This was a rather narrow enclosed room.
A small bed, a table, and a wooden chair.
In the corner stood a red bookcase.
There were no extra decorations inside the room.
Occasionally, the floor would vibrate slightly.
Suddenly, a pale hand pushed open the tightly shut wooden window.
Outside the window was an endless sea of clouds.
The early sun had risen above the sea of clouds.
A cool breeze and the morning light rushed to his face.
Zhao Rong shook off the sleepiness of the early morning.
Since that day when he left Qingfeng Residence amid everyone's admiration and boarded the ship with Liu Sanbian, seven days had already passed.
This Qingfeng Pavilion ferry was about a hundred feet tall, and Zhao Rong estimated that the deck area was about the size of a sports field. Just as he had imagined, the ship was indeed traveling above the sea of clouds.
Liu Sanbian told him that this ferry was built by the craftspeople of the Mo family.
When he first boarded the ship, Zhao Rong was quite fascinated for a while, but afterwards, he was caught off guard by a prolonged bout of seasickness.
Zhao Rong had never flown in a plane in his previous life, and the furthest he had traveled was when he went to the provincial capital by train alone from his small hometown to attend university.
Moreover, this Cloud Sea Ferry was somewhat like a sea ship, which swayed from time to time, causing Zhao Rong, who had never left land before, quite a bit of discomfort for a while.
At the time, seeing Liu Sanbian as if his feet were "rooted" on the ship, stable in all directions, Zhao Rong felt quite envious.
Cultivation seems quite interesting, huh? Maybe I should also give it a try?
But every time he remembered Gui's discouraging words, he felt somewhat sullen.
Is it really true that I'm not some hidden physique?
Something's not right. Where's the template of the protagonist who crossed over?
Am I a disgrace to the transmigrators?
Zhao Rong gazed at the sea of clouds outside the window and let his mind wander for a while before he gathered his thoughts, got up, and started his morning lessons.
He laid out paper, ground some ink, and practiced calligraphy.
He did this every day after getting up.
First practice writing, read books, then go for breakfast.
Since he had already become a scholar in this world and might never be able to return, he was determined to approach this life seriously.
Actually, his thoughts about this life were quite simple.
He just wanted to understand some truths, do some interesting things, and take good care of those he cared about and who cared about him.
Thus, returning jade, sending letters, practicing writing, and reading books all followed this heart.
After tracing several copies of calligraphy, Zhao Rong felt his wrist become a bit sore and stopped writing.
He took out a beautifully bound book from the bookcase.
"Xuanhuang Chronicles."
Zhao Rong opened it to the page he had dog-eared before and continued reading.
This book had been bought by Liu Sanbian a few days ago after hearing that he wanted to learn about the history and general knowledge of the Xuanhuang Realm in a shop onboard.
It cost two lower-grade Spirit Stones.
Of course, the Spirit Stones were paid by Liu Sanbian, which Zhao Rong accepted without any hesitation.
Actually, after leaving Qingfeng Residence, Liu Sanbian had once took the initiative to return the Falling Flower Grade to him and even offered to pay for another Ascending Grade.
But Zhao Rong had smilingly refused.
The "Xuanhuang Chronicles" recorded many contents that Zhao Rong found interesting.
The book stated that in an era so long ago as to be unknowable, the Xuanhuang Realm was occupied by myriad races, and the Human Clan was just an insignificant among them.
But under the leadership of the first Great Emperor of the Human Clan—Emperor Xuan, the Human Clan rose opportunistically, eliminated and expelled the myriad races, and the remaining beings evolved into the current Demon Race, existing in dependence on the Human Clan, making the Human Clan the sole ruler of the Xuanhuang Realm.
Emperor Xuan, having the auspice of earth virtue, was also known as Great Emperor Xuanhuang, and the name of the current Xuanhuang Realm was also given by him; the ancient name is no longer known.
The Xuanhuang Realm is divided into Nine Provinces.
Central Continent.
Tunan Continent, Kunlun Continent, Yun Meng Continent, Wangque Continent.
East Taiyi Continent, West Fu Yao Continent, North Kunpeng Continent, South Tranquility State.
The largest region, Central Continent, known for its flourishing human ways, is located right at the center of the Xuanhuang Realm.
The names containing east, west, south, and north, as the four great continents suggest, are respectively located at the furthest east, west, south, and north of the Xuanhuang Realm. The scale and number of Cultivators in these four continents are second only to Central Continent.
