259: Chapter 194: Confucian Righteousness, Overwhelming the Courage of All Beasts

Gunsmoke, blood, scorched earth, and deafening roars and sounds of slaughter formed the main theme of the Ancient Roaring Grassland battlefield.

The halo of [School of Military Divine Technique · Breaking the Cauldrons and Sinking the Boats] was like injecting a steel-like will and an immortal war Soul into the crumbling Behemoth Legion. The golden behemoths erupted with a ferocity beyond their limits in their desperation, not only stabilizing their position but also launching a frantic counterattack. Giant Rock, after killing a red Behemoth sub-species single-handedly, charged fiercely at another heavily wounded War Mammoth despite being covered in gruesome wounds. Other Behemoths also completely abandoned defense, attacking without guarding, using their flesh and blood bodies and violent strength to tear open a bloody vacuum in the heart of the beast tide.

However, the core effect of [Breaking the Cauldrons and Sinking the Boats] was "immunity to fear and rout" and "will strengthening"; it could not heal injuries or increase health out of thin air. It was more like a potent "mental stimulant," allowing warriors to ignore pain and fight beyond the limits of life and death, but physical damage and the loss of vitality were objective realities.

Giant Rock's strength remained terrifying, but its movements began to slow imperceptibly due to excessive blood loss. Deep within its golden eyes, beneath the burning flames of will, was the weakness of its life Origin being rapidly consumed. The other Behemoths were even worse off; several who were too heavily injured were only holding on by sheer unyielding Battle Intent and could collapse completely at any moment.

Although the core giant beasts of the beast tide were frustrated and the middle-to-low-tier beast groups suffered heavy losses under the Behemoths' frantic counterattacks and Zhao Hao's Dragon Breath sweeps, their massive numerical advantage still existed! Especially in areas not fully covered by the dragon's breath, a steady stream of Raptors, Worgs, and Tusked Beasts continued to pour in from the flanks and rear like endless ants, throwing themselves one after another at the Behemoth Legion and the rear defensive line. Stimulated by blood and the Shamans' driving force, their eyes were bloodshot, and their primal animality overwhelmed their fear of death.

The battle entered the most brutal stage of attrition. The Behemoth Legion was like an oil lamp in a gale; though its light was dazzling, its fuel (vitality) was being rapidly exhausted. Once the oil ran out, the lamp would be completely extinguished. Other units behind the defensive line were also under immense pressure; the fortifications built by the Tiangong Dwarves were damaged in many places, and the Elves and Mermen began to suffer continuous casualties.

"Lin Zhou! The Behemoths... they're reaching their limit! Breaking the Cauldrons and Sinking the Boats won't last much longer!" Wang Meng's voice rang out in the team link, carrying exhaustion and heartache that were hard to hide. He could clearly feel that beneath the forced Battle Intent of every Behemoth was a life fire rapidly approaching its critical point.

Lin Zhou's brows furrowed as his brain worked at high speed. Maintaining the [Breaking the Cauldrons and Sinking the Boats] halo consumed 300 points of Divine Power per second, and his own Divine Power reserves were dropping rapidly. Although the Behemoth Legion had withstood the most dangerous moment, the situation had not fundamentally turned around. The opponent's numerical advantage in the beast tide was too great, and Hal, as the captain, surely had other tricks up his sleeve.

"I need a more effective and lasting means of area suppression... I can't just rely on the Behemoths tanking and the dragon sniping." Lin Zhou's gaze swept across his own camp. "Literary Heart Elves... their 'Subtle Influence' leans toward mental impact and single-target rule interference, with limited range. The Net of Law needs the sanctuary's support and mainly targets 'illegality' and 'chaos,' so its effect on pure animal frenzy might be diminished... Confucianism... Vast Righteous Qi..."

