The topic he wanted to discuss today was Kong Zhongni's view on his Daoist philosophy.
He himself was quite in agreement with Kong Zhongni's purpose for traveling the world.
"From what I understand, Daoism adheres to conforming to the Way of Heaven, following nature, and practicing the Doctrine of the Mean," Zi Shou said.
There were also Daoist philosophies in the Hall of Sages, and he was also very familiar with Daoist thought.
However, he didn't expect that Laozi, the Incarnation of the Taiqing Saint, would approve of his intention to unify the Hundred Schools of Thought.
And the words he had just expounded were actually the core ideas of Daoism.
"You are right. How do you view these points?" Laozi replied.
As he was focused on Kong Zhongni, he naturally knew the fact that Kong Zhongni was knowledgeable in all schools of thought.
Therefore, he was not surprised that he could extract the core ideas of Daoism. Now, he was very much looking forward to Kong Zhongni's views on Daoist philosophy.
"In my opinion, man can conquer nature!" Zi Shou declared.
The core idea of Daoism and Laozi was actually the understanding of the Way of Heaven.
Their choices and actions had always adhered to conforming to the great trend of the Way of Heaven. He could see this from the Taiqing Saint's actions during the Investiture of the Gods.
However, in his opinion, conforming to the Way of Heaven and following nature was not absolute.
If they had followed the Way of Heaven, the Great Shang would have long been replaced by West Qi.
The successful transformation he led for the Great Shang was enough to prove that man can conquer nature.
"Man can conquer nature? But the operation of all things in the world is within the Way of Heaven. How do you prove that the current situation is not the Way of Heaven's progression, but rather a change brought about by the Way of Man?" Laozi asked.
He had not expected Kong Zhongni to say such words.
Man can conquer nature?
The first time he heard this phrase, he only felt a sense of familiarity.
During the Investiture of the Gods period, that incredible King Zhou had once said similar words.
The phrase "man can conquer nature" is not just its literal meaning; it also represents the core idea of the Way of Man.
Originally, he only knew that Kong Zhongni was proficient in the Hundred Schools of Thought and had a vision of integrating and unifying their philosophies.
But what he didn't expect was that Kong Zhongni had such a deep understanding of the Way of Man.
However, in his opinion, the Way of Man ultimately cannot contend against the great trends of heaven and earth; conforming to the Way of Heaven is the correct path.
"Has Laozi heard of the events during the Investiture of the Gods period? The original great trend of the Way of Heaven should have been for the Great Shang to be replaced by West Qi.
But what was the result? Even with the Saints' intervention, the Great Shang, under the leadership of King Zhou, turned the situation around and extended the lifespan of the Great Shang Dynasty.
Is this not man conquering nature?" Zi Shou asked.
Citing a past event as an example, this was a case of facts speaking louder than words, sufficient to prove everything.
In his opinion, this debate was a debate between Kong Zhongni and Laozi, completely unrelated to his past life.
And the best proof of man conquering nature was that he, through his own efforts, had changed the outcome of the Investiture of the Gods and extended the rule of the Great Shang Dynasty for several hundred years.
"That is indeed true, but you have overlooked one point. The appearance of King Zhou did indeed change the great trend of the Way of Heaven, but this was inherently a part of the Way of Heaven.
The Way of Heaven is not static; it is constantly changing, seeking balance between heaven and earth through change!
The Way of Heaven is like drawing a bow: if the string is too high, it is lowered; if it is too low, it is raised. The Way of Heaven is about reducing excess and supplementing deficiencies.
The Way of Man, however, is different. The Way of Man is about depriving the insufficient and increasing the excessive. To change this state, only the Way of Heaven can make the change.
What you see as man conquering nature, in my opinion, is actually still conforming to the Way of Heaven!" Laozi explained.
This was precisely his understanding of the Way of Heaven: the rule of the Way of Heaven was to use what was abundant to supplement what was lacking, thereby maintaining the stability of heaven and earth.
The rules of the Way of Man were completely opposite; to maintain stability, the Way of Heaven should intervene.
King Zhou was indeed a special existence, but his actions were, in fact, a kind of change within the Way of Heaven.
Ultimately, even his teacher's appearance did not forcefully change everything, but rather conformed to the new Way of Heaven, which led to the current situation.
Hearing Laozi's words, Confucius did not immediately reply; he was pondering the meaning within Laozi's words.
Originally, what he had thought was just the previous statement: that what he had done in his previous life was man conquering nature, unrelated to the Way of Heaven.
But after hearing Laozi's explanation, he suddenly had other ideas.
That was, the main reason for his victory back then was that he had transformed into the one that escaped, which, according to Laozi, was also a part of the Way of Heaven.
What the one that escaped did was no different from the Way of Heaven; it had gained the approval of the Way of Heaven.
At this moment, his understanding of the Way of Heaven deepened.
It turned out that what he had thought before was merely superficial; beneath the surface, there was such a deeper meaning.
"Is Laozi's discourse meant to tell me that the Way of Heaven diminishes the abundant and supplements the deficient?" King Zhou replied.
Immediately after saying this, he fell into a peculiar state.
Although he was in the Literary Dao Plaza, he seemed to appear above the human territory, more like appearing on the Honghuang Land.
He had a misconception that he was currently integrating into the Way of Heaven, that he was a part of the Way of Heaven.
At this moment, he could even perceive the changes in the Way of Heaven.
But shouldn't integrating into the Way of Heaven and sensing its changes be a Saint's method?
