Chapter 714: Confucianism Test
Ning Zhuo put down the jade slip of his school notes, frowned, and murmured, "This won't do..."
“My understanding of formations is not as good as the boss’s, and I’m afraid it’s not as good as Shen Xi’s either.”
"I'm not as good as Qing Chi in making talismans, but there must be plenty of geniuses of the same age who have left me behind."
"It's embarrassing to say this, but my Ning family is good at making talismans, but I can't even figure out what to do with these two magic talismans."
"If I don't find some methods, I will always fall behind in my cultivation."
"Moreover, my three skills are all closely related to mechanical engineering, and my mother also asked me to major in mechanical engineering. Mechanical engineering is also a combination of all the arts of cultivation, so I must learn all of them!"
"I'm not very savvy. With this learning speed, how can I possibly master all the arts of cultivation? It'll take forever!"
Just as he thought of this, a letter followed Ning Zhuo's breath and flew to the outside of the bluestone cave.
Ning Zhuo sensed the Feixin and immediately controlled the token to open the cave door a little and put the Feixin in.
Fei Xin shuttled through the cave and finally fell into Ning Zhuo's hands.
Ning Zhuo first checked it out and found nothing fishy, then he probed into it with his spiritual sense.
"It's indeed a letter from Wen Runyu." The magical aura on the letter revealed the identity of the sender.
In his second letter, Wen Ruanyu mentioned that the time it would take for him to report on his duties was much longer than he had expected. According to the current trend, he would have to remain under house arrest for a while longer.
Through various disturbances, Wen Runyu can be sure that all forces within the Wanxiang Sect are actively trying to intervene in the Baizhi Immortal City.
Before, there were only a few big forces, but now many small forces have also taken advantage of the situation and squeezed in.
The reason was that the weaker of the major powers had taken the initiative to recruit some smaller powers as helpers, and thus the news leaked out.
Wen Ruonyu warned Ning Zhuo in code: his existence was not far from being exposed. Although Wen Ruonyu tried her best to conceal it, her secrecy was almost at its limit.
Wen Runyu once again asked Ning Zhuo to make more preparations.
Moreover, he also took the initiative to find a way out for Ning Zhuo——
"Although I was forced to stay indoors, I was able to contact some old friends and learn about the true current situation within many sects."
Wen Runyu did not elaborate here. It was inconvenient to say these things in the letter. He just advised Ning Zhuo not to get involved in the internal strife of the Wanxiang Sect.
Especially the Old Four Peaks.
Among the old four peaks, those who are concerned about the Purple Thunder Peak must be extremely cautious!
Wen Runyu's reminder was consistent with Ning Zhuo's previous insights.
Ning Zhuo was much more stable than he thought.
"It's a pity that I can't send a FeiTian to Wen Ruanyu, so I can only let him worry for a while."
Wen Runyu was able to send Ning Zhuo a letter because he had the channels and old friendships, and could keep it secret for a while.
If Ning Zhuo sent him a quick message, it would be equivalent to exposing himself and confessing himself.
Wen Ruanyu mentioned at the end of the letter: "There are not too many Confucian cultivators in the Wanxiang Sect, but they have always been closely united, making friends through literature and communicating frequently."
"During this Feiyun trial, many Confucian cultivators are selecting younger generations, hoping to bring new blood into the Confucian cultivation circle."
"Young friend Ning, although you are majoring in other techniques and cannot practice Confucianism concurrently, I have already made a request. You can use this as a trial and join the Confucian group. For a short period of time, they will give you some protection."
"Of course, they won't show up in person, but they'll take care of you secretly."
Ning Zhuo understood the concerns of these Confucian practitioners.
He and Wen Ruanyu will become the center of the sect's internal strife, and all forces, big and small, will compete and gamble around them.
If we get too close in advance, these Confucian practitioners will also be involved in the trouble.
As a group of Confucianists, they usually wait and see how the situation develops. Those who take the lead in charging forward are usually not people like them.
But Ning Zhuo was already quite satisfied!
Gentle and soft like jade!
He is indeed one of us!
Judging from Wen Ruanyu's arrangements and the reactions of the Confucianists, this group wasn't very large within the Wanxiang Sect. If it truly had a powerful backer, the Confucianists would have already begun vying for Ning Zhuo.
The benefits of Baizhi Xiancheng are really huge!
The Confucian practitioners' own techniques are already limited, and they cannot completely change and practice the "Wanxiang Jing", so most of them practice both.
Confucianism itself has its own pursuits, or the path of Taoism has its own limitations. From this point of view, it is difficult to enter the core of the Wanxiang Sect.
Even so, the Confucian group was still willing to protect Ning Zhuo and used the Xingyun test to take care of him. This method was very clever.
Because this is exactly the rule of the Wanxiang Sect.
Using rules to pursue personal interests is also the tendency of Confucian practitioners when handling affairs - it saves effort and is safe.
