Afternoon sunlight cascaded from the heavens, the immense figure stirring up a windstorm, the monk's robes billowing in the air, creating vortexes of fierce wind, crashing with thunderous roars in the sudden clash.

At that moment, the benevolent facade of the so-called Buddha King vanished, replaced by a wrathful Vajra, charging forward with a sharp killing intent and an imposing aura, seemingly capable of crushing any foe before him. Especially to the seasoned martial artists of the Green Forest, imagining themselves within that soul-stirring fist, it was enough to strike fear into their hearts. Not just the fists and feet; most present would likely be shattered internally upon mere contact with Lin Zongwu's body.

And in that instant, the Eight-Armed Dragon King opposite him in the martial arena, revealed an equally chilling figure of a war god. The calm "Good!" still echoed as the two figures abruptly closed the distance. In the center of the arena, the heavy octagonal mixed copper staff rose into the sky, unleashing the force of a thousand jun!

Lin Zongwu's hands seemed to grasp the entire earth as he swung and smashed.

The resounding boom that followed sent shivers down everyone's spines.

The terrifying power unleashed by masters at the peak of martial arts was something most of the martial artists present had never witnessed, perhaps could not even imagine in their entire lives of training, and at this moment, it unfolded before their eyes.

Weapons had become almost irrelevant in a duel of this caliber. Lin Zongwu’s figure darted and leaped, his fists and kicks striking with the force of a thousand jun, his sleeves billowing with fierce wind. Facing Shi Jin’s mixed copper staff, which had claimed countless lives on the battlefield, he showed not the slightest weakness. His massive frame was essentially a weapon itself. He smashed and pressed in close, transforming the fight into a close-quarters brawl. In the instant of contact, the two figures circled and moved rapidly. Shi Jin wielded his staff like thunder, smashing down relentlessly as they spun, but his offense was not solely reliant on his weapon. Whenever Lin Zongwu closed in, he met fist with elbow, leg with leg, showing no weakness against Lin Zongwu's immense power.

Dust swirled, and stones on the ground cracked and splintered underfoot, flying outwards. Apart from the sounds of the fighting, the surroundings were momentarily silent, almost suffocating. Had there been any onlookers who had witnessed the battle of Mount Lüliang ten years prior, they might have noticed that Lin Zongwu's attack at this moment was like a vast river, like a tidal wave, surging and heavy, ceaseless and unending.

His sleeves billowed with fierce wind, his figure smashing and striking, each punch and move pushing forward into the next, almost inexhaustible. In the Jianghu, there existed martial arts like the Three Waves of the Yangtze River, imitating nature, harnessing momentum to attack like the giant waves of a great river, maximizing power. However, Lin Zongwu's martial arts had completely transcended that concept. Ten years ago, Lu Hongti comprehended the philosophy of Tai Chi and incorporated it into her martial arts. She borrowed strength to deflect strength, dissolving herself into nature, seeking out every opening with the flow, killing in battle with ease. Even when Lin Zongwu's power was at its peak, he could not truly land a blow on her. But now, perhaps inspired by that battle, his power had evolved in another direction, uniquely his own.

Manipulating power, controlling power, accumulating and unleashing that enormous power like a flowing stream. Like a swirling whirlpool or a tidal wave, or a great river bursting its banks, the flood of millions of qing rushed down upon the enemy before him, crushing them without any mercy. This was the ultimate destruction that followed the acceptance of Tai Chi, like water.

And facing such power, although Shi Jin was often the one retreating in the spinning duel, no one thought he was at a disadvantage. Spears and staffs were inherently advantageous in reach. In the face of Lin Zongwu's overwhelming offensive, he steadily maintained a fixed distance between them, his staff dancing and continuously striking the enemy with attacks capable of shattering the earth.

