Chinese animation: Starting with Bad Guys

In the end, amidst extreme resentment, unwillingness, and irreconcilable hatred, Prince Dan of Yan, the rebellious leader of the Mohist school, who had schemed and plotted and was burdened with endless sins such as murdering his master, usurping the throne, coercing righteous men, and exploiting his own relatives, breathed his last.

His eyes were wide open, and he died with his eyes open in disbelief.

Inside the secret chamber of the Ink Core, there was an eerie silence.

All that remained were heavy breathing sounds and desperate sobs after the collapse of faith.

The Mohist school experienced its darkest and most humiliating day since its founding.

Chapter 73 The Mohists Submit, Harmony Between Heaven and Man

Ji Dan's body lay on the cold ground, his unclosed eyes staring blankly at the shattered dome of the Ink Core Chamber.

The air was so heavy it was almost stagnant, with only the suppressed sobs and heavy breathing of the Mohist disciples remaining.

The collapse of faith is more suffocating than the poisonous fog of a thousand nights of poisoned feathers.

Qin Chuan's gaze shifted from Ji Dan's corpse, swept over the group of distraught Mo family disciples, and finally landed on Master Ban, who was weeping uncontrollably.

His voice no longer carried its previous sharpness, but instead exuded an undeniable authority:

"Ji Dan, the leader of the Mohist school, has irrefutable evidence of his crimes and deserves his fate. However, the Mohist mechanical arts are ingenious and should have been used to benefit the world and bring happiness to all people, rather than being hidden in the mountains and becoming a tool for rebellion and resistance, and should not be used by ambitious people to satisfy their selfish desires."

He paused slightly, his voice echoing clearly in the silent, secret room:

"I hereby declare that the remaining disciples of the Mohist school will be pardoned for their past transgressions. The Mohist Mechanical City will be taken over by the Empire. Master Ban, as a senior elder of the Mohist school, you are highly respected. I will give you a choice:"

Leading the disciples of the Mohist school, we submit to the Empire. With the wisdom of the Mohists and the power of the Empire, we will jointly forge tools that benefit the nation and its people, build roads and bridges, improve agricultural implements, and develop water conservancy, so that the art of machinery can truly benefit all. Only in this way can we live up to the true meaning of Mozi's principles of "universal love" and "non-aggression." Are the Mohists willing to serve the Empire and the people of the world?

Master Ban's body trembled violently.

He looked at his desperate disciples, at the destruction of the Mo family's centuries-old foundation, and at the deep wounds inflicted by Ji Dan's betrayal.

It's no longer possible, and it's meaningless.

Should the Mohist school be allowed to perish?

He couldn't bear it, and felt even more ashamed before his ancestor.

Tears streamed down the old man's face. Master Ban struggled, but finally bowed deeply, his voice hoarse and heavy:

“Your Majesty…what you say is reasonable. The Mohists are willing to use their mechanical skills to serve the Empire and benefit the people.”

These words seemed to drain all his strength, yet they also carried a sense of liberation and resolute determination.

The surviving Mohist disciples looked at each other, and finally lowered their heads, acquiescing to Master Ban's decision.

Survival, and the hope of passing on the Mohist arts, overwhelmed the urge for revenge.

Qin Chuan nodded slightly, acknowledging the result. Then, his deep gaze, like an invisible shackle, instantly locked onto Xiaoyaozi and Zhang Liang, who were about to quietly retreat towards the entrance.

"Master Xiaoyao, Master Zifang, the matter of the Mohist school is settled. Are you two leaving now?"

Xiaoyaozi and Zhang Liang froze for a moment.

They knew how formidable Qin Chuan was, and they understood that the situation was beyond their control.

Xiaoyaozi bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the affairs of the Mohist school are their internal matters, and it is inconvenient for this humble Taoist priest and Zifang to stay any longer. We shall take our leave now."

Zhang Liang also bowed slightly, his expression solemn.

However, two figures blocked their path like ghosts.

Xiaomeng held the Autumn Horse in her hand, her Taoist robe fluttering even without wind, her cool eyes staring directly at Xiaoyaozi:

"Xiaoyaozi of the Human Sect has been in charge of 'Snow Clearing' for many years. The five-year period is approaching, and the Heaven and Human Sects are about to hold a Dao discussion. Is our meeting today not the will of Heaven? We can take this opportunity to settle the century-old grudge between our two sects and save ourselves from having to travel again in the future."

