Chapter 2770: All Matters Are With Me

His vision gradually cleared from the blur.

Ju Kui saw the person who had walked up to him: a bright young man with clear eyes and distinct brows, a smile on his face.

Chen Yanxun!

He seemed to hear a sigh from the depths of his heart. So young, so distant.

“Teacher! That man humiliated the common people and broke the law in the street. Why wasn't he punished? Why did you drag me back?”

“That was the son of a prince…”

“Didn't you say, Teacher, that the law has no two doors? If a prince breaks the law, he should be punished the same as a commoner. Is it that he doesn't avoid the law, but the law must avoid him—Teacher! Where are you going?”

“What I taught you is true knowledge. The law is not false; the law always exists. A teacher should speak constantly to form a book and hold a sword as proof—Ju Kui, do you know why you are called Ju Kui?”

“You said that when you found me, my family had been robbed, and I was hiding in a cabinet…”

“No, I regard you as precious; how could I be careless with your name? *Kui* means 'lack' or 'deficiency'. I gave you this name to tell you—everything has its imperfections, and people constantly strive to fill them. You survived because someone sacrificed everything to protect you. It's excellent that you now wish to protect others and redress their grievances. Go to the Three Penal Palace; there you can realize your ideals.”

The teacher's back disappeared into the raging flames.

Just as the Son of Heaven, reeking of decay, vanished under the iron hooves of the Qi people.

It turned out that people of light and people of darkness said goodbye to the world in the same way.

Later, he walked up the Sky Punishment Cliff. Later, he heard of the Might Stone. Later, he had many teachers, and he became the impartial "True Lord Ju." Life truly passes in a flash, yet it also burns in fierce flames.

For countless years, the Three Penal Palace and countless Legalists throughout history have acted and died for the law. Only when he reached the Sky Punishment Cliff did he realize how many hardships and obstacles lay along this path, and how profound the stories were behind the footprints left on this road.

Just now, he almost thought he had seen his teacher.

Although he was a person who never harbored any expectations, he couldn't help but feel a sense of loss in the light that suddenly brightened and then just as suddenly extinguished.

And the young man's face before him was clear. The structured lines he had lost, the principles that had been dismantled, seemed to re-emerge clearly, in another way, on this created face.

There are indeed rules in the world, but they are different from what he imagined.

“Ju Kui, how old are you? I once looked up information about you, but I can't remember... Sixty? Seventy?”

Chen Yanxun walked up to him, a smile on his face: “Have you lived all these years in vain? Still not knowing what this world is like?”

Power is inherently selfish and absolutely exclusive. How could those in power, who already grasp the reins of the present world, allow anyone to encroach upon it?

The authority to preside over the Yellow River Convention is merely a title that carries responsibility. The Dragon Lord's dethronement is a situation perfectly suited for certain events... Do you really want to change the world?

Chen Yanxun had taken a long time to get here. Understanding how to gauge the situation truly came from past lessons.

Can someone who has reached the pinnacle still remain naive?

Facing Jiang Wang might still require some deliberation, as he has extensive connections and a vast network throughout the world, with many forces supporting him. Many more forces, though not supporting him, would still guarantee his safety. But for someone like Ju Kui, who sits in a position destined for rotation, and who himself has always been unsociable and isolated in the Punishment Tower…

This reality should make him see clearly!

Every step Chen Yanxun took forward crushed Ju Kui's divine will and his law, making him see how those so-called rules were trampled upon.

Ju Kui remained standing. His divine will was intact, and his limbs were sound.

Chen Yanxun did not kill this stubborn True Monarch of Law. When he was lucid, his sword was always well-measured. When he was in a state of stupor... he was never in a stupor during dangerous moments.

To kill Ju Kui, the Grand Void Pavilion would not stand idly by, nor would Grand Master Gongsun Buhai remain passive. Even if the obstructions were ignored and he was forcefully killed, it would be difficult to face the endless repercussions. The Grand Void Pavilion's reaction would be unpredictable, and the Three Penal Palace's counterattack would certainly be fierce.

The measure was here—a small lesson, a sword light stopping just before the vital point, a perfectly calculated moment of clarity.

One cannot always live in a world of illusion. It's likely that everyone needs a more clear-headed Legalist True Monarch.

The sword light seemed not to have appeared, yet it clearly lay across Ju Kui's eyes.

He understood that with a single blink, or a thought from Chen Yanxun, the Sword of Self-Forgetfulness would make the world forget him. He knew this wisp of sword light was waiting for him... waiting for him to become a little more clear-headed.

But was he not clear-headed?

What reality was like, what this world was like... did he truly not know?

Impartial and unsociable. It was precisely because he had seen too many so-called truths of the world that he understood only justice was kindness to the weak.