With his current ability, why would such a state appear?
This situation was of extraordinary significance to him. At this moment, he couldn't afford to think too much and quickly used this state to comprehend the Way of Heaven.
And Laozi, who was in front of him, already showed an uncontrollable expression of shock.
He had not expected Confucius's comprehension to be so high; he had only explained a bit.
Confucius's words after understanding it actually pointed directly to the core of the Way of Heaven. This Confucius truly had the bearing of a Literary Dao Saint!
As one of the Three Corpses of the Taiqing Saint, his vision was naturally identical to that of the Taiqing Saint. With just one glance, he discovered Confucius's current state.
Being in this place yet seeming not to be here, his body seemed to be integrated with heaven and earth. If one did not see the person present, he would be undetectable.
This situation indicated only one thing: that Confucius at this moment had understood the core of the Way of Heaven and thus connected to it, currently undergoing an Epiphany.
Witnessing this situation, his face revealed a look of relief. He hadn't expected to encounter such a person.
He raised a finger to his lips in a shushing gesture, signaling the crowd watching the debate not to make noise, so as not to disturb Confucius's state of Epiphany.
The crowd observing the debate results completely failed to understand, and could only follow Laozi's instruction, daring not to speak.
They completely didn't understand the situation. Why did Confucius stop speaking after a few sentences and instead sat still?
Who won or lost this first debate?
Chapter 292: The Way of Man: Respect Heaven and Ancestors!
On the vast plaza, although countless people were watching, at this moment, it became completely silent.
"Could it be that Confucius had an Epiphany?" After a long while, a faint voice emerged.
On this vast plaza, it was even impossible to distinguish the source of this voice.
However, this single, indistinguishable explanation allowed the audience present to speculate about Confucius's situation.
The common people watching didn't feel much about Epiphany, only thinking that Confucius was doing something incredible.
But the many scholars and civil and military officials of Qi understood the meaning of the word "Epiphany."
In fact, many schools of thought also had records of epiphanies. The first chiefs of the Confucian and Legalist schools had epiphanies after understanding Confucian and Legalist philosophies.
These two first chiefs were also recognized as great thinkers by many scholars and schools for hundreds of years, and were referred to as Literary Dao Vice-Saints by all literary Disciples.
For hundreds of years, only these two people had been able to achieve Epiphany.
Now, Confucius, in his debate with Laozi, had also achieved an Epiphany.
Today, they were witnessing history; another person capable of achieving Epiphany had appeared after hundreds of years.
Originally, the many scholars in Qi had only heard of Kong Zhongni's name, believing that while Kong Zhongni's academic level was high, the claim of him having the bearing of a Literary Dao Saint was an exaggeration.
But now, having personally witnessed Kong Zhongni's Epiphany, their hearts had wavered.
In history, the first chiefs of the Confucian and Legalist schools could confirm that the achievements of those who could achieve Epiphany would certainly not be low.
At this moment, Laozi was still observing Kong Zhongni, who was comprehending the changes in the Way of Heaven.
Among the audience, there were also many great academic masters, so it was not strange for them to know about Epiphany.
He was more surprised that Kong Zhongni had entered a state of Epiphany after he had only said a single sentence.
Moreover, judging by the duration, Kong Zhongni's Epiphany was not a superficial one, but rather a profound understanding of his words.
He couldn't help but begin to imagine if this Kong Zhongni could really become a Literary Dao Saint.
Without saying anything else, just based on Kong Zhongni's knowledge and his state of Epiphany, he believed it was truly possible.
After a period of time, in a hazy state, Zi Shou's consciousness, which had originally integrated into the Way of Heaven, slowly began to return.
Immediately after, he opened his eyes and saw Laozi in front of him, smiling and staring intently at him.
In his perception, it felt like only an instant, yet it seemed as if an entire lifetime had passed
At this moment, he already understood that the situation of merging into the Heavenly Dao just now was precisely entering a state of enlightenment.
The reason he was able to achieve enlightenment, apart from his own reasons,
all the triggers were due to the person in front of him, Laozi. If it weren't for him explaining the core concepts of the Heavenly Dao,
he would not have gained a deeper understanding of the Dao of Heaven, and thus seized this opportunity to achieve enlightenment.
"Mr. Laozi's profound understanding of the Heavenly Dao truly impresses me. Today, I must thank you for explaining the Dao of Heaven to me!" King Zhou said.
Over the past three years, he had engaged in countless debates, even debating with the chief of the Confucian school.
However, never before had he directly understood the Heavenly Dao and entered a state of enlightenment as he did today.
All of this was enough to show that Laozi, as one of the Three Corpses of the Taiqing Saint, was indeed extraordinary.
Although it was only a few words, it allowed him to gain such an understanding, which was truly a profound achievement.
"Confucius, don't be modest. The ability to use my words to help you achieve enlightenment lies mainly with you, not with me.
Only when your knowledge and thoughts are sufficient can you comprehend the core of the Heavenly Dao!" Laozi praised.
In his opinion, the main reason Confucius was able to achieve enlightenment lay in himself.
Through his observation of Confucius, he could clearly feel the change in Confucius's temperament during that quarter of an hour.
That subtle feeling of merging with the Heavenly Dao was enough to prove that Confucius had gained a lot.
Upon hearing Laozi personally confirm Confucius's enlightenment, before Confucius could even respond,
the surrounding crowd gasped in astonishment at the fact of enlightenment.
