Chapter 274: Killing Xie Qian (Five in One)
Outside Jiange, the waters of Donglong Lake are calm, like a giant mirror, reflecting the unprecedented wonders in the sky.
It is not simply the shift of the sun, moon, and stars, nor is it a simple change of weather.
As the golden ripples spread out layer by layer with shorter and shorter intervals, the entire world, from the laws of physics to metaphysical concepts, seemed to be immersed in the gold.
The boundary between the sky and the earth became blurred, and the galaxy above the sky seemed to flow to the ground. As the golden lines spread, the dust and grass were all blurred, revealing the deep and vast wonders of the universe within.
It truly seems like every flower is a world, every leaf is a bodhi.
The stars in the sky no longer follow their fixed orbits, but revolve slowly and solemnly around an invisible center, as if guarding the only "Tao" that has existed since the birth of the world.
"Buzz—"
Another golden ripple spread out from the center, circle after circle, brushing across the mountains and rivers, and penetrating the large formation of the nearby Jiange base.
Under Gu Fangchen's arrangement, the disciples of Jian Pavilion obeyed the orders of Pavilion Master Ning Wuzhen and "Sword Saint" Ning Songjun, and participated in this war as the main force of practitioners.
They are now stationed on a mountain not far from the battlefield.
At this moment, all the Sword Pavilion disciples, whether they were resting on the mountain or fighting on the battlefield, stopped their actions at the same time and looked up in surprise at the sky that was being reshaped.
There were also many elders with higher cultivation levels who reached out to pick the flowers and plants next to them with horrified expressions and saw the strange phenomenon appearing on them.
They did not understand the meaning behind this, but the vast pressure that permeated the heaven and earth made their hearts tremble unconsciously.
It is a kind of awe that comes from the instinct of life, just like an ant looking up at the bright moon, or a mortal glimpsing a god.
No matter what this represents, after today, everything is destined to turn upside down!
Ning Songjun stood at the highest point of the mountain, and Ning Wuzhen beside him also had a solemn expression.
Ning Songjun's hand tightly grasped the hilt of the "Lianxing" sword, his eyes piercing the distance between heaven and earth, staring at the center of the galaxy.
"This power... has transcended the scope of 'Tao'; it is... defining 'Tao'."
He uttered these words with difficulty, and his heart was already in turmoil.
Ning Songjun, including other practitioners, had witnessed the "Confucian Sage" Xie Qian take action. His power to make his words come true and change the world was already a miracle in the eyes of mortals.
But at this moment, the power above the sky that is reshaping the rules of the world is even more vast and more... original than the power displayed by Xie Qian.
As a first-grade cultivator, Xie Qian was certainly at the limit of what they considered a cultivator.
But at this moment, the power that Ning Songjun felt was no longer something that a cultivator could reach.
If I were to describe it, it would be like a painter erasing his old paintings and preparing to start again, and everything in the world is the color of his brush.
The golden pattern gave Ning Songjun exactly that feeling.
Therefore, he was very worried. This power was too terrifying and did not seem to be something that the cultivators here could possess.
Then... there seems to be only one possibility.
It is the power behind "Tianmen"!
Ning Songjun's heart was heavy as he stared at the galaxy. The knuckles of his fingers gripping the hilt of the sword turned slightly white from the force he exerted.
If... the power behind the "Heavenly Gate" that Ying Baishou needs to suppress with his physical body escapes, how should they deal with it?
Ning Wuzhen, who was standing by, had the same idea. He kept stroking his beard subconsciously, looking a little impatient.
However, who can remain calm at this moment?
And at this moment, a figure slowly stepped out from the center of the brilliant galaxy.
Ning Songjun was very familiar with that figure.
Even though the distance was hundreds of thousands of miles, and even though the figure seemed a little blurry against the backdrop of endless starlight, Ning Songjun recognized it at a glance.
The little nephew whom he used to hate and despise, now made him look at him with admiration.
"Is it...Chen'er?"
Ning Wuzhen's hand, which was stroking his beard, also stopped in mid-air, and an unbelievable light flashed in his old eyes.
He confirmed it repeatedly and finally let out a long breath.
"It's him! He really has returned from 'Heaven's Gate'!"
The old Pavilion Master's voice was filled with unconcealable excitement and relief.
During these days, although they acted according to Gu Fangchen's plan, closed the mountain gate, watched the Qingman army pass through, and then gave full support to Xiao Yinghao's White Dragon Army, didn't they have a trace of hesitation and worry in their hearts?
