Immortality: Starting with a grave, I'm invincible when burying corpses.

"Judging from the current rainfall, a major flood is certain to come tomorrow or the day after."

The overflowing Changjiang River will destroy everything we have now, as well as the villages and towns along its course, swallowing everything in its path.

However, this does not mean that the flood is unstoppable. There is strength in numbers, and as long as everyone works together with one heart and one mind, flood control is entirely possible.

This is no easy task; a slight misstep could cost you your life. But on the other hand, it is worth it if we succeed.

The achievements in flood control are enough to erase all past mistakes and will allow everyone in Pingluo County to see us in a new light.

Everyone present can have a bright future, no longer be discriminated against, no longer be ridiculed, and can live with dignity.

Over the past three years, I have taught you knowledge and skills to survive. You have all learned one or two trades, which will be your guarantee for survival in the future.

You can make a living with the skills you've learned, and live a normal life like millions of ordinary people, living the life you want.

You can also leave this county and choose the life you want; someone will help you remove the marks from your faces.

Over the past three years, your efforts have not been rewarded due to a lack of trust and prejudice.

Now, the opportunity for change is right in front of us. Everyone can say no to their past selves and shed the label of "sinner"...

Zhuang Sheng's words were nothing special. He did not deliberately display his aura as a Celestial Martial Saint, nor did he try to create an atmosphere. He simply stated the current situation truthfully.

Zhuangzi did not choose to paint an unattainable picture or engage in empty talk about unrealistic things; what he said was all about matters that were closely related to the people present.

Although ordinary, such a speech is quite appealing in this era, in the current Sin Village.

The heartfelt speech, coupled with the trust built up over the past three years, calmed many villagers down. Some of them began to stop blindly following others and start to reflect on the current situation.

One of the villagers, who was usually more inclined to use his brain, looked up and asked,

"Master Zhuang, you may be right, this is indeed an opportunity."

But if we leave now and go up the mountain like Wang Ermazi and the others, wouldn't we survive just as well?

Someone chimed in, "Yes, if we all leave now, we won't have to risk our lives to control the floods."

An old man tapped the ground with his cane and said angrily, "Go to the mountains? It's easy for you to say. How are so many of us supposed to survive in the mountains? Are we all going to become bandits?"

With the word "sin" written on your face, do you think you can survive anywhere else?

Old man, I don't know what you guys are thinking, but I've had enough of being wanted by the police and I have no intention of doing anything like burning, killing, or looting.

Perhaps Master Zhuang was initially motivated by that bet, but in these three years, what has he done for all of us? Can't you see that?

Even if we are all "sinners," do we really have no sense of gratitude at all? Don't you all have relatives? Were you born without a mother and raised without a father?

In times of great disaster, even a bowl of thin porridge can motivate people to risk their lives, let alone three years' worth of sustenance.

"Just for every meal I've had in these past three years, this old man's worthless life should be given to Master Zhuang!"

Shoko, who had been standing in the corner, stepped forward and shouted loudly to the crowd.

"Grandpa Yun is right! Everyone has seen how much the Master has done for us."

My sister and I have made mistakes, but we don't want to keep making them.

A few years ago, my brother and I ate leftovers from restaurants every day, and we couldn't even afford a proper set of clothes in the cold winter.

What now?

Life in the village may not be luxurious, but at least everyone can eat and wear clothes every day.

Ask yourselves honestly, isn't this kind of life good enough?

The Master gave us an opportunity to live a peaceful life, and also taught us knowledge and the skills to make a living...

We're not stupid; we can naturally tell who's good to us and who's bad to us.

Even if the Master did all this for the sake of spreading the Way of Great Harmony, and even if our lives are not as good as those of the people of Wen Village, what the Master did for all of us is real, and the principles he taught us are real.

To live an upright life and a peaceful existence—isn't that what everyone longs for?

……

Zhuang Sheng observed the villagers' discussion but did not interrupt. He simply stood on the platform and listened to their voices.

For Zhuangzi, winning or losing the game was not important; winning or losing in terms of people's hearts was of paramount importance.

Winning the bet but losing the moral high ground is meaningless.

Of course, he could use any means to deceive the villagers into following his ideas for water management and win the bet.

However, while doing so might win the bet, it would mean losing the very meaning of Datongdao's existence.

He can fool others, but he can't fool his own heart.

What Zhuangzi truly wanted to do was to prove that the ideal of Great Harmony could become a reality.

Now, seeing more and more villagers stand up and choose to support him, Zhuang Sheng feels truly gratified.

His efforts over the past three years have not been in vain.

His Zhuangzi's principles are not wrong. They may still have many imperfections, but at least they have the potential to be put into practice. Given time, there will eventually be a day when these principles will be realized.

That's enough.

……

As the crowd gradually quieted down and more and more people looked at him, Zhuang Sheng took a step forward and deliberately raised his voice.

"Personally, I sincerely hope that you can stay and work with me here to control the floods, for your own sake and for the continuation of the Great Harmony Way."

But as everyone has said, flood control is not something you have to do. If you want to escape from here, you can do so as well.

As I've always told you, you all have the right to make your own choices. I'll do my thing, and you can make yours.

I teach you to read and to make a living, not for any reward from you.

I will not stop anyone who wants to escape the village and flee into the mountains.

Now, I will give you the right to choose.

To leave or to stay.

Before dawn, each of you may carefully consider and make your own choice.

After saying this, Zhuang Sheng walked down from the stage, passed through the crowd, walked to the door of the house, and found a stool to sit down.

"Those who want to leave can just go out through the main gate. Let's say goodbye and consider this the end of our three-year relationship."

The academy was quiet for a moment, then erupted into chaos.

Discussions and arguments rose and fell, and some even nearly came to blows on the spot.

Zhuang Sheng simply sat there, while Wan Shu stood beside him holding a lantern. Neither of them uttered a word, letting everything unfold naturally.

As night deepened and the rain intensified, time passed slowly.

At fifteen minutes past the hour, the first villager came out of the academy.

As he passed through the gate, he bowed to Zhuang Sheng, who was sitting by the gate.

Zhuang Sheng smiled, patted his shoulder, and handed him an umbrella and a lamp, looking at him with a smile as always.

"It's raining heavily and the roads are dark. Take an umbrella and a lamp with you, and drive slowly."

The first villager to emerge stood frozen at the academy gate for a long time before finally accepting the umbrella and lamp offered by Zhuang Sheng and stepping out of the academy gate in a daze.