How can one cultivate immortality without learning modern knowledge?

"What? You've run out of money?" Zhou Wenju said. "Trying to trick me into going back to the yamen so you can rob me again?"

"Young master, you really are..." Old Zeng said, "The master invited you back to the yamen for New Year's Eve dinner."

"That's right! Give a stick and then give a treat. My father is a master of robbery!" Zhou Wenju exclaimed.

"Young master, you really can't say that. Although the master stole your money in a very dishonest way, father and son are still father and son. I hope you won't hold a grudge against the master..." Old Zeng was doing his ideological and political work very responsibly.

In return, Zhou Wenju rolled his eyes: "Fine, fine, I don't hold a grudge against my father. I resent that lackey who directly attacked me. Without that lackey's help, you see how that old man managed to steal my money..."

"Young master, you make it sound like I, Old Zeng, benefited from your kindness. The master still hasn't paid me my wages." Old Zeng felt wronged.

"That's right, he doesn't even pay you for all your hard work. So, betray him and come with me. I'll pay you, and you can go find a concubine and have a real son..."

Arguing and trying to persuade him to defect, he followed Old Zeng back to the county government office.

The streets are already filled with the festive atmosphere of the Chinese New Year.

Spring Festival couplets were pasted all over the streets, and firecrackers were popping and crackling.

The county government office was much quieter. Stepping into the backyard, Zhou's mother greeted him: "Wen'er, your father is in the ancestral hall. Please go in!"

"Yes, Mother!" Zhou Wenju said.

"It's the Lunar New Year, so talk to your father nicely," Zhou's mother instructed again.

"Don't worry, my son and I may argue, but we definitely won't fight..."

The expression on Zhou's mother's face was unreadable.

If you two start fighting, I'd like to see who actually lays a hand on you...

Stepping into the ancestral hall, Zhou Wenju's gaze fell upon the row of memorial tablets at the top, and he felt a surge of emotions.

If people prosper, their ancestors will be at peace; if people are displaced and wandering, their ancestors will also suffer.

These ancestral tablets were all brought out by this old man from the former "Plum Garden," which was the Zhou family's ancestral home and was famous in the capital for its three century-old plum trees.

My father lost his official position, the old house was confiscated, and all his property (which was actually not much) was seized. The ancestral tablets could only be moved out of the old ancestral hall and carried away to Lingnan with Zhou Liangsheng.

This demotion didn't just affect Zhou Liangsheng; it affected his entire family and, incidentally, his ancestors for eighteen generations.

"Father!" Zhou Wenju bowed.

"Close the door!"

Zhou Wenju closed the door behind him.

Zhou Liangsheng put down his pen at the table and wrote the character "fire" on the gold paper. As soon as the literary light flowed, the thirteen lamps in front of the ancestral tablets lit up at the same time.

This is probably Zhou Liangsheng's only extravagant act, being willing to use gold paper as firecrackers.

Simply because it is before the spirits of our ancestors.

The ancestors hoped that all their descendants would be literary geniuses, and he used this method of literary pursuit to comfort his ancestors.

The first incense burner was held in Zhou Liangsheng's palm.

He slowly walked to the incense burner in front and placed the incense stick in it: "Ancestors above, your unfilial son Zhou Liangsheng reports to you on the course of this year. In this year, Liangsheng was unfilial in three ways. First, I was unfilial because I failed to advance in my literary career; second, I was unfilial because I failed to advance in my official career; third, I was unfilial because I failed to personally go to the ancestral cemetery outside the capital to offer sacrifices at the graves of my ancestors."

Kneel down and bow three times.

The candlelight flickered.

Zhou Liang Sheng rose and held up another incense burner: "That year, the Zhou family also had three great joys. The first was that our second son, Wen Ju, received the literary talent bestowed by the Mohist school and entered the path of literary cultivation..."

Zhou Wenju gently scratched his head from behind.

This……

Wouldn't this be considered deceiving one's ancestors?

