The Thunder King's Rumors

Confucian School looks backward, emphasizing a hierarchical order and predetermined social status, while Mohist School looks forward, advocating equality for all and prioritizing the virtuous. Moreover, martial artists are inherently a group of audacious and arrogant individuals. Therefore, Ji Shichen did not reprimand Si Ming but instead seriously considered the feasibility of repairing the Divine Pillar.

"Rebuilding a Divine Pillar is virtually impossible, but repairing it, while still fraught with difficulties, is theoretically possible. After all, the Divine Pillar possesses self-repairing Divine Ability; it's just that the damage was too severe, exceeding its own limits."

Si Ming's eyes lit up. "Really? Is that possible?"

Ji Shichen poured cold water on the idea, saying, "It's too early to draw conclusions. I hadn't even considered this direction before. We lack the relevant information and need to conduct another investigation. Now we only have two Divine Pillar left, and Nation of Valor might not be willing to lend them to us. However, we've always had a good relationship with Germany, so we can consider applying to them under the guise of a joint investigation."

Si Ming was not discouraged and said, "Preparation is the key to success, and lack of preparation leads to failure. It can't hurt to give it a try. Once we find a method, it's like we've grasped the Achilles' Divine Pillar of the Heaven-Defying Society. They can only secretly destroy the Divine Pillar, while we can repair it openly and honestly. Even if repairing is a hundred times more difficult than destroying, we have a hundred times more manpower, resources, and time than them. If we were to fight them head-on, they Non-Self."

"You're right. There's no harm in giving it a try. Researching the Divine Pillar is one of the hot topics at the Mohist Academy of Science recently, so adding another research direction isn't difficult. I'll personally take charge of this matter."

With Ji Shichen's promise, the matter was half accomplished. There might be people in the country who understand scientific research better than her, but there are very few who understand scientific research and have the same level of Spirit Transformation as her. In this world, if you don't have the corresponding strength, rashly contacting something is tantamount to courting death. For example, some radioactive metals. When the Mohist Academy of Science was studying the properties of materials, they relied on their Internal Cultivation strength to withstand them. They didn't think about protection at all. As for the weak, they would be arranged to do safe experiments.

Researching the technology to repair the Divine Pillar would inevitably offend the Heaven-Defying Society. Without sufficient strength, one could easily be assassinated by them, which is why Si Ming Ji Shichen for help.

At this moment, Ji Shichen spoke up, "By the way, I also have a question I'd like to ask you."

Finally, they arrived. Si Ming felt he had guessed the other party's question. It must be about the reinforcements that suddenly appeared during the battle of the Divine Pillar. Few people knew about the events in the Barbarian Continent. What was normal in the eyes of Si Ming and his companions seemed extremely mysterious to those who did not know.

Suddenly, a large group of bald men appeared, each possessing great strength, and they treated Si Ming with utmost respect, even addressing him as their leader. Anyone would find this plausible, given that Buddhism in the Sea Continent was confined to the Southern Continent and was not particularly prosperous. Furthermore, a closer look would reveal that these people all exhibited the mannerisms and behavior of people from ancient times, their speech and actions vastly different from those of modern people.

Senior Ling probably figured it out too, but she has a cold personality and isn't interested in things that don't concern her, so she wouldn't ask. But someone like Senior Ji, who loves learning, definitely can't help but want to know the truth, especially since it involves space travel, which allows one to experience completely different customs and cultures, and has benefits in many ways. Senior Wu, for example, has secretly gone several times in private.

But there's nothing shameful about these things. On a grander scale, he has promoted the social development of the Barbarian Continent and resolved two crises in the martial arts world. His contributions are truly beneficial to future generations and to the present. Si Ming has told his master Yan Jinghong about all of these things.

He sat up straight and said, "Please ask away, senior. I promise to answer everything I know."

Ji Shichen took out a notebook and asked as if conducting an interview, "Before you left Nation of Valor, two girls came to see you. What did you say to them?"

"Huh?"

It was completely different from what he had guessed, and it took Si Ming a while to come to his senses. "Senior, why are you asking this?"

"Didn't I say I planned to write a novel? So I need to gather some material, especially on these kinds of emotional issues. Real-life examples are the most convincing."

Si Ming only felt a toothache. "But this seems to involve personal privacy."

Ji Shichen countered, "You yourself said you would tell me everything you know."

Well, look at my big mouth.

Helpless, Si Ming could only honestly say, "Actually, it's nothing. We just exchanged contact addresses so we could be pen pals in the future, and then it was just a normal farewell, like saying 'May our friendship endure forever' or something."

Ji Shichen asked skeptically, "Just this little bit? That can't be right, can it?"

