Chapter 56: Difficulty and Doubt

  Today, I was unexpectedly given a bad review by a certain alliance leader. The world is indeed full of twists and turns! Alright, I know some people have money to burn, but I'm really innocent, even if my knee has been shot with an arrow now!

  The small sword shone brightly, like silk or thread. If it weren't for the light it emitted, it would be almost imperceptibly fine. When it approached the dark divine spirit of Xiao Yi, it suddenly burst forth, exerting a powerful pressure.

  Xiao Yi only felt that his yin spirit body was about to be pierced with countless holes, and he was horrified in his heart. He hastily retreated back, hiding into his main body, and this slightly calmed him down. However, the limbs of his main body were still trembling.

  What an amazing sword!

  What sword is that?

  Xiao Yi's fear and trepidation intensified, adding a few more points of reverence in Chen Jianchen's heart.

  Actually, through this period of contact, he faintly felt that Chen Jianchen had not practiced Taoist magic and was not a practitioner, which raised some doubts. However, at present, Chen Jianchen has a small sword protecting his body, which is clearly an extremely powerful technique, or even more so than Taoist magic, and even more extraordinary.

  Xiao Jian was startled, but Chen Jianchen slept soundly, seemingly unaware of anything.

  The mouse demon never dared to sneak out again.

  The next day, Xiao Yi truthfully told Chen Jianchen about what had happened the night before, hoping that he wouldn't blame him for it. Although it was a sudden and inexplicable dark spirit, it hadn't even had time to speak, but rashly revealing itself like this would ultimately be considered taboo.

  Chen Jianchen learned that it had condensed into a yin spirit, and was somewhat delighted: the mouse demon's ability to grow stronger would be of greater assistance to him, and was naturally a good thing.

  As for the matter of the small sword protecting his body, Chen Jianchen had long been aware of it - he had now condensed five strands of righteous energy, and when these five strands of righteous energy coalesced into one, they formed that slender silk-like sword.

  The name of this sword is: Haoran.

  It is composed of positive energy and can grow larger and longer by increasing the amount of positive energy, gradually enhancing its power.

  If all 999 orthodox energies are refined, I believe that the Hao Ran sword formed at that time will be as big as a finger, and it can also stimulate the orifices, transform into a substantial body, and possess magical powers.

  At this point, Chen Jianchen's "Three-Character Classic" can be said to have been completed.

  He is eagerly looking forward to the day arriving soon.

  But it will take many years for the true chapter to be completed. However, this year's annual examination and science examination, presided over by the Academic Officer, are not far off, with at most only a month left.

  The so-called annual examination and departmental examination are equivalent to the unit tests of later generations. After the test, the scores were divided into six grades, and only those who scored in the first or second grade could obtain the qualification to participate in the imperial examination, known as a "government student".

  Chen Jianchen had no intention of taking the imperial examination, but the annual examination was very important. If the results were too poor, he would be stripped of his identity as a college student. If this happened again and again, even his title as a scholar would not be secure.

  For Chen Jianchen, being a Xiucai was a very useful amulet, with honors and fame, he could be exempt from corvée labor, not have to bow when meeting the county magistrate, and local authorities could not use corporal punishment on him at will, among other privileges and rights.

  Thus, a contradiction was formed at this time -

  I will go my own way and walk my own path?

  Or humble oneself and follow others, temporarily hold Buddha's feet, review the scriptures from head to toe again, and learn to write in eight-part essay style?

  Chen Jianchen suddenly had this doubt, but after some deep thought and consideration, he realized that an individual's power must rely on social status to be demonstrated.

  It is said that "a person's status is low, and their words are light", which means that when a person of low social status speaks, their words carry little weight. This is a very simple truth, but the same words spoken by different people can have vastly different effects.

  All things are of little worth, except for reading books which is a noble pursuit.

  The reason why "high" comes out is that scholars can be promoted to officials - and in any world, those who hold official positions are privileged classes with high status.

  The current situation, however, is that Chen Jianchen voluntarily gave up the "high" point, and anyone would think it unwise. Moreover, his mother Mo San Niang had been day and night hoping that her son could one day be a high-ranking official, bringing glory to their ancestors - this idea has long been deeply rooted and difficult to change.

  After some deliberation, Chen Jianchen felt inexplicably worried - he had previously been enthusiastic about the Taoist way, thinking it could fulfill his childhood dreams and ambitions, to fly through the skies and be an immortal.

  It wasn't until later that I realized how difficult it is to learn the Tao, and there's no such thing as instant enlightenment. And Qingyun was right: Chen Jianchen has a scholar's temperament, his mind is tied up in many ways, he belongs to the class of wealthy and noble people, and cannot learn the Tao...

  This comment is very correct, even if the later cultivation of Guang Han's profound and immeasurable power came to enlighten him, he still failed.

  Chen Jianchen's heart is ultimately warm and cannot be as carefree and detached from the world, ignoring everything.

  Or should I just go through the motions and learn those essay formats to cope with the exams?

  So, does this count as "through"?

  He once summarized the four-character mantra for condensing and refining one's vital energy: "Gang Zheng Tong Ming". "Tong" means flexibility, using flexible methods to achieve the ultimate goal, without violating the principles of the "Three Character Classic". From a certain perspective, as long as one's heart remains unmoved, uncorrupted, and unchanged, other things are just superficial means, harmless to the fundamentals.

  Just like a Buddhist story says, monks should abstain from women, but in special circumstances, carrying a woman across the river is an exception and doesn't count as breaking the rules. The old monk carried the woman across the river and then forgot about it, while the young apprentice couldn't stop thinking about it, feeling that the old monk had broken the rules, when in fact he himself couldn't let go...

  So now, is it also hard for you to let go?

  Chen Jianchen was hesitant for a moment, unable to make a decision - although he was a traverser, he was not omnipotent. In the dimension of another time and space, it was inevitable that he would encounter many problems, and he had to think carefully or ask others.

  But who can he ask these questions?

  The gentlemen of the college asked Mr. Chen Jianchen, they did not regard him as a madman, but as a rebel, and he must be punished.

  Maybe one needs a wake-up call to realize...

  ……

  Chen Jianchen's poem "Dusk" on the pillar of the tea house at the top of Bijiashan Mountain quickly spread and received a warm response. It is said that even Governor Nie read this poem and praised it highly, wanting to visit Bijiashan Mountain in person; also, because of this poem, the number of literati visiting Bijiashan increased by 20% compared to before.

  As the number of travelers increased, the tea shop's business naturally boomed, but for some reason, Old Huang became muddle-headed and spoke nonsense. He claimed to be a tofu seller from Yangzhou and had no idea how he ended up in Jiangzhou, thousands of miles away, or how he opened a tea shop on the mountain top. It was as if it all happened in a dream. But dreams leave traces, and he didn't even have any recollection of his past, as if nothing had ever happened.

  Of course, he can no longer make good tea, and after staying for a while, he left the mountain and disappeared, perhaps returning home.

  As for his departure, people only felt some puzzlement and regret, but no one would really ask or care about it. What they cared about was that they could no longer have a good cup of tea again.

  In the midst of the ocean, beneath the calm surface, there are turbulent undercurrents that few people can discover.

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