From Joy of Life, the Tian Gang is reversed

Chapter 236 Old Tortoise, what is your intention in locking away eight hundred years of Confucian fortune?

Tai'an City, Shouren Hall

Emperor Zhao Dun of Liyang and Qi Yanglong sat facing each other, sipping tea and chatting.

Today is the day that Prince Jing'an's heir is giving a lecture at Shangyin Academy. Although they are in the capital, given the size of the Liyang Dynasty, news of events at Shangyin Academy will reach them immediately.

Although neither of them thought Zhao Xun could pull off anything today.

But that doesn't stop them from having a laugh and having some fun.

"I wonder what that young master will say. Could it be that he is trying to integrate Confucianism into painting?" Qi Yanglong laughed. "Although he is arrogant, he is indeed unique in painting. Given time, he may well be able to create a new school and become a master of painting."

"He's still young, a bit too impetuous. If he could calm down, maybe in a few years..."

Before the words were finished, a thunderclap suddenly rang out outside the window, and the once bright and clear sky visibly darkened.

A sudden change in the celestial phenomena!

The two men's expressions changed simultaneously, and they got up and walked out of the hall.

Rumble…

Several more claps of thunder, accompanied by lightning, exploded overhead.

Zhao Dun merely found the celestial phenomena somewhat strange, but Qi Yanglong's expression changed drastically, and he exclaimed in surprise, "How is this possible!"

"What happened?" Zhao Dun looked at Qi Yanglong's dumbfounded expression and a hint of surprise flashed through his mind.

"I feel that the fortune of Confucianism and Taoism is rising, rising significantly, this..." Qi Yanglong's face turned pale, and his tone was somewhat excited. For many years, even though he had already stepped into the first rank, he had never felt the fluctuation of the fortune of Confucianism and Taoism. But now, he felt it, and he even felt that with the current fortune, he could even go further.

At the same time, a eunuch rushed over in the pouring rain, calling out, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."

Upon reaching the front of the hall, the eunuch slowed his pace and approached the two men. "Your Majesty," he said, "the Imperial Observatory reports that a pillar of destiny has suddenly appeared in the direction of the Shangyin Academy in the south, supporting the sky."

Zhao Dun: "..."

Qi Yanglong: "..."

※※※

Wuxiang Mountain, small valley

Zhao Xun looked at the scholars and students in the valley and said in a calm tone, "Once the literary talent is formed, the acupoints will be refined, and the nine grades will be formed naturally. After the acupoints are opened, the ears and eyes will be sharp, the mind will be clear, the thinking will be quick, and the comprehension will be greatly increased."

Before the words were even finished, someone in the crowd shouted excitedly, "I did it! I did it! I've got it!!"

This was just the first sound; then came the second, the third…

The lowest-ranking students present were all students of Shangyin Academy, all of whom had passed the rigorous examinations of Shangyin Academy to enter the mountain gate. Which one of them was not well-read, which one of them was not exceptionally talented, and which one of them was not remarkably insightful?
Before, without guidance, direction, or a path forward, they naturally couldn't perceive anything. But now, Zhao Xun explained the method of condensing literary energy with spiritual talent in a clear and thorough way, from the simple to the complex. These students of Shangyin naturally understood and began to try it with a sense of excitement and longing. And then, they truly succeeded.

A great commotion arose below, and Zhao Xun stopped, as if waiting for something.

As his gaze swept across the valley, the sounds gradually ceased.

Zhao Xun smiled and said, "You are all scholars and students of the academy. You are all talented to be able to enter the academy. Now, you have accumulated your talents and are advancing to the ninth grade of the Enlightenment Realm. It is only natural."

At this point, his gaze lingered on Chief Scholar Wang and Chief Scholar Meng for a moment before continuing, "Next is the eighth rank. The eighth rank is about solidifying one's literary energy, which can temporarily enhance one's five senses and physical strength. I call this self-cultivation."

