Wu Fangdao dispensed with pleasantries and began analyzing Li Chen's account and projections. "You said history repeats itself, and that is true. But you also said it does not simply repeat."
Li Chen said, "Indeed. I prefer to call it progress in a spiral."
Wu Fangdao said, "As far as I know, the Immortal Alliance's leaders and its towering Great Powers have never resisted the Outer Dao, nor have they ever resisted Dao Fruits and power gained through outside assistance. They merely fear losing their position as the orthodox authority and rulers."
"Orthodox restoration theory and talk of qi deviation are all tools for fooling low-ranking cultivators, frightening them away from blind experimentation that might disrupt the order. It is much like how every way of getting rich through a windfall in the Mortal World is written into the criminal code. Anyone who breaks those laws is branded an evil fiend or an adherent of a heretical path."
"Yet without windfalls, no one grows rich. Which of those towering Great Powers got where they are by keeping their feet on the ground and cultivating bitterly day and night? Every last one of them sought shortcuts, sought to climb the ladder to Heaven."
"Those people either obtained treasures through fortuitous encounters, acquired an Immortal Cave Abode or the legacy of an eminent predecessor, possessed heaven-sent talent, or inherited a spirit peak blessed land. They cannot possibly fail to understand this principle."
"They will not blindly believe claims such as 'a body acquired through soul possession is incompatible with oneself,' 'taking too many pills damages one's foundation,' or 'reliance on magical treasures harms one's Dao Heart,' as those bottom-rung cultivators do. They will only strive to overcome the drawbacks, play to their strengths and avoid their weaknesses, and seek shortcuts."
"If they