That is "Tianmen", a forbidden place that even a peerless sword master like Ying Baishou chose to suppress with his own body. What exists inside is unknown.
To say that Gu Fangchen had a narrow escape from death on this trip would be an optimistic statement.
Now, not only has he returned, but he has also appeared before the world in such a dignified manner, ready to rule the world and reshape the universe!
The "rule the world" here is not an adjective, but a real fact.
The starting point of the boundless starry sky and those golden patterns is obviously Gu Fangchen!
In other words, the power that Ning Songjun felt just now belonged to Gu Fangchen!
Ning Songjun's mood was much more complicated than his father's.
Besides the relief and surprise, there is more of an indescribable bitterness and loss.
He looked at the figure, as if he saw his past self, and also saw the elder sister who always stood in front of him and protected him from wind and rain.
Once upon a time, the eldest sister was also so radiant, and everything was shaken wherever her sword went.
She should have been the most dazzling pearl in Jiange and even the whole world.
Ning Songjun still remembers the look on his face when his elder sister handed him the sword soaked in blood after the civil strife in Jiange.
The light in her eyes gradually faded, leaving only gentleness, as if she had forgotten who she was.
From then on, he became the "Sword Saint".
And she became the Princess of Zhenbei.
That gentleness was not empty, it was still Ning Caiyong's original character, but it seemed to be missing something.
Ning Songjun once thought that he would never see the elder sister who stood in front of him and shone brightly in his memory again in this life.
Until she did not hesitate to break the seal for Gu Fangchen and displayed a power above the first level.
But after that, she disappeared. Now that Gu Fangchen has returned, she still hasn't shown up... She must have returned to where she should be and will never come back.
"If my elder sister could see Chen'er today, she would be so happy..."
Ning Songjun murmured in his heart, and his eyes were a little moist.
He owed his elder sister a lot, because of his obsession, he always thought that it was the life in the palace that trapped her. Every time he saw Ning Caiyong doting on Gu Fangchen, he felt as if Gu Fangchen had taken away his elder sister's self, and he even treated Gu Fangchen harshly.
It was not until later that he realized that his eldest sister was willing.
Just when his heart was churning and he felt lost, a gentle and familiar voice, with a helpless smile, seemed to penetrate endless time and sounded softly behind him.
"A Song, I'm just going on a long trip, why are you talking like I'm dead?"
Ning Songjun was shocked all over and almost thought he was hallucinating.
But it is obvious that a powerful second-grade Shintoist would not have auditory hallucinations without external interference.
He turned his head stiffly, little by little, and saw the figure that should never appear again.
Wearing a black and white ink-wash dress and a water-red shawl, Ning Caiyong stood behind him and his father, with a smile on her face, as gentle as ever.
However, the fragile aura of a mortal being on her body had disappeared, replaced by a vastness and depth that was exactly the same as the galaxy above the sky.
She stood there, as if she were this sky and this earth.
"Eldest sister?!"
Ning Songjun screamed in surprise, his face full of disbelief, as well as uncontrollable shock and ecstasy.
Ning Wuzhen also burst into tears, trembling with excitement:
"Cai Yong...my daughter..."
Ning Caiyong walked forward with a smile, first gave his father a hug, then looked at his younger brother and said softly:
"Father, A Song, I'm back."
She was originally controlled by the Dao of Heaven and had to suppress the growth of the Dao with herself, unable to leave the sealed sky.
But now that Gu Fangchen has concluded all causes and effects and returned to the world, she has also stripped herself of the influence of the Tao. With this power, she has temporarily broken free from the constraints of the "Heavenly" Tao, allowing her true body to reappear and return to reality together.
After Ning Songjun lost his composure just now, he suddenly realized that his elder sister must have seen him crying.
He was a little embarrassed and raised his hand to wipe it away, but found that tears had already flowed down his cheeks without him knowing when.
Ever since he sent his eldest sister to get married, he prided himself on shouldering the future of Jiange and his eldest sister, and he hasn't been in such a mess for a long time.
However, at this moment, he struggled a bit and stopped pretending to be cold and hard. With tears on his face, he gave his elder sister a very awkward smile.
"Well, I'm glad you're back... I'm glad you're back."
Ning Caiyong smiled, as gentle as a spring breeze that could melt all the ice and snow, and said angrily:
"Really? You're still like when you were little. Wipe your tears. What will your disciples think if they see you?"
Ning Songjun immediately put away his smile, straightened his appearance, and snorted coldly:
"So what if they saw it? Do they dare to say it?"
