The world of film and television starts from the flow of money

Shi Feixuan's face paled even more. Instantly, what came to mind were the blurry figures struggling to move under the whip and scorching sun behind the words "sent out the left garrison soldiers" and "a million laborers" in the history books, and the countless wronged souls buried in foreign lands in the legend of Meng Jiangnu crying down the Great Wall.

Although Yi Huawei added seemingly less blatant embellishments such as "work relief," her core logic remained unchanged. This fundamentally conflicts with the Buddhist concepts of "equality of all beings" and "benevolence and love for others" that she was taught from childhood.

Lian Rou's reaction was even more complicated. It turned out that, from the master's perspective, the value of his own people, the warriors of the grasslands, the artisans and merchants of the Western Regions… besides serving as examples of cultural diversity, their more practical significance lay in being "high-quality labor"? Using their blood, sweat, and even lives to forge the glory of another civilization?

Yi Huawei took in the reactions of the two men, but remained unmoved.

"You think it's cold-blooded? Unfeeling? Fei Xuan, you cultivate the Cihang Sword Manual, seeking a clear sword heart to see the truth. Then tell me, what is the truth?"

Yi Huawei asked again, pointing to the land beneath his feet:

"The truth is that the competition for survival and development is never about romance and poetry. It is accompanied by the struggle for resources, the contest of power, and the sacrifice and dedication of countless individuals. The foundation and expansion of any great civilization are built upon the bones of countless laborers, including both the people of the tribe and the flesh and blood of the conquered."

"The difference lies in whether it is simply to consume them or to 'use' them to a certain extent and give them a way to integrate and rise. The former is pure plunder and destruction, while the latter... although equally cruel, at least leaves a possibility of transformation, a glimmer of hope to turn antagonistic contradictions into internal constructive forces."

Yi Huawei glanced at Shi Feixuan, his gaze indifferent:
"You are compassionate and have pity on all living beings. So, would you rather see these barbarians slaughtered in organized groups in some future southward raid or northward expedition against the Central Plains, leaving corpses strewn across the fields and their tribes scattered; or would you rather see them survive under a unified order, despite the hardships of labor, so that their descendants have the opportunity to learn to write, master skills, and even change their fate through hard work, ultimately becoming part of a new civilized community?"

"The former is a fleeting act of compassion, but it leads to longer-lasting hatred and slaughter. The latter is immediate cruelty, but it may pave the way for longer-term integration and peace. Which one is the greater compassion for 'billions of lives'?"

Shi Feixuan's delicate body trembled slightly.

On one hand, there was a strong sense of unease stemming from her moral intuition; on the other, a harsh weighing of cold reality and long-term consequences. She found herself unable to provide an immediate answer.

"I……"

Shi Feixuan's voice trembled slightly, and her delicate brows furrowed, clearly indicating an intense internal struggle. The education she received from Cihang Jingzhai since childhood made her instinctively reject the idea of ​​treating people as tools, but the two future scenarios depicted by Yi Huawei forced her to consider the true meaning of "compassion" from a broader perspective.

Yi Huawei didn't press further. He shifted his gaze, looking north again, his tone returning to its previous calm:

"Feixuan, do you know why I brought you along to this harsh and desolate place beyond the Great Wall? Is it merely to let you see the ruins of the Great Wall and hear historical stories?"

Shi Feixuan was taken aback upon hearing this, as this was indeed a question that had always lingered in her mind. Given Yi Huawei's abilities, wouldn't it have been more convenient for him to act alone or with only Lian Rou? Bringing her, the successor of Cihang Jingzhai, seemed unnecessary, except for the occasional discussion of principles.

"I am dull-witted, please enlighten me, sir." She earnestly sought guidance.

"Because you, Shi Feixuan, and the Cihang Jingzhai that you represent, may play a crucial, even irreplaceable, role on this least bad path that I can think of."

“I wish to ask you to follow the example of the sages and travel west to spread the faith.”

"what?!"

Shi Feixuan gasped softly, a hint of shock appearing on her usually calm and composed face. She had considered several possibilities—perhaps using her martial arts skills, or leveraging the Cihang Jingzhai's connections or reputation in the Central Plains—but she never imagined it would be a journey to the West…!
Lian Rou also opened her mouth wide in astonishment, looking at Yi Huawei and then at Shi Feixuan, completely unable to keep up with this leap of thought.

