I Studied Abroad in the Modern Times-Chapter 355Book 2: : Academic System, Heaven-Sent Wealth

Vol 2 Chapter 355: Academic System, Heaven-Sent Wealth

“So, you created a Nascent Soul cultivation method just to please Senior Zhang, and developed a new version of the Tongjian just to coax your sister?”

On University Island, inside a side hall supported by the Nine Chapters Calculation Array, Madam Xuanhua stared at the Tongjian in her hands, questioning Zheng Fa.

Her tone was odd, even tinged with frustration.

She wasn't the only one in the hall.

Every cultivator above the Nascent Soul stage in Jiushan Realm was present.

Uncle Pang and Uncle Huang stood next to Senior Sister Zhang, speaking quietly.

Qingmu Sect’s Elder Xiong and Master Song were also fiddling with the Tongjian, curiously exploring its features.

Xie Qingxue and Xiao Yuying stood together, with Elder Han by their side. Upon hearing the exchange, they too looked at Zheng Fa, their expressions puzzled.

In one corner, Jiao Wuji and Ancestor of the Blood River stood quietly and unobtrusively, clearly not mingling with the crowd.

Zheng Fa first turned to Uncle Pang and asked, “Are all the disciples back?”

Uncle Pang’s face was solemn. “They are. Han Qi and his group were the last;they only arrived yesterday.”

Zheng Fa nodded lightly. Seeing that Madam Xuanhua was still holding up the Tongjian and staring at him, he finally smiled. “It’s not entirely like that. Just a coincidence. I had ideas about the Tongjian for a while, but the lack of a refined Creation Jade Slip held me back.”

He hadn’t chosen the Creation Jade Slip as his life-bound artifact just to run some gossip forum.

Back then, he lacked the cultivation and the algorithms to build even a rudimentary server. It had simply been beyond his capabilities.

Madam Xuanhua’s gaze locked onto his forehead, her eyes showing a strange glint.

Zheng Fa suddenly felt a chill on his forehead.

This top-tier artifact master of Jiushan seemed like she was ready to pry open his skull.

Seeing this, Uncle Pang realized the Tongjian must be something unusual and asked curiously, “So what’s different about this new Tongjian? Is it powerful?”

Right now, apart from Zheng Fa, only Madam Xuanhua—the creator of the Tongjian—fully understood what this new artifact could do.

Even Senior Sister Zhang looked at Zheng Fa with curiosity in her eyes.

“It has no offensive capabilities whatsoever,” Madam Xuanhua said, shaking her head before smiling. “But this Tongjian will likely become the most widely used artifact in the entire Xuanyi Realm.”

She paused, then added, “I dare say that in the future, Xuanyi cultivators could go without any other artifacts, but not without the Tongjian.”

Her claim was so confident it bordered on unbelievable.

Even Xie Qingxue looked surprised. She tapped lightly on the Tongjian, revealing six icons on the interface. The icons were drawn in a childlike, simplistic, sketch-style manner.

She asked softly, “Because of these six icons?”

Madam Xuanhua didn’t answer but instead looked toward Zheng Fa. He summoned the Creation Jade Slip from his dantian. It hovered above everyone’s heads and projected a tall screen of light.

On the screen were the same six icons Xie Qingxue had mentioned.

“These six... I call them ‘apps’.”

“Apps?”

Looking at the projected screen, Zheng Fa’s eyes were full of nostalgia.

When he first learned about smartphones in his past life, the shock he felt was at least ten times greater than what Madam Xuanhua was experiencing now—it truly felt like a divine invention.

What Madam Xuanhua spoke of as the future was already reality in the modern world.

“These six apps represent six new features of the Tongjian.” He tapped the top-right app first. “This is Jiushan Forum. No big changes here.”

Everyone had already been long-time users of the forum, so the familiar interface didn’t impress them. Uncle Pang asked:

“What about the other five?”

