Chapter 2304: Lusen Iron River

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The dilemma of the Mohists, tracing its roots and origins, still leads back to the fall of their ancestor. This great being who achieved the Dao in the Middle Ancient era was one era later than the Confucian and Legalist ancestors. The doctrine It founded once spread everywhere, its momentum suppressing that of the Confucians and Legalists. At the peak of the era of various saints, there was even a saying, "Seven out of ten books are Mohist."

Even now, it profoundly influences the lives of the human race. Even those who are not Mohist disciples more or less understand some Mohist thought and know the greatness of the Mohists.

No one knows how the Mohist ancestor fell; that remains a mystery to this day. Just suddenly one day, people could no longer feel Its power. Its thoughts were still being expounded, Its wisdom still being inherited, and Its spirit still being looked up to. But It no longer existed.

That was already before the New Dao Calendar began. But the exact time of the Mohist ancestor's fall still has no definitive answer, perhaps even the Mohists themselves don't know... In general, it happened in the Near Ancient era, after the era of various saints, before the one true era. The Mohists always concealed this news until the New Dao Calendar began and it could no longer be hidden. In that battle that almost annihilated the various heavens and myriad worlds, the Mohist ancestor did not appear, unable to defend Its thoughts, unable to protect Its inheritance, unable to bear responsibility, and finally was confirmed dead.

As a prominent contemporary school, the Mohists, despite their worldly skills, lacked a transcendent powerful being to suppress their destiny. The transcendent common agreement known as the "Haotian Gaoshang End Tribulation Alliance" protected the Mohists to a certain extent.

With the New Dao Calendar beginning, the national system greatly prospered, dragons and snakes rose from the land, tyrants emerged, and giant cities remained hidden... The Mohists barely felt any specific external pressures. But even stripping away external influences, losing their guiding force, losing the one decisive voice, the consequences for a prominent school are disastrous.

Mohist doctrine originated in the Middle Ancient era, experienced the Middle Ancient and Near Ancient eras, and by now, many different sects had already appeared within the Mohists. In good times, this was "different academic directions," "a hundred flowers blooming is always spring." In bad times, it was differences.

What is the most direct consequence of the Mohists being without a transcendent? It's that many different thoughts internally rise, and external pressures are suddenly clearly perceived. Under heavy pressure, it simply collapses and disintegrates. This is also the core reason why many Mohist disciples now fall into intense ideological conflicts and don't know which direction to go. Even at the highest level of the Mohists, those participating in the "Shang Tong" meeting, are often bewildered. As top figures among the Mohists, they naturally believe in their own correctness, but sometimes, others also seem to be correct, but the road diverged from there.

Rao Xian Sun's failure in leading the "Enlighten God Plan" completely exposed the internal contradictions of the Mohists; it was a widely acknowledged "bad move." The Mohists were already on the verge of splitting at that time. Rao Xian Sun apologized with his death, and his successor, the Giant Qian Jin Hua, greatly changed direction, leading to the birth of "Qian Mohism," which just barely maintained the situation.

The "Thousand Mechanisms" that was suspended at that time was precisely to conceal internal contradictions and mend rifts. It was to close the door for self-digestion, followed by hundreds of years of turmoil and management.

Beneath the bridge is a lake of flowing iron water, and the dome is clouds condensed from steam. "Furnace Forest" naturally has its rough scenery.

In the air was a wooden kite, its craftsmanship very rough, looking crooked and twisted, like the childish work of someone just learning Mohist mechanism art. At this time, it emitted a sound—

"Now you say wash away the poison of 'Qian Mohism,' I can understand. But how do we walk the road ahead? Forgive my bluntness, Giant, you shouldn't be the one raising problems, you should be the one solving problems, the one bringing out concrete methods."

A woman with short hair and a very fit physique, wearing a fighting suit of an unknown material but very neat, sat on an iron frame, her riding boots dangling above the iron river. Her voice was somewhat cold and hard: "Hasn't the Giant already said? 'Correct the origin and clear the source,' return to the core spirit of Mohism."

