Chapter 4: Sensation

Chapter 4: Sensation

In the humble bookshop at the foot of Green Mountain.

Li Qingchen stared at the young man before him, his heart churning with waves of shock.

To be able to grasp the essence of Dao patterns with a mere glance, without needing to delve deeply into their meanings, was akin to reading ordinary text.

A prodigy of the Scholarly Path?

A born Great Scholar?

Dao patterns were not just simple characters; each one contained profound Dao and principles.

If one could understand the articles written in Dao patterns, their understanding of the Scholarly Path would advance at an incredible pace. This was why Li Qingchen was so concerned.

Li Qingchen had spent his life in the literary world, encountering countless geniuses, but this situation was unprecedented. He was momentarily stunned.

Meanwhile, Su Changqing, under the intense gaze of his teacher, felt a knot form in his stomach.

"Is the atmosphere this serious? Did I say something wrong?"

The room's atmosphere became awkward, with neither of them speaking, each lost in their thoughts.

After a long while, Li Qingchen finally spoke, his tone much gentler this time.

"Since you understood it at first glance, why did you wait for two hours?"

Initially, Li Qingchen had only intended to complete the simple transaction, but now he was genuinely interested in the young man's talent.

However, he considered more than just potential when taking on a disciple; he also valued their character. If Su Changqing had a good character, he wouldn't mind taking on a fourth disciple.

"Teacher, these simple characters hold deep meanings, and it took me some time to understand them," Su Changqing explained.

Li Qingchen chuckled, realizing his mistake.

His original intention was to consider the test passed if the character was recognized, but it was awkward to admit that someone had seen through it at first glance.

After all, it was the teacher's test, so how could it be just a simple 'one'?

For others, Dao patterns were difficult to understand, but Su Changqing grasped them immediately. It was no wonder he had overthought it.

However, this realization piqued Li Qingchen's interest, and he looked at Su Changqing with renewed curiosity.

"You could see deep meanings in a simple 'one'? Why don't you explain what you see in it?"

Li Qingchen smiled, poured himself a cup of tea, and looked at Su Changqing with a playful expression.

He was eager to hear what this prodigy of the Scholarly Path could say about such a simple character.

"The Great Dao is simple, yet it gives rise to the most complex."

Su Changqing's first words made Li Qingchen's face change instantly.

"A 'one' may be simple, but it can be seen as the beginning of all things."

"And Dao gives rise to one, one gives rise to two, two gives rise to three, and three gives rise to all things, endless and boundless."

"When we meet for the first time, Teacher, you give me a 'one'. I believe you are telling me that a thousand-mile journey begins with a single step, starting from 'one'."

Boom!

At that moment, Li Qingchen's mind was shaken, and he could no longer hear Su Changqing's words.

"Dao gives rise to one, one gives rise to two, two gives rise to three, and three gives rise to all things, endless and boundless!"

These few words resonated in his heart like a great bell, stirring up a tidal wave.

As the foremost scholar of his generation, Li Qingchen understood the profound weight of these words.

Each character was imbued with deep truths and profound Dao, encapsulating the vast universe and the beginning and end of all living things.

These simple words not only stunned Li Qingchen.

In the Central Province, at the Holy Academy.

Founded by the Scholarly Emperor, this academy was the ultimate aspiration for all scholars.

To prevent the talents of commoners from being buried, the Scholarly Emperor erected a statue.

Whenever a profound and world-shaking truth was revealed, the statue would emit a radiant light, guiding students and announcing it to the world.

Two days ago, a young scholar had composed a four-character poem, causing the Scholarly Emperor's statue to emit a hundred-foot-tall glow, bestowing a sense of righteousness and allowing the young scholar to lay the foundation of his cultivation in a single day.

This event was widely discussed, and even after two days, it was still talked about in the streets and alleys.

Suddenly, the Scholarly Emperor's statue at the center of the Holy Academy trembled.

Boom!

Ten thousand feet of radiant light illuminated the entire city, and a vast sense of righteousness filled the sky.

【Great Dao of Truth】

Four luminous Dao patterns appeared in the sky, lingering for a long time without fading.

