Chapter 915
Chapter 915
Shi Jian was a kind-looking middle-aged man. After going on stage, he bowed to Fu Shaoping and said, "Fellow Daoist Lu, please give me your guidance."
"Fellow Daoist Shi, please."
The two stood at opposite ends of the platform. A ten-zhang-tall gray stone pillar rose in the center; this was the "Contract Target," capable of receiving and recording the effects of contract spells.
"I'll go first." Shi Jian shouted, pressing his hands to the ground. "Earth Pact - Rock Armor Guardian!"
The ground trembled, and countless boulders surged up, quickly covering the surface of the contract target with a thick layer of rock armor covered with mysterious runes! The armor exuded a steady and heavy contract energy, and its defensive capabilities appeared quite formidable.
The judge nodded in approval; Shi Jian's "Guardian Pact" was used very effectively.
It was Fu Shaoping's turn.
Instead of using offensive spells to destroy the rock armor, he extended his index finger and pointed it in mid-air.
"Contract transfer and grafting".
A pale golden beam of contractual light shot out and landed on the rock armor. The light did not attack, but rather, like mercury spilling onto the ground, it quickly seeped into the contractual structure of the rock armor.
The next moment, a strange thing happened!
The thick layer of rock on the surface of the rock armor seemed to come alive, slowly flowing and deforming! Some of the rock detached from the contract target and, guided by Fu Shaoping, condensed into a small rock shield next to it, similar in structure to the original rock armor but more solid! As for the remaining rock armor on the contract target, although it became thinner, the contract structure seemed to be further optimized, and its defensive power was not weakened much!
"This is... a transfer and optimization of the contract structure?!" On the judging panel, a grandmaster skilled in formations and contracts exclaimed in surprise.
To "transfer" a portion of a contract spell cast by another and "graft" it onto a new contract creation under one's control, while simultaneously optimizing the original structure! This requires an extremely deep understanding and mastery of the contract rules! It is far more difficult than simply destroying or defending!
Shi Jian was dumbfounded. He felt that part of his contract link with Yan Jia was being forcibly "grafted" and transferred, but he was unable to stop it. He was horrified.
With a wave of his hand, Fu Shaoping summoned the newly formed small rock shield into his hand. He gently gripped it, and the shield transformed back into pure earth elemental energy and dissipated.
"Thank you for your kind offer." Fu Shaoping nodded to Shi Jian.
The judges exchanged bewildered glances, their shock barely concealed. This "contract transfer and grafting" technique had transcended the realm of ordinary contract magic, touching upon a higher level of contract rule application!
"This child... has probably obtained some extremely profound secret of the Contract." The elder of the Tianyan Sect murmured.
Without a doubt, Fu Shaoping advanced with an absolute advantage.
In the subsequent battles, Meng Qingyuan demonstrated the "Contract Resonance" of the Tianyan Sect's "Contract Dao Source" inheritance, which could trigger the faint contract rules in the world to resonate with it, amplifying the power of spells, and was extremely exquisite.
Luo Bingyun then demonstrated another application of the "Sword Intent Contract Field"—temporarily "sealing" certain contract nodes in the surgical technique with a sword intent contract, greatly reducing their power, which was equally amazing.
Lei Dong remained domineering, using the "Thunderous Judgment Contract" to blast a scorch mark onto the contract target, demonstrating astonishing power.
The old man with the cunning scheme used a cursed contract to make the surface of the contract target rapidly "age" and "rot," sending chills down one's spine.
Not to be outdone, Huo Ling'er used the "Contract of Fire Refinement" to "melt out" some of the impurities from the contract target, thus improving the purity of the target. It was a brilliant idea.
After the second round, Fu Shaoping, Meng Qingyuan, Luo Bingyun, Lei Dong, the Old Man of the Ghost Calculation, Huo Ling'er, and four others entered the final third round.
The third step is the key to determining who will receive the "Contract Origin Initiation"!
The Grand Assembly of All Laws: A Discussion on Contracts (Part 2)
The third step: "Contractual Inquiry".
This stage is not a contest of the power or sophistication of spells, but rather a test of the contract cultivator's understanding of the essence of the contract, their unwavering resolve, and their ability to make choices in extreme circumstances. The specific format will be determined by the judging panel on the spot.
"Those of you who have passed two trials are all outstanding in the way of contracts." The white-haired elder of Tianyan Sect, who is also the chief judge of this "Contract Dao Discussion", Xuanqi Zhenren, slowly spoke, "The way of contracts is that law is the application, reason is the foundation, and the heart is the root. If the heart is not upright and the reason is not clear, no matter how exquisite the law is, it is a tree without roots, and may even fall into evil ways."
