Chapter 156: Chapter 153: Human Sage Seeks Inheritance Chapter 156: Chapter 153: Human Sage Seeks Inheritance It was said that after the Hundred Sage Scholars suppressed Chang’an, the Dragon Vein’s Qi gradually gathered there. However, it was apparent that Chang’an was not a place of permanence, and the Qi of the Dragon Vein would eventually move.

When the Heaven-Penetrating Sect Hierarch severed the last lifeline of the Great Han Dynasty with a single stroke of his sword, the Dragon Vein’s Qi then converged in three locations: one in Eastern Rivers, one in Western Shu, and one in the North. It was these three places that would give rise to dominant leaders, creating the situation of the Three Kingdoms standing together.

One day, a person emerged from the Dragon’s Eye of Chang’an, clad in armor, incredibly majestic and full of dominant aura, it was Sun Wu from the Hundred Sage Scholars, a master of the Militarists.

Sun Wu said with a smile, “Now it should be the turn of my descendants to carry on a portion of the Qi. I should also go and give them some guidance and teach them the art of war.”

Confucius said, “Go ahead.”

The art of war is indeed a scholarly study, and Sun Wu is the progenitor of the Militarists. He possesses “The Art of War by Sun Tzu,” a book that embodies the philosophy of both the Taoist Sect and the Militarists. Revered through the ages, it is a sacred text of military studies. When Sun Tzu wrote this book, he comprehended the true essence of the Militarists. Initially influenced by Taoism, the completion of this book allowed him to touch the Heavenly Dao, achieving the status of a Human Sage and thus immortality.

Sun Wu said solemnly, “I also know that now a majority of the world’s Qi has converged upon two others. The world should take the form of a Three-Legged Cauldron! My Sun Clan is only part of the Heavenly Dao’s maintenance of balance. As a Human Sage, I can see clearly and will not act against Heaven’s will. Rest assured, Master.”

Confucius is among the scholars in the Hundred Schools of Thought considered to have profound knowledge, including some sages who are his disciples, such as Mencius and Xunzi. Even Han Feizi, a prominent figure from Legalism, was educated in Confucianism, reflecting the significant position of Confucianism within the Hundred Schools of Thought. Confucius’s modest and gentle nature also earned him respect from many, so his words were generally heeded by other scholars. However, academic issues were another matter and could lead to debates. After all, they were all scholars and intellectuals of the highest calibre, and none would back down easily. Sometimes, even Mencius would refute some of Confucius’s academic views.

Mozi, standing up from the Dragon’s Eye, said, “Ghost Valley and I observed the celestial phenomenon last night. A great Qi Runner has born in Langya Yangdu who can inherit our Mohist Mechanical Arts along with Ghost Valley’s School of Diplomacy principles.”

Ghost Valley, clad in a Taoist Robe and appearing quite ancient, said, “This person is born with the talent that measures the heavens and weighs the earth, graced with a Seven Stars fate and seemingly favored by the Qi of Emperor Fuxi. In future, he could achieve greatness!”

Zou Zi then said, “I will go with the two of you; this person has also inherited our Yin-Yang School’s Qi.”

The Yin-Yang School, derived from the Taoist Sect, evolved Tai Chi and created the Five Elements, becoming a great academic discipline. However, it was overshadowed by other Daoist teachings, making it less prominent among the Hundred Schools of Thought. Yet, could any individual who achieves the status of Human Sage be considered mediocre?

All the scholars present were astonished, unable to believe that someone could simultaneously inherit the Qi of three different schools. This was indeed terrifying, and they wondered what kind of monster could be created.

Sun Wu then went to search for his descendant, Sun Jian. Meanwhile, the other three scholars headed to Langya.

Upon reaching Langya Yangdu, Mozi, Ghost Valley, and Zou Zi saw a house emitting a soaring red light, signifying the presence of a great Qi Runner. Only the three of them could see this, as outsiders not schooled in their three philosophies would find it hard to discern.

Entering the household, they saw a nearly ten-year-old child, handsome and holding a scroll of “The Art of War by Sun Tzu,” shaking his head as he read.

Seeing no one else in the residence, the three sages appeared and asked, “What is the name of this child?”

The child, surprised by the appearance of three old men, said, “My surname is Zhuge, and my name is Liang. What brings you three old gentlemen here?”

It turned out, this person was the very Zhuge Liang who would later help Liu Bei establish his reign, though he was still young at the time.

Ghost Valley, not answering directly, asked, “I have some skills here, would you like to learn them?”

Zhuge Liang’s eyes twinkled as he asked, “What skills do you possess, old master? Could they allow me to become a king or a high-ranking official?”

Hearing this, the three couldn’t help but feel secretly thrilled. This boy indeed harbored great ambitions and spirit, fitting for someone born for such a destiny.

