Chapter 710 - 711: A Stepping Stone? Me?

Chapter 710: Chapter 711: A Stepping Stone? Me?

Inside the small courtyard.

As Lin Luoyu poured a cup of tea for Li Junzi, her gaze carefully observed every subtle change on Li Junzi’s face.

But the greatest change wasn’t just in Li Junzi’s appearance—it was in what seemed like an entirely different mindset.

Even though Li Junzi’s carefully prepared new policies had been suppressed by various factions, and she herself had been completely sidelined in this remote little courtyard.

Yet there wasn’t a trace of frustration or worry on Li Junzi’s face.

Li Junzi held her warm tea with a gentle smile:

"Has everyone been doing well?"

Cui Hao answered cheerfully: "All is well. Senior sister has already become a Nascent Soul ancestor."

Joy shone unhidden in Li Junzi’s eyes, and she spoke with delight:

"Oh? I never expected Luoyu’s cultivation talent to surpass even that of a Confucian cultivator. Good thing I didn’t hold you back all those years ago."

Lin Luoyu glanced at Cui Hao, then playfully followed his lead:

"I’m a genius too. I can become a Nascent Soul ancestor through cultivation—if I studied Confucianism, I’d surely reach Sub-Sage as well."

Li Junzi nodded in agreement:

"Of course. Luoyu is a great genius."

Cui Hao gently rubbed his warm teacup, raising an eyebrow toward his senior sister.

Lin Luoyu caught the gesture and understood immediately—Cui Hao was asking whether he should speak next or if she should take the lead.

Li Junzi intended to walk the pioneering path. Though Chu Xingchen hadn’t directly provided her with assistance, he had invested considerable effort in monitoring her progress and occasionally shielded her from pressure from the cultivation world.

During breaks from her own cultivation, Lin Luoyu would also review the intelligence reports coming in.

Over the past decade or so, Li Junzi had attempted to roll out new policies three times. Each initially gained traction through her Grand Scholar status, but once certain groups’ interests were threatened, fierce resistance followed.

Li Junzi’s new policy was called the Great Learning, and its ultimate aim was—the democratization of knowledge.

Regardless of noble or humble birth, rich or poor, anyone eager to learn could enter state-funded schools. Though meals weren’t provided and tuition was only reduced, and though early education would inevitably be rough, every beginning is difficult.

After graduation, students were required to spend three years teaching incoming students before they could qualify for government service.

These were the core elements of the new policy, with nothing overly complicated about them.

After all, any policy that can be implemented on a large scale must meet certain conditions—simple process, clear results, correct direction.

The most essential condition for true reform is simplicity.

Li Junzi wasn’t the only one who understood this—the great families did too.

In the cultivation world, cultivation base is unquestionably power.

But in the mortal realm, knowledge truly is power.

Knowledge isn’t just characters on a page—it’s the accumulated wisdom and insights of countless brilliant minds, distilled experience, a roadmap forward, the answers themselves.

Monopolizing knowledge means monopolizing answers—after all, many things are simple enough that you just need to learn how to copy.

Knowledge is an undeniable advantage and source of strength, one that has allowed great families to endure across dynastic changes.

Dynasties may fall to disaster and upheaval, but knowledge persists.

The great families understand this truth better than anyone.

Li Junzi’s push for the Great Learning would strip away the great families’ fundamental advantage and share it with the world.

The great families might tolerate her taking their wealth, but they could never accept the implementation of new policies.

Severing someone’s livelihood is like killing their parents—but destroying a great family’s millennium-old foundation is like digging up graves, scattering bones, and grinding them to dust.

Naturally, the great families would unite with everything they had to resist Li Junzi’s new policies.

To this end, the great families would pay any price—even if it meant the dynasty’s collapse, widespread suffering, or their own devastating losses.

The great families had made their position clear: either wipe out all the great families, or stop the new policies.

The sovereign would never risk destroying the empire for the sake of new policies.

The situation had become a deadlock, with unspoken understanding passing between the ruler and the great families.

A millennium of hoarded knowledge had accumulated into an insurmountable barrier.

The great families didn’t even need to directly attack Li Junzi—they simply needed to distort orders as they passed down the chain, turning good intentions into disastrous outcomes.

The failure of the new policies hurt not just Li Junzi, but the sovereign who championed them as well.

Politics runs on reputation and results, and even a sovereign has limits.

Three failures would be enough to make other rulers hesitate, and it would serve as an answer to both Li Junzi and Junzi Mountain.

This was Li Junzi’s current situation—generously described as being dismissed with honors, or more bluntly, forced out of power.

Even with Junzi Mountain’s prestige, Li Junzi could only continue her work from within this small courtyard.

If things continued this way, Li Junzi’s path to Sub-Sage looked utterly bleak with no hope in sight.

Lin Luoyu paused in thought before deciding to speak:

"Master, my master has also been following your pioneering path."

"I know. Your master must have quietly helped me in many ways." Li Junzi held her warm tea and smiled lightly. "Even though my new policies have been attacked, no one dares to attack me personally. Next time I have the chance, I’ll visit your master to thank him for his help."

Lin Luoyu continued:

"Beyond paying respects, I’ve also come to ask whether you need assistance."

Li Junzi showed no surprise, nor any resistance—instead, she asked with genuine curiosity:

"Are you offering to help me implement the new policies? Has Sect Master Chu devised a new approach for me?"

Lin Luoyu didn’t beat around the bush:

"My master may not know your ultimate goals, but if you simply want to push through the new policies, he can help."

Li Junzi thought for a moment, then asked directly:

"I assume you’re not planning to leverage immortal authority to force this through?"

Lin Luoyu answered honestly:

"Some of that influence will indeed be used. My master has already made arrangements, though no cultivators will directly interfere. He says that achieving anything significant requires not just determination and proper methods, but also favorable timing and circumstances."

"My master intends to create exactly such an opportunity for you—but it will be a one-time offer."

Li Junzi sighed softly: "Immortals do see things more clearly than I do. Achieving anything significant... does require timing and circumstances. That’s a truth I’ve only just grasped."

"But reshaping the world merely to elevate one person to Sub-Sage status isn’t what I want."

"Perhaps I truly lack the qualifications for Sub-Sage—my heart doesn’t hold that kind of ruthless resolve... I’m not that cruel."

Lin Luoyu shook her head gently, her expression turning serious:

"Master, what if achieving Sub-Sage status meant saving the common people?"

Li Junzi looked confused.

Lin Luoyu continued:

"Chaos is coming. The eighteen immortal sects of Central Province are already preparing for the great heavenly tribulation. A Sub-Sage could stabilize the masses’ fears."

"My master says the immortals of the world wish to stand with you and hold back the collapsing heavens together."

"The Buddhist sect offers itself as a stepping stone to help you reach Sub-Sage."

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