The wooden kite continued to emit sound: "Don't talk to me about spirit, talk about direction, talk about those big and vague things. I came here to attend the meeting, not to listen to your empty talk. Mi Yi, what I want are concrete methods to solve problems."

Not far from the wooden kite, a figure swayed back and forth on an iron frame like a pendulum. That was the projection of a certain Mohist sage who had transcended the world. At this time, he said: "We rarely gather together; we should say meaningful words and do meaningful things. Giant Qian can also say 'Gentleman drives tools, everyone like a dragon.' How do we do that concretely? In the end?"

"Liang Qi, Ming Yi, you are both my predecessors. Mohism emphasizes rules, and the Giant is above all. As I sit in this position, I will not add respectful language," Lu Mao Guan began to speak: "I understand the meaning of both of you. Now we are precisely here to discuss concrete strategies. But before that, we need to establish a consensus. Under a certain consensus, working together with one heart, then there is a possibility of solving problems."

"What is the consensus? To completely deny 'Qian Mohism'?" The Mohist sage projection named 'Ming Yi' said: "Is Thousand Mechanisms Tower still open or not? Do we still want the commercial channels in various places or not? Do we still do business or not? Do we still invest in those most money-consuming mechanism arts or not?"

Lu Mao Guan's face condensed with bitterness, with the solemnity bestowed by years, he lightly stroked the outer wall of the big iron furnace like stroking his crops: "Open, why not open? Business goes well, why not do it? Actually, it's very simple, oppose what's wrong, retain what's right. We Mohists always seek reality like this. I will not deny all of Qian Jin Hua."

Ming Yi said: "The Giant says he will not deny all of Qian Jin Hua, but those below are doing that now. Those who earn the most wealth for the Mohists are now suffering the harshest criticisms."

Lu Mao Guan looked at him: "You think it's excessive correction?"

Ming Yi counter-asked: "Does the Giant think so?"

"Correcting wrongly must be excessive!" Mi Yi's voice came out: "Otherwise, it's not enough to scatter the heart of 'Qian Mohism.' We have dragged this on until today to hold this Shang Tong meeting, isn't it also because we want to see more changes in Giant City under the conflicts?" She casually took out an iron bar and pressed it until it arched up: "We bend the iron bar to this degree precisely to leave it space to rebound." Then she let go, and the iron bar instantly straightened.

Ming Yi's projection was somewhat fuzzy, but his voice was very clear: "When you say 'Correcting wrongly must be excessive,' you won't just bend the iron bar to a slight arch. If this sentence spreads below, they will certainly bend the iron bar until it breaks in reverse."

Mi Yi said: "Conversely too! When you think contributions can cover errors, those errors will forever not be faced, only intensifying in the future. This iron bar will never straighten up."

Seeing the discussion between the two trending towards intensity, the wooden kite representing the Mohist sage 'Liang Qi' changed its tone: "It seems the two have a consensus on 'Correcting wrongly,' only differing in degree. But to me, Mi Yi is only 'fierce,' still far from extreme. If Shu Wei Jun were here and heard the Giant was unwilling to deny all of Qian Jin Hua, he might turn and leave."

Mohism is too ancient. Ten thousand years have washed away too many branches, even among those considered "Old Mohists," there are internal differences. If Lu Mao Guan is "Revere ancient," then Shu Wei Jun is "Stick to ancient." That is a person who in all matters must follow the initial rules of Mohism, not allowing the slightest change.

The number of participants in the "Shang Tong" meeting is generally eleven. Qian Jin Hua died, and Lu Mao Guan replaced him as Giant. Someone else also filled Lu Mao Guan's original seat. But why is one still absent now? The one missing is precisely Shu Wei Jun.

Shu Wei Jun is not in Giant City year-round, not even in the current world. He walks in various heavens and myriad worlds, tempering his body and martial dao, spreading Mohist thought. After Qian Jin Hua became Giant and promoted 'Qian Mohism,' he refused to contact Giant City again. He is a martial dao grandmaster with a very distinct character.

