Chapter 610: Recruiting and Tong Gang (Happy Mother's Day!)

In the prison, the old scholar Mo Chi took a branding iron.

The front half of the soldering iron was roasted red in the charcoal furnace, and a word was carved on the front end.

Ning Zhuo took a closer look and found that it was the character "Ren".

The old scholar Mo Chi took the branding iron with the word "Ren" on it and walked in front of the silent ghost general.

The silent ghost general was tied up, unable to move, and could only stare at the old scholar Mo Chi with calm eyes.

Without any hesitation, the old scholar Mo Chi directly pressed the branding iron between the eyebrows of the silent ghost general.

chi...

The red-hot iron produced a stream of black smoke between the ghost general's eyebrows.

For a moment, a burning smell was everywhere.

The old scholar Mo Chi pressed the key for five full breaths before he slowly pulled back the branding iron with the word "Ren" on it and put it back into the charcoal furnace.

The silent ghost general lowered his head weakly, and his breathing became very heavy.

Seeing Ning Zhuo was a little surprised, Wen Ruanyu explained at the right time: "We Confucianists practice the Five Constant Virtues, which are benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness."

"The benevolent love others, which is the foundation of Confucianism."

"If you want to establish yourself, you can establish others; if you want to achieve something, you can achieve others."

"A benevolent person has a kind heart and a virtue as high as a mountain. He can show kindness and tolerance to others, accumulate goodness as the foundation, and treat things with a kind heart..."

Ning Zhuo listened carefully.

Whether it is the old Confucian scholar Zheng Shoumo from Mo Chi, or Wen Runyu, the master of Wanxiang Zhenchuan, they are all Confucian practitioners.

Ning Zhuo was not familiar with Confucianism, so when he heard the master's explanation, he naturally pricked up his ears and learned actively.

Seeing that the silent ghost general was just breathing heavily, the old scholar Mo Chi took out another branding iron from the charcoal stove.

This time the soldering iron is different from the previous ones. The first part is the word "义".

puff.

Zheng Shoumo pushed Luo Tie onto the left shoulder of the silent ghost general, and a burnt smell came out again.

The severe pain caused the silent ghost general to suddenly raise his head and look at the roof, but his expression remained calm and his eyes remained peaceful.

Seeing his performance, Mo Chi Lao Ru also had an idea: "Okay, this look is good. I hope you can have such energy next time."

Ning Zhuo: ...

Wen Ruanyu further explained: "Yi means appropriateness, and it is the right path."

"A gentleman takes righteousness as his highest priority and conducts himself in a righteous manner."

"Righteousness does not lie in strength, but in the heart. Even when faced with adversity, one should remain upright and not change one's original intention..."

"A righteous person acts according to justice, not out of selfishness; he is upright and has no distractions."

Ning Zhuo kept these in mind.

The old scholar Mo Chi put down the iron with the word "righteousness" and took out the third iron, which was the word "li".

He followed the same method and also branded the word "Li" on the left shoulder of the Silent Ghost General. The Silent Ghost General closed his lips tightly and clenched his teeth.Still silent.

Mo Chi Lao Ru looked him up and down and praised him from the bottom of his heart: "He is indeed a tough guy!"

Wen Ruanyu explained to Ning Zhuo again: "Etiquette means respect, and it is the norm for people's behavior."

"It is also said: Ritual is reason, the principle of heaven and earth, and the major event of the state."

“Then he said: “Courtesy is the way to respect people and treat things. Perform courtesy like the wind, be respectful in your heart, behave dignifiedly, and everything will be in harmony…”

Wenruanyu seems to have made the most in-depth research in this area.

He also deliberately added some of his own understanding: "Etiquette is not hypocrisy, but the unity of inner respect and external expression, following the laws of nature and humanity, knowing when to advance and retreat, observing the importance of things, and distinguishing right from wrong..."

Ning Zhuo gained a lot and immediately bowed to express his gratitude.

He thought back to when he saw Wen Runyu fighting in the Mingjiao River before, and his attainments in etiquette were indeed extremely strong. At that time, many water ghost soldiers put down their butcher knives, observed etiquette, and allowed themselves to be slaughtered.

"Benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness... Now that we have come up with benevolence, righteousness and propriety, the only things left are wisdom and trustworthiness."

Ning Zhuo saw the pattern and had long discovered that there were many soldering irons inserted in the charcoal furnace, but the front ones were inserted deep into the charcoal furnace, and there was no specific text.

The old scholar Mo Chi put the soldering iron back but did not take out the fourth one immediately.

He turned to Wen Ruonyu and said, "Sir Wen, this enemy general is indeed the toughest man I have ever seen in my life. I said three words, but he didn't even frown or groan in pain. I'm afraid the next two words won't be able to pry him open."

"Ashamed."

"I just boasted, but now I'm getting slapped in the face."

"I have underestimated the heroes of the world."

Wen Ruanyu frowned: "What can I do?"

Mo Chi Lao Ru said: "I have another method. I can use this person's toughness to torture him for more information."

