273: Chapter 28: The Debate on Rules, A Hundred Schools of Thought Confronting the Emperor

Star Sea Calendar Year 7843, Late Autumn.

The Xinghai University Central Arena, a magnificent structure capable of holding a million spectators and inscribed with countless legends of divine wars, today welcomed its most high-profile duel in nearly a decade—the Academy Championship Finals.

Above the dome, a simulated vast starry sky slowly rotated, with countless starlights focusing on the center of the field. The circular spectator stands were already packed, the clamor of the crowd nearly lifting the protective barrier that claimed to isolate God King-level impacts. Students from various academies, invited celebrities from all walks of life, military observers, and even exchange teams from other Star Domain universities cast countless gazes filled with excitement, curiosity, scrutiny, or dismissiveness toward the competition grounds below, which were as vast as a miniature Star Domain but currently empty.

The air was thick with near-tangible anticipation and tension. Everyone knew the disparity in strength for this match was almost absurdly lopsided, but for that very reason, it added a strange allure—would they witness the coronation ceremony of the "Prince of the Star Sea," Xuanyuan Hao, in his invincible glory? Or would they see how the dark horse named "Hundred Schools" would meet its end in an unexpected or even tragic manner before absolute power?

Even more intriguing were the undercurrents and storms of public opinion swirling inside and outside the campus in the dozens of hours before the match began. Discussions about the "clash of ideas" and "collision of civilizations" were rampant, even showing a slight trend of overshadowing simple predictions of victory or defeat. Some perceptive individuals had already caught a scent of something unusual.

Time: 1 minute before the finals. Player preparation area.

The five members of the Hundred Schools Squad gathered together for final preparations.

Li Mo had changed into a simple deep blue robe of ancient style, without any redundant decorations, except for the collar and cuffs where extremely fine silver thread embroidered abstract patterns of rivers and scrolls, symbolizing the "river of civilization." He closed his eyes to concentrate, adjusting his breathing while his Godhead operated at high speed, performing a final organization and solidification of all information collected over the past dozens of hours, the multiple contingency plans formulated, and the key points of debate repeatedly rehearsed with Su Yueyao, Qin Qing, and the others.

Zhao Hao, in fiery red battle armor, appeared somewhat restless, pacing incessantly: "Old Lin, are you sure that guy will take the bait? What if he ignores the public opinion entirely and just uses his Divine Kingdom to crush us?"

Wang Meng was much steadier, carefully checking his bracers: "Since the President has arranged it, we'll prepare for the worst. If we really have to fight, we've got to knock out a few of his teeth."

A data waterfall flowed across Li Mo's glasses as he performed a final check on the demonstration models for several key datasets: "The public opinion pressure index has reached the threshold. The estimated percentage of voices within the referee panel supporting a 'concept demonstration' exceeds 4%. Combined with the Principal's likely inclination... if Xuanyuan Hao flatly refuses, even if he wins by force, he will lose points in terms of morality and public opinion. Given how much he values his 'Perfect Emperor' image, he most likely won't do that. But he will certainly set conditions favorable to himself."

Qin Qing wore a black robe with gold trim, her aura becoming increasingly cold and inviolable; she had just finished the final round of encrypted communication with her Family: "The attitudes of the three originally neutral referees have clearly shifted toward supporting the 'addition of a civilizational concept competition segment.' The key is how Xuanyuan Hao responds and the Chief Referee's final judgment."

Lin Zhou slowly opened his eyes, his gaze calm like a deep, ancient well. "He will take the bait," he said calmly but with a sense of certainty. "The 'Imperial Way' seeks to govern all directions; it requires not only invincible power but also 'legitimacy.' If, under the watchful eyes of everyone, he is labeled by public opinion as 'fearing a clash of ideas' or 'knowing only brute force,' it would be like leaving a flaw on his perfect Imperial halo. He won't allow that to happen. More likely, he will agree to some form of 'discourse' in a 'condescending' and 'bestowing' manner, then attempt to completely crush us at the level of ideas and rules as well, thereby proving the total superiority of his 'Imperial Way.'"

