As soon as Chen Sanliang spoke, he began to belittle Zhou Qiucheng, trying to suppress Zhou Qiucheng’s momentum.
Zhou Qiucheng and his cohorts played tricks, attempting to wear down Chen Sanliang’s Essence, Qi, and Spirit through a war of attrition, but unfortunately, they failed to achieve their desired effect. Instead, Chen Sanliang used it to strike at Zhou Qiucheng’s morale.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Qiucheng frowned suddenly, his eyes showing a hint of embarrassment, but he remained calm and said, "You ungrateful and perfidious wretch, what do you know of the human heart and the imposing momentum of the land? A traitor like you is fit for all to punish, and every scholar under Heaven grits their teeth at your mention, wishing they could tear your flesh and drink your blood. These gentlemen are filled with righteousness; each of them understands the Heavenly Dao and the human heart, they cannot tolerate your actions. Even knowing it’s like striking a stone with an egg, they would splash you with blood. These gentlemen are filled with integrity and understand the great justice which is beyond the comprehension of a heartless beast like you."
Upon hearing Zhou Qiucheng’s words, Chen Sanliang shook his head: "Look at you, not only is your knowledge lacking, but you’re also hypocritical, unwilling to admit what you’ve done. It’s truly disappointing; meeting you isn’t as good as hearing your name."
Although Chen Sanliang’s words were short, they were like a sharp sword directly piercing Zhou Qiucheng’s chest, igniting a nameless fire in Zhou Qiucheng’s heart.
Murdering with words! It’s not about the debate at all; it’s purely Chen Sanliang being quick-witted.
On the side, Zhang Chen heard Chen Sanliang’s words, and an old joke from a past life could not help but emerge in his mind: You’ve been beaten by a monkey!
"Chen Sanliang, spare me the verbal antics. I have nothing to say to a disgrace to the human race like you. Today, you and I will engage in a spiritual inquiry right here. I want to see what is so mysterious about your knowledge that makes you dare to act recklessly among the human race." Seeing that his own momentum had been suppressed by Chen Sanliang, Zhou Qiucheng quickly shifted the topic, realizing his words could not compete with Chen Sanliang’s.
"A spiritual inquiry debate? Heh heh, you’re bound to lose!" Chen Sanliang’s voice was full of certainty.
"You ignorant fool, since I’m debating with you, how could I come unprepared? You say I’m bound to lose, but I say you’re bound to lose. I’ve already grasped the entire mysteries of your Dao, and I..."
Zhou Qiucheng paused before continuing his words: "You don’t know, I have already reached a higher level. My Dao has been refined and renewed, vastly different from the past. Between you and me, I know your Dao thoroughly, while you know nothing of mine. Since you know not of my Dao, how can you defeat me?"
Upon hearing Zhou Qiucheng’s words, Chen Sanliang raised an eyebrow: "Is that so? You say I know nothing of your Dao? Heh heh, isn’t it just that the human heart is selfless? How could I not know!"
Zhou Qiucheng’s expression finally changed for the first time, as if seeing a ghost, looking incredulously at Chen Sanliang: "How do you know?"
Chen Sanliang shook his head: "Not only is your knowledge lacking, but you’re also hypocritical and even lack integrity. Those around you have already betrayed you, yet you remain unaware. I’m starting to question my initial decision; is a mediocre person like you even worth my time to waste words on in Jinling?"
"You..." Zhou Qiucheng pointed at Chen Sanliang, too angry to speak. At this moment, there was also a sense of panic in his heart, wondering when his secrets had been leaked.
Among the crowd, Zhang Chen looked at the flustered Zhou Qiucheng and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly, not knowing what to say.
Of course, he knew the traitor. It was because Jiang Nan had copied Zhou Qiucheng’s manuscripts, leading to Zhou Qiucheng’s disclosure and disrupting his current arrangements.
However, Zhou Qiucheng, after all, was a Great Scholar, a top figure suppressing Jinling City. He quickly stabilized his mind and seized the opportunity to sneer back at Chen Sanliang: "Heh heh, seeing you so brazen, I initially thought you were invincible, but it turns out you were afraid of me and thus had someone steal my manuscripts in advance."
At this moment, Zhou Qiucheng rapidly regained his composure. The opponent had someone steal his manuscripts, what does that signify? It signifies the opponent is afraid of him, the opponent himself is not sure!
If that’s the case, what is there to be afraid of?
"Heh heh, you’re overthinking. Your ignorant knowledge would only defile my eyes. How could I send someone to steal your manuscripts? It was merely those around you betraying you and handing your manuscripts to me. When your manuscripts got into my hands, I used them as table leg support. Your knowledge was only fit for such use. In hindsight, it’s a good thing I used your knowledge as table support right away. Otherwise, the knowledge crafted by a deceitful and morally corrupt person like you is bound to be tainted with impurity. I fear it would have sullied my eyes." Chen Sanliang’s voice was full of disdain.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Qiucheng’s face darkened immediately, his expression gloomy as water: "A dignified Demon Master, do you only indulge in verbal skirmishes?"
He knew that in this battle of Essence, Qi, and Spirit before the debate, he had already been defeated, so he no longer dwelled on the topic, wanting instead to dive directly into the debate.
