Chapter 2637: I Am All That I Am

“A descendant of Kong Ke, yet he learned Yu Zhou's skills!” Seven Hates' voice, echoing with Zuo Qiu Wu's in the dark gloom, carried a hint of ridicule. “The dean of the world's foremost academy, a disciple of the supreme sage, how do you teach your students? Are the desks barren of the Five Classics, instead piled high with storybooks?”

Zuo Qiu Wu's voice simply stated, “Transcendent demons indeed possess extraordinary interests. Unexpectedly, though you abandoned the human race, you still concern yourself with it. Though you abandoned the Confucian school, you still care so much about its orthodoxy!”

“The Hundred Schools endure because they learn from each other, like constantly flowing water. The demon race endures because there is always oppression, always beasts!”

Within the flames of time, Zuo Qiu Wu's regret burned. “I still remember the young Wu Zhai Xue, how much I hoped you would be the first of your kind.”

The power of history books lies in “truth,” a power of record. The more objective, the more powerful. The sharper, the more cruel.

Yet Zuo Qiu Wu, as Si Ma Heng said, records history like a novel.

It's not that he doesn't understand the significance of truth to history; he is, among historians, second only to Si Ma Heng.

But in the more than ten thousand pages of historical chapters within the "Diligent Academy," no amount of plain factual narration could satisfy his expectations for the academy's future.

Countless attempts at evolution, all without success.

He can only “write.”

He understands he is not engraving a history book; he has long since deviated from the path of a “historian.”

This is the power of the “school,” which was not famous in the world early on.

His pen can write the possibilities he desires.

But for a book to be considered excellent, the author's pen cannot decide everything!

The clashes between different characters sometimes deviate from the initial desired outcome. The story in its later stages is often a process of “deduction,” not merely “setting.” This is because characters have their own ideas, figures have their respective paths, and the story's development must be restricted by the work's own rules.

Even in the story he wrote, where he held the theoretical highest authority, he, as the author, could not portray someone like Cui Yi Geng collapsing immediately with the changes in the academy, easily seized by demon intent. This would violate the fundamental character of Cui Yi Geng.

To achieve the outcome of Cui Yi Geng's collapse, he needed to design more plots and provide genuinely convincing experiences for Cui Yi Geng in the narrative.

He also wished to write Seven Hates to death in one stroke, but this is absolutely impossible; it would only cause the entire story to collapse. Such a work, with its fundamental structure not established, would be destined to be ignored and would be unable to influence the real Seven Hates.

So in the story, this “demon” role still requires Seven Hates' assistance to be created. Thus, Seven Hates' doubts before the final step still needed Jiang Wang to help resolve.

Now, he has finally taken this step.

Using the power of the entire "Diligent Academy," leveraging the hidden trouble Si Ma Heng left for Seven Hates back then, and also exploiting Seven Hates' arrogance as a transcendent overlooking those below transcendence, he created such a unique opportunity.

To intercept Seven Hates' intent.

All the efforts at this moment have borne fruit, and the situation of offense and defense has changed!

At this point, Seven Hates must either abandon this portion of transcendent will or descend transcendent power.

Should this portion of Seven Hates' will be abandoned and fall into the hands of any transcendent within the human race, it would be an absolute killing weapon. In future contests, each move would result in a loss. The game hasn't even begun, yet half is already lost.

But if Seven Hates descends transcendent power... He will immediately face the siege of the present world's transcendents.

And Zuo Qiu Wu deeply understands that only the latter will truly create the possibility of killing Seven Hates.

Therefore, it must be made clear to Seven Hates that even when He descends transcendent power and simultaneously rewrites the battlefield here, there is still an opportunity for escape.

No one will participate in a gamble they are bound to lose; gambling is done to win.

Thus, at least at this moment, there cannot be other transcendents observing this place.

So from the beginning, Diligent Academy sealed its mountain gate. Book Mountain also stood clearly, explicitly stating that it did not want external forces to intervene and wished to handle this incident originating from Diligent Academy internally within Confucianism.

Now it remains to be seen if Seven Hates dares to gamble this time, gamble whether the academy's arrangements can block Him for a moment, and buy time for the descent of other transcendents— which is why Zuo Qiu Wu asked Him if the demon would descend!

