Mount Hua's rugged master

"Eldest Senior Brother was far too self-centered. In his heart, his personal code of chivalry seemed to stand above everything else, including his own life and his sect.

"And he was too naive, too easily deceived.

"Most importantly, there was something seriously wrong with his sense of right and wrong. I wouldn't recommend letting the senior brother venture into Jianghu alone. Without someone beside him to keep an eye on him, something could easily go terribly wrong."

Recalling his impressions of Linghu Chong over the past three years, along with the original novels from his previous life, Tian Hao offered a fair assessment.

Someone like Linghu Chong might make a friend, but as a disciple or a sect leader, he was nothing but trouble.

In the original story, he had dragged the Mount Hua Sect and Old Yue into one disaster after another-a walking pitfall.

Just think about it: in the original story, the Mount Song Sect and the Sword Sect had come right to the Mount Hua Sect's doorstep, forcing Old Yue to take his entire household away from Mount Hua to seek refuge.

Yet Linghu Chong, knowing full well that the Five Mountains Sword Techniques and their counters in the cave on Reflection Cliff could benefit the Mount Hua Sect, simply kept silent.

He knew perfectly well that Feng Qingyang was a Sword Sect expert, that a sea of blood separated the Sword Sect and the Qi Sect in an irreconcilable feud, but he still learned the man's Nine Swords of Dugu. After mastering them, he said nothing, much less passed them on to anyone in the Mount Hua Sect.

Perhaps those actions could be explained as keeping faith and honoring promises, but the problem was that Linghu Chong was no lone wanderer. He was the Mount Hua Sect's chief disciple. Old Yue and his wife had raised him as their own son, taught him his skills, and even regarded him as the future leader of the Mount Hua Sect.

And that was how you repaid them?

A bottomless pit of trouble!

An influential figure in his previous life had once said that art indeed knew no national boundaries, but artists had nationalities.

Applied to this world, chivalry knew no sect boundaries, but Linghu Chong belonged to a sect!

"Excellent. Hao'er, when it comes to judging people, you're ready to graduate."

Stroking his beard with a pleased chuckle, Ru Zhigang felt even more satisfied with this disciple.

"You flatter me, Teacher. I still have a long way to go!"

Tian Hao smiled modestly, well aware of his own limitations. Those conclusions relied mainly on his knowledge of the original story, something akin to knowing the future without divination.

When it came to actually judging people, he was still far behind this teacher.

"You're eighteen now. Take this jade pendant as your coming-of-age gift. I originally wanted to prepare a cap for you, but since you don't like tying up your hair, wear this instead."

Ru Zhigang took a jade pendant from inside his robe and handed it over. He had prepared it specifically during this trip.

"Thank you, Teacher!"

Accepting it respectfully with both hands, Tian Hao examined it and found the character for "rugged" engraved on the front, with the two characters for "master" on the back.

"That's the courtesy name I chose for you. Out in the world, you may call yourself Rugged Man; in literary circles, you shall be Master. Your achievements are enough to make you a teacher to all beneath heaven."

Stroking his long beard, Ru Zhigang was filled with emotion.

After his household had been confiscated all those years ago, he had returned to his old home in Guanzhong, his heart reduced to cold ashes. He had thought his life was over. Who could have expected that three years ago, Mount Hua Sect leader Yue Buqun would visit with Tian Hao and propose the ideas of a dictionary and phonetic spelling, rekindling the heart that had almost fallen silent forever?

As a great Confucian scholar of his generation, he understood the significance of a dictionary. If fully developed, it could stand alongside Confucius's Analects.

After three years of effort, consulting countless records and ancient books, they had gathered nearly every written character and compiled the first set of dictionaries.

With that, they could leave their names through the ages, standing alongside Confucius.

"Vast and boundless, majestic in bearing-thank you for granting me this courtesy name, Teacher.

"I won't disappoint you. I'll work even harder to train my body and grow taller and stronger!"

Having guessed the true meaning of Rugged Man, Tian Hao bowed respectfully.

Naturally, he would not be so shallow as to consider the words "Rugged Man" derogatory. In ancient usage, "rugged" conveyed vastness, boundlessness, and imposing grandeur, while "man" meant a true man of mettle.

And "master" meant a teacher. With his ideas for the dictionary and phonetic spelling, common people everywhere would one day use dictionaries to learn their characters. Calling him a teacher to all people would be no exaggeration.

Indeed, when he had come to Mount Hua three years earlier, he had offered the dictionary concept as his apprenticeship gift. That was what finally persuaded Old Yue to accept him, even bypassing the three-year probation required of every disciple and teaching him an exceptional art like Embrace Origin Force straight away.

Though Embrace Origin Force ranked below the Mount Hua Heart Method and Primal Chaos Skill, it was still a first-rate external martial art in Jianghu. Its power was no less than theirs; it simply could not enable someone to break through to the Houtian Realm.

Normally, Mount Hua disciples had to practice fundamentals for three years. During that time, Old Yue would observe and assess them in secret, teaching them the sect's exceptional arts only after they passed.

But with the dictionary as his apprenticeship gift, that requirement had been bypassed entirely.

Dictionaries and phonetic spelling might have seemed unremarkable in his previous life, but they embodied true wisdom, countless times greater than poetry and literary compositions. They were not even on the same level.

