Chapter 526 Master Teacher 101 (6)
Compared to the other schools that had at least two participants, the Legalist school only had one representative, Li Si.
Therefore, when the text on the screen stopped at "Legalist", Zhang Tang, Sang Hongyang and others in the audience were a little nervous. They had no interest in watching Zhu Fuyan make a fool of himself. They sat up slightly and looked at the dark stage.
The enormous, ethereal bronze-colored xiezhi's eyes blazed with eerie blue flames, its single horn slicing through the darkness.
In an instant, the patterns of the bamboo slips from "Han Feizi" unfolded in the center of the stage. Li Si, with a light flick of his wide sleeves, stood calmly in front.
The hem of his dark brocade robe billowed like waves of ink. The book in his hand remained unopened, yet golden light burst forth from between the lines, condensing in the air into three seal characters: “法” (law), “术” (technique), and “势” (power).
"Law is the standard for the world."
With a flick of his finger, three golden beams shot through the air, instantly shattering the phantom images of the Yin-Yang School's Yin-Yang symbol, the Mohist School's mechanical city, and the Confucian School's Apricot Altar.
"When the shifting sands swept through the six kingdoms, did you all think this was a struggle between the martial world and the Jianghu?" A cold laugh pierced through the void, and suddenly Wei Zhuang's sword-wielding afterimage appeared on the ground, with countless black crows enveloping a vortex of political intrigue. "It was nothing more than using the blade of the Jianghu to carve the seal of Qin law!"
The scroll suddenly unfurled, revealing a broken fragment. Li Si flicked his finger into the air, and the broken wood reformed into a sand table depicting the territory of the Han Dynasty, with the Legalist penal cauldrons rising from the twelve prefectures.
"Using violence to suppress violence is a poor strategy; using profit to drive profit is the right way."
Blood-red patterns flowed across the surface of the sand table, staining it with the sword shadows of the strategists and the plows of the farmers. "On the day when the people of the world chased after Qin Banliang, the law had already taken root in people's hearts."
The head of the mythical beast Xie Zhi suddenly turned southeast, and half of a tiger tally slid out from Li Si's sleeve, colliding with the moonlight to create a dazzling, cold gleam.
"The Xie Zhi can distinguish between loyalty and treachery, but not between dynasties."
The illusory image of the bamboo slips behind him began to disintegrate, turning into thousands of streams of light that fell into the ground below. Only the maxim, "Follow the name and examine the reality, and scrutinize the words through verification," lingered in the darkness for a long time.
The Yin-Yang School, Mohist School, Confucian School, School of Diplomacy, and Agricultural School, all influenced by Yin and Yang: "..."
Wei Zhuang, the leader of the Quicksand organization who was identified as a "puppet": "..."
As if by unspoken agreement, Liu Ju asked what they were thinking: "You don't close your eyes when you sleep, do you? It looks like you have a lot of enemies."
Li Si adjusted his sleeves, a slight upturn of his lips, and said with a touch of arrogance, "The Legalist school of thought is a powerful tool for governing the country and ensuring its stability. Like a sharp blade, it can protect the home and the country, and also deter villains."
"If Your Majesty governs the country with Legalism, then there will be a prosperous and peaceful world. As a practitioner of Legalism, I am merely wielding this sharp blade for Your Majesty. Once the blade is drawn, it is inevitable that it will hurt others; this is the natural order of things."
Li Dun paused, his gaze sharp as he looked directly into Liu Ju's eyes, and continued, "Everything I have done is to strengthen imperial power and maintain rule. Those who regard me as an enemy are merely trying to destroy this hard-won peace. When Legalism flourishes, the Han Dynasty flourishes! If I am afraid, if I retreat, what will become of the Han Dynasty?"
As he spoke, Li Si turned to Liu Che, his voice growing increasingly impassioned, each word ringing with conviction: "The Legalist school of thought may be ruthless, but in this chaotic world, only it can make the nation strong and the people peaceful. Though I bear infamy and have made countless enemies, I will not hesitate to die for Your Majesty's grand ambitions!"
"He's so good at this," Wei Zhuang sighed softly from the audience. "No wonder I was fooled."
The master pricked up his little ears to eavesdrop.
"But it's true that your swordsmanship is slightly inferior to mine." Gai Nie calmly stabbed himself.
