Demoness, where are you Fleeing to?
Chapter 982 - 810: I’m laying my cards on the table

Chapter 982: Chapter 810: I’m laying my cards on the table

The overwhelming Hao Qi from Li Xuan had swiftly reached more than forty stocks.

This made his glazed column even more majestic, and a phoenix illusion even faintly gathered, dancing elegantly in the air, circling gracefully.

At that moment, the scholars on the streets who were whispering to each other became agitated again.

It was the backyard of the Guozi Bureau, suddenly a golden light surged, striking directly above Li Xuan’s column of Hao Qi, gyrating and spiraling around the glazed column.

"Is that, Duke of Zhou?"

"Is it our Confucian origin saint, Duke Zhou Gongdan?"

At that instant, thousands on the street were shocked.

The Confucianists, who considered themselves students of Prince Fenyang, were also shocked and extremely excited.

Duke Zhou Gongdan is Confucianism’s ’Origin Saint,’ also known as ’The Great Sage,’ the source of Confucian thought.

Thus, since the Tang Dynasty, the spiritual seat of Duke Zhou Gongdan had been placed south of the Confucius Temple, while Confucius was referred to as the ’Great Teacher,’ placed east of the Confucius Temple.

However, after the struggles in Emperor Tai of Jin Dynasty’s era, since Tai raised an army in the name of ’Duke Zhou Gongdan’ to ’Clear the Emperor’s Side,’

some Confucianists directly rebuked Emperor Tai, stating, ’Duke Zhou Gongdan is now calling himself the emperor, where is King Cheng?’ There were also people weeping for his spirit in front of Duke Zhou Gongdan’s statue at the Confucius Temple.

Thus, Emperor Tai of Jin Dynasty simply moved Duke Zhou Gongdan’s spiritual seat into the eastern side hall of Wenhua Palace within the palace.

However, during the Renxuan Era, Confucianists once again set up Duke Zhou Gongdan’s spiritual seat in the Guozi Bureau next to the Confucius Temple for worship.

Thus, Duke Zhou Gongdan’s status in Confucianism was undoubtedly high, and he could indeed rival the Great Sage Himself.

Lv Qiluo, seeing this, felt a bit surprised, showing a hint of delight.

She did not expect the Origin Saint, Duke Zhou Gongdan, to also acknowledge Li Xuan’s ’Path’—

"The Origin Saint, Duke Zhou? How is this possible?"

At this moment, Suru Yan Jiu felt even weaker.

He did not understand why Duke Zhou would acknowledge Li Xuan.

Did Duke Zhou not realize that Li Xuan’s methods would only cause the world’s rites and music to further collapse?

His gaze was slightly opaque, but his eyes were still determined.

This was because, inside the Confucius Temple, the Great Sage Himself, along with the Four Saints among the seventy-two sages, the vast majority had yet to respond.

Among the many grand scholars from the past, a large number also did not recognize Li Xuan’s Confucian path.

Not far away, Minister of Rites Hu Ying had now broken into a cold sweat.

This was precisely the scenario that Hu Ying had not wanted to see because he feared it would lead to a split within Confucianism.

Especially the recognition from the ’Origin Saint’ Duke Zhou Gongdan, ’Later Sage’ Xunzi, and ’Sub-Sage’ Master Yu for Prince Fenyang deepened the potential for Li Xuan to independently establish his gate and split from Confucianism.

Lv Qiluo had expected this earlier, and she looked towards the direction of the Confucius Temple, issuing a sarcastic chuckle.

"At this point, you still want to cling to your old ways, stubbornly adhering to your rites and music to govern the country?"

She could not help but shake her head, muttering, "Why bother? If you acknowledge Li Xuan now, you can still pass on your truly useful knowledge, the principles that the people can accept, to future generations.

If you refuse him, then Confucianism will surely perish, even if not buried by Li Xuan. It will die at the hands of pseudo-confucianists and cynics. All your learning, all your classics, will sooner or later be ignored, shattered by those theories more accepted by the populace!"

But Lv Qiluo knew these early Confucian sages could not hear her words.

Lv Qiluo thought, even if these sages and wise men could hear, they would likely not change their views.

Anyone who had achieved great scholarly accomplishment was of steadfast mind and would hardly abandon the ’Path’ they recognized.

