Chapter 599 - 598: A Different Kind of Number One in Confucianism

How does the saying go?

Timing beats speed.

When Li Jing arrived at the ruins of the City Lord’s Mansion, Sun Qu was organizing scholars who resembled Confucian cultivators to clear the ruins, trying to salvage some relatively intact calligraphy and paintings.

He saw from afar.

A Confucian cultivator joyfully pulled a painting from the ruins, shouting "I’ve found something," then ran to present the painting to Sun Qu, completely oblivious to a celestial-grade spiritual object half-buried nearby in the rubble.

But he’s a scholar after all!

Understandable.

From a distance, seeing Sun Qu, Li Jing raised his hand and softly greeted.

"Lord Sun."

?

Sun Qu, who was inspecting the painting brought by the Confucian cultivator, turned around with a confusion.

Seeing Li Jing, he paused for a moment, then hastily stuffed the painting into the scholar’s hand and instructed him to keep it safe.

Then, he hurriedly came to greet, bowing respectfully.

"Taoist Master."

As the highly esteemed Lord of Haoran City, Li Jing’s respect naturally drew the attention of the busy Confucian cultivators.

You should know.

His identity is not just a leader of today’s Confucianism.

He is also one of the few figures in Confucianism who has the ability to compete with the Emperor Level using his moral righteousness.

For seeing Sun Qu being respectful to Li Jing, the Confucian cultivators, who were previously busy, one by one turned to look, their eyes filled with curiosity and speculation. Li Jing then decided to take Sun Qu into his Little Universe.

Suddenly taken inside the Little Universe, Sun Qu was stunned.

Then he looked around and found himself on top of a high mountain surrounded by fairy clouds, he couldn’t help but look at Li Jing strangely.

An Emperor Level.

Not everyone can reach that level.

Even if they became Emperor Level, they may not necessarily be strong.

This.

Is Confucianism’s understanding of the Orthodox Immortality Path.

Confucianism is one of the few cultivation techniques that do not need an independent world, and at the same time, they do not need to have an independent world. They can compete with the Emperor Level using moral righteousness alone.

Because of this.

Their understanding of the Orthodox Immortality Path Emperor Level is different from ordinary people.

But this is not the reason for Sun Qu’s surprise.

Daoist system.

In fact, it does not require an independent world to compete with the Emperor Level.

Of course, the prerequisite is that the individual has a high enough understanding and control of Daoist law.

Unlike Confucianism.

The Daoist system can have its own world.

The world in hand is an independent world; it’s just that the presentation is different.

One is a world that exists as an individual, and the other is based on the world in hand.

What Li Jing is showing now is clearly based on an individual world, which indicates that he is following the Orthodox Immortality Path.

Just that he also cultivates Daoist law.

And it’s apparent.

His mastery of the Orthodox Immortality Path far outweighs Daoist law.

This made Sun Qu very surprised.

Cultivating two different systems and still being so powerful, this is astonishing.

Moreover, it’s clear that Li Jing cultivates not only these two systems.

Not long ago, when he suddenly attacked and forcibly broke the Confucian seal, what he used was not Daoist law or Orthodox Immortality Path, but a Demon Taoist technique.

Before he met Sun Qu, he revealed his path of physical cultivation.

A man.

Mastering four different systems.

This...

Kind of outrageous...

The key is that Li Jing is truly powerful.

Physical cultivation, capable of resisting a half-demon stronger than a typical Emperor Level.

Demon Taoist, capable of subduing a terrifying ancient demon.

Orthodox Immortality Path, at the Emperor Level.

Daoist law seems the least noticeable on him.

At least until now, Sun Qu has not seen him using Daoist Law in a serious manner.

But there’s no need to think about it.

His cultivation of Daoist Law won’t be mediocre.

Otherwise, how would he wear this Daoist Robe!?

Of course.

This is Sun Qu’s wishful thinking.

Seeing Sun Qu’s astonishment after entering his Little Universe, Li Jing didn’t care about what he was thinking.

People of Confucianism.

Their minds all have their quirks.