Suddenly, he remembered the records of Confucian classics in the Temple of Civilization, especially the description of "Vast Righteous Qi": "As for the Qi, it is supremely great and supremely firm. If nourished with uprightness and not harmed, it fills the space between heaven and earth..." as well as the discourse on the influence and pressure of a gentleman's virtue on "beasts."

"Vast Righteous Qi, supremely great and supremely firm, filling heaven and earth... it can drive away evil and suppress demonic Auras, rectifying the human heart. For 'beasts,' this supremely firm and righteous, orderly Aura is no different from the pressure of a natural enemy!" A thought flashed through Lin Zhou's mind like lightning. "The Literary Heart Elves have studied Confucian classics for a long time, possessing extremely high wisdom and mental attributes, and have been baptized by the river of civilization. Their Mental Energy naturally carries a hint of 'elegance' and 'Order.' If their power can be concentrated, guided, and amplified to simulate a pressure Domain of 'Vast Righteous Qi,' it might directly act on the collective mental level of the beast tide, weakening its ferocity and even causing chaos!"

This idea was very risky. The Literary Heart Elves were not specialized in combat; guiding Mental Energy on a large scale to form a Domain was a huge burden for them and might even cause a backlash. Moreover, the effect was unknown, and whether it could have enough impact on such a massive and frenzied beast tide was also uncertain.

But right now, there seemed to be no better choice. The Behemoth Legion desperately needed a breather, and the defensive line needed to reduce the pressure.

"Elia!" Lin Zhou's Divine Thought directly contacted the Wenxin Elf hero. "Gather all priests and the wisest of your people! I have an important mission!"

Elia, located in a relatively safe area behind the defensive line, immediately responded, "As the divine oracle commands! The Priest Corps and three hundred 'Enlightened Ones' are in position!" There was also a division of labor within the Literary Heart Elves; besides combat rangers and basic elves, there were "Priests" and "Enlightened Ones" who specialized in studying classics and were responsible for education. They had higher wisdom attributes and a deeper understanding of the classics.

Lin Zhou quickly conveyed his concept to Elia and directly shared some of his insights regarding "Vast Righteous Qi" and "the dignity of a gentleman" with her. At the same time, he mobilized the power of the river of civilization, slowly guiding the light of Confucian Order contained within it toward the area where the Literary Heart Elves were gathered.

"I need you all to recite in unison the chapters that best embody the 'Righteous Path,' 'Benevolence,' 'Order,' and the 'Aura of Inviolability'! Don't attack, but 'manifest'! Spread the civilization's Righteous Path and the Righteous Qi of heaven and earth that you understand through mental resonance to form a... 'Civilization Pressure Domain'! The goal is to weaken the enemy's ferocity and disrupt their primal animality!" Lin Zhou's voice carried an unquestionable decisiveness.

A glint of realization and determination flashed in Elia's deep blue eyes. "I understand, my god. We will use the classics as our sword and Righteous Qi as our armor to show the light of civilization to ignorance and barbarism!" She quickly transmitted Lin Zhou's will and the shared knowledge to all the gathered elves.

Nearly four hundred of the wisest among the Literary Heart Elves, with Elia at the core, quickly formed a profound Formation (inspired by Confucian rites, music, and simple Formations). They closed their eyes, hands folded over their chests, their expressions solemn and pious. A faint milky-white halo began to emanate from them; it was highly condensed wisdom and Mental Energy, mixed with the pale golden light of Order guided from the river of civilization.

"Begin!" Lin Zhou shouted lowly, simultaneously injecting his own Divine Power (consuming 1,500 points as initial guidance and amplification) into the forming "field."

Elia was the first to speak, her voice clear and full of penetrating power, as if it could reach the Soul directly:

"The Way of Great Learning lies in manifesting illustrious virtue, in loving the people, and in resting in the highest excellence..."

Immediately after, all the elves recited in unison. Their voices were not loud at first but quickly gathered into a torrent—not a physical sound wave, but a resonance of rules acting directly on the mental level!