"Sir... what do you mean? Feixuan is a Buddhist disciple who practices the 'Compassionate Voyage Sword Manual,' aiming to save people and uphold the Way of Heaven... What religion does this journey to the West... and where will it be spread?"

Shi Feixuan was deeply troubled and asked questions repeatedly.

"What is being transmitted is naturally neither Indian Buddhism nor the increasingly complex sects in China today."

Yi Huawei slowly said, "Instead, you need to use the martial arts skills and wisdom of Cihang Jingzhai as a foundation, integrate what you have seen, heard, thought and realized on this trip, and combine it with my understanding of civilization, system and human nature to reinterpret, refine and even create a new set of 'principles'."

"This set of principles needs to be able to explain why different civilizations can coexist and compete rather than necessarily fight to the death; it needs to be able to demonstrate that under a unified order, the effort put into survival and progress, though arduous, also brings hope and dignity; it needs to be able to soothe the hearts of the conquered or assimilated, giving them a sense of belonging and a place to transcend tribal hatred; and it needs to be able to restrain the greed and arrogance of future ruling classes and powerful ethnic groups, reminding them of their responsibility to balance power and education."

"It needs to have universal compassion and wisdom like Buddhism, which can touch people's hearts from different cultural backgrounds; it also needs to have the practical power to build order and regulate ethics like Confucianism; perhaps it also needs a touch of the simplicity of Mohism's 'universal love and non-aggression, relying on strength for survival' and the dialectics of Taoism's 'following nature and the transformation of Yin and Yang'."

Yi Huawei looked at Shi Feixuan with intense gaze:
"This is not simply about spreading religion, but about resolving the structural antagonism between the Han and non-Han peoples and between farmers and herdsmen from the root of their thinking."

"The westward journey was because the West was about to undergo a great transformation. The Sassanid Empire was on the verge of collapse, and the Abbasid Caliphate was coming from the east. There would be countless displaced people with no place to call home, as well as nobles and wise men who were confused by ancient beliefs and harsh realities. There, new ideas would sprout, collide, and spread, and it would also be a crucible to test their vitality."

“You were born into the Cihang Jingzhai, and you are naturally endowed with the aura and temperament of a ‘savior.’ Your martial arts skills are sufficient to protect yourself, your wisdom is sufficient to comprehend the Tao, and your character… after all the trials and tribulations along the way, I believe you have transcended simple sectarianism and the distinction between Chinese and foreign. Therefore, you are the most suitable candidate.”

Seeing Shi Feixuan's dazed and absent-minded appearance, Yi Huawei turned around, his figure seemingly transforming into an insurmountable iceberg in the vast天地 (heaven and earth), exuding an invisible sense of oppression.

"As I said before, I have two ideas about other races. The first is what you just heard, 'sweep them clean, leaving no trace.' The second is this difficult path of trying to integrate, utilize, and guide them, and ultimately achieve some kind of dynamic balance."

"The first path is technically no challenge for me. All it requires is determination and time. Its advantages are simplicity, directness, and quick results, which can largely eliminate future border troubles and allow the Central Plains civilization to have a fairly long window of 'pure' development. The disadvantages are, as you said, excessive killing, which is against the natural order, a huge loss of civilizational diversity, and... the risk of regression due to the loss of internal pressure."

"The second path is complex, lengthy, and highly variable, requiring exceptional wisdom to balance interests and guide public sentiment. It will inevitably involve setbacks, growing pains, and even partial failures. Its advantage is that it can fundamentally resolve structural contradictions and may create a more resilient and dynamic new form of civilization. Its disadvantage is that it requires a long-term and substantial investment in management, and its success rate is unknown."

Yi Huawei took a small half-step forward, getting closer to Shi Feixuan, his calm eyes seemingly burning with a flame hidden beneath the ice:

"Now, I'll let you choose."

"If you and Cihang Jingzhai are willing to devote yourselves fully to this second path, to undertake the most difficult and core part, to try to establish a system that can transcend the barriers of civilization, soothe the hearts of the conquered, restrain the arrogance of the conquerors, and provide a spiritual foundation for the new order... then I am willing to suppress the simple and direct thought in my heart, choose this more complex path, to take those unknown risks, and to invest those huge costs."

