Warhammer Cultivation: Cultivating the Tao Te Ching in the 40K Universe

"So, come on, Ryan Aljonsen!"

"Let us decide, in the oldest and truest language of the empire—"

"Who has the right to define 'justice'?"

Chapter 177 Battle Against the Lion King (Part 1)

As soon as this statement came out, everyone in the audience was shocked!

"Madman!" Saint Gilles' face was filled with worry and disbelief. He couldn't understand why Hector would use such a suicidal method to prove his "way"!

For the first time, Conrad Coates's abyss-like eyes were stirred by this arrogant self-confidence that came from a mortal, and a ripple called "interest" appeared!

A silent, morbidly pleased smile spread across his pale face.

Like the most discerning theatergoer who has finally waited for the opening of a performance, he slowly stepped back, giving the entire stage to this... duel between mortals and lions.

Ryan Aljonson's aura instantly materialized into a tangible winter, and he was utterly enraged!

This is the most direct and unforgivable provocation against him, the First Legion, and the Imperial "law"!

How dare a mortal, a "philosopher" who only knows how to talk big, challenge him, the emperor's first son, in front of his two brothers?

“I accept.” The lion’s cold voice was like a final judgment. “I will personally use my sword to weigh your so-called ‘balance’ for the ‘laws’ of Terra, and see how much weight it truly has.”

"Go, put on your power armor!"

Hector shook his head.

Without looking at the other two Primarchs, he simply made a "please" gesture to the Lion King, as if a playwright about to begin a performance was inviting his protagonist to the stage.

One moment he was a philosopher trying to articulate his principles; the next he was the broken garden itself.

His breath was in sync with the breeze; his heartbeat was in sync with the earth; in his abyss-like eyes, the reflection was no longer of a lion, but of the entire "Wenxinzhai"—the shattered laws, the distorted space, and the chaotic light of the universe's origin shining through the cracks.

He was still unarmed, his feet were awkwardly positioned, and his hands hung naturally at his sides, his whole body full of "flaws".

But in Ryan Aljonson's subatomic senses, the mortal before him had vanished, replaced by an absolute "circle".

A "Tao" that is without beginning or end, without flaw or impurity, and perfectly in harmony with the laws of space.

It is not defense, but inclusion; not confrontation, but guidance. It is as if the entire universe has found balance within this "circle".

A hint of solemnity flashed across the lion's icy face.

This mortal was not reckless; on the contrary, he was extremely intelligent. He forcibly changed today's "topic."

A trial was forcibly turned into a duel—the Knight King versus a mortal monk.

The air was thick with the scorching smell of metal and energy. In the distance, the Qi practitioners in the Taoist temple held their breath, their eyes filled with a mixture of fear and reverence, their hearts pounding like drums.

Although the other party was not wearing armor, Ryan Aljonsen subconsciously put aside his contempt for mortals and slowly tightened his grip on the Lion King Sword.

It was Hector who made the first move.

There was no warning, no action.

Just a moment ago, he was still standing still, several meters away from the lion.

In the next instant, his figure appeared in front of Ryan like a ghost!

So fast that even the Primarch's superhuman dynamic vision could only catch a blurry afterimage! Only the most powerful angel present managed to capture Hector's movements at their absolute limit.

"Boom!!!"

A dull, thunderous sound, like a battering ram striking a city gate, exploded out before the incredulous eyes of the three demigods!

Hector's seemingly ordinary right fist had already landed solidly on Ryan Aljonson's indestructible Terminator breastplate!

The dark green ceramic steel armor covering the lion's body let out a groan of unbearable strain. Centered on the fist imprint, countless fine cracks visible to the naked eye spread wildly like a spider web!

Ryan Aljonson, the first son of the emperor known for his perseverance and indomitable spirit, was actually knocked back two steps by a single punch from this mortal!

Each step left a terrifying footprint, several inches deep, on the hard alloy floor!

The entire Wenxinzhai was plunged into a silence deeper than death.

A look of utter horror flashed in Saint Gilles's deep blue eyes!

In the shadows, Conrad Coz's morbid smile froze on his face, replaced by an unprecedented expression of fanaticism and confusion.

A mortal man, using pure physical strength, repelled Ryan? This... this is more absurd, and more... interesting than any torture he has ever seen!