"And this is our only chance." Lin Zhou stood up and straightened his robes. "To pull the battlefield from pure power into the Domain of ideas and rules. Even if he is equally powerful in that Domain."

Just then, a grand bell echoed through the arena, tolling nine times.

The finals were about to begin!

Time: The finals begin.

The starlight at the dome suddenly became brilliant, and a majestic voice amplified by Divine Power rang through the entire venue:

"The Xinghai University 7843rd Academy Championship Finals begin now! The opposing sides: School of Literature and Law, 'Hundred Schools' Squad, Captain Lin Zhou; Imperial Pole Academy, 'Son of Heaven' Squad, Captain Xuanyuan Hao. Both teams, enter the field!"

Light lit up at the player tunnel entrances on the east and west sides.

On the east side, Lin Zhou led the five members of the Hundred Schools Squad as they stepped out slowly. Their figures seemed unremarkable in the massive arena, but their steps were steady and their gazes clear. In the spectator stands, the waves of sound belonging to the School of Literature and Law and those supporting 'Hundred Schools' suddenly surged, mixed with cheers from many neutral spectators drawn in by the public discourse.

On the west side, the light was even brighter, like the rising sun. Xuanyuan Hao, in a dark gold dragon-patterned Imperial robe and wearing a Flat Heaven Crown, stood tall as a pine. Surrounded by a group of powerful teammates, he stepped into the field with a dragon's gait and a tiger's stride. He swept his calm gaze across the venue; his look was not one of arrogance, but a natural majesty as if overlooking his own territory. Wherever he passed, the clamor of the stands unconsciously lowered, as if suppressed by an invisible Imperial prestige. The Imperial Pole Academy and the camp supporting the 'Son of Heaven' erupted in mountain-shaking shouts, the cries of "Prince" and "Son of Heaven" echoing through the clouds.

Both sides stood a thousand meters apart in the center of the field. For deities, this distance was close at hand.

The referee's bench was located on a high platform to the north, where the figures of the nine referee committee members loomed in the light, their auras as deep as the sea. The one in the center was the Principal of Xinghai University.

The Principal wasted no words, his aged and peaceful voice cutting directly to the point: "According to the schedule, the finals will adopt the 'Astral Conquest War · Ultimate Mode.' Both sides' Divine Kingdom projections will be deployed into a randomly generated simulated demi-plane in thirty seconds. Now, are both sides prepared? Are there any objections?"

By convention, this was merely a procedural inquiry. Almost everyone believed the match would proceed directly into that suspense-free Conquest of force.

However, just as Xuanyuan Hao's lips moved, preparing to utter the routine "No objections"—

"Chief Referee, members of the referee committee, I, student Lin Zhou, wish to submit an objection."

The clear voice was not loud, yet it spread clearly through the venue's amplification system to every corner.

Boom!

The entire venue fell silent for an instant, followed by an even greater explosion of noise.

"It's here! He actually raised it!"

"He's got some guts! Raising an objection to their faces?"

"This is going to be good! Is the clash of ideas coming?"

"Hmph, just grandstanding and a deathbed struggle!"

Xuanyuan Hao's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly as his gaze fell upon the calmly standing youth in the blue robe opposite him. His teammates behind him showed expressions of either ridicule or annoyance.

On the referee's bench, several committee members exchanged glances. The Principal's expression remained unchanged as he spoke slowly: "Student Lin Zhou, please state your objection."

Lin Zhou took a step forward, facing the referee's bench, and bowed slightly, his posture neither humble nor arrogant.