"Knowing where to rest, the mind is steady; being steady, it can be calm; being calm, it can be at ease; being at ease, it can deliberate; deliberating, it can attain..."

"Things have their roots and branches, and affairs have their end and beginning. To know what is first and what is last will lead near to the Dao..."

What they recited were not offensive incantations but the opening passages of the Confucian classic "The Great Learning," which expounds on the supreme principles of heaven and earth, human Order, and self-cultivation. Every word was a gem, containing profound understanding and pursuit of "Dao," "Virtue," "Goodness," and "Order."

As they recited, the milky-white halo emanating from the elves rapidly expanded and merged. Under the guidance of the power from the river of civilization and Lin Zhou's Divine Power, it transformed into a visible, translucent pale golden light Domain! Centered on the elf Formation, the light Domain rippled like water toward the entire battlefield, especially toward the densest part of the beast tide!

This light Domain was warm and bright, without the slightest hint of aggression, yet it possessed an indescribable air of weight, majesty, and inviolability! It was as if a sage of noble character and awe-inspiring righteousness stood between heaven and earth; wherever his gaze fell, the lowly retreated and the evil ceased to exist!

This was precisely—Vast Righteous Qi · Pressure Domain! (Cast by Lin Zhou in collaboration with the Literary Heart Elves)

[Vast Righteous Qi · Pressure Domain (Manifestation of Confucian Thought)]

Type: Super-large-scale mental/rule influence Domain

Casters: Lin Zhou (Guidance/Amplification) + Wenxin Elf wisdom units (Resonance/Vessel)

Principle: By reciting righteous classics containing supreme truths in unison, it invokes the Confucian Order rules within the river of civilization. It spreads the casters' understanding and belief in the "Righteous Path," "Benevolence," and "Order" through mental resonance, forming a natural pressure field against "chaos," "barbarism," and "ignorance."

Effects:

Mental Pressure: Within the Domain, all units belonging to the chaotic, barbaric, or ignorant factions—such as "beasts," "monsters," "undead," and "demons"—will be subjected to continuous mental pressure. Effects include:

Reduced Attack Desire: Weakens their violent Battle Intent and killing impulse, decreasing attack frequency and resoluteness (by 15%-40%, depending on the unit's wisdom, degree of wildness, and "civilization gap" with the caster).

Morale Setback: More likely to experience emotions such as "hesitation," "confusion," and "fear," with morale -20% (more effective against pure beast groups).

Weakened Skill Effects: Skills driven by emotions or chaotic rules, such as frenzy, bloodlust, or fear halos, have their effects reduced by 10%-25%.

Faction Counter Bonus: Against "beast" and "monster" type dependents (i.e., non-intelligent civilized races that rely on instinct and wildness), the pressure effect receives an additional 30% bonus! (For example, an original 20% reduction in attack desire becomes a 26% reduction for beasts).

Ally Buff: Within the Domain, all allied units of the Order or Lawful alignment gain a slight "peace of mind" and "will stabilization" effect, with a small increase in resistance to mental influences such as fear and chaos (+10%).

Rule Manifestation: During the Domain's duration, the weight of "Order" rules within the area is slightly increased, suppressing the activity of "Chaos" rules.

Range: Maximum radius of two kilometers (affected by the total Mental Energy of the elves and Lin Zhou's Divine Power maintenance; currently covers most of the front-line battlefield).

Duration: Base 3 minutes, affected by the caster's continuous guidance and the elves' Mental Energy maintenance.

Consumption:

Lin Zhou: Initial guidance of 1,500 Divine Power, maintenance of 200 Divine Power per second (range and intensity adjustment).

Wenxin Elf wisdom units: Continuous consumption of Mental Energy and physical strength; excessive consumption may lead to weakness, fainting, or even mental damage.

Restrictions: Reduced effect against units with high wisdom, high will, or their own strong beliefs in Order/Civilization; minimal effect on non-living entities (such as machines) or pure elemental life; the elf Formation must remain relatively stable during casting, and intense physical or mental attacks may interrupt it.

