[Ding! New apprenticeship quest triggered: Travel to the Northern Region and accept Su She as your apprentice.]
[Target Person: Su She]
[Talent: A literary genius descended to earth, a Confucian and Taoist prodigy, possessing unparalleled comprehension throughout history; a single thought can inspire righteous energy, a single word can establish order within the realm.]
[Task Rewards: 3x Invulnerability Talisman, 5,000 years of cultivation.]
Lin Zhou was lying on a rocking chair in the Qingyun Sect, listening to Xiao Chen and Jiang Li talk about their experiences in the secret realm, when he was suddenly interrupted by a system notification. He sat up and stroked his chin: "The Northern Region? Taking on disciples?"
The talent description is even more elaborate than Xiao Chen and Jiang Li combined. A literary star descended to earth? Sounds pretty impressive.
"You two watch the house, I'll be right back." Lin Zhou waved his hand, and in a flash, he disappeared into the courtyard.
In the northern region, on the ridges of fields outside Qingfeng Town.
A young man dressed in a faded blue cloth robe was squatting by the field, holding a yellowed book in his hand. He was writing something on the muddy ground as he read, his brows exuding a scholarly air, his eyes as clear as mountain spring water. It was Su She.
He was the only schoolteacher in town. He lost both his parents at a young age and grew up relying on the help of his neighbors. His only hobby was reading. Once he had mastered the knowledge, he would go to the dilapidated temple in town to teach the children to read. He lived a simple but peaceful life.
"Your name is Su She?"
A lazy voice suddenly rang out overhead. Su She was startled and looked up to see a man in white standing in front of him. The man had a smile on his face and exuded an indescribably comfortable aura, like a spring breeze blowing through a wheat field or moonlight shining on the pages of a book.
"I am Su She. May I ask who you are, sir?" Su She quickly stood up, cupped his hands in greeting, and though he was just an ordinary person, he possessed a natural air of composure.
Lin Zhou grinned: "My name is Lin Zhou. I want to take you as my disciple and have you cultivate with me."
Su She was stunned, then laughed and cried at the same time: "Sir, please don't make fun of me. I'm just a mortal, I can't even sense spiritual energy, how could I be qualified to cultivate the Dao?"
Lin Zhou didn't answer, but instead asked a completely unrelated question: "What do you think the Dao is?"
What is the Tao?
Su She was stunned.
The books he read contained the Confucian and Mencian doctrines of benevolence and righteousness, and the Lao-Zhuang philosophy of non-action, but no one had ever spoken about what the "Tao" truly was. Is it the laws of heaven and earth? Is it the good and evil of the human heart? Or...?
He stood on the edge of the field, gazing at the smoke rising from the chimneys in the distance, at the wheat seedlings beside him, and at the drifting clouds in the sky, lost in thought.
Lin Zhou leaned against the old locust tree next to him, took out some melon seeds and slowly cracked them open, without urging him to hurry up.
This period of reflection lasted for eight full days.
For eight days, exposed to wind, sun, rain, and frost, Su She remained motionless, like wheat rooted to the ground. The townspeople came to see him, thinking he had gone mad, and tried to pull him back, but Lin Zhou stopped them with a single look—a look that held no intimidation, yet inspired awe and made them dare not approach.
On the morning of the eighth day, as the first rays of sunlight fell on Su She's face, he suddenly opened his eyes.
There was no confusion in his eyes, only clarity and understanding. A faint yet exceptionally pure aura emanated from him, like an open book of sages, carrying the gentleness of teaching all, and the uprightness of criticizing evil—that was the spirit of righteousness!
The wheat seedlings on the ridges seemed to grow more vigorously, the smoke from distant chimneys seemed to have a certain order to it, and even the dust in the air seemed to have been combed out, neat and orderly.
"Have you figured it out?" Lin Zhou tossed him a clean handkerchief. "Wipe your face."
Su She took the handkerchief, wiped the mud off his face, and bowed, saying, "This junior is dull-witted and it took me eight days to come up with some understanding."
Tell me about it.
"The Way is in the ridges of fields, in the pages of books, in the laughter of children, and in the sighs of the old." Su She's voice was calm yet powerful. "It is not something ethereal or intangible; it is the daily code of conduct, the unity of knowledge and action, it is..."
“That’s right.” Lin Zhou interrupted him, then asked, “Then why do you study? And why do you want to teach those children?”
A hint of tenderness flashed in Su She's eyes: "Studying is to understand the principles of things and not be blind; teaching children is to make them understand the principles of things so that even if they farm in the future, they will know the order of seasons, and even if they live as people, they will know that good and evil are rewarded accordingly."
"What if a bully destroys your books or beats up your students?"
“I will stand in front of them.” Su She said firmly, “Even if I am powerless, I will make them know that some principles cannot be broken.”
"What if the world is corrupt and reason doesn't work?"
Su She was silent for a moment, then looked up, his eyes filled with even stronger righteousness: "Then I will use my whole life to prove that this principle works. If one person can't do it, I'll teach ten; if ten people can't do it, I'll teach a hundred. One day, I will be able to bring more clarity to this world."
Lin Zhou laughed and patted him on the shoulder: "What a fine 'proven with a lifetime' statement."
He touched Su She's brow with his fingertip, and a stream of information flowed in—it was the introductory mental cultivation method of Confucianism and Taoism, but Lin Zhou had slightly modified it using the system reward, making it directly address the core.
"The books you read, the people you teach, and the principles you uphold are themselves the Way," Lin Zhou said. "This is called entering the Way through Confucianism. Your noble spirit is the best foundation for cultivation."
Su She felt his mind clear and his thoughts flowed freely. The books he had read and the lessons he had taught suddenly connected in his mind, turning into a surging river. The righteous energy in his body began to circulate automatically. Although he did not draw energy into his body, it was more profound than that of ordinary Qi-drawing cultivators.
"Thank you, Master!" Su She finally understood that the white-robed man in front of him was no ordinary person, and solemnly knelt down to kowtow.
"Get up." Lin Zhou helped him up. "Do you want to come back to the Qingyun Sect with me, or would you like to gain more experience?"
Su She thought for a moment and said, "This disciple wants to gain more experience. I have just entered the world of Confucianism and Taoism, and my knowledge and understanding are still too shallow. I want to teach more children, travel to more places, see the various aspects of this world, and make my foundation more solid."
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