Ning Caiyong: “…”
If you have the ability, don’t tidy it up.
What a silly little brother...
Ning Wuzhen looked at the scene of her two children, just like in the past, and felt a lot of emotion in her heart. She wanted to ask Ning Caiyong many questions, but after a moment's hesitation, she only said one sentence:
"Cai Yong, have you entered the 'Heavenly Gate' recently?"
Ning Caiyong nodded, then shook his head:
"You can say that, but it should be called 'returning' to 'Tianmen'."
She quietly explained the whole story briefly.
Fortunately, Ning Wuzhen and Ning Songjun are both very strong, so it is not difficult for them to understand the current situation.
Now, those "Tao", or the external will existing on the "Tao", have been temporarily stripped away.
In the past, once a little information was leaked, a tragedy like the one at Galan Temple would occur, but now it is different.
With the realm of the Ning family father and son, they can fully withstand the impact of their worldview.
"Xiao Zhenwu wants to completely erase Chen'er's karma, and those external 'Tao' will also help him."
Ning Caiyong continued:
"He is now fighting against the polluted 'Tao' and also against the chronic illness that has plagued this world for millions of years."
"This battle is the first step to ending everything, the beginning of the end of 'preaching'."
She looked at the increasingly bright golden light in the distant sky, her eyes fixed.
"Be it 'constant constant' or 'eternal constant', they are nothing but cages of self-deception."
"The true 'Tao' is not here."
"Today is the time for this world to truly make a choice."
She whispered:
"Only Chen'er can do this. The world may be turned upside down in the future, but no matter what, it is no longer something we can interfere with."
"I can only stop Xiao Zhenwu for a while... I'm afraid he'll be able to escape from the 'Heavenly Gate' soon."
Ning Caiyong took two steps forward, stood side by side with his father and brother, and gazed into the distance.
Ning Wuzhen and Ning Songjun looked at each other, and silently cast their gazes towards the golden sky. The incredible secret of the Honglu certainly shocked them beyond words, but as Ning Caiyong said, the level of this battle had risen to a point where they could not interfere.
Perhaps they will face a completely unfamiliar world, but they are all strong people with firm minds. Since they are prepared, no matter how the outside world changes, they just need to remain true to themselves.
Ning Songjun looked at his elder sister, nodded, and said in a deep voice:
"As long as my elder sister is well, Chen'er will be well too. No matter when or where, it will not be easy."
The three members of the Ning family stood side by side, their gazes fixed on the distant horizon.
The final battle that will determine the fate of the world has already begun.
…
In the scarlet sea of red spider lilies, Xuan Ming held the sleeping girl in his arms and waited quietly.
The aura around him was still as deep as the abyss, but the young boy's face was no longer as cold as it had been for thousands of years, but instead held a hint of imperceptible tenderness and expectation.
He knew that Gu Fangchen would definitely succeed.
Because just now, he had clearly felt that the golden causal lines wrapped around Xuan Ling, the shackles of "Tao" from "Tianmen", were collapsing and dissipating one by one.
The foundation of "Tao" is being shaken.
As one of the most direct manifestations of "Tao", Xuan Ling, as a "preacher", was naturally affected.
The "Tao" that was originally entangled with her soul and almost merged into one, now seemed to have lost its source of vitality and was gradually withering.
"Ling'er..."
Xuan Ming lowered his head and gently stroked his daughter's long white hair, with a hint of trembling in his voice.
He had waited too long and despaired for too long.
Now, it seems that there has finally been a real turning point.
"Buzz—"
A soft sound was heard in the void, and the countless golden threads broke at the same time, turning into golden light and dissipating.
The girl who had been sleeping for a thousand years finally had her long eyelashes tremble slightly.
Xuan Ming held his breath.
Then, I saw the pair of tightly closed eyes slowly open.
…
The outskirts of Huangtian City have long been reduced to ruins.
The once majestic palace complex collapsed completely in the previous battle, and even the pillars have been razed to the ground - even the Great Wei State Master who once lived here is now a main force in the attack on Huangtian City.
Only the Ziji Palace, the last symbol of imperial power and national destiny guarded by Confucianism, still stands.
But with all the surroundings in ruins, the abrupt Purple Extreme Palace looked rather ridiculous...
On the ground, the shouting and screaming had gradually subsided.
The White Dragon Army led by Xiao Yinghao and many practitioners were still confronting the disciples of Yaoshan Academy, but everyone's attention was attracted by the scene in the sky.
