My Demonic Cult's Holy Maiden

The Great Cheng Dynasty was a dynasty that followed the reformist Confucian school of thought, and at that time, it was one of the three most powerful nations on the continent.

Therefore, the Confucian reform of the concept of "the ruler receiving divine authority" was very popular in the Dacheng Dynasty and became the official doctrine. If you wanted to become an official, you had to study Confucian literature.

Five hundred years ago, the Dacheng Dynasty was corrupt and weak, its national strength was so weak that it was appalling. Many of its people starved to death, and the surrounding countries took the opportunity to kick it while it was down. As a result, the Dacheng Dynasty was destroyed.

The territory of the present-day Dayun Dynasty was once part of the Dacheng Dynasty.

The fundamental reason for the downfall of the Cheng Dynasty was actually a problem of national strength, much like the Northern Song Dynasty in China.

The Da Cheng Dynasty valued civil affairs over military matters. To prevent martial artists from breaking the law, it even limited the number of martial artists. As a result, the Da Cheng Dynasty was extremely weak at that time.

How could the surrounding countries let this opportunity pass? Taking advantage of your weakness, they all raised troops to attack the Dacheng Dynasty.

Naturally, the Dacheng Dynasty was destroyed, and its territory was divided among various states.

A nation without a martial spirit is not far from its demise!

Qi Yu looked at the Confucian scholar and laughed, "The root cause of the destruction of the country was still the internal problems of the Great Cheng Dynasty!"

"Behind the red gates, meat and wine go to waste; on the streets, the bones of those frozen to death lie. Glory and ruin are separated by a mere hair's breadth; the sorrow is beyond words!"

Qi Yu answered the question using Du Fu's poem, because that was indeed the case in the Dayun Dynasty at that time.

The gap between the rich and the poor was too great, and many people couldn't get enough to eat. Moreover, extravagance was rampant at the time, and scholars and literati were as numerous as dogs in every mansion.

A group of pedantic scholars gathered together, indulging in debauchery, drunkenly lying among flowers and discussing romance; how could they possibly care about the safety of the nation?

It would be strange if such a country didn't perish!

"Behind the red gates, meat and wine go to waste; on the streets, the bones of those frozen to death lie. Glory and ruin are separated by a mere hair's breadth; the sorrow is beyond words!"

Many people were silently reciting this poem, and then they raised their eyelids and looked at Qi Yu with a hint of fervor in their eyes.

This poem can be said to be a very good interpretation of the domestic situation of the Dacheng Dynasty at that time.

Qi Yu noticed the gazes of these Confucian scholars, raised an eyebrow, and thought to himself, "These people's intelligence is questionable!"

I was actually mocking you guys! Can't you even tell?

At that time, scholars in the Dacheng Dynasty had a very high status. They were all supported by the state, which was completely different from scholars today. They received a "salary" after passing the imperial examinations.

"The Dacheng Dynasty did not think about change and remained immersed in extravagance and prosperity, so it was destroyed. But in my opinion, this is only the surface. The most fundamental reason is that the Dacheng Dynasty supported a group of Confucian scholars who were good for nothing except reading books."

"Scholars have lost their integrity and become pedantic, only good at reading dead books!"

After Qi Yu finished speaking, he ignored the young man and looked at the scholars behind him.

"You all just want to prove His Majesty wrong, that I am unworthy of the title 'Scholarly Sovereign', right? But allow me to ask, does any of you think you are worthy of this title? Please step forward!"

The entire room fell silent; no one stepped forward.

Qi Yu looked around and said, "You don't even have the courage to face your own hearts. You just want the title of 'Wen Zun', right? I'll give you a chance."

"You want it, but you're too proud to stand up. You're a bunch of bookworms who've made yourselves stupid, utterly hypocritical."

"You're just jealous that I've gained His Majesty's favor and received the title of 'Wen Zun' (Scholar), so you want to step on me and use me as a stepping stone to make a name for yourselves and become known throughout the world."

"I am right here now. Come and defeat me, use me as a stepping stone to build your legend."

The entire room fell into a deathly silence, because Qi Yu's words had stripped away the last fig leaf of these scholars, and their envious and twisted mentality had been exposed by Qi Yu in public.

Most of them came here with the intention of defeating Qi Yu and proving that Qi Yu was inferior to them.

If he is not as good as himself, then Qi Yu was able to obtain the title of 'Wen Zun', so why can't he?

Qi Yu sat down on the stone steps, then arrogantly pointed at a group of Confucian scholars and mocked, "Have you forgotten your own true self from studying so much?"

"You are studying in private schools. Didn't your teachers teach you about purpose? Why are you studying? Can someone come forward and tell me now?"

After Qi Yu said that, someone finally couldn't sit still anymore. It was a boy with still somewhat immature facial features.

"Wen Zun, you say we are bookworms who lack integrity, but I cannot agree with that!"

Qi Yu looked at the young man and smiled, "Then tell me, what is integrity? Do you think anyone today has it?"

"Of course!" the young man said proudly, puffing out his chest.

Qi Yu smiled and said, "A thousand years ago, the Yuan Kingdom, which was just a remote and small country, was attacked by the Yang Kingdom. The situation was precarious. The great Confucian scholar Liu Yuansheng of the Yuan Kingdom abandoned his pen and joined the army despite the opposition of thousands of people."

"Knowing that he alone could not change the fate of the country, he still donned his armor and went into battle. He was likely to die on this mission, but he remained calm."

"Scholars also possess integrity. This stubbornness in doing what is known to be impossible, and this composure in the face of death, are the true qualities that scholars should have!"

"Five hundred years ago, on the day the Great Cheng Dynasty was destroyed, countless scholars chose death over surrender and died under the butcher's knife, sacrificing themselves for their country. Isn't this courage and pride the very essence of the scholar's character?"

