“It doesn’t have much to do with the capital. Usually, only those from major sects or big families care about literacy, since they have a deep heritage.” Emily Grant thought for a moment. “Ordinary people can basically read too. Bookshops sell basic cultivation manuals, after all, so you have to be able to understand them. Besides, what if you get lucky one day and obtain some inheritance—wouldn’t it be maddening if you couldn’t read it? Anyway, that’s about it. No one really cares about all those flowery things. I remember, some year, someone sent the emperor a congratulatory message full of ornate parallel prose, and the imperial comment was: ‘Utter nonsense.’ It became a joke throughout the land, so don’t try to imitate that.”

“So, besides secret manuals, do you have any other kinds of books?”

“Do tales of the martial world count? Founding histories?”

“Well, I suppose they barely count.”

James Carter suddenly felt that the literacy rate in this world might be shockingly high. After all, everyone needs secret manuals, and their reading comprehension is probably not low at all—definitely not the illiteracy he’d originally imagined. It’s just that they treat writing purely as a tool and a condition for martial arts, valuing its practical use, and haven’t developed it into literature. They think ornate writing is completely meaningless. In this kind of atmosphere, literature is probably the most marginal subject; poetry and songs are basically at the level of folk ballads, and popular fiction hasn’t really developed yet.

James Carter found this world increasingly interesting... Their utilitarian approach to writing actually made a lot of sense, but people here didn’t seem to realize that playing with words could have effects no less powerful than seductive arts, and that words have a terrifying power to spread and brainwash—something other methods can hardly achieve. What James Carter cared about wasn’t literature; in his field, what came to mind was propaganda.

With all their competing schools of thought, they still hadn’t discovered the power of written publicity. Especially this sect, which boasts song and dance and seductive arts, yet doesn’t use these advantages for promotion or celebrity endorsements, treating them only as side disciplines to martial arts.

But wait, they do have celebrities—the celebrity is Alice Carter. If people are drawn to join the sect, or want to learn about the ways of Xingyue Sect, at least ninety-nine percent of that is due to Alice Carter’s influence. Is that why they’re so obsessed with climbing the martial path?

Still, as the saying goes, all roads lead to the same end. It’s just that in this world, everyone stubbornly believes that strength is the only foundation for everything. That’s not wrong in essence, but it’s a bit too rigid.

James Carter even felt that, with Xingyue Sect’s foundation, if he were in charge, there would be so many ways to operate that maybe, within a few years, he could bring earth-shaking changes to this world—it wasn’t impossible.

Pulling the whole world into a rhythm he excelled at, then using his wealth of experience to defeat them—maybe that’s what a true transmigrator should do?

James Carter looked downstairs; there were few guests in the main hall. Someone was hugging a wine girl while demonstrating martial moves, and the girl would even stretch out her delicate hand to spar with him a few times—bang, bang, bang—accompanied by the soft music of strings and flutes. The scene was utterly comical, and James Carter couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

What an interesting world—he was getting more and more intrigued.

At this moment, Charlotte came in carrying a wooden tray, with a few small dishes and a pot of wine. Emily Grant looked at her with a half-smile. “Why are you serving the food yourself? Could it be you’ve taken a liking to our Mr. James Carter?”

Charlotte smiled with pursed lips. “With the young sect master here, of course I can’t let those clumsy servants disturb the refined atmosphere.”

James Carter tasted a dish—it was quite good. It seemed that basic desires like food would develop quickly anywhere...

The wine was even better... Smooth and mellow, with a rich aroma that went straight to the heart. Though not strong, its ancient flavor quietly lingered. Even though he was in an elegant room, James Carter felt for a moment as if he were by a mountain stream, with clear water flowing—the effect was almost magical.

After all, this world had a touch of the fantastical; some things just couldn’t be judged by common sense.

On the other side, Emily Grant seemed to be in a bad mood. She picked at her food a few times and then put down her chopsticks, sighing. “Master went to the Six Gates. I wonder how things are going.”

Charlotte smiled. “With the sect leader handling it personally, there’s nothing in this world that can’t be done.”

Emily Grant glanced at her. “Everyone knows Xiahou Di isn’t right in the head. Saying nice things like that is pointless, senior sister.”

Charlotte seemed a bit embarrassed and lowered her head in silence.

Emily Grant continued, “When we were kids, I remember you weren’t the type to curry favor. Otherwise, you might have joined the inner sect long ago... You seem really different this time...”

Charlotte remained silent.

Even James Carter, who had been immersed in the exotic food, looked up at her. Compared to her earlier eagerness to flirt, at this moment Charlotte seemed like a completely different person—her silence surprised him. The Charlotte who exuded seductiveness all over seemed like nothing more than a fleeting glimpse in a dream.

In this sect, everyone really did have many faces. Is that what “Xingyue”—star and moon—meant, to be ever-changing?

Chapter Ten: The Crisis at Hundred Flowers Courtyard

Emily Grant spoke again. “Senior sister, are you in some kind of trouble? You can tell me if you want.”

Charlotte smiled. “No, young sect master, you’re overthinking it.”

Emily Grant pouted. “No trouble? Then why were you in such a hurry to flirt with him? What’s so good about him, anyway? He’s just a jinx.”

“...” James Carter continued eating.