But why did he still harbor extravagant hopes, why did he still believe? Why, when Jiang Wang proposed for everyone to participate in the Yellow River Convention, did he, with a stern face, yet immediately say... "Alright." Why was he so enthusiastic? Why did he spend night after night researching the rules of the competition, hoping to make the competition as fair as possible and allow more people to have opportunities, all while considering the interests of all parties and gaining their approval?

Was it just because he was naturally diligent in his work?

Or was it because he believed that those so-called "truths of the world" didn't truly represent this world?

If he just said, "I understand!"

Everything would end.

Nothing bad would happen. No one would humiliate him.

He had already cultivated to such a realm; as long as he didn't contend with others or block the path of stronger individuals, there would be no danger, and no one would target him. If he wanted power, he could have much. If he only wanted to study and cultivate diligently, he could return to the Heavenly Palace.

He was too clear-headed.

So he kept his mouth shut and slowly closed his eyes.

“What I taught you is true knowledge!”

He thought that if everything ended here, so be it. He believed he was worthy of the word "Law" and the Legalist tenet—to embody the Dao, and thus transmit the Law.

Closing his eyes should have brought the finality of a sword's light, sword energy spanning the heavens... it should have been endless and boundless, eternal darkness.

But his world did not completely sink; the landscape he saw was different from what he imagined.

There was indeed darkness, but he seemed to see a fiery glow. That wisp of unyielding, burning flame, the same flame that had killed his teacher and the son of the Prince of Ming, was the eternal memory of his life. So, the fire of his youth... had it never truly extinguished?

He suddenly opened his eyes and saw a very familiar back standing before him.

Familiar yet somewhat strange.

This person was wearing an extremely noble and dignified Heavenly Monarch's robe, yet without an air of aloofness. His long hair was pinned with a jade hairpin, and his waist was like a golden beam, too upright. He resembled an unyielding... supremely high mountain.

His figure was not overly tall, yet within Ju Kui's chessboard of rules, within Ju Kui's vision, he seemed to rise almost infinitely.

This mountain... a pillar when the sky falls.

And people saw, through the Grand Void Illusion and reflected on the Sky Screen, that the long-silent True Monarch Zhenhe, with just a single step, entered the Cage of Pinnacles, stepping onto the True Monarch battlefield.

The semifinals of the Inner Mansion field were full of climaxes, but the audience's gaze involuntarily shifted.

Hu Yan Jingxuan, who was commentating on the Inner Mansion semifinals, could only utter, "Hmm, ah, this move from Gong Xiyan, ah, it's Gong Weizhang, let's watch again, watch carefully, ah..."

No one paid attention.

True Monarch Zhenhe and Ju Kui stood in two parallel lines, with Zhenhe positioned a mere half-step to Ju Kui's front right.

His left hand was clenched into a fist, suspended before Ju Kui's eyes; the darkness and fiery light Ju Kui saw likely originated from here.

Or, reassuringly, the Sword of Longing was still in its scabbard, hanging at his waist.

His right hand merely hung idly, fingers splayed without sharpness, seemingly a gentle signal. His gaze was also very calm, simply looking calmly at Chen Yanxun—

“What do you think this world is like?”

His voice had almost no ripples.

This question also seemed to carry no murderous intent.

The fist suspended before Ju Kui slowly opened... At this moment, people could see a wisp of sword light, born from nothingness and constantly shifting, leaping in his palm like a swimming fish.

He slowly opened his fingers, little by little, like an inverted flower blooming. But the power in his palm pressed inward, little by little... crushing that wisp of sword light.

Unbeknownst to them, Chen Yanxun had already retreated quite far.

But he could not avoid Jiang Wang's question.

“True Monarch Zhenhe is a peerless prodigy who has repeatedly broken cultivation records, a son of the era, a banner of humanity...” The youthful Chen Yanxun smiled brightly: “What this world is like, you shouldn't be asking me!”

Jiang Wang did not return his smile, merely saying, “I thought you liked this question very much.”

Chen Yanxun's smile faded, and he treated the question seriously, appearing to ponder: “The strong bear responsibility, the virtuous govern the world. I believe this is how the world should be. The most ideal scenario has already been envisioned by ancient sages—a national system that greatly benefits humanity, with the tide of human civilization surging forward. One day, a ruler of both virtue and talent will emerge, uniting the land, bringing peace to the world, and ensuring humanity's eternal prosperity. That would be a golden age, unparalleled through history.”

He looked very sincere: “This is just my humble opinion; if there are any shortcomings, please point them out.”

Jiang Wang looked at him: “But just now, when you were going to lecture our Mr. Ju, it seemed you weren't planning to put it that way.”

'Our Mr. Ju'... should they be that close? They were colleagues for only a short time; why such a deep bond?

And he was an "ex-colleague" who watched you leave the Pavilion and didn't fully support you.