"My objection is not directed at the tournament rules themselves, but at the specific format of this final," Lin Zhou's voice was steady and clear, ensured by Divine Power to be audible to the entire audience. "I believe the purpose of the Xinghai University Academy Championship lies in honing skills, exchanging ideas, promoting growth, and showcasing the style of our Star Sea students. However, looking at both sides of this final, the disparity in strength is vast. If we proceed conventionally with a pure Divine Kingdom Conquest of force, I fear it will conclude in an extremely short time."

He paused, ignoring the boos from the stands and the sneers from Xuanyuan Hao's camp, and continued: "In such a case, it would be difficult to fully demonstrate the strengths of both sides, and it would hardly provide a valuable viewing experience or food for thought for the vast number of students. Furthermore, it deviates from the academic spirit of Xinghai University, which is to be inclusive and to encourage exploration."

"Oh?" the Principal's tone was steady, giving no hint of his feelings. "Then in your opinion, what should be done?"

Lin Zhou looked up, his gaze clear and firm: "I propose that while maintaining the basic framework of 'Astral Conquest,' we adjust the core victory criteria for the finals! We should lower the weight of pure military confrontation and increase the weight of segments such as 'Practice and Demonstration of Civilizational Concepts,' 'Efficiency of Rule Construction and Assimilation,' 'Results of Guiding and Educating the Demi-plane's Indigenous Civilizations,' and the 'Discussing the Dao' performance of the deities representing their respective paths! The final victory should be determined by the referee panel based on the comprehensive performance of both sides across these multiple dimensions!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire venue erupted in an uproar!

Although there had been rumors in public opinion before, when Lin Zhou actually stood at the finals, before the Principal and all the referees, and so clearly and formally proposed elevating "Discussing the Dao" and "Civilization Construction" to a status equal to or even higher than "Conquest by Force," the impact was still immense.

"Absurd!" Behind Xuanyuan Hao, a teammate couldn't help but shout sternly. "The struggle between deities is, at its root, a struggle of power and rules! Civilizational concepts? They are merely appendages of power! How can you put the cart before the horse?"

The spectator stands were also filled with discussion, as voices of support and opposition clashed violently.

Lin Zhou ignored it, simply looking calmly at the judges' bench, especially those he knew might be inclined to support him.

On the judges' bench, after a brief silence, Gongsun Yan, the Dean of the History and Civilization Academy, spoke slowly, his voice gentle yet powerful: "What Student Lin Zhou says, though abrupt, is not without merit. Deities guide civilizations and control Laws. 'Power' is the means, while 'Civilization' is the purpose and manifestation. A high-level duel that can simultaneously showcase the application of power and civilizational concepts indeed has its value."

Mo Heng, the Dean of Engineering, chimed in with a direct tone: "I also feel that just watching fights is getting a bit dull. Seeing how the youngsters manage their territory, how they hoodwink... oh no, guide the natives, and how they clearly explain their own 'principles' might be more interesting and better show their true capabilities."

Professor Xun Wenruo of the Law School said in a deep voice: "The debate of Laws and the discussion of Order are also a form of power. If this 'Discussing the Dao' can clarify the superiority of paths and the merits of Laws, its significance may not be inferior to a tragic divine war."

The stance of the three heavyweight judges instantly changed the atmosphere in the arena. Many who originally thought Lin Zhou was being fanciful began to seriously consider the possibility of this proposal.

Xuanyuan Hao's expression finally darkened slightly. He hadn't expected that within the judging panel, there would actually be so many people supporting this absurd proposal! And it sounded as if they were prepared?

His gaze swept across the judges' bench, then over the crowd in the stands who were clearly stirred up and anticipating a "clash of ideas," before finally landing back on Lin Zhou's calm face.

Good move! Good calculation!

So the storm of public opinion these past few days and the visits to professors were all a setup for this! It was intended to force his hand, dragging the final battle into a Domain advantageous to him!

Xuanyuan Hao sneered in his heart. A mere junior who had won by luck through an unorthodox path actually thought he could shake the "Imperial Way" I have nurtured for many years at the level of ideas and Laws?

