Sub-Sage

Overview

The Sub-Sage (亚圣) is one of the supreme defining sages of the Confucian Temple (文庙) and the patriarch of the Sub-Sage lineage (亚圣一脉). Operating from the highest echelons of the Haoran Heaven, he is an unfathomable 14th-realm cultivator whose power and foundational stability anchor the very center of the human world.

Though he rarely intervenes in minor worldly disputes, his academic teachings and philosophical framework dominate a massive portion of the Haoran Heaven. His lineage is renowned for producing an overwhelming number of elite scholars, and he serves as a leading figure in major Confucian Temple assemblies, directly shaping the laws and structure of mortal dynasties across the nine continents.

Lineage & Influence

The Sub-Sage lineage is an absolute behemoth within the scholarly world. A widely accepted saying in the Haoran Heaven states that "half of the world's talents are in the Confucian Temple, and half of the Confucian Temple's talents are in the Sub-Sage lineage" (天下英才，半在儒家文庙；文庙英才，半在亚圣文脉).

His academic descendants and affiliated institutions include:

• Academies: Numerous high-tier academies follow his teachings, including the South Posuo Continent's Shanlu Academy (山麓书院) and the three major academies of the Tongye Continent (though these three collapsed rapidly during the Manhuang invasion).
• Prominent Clans: Elite families, such as the Yingyin Chen clan (颍阴陈氏), are direct descendants of his academic lineage.
• Notable Disciples: His direct and indirect followers include the pure Confucian Chen Chun'an (陈淳安), who sacrificed his foundation to defend the southern continents, and the legendary, albeit highly unorthodox swordsman A Liang (阿良).

Cultivation & Abilities

• 14th Realm (合道): The Sub-Sage achieved the 14th Realm by merging his Dao with the entirety of the Middle Earth Divine Continent (合道中土神洲). Because the mountains and rivers of the Middle Earth Divine Continent are considered to be half of the entire Haoran Heaven, his foundational strength is virtually unparalleled, granting him a cosmic weight that stabilizes the realm.

Major Events

The Haoran-Manhuang War

During the invasion by the Manhuang Heaven, the Sub-Sage lineage faced intense scrutiny. The three academies belonging to his lineage in the Tongye Continent collapsed almost instantly upon contact with the enemy. This catastrophic failure was heavily criticized and contrasted against the "merit and action" (事功) teachings of the Wen Sheng lineage (spearheaded by Cui Chan), leading to a significant intellectual shift where many scholars argued that the Wen Sheng lineage's practical philosophy was better suited for saving the world than the orthodox teachings of the Sub-Sage.

The Confucian Temple Assembly

Following the repulsion of the Monster Race, the Sub-Sage presided over key segments of the monumental Confucian Temple assembly. In front of the emperors of the ten great dynasties, he personally decreed a new, world-altering law: from that day forward, any scholar serving as the Minister of Rites (礼部尚书) in the mortal dynasties across the nine continents must possess the official status of an academy scholar. This move profoundly blurred the lines between the mountain academies and secular governance, cementing the Confucian Temple's control over mortal empires.

Relationships

• The Old Scholar (文圣): His peer and ideological rival within the Confucian Temple. The two lineages have historically clashed over academic supremacy. Despite these intellectual differences, the Sub-Sage recognizes the merits of the Wen Sheng lineage's younger generation, occasionally engaging in lighthearted exchanges with the Old Scholar during critical assemblies.
• A Liang (阿良): One of the most famous, and certainly the most un-scholarly, members of his lineage.
• Chen Chun'an (陈淳安): A towering figure in the South Posuo Continent and a stalwart pillar of the Sub-Sage lineage, embodying the highest moral ideals of his teachings.

References

• 剑来21：结实笼中, 第三章 — 大家都是读书人: Supports the Yingyin Chen clan head being a direct descendant of the Sub-Sage lineage.
• 剑来23：人生梦复梦, 第十章 — 何处不问剑: Supports A Liang and Chen Chun'an belonging to the Sub-Sage lineage.
• 剑来26：人间最得意, 第八章 — 李花太白虎头帽: Supports his 14th-realm cultivation, specifically achieving it by merging his Dao with the Middle Earth Divine Continent (合道中土神洲).
• 剑来28：青都山水郎, 第三章 — 满座皆故友: Supports the fact that his lineage's three academies in the Tongye Continent collapsed instantly during the war, causing a shift in intellectual preference toward the Wen Sheng lineage.
• 剑来29：左中皆好剑, 第七章 — 无话可说: Supports his role at the Confucian Temple assembly and his decree that all Ministers of Rites must be academy scholars.
• 剑来38：请君入梦来, 第六章 — 吾为东道主: Supports the scale of his lineage's influence, noting that half of the Confucian Temple's talents belong to his academic lineage.