After a while, the green-faced ghost general, the bone-stick ghost general, the peanut ghost general, and the fang-toothed ghost general were all brought to this cell.

Mo Chi Lao Ru said: "Your leader is indeed a tough guy. He didn't say a word after I added three words."

"Just watch carefully. I hope you can keep your nerve in the future!"

As he spoke, the old scholar Mo Chi took out a branding iron with the word "wisdom" on it and hit the silent ghost general hard on the thigh.

The silent ghost general trembled with pain but still did not utter a sound.

The other four ghost generals who saw this scene all changed their expressions suddenly. Some struggled hard, whimpering, but in the end they were still bound and unable to free.

Wen Ruanyu introduced it to Ning Zhuo again, but this time, he used his spiritual consciousness to transmit his thoughts: "A wise man knows how to act, and he is wise in his understanding."

“Those who know it are not as good as those who like it, and those who like it are not as good as those who enjoy it…”

"A wise man is one who is clear-headed and sharp-eyed, who recognizes the changes of the times, sees the big picture from the details, thinks things through, and acts with discretion..."

Ning Zhuo nodded secretly, feeling happy in his heart: "I have learned it, I have learned it."

Mo Chi Lao Ru couldn't help but give a thumbs up to the silent ghost general: "Well, you are the most stubborn prisoner I have ever seen in my life."

"I've never seen anyone last more than five words in a row. I hope you can break this record."

puff.

The next moment, the branding iron with the word "信" was also imprinted on the right thigh of the silent ghost general, leaving a word "信" on it.

Wen Ruonyu said: "A person of faith is someone who keeps his word and is loyal and keeps his promises."

"One must keep his word and fulfill his actions, keep his promises and be loyal, and win the support of the people, and only then can one show his virtue."

"A gentleman should focus on the basics. When the basics are established, the Way will come into being. Virtue is never alone, it must have neighbors. Trustworthiness will bring peace to people's hearts, and when a country has trustworthiness, people's hearts will be with it. This is not only a high standard of moral character, but also a great tool for establishing oneself."

As soon as he finished explaining, the silent ghost general finally couldn't hold on any longer, closed his eyes, and fainted on the spot.

"What a shame, what a shame." Mo Chi Lao Ru was very sorry and regretful. He turned around and untied the Green-faced Ghost General so that the latter could speak.

Mo Chi said in a gentle voice, "I remember that you were also trained once, but you fainted halfway through. I hope you can perform better this time."

The green-faced ghost general was a veteran of the battlefield, a ghost who licked blood on the blade. Hearing Zheng Shoumo's words, he struggled even harder and shouted, "I told you everything. I told you everything I know!"

The old scholar Mo Chi nodded and smiled: "Please bring out the Su Wen Shu Xin Scroll of the City Lord later. I hope what you say is true."

The old scholar re-sealed the Green-faced Ghost General, and gradually released the restrictions on the other three generals, allowing them to speak.

The three generals witnessed how the silent ghost general fainted, and they all tasted the pain of the branding. This kind of pain is not just a physical experience, but it goes deep into the soul, it is really heart-wrenching and painful!

This time, the old scholar interrogated them one by one, and they all told him the military information they had not revealed before, and their attitudes became quite correct.

But when it came to the ghost general Huasheng, the ghost general said tremblingly: "My Lords, please allow me to report that Lord Wusheng is not resisting to the end. He has long wanted to abandon the dark and follow the light. It's just that his talent and skills make him always look calm and unable to speak."

Mochi Laoru: ...

Ning clumsy, Wen Ruanyu: ...

The silent scene was a bit awkward for a while.

The old scholar Mo Chi waved his hand and asked someone to take the other four generals back.

He bowed to Wen Ruanyu and asked for permission to cast a spell.

Wen Ruanyu nodded in agreement without hesitation.

So, the next moment, the old scholar Mo Chi used Confucianism - recruiting and joining the alliance.

The old scholar mobilized his magic power and consumed it quickly, while muttering to himself as if he was reciting a masterpiece.

Body seal, mouth seal and mind seal, these are the main techniques for performing magic.

When Confucian practitioners cast spells, they pay particular attention to oral seals.

As the old scholar Mo Chi chanted, small silver-white characters condensed out of thin air and gathered together to form a Chinese masterpiece.

These silver-white words flowed towards the silent ghost general like running water.

The five brands on the Silent Ghost General's body were infused with silver-white text and began to emit a warm white light.

These white lights spread rapidly from the five sources and converged on the ghost general's body, forming a series of vertical and horizontal lines.

If you look closely at these silvery white lines, you will find that they are all composed of extremely tiny fonts. And from the overall point of view, these lines are like a big rope, completely binding the silent ghost.

The brilliance of the silver thread gradually faded until it disappeared completely.

After another dozen or so breaths, the silver thread itself disappeared without a trace.

Finally, the five characters of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness branded on the body of the silent ghost also disappeared. Observed with the naked eye, there was no difference from before.

