Love letters are not allowed in the exorcism notebook!-Chapter 732 - 154 Turns Out We Are the Demons of Heretical Path

Tianmen City is located on the alluvial plain at the lower reaches of the Nine Rivers, basically devoid of mountains.

Jishan Academy is said to be inherited from the ancient Jixia Academy, founded decades ago by a Confucian scholar from the Lu region who came to Tianmen.

In the past, only the nobility and aristocracy had the privilege of listening to the scholar’s lectures on the scriptures.

The peasants of Old Tianmen had no eligibility to enjoy such a blessing.

Latterly, the President managed Tianmen so vigorously that all industries thrived, and blessings naturally followed.

Jishan Academy is now open to the public; even without a recommendation, if you can afford the tuition fees, you can sit in the same classroom with the offspring of the distinguished and listen to lectures.

Many people have only heard of the name of Jishan Academy but don’t know its exact location.

But Xia Yubing knows.

Not only does she know, but she’s also deeply familiar; returning to school feels as congenial as returning home.

"When I was studying here, there was no lake at the entrance."

Xia Yubing looked at the smooth, mirror-like surface of the lake, her face showing a trace of nostalgia.

Li Mumu’s attention, however, was on the sky above.

The sky was streaked with strange bands of light, imperceptible to the naked eye.

They resembled the legendary auroras, but less colorful, exuding only a sense of mysterious fear and pressure.

Arrays, Dreamland circuits... Or if you’re particularly into decoding, you might as well call them "008."

Different perceptions lead to different descriptions.

In Li Mumu’s eyes, this was nothing but a heavy shackle.

Once, idealists tried to use the philosophy of "extinguishing human desires, upholding heavenly principles," to curb the reckless behavior of the upper class.

Lofty buildings, pools of wine and forests of meat, cruelty and debauchery, excessive militarism... None of these were things that the impoverished commoners could understand or have access to.

And in order for the lower classes to grasp these profound topics, the benevolent masters reinterpreted these esoteric terms into accessible plain language about women’s fidelity.

The scholars struggled to break free from the shackles, only to toss them onto the common people.

Now, new shackles enshroud the skies of this city, powered by the force of Dreamland, rotating slowly and firmly like millstones, grinding away at the collective subconscious cognition of the masses, before reinterpreting it.

Do not believe in the President anymore.

No matter how much you adore the President, in the President’s eyes, you are nothing more than an insignificant number on paper.

You are ants, burdens, ungrateful wastes.

Recognize yourself, acknowledge reality...

Mixed within the confusion and despair are morbidly intriguing rumors.

Some say the President, now middle-aged, no longer possesses the spirited vigor of his youth.

Some say the President changes his male concubines every seven days, particularly favoring handsome young men.

Some say the President is now pregnant and bedridden.

Some say the President has developed a tobacco addiction, living in a haze and unclear of mind every day...

As long as someone speaks, there will be believers.

Not all rumors are baseless, but how can hearsay be all false?

The layers of shackles in the sky, one upon another, weigh heavy on the hearts of the people, leaving them breathless.

Under the seemingly endless oppression of chains, Li Mumu felt the insignificance of her own power for the first time.

If this was all part of the Mountain Leader’s plan, then he really was a terrifying guy. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Inside Jishan Academy, all was deathly still.

The students had finished classes early and gone home, leaving the Academy in utter darkness without a single ray of light. The meticulously pruned gardens looked especially sinister and terrifying in the pitch-black night.

Shen Qingxi, pushing the wheelchair, shrank her neck and looked around warily.

"This is my first time visiting the Academy at night... Is it always like this?"

"Because you’re the good baby who always goes to bed promptly at eight o’clock?"

"Shut up! Keep quiet and don’t talk!"

Seated in the wheelchair, Cheng Xuefei, though still somewhat pale, had regained some of her vitality. She couldn’t help but laugh and say: "Do you remember? Last year, we planned to summon the Pen Immortal in the classroom at midnight, and we specifically invited you, but you adamantly refused to participate..."

"Because I’m a normal person, okay!"

Shen Qingxi glared and angrily retorted: "There are so many demons and evil spirits in this world, you don’t even need to summon them; they’ll come looking for you. The Traditional Customs Group is supposed to catch a Pen Immortal and you talk about ’inviting’ it? Aren’t you embarrassed?"

"Moreover, you talk about ’inviting’ the Pen Immortal, but who knows what’s really on your mind? Maybe those boys wanted to lure me out and do bad things to me. Do you think I’d be easily deceived?"

Cheng Xuefei fell silent for a moment, then sighed: "You seem to know quite a lot."

Shen Qingxi proudly puffed up her not-so-voluptuous chest: "You’ve always underestimated me. Actually, I understand everything..."

"Halt, who goes there!"

Suddenly, a stern voice called out from ahead, startling Shen Qingxi so much that she nearly flipped the wheelchair with a tremble of her hands.

Looking up, she saw an elderly man dressed in a long gown, with white hair, a rigid face, standing on the steps, blocking the path with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Eh? An old antique?"

Shen Qingxi widened her eyes and subconsciously muttered under her breath.

She recognized the man before her instantly; there was no way she could forget him. This Master Jin taught the Doctrine of the Mean at the Academy and was known for being exceedingly rigid, especially strict with female students. He would nitpick and impose punishments, claiming it was to discourage weak-willed women, and so they nicknamed him ’Old Antique’ behind his back.

Before she could speak, Xia Yubing stepped forward and solemnly said, "Master Jin, I want to see the Mountain Leader."

"It’s the middle of the night; the Mountain Leader has already retired. Come back tomorrow if you have business!"

By the light of the lantern, the old master scrutinized the woman before him and frowned, asking: "Which year are you from? Have you forgotten the school rules?"

"What’s the point of school rules when the very people who made them stop following the rules?"

"How dare you!"

The old master shouted in anger: "Who do you think you are, spouting such nonsense here?"

Pfft—

Li Mumu, hiding behind, couldn’t help but laugh.

Xia Yubing asked helplessly, "What’s so funny?"

"Oh, it’s nothing. I’m not laughing at this master."

Li Mumu covered her mouth and giggled: "Actually, I think he makes quite a bit of sense. For such grand matters of the country, what qualification do we little women have to meddle? If the sky falls, there will be taller people to hold it up; won’t affect the three thousand incense offerings we enjoy each month. We don’t understand the sayings of the Saints, nor can we debate the path of the predecessors."

"We are neither officials from the Governmental Office nor righteous figures of the Jianghu World; indeed, it seems we have no right or position to barge in here and cause trouble."

"Indeed we don’t."

Xia Yubing had an epiphany and turned back to look at the stern-faced old master.

"Since we of the Heretical Path do as we please, why should we care about your outdated and rigid rules?"