The Lord of the Laws of Heaven

Chapter 346 Observing Fate, Fulfilling the Mandate of Heaven

In Yujing City, on Wenchang Street.

The entire route was over twenty miles long, and everywhere you looked, there were scholars from all over the country coming to participate in this imperial examination.

After overcoming countless difficulties, one becomes a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examinations) and obtains an official position. However, those with talent who wish to advance further naturally aspire to become Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest-level imperial examinations).

Since the Middle Ages, most dynasties have used the imperial examination system to select talented people. This was a way of keeping the best talents in the country in their pockets. This was also because behind the group of successful candidates in the imperial examinations were various great Confucian scholars, great learners, and even families of sages.

For someone from an ordinary background who wants to realize their ambitions, the best way is to become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations).

In this world, the principles of learning possess an undeniable and real power. Therefore, the dynasty's inherent value towards scholars is essentially a value placed on power. Although those possessing this power are actually few and far between, the fear is that the fate of the ancient philosophers will repeat itself!
Although since the time of the philosophers of the Middle Ages, scholarship has increased dramatically, and various commentaries and treatises have become as vast as the ocean, making knowledge increasingly complex, there are no longer any scholars who possess the intellectual level of those philosophers.

The teachings of the ancient philosophers were like the resounding tones of a great bell, deeply moving and inspiring. However, scholars after them gradually lost their integrity, and their scholarship became as ineffective as the buzzing of mosquitoes.

In the ancient times, many cultivators of the Yang God realm emerged, but as Taoist arts became increasingly complex and diverse, it was as if no Yang Gods existed anymore, which is quite similar to the ancient Chinese saying.

At this time, Wenchang Street was filled with ostentatious, powerful scholars on horseback, scholars accompanied by beautiful maids, and scholars with throngs of wealthy servants...

There were also impoverished scholars, their bodies utterly bare, with no surplus wealth, only the dry rations they carried. Some of these impoverished scholars stared intently at the beautiful maids gathered in the distance.

Xiao Jun was completely at peace, watching all the changes on Wenchang Street and observing the fortunes of these scholars.

A person's fortune is a divine destiny, which largely represents a person's mental state. Often, one can tell from a person's fortune whether they will pass the imperial examination this time.

Scholars pursue the fulfillment of their nature and the understanding of their destiny. Reading, especially reading good books, can enhance a person's spiritual strength and fortune.

As a person's spiritual fortune increases, their overall luck will gradually improve.

First is fate, second is luck, third is feng shui, fourth is accumulating good deeds, and fifth is studying...

Feng shui, good deeds, and studying are all means to change one's own fortune. As the saying goes, "Heaven's movement is ever vigorous; so should a gentleman constantly strive for self-improvement," ultimately, one must take control of one's own destiny.

Fate cannot be escaped, but it can be controlled. Those who go far on the path of scholarship will come to know their destiny. They will often understand their fate. Although those scholars eventually accept all their fate with equanimity, their innate character will naturally lead them to their own path, the path that belongs to their destiny.

Those scholars who have reached the age of fifty can control their own destiny and even change it, but they choose not to. At the critical junctures of their lives, their character will inevitably lead them to make choices that conform to their fate, simply because they are willing to do so.

A true scholar will not turn back even if he hits a brick wall.

Even when faced with inescapable calamities, these scholars would face them with equanimity.

For example, figures like Zhuge Liang in the history of Earth that Xiao Jun had read about were like this.

In this vast world, the same is true. At the end of many dynasties, there are always some shining examples. Some great scholars and great thinkers, in the face of fate, chose the more difficult or even hopeless path.

Xiao Jun also felt admiration for such scholars, because even just reading about them in history books, Xiao Jun appreciated their spirit and will, which was a tremendous source of strength for his own.

Of course, most of these scholars had not yet reached the so-called state of knowing one's destiny, or even the state of being free from confusion at forty. However, this did not prevent Xiao Jun from obtaining the resources he needed from their demeanor.

These successful candidates in the imperial examinations can almost represent the entire cultural lineage of the world during this era.