Ryan himself slowly lowered his head, looking at the crystal-clear fist imprint on his breastplate, which even carried a trace of scorching heat. In his green, star-like eyes, a fury powerful enough to melt stars and an undisguised shock burned.

"The Primarch's power armor is indeed sturdy."

Hector withdrew his fist and spoke calmly, as if he were simply stating an objective fact.

But this praise, at this moment, sounds like the ultimate provocation to a Primarch!

"Again!" The lion's roar no longer carried the calm of a judge, but only the fury of a warrior!

His figure vanished completely into thin air, replaced by an "order cage" composed of billions of sword lights that enveloped the entire garden!

Every sword light was filled with absolute power and speed!

They slashed at Hector simultaneously from all directions, from the past and the future, from every unimaginable angle! This was the swordsmanship of the First Legion! It was the most rigorous and deadly net of heaven and earth, forged by the Caliban Knights with the blood of countless behemoths!

However, Hector, who was at the center of the Sword Network, seemed to have turned into a fallen leaf in a storm.

He didn't look at any of the sword lights; his body, in a posture far beyond the limits of ordinary people, yet full of a certain rhythm, began to "dance."

Forward, backward, left, right, turn, bow, and so on... Every movement of his seemed slow, yet was incredibly fast.

His figure weaved through the gaps between countless sword lights. He was like a highly skilled dancer, and those sword lights, powerful enough to destroy chariots, became his perfect accompaniment!

There was not a single collision, not a single clang.

Ryan's storm-like attacks left countless fine marks on Hector's gray robe, but Saint Gilles clearly saw that the "Dao Body" under the clothes was cut and then healed instantly, almost without any damage!

But this was not without its price—Hector's "flowing water," though wondrous, also consumed his vital energy. Each guidance was like walking on a knife's edge; the slightest deviation would mean annihilation. His breathing grew heavier, fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and the scratches on his robes became increasingly numerous.

This is the most incredible "preaching" that took place on the edge of a knife!

Hector used his own body to demonstrate another kind of "reason" to the knight king who held the "law".

A kind of ultimate freedom that transcends all "rules" and is called "Tao".

But the Lion King was no ordinary man.

In the midst of the sword net, he suddenly changed his move, and the Lion King Sword transformed into a dark green hurricane, aiming straight for Hector's weakness!

This time, it wasn't a simple slash, but rather incorporated Caliban's savagery—the blade was wreathed in the power of the void, attempting to tear Hector's "circle" apart.

Chapter 178 Battle Against the Lion King (Part 2)

Hector flipped his right hand, and the Yin-Yang Sword appeared out of thin air! The sword was like a yin-yang fish, with black and white intertwined, half as supple as water and half as fierce as a mountain.

He took an unconventional approach, transforming the Yin-Yang Sword into a black and white arc of light, using "flowing water" to dissolve the chains, while simultaneously turning the sword and infusing it with the power of "mountain collapse," slashing towards the Lion King's shoulder!

Swords clashed, armor struck, and sparks flew. Large sections of the Lion King's shoulder armor were pierced and torn, but his fighting spirit burned even brighter. He thrust out a knee, aiming for Hector's abdomen!

At that very moment, Saint Gilles and Coz both exclaimed in astonishment.

Saint Gilles' eyes widened, and he growled, "A... mortal? This... this surpasses the limits of mortals!"

Koz's sickly face froze completely, and he murmured, "Ha... a mortal, you actually managed to hurt Ryan? This is truly... an unprecedented surprise!"

Hector groaned, his abdomen wracked with pain, his insides burning as if on fire.

But he used the momentum to flip backward, and with a spinning slash of the Two Elements Sword, he repelled the Lion King's arm armor. The two exchanged blows with incredible speed and power, each move dangerous.

The garden was in ruins, with rocks shattered and energy storms raging.

The Lion King's armor was damaged in many places, while Hector had several deep sword wounds, some so deep that bone was visible, and he was bleeding profusely and breathing rapidly.

"enough!!!"

Ryan's figure re-emerged at the heart of the storm.

On his face, which looked as if it had been sculpted by a glacier, veins bulged, and all his composure and pride were replaced by an unprecedented sense of humiliation!

The Lion King Sword in his hand, the force field on the blade was compressed to the extreme in an instant, emitting a dazzling white light like the core of the sun, which was too dazzling to look at directly!

