Sun Mo nodded, gesturing that Qin Yaoguang could ask her question.
This girl had a great aptitude and was very intelligent, but her character was too unpredictable. If she were to work hard like Ying Baiwu, then the results she achieved, in the end, would definitely be higher than the iron-headed young girl.
This didn’t mean that Ying Baiwu’s aptitude wasn’t comparable to the snack girl. It was just that the environment she grew up in had brought about her character, causing her perspective of seeing things to be a little problematic.
“Teacher, although most wars are for land, slaves, and wealth that other people have accumulated—after all, snatching is faster than farming land to get rich fast—there are still some people in this world who fight for their beliefs.”
Qin Yaoguang’s expression was very solemn.
One mustn’t discuss such a topic with a joking attitude.
“Your question is really sharp!”
Tantai Yutang threw a glance at the snack girl.
Due to his body’s condition, he was unable to cultivate for a prolonged duration. Therefore, he kept on reading books and amongst his martial siblings, the number of books he had read was second only to Li Ziqi.
The reason he couldn’t beat her was because there were some books that he had no access to given his status.
In the Nine Provinces’ history. A small portion of wars were a result of people having different religious beliefs.
“Beliefs can be categorized as well. Some people fight strongly for internationalism [1], some people fight for Buddhism versus Taoism. Even within Buddhism, there are still further segregations into Mahayana and Hinayana.”
Sun Mo thought. (Thank goodness I’ve read a lot. Otherwise, I’d be stumped by this question.)
“What you’re asking here should be specifically referring to the wars between religions.”
Qin Yaoguang nodded and then felt perplexed. What the hell was internationalism? She then looked toward Li Ziqi.
The little sunny egg shook her head. She had no idea.
Alright, seeing that even the most knowledgeable Eldest Martial Sister didn’t know about this, Lu Zhiruo gave up thinking.
“Let’s ascertain a problem first. What’s the meaning for religions to exist? Or rather, why do people believe in religions?”
Sun Mo asked.
The disciples fell silent. Taoism and Buddhism were the most commonly seen religions in the Nine Provinces. There was also the White Lotus that was banned by all imperial courts. Their members would be killed when discovered. However, Sun Mo’s disciples had never considered the meaning behind their existence.
“For people to entrust their mind and spirits in?”
This was Qin Yaoguang’s recognition.
“To live better lives?”
Lu Zhiruo’s reply was down-to-earth and practical. This was the actual reason why ordinary people believed in religions.
It was like the old men and ladies in the modern world. If they weren’t given things like eggs and rice, why would they go and listen to the teachings?
“To better rule over the citizens?”
Li Ziqi’s words sounded a little outrageous.
Sun Mo couldn’t help but throw a glance at her. As expected of a princess who was pure in heart and spirit. At her level, the things she saw were different from what ordinary people had seen.
Of course, if the people present weren’t her martial siblings, the little sunny egg wouldn’t say such things.
“Various religions have different reasons behind their origins, but the means of recruiting believers are more or less the same. They give people a place to entrust their minds and spirits, telling them that things would be better if they were to believe in the religion.”
Sun Mo explained seriously.
“Wanting to lead better lives. This is the most fundamental requirement that most people want.”
“The earliest teachings of religions might be good, but if they wish to develop further, they’ll definitely have conflicts with the royalty. There’ll then be compromise and eventually symbiosis.”
“Don’t ask me why there’d be conflicts. Think about it for yourself!”
Sun Mo didn’t dare to say it. This was the Nine Provinces, when the era of feudal society was at its peak and there were official persecutions of intellectuals for their writings. He was afraid that if he were to say too much, even his title as a great teacher wouldn’t be able to save him.
Other than Li Ziqi and Qin Yaoguang seemingly deep in thought, the others were all baffled.
“Therefore, the answers given by the three of you are all right.”
Sun Mo laughed.
“To many people, religion is a harbor for their minds and spirits. I’m already going through so many hardships in reality, but you aren’t allowing me to be richer mentally?
“Have you guys noticed it? The greater the disasters and hardships in a dynasty, where people lived in sufferings, the more people turned to religions. On the contrary, the better the lives they led, the less time and effort they’d spend on chanting scriptures. They could just fork out more donations when they visited temples. Wouldn’t it still show their sincerity?
“In history, the wars between religions are mostly led by people with strong ambitions who falsely used the names of religions to get more power and benefits for themselves. It’s to the extent that they’d come up with a righteous reason to explain their killings, plundering, and other evil acts.”
Who said that the Crusades didn’t happen for money?
“The conflicts between religions are just ideological conflicts. But when it goes down to it, it’s still a fight to see which is better, right? But who is the one to decide which is the better one? Is it a certain major character who is the reincarnation of the Gautama Buddha? Is it a certain saint? Or is it the pope?”
Sun Mo asked.
His disciples fell silent. This question was a little difficult.
“It’s the people!”
These were Sun Mo’s perspectives. “I feel that the prerequisite for all religions is to pursue better lives for people.
“On the material level, everyone will have plenty of food, warm clothes, and a big house to live in, which will resolve the problems of hunger and lack of accommodations. It’s back to the saying of ‘people work for their interests’ and not that ‘their entire family will die of starvation if they don’t work.’
“Being fulfilled and wealthy on the spiritual level, not living each day as it goes groggily. People will know what they like, what their pursuits are, and they will spend time on these things.”
Everyone fell silent.
Xianyu Wei opened her mouth. She didn’t manage to hold back and asked.
“It’s impossible for everyone to have enough food and warm clothes, right?”
