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At the summit of the mountain, before the Cihang Hall, the air seemed to freeze.

Fan Qinghui's cold gaze, like a tangible icicle, contained the majesty and unyielding aura of the Holy Land's ruler, firmly locking onto the figure shrouded in a gray robe below the steps. Shi Feixuan stood between the two, feeling an invisible pressure like a mountain collapsing, almost suffocating her.

Yi Huawei slowly raised his head, meeting Fan Qinghui's scrutinizing gaze. Beneath the shadow of his hood, his deep eyes were calm and unwavering, seemingly capable of absorbing all light. He spoke, his voice hoarse and flat, yet clearly piercing the frozen air:
"My name is Wuming. I have come here to see the He Shi Bi jade and to read the Cihang Sword Manual."

He got straight to the point, his tone as calm as if he were stating a trivial matter.

"Be bold!"

A cold light suddenly gathered in Fan Qinghui's eyes! She had been in charge of Jingzhai for many years and had never seen anyone so arrogant and so disregardful of the majesty of the Holy Land!
A powerful, pure aura erupted from her body instantly, her moon-white robes fluttering without wind, and fleeting images of flowing springs and blooming lotuses flashed across the plaza. An invisible pressure belonging to a Grandmaster level descended like a cascading waterfall, crashing down upon Yi Huawei! This was a warning, but also a punishment! She would make this arrogant fool, who dared not acknowledge his own limitations, prostrate himself before the majesty of the Holy Land!
Shi Feixuan's expression changed drastically, and she cried out in alarm, "Master!"

However, faced with this terrifying pressure that would shatter the minds of even ordinary grandmasters, Yi Huawei didn't even lift an eyelid. He remained standing there quietly, the hem of his gray cotton robe motionless. Just as Fan Qinghui's overwhelming and holy pressure was about to engulf him—

hum!
A deep, resonant tremor, seemingly emanating from the depths of the earth, suddenly filled the air, centered on Yi Huawei. An indescribable, pure, and absolute sense of presence permeated the air. There was no dazzling light, no surging true energy, only an absolute, timeless sense of weight and stillness. It felt as if the entire foundation of Emperor's Peak had suddenly come alive, rising abruptly from the ground!

Fan Qinghui's overwhelming aura of purity and holiness collided with this invisible "silence," just like ice and snow hitting molten lava, instantly melting and disintegrating! Not only did it fail to shake the opponent in the slightest, but an irresistible force of backlash, along the invisible spiritual connection, struck Fan Qinghui's mind like an invisible giant hammer!
"Ok!"

Fan Qinghui let out a muffled groan, an unnatural flush flashing across her exquisitely beautiful face, and her body swayed slightly involuntarily! For the first time, disbelief and horror appeared in her eyes! She felt as if she were facing not a person, but a fragment of a star that had fallen from the primordial chaos, heavy, cold, and immutable since time immemorial! The pressure of her proud "Compassionate Sword Manual," which could influence one's spirit and will, was so utterly vulnerable before her opponent!
His internal energy was about to explode with all its might, and his sword technique was already at its limit. A sharp and unparalleled sword intent was about to burst out of his body!

"Master! Wait!"

Shi Feixuan's urgent voice rang out, trembling slightly. She rushed forward to Fan Qinghui, not to block her, but to face her master, and whispered urgently, "Master! This person...this person is unfathomable! Feixuan has been traveling with him and has sensed something! And...and he didn't come here just to seize it! He...he discussed with Feixuan on the way...discussed the Way of Jingzhai!"

She practically choked out the last sentence. It was a way to save face for her master, but also a way to point out the crux of the problem—this person was not simply a violent provocateur; his "reasoning" was equally dangerous.

Fan Qinghui forcibly suppressed her surging blood and shock, her sharp sword intent slowly receding, but her eyes grew even more solemn and icy. She looked at Shi Feixuan, then at Yi Huawei, who remained as calm as an abyss, her voice still clear and cold, but now tinged with a hint of deep concentration: "Regarding my Jingzhai Dao? Feixuan, what did he say on the way?"

Shi Feixuan took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, and quickly and concisely relayed Yi Huawei's shocking remarks in the carriage about the legitimacy of Jingzhai's "acting on behalf of Heaven," that its very existence was a disruption of order, and the danger of "absolute correctness."

With each sentence she repeated, Fan Qinghui's expression grew more serious. By the end, her gaze had become incredibly profound, falling once more on Yi Huawei, devoid of any contempt, replaced only by unprecedented solemnity and scrutiny.

In the square, the cold wind swept through the pine and cypress trees, making a mournful sound.

"Your words are profound and astonishing."

Fan Qinghui finally spoke again, her voice clear and steady, like ice and jade striking each other: "However, our Jingzhai has a thousand-year-old tradition, upholding the righteous path, helping the weak and stabilizing the nation in times of chaos, choosing wise rulers, ending wars, and saving the people from suffering. This is a blessing for all living beings, witnessed by all righteous people under heaven. Your terms of 'privilege' and 'source of chaos' are not only a distortion of the truth but also a disregard for the facts?"

