Chapter 1 And Furthermore

“Moreover, everyone has misunderstood my meaning.” Jiang Xuan didn’t look at Zong Moju but addressed the assembled Sages.

“I do intend for the Human Race to unify, but not under the old system. I want to abolish the imperial system, discard the dross of past rituals and laws, take their essence, and create new rules.”

Jiang Xuan was fed up with the feudal system and had long intended to abolish that pile of dross. Now that she had become a Sage, she naturally had no more concerns.

Of course, although she believed the system of her previous life was the best, the current situation in the Holy Origin Continent wasn’t suitable for that kind of system. After all, the people of the Holy Origin Continent had been poisoned by feudal dross for too long, and their thinking couldn’t change so quickly. Taking too big a step at once would only do more harm than good.

“Sage Jiang, please elaborate,” Wang Jinglong said. He was very curious about what Jiang Xuan was thinking.

Jiang Xuan nodded. “First, we must break the shackles in the hearts of the Human Race.”

“The shackles in the hearts of the Human Race?” Wang Jinglong pondered, his eyes reflecting the changes of heaven and earth. As a Sage, he observed the world in this way, and now he was searching for the so-called “shackles in the hearts of the Human Race.”

“That’s right, the shackles in the heart are the dross in the rituals and laws, the restraints on words and deeds, the constraints of the system, the pedantry of thought, the kings of the ten nations, and also the Sages of the Holy Academy…” As Jiang Xuan spoke, she looked at the statue in the deepest part of the Hall of Sages and slowly said, “Even Kong Sheng (Confucius) is also a shackle in the hearts of the Human Race.”

“Sage Jiang, watch your words!” Zong Moju spoke again. The Human Race could be dissatisfied with any Sage, because people’s hearts are unpredictable, and there were also opposing forces among the ten nations. It was normal to have dissatisfaction with the demi-Sages of enemy countries.

In particular, scholars, although they wouldn’t name names, often criticized Sages. The most famous was Xunzi, who became a sub-Sage by criticizing Sages all the way.

But even Xunzi had never criticized Kong Sheng even once. No one in this world dared to say anything bad about Kong Sheng, not even Sages were an exception.

However, Jiang Xuan laughed when she heard Zong Moju’s warning to watch her words. “Look, even those of you present have a high wall built in your hearts. Its existence blocks your vision and prevents you from seeing a wider sky.”

Jiang Xuan’s gaze was long and distant as she recalled her previous life. In that new era, the shackles in people’s hearts had long been broken, and thinking had become limitless. Innovation and pioneering were everywhere. Only such an era could move forward continuously without end.

Her slender hand drew in the void, as if a river was flowing, constantly heading towards the unknown void, endless and continuous: “Time is like this constantly flowing river, its source unknown, its end unknown, and we Human Race, and even the myriad races of the starry sky, are but insignificant specks of dust in it.”

“You all say: A Sage observes heaven and earth, and listens to the myriad universes. But in addition to this, we should also look back at the past and look forward to the future.”

“When our gaze penetrates time and space, our perspective on everything will be completely different. At the beginning of the Human Race, we drank blood, our voices had no meaning, our words had no form, and we were like wild beasts. Then, our words were the same, our characters were the same, communication was unimpeded, and all laws emerged.”

“Sage Zong told me to watch my words, but our ancestors first communicated with sound. We have communicated with language for millions of years, but with writing for less than ten thousand years. Few in the world are literate, but everyone can speak.”

“The most basic things of our Human Race are gradually formed in the exchange of language. Mistakes can be corrected, disasters can be punished, but why should Sage Zong ask me to ‘watch my words’ when I mention Kong Sheng?”

“Kong Sheng also said: I am not born with knowledge, but I love the ancients and seek knowledge diligently. He also said: When three people walk together, there must be one who can be my teacher. He also said: Be diligent and eager to learn, and not be ashamed to ask questions.”

“Kong Sheng is also not a perfect person, why can other Sages be criticized, but Kong Sheng alone cannot? Is Kong Sheng definitely without fault? Are Kong Sheng’s words definitely without fault? Then if I enter the realm of the Supreme Sage, will my words and deeds also be without fault? If I say the Human Race is ignorant, will the Human Race really be ignorant? If I say someone should die, will they really die?”

Jiang Xuan’s voice resounded in the Hall of Sages. Even the Sages were surprised as they looked at her. After a moment, the Sages analyzed her words with their Sage-sense, and their eyes flashed with strange colors.

“A single warning to watch one’s words may prevent many disasters and mistakes, but isn’t it also imprisoning the thoughts of our Human Race? When you can’t even speak freely, how can you constantly correct mistakes? How can you find a path that is truly suitable for the Human Race?”

“Good!” Wang Jinglong seemed to have realized something, and his gaze towards Jiang Xuan was full of admiration.

“Good!” Chen Guanhai, Mi Fengdian, Nan Sheng, and several others also nodded slightly, lost in thought.

“Great!” The head of the Kong family didn’t even try to hide it. Even though Jiang Xuan was using Kong Sheng as an example at the moment, he still agreed with what Jiang Xuan said in his heart.

