Chapter 173: A battle of ideas, drawing a clear line
The "Invitation to Order" of the Eternal Temple and the "Temptation of Chaos" of the Abyss of Ten Thousand Demons, like two undercurrents coming from different directions, violently collided in the already turbulent sea of the Spirit Realm. Although they did not directly set off huge waves, they made all forces that sensed the danger feel suffocating pressure.
Xuanyun Sect, inside the Qingtian Hall.
After Ye Li informed everyone of Mo Yuan's whispers, a long silence descended upon the hall. Lay Buddhist Mu Yun frowned, his knuckles tapping unconsciously on the armrests of his chair. The Palace Master of Yaoguang Palace had a frosty expression, her eyes gleaming with stars, clearly furious at Mo Yuan's attempt to drive a wedge between Ye Li and Qin Yixuan. Sun Xiaohou's face was filled with murderous intent, eager to immediately lead the elite troops of Youge to ferret out the elusive Mo Yuan and crush him.
"The Temple wants to use order as a yoke, and the Demon Abyss wants to use chaos as bait. Both of them are not good people, and their hearts are despicable." Mr. Muyun finally spoke slowly and set the tone.
Qin Yixuan gently grasped Ye Li's hand, her voice clear and resolute, "Li's path is about the balance of reincarnation; my path is about the protection of the stars. Neither of these two paths aligns." Her gaze swept across the crowd, her determination unwavering. "The absolute order the Temple pursues is rigid and exclusive, tolerating even the slightest 'heresy'. It runs counter to my understanding of the celebration of life, guidance, and purification. The chaos and nothingness advocated by the Demonic Abyss is even more destructive and fundamentally untrue."
Ye Li nodded and continued, "That's right. The universe operates according to its own laws, but these laws are neither static nor chaotic, destroying everything. The cycle of life and death, the alternation of yin and yang, the coexistence of light and darkness, is the norm. What we seek is not to forcibly draw boundaries, but to maintain a dynamic balance; not ruthless order, nor unbridled chaos, but compassionate protection, giving life to all things, allowing them to grow freely, but also standing up in times of crisis to maintain a symbiotic situation."
Her words clearly articulated the philosophy she and Qin Yixuan shared. This philosophy stemmed from their own Dao, from their shared experiences of life and death in the Wasteland, and even more so, from a profound reflection on the Star God's warnings and the temptations of the Demonic Abyss.
"If that's the case, we must clearly express our stance and draw a clear line," the Yaoguang Palace Master said solemnly. "Otherwise, the various factions will waver, and it's inevitable that the Holy Temple or the Demonic Abyss will seize the opportunity to infiltrate. The Spirit World will then be plunged into even greater chaos."
"The Palace Master is absolutely right." A sharp gleam flashed in Ye Li's eyes. "Instead of waiting for them to act in secret, why not take the initiative to raise our flag? This is not only a response to the Holy Temple and the Demonic Abyss, but also a message to the entire spiritual world about our path!"
The plan was set and action was quickly launched.
Three days later, Xuanyun Sect once again became the focus of the entire spiritual world.
This time, it was not a private meeting, but a joint notice issued by Youge and Jiuxiao Tiangong, inviting representatives of all the well-known forces in the spiritual world, regardless of the size of the sect or the race, to send envoys to discuss important matters in the newly completed "Wanfa Square" outside Xuanyun Sect.
The news captured the world's attention. Everyone understood that this was the official response from the Samsara Sanctuary and the Xuannv Sanctuary following the appearances of the Holy Temple and the Demonic Abyss.
Suddenly, countless rainbow lights rose from all corners of the spirit world, pouring towards the Northern Territory Xuanyun Sect like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea. The temporary immortal city outside the sect expanded dramatically once again, and the Wanfa Square was packed with cultivators from different regions and races, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the event.
The sun is at its zenith, the auspicious time has arrived.
On the high platform in the center of Wanfa Square, the space fluctuated slightly, and the figures of Ye Li and Qin Yixuan quietly emerged.
There were no earth-shattering visions, no deliberate emanation of overwhelming pressure. Yet, simply standing there, the two naturally became the center of heaven and earth. Ye Li's azure robes were profound, like the cycle of reincarnation itself, serene and vast; Qin Yixuan's white robes, whiter than snow, were like a starry sky descending, holy and compassionate. The harmonious blend of these two distinct sacred auras formed a unique and captivating atmosphere.
The square suddenly became quiet, and countless eyes were focused on the platform.
Ye Li took a step forward, her eyes calmly sweeping across the dark crowd below. Her voice was not loud, but it was clearly heard in every corner, as if whispering in everyone's ear:
"Recently, messengers claiming to be from the 'Eternal Temple' and the 'Abyss of Ten Thousand Demons' have descended upon the spirit world, either inviting or enticing them to explain their teachings."
She came straight to the point and stated the main point directly, which made everyone below feel nervous.
