Chapter 535:
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Zhao Kingdom, Martial Arts School
Mo Zhai walked into the Library Pavilion and greeted the master there before finding his favorite book and hiding in a quiet corner to read.
He had been at the Martial Arts School for nearly two years. When he first arrived, life was tough because there were no beginner classes. The students at the school were either nobles from Zhao Kingdom or wealthy merchants, who had already received training at home.
Mo Zhai and his two friends became the laughingstock of the school. All the other students looked down on them, which made the young trio angry. They secretly vowed to surpass the other students and make them regret looking down on them.
Master Zhao Zhi assigned a teacher to mentor Mo Zhai and his friends. They started from learning basic reading and martial arts skills. The trio worked very hard, dedicating all their time to studying, except for eating and sleeping.
In just six months, they completed the beginner classes. The teacher told them that they had learned what others would take five or six years to learn.
When they started regular classes with the other students, Mo Zhai’s talent shone brightly. He could memorize a martial arts move just by watching it once and become proficient after practicing for a few days. He even began to understand and apply similar techniques.
After a little over a year at the Martial Arts School, Mo Zhai surpassed most of the other students, including those who had been training for over a decade.
However, in the past two months, Mo Zhai started to enjoy reading more. He found a wonderful world in books, so he often came to the Library Pavilion alone to read.
Before long, a figure stood in front of Mo Zhai. Mo Zhai woke up in surprise, looked up, and showed a delighted expression, calling out, "Sir!"
"Shh, don’t disturb others."
Lin Jiang made a gesture, and Mo Zhai quickly covered his mouth, then followed Lin Jiang outside the Library Pavilion.
"Sir, why are you at the Martial Arts Academy?"
"Nowhere else to go, just staying here for a few days. Mo Zhai, I heard you and your brothers have been doing well."
"No, it’s Cheng Zi’an and Nie Ling who are really good."
Mo Zhai said that Cheng Zi’an and Nie Ling are his two younger brothers, who are also outstanding at the Martial Arts Academy.
Lin Jiang smiled, acknowledging that Cheng Zi’an and Nie Ling are indeed talented. Their personalities are quite different from Mo Zhai’s. They prefer to stand out. Cheng Zi’an is learning swordsmanship, and Nie Ling is learning spear techniques, both of them gaining quite a reputation.
However, Lin Jiang knew that the leaders of the Martial Arts Academy preferred Mo Zhai more. One reason was that Mo Zhai was more humble, and another reason was that Mo Zhai was more versatile in learning various weapons quickly.
Mo Zhai was very happy to see Lin Jiang. Even though they hadn’t spent much time together, Lin Jiang had been very kind to him. Mo Zhai also knew that it was because of Lin Jiang that they could come to the Martial Arts Academy. So, Mo Zhai chattered about his life at the Martial Arts Academy for the past two years.
Lin Jiang smiled as he listened to Mo Zhai finish speaking. These had been two very fulfilling years.
"Mo Zhai, those people from the Zhao Kingdom want to marry their daughter to you. Why don’t you want it?"
"Sir, those women are delicate and don’t seem like warriors at all. I don’t want that."
"Haha, right, don’t want them. Women are like tigers, they can devour you."
Lin Jiang laughed. It seems like young Mo Zhai hasn’t grown up yet. The atmosphere at this Martial Arts Academy is too good. Hasn’t anyone taken him to the brothels to hear some music? After experiencing that, maybe he wouldn’t say such things.
"Sir, let’s not talk about women, let’s talk about something else."
"Sure, Mo Zhai, what would you like to talk about?"
"Sir, my dad is a carpenter, so I want to be a carpenter too. But the teachers at Martial Arts Academy say I’m not focusing on the right things. Sir, am I not focusing on the right things?"
Mo Zhai asked, even though he enjoyed his time at Martial Arts Academy, sometimes he felt out of place and had many unanswered questions.
"Mo Zhai, let me ask you, what does it mean to not focus on the right things?"
"Um, well..."
"Never mind, let me ask in a different way. Is it considered not focusing on the right things for your dad to be a carpenter in Shihao Village?"
"No, my dad being a carpenter provides for me, my mom, and them."
"So, do your classmates at Martial Arts Academy need to be carpenters to provide for themselves?"
"No, they have lots of fields and many slaves."
"Well then, being a carpenter is not considered not focusing on the right things for you, but it is for them."
"But sir, why is it like this?"
Mo Zhai has another question, why is the same thing evaluated differently in two families.