"Sit like a bell, stand like a pine tree. This used to be a saying from books, but once you reach the realm of self-cultivation, we scholars are no longer weak and helpless. We can even put up a fight against an eighth-rank martial artist. At that time, you can tell your disobedient wives that although I am a scholar, I still know a little bit about martial arts."

His words were followed by a low chuckle. "To refine oneself with literary talent, one needs to understand the following key points..."

At this point, the purple aura in the valley intensified, cascading nearly a hundred feet down from above, like a purple waterfall enveloping the Shiqu Pavilion.

The students and scholars in the valley all looked up, and vaguely saw countless characters emerging from the purple aura, seemingly Confucian classics, but they could not make them out clearly.

"oops!!"

Suddenly, several screams rang out from the crowd. Several students cried out in pain, bleeding from their mouths and noses, their scholar robes soaked in blood.

This……

“You have just completed the awakening process. Apart from the two chief priests and the scholars with profound knowledge, the rest of you need to consolidate your realm. Do not practice self-cultivation according to the law for the time being. Cultivation is something that cannot be rushed.” Zhao Xun simply glanced at them.

Immediately, some students stopped what they were doing, while Jiang Hu exclaimed in surprise, "I did it!"

As he spoke, he couldn't wait to raise his fist and punch a rock next to him.

boom! !

He smashed half of the millstone-sized stone with a single punch, sending fragments flying everywhere. Bian Jiang cried out in pain and clutched his fist.

“Master Bian, your self-cultivation is only at the eighth level. It has increased your strength and physical strength, but it hasn’t increased your skills. You can’t just randomly bump into stones.”

His words drew another round of laughter from those around him.

Xu Wei, however, suddenly looked up, his eyes shining as he stared at Zhao Xun and exclaimed, "Literary talent can coexist with true energy?!"

"Is there anything strange about that? True Qi refines the primordial energy of heaven and earth and the essence of the body, while literary Qi is different. It focuses more on the spirit. The two are unrelated, just like the supernatural powers of Taoism and Buddhism. As long as you have enough energy, it is possible to cultivate both, but the cost-effectiveness is not high."

Xu Weixiong nodded and said nothing more.

"The Seven Categories of Confucianism and Taoism..."

"The seventh rank, which I call the benevolent one, is one who cultivates a righteous spirit."

As soon as he finished speaking, a purple aura, like a waterfall, began to swirl around his body. With every gesture, the purple aura emanated from him, making Zhao Xun appear otherworldly.

"A touch of noble spirit, a thousand miles of exhilarating wind. This state is not about sitting in a study and talking about benevolence and righteousness, but about traversing mountains and rivers, observing the suffering of the people, cultivating righteousness in one's heart, and concentrating one's spirit in one's heart. When faced with weapons, one will not back down. At this point, one's literary talent will be outwardly manifested, as easily as one's own arm."

suddenly!!!
The purple aura around him surged violently, as if drawn by some force, and began to gather in the sky above the valley.

Then, an immense pressure surged forth, a pressure felt by everyone in the valley.

Zhao Xun paused slightly, raised his head, looked in the direction of the Morality Forest, and a smile appeared on his lips.

Can't bear it anymore?
Zhang Fuyao, the Great Sage Zhang!!
Suddenly, the purple mist in the valley surged, and a gaunt figure strolled out from within it.

"Zhao Xun, do you know what you're doing?"

His tone was deep, carrying a hint of inexplicable complexity.

"Of course I know what I'm doing?" Zhao Xun looked at this ancient relic who had lived for over eight hundred years, his tone laced with sarcasm. "But you, Zhang Sheng, you've been a tortoise in the Moral Forest for eight hundred years, locking up the fortune of my Confucian school for eight hundred years, causing my Confucian school to fail to produce a sage for eight hundred years. Do you really know what you're doing?"

Zhang Sheng, eight hundred years ago!

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone was in an uproar.

(End of this chapter)