How can one cultivate immortality without learning modern knowledge?

Chapter 132 The Victory of the Classics, the Defeat of the Calligraphy

"Every step is like a lotus blooming!" Zhuang Wenhua smiled.

The entire Daewoo team breathed a sigh of relief.

Cui Wusheng let out a long breath, and a cheerful voice entered Zhou Wenju's mind: "The first round was a draw, what an intense battle!"

He only expressed his feelings through the transmission of words and phrases.

The Spirit Clan members on the outskirts were already buzzing with discussion about this.

The first round was a close contest, with both players displaying remarkable skill and determination.

Intense! Exciting!

Indeed, they are the most outstanding scholars and Confucian masters of both countries.

It truly was a top-tier event where dragons and tigers clashed fiercely.

Zhou Wenju's voice entered Cui Wusheng's mind: "Not necessarily!"

"What?"

"This game is not a draw!" Zhou Wenju said. "We won!"

Cui Wusheng's eyes suddenly widened—

On the platform, Xiang Bo's words of discourse drifted down: "The Way of Nature is not the end of the Great Way, but the natural law." As soon as these words were spoken, a soft boom resounded!

The lotus flower beneath Xiang Bo's feet suddenly rose into the air, transforming into a three-foot-high lotus platform. Amidst the flowing light of celestial principles, Xiang Bo stood atop this platform, gazing at the heavens, his eyes seemingly still searching for the "Dao"—

Liang Chaofan from the Yan Kingdom suddenly turned deathly pale!

The expressions of all the grandmasters from the Yan Kingdom changed simultaneously.

Zhuang Wenhua suddenly stood up: "Breaking the Path Lotus Platform!"

With a loud boom, several grandmasters behind him sprang to their feet simultaneously: "Breaking the Lotus Platform! Grandmaster Xiang has won!"

"We won!"

The three elders of the Spirit Clan on the high platform looked at each other, all with expressions of disbelief.

The Grand Elder in the very center let out a long sigh: "The Way of Nature is not the end of the Great Way; there are still transformations—what a profound theory! In the first round, the Grandmaster of the Great Yu Kingdom wins!"

With a smile on his face, Xiang Bo thanked the masters and slowly stepped down from the stage. Everyone in the Great Yu Kingdom congratulated Xiang Bo on his successful start.

The gloom that had been hanging over everyone for the past few days seemed to have been swept away by now.

Yes, whether it's the Lixian Academy, today's venue setup, or even the first formal question posed, the Yan Kingdom seems to have the upper hand.

But so what?

As Zhou Wenju said, in the face of absolute strength, there are no schemes!

Xiang Bo relied on his solid skills to defeat the enemy in the area where they were most proficient, thus securing a crucial point in the Qingshan Literary Society.

Cui Wusheng was very excited: "Brother Zhou seems to have already determined that Grandmaster Xiang will win?"

"It wasn't that I had already made a judgment; to be precise, I only made that judgment when he proposed changing lanes!" Zhou Wenju said.

"Changing lanes—Brother Zhou, you have studied changing lanes?" Cui Wusheng was surprised.

This newly acquainted brother is a master of poetry and seems to have a talent for music as well; now he's even studying the Daoist concept of "transformation of the Dao"—

The breadth of his knowledge is truly admirable.

Zhou Wenju laughed: "I wouldn't say I've done much research, just have a smattering of knowledge—"

That's just a polite way of putting it.

If there is anyone in this world who understands the Tao Te Ching's concept of change of the Tao best, it is probably Zhou Wenju.

Because he was an outsider.

In his world, he had already explored and perfected all sorts of natural, physical, and chemical laws.

The core idea of ​​the Tao Te Ching is to follow the laws of nature. In an era when technology was underdeveloped, agriculture depended on the weather. People would go out to check the weather and do what they were supposed to do at each stage of the season. All of this was in accordance with the laws of nature.

But was that the case in Zhou Wenju's world?

Things have changed!

Off-season vegetables can be grown in winter, artificial rain can be created, and the three natural substances—sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter—can be combined to produce gunpowder, capable of killing from thousands of miles away. Steel behemoths can take to the skies and soar through the heavens.

This is about transcending the limitations of nature and entering into a state of change governed by laws.

He was very clear that the Tao Te Ching only discussed theory and lacked its implementation and evolution.

As long as the Daoist touches upon this layer of "change in the law", they have broken the Dao's prohibition and reached the threshold of "breaking the Dao Lotus Platform". Even if Xiang Bo can only vaguely sense the existence of "change" in the law and cannot actually implement "changing the Dao", his intention is far superior to Liang Chaofan of Yan State's "reading from the book".

Inside the wooden house.

The saintess laughed: "Did you see the faces of those people from the Great Yu Kingdom? They're quite excited."

The girl in purple breathed a soft sigh of relief: "It's normal to be excited after winning the first battle."

"Yes, this is probably the only time they can be so animated."

97

only?