"The Temple speaks of 'absolute order' and 'pure light,' seeking to impose a single set of rules on all worlds and eliminate all 'instability.'" Ye Li's tone was calm, yet sharp, penetrating the essence of things. "However, the vastness of the universe and the wonders of creation cannot be summed up in a single word. All things are different, each with its own path. Forcing a single order upon them is like cutting one's feet to fit the shoes. Such an order is not a protection; it is a shackle that imprisons the soul and stifles vitality! Xuan Nu and I cannot agree with it."
As the words fell, those monks in the crowd below who had felt vaguely uncomfortable with the temple's philosophy or worried about its overbearing behavior could not help but nod secretly.
Ye Li changed the subject and continued, "The language of the Demonic Abyss says 'Power is Supreme' and 'Chaos is Eternal'. It preaches destruction and devourment, regards all things as straw dogs, and promises to share 'nothingness' and explore 'immortality' together."
The corners of her mouth curled up in a cold arc. "However, if power is unrestrained, it will be the source of disaster; if chaos is without order, it will eventually return to death. Treating all living beings as experiments, and taking pleasure in destruction, how is this different from the way of beasts? It is nothing but the words of those who sink into the abyss of desire and madness. We disdain to associate with them!"
This rebuttal of Mo Yuan resonated with many cultivators below. Most beings in the spiritual world, whether good or evil, were driven by the instincts of survival and development. Mo Yuan's theory of annihilation was unacceptable to anyone except a few truly insane beings.
Ye Li's voice suddenly rose, carrying a resolute and decisive tone, announcing to the world:
“Therefore, hereby, we, the Samsara Holy Land (Ye Li), and the Xuannv Holy Land (Qin Yixuan), on behalf of Youge, Jiuxiao Tiangong, Xuanyun Sect, and all like-minded allies, officially declare—”
"Our way is neither the 'absolute order' of the Holy Temple nor the 'chaos and nothingness' of the Demon Abyss!"
"What we pursue is a dynamic balance! Allowing all things to compete freely, while maintaining the natural cycle, preventing any one party from dominating and overturning the overall situation!"
"What we practice is the protection of compassion! Strength is not for selfish desires, but to protect the weak, defend our homeland, and protect everything we hold dear!"
"Our vision is the symbiosis of all things! Whether human, demon, spirit, or monster, no matter what method they practice, as long as they have good intentions and do not violate the bottom line, they can all find a foothold in this world and explore the mysteries of the great way together!"
"This is our stance! This is also the choice that all living beings in the spiritual world should make!"
"The invitation of the Temple, the temptation of the Demonic Abyss, we reject them all!"
"From this day forward, the affairs of the spirit world will be decided by its own beings! Any outside force that attempts to impose its will on this world will be our enemy!"
Every word was sonorous, like a thunderclap, clearly drawing a line!
This wasn't a simple rejection, but a declaration of purpose and a clear path forward! Under pressure from the two giants, the Temple and the Abyss, they resolutely raised their own banner!
On the square, after a brief period of extreme silence, earth-shaking cheers and shouts suddenly broke out!
"Follow the laws of the Holy Land!"
"Follow the Samsara Sanctuary! Follow the Xuannv Sanctuary!"
"The affairs of the spirit world are decided by the spirit world itself!"
Representatives of countless small and medium-sized factions, especially those long suppressed by the major sects or suffocated by the shadow of the Holy Temple Demon Abyss, were moved to tears. They saw another possibility, a path free of extremes, more inclusive, and more in line with their needs for survival and development!
Ye Li and Qin Yixuan's public statements were like a bright lamp lit in the fog, pointing the way for these confused and fearful forces.
Almost on the day the declaration was concluded, representatives from dozens of small and medium-sized sects and cultivation families could not wait to submit alliance letters to Youge and Jiuxiao Tiangong, expressing their willingness to abide by the ideals of the two holy domains, jointly resist foreign aggression, and safeguard the autonomy of the spiritual world.
In the days that followed, this trend intensified. More and more factions, seeing the situation clearly, chose sides. They might not be strong, but they were numerous, encompassing every aspect of the spirit world. They formed an alliance centered around the Nether Pavilion and the Nine Heavens Palace, spontaneously integrating resources and exchanging intelligence, forming a new alliance alongside the Temple (Order) and the Demonic Abyss (Chaos).
The third camp: the balanced symbiotic camp!
This faction, the embryonic form of a faction, while currently relying solely on Ye Li and Qin Yixuan, its top combat power, is deeply embedded in the soil of the spirit world, representing the universal aspirations and will to survive of the vast majority of living beings. Its emergence has transformed the spirit world's situation from a potential two-way confrontation into a more complex, yet potentially more complex, three-way confrontation.
And all of this started in front of the Qingtian Hall, with that firm decision about ideals and that clearly drawn boundary.
Ye Li and Qin Yixuan stood on the top of the mountain, looking at the envoys from all parties who came to surrender and form an alliance one after another below, with distant gazes.
The boundaries have been drawn and the camps have been established.
What follows is the inevitable and even more violent storm.
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