"The Great Shang is finished, the Qian Emperor is finished, and today our Confucian school faces imminent decline as well—"

Coincidentally, within a private academy in the Imperial Capital, a scholar in a plain blue gown stared blankly towards the direction of the palace. The expression in his eyes was one of profound, complicated loss.

"Decline? Not necessarily. Our Confucianism, though a prominent doctrine of the age, is rooted among the common people. When the teachings betray the masses, there will inevitably come a day when the masses abandon them. However, our Confucian school has not yet reached the point of being utterly despised by the world."

Behind the blue-gowned scholar, a clear, crisp laugh rang out, causing the former to turn back in surprise.

The scholar behind him, though wearing a smile, held an expression of deep seriousness and gravity in his eyes.

"Wenwei, you may grieve, you may feel indignant, but you must not succumb to dejection. Think of it in reverse: the sorrow of Confucianism today may not be an entirely bad thing. A sober correction now is better than continuing down the wrong path later. I heard that the primeval Fire Phoenix could undergo nirvana through fire. I only hope that after today's catastrophe, our Confucian school may also achieve a rebirth through nirvana—"

"Nirvana?"

Wenwei's expression shifted from surprise to sudden realization: "Yangming, are you suggesting—"

"To restore the true source and build a bridge for our Confucian school. Ren must not hesitate!"

The 'Yangming' gentleman offered a light, easy smile, yet his eyes held an unyielding resolve: "Master Zhu Xi's Dao presumes to cover everything, which I cannot accept. If Confucianism is to be reborn, we cannot remain idle!"

'Wenwei's' spirits instantly lifted, a hint of excitement breaking through: "But do you know the consequences? This is contesting the very lineage with Master Zhu; the path ahead will not be easy—"

Wang Shouren laughed lightly: "Isn't there a saying: where righteousness lies, I shall proceed even if it means facing thousands of men?"

"Then where do you plan to begin? Return to Bailudong Academy to debate the classics with those old masters?"

"Since we aim for the unity of knowledge and action, the redefinition of the classics must be integrated with practice."

Wang Shouren shook his head slightly: "Master Zhu's doctrine is merely placing knowledge before action—correcting the classics first, then applying them to practice. But this method, beginning with empty discourse and debate, is bound to harbor errors. I intend to return to Jiangnan. According to the laws of Great Qian, I will first compete to become a Baili Hou, the magistrate of a county."

'Wenwei' immediately frowned: "With your great talent, Yangming, if you were willing to serve, you could govern an entire province. His Majesty Shenwu is a sage ruler of this age, renowned for his ability to recognize and employ talent. If you presented yourself, you would certainly be highly valued. Why must you stoop to such a low position?"

"Haha! It's hardly a matter of stooping, Wenwei thinks too highly of me."

Wang Shouren actually laughed at the remark: "Besides, what we seek is the rectification of our Confucian teachings, not office or power. Since that is the case, what does the size of the post matter? Rather, these matters of the common folk at the grassroots level are far more important. If Confucianism is to be revived, we absolutely cannot ignore them."

'Wenwei' clearly paused, then shook his head slightly. Though he didn't fully agree, he ceased persuading, knowing his friend was a man of strong convictions. Once a decision was made, not even nine oxen could turn him back.

And what he said did seem to carry some logic.

Within Feng Hua Palace. The golden imperial chair in the study remained intact. However, the body of Emperor Yin seated upon it had been decapitated.

After severing Yin Yu’s head, Zong Shou paid him no further attention, turning instead to gaze up at the sky.

At this moment, Li Biexue was gradually being pushed into a desperate corner. However, Wei Xu and Lin Yuanjing were keeping him contained, merely holding him back, not unleashing their full strength.

This was not out of leniency or deference, but for the sake of inquiry.

"The Primordial Soul of my Senior Brother Xizi was split into six parts in the past. One portion was held by you, Li Biexue. Do you know where it is sealed now? You must understand that our Cang Sheng Dao will eventually find a way to know this, though it will require some effort."

Li Biexue sneered dismissively, seeming unwilling to answer, struggling with all his might against the constraint of the Primordial Magnetic Restraint.

Just as a massive bronze fist hammered down ferociously, Li Biexue prepared to defend, but in mid-air, Lin Yuanjing's Profound Heaven Easy Spirit Transformation swapped him with a Void Divine Art.

Then, struck by the overwhelming force, he was slammed violently into the ground like a kite whose string had snapped!

The Sanqian Zhang high up, Daoist Yuanjing, remained expressionless: "Li Biexue, your life has been filled with egregious crimes; you deserve eternal suppression and return to chaos. However, if you reveal the whereabouts of my Senior Brother, our Cang Sheng Dao will only seal you for eight million cycles. After eight million cycles, you may revive."

Li Biexue's expression flickered, then he erupted into a manic, wild laughter: "Eight million cycles? You ask for Li Biexue to be unable to think or perceive for eight million cycles? After eight million cycles, who knows if this domain world will even exist?"

Lin Xuanjing snorted, knowing negotiation was impossible. His form flashed like a phantom, streaking through the void. With a single flicker, he appeared behind Li Biexue.

Again employing the Profound Heaven Easy Spirit Transformation swap, Xu Fu’s Primordial Magnetic Splitting Blade struck Li Biexue’s physical body without resistance.

Meanwhile, in the sky, the sword in Wei Xu’s hand began to glow with a grey-white pallor once more.

Zong Shou watched quietly from a distance, making no move to stop them. He had intended to ask Li Biexue for the method to dispel the curse restriction.