Even those spectators who didn't understand the significance could guess Confucius's extraordinary nature by observing the expressions of the Qi civil officials.
As for these Qi officials, they simply couldn't suppress the urge to discuss among themselves.
On the Literary Dao Plaza, the noisy discussions resurfaced.
"Is this Confucius truly enlightened? Those who have achieved enlightenment in the past few hundred years are truly few and far between."
"If it's affirmed by Laozi, the chief of the Daoist school, how could it be false? This Confucius is enlightened!"
"One who achieves enlightenment will at least become a Literary Dao Sub-Saint. Confucius has mastered the knowledge of various schools of thought, could he really become a Literary Dao Saint?"
...
All these debaters were important officials and great scholars of Qi.
If they had been somewhat skeptical before, under Laozi's personal affirmation, they were now extremely impressed with Confucius.
That was enlightenment!
Only three people had managed to achieve it in the past few hundred years. Confucius's future in the Literary Dao would reach a height they could never aspire to.
At this moment, after hearing Laozi's praise, King Zhou showed no complacency. He understood very well that his ability to comprehend still lay with Laozi.
Originally, after three years of debates, he could be said to have no opponents.
He believed that even if he debated with Laozi, he would not fail.
But his recent understanding of the Heavenly Dao and the Human Dao was enough to prove Laozi's profound comprehension of both.
Now, he no longer had the idea of debating with Laozi, but rather wished to ask him for guidance.
Thinking of this, he no longer remained seated, but actively stood up.
Laozi's knowledge and thought were sufficient for him to stand and perform the disciple's bow to ask for guidance.
On the plaza, the spectators watching the debate, upon seeing Confucius's actions, all consciously fell silent, awaiting Confucius's next move.
"Mr. Laozi is profoundly learned and has a deep understanding of the Heavenly Dao and the Human Dao.
Today, I wish to take this opportunity to further inquire about the principles of the Human Dao and the Heavenly Dao." King Zhou said.
His current respectful treatment of Laozi as a teacher clearly showed his extreme reverence.
Today's opportunity was rare; to seek guidance from one of the Three Corpses of the Taiqing Saint, the head of the Six Saints, was enough to warrant such a posture.
Watching Confucius's actions, Laozi made no other moves, calmly accepting Confucius's Etiquette.
As one of the Three Corpses of the Taiqing Saint, the Taiqing Saint was originally the leader of the Human Teaching, and this identity alone was enough to accept Confucius's teacher's bow.
Since Confucius had a desire for knowledge, he didn't mind providing answers.
"What do you wish to ask? Speak freely!" Laozi said.
The principles of the Heavenly Dao and the Human Dao were simply too numerous and involved many aspects.
Although he had some understanding of the Heavenly Dao and the Human Dao, he didn't know what direction Confucius wanted to inquire about.
"Sir once said that the continuation of Great Shang was also a manifestation of the Heavenly Dao. So, how should one face the predetermined fate of the Heavenly Dao?
Since the Human Dao cannot change the Heavenly Dao, how should the Human Dao conduct itself?" King Zhou asked.
This was the question he wanted to ask!
Although Great Shang had continued for several hundred years of history because of his own identity as the one that escaped, which aligned with the Heavenly Dao,
it was still a fact that he had changed parts of the historical trajectory. Could it be that what the Heavenly Dao had determined could never be altered?
If so, how should the Human Dao conduct itself and develop?
"The Dao follows nature. In the face of the Heavenly Dao, in the face of the great trends of Heaven and Earth, one should be in awe.
Man follows the Earth, Earth follows Heaven, Heaven follows the Dao, and the Dao follows nature. The Human Dao is also the Heavenly Dao.
Throughout history, those who possessed the world all matched their ancestors with Heaven. All things originate from Heaven, and man originates from ancestors.
Do you understand this?" Laozi explained.
These few sentences were his answer to Confucius's question.
The explanation within them was based on his view of the Heavenly Dao and the Human Dao. As for how much Confucius could comprehend, that depended on Confucius's insight.
Upon hearing Laozi's words, Confucius did not answer immediately. He was pondering the meaning within Laozi's words.
After just gaining a deeper understanding of the Heavenly Dao, he felt very lost regarding the Human Dao.
Since the idea that man can conquer nature could not be established, how could the Human Dao change its outcome? How should the Human Dao develop?
But upon hearing the phrase "the Human Dao is also the Heavenly Dao," he had a new idea, and at the same time, he understood the meaning of Laozi's words.
It turned out that one should revere the Heavenly Dao, understand its developmental Context, and for the Human Dao, one should honor the ways of the ancestors.
"Sir's discourse, is it to inform me that regarding the Heavenly Dao and the Human Dao, one should revere Heaven and follow ancestors?
Observe the phenomena of Heaven, investigate the utmost of Heaven, and act according to the Dao of Heaven.
Settle ancestors in the earth, guard ancestors in their tombs, and learn from the wisdom of ancestors." King Zhou replied.
This was his summary and understanding of Laozi's words just now.
Immediately after saying this, he fell into a familiar feeling.
Just like before, although he was on the Literary Dao Plaza, he seemed to appear on the Honghuang Land, feeling the operation of the Honghuang Heaven and Earth.
At this moment, he actually merged into the Heavenly Dao once again.
Moreover, this situation was clearly different from before. Besides feeling that he could merge into the Heavenly Dao,
he could also observe the journey of humanity on the Honghuang Land, from the Three Sovereigns to the Five Emperors, from Great Xia to Great Shang.
