Chapter 282: Chapter 280: Duel! Shushan Sword Sect

"You are...?" Zhu Ge asked.

"I am Li Mubai, a student from the academy in Zigong City." The young Confucian Scholar greeted him with a fist-and-palm salute.

"Just now, I was in the tavern when I heard the resounding boom of your literary heart. Then I heard people say that you are Mr. Zhu Ge, the creator of the New Confucian Dao, so I took the liberty of chasing after you."

"Sir, I... I’d like to ask you to write an inscription for me."

’An inscription?’ Zhu Ge was taken aback.

A moment later, he realized that this world also seemed to have something similar to fans and autographs.

So he took the book, pulled a brush from his sleeve, and on the flyleaf wrote the words, "Heaven’s movement is ever vigorous; thus, the noble man makes himself strong and untiring," before signing his name.

Li Mubai took the book back, so excited his eyes turned red and his cheeks flushed. "Thank you, Mr. Zhu Ge! Thank you!"

"You’re welcome." Zhu Ge smiled. "Study hard and work for the people."

"Yes!" Li Mubai nodded vigorously. "I will definitely study hard, and in the future, I will be like you, Sir, and create my own Dao!"

Watching him, Zhu Ge was suddenly reminded of himself back in Jianshan Village.

Back then, he hadn’t started cultivating yet; he wasn’t even at the First Realm.

But he had an unyielding heart, a heart that yearned to become stronger.

It was this heart that had supported him all the way to where he was today.

"Let’s encourage each other." Zhu Ge patted Li Mubai’s shoulder.

Li Mubai nodded vigorously again, then turned and ran off.

Liu Jianjian watched his retreating figure and couldn’t help but sigh. "A being in the First Realm... In the wild, they’re nothing more than a potential snack, liable to be gobbled up at any moment."

"But among the Human Race, a being like that can approach you, Master, and ask for an inscription. It’s truly... truly..."

Liu Jianjian couldn’t think of the right word for a long time.

"This is what it means to pass on a legacy." Zhu Ge smiled, unconcerned.

The night grew deeper, but the festive lanterns remained as brilliant as ever.

Zhu Ge set off again with his companions.

True Monarch Minmian had already moved into the Self Realm and wasn’t riding in the carriage.

He was just getting over a cold, and the spicy food had started his cough again.

The others, however, continued as usual.

Zhu Ge also entered the Self Realm, closed his eyes, and replayed the day’s events in his mind.

Lin Zhi’s "Power," Lin Fu’s fists, the Cyan Plum Scholar’s forbearance, Young Master Zhang’s arrogance, Li Mubai’s passion... Everyone had their own path, and everyone was walking it.

His own path was still long, but he was in no hurry.

He sat cross-legged by the Spirit Rice Field in his Self Realm. Moonlight filtered down from the array in the dome above, casting a silvery-white glow upon the water’s surface.

The air above the stalk of Tide Level Rice still shimmered slightly, like an invisible flame burning.

He had looked at it many times. Each time he felt he understood a little more, yet he could never fully grasp it.

The Blood Armor Immortal lay at the bottom of the wooden box, its six legs gripping the thousand-year peach wood tightly, its single horn trembling slightly.

Its carapace had changed from deep red to dark red, and the golden patterns on it were denser than before, with a faint flow of Spiritual Qi circulating within.

Zhu Ge infused a wisp of Witch Power into its body. The Blood Armor Immortal’s body began to glow faintly, and the tip of its horn ejected a stream of pale cyan air as thin as a strand of hair.

The stream of air circled once in the air before landing in Zhu Ge’s palm, licking him gently like an invisible tongue.

’It’s been twenty-three days,’ Zhu Ge counted silently. He placed the Blood Armor Immortal back in its wooden box and tucked it into his sleeve.

He stood up and began to walk slowly through the Self Realm.

The Spirit Rice in the field had already grown ears, which were heavy and bent the stalks.

The ear produced by the Tide Level Rice was a full size larger than the others. Its grains were plump, and a faint golden light seemed to flow across their surface.

