Republic of China Era: Entering the Dao through Divine Strike.

This isn't a question of whether or not to kill people; it's a question of whether or not it can succeed.

Even after success, things are generally worse than if you hadn't succeeded.

It gave foreigners a legitimate opportunity, and the consequences of colonization are something no one can afford.

Of course, this is not Wang Wu and Tan Shaoyang's fault.

They can't see that far.

It's because these people, living in this era, didn't have eyes in the back of their heads.

They were all trapped by the precarious political situation of the time and bound by the ethical and moral codes between ruler and subject...

Only Li Xin, with a historical perspective steeped in the blood and tears of the next century, saw the affairs of the world clearly.

The corrupt Qing Dynasty before us is rotten to the bone, with deep-rooted and deeply entrenched problems that cannot be salvaged by minor repairs.

Only by completely overthrowing the old system, shattering the outdated order, and establishing a new world governed by the people themselves can we achieve a new life.

"Mr. Tan, Master Wang, please speak freely."

Li Xin remained calm and composed, waiting for the two to explain their purpose. He knew that their paths to saving the country were completely opposite, and there was no possibility of reconciliation.

Tan Shaoyang took a step forward, cupped his hands, bowed deeply, and spoke earnestly and solemnly:

"Scholar Li, last night you faced the foreigners' cannon fire alone, killed the rebels and cultists, and protected the people of the capital."

Such unparalleled martial prowess and compassionate heart for the common people fill me with the utmost respect…

But your impulsive actions and forceful confrontation with other nations have thoroughly enraged them.

"In this chaotic world, it is no longer possible to bring peace to the world with just one person and one sword."

The competition among nations is a contest of national systems, advanced technology, and comprehensive national strength.

No matter how strong your personal martial arts skills are, it's ultimately just the courage of a brute.

Can it withstand last night's barrage of artillery fire, and can it stop the Allied fleet that has crossed the ocean?

Can we resist the schemes of various countries to jointly blockade our borders and gradually erode our territory?

Acting rashly as last night will only lead to the collapse of the dynasty and the displacement of the people.

His gaze was intense, and his tone grew increasingly impassioned:

"The country has been poor and weak for more than a century. The government is corrupt, the military is lax and neglected, and the people are ignorant and closed-minded."

Traditional martial arts can only protect one's local area, not the vast territory.

Inspiring the public's passion can only temporarily stabilize morale, not the fate of a nation...

The superior ships and cannons of the foreigners were not solely due to brute force; the root cause lay in their comprehensive new legal systems, industrial and technological advancements, and the united national effort to reform and strengthen the country.

"Therefore, we are willing to bear the infamy of selling out the country for personal gain and endure all kinds of humiliation inflicted by foreign powers in our efforts to promote reform."

We do not seek momentary integrity, but only the long-term survival of our nation and its people...

We should emulate Britain and Japan by establishing a constitutional monarchy, restraining the power of the emperor, and dismissing corrupt officials.

Establish modern schools, improve road transportation, and advance industry, commerce, technology, and science...

By leveraging the external power of Britain and France to counterbalance conservative officials, the government could reform its administration.

"As long as the new policies can be implemented, and after ten years of recuperation and education of the people, the Qing Dynasty will be able to be transformed and completely get rid of the humiliating situation of being at the mercy of others."

This is the only path to survival we have found by exhausting our efforts and poring over the history books of various countries; it is by no means empty talk on paper.

In Tan Shaoyang's mind, Wang Chao was merely a patient suffering from a serious illness, not someone beyond cure.

As long as we eliminate long-standing malpractices, update the system of governance, and learn advanced technologies from abroad.

It can then strengthen the foundation and nourish the vital energy, and be reborn from the ashes.

This is the belief they shared, and the conviction that made them willing to sacrifice their lives.

It must be said that Tan Shaoyang's speech is indeed very infectious.

His deep concern for the country was evident in his words.

Even Li Xin felt that this man was indeed a real man, full of passion that could move heaven and earth.

But he still shook his head.

