I Don't Have Righteous Qi

Chen Luo slowly opened his eyes. Hearing the movement, Ji Zhong rushed over.

"Young Master, you're awake? I have something to tell you..." Ji Zhong said excitedly.

"You've comprehended the Nine Swords of Dugu!" Chen Luo said quickly. Ji Zhong's expression froze, his words stuck in his throat. After a long pause, he stammered, "How did you know?"

Chen Luo sat up, putting on a profound expression. "I wrote the books. If you gained comprehension from them, how could I not know?"

"But gaining comprehension from a book is something only classics can achieve!"

Chen Luo glanced at Ji Zhong indifferently. "Why can't The Smiling, Proud Wanderer be a classic?"

Ji Zhong felt as if he'd been struck by lightning, freezing in place. Before, he had simply been drawn in by the writing style of The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, becoming engrossed in the story. Now, thinking carefully, every character in the book was lifelike, and the tales of love and hate seemed to unfold before his eyes. Why couldn't a book like this become a classic?

Ji Zhong looked at Chen Luo again, a trace of awe unconsciously appearing in his gaze. Whether he acknowledged it or not, the fact that he could gain comprehension from the book meant that the Heavenly Dao had already recognized the classic status of The Smiling, Proud Wanderer. And the person who could write such a classic...

As Ji Zhong had explained to Chen Luo before, only Confucian sect disciples who crossed the Three Mountains and Seas to reach the "Dao Transmission Realm" were qualified to write books. Outside the Confucian sect, cultivators in the Daoist and Buddhist sects who could write classics were also of high standing.

"Who exactly is Young Master?" Ji Zhong wondered for the first time.

Meanwhile, Chen Luo's mind was replaying the conversation he'd just had with Dai Zong.

Time rewound half an hour, in the Dream Flower Forest.

"What's going on? Why do I suddenly have the cultivation method for the Nine Swords of Dugu in my head?"

The black cat licked its paw nonchalantly. "What's so strange about that? Someone comprehended this technique from The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, so as the author, you naturally comprehended it yourself."

Chen Luo looked confused. "My books can allow others to gain comprehension?"

"Of course. And by reading your books, they can also obtain Red Dust Qi. As long as you find the Dao, others can learn it and cultivate with Red Dust Qi."

"Wait a minute." Chen Luo was a bit bewildered. "Others can also comprehend Red Dust Qi by reading my books?"

"Isn't that the rule of this Heavenly Dao? Any classic, when recited, can grant power. Your books naturally fall into this category!"

Chen Luo's mind was in a jumble. What was this? A shared golden finger?

The black cat's movements suddenly paused, its pupils unfocused for a moment before returning to normal. It looked at Chen Luo and spoke again, "Master, the Spirit of the Secret Realm asked me to tell you not to worry."

"As long as you find the correct 'Dao,' Master, you will be the progenitor of the Dao, a Sage of a lineage."

"The more people who walk this path, the stronger you will become."

"So, go find that 'Dao.' Once that 'Dao' is established, this secret realm will truly become your aid!"

"Dao!" Chen Luo murmured to himself.

"Young Master?" Seeing Chen Luo lost in thought, Ji Zhong gently nudged him. Chen Luo snapped back to reality and suddenly asked, "Can you perform the Nine Swords of Dugu?"

Ji Zhong shook his head slightly. "I only have the moves, no method for circulating energy. I tried using Righteous Qi, but it just wouldn't integrate! Oh, right, Young Master, look..."

Ji Zhong extended his hand, condensing a pea-sized ball of colorful mist. "I also comprehended this from the book. What is this for?"

"Well, actually..." Chen Luo was about to make up an excuse to fob Ji Zhong off when Xiao Huan suddenly burst in.

"Young Master, Young Master, Advisor Li from the county yamen is here. He wants you to attend the Literary Heart Choosing Ceremony with him..."

"Literary Heart Choosing Ceremony? Isn't that tomorrow?" Chen Luo was taken aback and looked at Ji Zhong. Ji Zhong awkwardly scratched his head and whispered, "Young Master, you fought with me, and your spirit was exhausted. You've been unconscious for a day and a night..."

The Literary Heart Choosing Ceremony was held at the Confucian Temple Square in the east of the city. This was also where young children received their enlightenment. Every autumn, the educational officials would recite classics here. Now that he thought about it, those officials must have at least crossed the first Mountain and Sea, reaching the "Enlightenment Realm," to be able to help the children of the Human Race awaken the "Omniscient Reading" talent.