“Two of them, like Jiushan Forum, are exclusive to Jiushan Sect disciples.”

Since the Tongjian—well, more accurately, this new device—was such a novelty, Zheng Fa explained in great detail.

“The far-left one is Remote Classroom.”

“Remote Classroom?”

This term was unfamiliar to most cultivators in the Xuanyi Realm, but not hard to grasp.

“To take classes?” Uncle Pang guessed.

“Exactly. It serves two main functions,” Zheng Fa said as he opened the app and pointed at the interface. “First, remote teaching.”

“In the future, disciples on missions won’t miss lessons anymore.”

“Even if they don’t have time, the app also supports playback.”

Uncle Pang beamed, nodding furiously. “This is great, truly great! I’ve been worried my disciples miss out on classes because they’re always out investigating.”

“Now they can investigate during the day and study at night. No more setbacks.”

He fondly caressed the Tongjian in his hand, clearly thrilled for his disciples’ sake.

Seeing his face light up, Zheng Fa suspected that his disciples might never smile as brightly as Uncle Pang was right now...

Turning back, he continued his explanation:

“Besides the two main features, Remote Classroom also has minor functions like Q&A, online seminars, and homework submission. All simple—just explore and you’ll get it.”

Hearing this, Xie Qingxue seemed to understand what Madam Xuanhua meant earlier. “Just this Remote Classroom alone is a big deal for Jiushan Sect.”

Madam Xuanhua smiled at her words.

Xie Qingxue blinked, feeling like that smile carried a hint of pity, as if she were being looked at like a clueless country bumpkin.

She wasn’t offended, but a thought crossed her mind as she looked at the remaining four apps on the screen.

“The last app exclusive to Jiushan Realm is called ‘Lun Dao’—‘Dao Discourse’.”

“Lun Dao?” Xie Qingxue repeated, puzzled by the vague name.

Zheng Fa smiled and explained, “If Remote Classroom helps disciples learn, Lun Dao lets them share insights and research findings.”

“Isn’t that what Jiushan Forum was for?” Uncle Pang interjected.

“Originally, yes,” Zheng Fa said, glancing at him with a slightly exasperated look.

“…The forum’s tone isn’t my fault… not entirely,” Uncle Pang mumbled, his voice growing weaker.

“Lun Dao is for uploading research papers. Comments are limited to academic content.”

Jiushan Forum still had its uses—mainly for Zheng Fa to eat melons… no, monitor opinions, identify issues, and gather feedback.

Lun Dao, in Zheng Fa’s mind, was more like a preprint site—think arXiv.

“The main purpose of Lun Dao is to foster a culture of research. It lowers the barrier for publishing papers.”

“‘Immortal Dao’ Journal can’t take in too many submissions. Even adding other journals, the publication slots are limited.”

“But Lun Dao is almost barrier-free and promotes academic exchange.”

Everyone nodded, understanding his intention.

“Senior Sister Zhang, I plan to set up a monthly merit reward pool in Lun Dao for promising or impactful papers.”

She frowned and asked, “Why?”

“To encourage research,” Zheng Fa replied. “You can estimate the exact merit points.”

He sighed. “This way, disciples will be more willing to share their unique insights.”

Cultivators in Jiushan Sect leaned toward Xuanyi ideals, often guarding their knowledge. Offering merit was a necessary incentive.

“Not just merit. Journals like ‘Immortal Dao’ can also select papers from Lun Dao, showing disciples the real benefits of publishing there,” Zheng Fa said.

“What’s the difference then?” Uncle Pang asked. “Aren’t they all just for publishing?”

Looking around, Zheng Fa realized everyone was a bit confused and explained more thoroughly.

“Lun Dao is low-barrier and offers one-time merit to promote sharing.”

“Journals, however, are to identify truly gifted researchers.” He looked at Uncle Pang. “I gathered everyone to initiate a deeper reform in Jiushan.”

“Starting today, we’ll divide disciples into specialization tracks. Some will become research-type disciples.”