His gaze swept over the ten people on the stage, and he continued, "In the third stage, we will construct a 'Contract Illusion' for you. Within the illusion, you will face choices and trials related to the contract. Only those who can uphold their true nature, discern the true meaning of the contract, and make choices that best align with the 'righteous path of the contract' will be qualified to receive the 'Contract Origin Initiation'."
After saying that, the five elders of the judging panel (each from one of the five super powers) and the three specially invited contract masters made their moves at the same time!
Eight beams of light, each a different color, shot into the sky, intertwining and merging in mid-air to form a massive, slowly rotating, seven-colored vortex. The center of the vortex was unfathomable, emanating a chilling fluctuation of rules.
"Enter the illusion!"
As Xuanqi Zhenren spoke, ten beams of light were cast from the seven-colored vortex, each enveloping Fu Shaoping and the other nine people.
Fu Shaoping felt a blur before his eyes, and his consciousness was instantly pulled into a strange space.
This place seemed to be an ancient palace, or perhaps a vast ocean of void contractual rules. He felt his "body" transform into a pure consciousness, surrounded by countless fragments of contractual rules and streams of information.
"The first question about contracts is: What is the origin of contracts?"
A grand, ancient voice, seemingly resounding directly into the depths of the soul, asked.
At the same time, several blurry images appeared before Fu Shaoping's eyes:
In primitive tribes, two people reach a hunting distribution agreement through simple actions and shouts;
In the ancient kingdom's court, the emperor and his ministers used jade tablets as proof to swear an oath to govern the country; among cultivators, they formed Daoist partnerships by vowing to live and die together.
Even in the darkest corners, evil magic is used to forge slave contracts, robbing others of their freedom...
"Contracts originate from 'needs' and 'trust'." A voice (seemingly Meng Qingyuan) rang out first, carrying the unique righteousness and peace of the Tianyan Sect. "When living beings interact, there are needs to be exchanged, and with exchange comes the need for agreements. Trust makes agreements possible, agreements regulate behavior, behavior accumulates into rules, and rules are sublimated into the way of contracts. Therefore, the source of contracts lies in 'trust' and 'needs'."
"Hmph, contracts originate from 'power'!" another domineering voice (Lei Dong) rang out. "The strong prey on the weak, the strong make the rules, and the weak abide by the rules. This is the most primitive contract! So-called fairness is nothing more than a compromise under the balance of power!"
“Nonsense.” A clear, cold voice (Luo Bingyun) retorted, “Without the most basic consensus on ‘fairness,’ the strong can bully at will, and how can there be stable exchange? Contracts originate from the fear of ‘disorder’ and the desire for ‘order.’ A sword has two edges, and a contract has two sides; mutual restraint is what makes a contract.”
"Heh heh, if you ask me, a contract is just 'calculation'." The old man's sinister voice rang out. "Calculate the gains and losses clearly, draw clear boundaries, and no one can take advantage of the other, and no one can renege on their debt. The origin is not important, what matters is the result."
Huo Ling'er's voice was full of energy: "I think a contract is like fire; it can warm people, or it can burn them to death. As for the source... it should be that feeling of 'wanting to connect' in your heart, right?"
Fu Shao listened calmly, already having his own answer.
"The source of contracts lies in 'existence' itself." He spoke slowly, his voice echoing clearly in the illusion. "All things exist in the world, interconnected and interacting with each other. With interconnection comes the principle of 'ought to be'; with interaction comes the law of 'feedback'. These 'principles' and 'laws' are the most primitive prototype of contracts. It is not merely human faith, strength, need, and order, but one of the underlying rules governing the operation of heaven and earth. When humans understand these rules and apply them in a standardized way, they achieve the 'Way of Contracts.' Therefore, the source of contracts is the manifestation of the 'Way,' the inevitability of order."
His answer transcends common categories such as "human nature," "needs," and "power," pointing directly to the essence of the rules of heaven and earth, demonstrating a higher level of insight.
The illusion remained silent for a moment, then the grand voice resounded again: "Second question: Where are the limits of the contract?"
The scenes before my eyes shift: some use contracts to seize wealth and property, causing families to be torn apart and lives lost; some monks use contracts to bind the freedom of others to satisfy their own desires; some nations use unequal treaties to enslave other countries...
"The limit of a contract lies in 'not causing harm'," Meng Qingyuan said. "A contract must not infringe upon the legitimate rights and interests of others, nor violate the natural order and moral principles. This is the bottom line."
"Power is the limit!" Lei Dong insisted. "You can restrain me, that is my limit; I can break free of those constraints, and then I am limitless!"
"The limit of a contract lies in one's 'true heart'," Luo Bingyun said. "A sword has its own heart, and a contract has its own heart. If the heart is righteous, the contract is righteous; if the heart is wicked, the contract is wicked. If the heart is limitless, the contract is limitless; if the heart is bounded, the contract is bounded."
The old man who calculates: "Limit? If you can calculate the gains and losses clearly, that's the limit. If you can't calculate it, you deserve to be unlucky."
