Free Web NovelChapter 1440: Chapter 112: All Things Lie Within Cultivation
The spear strike from the Black Clothed Demon Tribe in the Ancient Demon Cave and the days of recuperating in Xi Yue An forced the horse to halt.
Jiang Wang, who had not dared to pause for a moment and refused to linger for even a breath, found himself compelled to stop and release his taut string.
A bow needs to nurture its string, and a sword needs to hone its edge.
People are not objects and should experience relaxation. But as Yu Zhen said, Jiang Wang is too hard on himself.
Braving thorns and cutting through obstacles without retreating, it is inevitable to incur self-injury while defeating enemies.
When strong, everything can be hidden. In dispiriting times, wounds are inevitably exposed.
The days spent lying in a solitary quilt were also a form of relaxation.
It felt like a long slumber, waking now to the revival of all things.
Freely roaming the boundless grassland, Jiang Wang supported himself with a staff in his left hand, holding a book in his right, occasionally glancing at it before reciting a whole page—the book was bought at a roadside bookstore before coming to the grassland.
Zhongxuan Sheng advised him to hide his movements and act as the missing genius to facilitate the Qi and Jing negotiation. Having barely survived, he had no intention of doing anything significant and thus could revisit the idea of "reading a thousand books" during the long roundabout journey to Hanging Monastery.
Recuperation is one thing, early and late lessons are another, pondering Dao Techniques is a matter, refining swordsmanship is an affair, appreciating worldly phenomena is an endeavor, and reading is yet another...
All are part of cultivation.
Understanding oneself inwardly and the world outwardly marks the path of growth.
The book Jiang Wang is reading now is called "The White Tiger’s Interpretations," not a Soldier Home classic but a Confucian classic claiming to "discuss the similarities and differences of the Five Classics and unify the meanings of contemporary texts," though what it calls "contemporary" was from the time the book was written. What it "unifies" was only for that specific time and cannot encompass the present.
Reading it now inevitably reveals some outdated elements.
Once, during a discussion about reading with friends, Zhao Wuyan recommended this book, saying, "This classic, even a hundred years later, would not be outdated, and those outdated elements will prevent you from being confined within it."
The implication is that those points conflicting with current Confucianism can help Jiang Wang break free from constraints and prevent him from falling into them. This was a suitable suggestion knowing Jiang Wang was not a Confucian disciple.
Zhao Wuyan also said the best way to read "The White Tiger’s Interpretations" is to first read "Spring and Autumn’s Abundance," as the former inherits the latter. But Jiang Wang didn’t obtain it from the bookseller, so he could only read what he had first.
In addition, after Jiang Wang expressed his intention to study, Li Longchuan recommended some Soldier Home classics, while Xu Xiangqian enthusiastically recommended... his own "Shenxiu’s poetry collection."
He boasts his poetry "can be deemed divine and elegant."
Claiming his ideas can triumph over phrases and divine essence can surpass ideas, he, Xu Xiangqian, is self-assured about his poetic talent, unmatched throughout his life...
In summary, this poetry collection remains at the very bottom of the Storage Box, and Jiang Wang hasn’t found the courage to open it yet.
Entirely obscuring his past identity, the sword is also stored in the Storage Box, only the piece of white jade at his waist remains... anyway, for most people, it’s just an ordinary piece of jade.
What supreme Inner Mansion, Daqi and Son of Qingyang all seem like tales of another person’s experience.
He is merely a lone seagull between heaven and earth, a traveler in the human world.
Thus he cultivates, reads, and appreciates the scenery, heading towards the Supreme Royal Court on the boundless grassland.
Occasionally encountering a group of wild horses, Jiang Wang, feeling playful, uses the beast-taming staff to capture a chestnut-colored fine horse.
This horse cannot match the spiritual quality of Yan Zhao, yet among ordinary horses, it’s considered a gem.
Sitting on horseback, he mimics the literati, shaking his head as he recites the classics.
