PDLP Chapter 20 Entering the Dao through Literature
Chapter 20 Entering the Dao through Literature
He unfolded the note and held it above his head.
He made sure everyone around him could see the words on it, as if he had secured the last line of defense.
Before the riddle was even read aloud, some people in the crowd recognized the note.
"Oh my god, this is the riddle."
"It's this again. It's been hanging there since last Mid-Autumn Festival, and none of the scholars in Qingzhou City have guessed it. Who could possibly guess it?"
Someone nearby chimed in:
"This is clearly a difficult riddle. It's so obscure and tricky that even Gu Tingzhi, the most talented scholar in Qingzhou, said it was unsolvable."
Whispers rose and fell, and everyone's eyes were on Lu Yuan.
Sun Zhongwen cleared his throat and read out, word by word:
It is neither black, nor white, nor red or yellow. It resembles a fox, wolf, cat, or dog, yet it is neither a domestic animal nor a wild beast.
He paused for a moment, then read the second half of the sentence:
"It's neither poetry, nor lyrics, nor even the Analects. It's vague about east, west, south, and north, yet though it's a short piece, it's a masterpiece."
After reading it aloud, he slammed the note on the table, his voice barely concealing his determination:
Guess.
There was a moment of silence, and then people started cursing.
This riddle is completely nonsensical and illogical; it's clearly meant to be difficult.
Gu Tingzhi admitted last year that this question was unsolvable, so why bring it out to test a sixteen-year-old boy? Isn't that bullying?
Sun Zhongwen stared at Lu Yuan alone, a smug smile on his lips.
Lu Yuan fell silent.
It wasn't feigned silence; it was a genuine need for thought.
This question was a little difficult for Lu Yuan, but... not much.
The surrounding chatter gradually turned into boos...
"Can't guess it, can you?"
"He's just a brute after all."
"Those thirteen must have been memorized in advance."
Qin Zhao's fingers unconsciously tightened around Lu Yuan's sleeve.
Four breaths.
Then Lu Yuan raised his head.
"Riddles."
Just two words.
Sun Zhongwen's smile froze on his face before it could fully bloom.
"Black is not white, not red, not yellow, and certainly not—green. It resembles a fox, wolf, cat, or dog—with the radical for 'dog.' It is neither a domestic animal nor a wild beast—guess."
Lu Yuan's tone was as if he were stating a math problem.
"Poetry is neither lyrics nor the Analects nor—a riddle. It's unclear about east, west, south, and north—it's lost. Though short, it's a masterpiece—a riddle. Put them together, and you've got a riddle."
The crowd fell silent for a moment.
Then it exploded.
"A riddle! It's a riddle!"
Someone slapped their forehead and shouted,
"Black, white, red, and yellow are none of these; it's 'green'! Foxes, wolves, cats, and dogs all have the 'dog' radical! Put them together and it's 'guess'! Poetry isn't lyrics, it's not the Analects—it's a 'riddle'! Being unclear about east, west, south, and north is getting lost, a riddle! Guess the riddle!"
Qin Zhao looked up at Lu Yuan's profile, her eyes almost overflowing with light.
The scholars who had been mocking him were now speechless, wishing they could bury their heads in their collars.
Lu Yuan looked at Sun Zhongwen's pale and ashen face and spoke.
"You've finished guessing. Since you're so willing to play riddles, now it's my turn to ask you a question."
Sun Zhongwen's face turned ashen, but he stubbornly replied, "Ask away."
"What is that thing? Four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and three legs in the evening?"
Sun Zhongwen was stunned.
His mind was still reeling from the shock of the "riddle" when he was suddenly thrown at this question, and he didn't quite catch on for a moment.
The scholars behind him looked at each other in bewilderment.
"What kind of riddle is this?"
"Four legs in the morning, two legs at noon... what is that?"
Someone muttered under their breath, "Babies crawl, adults walk, the elderly use canes... isn't that what people are like?"