From the abdication of the emperor's throne to the succession of the emperor's throne.
From the Battle of Zhuolu to the Battle of Mingtiao, and finally to the Investiture of the Gods.
These various scenes gave him a completely new understanding of the Human Dao as well.
Without thinking too much about other things, this situation was equally significant to him. At this moment, he didn't have time to think much and hurriedly used this state to comprehend the meanings of the Heavenly Dao and the Human Dao.
And Laozi, who was in front of him, his originally smiling expression became serious again.
From the previous conversation, he already knew that Confucius's insight was extraordinary and that he would definitely gain some understanding from his words.
However, he didn't expect that this understanding would far exceed his imagination.
Confucius's words after comprehending not only thoroughly analyzed his previous words but also filled in the missing parts.
Observe the phenomena of Heaven, investigate the utmost of Heaven, and act according to the Dao of Heaven.
Settle ancestors in the earth, guard ancestors in their tombs, and learn from the wisdom of ancestors.
The single phrase "revere Heaven and follow ancestors" was simply the best summary of the Heavenly Dao and the Human Dao.
What kind of monster was this Confucius? At the age of twenty-something, he actually possessed such high insight and knowledge.
Most importantly, he discovered that Confucius, standing in front of him, had once again entered a state of enlightenment!
Chapter 293: Three Enlightenments, Unprecedented!
Within just half an hour, he had achieved enlightenment twice consecutively.
Even he, as one of the Three Corpses of the Taiqing Saint, who had experienced countless years, had never seen such a talented person.
Laozi even began to suspect now whether this Confucius in front of him was one of the Three Corpses of another Saint.
However, he had some understanding of the other five Saints in this Honghuang Heaven and Earth, and there was no Saint who could have such an understanding of the Heavenly Dao and the Human Dao
Confucius was truly extraordinary; his face was already filled with shock, for no other reason than Confucius was too unexpected!
He subconsciously wanted to use heavenly calculations to see if this Confucius in front of him was truly the Three Corpses of a Saint or the Reincarnation of a figure of heaven and earth.
However, after calculating, he found that Confucius was merely a chosen one of this era, possessing great fortune, and not the Reincarnation or Three Corpses of any figure.
The more he realized this, the more astonished he became.
Confucius's future, in all likelihood, would be that of the Human Clan's Literary Dao Saint!
At this moment, seeing Confucius once again standing still, the vast Literary Dao Plaza fell silent once more.
The same situation as before led the audience to immediately guess Confucius's condition.
Could it be that Confucius had another Epiphany?
Judging from Laozi's actions and stunned expression, they believed it was highly possible; how could Confucius be so astonishing?
Even the historical Sub-Sages, the first chiefs of Confucianism and Legalism, only had one Epiphany.
Now, after seeking guidance from Laozi, Confucius not only achieved an Epiphany but also had a second one in succession.
That was an Epiphany!
This Confucius was too terrifying!
Even in history, there was no record of anyone being able to have a second Epiphany, let alone in such a short period.
Numerous scholars in Qi had already continuously elevated the standing of Confucius's scholarship.
In history, the first chiefs of Confucianism and Legalism became Sub-Sages with only one Epiphany, so would Confucius truly become a Literary Dao Saint with two epiphanies?
At this moment, Laozi was still observing Confucius, who was in an Epiphany.
Through careful observation, he found that this time, Confucius was not only comprehending the Heavenly Dao but also the Human Dao!
Is this what it means to be chosen by the Heavenly Dao?
Putting everything else aside, just discussing Confucius's comprehension, becoming the Human Clan's Literary Dao Saint was absolutely not a problem.
After some time, King Zhou's consciousness returned to his body, just like last time, in a hazy state.
Immediately after, he opened his eyes and saw Laozi, who maintained a stunned expression in front of him.
In an instant, it felt like ages had passed, a feeling he had experienced just a short while ago.
At this moment, he already understood that comprehending the Heavenly Dao and Human Dao just now was another entry into an Epiphany.
"Sir, not only do you have a clear understanding of the Heavenly Dao, but you also understand the Human Dao in the same way!" King Zhou said, his admiration and gratitude for Laozi were heartfelt.
Being able to have two consecutive epiphanies today, he could already feel his thoughts and ideas continuously improving.
He could even feel that after two epiphanies, having understood the core of the Human Dao, he could mobilize Human Clan Luck just like in his previous life!
"Confucius's talent is unparalleled; two consecutive epiphanies are truly unprecedented!" Laozi praised.
In his opinion, Confucius's situation was too consistent with that of a Heavenly Dao's favorite.
During this process of Epiphany, he observed Confucius just as he had before.
Now, he could clearly feel that a portion of Human Clan Luck was beginning to gather around Confucius.
This was the Human Clan Luck's recognition of Confucius, and also the Human Dao's feedback to Confucius!
Upon hearing Laozi state the fact of two epiphanies, the surrounding crowd could no longer control their emotions.
On the Literary Dao Plaza, there was no longer any specific intention in the discussions, only admiration.
"Truly unprecedented, unprecedented! Two epiphanies!"
"Today, we have witnessed history, no, we will be recorded in history!"
"Two epiphanies, if this Confucius doesn't become a Literary Dao Saint in the future, I'll be the first to object!"
...
At this moment, everyone was awestruck by Confucius's comprehension.
Two epiphanies!
Since the development of the Human Clan to this day, Confucius was the first person to have a second Epiphany.
