Half Confucian, Half Daoist, Fully Pure and Virtuous

Tai Yuan's eyes suddenly snapped open.
In an instant, the originally dark stone chamber seemed to be pierced by a beam of brilliant celestial light, illuminating the empty room with sudden brightness.
His eyes were starkly black and white, within which infinite wisdom seemed to flow.
"Hoo—" Taking a deep breath, he exhaled slowly. His breath was long and heavy, forcibly suppressing the surging "momentum" that was about to burst from his body back down.
With each breath, that powerful "momentum" seemed to slowly dissipate, like melting snow on a spring day.
Tai Yuan knew very well in his heart that if he allowed this "momentum" to burst forth, his cultivation base would undoubtedly welcome a significant rise, and his realm would also leap forward immensely.
However, without the slightest hesitation, he resolutely chose to suppress it.
"The path of cultivation values clarity and purity above all."
Tai Yuan's heart was firm.
What he pursued was his own Dao, not the shadow of another.
Though Zhu Xi's spiritual realm was lofty, it was ultimately Zhu Xi's Dao, not Tai Yuan's. He needed to extract nourishment from within, not to accept it in its entirety.
Thinking of this, Tai Yuan's mind became even more serene.
In the brief moment of merging with that mysterious spiritual intent, Tai Yuan felt as though he had been placed in the river of time, witnessing Zhu Xi's entire life with his own eyes—from his first cry as a newborn to his frail old age. Zhu Xi's life flashed before Tai Yuan's eyes like fleeting shadows.
Although Tai Yuan could not engrave in his heart every single text Zhu Xi had ever read or every wise word he had ever written, he truly and deeply felt Zhu Xi's profound spiritual realm and the delicate mysteries of his soul.
As a great scholar and thinker, Zhu Xi was an existence who founded a school of thought. His spiritual loftiness and soulful marvels were all felt by Tai Yuan at this moment.
Yet, because Zhu Xi pursued intellectual wisdom and the realization of heavenly nature, he had not engaged in martial cultivation, nor had he ever learned even the simplest breathing techniques.
But precisely because of this, Tai Yuan was fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of it without suffering any spiritual backlash.
His heart was filled with endless emotions: "Although Zhu Zi did not practice cultivation, the purity of his soul and the loftiness of his spirit far surpassed many cultivators. What he pursued was brilliant wisdom, the ultimate union of nature and the Heavenly Dao. This kind of realm, though lacking offensive power, contains infinite strength."
Indeed, Zhu Xi was dead.
Tai Yuan was absolutely certain of this.
In the final image, Tai Yuan saw Zhu Xi plagued by various illnesses. During the political ban, Zhu Xi ultimately sensed the approach of death, which gave him an ominous premonition of his impending demise, causing him to hold onto his scholarship even tighter. After the spring arrived, Zhu Xi deteriorated rapidly, his illness worsening. On his deathbed, his left eye was already blind, and his right eye was almost completely dark.
Had Zhu Xi ever practiced martial arts or Daoist arts, using his spiritual cultivation to sustain his body, such a situation would have been impossible.
So, what was the heaven-defying opportunity that made Tai Yuan sigh in awe?
It was Zhu Xi's premonition of his own death.
The Confucian school said, "Utmost sincerity aligns with Heaven, enabling foresight; fortune and misfortune follow accordingly."
This meant that if a person could be completely sincere in their deeds and toward others, aligning themselves with the heavenly mind, they could predict fortunes and misfortunes.
Zhu Xi had already reached this realm, which was equivalent to the "Unity of Heaven and Man" in the Outer Realm spoken of by the Daoists.
This was why Tai Yuan said he had obtained a great opportunity, having sensed a portion of the Outer Realm's mysteries while still in the Inner Realm. Although the Confucian "alignment with Heaven through utmost sincerity" and the Daoist "Unity of Heaven and Man" of the Outer Realm were not entirely identical, the levels they occupied were equally high. Therefore, after this realization, he had taken another giant stride forward on the path of the Inner Realm.
"Having obtained this opportunity now, perhaps it is the timing to take another step toward breaking through to the Outer Realm."
Tai Yuan thought to himself.
