I alone have my own laws; I start by fabricating myths and legends of mountains and seas.

Chapter 141 Guidance

"Good! What a fine way to say it: whether you control power through the Dao or are controlled by power." Xia Jie suddenly laughed, but this time his laughter carried a strange, almost appreciative, coldness. "Sharp tongue and quick wit. It seems that Zhenwu's meager favor wasn't entirely wasted on you."

He abruptly changed his tone, his voice turning indifferent again: "However, no matter how much you say, it won't change one fact: power is the fundamental determinant of everything. No matter how lofty your ideals or how firm your resolve, without the support of matching power, they are nothing but castles in the air, illusions in the air. Whether my path depends on external things or whether it will be devoured by power is not for you to judge. Because you don't even have the power to make me take it even slightly seriously."

He stopped arguing with Kong Shizhang, shifted his gaze as if passing over an insect that had caught his attention but was ultimately insignificant, and turned back to Chen Yang and the various martial artists behind him.

"The path of faith is a dead end. As for your path of martial arts," Xia Jie's voice echoed in the arena, carrying a condescending scrutiny, "is it more durable than those old, decaying firewood?"

"Old man!" Chen Yang finally couldn't hold back. He broke free from the obstruction and strode forward, his golden eyes fixed on Xia Jie. "Isn't this just a barbaric rule of the survival of the fittest, where the strong prey on the weak and have the power of life and death? It should have been swept into the trash heap long ago! You want to discuss the Dao today, is that it?"

"Alright! I'll settle this with my fists!"

Before he finished speaking, Chen Yang pushed off with his feet and shot out like a cannonball! His combat instincts, honed through countless life-and-death battles on Bingzhong Island and the mirror image, erupted in full force. Without any hesitation, he went all out from the start!

"Seven Forms of Breaking the Army - Sky Split!"

Even before the fist's force arrived, the violent pressure caused Xia Jie's black robe to billow backward. This punch embodied the full power of Chen Yang's peak ninth-level martial arts.

The inner energy carries an indomitable will, willing to exchange injury for injury, and fight to the death!

Xia Jie did not dodge, but simply raised his left hand, spread his five fingers, and faced forward, casually catching Chen Yang's full-force punch.

Chen Yang felt as if he had crashed into an ancient mountain! The force of the impact from his fist made the bones in his entire arm groan under the strain, his internal organs churned violently, and a mouthful of blood surged to his throat, which he then swallowed back down.

Xia Jie's hand remained motionless, not even the hem of his robes fluttered. He calmly gazed at Chen Yang, whose face was contorted with rage from the exertion, and slowly spoke, his voice flat and even: "Your strength is still considerable, your will still courageous. But this punch of yours was irreversible. If I hadn't taken it, but instead felt the shock, you would be crippled by now!"

Chen Yang gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead, wanting to throw another punch, but found his fist was welded to his opponent's palm, unable to move!

"Let go!" Chen Yang roared, his inner energy surging wildly as he tried to break free. An even more indomitable will attempted to break free of his restraints.

A glint of malice flashed in Xia Jie's eyes, and he suddenly released his grip.

Caught off guard, Chen Yang staggered back seven or eight steps before barely managing to regain his balance. His right arm hung limply at his sides, and a chilling aura emanated from his body.

He was breathing heavily, his eyes filled with disbelief as he looked at Xia Jie. The difference in skill was too great! His all-out attack had been effortlessly parried by the opponent, who hadn't even moved an inch!

Xia Jie shifted his gaze from Chen Yang, glancing over the martial artists behind him whose expressions grew increasingly solemn due to Chen Yang's failed attack.

Xia Jie shook his head slightly, looking at Chen Yang with a hint of dejection. "Stopping war is true martial arts. Protecting others is true martial arts. You, relying solely on your fierce will, dare to call yourself a martial artist?"

Chen Yang's face flushed red and then turned pale, his chest heaving violently. But he was no match for his opponent, and when he was being hit, he had to stand at attention! Unusually, he didn't utter a word in rebuttal.

