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“Sure.”

…

Before the three of them entered the school, they could hear the students reading out loud.

“The sage said: ‘Isn’t it a pleasure to learn and rehearse again and again? Isn’t it gratifying when friends come from distant places? Isn’t it refined when someone remains unconcerned by others not knowing them?’

The students were intensely focused on repeating each line. The teacher, wielding a ruler, was lost in his own teachings on the podium.

The three of them did not interrupt the teacher’s class, sitting in the last row instead.

“Excellent, everybody had done well. The teachings of the sage should be recited again and again so as to understand their meanings. As you gain more knowledge and experiences with age, you will derive fresh insights into his wisdom. Despite living for 300 years and reading these teachings for just as long, I am still finding new understandings. The wisdom of the sage is as deep as the ocean,” said the teacher.

“You now only need to understand the superficial meanings. For example, ‘Isn’t it refined when someone remains unconcerned by others not knowing them?’ This means a true gentleman should not be upset even if others do not know him.”

“In a cultivator’s life, the aim is the pursuit of achieving immortality. Although every gentleman seeks reputation and cultivation, the fundamental premise is ‘virtue.’ Any reputation earned without virtue will only bring infamy. Any cultivator who lacks virtue will only blight his surroundings.”

“Let’s take an example,” Teacher Wang pointed at Jiang Li. “You. Yes, you. You must be a new member. What is your name? Let’s check if anyone knows you. Will you be upset if no one does?”

Jiang Li stood up, thought for a moment and decided to tell the truth, “My name is Jiang Li.”

The teacher nodded, “Fine, does anyone here know Jiang … wait, what? Your name is Jiang Li?”

Why didn’t you say your name is Bai Hongtu?

“What about the one over there, what is your name?”

“My name is Bai Hongtu.”

The teacher felt this class might not continue with a straight face. Whoever was the most famous, just claimed it was them. If bold enough, they could even have claimed to be Yu Yin!

The Confucianist tried to smooth things over, “Please forgive them for the joke, Teacher Wang. They are new here and like to make fun sometimes.”

Teacher Wang gestured to show there was no harm done, “Let’s move on and continue with the teachings of the Sage.”

“The sage said: ‘When you see a virtuous person, strive to become like them. When you see someone without virtue, examine your own character.’

Jiang Li and Bai Hongtu looked at each other and began to reflect on themselves.

Seeing the two of them calming down, Teacher Wang was very pleased and continued, “The sage also said: ‘To know that you know what you know, and that you do not know what you do not know; this is true knowledge.’

“The Sage is telling us to admit what we know, and to admit what we do not know. Pretending to understand something when you don’t is not the way.”

“For example, on the market, there are many versions of ‘The Legend of Jiang the Human Emperor.’ However, do you know where the first meeting between Jiang the Human Emperor and Sect Master Bai Hongtu took place?”

“Sword Tomb,” Bai Hongtu replied instantly.

“…Let’s ask another: what was the first thing the previous Human Emperor said to Jiang Li when he defeated Bai Hongtu and became the only candidate for Human Emperor?”

“I am so relieved you were there, otherwise we would have had Bai Hongtu as Human Emperor,” Jiang Li replied instantly.

“What does ‘Divinity’ in the ‘Divinity Transformation Stage’ mean?”

“Transform all creations into the divine being within one’s heart.”

“How to unite three in the Body Integration Stage?”

“One’s heart follows one’s will, comprehension of the great road, merging the body and form.”

“During the celestial period, what were the chances of a cultivator at the Transcendance Tribulation Stage becoming an Earth Immortal?”

“Eighty-six percent.”

“Which steps does the Transcendance Tribulation involve?”

“Crossing the immortality tribulation, converting the spiritual energy into immortal power, and transforming the physical body.”

“How does an Earth Immortal become a Heavenly Immortal…never mind. I won’t ask anymore. Even I don’t know.”