Her words carried an undeniable challenge. The old story of the Human Sect defeating the Heavenly Sect's Chisongzi under the leadership of Xiaoyaozi five years ago and seizing "Snow Clearing" became the perfect trigger.

On the other side, although Wei Zhuang's left shoulder was stained with blood and his breathing was slightly unsteady, the chilling killing intent of the Shark Tooth Sword was still firmly locked onto Zhang Liang.

His golden, vertical pupils held a hint of complexity, but his tone remained as cold as ever:

"Zifang, old friends reunited, why the rush to leave? Is your obsession still with the vanished state of Han? Different choices lead to different paths. Today, let us use our swords to test our respective paths!"

There is no way out but to fight!

Xiaomeng and Xiaoyaozi made their moves almost simultaneously!

Xiao Mengqing shouted, "The world has lost its color!"

An indescribable grayish-white field suddenly spread out from her center!

Within the realm, colors faded, sounds vanished, even the air seemed to freeze, and the concepts of time and space became blurred, leaving only pure stillness and the sense of end!

This is precisely the supreme Daoist law of the Heavenly Sect, which strips all things of their vitality and returns them to chaos.

Xiaoyaozi's expression was solemn. The Snow Clearing Sword in his hand emitted a warm, green light, and he drew a sword incantation: "All things return to spring!"

A powerful and vibrant Daoist aura emanated from him, like a gentle spring breeze and nourishing rain.

Wherever it passed, the edges of the desolate gray-white domain were tinged with a soft green, as if the withered vitality had been forcibly awakened, forming a stark contrast with the "loss of color in the world".

Azure light and grayish-white light collided and dissolved violently in the center of the secret room, emitting a silent roar that distorted the space itself!

The duel between two top Taoist masters is no longer a pure contest of martial prowess, but a clash of Taoist realms and philosophies.

The deathly grayness and the vibrant greenness eroded each other, neither gaining the upper hand, and for a time they were locked in a stalemate.

Just as the battle reached its stalemate, Qin Chuan, who had been watching with his hands behind his back, his gaze as deep as the starry sky, suddenly spoke softly. His voice was not loud, but it clearly pierced through the roar of the Daoist magic and reached Xiao Meng's mind:

"Heaven is not man, and man is not heaven, yet heaven and man interact and are originally one. Why distinguish between them? Why discuss superiority and inferiority? Destruction precedes construction, and life is born from death; this is the true essence of the Great Dao's cycle."

These words were like a sudden awakening, instantly striking the depths of Xiaomeng's Dao heart!

The ultimate truth of Heaven that she pursued, and the realm of ruthlessness she sought, seemed to have a completely new door opened for her.

Heaven is ruthless, but humanity is compassionate. They may seem to be opposites, but in reality, they are two sides of the same coin!

Forcibly separating things and pursuing perfection will only lead to inferior results!

An unprecedentedly brilliant light burst forth in Xiaomeng's eyes!

A sudden inspiration struck her, and the trajectory of the Qiu Li sword in her hand abruptly changed!

Suddenly, a vibrant emerald green emerged from the core of the previously distinct gray-white "world lost its color" domain!

This emerald green is not Xiaoyaozi's "rejuvenation of all things", but rather the meaning of "life" that is born from Xiaomeng's own lifeless Dao realm!

Immediately afterwards, this emerald green color rapidly spread and swirled, not clashing with the gray and lifeless power, but rather blending together seamlessly!

Gray and white are no longer a pure deprivation, and emerald green is no longer a simple bestowal.

The two intertwine and flow, forming a strange realm where chaos first opened, yin and yang rotated, and life and death were interdependent!

A vast, all-encompassing Daoist aura, seemingly containing the true meaning of the birth and extinction of the universe, spread out!

"Harmony between Heaven and Man!"

Xiaomeng's cool voice trembled slightly with a hint of sudden realization.

This is precisely the new Taoist realm she created by integrating Qin Chuan's guidance, combining the essence of "the world losing its color" and "all things returning to spring," and transcending the barriers between the two schools of Heaven and Man!