Quirks that reading too much will bring.

There’s nothing to be concerned about, and there’s no need to understand.

The thought processes of scholars are different from ordinary people.

With a gesture of invitation towards the hilltop pavilion, Li Jing smiled.

"Lord Kong, don’t be nervous, I have some things I would like to ask, shall we sit and talk?"

Facing Li Jing, a great benefactor of Haoran City, Sun Qu of course could not say "no".

Being in an independent world right now, he literally couldn’t say "no".

Indeed, he was powerful enough to confront an Emperor Level with his noble character. However, he didn’t have the capability to leave the independent world himself.

"Sure, Taoist Master is too courteous."

Politely bowing his hand in salutation, Sun Qu sat down in the pavilion with Li Jing.

As soon as he sat down.

He noticed something was off.

He could feel an unbelievable strong vitality gathering from somewhere below the mountain.

Subconsciously, Sun Qu took a peek down the cliff.

Quite naturally.

He spotted the island in the lake at the foot of the Canglong Mountain.

Sun Qu’s eyes twitched at the sight of the four Life Trees swaying in the wind, resembling Heaven-reaching Giant Tree on that island.

He was a person of vast knowledge.

He recognized the legendary Life Trees right away.

At that moment, Sun Qu was astonished.

Ordinary people don’t even have a chance to see Life Trees once, yet Li Jing had four, and they were growing quite large, just like the Immortal Medicine described in the classics.

But the four Life Trees were not the main point.

The main point was a woman in white laying leisurely under the trees.

This woman.

She was breathtakingly beautiful.

However, her mere appearance couldn’t attract Sun Qu

The key was.

Just by glancing at this woman, he inexplicably felt a kind of comprehension.

This.

Was someone he should worship and admire.

This...

What kind of existence is this?

Sun Qu was shocked in his heart.

It’s strange that, despite this woman looking no different from a dead person, why did she give him such a feeling?

If she was simply powerful, she wouldn’t elicit his urge to worship.

The dignity of a Confucianism follower is known to be unyielding.

Making them genuinely feel respect.

Strength alone isn’t enough. Only by impressing them in all aspects can they feel wholeheartedly convinced.

The woman in front of him did nothing but lie there like a dead person, which made Sun Qu feel sincerely affected. How could he not care about it?

This person, when she was alive.

Could she be a Holy Sage!?

The vision of Sun Qu was so focused on the woman that he even failed to notice the primal stone coffin blocking the entrance to the Spatial Passage to the realm of Desire and Colors.

Li Jing, standing beside him, wanted to ask something but remained silent as he noticed Sun Qu got lost in his thoughts while gazing at the mountain.

At this moment, Sun Qu turned back.

"Taoist Master, may I ask you a question?"

Upon hearing his voice, Li Jing blinked, knowing what he was about to ask was related to something down the mountain. He casually prepared some tea with Life Tree leaves and said.

"Go ahead, but I may not answer."

Sun Qu was a sensible person.

Li Jing was not to be underestimated.

After entering the Little Universe, it became even clearer to him.

Li Jing’s power was not just overwhelming, but also held many unknown secrets.

Secrets are naturally not for everyone to know.

However, at this moment.

He still had to ask.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t feel at ease.

Helpless.

The impact that woman on the island in the lake brought to him was too strong.

As a person in the way of Confucianism, he was indeed rather sensitive toward the Holy Sage.

Taking a deep breath, Sun Qu hesitated to speak.

"The woman down the mountain, is she a Confucianism Holy Sage?"

Li Jing paused at the question.

Human Saints are indeed very special.

Whoever from the Human Race sees them will have a different feeling.

But in her current state.

Ordinary people can only feel a touch of something different, nothing more.

Without knowing her real identity, people could only be curious.

Looking at Sun Qu’s serious expression and the anticipation in his eyes for an answer, it was clear that his feelings were not like ordinary people.

And the speculation he mentioned had come quite close to the correct answer.

For people in the way of Confucianism.

Aren’t Human Saints considered as Holy Sages?