If he refused outright, he could certainly win quickly with force, but as Lin Zhou expected, it would inevitably leave him open to criticisms of being "afraid of debate," "narrow-minded," and "seeking only power," which would not fit the "Perfect Emperor" image he had painstakingly cultivated. Especially with several important judges clearly leaning that way and the principal's attitude being unclear.

If he agreed... hmph, fine! Then I'll let you see what the "resplendent Imperial Way" is, and what the "Heavenly Decree Laws" are! At the level of ideas and Laws, I will utterly crush you, making your so-called "Way of the Hundred Schools" reveal its true form and proving it is nothing more than a jumbled, impure, and heterodox doctrine! This way, I won't just win; I'll negate your path from its very root, winning even more perfectly!

In a flash, Xuanyuan Hao weighed the pros and cons and made his decision.

He raised his hand, stopping his teammates behind him who still wanted to argue, and took a step forward.

As he took this step, it felt as if the entire center of the arena shifted toward him. An invisible Imperial pressure spread out, actually suppressing the noise of the entire crowd by several degrees.

Everyone's gaze instantly focused on him.

Xuanyuan Hao looked at the judges' bench, nodded slightly, and spoke in a steady, magnificent voice filled with unquestionable authority: "Principal, fellow judges. Student Lin Zhou's proposal, though unexpected, is not entirely without merit upon careful consideration."

As soon as he said this, even Lin Zhou was slightly surprised. He hadn't expected the other party to take the bait so straightforwardly.

Xuanyuan Hao continued: "Our Xinghai University should indeed encourage the collision of ideas and explore the ultimate truths of civilization. Since my junior wishes to determine superiority through the 'Dao,' this seat—shall grant your request."

In his speech, he naturally used "this seat" to refer to himself, appearing even more condescending.

"However," Xuanyuan Hao's tone shifted, his gaze like lightning shooting toward Lin Zhou, "since it is a 'Discussing the Dao,' there must be a 'Dao Arena' and 'Rules.' Mere empty talk is no different from child's play. This seat proposes—"

He raised his hand, pointing toward the center of the field: "Let this place be the foundation to raise the 'Dao Debate Platform'! Both sides will project their respective Divine Kingdom's core Law projections and the essence of their civilizational concepts, condensing and manifesting them on the platform for the most direct and essential collision of Laws and clash of ideas! The Divine Kingdom projections will still be deployed into the demiplane, where all military, construction, and Enlightenment actions will be regarded as the practice of 'Walking the Dao.' The results will feed back to the Dao Debate Platform, strengthening one's own Law projection! Ultimately, the winner will be determined by the judges based on the relative strength and clarity of the Law projections and conceptual manifestations on the Dao Debate Platform, combined with the practical results within the demiplane! How about it?"

Xuanyuan Hao's proposal was more specific and even more... ruthless than Lin Zhou's! He didn't just want to "debate the Dao"; he wanted to directly link the practice of "Walking the Dao" with the "Dao Debate," and placed the most core deciding factor on the direct collision of both sides' Law Origins! This was no different from transforming the divine war into another form of an even more dangerous "War of Laws"!

Lin Zhou felt a chill in his heart. The opponent was indeed experienced; he not only accepted the challenge but also set the battlefield to be more favorable to himself. The direct collision of Laws on the Dao Debate Platform would largely be a contest of the "strength," "purity," and "status" of the Laws themselves, which was precisely the advantage of a mature, pure, and high-status path like the "Imperial Way"!

But things had come to this, and there was no turning back. Being able to reduce the weight of "Conquest by force" and elevate the clash of "Laws and ideas" to a decisive position was already the greatest success.

Lin Zhou took a deep breath, met Xuanyuan Hao's gaze, and said loudly: "Agreed! We shall do as Senior Xuanyuan says!"