But whether Seven Hates chooses to gamble or not, Zuo Qiu Wu has already gambled his own life. This is the price that must be paid when walking before an immortal. To gain the qualification to sit at the chessboard and compete, a sage must sacrifice everything.

“Male thieves and female prostitutes sing in the market, clothes tattered in the mournful autumn wind. Black crows flock and cicadas chirp, ashamed to laugh at the young phoenix thirsty and stealing spring!”

Seven Hates laughed, “You clearly know what Wu Zhai Xue experienced, yet you can still remain so aloof and blameless.”

“Are humans always so hypocritical?”

“Those who have neither talent nor the willingness to strive, who only know how to comment and criticize others, are becoming more and more prevalent. Zuo Qiu Wu, as such a dean, you are hard to escape blame.”

He of course understands the invitation to this gamble, but He needs to leap out of the choices presented by Zuo Qiu Wu.

He doesn't care about Wu Zhai Xue's past, but perhaps Zuo Qiu Wu will.

Because Wu Zhai Xue once drew a sword to kill in the academy, which directly went against Zuo Qiu Wu's protection of his disciples. Wu Zhai Xue's transformation into today's Seven Hates has many reasons, and his experiences within Diligent Academy are one of them.

“Matters have priorities, people have varying degrees of closeness.” At this moment, with the demon qi invading his intent, Zuo Qiu Wu remained very calm. “The wrong in that matter was not you, but in a situation where death was not warranted, it was impossible for me to watch my student die.”

Confucianism is not Legalism; Legalism says “law does not tolerate emotion,” while Confucianism preaches “relatives conceal for relatives.”

Seven Hates laughed heartily!

Because Zuo Qiu Wu was arguing with a demon's logic, His voice, in the mouth of the saint demon, carried a degree of ambiguity, so much so that His usual composure seemed to have been pulled down from a high place. But He said coldly and contemptuously, “So you still don't understand? Diligent Academy's demon affliction was not left by Wu Zhai Xue; it is you yourselves. Blessings and disasters have no door, only people summon them upon themselves.”

The saint demon's eyes, for a moment filled with demon qi, for another moment surged with literary qi, like a dragon and tiger contending. “Today you invite me into a jar, I fear this world is too narrow, not enough for me to stretch my feet!”

“Then you curl up!” Zuo Qiu Wu's intent roared like a dragon.

Within the saint demon's demonic body, he already held his will as a pen, firmly trapping Seven Hates' intent.

This intent from an immortal, without half the power of transcendence, could only barely protect itself using the power of the saint demon, and was already retreating step by step.

And the power of the Heaven and Earth Time Furnace was still expanding. The increasingly powerful Zuo Qiu Wu and the increasingly powerful saint demon were both rapidly dissolving within the time flames.

Seven Hates, however, was still laughing. “Almost enough, right? Your performance? Your scheme, your sacrifice, your courage, it's already enough to write a good article. I know what people like you need most. Stop here, it's the best ending.”

He spoke with a degree of sincerity. “We are, after all, acquainted. I also don't want to only have to go to the origin sea to find you afterward— the demon intent I can help you peel off, the story I can help you complete. Be a good Confucian saint, an academy dean!”

“I am one who seeks fame and praise, and I am one who shields shortcomings and is lenient. What Wu Zhai Xue saw was me, but what you, Seven Hates, saw, was also me.” Zuo Qiu Wu deeply understood human nature and himself, so he was firmer than anyone. “If there is a meeting in the origin sea, I should report to Wei Sheng Feng!”

“Really…” Seven Hates surprisingly sighed, showing quite a bit of helplessness. “In some aspects, you are as stubborn as Si Ma Heng, no, you are more stubborn than him. So I can understand your mutual enmity, but I really cannot understand how you initially became friends.”

“You have indeed resisted the fate of a demon, rewriting the possibilities of your life. I will no longer try to persuade you.”

“Then— face your ending. Mister.”

Wei Sheng Feng is Zuo Qiu Wu's disciple. The one named Wu Zhai Xue, also once followed his second brother, and called him "Mister" a few times!

All are old acquaintances, and now it's time to settle accounts.

