By then, they had already entered the second courtyard. The academy’s main buildings were all located here, each more imposing and solemn than the government office. There was even an exquisitely crafted halberd gate[1]. Sun Fuling said Panlong City had spent great effort building the academy so that every student who entered would understand the weight of knowledge.

“I didn’t expect there to be so many people in the academy at this hour.”

In the past, the academy had always closed promptly at dusk. Later, after Panlong City reached a trade agreement with the burrow spiders, the glowspores from Guizhen Stone Forest were also sent into the academy. From then on, the academy began offering evening classes. As it turned out, nearly all the students who signed up were adults. They worked by day, then hurried to the academy at night to attend lectures.

As a result, even beneath the night sky, the academy remained brightly lit, with teachers and students coming and going in an endless stream.

Sun Fuling smiled and said, “This is nothing. I heard that the academy in Beijia’s capital gathers students from all directions, and sages lecture, debate, and conduct studies there every day. The place is bustling with voices from morning to night. I truly want to see it for myself someday.”

Lingxu...