meant noodles, dumplings, steamed buns, wheat porridge… an entire universe of cuisine. A staple of Huaxia culinary tradition. And with top-tier chefs?
Unimaginable.
He immediately handed over some Golden Wheat to Lai He, who, upon seeing it, was ecstatic—eyes shining like he'd found the world's most exquisite artwork. Countless recipes immediately sprang to mind.
Without hesitation, Lai He took the ingredients and got to work. But even so, he estimated that the first dishes wouldn't be ready until tomorrow morning.
For now, Yi Tianxing had to make do with other delicious meals.
Time passed quietly.
Night fell upon Xuanhuang City, but the streets were still lively. The battle between the scarecrows and the mouse army was still the talk of the town. Especially the terrifying hat-blade technique used by the scarecrows—people relived it with passion and awe. That image had etched itself deeply in everyone's minds.
With the rat disaster ended, the city had returned to its flourishing peace.
Street vendors were everywhere. Merchants hawked their wares in loud voices. Officers from the Six Doors Bureau patrolled each street.
Though in truth, the patrols were mostly for show. Everyone cherished the peace that had been so hard-won. No one dared disturb it. Cultivators didn't go hungry unless they were lazy—life could be good if you were willing to work.
So the officers all wore smiles as they passed through, greeting citizens warmly. There was no fear of authority here—only harmony.
Even the golden ages of old dynasties couldn't compare.
It was truly... peaceful.
But then—
A constable named Ding, strolling down the street, exchanged a laugh with a street vendor—
Squelch!
A sharp, sickening sound of flesh being pierced echoed through the night.
From his chest, a black blade emerged—piercing clean through his heart. A sudden, clean thrust.
And then, the blade vanished—without a trace.
A burst of blood sprayed under the lantern-lit sky.
So fast, so sudden—no one even saw the attacker.
Not even a cry escaped his lips. Ding collapsed on the spot—dead.
Terrifying.
And not a soul saw who did it.
"Officer Ding! Quick, get a healer—he's been attacked!"
"He's not breathing. His heart's stopped. That blade—straight through the heart. So sudden! No one even saw the attacker. It was like the blade appeared out of thin air."
"Hurry—notify Lord Zhang Yue. This is huge! A constable was just killed in Xuanhuang City! This is unprecedented!"
Cries of alarm broke out across the crowd.
A Six Doors officer—murdered in the heart of the city. It was unheard of. The implications were staggering.
And worse—no one had seen a thing.
And in a city where every citizen was a cultivator, a silent kill like this shouldn't have been possible. Not unless… the assassin was on another level entirely.
A shadow fell over the city.
Word of Ding's murder spread like wildfire.
Zhang Yue was informed immediately.
He rushed to the scene at once.
"Damn it... To attack a Six Doors constable in broad daylight… If I find out who did this, I'll tear them to pieces!"
Zhang Yue's face was grim—his fury barely contained.