We said we would experience life, fairy, how did you become real?

Under the man's large palm, Bai Ruxue narrowed her eyes and rubbed against Xiao Mo's large palm.

Looking at the woman in front of him, who resembled a kitten, Xiao Mo couldn't help but smile: "Ru Xue."

"Hmm?" Bai Ruxue blinked.

"Do you think I can become a Confucian sage?" Xiao Mo asked.

"Huh?" Bai Ruxue asked, puzzled. "Why are you asking this all of a sudden?"

"It's nothing." Xiao Mo shook his head. "It just suddenly came to mind. I heard from my senior sister that every Confucian scholar aims to write books and establish doctrines, and to become a sage."

“Emm,” Bai Ruxue stroked her chin, “Becoming a saint is very difficult, but I believe you can do it.”

“Then I will try my best. When I was little, Ru Xue, you taught me to read. When I become a sage, Ru Xue, you will be the sage’s mentor.” Xiao Mo said with a smile.

"The sage's mentor, huh~ that sounds quite nice." Bai Ruxue thought this title was pretty good.

“Then I’ve made up my mind. I will cultivate diligently and transform into a true dragon.” Bai Ruxue clenched her little fist. “After all, I, as your mentor, cannot disgrace the future Confucian sage.”

Xiao Mo was slightly taken aback, gently stroked her long hair, and said with a smile, "Alright, then I'll wait for that day. I've never seen a real dragon before. You must look very beautiful when you transform into a real dragon."

"Then I'll stay with you every day and show it to you every day." Bai Ruxue pouted, "You can't get tired of seeing it."

"Will not."

Xiao Mo shook his head and looked directly into the woman's eyes.

"I never get tired of looking at it."

Chapter 105: For countless years, not a single Confucian sage has emerged.

All new students at Bailu Academy are required to attend large lectures at the beginning.

Once you have achieved some level of academic success, you can then study with the teachers at the academy.

Xiao Mo felt that this was somewhat like his university in his previous life.

Undergraduate studies involve large lectures, while graduate studies involve following a professor.

Xiao Mo would get up every day around 5:30 AM.

Bai Ruxue had already woken up by this time, and had prepared hot water for Xiao Mo to wash up and made breakfast.

After breakfast, Bai Ruxue would escort Xiao Mo out of the courtyard.

Only after Xiao Mo had disappeared into the distance for a long time did Bai Ruxue slowly withdraw her gaze, return to the courtyard to do housework, and wait for Xiao Mo to return.

Xiao Mo's large lecture was held at the Nineteenth Academy on the "Three Provinces Peak".

Each school has about twenty new students.

They came from different countries, and Xiao Mo even encountered a scholar dressed as a man from Beiman.

The new students include both boys and girls, but there are fewer girls and more boys.

However, what puzzled Xiao Mo was that some of the boys and girls did not seem to be very serious about their studies. They chatted and laughed all day long, and sighed and complained about the homework assigned by the teachers, as if they were just visiting Bailu Academy.

Later, Xiao Mo learned that most of these men and women were children of royal families from secular dynasties.

Besides the Confucian academy, the four major academies would provide additional places for the children of the ten human dynasties, allowing them to study.

They will only stay here for a maximum of four years, after which they will leave.

If someone has a certain level of expertise in Confucianism and wants to stay and continue their studies, that is also possible.

But such people are extremely rare.

Perhaps it was because Xiao Mo was good-looking and had an outstanding temperament, and because the news of "Xiao Mo becoming a disciple of Master Qi" gradually spread, so many nobles wanted to befriend Xiao Mo.

Many noblewomen, in particular, looked at Xiao Mo with eyes full of admiration.

Xiao Mo neither distanced himself from nor became close to these people; he simply maintained a polite distance from them.

The academy teacher who taught Xiao Mo was named Wang Quan.

Wang Quan was a good friend of Qi Daoming and served as the head of the academy.

Later, he came to Bailu Academy to work as a teacher.

