Chapter 2771: Private Heart for National Enmity

“I suppose I really should give you an explanation!”

Chen Yanxun, unable to force a smile, spoke with unusual seriousness: “I defeated your disciple and your sister with an unfair cultivation level and strength, dimming your glory here… I am willing to offer compensation and accept this responsibility, to honor the Upper Lord, and to fully uphold the authority of the chief judge!”

“My glory comes from me, and it will also be lost by me. Although my disciple is foolish, he is resolute and diligent. Although my sister is idle, she has no misdeeds. How then could this harm me?”

Jiang Wang's face was devoid of expression: “But you truly owe them compensation, not just Chu Yao and Jiang An’an. Also Yin Wenyong, whose spot you took, and Dongfang Jiming, whom you sent to the losers' bracket… everyone you defeated along the way. They all worked hard for a long time to get here today. They only expected opponents at the Inner Palace realm, not a thousands-year-old True Monarch. In this grand assembly of shining talents, they lost many possibilities because of your presence.”

If killing could solve all problems, then Jiang Wang should have been dealt with long ago.

He has been able to come this far precisely because this is a world with rules—at least explicit ones.

Yan Chunhui is a very measured person, and Jiang Wang has demonstrated this on many occasions. Whether it was exhausting and killing Ji Shaoqing on Tianya Platform, or battling the Six True Monarchs in Tianjing City, they always barely trod the line of the rules, acting within the established framework.

Though their sword techniques were ruthless and their hearts fierce, their words and actions adhered to rules, advancing within bounds.

Yan Chunhui used rules as a protective charm, while Jiang Wang was dismembering him with rules.

This confrontation, though premised on swords, was far more brutal than a sword duel.

This was especially true for Yan Chunhui. If he lost, all the powerful figures would converge, leaving him no chance of survival. If he won, he could force Jiang Wang to yield and then soar to prominence.

From this perspective, Yan Chunhui seemed like the solitary young hero in a folk tale, while Jiang Wang was the powerful, old demon with vast resources!

What created the disparity between them, and shifted the balance of offense and defense here, was not their current strength.

It was the paths they had chosen throughout their lives.

The Heaven's Platform was the most-watched place in the entire world, and Jiang Wang was a man who walked in the sunlight.

Yan Chunhui, who was known as a human-demon, had no escape route; if he made even one wrong move, Jiang Wang could rally the entire world to destroy him.

He had achieved near perfection, making Ji Jinglu lower his fan, Gongsun Buhai stand idly by, and Ju Kui understand the difficulty of the Dao, yet he was still pushed into a corner.

“True Monarch Zhenhe is just and selfless, a blessing to the world!” Chen Yanxun ceased his arguments, directly bowed with clasped sleeves, saying: “At one point, private desires clouded my mind, greedily pursuing fame, thinking that changing my path was to live a second life, to reclaim old, unattainable glories—only upon hearing your words do I realize my error! I admit my mistake and accept the punishment. Whatever punishment you deem fit, Lord Jiang, Yanxun will have no complaints. May this serve as a warning to the world: let those who come beware, and let those who have left not be so lucky!”

Chen Yanxun endured it. And he accepted it!

Face was insignificant, and interests could be discarded.

As long as he didn't die and successfully transcended, everything lost here could be reclaimed.

He figured that interfering with the fairness of the Yellow River Meeting would at most result in injury or punishment, not death.

Jiang Wang looked at him without much emotion: “I have a Dao-duel agreement with you, and now is the time; I also have the responsibility of being the chief judge of the Yellow River Meeting, and this is my duty.”

“On River-Viewing Platform, public matters come before private ones.”

“Let's first determine right and wrong, then discuss life and death!”

He slightly tilted his head: “Mr. Ju, this person disrupted the competition, hindered the fairness of the grand assembly, jeopardized others' futures, and even affected the Inner Palace Top Four... Please calculate what punishment he deserves. Flogging, caning, imprisonment, exile, or death?”

“Wait!” Chen Yanxun suddenly cried out loudly!

If he hadn't misheard.

Did this mean he would first be punished, weakening his combat strength, and then face a life-and-death duel?

This youth, born of the thunder sea and favored by heaven, should have been the fated protagonist, yet at this moment, he deeply felt the malice of the ultimate villain in a high position.

This was utterly dishonorable; he was using his authority to the extreme!

“Don't go too far!”

Chen Yanxun straightened up in anger: “What Dao-duel agreement? I've forgotten it!”

Jiang Wang simply said: “Outside Wuhui Valley, there is a monument as proof. True Monarch Taiyu below the stage can also testify for me. You know, he doesn't lie.”