“We’ll still use the five ranks—Outer, Inner, Core, Elder, and Grand Elder—but with different evaluation criteria.”

“Oh, so promotion depends on journal publication?” Uncle Pang realized.

“Yes, especially for research-type disciples. To become Core Disciples, they’ll need to publish in journals.”

“Once promoted, they’ll have full rights and be able to apply for funding to support their research.”

Uncle Pang nodded slowly. “So Lun Dao is still like a forum, but research-focused? And journals are stricter?”

Zheng Fa nodded. Then he added, “I’m also planning to set up a series of research awards.”

“Awards?”

“Yes, for research with major impact or breakthroughs. These awards will offer significant merit.”

“How significant?”

“Enough to let a disciple reach the Nascent Soul stage.”

Everyone was stunned.

Even Uncle Huang had only managed to accumulate enough resources in his lifetime to help Senior Sister Zhang form her Nascent Soul. At that time, she’d even been reluctant to accept it.

That spoke volumes about how massive this merit sum was.

Zheng Fa clearly valued these awards greatly.

“Uncle, it’s been over four years since University Island expanded enrollment. The first batch of disciples, and even the older ones, now have a solid knowledge base.”

“Jiushan University must shift focus from education alone to a dual focus: education and research.”

As soon as he said this, Senior Sister Zhang nodded in agreement. “Education spending now accounts for over 20% of Jiushan Realm’s total expenditure. With disciples increasing every year, it’s becoming harder to sustain. We must consider returns. Otherwise, we’re upside-down—education will drag us down.”

Education is good.

But if educated cultivators produce no value... they’ll collapse the whole realm.

So research must be encouraged. So must output.

In Zheng Fa’s plan, Lun Dao is the entry point—cultivating a habit of academic exchange, like a research forum.

Journals like ‘Immortal Dao’ form the official academic advancement track—impacting resource allocation and project funding.

The awards cement the status of top researchers and shape a research-first culture.

Together, the three form Jiushan Realm’s academic system.

“A reform, huh?”

Xie Qingxue thought silently to herself.

Her expression grew a little complicated. She recalled stories her master once told her about the Sect Founder.

At the word “reform,” she instinctively compared Zheng Fa to the Sect Founder.

Zheng Fa now bore a striking resemblance to him, yet also significant differences.

He resembled the Sect Founder in his extraordinary talent—able to create a Nascent Soul cultivation method on the spot, even tailoring it specifically for Zhang Wuyi.

But the ways they differed stood out even more.

She glanced up at Elder Han and saw him slowly shake his head. “There’s no sect like this in the Xuanyi Realm.”

Xiao Yuying also spoke softly:

“Never has been, throughout history.”

That’s what made Zheng Fa so unlike the Sect Founder:

Jiushan Sect’s current model, placing such value on its disciples and the cultivation of talent, was utterly unprecedented in the Xuanyi Realm.

Whereas the Tianhe Sect under the Sect Founder had been fundamentally no different from any other sect.

Which is why, in the end, the Sect Founder had only himself.

But Zheng Fa—

She looked around at Elder Han, Xiao Yuying, even Ancestor of the Blood River and Elder Xiong from the Qingmu Sect, feeling a wave of emotion.

It was only because Zheng Fa constantly thought of others that he had, without realizing it, gathered such a diverse group of like-minded companions.

Zheng Fa, however, was unaware of Xie Qingxue’s sentiment. And to be honest, he wasn’t as selfless as she imagined.

Whether it was Lun Dao or the whole reform of Jiushan’s system, it was all for himself in the end.

The Creation Jade Slip had evolved—it now had rudimentary abilities for retrieval, categorization, and even basic summarization. As his cultivation grew, writing in various AI algorithms would be easy.

But AI wasn’t perfect—far from omnipotent.

It needed data. In fact, it needed massive amounts of high-quality data to function.

The gossip in Jiushan Forum was useless.

