Facing the Enemy

Upon arrival, the two sides immediately began to argue about the manner in which the ceremony should be performed.

Such a dispute is unlikely to be resolved through words alone.

Therefore, the Technique Method used by both sides became the method for determining victory or defeat.

But then he saw that Li Qi was surrounded by what he understood as 'propriety'.

Systems and rules began to cover the 'water' that had previously enveloped him.

When Yu was ruler, he used a plumb line on his left and a compass and square on his right. As a result, the mechanism worked together smoothly and efficiently, the tools were strong and durable, and his actions conformed to etiquette and his words formed a system. This is what is meant by etiquette.

"To treat me so rudely is an insult from a gentleman!" Li Qi shouted.

Language has power.

In ancient times, Cangjie created writing, Heaven rained grain and Ghosts cried at night; this was the same event. Li Qi had previously demonstrated similar power. (See Chapter 155)

He was accusing the Tang Kingdom of being disrespectful to him, and in doing so, his Technique Method gained power.

Since he was being disrespectful, the previous rules and constraints were naturally loosened, and Li Qi gained his freedom, which also extended to Liu Junyi's side.

Li Qi's methods were far more violent than 'water,' more like heavy chains being erected to prevent Liu Junyi from making any move!

This move surprised many of the onlookers, who stood up in astonishment.

This kind of trick is not something Shaman should know; it is Human Path method!

How did this young master of Wushen Mountain come to know this?!

However, at this moment, Liu Junyi on the other side said softly, "Ritual is the foundation of governance, the unifying principle of the mind, and the means to regulate and correct things, clarifying the actions and practices of the body. Why should it be used to oppress people?"

Etiquette is meant to restrain oneself, not to force others.

Liu Junyi bluntly stated that Li Qi, who constantly spoke of propriety, was using the Word Spirit Method to bind others, which was already Lower Vehicle.

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Qi Qiyong's former domain of rules cracked open, creating a fissure next to Liu Junyi, making it impossible for him to get any closer.

Etiquette is meant to restrain oneself. To mistakenly understand etiquette as rules and laws is wrong and shows that Li Qi has no understanding of etiquette at all!

Li Qi fell into deep thought; he was now truly under some pressure.

He hadn't prepared for the other person's statement beforehand; in other words, he hadn't expected anyone to say that.

In other words, this suddenly appearing Confucian scholar in a blue robe was indeed an opponent of equal strength to him.

Furthermore, the other party's words and actions were consistent; even the 'water' that had previously bound him merely swirled around him like water, without causing any discomfort.

Li Qi even more ferocious chains to restrict the opponent's movements, which ironically left him speechless and unable to cope.

Li Qi fell into deep thought and fell silent for a moment, only able to lower his head and ponder how to decipher the other party's words.

The Confucian scholar in the blue robe, with Qingfeng breeze and flowing water around him, made people feel uneasy in his presence.

It's like when you're walking down an ordinary street, you're usually very relaxed.

However, if one enters a luxuriously decorated and exquisitely equipped room, one usually becomes very reserved, for fear of doing something wrong; this is the 'Chamber of Orchid and Iris'.

If you use propriety to restrain yourself, you can transform yourself into a refined and elegant person, and those around you will naturally be influenced and restrained by propriety.

This is the way a gentleman conducts himself.

This was Liu Junyi's answer to Li Qi.

Clearly, Li Qi did not agree with this, but he couldn't find a way to refute it for the time being.

Give him some time, he should be able to figure it out, but... in public now, there's not much time for him.

But the more he thought about it, the more 'water' surrounded him, and the harder it was for him to break free.

It's important to understand that simply coming up with a counterargument isn't enough; you also need to use it as a foundation to create your own Technique Method and apply them in practice in order to truly win.

Li Qi remained silent for about five seconds, his mind racing, when suddenly—

The Yan Ke stood up.

Then, he said gently, "There are three origins of rites: the Propriety Logic originated with Great One, the Propriety Affairs originated with Emperor Sui, and the Propriety Name originated with Yellow Emperor." His statement that "the Propriety Logic originated with Taiyi" is consistent in meaning; however, his statement that "the Propriety Affairs originated with Suihuang, and the Propriety Name originated with Yellow Emperor" is inconsistent in meaning.

"Its essence has two aspects. The first is the material world, which means that all things, whether noble or lowly, high or lowly, small or large, refined or simple, have their own essence. The second is the Propriety Body, which means that the Sacred King established laws based on these all things, so that each thing, whether noble or lowly, can be properly placed."

The Yan Ke's answer broke the silence.

His meaning was quite simple. He briefly discussed his views and pointed out that there is more than one origin of rites. Both of you have been speaking in a one-sided way. Moreover, rites themselves are divided into two aspects: material and physical, which should not be confused.

As he spoke, everyone's eyes turned to him again.

The Yan Ke is very handsome.