Besides, poetry was mostly entertainment, much like songs in his previous life. It offered little practical use to the common people, who were still stuck at the hurdle of learning to read.

If someone truly managed to create a dictionary in ancient times, it could absolutely stand alongside the Analects. The phonetic spelling within it, in particular, would be an epoch-making invention.

Li Bai was impressive enough, wasn't he? Half the poems in the language textbooks of Tian Hao's previous life were Li Bai's. But did Li Bai have temples dedicated to him? Could he claim to be a teacher to all beneath heaven?

Thus, the significance and value of dictionaries and phonetic spelling could utterly trounce all poetry and literary compositions, putting their creator alongside Confucius and Cangjie, the inventor of writing.

"What nonsense are you talking about? Being a master doesn't mean you're supposed to train your muscles."

Ning Zhongze rolled her eyes. This disciple's way of thinking really was beyond saving.

"You're mistaken, Zhongze. That really is what I meant. Besides, Confucius wasn't one of today's frail scholars.

"According to the Records of the Grand Historian, Confucius was tall and imposing, a head taller than ordinary men-a truly magnificent man.

"He also came from a family of military officers. His ancestor six generations back was the Grand Marshal of the Song Kingdom during the Spring and Autumn period. His father, Shu Liang He, held up a thousand-jin portcullis with his hands and was counted among the Lu Kingdom's Three Tiger Generals. Confucius himself was particularly skilled in charioteering and archery.

"Sadly, today's scholars are frail and no longer practice charioteering or archery. Alas!"

By the end, Ru Zhigang could not help sighing.

He had studied orthodox Confucianism in Xunzi's tradition and had practiced all Six Arts of the gentleman. In particular, he had developed considerable swordsmanship; even in Jianghu, he would have counted as a notable expert.

Unfortunately, the mainstream scholars of today were all far too frail. What a pity.

"Huh?"

Blinking in bewilderment, Ning Zhongze had never imagined Confucius could have been like that. It was completely unlike the image she had of him.

"Sadly, we're too weak to put your name directly on the dictionary, Hao'er."

Ru Zhigang suddenly sighed, filled with regret and indignation.

He truly regarded Tian Hao as his own son, as well as the heir to his teachings.

He already had most of one foot in the grave, and his family and descendants had all been executed. No amount of fame would do him any good, but Tian Hao was still young. If he could have that reputation behind him...

Alas, enough. The more I think about it, the angrier I get.

"I understand. The tallest tree in the forest is the first to be battered by the wind. Too much fame wouldn't be good for me as I am now."

Tian Hao understood. Throughout history, fame and fortune had always been the most frightening things. Even the civilized world of his previous life had not escaped them.

If the dictionary and phonetic spelling were credited to him, those scholars would surely go mad. By the next day, he might be branded a rebel, with everyone clamoring to strike him down.

Moreover, knowledge had always been monopolized by the scholarly clans. Ordinary people might never have a chance to study or learn their characters throughout their lives, and might not even be able to write their own names. This was also the foundation of those clans' enduring prosperity.

The emergence of a dictionary would be tantamount to digging up the scholarly clans' roots and severing their lifeline. It would be stranger if they did not go mad.

Precisely for that reason, after discussing it with Old Yue three years earlier, they had realized that the Mount Hua Sect could not swallow such an enormous cake. They ultimately decided to bring in Ru Zhigang, the imperial tutor.

Although Ru Zhigang had failed to weather the turmoil before the Southern Ming Kingdom's current emperor ascended the throne, and his entire family had been executed, he was unquestionably an imperial tutor.

Had he not lost heart back then, he would now wield power throughout the court and the country.

In any case, the title of imperial tutor was enough to cow the vast majority of people. The emperor could keep the rest in check.

After all, once Ru Zhigang spread dictionaries and phonetic spelling throughout the land, the emperor, as his student, would certainly reap enormous benefits too.

Besides, imperial authority and the scholarly clans were inherently opposed. Given an opportunity to weaken those clans, the emperor would seize it with an iron grip, provided he was no fool.

"It's good that you understand. It's just a pity your ambitions lie elsewhere."

Sighing again, Ru Zhigang knew very well that his final disciple's aspirations lay in martial arts. Despite his astonishing wisdom, his heart was not in this field, and there was nothing Ru Zhigang could do.

Besides, the court was indeed shrouded in foul smoke and miasma these days. Studying literature to become an official was no option. Letting those filthy influences corrupt Tian Hao would be far too great a loss.

"Master Ru's journey has already left enough traces. We can retrieve the Guan family's treasure now."

Having settled his emotions, Yue Buqun spoke from the side, a keen light flashing in his eyes.

After three long years of planning, they could finally set that plan in motion.

Once it succeeded, their Mount Hua Sect would effectively gain a death-exemption token. Even the Sun-Moon Demon Cult would never dare target them again.

"Construction of Mount Hua Academy does need to begin, and that treasure must be recovered as soon as possible. Our expenses from here on won't be small."

Nodding, Ru Zhigang looked at the disciple beside him.

He intended to establish an academy dedicated to teaching phonetic spelling and dictionary use, training teachers who would then travel throughout the country and into the villages to teach ordinary people to read.

This plan would cost an immense sum. Even the court lacked the means to undertake it. Without the funds his disciple had provided, he would never have dared devise a plan on such a scale.