Xiao Jun examined it carefully, calculating its destiny and performing divination. He slowly walked across Wenchang Street, as if in the void, yet also like a mortal.

"This scholar, who has passed the imperial examination, will have a bright future in his official career. It's a pity that his mother will not be able to enjoy the fruits of his labor; she will pass away in just six months." Xiao Jun looked at the impoverished scholar. Unlike his companions, who stared intently at the beautiful maid in the distance, this scholar merely glanced at her and then ignored her, his expression calm and composed.

This person observed the spiritual light and aura emanating from the person's spirit, enough for Xiao Jun to see the past within. This person's mother did her best to raise her son, and this person was also a filial son. He truly devoted himself to his studies, and at the same time, he also farmed. This person had great ambitions, and the so-called beautiful maids did not catch his eye. In his mind, he was quietly savoring the principles.

This person was born into poverty and lacked the resources for proper upbringing, but he is a true scholar. He is destined for a successful official career.

It's a pity that he lacks the support of any powerful force behind him, making it difficult for him to receive extensive training, cultivate martial arts, and come into contact with Taoist arts... This person's talent is limited by his environment and by his luck.

Xiao Jun then turned his gaze to another scholar, staring intently at the beautiful maid.

This person's luck is also like this. He should have been able to pass the imperial examination this time, but at this moment, he has developed a great greed in his heart, which has disturbed his mind and damaged his spirit. It is feared that this will be detrimental to his success in the imperial examination.

Xiao Jun looked at them one by one, constantly performing divination. Those scholars who were surrounded by wealthy servants and beautiful concubines, these scholars who came from wealthy families, had been taught by famous teachers since childhood, and had their physical foundations strengthened by countless medicinal herbs and martial arts classics.

These scholars were all of a relatively good fate. Even if they failed this time, it wouldn't matter. Among these scholars with good fate, there was no shortage of outstanding individuals. Although their fates differed somewhat, their overall destinies were quite similar.

Meanwhile, those impoverished scholars consulted divination, observing their fate and predicting their destiny.

These impoverished scholars were not without the potential to become true heroes, nor were they without the intelligence and courage to achieve their goals. However, due to various circumstances, they were unable to escape their circumstances.

Lucky people are all alike in their luck. Unlucky people are unlucky in their own way!

Xiao Jun thought of something. It was rumored that the families of sages were extremely particular about their food, eating only the finest and most exquisite dishes. They considered even the rice eaten by the emperor to be like excrement and garbage.

Therefore, the probability of a successful person emerging from a family of sages is thousands or even tens of thousands of times higher than that of an ordinary person!
What a terrifying gap this is! This isn't just a simple monopoly of resources; it's an absolutely terrifying generational difference in terms of intelligence and power! This gap might even extend to the level of bloodlines!
Yes, if this situation continues to develop in this way, even the human race may diverge, becoming completely different races in terms of bloodline and wisdom! The way of Heaven is to take from those who have more than enough and give to those who have less than enough; the way of man is to take from those who have less than enough and give to those who have more than enough.

In this vast world, humanity flourishes, but this also brings a terrifying consequence: the practice of taking from the poor and giving to the rich has reached an extreme. Humanity's prosperity has its good side, but its bad side is equally terrifying.

After observing everything in his mind, Xiao Jun suddenly realized something.

"If things continue to develop in the future, those aristocratic families will eventually become like gods in the heavens, ruling over everything, and all living beings will be subject to the fate planned by these families, unable to escape."

"This is the ultimate development of humanity. Taking from the poor to give to the rich to the poor, when taken to the extreme, will plunge humanity into a terrifying fate."

Falling into a terrifying fatalism!
The existence of powerful families, if it doesn't change, and their ability to control the destiny of all beings, is not a lie.

"I have already calculated that the future era will be the era of the I Ching. It will be a civilization belonging to the I Ching. For this kind of civilization, manipulating destiny is not a complicated matter!"

"Therefore... we need something that belongs to the Heavenly Dao, something that represents the great power..."

Xiao Jun suddenly realized that the merit belonged to the Heavenly Dao.