He was finally forced to unleash his overwhelming fighting spirit on the battlefield by a "mortal"!

Without technique, without variation, only the purest, most irrational thing remains—enough to cleave the very laws themselves in two with a single stroke—an absolute straight line!

The entire space of Wenxinzhai seemed to be completely "formatted" in the face of this sword!

Everything—light, dust, energy—was swallowed up by the dazzling white light, leaving only the sword's edge that represented "the end"!

However, at that very moment, just as the "end" was about to arrive, Hector's eyes, which had returned to their original darkness, became clear and empty, as if reflecting the "nothingness" at the very beginning of the universe.

He didn't look at the sword's edge. His gaze fell on the lion holding the sword.

Then, he slowly raised his right hand, gripped the Yin-Yang Sword, and gently... drew a circle towards the white light that was capable of destroying everything.

"Taoist Understanding - Effortless Mastery!"

Using the Yin-Yang Sword as a brush, a perfect circle was drawn in the void!

The interplay of black and white light reveals the ultimate meaning of Tai Chi within the circle—encompassing all things and resolving all laws. The circle appears simple, yet it is like an invisible black hole, devouring all the laws and powers surrounding it.

An absolutely straight line, piercing the perfect circle.

The Lion King's "End" crashed into that perfect circle, like a raging lion charging into an endless sea.

First, a burst of white light appeared, attempting to tear the circle apart; but then, the circle rotated as if alive, resiliently guiding, dissolving, and decomposing the white light. At the center of the circle, the Lion King Sword began to crumble inch by inch—not severed, but reduced to its most basic molecules by the "Daoist dissolution"!

Metal atoms and energy particles scattered like dust, vanishing into the void. The Lion King himself was blasted back five steps by the recoil, his chest armor completely shattered, and he could no longer hold back, spitting out a mouthful of blood. The spiritual energy laws within his body became chaotic, and the Lion King Sword below the hilt was completely reduced to nothing.

Hector also staggered back more than eight steps, using the broken tip of the Yin-Yang Sword to keep himself standing.

With the final blow, his entire right arm was almost completely shattered, and he had several deep wounds all over his body that exposed the bone. Blood stained the sword hilt, his true energy was almost exhausted, and his face was as pale as paper.

But he stopped, and with each breath, his microcosmic orbit frantically circulated, repairing his Dao body and true essence.

Hector's lips curled up slightly. "Just stand there."

Saint Gilles and Coz exchanged a complex look. The angel even noticed a faint light emanating from the depths of Hector's body, as he rapidly drew spiritual energy from the void to heal his wounds.

Finally, beneath that nameless ancient tree, amidst those long-shattered ruins, two figures, one divine and one mortal, perfectly formed a living picture filled with the beauty of contradiction and harmony…

—A dynamic Tai Chi diagram.

After the lion king stood still, he lowered his head, his expression unreadable, and his body remained still.

The Primarch, the Imperial Guard, the members of the Dao Academy, and all the Terran forces that had turned their attention to the Inquiry Hall were now speechless with shock.

Hector didn't know what others thought, but he knew that for the first time, the three Primarchs before him would look at him, a mere mortal, with the same eyes they would use to look at an "opponent of equal caliber."

Neither side used any psionic energy.

Although the Lion King only used a sword, he did not use any other equipment or technology.

Although both sides had an unspoken understanding that this duel was better to be injured than killed, they were still far from fighting to the death.

Although in the end, his injuries were much more severe than Ryan's.

Regardless, this is a contest of equal strength.

"Equivalent" already puts the original body at a disadvantage.

Furthermore, it planted a subversive seed in their proud, demigod-like hearts: "Even mortals can rival gods!"

This also made them... truly doubtful of Fabius Bayer's alluring "antidote" to "geneticism."

Hector also gained a clear understanding of the strength of his "Tao Body"...

......

The silence did not last long.

His voice wasn't loud, but it echoed clearly across the ruins that had witnessed the "miracle."

"Now, I believe the three of you can hear... my 'Tao'."

"Your flaws stem from an imbalance in your soul, not from genetic errors. External repairs will only lead to deeper corruption. True strength comes from inner harmony."

"Words are pale. But the 'Tao' is real."

"Now, please allow me to demonstrate to the three of you the true essence of the 'inner seeking' path..."