My Wife Is A Sword Immortal-Chapter 91 - 79: I am Zhao Ziyu_2

Chapter 91: Chapter 79: I am Zhao Ziyu_2

Zhao Rong suddenly stopped, his eyebrows furrowed deeply, his body leaning forward as he placed the hand clutching the Jade Token heavily on the table.

For a moment, Zhao Rong was at a loss for words, not knowing how to defend himself.

His heart skipped a beat as he remembered that the rules of clear debate do not allow a pause longer than the duration of three breaths. In haste, as he caught a glimpse of Scholar 61 ready to speak in his peripheral vision, he quickly responded.

But in the rush, he could only try to vaguely argue, attempting to shift the focus.

However, Tao Yuanran, seizing the advantage, did not let up, firmly holding onto Zhao Rong’s recent slip-up.

Instantly, the situation on stage took a drastic turn, as Zhao Rong began to struggle more and more, increasingly unable to cope.

On the debate stage, being on the defensive meant defeat was not far off!

Below the stage, Lin Wenruo clenched his fists, his fingertips digging into the flesh of his palm, holding his breath and concentrating as he stared at Zhao Rong.

Meanwhile, Qing Yuanzi, who had been holding a tense expression, suddenly let out a long sigh of relief, his mouth spreading into a silent smile.

Beside him, Scholar Qingjing shouted “Excellent!” and looked mockingly at a certain cauldron in the crowd across from him, feeling it was within his grasp. His eyes then turned to the young Confucian scholar on stage who was hesitating and mumbling, his gaze cruel.

Struggling to hold on, Zhao Rong coped with Tao Yuanran’s “attacks” while trying to think of a counterstrategy.

His right hand was pressed hard against the table, the palm feeling a burning sensation from the Jade Token, just like his current state of mind.

Zhao Rong felt that he had entered a strange state. He was acutely aware of the concept that could resolve the previous flaw, but he just couldn’t express it!

It was like sometimes, one moment you’re thinking about something, and the next, it’s forgotten. Then you know it exists, but however hard you try, you can’t remember it.

Zhao Rong had found himself in this peculiar state.

Wishing to argue, he had forgotten the words.

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The situation grew more critical, and then suddenly, with a forceful rebuke from Tao Yuanran, Zhao Rong paused once again, at a loss for words.

At that moment, Zhao Rong felt as if time had slowed down. He stared blankly at the burning gaze of the old man in front of him, seeing his own reflection in those eyes. He could feel time rapidly slipping away like countless Flying Swords fleeing past the sides of his face. He knew that in less than three breaths, he would lose—lose his dignity, his friend’s life, the Lin family of Lanxi’s seven-hundred-year legacy, and… that silly girl.

Under this mountainous pressure, he suddenly felt like giving up and admitting defeat…

No!

He shouted in his heart, like a behemoth of the abyss tearing through the ancient chains that bound it.

His teeth bit down hard on his tongue, the sweet coppery taste of blood assaulting his taste buds, while the sharp pain tore at his nerves, reminding him of his senses.

No, I have not lost!

Zhao Rong averted his gaze from the old man momentarily, taking a deep breath to prepare for more sophistry while searching his mind for the key. But it was then that he caught sight of the audience below.

There was Su Xiaoxiao, who was clenching her fists and biting her lip, looking up at him as if praying.

There was Lin Qingxuan, pale-faced.

There was Chen Muzhi, slumped in his seat, his gaze lifeless.

And there was… Lin Wenruo, his face flushed red, his eyes wide open and unblinking.

He even saw Qing Yuanzi, arms folded, smiling at him…

Wait!

Qing Yuanzi! Lin Wenruo!

A flash of Spiritual Light shot through Zhao Rong’s mind like lightning, like the first light of dawn piercing endless darkness.

I remember now, it’s the “unity of essence and function”!

It was from the second debate a moment ago, where Qing Yuanzi had brought up the noble concept of “valuing nothingness as the root,” which involved the “unity of essence and function”!

His eyes, wide as if in a chamber darkened for a thousand years, suddenly lit up with a glint of orange.

One lamp dispels the darkness.

Seeing that three breaths had passed, Scholar 61 sighed inwardly and began to say, “I…”

But before he could fully enunciate the first word, he paused abruptly, because the Confucian Scholar had already spoken out boldly, and the two resumed their intense debate.

Scholar 61 shook his head slightly.

Zhao Rong, now with a foundation, stabilized his position. Although he was still at a disadvantage and very much on the defensive, his spirit did not falter, growing stronger. At a certain moment, as Tao Yuanran once again focused on his previous lapse, Zhao Rong’s mouth unconsciously formed a smile as he firmly introduced the “unity of essence and function”.

Zhao Rong said, “The subtlest is principle, the most evident is image, from one source essence and function emerge, manifest and subtle without separation…”

While Zhao Rong meticulously began his explanation, a stir arose among the spectators below.

It was one thing to be on the back foot before, as there might still have been a chance for a comeback, but the recent prolonged pause was a clear sign of exhaustion and inarticulacy. Even if Scholar 61 had been strict, he could have directly declared Zhao Rong the loser, and yet here he was, still making desperate arguments.

The audience were not fools; they had all experienced debates and knew what this situation meant.

It was futile, a mere death struggle.

A significant wave of derisive laughter rose from the spectator seats, as if to acknowledge the inevitable outcome. Many in the audience began whispering among themselves, casting looks a mix of pity or indifferent mockery at the Lin family of Lanxi below the stage.

Even some who were allied with the Lin family had already begun to quietly leave their seats, unable to bear the thought of seeing the Lin family’s fate after the conclusion of the Confucian debate.

Among these people, some were secretly relieved that when Chongxu Temple previously had a conflict with the Lin family, they had not aligned themselves right away, but had waited to see how things unfolded. Otherwise, they figured they might not have been able to leave Taibai Mountain today.

As for the spectators who already supported Chongxu Temple, who shared interests with them, and those who remained neutral between the two parties, they couldn’t help but look at the line from Chongxu Temple with respect and eagerness.