Forget it!

After all, in his father's mind, what he had obtained was the Mo family's literary root, and ignorance was no excuse.

"Secondly, the predicament of the 300,000 elders of Qishan County has been completely resolved; thirdly, in Qishan County, my Zhou family is a living Buddha among all families, bringing glory to our ancestors! This is all thanks to my son Wenju. I dare not fail to tell the truth in front of my ancestors."

Zhou Wenju laughed: "Father, you genuinely agree with your son now..."

"Be solemn in the ancestral hall!" Zhou Liangsheng interrupted directly, "You light the third incense stick! Tell our ancestors how you plan to proceed from here on out!"

Zhou Wenju took the incense stick his father handed him, walked to the incense burner, and lit it: "I haven't thought about the future path yet. How about you summarize it next year during the Spring Festival, Father?"

Zhou Liangsheng rolled his eyes.

What kind of attitude is that?

With our ancestors right in front of us, you're saying something you haven't thought through?

What do you need to think about?

The key is attitude!

"Wen'er, today is New Year's Eve, and tomorrow is the beginning of a new year. In this year, you must study the sacred classics extensively and solidify your foundation in literature and Taoism. There are only two years left until the next imperial examination, and time waits for no one!" Zhou Liangsheng composed himself and made arrangements directly.

Imperial examination?

My God, you still haven't given up...

Zhou Wenju quickly said, "Father, I never said I wanted to participate in the imperial examination. Our ancestors are here, we cannot mislead them..."

"You unfilial son!" Zhou Liangsheng's face darkened, and he was about to lash out again.

Outside the small house, Zhou's mother and Zhou Shuang, who had just returned from Tianjing Nunnery, looked at each other in bewilderment.

What's wrong now?

The words "rebellious son" were even displayed in the ancestral hall...

Can't you guys just shut up during the Chinese New Year?

If it were a proper ancestral hall, they would be outside and probably wouldn't be able to hear the conversation inside.

The problem is that the Zhou family ancestral hall was converted from a small room, and everything that happens inside can be heard clearly from the outside.

"Father, it's not good for you to lose your temper during the New Year!" Zhou Wenju said, "You won't even let me finish."

"explain!"

"You think I don't want to study in this courtyard? Reading books in the courtyard, sipping Lingnan grapes, with two maids keeping me company, living like a spoiled brat, do you think I wouldn't be happy? The problem is, His Majesty had Zhongba from the Dingchao Division tell me that I have to go to the capital to attend some Qingshan Literary Gathering after the New Year..."

Zhou Liangsheng's eyes widened: "Qingshan Literary Society?"

"Yes, actually I really don't want to travel thousands of miles to attend some damn literary gathering. I just want to study in my little courtyard... Father, you're right to remind me. You should write a memorial to His Majesty now, telling him that your son will no longer participate in the literary gathering and needs to focus on his studies! Ancestors above, your son thanks you for your concern, Father..."

Zhou Liangsheng's eyes widened: "The people from the Dingchao Division really said that?"

"Didn't Father say that we can't deceive the ancestors in person?"

"May our ancestors bless us! May our forefathers manifest their power!" Zhou Liangsheng cried out as if weeping, "My son has actually gained His Majesty's favor and participated in the most prestigious literary gathering in the land. This is truly the fourth greatest joy of the year, the greatest joy indeed..."

"Father, your constant changes are leaving me confused." Zhou Wenju leaned closer. "Just give me a straight answer: am I going to study or not?"

Zhou Liangsheng glanced back, his brows furrowed in anger: "Bring all the classics with you, and read them on the road!"

Snapped!

Zhou Wenju slapped his forehead with his backhand: "I should have kept my mouth shut!"

Zhou Liangsheng lit three extra incense sticks in response to this news.

I feel much more energetic now.

Others might not know about the Qingshan Literary Gathering, but as an official appointed by the imperial court, how could he not know about it?

