Chapter 425: Chapter 424: If Three are Walking Together, One of them Must be My Teacher

Confucianism has always pursued the establishment of a Gentleman’s Country, where everyone is personally humble. Dong Zhong has managed to cultivate his person and regulate his family, he is currently in the phase of running a state.

As for pacifying the world, that task is still very far away.

Jiang Li had heard from early on that Dong Zhong wanted to create a Gentleman’s Country, and had been trying to do so. He didn’t expect that quietly, they had already successfully established the Gentleman’s Country.

It seems that they wanted to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of the Confucianism Saint and didn’t advertise it until today.

…

The Gentleman’s Country was established not far from Confucianism, so one could easily find it before the birthday of the Confucianism Saint.

“Is this the Gentleman’s Country? It’s quite lively.”

The atmosphere in the Gentleman’s Country was warm, as preparations were underway for the celebration of the Confucianism Saint’s birthday in a few days.

Jiang Li and Bai Hongtu considered themselves to be gentlemen, so naturally, they want to explore the Gentleman’s Country to learn and improve themselves.

“Speaking of which, Dong Zhong once created a prototype of the Gentleman’s Country, saying that everyone in that country was humble and loved each other. I didn’t believe it. When I threw out a bunch of top-quality Spirit Stones, people in that country started fighting over them. I’ve never seen Dong Zhong get so black-faced before.” Bai Hongtu shrugged, not believing in the idea of a Gentleman’s Country.

While they were talking, someone’s Storage Ring dropped to the ground and was picked up by another person.

The Storage Ring was quite valuable, but the person who picked it up didn’t want to keep it. Instead, he called to the person who lost it: “Sir, you dropped your Storage Ring.”

The owner took the Storage Ring, thanked the other man: “This Storage Ring is a family heirloom, and is extraordinarily significant. Please accept these Spirit Stones as a token of my gratitude.”

The person who picked up the Storage Ring kept waving his hands: “Sir, you must not. Returning lost items to their rightful owners is the proper thing to do. How can I ask for a reward? If I receive a reward today, won’t there be people in the future who will pick up lost items and demand Spirit Stones?”

The owner was ashamed: “You are more thoughtful than I am. I was too careless.”

The two of them bowed to each other and parted on good terms.

Bai Hongtu was amused. This Gentleman’s Country indeed had something interesting.

They kept observing and found out that the way people conducted transactions here was also quite interesting.

“Shopkeeper, this piece of agate here is of excellent quality. I’d like to buy it. How many Spirit Stones does it cost?”

“Ten low-grade Spirit Stones.”

“Here, take fifteen low-grade Spirit Stones.”

“No, no, no, that’s too much.”

“Take it. I like this piece of agate, and I think it’s worth fifteen low-grade Spirit Stones.”

“In that case, I will give you another piece of agate as a token of appreciation.” The shopkeeper pulled out another piece of agate with a similar quality, also worth roughly ten low-grade Spirit Stones.

“There’s no need for that. A gentleman should not receive rewards for no reason. I would feel extremely embarrassed accepting this gift.”

“Oh, please take it. A gentleman should be rewarded. You and I are both gentlemen, so accepting gifts is a normal thing.”

“The relationship between gentlemen is as light as water and consists not in giving or receiving gifts.”

“This is just a small token of my appreciation.”

“You’re too kind, but I really can’t accept it.”

The two of them kept on insistently refusing each other until they finally completed the transaction. Watching them, Jiang Li and Bai Hongtu were almost falling asleep.

“These people don’t seem to find it troublesome at all.” Bai Hongtu retorted. Transactions, which were normally as simple as giving and receiving items, seemed here like trying to pull apart a sticky candy — the transaction just goes on and on.

“That’s why I say you’re a fake gentleman.” Jiang Li looked at Bai Hongtu disdainfully.

“You don’t find this bothersome?”

“I’m a fake gentleman too.”

Jiang Li also looked at himself disdainfully.

Just as the two of them were bickering, a scholar lightly fanning himself with a paper fan approached them. The paper fan had a landscape painting on it, embellished with poems — this was clearly the style of a Confucianist.

