Xia Mengying continued, "At that time, I was also taken to the Si Guo Tang (Hall of Reflection), and the person who took me was the family head."

"On the way, he asked me: What did that person say to me? And how did I answer him?"

"I told him everything in detail. He warned me that once I entered the Si Guo Tang, I should say that I was scared at the time and ran with those people, got lost in the end, and only found my way back in the evening. I wasn't allowed to say anything else."

"I listened to the family head, and that was the first time in my life that I lied."

"After that day, we were all locked in the Si Guo Tang to copy books and reflect on our mistakes. We were locked up for a month before we were released."

"When I returned to the Linjian Shuyuan (Forest Study), I found that the child who led the way was gone."

"Some said that he was sent out of Banxianzhuang (Half-Sage Manor), and some said that he was beaten to death in the Si Guo Tang. In short, Banxianzhuang forbade us from mentioning that person again."

"Later, the family head told me: You'd better not see that person, unless it's absolutely necessary."

After Xia Mengying finished speaking, she sighed and said, "The family head asked me to come out with you, perhaps to let me go and see that person."

Hearing this, I couldn't help but frown. "Xia Chuan didn't tell you who that person was? Banxianzhuang could treat him as if facing a formidable enemy just because of a single sentence from him?"

Xia Mengying shook her head. "He never said! However, I suspect that person is a pan ru (rebel Confucian)."

"Pan ru?" This was the first time I had heard this term.

Wang the Butcher explained, "Pan ru, also called xie ru (evil Confucian). They belong to the Confucian lineage, but they are not tolerated by Confucianism."

"To put it simply: they are rebels of Confucianism, or people who distort Confucian ideas. Confucianism seeks to benefit the world, while pan ru seek personal gain."

Wang the Butcher said, "I don't understand Confucian ideas very well, I've only heard rumors about them! You'll have to ask Teacher Xia for the specifics."

Xia Mengying shook her head. "I don't know either. Banxianzhuang, and even Confucianism, don't allow us to have contact with pan ru!"

"Pan ru? Interesting!" I said, "I've always had a question that I couldn't quite figure out!"

"We, the sorcerers, can roam the martial world, compete for victory, and fight ghosts and deities. We rely on martial arts cultivation or the ability to dissolve the powers of the gods."

"There is no heaven or hell in Confucian thought, nor are there any Buddhas or deities. 'The Master did not speak of strange phenomena, feats of strength, disorders, or spirits,' is the Confucian attitude towards ghosts and deities..."

Hearing this, Ye Yang snorted from his nose and said, "Read more books! Don't embarrass yourself in front of Teacher Xia. Confucius didn't not believe in ghosts and deities, he just said not to worship them, not to believe in them, and to keep them at a respectful distance."

During the Shang and Zhou dynasties up to the Spring and Autumn period, the idea of ghosts and deities was at its peak. It would probably be incorrect to say that Confucius, who lived in that era, was a staunch atheist.

I glanced at Ye Yang, "Are you possessed by a know-it-all? Am I discussing academics with you? Just grasp the general meaning!"

Ye Yang slowly said, "Just say what you want to say directly. Don't talk about Confucianism when you're the least educated person in the Liangjie Tang (Two Realms Hall). Can't we just speak plainly?"

I rolled my eyes in anger, "I'm saying that the power of Confucianism comes from the Haoran Zhengqi (righteous energy) cultivated within oneself. In that case, where does the Haoran Zhengqi on the bodies of the pan ru and xie ru come from?"

The old saying goes: ghosts are afraid of bad people!

In fact, that's not right!

What ghosts fear most are not bad people, but upright gentlemen.

If a person is open-minded, upright and unyielding, without relying on any external objects or seeking the blessings of gods, he can be immune to all evil.

Unfortunately, most people can't do it.

Xia Mengying said in a deep voice, "Li Po, you are not the first person to ask this question, nor will you be the last."

"However, I can't answer it for you. Even the great Confucian scholars of Banxianzhuang can't answer it for you."

"Confucianism has nothing to do with the martial world, you can just treat Banxianzhuang as a Jianghu (martial world) sect."

I nodded and said, "I understand what you mean. The disagreement between Banxianzhuang and the pan ru is only a difference in philosophy. It's like the dispute between the sword sect and the Qi sect in novels, right?"

Xia Mengying said in a low voice, "Perhaps, you can understand it that way!"

I was testing Xia Mengying with this sentence. It seems that she really doesn't understand the root of the xie ru.

Confucianism is not radical or extreme. Even if there is a disagreement in philosophy or an academic dispute, it will not lead to a situation of life and death.

The power of the xie ru must have another source!

It's just that Xia Mengying doesn't know!

Along the way, I didn't bring up the matter of Confucianism again. When we arrived at Shanglin Village, I was stunned, "You call this Shanglin Village?"

Xia Mengying was also stunned when she looked at the residential complex in front of her. "In my memory, this is the location of Shanglin Village!"

Lin Zhao checked the map on his phone and said, "This is called Shanglin Community, not Shanglin Village. Could it be that the renovation of the community eliminated Shanglin Village?"

I turned around and said, "You guys wait for me here, I'll go ask around and see what's going on?"

After Lin Zhao and I entered the community, we looked everywhere for the property management, but we couldn't find the location of the property management office.

Lin Zhao pointed to the sign in the community and said, "Isn't it written on there? The property management is over there, why can't we find it?"

I looked at the residential buildings in the community and said, "Have you noticed anything wrong?"

Lin Zhao looked around. "There's nothing wrong! Isn't this how ordinary residential communities are?"