"Hey, Mo Ye Lai!" A grassland girl with a few freckles on her face shouted from afar, "Do you sell that horse?"
She was initially feeding grass to the cows, but upon seeing Jiang Wang... or rather his horse, she grew very excited and immediately leaped onto a small yellow horse and rode swiftly towards him.
The vigorous figure was eye-catching.
Her horse, although small, ran quickly. The horse’s tail and the girl’s hair fluttered in the wind together.
"Mo Ye Lai" is Grassland Language, meaning "traveler from afar."
Speaking of languages from all over the world, they actually do not differ too much, at least for a Transcendent Cultivator, that tiny difference is easily grasped.
Many countries’ languages evolved from the foundation of Jinguo’s language, which itself traces back to the language development from the Taoist Sect era.
No wonder Jinguo prides itself on its history, while Taoist Sect claims to be the origin of all wisdom.
Of course, languages are originally used to "express the Dao," and due to individual understandings of "Dao," differences in writing arise. This forms the soil for the creation of languages distinct from the Taoist Sects’ language system.
Aside from accents, the difference in Mugu language mainly stems from some terms inherited from the God of Cangtu’s divine language, like "Mo Ye Lai" and "Atulu."
And terms like "Ye Gai," which are not from the god system language, are a natural evolution in the long history of the grassland people, belonging to another language evolution system.
The present world is vast, with many nations. Without being a learned scholar, it’s impossible to differentiate these distinctions clearly.
Jiang Wang is certainly not "learned," yet knowing that Zhao Rucheng had marked some common grassland terms after developing in Mugu, he wasn’t completely clueless at this moment.
Shaking the book in his hand, "Not selling, not selling!"
Speaking thus, the grassland girl had already approached, her gaze fervently examining his horse, seemingly truly fond of it.
She spread her fingers wide, extending them in front of Jiang Wang: "I’ll trade you five cows for it!"
Jiang Wang casually shook the book, "Not trading, not trading!"
"Hey, you scholar!" The freckled-faced girl said proudly on horseback, "I’m not cheating you! What will it take for you to trade?"
Listen to this title!
Scholar!
Jiang Wang was secretly pleased.
He had only been reading for a few days yet already exhibited the scholarly aura. Indeed, talent is something you cannot hide!
He obviously hadn’t realized that his current image with the cape, linen clothes, and dragon-head staff was quite thought-provoking. Perhaps only the book in his hand could somewhat reveal his identity.
"Well..." Jiang Wang pondered how he might further align himself with the scholar image; reading whatever you read, match what philosophy you embrace! Rack his brain and thought, "It’s not an issue of not taking loss, as a sage said, a gentleman does not take what others cherish!"
The girl responded bluntly, "He also said, a gentleman helps others achieve their desires! Why don’t you listen?"
Encountering an opponent!
Unexpectedly, on the grassland, there’s a learned scholar familiar with Confucian classics!
Although this girl appears unremarkable, unexpectedly she has profound knowledge! freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
Jiang Wang became serious, mustering all his skills: "The sage said, ’Isn’t it delightful to have friends come from afar!’ You can’t receive me with sweeping hospitality, nor should you covet my horse at first meeting! Is this how guests are treated?"
"Stop saying such nonsense!" The girl swung her hand dismissively: "Just tell me, do you want more money?"
"Ha!" Jiang Wang felt he had the upper hand and pursued an advantage, speaking in a clear and righteous tone, "I regard wealth as dung, poverty cannot alter me, might cannot bend me, prosperity cannot corrupt me!"
Having said that, he swung his hemp sleeve: "No need for more words!"
The girl looked at him for a while.
"Are you sick!"
And she rode off.
Jiang Wang: ...
Unable to resist, he shouted at her departing figure: "As fine gentlemen like us, even in disagreement we shouldn’t hurl insults! Arguing about classics is one thing, but don’t resort to name-calling!"