"The Confucian group is neither good nor bad, and its position is awkward. It cannot be a suitable entry point for me to join the Wanxiang Sect."
"But since it was Wen Ruanyu who recommended and arranged it, we should go!"
"In the short term, gaining their protection will be beneficial to me."
"And... among the thousands of schools of cultivation, Confucianism is the best at learning! Perhaps I can find a way to accelerate my learning of the hundred arts of cultivation from them."
The four arts of a gentleman, namely music, chess, calligraphy and painting, are almost standard requirements for Confucianism.
In other words, as a Confucian cultivator, one must master at least four skills, and the more profound the better. This does not include the traditional four arts, elixir, weapons, formations, and talismans.
Confucianism has so many studies, far exceeding ordinary schools. One of the reasons is that Confucianism has achieved great research results in this matter of learning.
Many Confucian doctrines were designed specifically for learning.
The next day.
Dot Mofeng.
The black rock walls are covered with natural ink marks, black pine trees stand in rows, the mountain fog is moist, and the road winds like a green jade belt.
Three monks were walking up the stone steps soaked with morning dew.
The oldest one is just a young man.
The young cultivator did not conceal the aura of a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator. His eyes were dark blue, and although his hair was tied up, a few strands of hair were visible.
As he walked, the many bamboo sticks in the poetry tube hanging around his waist collided with each other, making noises.
The young Confucian cultivator was named Bai Jiyun. He was walking in front of the three people. At this moment, he slowly stopped and looked into the distance.
Seeing the distant peaks embracing a half-moon of golden sun, dyeing the sea of clouds into a magnificent scene like molten gold and splashing jade, I couldn't help but exclaim in admiration: "Even if today's small test fails, it will be worth the trip to see such a beautiful scenery again."
Bai Jiyun was a lazy and leisurely person. He liked traveling, admiring beautiful scenery, and spreading his literary fame.
The two monks walking behind Bai Jiyun followed.
The young Confucian cultivator Liu Fushu said, "Brother Bai, be modest. You are the leading figure in the foundation-building Confucian cultivation of Feiyun Country. If you fail, there is no way we can succeed."
Liu Fushu was as tall and thin as a bamboo pole, the cuffs of his washed-out blue shirt frayed. His right index finger was calloused, and there was a faint stain of ink on the side of his neck.
He was only at the middle stage of foundation building, but Bai Jiyun already knew his name.
Although Liu Fushu came from a poor family, he was quite talented in Confucianism and was particularly good at calligraphy.
Unfortunately, this Feiyun test held at Dianmo Peak was a written test. If he was careless, he would probably lose to Liu Fushu.
Liu Fushu was not praising Bai Jiyun, but praising him from the bottom of his heart.
He was much younger than Bai Jiyun, and after he began his training, he had often heard about Bai Jiyun's talent from his teachers. Every once in a while, rumors would spread in the literary circle about Bai Jiyun's whereabouts and what poems he had written.
It can be said that Bai Jiyun is Liu Fushu's idol.
"Brother Bai, with such beautiful scenery, you must compose a poem to match your talent! I'm all ears." The third person in the field spoke at this time.
But he is a boy.
His cultivation level was only at the Qi Refining stage, his cheeks still had baby fat, he wore an apricot-yellow short coat, and his eyes were as black and shiny as lacquer.
His name is Kong Ran, a famous child prodigy in Feiyun Country. He is really only ten years old, not an old monk with the means to maintain his youth.
Bai Jiyun and Liu Fushu both treated Kong Ran equally. One reason was that Kong Ran came from a prominent family and was the son of the prime minister of Feiyun Kingdom. The other reason was that he was gifted - this was a huge advantage that neither Bai Jiyun nor Liu Fushu had.
Bai Jiyun smiled at Kong Ran, then shook his head. "I need to save my energy for today's Feiyun test. I can only blame myself for not being talented enough to see such a beautiful scene before me."
Kong Ran's face was serious, and he couldn't help but feel a little worried: "Mr. Chu Xuangui, is it really that strict?"
Bai Jiyun nodded. "I've had the good fortune to meet Mr. Chu Xuangui at several literary gatherings. He's a strict, fair, and meticulous person. Although we only had a few brief conversations, they always made me sweat."
Bai Jiyun's temperament is obviously different from Chu Xuangui's, and it is obvious that they are not compatible.
Liu Fushu, however, looked towards the top of the mountain with an admiring tone: "It is truly an honor to meet Mr. Chu Xuangui in person today!"
"Mr. Chu once wrote the 'Li Yun Da Tong Pian' and built a hundred-mile cloud wall in the sea of clouds to resist evil monsters and demons for many years."
"Unfortunately, after resigning from Feiyun Kingdom, he went into seclusion in the Wanxiang Sect."
The top of Dianmo Peak was shrouded in a bluish-gray morning mist.
The three cultivators reached the top of the mountain together and saw a middle-aged cultivator sitting cross-legged with a stone table in front of him. He was holding a magic-level brush and practicing calligraphy meticulously.