Above the sky, under the galaxy that had been dyed golden, Gu Fangchen and Xie Qian stood facing each other.
Gu Fangchen was dressed in a white robe and had a calm expression.
There was nothing special about him, not even any aura of cultivation, he looked like an ordinary person.
But the moment he appeared, everyone's attention fell on him.
The entire starry sky, even the entire world, seemed to be revolving around him, causing their gazes to involuntarily shift to him.
Xie Qian, who was sitting opposite him, had a look of horror in his eyes. He had already discovered his realm, which seemed to have reached a height that he could not understand.
However, it was only a moment before Xie Qian shook his head:
"No, it's impossible. It's impossible for this world to have a realm higher than the first rank."
His face twisted and he muttered:
"Otherwise, what would have been the point of all my years of searching..."
Gu Fangchen looked at him, asked Prajna Lianyue to step back, and said:
"You want to use 'Eternal Unity' to verify your own 'Wen' Dao and ascend to 'True Immortal' with the power of the entire world, right?"
Xie Qian actually did not take the wrong path.
Because that's what Xiao Zhenwu did.
The reason why Xiao Zhenwu was able to advance to the realm of infinity and become a so-called "true immortal" who merged with the Tao was that he regarded the entire present world as his own Taoist temple, allowing the "Hengchang" Tao to cover almost the entire world.
Xie Qian had the same idea.
However, Xiao Zhenwu's "Heng Chang" is horizontal. He established order in the entire space and made "Heng Chang" a default rule.
Xie Qian wanted to use "Eternal Sky" to curl up the entire timeline vertically, forming a closed cycle, so that his own "literary" way could be deeply rooted in people's hearts.
He had long realized that the power of "Tianmen" was blocking the entire world, so he said that there would be no realm above the first grade in this world.
A world can only bear the rule of a conscious "Tao".
These termites are greedy and expand infinitely.
They will spontaneously exclude those who are different from them, and eventually leave only one "Tao" in this world.
Therefore, this is actually also a dispute over the orthodox doctrine.
Gu Fangchen once heard these words in the illusion given by Ning Caiyong:
"Why? Why? Everything I've spent my whole life seeking, is all in vain?! It's fake! It's all fake! I don't believe it! I don't believe it!!!"
This sentence was actually said by Xie Qian.
Perhaps he had gone mad since then.
If Xie Qian wants to be promoted, he has to completely change the rules of this world, so he thought of "Eternal Unity".
In this world where the rules are blocked by Xiao Zhenwu, he is not just a fish that has escaped the net, but has even half of his body passed through the dragon gate and is about to bite the fisherman.
In a sense, Xie Qian is indeed extraordinarily strong.
In the game, it is very reasonable to make him the final BOSS.
But unfortunately...
"Unfortunately, in the end, the 'Tao' you pursued is nothing more than a puppet for others."
Gu Fangchen looked at Xie Qian coldly, shook his head and said:
"Your ridiculous dream will end here today."
"Fu Mo" is the original cause of the way of "spreading the Tao". Only by cutting off this path can we truly cut off the spread path of those false "Tao".
Gu Fangchen looked up and saw his profession as [Bell Solver].
He suddenly understood and finally realized the true meaning of the so-called "troublemaker" profession.
Turn truth into falsehood, and turn falsehood into truth.
The person who tied the bell must untie it. He must set everything right, eliminate these false things disguised as "Tao" one by one, and return the world to its original state.
Xie Qian stared at him intently:
"What do you understand?! What do you know?! 'Eternal Unity' is not just my vision, it's the vision of all scholars in the world! How can it be my selfish desire?"
He waved his sleeves and pointed at the raging flames below:
"The calamity and chaos that plague the world today are all caused by you and your many accomplices! If it weren't for you, 'Eternal Unity' would have been realized long ago. Now, the suffering and calamity that the world is experiencing are all your fault!"
Gu Fangchen laughed:
"Is that really the case?"
"If you truly have no selfish motives, you should surrender now."
Xie Qian immediately sneered and angrily scolded:
"What nonsense! We, as people who uphold justice, cannot surrender to you, the source of all this trouble, and sit back and watch the world descend into chaos just because of a single word from you!!"
Gu Fangchen shrugged:
"Morality? Why don't you open your eyes and see who is more moral!"
"The Princess is now the people's favorite. Wherever she goes, the people line the streets to welcome her and open the city gates. Even a three-year-old child knows that the Princess is a strict military leader. Since the White Dragon Army began its uprising, they have not taken a single penny from the people."
