Chu Qiguang was very pleased as he read over what he had written.

If I used these training methods on a bunch of commoners, it wouldn't take long before they could overthrow the local authorities! That said, since the training subjects are cat fiends, my job is much easier.

Firstly, the authorities won't get suspicious if I'm just training a bunch of cats. Secondly, these cats haven't been poisoned by the ideologies of the feudal system, so they'll be much easier to reform than humans. Violence is not going to be a sustainable way to keep these cats in check. Instead, I have to put them through ideological reform so they can be reborn anew. Perhaps I really can integrate them into human society.

***

The second day after Chu Qiguang moved into the new courtyard, his fractured arm had recovered enough that it no longer affected his martial arts training.

From then on, his days became very busy. During the day, he had to study and cultivate at Wise Hero Academy, while his afternoons were taken up by social engagements.

On some days, he would have meals with Wang Cailiang, Jin Fugui, and the other sons of landowners. On other days, he would go to the Daoist temple to visit Daoist Master Law Origin, or stop by the county office to chat with Accountant Li and He Xian.

On top of that, he made time to visit the Hao Clan's private library, focusing on finding clues related to the Purple Mansion Sacred Scripture.

During his visits to the Hao Manor, he also gathered information about Hao Yongtai and tried to get closer to members of the Hao Clan.

At night, he returned to the courtyard. He would first meditate, then cultivate martial arts before putting the cat fiends through ideological and political education.

By the time morning came, it was already time for him to return to Wise Hero Academy.

Two days earlier, he had attended Hao Yongtai's funeral and offered a stick of incense.

As Hao Yongtai was about to be buried, Chu Qiguang said quietly, "Thank you for looking after me during the short time we knew each other, Brother Hao. I'll take care of the Hao Clan in your absence, so you can rest in peace."

Chen Gang, who was accompanying him, couldn't help but shudder slightly. Looks like I still have a lot to learn from Brother Chu...

Nearly half a month flew by in the blink of an eye.

Chu Qiguang continued to progress rapidly in martial arts, and he was now able to throw two hundred and ten consecutive audible punches. At the same time, however, his funds had dwindled to less than six hundred taels of silver.

The martial examination was now less than four months away.

***

On this day, after finishing his lessons, Chu Qiguang waited by the entrance of Wise Hero Academy. As soon as Hao Yongtai stepped out, he approached him. The two had agreed to return to the Hao Manor together, where Chu Qiguang would continue his reading.

They chatted amicably along the way, and Chu Qiguang intentionally brought up subjects related to martial arts. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Thanks to Qiao Zhi's guidance, he had become far more knowledgeable about martial arts than most martial artists in Azure Sun County. He was always able to offer fresh insights and knowledge that Hao Yongtai listened to with great interest. By displaying his extensive martial arts knowledge, he was also hinting to Hao Yongtai that he had a very powerful master.

He also asked questions in areas where Hao Yongtai was more experienced, allowing them to learn from each other. Hao Yongtai had loved martial arts since he was young, and he came to greatly enjoy his conversations with Chu Qiguang.

At this point, he should consider me a close friend, so it's about time I made a move. Once I've completely won him over, I can establish a connection with the Wu Clan through him. If I can ride on the coattails of the future grand secretary, then the world will be my oyster!

After accompanying Chu Qiguang to his clan's private library, Hao Yongtai remarked, "You're so hardworking, Brother Chu. Ever since I started cultivating martial arts, I've rarely come here."

The library alone was nearly ten times the size of Ergou's entire house. Chu Qiguang's gaze swept over its elegant and luxurious decor, and when he thought of Ergou's crude mud hut, the contrast became a stark reflection of the wealth disparity in this world.

Chu Qiguang chuckled. "I've always been interested in historical texts. This is a rare opportunity, so I'm eager to take full advantage of it."

"Will your body be able to handle this, Brother Chu? It feels like you're stretching yourself a little too thin," Hao Yongtai replied with concern.

"It's fine," Chu Qiguang reassured him. "For martial artists like us, going a few days without sleep isn't too difficult. Rest assured, I won't push myself if I start to feel any discomfort."

After a bit more casual conversation, Hao Yongtai said, "I need to return to my cultivation, so I'll leave you to it, Brother Chu. Just inform the servant outside when you're ready to leave, and I'll escort you out of the manor."

After Hao Yongtai left, Chu Qiguang continued to flip through the historical texts in the library, searching for clues about the Purple Mansion Sacred Scripture and also studying the history of this world.

This historical knowledge will also be useful when I'm educating those cat fiends. My ideological and political lessons will carry more weight if I can back them up with historical examples.

Most of the historical texts were boring, but Chu Qiguang read them with keen interest. Thanks to his enhanced learning abilities and memory as a second-state Dao artist, he was able to absorb knowledge like a sponge.

As he read, he felt as though a vibrant yet cruel world was unfolding before him. All kinds of heroes, villains, and everything in between took the stage one after another.

The book he was currently reading covered the history of the previous empire.

The empire before the Great Han Empire was a nameless one that was ruled by the dragon race of the Eastern Sea. They had invaded the central plains and established a barbaric and tyrannical rule over humans, regarding humans and fiends as food and slaves. It was an era marked by constant and violent racial and class conflicts.

The empire lasted for over a hundred years, and it was an extremely tumultuous period, with uprisings breaking out almost every single year. In the end, the founding fathers of the Great Han Empire overthrew the dragon race, banishing them back to the Eastern Sea.

Since then, the dragon race had continued to be a menace in the Eastern Sea. In recent times, they had frequently harassed cities along the southeastern coast and attacked merchant ships of the Great Han Empire.

So in this world, the dragon race is more like a barbaric tribe. It's a pity that their empire lasted only a hundred years, and much of the historical records from the time were lost due to the constant unrest.

Time passed quickly as Chu Qiguang continued reading. After the sun set, a servant brought Chu Qiguang a lamp and some food.

"Our young master has instructed me to bring you supper, Young Master Chu."