"Good." A faint arc curled at the corner of Xuanyuan Hao's mouth, as if everything was within his grasp.

Seeing this, the principal quickly communicated with the other judges and made the final decision: "Approved! The format of the finals, based on the agreement of both parties and the review of the judging panel, is adjusted as follows..."

With the principal's announcement, the entire floor of the central arena began to vibrate violently!

Countless profound runes emerged from the ground and the Void Realm, intertwining and rising! Surging Divine Power poured out from the bottom of the arena and from the nine judges, injecting into this space.

Rumble—!

Under the gaze of countless shocked eyes, a magnificent giant platform, seemingly constructed directly from pure Law power, slowly rose from the center of the field!

The platform was circular, with a diameter of over five hundred meters, and its entire body emitted a hazy, clear light like the beginning of Chaos. The surface of the platform was not solid but like a watery mirror, reflecting the deep starry sky and the flowing veins of Laws.

Even more shocking was that the platform slowly split into two parts. On one side, a pale gold, towering phantom frame like a Heavenly Emperor's palace rose, with the faint sounds of Dragons roaring and Cauldrons chiming; on the other side, a pale blue phantom outline emerged, like a surging river with the floating texts of the Hundred Schools' classics, emitting an aura of Inclusivity, Evolution, and vibrant life.

The [Dao Debate Platform]!

On the left, the [Imperial Dao Law Projection Frame (Xuanyuan Hao)]!

On the right, the [Civilization Law Projection Frame (Lin Zhou)]!

At the same time, above the arena, two huge and crystal-clear light screens unfolded, respectively displaying the panoramic view of the simulated demiplane about to be randomly generated, as well as the real-time dynamics after the Divine Kingdom projections of both sides were deployed.

"Deities of both sides, please take the stage, inject your respective Law Origins and conceptual essences, and fix the projection frames!" The principal's old and grand voice rang out.

Xuanyuan Hao moved first, his form turning into a brilliant golden light. Like an emperor ascending the steps, he stepped into the golden frame on the left side of the Dao Debate Platform in a single stride. In an instant, the originally blurred palace phantom vibrated violently, becoming clear and solid! Nine Dragons coiled around pillars, the nine cauldrons suppressed the heavens, and the phantom of the son of heaven sword hung in the center. The resplendent Imperial pressure, accompanied by majestic Law intentions such as "Dominion," "Order," "Mandate of Heaven," and "Conquest," surged toward the entire Dao Debate Platform like a physical golden tide, especially pressing toward the blue frame on the right!

Lin Zhou did not dare to be slow, also taking a step and landing in the blue frame on the right. He communicated with the Temple of Civilization in his mind, fully activating the embryonic form of the river of civilization, and injected the core concepts of the Hundred Schools such as "Inclusivity," "Evolution," "Enlightenment," "Balance," and "Creation," as well as his own understanding of the path of "Civilization," into it without reservation.

The pale blue river phantom suddenly surged, and the classic texts floating in the river shone brightly. Phantoms of the Jixia Academy, the Temple of Law, and the Tiangong Workshop appeared one after another. Although it lacked the aggressive pressure of the opponent, it possessed a continuous, all-encompassing resilience. Under the impact of the golden tide, it steadily held its own territory and even showed signs of faintly analyzing and absorbing parts of the Imperial Way Law information that crashed against it.

Hum—!

Two Law projections of completely different natures, yet both representing some ultimate direction of civilizational development, officially made contact, collided, and confronted each other on the Dao Debate Platform!

Invisible Law ripples spread out. Even through the protective barrier, many weaker spectators felt their minds waver, as if witnessing a direct clash of two worldviews!

At this moment, the form of the finals was completely transformed.

From pure Divine Kingdom military Conquest, it evolved into a comprehensive contest of Law, thought, and practice!

The Hundred Schools debate the Dao, dueling the Imperial pressure of the Son of Heaven!

The true confrontation has only just begun!