Jiang Xuan smiled. She was just using the topic to her advantage. This Sage Zong was a good person, providing her with a direction to point out the terrible nature of the shackles in the hearts of the Human Race.

“This is exactly what I said, the shackles in the hearts of the Human Race, and this is only the tip of the iceberg. If we don’t break them, there will be endless troubles.”

The Sages nodded. Although Jiang Xuan was suspected of taking advantage of the topic, they could see many shortcomings of the Human Race from the point of “watch your words”. Some of them were indeed as Jiang Xuan said, and if they were not corrected and broken, there would be endless troubles.

“Since Sage Jiang has raised this point, you must have a plan. Why not tell us?” Nan Sheng said. He also felt something about what Jiang Xuan said, and now he wanted to see Jiang Xuan’s method.

“Among the Human Race, there is a discussion forum. We can start from this point…” Jiang Xuan thought of the keyboard warriors of her previous life, hiding behind their computers, thinking that no one could verify their words, so they acted arbitrarily.

Although this wasn’t possible in this life, the discussion forum was indeed a breakthrough point, which could gradually untie the shackles in the hearts of the Human Race.

…

North of the Holy Origin Continent, this was the land of the Grass Barbarians, and its master was the wolf clan demi-Sage known as the Lord of the Grass Barbarians, Lang Lu.

Previously, when Jiang Xuan opened the path of Sagehood, it was he who intended to tear apart the path of martial arts. Jiang Xuan would not forget this grudge.

Myriad starlight converged, the stars trembled, and a figure walked out from the endless starry sky, accompanied by stars and thousands of rays of light.

As soon as she appeared, she illuminated the entire grassland. A single gaze pierced through the endless earth.

“Lang Lu, this Sage has arrived, why don’t you come and beg for forgiveness?”

Her voice resounded throughout the heavens, and even the Human Race in the Holy Origin Continent heard it clearly.

On Upside-down Peak, in the Hall of Sages, Wang Jinglong and the others looked at Jiang Xuan in shock. Her main body was still here discussing reforms with them, so the one in the north could only be her incarnation!

To provoke a demi-Sage with an incarnation and directly invade the other party’s territory was simply a slap in the face.

“No need to worry, my incarnation has 80% of my strength. A mere Lang Lu can be killed with a flick of the hand.” Jiang Xuan smiled calmly. She had now completely transformed the vast heaven and earth essence energy into pure Star True Essence. Although her realm had not yet broken through to Supreme Sage, she was definitely invincible at the sub-Sage level.

Even if her incarnation only had 80% of her strength, it would still be at the sub-Sage level. Lang Lu was just a demi-Sage and could indeed be killed with a flick of the hand.

“Saying that will make this old man seem useless.”

Chen Guanhai joked. He was now also practicing the path of martial arts under Jiang Xuan’s guidance. A Sage’s Sage-sense could evolve into myriad forms. Even if he was multitasking, it was not difficult for him. He had already connected to the Star Power suitable for him and combined it with the Heaven and Earth Essence Energy, turning it into Star True Essence.

With a demi-Sage’s understanding of the laws of heaven and earth, Chen Guanhai and the other demi-Sages who practiced martial arts reached the Martial King level overnight. Chen Guanhai’s condition also improved a lot, and he looked much younger.

“Mr. Guanhai, I absolutely don’t mean that.”

Jiang Xuan smiled helplessly. Several demi-Sages had also practiced martial arts and had even sent messages to the other Sages. Now, in addition to the ones in the Hall of Sages, many other demi-Sages had also begun to practice martial arts.

Even Zong Moju, who didn’t like Jiang Xuan, had silently begun to practice. There was no other way, martial arts was too tempting, especially the increase in lifespan, which these demi-Sages couldn’t ignore.

“Since you are confident, then go ahead and do it. Let the demons and barbarians know that our Human Race is not easy to provoke,” Wang Jinglong said. After personally experiencing martial arts, he knew how amazing this path was.

Now that the Human Race had made up for their biggest shortcoming in lifespan through martial arts, their rise was only a matter of time. In the future, strong individuals would inevitably emerge in large numbers, and there would be no sudden decline, which would be a great thing for the Human Race, but a great disaster for the myriad races.

“Mr. Jinglong, rest assured, a mere Lang Lu is nothing. In the future, demi-Sages of this level will no longer pose a threat to the Human Race.”

She wasn’t bragging. The Human Race used to have two major shortcomings when facing the myriad races: one was lifespan. Even becoming a Sage could only increase lifespan by two hundred years, and even a sub-Sage could only reach five hundred years.

The other was physical strength. The demon and barbarian races, and even the dragon and ancient races, were strong in their physical bodies. The Human Race’s physical bodies were too fragile compared to them.

But now it was different. The emergence of martial arts directly solved this problem in one fell swoop. When the Human Race faced the myriad races, they had more confidence, and even close combat was not to be feared.