The tribes on the plains were openly recognized as barbaric, poor, and lagging in development. On the other hand, the Great Tang was a great empire. However, after Xianyu Wei came to Jinling, she discovered that there were many beggars here too. Homeless kids were running along the streets everywhere.
“That’s why knowledge is required!”
“Can religions cause food to grow out of the land? Can it cause the fish and prawns in the ponds to grow? Can it let a child become an upright and reliable man?”
Sun Mo asked.
Everyone shook their heads. That was definitely impossible!
Turning rocks into gold was just a trick to deceive people.
“But knowledge can!”
Sun Mo thought of Old Master Yuan. No one could compare to him. Without the results of his research, many people would have starved to death.
“Helian, when society develops to this state, war will disappear. It’s because there’d be no meaning to initiate wars.”
Of course, Sun Mo wasn’t going to tell Helian that the forms of wars weren’t just killings between two opposing armies. It’d also keep on changing.
It was impossible to completely cut wars out, but this wouldn’t stop everyone from working hard toward this goal.
“Therefore, just do your best in what you want to do. But I hope that you’ll also guide those people to become good role models.”
Would there be no wars between the plains and the Central Plains if there wasn’t Helian Beifang?
That’d be impossible!
Rather than letting someone with a strong killing nature become king of the plains, it’d be better to let one’s personal disciple do it. At least, the disciple would be able to teach and guide people about what a righteous war was!
He hoped that there’d no longer be things like cities getting massacred.
“Teacher, I understand!”
Helian Beifang nodded seriously.
“Why do I feel that I’m listening to a heavenly book?”
Xianyu Wei looked confused, but there was one thing she understood—knowledge was very important. It was the greatest power.
“I feel the same!”
Jiang Leng wasn’t interested in these things. It was too troublesome as he just wanted to live freely.
Qin Yaoguang and the others thought about it seriously.
Sun Mo looked at the papaya girl in surprise. “Did you understand what I said?”
“Not really, but the ideology of letting the world become one and for there to be no wars is very grand. I want to accomplish this.”
Lu Zhiruo’s expression was solemn, and she looked toward Sun Mo. “Teacher, can you teach me how to do it?”
(In the past, I, Lu Zhiruo, only thought of becoming outstanding and receiving Father’s recognition. This pursuit is too insignificant and now, I have a new ideal. That’s right, even if it means that I have to pay the cost of it with my own life, I want to see the day where there’ll be no wars, grief, pain, hunger, or sufferings in this world!)
Buzz!
Golden light lit up on Lu Zhiruo, causing even her face that was shaped like a goose egg to look sacred.
“This is…”
Everyone was stunned.
Li Ziqi paused for a while then smiled. “Junior Martial Sister, congratulations on comprehending the Self-Taught Halo!”
“Huh?”
The papaya girl was given a fright and then her expression turned into joy. “I… I can become a great teacher too?”
“Yes!”
Sun Mo hadn’t expected that the slow-witted papaya girl would gain enlightenment at a time like this.
“Can someone so stupid like me do it too?”
Lu Zhiruo was still uncertain.
“You aren’t stupid, you’re a person with great wisdom even though you appear slow-witted!”
Sun Mo cared about his lucky mascot a lot.
“Although I know Teacher is consoling me, I’ll still accept this praise happily!”
Lu Zhiruo grinned. “We’ll add a dish for dinner! I’ll pay for it!”
“As expected, one can keep on growing non-stop when studying under Teacher!”
Xianyu Wei felt a lot of emotions.
At this moment, she was suddenly very thankful to her previous teacher. If it wasn’t because he had canceled their teacher-student relationship, she wouldn’t have been able to meet Sun Mo.
The others also gave their congratulations, with Tantai Yutang being the only one to wear a bitter look on his face.
To think that he couldn’t compare with Helian Beifang and Lu Zhiruo?
Wasn’t this too funny?
“Alright, today’s lessons are a little too much. You guys are still young and shouldn’t be listening to these things. Let me just say this, this is just my thoughts, so you shouldn’t be spreading it recklessly outside.”
Sun Mo warned.
He didn’t wish to be lashed out by those old-fashioned major characters.
After all, some of the words he said were heinous.
“Let me give you one more line at the very end. Learn more, look more, and think more. With knowledge, you’ll be able to substantiate your ideals, and you might not be restrained by this piece of land in front of you anymore.”
Sun Mo looked at his disciples, feeling hopeful. “Don’t you guys wish to see what beautiful sceneries there are beyond the Nine Provinces?”
“Beyond the Nine Provinces?”
Lu Zhiruo blinked. “Are you referring to the Darkness Continent?”
“Stupid. What Teacher means is the world after shattering the void!”
Tantai Yutang knocked the papaya girl hard on the head. (I’m definitely not going to admit that I’m jealous.)
“Beyond the NinePprovinces?”
Qin Yaoguang mumbled these words, and suddenly, golden light emitted from her body.
“…”
Tantai Yutang felt like cursing. (Why is there another Self-Taught Halo? Can you not toy around with me like that? I proclaim to be a genius, but today, I’ve been given such great blows that I’m going to become autistic.)
Sun Mo was surprised too. Another one?
Wasn’t this an additional bonus?
“To have two students gaining enlightenment in one lesson… Teacher, if news of this were to spread, you’d become the number one great teacher in Jinling.”
Li Ziqi broke into a grin, putting up a thumb. “That’s for sure.”
[1] Sun Mo said this word in an adaptation of the English word and not in the Nine Provinces’ language in which they were using.