If Lin Zongwu's fists and feet were like a vast ocean, then Shi Jin's attacks were like a thousand dragons soaring. Like carp leaping thousands of miles upstream, transforming into dragons, the dragons possessed an indomitable will. In his attacks, a thousand dragons sacrificed themselves, crashing into the enemy, seeking to scatter them, like a thousand thunderclaps, bombarding the overwhelming ocean, attempting to shatter the colossal waves by force.

Both men’s martial arts had reached the Dao, and they were both taking the path of direct confrontation. Even though many in the audience lacked sufficient cultivation, they could vaguely understand the towering will displayed within.

Years ago, Lin Zongwu had vowed to challenge Zhou Tong, but that duel never materialized before Zhou Tong sacrificed himself for righteousness. Later, the battle of Mount Lüliang had few spectators. Lu Hongti's swordplay, killing only to save lives, was utterly pragmatic. Although Lin Zongwu fought head-on, he was ultimately stifled by Lu Hongti’s swordplay. Only today, before thousands, did such a duel unfold, thrilling and magnificent. Lin Zongwu, fighting smoothly, suddenly let out a long roar. This sound was like the Vajra's Sanskrit, rich and soaring, shooting straight into the sky, spreading outwards in all directions.

Everyone vaguely understood that this was a battle destined to go down in history. For a moment, all the light in the sky seemed to gather there.

…

Ning Yi watched all of this, lightly tapping the railing with his fingers, speaking in a low voice, his tone calm amidst the raging battle in the distance, as if separated from another world.

"… How a person lives in the world, how two people live, how a family, a village, even millions of people live, what rules to establish, what laws to use, what customs to follow, to make the peace of millions more lasting. It is the most complex calculation. Since the beginning of humanity, the calculation has been ongoing. Two thousand years ago, during the Hundred Schools of Thought, Confucius' calculation was the most representative."

"Confucius dedicated his life to pursuing benevolence and ritual. He was not highly valued in his time. But looking back now, what was he truly pursuing? I believe, first and foremost, he was very reasonable. What about repaying evil with kindness? Repay evil with justice, repay kindness with kindness. This is the fundamental principle of ensuring good and evil are rewarded accordingly. In that era, people admired chivalry, vengeance was common, a life for a life, repay debts, justice was simple. What later generations called repaying evil with kindness was actually hypocrisy, and hypocrisy is the enemy of virtue. However, simply saying he was reasonable does not explain his pursuit..."

"In Confucius' Analects, there are stories of Zigong ransoming people and Zilu accepting cattle. The State of Lu had a law that if a citizen saw a compatriot enslaved abroad and ransomed them, they would receive a reward. Zigong ransomed a person but refused the reward, and when he told Confucius, Confucius scolded him, saying that in this way, others would no longer go abroad to ransom people, and Zigong had harmed people in essence. Zilu, on the other hand, saw someone drowning and accepted a cow from the rescued person. Confucius was very pleased, saying that the people would surely be brave in saving others in the future."

"Beyond this story, Confucius also said that relatives should conceal each other's wrongdoing. If your father commits a crime, you should hide it for him. Does this align with benevolence? It seems not. What about the victim? Confucius advocated filial piety at the time, and we thought filial piety was paramount. However, we might as well think back to that society: the land was vast, the population sparse, and the state was loosely organized. What was most important for people to eat and live? In fact, it was the family. At that time, if one advocated the opposite, demanding that everything be done fairly and justly, the family would be shattered. To maintain the productivity of that time, relatives concealing each other's wrongdoing was the most pragmatic principle, nothing else. Many stories and sayings in Confucius' *Analects* revolve around several core principles, yet they are not unified. But if we calm down, as long as there is one unified core, we will find that the principles Confucius spoke of were only to truly and substantially maintain the stability and development of society at that time. This is the only core goal. At that time, none of his sayings were unrealistic."

Ning Yi's tapping on the railing was monotonous and steady. Here, his words paused slightly.