He said softly, "Mr. Tan, you're thinking too shallowly. I don't know if reforms can make the country stronger."

But I know that one's position and reputation cannot be given to another.

Once the status is given to foreigners, allowing them to legitimately interfere in domestic affairs, the country is doomed.

It will no longer be our country, but the country of foreigners.

The consequences are far more severe than you could bear by simply "enduring and bearing the burden" as you described.

“There’s no need to provoke conflict; we can just play along,” Tan Shaoyang said stubbornly.

"It's no joke. I know foreigners better than you do."

If you take a step back, they will take ten steps forward.

Only by hurting them, by stepping on their heads, will they obediently become your friends.

Li Xin laughed and said, "Nothing is more trustworthy than force."

"You won't reason with the foreigners unless you slaughter them in a bloodbath. They'll just devour us alive."

Seeing that the two were getting a little heated, Wang Zhengyi quickly tried to smooth things over: "Brother Li, I must say, what Mr. Tan said is the only way out in this desperate situation."

"A person with martial prowess can only protect a small area and show off their strength as an individual."

The survival, rise and fall of a nation depends on the foundation of the entire nation, the knowledge of its people, and its overall national strength.

Your cultivation has broken through again, which must have crossed the threshold that even Grandmasters cannot cross, and entered an unfathomable realm.

Even so, even if you are invincible and can kill invading foreign soldiers, you cannot destroy the endless ships and thousands of cannons of various countries.

You can protect the people of one city, but you can't protect the hundreds of millions of people in the world.

"We martial artists wield our swords to eliminate evil and protect our communities, but this is merely a narrow-minded pursuit of justice within the martial world."

Put aside personal grudges and temper their sharp edges, assist in the implementation of new policies, and revitalize the nation through reform. Wash away the shame of a century of weakness and resolve the humiliations suffered by the nation and its people throughout history.

The greatest principle that will last for millennia is to ensure that the world is free from war and oppression, and that the people live in peace and stability.

I, an old man, earnestly request that you temporarily set aside your grievances with the foreigners and wholeheartedly assist the great cause of reform.

The two, one a scholar and the other a warrior, one gentle and the other strong, were both sincere and passionate.

With only the nation and its people in their hearts, they disregarded personal gain or loss...

Their logic was clear: only when the country is strong can the people be prosperous. They believed that the dynasty must be preserved first, and strength must be accumulated to resist foreign aggression before they could seek peace and happiness for the people.

After hearing this explanation, Li Xin simply shook his head slowly.

His eyes held a sorrowful insight into the end of a century, and he slowly said:

"Both of you are filled with burning passion and your heart is set on saving the country, which is evident to heaven and earth."

Unfortunately, you misdiagnosed the problem and prescribed the wrong remedy...

You think that the Qing Dynasty was just poor and weak, and had only some problems.

In my eyes, this dynasty was already rotten to the bone, had lost the hearts of the people, and was completely dead inside.

It's not worth the effort to prolong its life, and there's absolutely no possibility of it surviving.

Tan Shaoyang's brows furrowed suddenly, and he immediately took half a step forward, his tone filled with stubborn excitement and unwillingness: "How can you draw such a conclusion? Even if the old system is corrupt, it can still be reformed and improved."

Even if imperial power is rigid, it can still be restrained...

Throughout history, many nations have been revived through reforms.

We are implementing reforms only to preserve the nation and save the people. How can you say that we are beyond redemption?

You possess unparalleled military power, yet your radical views have jeopardized the lifeline of the entire nation—how unwise!

Li Xin looked up at him, not angry at all:

"First, you have mistakenly trusted the wolves-like foreign powers, regarding plunderers as mentors and those who bring about national ruin as saviors."

"The countries that crossed the seas to come here could not possibly be doing so to help weak nations, educate barbaric peoples, or help the Qing Dynasty prosper."

They opened treaty ports, feigned assistance, and intervened to mediate disputes, but in reality, it was all undisguised plunder.

Today they promise to help you implement constitutional reforms and check the old forces in the court;

Tomorrow, under the guise of providing assistance, they will seize control of the government, manage the nation's finances, monopolize advanced technology, and station troops on our territory.