This will be the most prestigious literary and artistic event in the entire Great Yu Dynasty next year.

Having a reading slump? Check out these Xianxia (fantasy/martial arts) novel recommendations!

The Great Yu Kingdom is selecting the best talents nationwide to compete in the literary arena against its most powerful rival in the north, the Great Yan Kingdom.

This concerns a major strategic issue for the Great Yu Kingdom.

Currently, all the grandmasters in the Great Yu Kingdom have been mobilized upon hearing the news, and the four major academies have also been mobilized upon hearing the news. They are all doing their best to recommend the most outstanding talents to participate in the event. It can be said that as long as one participates in this grand event, one's literary fame will surely soar to new heights.

How could a lowly county magistrate like him, a useless official suppressed by the entire court, dare to have such a thought as sending his son to the conference?

However, he didn't need to bother with any planning.

His Majesty has already reserved a place for his son to attend the meeting.

The number of places available for this conference is far greater than any title obtained through the imperial examinations.

Even passing the imperial examination and becoming a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest level of the imperial examinations) cannot compare to the significance of this qualification to participate in the conference.

Throughout the entire Great Yu Dynasty, hundreds or even thousands of scholars have passed the imperial examinations over the years, yet only seven people attended the meeting!

Go and calculate it...

By the time the complicated procedures inside the ancestral hall were completed, the lights of thousands of homes outside were already on.

The two left the ancestral hall and went straight to the New Year's Eve dinner table.

Zhou Liangsheng was in high spirits and opened a jar of fine wine that he had treasured for a long time. Of course, this was what he considered "fine wine," but in Zhou Wenju's eyes, it was clearly expired juice...

Old Zeng was also invited to the table, and the whole family enjoyed a lively and happy New Year's Eve dinner.

After several rounds of drinks, the fire in the stove burned even brighter.

The dishes were a mess, and everyone's faces, gathered around the stove, were glowing red.

Zhou's mother gazed out the window and sighed softly, "I wonder where Wu'er is right now..."

Upon hearing this, the flush on Zhou Liangsheng's face visibly faded, as if a spring river had quickly turned into the desolation of late autumn, with hidden, swirling currents...

Upon seeing this, Zhou's mother's heart skipped a beat: "I...I didn't mean anything by it, I was just thinking..."

"Alright! You've finished eating, let's leave!" Zhou Liangsheng stood up and left with a flick of his sleeve.

Zhou's mother quickly followed.

Only Zhou Wenju and Lao Zeng remained by the stove, staring at each other in bewilderment.

Father got angry again.

This time, the hair is really hairy.

Just because of two words: Wu'er!

His elder brother, Zhou Wuju...

This name cannot even be mentioned on Lunar New Year's Eve, a time for family reunions...

Zhou Wenju picked up the tongs, added a piece of firewood, and the fire burned brighter. The dim red light shone on his face, and he slowly turned his head to the side: "Tell me about my brother?"

"Didn't you already know?" Old Zeng said, "He... he ultimately did not follow the master's wishes and embark on the righteous path of the martial arts examination, but instead went astray."

"I know that, but I don't know which evil sect he fell into."

"It's... Shuiyunjian!"

"Shuiyunjian, what an elegant name. What kind of place is it?" Zhou Wenju asked.

"Is this the first time you've heard this name?"

"I'm not familiar with any of the martial arts sects, could you tell me about them...?"

Old Zeng said...

Shuiyunjian is indeed an elegant name, but the biggest illusion in the martial arts world is that many extremely evil forces have elegant names.

Shuiyunjian is such an organization.

In the eyes of scholars and the orthodox court, it was extremely evil.

Why?

Because this organization is an assassination organization through and through.

It is also different from ordinary assassination organizations. It targets only literary figures, and specifically literary prodigies who have a huge influence in the literary world and have made outstanding contributions to literature.

This has been the case for thousands of years.