And Xuanyi cultivators had a habit of hoarding knowledge, often sharing only within small circles.

If Zheng Fa wanted high-quality data, he had to encourage academic exchange, elevate the status of researchers, and shift the cultural mindset of Jiushan Realm.

The more papers submitted to Lun Dao, and the richer the journal content, the better the Creation Jade Slip could model and simulate—making his life-bound artifact more powerful.

Compared to that, even an enormous sum of merit points was trivial.

Looking up at the Creation Jade Slip above, Zheng Fa silently anticipated:

Maybe one day, his artifact would finally live up to its name.

While everyone was lost in thought about the changes these three apps might bring to Jiushan Realm, Uncle Pang asked:

“But can Lun Dao really make the Tongjian popular across the entire Xuanyi Realm? If I understood Zheng Fa correctly, the Jiushan Forum apps aren’t open to outsiders, right?”

Seeing him ask this, Madam Xuanhua glanced at Zheng Fa and replied:

“Of course not. These three apps may only change Jiushan Realm. But the other three—they could change the entire Xuanyi Realm!”

Her tone carried a sense of pride and awe.

The claim was so grand it hooked everyone’s attention.

They all stared at the glowing screen, guessing what the other three apps might be.

Madam Xuanhua was not one to boast, and certainly not an inexperienced woman.

She was Jiushan’s number-one artifact refiner, with countless creations to her name.

And yet this mere artifact—the Tongjian—had her singing its praises like no other.

Everyone knew she was only its refiner, not the creator, yet her face radiated genuine pride.

How could they not be curious?

“Why don’t you do the honors, Xuanhua?”

Seeing her enthusiasm, Zheng Fa chuckled. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

“Me?” Madam Xuanhua looked surprised and a little overwhelmed.

“Many of these ideas were perfected by you. Without you, this artifact wouldn’t exist.”

Seeing her stunned, Zheng Fa smiled again.

A flush of excitement rose on Madam Xuanhua’s face, leaving everyone a bit stunned.

Wait a sec...

What kind of apps could these be, to make a Nascent Soul master like her this emotional?

Zheng Fa nodded at her as if to affirm her value.

Madam Xuanhua took a deep breath, met everyone’s gaze, and solemnly began her explanation:

“I’ve been crafting artifacts for thousands of years. There are over a thousand tools and treasures that bear my mark.”

“But I know—I’ve always been mediocre. In the way of artifact crafting, I never left behind any lasting name.”

“My husband once said I had technique but lacked inspiration. He was right. I’ve come to accept that.”

She gently traced the markings on the Tongjian, her expression wistful and a little unwilling.

Looking up at the glowing screen, she suddenly smiled:

“But now, I’m certain—because of the Tongjian, even ten thousand or a million years from now, cultivators will remember the name Xuanhua.”

Her words struck everyone silent. They could all see the message in her eyes:

“To hear the Dao in the morning, and die content in the evening.”

Zheng Fa looked at her, a smile flickering in his eyes—because smartphones, as common as they are in the modern world, are anything but low-tech.

To recreate a smartphone’s functionality in the form of a magical artifact was enough to leave a master like Madam Xuanhua awestruck—to the point she could die without regret.

Madam Xuanhua pointed to the fourth app on the screen and tapped it lightly, saying:

“This one, the Sect Leader named ‘Lingxin’.”

“Lingxin? What does it do?” Uncle Pang asked.

“It’s for communication between cultivators.”

“Communication?” Uncle Pang looked confused. “Isn’t that just a message talisman?”

“No. Zheng Fa calls it real-time communication,” Madam Xuanhua shook her head vigorously, as if he were underestimating the app.

“Real-time?”

Uncle Pang was still puzzled.

Zheng Fa smiled, opened Lingxin’s contact list, and tapped on Uncle Pang’s avatar.

Immediately, Zheng Fa’s face popped up on Uncle Pang’s Tongjian.