If Liu Junyi in front of you is a slender, straight bamboo, you will feel refreshed when you notice him, but it is hard to notice him if you are not particularly focused.

So, the Yan Ke is like a magnolia tree in full bloom, its fragrance so strong it can be smelled for miles around, and it's hard to ignore even if you try.

Compared to Yan Ke, Li Qi was far inferior in both temperament and appearance.

Therefore, when Yan Ke stood up, one could sense that the atmosphere around him seemed to have changed.

But the support came just in time, giving Li Qi ample time to complete his thinking.

Immediately after the Yan Ke finished speaking, Li Qi added, "Morality, Benevolence, Righteousness cannot be established without propriety. Teaching and correcting customs cannot be complete without propriety. Disputes and lawsuits cannot be resolved without propriety. The order of all living beings cannot be established without propriety. Court Ranks and Army Governance, military administration, and the enforcement of laws by officials cannot be carried out with dignity without propriety. Prayers, Sacrifices, and Offerings, and offerings to spirits cannot be sincere or solemn without propriety. Therefore, propriety is in all things, and it is also in the laws of propriety. The two are intertwined. The various scriptures and teachings have their own domains, with different names for the small and the large. This is not surprising!"

The two of them worked together, exchanging glances and words, and successfully suppressed Liu Junyi.

As the logic in their words was revealed, the corresponding Technique Method naturally arose from their hands.

The 'water' surrounding Liu Junyi suddenly split into two halves.

The surrounding area, which had been divided up by the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, was also split in two.

It's like yin and yang.

Yin and Yang, the Tai Chi symbol, represent the two sides of the same coin of Yi (易, change) and Li (礼, propriety). Li Qi and Yan Ke each control one side, drawing a clearly defined Yin-Yang diagram around it.

There is a division on the left and right, just like an army on the left and right, each with its own part, and they do not interfere with each other.

Now it was Liu Junyi's turn to frown.

But at that moment, someone nearby shouted angrily, "Two against one, isn't that shameful?!"

Originally, the only criticism was of Li Qi and Yan Ke's ganging up on him, but when the Great Witch of Wushen Mountain heard this, he snorted and actually responded!

The great shaman propped his chin on one hand and tilted his head, saying, "To have reinforcements is shameful? Then what about the twenty-odd of you who fought Li Qi in a relay battle earlier?"

"How about this: since this is originally a conflict between Wushen Mountain and the Tang Kingdom, and some people are even seeking external assistance, let's go all out and you can participate as well, what do you say?"

Knowing he was in the wrong, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial did not respond, since he was indeed the one who called for the outside help.

The shaman's response silenced the others below.

But soon, other Confucian scholar stood up to support Liu Junyi!

Someone stood up and shouted, "The times are inconsistent, the accounts differ, the chronology is conflicting, and they contradict each other. Moreover, they are tedious and useless. How can we discuss how to divide them? Let's skip them all! Let's preserve them with integrity and incorporate them with morality and righteousness!"

After he said this, Li Qi and the others' division of power was suppressed to some extent, which also bought Liu Junyi some time!

Liu Junyi looked at the supporters and nodded gratefully, clearly finding it very helpful.

However, Bo Yue stood up and spoke of the I Ching studies, which he was most proficient in. "The rites are the foundation of heaven and earth, rooted in the beginning of the Great One, from origin to end, embodying human desires, nourished by the Six Qi above and Lower Vehicle the Four Seasons below, bestowing purity and turbidity, and changing with yin and yang. How can they not be distinguished and differentiated?!"

With Bo Yue joining in, the other Tang Kingdom no longer cared and more than a dozen of them stood up in a flash!

Someone loudly told Li Qi: "Young master, you are learned and knowledgeable, and you understand the past and present. But you must know that studying the laws of the past is to understand the gains and losses of the present. You should record what you have seen and what you have heard. Gather and categorize them, and attach them together. Do not deviate from the original text or change the meaning of the text."

Some countered the Yan Ke: "The claim that there are only two fundamental principles of rites is unconvincing. In my view, there are three fundamental principles of rites: Heaven and Earth are the foundation of life; Ancestors are the foundation of lineage; and Rulers and Teachers are the foundation of governance!"

Some began to expound their views. "All rites begin with the pillars, are completed with the writing, and end with the joy of completion. Therefore, the most complete rites are those where both emotion and writing are fully expressed; the next complete rites are those where emotion and writing prevail; and the lowest complete rites are those that return to the Great Unity. Heaven and earth unite, the sun and moon shine, the four seasons follow their order, the stars move, the rivers flow, all things flourish, likes and dislikes are regulated, and joy and anger are properly handled. When these are applied to the lower classes, they are in accordance with the natural order; when applied to the higher classes, they are enlightened. No matter how many changes occur, there is no disorder. How can they be different because of people?"