"You!" Wei Zhuang was so angry that his face turned red, and his hand holding the sword was itching to strike.
Zhu Fuyan quickly turned around to stop him, feeling utterly exhausted. Honestly, who really is the strategist? Li Si seems to have far more profound strategies.
In the seats of the Legalist scholars, everyone proudly puffed out their chests. Yes, they were indeed eloquent and persuasive! They were indeed loyal to the emperor and patriotic, willing to die a thousand deaths!
Up ahead, Liu Ju was completely bewildered. Wasn't he supposed to be having fun? What was all this about? It sounded so strongly of Li Si!
"So, why didn't Han Fei come?"
Shrimp and pork heart, shrimp and pork heart!
For a second, Liu Che felt sorry for Li Si, then shifted his posture, looking at Li Si with a leisurely air. "Please begin your performance."
Li Si only stiffened for a brief moment before calmly replying, "Does Your Highness know why the Xie Zhi has only one horn? The way of law allows no room for hesitation—Han Fei roamed the world with his sword, while I entered the court with my book."
He suddenly chuckled softly, his eyes brimming with confidence: "External laws test the world with the sword; internal laws measure the people with the heart. Han Fei was obsessed with tactics back then, but forgot that 'tactics are used to detect treachery, and punishments to stop punishment' ultimately applies to the imperial court."
"External methods are uncertain, but the mind is settled."
Li Si subtly expressed his feelings, and Liu Ju nodded knowingly: "I understand, you love going to work, but he doesn't."
"Vote, vote."
Liu Che didn't know why, but this emperor, who should have been a perfect ruler, had somehow become someone who smoothed things over. What exactly was Ju'er learning all day long?
"Not voting this time?"
"I won't vote!"
Zhu Fuyan's attitude was resolute. How could he possibly submit to someone who had bullied his master?
Of course, he was too embarrassed to say it aloud, so he could only try to change the subject: "Ah, the next one is the Yin-Yang School."
Speaking of the Yin-Yang School, Master Fu Yan said with some regret, "Although the School of Diplomacy has declined, the Yin-Yang School no longer has an independent school of thought; it has been almost entirely absorbed by other schools..."
"It will be ready soon." Wei Zhuang's gaze flickered as he looked at Zhu Fu Yan, and he rarely spoke up to remind him.
Seeing his confusion, Gai Nie succinctly replied, "The Yin-Yang School makes a grand entrance."
How grand can it be?
Unaware of the abilities of the Yin-Yang School, Master Fu Yan looked up and saw the candlelight on the stage suddenly and strangely hanging upside down towards the sky.
The Grand Master of Fate's crimson gauze robes spread across the edge of the platform like burning flames, and the chains wrapped around her fingertips swung out with a crisp sound as they cut through the air, outlining huge fire patterns in the sky.
Shao Siming was dressed in white, her skirt sweeping across the ground. Jade-like vines burst forth from the earth and instantly entwined into a thorny cage more than ten feet in diameter.
"The principles of Yin and Yang begin with the Five Elements."
The Grand Master of Fate looked up and chuckled. Suddenly, nine crimson fire snakes shot out from his sleeve, instantly melting the bronze cauldron floating in the air into molten iron.
With a gentle wave of her hand, Shao Siming caused the vines in the cage to suddenly bloom into countless blood-red flowers. The petals transformed into thousands of willow-leaf darts, which precisely embedded themselves into the wall to form a yin-yang pattern.
The ground shook violently, and the five elements swirled wildly around the two of them.
With a light tap of her toes, the entire stage was suddenly engulfed in flames. She spun in the air amidst the flames, and wherever her chains passed, the air twisted into burning vortexes. Meanwhile, the Lesser Master of Fate was like a moonlit elf. With a light tap of her fingertips, the thorny cage suddenly disintegrated into countless wooden swords, which floated in the air and formed a Bagua formation.
The moment the flames collided with the wooden sword, the two energies of water and fire shot up from both sides of the stage.
Finally, the power of the five elements converged in the center of the stage to form a giant five-element wheel. The Grand Master of Fate and the Lesser Master of Fate smiled at each other and simultaneously unleashed their Yin-Yang palms. The wheel exploded with a roar, and golden light spots rained down on the audience like starlight.
"Isn't this a bit too formal?"
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