Chapter 263: Chapter 199: The Learning of the Mind is Revealed, a Great Era Approaches, Forging a Sacred Path for Future Scholars

Another became one of the Saints and Sages of his generation, guarding the northern part of the Haoran Continent from a single city, Wangbei Pass.

Even the least accomplished among them was Mr. Shuijing of Guanshui Academy in the Nanli Dynasty. Known as a Pure Confucian Scholar, he was the one who proposed the theory of "cultivating oneself and regulating one’s family."

And now, the fourth True Disciple was, shockingly, Chen Ke.

When people heard the news, they grew even more curious. What new learning had Chen Ke comprehended to have actually earned the recognition of the great Dao and a descent of Destiny?

"May I ask, Great Sage Chen."

"What is the meaning of ’the mind is principle’?"

Just then, the Mountain Master of Yueyang Academy spoke up. He stood with the utmost respect outside Qingzhu Hall and offered Chen Ke a humble bow.

Hearing the man’s question, Chen Ke answered without a moment’s hesitation, "We scholars ought to use our own minds to distinguish good from evil and right from wrong, not be bound by heavenly principle."

"We must walk the path of a Gentleman."

"The mind must lead. Knowledge precedes action, and action deepens knowledge."

He voiced his understanding for all to hear.

Although he had not yet fully comprehended it or organized it into a complete system for the Learning of the Mind, he still understood its core tenets and essence. What he had to say would not be too far off the mark.

Lu Mingyuan watched Chen Ke from the side, slowly nodding.

After hearing this, some of the Confucian Scholars were confused. It did not sound like any particularly profound principle, but merely a call for people to clearly distinguish good from evil.

So why did it cause such a world-shaking celestial phenomenon?

However, a single high-crowned elder, a man who looked aloof and refined with vast, profound knowledge, instantly perceived the crux of the matter. He took a step forward, faced Chen Ke, and said:

"May I ask, Great Sage."

"How does one use the mind to perceive principles and distinguish good from evil? Does knowledge come first, followed by action, or does action come first, followed by knowledge?"

The high-crowned elder’s question sounded simple. To an ordinary scholar, it seemed to be just asking whether one must do good deeds after understanding good and evil, a simple matter of combining theory with practice.

But to someone like the high-crowned elder, the question had a completely different feel.

As they say, the greatest Dao is the simplest.

True principles are simple in themselves. The complexity lies in how one understands and enacts them.

In other words, everyone knows that one plus one equals two. The more complicated question is *why* one plus one equals two.

That is the core of academia: to tell the world *why*.

Most people may not study it, but the answer must exist. Otherwise, everything would seem utterly absurd.

Hearing the high-crowned elder’s question, Chen Ke became even calmer.

"Devoid of good or evil is the mind’s substance."

"Good and evil exist in the stirring of intent."

"To know good and evil is conscience."

"To do good and cast out evil is the investigation of things."

"Knowledge and action have no sequence, no hierarchy. The two proceed in parallel. Therefore, it is called: the Unity of Knowledge and Action."

Chen Ke’s voice was calm, but as he finished speaking those four True Words...

A sudden, rolling thunderclap split the dimness between heaven and earth.

The terrifying, world-spanning celestial phenomenon instantly grew tranquil.

The sky cleared completely. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

"Devoid of good or evil is the mind’s substance? Good and evil exist in the stirring of intent? To know good and evil is conscience? To do good and cast out evil is the investigation of things?"

"One must achieve the Unity of Knowledge and Action."

Above the Imperial Palace, the eavesdropping Great Scholars, Saints and Sages, Academy Mountain Masters, officials, and numerous other Confucian Scholars all began to carefully contemplate the meaning of those four sentences.

However, within the Imperial Capital’s Wenchang Pavilion, a pillar of light erupted, soaring into the heavens.

At the same instant, the statue of the Confucian Temple Saint trembled once more, bursting forth with boundless light.

The noble aura of a Saint descended upon the Great Yan Dynasty once again.

This awesome light swept across the world.

Above the Great Yan Imperial Capital, Golden Lotuses bloomed from the very earth.

Masses of golden clouds spread across the dome of the sky.

The figures of the Hundred Schools of Thought appeared above the visages of the five great Saints on the Confucian Temple’s Celestial Mountain, and their light illuminated the entire Haoran Continent.

A phantasmal image of the Venerable Sage of Ren appeared in the sky, standing in the east.

This phantom of Ren Sheng was, however, merely an illusion of the Saint, possessing no will or consciousness of its own.

It had been conjured by Chen Ke’s four Holy Words.

