Those Who Defend the Classics for Me Are the True Confucian Scholars

Su Ji: ???

Su Jiu: ???

Second Elder: ???

Although all three had their doubts, the expressions on their faces were completely different.

The confusion on Su Jiu's face lasted only for a moment before she sighed, showing no further reaction.

The joy she had felt from seeing through her senior brother's "deep foresight" was extinguished, as if doused by ice water.

Looking at Su Ji's matter-of-fact, even somewhat smug "praise me" expression, she felt a breath catch in her chest, unable to go up or down.

Over the past few months, she had exhausted her mind and body, terrified that the sect would fall apart in her hands.

She had thought Su Ji's four-month disappearance was to prepare for some earth-shattering event.

She had thought Su Ji setting up this plan to lure the snake out of its hole was to accomplish everything in one fell swoop, completely clearing out the hidden dangers inside and outside the sect.

And the result...

After all this fuss, he just wanted to find an excuse to openly rob people of their money?

Su Jiu slowly and deeply let out a breath.

That breath was full of helplessness toward Su Ji's nonsense.

There was also a kind of... emotion she couldn't even explain herself, caught between laughter and tears.

"Senior Brother."

Her voice was very light, carrying a bit of exhaustion.

"Is your grand vision really limited to just spirit stones?"

"Vision?"

Su Ji paced around the room, speaking plausibly and at length.

"Junior Sister, you are sorely mistaken!"

"What is vision? In my eyes, being able to safely and securely put spirit stones into one's own pocket is the greatest vision!"

He pointed at himself, then pointed at Su Jiu.

"Why do we cultivate immortality? For eternal life! For freedom! To not be bullied by others!"

"And what do these things rely on? Lip service? Reasoning? No! They rely on strength!"

"And where does strength come from? Cultivation methods, pills, magical treasures, formations! Which one of these doesn't require a massive amount of spirit stones to pile up?!"

"We are on the verge of ascension."

"We still don't know what the scenery is like up there."

"It's never wrong to keep more spirit stones on hand."

"Others might not know, but wouldn't I be clear about it?"

"The Great Xia is already in grave danger."

"I, Su Ji, am carrying everyone's hopes to ascend."

"I am bearing the heavy burden for the entire Great Xia."

"So what's wrong with contributing a few spirit stones to pave the way for me?"

"If I fail, even if they have countless spirit stones, can they take them into their coffins?"

"It looks like I'm taking their spirit stones, but in reality, I'm saving their lives."

Su Ji grew more and more excited as he spoke, as if he were a dragon-slaying youth who had been misunderstood as an evil dragon.

"Why am I being this Sect Master? Is it for that bit of empty fame? Is it to deal with those trivial, annoying matters every day?"

"Of course not!"

"I'm doing it to consolidate resources! To cultivate however I want, and even take a stroll in the Upper Realm!"

"This, is what you call vision!"

"It's not that I, Su Ji, am greedy for wealth and want spirit stones, but that I have been forced into this position where I have to take them."

"I must ascend to the Upper Realm in a posture of total victory."

"Whoever refuses to give me spirit stones is making an enemy of the Great Xia, an enemy of the entire world."

"I know that even if I lay it all out clearly, no one would believe me."

"They will only think, 'Doesn't Su Ji just want spirit stones anyway?'"

"Explaining it is too troublesome."

"It's simply better to just rob them."

"Even the First Emperor needed the accumulated efforts of six generations to sweep away the six states."

"I, Su Ji, wouldn't dare not compare; naturally, I also need the strength of the entire Great Xia nation to help me ascend."

"When I succeed, there will naturally be great scholars..."

"Only those who justify my actions will be considered great scholars."

This speech, whether it was genuine emotion or a bunch of twisted fallacies, was actually delivered by Su Ji with impassioned fervor and resounding force.

Su Jiu opened her mouth, finding herself entirely unable to refute him.

Because what he said... seemed... to make a bit of sense?

Although the process was a bit shameless, the goal seemed... flawless.

In the corner, the Second Elder, who had been trying hard to minimize her presence, silently buried her head even lower.

Stormy seas had long since surged in her heart.

She originally thought that Su Ji being acquainted with a True Dragon was already inconceivable.