Huo Ling'er: "We can't burn things that shouldn't be burned... Hmm, and we can't force others."
Fu Shaoping spoke again: "The limitation of contracts lies in the 'rules' themselves. Contracts are the application of rules, and rules themselves have their limits of 'completeness' and 'conflictability.' Two fair contracts may conflict with each other; even the most ingenious contracts may have loopholes; the enforcement of contracts depends on the protection of higher-level rules (such as the will of Heaven, law, and violence). Therefore, the limitations of contracts lie in three aspects: first, the completeness of the rule system; second, the strength of the enforcement guarantees; and third, the depth of the contracting parties' understanding of the rules. A truly 'perfect contract' may only exist in an ideal."
His answer, once again analyzing the rules, was calm and insightful.
"Third question: What happens at the end of the contract?"
Scene changes: A contract is fulfilled, and both parties leave satisfied; a contract automatically terminates due to the death of one party; a contract is forcibly torn apart by a more powerful force; an evil contract is broken by a righteous person...
"The contract ends when the promise is fulfilled," Meng Qingyuan said. "When the agreed-upon matters are completed, the contract naturally terminates. If it is terminated due to force majeure or changes in the agreed-upon terms, it can also be terminated through negotiation."
“End? Either it’s completed, or it’s broken, or… it’s covered by a stronger contract!” Lei Dong said.
"The end of a contract lies in the 'resolution of cause and effect'," Luo Bingyun said. "By concluding a contract, one sows the seeds of cause and effect. When the contract is fulfilled, the cycle of cause and effect continues. When the cause and effect are resolved, the contract ends."
The old fortune teller said, "When the accounts are cleared, the contract ends. When the accounts are unclear, the soul will not find peace."
Huo Ling'er: "Like fire, once it burns out or is extinguished, it's over, right?"
Fu Shaoping pondered for a moment and said, “There are three forms of the end of a contract: First, ‘end when the agreement is reached,’ where the agreed goal is achieved, the contract’s mission is fulfilled, and it naturally ends; second, ‘end when the agreement is broken,’ where it collapses due to external forces, breach of contract, or inherent flaws in the contract itself, and this end is often accompanied by costs and chaos; third, ‘end when the contract is transformed,’ where the spirit of the contract is integrated into higher-level rules or consensus, and although its specific form ends, its influence has been internalized and become part of a new order. The best contracts should pursue the third kind of end—transcending the specific agreement and achieving a higher order.”
After the three questions were asked, the voice in the illusion remained silent for a long time.
Then, the scene changed again.
Fu Shaoping finds himself in a virtual "village." The village is under attack by demonic beasts, resulting in heavy casualties among the villagers. He is a cultivator passing through the area and has the ability to repel the demonic beasts, but at a cost (loss of cultivation power and precious magical artifacts). The village chief begs him to help, promising to reward him with the village's accumulated wealth over generations and an ancestral "contract jade."
But at the same time, another tempting voice rang in his ears: "Behind the demonic beast is a demon cultivator at the late Golden Core stage. If you attack, you will surely make an enemy of him. Why not pretend to be outmatched and leave quietly? I can 'retrieve' the villagers' wealth and ancient jade for you in other ways, without you having to take any risks yourself, and without offending that demon cultivator..."
This is a test of "the cost and trade-offs of the contract".
Fu Shaoping acted almost without hesitation. His motivation wasn't reward, but rather the contractual obligation to "protect." As for incurring the enmity of demon cultivators? The way of the contract dictates that actions should be taken when necessary; hesitation and timidity prevent any talk of protection. Furthermore, the tempting voice's proposed "clever" scheme violated the most basic principles of "fairness and voluntariness."
He fought off the demonic beast, but he did suffer considerable losses in the process. The villagers were extremely grateful and offered him their reward. Fu Shaoping only took the "Ancient Jade of Contracts," which might be beneficial to his research on contracts, leaving the wealth to the villagers who had suffered heavy losses.
The scene changes again.
He became a "contract arbitrator." Two factions were embroiled in a dispute over an ancient territorial contract, each sticking to their own version of events. The original contract was incomplete, making it difficult to determine the outcome. One faction promised that if they were ruled in favor, they would offer him a "Nascent Soul Pill" that could help him break through the Nascent Soul bottleneck; the other side threatened that if the other side was ruled in favor, they would launch a war, massacre the other side, and vow to settle scores with him afterward.
This is a test of "the fairness and courage of the contract".
Fu Shaoping carefully studied the incomplete contract, combining the fundamental principles of "fairness" and "good faith" in contracts with the corroborating evidence provided by both parties, and ultimately made a fair judgment, unwavering in the face of temptation or threats of death. After the judgment, he confronted the wrath of the threatening party and prepared for possible retaliation.
The scenes keep changing. (End of Chapter)