"After the Spring and Autumn period, the scope of the state expanded, gradually developing. A state was no longer just a city or a piece of land. Although people used the Analects to govern the world, repaying evil with justice gradually faded. Zigong ransoming people and Zilu accepting cattle were no longer promoted. By the Tang Dynasty, the existence of the state was further strengthened, and relatives concealing each other's wrongdoing was also limited in scope; treason and rebellion could not be concealed. Do we say that repaying evil with kindness is really reasonable? If everyone said to repay evil with kindness, would you be stopped from seeking revenge one day? However, in practical terms, the state is getting bigger and bigger. People from one place go to another place. You don’t understand the people next to you. He says he wants revenge, how do you verify it? If everyone has a straightforward nature and repays evil with justice, society may collapse from excess in practice. Therefore, when a country has tens of millions of people, and officials and law enforcement cannot be in place at all times, weakening the temperament of the people becomes a long-term road in practice."

"From the Spring and Autumn period, the Warring States period, Qin, Han, Jin, Tang, to the present day, two thousand years of development, the continuous improvement and modification of Confucianism, is it for rituals? Is it for benevolence? Virtue? In fact, it is only for the substantial continuation of the country, and people to obtain the most benefits in practice. But when it comes to right and wrong, Chengye, do you say they are right or wrong?"

Fang Chengye frowned, not knowing what to answer at this moment.

Ning Yi looked at the fight in the martial arena: "For two thousand years, hundreds of millions of people have lived and died, and any country has only lasted for two hundred years. Speaking of right and wrong, Chengye, the method of assessing right and wrong of a sage is different from that of a hypocrite."

He sighed slightly, “People are willing to believe in the judgment of right and wrong. Ordinary people facing things, ask what is right and what is wrong, believe that doing what is right will definitely be good. For example, when to farm, we transplant seedlings on the best days, and leave the rest to fate. Simple and clear, right?”

Ning Yi smiled: “Two thousand years ago, Confucius and a group of people—perhaps ordinary people like us—discussed how to live, how to survive, how to live as well as possible. For two thousand years, people have repaired and patched, and now the country can continue for more than two hundred years. We can have the prosperity like the former Wu Dynasty. Have we reached the end? Our end is to make the country last for thousands of generations, to find a way to make every generation happy. Based on this end, we seek a way for millions of people to get along. We can only say that we have calculated a very narrow road, very narrow, but it is not the answer. If we judge by the requirements of right and wrong, we are wrong."

"Confucius didn’t know what was right. He couldn’t be sure whether he was doing it right, but he thought repeatedly, seeking truth and being pragmatic, speaking it out, telling others. Later generations repair and patch, but who can say they are absolutely right? No one, but they also push forward after careful consideration. Sages are ruthless, treating the people like straw dogs. In this careful consideration, they will not take chances because of their kindness. They treat the nature of people seriously and seriously deduce… The opposite is like Shi Jin. He is upright, trusts his brothers, and is loyal. You can confide in him and entrust your life to him. I admire and respect him, but Chifeng Mountain collapsed due to infighting."

"What is right, what is wrong, Chengye, when we ask this question, we are actually shirking our responsibility. It is difficult for people to face this world, it is difficult to survive, and it is even more difficult to live happily. Doing something, you ask, am I doing this right? This right and wrong is based on the results you want. But no one can answer you—the world knows, it will give you a head start when you do something wrong. More often, people are half right and half wrong, you get something, and lose something else."

"People can only summarize the laws. Facing a major event, we don’t know whether our next step is right or wrong, but we know that if we are wrong, it will be very miserable, and we are afraid. Since we are afraid, we repeatedly examine our methods of doing things, and repeatedly think about whether I have any omissions, whether I have added unrealistic expectations in the calculation process. This fear will drive you to put in countless times more effort than others. In the end, you truly do your best to meet that result. This fear makes you learn to truly face the world and learn true responsibility."

