Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 101 A person without a heart cannot live.

Magical power is a unique solution for practitioners, while wisdom is the ladder that belongs to all intelligent beings.

In the rain, Lu Nan emerged victorious.

The celestial literary fortune surged once more, expanding even further. This Jiangnan literary gathering was a great tonic for the fortune itself.

The small seal in the very center becomes clearer, and one can vaguely see the images of various Confucian sages and many characters surrounding it.

The other writing implements—brush, ink, paper, inkstone, jade pendant, and bamboo slips—are already complete, awaiting only the final battle.

After resting for a while, Lu Nan opened her eyes.

Despite the heavy rain, almost all the spectators below had left.

Neither of them chose to pause, and they even refused to change venues.

In a battle of wills, one cannot back down even the slightest bit; to back down would diminish one's fighting spirit.

Lu Pan did not dare to underestimate the person in front of him; the opponent was extremely difficult to deal with in the Battle of White Deer.

Amidst the intense gazes of the many professors on the stage, he sat down in the center of the thatched hut, surrounded by deans and professors, all eager to witness the process up close.

Dean Shen took out a piece of paper and opened it in front of everyone.

The title is—Heart!

"The function of the mind is to think; if you think, you will gain knowledge; if you do not think, you will not gain knowledge."

This debate is about how important the heart is to a person.

Zhu Erdan's arrogant smile froze.

Turning his head, his gaze pierced through the wind and rain, landing on the only young monk who hadn't come closer.

Even a storm couldn't stop such resentful gazes.

It was you who did this!
This monk is no different from anyone else; he's a heretical and wicked monk who manipulates people's hearts! A demon who uses Buddhist teachings to wreak havoc on the human world!

You wicked monk! I will surely kill you!
A white light flashed from the sky, turning his face deathly pale, and a look of struggle appeared in his eyes, which was then covered by black mist.

Click! ! !

Then came the deafening roar of thunder that seemed to tear the sky apart, shaking one's very soul.

The people by West Lake were so frightened they couldn't speak, and those with guilty consciences trembled even more.

In ancient times, thunder was, to some extent, a symbol of the wrath of the heavens.

The competition officially began some time after the thunderous sound subsided.

The once eloquent Zhu was in poor condition and no longer displayed his usual arrogance.

Lu Nan was in superb condition, with a clear conscience, and he wouldn't be afraid even if lightning struck him.

What's astonishing is that the guy on the other side, who was countless times more arrogant than himself, suddenly went soft. Could it be that such an ordinary question is his weakness?

He flashed a bright smile, showing no courtesy or humility, and relentlessly pursued the attack.

Xu Xuan was in a good mood.

Heart transplant? Two souls in one body?
Let's see whose heart it is.

"Master Xu." *3
The three defeated disciples walked over, filled with remorse.

As one of the most outstanding students in Chongqi, failing to even reach the finals of the Three Colleges Competition is a disservice to my teachers' teachings.

"When two opponents meet and a worthy general is encountered, each displays their heroism—is this not delightful?"

"How can one not be delighted to learn different knowledge from different students?"

"The main purpose of this cultural competition is exchange and learning, not a life-or-death struggle."

"Speaking of the final debate topic, the Mind, I recall a few profound stories."

Xu Xuan's Little Classroom is now open for lectures.

He knew that even if he spoke softly through the heavy rain, Zhu Erdan would hear him.

So the first story is...
"It is said that a high-ranking monk, accompanied by several disciples with extraordinary supernatural powers, came to the Kingdom of Bhikshu in the Western Regions."

"The Bhikkhu Respectfully Sends a Spirit to the Golden Palace to Discuss Morality and Demonic Retribution"

"The fake monk took the knife, unbuttoned his clothes, straightened his chest, rubbed his abdomen with his left hand and held the knife in his right hand. With a whoosh, he cut open his abdomen, and a pile of hearts rolled out from inside."

“One by one they were picked up and shown to the public, and they were all red hearts, white hearts, yellow hearts, greedy hearts, fame-seeking hearts, jealous hearts, calculating hearts, competitive hearts, ambitious hearts, disdainful hearts, murderous hearts, vicious hearts, terrified hearts, cautious hearts, wicked hearts, nameless and dark hearts, all kinds of evil hearts, and not a single black heart.”

