Replicating It Again
Zhang Xuezhou once praised Ren Yisheng's intellectual talent, and now he sees genius in another sense.
Regardless of whether Dong Zhongshu could actually achieve what he theoretically believed, Zhang Xuezhou felt that Dong Zhongshu already possessed a cross-disciplinary understanding.
While others were still clinging to the coattails of their predecessors in various schools and sects, repeatedly following the paths of their cultivation, Dong Zhongshu had already pioneered new avenues.
"Don't praise me like that. I was just greedy and wanted to study both literature and martial arts, which led to a lack of precedents to follow, so I had to seek harmony with the Resonance Between Heaven and Humanity!"
Zhang Xuezhou would undoubtedly praise this genius to the skies, and would further strengthen his already harmonious relationship with Dong Zhongshu.
Dong Zhongshu's "Luxuriant Dew of the Spring and Autumn Annals" is still being improved, and Zhang Xuezhou hopes to see the complete version in the future, and even witness Dong Zhongshu turning his theories into reality.
If Dong Zhongshu succeeds, he will also have the opportunity to follow suit in the future.
Dong Zhongshu's physical condition was complicated, and Zhang Xuezhou wasn't much better off. His haphazard approach to cultivation had put him in an extremely awkward situation.
If it weren't for the fact that the level of help he could obtain was far too high, and that he hadn't encountered some fortuitous opportunity, Zhang Xuezhou felt that his path to cultivation would have been blocked long ago.
Perhaps it was the influence of luck, or perhaps something else, that allowed Zhang Xuezhou to stumble and struggle his way to where he is today.
At this moment, Zhang Xuezhou saw a future in Dong Zhongshu, who had also practiced the same cultivation technique.
Dong Zhongshu spoke frankly, and Zhang Xuezhou reciprocated by mentioning some minor connections and techniques related to the art of movement.
This includes potential clashes between those involved in the project, how they should get along, and how they can maintain a shared goal.
These tips may seem simple, but they were all things that Zhang Xuezhou tested out one by one, sometimes even suffering setbacks along the way.
No wonder!
Dong Zhongshu specialized in extending the theory of realms, while Zhang Xuezhou was quick-witted and adept at operational techniques, possessing knowledge that Dong Zhongshu was unaware of.
If Dong Zhongshu's presentation might benefit Zhang Xuezhou in the future, and there was a possibility of imitation, then Zhang Xuezhou's presentation would be useful to Dong Zhongshu immediately, and would also help him avoid conflicts with the new emperor in the future.
Without a doubt, both of them were on an extremely risky path.
One path is the sage's unification of the True Self Realm even Dong Zhongshu himself lacked confidence in; the other path involves a high-risk contest of divination techniques.
Embarking on a risky path is already terrifying, but trying to navigate two dangerous paths simultaneously is even more difficult.
Zhang Xuezhou ignored the advice and practiced the art of fortune-telling, Dong Zhongshu also continued to pursue it in Jiangdu.
Both of them wisely refrained from wasting words advising each other. Instead, they continued to exchange insights once the facts were established, striving to get things back on track as soon as possible until their own needs were met.
After a full day and night, Dong Zhongshu had no choice but to withdraw, his eyes wide and bloodshot.
Zhang Xuezhou kept rubbing his head.
"Getting an official position, finding a powerful medicinal herb, and incidentally making some money are just the superficial benefits brought by luck. Once 'Bai' has enough of the favor he seeks, he might use a method similar to the Resonance Between Heaven and Humanity to directly benefit himself, thereby gaining extraordinary abilities!"
As cultivators whose profession is already defined, their only pursuit can be strength. No matter what they do, the ultimate goal is to serve their own cultivation level until they reach the threshold of their limit.
Zhang Xuezhou and Dong Zhongshu reciprocated each other's kindness and spoke freely about many things.
This allowed Zhang Xuezhou to constantly refer to and compare, and to continuously confirm the unusual cultivators he knew.
This includes the defeated 'White' lying underground in Fengxize, Huang Daoxian whose whereabouts were never traced, and Nagos, who became the Lineage.
The more you study and discern the truth, the clearer it becomes.
Zhang Xuezhou felt he had vaguely guessed the intentions of many people, and he kept pondering his own position.
"I now have a sliver of hope. If I step into the Sole Self Realm or if my Mental Strengthening is further boosted, then we will be evenly matched. And at the True Self Realm, I will most likely be able to suppress my opponent. As for that level, if I use the connection Resonance Between Heaven and Humanity compete, I will likely be able to win!"
Zhang Xuezhou must ensure his own safety in pursuing whatever he desires.
Step-by-step analysis also allowed Zhang Xuezhou to accurately position himself.
To survive an attack by the Emperor with a crippled body, only someone at the Emperor's level could suppress the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon.
This has always been Zhang Xuezhou's goal in his spiritual practice, and he is constantly getting closer to it.
But no matter how Zhang Xuezhou cultivated, he was very clear about one thing: whether he was defeated, or he defeated the other party, or he suppressed the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon to the point of being unable to move, all these situations arose from coexisting with the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon, whether actively or passively.
Dong Zhongshu's concept of a sage unifying the world made Zhang Xuezhou feel the possibility of unification.
"Since 'White,' 'Yellow Dao Immortal,' and ' Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon ' have ventured into this world, they must not have undergone extraordinary transformations. They may have their own ways of pursuing their goals, and I now have my own way too!"
Zhang Xuezhou's thinking is limited, and he needs to adapt to different social environments. Under these circumstances, the fact that he hasn't suffered a mental breakdown is a testament to his resilience.
In the eyes of the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon, he might have lived like a mere tool.
Once the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon meet certain conditions and unlock everything about his body, Zhang Xuezhou's fate will be unpredictable.
Under these conditions, even with great perseverance, Zhang Xuezhou would likely face more losses than wins.
This is part of the information he obtained from Naggus, and it is highly likely to be verified.
Without sufficient good fortune, it's virtually impossible for a normal person to turn defeat into victory through their own efforts.
If he were still in Zhang Household Village, or if he remained an ordinary person after graduating from university, he might have already been replaced.
It was precisely because his cultivation level, sequence, and mental state were constantly growing and changing that the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon were forced to adapt, thus prolonging the replacement cycle and preventing him from suffering the same fate as Nagoth.
This growth in strength will eventually come to an end. If he stops for too long, the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon may be able to fully adapt and then sweep in.
In this pursuit, Zhang Xuezhou needs to keep moving forward.
Relying solely on oneself to fight alone is obviously the worst option. Zhang Xuezhou is very fortunate that he has always relied on others, which has saved him a lot of long training periods.
For everything he practiced, there were similar figures to refer to, such as Ren Yisheng, Ren Anran, Dong Zhongshu, Jin Chang, and Divine Lord Zhenyuan.
The various insights and philosophies of cultivators were no problem for Zhang Xuezhou. He was humble and eager to learn, and he could even constantly adjust and summarize what he needed. Over the years, he had not lost himself.
Clearly, Zhang Xuezhou is once again using Dong Zhongshu as a reference, and is systematically replicating the latter's theory of "the great unification of the sages" in his own work.
Even if he couldn't achieve all of this in the Han Dynasty, Zhang Xuezhou still had opportunities to explore and strive for it in the real world.