If before they could still imagine Confucius's future, now they were completely unable to imagine what heights Confucius would reach in the future.
However, at present, King Zhou, hearing the praises of the crowd, turned a deaf ear, not caring about their commendations.
Laozi's understanding of the Heavenly Dao and Human Dao ignited a strong desire for knowledge within him.
He felt that if he wanted to perfect his thoughts on the Dao of Man, it would be today, and it would be through Laozi.
Thinking of this, he once again bowed to Laozi in a disciple's 禮, his eyes filled with a thirst for knowledge.
On the Literary Dao Plaza, the onlookers tacitly chose to fall silent once more.
"Sir, do you have any advice regarding the thoughts on the Dao of Man?" King Zhou asked.
At this moment, he had completely regarded the Grand Pure Saint as his academic teacher.
To perfect the thoughts on the Dao of Man, Laozi's opinions and ideas held great reference value!
Laozi, upon hearing Confucius's words, naturally understood the meaning of Confucius's apprenticeship.
He could silently accept the disciple's 禮, but he did not intend to establish a master-disciple relationship with Confucius; this was his original intention of adhering to the Heavenly Dao.
Confucius's future achievements would absolutely not be low, and he didn't mind informing him of some things that could help Confucius avoid detours.
"The operation of the Heavenly Dao is very healthy and good; even if problems are found, the Heavenly Dao will self-correct, so should the Human Dao emulate the Heavenly Dao?" Laozi explained.
His understanding of the Heavenly Dao was extremely profound!
In his opinion, if the Dao of Man wanted to perfect its thoughts, it could entirely refer to the operating laws of the Heavenly Dao.
While 'man can conquer nature' might be somewhat narrow, it was not a bad idea.
If 'man can conquer nature' were interpreted in a different way, allowing the Human Dao to emulate the Heavenly Dao, why would it not be able to perfect the Human Dao's thoughts?
Upon hearing Laozi's words, Confucius fell silent once more, pondering the meaning within Laozi's words.
During his recent Epiphany, besides once again merging with the Heavenly Dao, he also comprehended the changes in the Human Dao.
The thoughts on the Dao of Man had already taken preliminary shape, and he understood that the Human Dao and the Heavenly Dao had a close relationship.
But this relationship was like an invisible membrane that he had been unable to pierce.
However, now, under Laozi's words, he suddenly gained an Epiphany regarding the thoughts on the Dao of Man.
"Sir's words mean to tell me that since the Human Dao and the Heavenly Dao are in harmony, the Human Dao can completely refer to the operation of the Heavenly Dao.
I understand, your meaning is: 'As Heaven maintains vigor through movements, a gentleman should constantly strive for self-perfection; as Earth's condition is receptive devotion, a gentleman should hold the outer world with broad-mindedness and virtue!'" King Zhou replied.
This was his summary of the Human Dao after hearing Laozi's words.
With his current understanding of the Heavenly Dao after two epiphanies, he could completely apply it by analogy, allowing the ideas of the Human Dao to refer to the operation of the Heavenly Dao.
This time, after he uttered these words, he once again entered a profound and mysterious Realm.
Moreover, this situation was different from the previous two; he once again comprehended the changes in the Human Dao from another perspective.
He understood that the history of the Human Clan was, in fact, a history of unyielding struggle!
The Human Clan had always upheld the spirit of self-improvement!
He had a feeling that with this Epiphany, he would completely perfect the Human Clan's ideology!
At this moment, he hurriedly used this state to comprehend the Human Dao.
And in front of him, Laozi's expression had already turned numb.
Such comprehension, among all the people he had seen, ranked first, and there was only this one person!
This Confucius actually had such a comprehension of the Human Dao!
Confucius's words could already serve as the ultimate thought of the Dao of Man; even his own comprehension of the Human Dao was not this deep.
At this moment, Confucius's knowledge of the Human Dao had already surpassed his.
"As Heaven maintains vigor through movements, a gentleman should constantly strive for self-perfection; as Earth's condition is receptive devotion, a gentleman should hold the outer world with broad-mindedness and virtue."
This single sentence was simply the core of the Human Dao, almost identical to the core of the Heavenly Dao that Confucius blurted out just now.
The more this was the case, the more he doubted Confucius's identity.
Moreover, this time he discovered that Confucius, standing in front of him, had once again entered an Epiphany state!
This was already the third Epiphany, and this time the depth of the Epiphany was even greater than before; unless Confucius was forcefully interfered with, he would not be forced to interrupt his Epiphany state.
Furthermore, he found that Human Clan Luck was continuously gathering around Confucius, and this Human Clan Luck would automatically protect Confucius.
Under such circumstances, unless a Saint acted, no one else could disturb Confucius.
With three epiphanies, Confucius already showed signs of being a Human Clan Saint, and there was no possibility of stopping him.
At this moment, a sudden drastic change occurred in the sky.
The sky vibrated violently, followed by the manifestation of an infinite starfield; the starfield was vast, and the starlight was dazzling.
The starlight within that starfield was continuously being lit up in an organized manner.
The appearance of such an anomaly made it clear, without much thought, that it was caused by Confucius on the Literary Dao Plaza
He had three consecutive epiphanies, and anomalies appeared.
The Qi ministers and scholars present, along with the various onlookers, all believed that Confucius showed signs of being a Saint.
Laozi, who was somewhat numb at this moment, chose to descend and observe, walking to where Confucius's seventy-two Disciples were located.