Zhu Ge reached out and gently stroked a leaf of the Tide Level Rice. The leaf trembled slightly, as if responding to his touch.

Zhu Ge smiled, then left the Self Realm and returned to the carriage.

The carriage had already left Zigong City and was heading north along the main road.

The wheels rolled over the gravel, making a CREAKING sound.

Liu Jianjian rode alongside on Mazhu, still carrying the rabbit lantern. The candle inside had been replaced with a new one, its flame flickering in the night wind, casting shifting light and shadow on her face.

Zhu Sisi was perched on her shoulder, now awake. It chewed on a mulberry leaf, its eyes half-open as if lost in thought.

"Master, where are we heading next?" Liu Jianjian asked.

"The Shushan Sword Sect." Zhu Ge thought for a moment. "We’re passing through Shujiang. It wouldn’t be right not to pay the Shushan Sword Sect a visit."

Liu Jianjian’s eyes lit up. "The Shushan Sword Sect? Isn’t there someone there who’s in the top twenty of the Sheji Chart?"

Since Zhu Ge was about to be listed on the Sheji Chart, Liu Jianjian was naturally paying attention to it as well.

"I believe so." Zhu Ge nodded, a glint in his eyes. "From now on, I’m going to challenge every sect, city, and family, one by one, until I comprehend ’Power’."

Challenges!

After this period of cultivation, Zhu Ge had discovered that it was very difficult for him to make breakthroughs in the Immortal Dao and the Witch Dao.

His breakthrough in the Martial Dao came from life-and-death tempering, and his breakthrough in the Confucian Dao came from writing the *Book of Changes*.

That being the case, Zhu Ge was going to challenge all the prodigies between here and Shengjing.

No need to wait for the prodigies to come to him.

Any prodigy who hadn’t gone to Nanyue Mianhuang, or any expert in the middle or late stages of the Third Realm.

As long as he encountered them on his journey, Zhu Ge would challenge them!

You have to understand, Zhu Ge had previously crammed his head full of knowledge from many books; he knew of countless sects, major sects, and powerful families.

He would challenge his way straight to Shengjing!

"Challenge them one by one?" Liu Jianjian’s eyes widened. "Master, didn’t you say you wanted to keep a low profile?"

"A low profile is for survival," Zhu Ge smiled. "A high profile is for getting stronger. Right now, I need to get stronger, so I’ll take a high profile."

Liu Jianjian nodded, seeming to only half-understand.

Mazhu snorted. "Master, what if you get beaten to death?"

"Then you wouldn’t have to pull the carriage anymore. You’d be free," Zhu Ge shot it a glance.

Mazhu chuckled. "In that case, please don’t get beaten to death. I don’t want to be free."

Zhu Ge was exasperated. "That would be best."

The carriage continued north. The moonlight was like water, spilling over the mountains and rivers of Shujiang.

In the distance, the mountains stretched on and on, looking like slumbering behemoths in the darkness. Mist swirled faintly around their peaks, and it was impossible to tell if it was natural fog or the Sword Qi of cultivators.

Zhu Ge closed his eyes, planning his upcoming route in his mind.

North of Zigong City, the first stop was the Shushan Sword Sect.

The Shushan Sword Sect was the largest Sword Dao sect in Shujiang. It had thousands of disciples, no fewer than several dozen elders at or above the Third Realm, and its Sect Leader, Jian Wuxin, was a Great Power of the Fusion Realm.

It was said that the sect’s Sword Storage Pavilion housed Sword Intent Stone Carvings left behind by past sect leaders, and that each trace of Sword Intent contained a nascent form of "Power."

If he could comprehend even a fraction of it, it would be of great benefit to his Martial Dao.

’Maybe I could even pick up the Sword Dao for fun?’

Of course, the process would surely not be easy.

A treasure like that was the heart of a sect’s legacy. How could they possibly let an outsider view it so easily?

If Zhu Ge wanted to see it, he would probably have to go to some trouble.

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