The Villain's Counterattack

Chapter 136: Reforming Confucianism and Becoming a Teacher for the World

Yu Lianzhou and Yin Liting took Zhang Sanfeng's letter and all the secret books obtained from Peach Blossom Island, and rushed to Emei as fast as they could, regardless of whether they were incomplete or not. When Emei Master Miejue saw these things, she was shocked. When she learned that Song Qingshu and Mo Shenggu had spent two months to find them from the ruins of Peach Blossom Island, she was silent for a long time.

Nun Miejue was not clear about the origin of the heroine Guo Xiang, but she had never thought of exploring the rich legacy of this ancestor. Song Qingshu first reminded herself to search for the ancestor's relics, and she did find the magical skills of the Western Tantric Buddhism, the incomplete Dragon Subduing Palm, and part of the inheritance of Peach Blossom Island and the Beggar Gang.

This time they actually went overseas to excavate the ruins of Peach Blossom Island. You have to know that it was a deserted island that had been uninhabited for nearly a hundred years, and no one knew what kind of damage it had been in. The two young people were able to endure the loneliness and stayed there for more than two months, and managed to find these heritages.

Nun Miejue knew that the conditions there would definitely not be good just by looking at the degree of incompleteness of these inheritances. As the successor of the female hero Guo Xiang, she did not have such thoughts, but these two young people had this bold guess and actually went to implement it.

This spirit is indeed very rare, but Master Miejue felt that the leader must be Song Qingshu. Mo Shenggu had been traveling around the world frequently in the past few years, but he had never done such things. This time, he went out with Song Qingshu and caused such a big thing, it must be because of Song Qingshu.

Last time she just gave herself some advice, but this time she simply offered the inheritance of Peach Blossom Island. No matter how thick-skinned Nun Miejue was, she couldn't remain silent. She presented the "Emei Nine Yang Gong" that she had prepared long ago with both hands. This well-prepared look shocked Yu Lianzhou and Yin Liting. As Song Qingshu said, there was a limit to how thick-skinned Nun Miejue was.

Little did they know that Nun Miejue had two aspirations: to expel the Tartars and to strengthen Emei. This second aspiration required profound martial arts, which was why she had been so relentless in her pursuit of the Dragon Slaying Saber. Only the Dragon Slaying Saber could pierce the Heavenly Sword and retrieve the martial arts secrets within. Now, with the legacy of Peach Blossom Island, while it might not rival the Nine Yin Manual and Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms within the Heavenly Sword, it was certainly no less impressive. How could the Five Great Masters of the previous dynasty be easily defeated?

She was not opposed to sharing these things with Wudang. After all, these things were given to her by others.

After obtaining the "Emei Nine Yang Gong", Yu Lianzhou and Yin Liting hurried back to Wudang Mountain in the hope that it would be of some help to Zhang Wuji's cold poison. However, Song Qingshu was sorting out what he had learned. The effect of the Wudang tonic soup became weaker each time. Fortunately, this time, with the help of thousand-year-old ginseng, the "One Yang Finger" was pushed to the peak of the fifth level, but it was slow to break through the fourth level. However, the "Vajra Indestructible Divine Art" was slightly successful.

During the retreat, Zhang Sanfeng was amazed at Song Qingshu's talents. This kid actually had the ability to remember everything he saw. He used the sword and knife techniques of Huashan, Kongtong, Emei and Kunlun very well. As long as he thought about various moves carefully, he could use them easily after practicing them three or five times. This gave Zhang Sanfeng an experimental subject with diverse styles.

The more martial arts one learns, the more help it will be to "Nine Swords of Dugu". Song Qingshu revealed all his martial arts and asked Zhang Sanfeng to comment on them. Then he classified and summarized them under his guidance, discarding what should be discarded and deepening what should be deepened. He smiled and said nothing about Song Qingshu's idea of ​​integrating light skills into one. This kid is really greedy.

However, as Song Qingshu gradually organized what he had learned and began to study the art of alchemy and Confucian exercises, Zhang Sanfeng became quite curious. However, Song Qingshu told him a plan that shocked him: to reform Confucianism.

Since the Eastern Han Dynasty, when all other schools of thought were abolished and Confucianism was the only one respected, Confucianism has become increasingly decadent. Even so, Confucianism still holds the sole primacy. Although Song Qingshu is known as a Confucian hero, Zhang Sanfeng knows that this boy is a genuine Taoist disciple, and his focus has always been on Taoist heritage.

"As Confucianism was integrated into the secular world, it gradually went astray and strayed from its original path. Although keeping pace with the times is the right path, blindly currying favor with the powerful has become the learning of villains. Moreover, the six arts of a gentleman include techniques for strengthening the body, but many corrupt Confucian scholars have turned themselves into useless people who are lazy and ignorant in order to suppress warriors. The consequences of the Song Dynasty's emphasis on culture over military affairs are borne by us, the descendants, but what about after the expulsion of the Tartars and the revival of the dynasty?" Song Qingshu felt deeply sad.