Chen Yanxun realized he might have misjudged Ju Kui's position in Jiang Wang's heart, or perhaps Jiang Wang was acting for more than just Ju Kui. If it was the former, it meant he needed to adjust his attitude toward Ju Kui; if it was the latter, it meant the problem was more complex...

“How deeply Jiang Jun misunderstands me!” Chen Yanxun sighed mournfully: “I deeply respect Mr. Ju's character, but I question his understanding of this world. I merely wanted to tell Mr. Ju that the times have proven the national system to be the best present and a more distant future; we should maintain respect for the legitimate states.”

“Today, Prime Minister Wen didn't reprimand me, King Daishan didn't reprimand me, and Grand Master Gongsun even gave me a chance to start over. Yet he sought to lock the ground and then lock my person. From where does his authority come, and for what purpose?”

“It was with good intentions that I hoped he wouldn't be confined by his personal law but would see the law of the state and the law of the world. After all, the Grand Void Pavilion has no authority to govern the world. With all the nations present, how could he wield the sword of law?”

“Law is both a shackle and a sharp blade; it must be used with caution, lest it harm others or oneself.”

As he spoke, his gaze shifted from Jiang Wang to Ju Kui, who was behind him.

“True Monarch Ju—listen to me!”

Chen Yanxun bowed deeply: “I was forced to retaliate just now; if there was any disrespect, I apologize to you. This is the World Stage, not a place for private duels. Even if you have more grievances against me, you can resolve them privately another day... Do not involve others or disrupt the competition.”

Frankly, Chen Yanxun was very skilled at offering people an out.

He would place the ladder where it was comfortable for you, allowing you to descend without difficulty. If you didn't want to hold onto the ladder while going down... you would fall very painfully.

Ju Kui could, of course, persevere, and he had indeed prepared to die for the law. But now Jiang Wang had saved him, sparing him from humiliation.

Ultimately, this so-called new generation's Legalist Grand Master, the leading figure of this generation of Legalists... failed to block Chen Yanxun's single sword strike. So if he continued to uphold his law, by what means would he persist? By coercing whom would he persist?

The phrase "Do not involve others, don't affect the competition" struck directly at his core, forcing Ju Kui to actively disassociate himself from Jiang Wang.

Especially for someone like Ju Kui, coercing others to uphold his path was, in essence, a negation of his own Dao!

Previously, he had rejected Gongsun Buhai's dissuasion to act alone, and at this moment, his decision was almost certain.

Chen Yanxun had already targeted his path with his sword, and with his intent, severed it.

Although Ju Kui's injuries were not healed and he had just walked the line between life and death, he still did not hesitate before this interrogation concerning his path: "It has nothing to do with others! This is my personal—"

“Mr. Ju, please go down and rest first!” Jiang Wang interrupted him, and with an outward push of his open palm, sent Ju Kui back to his seat below the stage.

“Yan Chunhui is right. From the Legalist perspective, the Three Penal Palace has no jurisdiction over the River-Watching Stage. From the Grand Void Pavilion's perspective, the Yellow River Convention does not involve the operation of the Grand Void Illusion... This matter has nothing to do with you.”

He did not turn back, merely saying, "Every rule on this stage is your painstaking effort. The matters of the Yellow River Convention have burdened and troubled you.”

That address, "Yan Chunhui," made Chen Yanxun's heart sink.

Meeting Jiang Wang's gaze, he broke into his most brilliant smile: “Lord Jiang, when Master Ye Pavilion was still here, he once said to me—”

Jiang Wang remained expressionless: “This is the Yellow River Gathering of Prodigies; it is not where you belong.”

Chen Yanxun smiled and explained: “Lord Jiang, this matter should be viewed from a different perspective, please tell me—”

“You are too old; you do not meet the standards for selecting young prodigies at the Yellow River Convention. Your participation in the Inner Mansion event, with a lifespan exceeding a thousand years and a peak cultivation realm, is also unfair to other contestants. You have trampled upon this competition.”

“Please listen to me—”

“This has nothing to do with Legalism, nothing to do with the Grand Void Pavilion, nor is it the law of any specific nation. I am the judge of this Yellow River Convention, and I am responsible for all matters on this stage.”

“True Monarch Jiang, why—”

“Your performance is nullified, and the entire Song State's results in this Yellow River Convention are nullified. Furthermore, Song State's participation quota for the next Yellow River Convention is canceled.”

Jiang Wang spoke entirely on his own, completely disregarding anything Chen Yanxun explained or argued, directly delivering the final verdict: “After the Yellow River Convention concludes, I will go to Shangqiu to demand accountability. I hope the Song Emperor has prepared his explanation for me.”

“As for you—” He looked at Chen Yanxun indifferently: “You need to give me an explanation right now.”

Chen Yanxun's smile vanished. Though he had a long lifespan blessed by heaven and manifested in such a brilliant physical form, he could no longer smile.