I Come to Teach You Cultivation-Chapter 162 - 31: As Heaven Maintains Its Vigorous Course, the Gentleman Should Strive Constantly for Self-Improvement (1/3)

Chapter 162: Chapter 31: As Heaven Maintains Its Vigorous Course, the Gentleman Should Strive Constantly for Self-Improvement (1/3)

Hundred Lands Mountain Range, Li Family Village.

"Another heavy rain, and it’s this time of year..."

Gazing at the gathering black clouds and the flashes of lightning and thunder in the distance, the old village chief sitting at the entrance of the village muttered anxiously.

"This weather is really weird. Maybe when Non-crying Baby gets back, we should ask him?"

Also having come back early to the village due to the strange weather, Li Yu was equally confused and concerned.

Ever since Li Boyang was born, the weather within a hundred miles had been mild and favorable for six or seven years. This was his first time encountering such abnormal weather.

"Yu, I suppose this time the heavy rain is going to catch Non-crying Baby off guard too..."

In Li Yu’s surprised gaze, the old chief spoke the real source of his worry.

"You guys haven’t experienced much and haven’t seen enough, so it’s normal you wouldn’t know."

"But I’ve lived a long time—I once saw with my own eyes those lands blessed by the Gods."

"Generally speaking, places under the protection of the Gods have smooth weather and rarely run into trouble."

"Yet when things do go wrong, it either means the God has abandoned their believers, or the coming crisis is beyond what that God can handle."

"Given the relationship between Non-crying Baby and the Mountain God Granny, which do you think is more likely?"

His mouth gaped in silence—Li Yu instantly caught the old chief’s unspoken implication.

This was a heavy rain beyond even the Mountain God’s power—a disaster that even Divine Power couldn’t prevent.

"Also, before you returned, I sent someone to check on the reservoir..."

"Based on the waterline Non-crying Baby set before, the water there has already exceeded the highest safety warning line."

"We don’t even need another heavy rain—if we don’t open the sluice early, we’ll be in real trouble..."

"If the reservoir bursts, then even before the storm hits, our village will be destroyed."

Unconsciously scratching the back of his head, Li Yu was silent for a long time before asking.

"When did this happen? Does Non-crying Baby know?"

Normally, when the water hits the warning line, you should tell Non-crying Baby right away.

But from the old chief’s tone, Li Yu sensed another answer.

"It was about three days ago. I haven’t told Non-crying Baby yet."

"I don’t know what exactly he’s been up to, but I can tell he’s been busy lately."

Shaking his head with a wry smile, the old chief, though quite regretful, did not actually feel he’d made the wrong call.

"Remember that textbook Non-crying Baby wants to use for school lessons?"

"There’s a saying in it I really like—’As Heaven maintains vigor through movement, a gentleman should constantly strive to strengthen himself.’"

"In the end, we mountain folk live off the mountains and the water, not like those people outside who only know how to rely on Gods and Priests without any spine..."

Listening to the old chief’s ramblings, Li Yu couldn’t help falling silent again.

"If the mountain comes, we move the mountain. If the water comes, we release the water."

"Non-crying Baby, Mountain God Granny—"

"They’re our support and our confidence, but we can’t rely on them for everything, expecting them to solve all our problems."

"Otherwise, what’s the difference between us and the livestock and poultry that Non-crying Baby raises?"

Maybe the old chief had convinced him, or maybe Li Yu had been thinking this all along...

After a brief hesitation, determination lit up in Li Yu’s eyes.

"What are you planning to do?"

Reverting to his gentle, kindly manner, the old chief chuckled.

"What else? Expand the reservoir, of course!"

"After these three years, nearby villages all have reservoir-building experience now."

"On this basis, expanding the reservoir isn’t all that hard..."

"A few days ago, I even went and checked—if we temporarily halt road-building to the outside, the brick factory can fully supply stone and bricks."

Tilting his head slightly, Li Yu, knowing the old chief’s ways,

understood there was more to be said, and wasn’t in any rush to interrupt.

"In fact, we shouldn’t just expand the reservoir—we also need to think about widening the river channel."

"And this can’t just be our few villages—we need to let every village in the Hundred Lands Mountain Range know how serious this is."

"Haven’t they envied our ’Mountain God Reservoir’ for ages?"

"If they’re willing to join in, and build more reservoirs along the way, it’s not impossible to work something out."

Nodding in realization, Li Yu finally understood the old chief’s real intentions.

Both carrot and stick: while taking on flood control as infrastructure, he also wanted to get the mountain folk as involved as possible.

"Is that enough, though?"

"The other village chiefs—they’re not all as sharp and farsighted as you."

Li Yu was just being honest. Sages like the old chief were rare among mountain people.

Just in Li Yu’s own experience with locals,

Hard work was common, but ignorance, stubbornness, and short-sightedness were even more prevalent.

"Then just tell them, for any village that joins in this time..."

"During the slack season, they’re welcome to send their young folks here to learn to read and write with Non-crying Baby for free."

"And if any are still stubborn, our village can afford to treat them to a free meal too."

With a flash of crafty cunning particular to the old, the village chief added at an easy pace.

"You really are... something..."

Li Yu glanced wordlessly at the old chief.

He couldn’t find the right words to describe his feelings right now.

After all, as Li Boyang’s biological father, Li Yu might not fully understand his son’s ideals and ambitions, but he did understand his attitude about such things.

No exaggeration—if kids from across the Hundred Lands Mountain Range could come here to learn to read and write with him, Li Boyang would probably grin in his sleep.

"And what about the Water Vein issue?"

"If we want to build reservoirs and widen river channels, figuring out the water veins and any hidden Spring Eyes is really important."

Just as Li Yu raised this more practical question, a familiar voice sounded from behind them.

"Non-crying Baby has a complete map of the mountain formations and water veins..."

Having apparently listened in for a while, Chen Yun walked up beside her husband, smiling as she spoke.

"Big Girl can’t keep secrets. I heard about it from her ages ago..."

"Non-crying Baby worked with Mountain God Granny to draw a map showing most of the Hundred Lands Mountain Range’s terrain and rivers."

"I even suspect that the locations for reservoirs and river expansions are already marked on it."

"Our son always likes to plan ahead. Sometimes I wonder if all these troubles we’re seeing now are problems he’s already accounted for."

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