My Wife Is A Sword Immortal-Chapter 92 - 79 I, Zhao Ziyu_3

Chapter 92: Chapter 79 I, Zhao Ziyu_3

They were almost certain that they were the victors of the day.

On the stage, when Zhao Rong was meticulously arguing the seventh sentence, Tao Yuanran, who had maintained a calm demeanor, suddenly furrowed his brows—the first time he had done so that day.

Zhao Rong continued without cessation, “Speaking from the perspective of self-interest, it then encompasses essence and function, this is called ‘one source’; from the perspective of representation, it manifests subtly without exclusion, this is called ‘seamless’…”

A philosophical proposition, never before seen in this world, was slowly being articulated by this young Confucian scholar. Each statement, like building blocks, was constructing a magnificent castle. Although it was not yet completed, its momentum was already overwhelming.

At the side, watching the debate between the two men, Lay Scholar Liuyi was slightly distracted. In his view, the final clear debate was drawing to a close; if only Tao Yuanran would not intentionally…

The elder with the wine gourd tucked at his waist suddenly interrupted his thoughts, as he heard an extraordinary claim being made by the young Confucian scholar, who seemed on the verge of collapse.

He set down his wine gourd, his attention gradually captured by the young Confucian scholar, moved a few steps forward, and listened intently to every word.

Meanwhile, somewhere below the stage, the area had already become lively and festive.

Standing at the forefront of the Daoists, Qingqingzi watched the high platform with a smiling face, but his mind was already elsewhere, pondering how to elegantly conclude this Confucian and Daoist debate.

Thinking this, he, under the many awestruck gazes from the audience, eagerly turned his head to search for Lin Wenruo’s figure, wanting to see the expression of the man tormented by a situation of impending loss yet not yet lost.

However, as Qingqingzi turned, he suddenly caught a glimpse of Qing Yuanzi’s face turning pale beside him, and instinctively followed his gaze, which was still directed at the stage.

“What’s the matter?” Qingqingzi asked casually.

Is that young lad still stubbornly quibbling? Hehe, well, once he steps away from the Scripture Platform, he’ll no longer have a chance to speak…

Qing Yuanzi’s face slowly withdrew its smile, his expression turning somber, and he did not immediately answer Qingqingzi’s question.

Seeing Qing Yuanzi like this, Qingqingzi’s heart sank, and he swiftly directed his attention to the stage.

“What is that kid talking about? Is he spouting nonsense again?”

When the young Confucian scholar on the stage boldly argued his thirteenth sentence.

Qing Yuanzi, who had humbly listened to many unimaginable debates at the sacred learning ground, suddenly took a deep breath and licked his dry lips.

“Essence and function as one source? This, this seems somewhat similar to the esteemed theory of ‘taking non-action as the basis’… What, what exactly is he trying to do?”

The next second, his hand, stroking his beard, almost tore the beard off, a look of incredulity appearing in his eyes, “Could it be…”

Impossible, impossible! How could such a theory exist? Madman, madman!

Seeing this, Qingqingzi’s breath hitched. He still did not understand what the young Confucian scholar was saying, but at that moment, he felt as if the sun had disappeared around him, growing dim as if… some terrifying presence was about to descend.

“What is Ziyu doing?” Chen Muzhi asked blankly from another side of the venue.

“Essence and function as one source, the obvious and the subtle without interval?” Lin Wenruo, his eyes bloodshot, stared unblinkingly at the stage. In one moment, his pupils slightly constricted, passing a look of disbelief, “Ziyu wouldn’t be trying to use this theory to unify ‘non-action’ and ‘inevitable action’ into one… directly arguing his point of ‘non-action yet not without action,’ would he?”

When Zhao Rong, in a deep voice, narrated the twenty-first sentence, meticulously constructing the edifice known as “the theory of essence and function as one source” nearly halfway, the noisy hubbub of the audience had gradually quieted down, and people in the crowd occasionally opened their eyes wide and slapped their thighs.

At this moment, over seventy percent of the people inside the Scripture Platform understood what the young Confucian scholar on the stage was attempting to do. They began to hold their breath and focus, not daring to make noise. As for those who still did not understand, even if perplexed, they gleaned something from the expressions of the surrounding people.