But soon, a second phantasmal image, that of Zong Sheng, appeared to the south.

A third, Li Sheng, appeared to the north.

A fourth, the Sub-Saint, appeared to the west.

And a fifth, Fusheng, appeared in the very center of the Central Plains.

People cried out in shock as they gazed at the awesome phenomenon.

"The Five Saints have manifested in the world! Such a sight has never been seen before! This is truly a supreme new school of thought!"

"It shakes heaven and earth and makes ghosts and gods weep! This new school of thought will become the fifth major school of the Confucian Dao, surpassing all the Saints and Sages of the past!"

"I estimate the Confucian Temple’s next Saint of the Celestial Mandate will be born within the decade."

Voices rose from all across the land, their speakers stunned by the celestial display.

"Excellent. Excellent!"

Hearing the four True Words, the high-crowned elder nodded, extremely gratified.

"As expected of my junior brother."

Hearing this, the people around him finally realized the high-crowned elder’s identity.

He was none other than the third True Disciple of Wen Sheng they had just been discussing: Mr. Shuijing of the Nanli Dynasty’s Guanshui Academy. He was a contemporary Great Scholar known as the Pure Confucian Scholar, held a supreme position in Nanli, and had cultivated countless talented individuals for the dynasty. It would be no exaggeration to call him the Nanli Imperial Tutor.

His strength was comparable to Qi Xingyan.

One could be called a Great Scholar upon reaching the Eleventh Realm, but even among those in the Eleventh Realm, the differences in power could be immense.

Individuals like Qi Xingyan and Mr. Shuijing were both at the peak of the Eleventh Realm. Backed by the National Fortune of Great Yan and Nanli respectively, their strength was far beyond that of any ordinary Great Scholar.

Mr. Shuijing, with his aloof, refined air and profound knowledge, turned his gaze to Lu Mingyuan. He couldn’t help but ask Chen Ke:

"Is this man your choice?"

Only then did the crowd’s gazes fall upon Lu Mingyuan. They noticed the way the two men stood, one slightly behind the other, bore a striking resemblance to the posture of a ruler and his minister.

"The one Chen Ke has chosen to serve... is Prince Huai’an?"

"What? A man of such astonishing and brilliant talent is going to serve Prince Huai’an?"

The revelation sent shockwaves through the crowd, and a commotion erupted.

Many young Confucian Scholars found this fact impossible to accept.

With Chen Ke’s talent, he was worthy of being a dynasty’s Prime Minister.

In any of the great dynasties, he could easily secure the position of Chief Minister. He could also attain an extremely high position in the Confucian Temple.

Even serving as an official in Great Yan, his potential was limitless. With enough seniority, he could have joined the Cabinet.

Why would he choose to be a mere Staff Officer under Prince Huai’an?

The only explanation was... he believed Lu Mingyuan could secure the position of the Eastern Palace, and he was angling for the title of Great Yan’s National Preceptor.

If an ordinary scholar had claimed Prince Huai’an could take the Eastern Palace, they would have ridiculed him mercilessly.

But this was Chen Ke, the man who had comprehended this new school of thought. They had to give it more consideration.

Facing the crowd’s questioning gazes, Chen Ke’s eyes were firm as he declared, "That is correct. A scholar dies for one who truly knows him, as a woman adorns herself for one who delights in her. It was His Highness who taught me the principle of the ’Unity of Knowledge and Action.’ Therefore, I, Chen Ke, cannot abandon my benefactor for personal gain!"

Meanwhile, many of the Academy Mountain Masters, Great Scholars, and other Confucian Scholars from the Confucian Temple and Academy were repeatedly murmuring the four true maxims.

When they heard Chen Ke’s declaration, their expressions froze.

’Prince Huai’an taught him?’

Even the Great Scholars who had come to observe were exceptionally gifted individuals—otherwise, they never would have become Great Scholars of their generation.

They, of all people, knew just how difficult it was to comprehend such a principle!

And now Chen Ke was telling them that this world-shaking principle had come from the mouth of Prince Huai’an?

How could they not be utterly astounded?

If what Chen Ke said was true, then wouldn’t the scholars and commoners kneeling at the gates of the Imperial City become the biggest joke in the world?

Hearing this, Lu Mingyuan’s face fell, and he started to say:

"Don’t..."

Chen Ke paid no mind to the shifting expressions of the crowd and continued to expound upon his Learning of the Mind.

"The doctrine I have established today..."

"Is Lu and Wang’s Heart Learning."

"The Learning of the Mind merges the strengths of three schools. I, Chen Ke, will not take credit that belongs to others."

...