There is never a wolf in the world that willingly helps a lamb to grow stronger.

The goodwill shown by the great powers has always been a deadly poison disguised as honey.

You place your hopes on external forces to check and balance the government, and on using the hands of foreign powers to save the country... This seems like a flexible and adaptable way to seek survival, but in reality, it is like inviting wolves into the house and crippling your own bones.

To willingly surrender the nation's destiny...this is not an act of striving for strength, but rather a traitorous act of seeking only to survive.

Tan Shaoyang immediately stepped forward and said quickly, "In times of chaos, the key to survival lies in adaptability; a true man can bend and stretch."

To endure temporary humiliation and make temporary concessions, in exchange for a century of national prosperity and eternal peace, what wrong is there in doing so?

"Japan implemented the Meiji Restoration, patiently and resourcefully learning from the West, and transformed itself in just a few years, becoming one of the great powers."

The Kingdom of Ansa practices a constitutional monarchy, relying on the checks and balances of various forces to reform its national system, thus enabling it to dominate the world.

If other countries can do it, why can't our Qing Dynasty follow suit?

Holding fast to one's principles and blindly fighting to the death with foreign powers will only lead to the spread of war throughout the land and the destruction of the country.

Your actions are not protecting the people; in fact, they are harming the nation and its people.

"Different countries have different national conditions, so the paths they take will naturally be vastly different."

Li Xin's voice was cold and hard: "Secondly, your biggest mistake is that you attempt to repair a corrupt dynasty that enslaves the people and whose interests are deeply entrenched. This is also the biggest difference between us."

"You only see that the enemy is strong and we are weak, and that the country is declining day by day. You believe that as long as we reform and change the system and learn from the new Western system, we can revitalize the country. But you cannot see the deeper problem."

This dynasty, which lasted for a hundred years, was never a court that cared for the people and governed the country; rather, it was a cage that oppressed the people, imprisoned their minds, kept them ignorant, and weakened their power.

It maintains its rule by exploiting the common people, consolidates its imperial power by keeping the people ignorant, and exploits the people at every level by corrupt officials and gentry.

It cruelly exploited its own people, stifling their livelihoods; it groveled before foreign powers, ceding land and paying silver in reparations.

Its corruption was not merely due to corrupt officials and outdated systems.

Rather, it is the system itself that is completely rotten.

You are determined to preserve imperial power, maintain the old system of governance, and preserve this cannibalistic old order.

To think that changing a few government decrees and learning a little Western technology will lead to national prosperity and strength is nothing but wishful thinking.

This new policy, on the surface, seems to benefit the country and its people, but in reality, it can only treat the symptoms and not the root cause.

You dare not challenge the imperial power, dare not overthrow the exploitative system, and dare not untie the shackles binding the people.

It's a joke that all the reform measures were based on support from the upper echelons.

If the rotten roots are not removed, even the most lush branches and leaves will eventually wither and die.

Wang Zhengyi said in a deep voice, "Brother Li, your thinking is too extreme."

A country cannot be without a ruler for a single day. In chaotic and turbulent times, the survival of the nation is of paramount importance...

As long as the country and its people are preserved and the nation's strength gradually increases, the bureaucracy can be reformed and the common people can be appeased.

First, we must consolidate the foundation of the nation, and then seek to improve people's well-being. This gradual approach is the right way.

You talk about overthrowing all the time, and about destroying everything the moment you open your mouth.

Such actions will inevitably destroy the nation and plunge the world into chaos. Ultimately, it will only lead to the division of the country and the suffering of the people.

"This is the fundamental and unsolvable difference between us."

Li Xin categorically denied this claim, his gaze sharp as a drawn sword.

"What you are wholeheartedly protecting is the continuation of the dynasty, the stability of imperial power, and the dignity of the court."

To preserve the dynasty and resist foreign aggression, they could endure the humiliation inflicted by the great powers.

Ignoring the suffering of the people, they pinned their hopes on mere reform to prolong life, and slowly pushed forward with change.