"When your master, Confucius, finishes his Epiphany, tell him that I have already left, and I will wait for him at the Li Residence!" Laozi explained.
He was completely captivated by Confucius's talent and aptitude.
Such talent sparked other thoughts within him.
He had always been troubled by a certain problem, and even sending this Three Corpses avatar to the Human Clan was to resolve that confusion.
Confucius's appearance gave him hope that this problem could be solved.
He believed that if he were to discuss this issue with Confucius, Confucius's comprehension would very likely provide him with a satisfactory answer.
However, the topic of this discussion was not suitable for a public setting.
This was why he left first and informed the seventy-two Disciples that he would be waiting for Confucius.
Thinking of this, he approvingly glanced at Confucius, who was still in an Epiphany, and slowly left the Literary Dao Plaza.
Chapter 294: Achieving the Aura of a Literary Dao Saint!
As Laozi departed, the onlookers in the Literary Dao Plaza once again focused their gaze on Confucius.
Watching Confucius stand proudly, his body surrounded by a mysterious aura, the vast plaza once again became silent.
The same situation had actually occurred twice before, and in both those instances, Confucius was in an Epiphany.
So, this time, had Confucius entered his third Epiphany?
Judging from Laozi's numb expression, even if they were unwilling to believe it, they confirmed that it was indeed the case.
This was three epiphanies! To achieve three epiphanies in such a short time!
When did epiphanies become so simple?
That was an Epiphany, an Epiphany that only a Literary Dao Sub-Saint had experienced!
One Epiphany could lead to becoming a Sub-Saint; what would three epiphanies lead to?
This Confucius was too terrifying!
Even in history, let alone three epiphanies, not even two epiphanies had ever occurred.
Many scholars and ministers in Qi, after Confucius's second Epiphany, had still wanted to keep Confucius in Qi for an official position.
For someone with such talent, even directly giving him the position of head minister would be entirely acceptable.
In history, the first generation chiefs of Confucianism and Legalism became Sub-Saints after only one Epiphany, so Confucius's achievements after two epiphanies would only be higher, not lower.
If Qi could invite Confucius to serve, it would definitely help in unifying the world in the future.
But now, under Laozi's words, Confucius's three epiphanies had become a fact.
These scholars and ministers no longer had any intention of keeping Confucius in Qi.
If before, they believed that Confucius's two epiphanies were unprecedented, but future generations might have a chance to achieve it.
Then now, Confucius's three epiphanies were completely unparalleled, and even if future generations were outstanding, they likely couldn't achieve three epiphanies in such a short time!
They all believed at this moment that such a Confucius would definitely not be content to remain in a single state.
Confucius would surely become a Literary Dao Saint in the future; he would not belong to Qi, nor to any state in the Spring and Autumn period.
A person like Confucius would belong to the entire Human Clan in the future!
This time, everyone remained silent, maintaining a quiet state, patiently waiting for Confucius's Epiphany to end.
After some time, King Zhou's consciousness finally returned to his main body.
Immediately after, he opened his eyes; this time, the feeling of being in another world was far more intense than before.
He could feel a distinct difference: this Epiphany was deeper than the previous two.
Moreover, he could also feel that his connection with Human Clan Luck had been re-established.
As one of the Nine Great Divine Souls, this body could not mobilize Human Clan Luck even when its memories awakened.
Although the understanding of Human Dao thought and the process of three epiphanies did not bring him an increase in cultivation.
But after this Epiphany, he found that he could now condense Human Clan Luck.
Under these circumstances, recovering to his previous life's cultivation was merely a matter of time.
In fact, he also understood that the reason for this Epiphany was his comprehension of the core of the Human Dao.
He understood the principles of 'Heaven moves vigorously, the gentleman strives for self-improvement; Earth is expansive, the gentleman carries all things with great virtue'.
Although this concept was the core, it was only the foundation of his understanding of the Human Dao, at most a minor accomplishment.
To truly understand the Human Dao, more time and enlightenment were needed.
However, as long as his Human Dao Saint thought could achieve great success, then he could truly reach the Peak and condense the Human Clan Luck of this era.
Thus, his Divine Soul in this life could reach Perfection.
At this moment, his thoughts were clear, and his goal for this life was very precise.
The Human Clan Luck, which had been slowly gathering around his body, also began to accelerate, subtly changing, making his body seem to be surrounded by a radiant glow!
Witnessing the radiant glow emanating from Confucius, the scholars and Qi ministers in the Literary Dao Plaza felt as if bathed in a spring breeze.
The radiant glow around Confucius seemed to possess a magical power, making everyone at this moment show expressions as if basking in a spring breeze.
Three epiphanies, with anomalies appearing, and now even a radiant glow around his body.
At this moment, Confucius had clearly attained the aura of a Saint!
"Three epiphanies, born with anomalies—this is not just unprecedented, it is completely unparalleled."
"Is this radiant glow the legendary aura of a Saint?"
"If Heaven had not given birth to Confucius, the Human Clan's Literary Dao would have remained in eternal night!"
...
At this moment, everyone was stunned by Confucius's radiant glow.
In the history of Human Clan development, Confucius was the first person to experience three epiphanies.
No matter how much imagination they had, they could not possibly guess what Confucius would become in the future.
However, at this moment, King Zhou, who had been listening to the praises, snapped out of his thoughts and suddenly noticed that Laozi, who had been sitting opposite him, had disappeared.
His gaze immediately fell upon the seventy-two Disciples, wanting to inquire about Laozi's whereabouts.