Although not a Confucianism Holy Sage, there was basically no problem.

Looking at the expectant Sun Qu, Li Jing tapped the table gently with his fingertip and said.

"Yes, she is a person of Holy Sage level. However, she is not a Confucianism Holy Sage. Taoist Master can only tell you this much. More than that involves certain secrets that you shouldn’t know. "

After hearing his vague answer, Sun Qu stayed stupefied.

Then.

He stood up abruptly, his face drastically changed under Li Jing’s strange gaze.

"This woman! Could she be a Human Saint!?"

Upon hearing his words, the corner of Li Jing’s mouth twitched.

No way, right?

This wild guess was correct?

It’s not only saints and supreme sages of Confucianism who are revered among the adherents of Confucianism.

Confucianism, alright, as weathered as it may be.

But it highly respects individuals who are morally upright, talented, and even recognized by the Heavenly Path, and this is not limited to specific systems.

People with the relevant qualities are all considered sages in their eyes.

This perspective is not flawed.

Being morally upright and talented is easy enough, but being recognized by the Heavenly Path... that’s another matter.

Anyone who can earn the approval of the Heavenly Path can indeed be called a sage without any doubt.

Seeing the corner of someone’s mouth twitching, Sun Qu instantly understood that he had just guessed the "right answer", which immediately unsettled him.

The Human Saint...

In Li Jing’s Little Universe.

And in a half-dead state, no less.

Seeing the myriad changes on his face after Sun Qu got his "lucky guess", Li Jing sighed with a bitter smile.

"Sit down, don’t just stand there."

He said, nonchalantly.

"Your guess was correct. The woman down the mountain is indeed a Human Saint, but I have no ill intentions towards her. You’ve seen it too, she’s not in a good state right now, and I’m looking for a way to wake her up."

Mulling over what was said, Sun Qu couldn’t help but feel that it made sense, which alleviated some of his doubts.

Although the Human Saint was laid casually on the lawn, she was surrounded by four buoyant and flourishing Life Trees that were prominently displayed against the wind.

This treatment is simply exceptional.

If this were an ordinary person who hadn’t been dead for long, they might be "revived" by the overwhelming vitality emitted from the four Life Trees in the blink of an eye...

Glancing at Li Jing, Sun Qu wanted to ask a question but felt it was inappropriate, so he bowed and said.

"Taoist Master, you are truly benevolent."

What?

Li Jing.

How did I become benevolent?

But after a second thought, he roughly understood what Sun Qu might have figured out from his actions.

He silently chuckled, then asked.

"If I may ask, how did Lord Sun figure out the woman’s true identity?"

Upon hearing the question, Sun Qu didn’t beat around the bush.

Looking reverently at the mountain below, he took a seat and began to explain.

"We, followers of Confucianism, are inherently sensitive towards saints. My cultivation emphasizes having a pure heart, which makes me even more sensitive. Just one look at the woman was enough for me to realize that she is an extremely sage-like person. Apart from the sage Confucian masters who could ’rock the earth and bring ghosts to tears’, the only others who could elicit such feelings in me are the Human Saints. Even though I can sense other saints as well, the feelings they induce are not as intense."

Li Jing nodded at his words and then asked again.

"So, apart from these feelings, Lord Sun, did you notice anything else?"

"Well..."

Sun Qu hesitated, then said.

"The Saint... she seems to have suffered a Taoist backlash, which is a severe condition for her, who is recognized and favored by the Heavenly Path. In a sense, it’s a miracle that she didn’t disintegrate right away, which is also a manifestation of our Human Race’s strong luck."

Li Jing just casually asked this question to make sure he wasn’t missing anything, but was surprised to find that Sun Qu had precisely pinpointed the "diagnosis", and had done so quite meticulously.

The idea of the Saint suffering from a Taoist backlash was something he had learned from Nalan Que.

But Sun Qu guessed it right away.

Considering that Confucianism has a deep understanding of saints, Li Jing nodded in approval of the explanation, and then asked.

"Is there any way to improve this condition?"

Seeing this, Sun Qu was taken aback.