The girl in purple's expression changed slightly: "Holy Maiden, could it be—could it be that the elders will resort to some underhanded tactics to win this literary gathering?"

The saintess gave a cold laugh: "You really think that defeating the Great Yu Kingdom requires any special means? Their actions against Zhou Wen that day were merely a ploy to achieve a 'complete victory'!"

The girl in purple's heart pounded: "A complete victory?"

"You probably don't know this, but the instructions given to the participants from both countries are different!" the Holy Maiden said. "The Great Yu Kingdom requires its participants to win four out of seven games! But the Yan Kingdom's instructions are for a complete victory!"

Victory!

Seven wins out of seven!

With overwhelming force, they brought utter destruction to the literary and artistic traditions of the Great Yu Kingdom.

This will solidify the perception among the entire Eldar that "literary elegance resides in the North."

Only then can those stubborn old fogies of the Eldar truly let go of their obsession with "southward expansion" —

This is the strategic consideration for a complete victory.

The Great Yan Kingdom never sought a best-of-seven series.

What they want is a true crushing victory in terms of literature and morality.

They have this condition.

Because the Great Yu Kingdom had experienced twenty years of literary and moral turmoil.

Don't underestimate these twenty years —

In the past twenty years, how many literary masters have gone far away, how many literary families have lost their literary lineage, and how many scholars have been nurtured from childhood not by the classics of sages, but by martial arts cultivation?

Almost all of these literary masters in their prime today were born in that environment or went through that unbearable period.

Those lost "twenty years" were the cradle of this generation of literati. They did not have a good literary environment when they were young, so how could the flowers of literature bloom?

Therefore, objectively speaking, the cultural and moral foundation of the Great Yu Kingdom is indeed inferior to that of the Yan Kingdom.

The number of successful candidates in the imperial examinations each year speaks volumes.

Scientific expeditions conducted under the guidance of the Temple are absolutely fair!

In the Yan Kingdom, thousands of people pass the imperial examinations each year, while in the Dayu Kingdom, in the past twenty years, there have been seven imperial examinations, and each time the number of successful candidates has not exceeded five hundred.

Let's return our attention to the literary gathering—

The first round ended, and it took quite a while, from morning until sunset.

After all, discussing principles is the most time-consuming activity besides the art of chess.

Generally, it gets dark, so it's time to close up shop and come back early tomorrow.

However, everyone present was either a top-tier master of literature and Taoism or a top-tier cultivator.

The setting sun has little impact on them.

Nine large flowers of the Spirit Clan rose from around the high platform under the setting sun. As night fell after sunset, the mesmerizing light emitted by these nine large flowers dispelled the darkness, and the scene of the literary gathering remained clearly visible.

There are no breaks, only mealtimes. After the meal, the process continues.

The grandmasters of the Great Yu Kingdom quickly sobered up from their excitement of winning the first round and prepared to face the challenge of the second round.

second round.

The Way of Calligraphy!

The Second Elder announced—

The two masters of calligraphy stepped forward simultaneously.

Su Tianzhi of the Great Yan Kingdom, King Jiang Yi of the Great Yu Kingdom.

Su Tianzhi stretched out his hand, and a bronze pen appeared in his hand, small and exquisite in shape.

The brush in Wang Jiangyi's hand was also a bronze brush, but its shape was exceptionally large and thick.

"Brother Zhou, can you predict whether Grandmaster Wang will win this round?" As expected, Cui Wusheng's voice reached Zhou Wenju.

"Not very optimistic!" Zhou Wenju said.

"Not optimistic? Why do I think Master Wang has the advantage in this round?" Cui Wusheng said, "Because the competition is about building a mountain of books. Building a mountain of books relies on every word being stable and the structure being flawless to ensure that the mountain of books will not collapse. This is precisely Master Wang's strength."

As we all know, Wang Jiangyi's specialty is "stele script". This type of script is best suited for carving steles. Every character is heavy and steady. It may be too slow to use in battle, but it is definitely the best choice for building a mountain of books in a competition.

He also knew his opponent well; this person had a wild personality, disliked monumental styles, and preferred the free and unrestrained "fluid" style.

Therefore, when the Second Elder announced the rules for this round of calligraphy competition: to build a mountain of books, he almost thought that the Spirit Clan was turning closer to the Great Yu Kingdom.

Zhou Wenju's eyes flickered slightly: "You're focusing on common sense, but I'm looking at their expressions. Su Tianzhi absolutely cannot be unaware of Master Wang's strengths, yet he's completely confident! Master Wang absolutely cannot be unaware of his opponent, yet he's very cautious—"

Cui Wusheng laughed: "Brother Zhou, your perspective on this matter is truly unique—so let's see if facial expressions or common sense are more reliable?"

Zhou Wenju smiled slightly and stopped transmitting his voice.

Both of them turned their gazes to the person in the arena at the same time.

In the arena, Su Tianzhi smiled faintly: "You were quite excited in the first round, then let my pen sweep you all down into the dust!"

""

"Is that so?" Wang Jiangyi said, "Master Su, please!"

