Master Yichuan gripped his disciplinary ruler, his stern presence commanding respect without the need for anger. "You, come forward to receive your punishment."

Hearing Master Yichuan intended to strike him, Fan Li laughed. "On what grounds?"

"For your disrespect towards your teacher and lack of learning, don't you deserve to be punished?"

Fan Li's laughter grew merrier. "Master says I lack learning? May I ask, those principles you lectured earlier, from which classic were they drawn? Whose esteemed words were those?"

"Not from the classics, but the culmination of my years studying Confucianism," Master Yichuan declared proudly.

Fan Li shook his head upon hearing this. "If I've never encountered your personal teachings, how can you fault me for lacking learning? Has your philosophy already been included in the Luming Academy's curriculum as required study?"

"This...!?"

Master Yichuan harbored lofty ambitions of founding his own school of Confucian thought. However, he currently lacked the qualifications.

Even this lecture invitation from the academy was a test of his capabilities. Only if the students responded positively would he be frequently invited to teach in the future. An underwhelming reaction meant no further invitations to avoid misleading the young scholars.

"Furthermore, if the reasoning is flawed, the principles are muddled," Fan Li smiled. "Master, if you wish to author books expounding your theories, will you resort to force against those with dissenting views?"

"You wish to debate me?" Master Yichuan looked astonished.

"Pah! Stinking brat! You're just a lowly Foundation Building Confucian cultivator. What qualifications do you have to debate the master?" Zhu Ziyang interjected. "I'll report today's matter to the Chancellor and have your admission revoked!"

Master Yichuan gave Zhu Ziyang an approving glance, thinking a student like him was ideal.

"No matter. If I don't debate you, others might think my vision too narrow." Master Yichuan spoke placatingly, but inwardly plotted that once he defeated Fan Li in debate, he could solidify the charge of classroom disruption - revoking his admission would be assured!

"Fetch brush and ink!" Master Yichuan raised his voice intentionally to assert dominance.

Within the Luming Academy, Confucian scholars who hadn't attended class heard about a student daring to debate a great Confucian master and promptly gathered.

When seats filled, some climbed trees, walls and rockeries. In no time, over a thousand had assembled!

"Aren't we starting yet?" Fan Li impatiently urged after waiting, seeing Master Yichuan's unhurried smugness.

The great Confucian narrowed his eyes, gauging that enough observers had gathered to maximize the chance to assert his authority, before finally nodding.

"Let us begin."

Confucian debates were far more than just exchanging rhetoric. The debaters had to inscribe their principles on paper to be sensed by the Heavenly Dao.

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If their words upheld great truths, the Heavenly Dao would respond accordingly - the so-called "words imbued with cosmic imagery."

But if the reasoning was flawed or unorthodox, the Dao might ignore it or possibly send lightning as punishment.

"Junior, watch closely," Master Yichuan instructed as he began writing.

Fan Li frowned and shook his head. This old Confucian truly lacked proper decorum, seizing the initiative against his junior.

"Principle - the root of all things."

Five bold regular script characters manifested powerfully on the page. In the next instant, a faint green light radiated from the paper. The five characters leapt off the surface, hovering in mid-air while emitting a ringing chime.

"Master's calligraphy recognized by the Heavenly Dao, bathed in wondrous clouds of imagery accompanied by celestial music!" Zhu Ziyang exclaimed in shock.

The observing Confucian scholars also nodded, acknowledging Master Yichuan's mastery as a great Confucian. However, they did not share Zhu Ziyang's amazement.

After all, every renowned master invited to lecture could manifest such cosmic resonance in their writing - some even grander than Master Yichuan's display.

"Heh heh heh..." Master Yichuan stroked his beard with a satisfied smile, quite pleased with himself.

Fan Li thought, is it my turn now?

However, he did not expect the old master to have such poor restraint, immediately writing again without pause.

"To starve is a trivial matter, but to lose integrity is gravest!"

"Cast aside human desires, preserve heavenly principle!"

"All things under heaven can be ultimately comprehended, for there is but one principle!"

Green glimmers arose from three scrolls as the three lines floated off the pages, suspending in air accompanied by flute melodies.

"The master's words are paramount truths to be immortalized!" Zhu Ziyang clapped obsequiously.

"Brownnoser," Sage Ruler Han Yue scoffed loudly, not bothering to temper her volume as many heard.

The scholars stifled laughs, glancing between her and Zhu Ziyang. Indeed, a brownnoser.

While Master Yichuan proved his scholarly caliber, he was far from uttering "immortal truths." At most, they were personal pronouncements of one school.

Immortal truths descended from the ancient sages and peerless Confucian masters of dynasties past. The saying went "A sage's word reverberates across the cosmos, shaking Heaven and Earth!" Did Master Yichuan's words really compare?

"Junior, it is your turn," Master Yichuan set down his brush, looking expectantly at Fan Li like a victor.

Fan Li sighed, brush poised but unmoving, already knowing what he wished to write yet feeling some regret.

In this chaotic era of scarce talents, Master Yichuan still qualified as one, yet his scholarship was too narrowly specialized for greater accomplishment in the future. Especially given his character flaws, Fan Li ultimately lost interest in recruiting him.

"Well brat, why don't you write? Have you forgotten how?" Zhu Ziyang mocked derisively.

Fan Li could not be bothered glancing at the contemptible flatterer. Finally, he put brush to paper:

"Emancipate the mind, seek truth from facts."

Zhu Ziyang: "???"

The Confucian scholars: "???"

Master Yichuan: "This...???"

Profound truths were never limited to classical Chinese.

Fan Li thought: Even if Master Yichuan and Zhu Ziyang were lost causes, there was still a full academy of young scholars here. He could not allow decadent Confucian dogma to shackle their minds.

The nonsense of "All things can be ultimately comprehended, for there is but one principle"? Forcibly oversimplifying complex issues was sophistry.

Fan Li continued: "Remain open to diverse perspectives, for true greatness has boundless embrace."

While the Three Thousand Realms could not be fully fathomed, that was better than burying one's head in the sand, denying their very existence.

Fan Li originally felt two lines sufficed, but suddenly thought of six more words he did not hesitate to add:

"Seek common ground while reserving differences."

The silhouettes of two great men from his past life seemed to appear before his eyes.

"Junior!" Master Yichuan challenged loudly. "From which classic were those three lines drawn? I have never encountered them!"

Fan Li glanced at him calmly. "You haven't read enough, so now you blame me?"

"You...!?" Master Yichuan nearly drew his ruler in a furious outburst, just restraining himself before the thousand-plus academy students present.

Fan Li's three lines inspired profound contemplation, thought-provoking and resonant. Moreover, each one powerfully refuted Master Yichuan's rhetoric!

"Fortunately, no cosmic imagery manifested..."

No sooner did the thought cross Master Yichuan's mind than a resounding ancient bell tolled overhead, its ancient and lingering peal reverberating through Heaven and Earth!

Dong!