Following that are the three lesser continents Gui mentioned: Kunlun Continent, Yun Meng Continent, and Wangque Continent. They are the smallest in scale among the Nine Provinces.
As for Tunan Continent, it is quite special.
Kunlun Continent lies between Central Continent and North Kunpeng Continent.
Tunan Continent, Yun Meng Continent, and Wangque Continent are positioned between Central Continent and South Tranquility State.
Although Tunan Continent is similar in area to the three lesser continents, it is the most crucial transportation hub in the Xuanhuang Realm aside from Central Continent.
To travel to the three southern continents, one must pass through Tunan Continent, and those from the southern continents heading north must do the same or else they would have to take a significantly longer sea route, which is very troublesome.
Therefore, despite its small size, Tunan Continent is extremely thriving, comparable to the four great continents of East, West, North, and South.
Zhao Rong also learned from a book an interesting fact—all the Imperial Families of the dynasties under Tunan Continent share the surname Jiang.
Was there once a unified dynasty under this continent?
Zhao Rong speculated, but felt that there was more to it than that.
However, the "Xuanhuang Chronicles" did not detail these matters; it glossed over many things, which made Zhao Rong incredibly curious to only know roughly what was going on.
Suddenly, it was as if he remembered something.
With purpose, he flipped through the pages and soon found the description about Jiang Taiching.
"Emperor Cang, whose real name was Jiang Cang, styled Taiching. Cang, as in the sky, and Taiching as well. The second Great Emperor of the Human Clan."
"The white-haired of Southern Tranquility State, Sword Cultivator who claimed the title of emperor, the highest in sword Dao in the history of the Xuanhuang Realm, born ten thousand years after Emperor Xuan, during the chaos of a great disorder, coinciding with the ancient Demon calamity, as ancient Demons returned to the Xuanhuang Realm."
"Jiang Taiching supported the teetering great edifices, quelled the internal conflicts of the Human Clan, suppressed the Demon Race, cleared the cosmos, established the rituals of the Human Clan, changed the names of the four great continents of East, West, North, and South, supported the Confucians, expanded the 'Xuan Emperor's Law,' reconstructed the four great Taiching, established the Taiching Four Mansions across the Nine Provinces, gathered all the talents from the various states, revitalized the Xuanhuang Human Clan, and his fame spread beyond the realm."
"Emperors Xuan and Cang, the former established the grand unification of the Human Clan, the latter founded a millennium of great enterprises, inaugurating an era of peace for thousands of generations, their merits were immense."
Upon reading this, Zhao Rong pondered for a moment.
Was this Emperor Cang also a disciple of the Confucian school?
From what he knew, in the Xuanhuang Realm only Confucian disciples would have styled names.
And concerning the affairs of the Great Emperors, the book only emphasized Emperor Xuan and Emperor Cang, making Zhao Rong wonder whether this was a hereditary position or a cultivation realm.
Thinking it over, he began searching for an overview of the "Xuan Emperor's Law."
"The 'Xuan Emperor's Law' is the supreme codex of the Human Clan, authored by Emperor Xuan, the first Great Emperor, after leading the Human Clan to ascend to the pinnacle..."
Zhao Rong read carefully.
The book mentioned that the "Xuan Emperor's Law" had been amended by several emperors, but specifics were not detailed.
It merely mentioned that the "Xuan Emperor's Law" stipulated the gathering of Human Clan resources to establish the four great Taiching, the Nine Taiching Four Mansions, and additionally...
The appointment of nine electors.
As for other contents, the book did not elaborate.
Moreover, the names of these four great Taiching and the nine electors weren't introduced in the book.
Zhao Rong was frustrated.
Indeed, you get what you pay for.
He pursed his lips, planning to ask Gui.
Just then, a crisp laugh suddenly floated over.
Zhao Rong paused.
It seemed... it came from outside the window.
He glanced at the open window.
He had previously learned that the outside of the Qingfeng Pavilion's ferry was likely set with an Array. While moving at high speed, it wouldn't let in too much noise or wind but would allow some breeze to slip through.
How could laughter get through?
Zhao Rong curiously leaned out to look, and discovered his window was tightly adjacent to the next cabin's window.
With a thought, he slightly tilted his head, peering into the next window.
At that moment, someone was there, head bowed reading a book.
Upon closer inspection.
It was the White-faced Scholar he had encountered by chance at the bookstore!