“But—” “If you refuse, or merely go through the motions, unable to wholeheartedly promote this aspect of moral education, unable to make up for the spiritual emptiness and potential hatred brought about by mere military conquest and profit-driven motives… then, for me, the probability of success of the second path will be greatly reduced, and the management costs and risks involved may exceed its benefits.”

Yi Huawei stared directly into Shi Feixuan's pupils, which contracted instantly:
"At that time, I will have no choice but to return to the first path. For the sake of the possible long-term peace and stability of the people of the Central Plains, even if it is only temporary, and to eliminate the greatest external threat with the least long-term management cost, I will launch the 'plowing the court and sweeping the cave' plan."

"Do not doubt my determination and ability."

Yi Huawei's tone was frighteningly calm: "After the Heavenly Alliance unifies the South, I have enough manpower, food, and artisans. My improved weaponry, formations, and logistics are enough to nullify the advantage of any nomadic cavalry. I don't even need to venture into the barren lands to pursue their royal court... Perhaps in ten years, perhaps in twenty years, there will be no more organized Turks, Khitans, or Tiele in the northern deserts. Faced with absolute power, the Western Regions trade routes will naturally have new 'obedient' agents, such as the Sogdians, or it may be temporarily closed off, as the Central Plains do not need to live without the Western Regions."

With each word Yi Huawei spoke, Shi Feixuan's face paled further, her delicate body trembling slightly. She seemed to see that because of her "refusal" or "incompetence," this calmly speaking man before her would transform into a ruthless god of destruction, pouring blood and fire onto the vast grasslands, turning countless felt tents to ashes in the flames, crushing the cries of women and children under iron hooves, and erasing the names of once-powerful tribes from history... And all of this could be attributed to her, Shi Feixuan, refusing to travel west...?
This is absurd! This is so...unfair!

"You...you're forcing me!"

Shi Feixuan's voice trembled with barely suppressed anger, an emotion she rarely displayed: "Using the lives of millions of Hu people to force me to agree to something I may not be able to do, or even agree with! Is this the right path?! What does this have to do with my Cihang Jingzhai's mission of saving and helping people?!"

"right way?"

Yi Huawei raised an eyebrow slightly, a cold sneer playing on his lips: "What is the righteous path? Is it to sit idly by and watch the Han and Hu people kill each other in the cycle of history, with rivers of blood flowing every few hundred years? Or is it to exchange the cruelty of one generation for what may be a thousand years of peace? Or is it to try a new path of integration that is destined to be accompanied by pain?"

"I didn't force you, Feixuan."

Yi Huawei's tone softened, but it revealed an undeniable coldness:

"I am simply presenting you with a choice, telling you about two possible futures. For me, completely eliminating border troubles is of paramount importance; attempting cultural integration is also of paramount importance, but the latter requires a crucial condition—effective education and culture to lubricate and solidify it. I see the potential in you as that condition."

“If you don’t provide this crucial condition, then the benefits of ‘attempting civilizational integration’ will be greatly diminished, and its risks and costs may outweigh its gains. Therefore, as a rational decision-maker, I will naturally turn to the option with more certain benefits and seemingly lower long-term costs. This is not coercion, but an inevitable choice based on the realities of the situation.”

Yi Huawei's gaze seemed to penetrate Shi Feixuan's soul:
“If your compassion only stays at the level of pity for the abstract ‘sentient beings’ while avoiding the specific choices and costs, then it is nothing more than powerless sentimentality. True compassion is daring to move forward in the mud, being willing to bear the stigma, to use less pure means, and even… to force yourself and others for a relatively better outcome.”

"Now, the decision is yours. You can refuse my proposal, and then you must bear the consequences. Or you can put aside some of your insistence and accept this difficult task, and then the door to Option Two will remain open for you, and for the countless lives of the western grasslands."

"Remember, this is not your personal choice. Your agreement or refusal will directly determine whether the future will be one of bloodshed or one of finding coexistence amidst thorns. Saving one person is saving, saving an entire race is saving, and saving the possibility of a civilization's survival—isn't that a greater salvation? Wouldn't its merit be immeasurable? Conversely, if your refusal leads to a more devastating extinction, can you bear the consequences?"