Because the confrontation was too intense, the face belonging to Wei Sheng Feng on the demon skull was now distorted and wrinkled like a lump of old tree bark. Reflected in Zuo Qiu Wu's yet-to-be-burned-out saint body's eyes, with pupils like mirrors, it was as if it were weeping sadly!

The saint demon body, already controlled by Zuo Qiu Wu for over half, tremblingly raised one hand, reaching out to the distance...

Towards that Ruyi Qianqiu Coffin!

Jiang Wang was still busy commanding the immortals, using immortal qi as a sword, slowly cutting away the utmost emotion, extreme desire, demon intent from the “Wu Zhai Xue” body, meticulously separating it.

Speaking of which, he and Seven Hates indeed have a deep connection.

In the present world, he and Seven Hates are the ones who understand the utmost emotion, extreme desire, demon intent the most. And in terms of grasping the heavenly dao, Di Zang Wang, Seven Hates, and Wu Zui Tian Ren are the strongest in this world, with him and Yuan Kong Master Tai closely following.

If one did not consider others and only looked at his and Seven Hates' cultivation, those who don't know would still think he is Seven Hates' successor! Having learned all His true skills.

Teaching disciples and starving masters, it has been so since ancient times.

So when Seven Hates fell into the crisis of his transcendent intent being intercepted, and the struggle between immortal and demon occurred within the “Wu Zhai Xue” body, He was completely at a disadvantage. This historical projection being logged into the immortal register was only a matter of time.

Seven Hates, at such a critical moment, still had a hand free to interfere with another battlefield. It was an unexpected choice. After all, a historical projection of Wu Zhai Xue is far from comparable to His own intent.

So when the saint demon raised its hand to press down, Jiang Wang inevitably showed shock! His face turned pale, his eyes flickered, and blue veins pulsed on his forehead.

No one was wrong, one taking the first step, one sending, one holding back, one containing, one observing!

After all, the power of transcendence is hard to imagine; no immortal could remain unmoved by such an action.

Of course, as he showed shock and panic, Qin Zhi Zhen, who was continuously refining the void, had already quietly placed an invisible, skin-tight iron wall on Jiang Wang. He was just short of patting his shoulder and saying, "Good man, rest assured and be the bait."

Furthermore, a wisp of cold moonlight soundlessly merged with the frost light, reflecting in the Qianqiu Coffin and naturally falling onto the corner of Jiang Wang's clothes. Behind the moonlight, there were faint starlight and illusory colors like a dream. Zhan Wang Rang Zhong Xuan Zun would not miss this opportunity. The Star Wheel allowed him to block Jiang Wang when necessary.

Various outer gods also quietly entered the ice coffin, merging into the shadow of the death announcement bird— representing destruction and the power of destruction filling it, only then did this death announcement bird live up to its name and even give birth to spirituality.

And only Cang Ming could clearly see that hidden within the darkness spread by the various outer gods was a seated Buddha.

That was Huang Fu, whose heart was without precepts.

As a feudal lord on one side of Jing State, an existence second only to the Jing Emperor, he was actually the key to Zuo Qiu Wu and Seven Hates' gamble.

Once Seven Hates descended with transcendent-level power, relying on Huang Fu's Huang Face Buddha temples established within the territories of the two great hegemonic states, he could, with the fastest speed, welcome Qing Qiong God Zun— after all, the Huang Face Buddha is also within the god system of the Qing Qiong Heaven Country.

He is not a transcendent, yet he is the bridge for transcendents to quickly interfere with the battlefield.

The Jing Heavenly Son needed to mobilize national power to act, and the cost of war would be much higher, but if the opportunity to kill Seven Hates truly appeared, the Jing Heavenly Son would not arrive slower than Qing Qiong God Zun.

If Seven Hates could be successfully slain today, not to mention the absence of any demon affliction, there would be no need to revisit the old accounts of Diligent Academy's history. Even if today's academy, from top to bottom, were to fall into demonhood, this merit would offset it!

The seemingly weak and vulnerable Jiang Wang was, beneath his feet, a terrifying volcano ready to erupt at any moment.

The volcano was still lush, with mountain flowers in full bloom, all sorts of disguises.

But the movement originated not from Jiang Wang or “Wu Zhai Xue,” not even from the Qianqiu Coffin—

Creak!