After learning that Xiao Mo was Qi Daoming's last disciple, Wang Quan would call on Xiao Mo by name every day during class to test his knowledge, and he was stricter with Xiao Mo than with his other disciples.

Fortunately, Xiao Mo answered fluently every time, which pleased Wang Quan greatly.

Although Xiao Mo felt that Mr. Wang was a bit stubborn, even a bit old-fashioned, his knowledge was undeniable.

Moreover, Uncle Wang Quan's research on "investigating things to acquire knowledge" is extremely profound.

But one day three months later, Xiao Mo seemed to have completely angered Wang Quan.

During class that day, Wang Quan suddenly got the urge to share his understanding of "investigating things to acquire knowledge" with his students.

Mr. Wang emphasized that "investigating things to acquire knowledge" means understanding universal principles of nature through outward exploration, learning, and rational thinking.

They preached "preserve heavenly principles and eliminate human desires."

It states that Confucian ethics such as benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom are the core content of "principle," and that human nature is principle.

From investigating things to understanding, to attaining knowledge and enlightenment, then to sincerity and rectifying the mind, through inner transformation, and finally to cultivating oneself, regulating one's family, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world.

After he finished speaking, Wang Quan noticed that Xiao Mo was frowning and assumed that Xiao Mo had some questions. So he asked Xiao Mo to ask his questions and then answered them for him on the spot.

However, Xiao Mo did not raise a question.

Xiao Mo offered his own different perspective.

Xiao Mo believes that the objectivity of "reason" may lead to the externalization of moral practice.

In class, Xiao Mo expressed the concepts of "nothing exists outside the mind, no principle exists outside the mind" and "conscience" as the principle of heaven and the unity of all things.

After listening, Mr. Wang was furious and engaged in a heated debate with Xiao Mo.

Most students only had a superficial understanding of the debate between Mr. and Xiao Mo.

Needless to say, the noble children felt that Xiao Mo had crossed Mr. Wang's bottom line and angered him so much.

"Xiao Mo, without extensive accumulation of knowledge through investigation and a profound understanding of the principles of Heaven, your so-called 'actions' are blind and lack basis. Your statement today is nothing but empty talk about human nature!"

"But teacher, knowledge is the beginning of action, and action is the completion of knowledge."

True cognition necessarily includes the direction and motivation for action.

True action is the natural realization and completion of cognition.

The two are inseparable.

To know something but not to act on it is simply to not know it at all.

If one knows something but doesn't act on it, it means that this "knowledge" doesn't come from one's true conscience; it's merely superficial understanding or mere hearsay.

Xiao Mo retorted.

"you you."

Mr. Wang pointed at Xiao Mo, remaining silent for a long time before finally waving his sleeves angrily.

"That concludes today's lesson. Xiao Mo, you don't need to come tomorrow."

Mr. Wang left the classroom in anger, and the students quickly stood up to see him off. Xiao Mo also bowed and clasped his hands in greeting.

After Mr. Wang left, everyone in the classroom looked at Xiao Mo.

That afternoon, Wang Quan arrived at Qi Daoming's courtyard.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, Wang Quan snatched the teacup from Qi Daoming's hand and drank it all in one gulp.

"You've really taken on a good apprentice!" Wang Quan said angrily, sitting next to Qi Daoming. "He almost drove me crazy in class today!"

Qi Daoming smiled and looked at his friend: "Really? But you seem quite happy to me?"

"Really?" Wang Quan glared at Qi Daoming.

Qi Daoming nodded: "Yes, there is!"

Wang Quan and Qi Daoming looked at each other.

After a short while, Wang Quan stroked his beard and burst into laughter: "Hahahaha. That kid Xiao Mo actually proposed 'human nature is the law of heaven, and knowledge and action must be in harmony' in class. To be honest, I never even thought of that before. It's so interesting."

"And yet you still cursed at him in class, calling him a heretic and crooked person." Qi Dao understood his friend's expression.

Wang Quan shook his head and sighed, saying, "Daoming, Xiao Mo's idea has a significant impact on contemporary Confucianism. If he succeeds, he might be able to create a new school of thought and forge a different path of Confucianism."