“Words arise from images, images from ideas, ideas resemble images, images are conveyed by words…”

Zhao Rong’s thoughts flowed from his mouth, increasingly excited, leaning forward, his eyes brimming with an aggressive vigor, like a young dragon just poking its head out from a dark pool, not yet mature, but already displaying the vigor to challenge bulls.

Lay Scholar Liuyi, who had listened intently from the beginning, his eyes gradually lighting up. Suddenly, he sighed deeply, his right hand subconsciously stretching towards the wine gourd at his waist, but he halted halfway and withdrew his hand sulkily.

His gaze shockingly fixed on Zhao Rong, who was now spirited and markedly different in demeanor,

This Confucian scholar actually proposed a theory he had never heard of, about “essence” and “function”. They refer to the core entity and its effect.

Generally, “essence” is considered the most fundamental and intrinsic. “Function” is the external manifestation, the appearance, of “essence”.

At the beginning, the young Confucian Scholar’s argument stated that in “action through inaction,” “inaction” is the substance and “action in every situation” is the application. These two were severed, creating a hierarchy of primary and secondary, fundamental and subordinate relationships.

This was precisely the aspect that Tao Yuanran misinterpreted and criticized, and it was a fatal flaw.

Now, the young Confucian Scholar proposed the theory that “if you speak of substance, application lies within substance; if you speak of application, substance lies within application, which is called the unity of substance and application.” Furthermore, his arguments were consistent, logical, and well-founded.

The theory of the unity of substance and application unified the essence with its manifestations, thus “action through inaction” could also be unified.

Between action and inaction, there was no longer a subordinate relationship; inaction itself is a form of action.

Thus, Tao Yuanran could no longer misconstrue Zhao Rong’s points, focusing excessively on “action in every situation” and criticizing it as mere expediency!

Moreover, the “unity of substance and application” theory also effectively confirmed Zhao Rong’s arguments about “action through inaction” from another angle!

This novel theory shocked him far more than the second discussion just initiated by Qing Yuanzi, which presented the concept of “valorizing non-action as fundamental.” He even dimly realized that the “unity of substance and application” could better debate the previous topic of “the debate of existence versus non-existence”!

At this moment, Tao Yuanran, who had been aggressively challenging just earlier, was now overwhelmed, his prayer beads, unseen by others, had stopped twirling and were clenched tightly in his hand once again.

He began to abandon the flaw he had stubbornly clung to, trying no longer to entangle with Zhao Rong, and was eager to escape the whirlpool that was about to reverse their roles. However, Zhao Rong reversed their roles, relentlessly pursuing him.

Active roles and passive roles, advantages and disadvantages, underwent a dramatic reversal in an instant.

Gradually, the elderly man in the Nanhua cap became increasingly weaker, even pausing for two moments, his lips pursed in silence before continuing with a forced argument.

Finally, under the watchful eyes of the audience, Zhao Rong’s vigor had climbed to its peak, as if in the next moment it would burst forth from his eyes, transforming into a beam of sword light!

His eyes sparkled, his voice was like the sound of Golden Stone striking the ground, resonant and powerful, placing the last foundation stone on the “unity of substance and application” edifice.

“Acting without acting, affairs without affairs, taste without taste…”

“Thus, action through inaction!”

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Immediately, the elderly man in the Nanhua cap fell silent.

He could have continued to argue forcefully, delaying further, but it was pointless now.

For he knew he had lost, defeated by the theory of “unity of substance and application” that had just shocked his heart and mind. The last time a theory had moved him this much was at the Jixia Academy twenty years ago, during a discussion with Mo Bian from the Mo Family.

One moment, two moments, three moments.

The outcome was decided!

At that time, the entire venue fell silent.

Countless gazes fell on the two figures on the stage.

Thousands were present, yet there was complete silence.

A Daoist gentleman suddenly stood up and performed an ancient ritual toward the young Confucian Scholar, a courtesy unique to Jixia Academy.

The elderly man in the Nanhua cap spoke again.

“I am Tao Yuanran.”

The young Confucian Scholar stood up to return the favor.

“I am Zhao Ziyu.”

————

PS: This chapter has been revised, 5k5 words, wow, feels even more robust while typing. (Thanks to the suggestion from “Monster丿” brother, little Rong has become stronger~)