The square was vast, capable of holding over two thousand people. Advisor Li told Chen Luo that there were two conditions to participate in the Wan'an County Choosing Ceremony.

First, one must have generated Righteous Qi within their body, but it cannot exceed the Poem Creation Realm.

Second, one's direct ancestors for three generations must have been born within the Wan'an County jurisdiction, and the participant must not be older than twenty years old.

"This way, there are a total of eight hundred and thirty-six scholars who are truly qualified to participate," Advisor Li said with a smile.

As Advisor Li walked from the center of the square towards the viewing platform, Chen Luo felt as if he were in a pine forest. These young scholars, whether their clothing was luxurious or worn, all stood tall with determined gazes, as if a surge of righteousness was rising to the heavens from above their heads.

"Heavy snow presses the green pine, yet the green pine stands tall and straight!" For some reason, a line of poetry suddenly appeared in Chen Luo's mind.

"It's truly wonderful..." Chen Luo sighed.

Ji Zhong seemed to understand Chen Luo's sentiment and said softly, "No matter what happens in the future, whether it's vying for power or becoming corrupt and decadent. At the moment of generating the first wisp of Righteous Qi, the disciples of our Confucian sect are the most principled."

As they spoke, Chen Luo had already ascended the viewing platform. Some people had already arrived on the platform, all of them renowned figures within Wan'an County. Chen Luo's previous self had been a recluse, rarely interacting with outsiders, so Chen Luo merely offered a perfunctory greeting to everyone before finding a corner seat for himself. Quite a few people were looking at the "resurrected" young master of the Chen family with curiosity and probing gazes.

"Young Master, they're here," Ji Zhong reminded him. Chen Luo followed Ji Zhong's gaze to the sky. Wei Yan, holding a jade box, slowly arrived on the ancient carriage of the "Crimson Banners and Black Canopy," while Cai Tongchen, treading on a green cloud, escorted the carriage from the side.

The entire Confucian Temple Square fell silent.

Wei Yan and Cai Tongchen arrived above the square and slowly landed on the high platform of the Confucian Temple. Wei Yan stepped forward and opened his mouth slightly, but his voice boomed like thunder.

"The Confucian sect asks, what is a scholar?"

The scholars below opened their mouths, as if speaking as one, their voices reaching the heavens.

"To establish the heart for Heaven and Earth!"

"To secure the destiny for the people!"

"To continue the lost teachings of the past sages!"

"To bring peace to all generations!"

Wei Yan stepped forward again and said, "The ancients said, 'To die without being forgotten, what does that mean?'"

"'The highest is to establish virtue, next is to establish merit, next is to establish words. Though long past, they will not be forgotten. This is what it means to be immortal.'"

"Now, we have a former master, a Great Scholar, who has dedicated his life to the Dao, condensing his immortal words into a Literary Heart."

"If there is someone who can inherit his Dao, that Great Scholar can be expected!"

"I only wish that all students will not fail the Dao in their hearts!"

After Wei Yan finished speaking, he bowed his head. The scholars below bowed in return simultaneously, their voices like war drums.

"We dare not fail Heaven and Earth! We dare not fail the common people! We dare not fail the ancient sages! We dare not fail all generations!"

Wei Yan opened the jade box in his hand. Instantly, a green light burst forth. A jade-colored sphere, about the size of an apple, slowly floated out of the box, accompanied by the faint sound of reciting classics.

"Literary Heart chooses its master, activate!"

Wei Yan pointed at the Literary Heart. The Literary Heart exploded with a roar, transforming into countless streaks of green light that fell before each scholar, forming small tables. On each table lay the Four Treasures of the Study.

"What does this mean?" Chen Luo asked in confusion. Ji Zhong explained, "This is the Literary Heart expounding the Dao. The students will use the Four Treasures of the Study, transformed from the Literary Heart, to write down their aspirations. The article that best resonates with the Literary Heart will be chosen."

But just then, a beam of green light suddenly landed before Chen Luo, forming a small table with the Four Treasures of the Study.

Chen Luo was stunned and looked at Ji Zhong. Ji Zhong repeatedly waved his hands: "My ancestors never even came to Wan'an County, so this isn't for me."

Chen Luo was bewildered: If it's not for you, could it be for me?

I don't have any Righteous Qi!

After all, in mid-June by West Lake, the heat makes one feel stuffy and the qi stagnant.

Requires: Monthly votes, collections, recommendations, to treat this ailment.

PS: According to the usual trope, when the Literary Heart chooses its master and students gather, there should be a literary gathering where someone composes an ancient poem to shock everyone.

But I refuse to