After speaking, Yi Huawei fell silent, simply watching Shi Feixuan and awaiting her reply. His gaze held no threat, only a pure, utter calm—a calm that instilled an unbearable chill and pressure in Shi Feixuan.

Lian Rou was already holding her breath in fear. She looked at Yi Huawei, then at Shi Feixuan, whose body was trembling slightly, her heart filled with terror and confusion. Her master had placed a mountain of blood directly on this fairy's slender shoulders!
Agreeing means she will embark on a difficult path that goes against some of her original intentions and whose fate is uncertain; refusing means she will become one of the "reasons" that indirectly lead to the devastation of life.

Shi Feixuan closed her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling violently. The cold wind whipped her hair and clothes, as if to blow her over.

This is not a choice at all! It is an unbearable moral burden being forcibly bound to her will!
Shi Feixuan felt angry, aggrieved, and powerless. Yi Huawei's logic was cold and powerful; from the perspectives of "consequence theory" and "responsibility theory," he seemed to be right. If her refusal really led him to a more extreme solution, then her "not killing Bo Ren" would result in Bo Ren dying because of her.

But why?! Why should such a heavy responsibility be placed on her alone?
However, another voice resonated in her heart: If what Yi Huawei said was true, if he truly possessed such ability and determination… then, could her own choice really have no impact? Must the Cihang Jingzhai sect's work of saving lives be carried out only in a way that aligns with her own desires? Faced with a potentially worse outcome, did she have the right to refuse to try a “relatively better” possibility simply because the path was “imperfect”?

Saving one person is saving lives. Saving millions is saving lives even more. Even if it means stepping into the mud yourself, or temporarily deviating from certain dogmas...

But this path is so difficult, how far can I go? How can I create and spread these new principles? Will I ultimately achieve nothing, both tainting my Daoist heart and failing to prevent disaster?

Chaotic thoughts raged through her mind like a blizzard. Time seemed to stand still, with only the endless howling of the cold wind.

After an unknown amount of time, Shi Feixuan slowly opened her eyes.

Those eyes, which were once as clear as autumn water, were now bloodshot, filled with exhaustion, and a kind of calm that had settled down after being forced into a desperate situation.

Shi Feixuan raised her head and looked at Yi Huawei, her voice hoarse and low:
"Sir...you've won."

“You have bound my choices with the karmic consequences I cannot bear, and with the ‘worse’ I cannot stand by and watch.”

“…I can try. For that ‘sliver of hope’ you spoke of, for those ‘billions of lives’ that might be saved…Feixuan agrees.”

"But please remember this, and please do this: if I embark on this path, regardless of success or failure, no matter how far I go, as long as I do not break my promise and do my utmost... you must not initiate the policy of annihilation. No matter how difficult this path is, you must share the burden with me, instead of placing all the responsibilities of education on my shoulders, and picking up the butcher's knife again at the slightest setback. This is my condition."

Looking at Shi Feixuan, who seemed to have lost some of her vitality in an instant, yet was supported by something much harder, Yi Huawei felt little triumphant satisfaction, only a cold, knowing understanding. He nodded, his tone returning to its previous indifference:

"Sure. As long as you are truly committed, I will provide all the necessary support, as well as ample time and patience. This path cannot be traversed by one person alone. Your task is to sow the seeds and create possibilities. The rest is my responsibility."

Shi Feixuan fell silent, turning away to gaze at the vast, unknown grasslands to the north. Her back was straight, yet it conveyed a sense of utter isolation.

Lian Rou watched this scene, her heart filled with mixed emotions. Her master had used the cruelest methods to force a fairy onto the path he had set for her. This path might lead to great merit, but its starting point was filled with coercion and helplessness. She suddenly felt a sense of sympathy for Shi Feixuan—before her master's transcendent will and chessboard, they were all just pawns, differing only in their value and purpose.

Yi Huawei said no more and strode forward. His steps remained steady, his back still upright, as if the conversation that had just taken place, which could have determined the fate of countless people, was merely the brushing away of a fallen leaf.

The three set off again, the cold wind still blowing, the wilderness desolate. But the atmosphere among them was completely different from before.

A road paved with blood and the threat of survival quietly began its journey in the cold winds of the frontier. Whether its destination would be salvation or an even greater vortex, no one knew. (End of Chapter)