"That's all there was to it, nothing worth taking seriously, and plenty of people can testify to it."

Murong Qing Si Huaruo were right there; how could Si Ming possibly bid them a reluctant farewell?

Ji Shichen quickly pressed the button on the pen tip, making the pen tip move in and out. "But I can tell that one of the girls clearly has feelings for you."

Don't you enjoy watching male-male friendships? Why are you so sensitive about matters between men and women?

"It's less about feelings and more about a yearning for heroes. It's like how many girls hope their ideal man is a peerless hero who will one day appear in a grand spectacle, clad in golden armor and riding on a seven-colored cloud to marry them. But this is ultimately just a beautiful fantasy and shouldn't be confused with real-life love."

"Why can't we confuse the two? What's the difference? If a peerless hero were to marry her in such a way, would she refuse?"

It seems... I wouldn't refuse. We only compromise with real-life love because we can't have the love we fantasize about. But if it were realized, there would be no need to compromise.

Si Ming isn't a girl, so he can't understand girls' thoughts. Or, even the most devoted fans—if their favorite celebrity really wanted to marry them, would they agree? Or would they choose to back down and only admire from afar?

"Judging from your previous bold remarks, I thought you were the kind of person who would accept anyone who came your way. But now it seems that's not the case. That girl is quite beautiful, even if she's not stunningly beautiful, she still has countless suitors. Why did you reject her? Was it because your feelings for each other weren't deep enough? Or do you look for someone with a certain level of cultivation, and only those who aren't good enough are acceptable?"

Si Ming was stunned for a moment. He had never thought about this question before, but he made the choice instinctively. When Xin Jia and Cheng Xin came to see him off, although he did not say it explicitly, he still implied to them in a very firm tone that it was impossible for them to be together. "I don't want to hold you back. Let's just be pen pals."

It wouldn't be wrong to say that the feelings weren't deep enough; they weren't even in a flirtatious relationship. But feelings can be cultivated over time, yet she decisively cut off that possibility.

"... Probably because she's an ordinary person."

"Ordinary people?"

"Yes, she has an ordinary personality, an ordinary family background, and an ordinary life. An ordinary person like her would only be dragged into danger in public if she stayed by my side. I don't want to harm others because of my own desires."

Although Xin Jia comes from a scholarly and wealthy family, and has a relative who is a leader at Sun Wu University, she is definitely a well-connected and wealthy woman who could save ten years of hard work if she were to marry him. But to Si Ming, she is just an ordinary person. Her background is not enough to make her special. If she were to follow him, she would only be implicated by him and fall into endless trouble, which is not what Si Ming wants to see.

People like Yu Shuying and Murong Qing are different. Si Ming has no psychological burden at all because they are also the type who can cause trouble. So it's not a one-sided problem where one person implicates the other, but rather they implicate each other, which means there's no problem.

Chapter 708 The Thunder King's Rumors

Some say that loving someone means learning to let go and allow them to pursue their own happiness. Whether they choose you or someone else, you should wish them well.

Some people say that if you truly love someone, you should keep her by your side and believe that you are better able to give her happiness than anyone else.

Si Ming felt that both attitudes were too extreme, somewhat black and white, and should be analyzed on a case-by-case basis. If the person in question was a troublemaker, then she should indeed stay by his side and he should do his best to protect her and prevent her from harming others. On the contrary, he should stay far away and not let her live in constant fear with him. Knowing that he was a troublemaker and that following him would bring many dangers, yet still keeping her by his side was not love, but lust.

Of course, if the other person knows everything but still chooses to stay by your side, willingly accepting danger and trials, then whether to keep them or refuse them depends on the individual.

Anyway, Xin Jia and Si Ming's relationship hadn't reached that point. After receiving a very obvious hint from Si Ming, she ultimately chose to end their relationship as pen pals, which relieved Si Ming but also left him with a sense of regret that he wasn't charming enough—after all, men are the kind of creatures who "have their cake and eat it too."

Ji Shichen nodded and took notes, saying, "I understand, you like people with eccentric personalities."

"Hey, something's definitely not right. Don't just accuse me of some weird fetish."

Ji Shichen glanced at Murong Qing and added, "She also has to be pretty."

"... Okay, I can't deny that. Men are just that kind of loyal creatures. By the way, why are you memorizing all this stuff? Are you going to use me as a template to portray the protagonist? Weren't you going to create a fanfiction about Gods and Ghosts of the Three Kingdoms?"

"This will come in handy when I write your biography later," Ji Shichen said calmly, closing her notebook. "I also serve as a historian in the Mohist Religion, responsible for recording important people and events. You are now qualified to have your own biography in the future 'Mohist Biographies'."