Victory and Defeat

What do you mean?

Upon hearing these words, Guardian Spirit appeared puzzled, as if he didn't understand what Qiu Yan was talking about.

Qiu Yan seemed unconcerned, saying, "There's no need to pretend. Your previous permission for Lu Hu to occupy this place and monopolize the Original Spirit, making the strong stronger while ignoring the weak who remain weak, was a clear indication of your actions."

Having transmitted this message, he ignored the Guardian Spirit's reaction and continued speaking to himself—

"Using overwhelming power to dominate a region and seize all resources—such a thing would never be allowed in the Confucianism world. Even in the modern world, Aristocratic Clan families who uphold the tradition of farming and scholarship do indeed do this. However, in the Confucian world, everything that is manifested is not a realistic attribute, but an ideal state, Illusory World constructed by the thoughts and beliefs of Confucianism scholars."

What Qiu Yan is referring to here is the Confucianism Scholar Forest World.

That world, though fraught with danger and even containing the dark Dark Side of Confucianism's psychology, still retains the core Order and truths upheld by Confucianism.

This is precisely the difference between ideal and reality. In reality, as long as a Confucian scholar is active in society, his edges will be gradually worn down, his mind and pursuits will be distorted, and he will eventually assimilate with his surroundings. However, the Scholar Forest, as a place to entrust one's ideals, can be protected from corruption to a certain extent, and at least its core Order is maintained.

"Hmm? Judging from your tone, you seem to have some understanding of the Confucianism Scholar Forest. Could it be that you've been there before?" The Guardian Spirit spoke again. "Unfortunately, your soul isn't here; only a wisp of your consciousness is projected here. I can't probe the aura within your soul, otherwise, whether you've been to the other Hundred Schools of thought would be immediately clear."

Qiu Yan followed up, "Judging from your Guardian Spirit, you seem to know something about Scholar Forest? Could it be that you had some background before becoming Guardian Spirit?"

The Guardian Spirit said, "Don't try to test my origins. Although I misled and provoked you before, now that you've seen a truth about this world, you shouldn't pursue this matter further. After all, this is for the purpose of weeding out the weak and keeping the strong!"

"Just as I thought," Qiu Yan nodded to himself. "The core Order of the Scholar Forest is what Confucianism advocates. Those who enter its ranks are tempered and honed in various ways, used as training. In contrast, the Military World uses a method akin to raising poisonous insects. The selected individuals can bully the weak, seize resources, and cut off others' escape routes. In internal Military Conquest, they can plan ahead and secure victory before the battle even begins. It may seem like a risky and deceptive approach, but in reality, it aligns with the world Order."

"Go on, and let's see how much you've grasped." The Guardian Spirit no longer pretended, and instead revealed a hint of encouragement.

Qiu Yan paused, pondered for a moment, and then said, "There's a saying in Military School strategy: a skillful strategist seeks advantage in the situation, not in the actions of others. This means that in any situation, one can strive to gain a favorable position and seize the initiative. Compared to Lu Hu, I have both advantages and disadvantages. Your earlier suggestion that I could use Military Contest tactics to bring him back to his senses was probably not entirely well-intentioned. If I hadn't grasped this principle of 'choosing the right course of action,' and instead thought that Military Contest was simply about deciding victory with sheer numbers, the outcome would have been precarious."

"Those who wield power, when fighting, are like turning wood and stone. The nature of wood and stone is that they are still when at peace, move when in danger, stop when square, and move when round. Therefore, the power of a skilled fighter is like turning a round stone down a thousand-foot mountain—that is power!" The Guardian Spirit took over the conversation, uttering a passage from an ancient text, which subtly stirred some kind of Order in the surroundings, causing Qiu Yan to feel something in his heart.

Then, I heard the other person say—

"Knowing the day and place of battle allows one to gather forces even from a thousand miles away. Knowing the time and location of the battle is enough to concentrate strength against the enemy, let alone knowing Lu Hu's temperament. Pre-battle planning is an important aspect of Military School strategy. Putting effort into planning and strictly adhering to the plan is itself an investment. If you are still defeated by someone who has no plan or strategy, that would be unfair. Do you now understand the fairness in this?"

These words are completely different from his previous statement that "victory is not honorable," clearly reversing the tone of his argument.

"That's right," Qiu Yan nodded. "There is never a truly unfair victory in this world. Leaving aside all moral factors, the outcome of a contest is simply victory or defeat. However, the world is ultimately governed by Order ..."

"Indeed, it's all about victory and defeat! Everything sacrificed for victory, no matter what, cannot be denied, even if it goes against the natural order and human morality!" The Guardian Spirit interrupted Qiu Yan, a laugh echoing through the air. "Since you understand, then this spoils of war will be returned to you..."

As soon as he finished speaking, Qiu Yan felt a sudden jolt in his heart. Strange memories flooded back, along with a powerful Fortune. However, this Fortune, though seemingly grand, was merely a facade. Its foundation was already riddled with holes, with many hidden dangers lurking within. There were vague signs that he would be betrayed by everyone and fall into a desperate situation. There were even signs that Dragon Qi was gathering strength to suppress him in one fell swoop.