Everyone in the city, from the street vendors to the renowned scholars, stared at the dramatically transformed sky, the entire city falling silent for a moment.

But the next instant, a deafening clamor erupted.

"Emperor of Literature has manifested! Emperor of Literature has manifested! Ten thousand feet of radiant light! The heavens have produced a talent of unparalleled greatness!"

"The ultimate truth of the Dao! To receive such high praise, what kind of astonishing work could this be?"

"Two days ago, we said a hundred feet of radiance was a once-in-a-decade occurrence, but now, someone has made the Emperor of Literature's statue glow with ten thousand feet of light! This hasn't happened in ten thousand years!"

"A hundred feet of light isn’t even worth mentioning next to ten thousand feet of literary radiance! These are entirely different concepts!"

"Whoever it is, we must find him. Send a message to the Scholar Immortal! Yes, quickly send a message to the Scholar Immortal, and bring this person back at all costs!"

The scholars of the Holy Academy were in a frenzy.

As the sanctuary of literary knowledge, their thirst for wisdom far surpassed that of ordinary people.

The simple four words, "Ultimate Truth of the Dao," made them feel as if they were being clawed by a cat, unable to sit still.

They wanted to see what kind of words could earn such praise from the Emperor of Literature.

Central Province was in turmoil, but unbeknownst to them, another place was also in an uproar.

In the Eastern Domain, the Daoist Holy Land, the Mystic Purity Sect.

Though there were many Daoist sects in the world, the Mystic Purity Sect held the highest prestige, for the last Dao Emperor had come from their ranks.

Recently, it was the time for the young generations of various Daoist sects to gather for a grand discussion.

In front of the Dao Hall, the spirited Dao disciples, some eloquent and others displaying their supernatural abilities, created a lively scene.

But the spirits of the Divine Sky Sect were low.

"Alas, if our sect's Dao disciple hadn't fallen, he would have shone brightly during this grand discussion."

The Patriarch of the Divine Sky Sect sighed, his face somber.

"Brother, don't be disheartened. The Dao disciple's fate was sealed by destiny."

"The most important thing now is to establish a new Dao disciple. Our young generation cannot be without a leader."

An elderly man in a Daoist robe consoled him.

"Establishing a new Dao disciple... it's difficult." The Patriarch sighed again.

Unlike other sects, the establishment of a Dao disciple in Daoist sects required a special connection and a profound understanding of Daoist principles.

A Dao disciple could have low cultivation, but their understanding of Daoist principles must far surpass others.

Such a person was hard to find.

"The other disciples in the sect don't have this ability. I'll go down the mountain in a few days to look for a suitable candidate."

Just as he finished speaking, the old man beside him hadn't yet responded when the heavens suddenly shook.

Ten thousand miles of purple qi rose from the east, and the air resounded with a grand and mysterious Daoist chant.

Pearl curtains hung in the sky, and beads of light covered the ground as lotus flowers bloomed in the void.

Such auspicious signs left all the Daoist masters present stunned, their faces filled with shock.

Moreover, the portrait of the Dao Ancestor, which had hung for ages at the back of the Mystic Purity Sect, began to glow.

Everyone was bewildered; they had never seen such a spectacle.

But the faces of the Daoist masters were filled with excitement.

"The portrait of the Ancestor has come to life! This means a cultivator has appeared in the world who has caught the attention of the Dao Ancestor!"

"Find him! We must find him! The prosperity of our Daoist sect in this generation may depend on this person!"

Upon hearing these words, the others were still in a daze, but the Patriarch of the Divine Sky Sect had already risen.

His fingers moved rapidly, forming seals so fast that afterimages appeared.

"Can't calculate? Concealed by the boundary?"

The Patriarch's face grew stern as he spat out a mouthful of essence blood. Amid the swirling Dao seals, images of vast landscapes seemed to appear.

"In the Southern Domain!"

His eyes shone with excitement, and he was about to refine his calculations further when a green mountain appeared, and his expression suddenly changed.

"Hmph!"

Two cold snorts echoed in his mind like the roars of deities, and the terrifying aura made him spew a mouthful of blood, his face filled with shock.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end