Lin Jiang smiled. Great, we are going to discuss the essence of society.
"Mo Zhai, do you think all people are equal?"
"Not equal, sir. Some are born as slaves, and some are born as nobles."
"Then why is that?"
"Well..."
"In the Northern Land, there is a saying: ‘The nobles and officials, better to have lines.’ Some people are born noble because their ancestors were nobles, but were their ancestors always nobles..."
Lin Jiang brought up the topic of equality to Mo Zhai. He agreed that there are differences in people’s social status, but class should not be fixed, and everyone’s dignity should be equal.
After learning a whole set of theories, Mo Zhai was greatly shocked. He was only fifteen years old and it was the first time he heard about this theory. He felt trembling all over as if his soul was shouting.
As Lin Jiang appeared more frequently at the Zhao Kingdom Martial Arts Academy, rumors spread about a mysterious Martial Saint showing up at the academy. Many nobles from the Zhao Kingdom wanted to befriend Lin Jiang, but he refused them all. Zhao Zhi also helped Lin Jiang avoid unnecessary trouble.
Mo Zhai and his friends often visited Lin Jiang, almost every day. However, Cheng Zi’an and Nie Ling were not interested in Lin Jiang’s philosophical theories, they were only interested in his martial arts skills. Lin Jiang didn’t bother them and just casually taught them some martial arts.
"Sir, you should treat everyone equally. Mo Zhai and the others are disciples of the Martial Arts Academy, just like everyone else. You should not favor one over the other. The Martial Arts Academy is eagerly waiting for you to teach."
After some time, Zhao Zhi personally persuaded Lin Jiang. Many people from the Martial Arts Academy wanted Lin Jiang to teach, but he had refused before.
"Alright, but promise me one thing."
"Please go ahead, sir."
"If one day Mo Zhai wants to leave the Martial Arts Academy, don’t make it difficult for him."
"Ah, sir, Mo Zhai is a student at my Martial Arts Academy..."
"The pond at Zhao Kingdom Martial Arts Academy is too small, it can’t accommodate Mo Zhai, this real dragon."
Lin Jiang stated firmly, making Zhao Zhi somewhat silent. Mo Zhai is the most talented martial artist he has seen in recent years, but now Lin Jiang seems to be trying to attract him.
"Actually, there’s no use in stopping him, children will always grow up."
"Alright, I promise, sir."
"I will give two lessons every month from now on, one on martial virtue and one on martial skills."
Lin Jiang said, Martial Arts Academy has not focused on martial virtue at all, Lin Jiang must make up for this.
Three days later, Lin Jiang gave his first lesson to the students at Zhao Kingdom Martial Arts Academy. The large classroom was full, even many masters came to listen.
"I, old master Guigu, have been invited by Dean Zhao Zhi today to teach martial virtue to the students of Zhao Kingdom Martial Arts Academy."
"What is the virtue of martial arts? Let me ask you all, why practice martial arts..."
Lin Jiang stood on the stage, speaking confidently to the crowd, starting with why people practice martial arts.
Many people practice martial arts for fame, fortune, and power, and there is nothing wrong with that. It is human nature.
However, Lin Jiang hopes that beyond human nature, martial artists can have higher pursuits, like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. After meeting basic needs and achieving success, they can aim for higher goals, like serving the country and the people.
A two-hour class is not enough to cover everything. Lin Jiang left some questions as homework for the disciples to think about. If they have any insights, they can come to him for a discussion.
"Mr. today’s teachings, Zhao Zhi has been greatly inspired, but there are some points where Zhao Zhi disagrees."
"Principal Zhao, please speak frankly."
"I believe martial artists should seek the ultimate realm of martial arts, rather than wasting their energy elsewhere..."
"Principal Zhao, if what you say is true, then why did you try to recruit me to Cloud Mountain a few years ago?"
"Um..."
Actually, what you said makes some sense. Most martial artists want to focus solely on training. But is it possible? Take for example the warriors from the Zheng Kingdom, when their country is destroyed and their families are gone, can they still remain pure in their practice?
In martial arts, besides talent and hard work, there are material needs too. Techniques, teachings from masters, various medicinal herbs, lots of food – can these be separated from worldly matters?
Lin Jiang was not afraid of debating. Since Zhao Zhi asked, he could explain different theories, as various ideas come from debates. Understanding comes from discussion.
Faced with Lin Jiang’s endless talk, Zhao Zhi fell silent once again. He realized that not only was he no match for Lin Jiang in martial arts, but also in reasoning.

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