Master Yu and Master Hengqu, who were still alive, had once had the fortune to witness parts of the future written by the Qianqiu Brush and were in the Outer Taixu, clearly feeling the crisis facing Confucianism. Hence they were willing to acknowledge Li Xuan’s path.

But to make the Great Sage Himself and his Four Saints along with the seventy-two sages bow down was no easy task.

Just at that moment, Lv Qiluo heard a sudden ancient and profound bell ring coming from the ’Emperor’s Temple,’ located to the west of the Forbidden City.

Lv Qiluo’s eyes immediately brightened, knowing that the contingency plans arranged by Li Xuan had begun.

The ’Emperor’s Temple’ was to the west of the Forbidden City and to the southeast of the Chaotian Palace.

It was built by the imperial family of the Jin Dynasty and served as a place to worship the founding and reigning emperors of past dynasties.

One of the halls, Jingde Holy Hall, was specifically for worshiping the ancient Three Emperors and Five Sovereigns.

At that moment, within this splendid and solemn hall,

Yue Qianqian, wearing a white ceremonial robe, her expression solemn, placed a letter written in Li Xuan’s blood, along with his writings "Explore and Rectify Things," "Debate," "Physics," "Geometry," "Mathematics," and "National Policy," into the furnace to burn completely.

Yue Qianqian then bowed deeply in front of the cauldron.

"Three Emperors and Five Sovereigns above, this humble girl Yue Qianqian has a report! Today, Prince Fenyang of the Jin Dynasty makes his grand oath by the method of vows! He wishes to exhaust the lifespan of three lifetimes, employing the efforts of nine generations, to protect our great Huaxia, keeping the mountains and rivers intact, and the dynastic reign long! To protect our grand Huaxia, with its glorious civilization, honoring the founding virtues, passing them on for thousands of generations! To protect our grand Huaxia, its vast fertile lands, nurturing brilliant people generation after generation!

To protect our grand Huaxia, its right Qi clearing the skies, uniting Jiuzhou in harmony, driving back the Evil Spirits! To protect our grand Huaxia, rejuvenating the nation, not forgetting past lessons, striving together with united effort! To protect our grand Huaxia, not succumbing to external threats, proudly dominating the continents, supreme across the four seas! To protect our grand Huaxia, its grand rivers robust, its culture flourishing, its lineage continuous—

These words bear witness by heaven and earth, certified by all gods. Today, Prince Fenyang of the Jin Dynasty, in his dispute over the Path with the early teachers of Confucianism, asserts that success will bring a great revival of China, with a promising future; failure will lead to parting ways in discord, harming both parties. This humble girl, entrusted by Li Xuan, Prince Fenyang, presents his blood oath and writings. She humbly petitions the revered spirits of the ancient emperors to descend to this world, to guard the foundational Yuan Qi of our Chinese Datong!"

At that moment, another ear-shattering toll of the bell rose within the Emperor’s temple, yet before the sound could cease, a second and third toll followed.

Despite no one standing near the giant bell, it continued to resonate with waves of majestic tolling.

Simultaneously, the statues of the three emperors and five sovereigns seemed to come to life, each lowering their gaze toward the direction of the Confucius Temple.

A column of red-golden light also surged into the sky at this moment, resonating and shining together with Li Xuan’s Liuli Haoqi.

This scene not only shocked the disciples in front of the Confucius Temple but also caused the Minister of Rites, Hu Ying, to become momentarily dazed and lost in thought.

He had recognized the golden divine power from west of the capital as originating from the progenitors of Huaxia—the three emperors and five sovereigns!

Hu Ying realized the situation was extremely grim; if the Great Sage and his disciples refused to yield, the division of Confucianism that day would become inevitable.

Filled with confusion, Hu Ying wondered how Li Xuan could have possibly summoned these ancient sovereigns of the human race to endorse his scholarship and his path of Confucianism.

At that moment, several beams of light and Haoqi shone upon Li Xuan within the Confucius Temple.

"That’s Zai Yu, one of the Ten Philosophers!"

"And Fan Chi! One of the Seventy-two Sages, the brother Fan."

