Chapter 177: Unity of Knowledge and Action
Qin Mu’s mind trembled violently as he walked into the courtyard. “Your arrival here, National Teacher, surely isn’t just to tell amusing anecdotes? Ling’er, serve tea.”
Fox Ling’er hurriedly said, “Young master, we don’t have any tea in the house. You don’t drink tea.”
Qin Mu laughed heartily. “Then buy a few taels of tea in the future. Since there’s no tea, offer him a seat.”
“The Scholar’s Residence only has a few broken stools, where is there a seat?” the little fox grumbled.
Qin Mu felt a bit awkward.
The Yan Kang National Teacher waved his hand and smiled. “No need to fuss. I’ll stand and say a few words to the Sect Leader before I leave.”
Qin Mu’s gaze fell on his face. This National Teacher of Yan Kang, renowned as the strongest under the gods, was not particularly handsome in appearance—only ordinary. Yet his face had an indescribable quality, one that grew more pleasing the longer you looked.
His eyes were his most striking feature, filled with wisdom, seeming to hold faint sparks of insight, capable of taking in everything under heaven and making the most astute judgments.
Qin Mu held considerable goodwill toward this Yan Kang National Teacher, and his heart was filled with respect for this pioneer and breaker of deadlocks.
That Yan Kang could be what it was today owed more to the National Teacher than to the Emperor.
Championing reform, revolutionizing military and governance, breaking down sectarian barriers, dismantling the divisions among the three major schools, establishing elementary schools, middle schools, and the Grand Academy, instituting the scholar-official system—this National Teacher had made this era extraordinarily vibrant.
But admiration aside, Qin Mu also had his criticisms of the National Teacher.
The Yan Kang National Teacher was not only a genius of unparalleled talent but also ruthless and merciless.
He had campaigned against the Great Ruins, retreating only when faced with difficulty, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t try again.
He had subjugated and annexed other nations. To eliminate dissent, he had even feigned severe injury, luring originally submissive sects into rebellion, causing widespread suffering.
This was not a perfect man.
Qin Mu could never discern what this man’s true pursuit was. His mind was vast, clearly capable of embracing all under heaven, yet he insisted on annihilating other nations and conquering the Great Ruins to expand Yan Kang’s territory.
He clearly had no greed for power, yet he did not hesitate to stir up bloodshed to purge his enemies.
In Qin Mu’s eyes, the Yan Kang National Teacher was a contradiction. What his true thoughts were was difficult to guess.
The Yan Kang National Teacher was also studying him. After a moment, he spoke in a gentle tone, “The Sacred Sect Leader of the Heavenly Saint Sect is unexpectedly young. When I received word that the Sacred Sect Leader was actually a Grand Academy doctor of my Grand Academy, I was also taken aback. You don’t seem surprised to see me?”
Qin Mu replied, “The Heavenly Saint Sect teaches without discrimination, encompassing all kinds of forces. So it’s only natural that the National Teacher could plant a few agents among the sect’s high ranks. That you identified me so quickly is not worth my surprise.”
The Yan Kang National Teacher nodded. “The Sacred Sect Leader of the Heavenly Saint Sect should possess such wisdom. But why aren’t you the least bit alarmed to see me? Aren’t you afraid I’ve come to kill you?”
“If the National Teacher wanted to kill me, panic would be useless.”
Qin Mu said, “If you don’t kill me, the Heavenly Saint Sect won’t rebel. If you kill me, the Heavenly Saint Sect will surely rebel. My life isn’t as valuable as the Heavenly Saint Sect, so the National Teacher wouldn’t kill me. Thus, I have no need to panic.”
The Yan Kang National Teacher smiled faintly. “Don’t be so certain. Having wisdom is good, but if you’re too self-righteous, you might guess wrong. However, you did move me just now. You said the Heavenly Saint Sect won’t rebel—can you explain why?”
Qin Mu said, “Our ideals are the same, so there’s no need for rebellion.”
The National Teacher said, “I heard that the first thing you did as Sect Leader was to establish the 361st Hall and set up a school?”
Qin Mu nodded. “I am emulating the National Teacher, reforming the Heavenly Saint Sect.”
“The Heavenly Saint Sect was originally a nation disguised as a sect. If you emulate me and reform it, won’t it become a state within a state in my Yan Kang?”
The National Teacher continued, “In times of peace, you wouldn’t rebel or cause chaos. But if the world falls into turmoil, why wouldn’t you seize the opportunity to claim legitimacy?”
“The reason my Heavenly Saint Sect does not rebel in this upheaval is not that we don’t want to claim legitimacy, but because the current Yan Kang is itself a massive Heavenly Saint Sect.”
Qin Mu smiled. “Why would we rebel against ourselves?”
“Then when would you rebel?” the National Teacher asked, intrigued.
Qin Mu said solemnly, “When the National Teacher betrays the ideals of the Heavenly Saint Sect and no longer walks the path of the sages, and when Yan Kang ceases to be the Heavenly Saint Sect, then my Heavenly Saint Sect will surely rebel.”
The Yan Kang National Teacher glanced at him and praised, “You have quite the nerve.”
Qin Mu replied, “It’s not about nerve, but the necessity of speaking the truth. Lying wouldn’t fool the National Teacher.”
The Yan Kang National Teacher paced slowly, arriving at the well in the courtyard, and said unhurriedly, “You come from the Great Ruins, with no foundation in the Heavenly Saint Sect. I originally intended to control you, letting you use my power to stabilize your position in the sect. I no longer have that idea.”
