Translator: Lordbluefire
“What if the Darkness Continent is fully explored?”
Bai Xiging did not let Sun Mo off and raised an even more piercing question.
Standing amongst Sun Mo’s supporters in the crowd, Li Zigi gritted her teeth in anger.
“Isn’t this woman Teacher’s fan? Why does she keep asking questions with such cutting criticism?”
“Cutting criticism?” Lu Zhiruo blinked, not really understanding.
“You’ll understand when you grow up!” Helian Beifang chuckled.
“Zhiruo, remember this, don’t ask questions you shouldn’t be asking and don’t say things you shouldn’t be saying.”
Qin Yaoguang rolled her eyes. Her Senior Martial Sister Lu was a little stupid, but it was not her fault. She had never come into contact with such knowledge.
“The Darkness Continent is so vast that less than 30% of it has been explored to date. Therefore, the problem you are considering now is just groundless worries
Sun Mo replied firmly, “Teacher Bai, don’t forget that no matter how powerful a weapon is, we humans are the ones using it in the end. For evil or for good. Isn’t it a choice humans make?
“speaking of this, everything comes down to education. I hope that the great teachers here can impart their teachings to the students and set a good example for them so that they can establish the right values. The more outstanding the students we teach, the better the world will be!”
Buzz!
Priceless Advice exploded. After that, golden light spots burst forth from his body and radiated throughout the entire public square. For a moment, everyone fell into deep thought.
“Wow, Teacher is awesome. He actually brought the topic back!”
Qin Yaoguang was amused.
“T’s really amazing how he made the point!”
Tantai Yutang applauded.
Sun Mo swept his gaze across the entire venue and looked at the contemplating faces. He could not help but puff out his chest. At this moment, the sense of responsibility in his heart became even stronger.
(Every word and action I make, on some level, might decide the course of this world.)
Take Li Ziqi for example. Sun Mo was able to influence her. If he instilled militarism in her, she would very likely let the war chariot named the Great Tang embark on the journey to rule over the Nine Provinces.
Influencing one person could lead to influencing a group or even a country. Perhaps this was the meaning behind the saints bringing enlightenment to the people?
For the first time, Sun Mo began to seriously understand the weight of the word ‘saint’.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
All of a sudden, three beams of golden light shot out from the crowd. Some people in the crowd had understood Sun Mo’s words and gained enlightenment to great teacher halos.
“Learning from Everyone!”
“Unashamed Consultation!”
“And Model Teacher!”
Some knowledgeable people immediately mentioned the names of the three halos, causing many great teachers to break into looks of envy.
Their trip here was definitely made very worthwhile.
“Thank you Teacher Sun for your guidance!”
Bai Xiging bowed and changed her way of address toward Sun Mo.
Sun Mo smiled and nodded. “Next!”
“Teacher Sun, there has always been a bad habit in the Nine Provinces since ancient times where people treasure their knowledge and cultivation arts too much. They would impart them to the males and not females, or the personal disciples would have to be put through tests for several decades before
the teacher would impart a cultivation art. What do you think of this?”
A middle-aged man stood up. When he said this, he looked furious.
Without a doubt, he must be a student who had been eliminated by his teacher.
“Let me say something first. As long as one is a great teacher who aspires to become a saint, their goal will definitely be to educate all people. Therefore, they will definitely be able to reach the mental state of teaching without discrimination.”
Sun Mo deliberated over his words.
“In my opinion, whether a great teacher imparts knowledge or cultivation arts, it shouldn’t be because of their personal preferences or blood ties but because of the student’s character. In that case, it’s fine to test the student for a few years.”
“For example, what if I taught a student a top-notch cultivation art, and he or she used it to bring disaster to the Nine Provinces?
“Humans are the most complicated creatures!”
Sun Mo looked at the middle-aged man. “Of course, there are also some scums in the great teacher world who leave their students hanging to make them work like oxen or horses, ordering them around as servants. Everyone has a right to punish such people.”
“To be able to meet Teacher is the luckiest thing in my life!”
Helian Beifang was filled with emotions.
“That goes without saying.” Lu Zhiruo was very proud. “I think Teacher is stronger than Daddy.”
Li Ziqi then recalled her first encounter with Sun Mo at Yunting Lake and smiled blissfully.
There would be all kinds of birds when the forest was big.
Some people with bad intentions wanted to see Sun Mo suffer, so they asked tricky questions one after another.
For example, if a boat sank and more than 10 people on the boat couldn’t swim, who would Sun Mo save first?
Why?
The premise was that those who were not saved would die.
‘There was another advanced example of this question. A boat sank and over 10 people fell into the water. If one person was sacrificed, then the rest would all be saved. Who would Sun Mo choose to be this sacrifice? Or was he not going to choose one?
For the first time, Sun Mo felt his scalp tingle. Who said that ancient people were down-to-earth?
(F*ck, these questions are so sharp!)
“Were these people sent by the Dark Dawn to create trouble?”
Even someone as good-tempered as Jiang Leng felt like beating them up.
“No matter how you answer such questions, the haters will be able to find something to criticize you.”
‘Tantai Yutang also found this troubling.
Everyone was indignant, but they realized that Lu Zhiruo and Xianyu Wei, the two little fan girls, didn’t speak. Hence, they turned around and saw the two of them seriously considering things.
Pa!
The sickly guy knocked on the papaya girl’s head.
“Don’t think about it. This is the work of someone who has too much free time.”
Sun Mo could actually beat around the bush and give an indirect answer, but he didn’t. He would say whatever he thought.
“Lwon’t ask for your approval. I just hope that you can think independently and not blindly follow the crowd!”
Sun Mo added.
Unknowingly, the sun had set. The question and answer day ended.