"please!"

Wang Jiangyi raised his hands and wrote down—

"Books are the essence of literature and the Way —"

As the character "书" (book) fell, it was like a blue brick hitting the ground with a thunderous crash. Before him appeared a foundation stone shaped like a book. The character "者" (person) fell, adding another layer; the character "文" (literature) fell, adding yet another layer—

In the blink of an eye, he had climbed six steps.

Each step, solid and firm, bears the inscription of his calligraphy.

This round is all about characters; whoever progresses the fastest, stands the most firmly, and has the most solid "scholarship" wins.

Wang Jiangyi climbed the sixth step, and his opponent, Su Tianzhi, made his move.

With a flick of his pen, as swift as the wind sweeping away clouds, his writing flowed with unparalleled fluidity: "A calligrapher must not be bound by convention—"

In an instant, eight steps rose out of thin air in front of him, and he was now standing on top of Wang Jiangyi. Every word he spoke was like a vast ocean, flowing freely, and each word seemed to have a soul.

Each word seemed to be a part of Su Tianzhi's body.

"The person and the book become one!" Zhuang Wenhua's expression suddenly changed.

He uttered four words softly —

The expressions of everyone behind him changed simultaneously!

The unity of man and calligraphy is a legendary realm in the art of calligraphy.

To reach this level, there are only two possibilities: First, the person was born for calligraphy, possessing its very soul, allowing each character to possess a spirit. Second, this style of calligraphy was created by your own hand, and it bears your imprint.

The former is too ethereal, the latter too difficult.

How did Su Tianzhi manage to do that?

The intelligence system makes absolutely no mention of this person's "unity of man and book"!

Cold sweat suddenly broke out on Cui Wusheng's forehead: "Brother Zhou—this man possesses the soul of calligraphy!"

Of the two prerequisites listed above, this person does not meet the second one, because the "fluid" style he wrote was created by the Sage of Calligraphy in his later years. The creator was a sage of his generation, so it could not possibly be him.

Having ruled out the second possibility, only the first one remains!

This person possesses the soul of calligraphy.

Zhou Wenju let out a soft sigh: "This game is hopeless, we can only wait for the third game!"

""

"This—this isn't fair, is it?" Cui Wusheng said, "In a literary war between two countries, choosing a special person whose calligraphic spirit cannot represent the level of calligraphy in Yan."

"Yes, personal achievements cannot represent the level of a country. Achievements that are not replicable have no universal effect on literature and art. However, they can tell us that the soul of calligraphy has fallen to the Great Yan, which represents the destiny of heaven!" Zhou Wenju said.

Cui Wusheng was speechless.

In their words, the outcome was already predetermined.

In fact, the outcome of their contest on the mountain of books was even more obvious.

Su Tianzhi's pen flowed like a vast ocean, and in the blink of an eye, he had written more than a hundred words. His figure stood at the end of the hundred steps.

Beneath his feet, Wang Jiangyi had only written about thirty characters when his pen trembled. Each word he wrote was under the pressure of his opponent's literary style. The hundred or so characters on the steps were like a hundred living adversaries, hollowing out his foundation and destroying his conviction. He was not only unable to retaliate, but his pen, which he usually wielded with ease, now felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.

Large beads of sweat dripped from his forehead.

The ink stains at his feet had already blurred.

A soft click!

The bronze pen in his hand shattered.

Wang Jiangyi coughed up a mouthful of blood and fell from the sky.

The third elder of the Spirit Clan waved his hand, and a large flower appeared out of thin air, catching Wang Jiangyi.

Wang Jiangyi coughed up another mouthful of blood, his face turning deathly pale.

"Lord Zhuang—" The four words were uttered very faintly, conveying boundless embarrassment, overwhelming resentment, and utter helplessness.

"Victory and defeat are common in war. You have done your best. Rest and recuperate in peace, Wenxin!" Zhuang Wenhua sighed softly.

Wang Jiangyi closed his eyes.

A long laugh echoed from the sky: "Master Wang, my 'Treatise on Calligraphy' has only just begun, why have you descended? How lonely you've made me!"

Wang Jiangyi's eyes snapped open, his throat trembled violently, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

From the Great Yan Kingdom, joyful laughter and cheers filled the air.

On the Daewoo side, everyone's face was gloomy.

Inside the wooden hut, the saintess smiled, "See that? Now that's what you call a crushing defeat!"

The girl in purple didn't speak; she had nothing to say either.

In the first round, Da Yu Kingdom did win, but that victory was only decided at the last moment, and it was a Pyrrhic victory!

The second round is called "easy win"!

This truly embodies the principle of "the strong bullying the weak," with the disparity being so vast that it is visible to the naked eye.

The third round —

The third round is the calculation of the Dao.

Du Yuqing of the Great Yan Kingdom stepped forward.

Ding Yuchou of the Great Yu Kingdom stepped forward.

Du Yuqing had a faint smile on her face.

Ding Yuchou's face was full of tension and caution.