The Human Saint had indeed suffered a Taoist backlash, but what had she done to cause this?!

Feeling shocked, Sun Qu hesitated before speaking.

"A Taoist backlash... theoretically, it can’t be cured. What makes someone a saint is not just their moral integrity, outstanding talent, and honorable character, these are secondary. The root cause is the approval of the Heavenly Path. Suffering a Taoist backlash, for whatever reason, essentially means actively renouncing the approval granted by the Heavenly Path..."

Midway through his explanation, Sun Qu paused, then said.

"I can’t really elaborate any further, but according to the records of Confucianism, in the past, a number of saints were forced to renounce the approval of the Heavenly Path and suffered a backlash. They all ended up vanishing without a trace."

As he continued speaking, he said.

"There are indeed a few cases recorded where someone who suffered from a Taoist backlash managed to survive by pretending to be dead. But there have hardly been any instances of people recovering from it. Only an exceptionally fortunate Confucianist saint managed to wake up once more after touching the hearts of heaven and earth with his deeds, and receiving the grace of the Heavenly Path as a result of the prayers of all living beings."

After listening to Sun Qu’s explanation, Li Jing frowned slightly.

There was only one case of a saint who had survived a Taoist backlash and then woke up later.

But this explanation seems a bit abstract.

Prayers of all beings?

Does that really work?

All beings are equal under the Heavenly Path.

The Will of Heaven won’t specifically favor you because you belong to a certain group or species.

In the eyes of the Heavenly Path...

Humans and animals are no different.

They are just ordinary creatures, perhaps slightly smarter, capable of doing some things.

But at least there is a possible solution in front of him now.

The Saint, who has suffered a Taoist backlash, can be awakened once again with the grace of the Heavenly Path.

It’s just that it is a bit difficult to pull off.

The so-called approval of the Heavenly Path is not merely about specific Taoist intentions manifesting and approving someone.

It’s more like getting some kind of imprint, like those who Deceived the Heavens, that allows saints to be recognized by the Heavenly Path no matter where they are.

Li Jing doesn’t have the ability to arrange such a thing.

If he had, why would he bother developing Chen Tang City?

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone could become a saint?

With a quiet shake of his head, Li Jing decided not to pursue the subject any further.

"Let’s end the pleasantries there. We should discuss official matters."

"..."

Sun Qu.

How could you call a matter related to a Human Saint ’idle talk’?

If possible, he would love to use the topic to understand the details of how a Human Saint could have ended up in such a state.

But alas, if the other is unwilling to continue with the conversation, there’s nothing he can do.

Suppressing his curiosity, Sun Qu bowed his hands.

"What business does Taoist Master have with me that compelled you to return?" he asked.

Li Jing nodded.

That attitude of his, one could hardly criticize.

He then began his inquiry.

"Prior to our meeting, Half-demon Kong Zhi, do you know whether he had any connections with Confucianism in the past? When exactly did the grudges between Confucianism and half-demons start?"

"Well..."

Sun Qu blinked and shook his head.

"Regarding whether Kong Zhi has any affiliations with Confucianism, I am genuinely unaware."

He continued speaking.

"As for the grudges between half-demons and Confucianism, it mainly occurred during the time of the Ancient Fairyland. After the Ancient Fairyland crumbled, the surviving humans, monsters, and Alien Species arrived in the Immortal Realm. Confucianism did not have much contact with half-demons. As Confucianism gradually declined due to various reasons, we avoided provoking others."

Upon hearing this narrative, Li Jing nodded and went on with his questions.

"So, what exactly is the situation regarding the grudges between Confucianism and half-demons?"

Facing this question, Sun Qu revealed a somewhat reluctant expression, and finally stuttered out his answer.

"It’s not actually a big deal, when Confucianism was flourishing and even had a place in the Ancient Fairyland, some of our people were somewhat arrogant. You know, Taoist Master, those of us who follow Confucianism adhere to a certain code of conduct and are often discontented with a lot of things, and we like to intervene in others’ business."

Li Jing smiled at this statement.