The three cultivators looked at each other, walked lightly, and silently walked to the middle-aged cultivator and stood there quietly.
It was not until the middle-aged monk stopped writing with his brush that the three of them bowed quietly and introduced themselves.
The middle-aged monk was none other than Chu Xuangui. He wore a white robe with wide sleeves, his eyebrows were like hanging needles, his cheekbones were like inkstones, his fingers were covered with calluses, and he sat with an extremely upright posture, meticulous in every detail.
"Bai Jiyun, Liu Fushu, Kong Ran." Chu Xuangui's serious expression softened a bit. "It's not even time for the exam yet, and you're the first to arrive. Well done, waking up at the sound of the cock-crow shows your sincerity in learning."
His compliment immediately made San Xiu feel happy.
"Just wait." After giving the order, Chu Xuangui said no more, took out the second piece of paper, and continued to practice calligraphy.
Bai Jiyun could only stand there quietly. He wanted to move, but he knew Chu Xuangui's temperament very well, so he could only endure it.
Liu Fushu looked at Chu Xuangui with burning eyes. Although he could not recognize him clearly, he could still figure out the mystery of calligraphy from the movements of Chu Xuangui's arms and wrists, and was immersed in it for a while.
Kong Ran was only ten years old and wanted to sit on the ground and rest, but when he saw Bai Jiyun and Liu Fushu in such a state, he had to suppress his playful desire.
As time passed, monks climbed up the mountain step by step and reached the top.
Like Bai Jiyun and others, they first saluted and then stood there waiting.
Many monks became increasingly anxious.
Fortunately, the test time is getting closer.
Kong Ran had already become impatient and had sent his telepathic messages to Bai Jiyun and Liu Fushu many times.
Liu Fushu had long been immersed in Chu Xuangui's calligraphy.
Although Bai Jiyun was also impatient, he still comforted Kong Ran: This might be a special arrangement by Mr. Chu Xuangui, an invisible test of our character.
Hearing this, Kong Ran felt a chill in his heart and forced himself not to move.
Everyone was guessing, but they didn't know that Chu Xuangui was also feeling a little anxious.
"Why hasn't Ning Zhuo come yet? It's almost time."
In the Wanxiang Sect's Confucian circle, Chu Xuangui was one of the pillars. However, he was recognized as a pillar not because of his Jindan-level cultivation, but because of his calligraphy skills.
Wen Ruanyu was also a pillar of support. His painting skills were widely praised among the Confucian cultivators. Wen Ruanyu's self-portraits alone demonstrated his true combat power, something that most Confucian cultivators could not achieve.
Therefore, although Wen Runyu practiced in Baizhi Fairy City for many years, it did not affect his status in the Confucian circle.
When Wen Runyu came back to report on her work, she had already sent a message in advance to inform the Confucian circle.
That's why Wen Runyu had previously instructed Ning Zhuo to give him some time to find out the inside story of the Wanxiang Sect.
Although the Confucianists of the Wanxiang Sect did not hold high positions, their status was not low, and they were the most united among the middle-level sect. The numerous literary gatherings they held on a daily basis allowed them to make friends through literature and exchange information with each other.
Therefore, they all have a deep understanding of the overall internal situation of the Wanxiang Sect.
Once Wen Runyu was placed under house arrest while reporting on her work, it aroused the vigilance and attention of the Confucian circle.
Each of them took action and worked secretly for Wen Runyu.
Wen Runyu's request to take good care of Ning Zhuo was also taken very seriously by them.
Because they are also very clear about the huge benefits that Baizhixiancheng represents. Those treasures of ghosts and cold spirits are common in the underworld, but they are rare and scarce in the world of the living.
The special geographical environment of the Yinchao Black Swamp can be regarded as a huge ghost gate that is developed all year round, and it does not require a huge amount of resources to keep the ghost gate open!
If this place was not located between Feiyun Kingdom and Beifeng Kingdom, it would have lost its autonomy long ago if it was located in the heart of any country.
The Confucian circle is not without ideas about these interests!
The existence of Wen Ruanyu already gives them a huge advantage in terms of innate qualities.
Wen Ruanyu's admiration for Meng Yaoyin was well known. Now that Meng Yaoyin's son was also about to join the Wanxiang Sect, the Confucianists all valued Ning Zhuo because of Wen Ruanyu.
The Confucian cultivators were not aware that Ning Zhuo's status in Baizhi Immortal City was even higher than Wen Runyu's.
They chose to use Feiyun's test to elevate Ning Zhuo's status.
"Let this lucky kid become famous early and stand on the stage. This alone will deter many people with bad intentions from taking action."
After discussion, the Confucianists came up with this idea.
Therefore, Chu Xuangui, who had not arranged the Feiyun test for many years, specially held this event this year.
"If Ning Zhuo doesn't come... I'll have to hold a second one."
(End of this chapter)
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