Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 648 An Unexpected Event
Xu Xuan revealed a victor's smile as he mocked the loser.

"Alas... How could Lord Yu really banish his students to a meaningless school?"

“Master Li’s words are profound. If you interpret them from the perspective of Confucianism, where the foundation is established and the Way arises, then the result is naturally to go with the flow. But I interpret them from the perspective of Taoism, which gives them a different meaning, Brother Zhou.”

"Blunt its sharpness, untangle its knots, soften its light, and mingle with its dust."

"It can blunt its own sharpness without being harmed, resolve various disturbances without feeling tired, conceal its brilliance without being polluted, and blend into the dust without losing its true nature."

"Unharmed, untired, unpolluted, and true to oneself."

"Did you do it?"

Zhou Ju staggered backward, his mind reeling.

Could it be that only someone like Master Li, with his demeanor, could cite such profound principles?
This supreme realm should only be attainable by Master Yu, right? But recalling the unfathomable feeling in the old master's words, he was a little unsure.

With Yu Gong's endorsement and the guidance of this influential instructor, Xu, the company was further strengthened.

The final conclusion was that Zhou Ju himself was not skilled enough to understand the profound wisdom within, and thus fell into deeper self-doubt.

Xu Xuan smiled with satisfaction.

In reality, Master Li didn't mean anything by it; it simply meant going with the flow. But some people secretly added a persona to him.

Since he couldn't directly confront Yu Gong's students with harsh words, he decided to resort to psychological tactics.

It's also Zhou Ju's own fault for lacking willpower and not reading enough books.

The fire of the Father's soul was frighteningly strong; he could capture it in almost a single glance at a book.

Even so, he still spends his days immersed in the library in Nanshan, reading through various classics, comprehending the wisdom of his predecessors, and reorganizing it in combination with his own knowledge system. Only in this way can he have the confidence to deceive others.

Leaving the crooked tree in its withdrawn state, I walked to the backyard.

"Old Master, it's been a long time."

There was less business dealings between the two, but more sincerity.

After all, Master Li was the angel investor of the Holy Father. A letter of recommendation allowed him to open the door to the academy and meet Senior Brother Ruoxu. Although this favor had been repaid several times, the relationship was still well maintained.

Master Lao continued to stand firmly on his side and even gifted a divine weapon to them as a follow-up.

This time I came specifically to deliver something.

"These are the calamus and mugwort from our Baoan Hall, top-quality herbs picked from the South Mountain. The five-colored silk is a fine product woven by a high-ranking monk from Jinshan Temple."

At this time, the Dragon Boat Festival was considered an unlucky day, a "bad day." Therefore, people used various customs and activities to ward off evil spirits and disasters, and to pray for peace and health.

Since calamus and mugwort have fragrance and can be used as medicine, they are placed at the door during the summer when diseases are prevalent, which can symbolize warding off evil spirits and curing diseases.

If it is used for exorcising evil spirits, then what could be better than Nanshan, one of the cultural heritages of Jiangnan? The place of origin alone can tell a great story.

Wearing five-colored silk threads is also a custom.

Ying Shao's "Customs and Traditions" states: "On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, people tie five-colored silk threads to their arms to ward off ghosts and soldiers, and to prevent people from getting sick from plague."

Therefore, people will tie colorful silk threads on their arms during this period, and some will also hang the colorful silk threads on doors or bed curtains to pray for peace and health.

The five-colored silk is a seasonal limited-edition product from Jinshan Temple.

Guangliang is truly a master at developing the bald head industry, promoting different products for different seasons.

When it comes to praying for blessings, Buddhism is certainly more accessible to the people, so the monks in the temple were asked to work overtime to finish the task.

They claim that they are taking exams to accumulate merit and understand the true meaning of Buddhism in the world, and they talk a lot of nonsense.

No wonder he was able to run the newly built Jinshan Temple so successfully, which made Xu Xuan even more reluctant to let him rebuild Lingyin Temple.

At this moment, Master Li in the academy was in a great mood.

Acquiring these things would be a piece of cake for the Li family, requiring no further attention. However, since they were sent by Xu Hanwen, they held special significance; this was a testament to their unwavering commitment to their original aspirations.

They chatted for a few minutes with smiles, and then Xu Xuan told the old man to stay home as much as possible these few days, and to let the crooked tree take on more of the responsibilities if anything happened.

The old man understood the implied meaning without asking why.

After Xu Xuan left, he immediately said that he was feeling unwell and would go home to rest for a few days. He asked Instructor Zhou to take care of the academy during the Dragon Boat Festival.

Zhou Ju felt something was off, but he had just been manipulated and his mind was still in a state of confusion, so he agreed to the task.

After leaving Jintian Academy, Xu went to Jintian Academy.

"Master Yu, your disciple is doing very well. He's already started researching 'mingling with the world,' and I think in a few more years he'll be able to break free from the shackles of the past." He immediately started by praising his disciple, trying to boost the NPC's favorability. Then came the gift-giving—the usual fare of calamus, mugwort, and five-colored silk—a small gift with a big meaning.