Then he turned to look at Zhu Erdan in the arena and revealed a wicked smile. "Which heart do you want this time?"

Zhu Erdan shuddered, the fierce flame in his eyes dimmed slightly, and his thoughts became somewhat chaotic.

Haha, this is nothing.

The stories of the wicked monk come one after another.

"Have the three of you read the 'Tang Wen' chapter of the Liezi?"

Xie Yu nodded. His breadth of knowledge was unmatched by others, and he had also guessed which article Xu Xuan was going to talk about.

So he will tell this story.

Bian Que said to Gong Hu, “Your will is strong but your spirit is weak, therefore you are good at planning but lack decisiveness. Qi Ying's will is weak but his spirit is strong, therefore he is lacking in consideration and prone to being stubborn. If you were to exchange your hearts, you would both be good.”

"Bian Que then made the two men drink poisoned wine, and they were unconscious for three days. He then cut open their chests, examined their hearts, and replaced them with the poisoned wine. He then gave them a divine medicine, and they regained their senses as before."

"The two men returned home. Then Gonghu went back to Qi Ying's house and found his wife and children there, but they did not recognize him. Qi Ying also went back to Gonghu's house and found his wife and children there, but they also did not recognize him. The two families then sued each other and sought the help of Bian Que. Bian Que explained the reason for their dispute, and the lawsuit was thus resolved."

Xu Xuan nodded in satisfaction, then looked through the wind and rain at Zhu Erdan and whispered something.

Even if two people exchanged hearts, Bian Que could still distinguish the difference. If you exchanged your heart, who could tell the difference?

Zhu Erdan trembled slightly for a moment, a struggle flickering in his eyes.

My mind was in turmoil, like wild grass, and even with all my senses open, I was still struggling to withstand this bastard's true psychological warfare.

The will of the Underworld God is almost out of control; he should be killed!

Lu Nan, unaware of the situation, assumed that his opponent was mentally exhausted and launched an even more ferocious attack, determined to avenge Bai Lu's defeat.

The surrounding professors were also overjoyed. If a scholar who had been humiliated by everyone at the beginning were to win the championship, their position would be very awkward.

The atmosphere inside the small reed shed was lively and enthusiastic.

Xu Xuan's mini-lesson continues offstage.

The three disciples found the various anecdotes quite interesting. How did Master Xu know so many stories related to the heart? Could it be that he had specially consulted a large amount of information in the library?

He then dismissed the guess, saying, "Who would do something so pointless?"

As the three listened, their frustration after losing began to ease.

Only Zhu Erdan, inside the arena, felt each day drag on endlessly, his mind torn between conflicting emotions and a chaotic state of mind.

They had already given it their all to hold on for several rounds, but the defeat was almost certain.

At this point, Xu Xuan decided to deliver the final blow.

"Ahem, the last little story."

During the Shang Dynasty, King Wen Ding's son's surname was Zi and given name was Gan. He was enfeoffed in Bi Yi, hence the name Bi Gan.

He possessed a keen and insightful mind, was intelligent from a young age, diligent and studious, valued agriculture and sericulture, and was skilled in governing the country.

Emperor Xin was bewitched by the seductive concubine Daji and wanted to take her heart to poison her.

Zhu Erdan was shocked, and his hands began to tremble uncontrollably.

I couldn't listen anymore, but that repulsive voice seemed to descend from the sky, piercing straight into my heart.

Xu Xuan sat at the table and whispered in Zhu Erdan's direction.

"A person cannot live without a heart."

Pfft!

[Zhu Erdan] spat out a mouthful of blood. The fear of life and death eventually overwhelmed the malice. His vision went black and he could no longer hold on.

Lu Nan and the other professors were shocked. Could someone really vomit blood over such a debate topic?

Even if Zhu Erdan jumped up in high spirits and said he was fine, no one would believe him if things got to this point.

Not to mention that he was covered in blood and his face was as pale as a dead man.

Dean Shen hesitated for less than a second before standing up to make the announcement.

"White Deer Academy, Lu Nan, wins!"

He then took off his clothes and rushed to the nearby reed shed to find his zither. No one could stop a happy old man today.

The professors at Bailu Academy didn't try to stop them, and it's gratifying that the academy retained its title as the best in Jiangnan.

(End of this chapter)