This person seemed very clear-headed.

Being a part of Confucianism, he knew very well the shortcomings of his own group.

While he was still wearing a subtle smile, Sun Qu coughed lightly.

"I am aware of our flaws. However, these flaws are related to our cultivation methods and cannot be changed or disturbed."

He continued speaking.

"From the viewpoint of us Confucians, half-demons are the illicit offspring of humans and monsters. In the days of the Ancient Fairyland, half-demons were also an extremely dominant force. There were regular conflicts between the two sides, but at least they were restrained. However, one day, there came a powerful half-demon who accidentally got his hands on a forbidden item from the Upper Three Realms, an item related to Confucianism. Irreversible conflicts have arisen thusly."

"Due to the righteous aura of Confucianism having a natural suppression on Demon Taoist, Monster Path, and even Ghost Path, half-demons have been suppressed almost all the way through. The forbidden item was eventually confiscated and suppressed by Confucianism, ending this event. Both parties have suffered heavy casualties from top warriors. The grudges between Confucianism and half-demons were enormous from then on, any meeting between them resulted in a fight."

After a series of narratives, Sun Qu let out a slow sigh.

"In terms of grudges between Confucianism and half-demons, it boils down to just this incident. Of course, I only learned about these situations from the classics passed down, it’s hard to say what actually transpired in the past."

Finishing his words, there was an intelligent light in his eyes.

"After all, history is written by the victors."

Upon hearing this, Li Jing had an unusual expression on his face.

Sun Qu’s last sentence was spot on.

But the key point wasn’t there.

It was the current First Confucian in the Immortal Realm who clearly held some negative views about Confucianism in the Ancient Fairyland that were not typically held.

The emergence of such a person in today’s Confucianism in the Immortal Realm was a good thing.

There’s actually nothing wrong with Confucianism.

It’s just too traditional and conservative, so much so that what past Confucians thought was right is still considered right by present ones.

Right or wrong, all comes from the past.

Once it’s established, it’ll never change.

It’s as if the people of later generations don’t have their own thoughts.

This certainly doesn’t work!

To put it bluntly.

The era is changing.

Cognition, too, needs to keep pace with the times.

Moreover, it makes sense that Confucianism in the Immortal Realm is declining.

Day in, day out, always with this problem or that problem, Confucianism isn’t happy with anyone. So, would a person deciding on their cultivation methods choose to be a part of this behavior?

Only those who are "truly in love" with it will choose the Confucianism path.

Giving his head a shake to cast these thoughts aside, Li Jing organized his thoughts.

The information from Sun Qu was limited.

However, Li Jing speculated.

Kong Zhi must have been an individual during the time when conflicts erupted between the Ancient Fairyland Confucianism and half-demons. He is highly likely to have a direct connection with the forbidden item that was taken.

After so many years, he has come to seize the Confucianism holy thing.

It’s likely that the Confucianism holy thing was the forbidden item from those days.

In other words, the Confucians robbed the treasure that the half-demon had obtained, and in order to make it sound better when passed down to future generations, they made some alterations in the history they transmitted.

Of course, Kong Zhi’s motive could also be for revenge.

Out of the two possibilities, the former seems more probable.

Given the information already collected, seeking more was likely impossible, and thus Li Jing opened his mouth.

"I appreciate your help in clarifying my doubts, Lord Sun. We’ll conclude today’s matter here. If I have further questions in the future, I will come to you again. Regarding the Saint matter, I hope you can keep it a secret."

In the midst of the conversation, he sent Sun Qu out of the Little Universe.

???

Sun Qu, who was back at his front door.

He didn’t expect that Li Jing would just send him away like this.

He didn’t even have a chance to finish his tea...

Afterwards, Li Jing didn’t come out himself, so did he have another method of going elsewhere?

Independent worlds should be entered and exited from the same place, right?

Looking around, Sun Qu scratched his head, decided to give up thinking.

Li Jing, from his perspective, was enigmatic.

Now that he knows there’s a Human Saint in his hands, it’s even more unimaginable what kind of remarkable person he could be.

...