"And you all," Xia Jie's gaze swept over the other martial artists, his tone still calm, yet every word was like a knife, "You dare not step out of bounds in your internal energy cultivation; your moves are confined to the old ways of your predecessors, lacking any original inspiration. Practicing martial arts like this is nothing more than copying a cat or a tiger. Even if you reach the ninth level, you'll only be powerful craftsmen, not true martial artists, let alone those who have attained enlightenment through martial arts. Have you lost your spirit after seeing me easily suppress this brat?"

He stood with his hands behind his back, his black robes motionless in the rising wind, and his voice clearly reached everyone's ears: "The beginning of martial arts lies in strengthening the body and stimulating potential; this is the art."

"Beyond that," he paused, a deep light seeming to flicker in his dark red eyes, "lies in having an unstoppable courage and the spirit to break through and start anew, to forge a new path for the world! Not in breaking the barriers of the physical body, achieving divine power through martial arts, or proving the Dao through force!"

These words, like a morning bell and evening drum, shook the minds of all the martial artists! After all, Xia Jie had no follow-up content, so he could only throw out some inspirational words, telling them to be innovative and to create a new world for all generations!

Xia Jie's next words were like a bucket of ice water poured over his head: "Unfortunately, you haven't even mastered the techniques yet. I observe that..."

Most of them are just going around in circles within the circles drawn by their predecessors. Occasionally, one or two talents will break out of the mold. His gaze swept over Chen Yang again. "But because there is no one to guide them, they have to explore on their own, which is extremely dangerous. If they are not careful, they will suffer from qi deviation and have their meridians severed."

He stopped looking at the martial artists, as if his evaluation of them was over. Finally, his gaze fell on the stands, on the researchers who had remained silent, focused on observation and recording, especially Jiang Wenbai.

"As for you—" Xia Jie's voice carried a hint of unfathomable, complex emotion for the first time, "You manipulate metals, stones, plants, and trees, and try to deconstruct the world and recreate it with the wisdom of mortals."

Xia Jie paused for a long time, so long that everyone thought he wouldn't continue.

"I will refrain from commenting on your 'path' today."

These words shocked everyone present!

Faced with Buddhism and Taoism, he shattered the essence of faith, declaring them a dead end. Faced with martial arts, he ruthlessly suppressed them.

When it comes to science, this ancient tyrant simply refuses to comment at all!

What does this mean? Does it mean to dismiss it to the point of not bothering to comment? Or does it mean to some extent that it acknowledges its merits?

Jiang Wenbai adjusted his glasses, his gaze behind the lenses as sharp as ever, unmoved by Xia Jie's words, but instead becoming even more composed. The several leading scientists beside him exchanged glances, lost in thought.

Xia Jie said no more. He slowly raised his head and looked at the sky above the altar, which had been somewhat gloomy since his arrival.

air.

His black robes fluttered without wind, and an ancient, majestic aura, mixed with endless resentment and icy deathly stillness, slowly emanated from him. It was not violent, but so heavy that it made everyone's breathing difficult.

"This concludes our discussion of the Way today."

"I have seen what I wanted to see. The way of future generations is chaotic and disorderly, with dead ends, forks in the road, and dead ends."

His gaze swept across the entire arena one last time, passing over the dejection and contemplation of the Buddhist and Taoist camps, the shock and longing of the martial arts camps, and the calm and profundity of the scientific research camps. Finally, it lingered briefly on Kong Shizhang, Chen Yang, and Jiang Wenbai.

"Your name is Chen Yang, right?" Xia Jie seemed to be merely confirming, not needing an answer. "I'm quite interested in the scenery and sights of this place. I'm lacking someone to guide me."

His gaze fell on Chen Yang, like a tangible shackle: "It's you. Accompany me for a walk, and see what this homeland has become four thousand years later."

These words caused an uproar in the room!

The director of the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs' expression changed drastically, and he stepped forward: "Your Majesty, King Xia! Chen Yang is an important member of our Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs, and he still has duties to perform! As for the matter of guiding him, if possible, our bureau can arrange for someone else to do so—"

"I want him." Xia Jie didn't even glance at the director of the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs, his voice calm yet carrying a chilling edge, after all, it was for this dish that he had made dumplings. "You have a problem with that?"

An invisible pressure instantly enveloped the director of the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs, making him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave, making it difficult to even breathe, and he could no longer say anything.

"What do you mean!" Chen Yang exclaimed, both shocked and furious. "Who wants to be your guide! Who do you think you are!"