“Good.” Wang Jinglong smiled. “Since that’s the case, let’s continue to discuss the matter of reform.”

…

In the north, the cold wind was biting, and a gust of wind was blowing across the grassland. Jiang Xuan’s eyes were like torches, illuminating the myriad worlds, and in them she saw a giant claw stirring up the wind, striking towards Jiang Xuan.

The wolf claw was like the sky, the Sage power was like the sea. Large amounts of seabed sediment were dissolving, and large amounts of seawater were evaporating. Blood light permeated the air, and the world seemed to turn into a sea of blood, with no more seasons, no more reincarnation.

Only Lang Lu’s giant claw was like a great sun hanging in the sky, judging all living beings and punishing all things.

“Stubborn and incorrigible, since you don’t know repentance, then this Sage will cut off your head and exterminate your entire clan!” Jiang Xuan said indifferently, her eyes calm, as if the Sage power of the wolf claw in front of her was nothing more than that. She was very calm, and didn’t even raise a hand.

The giant wolf claw, as huge as a falling star, accompanied by a huge roar like the collapse of heaven and earth, caused space to vibrate in the process of falling. The naked eye could see the space above Jiang Xuan overlapping layer upon layer, creating countless ripples.

Even without the giant claw hitting, the layers of space vibrations below the giant claw could easily kill Human Race Grand Scholars, and even kill all demi-Sage incarnations.

“Playing with space with me? You’re still too tender.”

Jiang Xuan didn’t even bother to move. With just a glance, that void was directly shattered. Whether it was spatial vibration or void ripples, they were all reduced to nothing in that instant.

“What other tricks do you have?”

Jiang Xuan looked into the depths of the grassland, her voice clear and cold, standing in the void, like a celestial maiden from the Ninth Heaven, her three thousand strands of blue hair like brilliant galaxies, shining brightly.

“Do you think these little tricks can make this Sage afraid?!”

A low roar suddenly came from the depths of the grassland.

Immediately afterwards, a figure appeared in the void. It was a wolf demon. At the moment of its appearance, its entire body of silver wolf fur bristled, and its body rapidly expanded. A large amount of wolf fur changed from silver to white.

As it grew larger, its bones creaked, and the muscles under its fur rapidly expanded. One thick, blue-black vein after another was like a giant dragon writhing under its skin, clearly visible.

In less than a breath, it transformed into a ten-thousand-zhang-long wolf, exactly the same as when it first descended, forming a giant wolf. Even its wolf teeth became longer and thicker, exposed at the corners of its mouth, making it even more ferocious.

“What foolish thinking, the size of power doesn’t completely depend on the size of the body.” Jiang Xuan looked at Lang Lu, who was like a divine mountain, very calmly, with her hands behind her back, quietly looking at him.

“Arrogant!”

Lang Lu roared, moving through the heavens and earth. Each step he took caused the earth to collapse, and his vast Sage power shook the nine heavens.

When he approached, he fiercely raised his right front paw, tearing through the void, and pressed it directly towards Jiang Xuan.

Watching the approaching giant claw, Jiang Xuan’s star-light-transformed long hair was blown about. At this moment, she made her first move, slightly raising her right hand and pushing it horizontally.

*Dong!*

The air waves soared into the sky, ravaging the endless grassland. Many low-level demons and barbarians were crushed before they could even escape. Blood and bones were completely mixed together, staining a large area of the earth red.

The void was also torn apart, with cracks densely covering the front of the wolf claw.

However, that wolf claw was never able to strike down, as if it had landed on an invisible barrier, unable to advance, and unable to retreat.

“I said you were stupid, and you didn’t believe me.”

Jiang Xuan smiled lightly, with the gentlest of smiles, like a bodhisattva smiling as she held a flower, like a spring breeze turning into rain, permeating the heart.

*Chi!*

However, in the midst of this gentle smile, one of Lang Lu’s giant claws was directly severed. Then, as if sensing something, Lang Lu suddenly roared and his body suddenly expanded, then shattered into densely packed, tiny silver wolves, each as small as an ant, but still maintaining the shape of a wolf.

In the next moment, all of the tiny silver wolves tried to escape, using all kinds of wolf clan secret techniques, but all of the secret techniques failed!

The void was sealed at this moment. Not to mention escaping, these densely packed wolves couldn’t even take a single step.

Lang Lu roared: “I am from the Ancestral God Clan! A demon realm demi-Sage! The Lord of the Wolf Barbarians! The son of Grand Sage Lang Xuan! My father will not let you go! The demon realm will not let you go! The Ancestral God will not let you go…”

*Peng!*

Endless blood rain fell, and the entire grassland was dyed red. A wail came from the heavens and earth, which was the phenomenon of a Sage’s death. Lang Lu couldn’t even utter a cry, and was directly crushed by the void, leaving not even a trace of slag, and even his Sage soul was shattered.

“Grand Sage? I’m also looking forward to it. I hope your father can take a beating better than you.” The starry sky in Jiang Xuan’s eyes rose and fell, then slowly faded away, turning into starlight and re-entering the vast starry sky.