“True Monarch Jiang!” Chen Yanxun suppressed his anger: “From Yunguo until now, until just a moment ago, I have always avoided confronting you and did not contend with you.”

“Ye Lingxiao and I became friends at first sight, and I have a fondness for Yunguo. I have always considered our past friendship.”

His voice softened again: “We've both come this far; the path is long and cultivation is difficult, so why bother? At most, I promise you I won't cause trouble from now on. Why pressure me so severely?”

Jiang Wang ignored his threat, only asking: “What happened to the Chen family, whose entire clan was wiped out?”

“How should I know?!” Chen Yanxun was briefly angry, then explained gloomily: “I've been on the stage the whole time; I received the news at the same time as you.”

Jiang Wang shook his head: “I cannot trust your promises, nor can I trust you on behalf of those killed by the human-demon.”

Finally, Chen Yanxun's smile was gone. Bao Xuanjing, who had quietly slipped off the stage to avoid interfering with True Monarch Jiang's movements, now had a smile in his eyes.

Although the era of flying swords was brief, he had seen their brilliance even in the Netherworld. Not to mention the Eternal Sword Venerable, who nearly ushered in a new era, but the Selfless Sword Lord Taishu Bai, who sang loudly, drank wildly, and brandished his sword across the sky, illuminating the vast azure for tens of thousands of miles, truly shook these old bones of theirs.

Today, Chen Yanxun, with his silver tongue, whose words cut deep, seized this excellent opportunity when the Central Imperial Court sought transcendence. He was essentially walking a seemingly perilous but actually safe tightrope on the River-Viewing Platform, where heroes converged… Unfortunately, the Yellow River referee simply wouldn't engage with him or be deceived by him.

It was simply… to his heart's content!

Now, the more he looked at Jiang Wang, the more pleased he became. Clinging tightly to this powerful figure, one could rest easy in retreat, or let him charge into battle in advance—what in the world could not be achieved then?

He heard that True Monarch Jiang was looking for divine heroes. Perhaps he could devise a plan later to help him succeed and win his favor.

If he weren't afraid of drawing attention and of joy turning to sorrow, he truly wanted to raise his arm and rally support for Lord Jiang—against such evil heretics, there was no need for martial ethics; everyone should just join forces!

“Do you really think I'm afraid of you, Jiang Wang?!”

Chen Yanxun no longer hoped for a peaceful resolution with Jiang Wang, but he wanted to turn public outrage into personal grievances to prevent everyone from ganging up on him: “Just because you presided over a Yellow River Meeting, you can enforce laws across the world? You are even more arrogant than the Three Punishment Palaces, even more powerful than the Central Empire! The human-demon matter is long over, and what does the State of Song's affairs have to do with you!?”

“Then… does it concern me?” At this moment, a hoarse voice rang out from below the stage.

A person entirely covered in bronze armor walked past the Six Harmony Pillars and into the arena at that moment.

He removed his bronze helmet, revealing a dignified yet profound face.

However, at this moment, there was blood at the corner of his eye, his lip was split open, and a vertical blade scar had split his lip into four parts.

It was Chen Siwu, the one who “wouldn't change his name when traveling, nor his surname when settling, wouldn't alter his appearance in life, nor his expression in death”!

Shen Xiyuan, the head of Minglun Academy, who had long been restless in the spectator stands, suddenly stood up, his shock unyielding.

In the State of Song, he merely served as a renowned scholar, used to connect with Shushan, and was not entrusted with major affairs. He was unaware of his emperor's cooperation with Yan Chunhui, only harboring vague suspicions after Yan Chunhui's identity was exposed.

And Chen Siwu's appearance pushed everything towards the worst possible outcome.

He couldn't understand why the Son of Heaven was so unwise; after so many years of biding his time, he had remained silent, only to act foolishly with his first move.

What could one gain by cooperating with a human-demon?

“Chen Siwu?” Chen Yanxun looked at him from the stage.

Chen Siwu also looked up at the stage: “Perhaps you should call me… ‘Father’?”

“Father!” Chen Yanxun changed his address without hesitation: “The past is gone, a new body has been born. This body bears your blood; it is your direct kin. We are both people of Song, both from the Chen clan; we should prioritize the nation and our family!”

The Song Emperor was truly inept. He played at ruling by letting things take their natural course, spoke of being a sagely emperor, and even talked about “righteous officials filling the court,” yet a flourishing Great Song, despite acquiring so many resources from Shushan, was left so far behind by the Wei state that its horses' hooves were out of sight.

Now he plays a trick of destroying bodies and traces, massacring the Chen family, yet still let Chen Siwu escape!

