Chapter 6, The Great Master of Mohism

The person exclaimed, "What is the Mo family?"

The sound of "Bubu" is incessantly ringing in the ears

The man leisurely approached Xiang Shaolong, squatted down, and said: "Where do you come from, brother?"

Yuan Zong took out a piece of yellow brass from his bosom, on which there was only the character "墨" (ink), resembling a large square seal. He handed it to Xiang Shaolong and said: "Take this token and immediately flee to Handan. I have drawn a map for you, and during these days, I have earned enough travel expenses for you with my own hands. Hurry and go!"

Xiang Shaolong thought it made sense and hesitated, saying: "You won't force me into your guild again, will you"

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Xiang Shaolong dejectedly threw the sword back to him, conceding, "I admit I am no match for you, alas! How foolish I was to dream of conquering the world; it turns out that a true swordsman is so formidable. Farewell! I shall return to the deep mountains and just get by for the rest of my life." As he spoke the last words, he truly felt a sense of utter despair, strongly reminiscing about the era he was familiar with. If it were a contest of spear techniques, he was certain he could surpass this swordsman.

The person walked out of the house holding a pair of wooden swords and tossed one to Xiang Shaolong

Xiang Shaolong was taken aback and stepped back, as the opponent's swordsmanship was so exquisite that he found it difficult to exert his strength. Feeling indignant, he let out a loud roar and pounced forward like a fierce tiger, launching a series of seven strikes. The attacks came at him like a gale sweeping away leaves, striking from above and below, sweeping horizontally and cutting vertically as he advanced towards his opponent.

The person was utterly confused, but since he could mention the name Mozi, it was clear he was not talking nonsense. He nodded and said, "Mozi is indeed our first great master. Are you truly someone from the countryside?"

Suddenly, there was an additional person in the temple

Three months have hurriedly passed under such circumstances

The person laughed and said: "Not only will I not force you to join the association, but even the apprenticeship can be spared. We are merely friends, engaging as equals. My name is Yuan Zong, so feel free to call me Brother Yuan if you wish."

The man sighed and said: "I originally thought that with the great mandate I possess, revitalizing the guild would be an easy task. However, when I arrived in Handan to find the leader of Zhao Mo, I was unexpectedly pursued by his men and barely managed to escape here. I feel deeply isolated and weak, and I must gather my disciples if I hope to unify the Three Mo. A talent and character like yours, how could I possibly let you go so easily"

Xiang Shaolong waved the sword twice and shook his head, saying: "No! I am afraid of hurting you"

Xiang Shaolong was taken aback upon hearing this, secretly pondering that this person was even more arrogant than he was, and he laughed heartily, saying: "Then I shall not be polite."

What should I do? Perhaps I should return to Sanglin Village to find Meican Niang, or simply spend the rest of my days in the valley. Thinking of this truly makes one feel a sense of heroism diminished

Suddenly, when he reached about five steps away from the person, he feigned a move, first swaying to the left, then shifting to the right, sweeping his sword horizontally, intending to overpower the opponent's wooden sword with sheer strength.

The person noticed his surprise and said: "This is a heavy sword made of a thousand-year-old pomegranate wood. Good! Attack me with two strikes and let me see."

Thus, Xiang Shaolong settled down in this land temple, practicing swordsmanship with Yuan Zong every morning at the crow of the rooster, and discussing the principles of offense and defense with him.

The person felt a shiver run through their body, closed their eyes, and began to ponder deeply

The person was tall, almost matching his height, with an ancient appearance and a calm demeanor. His pair of eyes, however, sparkled with brilliance. Aside from the headscarf that bound his hair, he wore no accessories, resembling a practitioner of asceticism.

His progress was so rapid that even Emperor Yuan Zong had to express great admiration and praise him endlessly. A month later, his skills could match those of Emperor Yuan Zong in both defense and offense

The person suddenly opened his eyes, a divine light flashing, and smiled, saying: "Is there really anything in this world that can be obtained without effort? Come, learn the sword with me! When the day comes that you can break through the wooden sword in my hand, I will go with you to Handan. If you are a true man, then agree to my request! Otherwise, even if you manage to reach Handan, when you encounter a true swordsman, you will still find it difficult to escape death"

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The person looked at him with admiration and said, "If your sword can touch my clothes, I will immediately present you with the detailed map to Handan along with the attire of the Panchuan."

Xiang Shaolong shook his head repeatedly and said: "This is not feasible. I will never sacrifice my life and blood for such an illusory ideal that can never be achieved. Alas! Trust me! The ideals of the Mo family will never succeed. After redistributing wealth, it will only cultivate many lazy people. Only competition can lead to progress"

Xiang Shaolong was taken aback for a moment, feeling somewhat awkward as he said: "I actually do not know much, I am just taking it one step at a time. Now that I have some clothes, I would like to exchange the dagger in my possession for a bit of money, preferably enough to buy a horse to take me to Handan."

The person smiled calmly and said: "It is very simple, it is to eliminate the 'great harm to the world' and achieve the 'great benefit to the world'"

Xiang Shaolong chuckled and said, "How vague these two statements are; what exactly constitutes a tremendous benefit and a great harm?"