Qi Yu's eyes darted around as he looked at the group of Confucian scholars and asked indifferently, "Do you think you have the composure to sacrifice yourself for your country, the stubbornness to go even if ten thousand people try to stop you? Do you really have the integrity and spirit of a scholar?"

Qi Yu was not prejudiced against scholars, because there were indeed many scholars in history who were of noble character and worthy of emulation, such as Yu Qian, Qu Yuan, Yang Lian, and Lu Xun.

He disagreed with the statement that scholars are useless, saying that this was too one-sided.

A scholar who has lost his integrity is nothing more than a pedantic Confucian.

Qi Yu disliked lifeless, pedantic scholars, but most intellectuals in this world were like that.

Under the current system, only such corrupt scholars can be produced.

There are Confucian scholars with integrity, but they are extremely rare.

Scholars in this world generally have a high opinion of themselves; they may lack ability, but their vision is quite broad.

The saying "All other pursuits are inferior, only studying is superior" is misleading, causing people to fail to see their own limitations.

The entire room fell silent; no one dared to step forward and answer.

Because Qi Yu's voice was very loud, and the mocking smile on his face was so glaring.

"Then may I ask, Venerable Wenzun, do you possess the integrity of a scholar?"

An eighteen or nineteen-year-old boy walked out, his eyes bright and clear. Qi Yu could see the youthful spirit in him.

Qi Yu looked at the boy and smiled, "What's your name?"

"Fu Wenbing!" the boy answered firmly.

Qi Yu smiled and said, "You're quite good. There's still hope for you. You still have spirit, unlike them who have had their spirit worn away by studying."

Fu Wenbing didn't say anything, just looked at Qi Yu with a stubborn expression.

"Why did you study in the first place? Are you still working towards that goal now?" Qi Yu asked with a smile.

"Of course, I read books because they offer a different perspective, and they contain a wealth of interesting knowledge and wisdom!" Fu Wenbing said proudly, head held high.

Whether the boy was speaking from the heart or engaging in self-deception, Qi Yu admired him for being able to say those words.

Qi Yu looked at the young man and smiled, "Well said. Reading is for self-cultivation and character building, not for becoming a high-ranking official. There are countless great principles and a vast world in books. Reading should not be just for the purpose of becoming an official."

Fu Wenbing lowered his head to think about Qi Yu's words, and his eyes gradually brightened.

Not only him, but everyone around him had a sudden realization.

Is studying only for the purpose of becoming an official?

Fu Wenbing snapped out of his reverie, bowed to Qi Yu, and asked, "Then may I ask, Venerable Wen, what is the purpose of your studies?"

Qi Yu stood up, looked at the horizon, and recalled why he had studied in the first place.

His answer at the time was to study for the rejuvenation of the country, but he broke his promise. The cruelty of society wore down his edges, and his ideals were ultimately empty talk. He was unable to contribute to the country's development.

At most, he became an ordinary person who didn't hinder the country's revival!

Looking at the boy in front of him, Qi Yu felt as if he were seeing himself.

I was once full of passion and ideals!

A sentence involuntarily surfaced in Qi Yu's mind, and then he slowly read it aloud.

"To establish a moral compass for Heaven and Earth, to secure a destiny for the people, to continue the lost learning of the sages, and to usher in an era of peace for all generations!"

boom!

No sooner had Qi Yu finished speaking than a bolt of lightning ripped across the sky and exploded between heaven and earth.

This lightning bolt was not the shock that people imagined, nor was it just a figment of their imagination; it was real lightning.

Yes, it thundered in the middle of winter!

Qi Yu's true energy was uncontrollably released, but surprisingly, this true energy was not cold.

The true energy turned blue-gold, shooting straight into the sky like a pillar of light, piercing through the dark clouds, accompanied by lightning and thunder.

Behind Qi Yu, a phantom dragon shadow formed by the convergence of purple energy gradually appeared, and then the dragon shadow spiraled along the pillar of light.

Qi Yu was radiant at this moment, truly radiant, so much so that one could not look directly at his face.

Whether it was the onlookers who came to watch the spectacle or the secret agents from various forces who were secretly observing, everyone was horrified.

Ordinary people may not know that purple aura is an auspicious sign, and the arrival of purple aura from the east is considered a lucky omen.

The Confucian ideal of talent is purple, much like the interpretation of a gentleman.

Purple is luxurious yet not overbearing, and gorgeous yet not gaudy.

The righteous energy of Taoism is golden!

They didn't know if Qi Yu's blue-gold true energy was righteous, but it should be quite good.

With righteousness soaring to the heavens, talent will soar to great heights!

They were all horrified; such an image could only exist in the ancient times of the sages!

In the ancient era of sages, numerous sages emerged, each establishing their own doctrines, among whom the Confucian sage and the Taoist patriarch were the most prominent.

The Confucian sage was surrounded by purple aura, and his talent radiated outwards, causing clouds to scatter, which even the earth and mountains could not stop!

The Dao Ancestor possessed an aura of righteousness that soared to the heavens, and even the sun dared not rival its brilliance.

Now, they see the shadows of two sages in Qi Yu!

At the same time, all the grandmasters on the continent sensed a strange fluctuation of energy. Whether they were in seclusion or engaged in battle, they all stopped and looked in the direction of the Great Yun Dynasty.

Meanwhile, in the Eastern Qi region, at the Qingyun Academy, a group of refined and elegant scholars gathered before the stone tablet of talent left by the Confucian sage, their faces filled with astonishment.

Because the stone tablet left by the Confucian sage... has cracked!

This stone tablet was left by the Confucian sage; even a grandmaster could hardly damage it in the slightest.

But now it's cracked!