Cloud of the Qing Dynasty

The seven sons of the Shangqing are still alive at the moment, and some people can't help but start to move around. It is conceivable that after their generation inevitably goes west, what will be waiting for the Shangqing Palace? Bloody.After all, the Shangqing Palace is no longer the noble sect that was peaceful and aloof from the world in the past. Too many conflicts of interest made it difficult for them to retreat without paying a painful price.

So the stakes are not difficult to understand at all - the Shangqing Palace urgently needs Mu Liuyun to become famous in the world, to take over the halo that originally belonged to the Seven Sons of the Shangqing, and continue to maintain the status of the Shangqing Palace in the world.

It's just that after the death of Yichenzi and others who came out with him this time, the Shangqing Palace actually let him, the future "Treasure of the Town School", wander outside alone. Zhang Chi always felt that this was a bit unreasonable.

Thinking of this, Zhang Chi tentatively asked: "Liu Yun, I'll just ask casually, do you have a bad relationship with people in the sect?"

"It can't be said to be bad, but it can't be said to be very good." Mu Liuyun said lightly, "They used to turn a blind eye to me, a nondescript little junior, and didn't treat me as a member of the Shangqing Palace. Give me some care. After I achieved a little success in martial arts, the senior brothers began to face my existence, if they didn't want to win me to work for the sect, they would be very unwilling to admit my identity as a junior."

It is not difficult for Zhang Chi to understand the thoughts of everyone in Shangqing Palace. This school has always attached great importance to seniority and inferiority. The elders have great authority in front of the younger generations, so Mu Liuyun must be a very embarrassing existence in the school—— Not to mention that none of the masters and nephews of the Yizi generation is younger than him, even among the third generation disciples of the Qingzi generation, the elders are several years older than him.

"I didn't expect that the place of Taoist cultivation is so realistic and snobbish... Are you disappointed in them?"

"I didn't have any unrealistic hopes at first, so where did I come from disappointment. I know they didn't want to admit me at the time because they didn't want to bring embarrassment to the disciples in the sect. Now they insist on getting a relationship with me because I gave The benefits brought by the sect are much more cost-effective than this little embarrassment. It is human nature to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages, so there is a saying that "people do not kill themselves for themselves", even I am the same, how can I ask for it? How do others get away with it?"

"It's not a good thing to say that people will not be killed for their own sake..." Zhang Chi was once again surprised by Mu Liuyun's thoughts, "I don't believe that you saved my life back then when there was no profit to be made. You'd be a selfish, profit-seeking person."

"I'm afraid I'm not the kind of saint you think. Even Confucianism who emphasizes 'benefit to the world' knows that 'poor is good for oneself'. Everyone should prioritize their own interests, take care of themselves, and have spare energy I will help others when I can. I saved you because I had the ability to save your life without harming myself. If I saved your life, I might catch myself. I will definitely not sacrifice myself Come to protect you, after all, you were just a passerby to me at that time."

"Of course." Zhang Chi said, "Don't say that we didn't know each other at all back then, even now, you shouldn't disregard your own safety for me."

"So isn't this just 'people don't kill themselves for themselves'?" Mu Liuyun said calmly, "People in the world always like to praise 'sacrificing oneself for others' as a model of morality, but in my opinion, this kind of morality can only be described as The "humanity" created by man is against the law of nature. If you put other people's mood, interests and safety more important than your own, it is like a starving person who wants to give food to other starving people Just like human beings, this kind of people can't survive at all. Because of natural selection, the survival of the fittest is the way of heaven, and those who pay attention to humanity but violate the way of heaven will be abandoned by the way of heaven."

"...It's the first time I've heard such a statement." Zhang Chi thought for a while before saying, "But I think what you said is also reasonable. Everyone should give priority to keeping themselves first, and then find ways to take care of others. It's a pity that people in the world talk about it." Although these unrealistic moral standards are praised on the Internet, what they actually do is not necessarily nobler than you."

"I don't want to claim to be 'noble', but I just think that if it can be done, just do it. Anyway, if it can't be done, don't talk about benevolence, righteousness and morality. Most of the so-called 'morality' in the world is too ambitious and unrealistic, just like If children have spare energy, it is normal to take care of their parents, but they have to pay attention to the extreme state of "buying the child and serving the mother", "lying on the ice and begging for a carp". If someone is so against nature, how can he not be condemned by God. Children deserve to be cut off from their heirs, and when they grow old, there is no one to take care of them, and those who lie on the ice don’t know how to cherish their own bodies, and death from freezing, illness, and death is just asking for it.”

"You are so right. I have always felt like some stories in 24 filial piety and women's training for women. When I think about it, it is really creepy. In fact, people in the world can't do such ignorance and extremes, but they want to Treat these cases as sacred scriptures. Even in this arena, hypocrisy is prevalent. It is obvious that everyone is fighting for power and fighting with monkeys, but they just want to find a reason for themselves. Got these? Didn’t they all say, ‘The way of heaven is inhumane, and all things are pigs and dogs’?” Zhang Chi felt that his understanding of Mu Liuyun had reached a new level, and he was also a little happy in his heart, “By the way, Liuyun, what do you think of this sentence? How do you understand the words?"