Then came
"Qiantang has indeed been bustling lately, with a surge of humanitarian spirit. However, the current situation is not good, and who knows what kind of demons and monsters might sneak in and cause trouble."

"At that time, as righteous people, we must help and support each other."

The true intentions are revealed when the map is unrolled; the last sentence is the key.

Yu Gong scoffed. He had been demoted to Wu County and forbidden from leaving the city. He had thought that his political enemies in the court would come one after another to cause trouble.

I never expected that all the trouble I've encountered lately is caused by some monk, which has attracted a lot of weirdos. I wonder what powerful figure he's offended this time, that he dares to come and check up on me.

“You’re wronging me. I, Xu, am an upright and honest person.”

"He made many contributions to the stability of Jiangnan and also trained several good disciples to protect the entire land."

After rambling on and on, repeatedly mentioning Zhou Ju's performance, Yu Gong had no choice but to agree to the proposal of mutual assistance.

Xu Xuan then went to West Lake, but left after seeing that the Water Palace was closed.

I walked around the Qiantang River once, but didn't find anything unusual.
Finally, they arrived at Baoan Hall and dragged out the limp little Qing. The pharmacy had stockpiled a large amount of realgar powder to ward off the five poisons; the mere smell of it was enough to keep most demons away.

I have no idea why this guy insists on guarding this place. I dragged the deputy hall master along, walking quickly and slowly, until we arrived at the mansion of Qingbo Gate.

The residence that was renovated last time for the Great Compassionate Dharma King was put to good use now. The main garden landscape, with its interplay of water and rocks, was perfect for hiding snakes, and the extensive underground waterways ensured comfort. The staggered rooms also provided shade from the sunlight.

With a splash, Xiaoqing was thrown into the water.

"Don't show your face for the next few days, just stay put."

"Ow~~~"

Xiao Qing, who had already transformed into a human with a snake tail, obediently nodded and then happily swam in the water, seemingly not listening to everything.

The first day of May is the Dragon Boat Festival.

The city walls of Qiantang are already adorned with calamus. Its leaves are long and slender like swords, and the people tie them with red ropes, believing that they can slay a thousand evil spirits.

The children eagerly gathered mugwort, rolled it into the shape of a tiger, and hung it on the lintel.

At that time, a merchant from the Western Regions sold realgar, which was the color of gold dust. The rich stored it in brocade bags, while the poor emptied their pockets to buy the grains the size of millet grains. They would put it into wine, and the turbid waves would turn red, filling the whole city with a pungent aroma.

Vendors pushed carts, hawking freshly cooked "jiaoshu"—glutinous rice balls wrapped in holly leaves, filled with red beans or cured meat, shaped like cow horns. This was the precursor to zongzi (sticky rice dumplings). People bought them and threw them into the river, saying they were to feed the dragons and prevent them from devouring Qu Yuan's remains.

There are also vendors selling fresh medicinal herbs, as people believe that herbs collected during the Dragon Boat Festival are more effective and can be used to treat diseases or make sachets.

Baoantang, on the other hand, launched its flagship product, premium realgar wine.

Master Mao was also there to keep things under control; after all, among all the members of the organization, he probably had the least amount of karma.

At the same time, one can take advantage of the festive atmosphere to continue to diligently practice the Dharma of forming connections.

The Taoist priest is now looking more and more like an old immortal, so his popularity is naturally attracting people.

Clad in a feathered robe and wielding a peach wood sword, he performed the Yu Step and chanted: "Calamus as spear, mugwort as banner, may the five poisons be driven away, and may all impurities be cleansed!" After speaking, he burned the talisman, and the ashes scattered into the tea plantation with the wind, drawing cheers from the crowd.

Each exchange of items imbued with sincerity is done using talismans or five-colored silk threads, creating an exceptionally harmonious scene.

However, in places like Qiantang, harmony is inherently two separate things, and all the precautions are taken to prevent accidents.

Now, an unexpected event has occurred.

"I have something, may I take a look, Taoist priest?"

Master Mao looked up, his composed smile freezing on his face, and the peach wood sword in his hand was instantly crushed.

But the newcomer looked quite strange:
Two long eyebrows drooped down to her cheeks, their silver hair shimmering like snow.

The eyebrows curled up like crescent moons, with a touch of golden light at the tip.

His face was wrinkled like a withered pine tree, and his cheekbones were high and prominent like a cliff.

His eagle-like eyes held a chilling light, his nose was like a hanging gall bladder, and his lips were jet black.

Wearing a fish-tail crown and a green gauze Taoist robe embroidered with clouds.

A yellow silk sash is tied around his waist, and he wears straw sandals that remain untouched by dust.

He truly possessed an appearance that was "aloof and dignified, yet concealing malevolent intent; a benevolent face, yet hiding a harbinger of calamity!"

(End of this chapter)