“I possess the technique of Vertical and Horizontal Alliances,” Ghost Valley replied with a smile. “It allows one to maneuver through situations freely, mastering introspection, rhetoric, understanding stratagems, exhibiting intelligence and bravery, fostering long-term planning, and decisiveness. There is nothing you could not achieve or places you could not reach!”

Zhuge Liang asked, “Is it like the skills of Su Qin or Zhang Yi?”

Ghost Valley was astonished upon hearing the mention of his two prized disciples and chuckled, “Indeed, indeed! Once you learn my art of diplomacy, you can move freely and grasp the world within your palm.”

Zhuge Liang said, “Then I shall study it, please teach me, Master.”

At this moment, Mozi also spoke, “I possess some skills too, would you like to learn them?”

Although Zhuge Liang was young, he realized that these three individuals were probably quite significant and capable, but due to his young age, he naturally didn’t ponder too deeply.

“May I know what skills this elder possesses?” Zhuge Liang asked.

“My skills are to teach you the principle of universal love, to instruct you in crafting intricate mechanical devices, capable of ingeniously defying nature,” Mozi replied.

“I would like to learn that too!” Zhuge Liang said, “Please teach me, Master.”

Now in the chaotic era, Mozi saw clearly that achieving ‘non-aggression’ was not so simple, so he only imparted the doctrine of universal love, allowing Zhuge Liang to understand the value of equality and mutual care. This was precisely the reason why Zhuge Liang was highly esteemed among the common people, as he treated everyone equally. What Mozi principally passed on was his Mohist expertise on intricate mechanical devices, and Zhuge Liang’s inventions such as the repeating crossbow and Wooden Ox and Flowing Horse derived from these teachings.

Zhuge Liang turned to ask Zou Zi, “May I know what this elder can teach me?”

Stroking his beard, Zou Zi smiled and said, “I will teach you the Yin-Yang doctrine, the division of Tai Chi, the evolution of the Five Elements, knowledge of astronomy, understanding of geography, as well as divination and summoning immortals. Would you like to learn?”

Overjoyed, Zhuge Liang exclaimed, “I want to learn, I want to learn! I wish to learn from all three masters.”

Indeed:

His achievements overshadowed The Three Kingdoms, his fame matched the Eight Trigrams Formation.

It was indeed the Yin-Yang School that Zhuge Liang had studied, which enabled him to master the Taiyi Divine Calculation, to skillfully arrange the Eight Trigrams Array, and even to temporarily communicate with the Heavenly Dao to extend his own life.

Mozi then left a manuscript of “Mohist Mechanical Arts” for Zhuge Liang, Ghost Valley left “Vertical and Horizontal Alliances,” “Ghost Valley Art of War,” and “The Art of Qimen Dunjia” for Zhuge Liang, while Zou Zi left books like “Yin-Yang Inquiry” and “Heavenly Mechanism Chart” to Zhuge Liang. These books were recreated and organized by them, whereas the originals that remained in the mortal world were ancient versions, many of which had even been lost over time.

Ghost Valley said, “By learning our skills, you will naturally be able to communicate with both the divine and human worlds, and when the time comes, a wise ruler will seek you out, and you will surely rise to be a marquis or a minister!”

Zhuge Liang bowed and said, “Thank you, Masters, for passing on the manuals. I will diligently study them day and night.”

The three sages nodded slightly. Having passed on the books, they did not stay any longer but instructed Zhuge Liang not to show these books to outsiders.

Sun Wu found Sun Jian but did not reveal himself; instead, he enhanced the qi fortune surrounding him, making it even stronger, and then moved on to Eastern Wu to find a talented individual named Zhou Yu, to whom he passed a manual of military tactics so that he could support Sun Wu in the future. Unfortunately, Zhou Yu had an ill-fated destiny as his life was marked for early death, which seemed to be the work of the Heavenly Dao.

Since the individuals supported by the Buddhist sect had powerful fortunes, the Daoist Sect supported Sun Clan and Liu Clan. While Sun Clan focused on balancing power, whether Liu Bei could turn the tide was still under discussion.

With this, the Hundred Sage Scholars emerged, each searching for inheritors of great qi fortunes to impart their knowledge, and thus fully unveiled the curtain on the chaotic era of the Three Kingdoms.

To find out what happens next, please stay tuned for the next installment.

PS: I’ve nearly written 500,000 words, and I’ve hit a bottleneck. This chapter was particularly stifling and uncomfortable to write. Although the content seems standard without much personal bias, writing it felt incredibly constipated and was unbearably sluggish. Moreover, I caught a bad cold, which has not helped my writing state at all!

The planning for this volume has also been a headache, as the intertwined conflicts between the Dao of Immortals and the mortal world have been overwhelming. The arrangement for the future text hasn’t been decided yet. The Three Kingdoms period is merely an interlude, not intended to be written as a historical novel. Important battles will be mentioned briefly while integrating magical combat of the Dao of Immortals. The main focus will still be on the struggles within the Dao of Immortals, perhaps leaning towards a lighter approach in later writings.