Chapter 198: Elemental Level Spiritual Object! Meeting the Sheji Chart Prodigy Again
Chapter 198: Chapter 198: Elemental Level Spiritual Object! Meeting the Sheji Chart Prodigy Again
"’All for one, and one for all. These are not empty words, but the very foundation of one’s character and the cornerstone of a nation.’"
"’The strength of one is finite, but the strength of the masses is infinite. A master of war borrows the might of the multitude; a master of governance unites the hearts of the people.’"
"’A Confucian Scholar is what the people need.’"
"’The hungry need food, the cold need clothes, the endangered need help, and the trapped need rescuing. To relieve the people’s suffering and save them from peril—this is the work of a Confucian Scholar.’"
"’However, a Confucian Scholar must not only be one who does good, but also one who eradicates evil. If you repay grievance with virtue, with what then will you repay virtue? Repay grievance with justice, and repay virtue with virtue.’"
"’If a Demon Beast massacres a village, it must be slain. If other races oppress humanity, they must be executed. This is not bloodlust, but natural justice. Vengeance can be sought even after ten generations; nay, even after a hundred. If we do not seek revenge, how have the dead been wronged? If we do not kill, how can the living find peace?’"
"’This is my Confucian Dao, founded on ’Humanity’ and measured by ’Righteousness’...’"
Stroke by stroke, Zhu Ge’s thoughts grew clearer as he wrote.
When the final stroke was complete, he set down his brush and let out a long breath.
The Literary Energy inside him had grown from weak to strong, then from one stream into two.
Two streams of Literary Energy!
The Confucian Dao First Realm, Mid-Self-Cultivation Realm.
He looked down at the paper in his hand, which was densely covered in writing, well over a thousand characters in all.
"Finished?" Yu the Scholar asked, urging his horse closer.
"I’m done." Zhu Ge handed him the paper with a smile. "Take a look."
Yu the Scholar took the paper and read it from beginning to end.
When he read, ’Trust not in authority, trust not in books, trust only in truth,’ he nodded, a look of approval in his eyes.
When he read, ’Repay grievance with justice, and repay virtue with virtue,’ the corners of his mouth lifted in a slight smile.
When he read that the Confucian Dao was ’founded on ’Humanity,’’ he fell silent for a moment before letting out a sigh.
"This is far better than the *Notes on the Jianshan Terraces* you gave me." Yu the Scholar handed the paper back. "This essay isn’t long, but every word is a gem. You should give it a title."
Zhu Ge thought for a moment, then shook his head. "This is the preface to my *Canon of Man*. I suppose you could call it a rough draft."
Just then, Li Qingquan approached from the side, his gaze fervent.
"Palace Master Zhu, this essay of yours... might I have a look?"
Zhu Ge smiled and handed him the paper.
Li Qingquan accepted it with both hands and began to read, word by word.
His brow furrowed when he read, ’The strong monopolize Cultivation Techniques, while the wise hoard knowledge.’
His eyes lit up at the words, ’Teach all without discrimination, and promote only based on merit.’
When he reached the line, ’Trust not in authority, trust not in books, trust only in truth,’ he shuddered as if struck by lightning.
"Trust not in authority, trust not in books, trust only in truth..." he murmured, his eyes filled with shock. "Palace Master Zhu, these words... are they truly yours?"
It was not that he disbelieved it, but reading the line in context made it all the more profoundly shocking.
"They are." Zhu Ge nodded, then shook his head with a smile. "But I can’t take all the credit. Throughout history, others have surely had similar thoughts; they just weren’t written down."
"Trust not in authority, trust not in books, trust only in truth." Li Qingquan repeated the phrase one more time, then took a deep breath.
"Palace Master Zhu, I, Li Qingquan, have studied the Confucian Dao for more than thirty years, and I have never heard words so thunderous and enlightening."
"Had I heard this twenty years ago, I might have broken through to the Second Realm long ago."
