The Immortal Seeker: Legend of Bronze Mirror
Chapter 368 - 164: Reading in Solitude, Cultivating Oneself and Regulating the Family (Please Subscribe)_2

Chapter 368: Chapter 164: Reading in Solitude, Cultivating Oneself and Regulating the Family (Please Subscribe)_2

Xu Qing felt that his success couldn’t possibly be attributed entirely to his own talent, could it?

Even with the bronze mirror, there was still an element of luck involved.

Not to mention, obtaining the bronze mirror was also a matter of luck.

Many who have achieved a certain level of success tend to credit their accomplishments excessively to personal ability, praising their own talent.

Flattery from others is one thing, but if one starts to believe it too, it’s easy to lose a sense of caution, become arrogant, and that’s not a good thing.

Confidence is an excellent quality, but conceit is unnecessary.

"A gentleman strives diligently all day, being wary in the evening, as if facing danger, without fault."

After self-reflection, Xu Qing felt even more grounded. Moreover, with a family and a career, he lacked the common fear of loss, but had more courage and firmness.

After organizing the contents of his Qiankun Bag, Xu Qing picked up his brush.

Feng Wu, disregarding her fatigue, added fragrance to the sleeves and ground ink for Xu Qing.

She liked watching Xu Qing write; it gave her a sense of stability and comfort.

In fact, when two people work together, they hardly notice the fatigue and even take pleasure in it.

What Xu Qing wrote was not essays or poems, but an ancient text:

"The ancients who wished to manifest their noble virtues to the world... first put their households in order... first cultivated themselves... only when things interact will you gain true knowledge, and only with true knowledge will your intentions be sincere, with sincere intentions, your heart will be upright... all based on the cultivation of oneself."

All in all, the guiding principle was to cultivate oneself, put one’s family in order, govern the country, and bring peace to the world.

Profound truths are contained in these subtle words, articulating the relationship between self-cultivation and the broader world.

He had already done many things, and if he wanted to continue to grow his strength and power, he needed to keep cultivating himself.

In the days that followed, Xu Qing focused primarily on reading.

Especially the Four Books and Five Classics, which he planned to study again to understand the profound truths they contained. Besides this, he also read the Daoist Collection and Buddhist scriptures as a form of diversification.

This was the path of Chongyang True Master.

The harmony of the Three Religions, knowing the heart and seeing nature, wholly embracing the truth.

Of course, Red-haired Yan Kong’s Quanxing Dao had its unique aspects, but it was not suitable for Xu Qing at this moment.

Besides studying, Xu Qing often visited the Heavenly Mechanism Palace to exchange insights on reading with members of the Recovery Society.

Even the wise can overlook something among a thousand thoughts, and the fool may find a truth nonetheless.

His scholarly exchanges now had a hint of the spirit of the Pre-Qin Jixia Academy.

In the process, Xu Qing also went down to the fields to participate in labor.

A Refining Internal expert’s labor, unquestionably, was significant.

However, at first, Xu Qing also made some amusing blunders, but he did not mind and directly sought advice from old farmers.

Regardless of the actual low status of farmers, the country’s customs still valued agriculture.

Society and the state.

Xu Qing’s understanding was that society represents social groups, hence his power, and the state represents food.

Having people and food, naturally equates to having the state.

And Xu Qing’s stability also possessed the demeanor of tranquility in the face of storms, commanding respect through calmness. Originally suppressing pirates, cadastral surveying, converting rice fields to mulberry... each task was no small matter.

Yet, looking at it now, things seem to be unfolding smoothly.

Besides that, Madam Feng Cai of the Sea Sand Gang, after being tamed by Su Lianqing, had voluntarily pledged allegiance to Xu Qing and was temporarily returned to the Sea Sand Gang.

Her status in the Sea Sand Gang was extremely high, and upon returning, coupled with her true capabilities, she somehow managed to cover up the matters.

After all, deceiving the superiors and misleading the inferiors are common practices.

No matter how capable Prince Yu is at scheming and disguising, he is still the Crown Prince under the Emperor’s watch. He is not a deity; how could he possibly clarify everything?

Moreover, Madam Feng Cai hinted at a deal made with Xu Qing.

Xu Qing is now a sought-after figure in the Southeast, and for Prince Yu, having a good relationship with him at this moment is certainly not a bad thing.

As for the future, where the cunning hare is killed and the hunting dogs are cooked, that’s a matter for after becoming the Emperor.

What hunter starts off by handling the hunting dogs?

...

...

After obtaining the Forget Sword, Feng Wu devoted herself to the cultivation of the Annihilation Scripture.

The sword and the cultivation of the Annihilation Dao complemented each other.

Her process of assimilating the sword went exceptionally smoothly.

Of course, her dislike for the Peach Wood Sword was simply due to her disdain for the Lotus Sect, as the Peach Wood Sword is a holy artifact of the Lotus Sect. The Forget Sword matched her well, and she progressed swiftly in her cultivation.

Together with the elixirs from the Xuantian Treasure Vault.

Feng Wu’s Divine Soul foundation became even more robust.

This was groundwork for the later spiritual union with Xu Qing.

The solider the foundation, the better the effects of the spiritual union.

Moreover, Xu Qing’s Divine Soul was progressing quickly, and if he approached the threshold of Possession during their first spiritual union, the outcome would be extremely beneficial, even assisting Xu Qing in breaking through to the Possession Realm.

Feng Wu could also tap into the Possession Realm during the spiritual union process.

Besides, during their leisure time, they contemplated the Xuantian Marvelous Sound Marrow Cleansing Technique.

Xu Qing practiced Heavenly Sound, while Feng Wu practiced Earth Sound.

This was a gradual process and not rushed.

Xu Qing also took this opportunity to delve into the higher Realm of the Tiger and Leopard Thunder Sound.

After all, mastering the higher levels of the Tiger and Leopard Thunder Sound also carried the subtlety of Marrow Cleansing.

...

...

In the Capital, Yanyue Hall.

The Grand Secretary, though occupied with countless affairs, would always pay attention to the movements of Mr. Xu in Jiangning Prefecture, which seemed to have become a snack for him after meals.

As if without it, his day was incomplete?

He skimmed the intelligence in his hand.

He noted that since Xu Qing returned from sea to Jiangning Prefecture, he hadn’t stirred up any trouble.

He shut the door to read, to cultivate oneself, and put his family in order. He carried the air of a Great Scholar from the Middle Ages.

The Grand Secretary frowned.

"Prime Minister, what’s the matter?" Vice Minister of Ministry of Revenue Chen Fu asked.

The recent Reforms were going smoothly, and his authority was increasing. Originally, Minister of Revenue Wang Gong was the Grand Secretary’s ally. Of course, at this level, rather than saying they were his own people, it would be more accurate to say they were allies, close comrades-in-arms.