The more you believe me, the more real it becomes.

Chapter 263 A Sound Shakes the Fields (3k)

Du Yuan's voice still echoed between heaven and earth, and then, just like the saint in the story, he faced the people, with his back to the mountains and rivers, and sat down on the ground.

This scene caused the surrounding people to lower their voices and wait quietly for Du Yuan to continue.

There was no table in front of him, no books at hand, but when he raised his hand and placed it lightly on his knee, a very faint warm light suddenly spread around him.

It wasn't the sharp edge of a sword or the eerie glow of a demon; it was more like the early spring sun just sweeping across the river, carrying a touch of warmth in the wind.

"If one's conduct is upright, one's orders will be followed without being given; if one's conduct is not upright, one's orders will not be followed even if given."

Du Yuan chose the Analects of Confucius as the Confucian classic to be selected. As soon as he said this, the surrounding area fell silent, and the people all stopped talking, eagerly awaiting his reply.

Most of them were people who were trapped by the times and never had the chance to read a single book.

But in the presence of true sages and classic texts, even a single sentence, at such a time, when recited by immortals.

Even young children were completely captivated by it!

For example, a woman holding a child suddenly discovered that her four or five-year-old child, who should not understand anything, had actually let go of the sweet cake in her hand and was staring straight at the immortal sitting on the ground.

He seemed to know that this was a profound and rare opportunity.

If even children who know nothing are like this, then those who have read books and know some classics are even more instantly captivated.

Some scholars began to subconsciously ponder the deductions in their minds, while others, though not scholars, who knew a few words, followed along and whispered the deductions.

At first, it was just a few scattered phrases, but later, even many boys who had only heard the teacher teach elementary school were humming the tune.

And the immortals and gods hidden in the mountains and fields reacted in various ways at this moment.

The man in the straw raincoat frowned, not understanding what this fellow was up to. But as the resounding voice began to be mixed with the people's chants, he suddenly realized:

"So that's how it is, so that's how it is. This fellow wants to borrow the will of the people, and even the cultural heritage of Hexi, to draw upon the righteous energy of heaven and earth to make up for what is lacking."

After saying that, he couldn't help but look at an inconspicuous spot around him.

There's nothing noteworthy about this place, except for a small patch of nearly withered grass due to the poor terrain.

But as the man continued to recite the classics, the cultural heritage of Hexi was stirred, and the righteous energy of heaven and earth gathered.

Even this small patch of withered grass began to turn green again, and even a few weeds benefited from this blessing.

The people of Hexi, and even the wild animals of the surrounding areas, will surely produce great talents over time!

Seeing this, he couldn't help but stroke his chin and say:
"Did no one from the Confucian school really come?"

This fellow's performance was not like that of a self-taught individual; rather, he seemed to be from a proper Confucian background, and not even a top-tier academy or a first-class grotto-heaven level academy, but rather a quick-witted talent from an academy.

But then he glanced again in the direction of the Confucian Temple. He was certain there was no movement from there.

He even suspected that the Confucian Temple had been disturbed.

"I can't see through it, I just can't see through it!"

After shaking his head, the man in the straw raincoat walked away.

For some reason, many immortal swords had fallen here. He didn't intend to fight over the one below the Lan River, nor did he actually intend to take one. He was just there to see if there were any bargains he could find.

Whether these people go to heaven or fight to the death, it has little to do with him.

Therefore, he was happy and at ease.

The old beggar also stopped drinking from his gourd and squinted his eyes, looking in the direction of the Guanshui Tower.

A moment later, he grinned and said, "Good heavens! Using the power of the people to achieve great things, this is the first time I've ever seen such a method! Even such a grand and righteous method has been revealed. It seems that those little monsters really can't amount to anything."

Having said that, he picked up the gourd again and continued to gulp down the seemingly endless wine.

That little girl was a thorn in his side forever.

He didn't know why, but he felt that he owed that little girl something.

Looking across the plain, the large black python, breaking through the soil, flicked its tongue more frequently. Although its emotions were difficult to discern from its head and neck, its discomfort was obvious.

The overwhelming righteous energy pressed down on the surrounding area wave after wave. Not to mention the lesser demons, even a great demon like it felt its scales and armor wilting and could not muster any strength.

After hesitating for a moment, its demonic aura suddenly surged, transforming into a black mist that could be easily seen even from afar. In an instant, it used its demonic aura to form a great dragon, intending to teach the scholar a lesson.

The commotion was naturally noticed by the people. As the black dragon charged straight at them, many people instinctively tried to get up and dodge.

But when they saw Du Yuan standing quietly with her back to the mountains and rivers, they suppressed their unease.

Listen attentively as the immortals recited the classics of the sages.

A massive black dragon was charging towards them from behind.

Du Yuan seemed completely unaware, but after a pause, she added:
A gentleman is always open and honest!

In an instant, the great dragon was scattered!
The immense demonic aura vanished without a trace. The scales all over the black python's body stood on end, and its enormous pupils, once as big as water tanks, shrank to the size of pinholes.

It was willing to back down, but thinking about its efforts over the past few days, it was extremely unwilling, and after a while, it seemed to be stuck in the same place.

