Chapter 836: The Canonization Platform Collapses

"If that's how you see it, then I really have no way out..."

Seeing that the other party found fault every time, no matter how he explained, Zhang Xuan frowned: "We are all masters. There's no need to go too far. I've already admitted my mistake, so why must you be so aggressive?"

"How dare you!"

"How dare you speak to Master Wu like that?"

"Where did this wild brat come from? He really doesn't know his place!"

Hearing his words, the crowd erupted in an uproar, everyone on the verge of exploding.

Having attended Master Wu's lecture, you owe him the respect of a half-teacher. A mere Return to One realm brat like you, not listening humbly is one thing, but daring to say such things—are you looking for death?

"I only asked you to come up and explain, how is that being aggressive? To know is to know, not to know is not to know! Putting on airs and pretending to know what you don't—is that the attitude a master should have?"

His gaze like lightning, Master Wu stepped forward.

Boom!

The power of a Seven-Star Master, surpassing Saint Realm Layer 2, instantly poured down, tangible, pressing on all sides like a tidal wave, making it hard to breathe.

As an old fossil who studied the insights on canonization, he had a special attachment to the Canonization Platform and could not stand juniors showing disrespect. This fellow, ever since he started lecturing, had been making all sorts of strange expressions and even sneered, which made him unable to hold back any longer.

Despising him was one thing, but being so frivolous in the place where Master Confucius was canonized... if this were his student, he would have expelled him outright!

That was why a Seven-Star Master loudly rebuked a Four-Star Master—not because he disregarded his status, nor because he was a fool, but to make everyone understand what propriety was, the propriety of respect for Master Confucius!

Otherwise, if everyone acted like this, where would the dignity of the teaching profession be?

"Pretending to know what I don't?" With a turn of his Heavenly Dao true qi, all pressure vanished into nothing. Zhang Xuan looked up at the man before him and couldn't help shaking his head.

You got it wrong, and I couldn't be bothered to point it out, yet you're throwing around big accusations.

Though frustrated, he wasn't one to stir up trouble, so he cupped his fists: "Fine, it is I who do not understand. If I have been discourteous, I ask for your forgiveness!"

Understanding or not, he knew in his heart; there was no need to argue.

He didn't care what the other thought, but even if you wanted to make an example of someone, pick someone else, not him!

"Not understanding yet spouting nonsense here—you are unworthy of being a teacher!"

With a snort, Master Wu clasped his hands behind his back, exuding the unique aura of a Seven-Star Master: "I do not wish to see such a frivolous person any longer. Take off your master's robe and descend the mountain!"

"Take off my master's robe? Descend the mountain?" Zhang Xuan's face darkened.

Removing the master's robe and being driven down the mountain—this was a great humiliation.

If word got out, his career as a master might be ruined.

He had already backed down repeatedly, yet this fellow still wanted to push him so far. Did he really think that because he was young, he could be bullied?

If you want to intimidate the crowd, do you have to use me?

Do I really look so annoying that everyone who sees me wants to trample on me?

Do I have a face that begs for a lesson?

"Exactly!" Master Wu looked over coldly and said, "If I have to drive you away myself, it won't be as simple as just taking off your master's robe..."

Seeing the other's serious attitude, not like a joke, Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes and lifted his head: "I gave you face, didn't I? What you said was utter nonsense, full of errors. I spared your dignity and didn't expose you, and you still pretend to be a big shot here?"

I already admitted my mistake, yet you won't let it go. What, do you want me to slap you in the face to feel satisfied?

Fine, I'll let you slap me... but can you even do it?

"What did you say?"

Not expecting this Return to One realm brat to dare speak like that, Master Wu's face turned ashen.

"Didn't you hear what I said? Master Confucius left his insights to remind and urge later generations. Not only do you twist his meaning, but you also spout nonsense here, misleading everyone. I didn't even curse you, and you play dumb with me? What are you pretending for? Trying to show how great you are?"

Raising his eyebrows, Zhang Xuan snorted coldly.

He hadn't wanted to say much, just keep a low profile, but now it was endless, wasn't it?

I gave you face, and you actually thought I couldn't understand?

"How dare you!" Not expecting this fellow to show no respect at all, Master Wu was about to explode with rage.

"How dare I? Who is the one who dares? Master Confucius left this insight precisely to test later generations. There are nine errors in total. And you, the president of the Canonization Society, after all these years of research, what have you come up with? Do you even know where the errors are?"

Zhang Xuan showed no mercy.

Since he spoke, he had to slap the other until it hurt!

"Nine errors?"

"How could Master Confucius have errors? That's the greatest absurdity under heaven!"

"Nonsense..."

...

Hearing this, not only Master Wu was shocked, but even the surrounding cultivators changed color and couldn't help shouting in rebuke.

Saying Master Confucius made errors was like telling them the sky was falling—who would believe it?

"Don't believe it? Fine, I'll tell you where the nine errors are!"