Xiang Shaolong was startled when he received the sword, as it was several times heavier than the previous one. The wooden body was dark and he could not tell what kind of wood it was made from

Xiang Shaolong was unaware of the other party's intentions and replied, "I originally intended to go to Handan to visit relatives, but I lost my way and ended up here. If you could kindly inform me how to get to Handan, I would be extremely grateful." At this moment, his tone and manner of speaking had already learned about seventy to eighty percent of the local dialect and conversational style.

The person said lightly, "Follow me!" and pushed open the back door of the mountain god's temple, revealing what lay behind the door.

Yuan Zong sighed, saying: "It is Yan Ping of Zhao Mo. After I injured eighteen of them, I was able to escape and return. What he desires is the Great Master Order from me; with it, Yan Ping can rightfully ascend to the position of Great Master. " He paused, shook his head, and bitterly smiled, saying: "It is truly ironic that we cannot even practice universal love within our own guild, yet we speak of ideals."

On that day, Yuan Zong returned only after dark, his expression grave. He summoned him into the stone chamber, furrowed his brow in deep thought for a moment, and then said: "They have pursued us."

The person exclaimed: "So you truly do not understand the art of fencing, merely relying on your strength and agility. However, an ordinary swordsman encountering you would undoubtedly find it difficult to cope."

The man smiled slightly and said: "I am not a distinguished person; I merely noticed your robust physique and handsome appearance. Despite your current predicament, your eyes still reflect an indomitable pride, which prompted me to inquire. Tell me, what talents do you possess?"

That person looked at Xiang Shaolong, who had shaved off his beard, tidied his hair, and changed into a coarse linen robe, as if he had been completely transformed into another person. Admiration flickered in his eyes as he said: "Just now, you mentioned wanting to embark on a great undertaking. May I ask what this undertaking refers to?"

When he reached the seventy-second sword, Xiang Shaolong finally exhausted his strength, stepped back to catch his breath, and looked at the man before him in disbelief

The man laughed and said: "From your words and actions, it is clear that you are a person of exceptional character, poor yet not greedy, with a demeanor that surpasses others. Come! Take a bath and change into clean clothes, and I will cook and prepare a meal. Let us have a good conversation."

Xiang Shaolong has established a profound relationship with him that is both teacher and friend, and upon hearing this, he asked with concern: "Who is chasing after you?"

Xiang Shaolong excitedly said: "Is your ancestral master Mozi? His teachings are very famous, standing alongside the other three schools of Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism, and they have endured through the ages!"

The individual pondered for a moment and said: "The Grand Master is the leader of the 'Ink Society'. When it was initially established, the hope was to use force to stop force, to defend rather than to attack. Unfortunately, the society has greatly deteriorated today, splitting into three organizations based on regions, namely 'Qi Ink', 'Chu Ink', and 'Zhao Ink'. I am a disciple of the former Grand Master Meng Sheng, and my purpose in coming out this time is to unify these three societies and once again strive for our ideals"

Xiang Shaolong found himself without a place to settle, and he chased inside. There was a hidden world within, an abandoned backyard surrounded by high walls, with a dried-up small pond in the center and a small stone house at the other end

Xiang Shaolong secretly cursed in his heart, but in order to inquire about the route to Handan, he endured his anger and said: "I know nothing at all, I only possess great strength and am not afraid of doing rough work or fighting"

Xiang Shaolong said in a low voice: "Why not tell me how to get to Handan? I, Xiang Shaolong, will never forget the kindness of the gifts of clothing and food"

Xiang Shaolong said in a lost voice: "So you are a follower of the Mo family"

The man stood still with a smile at the corner of his mouth, yet no matter from which angle he struck, he was always able to perfectly deflect the sword aimed at him. Moreover, the ensuing force of the sword would inevitably push him back, allowing him to avoid a direct contest of strength. Although he only defended and did not attack, his defense was impeccable.

Xiang Shaolong looked in shock, and it turned out to be a middle-aged man dressed in a coarse linen garment, barefoot, no wonder he could not hear any footsteps

Xiang Shaolong retorted, "Then what ideals do you have?"

The man furrowed his brow and said: "A true gentleman, standing and living in the world, cannot be without goals and ideals; only those who create the circumstances are considered true heroes."

Xiang Shaolong, not wishing to resort to violence, could only escape with all his might. Eventually, he arrived at a dilapidated and remote earth temple, where he despondently entered and sat cross-legged in a corner.

After consuming two bowls of rice, Xiang Shaolong felt invigorated

Xiang Shaolong naturally nodded

Little did he know that the other person remained completely still, with a flick of the wrist, the wooden sword arrived first, slashing diagonally against his sword, followed by the sword tip pointing obliquely, seemingly aiming to stab at the face of Xiang Shaolong

The person smiled and said, "Do you know how to use a sword?"

Xiang Shaolong said in a deep voice: "Why would you tell me such a secret matter?"

That person, seemingly indifferent, said: "The greatest calamity in the world is none other than the survival of the fittest, where the strong prey upon the weak, great nations invade small nations, and the wise oppress the foolish. The root of all these misfortunes lies in the lack of love between people; if we could love one another and benefit each other, we could share wealth equally, eliminating jealousy, resentment, and competition, thus achieving the greatest benefit for the world"

Xiang Shaolong also did not know how to comfort him properly

Xiang Shaolong inquired: "What is a giant? I truly do not know about this matter"

Yuan Zong would go out every day, leaving Xiang Shaolong, who was captivated by the swordsmanship, to practice with great enthusiasm. It was only at dusk that Yuan Zong would return with food.

The two individuals scrutinized each other