“What’s this…” Uncle Pang instinctively tapped the avatar.

Suddenly, a full display of the current side hall appeared on his screen in vivid detail.

Zheng Fa was right there on the screen, looking up at him with a smile.

Uncle Pang froze, then suddenly shouted:

“This is just like meeting face-to-face!”

No sooner had he spoken than a loud, identical voice echoed from overhead. Looking up, Uncle Pang saw his chubby face blown up across the light screen—nostrils flared—screaming in astonishment.

“…Ahem.”

He cleared his throat, adjusted his angle, and gave the room a composed, scholarly smile.

“This Lingxin isn’t just faster than message talismans—it’s easier to use and even supports group communication,” Madam Xuanhua added proudly.

“With Lingxin, message talismans are a thing of the past!”

Message talismans had once been the number one spiritual tool of the Xuanyi Realm.

Every cultivator relied on them.

But even Senior Sister Zhang had to admit: Lingxin alone had rendered them obsolete.

It was faster, supported group calls, and was idiot-proof to use—no need for runes or spellwork.

Madam Xuanhua’s claim that no future cultivator could live without the Tongjian wasn’t just a boast.

Everyone in the hall started eagerly testing out Lingxin—sending messages, making video calls.

A bunch of Nascent Soul-level cultivators were now playing like giddy children.

Zheng Fa allowed himself a moment of smug satisfaction:

It was time to let the Xuanyi Realm witness what a killer app truly was...

Message talismans might’ve been quick and convenient, but they were like primitive email.

Lingxin was real-time communication software.

Even in the modern world, email still had its uses—but nothing matched real-time apps in sheer user base.

Uncle Pang played with it for a while, then suddenly lit up. “This means my disciples will be much safer when they leave Jiushan!”

“If they’re in danger, they can just call for help with Lingxin.”

That was indeed one of Zheng Fa’s goals for creating Lingxin.

Before this, Jiushan Realm relied on Jiushan Forum for coordination—less than ideal. Lingxin made information sharing instant.

The people in the hall might never have seen a smartphone, but they weren’t stupid—they instantly grasped the immense usefulness of Lingxin.

Xiao Yuying studied the interface, her eyes flickering with emotion. Looking at Zheng Fa, she suddenly said, “Just this one artifact could bring a steady stream of spirit stones to Jiushan Realm, couldn’t it?”

Uncle Pang froze for a second—then nearly jumped up with joy.

“That’s right! It’s so useful—everyone will want one! And only we can make Tongjian. Isn’t this a monopoly? Jiushan Sect will never lack spirit stones again!”

His mouth stretched wide in a grin, eyes dreamy as if he could already see a mountain of spirit stones before him.

Madam Xuanhua chuckled. “That’s enough to get you excited, Uncle Pang?”

“Huh? Isn’t it?” he blinked.

Madam Xuanhua replied, “The real money doesn’t just come from the Tongjian.”

“What else is there?”

“The apps.”

“Wait—you have to pay to use Lingxin?”

“No. The Sect Leader said Lingxin is a core feature, the thing that will draw people in, so it’s free. But the other two apps...”

Uncle Pang’s eyes shifted to the final two icons.

“One is Jiushan Marketplace. The other is Jiushan Entertainment.”

“These two—that’s the real fortune. They’ll bring Jiushan Sect an endless stream of spirit stones.”

“The Sect Leader’s idea to profit from the apps—absolutely genius! This is a groundbreaking move in the Xuanyi Realm!”

Her voice had softened with admiration. Her gaze toward the Tongjian was as tender as looking at a lifelong love.

Zheng Fa couldn’t help but feel a little weird:

This artifact-crafting master who loved money to death—faced with a tool that could generate income while lying down—was it fate that she’d fall head over heels?

He had thought Madam Xuanhua’s earlier expression of die-hard passion came from witnessing some high-level refinement revelation.

But now it turned out—what she’d really comprehended… was the Dao of making money like a boss?