"If you hadn't insisted that the Confucian disciples stubbornly resist and defend the Imperial City, the world would have been at peace long ago!"
"Who do you think is the source of this chaos? It's you, old man!"
Gu Fangchen's voice reached the ears of everyone below, and immediately stunned many people.
Especially some Confucian disciples who were confused because of the continuous wars and witnessing too many cruel scenes.
Originally, under Xie Qian's brainwashing, they always believed that Xiao Yinghao was a rebel, and they were righteous people who were loyal to the emperor and patriotic, fighting for the people of the world.
However, after Gu Fangchen said this, they realized that without Xie Qian's umbrella, it was not raining outside at all!
"Buzz—"
In the starry sky above, another golden ripple spread out, spreading Gu Fangchen's words.
He said loudly:
"If you don't believe me, you can use all your means to investigate and see if what I said is true or not!"
Most of the Confucian disciples remained steadfast and angrily denounced Gu Fangchen for spreading evil words and misleading the people.
However, some Confucian disciples remained silent and their expressions began to waver.
Xie Qian's face turned pale in an instant.
He felt his connection with the "Wen" Dao. The golden road he had spent 1,300 years weaving with countless scriptures, precepts, and thoughts was being forcibly stripped away by an invisible force.
This power did not come from external attacks, but from himself, from the Yaoshan Academy he founded, and from those disciples who once worshipped him like a god and obeyed his orders!
The foundation of his teachings is being shaken!
"Evil words to confuse the people!"
Xie Qian shouted angrily, his voice resounding like a huge bell, echoing between heaven and earth:
"Gu Fangchen, you stole the power of 'Heaven's Gate' and attempted to confuse right and wrong! Today, I will punish you on behalf of Heaven and restore order!"
He couldn't wait any longer.
He must completely wipe out the guy in front of him with the most thundering means and the most magnificent power before the faith of all his disciples completely collapses!
He raised his hand, and the righteous energy surged from his body into the sky, transforming into an ink-and-wash book.
In the distant beyond, the "half of the country" that serves as the boundary between Qingman and Dawei rises from the ground, turns into a streak of ink, blends into it, and turns into countless words.
That "half of the country" stood in this world for 1,300 years, representing all the Confucian thoughts that the Wei Dynasty had adhered to for 1,300 years, and also encompassing the beliefs of countless people.
The book turned its pages without wind, and words flew out of the book, growing stronger against the wind, and turning into swords, spears, axes, hooks and forks in the air.
This is the magical power of Confucianism - "the sparring match of words".
Use words as weapons, every word is precious, but also contains murderous intent!
But in the hands of Xie Qian, the "Confucian Sage", its power is even more extraordinary.
Those weapons were not particularly sharp or powerful. Instead, they were rusty, bloodstained, and even broken and damaged, looking very dilapidated.
But behind each weapon, there is a soul and a sigh.
Even Gu Fangchen felt that those weapons looked very familiar——
These weapons all came from the weapons of the dead soldiers on the battlefield in front of "Half of the Country"!
The "Confucian Sage" is truly a "Confucian Sage". Over the past thousand years, he has been able to establish such a huge prestige because he has long been proficient in all languages and human hearts as weapons.
Xie Qian pointed forward and shouted coldly:
"Gu Fangchen, you colluded with the Qingman, murdered the king, and committed treason. How can you claim to be righteous to the hundreds of millions of Wei soldiers who died?"
In an instant, thousands of weapons formed a steel torrent, sweeping towards Gu Fangchen with a fierce momentum that could cut through mountains and rivers and judge all living beings.
Below, the disciples of Yaoshan Academy saw this scene and burst into thunderous cheers. Their originally shaken hearts were also stunned by this deafening cold shout.
"The Saint has taken action!"
"The weapon of words is the tool of the Great Dao! The saint is right. This person colluded with the Qingman, Western Regions, and Tuoyin Kingdoms to rebel against Tiangang. He is a complete evil demon. The day to kill this traitor is today!"
"Evil demons and heretics must be punished by all means. Gu Fangchen deserves to be punished today! How dare you claim to be righteous in front of the great path of a saint?!"
The disciples looked fanatical and pious.
Many of them grew up reading Xie Qian's commentaries on the classics.
In their hearts, Xie Qian is no longer just a powerful practitioner, but also a saint walking in the world and the incarnation of "Tao".
A saint is omnipotent and always right.
They looked at the torrent of weapons sweeping across the sky and earth, as if they saw the embodiment of their own beliefs, and their hearts were filled with infinite power and pride.