Lu Mao Guan slowly said: "Shu Wei Jun has Shu Wei Jun's ideas, Liang Qi has Liang Qi's ideas, and Lu Mao Guan has Lu Mao Guan's ideas. Differences will certainly arise, but in the end, we still have to unite and move forward. This is precisely the meaning of 'Shang Tong.'"

"He didn't come, which is equivalent to agreeing to everything," said Mi Yi, who had iron-like black shiny skin.

"Now it seems everyone opposes Qian Jin Hua, as if he is nothing, but there were also not a few people who supported him initially. I sometimes feel very perplexed. Why not just state the consensus directly?" At the far end of the bridge, a steel-cast human figure walked closer, its iron boots colliding with the iron frame, a symphony of iron and iron. His voice was also a true steel voice, unable to distinguish gender: "We indeed need to unify our views a bit."

Lu Mao Guan said: "Since Luan Gong said so—the theme of this meeting is 'Correct the origin and clear the source.' Qian Jin Hua indeed reversed the financial predicament of Giant City, this point is undeniable. But the problems brought by the spread of 'Qian Mohism' cannot be ignored. In the past, we were losing ourselves, becoming, as people said, a pure chamber of commerce organization."

The wrinkles on his face were full of sincerity as he earnestly looked at everyone: "In this situation, I think we first return to the core spirit of Mohism, restraining the thought of 'Money above all.' In concrete methods, we need to make corresponding changes. Doing business must be profitable, but profit needs to have a bottom line, to 'Take it with way.' Our bottom line is the spirit of Mohism."

"I agree with this premise; I believe no one will oppose it," said the wooden kite representing the Mohist sage 'Liang Qi': "Giant, why not talk specifically about your cooperation with Han Xu. I still have some doubts about directly participating in worldly disputes."

To save the Mohists, many people made many efforts. If the "Enlighten God Plan" was Rao Xian Sun's attempt, and "Qian Mohism" was Qian Jin Hua's attempt, then the Mohists entering Yong is Lu Mao Guan's attempt. Although Qian Jin Hua and Lu Mao Guan's thoughts were opposed, almost making them enemies, and they once didn't interact until old age and death, neither ever hindered the other's affairs. Because they were both truly thinking for the Mohists, only their respective paths were different. Everyone knew that the current Mohists could not afford to be tormented.

Even Mo Jing Yu, as an important figure in the Mohists entering Yong, after his accidental death, was conveniently set up by Qian Jin Hua. At the critical time when the new and old Mohists were opposing each other, many people suspected that there were problems with Mo Jing Yu's death, possibly Qian Jin Hua interfering with Lu Mao Guan's route. Many times they requested a counterattack, but all were suppressed by Lu Mao Guan. Lu Mao Guan himself never suspected.

"Seeing once is better than saying a thousand times," Lu Mao Guan was still very confident in the strategy of the Mohists entering Yong: "You might as well go to Yong Country to see for yourselves if you have time. Qian Jin Hua initially said that he hoped everyone could live an affluent and dignified life through using mechanisms—we are realizing this in Yong Country."

At this moment, from within the flowing "Iron River," a hand suddenly reached out. A man with a full head of white hair, bare upper body, and only wearing black long pants, just like that, walked out of the iron river, the iron water dripping along his muscles. His face showed signs of age, with very obvious wrinkles. When he initially descended, he must not have been young. But at over a thousand years old today, his body lines are truly perfect.

"Shu Wei Jun." Luan Gong on the bridge above lowered his cast iron head: "When did you return?"

"Not long," Shu Wei Jun said flatly: "Came early, conveniently swam in the iron river."

Among the world's martial dao grandmasters, Shu Wei Jun is the oldest and perhaps the least favored. The reason is simple—if he could succeed, he should have succeeded long ago. Shu Wei Jun, of poor origin, is already one thousand and thirty-six years old this year, older than the other four "top three in the world's martial dao" combined.

Although there haven't been many successive generations of martial dao true persons, and even fewer strong individuals who achieved the martial dao twenty-six heavens, over a long time, some have accumulated. The martial dao grandmasters who were with Shu Wei Jun at that time have all disappeared in the exploration of the absolute peak of the martial dao. Using a lifetime's progress to eliminate a wrong answer for later martial dao cultivators.