It hesitated, while Du Yuan continued reciting the classics.

Here, he said it again:
"If one is truly devoted to benevolence, there is no evil!"

Upon hearing this, a sizzling sound suddenly came from the black python's body, and then its scales began to frantically fall off as if they had been doused with boiling water.

It dared not delay any longer, smashed through the ground, plunged into the earth's veins, and fled.

The five members of the Shaking Mountain Sect had already run for more than a hundred miles, but they could still hear the righteous spirit lingering here.

For a moment, even the woman couldn't help but exclaim in shock:
"Under such circumstances, how could it still travel so far?!"

For the first time, she began to think about the same question that Young Master Wang had been pondering—was this really the kind of activity that should occur before the great era begins?
This is completely unlike the people who should be here today, or the things that should be happening.

Faced with this display of power, the young cultivator who had deliberately provoked Du Yuan and whose left ear had been torn apart by a pebble could no longer contain his fear and asked in a trembling voice:

"Uncle-Master, is this person really not sent by the Confucian Temple?"

The old man didn't answer directly, but instead turned sharply to glare at him, his tone filled with barely suppressed anger:

"Whether he's from the Confucian Temple or not, you brought this mess upon yourself! I don't have time to settle scores with you now, but you'll be in for it when we get back to the sect!"

The young cultivator's face instantly drained of all color, turning as white as a sheet of paper that could be torn at a touch. He swayed involuntarily and dared not utter another word.

If even these respectable cultivators are so out of control, then the lesser demons lurking everywhere must be even more pathetic.

Du Yuan seemed oblivious to the panic and commotion around her, and continued to softly recite the Analects with her eyes lowered.

His voice was no longer deliberately meant to spread far and wide; instead, it seemed to blend into the wind, the earth, and the universe!
The wind makes its sound, and the soil has its rhythm.

At this very moment, even the children who were still holding their parents' hands and had innocent, bewildered eyes were shouting and reciting the classics of the sages in their childish voices.

Such a scene already deserves the title of "righteousness endures forever"!
As a result, the warm light spread wider and wider, from Du Yuan's body to the people in the front row, then to the back row, across the rivers, to the fields on the outskirts of the city, and to the corners of the mountains and forests.

The eerie aura that had been faintly visible, like fluorescent light, either vanished like snow meeting the scorching sun the moment it touched the warm light, or scurried into the shadows like startled ants—but this time, there was no shadow that could hide them!

A little demon was hiding in a temple, huddled under the offering table, its bright green eyes fixed on its "prey".

It didn't covet the fruits, incense, and candles on the offering table, but rather the believers kneeling on the prayer mats with their hands clasped together.

Beneath the curtain, the little demon's claws stealthily reached forward, the sharp nails on its fingertips gleaming coldly. If it thrust forward just a little further, it would surely kill the unsuspecting old man on the spot.

Just then, a voice proclaiming "The benevolent love others" drifted in through the temple gate, carrying with it a warm light.

The little demon suddenly let out a shrill scream and crashed into the offering table, startling the surrounding believers who all stood up and dodged.

But before it could even run out of the temple gate, it suddenly stopped, then fell straight to the ground, its limbs twitched twice, and then it was completely silent.

On the river, the fishermen in their boats suddenly cried out in unison, all pointing towards the center of the Lan River.

A colossal creature was floating on the river. It looked like a sturgeon, but its size was almost the same as that of an imperial warship. Even more terrifying, it had half a fishing boat in its mouth.

Clearly, this wicked creature had already secretly taken action, dragging a fisherman who hadn't brought his calligraphy copybook into the water.

The fishermen watched this scene with mixed feelings of relief and heartache: relief that no one else was hurt, and heartache for their fellow fishermen who might have met with misfortune.

Fortunately, the fisherman must have done good deeds in his past life, because even though he was swallowed by the fish, he managed to get stuck in the gap of the fish's mouth by the half of the fishing boat, and was not completely swallowed.

Upon seeing the fishing boats approaching from the surrounding area, he immediately shouted for help at the top of his lungs, his voice already distorted with fear.

Seeing this, the fishermen nearby quickly rowed their boats over, some handing out long poles and others reaching out to pull him up from the fish's mouth.

Such examples are countless throughout the surrounding fields.

It amazed countless immortals and gods, and made many demons grit their teeth.

But without exception, they were all constantly speculating about who this person was, and whether he was a self-taught individual or a traditional Confucian scholar.

Du Yuan finally stopped chanting, raised his hand and gently pressed down. The people's chanting gradually subsided, and they looked at him with eyes full of awe.

Previously, they only thought the young teacher was good at telling stories, but now they realized that this was not just telling stories. He was clearly driving away evil spirits and protecting the peace of their Hexi County to fulfill his promise!

Then, after Du Yuan fell silent, many people prostrated themselves and bowed deeply.

"We thank you for your kindness, young sir!"

Du Yuan did not dodge, but simply sat in place, straightened her posture, and earnestly accepted this generous gift.

When faced with gratitude from others, we should learn to accept it appropriately; it's good for everyone.

(End of this chapter)