Too lazy to argue further, Zhang Xuan stepped forward to the cliff face, pointed his finger, and a beam of true qi shot out like a light pen, locating the first error: "This is the first one. 'In stillness, no worry; in agitation, the mind is disturbed. Remain calm and choose stillness. Even without the power to advance, one can still break through...' Strength and spirit must merge into one to achieve stillness and calm. With strength but no spirit, like a sacred beast, you have brute force but no special opportunity, and cannot advance. With spirit but no strength, it is empty fantasy..."

"Master Confucius left these words to let later generations discover the mystery—not to fantasize, not to act blindly... But this Master Wu tells you that as long as your mind is calm enough, you can break through without strength... Impressive. Come on, break through and show me? If you can't, believe me, I'll beat you to death!"

"You..." Master Wu's face flushed red.

"Second error: 'Fear heaven and earth, the spirit vast, the heart sorrowful, as if pressure weighs on the shoulders, only then can one move forward...' The original meaning is that one must know fear to feel pressure on the shoulders, and only then can one progress. Arrogance and complacency only lead to stagnation."

"This statement is not wrong for a martial artist just starting out. But when cultivating to the Saint Domain, going against heaven, if you are simply fearful, how can you grow?"

"A true strong one kills gods when gods block, kills buddhas when buddhas block. Only with a belief that fears nothing can one break through like drinking water and level up like eating!"

"Third error..."

"Fourth error..."

...

Standing before the cliff, Zhang Xuan's voice was like a knife, each sentence directly pointing out the flaws in this insight. Though the defects were minor, when the crowd heard them, their faces went blank and they couldn't help trembling.

They had doubted the words on the cliff before, but whenever they thought it was left by Master Confucius, they naturally assumed the best.

Now, exposed by this young man, their faces turned pale, their minds churning like a stormy sea... Could Master Confucius really have been wrong?

But... how could Master Confucius be wrong!

He was the teacher of ten thousand generations...

Not far away, Master Wu stood frozen.

As a Seven-Star Master, he could tell whether what the other said was wrong or right. Having immersed himself in this insight for years, the other's words gave him a tremendous shock, as if the beliefs he had held for years instantly collapsed.

"...This is the ninth error!"

Seeing that although the crowd hadn't spoken, they were mostly convinced, Zhang Xuan pressed on and pointed out the last flaw.

Hum!

As his words ended, the characters on the cliff suddenly burst into dazzling light, as if they understood his words. The nine errors he had pointed out writhed, and nine large characters flew out, hovering in the air, illuminating all directions.

"Great! To trust the teacher completely is worse than having no teacher!"

With these nine characters gone, the nine errors in the insight immediately transformed, becoming perfect and flawless, with no errors remaining.

"This is... Master Confucius's approval?"

"He received Master Confucius's approval?"

"It's not that Master Confucius made errors, but... a test left for later generations!"

"Pity none of us saw it, not even the Canonization Society understood..."

...

Seeing this, everyone finally understood. Their bodies stiffened, and they couldn't help kneeling to the ground.

Even Master Confucius approved of what this young man said, proving it was correct without a doubt!

The earlier doubts of the crowd and Master Wu's mockery now became a joke.

"This, this... all these years of research were wrong?"

Unlike the crowd's shock, Master Wu and the others turned pale and involuntarily stepped back.

Master Wang and the Suns also looked pale, dazed, unable to believe their eyes and ears.

They could tell whether Zhang Xuan's words were true or false, and besides... Master Confucius had acknowledged them!

The test left behind was so obvious, yet they hadn't discovered it for so many years, and had even studied it as correct...

The Canonization Society, with so many masters, had discussed repeatedly, studied day and night... thinking they had deeply understood Master Confucius's meaning, only now to realize...

It was all a joke!

Crack!

The nine large characters appeared, exuding an invincible and powerful aura, suppressing the crowd into silence, their minds wandering as if trapped in a special artistic conception, unable to control themselves.

The cliff behind them shook violently, as if fulfilling some mission, and cracks appeared.

The cracks grew larger, from the width of a thumb to soon accommodating an adult, and then with a "boom!" it exploded from within, rubble falling, raising clouds of dust.

An insight of 3,324 characters by Master Confucius turned to powder in an instant.

"Damn it..."

His face pale, his body swaying, Zhang Xuan felt darkness before his eyes and almost cried.

He knew this insight had errors, but he hadn't expected that pointing them out would cause the cliff to collapse.

You crumble so spectacularly, so freely... what about me?

This vast crowd of masters, seeing me 'commit the crime' with their own eyes, will beat me to death...

Do you have to be such a trap?

"Huh?"

Luo Ruoxi, who had been looking around for the true location of Master Confucius's canonization, heard the boom, was startled, and with a flicker of her body, appeared instantly like a teleport.

Then she saw Zhang Xuan standing before the cliff, looking dazed, his mouth twitching uncontrollably.

Her eyebrows twitching, Luo Ruoxi's vision went dark.

I only left for a moment!

You, you... what have you done again?

This time, you even wrecked the Canonization Platform?