“Imagine an ordinary person running a business. He is very kind and just wants everyone around him to be harmonious. He doesn’t care if the gossipy aunts are taking money inside, or if his own brothers have selfish motives behind the scenes. One day the business collapses, he says, I’m just an ordinary person, is there something wrong with being kind? Imagine one day this person wants to run a country…"

"Back to transplanting seedlings, some people transplant seedlings today, waiting for fate to give them a harvest or famine. He knows that he cannot control the weather, he has tried his best, and he is at ease. Some people transplant seedlings, and they are very afraid of famine, so they dig canals, build ponds, carefully analyze the weather and disaster patterns every year, analyze what kind of food can survive after a disaster. After thousands of generations, perhaps people will never have to be afraid of natural disasters because of these fears."

“We don’t know what kind of behavior is right, but we know what kind of attitude is the most right. Confucius is right. He proposed the greatest kindness that could truly work based on the conditions of life at that time. Sages are ruthless, they seek truth and are pragmatic, and will not propose kindness that cannot work. During the An Lushan Rebellion in the Tang Dynasty, there was a general named Zhang Xun who defended Suiyang. The city was besieged and there was no food. He first killed his concubine for the soldiers to eat, and then let the soldiers eat the people in the city, defending to the end and dying on the battlefield. He was even right."

Ning Yi paused for a long time: "However, ordinary people can only see the right and wrong in front of them. This is because it is impossible to let everyone in the world study. If you want to teach them such complicated right and wrong, you can't teach them. Rather than letting them be violent, it is better to let them be weak. It is right to let them be weak. But if we face specific things, such as the people of Ze Prefecture, when disaster strikes, is it useful to scold the Jurchens, Tian Hu, the hungry ghosts, the Black Banner, and this troubled world? You and I have compassion. If you and I don't wade through this muddy water today, is it possible for them to achieve happiness in practice?"

Ning Yi patted Fang Chengye on the shoulder: “In the next few years, the situation will become more and more difficult. If we don’t participate, the Jurchens will truly go south, replace the Great Qi, and destroy the Southern Wu. The Mongols may go south. If we don’t participate and don’t strengthen ourselves, can they survive, even if we don’t talk about the future, is it possible for them to survive today? What is right? One day in the future, the world will be pacified in some way. This is a narrow road, and this road will definitely be bloody. For the good of the people of Ze Prefecture, what is right? It is definitely wrong to scold. If he picks up a knife and kills the Jurchens, kills the hungry ghosts, kills the Great Bright Church, kills the Black Banner, and the world will be at peace from then on, I will wait with my neck outstretched, as long as he can do it. Can he do it?"

“War is right against the child, and many people will die.” Ning Yi said, “Many years ago, I killed the emperor because many people I agreed with, awakened people, great people died. Killing him was the beginning of non-compromise. In recent years, there have been more such people around me. Every day, I am watching them die. Can I have compassion? Chengye, you can’t even let your emotions interfere with your judgment. Every hesitation, wavering, and miscalculation of yours will cause a few more people to die."

“You can only calmly look and repeatedly remind yourself of the objective laws of heaven and earth, which will not treat you kindly because of your kindness. You repeatedly think about whether this future that I want to achieve, a future in which many, many people have died, is already relatively the best. After so many people have died, can it meet the tendency of all things having souls after unbiased objective calculations…”

…

In the martial arena, the heroic and valiant fight continued. Lin Zongwu's sleeves were smashed to pieces by the whistling staff shadows. His arms oozed blood during the attack, dripping and splashing. Shi Jin was injured on his shoulders, hands, and forehead, but he silently met the attack without wavering.

Ahead, the power of the "Buddha King's" fists was still rising, becoming stronger and stronger in a way that even shocked Shi Jin!

"Shi Jin!" Lin Zongwu shouted, "Haha, I admit, you are a true martial arts master, the number one master I have seen in the past ten years!"