Laozi had just provided him with many insights, even helping him to perfect the foundation of Human Dao thought in one go.
He still wanted to have more discussions with Laozi and formally express his gratitude to him.
If Laozi had left without a word, it would be too regrettable for him.
While thinking, he had already walked to the front of the seventy-two Disciples.
"Master, Master Laozi informed us that he has left first.
Master Laozi said that after your Epiphany ends, you can go to the Li Residence; he will be waiting for you there!" Yan Hui explained.
As Confucius's foremost Disciple, it was naturally highly appropriate for him to convey this message.
Hearing this, King Zhou breathed a sigh of relief; he had thought Laozi had left without a word.
It turned out he had returned to his residence early to wait for him to continue their discussion.
At this moment, he suddenly had some guesses about the questions Laozi would discuss next.
Laozi returning to his residence to await his arrival clearly meant he wanted to communicate privately.
It seemed that the topic they were about to discuss would not be suitable for the public in the Literary Dao Plaza to know.
So, what exactly would be the topic Laozi was going to discuss with him?
To be so important to Laozi, the Three Corpses of the Taiqing Saint, he was already looking forward to it!
"Yan Hui, you all can return to your residences and wait; I will go see Master Laozi!" King Zhou said.
Since Laozi had invited him, he naturally had to go.
As for the grand scene in the Literary Dao Plaza, he did not care.
"We look forward to Master's return!" Yan Hui and the Disciples said.
They also looked forward to the private conversation between Confucius and Laozi, and they had also felt the clear changes in Confucius after his three epiphanies.
After receiving the Disciples' reply, King Zhou no longer hesitated and prepared to depart towards the Li Residence.
However, just as he was about to leave, he was called out by a voice.
"Master Kong, I am the Prime Minister of Qi; today, on behalf of the King of Qi, I invite Master Kong to the palace for a discussion. Would that be convenient?" The Prime Minister of Qi said.
He was dressed in the official robes of Qi, bowed, and spoke sincerely.
Before the debate in the Literary Dao Plaza began, the King of Qi had instructed him to personally meet Confucius, who had become renowned throughout the world over the past three years.
Originally, he had thought that although Confucius's scholarship was good, he would gladly accept the invitation of the Lord of Qi.
However, as a scholar himself, after seeing Confucius's three enlightenments and the heavenly phenomena that appeared, the arrogance he held as an official completely vanished.
He had no sense of superiority toward Confucius, this future Literary Dao Saint, only a cautious attitude.
"Please convey my regards to the Lord of Qi. I will not be meeting him. You can ask my Disciples if they are interested," King Zhou said.
He had little interest in the Marquis of a feudal state.
As for whether there would be problems if he refused the Lord of Qi, he likewise did not care.
Now, he had only one thought: to meet with Laozi and cherish this rare opportunity for discussion.
Thinking of this, he left the Literary Dao Plaza without looking back, under the gaze of the Prime Minister of Qi.
...
The Li Residence, though called a residence, was more like a small farmhouse courtyard.
Under the pavilion, Laozi sat on a long bench, as if he had become one with the surrounding environment.
Confucius sat opposite Laozi, and the two were engaged in a further discussion about the Human Dao and the Heavenly Dao, conversing back and forth.
It had been some time since he arrived at this residence, and his discussion with Laozi had also been ongoing for a long time.
During this period, they continuously asked and answered questions about the Heavenly Dao and the Human Dao.
Laozi had a profound understanding of the Heavenly Dao, so Laozi spoke about the Heavenly Dao.
And he, due to his enlightenment in the Human Dao, had surpassed Laozi in his understanding of the Human Dao, so he interpreted the Human Dao.
During this time, the two complemented each other, and each gained something.
However, as King Zhou continued to interpret the Human Dao, the Human Clan Luck once again condensed, and the surrounding auspicious glow also appeared.
"Confucius truly possesses the aura of a Saint!
Now, Great Shang is weak and exists in name only, and feudal states are numerous. Confucius, what is your view on this?" Laozi sighed and said.
He clearly understood what the situation appearing on Confucius meant.
The appearance of Human Clan Luck and the release of the auspicious glow were enough to indicate Confucius's extraordinary significance to the Human Race.
The future influence of this Confucius on the Human Race would definitely be profound.
He was very much looking forward to Confucius's views on the general trend of the Human Race.
"The general trend of the world is that what has been united for a long time will divide, and what has been divided for a long time will unite. The unification of the Human Race is only a matter of time.
However, in my opinion, before the world is unified, the unification of human thought is also extremely important.
I wish to travel the world, and what I do and strive for is to unify the thoughts of the Human Race in various feudal states, and at the same time, perfect the Human Dao thought!" King Zhou explained.
He had no worries about the current Human Race; this was a stage that the Human Race was bound to experience in its development.
As long as Human Clan Luck remained stable and showed no signs of weakening, unifying the world would only be a matter of time.
But what he wanted to do was to perfect Human Dao thought and unify the Hundred Schools of Thought within the Human Race.
Only by unifying thought could the feudal states better become history again, and the great unification reappear in history!
Chapter 295: Is Western Religion Destined to Prosper Greatly? Then Why Not Convert Barbarians into Buddhas!
King Zhou and Laozi had been communicating for some time, but during this period, their discussions were limited to the Human Dao and the Heavenly Dao.
They had complemented each other, but they had not exchanged views on other aspects.
However, in his opinion, Laozi's separate meeting with him would surely not be just for discussing the Dao.