Sun Zhongwen glared at the person who spoke, but the words were already out and couldn't be taken back.
Lu Yuan did not pause.
"One more question. What gets dirtier the more you wash it?"
Sun Zhongwen opened his mouth.
water?
The water gets dirtier the more you wash it.
"What...what kind of off-topic is this!"
Lu Yuan continued, "What is it that you need to close when you use it and open when you don't?"
Sun Zhongwen's face had turned as red as a pig's liver.
The scholars behind him all kept their heads down, and none of them dared to answer.
"What kind of thing is more valuable when it's broken?"
"An umbrella, guess a word."
What characters can be formed by adding one stroke to the character for "person" (人) besides "big" (大) and "individual" (个)?
Every time Lu Yuan asked a question, someone in the crowd would excitedly discuss the answer with their companion.
When Sun Zhongwen couldn't answer a single question, the laughter from the crowd grew even louder.
He was completely speechless.
It's not because I haven't read books, it's because these questions are completely unlike the puzzles we're currently speculating on; they seem like the logic of another world.
These things are naturally not from this world.
These are riddles I read on my phone during casual conversation in my past life.
Lu Yuan waited for three breaths, then turned around and reached out his hand to Qin Zhao.
"Let's go, you think you can play riddles with a brain like that?"
"Nonsense! This isn't even a riddle!" Sun Zhongwen was furious.
"What nonsense is this?"
"Heh. If you can't guess, just admit defeat. In this respect, you scholars are not even as good as us martial artists."
"At least we martial artists can openly admit that we are not as skilled as others."
Lu Yuan ignored him and led Qin Zhao through the crowd that automatically parted to let them pass.
An even louder burst of laughter came from behind.
Sun Zhongwen had already slunk away from the crowd.
[Unorthodox (White-Green)] Your sudden insight has stunned the scholars present. Your remarks are highly likely to cause controversy, and your cultivation speed has increased significantly. Negative effect: Your relationship with the scholars has further deteriorated.
Hehe, it's true.
This is a pattern that Lu Yuan has discovered over a long period of time.
If the entry has already appeared, simply continue in the same way and deliver an even more impressive performance.
Or the number of viewers may increase, or the audience levels may increase.
That entry has a certain probability of being upgraded.
"Those questions you just asked..."
Beside Lu Yuan, Qin Zhao's voice still carried a hint of laughter.
"The more you wash things, the dirtier they get. I bet it's the water—right?"
"right."
"Is it more valuable when it's broken?"
"Window paper".
Qin Zhao was taken aback for a moment, then smiled.
It wasn't the gentle, ladylike laugh; it was the kind of laugh that made you bend over.
She lifted her skirt and followed beside him, pondering those strange questions as they walked.
At the same time, she looked at the man beside her with curiosity in her eyes.
He not only has exceptional talent in martial arts.
Moreover, he has some unique insights into literature and philosophy.
Just then, a notification sound rang in Lu Yuan's mind.
[New entry: Entering the Dao through Literature (White)]
【Entering the Dao through Literature (White) (Upgradeable)】: Some people believe that your literary skills are no less than your martial arts skills.
Effect: Your performance in the fields of literature, music, chess, etc., will slightly benefit your understanding of martial arts. Cultivating both literary and martial arts will lead to a comprehensive understanding.
Lu Yuan paused in his steps.
To enter the Tao through literature.
This entry is quite strong.
Unlike before, it could only increase cultivation speed.
Instead, it's like opening up an alternative path of spiritual practice for oneself.
Cultural attainments directly benefit martial arts.
Ultimately, one should strive to be proficient in both literary and martial arts.
He came to the lantern festival tonight thinking it was a waste of time, but unexpectedly, he stumbled upon a new door.
The most important and lively part of this Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival was the poetry gathering held at Qingzhou Academy.
Since you can get white entries by solving riddles,
What about poetry gatherings?
"It seems I should make an appearance at this poetry gathering."