"When the Mongols were in power, Confucianists could serve as officials and flatter them, and they would survive. After the Mongols were driven out, they would still jump out to praise the Confucianists and suppress the warriors who protected the people and repelled the enemy. Because apart from these, they knew nothing else. If they didn't do these things, their own existence would be meaningless. There were Legalists for judging cases and convicting criminals, farmers for farming, strategists for diplomacy, Mohists for architecture, and even novelists for spreading culture. There were merchants for commerce and military strategists for conquest. Confucianists were left with only self-cultivation and teaching. But this was unequal to their ambitions and status."

"To demonstrate their own value, they can only suppress others. The four classes of people, scholars, farmers, merchants, and artisans, were originally considered equal, but they were forcibly arranged into a hierarchy of status. But this hierarchy they keep talking about is that while they themselves are scholars, they allow their families to become merchants and landlords. After great chaos, there will always be great order. This chaotic world is an opportunity to break the original unfairness. I want to reform Confucianism, truly combining civil and military, with Confucianism as the core and all other schools of thought as the practice. If you are not useful, you should not serve, and if you are not interested, you should not be a chief official. Knowledge and action should be unified, the capable will be promoted and the incompetent will be demoted, and character and ability should be equally valued."

"Therefore, my "Nourish My Internal Strength", "Nourish My Swordsmanship", "The Gentleman's Self-cultivation", and "The Gentleman's Journey Across Thousands of Miles" must be promoted. But this matter cannot be rushed. It needs to ferment slowly bit by bit, and penetrate into people's hearts silently. Then, we can cultivate practical Confucian disciples from the places occupied by the rebel army. These newcomers who can conquer the world and rule the world will fill the court. Then, we can suppress those spineless fence-sitters repeatedly in one fell swoop, and establish a new Confucian style and the Confucian spirit!" Song Qingshu's words made Zhang Sanfeng silent for a long time.

"Qingshu, do you want to fight for the world?" Zhang Sanfeng saw ambition in Song Qingshu, but he didn't know where this ambition lay.

Song Qingshu shook his head and said, "That seat is not easy to sit in, and I don't want to sit there. I want to be the master of the world."

Zhang Sanfeng shook his head slightly and said, "This is even more difficult than conquering the world and fighting for the Dragon Court. You need to be mentally prepared. From now on, I will instruct Yuanqiao not to interfere with your studies or actions. If you need anything, the entire Wudang sect will fully support you. But, as the third generation leader of Wudang, what do you think?"

"Wuji and Qingshan are both fine. With Zhiruo's help, I believe it won't be difficult to grow and develop. My ambition is huge, and whether it succeeds or not is not good for Wudang. Taoism should also have its own schools. Astronomy, geography, the sun, the moon, the stars, and even medicine and health preservation are all our strengths, but we don't want to be overshadowed by the Buddhist sects."

"You little brat are talking nonsense again. Well, let's stop here for today's lessons." Zhang Sanfeng was upset. He finished his morning lessons in a hurry and walked out slowly. He looked at the changing clouds in the sky and was absent-minded for a while. He stayed awake for two days and nights, and then suddenly laughed out loud. He felt something in his heart and drove Song Qingshu out. He really went into seclusion.

Yu Lianzhou and Yin Liting brought back the "Emei Nine Yang Gong", but the master was really in seclusion this time, so they had to give up for the time being. They had no confidence that they could integrate the two martial arts into one without any mistakes. Song Qingshu felt very wronged. What did the master's epiphany have to do with him? Why did everyone think that he was the one who brought him the inspiration?

However, this retreat had to continue for at least a year. There were still many areas that needed to be improved in "Yanwu Neigong", "Yanwu Jianfa", "Junzi Xiushenfu" and "Junzi Wanlixing". He gave lectures at the foot of the mountain every day, without interruption, whether there were people listening or not, for one hour every day, rain or shine.

Through the relationship with the Sky Eagle Sect and Monk Peng, Song Qingshu accepted thirty to fifty young students, taught them the increasingly perfect "Yangwu Nei Gong" and "Yangwu Sword Technique", and passed on his own ideas. Each of them chose one or two of the Hundred Schools of Thought to specialize in. Half of them studied the School of Military Science and the School of Mohism, and some studied the School of Diplomacy and the School of Legalism. They found that this young man, who was only in his twenties, was proficient in all disciplines.

"I have been teaching for three hundred days. Now I will pass on two Confucian exercises, "The Gentleman's Self-cultivation" and "The Gentleman's Thousand-Mile Journey". You can start your apprenticeship today. Before leaving, you can go to my small building to copy a copy of the classics of a hundred schools of thought and a copy of any martial arts. I hope you can achieve something in the future." Song Qingshu gave each of them a bamboo tablet and then floated away. All the disciples saluted and shouted, "Farewell, dear teacher." It was quite a feeling.