“Thank you for coming for the past seven days!”
Sun Mo bowed. “If there’s a chance, I still hope to come onto the rostrum!”
“Great Teacher Sun, seven days is too short. Why don’t you lecture for a few more days?”
“Icame two days ago, and I missed out on quite a bit of content. Can you extend the lecture a little longer?”
“Teacher Sun, I still have many questions that I wish to ask you. What should I do? Will I be able to see you if I go to the Central Province Academy?”
‘When they heard that this was the last day of Sun Mo’s lectures, everyone was unhappy and kept squeezing forward. They also shouted, wanting to tell Sun Mo their opinions and requests.
“Be quiel
Wei Ziyou bellowed.
Profound Words erupted, making it as if someone had pressed the pause button on the rowdy crowd, with the noise abruptly stopping.
“The time for the lecture tour has been arranged beforehand. I mustn’t hold up the schedule.”
Sun Mo said apologetically.
Actually, it was alright to have a few days of delay, but since the initial lecture was so effective, it would be fine to let things rest and brew. There was no need to put in more effort.
Instead, Sun Mo wanted to use this period to correct the shortcomings and drawbacks in his lectures and strive to do better next time.
“Great Teacher Sun, one last question. What do you think of polygamy? Although you’re not married, rumor has it that you have many close female friends?”
Another person shouted.
Everyone liked to hear such gossip, especially those who were Sun Mo’s supporters. Hence, they all pricked up their ears, afraid that they would miss out on a single word.
Sun Mo smiled and didn’t reply. However, he wanted to curse out loud in his heart. (I have many close female friends?)
(Do you know that my right-chan{1] is going to die of exhaustion?)
‘The Jixia Lectures ended and Sun Mo slept soundly for two days.
After hearing that Mei Yazhi was in seclusion to perform alchemy, Sun Mo gave up on paying her a visit. Instead, he brought his students around and played in Han City for two days to tour the famous historical sites nearby.
“Oh right, why hasn’t anyone come to ask me for advice during this period?”
Sun Mo looked at the withered red maple leaves by the roadside, feeling a little puzzled. (Logically speaking, with my reputation rising, there should be a long line of people coming to seek guidance.)
“Junior Martial Sister Baiwu and Junior Martial Sister Xianyu bashed up those challengers.”
Li Zigi covered her mouth and chuckled.
“The two of them have beaten up almost all the students in Jixia Academy.”
Qin Yaoguang also felt that this was funny. Sun Mo had said before that they’d only have the right to ask for his guidance after they came to a draw when fighting against Sun Mo’s disciples. In order to let Sun Mo rest more and prepare for his lectures, these two girls did not show any mercy.
They had defeated four students who were top of their cohort.
“So that’s how it is!”
Sun Mo was struck by a realization.
After ending his short vacation, Sun Mo came to the Heaven-Ask Library.
He had left in a hurry that day and hadn’t had the chance to carefully reminisce about the mysterious book. This time, he wanted to make up for it.
“Teacher Sun!”
On the way, all the students and teachers who saw Sun Mo bowed respectfully and called him teacher (lao shi[2]).
Sun Mo had impressed them deeply with his performance.
Sun Mo then entered the library, and the administrator immediately stood up to welcome him.
“Teacher Sun, your lectures were really amazing. It made people so focused that they couldn’t think about anything else for three whole months!”
‘The administrator sighed and handed a book to Sun Mo respectfully. “Teacher Sun, please help me sign this.”
“You’re too kind. What should I write?” Sun Mo said humbly.
“Maybe just go with: in a group of three, there will definitely be one person who can be my teacher.”
‘The administrator requested, “Please use the Slender Gold[3] style!”
After Sun Mo was done writing, the administrator put the book away carefully and then chased after him. “Teacher Sun, aren’t you planning to try clearing the other Divine Book too?”
‘When other people heard this, they craned their necks to look over.
“Not interested!”
Sun Mo did not want to be treated like a monkey. Even if he wanted to go through the book, it would be when there were fewer people.
“That’s a pity.”
The administrator felt sad.
Sun Mo smiled politely and was about to go upstairs when he heard a huge commotion.
“What happened?”
The administrator frowned and immediately ran out. He scolded, “Can you act decently? Don’t you know that it’s forbidden to make a ruckus in the library… what… what the f*ck!”
The last part of the administrator’s sentence turned into a swear. His eyes widened like a cowpox blister as he stared at the book that came flying down from upstairs.
(Isn’t this the book that no one can open?)
(To think that it can fly?)
(Hold on, what I should be concerned about is whether or not it’ll escape.)
‘The administrator had wanted to jump up and catch it, but he was worried that he would damage it. At this moment, a thought struck him and he thought of a possibility.
Could this Divine Book be looking for Sun Mo?
“What? This is one of the two great Divine Books in the Heaven-Ask Library?”
Both books were stored on the top floor and many students were not qualified to browse through them, so they naturally had no chance to see them. Now that they had the opportunity to see one, they immediately chased after it.
They then saw the book coming to a stop and hovering in front of Sun Mo..
CREATORS’ THOUGHTS
‘2 Lordbluefire
[1] Referring to his right hand.
[2] The term ‘laoshi’ (old/elder teacher) has been mentioned before. In this story’s context, it is a much more respectful way of addressing someone compared to simply using the word ‘shi’ (teacher)
[3] Emperor Huizong invented the “Slender Gold” / style of calligraphy. The name “Slender Gold” came from the fact that the emperor’s writing resembled gold filament, twisted and tumed, also inspired by Li Yu who called his calligraphy “Golden Inlaid Dagger”. Some theories posit his technique probably based on calligraphy works by Chu Suiliang, Xue Ji, or Huang
Tingjian.
