Gongsun Hong's Guidance
Zhang Xuezhou flew from Jiangdu to Bashu, then back, then to the Chang'an City, and finally back to Guangling.
He had been to many places and resolved many issues in the past few days, but there were still some things to be done. In the end, Zhang Xuezhou did not leave Jiangdu.
A Confucian classic was enough to make Zhang Xuezhou pause his progress, even if it meant delaying his journey by another month.
This is not only about correcting Zhang Xuezhou's cultivation path in this world, but also has important significance for his cultivation in reality.
Popular, easy to understand, conducive to spiritual practice and self-improvement, inclusive...
Every element of spiritual practice that Zhang Xuezhou could think of was contained in Dong Zhongshu's Confucian classics.
Zhang Xuezhou found it difficult to change the cultivation techniques of the Yin-Yang School, but Dong Zhongshu's Confucian classics undoubtedly led to the integration of literature, martial arts, Yin and Yang, and he would inevitably draw upon them.
In particular, he has already promoted the Yin Yang Great Joy Nine People Incantation in reality, and it is currently on the path of integration and upward development.
He wouldn't learn from Dong Zhongshu wholesale, but he could refer to and imitate him, even to a great extent.
Zhang Xuezhou's innovation is limited, but he is undoubtedly good at imitation, constantly expanding upon what others have already built.
Confucian School classics are a product of this kind of blossoming, and each practitioner can achieve different results.
Dong Zhongshu drew upon the Yin-Yang School's techniques of cultivating realms, and Zhang Xuezhou was drawing upon the Confucian School's methods of self-cultivation.
This section, in particular, focuses on the chapter on the Resonance Between Heaven and Humanity, which he has highlighted.
With renowned teachers in front of him, Zhang Xuezhou did not try to learn secretly or covertly, but rather studied openly and honestly, just as he had done when he studied the "Treatise on Righteousness and Integrity" years ago.
"You possess a profound and righteous spirit; in theory, further promoting the Resonance Between Heaven and Humanity should be relatively easy for you!"
Dong Zhongshu's words of comfort to Zhang Xuezhou were excellent.
However, Zhang Xuezhou had been standing in Xuanhua Tower for three days, concentrating his energy, but had not felt any sense of Celestial Person.
If one hopes to gain enhancements to Technique Method through Resonance Between Heaven and Humanity, the speed of such a connection will lead to despair, and what's worse, it may be impossible to sense anything at all.
Zhang Xuezhou even spent his magical Law Power casting spells repeatedly, and pushed forward the "Righteous Spirit" chapter to seek a shared feeling.
"The saying goes, 'If you understand one method, you understand all methods.' If you can achieve the effect of righteous energy with a single thought, then you may be able to find the common ground of the Resonance Between Heaven and Humanity," said Gongsun Hongdao, who was also studying this.
Compared to Zhang Xuezhou, who had already taken the first step, Gongsun Hong had been reciting the "Treatise on Righteousness" for three days, but he hadn't even touched the threshold yet.
But precisely because Gongsun Hong hadn't grasped the situation, he, as an outsider with a clear understanding of the situation, occasionally offered his suggestions.
"I think what Ciqing said makes sense," Dong Zhongshu agreed. "If you can master the method of understanding the righteous energy, it will greatly benefit your Resonance Between Heaven and Humanity, and perhaps it will be much easier for you to sense it!"
"In other words, I need to practice my righteous spirit more," Zhang Xuezhou said.
"That's possible," Dong Zhongshu said. "My cultivation and creation are different from learning. When I was creating, I had no learning experience. What you said, Ciqing, is probably more reasonable."
"It's no easy feat to harness righteous energy with a mere thought and restore it!"
Zhang Xuezhou has accumulated years of practice in the "Treatise on Righteousness and Integrity".
His years of cultivation combined the advancements of this world and the real world; three or four years of his cultivation were almost equivalent to six to eight years for others.
Even with such a long period of accumulation, Zhang Xuezhou still couldn't draw in righteous energy with a single thought; he still needed to recite scriptures to achieve effective recovery.