But she never expected that this new master could speak of something like "robbery" with such fresh refinement, so... self-righteously.

Furthermore, he was actually discussing such a plan with the Vice Sect Master right in front of her, an "outsider," without any hesitation.

This was pure disregard for her existence.

Or was she going to be silenced after outliving her usefulness...

And also...

Ascension?

The Great Xia in grave danger?

If she hadn't seen the True Dragon's attitude toward Su Ji.

She would have just scoffed and cursed him as a "fool."

But now...

She couldn't help but want to believe it...

So, what kind of epic event had she gotten herself involved in this time?

The Second Elder didn't dare to think about it, nor did she dare to ask.

Right now, she just wanted to be a good, obedient dog.

Even the thought of biting back had faded away.

"Could it be that you are that 'Su Da..."

"Dick?"

She suddenly remembered the previous Heavenly Dao proclamation to the world, about that cultivator who defied the heavens to slay a Nascent Soul...

Su Ji backhanded her with another slap to the face: "Who asked you?"

"Junior Sister hasn't even started interrupting yet, is it your turn to speak?"

Su Jiu is still here, why are you blurting out the honest truth?

And you guessed it without even seeing it?

Su Ji carefully glanced at Su Jiu.

His brain had already run through three or four different explanations.

Surprisingly, Su Jiu didn't seem angry.

She held her forehead and waved her hand weakly.

"Alright, alright, you're right."

"Tell me, what do you plan to do?"

"That's more like it!"

Seeing that she was no longer dwelling on it, Su Ji immediately beamed with joy and leaned in.

He turned his head to look at the Second Elder in the corner and crooked his finger.

"You, come here."

The Second Elder's delicate body trembled, and she quickly scurried over to Su Ji with small steps, standing with her hands at her sides, her posture extremely humble.

"What are your orders, Young Master?"

"Don't call me Young Master, call me Sect Master."

Su Ji corrected her, then cleared his throat and began his "pre-war mobilization."

"In a month, at the grand ceremony for my succession as Sect Master, you need to do a few things."

"First, you will represent the Heaven Puppet Holy Land and be the first to step forward and make trouble for me."

Su Ji stood with his hands behind his back, looking exactly like a storyteller.

"Your attitude must be arrogant, your posture haughty, your gaze contemptuous, best if you look down your nose at people. Just say that your Holy Land does not recognize me as the new Sect Master, that you feel my virtue does not match the position, and that I am a fraud who deceives the world and steals a name."

The Second Elder nodded repeatedly, committing every single word to memory.

"Second, you need to make unreasonable demands."

Su Ji stroked his chin, pondering for a moment.

"Just say that because I killed disciples of your Holy Land, I must give an explanation. Not only must I cripple my own cultivation, but our Lovesick Sect must also cede three spirit stone mines, and pay compensation of... hmm, let's say two million high-grade spirit stones."

"Pfft—"

Su Jiu had just picked up her teacup to take a sip and calm her nerves. Hearing this number, she nearly spat out her tea.

She cast an exasperated glance at Su Ji.

The First Elder's IOU only said one million, and you instantly doubled it?

Su Ji ignored her gaze and continued speaking to the Second Elder:

"When the time comes, I will naturally refuse."

"Then, you can rightfully call upon all the guests present to unite and crusade against me, the 'fiend'."

"Remember, your mission is simply to fan the flames. The bigger the fire, the better. You do not need to worry about the rest."

The Second Elder's heart pounded with trepidation, but she respectfully complied.

"Understood. I will spend the remaining month practicing how to be arrogant, haughty, and disdainful, looking down my nose at everyone."

Su Ji waved his hand. "No need to practice. Just be your natural self."

"In fact, you might even want to tone it down a bit."

"Alright, we are done here for now. Head back to the Holy Land."

As if granted a royal pardon, the Second Elder bowed gracefully to the two of them before keeping her head lowered and carefully backing out of the room.

Only after she left did Su Jiu finally fail to hold back her words.

"Senior Brother, do you really trust her that much?"

"She is an elder of a Holy Land with a deep, calculating mind. Aren't you afraid she might turn her coat at the critical moment and bite us back?"

Su Ji chuckled, plopped back into his chair, and crossed his legs.

"Take a guess."