The pale golden pressure Domain was like the morning sun, quietly covering the bloody battlefield.

A miraculous sight occurred!

The beasts that were frantically pouncing on the Behemoth Legion and the defensive line noticeably faltered in their charge! In their blood-red eyes, besides bloodlust, a hint of imperceptible confusion and discomfort began to surface. It was as if they were suddenly placed in an environment that made them instinctively feel restrained, oppressed, or even... "ashamed."

The Raptors' bites were no longer so decisive; they would hesitate for a split second before their sharp teeth touched their targets.

The Worgs' howls lost some of their ferocity and gained a bit of restless anxiety.

The Tusked Beasts' charges became somewhat disorganized, no longer possessing that unstoppable momentum.

Even the Shamans in the rear who were casting spells to drive the beast groups felt their mental commands sinking as if into a mire; the transmission efficiency was greatly reduced, and the beasts' responses became sluggish.

The surging, seemingly all-destroying barbaric Aura of the beast tide hit an invisible high wall and began to decline significantly!

For the Behemoth Legion, this pressure Domain was like a long-awaited rain after a drought!

The pressure of the frantic attacks from countless beasts suddenly lightened! Those small beasts that had originally thrown themselves forward regardless of their lives became hesitant and timid, giving the Behemoths a precious chance to breathe and adjust. Giant Rock took the opportunity to swat away an annoying Raptor with one claw, gasping for breath. Supported by the will of [Breaking the Cauldrons and Sinking the Boats] and the brief relief of pressure, its damaged body even showed a faint sign of recovery (mental will feeding back to the body).

"What... what power is this?" Wang Meng was both surprised and delighted. He felt the beast groups besieging the Behemoths "weaken"—not in strength, but in that desperate drive!

Zhao Hao also keenly noticed that the attacks of the Thunderbirds and Wyverns in the air had become disorganized, making them easier to disperse with Dragon Breath. "Old Lin, what new trick have you come up with now? It feels like these feathered brutes have suddenly become a bit... cowardly?"

Qin Qing looked with a complex gaze at the rising pale golden light Domain in the rear and the elves reciting scriptures with closed eyes at its center. "The righteous sound of Order... to think it could be presented in this way, acting directly on the primal nature of living beings..." She felt her Judgment Holy Light seem to become more condensed within this pressure Domain, and its purification effect on the remaining chaos also slightly improved.

The data sent back by Li Mo's scout swarm was even more direct: "Large-scale mental fluctuations detected in low-tier beast units! Aggressiveness index dropped by 26.5%! Coordination index dropped by 18.3%! It's working! Lin Zhou, your 'recitation' is working!"

In the rear of the beast tide, Captain Hal's shock and anger reached their peak: "This strange power again! It's not a direct attack, but it's more troublesome than one! It's disintegrating my beast groups' Battle Intent! We can't let them continue! All Shamans, fully activate the Feral Totems! Thunderbird swarms, wipe out those glowing elves for me!"

Several crude totem poles emitting blood-red light were fully activated in the rear of the beast tide, attempting to counter the pale golden pressure Domain. Large swarms of Thunderbirds also changed direction, fearlessly diving toward the Literary Heart Elves' Formation.

"Zhao Hao! Intercept the Thunderbirds! Qin Qing, protect the elf Formation! Wang Meng, once the Behemoths have caught their breath, work with Giant Rock to crush the remaining giant beasts!" Lin Zhou commanded calmly while maintaining the pressure Domain. His Divine Power was being rapidly consumed, but his gaze remained steady.

With the powerful support of the [Vast Righteous Qi · Pressure Domain], the battlefield situation finally began to develop in favor of the Hundred Schools Squad. The "Soul" of the beast tide had been shaken.

The Confucian Righteous Path breaks the courage of myriad beasts with pressure! The radiance of civilization began to illuminate this grassland shrouded in barbarism.