But looking at the current situation, questioning him would likely be fruitless. Even if Li Biexue revealed the method of breaking it, Zong Shou could not feel assured.

Su Xiaoxiao's Dao Foundation had been broken and then re-established. Affected by the curse restriction, it had been reduced to its lowest point. She would naturally be able to expel it through her own power once she cultivated to the Saint Tier. Thus, knowing or not knowing the solution to break the restriction was of little consequence.

But just as Wei Xu’s Styx Death Sword pierced down through the air, Li Biexue suddenly laughed darkly, and the space spanning a thousand Zhang around him instantly collapsed.

"Your Cang Sheng Dao seems truly prepared to end this Venerable's life—"

A wormhole through spacetime was violently torn open. It did not connect to the corresponding Outer Domain River, but to a parallel world thousands of worlds away at least!

This sudden change was too swift even for Lin Xuanshuang to react to. And on the other side of this spacetime, there must have been a grand array or divine beckoning. Her Profound Heaven Easy Spirit Transformation could only slow it down slightly.

She could not stop it; she could only watch as the spacetime rift completed its formation. Li Biexue's frantic laughter echoed across the entire Imperial Capital.

"You truly thought I, Li Biexue, was surely doomed? Zong Shou, Wei Xu, Xu Fu—today's hatred, today's humiliation, I shall repay. Sooner or later, your Cang Sheng Dao, your Great Qian will know no peace. And the increasing—"

But just as Wei Xu and the others’ expressions shifted slightly, and Zong Shou quietly summoned the completed Immortal Slaying Flying Dagger into his hand, at that very instant, Li Biexue spat out a mouthful of black blood. His entire left chest seemed to have been struck by a hammer, caving in out of nowhere.

Li Biexue’s body teetered, about to fall. The collapsing spacetime immediately became unstable.

Lin Xuanshuang didn't hesitate, using the Profound Heaven Easy Spirit Transformation swap to prevent the spacetime rift from continuing to form.

Wei Xu's Styx Death Sword finally struck. And Xu Fu, for reasons unknown, also flashed to Li Biexue's side.

With a seemingly light finger, he locked down Li Biexue’s Primordial Spirit. At the fingertip, an immense convergence of Primordial Magnetism gathered.

Both of them feared Li Biexue using another method to escape, so they struck with full force, showing no mercy. Wei Xu’s pale sword plunged directly in, causing Li Biexue's Indestructible Body to turn a deathly pale color, truly 'dying.'

Xu Fu's Primordial Magnetic Finger instantly detonated Li Biexue’s skull.

With the death of a supreme existence, a massive wave of power erupted from his body, smashing outward wildly. Everything within Feng Hua Palace was pulverized into dust under the shockwave of that magnificent force!

Fortunately, Zong Shou was prepared; the Twelve State Suppressing Bronze Men stood arrayed in all directions. An invisible force barrier deployed, containing all the pure Immortal Essence released from the shattered supreme being within Feng Hua Palace. This ensured the eighteen million people outside remained safe and sound.

In Lin Xuanshuang's hand, ten thousand threads of light burst forth, cooperating with the green vine threads of the Taiyi Donghua Emperor, crushing and entangling Li Biexue’s Primordial Soul.

The undying soul of a Supreme Saint, even after the loss of its Saintly status, was terrifyingly potent. As long as even a sliver of residual consciousness remained, it could not be considered annihilated. If even a trace of the soul escaped, it might re-coalesce a spirit body and reform its physical shell. None present dared to be careless in the slightest. The Twelve State Suppressing Bronze Men, the Seven Swords of Cang Sheng, and the Heaven-Severing Earth-Ending Floating Spirit Sword Array layered restriction upon restriction. They allowed Wei Xu and Lin Xuanshuang to meticulously search, seal, and suppress the residual soul fragments.

Xu Fu, to avoid suspicion, retreated to Zong Shou's side after Li Biexue's Primordial Spirit was shattered, refraining from further involvement. This signaled his refusal to touch any fragments of Li Biexue's soul.

Yet his gaze held a trace of melancholy; he knew that this demonic titan, who had dominated the Cloud Realm for over ten millennia, had temporarily vanished from this domain world. Under the suppression of Cang Sheng Dao, it might be difficult for him to resurrect for millions of cycles, unless Cang Sheng Dao itself perished—

However, this feeling of wistfulness lasted only an instant. Xu Fu smiled again.

"A fine Soul-Hunting Heart-Piercing Nail! In that brief moment, this old man truly thought Li Biexue might escape."

Zong Shou chuckled. The Soul-Hunting Heart-Piercing Nail must have been the handiwork of Scholar Mingri Xuan. Soul-Hunting and Heart-Piercing was one of the arts this individual specialized in, far surpassing Chong Xuan's Heart-Piercing Nail in sophistication.

It also required a blood sacrifice, but where Chong Xuan used the blood of three thousand youths, Mingri Xuan likely utilized the Spirit Slaughter of Li Biexue’s Yin Veins. The vital energy absorbed from those slain was energy that could no longer be returned, and it would be a waste to discard it. Using it on Li Biexue was something Zong Shou could accept.

In truth, Zong Shou had also made preparations, but his Immortal Slaying Flying Dagger, compared to this art that could be deployed without warning and was impossible to defend against, was ultimately inferior in effect.

He shook his head, looking at a blood-red pill in his hand—the Demonic Core left behind when Li Biexue's body exploded. He had seized it as the core flew away.

This was the second Supreme-Tier Demonic Core Zong Shou had acquired. Holding it in his palm, it seemed alive, pulsing continuously, breathing forth torrential vital energy. (To be continued.) No Pop-up Novel Website