The Way of Heaven... seems to grasp and manipulate everything. But this is not the case. The Way of Heaven does not grasp or manipulate everything. On the contrary, everyone can utilize the Way of Heaven and modify the world! The true nature of the Way of Heaven is this very weakness.

However, when people arbitrarily modify the world by exploiting the laws of nature, they must also accept the feedback that comes with nature. This feedback may be positive or negative.

Through this feedback, people gradually learned the rules, what should be done and what should not be done, and a consensus emerged. Ultimately, a major trend emerged, which came from this weak yet dominant force, from the natural order that could be exploited at will.

The impartiality of Heaven allows everything to develop in a balanced manner, like Yin and Yang.

"I once calculated that the Era of Yi Dao will be followed by the Era of Cultivation!"

"In the era of cultivation, everyone can rely on a wealth of knowledge and the foundation laid by the era of Yi Dao to explore the truths of heaven and earth."

"In the era of cultivation, theoretically everyone could obtain the great power to change the world! What a wonderful era that was... it seems..."

"Now it seems that the era of cultivation should also have its own Heavenly Dao, and should also have... destiny..."

Xiao Jun suddenly realized that although the Heavenly Dao would change accordingly with the turning of the era, if one really wanted to transcend the world, the prosperity of humanity and the power of humanity alone were not enough; the power of the Heavenly Dao was also needed.

Although in the course of human development, various variables arise due to the continuous accumulation of factors. These variables will break the change of "human way, taking from the insufficient to give to the excessive", thus reaching a new balance and entering a new cycle of the way of heaven.

However, this would consume an unknown amount of time, and countless precious heroes would disappear without a trace.

"I should forge my own destiny and complete a plan that belongs to a preordained fate!"

"Let a talented person be able to fully utilize their talents. Let a brave and passionate explorer overcome obstacles with all their might. Let a tranquil ascetic enjoy peace. Let a suitable lover inevitably choose a suitable partner..."

"The Way of Change has a changing aspect, but it also has an unchanging aspect!"

Xiao Jun had some realizations. The idea that everyone should be like a dragon was not the real answer. Xiao Jun understood that it was definitely possible for everyone to be like a dragon, as long as they were willing to do it.

However, not everyone can become a dragon, which is not what everyone desires, or rather, this is not the real, ultimate answer, because what happens after everyone becomes a dragon?

This reminded Xiao Jun of a story in Zhuangzi, about a divine tortoise that wanted to be killed and have its shell placed on a sacred altar for worship, or it wished to live happily in the mud.
Some people choose to disregard everything, even death, to ensure their name is remembered throughout history. But others simply prefer to live happily... To understand the true meaning of "everyone can be a dragon," and how people choose after achieving this, requires an answer.

Life is not the problem, but life will choose the answer.

"The Way of Heaven..."

Xiao Jun began to have various thoughts, gradually organizing his ideas and looking at the world from a new perspective.

"Human desires and actions are the same as the desires and actions of Heaven, but conversely, the operation of the Heavenly Way also belongs to human desires and actions... It turns out that the Heavenly Way also has its own desires and actions."

"It seems I also need to grasp the Heavenly Dao..." Xiao Jun paused at this thought, then laughed: "The Heavenly Dao itself is a part of me, how can you say I'm grasping the Heavenly Dao..."

Suddenly, he looked at a person in the distance. That person was strolling around. His physical body had reached the level of a Martial Saint, and he was a Ghost Immortal who had survived the tribulation of lightning. That person was Hong Yi.

Xiao Jun observed Hong Yi and saw that Hong Yi's aura contained a kind of ethereal quality, but at the same time, it also contained a sense of beginninglessness and endlessness, realizing the beginninglessness and endlessness of true reality.

This is the principle that Hong Yi comprehended after studying the "Two Classics of the Universe," realizing the beginningless and endless nature of the universe, and also understanding the beginningless and endless nature of the human mind.

Seeing Hong Yi like this, Xiao Jun couldn't help but sigh inwardly; Hong Yi had truly grown up.

Hong Yi sensed that someone was watching him, but when he looked toward the source of the gaze, he saw nothing!

(End of this chapter)