Suddenly, the scene descended into chaos. Viewpoints from dozens of ancient books, including "The Century," "The Six Arts," "Guang Ya," "The Classic of Ancient Rites Book of Rites of Rites," and "The Book of Announcements," were picked up, and countless articles, philosophical thoughts, and famous sayings of sages were brought out.

Without a certain level of skill, just these kinds of words can be enough to give someone a headache.

These words were already precious, and each sentence required careful reading to understand their meaning. Now they came in like a string of pearls, piling up to thousands in the blink of an eye!

As these words were spoken, countless Technique Method appeared, each with its own effect, crashing towards the young masters of Wushen Mountain like a tsunami!

Thousands of comments, each one of which needs to be refuted.

There are thousands of Technique Method, and each Technique Method needs to be deciphered.

If you can't handle it, you lose, and you lose badly. No matter how strong you are, this is an attack launched by several hundred eighth-rank soldiers at the same time. Although it's not a fight to the death, the sheer number of them can still kill you!

Most of these arguments could be easily resolved by Li Qi and his Yan Ke, but there were simply too many.

Two-digit addition and subtraction are simple, but what if you had to do a thousand of them in a short time?

Faced with the surging waves of words and Technique Method, the three young masters each glanced at them.

Bo Yue sat down cross-legged, then waved his hands, sending out two array plates, one in each hand, and said, "I will be responsible for categorizing them and matching the principles and Technique Method for you two."

Li Qi took a deep breath and summoned his memories. "I'll take charge of the rebuttal."

The Yan Ke nodded. "I'll be in charge of the Technique Method."

The three worked together seamlessly and quickly reached an agreement.

Two array plates from Bo Yue were set up at the front, quickly dismantling the words and Technique Method, classifying and organizing them, and in an instant completing the summarization of countless data, arranging them in order, marking them, and then providing these sounds and Technique Method to Li Qi and Yan Ke respectively.

On Li Qi's side, countless voices rang in his ears at the same time.

These sounds all came from Bo Yue.

These low, guttural calls crashed against Li Qi like waves, leaving him momentarily stunned.

Fortunately, Bo Yue had marked all these sounds so that he wouldn't mishear them.

He took a step back and then steadied himself.

True Knowledge Dao Charm!

All of my senses were focused on sound!

Bo Yue had already sorted it out for him, so he didn't need to distinguish whether that passage was mixed with other passages.

With True Knowledge Dao Charm's help, he quickly understood each sentence, responded, and sent the package to Bo Yue.

Upon receiving the message, Bo Yue then used his array plate to transmit the sound to the crowd on the other side.

On the other side, the Yan Ke was about to be met with an endless stream of magical Technique Method.

Countless chaotic yet profound forces swirled around him; these were Technique Method based on the principles of ancient sages.

Like a thunderclap, ripples spread outwards, and suddenly, countless Technique Method began to gather power, layer upon layer, the Law Power of countless Technique Method twisting together, layer upon layer accumulating momentum, converging and striking towards Yan Ke.

In an instant, the world seemed to darken, and then the wind howled, as if there were no formidable defenses ahead, and everything in its path was crushed!

Fortunately, the Yan Ke doesn't need to think and argue while trying to find a way to break the Technique Method.

All he had to do was break these Technique Method.

The Yan Ke began to dissect the matter.

The weakness of every Technique Method, the foundation of every Technique Method.

He lacked Li Qi's True Knowledge Dao Charm and could not fully comprehend the existence of these Technique Method.

But he also had his own methods.

When Yan Ke was still a ninth-rank official, he took it upon himself to guide the people of an entire small world, and he was adept at handling the minutiae.

Moreover, that small world also possesses extremely rare and unique cosmic light.

He took out that little world and gently tapped it.

The great shaman unfolded the restrictions placed upon it, and a strange fluctuation was revealed emanating from the tiny world that had been compressed to the size of a thumb.

The speed of the Yan Ke was accelerated.

No, it's not that his speed increased, but rather that a speed difference was created between his time and his surroundings.

This difference gave him more time to work with these Technique Method.

The three of them worked together to face an attack by hundreds of people!

But at this moment, outside the crowd, Liu Junyi stopped.

He did not join the siege.

The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial's face darkened, and he asked, "Jun Yi, why did you stop?"

Liu Junyi performed the disciple's salute, bowed respectfully, and replied in a respectful tone, "This is not a life-or-death battle, how can we take advantage of someone's misfortune? There are already hundreds or thousands surrounding us, what difference does one more make?"

"You can see that any one of the three of them could only fight you to a draw. Now that all three are tied down, if you make your move, the victory will be assured," said the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial.

However, the following sentence was spoken without any sound, only echoing in Liu Junyi's mind. It was clearly a secret transmission, which even the great shaman on the other side did not notice.

Liu Junyi glanced at Zhong Minglou was still AFK.

"There is still one person on the other side. Intervening now will only result in a draw. Besides, it is just a friendly spar. Leading a group to attack is not the act of a gentleman."

The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial was so angry that his nose was crooked.