However, facing this overwhelming and terrifying attack, Gu Fangchen's reaction was shockingly indifferent.
He just looked at the weapons all over the sky and the countless heroic souls vaguely emerging, shook his head slightly, then stretched out a finger and pointed it in the air at the devastating torrent.
There were no earth-shaking visions, no fierce collision of supernatural powers.
Time seemed to be paused at this moment.
【Turning truth into falsehood】.
“Clang!”
The deafening sound of metal clashing came to an abrupt end.
Thousands of weapons suddenly froze in mid-air, and then their shapes receded like the tide. The sharp edges, heavy texture, rust and traces of time on them all melted away at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The knife turned back into the character “刀”.
The sword turned back into the word "sword".
In just a moment, the steel torrent transformed by the magical power completely disintegrated and turned back into glowing words floating in the air.
Soon, they lost all their strength and fell down in a flurry, finally landing on the ruins of Huangtian City and turning into ordinary puddles of ink.
They were blown away by the wind.
The cheers of the disciples below were instantly silenced, as if they were strangled by an invisible hand.
Everyone was stunned and looked at the scene in disbelief.
"What?!"
Xie Qian's pupils suddenly constricted, and the righteous expression on his face instantly broke.
"No! This is impossible!"
His supernatural powers, the manifestation of his proud "wen" Dao, the faith he had accumulated for 1,300 years, were just so casually... erased?!
That is not a defeat, not a resistance, but a fundamental "negation".
"Xie Qian, your 'Tao' is nothing more than what is written in words and spread through recitation."
Gu Fangchen's voice sounded calmly, but it was like a heavy hammer, hitting Xie Qian's heart hard.
"But words can deceive, and recitation can distort truth. You impose your will on words, and then let your disciples believe in these words, thus gathering them into your power."
"After all, it's just a castle in the air built on quicksand. How can it last?"
Gu Fangfang took a step forward and her figure disappeared instantly. The next moment, she appeared in front of Xie Qian and punched him.
This punch was unremarkable, without any spiritual fluctuations or even any special effects. It was like a simple punch thrown by a mortal who didn't know martial arts.
But Xie Qian's face changed drastically, his hair stood on end and he felt like he was going to die!
From this punch, he felt an unshakable, irrefutable and unquestionable "truth"!
In front of this punch, the righteous spirit that he was proud of, and the "literary" way that he had practiced for hundreds of years, all seemed so false, so pale and powerless!
"The law follows the words - live and work!"
In a split second, Xie Qian poured all his life's cultivation into the space around him, which instantly solidified into layers of invisible barriers made up of countless scriptures.
This is his "Tao" realm, and within this realm, he is the law!
However, that ordinary fist ignored the layers of barriers, penetrated them directly, and hit his chest heavily.
Those words disappeared into ink marks along with the wind from the fist, and then quickly turned into nothingness.
"puff!"
Xie Qian's expression froze, as if struck by lightning, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. His body flew backwards like a kite with a broken string, crashing into the only remaining Ziji Palace in the distance, stirring up a cloud of dust.
"saint!"
"Master!"
The disciples below cried out in surprise, and many of them even tried to rush forward desperately, but were pinned to the spot by an invisible aura, unable to move.
The enthusiasm on their faces was fading, replaced by confusion and fear.
how so?
How could an omnipotent saint be knocked away by a single punch?
Could it be... that, as Gu Fangchen said, the saint's "Tao" is a castle in the air?!
When the smoke and dust cleared, Xie Qian climbed up from the ruins in a panic.
The old man, who always had a nonchalant demeanor, now had disheveled hair and looked like a beggar on the street.
His eyes were red as he looked down at the deeply sunken fist mark on his chest, his eyes full of horror and confusion.
"Is it true... or is it false... that your Tao can actually... define 'Tao'?!"
He finally understood the essence of Gu Fangchen's power.
"I said before, what you are pursuing is nothing but a dream."
Gu Fangchen retracted his fist, his expression remaining calm.
He walked forward step by step, looking at Xie Qian as if he was looking at a poor man who was stubborn and refused to repent.
Xie Qian's mind was shaken, his hands and even his whole body were shaking. He felt the change in the eyes of the disciples around him, their panic, and their growing suspicion of him.
He suddenly laughed softly:
"Hahahahahaha… Just a dream? Just a dream? What do you know?! Impossible! How could something I've pursued my entire life be fake!"
Long-forgotten memories flooded into my heart like a tide.