"The way of heaven is not benevolent. It regards all things as dogs. It means that the way of heaven is neither good nor evil, neither happy nor hated, and treats everything equally. Tao is a rule that has existed between heaven and earth since ancient times. Under this rule , the mountains and rivers, the sun and the moon, the stars and rivers are turning, all things are withered and flourishing, and life is endless. In the dark, everything follows the way of heaven, and does not depend on the will of mortals, and there is no need for mortals to "walk the way for the sky". There is only the 'way of humanity', not the way of heaven."

"That's really good..." Zhang Chi's heart was a little crisp, and his chest was full of admiration, "I didn't realize before that you have the demeanor of an outsider."

In the darkness came Mu Liuyun's chuckle: "Where am I an expert in the world? Master said that people who have never entered the world can talk about being born in the world. I am just an empty-handed person who has read many books and classics, and now I have set foot here. In the world of mortals, they are just ordinary people who fight endlessly like everyone else."

"You are absolutely different from others." Zhang Chi said with certainty, "Although people in the world flock to the words 'name' and 'profit', they either keep their mouths secret or pretend to disdain them. I have never seen a single person like that. You are so frank, you can say what you want directly and confidently, without any hypocrisy."

"I don't think most people in this world are hypocritical, they just live in a daze according to their instincts and worldly habits. I'm afraid even they haven't thought about what they want." Mu Liuyun suddenly asked, "What about you?" , do you know what you want?"

"I...?" Zhang Chi was silent for a moment before saying, "I don't have an extraordinary realm like you. For me, all I can think about right now is to eat well and dress well, learn better skills, and deliver to the world. More friends have the ability to make myself and the people around me live a better life. On this basis, if I can do something more, I hope that I can devote my modest efforts to ensure this great day The country is peaceful and stable. I have suffered enough from being in troubled times since I was a child, and the greatest wish in my life is that the world will be peaceful, that people can live and work in peace and contentment, and that there will be fewer children like me living on the streets since childhood.

After hearing this, Mu Liuyun did not respond for a long time.

Zhang Chi asked gently: "Liuyun, are you asleep?"

Mu Liuyun turned around and said in a vague voice, "I'm a little sleepy, go to sleep."

Zhang Chi lay motionless with his arms on his pillow for a long time. Amidst Mu Liuyun's gradually shallow and long breathing, he stretched out his hand hesitantly, and grabbed a strand of Mu Liuyun's hair. , carefully wrapped around the fingertips, and then smiled contentedly.

***

The next day, it was rare for Mu Liuyun to sleep until it was completely bright before getting up. Zhang Chi was still a little dazed when he watched him get dressed and washed his face, and asked worriedly, "How do you feel?"

"My head hurts, and my mouth feels dry..." Mu Liuyun supported his forehead and said, "Alcohol is really not a good thing. I really don't understand why so many people still love what's in this glass?"

"Although it's really uncomfortable after waking up from a hangover, when you're just drunk, you can at least temporarily forget your troubles." Zhang Chi said, pouring a glass of water for him to moisten his throat. Mu Liuyun took it and sniffed it carefully. Frowning and drinking it, Zhang Chi said with a wry smile, "You don't have to be so careful, you're not in good shape, and I won't take the opportunity to bully you."

When Mu Liuyun finished washing and walked out of the room, Zhang Chi had already bought buns, fried dough sticks and tofu flowers. Mu Liuyun, who had no appetite, only ate less than half of the usual amount. Zhang Chi was worried that he would be hungry again later, and was discussing with him what to eat. Don't pack something to take with you on the way to eat, just saw two young people coming in from the door with buns on their heads, wearing black and white robes with long swords on their backs, they looked like young men dressed in the palace of the Qing Dynasty.

Among them, the taller and darker Shangqing Palace disciple saw Mu Liuyun at a glance, and exclaimed in surprise: "Uncle Grand Master!"

Mu Liuyun looked at them in confusion: "Who are you?"

The two of them didn't find it strange that the young grand master didn't recognize them, they clasped their fists together and said, "Disciple Qingliu and Qingyue see grand master."

"Did you come here specially to find Liuyun?" Zhang Chi was still wondering yesterday why the Shangqing Palace left Mu Liuyun alone for so long, but unexpectedly someone came here today.

Qingyue, who looks more refined and fair, said politely: "I was ordered by the sect master to come here specially to look for Grand Master Uncle. ?”

"My subordinate Zhang Chi has no background or sect. It was just a coincidence that he met Liu Yun, and we walked together all the way."

Seeing the curious looks of many diners around, Mu Liuyun stood up and said, "Follow me."