"I am King Jie of Xia," Xia Jie said slowly, as if stating a truth. "If I want you to follow, you must follow."

He stopped talking nonsense and raised his hand to grab Chen Yang in a daze.

Chen Yang immediately felt the space around him freeze, and an irresistible suction force came, causing him to be lifted off the ground uncontrollably and fly towards Xia Jie!

All resistance was futile in the face of Xia Jie's absolute power. Chen Yang was as if gripped by an invisible hand, and in the blink of an eye, he was pulled to Xia Jie's side, unable to move, and could only glare angrily at his opponent.

"Your Majesty the King of Xia—" Kong Shizhang said, his voice trembling as he suppressed his heart palpitations.

Xia Jie glanced at him as if he were an ant: "Do I need to explain my actions to you?"

He ignored everyone else and pressed down on the struggling Chen Yang with one hand!

"This place is boring, so I'll borrow this man for now."

As soon as he finished speaking, he silently left with Chen Yang and a hundred ghost soldiers in a guard of honor.

Inside the altar, there was a deathly silence.

Everyone stared blankly at the spot where Xia Jie and Chen Yang had disappeared, incredulous. Xia Jie had just forcibly taken Chen Yang away like that? Under the guise of being a guide? This was clearly kidnapping!

The director of the Bureau of Disorder had a face so dark it was almost dripping with water. He stared at the sky, which had returned to calm, his hands clenched into fists, his nails digging deep into his palms. He felt utterly powerless and it was too painful to bear.

Kong Shizhang's eyes, however, were sharp as knives, fixed on the direction where Xia Jie and Chen Yang had disappeared.

After a brief silence, the altar area erupted in chaos! Exclamations, curses, and discussions mingled together.

"Chief! We'll organize a rescue operation immediately!" a team leader pleaded, his eyes red with emotion.

"How do we save them? Should we chase them to Xia Jie's lair? That's Xia Jie's stronghold!" another person said urgently.

"Will Chen Yang be in danger? What exactly is Xia Jie planning?"

"Calm down! Everyone calm down!" The director of the Bureau of Unrest forced himself to remain calm, his voice booming through the loudspeaker to quell the commotion. "All teams, proceed according to the emergency plan! Monitoring team and intelligence team, utilize all channels to gather the latest information on Xia Jie and the Xia Kingdom! Liaison team, report to your superiors immediately! Action team, stand by!"

His gaze swept over the crowd, finally settling on Kong Shizhang. He said in a deep voice, "Comrade Chen Yang is one of ours, and we will never abandon him! But now we need calm and a plan! Xia Jie took Chen Yang away, and his purpose is unclear. Acting rashly may backfire!"

He took a deep breath: "Everyone, evacuate the altar area!"

He needs to reassure the staff, inspect the environment, and pay particular attention to the physical and mental well-being of Kong Shizhang, Professor Jiang Wenbai, and others.

"Furthermore," the Director of the Bureau of Unorthodox Management paused, gazing at the distant sky, "all records and analyses of today's 'Discourse' are classified as top secret. We need time to process all of this!"

【Mountain and Sea Realm (Group Chat)】

Qinglian (Kong Shizhang): "Brother Chen has been taken away by Xia Jie! His coordinates are unknown; he's suspected to be heading to a Xia-controlled area in Japan!"

Foolish Fish (Jiang He): "What's going on? Didn't you guys go to participate in the debate with Xia Jie?"

Qinglian (Kong Shizhang): "After Xia Jie arrived, he launched into a tirade of mockery. Before leaving, he seemed interested in Brother Chen. He said he needed a guide to forcibly take Brother Chen away, although Brother Chen's life should be safe in the short term. But we don't know Xia Jie's true intentions. Did he really go back to the Xia Kingdom, or did he really want Brother Chen to be his guide?"

Bixie (Wang Jianguo): "What did the Bureau of Disorder say? How can we save them? The officials can't just ignore this!"

Qinglian (Kong Shizhang): "The director is very concerned, but as you all know, I'm a little worried about Xia Jie!"

Bai Ze (Su Fan): "Don't panic, gather all the information. Chen Yang is incredibly resilient. Besides, what if Xia Jie really just sent Chen Yang to be a tour guide? Let's be a little optimistic; no bad news is good news right now!"