He thought of himself many years ago.
At that time, he was just a young Confucian scholar traveling around the world, with the lofty ambition of finding a way out for the people of the world. He believed that all people in the world can be educated and can be good.
He had seen the displacement caused by war, the miserable lives of the people caused by corrupt officials, and the endless struggles caused by different ideas and desires.
He once witnessed with his own eyes the surviving victims of a flooded village killing each other for half a moldy pancake.
He also once saw in a wealthy city that the powerful fought against each other for power, causing the entire city to be in turmoil.
At that moment, he realized that disputes, chaos, selfishness... these are the norm in the world.
The complexity and volatility of human nature are the root of all suffering.
He wants to change all that.
So, at the end of the troubled times, he founded Yaoshan Academy and began to spread his ideas.
Xie Qian stubbornly believed that in order to build a perfect world, all uncertainties must be eliminated.
A set of absolutely correct and unquestionable rules must be established so that everyone can think and live in accordance with these rules.
Thoughts must be unified and behaviors must be standardized so that the world can usher in eternal peace.
His Tao was born under this concept.
It is a perfect, precise "procedure" that does not allow any deviation.
Benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness were all redefined by him and turned into a series of cold commandments.
In order to promote his doctrine, he defeated countless masters and convinced countless powerful people.
His followers grew in number, and Yaoshan Academy became the world's number one holy land for scholars.
As he looked at his disciples with bright eyes and immense admiration for him, his heart was filled with pride and determination to move forward.
He firmly believed that he was doing a great cause that had never been done before and would never be done again.
He is...creating a perfect world.
But now, this young man who claimed to be "real" had shattered his dream with one punch.
"No... Impossible! My way is the true way to save the world! It is the only righteous way to end all chaos!"
Xie Qian was like a madman, he couldn't accept his failure.
After all, this is tantamount to denying his lifelong pursuit.
"Your 'salvation' comes at the cost of stifling everyone's thoughts, and your 'peace' is built on a dead silence."
Gu Fangchen's voice rang out again, like a huge bell, clearly reaching everyone's ears, including the bewildered Confucian disciples below.
"Look at your disciples."
Gu Fangchen raised his hand and pointed downwards, his eyes cold:
"They revere you as a saint and regard every word you say as gospel truth. They dare not have their own thoughts or even question anything."
"Because any idea that deviates from your 'Tao' will be regarded as heresy."
"Xie Qian, you are not educating them, you are turning them into soulless puppets, just like you!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the disciples below were all shocked.
"Buzz—"
Above the sky, golden patterns flashed again, and the gold of the sky became brighter.
As Gu Fangchen once said, simply plagiarizing cannot shake Xie Qian's position at all. His ideological foundation must be uprooted.
At this moment, when Xie Qian was easily defeated by a punch and his image collapsed, it was the best time to prop up this building.
Many disciples who blindly believed in the "Confucian Sage" turned pale in an instant.
To be able to follow Xie Qian to this point, they must be extremely outstanding Confucian disciples, and naturally, they must have had their own ideas.
Perhaps at some point, they raised a small question about a certain point in the "Sage's Scriptures".
But then, they will be laughed off, and countless people will tell them:
"The words of the saints are the truth. How can we, mere mortals, interfere with them? We should simply follow them, not question them! Do not harbor second thoughts, or you will be harassed by inner demons!"
At that time, they were filled with shame, thinking that their faith in Taoism was not strong enough and that they were troubled by inner demons.
But now, Gu Fangchen's words, like a bolt of lightning, split the fog in their minds.
Yeah...why can't we question it?
Once this idea came into being, it was like a wildfire that could never be extinguished.
The determination in their eyes began to waver, and the enthusiasm gradually cooled, replaced by confusion and doubt born from trance.
Xie Qian clearly felt the loss of his faith, and his aura became a little unstable.
Panic finally appeared in his heart, and he roared in shock and anger:
"Shut up! Stop trying to deceive people! You little bastard, I have built a thousand years of achievements, how can you shake them?"
He gathered his strength once again, and the scriptures that recorded all his thoughts soared out. The shadows of countless Confucian sages who came before him appeared, reciting holy words. Countless words turned into a rushing river, sweeping towards Gu Fangchen.
However, Gu Fangchen just stood there quietly, allowing the invisible power of words to wash over his body without any harm.
Not even the corner of his clothes moved.
He looked at Xie Qian, standing with his hands behind his back, going upstream:
"Your saints and your scriptures are just words that you have misinterpreted, tools to control other people's minds."