"It’s not too late." Zhu Ge smiled. "Mountain Master Li, study this preface carefully. Feel free to come to me anytime you have thoughts to share."
"Thank you, Palace Master Zhu!" Li Qingquan said with a deep bow.
...
The group continued east.
Zhu Ge sat atop Mazhu, holding the text he had just written and reading it over several times.
The Literary Energy circulated slowly through his body, much more solid than before.
He tried gathering Literary Energy at his fingertip and wrote the word "Kill" in the air.
The word hung in the air, emitting a faint golden light. It lingered for three seconds before dissipating.
It was a far cry from Yu the Scholar’s ink marks, but at least it was tangible.
"Not bad." Yu the Scholar nodded as he watched from the side. "With your current Literary Energy, combined with your Martial Arts Body Refinement, you should have no rival among First Realm Confucian Scholars."
"It’s only the First Realm." Zhu Ge put away his paper and brush. "My goal is the Third Realm, the realm of the Great Ones, and beyond."
"Don’t bite off more than you can chew," Yu the Scholar said irritably. "I get it, you’re a genius, you’re better than me, happy now? Still, you cultivate both the Martial Dao and the Confucian Dao. I’ve heard that provides an advantage after the Third Realm."
"An advantage? For breaking through to the realm of the Great Ones?" Zhu Ge asked thoughtfully.
"Yes. I heard it from Ding Ding," Yu the Scholar said with a slight nod.
Zhu Ge recalled that True Monarch Minmian and his companions had also cultivated more than one Dao.
He just didn’t know the specific reason why.
All he knew was that it was beneficial.
’Of course, breaking through to the realm of the Great Ones is still too far off.’
’Right now, what I need to do is increase my chances for the breakthrough to the Third Realm. I need to open my Upper Yuan Palace as wide as possible.’
’I need to strengthen the density, purity, explosive power, and endurance of my Blood Qi.’
’That’s the only way to open my Upper Yuan Palace wider when I make the attempt.’
’If I can manifest more of the True Meaning of Martial Arts, it would be a huge help in breaking through to the Third Realm.’
’And if I could form a Confucian Dao Heart, maybe I could shatter the barrier to the Third Realm even faster?’
As Zhu Ge was lost in thought, he suddenly sensed waves of fluctuations from the distance.
"Jianjian, have the great owl carry me," Zhu Ge called out, his expression serious.
Liu Jianjian reacted instantly, summoning the great owl.
Zhu Ge immediately leaped onto its back and soared into the sky, gazing into the distance.
In the distance, a fierce battle was underway.
’Why are they moving so slowly?’
Zhu Ge’s expression was odd as he recognized the people below.
It was the three prodigies from the top one hundred of the Sheji Chart he had met before.
"Scholar, Jianjian, lead the group and keep moving. I’m going to check something out."
...
The great owl beat its wings and soared higher. Zhu Ge stood upon its back, his robes whipping in the wind.
From his vantage point in the sky, the terrain ahead was laid out before him.
It was a low valley encircled by rolling hills, a dense forest nestled within.
In the center of the forest stood a conspicuously large, silver-white tree.
The tree was about thirty feet tall with a trunk as straight as if it had been carved, its branches forking like a deer’s antlers.
At the tip of each branch hung an octagonal fruit, crimson red and emitting a faint glow. From a distance, they looked like tiny lanterns hanging on the tree.
Zhu Ge counted them. There were four fruits in total.
’Elemental Level...’ he murmured.
’For prodigies from the Sheji Chart to be gathered here, it must be at least an Elemental Level Spiritual Object.’
’Judging by their appearance, they must be some kind of precious herb that can enhance one’s Literary Energy or Divine Sense.’
However, only one of the Star Anise Fruits was Elemental Level; the others were likely Spirit Level.
Beside the Star Anise Tree lay a dead lizard, which looked to be a Three Realms Tree Lizard.
Around the silver-white tree were eight people, some sitting and others standing.
Zhu Ge recognized three of them: Yan Liyuan, Su Feibai, and Guan Julan.