Yi Huawei's gaze calmly met Fan Qinghui's, and his gentle tone rang out again, but with a penetrating power colder than the snow on Emperor's Peak:

"Supporting the weak and stabilizing the nation? Choosing a wise ruler? In my opinion, what are the root causes of the rise and fall of dynasties and the change of dynasties?"

Fan Qinghui's eyes were clear and her tone was firm: "The root cause lies in the loss of morality in people's hearts, the loss of virtue in the monarch, and the separatist rule of powerful clans, which led to the collapse of social order and continuous warfare."

"Of course."

Yi Huawei nodded slightly, then changed the subject: "What is Jingzhai's solution? It is not to educate people's hearts, not to uphold the system, not to heal the divisions, but... to use the sword in their hands, and the 'destiny' of the He Shi Bi jade, to select one person, help them remove 'obstacles', and ascend to the throne. What is the essential difference between this and the aristocratic divisions and the power grabs you oppose? It's just a change of the person you 'crowned' and a change of the rhetoric of 'acting on behalf of Heaven.' You haven't touched the root of the chaos; you've only added your own will and power on top of it. Your very existence is a manifestation of 'losing the Way'—a 'Way' that transcends worldly rules."

He took a step forward, and the invisible sense of "silence" spread out, as if the center of gravity of the entire square had shifted towards him:
"You claim to save the people from suffering? I ask you, Master, have you, the disciples of Jingzhai, ever personally lifted a starving person from the fields? Have you ever opened granaries to distribute grain during years of famine? Have you ever enacted laws to restrain the powerful and appease the displaced? All you have done is select what you deem the 'most suitable' pawn in the chaos, and then use force to eliminate the others. When your 'enlightened ruler' sits on the throne, your 'salvation' will be over. As for how he governs in the future, and whether the people truly enjoy peace, that is no longer your concern. Because you have completed the ritual of 'acting on behalf of Heaven,' and returned to your 'secluded cultivation.'"

On the way, Feixuan mentioned that Jingzhai had never acted for personal gain, and this may indeed be true. However, what Jingzhai sought was the fulfillment of the very concept of 'acting on behalf of Heaven,' and the inviolable sacredness of Jingzhai's transcendent position. Isn't this another form of 'selfishness'? A grander and more dangerous 'selfishness' that transcends the well-being of all people?

Fan Qinghui frowned deeply. Yi Huawei's words were like the most precise scalpel, pointing directly to the core paradox of Jingzhai's behavior. She said in a deep voice, "Jingzhai has strict standards for choosing its masters. It will not accept anyone who is not benevolent and virtuous and has the world in their heart! Moreover, although Jingzhai is in seclusion, it will still pay attention to the general trend of the world. If the chosen person is not the right person, it will not stand idly by!"

"Possessing both benevolence and virtue? Having the world in one's heart?"

Yi Huawei's lips seemed to curl into a faint smile, carrying an indescribable sarcasm: "Who sets the standards? Jingzhai. Who carries out the judgment? Jingzhai. Where is the supervisor? No one can supervise Jingzhai. The master of the temple says he 'won't stand idly by,' but how will he 'not stand idly by'? Is he going to 'act on behalf of Heaven' again and depose the 'emperor' you once chose? Wouldn't that be admitting that your previous 'Heavenly Way' was wrong? Or does Jingzhai possess the final decision-making power to depose and install emperors? This kind of power is even more unchecked than imperial power! This is the true 'private bestowal of divine power,' the source of chaos!"

As Yi Huawei's gaze swept over the magnificent Cihang Hall, his tone grew colder:

"Your existence reveals to all ambitious men in the world a 'shortcut' that transcends the will of the people and the legitimacy of the dynasty—gaining the approval of Jingzhai. Thus, warlords no longer focus on governing their own territories or truly winning the hearts of the people, but instead rack their brains to fathom Jingzhai's likes and dislikes, seeking connections with Jingzhai, even resorting to feigned benevolence, all for the sake of obtaining the 'divine mandate' halo of that jade disc and Jingzhai's military support. Your existence distorts the normal order of vying for power, transforming the competition that should be based on governance ability and popular support into a game of 'Jingzhai's approval.' Isn't this exacerbating the chaos, rather than quelling it?" Fan Qinghui's breath hitched slightly. The scene of "competing for Jingzhai's approval" described by Yi Huawei was an angle she had never deeply considered. She forcefully retorted, "Jingzhai upholds justice and possesses keen insight; how could it be deceived by pretense?"

"Public-mindedness?"

Yi Huawei's voice suddenly took on a cold, authoritative tone: "Absolute impartiality is absolute dictatorship. No one can guarantee that Jingzhai will always be right, no one can guarantee that Jingzhai's 'Way of Heaven' will never be tainted by selfishness or prejudice. When you hold unchecked power and the righteous cause of 'acting on behalf of Heaven,' a single wrong judgment can lead to the destruction of the country and the suffering of countless people! And you can simply retreat to Emperor's Peak and shirk all responsibility with a simple 'the Way of Heaven is unpredictable.' Your so-called 'impartiality' is nothing but arrogance wrapped in enormous risks!"

