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"Is this Lyuzhou?"

In front of the gates of Lyuzhou City, whether it was for those who were visiting the Central Plains’ Jiangnan for the first time in their lives or the youths from the noble families of the Capital City who had been to Jiangnan before, they were all astonished by the towering city walls.

"Cousin, was.... Lyuzhou.... always like this?"

Two flabbergasted younger cousins stood behind Shen Yu.

"Of course not..." Shen Yu furrowed his brows. Such city walls, even the Capital City does not have them, how could Lyuzhou have ever had them?

It seems Jiangnan indeed has something remarkable. When Shen Yuan was abruptly assigned to Jiangnan, he really hit the jackpot!

Behind Shen Xue, Shen Yang continued to exclaim in disbelief, incessantly pondering how these city walls were constructed, what materials were used. Rammed earth couldn’t do it, sticky rice mortar? Impossible, the walls built with that formula, although hard, could definitely not be made this tall.

Shen Yang’s clamorous tone deeply furrowed Shen Yu’s brow.

He couldn’t understand a word of what this youngest family member was saying and abruptly interrupted in a cold voice, "Shut your mouth.

With so many people around, if you dare to spout nonsense and lose the face of the Shen Family again, just get lost and go back. .."

Although Shen Yu spoke softly, he startled Shen Yang into a shiver, who instantly hid behind Shen Xue and didn’t dare to speak.

Shen Xue bowed her head and did not dare to comfort the frightened Shen Yang either.

Shen Yu snorted coldly, about to lecture further when he suddenly heard a group of youths dressed in feathered garments not far away curiously looking in their direction.

The group had features significantly different from those of the Central Plains people, enabling Shen Yu to recognize them immediately; they were the Northern Wasteland team that had come over on the same ship as his own party.

"The Central Plains are indeed extraordinary, even such a young child has this kind of insight, and to think he knows about sticky rice lime, such an ancient method of building walls."

The man leading the group stepped forward to greet them, "I am Murong Bingyun. May I have the name of this young brother?"

Shen Yang, already terrified by Shen Yu, glanced at the other party and hid even further away.

Shen Xue helplessly shielded her younger cousin and apologized, "My little brother is young and somewhat shy, I hope the gentleman will forgive his behavior."

"Oh... don’t worry about it, it was my indiscretion.

" Murong Bingyun apologized again and then said, "I heard the young brother’s analysis earlier, very coherent and insightful.

Upon a closer look, he is so young. The Central Plains are vast and abundant, with families having profound knowledge and steeped in rich traditions, truly humbling for someone like me. "

"The gentleman is too kind." Before Shen Xue could reply, Shen Yu had already eagerly approached.

He had actually wanted to make contact with the Northern Wasteland team on the ship.

He knew that the team members were from several old, established families, and although the millennia-old families of the Ancient Desolate Country could not compare to the Central Plains noble families in terms of etiquette, their heritage was so much stronger than that of the Shen Family.

Furthermore, according to rumors, the Northern Wasteland families aspired to Central Plains culture and often had women marry into the Central Plains.

They would earnestly bring more practical techniques as wedding gifts.

Such temptations had little allure for those noble families abundant in techniques, but it was different for the Shen Family.

He noticed on the ship that several of the Northern Wasteland team’s ladies were indeed quite pretty. If they brought powerful techniques as a wedding dowry, wouldn’t it be better than those families his incapable mother was looking at?

But all the way there, they were guarded, and approached by no one, making it difficult for him to get close. Unexpectedly, Shen Yang’s nonsensical words attracted the attention of a member of the Murong Family who took the initiative to strike up conversation.

Finally, they were of some use.

"And who might this brother be?" Murong Bingyun replied with a smile.

"I am Shen Yu, here leading my younger siblings for a learning experience, and have had the honor to meet Murong (no specific name given)."

"So it’s Brother Shen." Murong Bingyun nodded, "I was presumptuous to start a conversation and frightened your brother, I hope you can forgive me."

"There’s no need for Murong (no specific name given) to be so courteous. My younger brother is naive, and being born illegitimately, he is not used to the world; any impoliteness was unintentional, and I ask Murong (no specific name given) not to take it to heart."

Illegitimately born?

Murong Bingyun frowned. An illegitimately born child was this exceptional?

Thinking this and seeing that the other party did not dislike his Northern Wasteland Nation identity, he followed up with a few more conversational exchanges.

"Brother Shen, what ancient method from the Chapters on Heavenly Artisan construction employed in building this city do you think was used? How is it that not a trace of the source is apparent?"

"This..." Shen Yu was suddenly at a loss for words. He couldn’t even understand three Chapters of Jiugong Arithmetic, why would he bother with books on miscellaneous scholarly topics like the Heavenly Artisan?

He had seen that book, at least three finger-widths thick, it appeared daunting with just a glance, and then he heard that the entire Heavenly Artisan collection would fill an entire bookshelf!

Immediately, he lost all interest in that stuff...