"Targeting literary prodigies..." Zhou Wenju frowned slightly: "Why?"

"No one knows why the killings at Shuiyun Pavilion are known as the 'Three Nos': no ​​reason, no continuation, and no solution. Simply put, you have no idea why they kill, and there's no follow-up afterward. Most terrifyingly, their killings of scholars are completely unsolvable. Even if you're a Grandmaster of Literature, or even a powerful figure in the literary world with the power to change the world with a flick of your wrist, receiving a thin 'Shuiyun Invitation' still means you have to prepare for your fate." Old Zeng said, "So, some people have speculated, and one of the more convincing theories is... 'The struggle for the Dao!'"

"A struggle over the Dao?"

"Yes, throughout history, dynasties have risen and fallen, vying for territory, mines, and status—these are all struggles, but none are as cruel as the struggle for the Dao," Old Zeng said. "Some suspect that Shuiyunjian is a place for pulse cultivators, suppressing literary cultivators. Some even say that Shuiyunjian is a demonic force. The demons have a 'Death List,' and any human prodigy who has the potential to change the fate of humanity is included in the Demonic Death List. The demons use Shuiyunjian as a vehicle to eliminate these prodigies, to prevent the growth of human fortune from crowding out the space for 'blood cultivators' in the demonic realm..."

Zhou Wenju stared at the fire in the stove, his heart churning...

The Way is in contention!

The Eighteen Schools of Literature and Taoism represent eighteen schools of thought, and they engage in daily debates on the Tao.

There is also a struggle between literary cultivation and pulse cultivation.

The conflict between these two paths is, in essence, an internal struggle within the human world.

They have a common enemy: the demons.

Demons are blood cultivators...

To put it bluntly, blood cultivation, pulse cultivation, and literary cultivation represent three paths, all vying for resources, the right to speak, territory, living space, and disciples.

Will the Water and Cloud Pavilion exist because of the struggle for Dao?

Absolutely possible!

Otherwise, why have they consistently targeted literary prodigies for thousands of years?

Because they are very clear that for humanity to rise, and for literature to rise, the most likely leaders are the literary prodigies...

"Is my elder brother... really sure he's entered Shuiyun Pavilion?" Zhou Wenju asked.

"This is already confirmed!" Old Zeng said, "The 'Water and Clouds Note' that Kang Ren, the great Confucian scholar from Jiangnan, received two years ago in March, was delivered by him!"

"Kang Ren is dead?"

"He died that very night. This great scholar truly had students all over the world. The Vice Minister of Justice was his disciple, the Prefect of Lanzhou was his own son, and countless other scholars in Jiangnan were his students. The Vice Minister of Justice, through the Ministry's 'reconstruction,' confirmed that the person who sent the invitation was indeed the eldest son. When the news reached Qishan, the master traveled a thousand miles to the funeral, kneeling before Kang Ren's coffin in white mourning clothes. However, the Kang family did not accept his forgiveness... That day, the wind was biting cold; that day, Jiangnan felt the chill of the north. The master, draped in white mourning clothes, walked at the very end of the funeral procession, surrounded by hateful eyes. I think it was this humiliation, this sorrow, that made him unable to bear hearing the name Zhou Wuju from then on..."

Zhou Wenju slowly raised his gaze, looking out at the New Year's Eve night sky.

At this moment, he seemed to understand his father's emotions when he heard "Wu'er" tonight and turned away.

As a member of the literary community and a court official, I deeply abhor organizations like Shuiyunjian.

The evidence is irrefutable: their own son entered Shuiyunjian.

Moreover, it caused the death of a literary master who had countless students.

He traveled a long distance to sincerely apologize, but they ignored him...

How incredibly frustrating is this?

How shameful!

"Old Zeng, why did my elder brother choose to enter this Shuiyun Pavilion?" Zhou Wenju raised a crucial question.

Why?

Old Zeng sighed deeply: "After much deliberation, I can only conclude that there is one possibility."