Shu Wei Jun is still here, competing with the new era's martial dao grandmasters. He is almost at the life limit in the martial dao twenty-six heavens realm, waiting. But absolutely no one dares to truly underestimate him. Because five hundred years ago, he already stood at the forefront of martial dao, and five hundred years later, he still stands at the forefront of martial dao. His understanding of martial dao is probably hard to surpass in the world. If martial dao has a foundation, he is the foundation of martial dao.

At this moment, he walked out of the iron water, as if uninterested in this "Shang Tong" meeting, walking directly towards the outside of "Furnace Forest."

"Shu Wei Jun!" The wooden kite representing 'Liang Qi' said: "What are your views on this meeting? Since you came, there is no need to be stingy with words."

Shu Wei Jun stopped his steps and finally said: "Former sages in the Four Symbols Star Domain laid down four characters for the great dao of later Mohist disciples. These four towers are called Wei, Jie, Rong, Wu." He turned his head back, his gaze sweeping over everyone one by one: "Please teach me, what is the explanation for this character 'Jie'?"

Everyone was silent for a while. That rough wooden kite emitted sound: "Living in the world, there are many things to consider. You shouldn't think things too simply."

"Right and wrong are sometimes not that complex," Shu Wei Jun said: "Gone!"

Everyone just watched his back. Only Lu Mao Guan said: "This time you return, what can the Mohists up and down do to help you?"

He understood why Shu Wei Jun, who always stayed in the outer heavens, would return this time. Because it was already time to impact the last step of martial dao. Shu Wei Jun's life limit was approaching, and he didn't have much time to wait. But Shu Wei Jun had cultivated martial dao for a thousand years, always standing at the highest place of martial dao, waiting for the best timing—martial dao has developed to this point, and the world's dragons and tigers are stirring.

Chu Country even produced a martial dao true person under forty years old, which is enough to show that the foundation of this road is already solid, and martial dao prodigies can already compete with the mainstream cultivation paths. The acknowledged first person in martial dao, Wang Xiao, said he was already attempting.

At this critical moment, no one will yield. Whoever takes that step first will just lock in transcendence! Although Lu Mao Guan firmly believed that his own path was the best choice for the Mohists, he also understood that Shu Wei Jun not participating in the "Shang Tong" meeting was because he had more intense ideas. Once Shu Wei Jun successfully takes that step, the Mohists will turn in that direction. But despite this, Lu Mao Guan is still willing to support him without reservation. Because the Mohists need a transcendent. Because the appearance of a transcendent means the Mohists have many more possibilities to make mistakes, far more important than his one correct choice.

Shu Wei Jun stepped on the iron water towards the outside of "Furnace Forest," saying without turning back: "I have walked on this road for a thousand years, seeing one by one martial dao cultivators using their bodies as stones, throwing their bodies into the abyss. One day, the bones of martial dao true persons will fill the abyss, leveling the natural barrier, and the road ahead will appear. No one needs to take risks to explore again."

"You all say, am I the bones paving the road, or the one who walks past?" His back muscles were so perfect, like a clear character for "Spine." Every muscle line was like a steep road. Dense narrow roads finally converged to the center, which was a dragon raising its head to ascend to heaven.

The human body has four seas, and the spine is the great dragon. A hundred refinements become steel, ten thousand tribulations ascend to heaven.

He had already received help; those who helped him were all the people who had cultivated martial dao from ancient times to the present. Between people and people, between people and books, all need a bit of fate.

New year, new atmosphere. If reading is not happy, reading makes your heart annoyed, really don't force yourself to continue. I advise those with impatient personalities, put down the book for a while, first go read other excellent works. Wait until several plot lines are fully out, then read together, perhaps it will be more comfortable. Isn't this also the pleasure of reading?

Put down the book, my friends. Come back to read after a while, or just put it down like this is also not a bad thing. After all, reading is a pleasant thing, don't torment yourself, and don't affect others. Wish you well.