Zhang San, please behave yourself!
Chapter 114 - 113: Wood Seal Technique, That’s pretty much it. (Please subscribe)

Chapter 114: Chapter 113: Wood Seal Technique, That’s pretty much it. (Please subscribe)

Ma summoned Zhang San and said, "I plan to go help your Senior Xu. Although I have no real connection to him, after all, there’s you in between us, right?"

Zhang San hurriedly expressed his gratitude.

After all, the purpose of this outing was to resolve the issue of the Wronged Souls within Xu’s body.

Now, some of the Wronged Souls issues were indeed resolved, but it seemed that the remaining part had become even more troublesome.

"If that’s the case, your teacher will once again be involved in karma. I’m worried I might attract attention from that individual, and the odds are not in my favor..."

Zhang San knew there was trouble upon hearing this.

Sure enough, Ma displayed a sorrowful expression as if he were about to bid farewell to this world in front of Zhang San for a while before he slowly began to speak.

"I’ve never found a suitable successor for myself, Zhang San. Why don’t you become my disciple? I can also teach you the Wood Seal Technique."

Zhang San was initially excited, but his smile quickly faded when he heard it was the Wood Seal Technique.

Noticing Zhang San’s expression, Ma was taken aback.

"What? You’re not interested in the Wood Seal Technique?"

"Teacher, it’s not that I’m disinterested, it’s just that the Wood Seal Technique is just so-so."

Hearing this, Ma became upset.

What do you mean by so-so!?

"You are young; you do not understand the myriad mysteries of the Wood Seal Technique."

Zhang San felt that Ma probably had other skills, so he said, "Although the Wood Seal Technique is powerful, it’s not strong in actual combat, nor can it help one escape."

Ma immediately found some wood in his yard and carved a Wooden Seal on the spot, branding it with runes.

"Do you know what Wooden Seal this is? This is..."

"Gather Woods from All Sides. It can gather the Wood Movement’s power from around, facilitating cultivation, and can also nurture the growth of rare and exotic plants. Even if there is armor of the Wood Series, this seal can be used to reinforce and repair it. Right, teacher?"

Ma was silent for a while, guessing that Zhang San, who pursued practical combat, must have seen this before.

He immediately started carving another Wooden Seal.

Soon, the second Wooden Seal was branded with runes.

"This one is indeed powerful."

"The Summon Lightning Curse, huh? After branding it, deploying Thunder Method is more likely to hit the target, and it works on enemies even during thunderstorms."

...

In this way, after Ma had made several Wooden Seals and realized that Zhang San seemed to understand them, and even knew more than he did.

Finally, Ma stood up resignedly and said, "I’ll go check on your Senior Xu next door."

As he walked away, Ma pondered, how could this be?

In my life, I’ve only studied two paths: the Imperial Path and the Thousand Mechanisms Path.

Is the Thousand Mechanisms Path so easy to learn?

It should not be.

Sensing Ma’s departure, Pharaoh approached.

"Zhang San, I see you’re free, why don’t we chat?"

Zhang San grinned.

"Pharaoh, as you’ve seen, I haven’t even fully mastered the Wood Movement of the Five Emperors’ Proper Position, let alone the Power of the Four Elements. I’m busy cultivating and don’t have the time."

"How about learning my ability of ’words become the law’?"

"Though I’m busy, how could I refuse to chat with you? You were saying..."

Zhang San smiled sincerely, taking on a role of serving the elderly.

The Pharaoh also smiled, knowing that although Zhang San appeared youthful in spirit, he still had a bit of shrewdness about him.

"That night, you said that the law should ensure equality for all, but I thought about it and found a problem,"

Zhang San nodded repeatedly, asking the Pharaoh to elaborate.

"Do you know how the world was formed?"

Zhang San scratched his head, thinking to himself: Isn’t the world naturally formed? Could it really have been woven out of something?

"This world is interwoven from six different paths."

Zhang San was shocked, and he was relieved that he hadn’t voiced his foolish thoughts.

"The six paths that constitute this world are: the Path of Life and Death, the All Things Path, the Path of Ghosts and Gods, the Thousand Mechanisms Path, the Path of Calamity, and the Imperial Path."

"Throughout history, empires have been established mostly through martial force, thus the Imperial Path is also known as the martial path. Although there are slight differences from the martial path, in this world, it can be understood in this way."

"The equality you mentioned is indeed a beautiful concept. But if everyone is equal, where does the Emperor stand? How can a nation exist? Sustaining the existence of the Imperial Path is what allows human realms long-lasting peace and stability, unaffected by the other paths. Perhaps your idea could be realized in some world, but in this world, establishing a supreme authority is essential for stabilizing the Imperial Path and protecting the common people. What do you think, Zhang San?"

Zhang San was enduring a massive shock to his worldview.

He had always thought the Path of Life and Death and others mentioned by Ling and others were just different cultivation systems.

But now, it seemed that these six paths embodied not just differences in cultivation, but also some of the laws and forces of this world, and even touched on races and powers.

No wonder Wang Ziteng was able to utilise the laws of nature during his breakthrough.

That must have been the power of the Imperial Path enhancing him.

"Pharaoh, I actually think if we only need to maintain the Imperial Path, it might be easier."

The Pharaoh was startled and looked at Zhang San.

"If we could, through Woodcraft Making or other magical treasure refining methods, create an object that could erase all passions, desires, and miscellaneous thoughts—a magical treasure like the Imperial Jade Seal, a throne, or a crown—something exclusively for the Emperor only. Then..."

"The Emperor would transform from a being who desires to maintain his family’s rule forever and possess all under heaven, into a completely rational entity prioritizing the state and the populace—an AI."

"Eh?"

Zhang San paused a moment, explaining: "You could think of it as a tool that only plans and calculates based on needs and objectives, without any personal thoughts."

"Such a tool, because it lacks personal emotions, would not govern the world based on its own whims."

"Yet, being sufficiently rational, it could continuously implement management styles that benefit the whole world, allowing the nation to develop and become stronger and more prosperous."

At that moment, the Pharaoh thought of the broken chair that Mo and Kaihuang had been secretly working on for years, claiming it could ensure the Great Sui’s eternal rule.

He had always thought it was nonsense.

But hearing Zhang San’s words, the Pharaoh realized that there indeed was a method in the world that could change human inequality.

Seeing that the Pharaoh seemed to be taking his words seriously, Zhang San continued: "Once this object becomes a symbol of the Emperor, something that every Emperor must control, then whomever becomes the Emperor, their primary concern would no longer be the indulgence of their close ones, but the livelihood of the entire world’s populace."

The Pharaoh initially thought Zhang San’s ideas were too idealistic, but this exchange made him realize that his own mindset was too conservative.

In fact, Kaihuang and Mohism had already devised the ultimate solution for stabilizing the Imperial Path for eternity.

Ironically, this solution coincided with the young man’s idea before him.

He was aging, he was going to die, someday definitely.

But Legalism must continue to survive.

Once the Imperial Throne, refined by Mohism, was completed, a true eternal empire would be established.

If Legalism wanted to survive, it must keep up with the relentless tide of the new era.

With this in mind, the Pharaoh grasped Zhang San’s hand, his eyes burning with intensity.

"Zhang San, become my disciple, my last disciple. From now on, all that is mine will be yours!"