"Good, it's done in one go, not bad." Wen Ruanyu clapped her hands and praised, "Brother Zheng's insights on 'Recruiting and Sharing the Same Principle' are much deeper than mine. If I were to use it, I would never achieve the same results as you, brother."

Ning Zhuo was a little surprised: "Mr. Zheng is in the late stage of foundation building, but Senior Wen is in the golden elixir stage. Is this also the case?"

Wen Ruanyu nodded: "Of course. Throughout history, our Confucianism is a rising star. The reason why we can catch up and occupy a place in the world is because our practice method is mixed with the hundred arts of cultivation."

"For example, the four traditional arts of scholars are music, chess, calligraphy and painting, and the six arts of gentlemen are etiquette, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy and mathematics. These can cross boundaries and leverage more power."

"It is precisely because of the combination of these cultivation skills that Confucian cultivators are not simply judged by their cultivation level. Sometimes, some Confucian cultivators have a deep knowledge of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and various works, and can do things that Confucian cultivators with higher cultivation levels cannot do."

Ning Zhuo thought of his own experience of using military tactics on the battlefield to directly increase his combat power, and he suddenly had a deeper understanding.

The silent ghost woke up slowly, still with an indifferent look on his face.

The old scholar Mo Chi directly freed him from his restraints and let him regain his freedom.

This move was quite bold, but Wen Runyu did not stop it at all.

The silent ghost stared at the three of them, and then a silver-white light was reflected on his body. He half-knelt on the ground and bowed to the three of them, expressing his attitude of submission with the most direct action.

Seeing this scene, Sun Lingtong couldn't help but exclaimed: "This 'Recruiting and Sharing the Same Gang' is too useful, isn't it? It's almost as useful as your life-threatening ability, Xiaozhuo."

"But it is too difficult to control the magical power. And 'Recruiting and Sharing the Same Gang' is just a spell of Confucianism, but this old man can learn it!"

Ning Zhuo, however, had a different opinion and secretly communicated: "There is still a difference."

"My magical power can forcibly control the enemy's body and movements, regardless of whether the enemy is willing or not, as long as it is planted, and it can be achieved in an instant."

"But 'Recruiting and Sharing the Same Principle' requires a lot of preparation in the early stages. I'm afraid there are other difficulties in practicing this method. Otherwise, Wen Ruanyu, a great true Jindan, would not have abdicated and let Zheng Shoumo, a foundation-building master, take charge."

"I have indeed developed a lot of interest in Confucianism, and I really hope to have time in the future to learn more about it."

Sun Lingtong smiled and said, "Xiaozhuo, which school or skill are you not interested in?"

Ning Zhuo was stunned for a moment: "It never hurts to learn more."

The two of them had seen the Confucian cultivators and their horizons were broadened. They also discovered that they were different from what they had imagined.

The Silent Ghost General was recruited, but the other four generals could not withstand the branding iron and could only add one more word after a period of time. Therefore, even though the Peanut Ghost General had expressed his surrender, he was still imprisoned.

Wen Runyu and others questioned the silent ghost general, but did not get any clues.

In this regard, Mo Chi Lao Ru analyzed: "If someone is sent to the inner city to risk his life in battle, Lord Wangchuan will not tell him important information."

"But from this point of view, the Jindan ghost generals sent here are also not taken seriously."

"Because of this, there will be more possibilities for surrender."

Ning Zhuo felt secretly sorry for the silent ghost general.

He also hoped to burn him and extract his talented spirituality.

However, since he has already surrendered, he is naturally more valuable to Baizhi Xiancheng now.

"Right now, the ghost tide is constantly attacking the city, and there will definitely be a war."

"Let the voiceless ghost continue to contribute. If he dies on the battlefield in the future, I can take over. There is no need to rush."

Without any clues, Ning Zhuo decisively suspended the investigation and stayed in the Zangyang Villa all day to practice.

He had the four treasures for soul cultivation in his hands, and using them successively caused his soul strength to surge each time.

He broke through from ten thousand souls to one hundred thousand souls, and then continued to advance from one hundred thousand souls without slowing down at all.

On the other hand, Ning Zhuo also continued to practice the three sects' methods, but unfortunately, his progress in the "Demonic Blood-stained Tendon Technique" was still slow.

Ning Zhuo has the ability to understand, and he is also gifted with precocious intelligence. In fact, his comprehension of the "Devil's Blood-stained Tendon Technique" has far surpassed that of ordinary people.

But I am afraid of comparison in everything.

From his perspective, the progress of understanding the Devil Blood-stained Tendon Technique was too slow! It was simply not comparable to the physical practice, and the physical practice could not catch up with the soul practice.

"Jiao Ma, Jiao Ma, your family is here to visit you." When Ning Zhuo's soul strength reached 300,000 souls, he received a report from the paper puppet.

The person who came was the head of the Jiao family. When he saw Ning Zhuo, he scolded him: "Ma'er, what's wrong with you? You didn't even enter the Zhuangyang Courtyard, but are still in the Cangyang Villa?"

"Say!"

"Are you still thinking about Qing Yan's daughter?"

(End of this chapter)