People in the Three Kingdoms: Starting from Preaching

Chapter 97 The Fire of Truth (Please support and pre-order!)
Different from the excitement and piety of the people kneeling on the ground below the city wall, the few people watching on the top of the city wall were deathly silent at this time. They were closer to Xu Chen and could see the details more clearly.

The more clearly they saw, the more shocked they were.

Xu Chen didn't use any fancy tricks at all. He simply held up the paper lantern, lit the candle, and made the lantern fly up like that.

Plain and simple, they saw every detail clearly, but they couldn't understand how it was achieved.

When Xu Chen turned around with a smile, Wang Dang and Tian Shitou felt their knees go weak and they almost knelt down and shouted that the Heavenly Master had appeared. In their view, this was a real miracle happening before their eyes.

No human can break into the forbidden area of ​​the sky. If someone does it, it must be the magic of gods!
Xu Chen looked at them with their mouths wide open and felt a little funny in his heart. In fact, if it were not for his status as a sect leader, perhaps people would not have associated the sky lanterns with magical powers. After the temporary shock and novelty passed, people would naturally get used to it.

"Is it magical?" Xu Chen asked with a smile.

Wang Dang and Tian Shitou nodded repeatedly and looked at Xu Chen with great respect: "The leader's divine means are beyond description. This is a miracle!"

Xu Chen said, "You think it is a miracle, but it is not impossible. The law of the Great Dao is the God of Nature itself. Humans can comprehend the law through practice and naturally use the law to control divine power. I have comprehended the principle of hot and cold water, so I can send sky lanterns to the sky. In fact, you can do the same."

Wang Dang and Tian Shitou looked at each other, both a little unsure: "Can we do it?"

Xu Chen nodded: "You watched me make this sky lantern. If you follow this method and copy it, you will be able to make it successfully. It's very simple. Go and try it."

As soon as Xu Chen finished speaking, the two were stunned. If that was the case, then everyone could use this spell, right?
If I can replicate it, it is indeed as the leader said, as long as you understand the laws, everyone can use them to strengthen themselves. Now sending lights to the sky, isn't it beyond human power?

So this is what the cultivation that I teach is all about. It is to understand the mechanisms behind the operation of this world, and then use them to accomplish things that you cannot do yourself. This is the process and result of cultivation.

When I think about it this way, I do seem to have some clues.

Wang Dang and Tian Shitou nodded enthusiastically: "If that's the case, let's go practice as well."

After they left, Xu Chen set his gaze on Zhang Zhongjing's face, who had been silent all the time. He could see that although Zhang Zhongjing tried his best to remain calm on the surface, the horror in his eyes could not be concealed.

Xu Chen stood leisurely with his hands behind his back, pointing at the increasingly smaller black spot in the sky with a look of complacency.

"Zhongjing, you see, there is nothing inside this paper lantern, but as it is heated, it can rise into the air by itself. Isn't the principle behind this exactly what I said that hot air is light and floats up, while cold air is heavy and sinks down?

It's just that the air itself is invisible and not easy for people to observe. Today, I am using thin paper to hold the hot air, which allows us to see this floating phenomenon more intuitively.

After this experiment, I think it is enough to confirm my conjecture. Look, this little truth has been verified, right? "

Zhang Zhongjing opened his mouth, he wanted to say something, but at this moment, he had to admit that he was completely convinced, as if nothing he said was enough to express his feelings.

It was not until now that he had fully witnessed the entire process of what Xu Chen called natural science methodology.

Although this experiment seems a bit crude, the internal logic is reasonable and rigorous, and the result is unquestionable. The lantern flying into the sky is enough to prove the correctness of the truth Xu Chen is seeking.

At this moment, he suddenly felt the beauty of this methodology.

Through this method, we have truly verified a truth that is clear and irrefutable!

If there is any regret, it is that such truth does not seem to have any practical use. This sky lantern can be regarded as an application of this principle, but it is only good-looking and useless.

"Does Zhongjing think this theory is useless?"

When Xu Chen saw Zhang Zhongjing's expression of wanting to speak but not wanting to, he knew what he was mumbling in his heart.

He understood Zhang Zhongjing's thoughts. After all, people's pursuit of truth is ultimately to serve themselves. Any theory must eventually be put into practical use and truly create value for talents.

Sky lanterns are full of gimmicks, but their usefulness is really hard to see.

Xu Chen didn't even look at how Zhang Zhongjing reacted. He turned around and looked at the sky, his tone gradually becoming bolder.

"The sky lantern is too small to send anything up there. But if I make it a hundred or a thousand times bigger, what can I send up there?"

As soon as Xu Chen finished speaking, Zhang Zhongjing's heart suddenly lifted. This wonderful idea made him widen his eyes. Yes, since the sky lantern can fly, then if we make a bigger one according to this mold, then theoretically it should also be able to fly!