"Recitation isn't the key; recitation adjusts the harmony between your mind and body and your righteous spirit. The key is finding that point of harmony," Gongsun Hong, a layman, advised. "Once you find that point of harmony with your body, you can obtain what you need at any time."
"Mr. Gongsun is right!"
Zhang Xuezhou considered the unique benefits of vocalization through the mouth, and for the first time, he abandoned recitation in favor of silent reading, seeking the commonalities within it.
"Stopping your words is a change, but you should still be silently reciting the content of the 'Treatise on Righteous Qi' in your heart. This is not outside the framework of cultivation, let alone trying to detach yourself from 'Righteous Qi' to trigger a true Resonance Between Heaven and Humanity," Gongsun Hongdao said. "Only when you let go of the superficial content of 'Righteous Qi' and then do so in your heart, will 'Righteous Qi' come naturally. Only in this way can you truly achieve mastery of the One Principle!"
"Minister Ci, your request is a bit too high!"
Dong Zhongshu agreed with Gongsun Hong's suggestion, but he felt that Gongsun Hong's demands were too high.
If education were conducted in the manner of Gongsun Hong, his lineage of Confucian School classics would likely be extinct.
In reality, Dong Zhongshu believed that those without natural talent could gradually approach the Resonance Between Heaven and Humanity through recitation and other means, and that even without natural talent, one could still cultivate oneself through diligent study and self-improvement.
The Confucian School concept of inclusiveness is genuine, and it doesn't just apply to a few specific geniuses.
Dong Zhongshu felt that his standards for talent were rather moderate, meaning that most people in society met the requirements for cultivation, but it was difficult for them to break through and advance to a certain level.
And part of this content is about the difference between mediocre and expert.
The chapter on Righteousness and Righteousness is one of them, while the chapter on Resonance Between Heaven and Humanity is the most difficult, even something that Dong Zhongshu himself failed to master.
Dong Zhongshu felt that he would inevitably revise the "Tianren Ganying" (Treatise on the Resonance Between Heaven and Humanity) in the future, seeking a better way to enter the realm of understanding.
Someone like Zhang Xuezhou is already considered a master as defined in Confucian classics, while achieving the Resonance Between Heaven and Humanity is at the level of a great master. To reach the level mentioned by Gongsun Hong, Dong Zhongshu believed that only an unparalleled master could possibly achieve that.
Gongsun Hong's standards are too high, and are only suitable for peerless masters or those with great fortune to cultivate. For an ordinary master like Zhang Xuezhou, the difficulty is self-evident.
"Zhongshu, instead of remaining shrouded in mist, why not directly guide us towards the highest direction of cultivation?" Gongsun Hongdao said, "Even if it's difficult to achieve right now, cultivators will at least move in that direction and eventually find their own place!"
"If you want to say that, you're not wrong!"
Dong Zhongshu ultimately did not refute Gongsun Hong further.
Confucian School believes that everyone has their own reasoning; it does not seek to persuade everyone, and it can accept the objectively existing reasoning of others.
Dong Zhongshu couldn't say that Gongsun Hong's approach was wrong; he simply felt it was too difficult for Zhang Xuezhou, not matching Zhang Xuezhou's true level, and not a case of teaching according to aptitude.
I'm going out for a walk!
Seeing Zhang Xuezhou stand under the scorching sun for an hour without even being able to rouse his righteous spirit, Dong Zhongshu couldn't help but sigh.
"It's good to go out for a walk," Dong Zhongshu agreed. "The King of Jiangdu is already arranging a caravan to Chang'an City. You can also go and check on your borrowed carriage and give your two servants some pointers. They know absolutely nothing about official matters, so they won't be at a loss once they get to Chang'an City!"
"Good!"
Zhang Xuezhou nodded.
He had intended to try his luck in the water, but after several days of planning, it was indeed time for the King of Jiangdu to arrange for tribute to be sent to Chang'an.
Lady Yourong and Zhang Changgong were mixed in with the Jiangdu delegation's convoy.
The safety of following the delegation of princes and kings is relatively assured, but how to transport these funds to Zhang Xuezhou's residence in Chang'an City and how to use them properly are things that definitely require some instructions.