Although today's realization had brought him no small benefit, a true breakthrough still required time to settle and the tempering of his state of mind.
As for his own path, Tai Yuan had already determined it when he entered the Inner Realm. The code of conduct and moral demands of Confucianism did not align with Tai Yuan's Dao heart.
"The universe is held in one's hand, ten thousand transformations arise from one's body, all things grow together, and I observe their return"—this was the path Tai Yuan had decided upon.
Tai Yuan's gaze fell upon the manuscript in his hand, and a trace of disappointment could not help but appear on his face.
After this merging of minds and glimpse into Zhu Xi's spiritual intent within the manuscript, the final trace of Zhu Xi's spiritual imprint on the manuscript had completely dissipated.
This manuscript, which carried Zhu Xi's lifeblood and thoughts, had lost that unique touch of spirituality from this day forward.

On the small path through the fields.
Lin Pingzhi looked at Tai Yuan beside him and couldn't help but ask, "Master, your appearance?"
Tai Yuan said, "What is it, do you not recognize me?"
Lin Pingzhi said, "No, no, it is just that this disciple feels Master now looks quite like a scholar."
Tai Yuan let out a soft laugh, his gaze drifting toward the distance as he spoke in a tranquil tone, "A change in environment alters one's air, and nourishment alters one's body. Having gained some insights, such a slight change is only natural."
He cast a glance at Lin Pingzhi.
"Just like you, your current physique is robust and your blood qi is abundant, vastly different from your previous effeminate appearance."
Lin Pingzhi nodded thoughtfully.
To Tai Yuan, although this merging with Zhu Xi's spiritual intent had not left a deep imprint on his mind, it had invisibly influenced his temperament.
Previously, his entire being exuded a transcendent, Daoist air, like the bright moon and clear wind, moving like drifting clouds. But now, his temperament carried an additional touch of the gentle, harmonizing air of Confucianism.
The current Tai Yuan, no matter who saw him, would have a sort of illusion—at one moment he seemed like a blue-robed warrior of the bright moon and clear wind, and at the next, a Confucian scholar who had read widely.
This kind of change was not deliberate, but had naturally integrated into his temperament.
The Tai Yuan of today could truly be described as—half Confucian, half Daoist, fully pure and virtuous.
"Pingzhi, your physical blood qi is now sufficiently strong, and the medicinal power of the natural treasures you consumed previously, which lay dormant in your body, has been almost fully activated. How much strength can you exert with a single arm now?"
Speaking of his own martial arts progress, Lin Pingzhi's face instantly lit up with joy. He had never known before that he possessed such immense potential.
"Replying to Master, with a single arm, I can exert roughly six hundred catties of force. If I utilize the force-exertion mantra, I can unleash nearly a thousand catties of strength!"
When speaking of this astonishing number, Lin Pingzhi himself felt as though he were in a dream, and he couldn't help but sigh with emotion, "Master, I feel that my current self could easily defeat a hundred of my former selves!"
Tai Yuan nodded slightly, but also offered a timely reminder, "Indeed, it can be seen that your foundation is indeed decent. This is also because you have consumed precious things since childhood; after years of accumulation, your body stored a great deal of nourishment. However, do not be too pleased with yourself; your progress will not be this rapid hereafter."
"Furthermore, with your current strength, you may not necessarily gain the upper hand against some of the skilled experts in the Jianghu. Your weakness is very obvious—your movement technique is not fast enough."
"People of the Jianghu, as long as they have some proficiency in Qinggong, even if they cannot defeat you, if they wish to run, you will not be able to catch up. When that time comes, no matter how much strength you have, you will not be able to use it."
Hearing his master's lecture, Lin Pingzhi hastily complied.
Seeing this, Tai Yuan nodded in approval. He was quite satisfied with Lin Pingzhi's readiness to correct his mistakes. Having lectured him, it was only right to offer some appropriate praise.
"Of course, with your current strength, if you were to enter the military, don armor, and hold a spear, sweeping through the battlefield would be an easy task. On the battlefield, those dodging and shifting techniques of the Jianghu are of little practical use."
"Master, what should this disciple practice next?"
"Since your blood qi is full, you should strengthen your internal organs. Next, this teacher will teach you a new technique."