When he first heard that Chen Siwu's fate was unknown, he thought it was the Song Emperor deliberately setting a trap to mislead others, and even thought the emperor was good at acting. It never occurred to him that the Song Emperor was just telling the truth!

How could such a good-for-nothing have been chosen in the first place?

He asked with concern: “Why have you come here?”

Chen Siwu looked up at True Monarch Jiang on the stage, who was even more impressive, making him feel as if he had returned to the summer of 3919.

But everything was irreversible…

He, who had once been well-dressed, fond of cleanliness and proper etiquette, now stood here so disfigured.

He raised his hand and pointed to the stage: “Back then, True Monarch Taiyu stood there, his sword crossing the sky, silencing the world. I was below the stage, wanting to die fighting for the nation, but Prime Minister Tu persuaded me otherwise.”

He gritted his teeth: “How I hate him for persuading me, for preventing me from dying gloriously!”

He looked at Chen Yanxun: “Today, you are on the stage, having lost to the Qi prodigy, yet you are still being called out—what are you thinking?”

“I'm thinking—what's past is beyond advice, but what's to come can still be pursued.” Chen Yanxun's eyes were deep: “You have attained the Dongzhen realm; there is still a path ahead for you. I am at the apex, gazing higher for thousands of years. The path of cultivation is long; let the past be the past. Don't look at what has been lost, but focus on what can be gained in the future.”

He then asked: “Who brought you here?”

Chen Siwu, a man who had lost his family, was not a concern. The real danger lay in the significance of his appearance on the River-Viewing Platform.

He didn't see much expression on Chen Siwu's face, but then another voice rang out from behind him—

“I've been patrolling the law for many years, and this is the first time someone has been so eager to see me!”

The wind from outside the Six Harmony Pillars actually reached the Heaven's Platform. It was piercingly cold, chilling one's spirit.

A stern figure walked in from behind Chen Siwu, wearing a tall cap and wide sash, his face as calm as still water—it was Wu Bingyi.

He stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the high platform: “Yan Chunhui, in Wuhui Valley, you cultivated human-demons, humiliated common people, and treated human lives as grass, countless times. Now, in the State of Song, to conceal your identity, you have annihilated the entire Chen clan—do you confess your crimes?!”

Chen Yanxun's eyebrow twitched!

But Wu Bingyi's gaze shifted from him and fell upon Gongsun Buhai: “Mr. Gongsun, why are you so hesitant, even with a Dharma sword in hand and a xiezhi in your eyes?”

Gongsun Buhai looked at him and remained silent for a moment.

Wu Bingyi continued: “In the past, you traveled the martial world and befriended Gu Shiyi. After his death in the East Sea, you harbored resentment towards Jingguo. Now, Wu Yu has also been harmed by Tantai, and your hatred for Jingguo has intensified… Ultimately, this heart has disturbed your Dharma heart, causing you to lose your footing, unable to fully embody justice and law. On this River-Viewing Platform, you have lost your sense of proportion and your consistent resolve.”

“First, you rushed to hold accountable for things that shouldn't have been done. Then, you refrained from doing what should have been done, holding back out of apprehension.”

The master of Jujing Palace, his voice like the ringing of a chime stone, said: “I think you are no longer suited to represent Tianxing Cliff and carry out the duties of punishment.”

Should it be said that he was indeed Grandmaster Wu, known for his strict enforcement of the law?

Upon arriving at the River-Viewing Platform, his first action was to hold Gongsun Buhai, who was also a Grandmaster of the Legalists and a leader of the Dharma Palace, accountable!

Chen Yanxun felt an increasing sense of foreboding.

This man was even punishing Gongsun Buhai; would he show mercy to Chen Yanxun, succumb to his threats, or be fooled by him?

Though both were masters of the Dharma Palace, Gongsun Buhai's status was theoretically no lower than Wu Bingyi's. Yet, today, facing Wu Bingyi, he had no desire to argue. He merely sighed deeply: “A hundred entanglements create demonic evil; a heart of resentment will surely imprison itself! I sought a way to achieve both justice and law, but ultimately became fixated on this heart, unable to extricate myself. After today, I shall close my palace to reflect and diligently cultivate the legal scriptures. Until I achieve full understanding, I shall not emerge from seclusion.”

“I am willing to surrender the Thorn Box and release my punitive authority. Neither Tianxing Cliff nor Tianjing Kingdom will follow my commands again.”

With his one arm holding his sword, he turned around: “But please allow me to wait here, to prevent any mishap in the encirclement of Hunyuan. Though this body is crippled, I may still have residual courage to uphold the law.”