It was just that Laozi had not yet stated his purpose. Although he was a little curious, since Laozi was not in a hurry, he naturally was even less so.
Laozi was one of the Three Corpses of the Taiqing Saint. Since he chose to communicate with him alone, the matter they discussed could not be a trivial one.
"Confucius's ambition is indeed far-reaching, aiming directly for the Literary Dao Saint!" Laozi sincerely praised.
If anyone else had stated such a goal, he would only find that person ridiculous.
But now, with Confucius, who had experienced three enlightenments, stating it, he believed that such a goal and expectation might actually be realized.
Confucius was someone who could undergo three enlightenments, possessing extremely high comprehension and Aptitude.
As one of the Three Corpses of the Taiqing Saint, he could even sense that Confucius also possessed the Realm of a Golden Immortal.
The goals set by such a person, even if they seemed a bit incredible, must have hope of success.
The two major goals Confucius just mentioned were to unify the Hundred Schools of Thought and to achieve great success in human thought.
Achieving either of these two goals would actually be enough for Confucius to become a Literary Dao Saint.
To have such goals and ambitions is in itself a rare and valuable thing, and this is also what makes him different from ordinary people.
If it weren't for his unwillingness to be too entangled in human Karma, he would even have been moved to take him as a Disciple!
"If achieving my goal requires becoming a Literary Dao Saint, then I will become a Literary Dao Saint!" King Zhou said.
He did not hide his own thoughts at all. After three enlightenments, he had already clarified what he wanted to do in this life.
Everything was for the purpose of condensing the Human Clan Luck of this period, allowing his Divine Soul to achieve completion.
As for how difficult the process would be, and how difficult the outcome, he would complete it!
Upon hearing Confucius's bold words, Laozi did not answer immediately. After confirming Confucius's goal, he had some ideas in his mind.
Originally, he had a question he wanted to ask Confucius, hoping to draw parallels and find a solution to the problem.
However, during the previous discussion, he had never found a suitable opportunity to raise the question.
And now, he finally discovered that the question he wanted to ask had some relevance to Confucius's goal.
"If it's just the thoughts of the Hundred Schools of Thought, with Confucius's knowledge, unifying the Hundred Schools of Thought would not be difficult!" Laozi suddenly sighed and said.
He finally found an opportunity, and naturally, he would use this opportunity to ask Confucius for a solution to the problem.
"Does Master mean that besides the Hundred Schools of Thought, other human thoughts will also emerge?" King Zhou replied.
Laozi suddenly brought the topic here, which clearly had a certain purpose.
He had some conjectures about Laozi's words, and Laozi's subsequent remarks would be the true purpose of their private conversation today.
At this moment, he already had a faint guess about Laozi's question.
Besides the Hundred Schools of Thought, what else would interfere with human thought? He already had an idea in his mind.
"Do you know Western Religion?" Laozi asked.
The question he was about to ask was related to Western Religion.
He had already deduced that the power of Great Shang was now crumbling and unable to maintain itself, so its control over various regions had weakened.
Western Religion would definitely take advantage of this to spread its doctrines, which would have a great impact on human thought.
"Of course, I know. Is the other thought Master mentioned Western Religion?" King Zhou asked, feigning ignorance.
He thought to himself, Laozi's question was indeed related to Western Religion.
How could he not be familiar with this former enemy of Great Shang?
However, just as Laozi said, if Western Religion were to spread among humans, it would definitely be detrimental to his goal of unifying human thought.
Laozi bringing up Western Religion definitely had his own ulterior motives.
However, the issue of Western Religion was something he would have to face sooner or later, even if Laozi didn't mention it.
Moreover, according to the current timeline, it was already time for Western Religion to greatly prosper.
As one of the Three Corpses of the Taiqing Saint, Laozi would naturally not choose to idly watch Western Religion become too prosperous.
Therefore, discussing Western Religion with him now was understandable.
"It will still take time for the Human Race to unify again. In this situation, it is impossible for Western Religion to do nothing.
Western Religion is bound to spread eastward among humans and greatly prosper. You should know that Western Religion's thought is likely very unfavorable to Confucius's goal of unifying human thought!" Laozi said.
Through his calculations of the Heavenly Dao, he had already deduced that the time for Western Religion to greatly prosper was approaching.
Even the Three Corpses walking among humans were to find a solution to hinder this matter.
If the doctrines of Western Religion were allowed to spread among humans, given the current situation of impending war among humans, the spread of Western Religion would definitely be extremely fast.
At that time, not only would the Luck of Western Religion increase, but the Human Clan Luck would also be shared by Western Religion.
This was a situation that Laozi, who sought to maintain the balance between heaven and earth, was unwilling to see.
If Western Religion were to greatly prosper, this world would definitely become even more chaotic, which was why he was determined to prevent Western Religion from flourishing.
He felt that with Confucius's aura of a Saint and his comprehension, he might have a method.
"I understand Master's meaning. If Western Religion spreads among humans, it will have an impact on both the Human Race and my goal. Is Master bringing this up because you want to stop Western Religion?" King Zhou asked.
Setting aside the two Saints of Western Religion, he also disliked Western Religion greatly.
If the Hundred Schools of Thought could elevate the level of human thought,
Then Western Religion's thought was a confinement of human thought.
The doctrines of Western Religion were based on the theory of cause and effect and Reincarnation, governed by the five precepts and ten good deeds, and centered on the idea of transcending the world and attaining liberation.