Like a long-sealed pavilion whose window was suddenly pushed open. A beam of sunlight poured down, and dust danced lightly within it.

That chess grid prison, which had been hidden and had expelled Si Ma Heng, sealing the window of history, suddenly opened at this moment!

Si Ma Heng initially recorded a note, leaving Wu Zhai Xue's projection in history. This projection, hidden in the graveyard of history, became Seven Hates' hidden trouble. But simultaneously, it became the bridge between Seven Hates and Si Ma Heng.

At this moment, Seven Hates precisely borrowed the link between “Wu Zhai Xue” and Si Ma Heng, pulling Si Ma Heng, who was lost in time, back to the projection of the history window. Simultaneously, from the inside out, He pushed open the “window,” opening a path home for Si Ma Heng!

Zuo Qiu Wu's painstaking scheme had finally formed a situation, giving Him a choice between two harms.

Between abandoning this portion of transcendent will and descending transcendent power, He chose a third possibility!

Indeed, it is the existence of an immortal; no matter how intelligent a scheme under transcendence, no matter how many years of preparation, it is very difficult to calculate all possibilities.

Because the perspectives of both sides are not on the same level.

Fortunately, Zuo Qiu Wu never underestimated Seven Hates. His preparation was not only limited to this, and he was not alone— spanning several great eras, inheriting the Confucianism of ten thousand ancients, it was all standing behind him.

Almost simultaneously with Seven Hates' action.

The two elders who had always quietly sat on either side of the chessboard, acting very honestly and observing rites and filial piety, raised their hands at the same time—

Dou Zhao, who was about to chop down on their heads with a single strike, suddenly shifted his blade edge, stepped through mountains and rivers for ten thousand li, crossed the White Day Dream Bridge, and chopped directly into the Heaven and Earth Time Furnace.

“Again gongs, again drums, a demon head is being married off?”

“If you dare not come, then shut up!”

He angrily scolded Seven Hates on one side, and also scolded Jiang Wang, "Acting too roughly! You rushed up to flip the table in front of Di Zang, who will believe that you, Jiang Iron Head, were merely shocked and at a loss in front of Seven Hates? You should have at least given Him two swords!"

Jiang Wang was very aggrieved.

Wasn't it difficult to carry out an immortal-demon struggle within this "Wu Zhai Xue" body?

The little advantage he currently held was already achieved through exhausting all efforts!

Besides desperation, there were truly not many means that could simultaneously respond to the burst coming from Seven Hates within the Heaven and Earth Time Furnace.

He couldn't possibly have the saint demon over there raise a hand while he over here continued to sing and dance, right?

What if Seven Hates didn't come? Wouldn't he have just been desperately fighting himself?

Indeed, He didn't come!

Feeling aggrieved, he glanced at Dou Zhao, and then felt a bit of smugness, like "I haven't shown any flaws, how would an ordinary person know?"

Dou Zhao didn't have so many thoughts. Scolding Jiang Wang was a casual matter; the fight itself was the eternal focus.

The White Day Dream Bridge could almost cross all tangible and intangible barriers. Within the range of the black and white law realm, it received Ju Kui's full support. Within the Heaven and Earth Time Furnace, it also had Zuo Qiu Wu's tacit permission... When Dou Zhao raised his knife, he was still outside the chessboard. After scolding Jiang Wang, the brilliant and splendid light had already covered this Heaven and Earth Time Furnace.

The time flames were all dyed a layer of ostentatious gold.

His body shone brilliantly like a fallen heavenly god. He and his knife light swept past the terrifying saint demon. Its body was majestic like a mountain, its momentum vast like the sea, and demon qi filled the sky and the world.

Dou Zhao... split the heavens with one strike!

The thick-spined, heavy-edged Tian Xiao knife pulled down rolling calamity qi like a long dragon, descending from the sky, and with one strike, it chopped off the saint demon's raised arm!

Thanks to book friend "Bian Cheng Wang" for becoming the alliance master of this book! This is for the 862nd alliance of Red Heart Patrol Heaven!

Thanks to book friend "Black Rain White Rain" for becoming the alliance master of this book! This is for the 863rd alliance of Red Heart Patrol Heaven!