Wu Bingyi quietly watched him for a moment: “You still hold a persistent obsession with the sea of evil.”

Gongsun Buhai merely said: “The loss of Wu Yu cannot go without explanation.”

Wu Bingyi lightly said: “Seeking revenge with a sword is not the Legalist philosophy.”

Then he looked at Chen Yanxun again: “Regarding my accusations, do you have anything to say?”

His eyes drooped calmly, like a guillotine falling: “If you cannot explain yourself, once True Monarch Jiang is done with his punishment, it will be my turn.”

Punished once by the Yellow River Meeting chief judge, then once by the Legalist Grandmaster, and finally the Dao-duel agreement?

It was simply shameless!

If he had known, he would have pulled out his flying sword and gone straight for a quick fight when Jiang Wang first made a move; the situation might have been better, without such blatant bullying.

“The responsibility for human-demons should not be mine! In Wuhui Valley, I merely preached the Dao; it's just that my disciples were unworthy, and I entrusted it to the wrong people… The wisdom or foolishness of people is not something I can control. The Three Punishment Palaces spread the law throughout the world, and many Legalist disciples committed evil deeds; corrupt officials and cruel officers are ceaseless throughout history. Are all of them to be blamed on the Three Punishment Palaces?”

Chen Yanxun argued eloquently: “The Chen family affair is even more baseless! I was on the stage, watched by the whole world; how could I kill anyone, or arrange it? Grandmaster Wu, you hate evil like fire, you must not fall for the Equal Kingdom's scheme of slander and entrapment!”

As he spoke, he had a sudden realization: “Grandmaster Wu! There's truly a hidden truth to this matter! How did you rescue Chen Siwu? Could you please elaborate? The law is for justice, it should be publicly clear, and debated by all!”

Wu Bingyi did not object to this point, saying blandly: “I received news from Marquis Bowang that something might happen to the Chen family. Acting on the principle of 'better safe than sorry,' I made a trip—unfortunately, it was still too late, and I only managed to save Chen Siwu.”

Chongxuan Sheng on the viewing stand chuckled: “Isn't that a coincidence? This Marquis just made a casual guess, and it actually happened! It just goes to show that bad people under heaven think alike—could it be that this Marquis also has the talent to be a human-demon?”

As he spoke, he was drinking tea.

In the bustling, fervent River-Viewing Platform, amidst the crowded spectator stands, he sipped a cup of hot tea. He gently blew away the steam, slowly savoring it.

Chongxuan Zun loved to play at brewing tea on the battlefield and seeing heads roll amidst falling peach blossoms.

He also brewed tea.

He would brew it at the drop of a hat, anywhere, anytime.

He said to Chongxuan Mingguang: “Your humble nephew has never liked tea, but since uncle keeps talking about elegance every other day, your humble nephew must definitely compare!”

He brewed so much that Chongxuan Zun no longer brought tea when going out.

Chongxuan Mingguang, whose monthly allowance had been stopped by Chongxuan Zun, was also well-behaved for several days.

Chen Yanxun gloomily looked at the large man, feeling an increasing headache: “You are the Marquis of Bowang of Great Qi. Every action you take here represents the Great Qi Empire, so please speak carefully…”

Chongxuan Sheng looked at him with a benevolent expression: “This Marquis merely made an idle remark, and you're here talking about 'representing' and 'Great Qi Empire'…”

His eyes narrowed into a smile: “Are you threatening our State of Qi?”

The fat man, who had been laughing just a moment ago, suddenly stood up, his flesh quivering, and smashed the teacup he had borrowed from Chongxuan Mingguang onto the ground: “In front of my Emperor?!”

Swish swish swish!

Behind him, a group of elite Qi soldiers, the Marquis's guard, all drew their swords in unison! Without a word, they lunged towards the stage!

If he truly allowed these soldiers to hack at him and engage, they would become enemies whether they were before or not.

The State of Qi would inevitably try to suppress and eliminate him here at all costs.

“It was truly advice! Not a threat!”

Chen Yanxun explained loudly, but knew his explanation was meaningless.

This fat man was clearly aiming to slaughter him. He shouldn't have said anything to him.

Jiang Wang was a paper tiger, Wu Bingyi was a stone lion; both could be restrained by reason.

This dead fatty was the true ruthless character, instantly turning personal grievance into national enmity!

Didn't Dou Zhao press his hand to his sword, and Ji Jinglu stop fanning? How could the dignified Marquis of Bowang so brazenly abuse national authority; wasn't he truly afraid of being held accountable by the Qi Emperor afterward?