“You two look unfamiliar. I presume you’re from outside here. I see you both have integrity, so you must be gentlemen. Would you be interested in joining our ‘Three Comrades Association of Gentlemen’? ”

“You have a good eye.” Bai Hongtu hadn’t heard someone praise his integrity in a long time.

“The ‘Three Comrades Association of Gentlemen’?” Jiang Li, who doesn’t care for the compliment, took note of the name of the organization.

“Indeed, perhaps you two haven’t heard of our organization. But our ‘Three Comrades Association of Gentlemen’ is a famous large organization throughout the Gentleman’s Country. Its name comes from the sage Confucius’s words ‘Whenever three are walking together, there must be one who can be my teacher. Choose the good in them and follow it, and the not good and change it’. The gentlemen who choose to join us are innumerable, including quite a few people from Confucianism.”

Jiang Li, interested, asks, “But we are only two people, can we also join your association?”

“Of course, three people is just a theoretical ideal. In reality, two people are fine too, as are four.”

“I see. I thought if we didn’t have enough people, I could use the ‘Establishment of the Three Pure Land’ to make up the numbers.” Jiang Li almost used his spell.

“Haha, you’re quite the joker.” The member of the Gentleman’s Association assumed Jiang Li was joking. The ‘Establishment of the Three Pure Land’ is Dao Sect’s secret formula, it’s extremely challenging to cultivate. Even prodigies at the Body Integration Realm cannot master it. How could this man before their eyes possibly know it?

“May I know your names?”

“Tang Li, the Tang from Three Hundred Tang Poems.”

“White Blueprint, the blueprint from magnificent blueprint.”

They both proudly stated their pseudonyms, and even explained their origin.

The Confucianist bowed: “So it’s Brother Tang and Brother White.”

The Confucianist led them to a stronghold of the ‘Three Comrades Association of Gentlemen’: “Joining our Gentleman’s Association requires a prerequisite first.”

“Confucius taught us to learn virtues from the people around us and correct our faults. Please find the virtues in each other.”

Jiang Li and Bai Hongtu looked at each other as if they were facing a great enemy.

They didn’t expect the entrance exam to be this difficult.

“Can we talk about the faults?” Jiang Li can instantaneously list a ton of faults about Bai Hongtu without a draft.

The Confucianist admired: “Virtues are easy to learn, faults are hard to change. You two are truly gentlemen, setting a higher bar for yourselves. But joining our Gentleman’s Association does not require such a rigorous test.”

After contemplating, Bai Hongtu sincerely said: “Tang Li is full of virtues from head to toe.”

“I’d like to hear more.”

“He is brimming with spiritual energy, even a drop of his sweat contains an amount of spiritual energy that could help a monk at the Foundation Establishment Stage to advance to the Body Integration Realm. If someone could eat a piece of his flesh, they could become immortal.”

The Confucianist looked at Jiang Li, unsure whether to call him Brother Tang or Tang Elder.

Jiang Li also earnestly said: “White Blueprint’s virtue is that he knows how to correct his mistakes. He used to grind his teeth and snore while sleeping. But after I told him about it, he stopped.”

“How did he change that?” The Confucianist was curious. If that could be changed, then he would love to learn how.

“By not sleeping.”

“You’re talking nonsense!” Bai Hongtu was exasperated. “You’re blatantly slandering me! Isn’t there any conscience in you?”

“It was you who first said eating a piece of my flesh could make someone immortal. Gentlemen should reciprocate.” Jiang Li replied calmly.

Bai Hongtu retaliated: “Your virtue is that you always stick to your principles. You absolutely won’t eat anything you don’t like.”

Jiang Li unflinchingly fired back: “Your virtue is your ability to adapt. You always find loopholes in any rule.”

“Your virtue is knowing how to use people well. Each of your subordinates is a competent individual.”

“Your virtue is that you are eloquent and not a single word you say is truthful.”

The two of them, without hesitation, pointed out each other’s virtues.

The Confucianist felt that these two were very capable, their arguments were just minor disagreements and weren’t a big issue.

“Congratulations. You are now members of the ‘Three Comrades Association of Gentlemen’.” The Confucianist clapped.