Meanwhile, anxiety inevitably arose in his heart. Chen Sanliang already knew his foundations. He was indeed caught in a downward spiral, truly not a favorable situation.
"Who exactly betrayed me? Or is it that no one could betray me, and it was Chen Sanliang secretly sending people to steal it?" Zhou Qiucheng felt a surge of anxiety rising within him.
Among the crowd, Zhang Chen looked at Chen Sanliang’s back and couldn’t help but shake his head silently: "Chen Sanliang, worthy of being Chen Sanliang, with this series of combinations, Zhou Qiucheng’s momentum is not only suppressed but has also lost thirty percent of his Essence, Qi, and Spirit. How can someone who is anxious, confused, and shocked unleash their full potential during a philosophical debate?"
But confrontation at the front line is also a part of the philosophical debate, and it’s also a reflection of strength.
Chen Sanliang heard the words, smiled, and then pulled out a bottle filled with Li Spring Water, smiling at Zhou Qiucheng.
Seeing Chen Sanliang’s demeanor, Zhang Chen couldn’t help but feel a jolt in his heart: "Could it be! Chen Sanliang truly intends to maximize his advantage! He isn’t satisfied with the current results and wants to further strike at Zhou Qiucheng’s spirit."
At the moment Chen Sanliang took out the Li Spring, Zhang Chen already had a foreboding in his heart, and sure enough, he saw Chen Sanliang swallow the entire bottle of water, his Essence, Qi, and Spirit boiled, his entire Qi Mechanism underwent a dramatic change, his skin once again smooth and tender, where was the previous decadent appearance? He was as good as it gets.
Then Chen Sanliang put away the bottle and slowly said: "You cowardly lot, thinking of using back-to-back battles to exhaust me, simply wishful thinking, all your calculations are within my grasp."
Sneering at Zhou Qiucheng: "Surprised? Delighted? I had already been fasting, not needing food or drink, my previous state was an act to fool you. If I hadn’t pretended to be feeble, why would those fools come to their deaths? How could I enjoy the joke?"
"You..." Zhou Qiucheng pointed at the radiant Chen Sanliang, too angry to speak.
Seeing this, Zhang Chen also closed his eyes, silently lamenting: "So despicable! Chen Sanliang is truly despicable! I finally understand why the Academy people aren’t fond of him, even leading to his expulsion from the walls of the Academy."
Chen Sanliang’s fasting was a lie to strike at Zhou Qiucheng’s spirit, adding odds to his own victory was the truth.
Zhou Qiucheng was too angry to speak, looking at the countless corpses on the ground, the cries on the street, couldn’t help but curse: "Beast! You are a beast! Those people are the elite of my Confucianism, how could you bear to deal such a cruel hand."
"If you have the ability, defeat me in philosophical debate and retrieve their dignity... Tsk tsk tsk, all your secrets have been revealed, you’re doomed to lose, and their vengeance you are destined not to achieve." Chen Sanliang’s voice was somewhat teasing: "Look at you, failing in being human, failing in knowledge, also lacking in scheming, alas, in the past I really have overestimated you."
"You scoundrel, cease your arrogant remarks, today I will debate with you till the end, defeat your Dao, dissipate your Essence, Qi, and Spirit, destroy your doctrine." Zhou Qiucheng’s chest heaved: "Today I will avenge those countless scholars."
"Revenge? I think you’re going to lose yourself." Chen Sanliang coldly laughed.
"The distinguished Demon Master, do you only boast with words? I have heard of your Enlightenment Dao claiming Universal Education, I ask you, can any being learn your Dao?" Zhou Qiucheng questioned.
Chen Sanliang looked at Zhou Qiucheng, not answering his question but shaking his head: "Your courage is lacking too!"
"With our level of knowledge and realm, wanting to debate out results in just words, even three days and nights would hardly judge a winner. Do you dare to evolve Dao within our spirits, accept the interrogation of Dao, and then decide victory or defeat?" Chen Sanliang asked.
Beside them, Zhang Chen heard this, his pupil shrunk, Chen Sanliang played a big hand here, such a debate involves a spiritual exchange, directly confronting the impact of each other’s Dao, a slight mishap results in a mental collapse, turning into an idiot.
Even if one doesn’t turn into an idiot, falling into a disadvantage would allow the opponent to corrupt their Dao, becoming a subordinate from then on, hard to recover.
"Now Chen Sanliang has already seized the initial advantage, suppressed Zhou Qiucheng in Essence, Qi, and Spirit, spiritual inquiry is dangerous, but he also seized the initiative. If he can take advantage to enlighten Zhou Qiucheng, make Zhou Qiucheng submit, in the future Chen Sanliang’s camp will certainly gain a guardian charging ahead." Zhang Chen was somewhat amazed, Chen Sanliang achieving today wasn’t by chance, he is ruthless to enemies, more ruthless to himself.
Zhou Qiucheng heard the words, swept over the watching eyes of the crowd, then unhesitatingly agreed: "Haha, why not dare? You and I will engage in spiritual inquiry, I want to see if your skills are as good as your words."
After speaking, Zhou Qiucheng slowly closed his eyes, his body exuded Essence, Qi, and Spirit spreading towards Chen Sanliang. Seeing this, Chen Sanliang was undaunted, directly releasing his Essence, Qi, and Spirit outwards to meet it.