He looked directly into Fan Qinghui's eyes, each word striking like a heavy hammer against an ancient bluestone slab:

"True peace stems from the goodness of the system, from the combination of the virtue of the ruler and the power of the people, and from the effective checks and balances on power. It does not come from the appointment of a high and unchecked 'arbitrator'! You, Cihang Jingzhai, claim to be detached from worldly affairs and cultivate purity, yet you interfere in politics; you proclaim to act on behalf of Heaven, yet you wield power that oversteps its bounds; you pity the common people, yet your very existence has become one of the hidden dangers that prevent the world from truly finding peace! You are, on the chessboard of this chaotic world, a 'source of chaos' that you consider yourself detached, but in reality, has a far-reaching influence!"

"shut up!"

Fan Qinghui's expression finally changed, her beautiful face covered with frost, and a sword intent far more fierce than before soared into the sky, stirring up the wind and clouds on the peak!
Yi Huawei's words go beyond mere accusation; they fundamentally negate the meaning and value of Jingzhai's thousand-year existence! This is a complete destruction of the foundation of faith!

However, the invisible "silence" domain surrounding Yi Huawei remained as solid as a mountain, firmly isolating Fan Qinghui's burgeoning sword intent. He calmly looked at the Jingzhai Master, who had lost his composure due to the shock of his faith, and his tone returned to its initial indifference:

"The He Shi Bi jade and the sword manual. I will only observe them for three days. After three days, I will leave. ... Don't tell me the He Shi Bi jade is at Jingnian Temple; I know it's here!"

After saying that, he ignored Fan Qinghui, whose aura was fluctuating violently, and Shi Feixuan, whose face was pale, and walked towards a side hall next to Cihang Hall where worshippers could rest.

Fan Qinghui stared intently at the gray figure that disappeared behind the side hall door, her chest heaving with anger, shock, and a hint of wavering that even she herself was unwilling to admit... in her cold eyes.

Shi Feixuan stood frozen in place, Yi Huawei's final assertion echoing repeatedly in her mind: "You... are the pawns of chaos..."

At the summit of Emperor's Peak, the tranquility of the ancient temple, which had stood for a thousand years, had vanished, leaving only a biting wind howling through the pine forest like a sob.

The door to the side hall closed behind Yi Huawei, shutting out the biting cold wind from the summit of Emperor's Peak and the almost frozen air in the square.

Fan Qinghui stood rooted to the spot, her moon-white Daoist robe fluttering even without wind, the blood and qi that had been forcibly suppressed still churning faintly within her meridians. Her exquisitely beautiful face was covered in frost, but her eyes no longer held only anger; they held a deep solemnity and a hint of barely perceptible fear.

"Master..."

Shi Feixuan stepped forward, her voice trembling slightly with lingering fear. She had never seen her master so out of control, nor had she ever seen anyone so easily defuse her master's oppressive aura, even injuring her in the process.

Fan Qinghui raised her hand, stopping Shi Feixuan from speaking. She took a deep breath; the cold air at the summit seemed to calm her turbulent emotions slightly, but her eyes remained sharp as knives.

"This person……"

Fan Qinghui's voice was deep and serious, with an unprecedented solemnity: "This is no ordinary person. Their cultivation is unfathomable. Their words... directly target the very foundation of my Jingzhai, and are extremely ruthless and cunning."

She looked at Shi Feixuan: "Feixuan, you traveled with him all the way. Besides those... shocking remarks, did you notice anything else unusual? His martial arts style? His lineage?"

Shi Feixuan struggled to recall, her delicate brows furrowed: "Reporting to Master, I secretly probed him with my Sword Heart Clarity technique, but it was like a stone sinking into the sea, completely blocked by an invisible 'barrier.' His aura was extremely restrained; his movements were no different from an ordinary person. If not... if he hadn't revealed himself, I wouldn't have been able to detect the slightest fluctuation of his true energy. As for his martial arts style, aside from the fact that he once killed Yuwen Huaji and forced Yuwen Shang to retreat..."

However, Fei Xuan had heard that someone in Shu, resembling him, had once displayed extraordinary skill… instantly draining the opponent's internal energy with an extremely bizarre technique, unheard of by any disciple. As for his master… he claimed to be 'Nameless,' remaining silent on everything else.

"Drain their internal energy?"

Fan Qinghui's pupils contracted slightly: "Such an evil and strange method... could it be the long-lost 'Demonic Seed of the Dao Heart' or 'Heavenly Demon Force Field' of the Demonic Sect? No... no, although the aura on his body is as deep as an abyss, it does not have the slightest sense of evil or ghosts. On the contrary... it has an indescribable ancient and pure quality."

She pondered for a moment, then decisively said, "This person's origins are unknown, his intentions are unpredictable, and his cultivation is so terrifying. We must not readily grant his request to see the He Shi Bi jade and the sword manual!"

“Master’s meaning is…” Shi Feixuan understood immediately.

"Immediately send someone with my Jingzhai secret order to Zhongnan Mountain as quickly as possible to invite 'Sanren' Ning Daoqi!"

(End of this chapter)