Qin Shi: I went astray in the Heavenly Sect

Chapter 42 On Ghosts and Gods, Fire Rain Agate
"Son."

There was another knock on the door, and a voice came out unhurriedly.

"The door's open, come in!"

Nongyu pushed open the door and entered, looking at Chen Xiuyuan by the table, a strange light flashing in her eyes.

To be honest, Zilanxuan is not a suitable place for reading. Even the fourth floor, which is rarely visited, is not suitable for reading.

She had heard Zi Nu say that there was a place in this world called Little Sage Village, which was a place dedicated to studying in the State of Qi.

There, not only were there Confucian sages teaching knowledge, but also other skills. Confucianism emphasizes the Six Arts: rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics. In addition to reading and writing, they also explored other fields.

"I heard from Sister Hongdou that the young master is looking for me?"

Chen Xiuyuan looked up at Nongyu. Compared to yesterday, the girl had not changed at all; she was still gentle and charming.

He then said softly, "Well, there are still some bamboo slips left. After I've looked at everything here, I'd like to go for a walk."

"In Xinzheng City~"

Upon hearing this, Nongyu frowned slightly. Xinzheng, the capital of the State of Han, was not a very peaceful place. It was alright during the day, but at night, it was a scene of chaos and debauchery.

She wasn't sure if Chen Xiuyuan knew martial arts. In her opinion, even if he did have some skills, he could probably only use them for self-defense, given his age.

"If you wish to go out for a stroll, that is certainly possible, but it would be best to do so during the day. The city has been haunted lately, and even the military pay has been robbed by ghost soldiers, so it is probably not very safe at night."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiuyuan's heart stirred slightly. He hadn't expected that even Nongyu knew about the ghost soldiers' robbery of the supplies.

"Where did Miss Nongyu hear about the ghost soldiers robbing our pay?"

Chen Xiuyuan stood up and walked towards the bookshelf as he spoke.

Nongyu knelt down beside the table, looked at Chen Xiuyuan's back and said with a smile, "Young master, you flatter me. Zilan Pavilion has people from all walks of life. In addition to martial arts heroes and wealthy merchants, officials from the court often come here for leisure."

Chen Xiuyuan's eyes flickered slightly, but he did not stop. He placed the bamboo slips one by one into his bosom, about seven or eight in total, and then turned back.

"Does Miss Nongyu believe in the existence of ghosts and monsters?"

He placed the bamboo slips on the desk and then naturally continued the conversation.

Nongyu was taken aback. She seemed to have never thought about this question before: Do ghosts and gods really exist in this world?
She looked up at Chen Xiuyuan, her long, clear eyes filled with a question.

What do you think, young master?

Actually, Chen Xiuyuan is not sure about this issue either. Unlike those who claim to have seen the truth of the world, he believes that there are no ghosts or gods in this world.

Some say there are three levels of understanding mountains and water. The first level is seeing mountains as mountains and water as water; the second level is seeing mountains as not mountains and water as not water; and the third level is seeing mountains as mountains and water as water again.

If we were to categorize matters concerning ghosts and spirits, he felt that they could actually be divided into three types. The first type is those superstitious people who blindly worship ghosts and spirits, believing that ghosts and spirits exist in the world and can reward good and punish evil.

The second type consists of self-proclaimed intelligent people who have never believed in ghosts and spirits, thinking that such events are man-made and that some people use them to achieve their own ambitions. Of course, there's another type, which he considers the third, but he himself hasn't reached that stage yet. Ghosts and spirits are absurd in most people's eyes. If ghosts and spirits existed in the world and were worshipped by people, why would so many people die from natural disasters and man-made calamities?
However, in his understanding, ghosts and gods might exist, just like his own time travel, which is not something that can be explained by scientific phenomena. But he also has a feeling that ghosts and gods may not be what people imagine them to be. They are transcendent beings who have long since seen through everything in the world. Life and death are no different to them, let alone to others.

Of course, as of now, he is only at the second stage, because he has not yet seen any real ghosts or gods. It is said that seeing is believing, but having experienced the information explosion era, he no longer believes in the saying "seeing is believing". If he can reach the third stage, it must be because he has already made some progress on the path of cultivation.

Chen Xiuyuan was silent for a moment, then continued, "I don't know."

Upon hearing this, Nongyu was taken aback.

If this question were asked to Zi Nu, Wei Zhuang, or even the Ninth Prince Han Fei, they might not hesitate and laugh at her, wondering if she was delirious.

In their world, there are no ghosts or gods. Everything that happens in the world is a scheme carried out by some people using ghosts and gods as a pretext to achieve their ulterior motives.

Of course, this was also her own subconscious understanding, so she was stunned for a moment when she heard Chen Xiuyuan's answer.

do not know.

This is a very interesting answer. From her perspective, the "I don't know" can actually be interpreted as "yes".

"The world is vast and full of wonders. Existence is its own justification. People may have different understandings of immortals and gods. For example, some people have superb medical skills and can bring the dead back to life and heal the wounded. People will think of them as living gods. Others are gifted and can travel eight hundred miles a day on their own two legs. People will also think of them as gods. An official who can judge cases with divine insight and is absolutely right about the facts may also be called a god."

Upon hearing this explanation, Nongyu's eyes lit up slightly. This was a perspective she had never heard before, but what Chen Xiuyuan said made some sense.

"Then, in your understanding, what are immortals like?"

Chen Xiuyuan frowned slightly, then shook his head.

“Those things are too far away. We are just one of the masses. What right do we have to comment on those who are detached from worldly affairs?”

Nongyu reached out and touched the fiery red agate at her waist, her eyes unconsciously filled with a hint of reminiscence.

Ultimately, she still hoped that gods and immortals existed in this world. Human life has so many regrets, so if gods and immortals really existed, she could naturally ask them for help.

Chen Xiuyuan noticed Nongyu's movements, his gaze shifted slightly, and he spoke softly.

"Is this fire rain agate?"

When Nongyu heard the name, she was somewhat surprised. This agate had been with her for many years and was closely related to her background. No one had ever been able to reveal the true nature of this thing in a single sentence.

"Young master, do you know about this?"

Nongyu looked at Chen Xiuyuan, her tone unconsciously carrying a hint of nervousness, her eyes fixed on him.

Chen Xiuyuan stood there for a while before speaking: "There is a manor in the Baiyue region called Huoyu Manor. This item is produced here and is famous for its rare texture and complex carving process. It can be said to be a rare treasure."

“People who don’t know their stuff might not be able to tell the difference, but I still advise you that this item shouldn’t be placed in such an obvious place. Your actions are like a child throwing gold into a bustling city.”

"."

(End of this chapter)