"Lu Hu's memories, Lu Hu's Fortune."

With a slight understanding, Qiu Yan realized the origin of the memories. He then focused his mind and eliminated many of the malicious, dark, and incompatible parts of the memories, leaving only the useful parts. This allowed him to understand the Wuchang Continent and calmly absorb the experiences of the Military School.

It's not that he's overly meticulous; even the most determined person will inevitably be influenced by some information after receiving other people's memories. Although slight, it's still a deviation that makes it difficult to maintain self-control.

At Qiu Yan's current level, the focus is no longer on fading out of your strength, but on your own path and grasping the direction forward.

These seemingly insignificant details can sometimes determine success or failure, and cannot be ignored. If Qiu Yan were to encounter a highly skilled individual in the future who could immerse him in an illusion and infuse him with Lu Hu's memories, it might very well recreate Lu Hu, while Qiu Yan himself would disappear.

Such things cannot be avoided simply by having a strong will. After all, although Qiu Yan has achieved some success, the world is vast, and there are countless powerful people. He does not believe that he can face everyone with a clear path right now. He should not overlook any detail in his daily life.

Erasing some memories is like marking the source; even if one becomes addicted later, they will be aware of it, making it a kind of insurance measure. It also allows one to turn the tables and try to fight back, which is actually a sneaky tactic.

Sometimes, a hidden move is simply a habitual arrangement, and its effectiveness is unpredictable.

On the other hand, thanks to the flow of memories, Qiu Yan also understood the meaning of the various Fortune surrounding him.

"Lu Hu may seem glamorous, but he is actually surrounded by dangers. The emperor of the Great Tuo Dynasty has already decided to kill him, yet he still doesn't know how to restrain himself. The court officials have long been fed up with his arrogance, and even the military generals can't stand his tyrannical nature. His Fortune is about to collapse in a single day. What use is there in keeping such a person and such Fortune around?"

Thinking of this, he reached out and grasped, gathering the ever-changing Fortune in his hand, condensing it into a crystal with a pale purple luster. Deep within the crystal, however, a wisp of black energy drifted endlessly, exuding an aura of Karmic Sin and resentment.

"Truly admirable. Faced with such a powerful Fortune, most people would find it difficult to remain calm and would have eagerly absorbed it into their bodies. Yet you were able to resist the temptation and solidify it. It seems you have discovered the problem."

Qiu Yan didn't say much. He opened his eyes, got up from the ground, walked to the edge of the platform, bowed to the surrounding people, and said, "Everyone, these Original Spirit resided here. Whoever is capable will obtain them."

With that, he turned and leaped away like an arrow, disappearing into the vast desert, walking alone.

"It's rather boring for you to travel alone like this." At that moment, the Guardian Spirit's voice appeared in my ears again.

Qiu Yan chuckled lightly, "No one is destined to accompany us forever, so why bother looking for fellow travelers? So-called companionship is only temporary." With that, his figure disappeared into the layers of sand and dust.

What did he say?

"This person just left like that?"

"He really doesn't care about these Original Spirit? There are dozens of them!"

As Qiu Yan's figure disappeared on the horizon, the disciples of the Military School who were observing the situation were all stunned. Their gazes turned back to the high platform and fell on the scattered Original Spirit!

Although Qiu Yan left, he left behind Fei Wu's Original Spirit, and no one knew what he planned to do with it. However, the audience below the stage did not care about Qiu Yan's plans.

Quiet!

A sudden silence fell over the surroundings. Everyone held their Great Qi, but their eyes darted around rapidly, scanning the people around them out of the corner of their eyes.

Gathering strength, ready to unleash it.

Snap!

Finally, an explosion occurred beneath one person's feet, and the scene spiraled completely out of control, with countless soldiers, ships, and equipment emerging from the sand and gravel!

Boom!

The situation quickly descended into chaos, with war raging everywhere!

Amidst the fighting and clashes of weapons, a faint aura of Order and chaos emanated, spreading and penetrating deep into the sand.

Deep within, a will emanates joy.

"Excellent! Such chaos is a great tonic. These people will use every trick in the book to fight for the Original Edition, and those who left early will surely bring reinforcements. The situation will only become more chaotic then..."

As he spoke, his consciousness shifted in mid-air, converging into a blurry figure. It was indistinct and its entire body twisted and contorted, its face constantly changing, as if hundreds of faces were appearing alternately.

Suddenly, he turned to the side and asked, "What do you think, General Lü?"

On the other side, a weak soul drifted aimlessly in the sand.

"Oh? I forgot. Because your soul was contested by the Netherworld, it hasn't fully awakened yet. Don't worry, don't worry, we'll wake you up soon."

The blurry figure chuckled softly, then snapped its fingers.

Snap!

The dazed soul suddenly awoke, looking around in a panic, its eyes filled with confusion. After a while, memories surfaced, and scenes from before flashed back rapidly. After a long while, it finally came to its senses!

"Am I dead?"

ps:

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