In his heart, he couldn’t help but criticize: Even the direct descendants of millennia-old families from the Northern Wasteland pay attention to such useless miscellaneous books?

Following a few remarks about the study of natural phenomena, Murong Yunbing quickly discovered the other party’s hesitant and stuttering responses. He instantly understood—could it be that this self-proclaimed family leader knew nothing about it?

He immediately felt puzzled. In the Jiangnan examination, Art Calculation and the study of natural phenomena were equally scored. Could someone who completely lacked understanding in these areas participate in the examination?

Or, could this person specialize in other academic fields?

Before coming, Murong Yunbing had carefully researched the rules.

The Jiangnan Academy’s entrance examination covered all subjects, with a primary focus on Art Calculation and the study of natural phenomena, followed by secondary subjects like medicine, astrology, divination, geomancy, and other unusual techniques.

If one had profound expertise in these secondary subjects, it was said they might be allowed to take a separate exam.

With this in mind, he tried to find topics of conversation from various fields. Despite his young age, he was adept at handling social interactions under his father’s guidance. He was smooth in his transitions between several topics, not showing a hint of awkwardness.

But, unfortunately... the other party didn’t understand at all...

This only added to Murong Yunbing’s confusion.

As the atmosphere grew more and more awkward and the women of the Murong family had paid no further attention, Shen Yu finally couldn’t resist saying, "Murong, you come from a great family yourself, so why are you interested in such useless, trivial knowledge?"

As soon as these words came out, several members of the Murong family looked over, but their expressions were incredibly strange.

Even the smooth-talking Murong Yunbing, at this point, looked at the other person as if looking at an idiot. He couldn’t help but ask, "Brother Shen said... this is useless, trivial knowledge?"

"Such things are for craftsmen to know. People like us, the core scions of families, who has time for that? Murong, you’re so young and yet you have become a Sacrificial Candidate.

Surely you have outstanding talent. You shouldn’t be obsessed with these trivialities and hinder your prospects," Shen Yu said earnestly, his tone advising as if he were an elder brother.

But Murong Yunbing’s expression turned even stranger as he heard this. After hesitating for a few moments, he eventually couldn’t help but ask, "If Brother Shen holds such disdain for these things, then... why come here at all?"

Shen Yu chuckled, "Do you really think, Brother Murong, that Jiangnan Academy relies on a bunch of craftsmen to sustain it? Would the academy overlook individuals with our caliber?"

Murong Bingyun, looking at the other’s confident smile, fell silent for a few moments before saying, "Brother Shen, didn’t you notice the structure of that huge ship when you arrived?

The dragon bone joints had special Arrays guiding them, and there’s also the city walls, and this.

.." Murong Yunbing took out a piece of Ice Jade, looked at him and asked, "Do you really think the people who made these. .. are just ordinary craftsmen?"

"Merely clever tricks," Shen Yu dismissed with a wave of his hand, "Did you come here to study these things? Wouldn’t you rather be interested in the art of drawing Arrays in the void, as the legends say?"

Upon hearing this remark, not only the members of the Murong family had queer looks on their faces, but Shen Xue and others also couldn’t help but cover their faces.

Peals of laughter!

The Murong family had no chance to respond when a girl standing in line nearby couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

"What are you laughing at?" Shen Yu immediately felt annoyed because he could tell that the Murong family’s looks were becoming more and more like those one might give to an idiot, and the laughter from the girl in the distance had struck a nerve.

"I... Ahem..." The girl rolled her eyes, "I remembered something amusing."

"Something amusing?"

"Well... I was thinking about... drawing Arrays in the void..."

At that, laughter erupted all around them!

Completely clueless about what was happening, Shen Yu looked around at the laughing crowd, his annoyance growing increasingly evident. He glared at them angrily, "What’s wrong with what I said? Isn’t every noble’s child here for the art of drawing Arrays in the void?"

At this, the countenances of the youngsters around him grew even stranger, and many laughed even louder...

Shen Yu was thoroughly confused. What... were they laughing about?

Had he said something wrong?

"That... Brother Shen..." Murong Bingyun also couldn’t help but laugh and say, "The void drawing Array technique you speak of, does it refer to this?"

With that, his slender and fair fingers traced patterns in the air, and momentarily, Runes began to flash... forming an Array in the void.

Shen Yu stared blankly at the other’s actions—the San Yuan Formation, the most basic of Arrays that could usually be drawn using white cloth and mercury for stability. Although simple... the other person had indeed used it—the technique of drawing Arrays in the void!

"You... can do this as well?"

"Cousin, can’t you?" Now it was Shen Yang speaking, and even though he didn’t dare to laugh as loudly as others, he too found his cousin unbelievably silly.

"This thing... it’s covered in the fourth Chapter of Fundamentals of Spell Formations. Cousin, if you came for this, actually... actually... you didn’t need to trouble yourself with this trip..." Shen Yang said cautiously to Shen Yu, whose face was a picture of stupefaction.

And with that, the crowd could no longer hold back and burst into uncontained laughter!