"Awooo……"
The sound, like that of a pig being slaughtered, suddenly came from the Qingfeng Pavilion, forceful and unstoppable, spreading outward in waves of sound. From a distance, it dissipated into the depths of the bustling street that seemed endless.
Hearing this strange cry, almost everyone who had lived in Jingdong City for a while was slightly startled, then chuckled softly, gently shook their heads, and returned to their work. As for some travelers from out of town, when they asked about it, they almost invariably received the same answer simultaneously from all directions: "These are the treasures of the Mugu family…" Then, a story in various versions would be told, and cheerful laughter would ring out at the same time. Later, these domestic anecdotes added to some people's understanding of the necessary knowledge about Jingdong, the political capital.
Obviously, the fame of this pair of treasures in Jingdong City was exceptionally high.
...
At the back of the Mugu family estate, there was a small wooden house. In terms of style, it seemed somewhat out of place compared to the golden-tiled mansions of the Mugu family.
At this moment, an elderly scholar with the aura of a literati and ink master was sitting solemnly at a desk, long silver beard hanging down to his chest. One could discern a scholarly air from his elegant words and mannerisms.
Gently placing a leather-bound book on the meticulously cleaned desk before him, wiping the few drops of water from his hands with a piece of silk paper, he almost reverently opened the book, a renowned work titled *Records of East Asia*, and studied it carefully for a long while before stroking his silver beard and looking up to ask:
"Have you fully comprehended yesterday's lesson?"
Only two students sat below, a boy and a girl, each around fourteen or fifteen years old.
The boy had shoulder-length silver hair tied back, and he was the same young man who had changed clothes at Qingfeng Pavilion that morning. His sharp eyebrows gave him a hint of pride, while his deep-set eyes were like black holes, unfathomable, exuding a strong aura of mystery.
The girl had deep black hair cascading like a waterfall down to her waist. Her slightly protruding chest, forming an inverted pyramid, and subtly upturned hips indicated a girl in the midst of developing puberty, already possessing a dazzling, striking allure.Her skin was as fair as jade, with delicate eyes, slender eyebrows, a jade-like nose, and a small mouth. She was truly the prototype of a beauty, and when she grew up, she would undoubtedly become a renowned beauty in her region.\
\
It was Qing Yan, who had been brought back from the Deep Cliff by the Three Elders and had been living with the Mu Gong family for five years. With his outstanding learning ability, he had now completely transformed from a beast child into a genuinely handsome young man. As for the girl, she was the youngest daughter of the head of the Mu Gong family, Mu Gong Xiaoyu. Despite her seemingly obedient appearance, she could be extremely willful at times, beyond imagination. However, in front of her mentor, Mu Gong Fahai, she dared not reveal the slightest bit.\
\
"I can," Qing Yan replied eagerly, as he was very studious.\
\
"Good, simply repeat it once," Mu Gong Fahai, the elderly gentleman sitting on the stage, said with a light smile.\
\
Qing Yan opened his mouth to answer, but suddenly felt a pain in his waist, causing him to frown helplessly, and he could not continue.\
\
Only to hear Mu Gong Xiaoyu respond proudly: \
"The East Asian Continent is a vast continental landmass and also the continent that humans have understood the most so far. Due to its varied terrain characteristics and the distribution of various resources, countless races have emerged. Most races exist in forms of communities and clusters. Precisely because of this, the number of nations founded according to races amounts to dozens, not counting some secluded races.\
\
As for us humans, we are the most numerous primate species on the East Asian Continent. Our habitat lies in the southeastern corner of the continent, occupying a full third of the entire East Asian Continent. Our settlements are centered around the Huaxia Empire, with the Saudri Islands and five or six other small countries in a subordinate relationship scattered around.\
\
Of course, the number of continental landmasses is not limited to just our East Asian Continent. According to the records of some immortal experts, from the perspective of human understanding, there are at least three continents closely neighboring the East Asian Continent. However, due to our limited manpower and the considerable cultural differences between races, it is difficult for us to truly understand everything about other continents based solely on individual abilities. Moreover, the knowledge remaining in the notes of the immortal experts is extremely sparse."So, everything about the outer continents also became one of the most mysterious topics within the main continent.”
Mùgōng Xiǎoyú began speaking loudly and confidently, but gradually, as she continued, her voice slowed and lowered, and by the end, she could hardly continue. This was because, after speaking for a while, Mùgōng Xiǎoyú suddenly remembered that during the last part of yesterday's class, she had been thinking only about hunting after class and hadn't paid attention to the lesson at all. At this moment, her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment, looking adorably bashful.
Could the usually spoiled young lady also have such an expression? This scenario was not easy to witness. Qīng Yán tilted his head and watched, somewhat fascinated.
After a while, Mùgōng Fǎhǎi suddenly cleared his throat and said, “Ahem... Xiǎo Yán, you can add something.”
“Ah… okay, Teacher,” Qīng Yán suddenly snapped back to reality, scratching his head awkwardly, and said:
“Um… according to the records of the Immortal Venerable, there are many versions regarding the names of the other three continents. However, after the Huaxia Empire reviewed these records, formal names were given to the three continents, which became commonly used among humans.”
“The continent directly south of our East Asian Continent is the Sea God Continent. According to legend, it is the continent closest to the Legendary Sea. At the core of the Sea God Continent is the Sea God Palace, which is even said to be a staircase to the divine realm. However, humanity has organized and sent several strong individuals to cross the intervening Tongtian Strait to reach the Sea God Continent. Unfortunately, for hundreds of years, no one has ever returned to the East Asian Continent. Because of this one-way visit, our understanding of this nearest continent is limited to mere legends.”
“The Western European Continent lies directly west of our East Asian Continent, known in legend as the Land of Sunset. Geographically, these two continents are actually on the same tectonic plate. However, the Tiandu Mountains between them completely prevent interaction. The last continent, the South African Continent, is directly below the Western European Continent, and as for its mysteries, it goes without saying.”
Qīng Yán's intelligence in learning was beyond doubt. Although his mind wandered a little now, he could still repeat yesterday's lesson without a single mistake.
“Very well, Qīng Yán, you have a very serious attitude toward learning.”Xiao Yu, you need to learn more from Xiao Yan.” Mu Gong Fahai was very satisfied with what Qing Yan had said, gave a slight reminder, then flipped through the pages of his book and began the lesson, “Today's lesson will mainly cover some of the customs and habits of human settlements……” \ Mu Gong Fahai had enjoyed traveling through mountains and rivers in his youth, loved reading since childhood, and with some extraordinary life experiences, had by now become the leading intellectual of the Mu Gong family, and even one of the few academic authorities in the entire Sun Worship Empire. \ The lessons he taught were also captivating and engaging. Yesterday, Xiao Yu's distraction was an extremely rare occurrence. Considering he had been studying almost continuously for five years, he had only truly daydreamed two or three times. By comparing this to our own learning experiences, it becomes clear just how effective Mu Gong Fahai's teaching methods were. \ The three-hour class quietly passed by as everyone listened attentively. \ After respectfully bidding farewell to Mu Gong Fahai, Qing Yan suddenly remembered something, turned to grab his book, and was about to make a move to leave. However…… \ “Xiao Yan, you stop right there!” \ A familiar voice, but with a new commanding tone, came from behind him.