The heroic voice like a wrathful Vajra Buddha echoed over the martial arena—

…

"… After two thousand years of development, Confucianism has reached Qin Si Yuan here and proposed modifications again. Guide people's desires and tend towards the principles of nature. The principles of nature here are actually laws, but the people do not study, how can they teach them the principles of nature? In the end, they may only be able to teach them behavior, as long as they follow the rules layer by layer according to the class. This may be another inevitable path, but I am no longer willing to take it…"

In the corridor, Ning Yi closed his eyes slightly.

…

In Weisheng in the heavy rain, the city rang alarm bells, and great chaos was already spreading.

In the half-fallen palace, Tian Hu roared, holding a sword, towards the minister who had originally been absolutely trusted outside: "Why is this, what conditions did they give you—"

…

North of Tian Hu's territory, the righteous army of Wang Juyun pressed on the border.

…

In the Ze Prefecture prison, two jailers came slowly, chatting about their family life. The fat jailer scanned the prisoners in the prison, paused on You Hongzhuo, and after a moment, he hummed and took out the key to unlock the lock: "Hmph, tomorrow is a good day, let the officials take good care of you one more time today... Xiao Qin, what are you yelling over there! Watch them and don't cause trouble!"

"Okay." The young jailer named Xiao Qin replied. He was originally carrying a bucket in his hand, and at this time, he put it down by the prison door over there, and then You Hongzhuo saw him turn around, maintaining a casual pace, and walked over here.

He pulled out a triangular awl from his waist.

"The officials are not in a good mood today..."

"Fat Brother."

"Huh? You..."

The young jailer stabbed his neck, then pulled it out, and blood spurted out. The fat jailer stood there, stunned for a moment.

In the dim light, the people in the nearby prison looked stunned as the fat jailer covered his neck, took two steps back and leaned against the prison pillar before finally sliding down, convulsing, blood flowing all over the ground, his eyes still full of disbelief.

"Sorry, I am a good person."

Xiao Qin said this, then looked at the prison next to him.

"The Huaxia Army is doing things, please cooperate, don't make noise for now..."

"... Thank you for your cooperation."

…

"… From a purely realistic level, is it possible to transform ordinary people who can only accept simple right and wrong behavior to enlightenment that can basically accept the logic of right and wrong… Perhaps it is possible…"

Ning Yi opened his eyes as he said this.

"… The most basic requirement for this is actually the change of material conditions. When the study of things develops greatly, so that everyone in the country has the opportunity to study, it is the first step. After everyone can study, what follows is the improvement of the elite culture system. Because most people cannot study in the two thousand years of our development, which are all unchangeable objective realities, this has created a cultural system that only pursues high points and does not pursue popularity, which is something that needs to be transformed."

He looked at Fang Chengye, who was a little confused but excited, but his expression was slightly tired and confused.

“Imagine one day, everyone in the world can read and write. They can express their voices on the affairs of this country and make their evaluations on the things that the country and officials do. Then what they first need to guarantee is that they fully understand the law that heaven and earth are ruthless, they can understand what is long-term, and what is truly achievable kindness… This is the goal they must achieve and the homework they must complete.”

“We face a cliff and don’t know if the next step is correct, but we know that if we take the wrong step, we will fall down, and if we say the wrong thing, there will be consequences, so we explore the laws as objectively as possible… Because of the fear of taking the wrong step, we are serious. In this seriousness, we can find the truly correct attitude.”

He looked ahead.

“The Confucian school has been used for two thousand years. If we can develop the study of things and popularize reading, we may be able to complete enlightenment in a few hundred years… If you and I can lay the foundation in this life, it will be enough to comfort us.”

The martial arts competition in the martial arts arena had a winner.

Ning Yi looked over there, sighed for a long time, reached into his arms, took out two copper coins, and threw them far away.

"There is a reward."

At the moment he threw the copper coins, Lin Zongwu had a flash of inspiration and looked over here.

A rumbling explosion came from the distance of the city.

"Ah... time is up..."

Ning Yi turned around and left the crowd. At this moment, the great chaos in Ze Prefecture began.