Qin Mu walked to his side, and the National Teacher continued, “People like you are very dangerous. Those who hold ideals are often very dangerous, very troublesome, and hard to persuade. Persuading one person is the most exhausting task—easier just to kill them. Persuading a sect is even more exhausting—easier just to annihilate them. Both the Dao Sect and the Great Thunderclap Monastery have their own ideals, hard to persuade. The Heavenly Saint Sect is no different.”
He paused for a moment, then said, “Fortunately, the ideals of the Heavenly Saint Sect do not conflict with Yan Kang.”
Qin Mu asked curiously, “The National Teacher won’t move against the Heavenly Saint Sect for now, but what about the Dao Sect and the Great Thunderclap Monastery?”
“That depends on what they do.”
The Yan Kang National Teacher said seriously, “It depends on whether they can achieve the unity of knowledge and action. If they can uphold their ideals and achieve that unity, I will use all my strength and means to eliminate them. If they cannot, surviving won’t be difficult.”
Qin Mu’s heart trembled slightly. “What is the National Teacher’s ideal?”
The National Teacher shook his head. “I don’t need to tell you. Don’t look at what I say; look at what I do. My ideals will be embodied in my actions—that is the unity of knowledge and action. Young Sacred Sect Leader, you still have a long way to go.”
Qin Mu still couldn’t see through this man.
At his current level, he couldn’t engage in ideological debate with someone of the National Teacher’s caliber. The National Teacher’s vision was too high, his experience too vast, his depth too profound, and his understanding of Dao techniques and divine abilities had reached an awe-inspiring peak. Qin Mu hadn’t reached that level.
He couldn’t fathom the National Teacher’s thoughts, nor know whether they would be friends or foes in the future.
But for the present, as the Sacred Sect Leader, Qin Mu had to plan for the future of the Heavenly Demon Sect.
“In this internal sect rebellion within Yan Kang, my Heavenly Saint Sect will fully support the National Teacher.”
Qin Mu carefully chose his words. “But I also need a promise from the National Teacher: after quelling this rebellion, will you purge my sect and burn the bridge after crossing the river?”
The National Teacher turned to look at him. “No.”
Qin Mu showed a questioning expression.
The Yan Kang National Teacher said leisurely, “I need a spur. Leaving the Heavenly Demon Sect is like leaving a sword hanging over my head, spurring me, warning me, preventing me from making mistakes.”
He smiled faintly. “I am too powerful. If I make a mistake, who could stop me? I need a force capable of killing me when my Dao heart falters. The Heavenly Saint Sect is perfect. If I ever betray your ideals, I’ll wait for you to kill me.”
Qin Mu felt a chill.
The Yan Kang National Teacher turned and walked away.
Qin Mu exhaled a turbid breath, feeling as if his hairs were standing on end.
One thought dominated his mind: “The Yan Kang National Teacher is not human!”
Inhuman.
As long as one is human, they have emotions and desires, selfish thoughts. But the Yan Kang National Teacher had no emotions, no desires, no selfishness. Without these, he was no longer human.
Or perhaps he could be called a sage.
Could the Yan Kang National Teacher be a sage?
He steadied his mind, dispelling the chaotic thoughts. Then, the dragon qilin in the courtyard said in a rumbling voice, “This man is terrifying. When he stood here, I could see him, but I couldn’t sense him.”
Qin Mu was startled. He hadn’t used his Azure Sky Heavenly Eye to look at the National Teacher—he had missed an opportunity.
He had once used his heavenly eye to look at the Village Chief and seen a perfectly intact, radiantly majestic deity. What would he have seen if he had looked at the National Teacher?
Outside the Scholar’s Residence, Qin Feiyue was waiting, bowing. The Yan Kang National Teacher approached and said, “Let’s go back.”
Qin Feiyue dared not speak much. As they walked, the National Teacher suddenly said, “The Grand Sacrificial Officer has good eyesight.”
Qin Feiyue smiled. “Gu Li’nuan was decent, but after being frozen for two hundred years, he’s stagnated and likely fallen behind the times.”
“I was referring to the other Grand Sacrificial Officer.”
The National Teacher looked back at the Grand Academy and said, “He chose an excellent successor, a good seedling, but too similar to me. Seeing this person always makes me uncomfortable, always makes me want to kill him.”
Qin Feiyue didn’t understand.
The Yan Kang National Teacher strode away, murmuring, “I hate looking in the mirror. The self in the mirror is never as perfect as the self in my ideals.”
Back in the Scholar’s Residence, Qin Mu finally calmed down. His Grand Unification technique was not yet perfect; he needed to settle his mind and contemplate deeply, striving for perfection.
The impact the Yan Kang National Teacher had on him was immense. A man who moves forward and struggles for his ideals always has a certain captivating charm.
As for the National Teacher saying that leaving the Heavenly Demon Sect was like leaving a sword hanging over his head, achieving that would be extremely difficult. Even uniting the full power of the Heavenly Demon Sect wouldn’t be enough.
“With such bold ambition from the National Teacher, I must fulfill it.”
Qin Mu activated his technique, walking slowly in the courtyard, deeply comprehending the Grand Unification technique he had created based on the Overlord Body Three Elixir Art. He organized and summarized it, occasionally taking out the Great Cultivation Heavenly Demon Scripture to study.
After a long time, Qin Mu exhaled a turbid breath. Suddenly, his speed increased, and he began to run wildly across the mountains, activating the Grand Unification technique he had comprehended. His form flashed like a fleeting shadow, sweeping past the front and back of the Grand Academy’s mountain.