"Let me tell you the truth about 'Eternal Sky'."
Gu Fangchen looked around and said:
"Are you really willing to become a puppet without your own thoughts?"
"You study so hard, cultivate righteousness, is it just to become an extension of another person's will?"
"Are your joys, sorrows, anger, and happiness, your loves, hates, and passions, all false things that can be wiped out by the precepts?"
Each of his questions, along with the golden patterns spreading from the sky above, transformed into the scene after the ending of "Eternal Unity", and struck hard into the hearts of every Confucian disciple below.
"No, no, no! Shut up! You shut up!"
Xie Qian nearly collapsed, spitting blood, staggering in front of Gu Fangchen, glaring at his disciples:
"Everything he said is fake! Fake!"
Faith crumbles inch by inch.
“No… no…”
One of the Confucian disciples murmured to himself, "We...we are pursuing the great way..."
“Is the Tao of others really your Tao?”
Gu Fangchen's voice seemed to ring directly in his heart.
"boom!"
Something seemed to shatter in the disciple's mind.
He suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with pain and determination, and shouted loudly:
"I...I don't know!"
This "I don't know" seemed like a signal.
One after another, the confusion on the faces of the disciples turned into painful struggles.
The faith in their hearts, the indestructible spiritual palace built for them by Xie Qian himself, began to crack under the impact of "reality".
As the Confucian disciples' faith collectively wavered, Xie Qian's aura rapidly weakened like a flood breaking through a dam.
The countless shadows of saints and sages and scrolls of scriptures behind him began to become blurred and distorted, and eventually turned into bubbles and shattered one by one.
"No... Impossible..."
Xie Qian finally revealed a look of despair, his eyes were decadent, and he looked rapidly aging. Unable to support his body, he fell to his knees with a plop.
He lost.
Failed at the root of "Tao".
Gu Fangchen shook his head:
"What's impossible? You've treated yourself as the undeniable truth for too long. Standing high in the sky, how can you hear the voices of this world? You're not even willing to listen to the voices of your own disciples."
He walked forward and placed a palm on the top of his head.
Xie Qian's body suddenly stiffened, and then he heard the loudest buzzing sound between heaven and earth.
Gold almost covered the entire sky.
The body of the "Confucian Sage" began to dissipate from his feet, turning into nothingness. A golden thread emerged from his body and was grabbed by Gu Fangchen, who crushed it in his palm.
The way of "preaching" has been cut off from now on!
…
at the same time.
Tianmen Mountain top.
This place is deserted all year round, with only the towering "Gate of Heaven" and a withered body that has passed away in sitting position.
There was a long sword across the knees of the flesh body, proving that this person was none other than the previous generation's "Sword Saint" Ying Baishou.
The "Gate of Heaven" began to shake, and the entire Tianmen Mountain below was split in two with rocks falling from it.
And the "Gate of Heaven" began to flicker, as if two forces were fighting against each other.
After a period of stalemate, the "Heavenly Gate" flickered, then closed instantly and disappeared.
The wind was howling on the top of the mountain, and the silence was the same as before.
“Rustle…”
Suddenly, the withered body of Ying Baishou moved its fingers, and the thick dust covering it, which had already formed a hard shell, instantly broke apart because of this movement and fell to the ground.
The flesh hand slowly raised up, grasped the sword, and then stood up.
"call……"
The withered body took the first breath of air, then suddenly opened its eyes and looked coldly in the direction of Huangtian City.
"Gu Fangchen, now, let's have a real talk."
This body no longer belongs to Ying Baishou, but should be called—
The first ancient human emperor, Xiao Zhenwu!
————
ps: I wrote with all my strength for a whole day, and when I came back, I saw the sky falling. How can anyone still say that I forced the ending because of a bad ending? I have filled in all the holes and foreshadowings. This part was already written in the outline from the beginning, from [Six Dusts Return to the True Self], from Gu Fangchen's first entry into the illusion that triggered the subsequent changes, from the nine preachers, what else can be called a normal ending?
Moreover, as early as the end of the third volume, I have repeatedly said that there are still two volumes to be completed.
I think anyone who has read this book carefully can see that the structure is complete. The only regret is probably that due to certain factors, I cut out the two lines of Gu Lianxian and Gu Youren, as well as some places that could not be expanded. For this reason, I had to revise the outline to ensure the coherence of the plot... This really made me very tired and exhausted.
But because of this, I am really grateful to all my readers and friends for their company along the way. Love you (heart)
(End of this chapter)
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