So what can a large enough sky lantern send into the sky?

Suddenly, an extremely bold idea popped up in Zhang Zhongjing's mind. Perhaps...
Just when he had the idea in his mind, Xu Chen's confident voice appeared in his ears: "Practicing nature and pursuing truth can help us mortals break through ourselves. Even this unreachable sky can be reached by humans!"

At this moment, Zhang Zhongjing was greatly shocked.

Human power reaches the sky!

Too daring, too arrogant, this guy really tried to challenge something that is beyond human power!
However, according to the principle he proved, it seems to be feasible if you try it!
His breathing suddenly became heavy. He wanted to try this feat himself. "Master, your words are amazing. I can't help but yearn for it. If you don't mind, I'd like to try it myself!"

Xu Chen looked at Zhang Zhongjing, suddenly smiled, and then nodded.

Xu Chen felt that perhaps Zhang Zhongjing was not far from completely converting to natural theism.

If he really built a hot air balloon and became the first human to fly into the sky, it would be difficult for him not to become a staunch believer in the religion of nature.

It doesn’t even matter whether he truly believes in deism or not. As long as he accepts the methodology of naturalism, he has essentially accepted naturalism, or the scientific worldview and methodology.

This is actually the most important point, and it is the fundamental factor that can truly help the ancient Eastern civilization achieve another transformation.

What Xu Chen wanted was to let the glory of natural theism shine upon the Eastern land and let the people of the world be baptized from head to toe!
Zhang Zhongjing was shocked. He was actually a very smart guy. After understanding it to a certain extent, he would naturally understand whether a theory or method was feasible or not. And now he was very convinced of Xu Chen's natural science methodology.

After seeing Xu Chen give a complete demonstration, he never dared to underestimate Xu Chen again.

Human beings are naturally curious about the workings of the universe. Qu Yuan's "Heavenly Questions" is the ancient people's purest desire to seek truth. Unfortunately, they lacked methods and tools. Even though they were full of doubts, they were unable to solve them. In the end, they could only use some vague and false concepts to explain the real world in their eyes.

Is it that the ancients were unwilling to use more realistic theories to explain the world? No, human cognition itself is more willing to pursue certainty, but they just couldn't do it.

Now, after what happened to Xu Chen, Zhang Zhongjing suddenly realized that perhaps Xu Chen’s methodology was really the correct way to understand the world!

His joy now may be no less than when humans first discovered fire.

With this feasible tool, humans may be able to gradually uncover the fundamental rules that govern the operation of the world, just like the principles of cold and hot air that Xu Chen had previously explored and confirmed, which is a natural principle that makes up the world.

Even when thinking back on it now, Zhang Zhongjing still had a dreamlike feeling. It was hard for him to imagine that the natural principles that could send people to heaven could have been observed from a mere charcoal stove.

This really proves what Xu Chen said, the law of truth governs the operation of all things in the world, and the truth itself can be deduced from the various natural phenomena of the operation of all things. Once human beings master and utilize the truth, they can achieve many things that are beyond human power, such as ascending to the sky!
It was as if, all of a sudden, the world in my eyes changed color, the familiar world was no longer familiar, but full of doubts.

Why does water flow to lower places? Why are there four seasons in a year? How is wind formed? Could it be related to the principles of hot and cold air? Animals in this world are all different, so why do they always have some similar characteristics?
Zhang Zhongjing just felt that his mind was a little confused. He suddenly couldn't understand the world. Any subtle phenomenon seemed to be worth exploring.

However, he was rational and quickly put all these feelings aside. As a smart man, he was able to break away from the chaos and realize accurately what he really should do.

Yes, Xu Chen is right. There are too many questions in this world that are worth exploring. It is already rare for a mortal to explore a subtle field to the extreme in his lifetime.

The so-called Three Thousand Great Ways are not the work of one person, but require the wisdom of the masses as Xu Chen said.

For myself, instead of being trapped by the troubled world, it is better to calm my mind and concentrate on studying my own medicine.

"If I can explore the truth of medicine in the future, as long as you don't mind, I can record it in the Natural Classic. It will be a great honor for Zhang Zhongjing to be able to complete the minor details of the Three Thousand Great Daos."

After leaving these words to Xu Chen, Zhang Zhongjing turned and left.

Originally, he was very hesitant about participating in the compilation of "Natural Classic". After all, as a Han scholar, it was inappropriate for him to flatter Xu Chen, the leader of the rebels.

Even if I don't sign my name, the news may not be concealed. In that case, even if I don't have the intention to steal, I'm afraid I won't be able to express my grievances.

But now he doesn't care about these things anymore. Compared with the great cause of mankind's pursuit of truth, these things are not worth mentioning at all.

(End of this chapter)