The teacher clenched his teeth. “‘To know you know what you know, and that you do not know what you do not know; this is true knowledge.’ This is what the Sage said. Do you understand?” The teacher finally managed to express his intended meaning, albeit in an unconventional way.

The Confucianist hurriedly pulled the two “graduates” out of the school hall.

After listening to a lecture, Jiang Li reflected and suddenly asked, “Do you know the relationship between Confucian and the Taoist ancestor?”

Previously, Jiang Li had not much interest in the relationship between the top figures in the immortal realm. However, now that he found himself in opposition to the immortal realm, he thought it was best to understand them better.

His main concern was not wanting to be caught unawares in a fight.

The Scholar laughed wryly, “How could someone like me know about these things?”

Of course, Jiang Li wasn’t asking the Golden Core Stage Scholar, but Bai Hongtu.

Bai Hongtu thought for a while and said, “Our ancestor surely had no connection with the Confucian sage, as the two of them were from completely different eras. As for whether my ancestor met the Confucian sage after transcending into the immortal realm, I believe it’s unlikely.”

“If you’re asking about the relationship between the Confucian sage and the Taoist ancestor in the immortal realm, there are indeed quite a few legends, although these are just legends. It is uncertain whether they contain any element of truth.”

“Tell me about them.”

“Legends claim that the progenitors of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism in the Immortal Realm — Taoist Ancestor, Confucian Sage, and Buddha, existed since the beginning of the Immortal Realm. Even though there may be later arrivals who reach the same level as them, in terms of seniority and cultivation, nobody can match these three. These three are the oldest existence with endless longevity, lasting even longer than heaven and earth.”

“However, there is also a claim that Taoist Ancestor came into existence even before the Confucian Sage. Back then, Taoist Ancestor was the first person in the Immortal Realm to achieve enlightenment and held the position of Taoist leader. The Confucian Sage used to seek Taoist teachings when he had not yet achieved enlightenment.”

“Nobody knows what Confucian asked the Taoist Ancestor, nor how the Taoist responded. We only know that after Confucian left Taoist, he began to travel around the Immortal Realm to spread Confucianism. He assumed countless forms to teach beings in the Ten Thousand Realms. Many beings, after listening to the lectures of Confucian, attained spiritual wisdom, understood honor and disgrace, gained a sense of shame, and knew how to cultivate.”

“The actions of Confucian benefited all beings in the Ten Thousand Realms, earning him great virtue, which, along with his innate talent, caused him to achieve enlightenment smoothly, reaching a status comparable to the Taoist Ancestor — thus becoming the Confucian sage.”

“Although I don’t like Dong Zhong, speaking objectively, I have to admit that he may have a point in questioning this. With the mortal realm existing for so many years, many Earth Immortals, Heavenly Immortals, and even Golden Immortals have perished over the course of ages. The relationship between Taoist and Confucian is known only to them. Perhaps Buddha knows too. However, Buddha sometimes uses riddles to make points, speaking in a way that is no different from remaining silent.”

“With these two keeping quiet and Buddha speaking riddles, others have gone on to concoct a plethora of legends with their imagination. The number of such legends is almost catching up with the versions of ‘The Legend of Jiang the Human Emperor.’ Some even suggest that the Taoist and Confucian are in a master-disciple relationship and they started the two schools due to differences in their teachings.”

Jiang Li now had an intuitive grasp of the volume of legends concerning the Taoist and Confucian.

“Brother Bai is indeed knowledgeable,” said the scholar. He had listened to the conversation between the two as if they were reciting some sacred texts. He had learnt many new things today.

Suddenly, someone came rushing in shouting, “The Book Mountain Society has come to challenge us, the Gentleman Society, again! They have even kidnapped one of us!”

The Scholar was infuriated upon hearing this. “How dare they! Brother Tang and Brother Bai, let’s go demand our people back from the Book Mountain Society!”

Jiang Li paused for a moment, turning to see who Brother Tang was. He then remembered that he was now called Tang Li.