But this road is extremely difficult to travel.

If he cannot remain steadfast in his convictions, and I merely offer a few words, he will give up. How then will he withstand the overwhelming attacks of the future?

Wang Quan looked at his friend and said, "Today, I will write this matter into a letter and send it to the academy. As for Xiao Mo, I have nothing left to teach him, so there's no point in him coming to the academy anymore."

Qi Daoming smiled and poured his friend a cup of tea: "So, do you think he can make it?"

"Who knows?"

Wang Quan pulled up his sleeves and looked up at the sky.

"However, our Confucian school has not produced a Confucian sage for countless years."

Chapter 106 You absolutely mustn't let your childhood sweetheart find out!

"Xiao Mo, so you don't need to go to school today?"

The next morning, Xiao Mo sat in the courtyard having breakfast with Bai Ruxue, who blinked at him.

After Xiao Mo returned yesterday, he told Bai Ruxue about what happened at the school.

Bai Ruxue didn't care at all about Xiao Mo arguing with that old man.

If all else fails, I'll take Xiao Mo to another academy.

If all else fails, I'll go to the Confucian academy and kidnap a few priests to give Xiao Mo private lessons.

"It seems we can't go." Xiao Mo shook his head with a smile. "But it's alright, I'll go find Mr. Qi and ask him later."

"No need to ask."

Just as Xiao Mo finished speaking, a light and cheerful female voice came from outside the courtyard.

Xiao Mo and Bai Ruxue turned their heads to look, and Shang Jiuli was already standing outside the door.

"Good morning, you two." Shang Jiuli waved her little hand.

"Senior Sister." Xiao Mo stood up and bowed.

Bai Ruxue snorted and turned her head away.

She didn't like this woman.

Shang Jiuli walked into the courtyard and smiled, "The teacher said you don't need to go to school anymore. From today onwards, junior brother, you can study with us by the teacher's side."

As she spoke, Shang Jiuli walked up playfully with her hands behind her back: "I thought it would take you two or three years to leave the school, but I didn't expect it to only take three months."

"Not bad, not bad." Shang Jiuli reached out and patted Xiao Mo on the shoulder. "You truly deserve to be my junior brother."

Before Shang Jiuli could even pat Xiao Mo twice, Bai Ruxue immediately stepped forward, pulled Xiao Mo away, and looked at her warily: "Miss Shang! Men and women should not touch each other! Please keep your distance!"

"But you two are still living together?" Shang Jiuli looked down and saw Bai Ruxue's small hand holding Xiao Mo's large hand. "Your hands are even clasped together."

“No, we’re different. We’re childhood sweethearts!” A faint blush rose on Bai Ruxue’s cheeks.

"Alright." Shang Jiuli smiled lightly and said to Xiao Mo, "Let's go, Xiao Mo, we're going to class with the teacher. If we're late, the teacher will be angry."

"Okay, senior sister." Xiao Mo nodded and looked at Ru Xue. "Ru Xue, I'm going to class now."

"Yes, come back soon." Bai Ruxue's expression was somewhat worried.

Xiao Mo rubbed Bai Ruxue's head and followed Shang Jiuli up the mountain.

Bai Ruxue watched Xiao Mo and Shang Jiuli slowly ascend the mountain, her heart growing increasingly uneasy.

"Or maybe I should take advantage of Xiao Mo's inattention one day and sink Shang Jiuli into the sea?" After the two left, Bai Ruxue's eyes darted around as she thought to herself.

But soon, Bai Ruxue shook her head: "No, no, if Xiao Mo finds out, he'll hate me!"

"But what should I do? Shang Jiuli is also very handsome, and he seems to take good care of Xiao Mo. They'll be studying together later, what if they develop feelings for each other?"

The more Bai Ruxue thought about it, the more worried she became. Her lips were pressed tightly together, her small hands were clasped together, and she even imagined Xiao Mo abandoning her to marry Shang Jiuli.