The moment this chaotic realm appeared, Xiaoyaozi's "Rejuvenation of All Things" seemed to have met its nemesis.

His emerald green Daoist aura was rapidly devoured and assimilated by the flowing chaotic power, and he could no longer maintain his independent domain.

The light of the Snowfall Sword dimmed rapidly!

As if struck by a heavy blow, Xiaoyaozi coughed up a mouthful of blood, staggered back several steps, and his face instantly turned ashen.

He gazed at the chaotic realm imbued with supreme Daoist principles, his eyes filled with shock, relief, and ultimately, deep admiration and liberation.

“Well… well, what a wonderful ‘unity of heaven and man’… transcending the struggle between heaven and man… this is… the highest realm that my Taoist school pursues…”

Xiaoyaozi, panting, wore a complex smile. He laboriously raised his hand and presented the Snowfall Sword, its light subdued, with both hands.

"Master Xiaomeng... has attained profound Daoist understanding... has reached the pinnacle of perfection... I am completely convinced... After the snow clears... I should return to the Heavenly Sect... no... I should return to the true holder of the Dao..."

He looked at Xiaomeng, then at Qin Chuan, his eyes now devoid of any remaining obsession. "I only hope that Master... can end this conflict between heaven and man... and allow Taoism... to reunite... and bring blessings to all living beings..."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiaoyaozi sat down cross-legged, his face showing a calm expression of understanding and liberation.

His internal energy suddenly became disordered, his heart meridian broke, and he passed away suddenly.

After witnessing a higher realm of Dao, the leader of the Human Sect chose to end his own life, entrusting the future of the Human Sect and the hope of Daoism to the new order represented by Xiaomeng and Qin Chuan.

Almost at the same moment Xiaoyaozi fell, the outcome of the battle on the other side was also decided.

Zhang Liang's Lingxu Sword, with its clear and sharp light and exquisite moves, fully demonstrates the grandeur and unpredictability of Confucian swordsmanship.

However, his opponent is Wei Zhuang!

Even though Wei Zhuang's left shoulder was injured and his strength was diminished, his swordsmanship, which combined overwhelming power and ruthlessness, as well as the experience and ruthlessness honed by countless life-and-death battles, were far superior to Zhang Liang's.

The Shark Tooth Sword was like a bloodthirsty beast, each slash carrying the momentum to tear everything apart, forcing Zhang Liang to constantly dodge and parry, his sword momentum completely suppressed.

Although Zhang Liang's swordsmanship was superb, it appeared too "rule-bound" and "idealistic" under Wei Zhuang's ferocious offensive and accurate predictions.

"Zifang! Is your sword still lingering at the banquet in Xinzheng?!"

Wei Zhuang shouted sharply, seizing a barely perceptible opening in Zhang Liang's swordplay, and suddenly swung his Shark Tooth Sword through the void, the cold blade like a venomous snake instantly pressing against Zhang Liang's throat!

Zhang Liang froze, his Lingxu sword hovering in mid-air.

He could clearly feel the chilling death emanating from the Shark Tooth Sword's edge.

Wei Zhuang's golden vertical pupils were fixed on Zhang Liang's eyes, which held shock and resentment, but deepest of all, was his unwavering devotion to his homeland.

Wei Zhuang's voice lowered, carrying a hint of barely perceptible complexity:

"Do you see that? This is the end of the path you've chosen. Restoring your kingdom? A bubble that has long since vanished! Dwelling on it will only dull your sword and take you further away from true power!"

Zhang Liang remained silent, his Adam's apple bobbing, but he did not speak.

His eyes remained stubborn.

Wei Zhuang looked up at Qin Chuan: "What should we do with him?"

All eyes were once again focused on Qin Chuan.

Qin Chuan's gaze swept over Zhang Liang, then looked into the distance, as if penetrating the stone wall of the Ink Core Chamber and seeing the sacred Confucian site—Little Sage Village.

He spoke slowly, his voice calm yet authoritative:

"Master Zifang is a leading figure in Confucianism. Killing him would be inauspicious and unbecoming of a guest. He shall be detained for now. Once this matter is settled, I will personally visit Xiaoshengxianzhuang to pay my respects to Master Xun and Master Fu Nian. As for the affairs of Confucianism and the path that Confucianism should take, we can discuss it then."