Zai Yu was favored for his studiousness and deep thought, eloquence, and debate skills, and thus was not well-liked by the Great Sage. However, because of his unmatched debating talents, he became one of the disciples who achieved the highest accomplishments under the Great Sage.

Like another of the Ten Philosophers, ’Zixia’, this person also had a great deal of autonomy.

Fan Chi, also a disciple of Confucius, was once scorned by Confucius as a ’petty man’. Known for prioritizing agriculture, he once asked Confucius about farming and gardening but was refused.

"This guy, he actually summoned the three emperors and five sovereigns using the method of willing vows, his preparations are quite comprehensive."

At this time, Lv Qiluo’s lips curled up in pleasure, knowing that today, at least, would be a Pyrrhic victory!

Li Xuan’s Confucianism had alerted the three emperors and five sovereigns, earning the acknowledgment of ’Yuan Sage’ Duke of Zhou, ’Hou Sage’ Xunzi, and ’Sub-Sage’ Master Yu.

Starting a sect outside of Confucianism, he already had a robust foundation.

She then removed an ornament shaped like a horn from her earlobe, "I shall lend you a hand once more! Father, open your eyes and see, this is the man your daughter has chosen."

The ornament gradually enlarged into an actual horn shape, falling into her hands.

As Lv Qiluo blew the horn, a desolate wave of sound covered the sky, and suddenly a huge firelight lit up the heavens.

The flames hung above the canopy of the sky, and within them appeared a figure clad in Emperor’s robes. Looking down at Li Xuan, he seemed to scrutinize him for a moment before pointing at the sky.

Instantly, Li Xuan was enveloped by a blizzard of flames, causing his Haoqi to surge forth abruptly, forcibly breaking through the nine skies and reaching far into the Outer Taixu.

At the same time, more than a dozen beams of light and Haoqi from within the Confucius Temple continued to shine down upon him.

However, what the disciples in front of the Confucius Temple were more concerned with at that moment was the flame on Li Xuan.

"What is this flame? Somehow I feel very warm and holy, inexplicably breeding a sense of reverence."

"I’m not sure, but it must be related to the flame just before, and that manifesting Emperor."

"I know now, that’s the Saint Emperor of Suiren! This is the Sacred Fire of Suiren!"

The voices of the people abruptly ceased. For in the sky, another majestic figure clad in Emperor’s robes materialized from the void. He glanced at Li Xuan with a light chuckle and likewise pointed at the sky remotely, making countless spiritual forces gather beneath Li Xuan’s feet, forming an eight-diagram.

At this time, everyone before the Confucius Temple dared not speak; they bowed to the ground in solemn reverence.

But in their minds, countless thoughts wildly spun.

—That is the innate eight diagrams! Has Fuxi, the son of the Saint Emperor of Suiren, manifested himself in true spirit today?

—Is the path of Prince Fenyang so holy? Could it be that Emperor Fuxi himself, the leader of the three emperors, has personally manifested?

—The progenitor of all written language, medicine, and rituals, Emperor Fuxi, also acknowledges the scholarship of Prince Fenyang?

At that moment, the image of a woman with the body of a human and the tail of a snake also appeared in the void.

Her body was a thousand zhang tall, spanning across the sky, with her snake tail extending beyond the city wall.

As this figure appeared, the many Confucians in front of the Confucius Temple showed even greater reverence, their bodies almost pressing against the ground to demonstrate their deep respect.

"The Jiutian Xirang has actually ended up in your hands? That’s good."

The woman with the body of a human and the tail of a snake chuckled lightly. She raised her hand and directly pointed at Li Xuan’s forehead.

Li Xuan felt a strange transformation occurring within his body but had no time to sense it precisely.

Yet, a golden pattern appeared on his forehead. At the same time, the woman’s voice also rang close to his ear.

"The person chosen by Qiluo, may you not disappoint my expectations~"

The figure of the woman with the body of a human and the tail of a snake quickly dissipated into the void.

Li Xuan looked skeptically toward Qiluo standing far off on a rooftop.

He then turned around, hand on his waist sword, and gazed coldly into the Confucius Temple.

If there was no response within three breaths, then the moment for the Confucianism’s destruction had arrived today!

Just then, a long sigh echoed from deep within the Confucius Temple, followed by hundreds of Haoqis, all of them beaming toward Li Xuan.