Old Scholar

Overview

The Old Scholar (老秀才), formally revered as the Wen Sheng (文圣 - Sage of Literature), is a supreme entity within the Confucian Temple (文庙) of the Haoran Heaven and the founding patriarch of the Wen Sheng lineage (文圣一脉).

Despite his exalted status as one of the paramount sages defining the moral and academic laws of the world, he frequently presents himself as a poor, shabby, and eccentric old scholar. He is infamous across multiple worlds for his incredibly thick skin, his willingness to bicker and argue endlessly, and his unorthodox approach to Confucian teachings. However, beneath this cynical and farcical exterior lies a profoundly compassionate sage who willingly shoulders the heaviest burdens of the world and acts as a fiercely protective master to his exceptionally talented, yet often tragic, disciples.

Personality & Appearance

The Old Scholar typically appears as a short, impoverished, and somewhat unkempt old man in a shabby Confucian robe. He completely disregards the majestic, ethereal airs usually associated with high-level Sages or 14th-realm cultivators. He is known to shamelessly praise himself, badger his peers (such as the Daoist Second Master or Chen Chun'an) into giving him face or wine, and loudly complain about his "laborious, blame-taking fate."

However, his academic brilliance is unparalleled, possessing a mind that could synthesize the complexities of the Three Teachings. When it comes to defending his disciples or the fundamental goodness of humanity, he discards his easygoing nature, willing to confront heaven, earth, and supreme entities with absolute, terrifying resolve. He judges people not by their faction or status, but by their actions and willingness to correct their mistakes.

History & Major Events

Fall and Restoration in the Confucian Temple

At the height of his prestige, the Old Scholar's teachings were treated as the utmost orthodox doctrine in the Haoran Heaven. However, following the perceived "betrayal" of his eldest disciple, Cui Chan, and intense ideological conflicts within the Confucian Temple, the Wen Sheng lineage suffered a massive fall from grace. His statues were removed from the temples, and his teachings were temporarily banned or marginalized across many academies. Later, after his lineage repeatedly saved the Haoran Heaven from annihilation, the Confucian Temple fully restored his god-statue and his rightful status as the Wen Sheng.

Merging Dao with Three Continents

During the apocalyptic invasion of the Haoran Heaven by the Manhuang Heaven's Monster Race, the Old Scholar made a monumental sacrifice. To prevent the southern continents from completely shattering under the onslaught of Throne Great Demons, he merged his Great Dao with the mountains and rivers of three continents (合道三洲). This act bound his fate directly to the devastated lands. The mastermind Zhou Mi ruthlessly exploited this by cutting away the mountain and water luck of those three continents, refining it into a magical robe for the traitorous sword cultivator Xiao Xun, forcing any Haoran sword strike against Xiao Xun to effectively strike the Old Scholar's own foundation.

Protecting the Lineage

Despite his claims of lacking combat power compared to his peers, the Old Scholar frequently intervened in major conflicts to protect his disciples. When Qi Jingchun's legacy and his closed-door disciple Chen Ping'an were threatened, the Old Scholar visited the highest peak of the Middle Earth Divine Continent, Suishan (穗山), borrowing the mountain's supreme authority from the Golden Armored Deity to project his power across the world and confront his enemies directly. He also personally traveled to the Sword Qi Great Wall to negotiate with Chen Qingdu in an attempt to alleviate the burdens on his disciples.

Disciples

The Old Scholar's direct disciples are among the most influential and powerful figures in the universe:

• Cui Chan (崔瀺): His eldest disciple. Though he ostensibly betrayed the lineage to become the Great Li National Teacher, Cui Chan secretly carried out a centuries-long, self-sacrificing scheme to save the Haoran Heaven from Zhou Mi's invasion.
• Zuo You (左右): His second disciple. A rigid scholar turned Great Sword Immortal, possessing the highest sword technique in the world.
• Qi Jingchun (齐静春): His third disciple. A remarkably gentle and brilliant sage who willingly sacrificed himself to save the Lizhu Grotto-Heaven and its inhabitants.
• Liu Shiliu / Jun Qian (刘十六 / 君倩): His fourth disciple. A towering martial artist and cultivator who operates largely in the shadows.
• Chen Ping'an (陈平安): His closed-door disciple (关门弟子). Chosen initially by Qi Jingchun, Chen Ping'an became the Old Scholar's final student, inheriting the heavy mantle of the Wen Sheng lineage and eventually serving as the Hidden Official of the Sword Qi Great Wall and the new National Teacher of Great Li.

Abilities

• Confucian "Words Follow the Law" (言出法随): As a supreme Sage, the Old Scholar's spoken words carry the weight of the Heavenly Dao. For example, while drinking at a small wine stand in Ganshou, he casually praised a local mountain god, instantly elevating the deity's official rank and expanding its golden body just by uttering a few words of commendation.
• 14th Realm Foundation (合道): Through merging his Dao with the Haoran Heaven's landscape and moral fabric, he possesses a foundational strength that anchors the world itself, though he prefers to use his power to support the world rather than for direct destruction.

References

• 剑来7：迢迢渡银汉, 第一章 — 大师兄姓左: Supports his appearance alongside Chen Chun'an, manipulating a miniature sun in his hand, and casually discussing the "goodness" of his newly accepted closed-door disciple, Chen Ping'an.
• 剑来19：剑修如云处出拳, 第九章 — 最讲道理的来了: Supports his journey to the Sword Qi Great Wall to negotiate with Chen Qingdu, showcasing his thick-skinned nature and his constant complaints about his "laborious fate."
• 剑来26：人间最得意, 第五章 — 饮者留其名: Supports his immense sacrifice of merging his Dao with three continents (合道三洲) during the war, his conversation with Chen Chun'an, and his trip to Suishan (穗山) where he borrows the peak from the Golden Armored Deity to engage in cross-world combat.
• 剑来27：风雪夜归人, 第三章 — 春风得意: Supports Zhou Mi's countermeasure against the Old Scholar, deliberately refining the luck and destiny of the three merged continents into a protective robe for Xiao Xun to inflict karmic damage on the Old Scholar.
• 剑来38：请君入梦来, 第五章 — 一生半在春游中: Supports his ability of "Words Follow the Law" (言出法随), where his casual praise at a wine stand immediately elevates the local mountain god's status in the golden jade genealogy.
• 剑来46：人间半部书, 第八章 — 山中一幅画: Supports his discussions with Chen Ping'an regarding the strategic progression of the counter-offensive and his immense pride in the younger generation of Haoran scholars like Yuan Pang and Lin Junbi.