Gu Qing exclaimed inwardly: "Marvelous!"

Qin De remained composed: "The human heart and the Dao heart are not two hearts. The human heart is desire; the Dao heart is reason. Desire and reason have the same origin, using one heart for two purposes. You insist on dividing them into two, which is like splitting one entity; I merge the two into one, returning to the source. Right and wrong are clear at a glance."

Zhao Hansheng was again speechless.

At this point, Gu Qing finally discovered: No matter what his master said, Qin De could respond fluently, every sentence rational. It’s not that the teacher’s reasoning was incorrect, but Qin De’s reasoning always had the upper hand.

In a dazed and helpless state, Gu Qing could not help but turn to look beside him.

Chu Xuangu was seen with furrowed brows, fingers trembling slightly.

Song Taosheng closed his eyes, as if unwilling to watch any further.

Also, Situ Gu’s face was ashen, hands clenched into fists.

The other Confucian cultivators looked dismal.

They understood better than Gu Qing, already clear that Zhao Hansheng’s arrangements were utterly disarrayed.

The latter switched from Heart Learning to Confucian traditional classics, and then from traditional schools back to Heart Learning. This is most taboo in debates, akin to changing generals mid-battle!

Contrastingly, Qin De, despite having many chances to pursue a victory, did not do so, repeatedly letting it pass intentionally.

He was using Zhao Hansheng as a whetstone, helping himself to deeply understand the "Ten Thousand Methods of Falling Demon Technique."

In the eyes of many Confucian cultivators, Qin De seemed like a cat playing with a mouse, toying with Zhao Hansheng!

Even Zhong Dao, far away in the main hall, secretly observing the debate, was expressionless at this moment.

"Your Heart Learning isn’t mastered enough," Qin De suddenly said.

Zhao Hansheng felt as if struck by lightning.

Qin De looked at him, eyes full of mockery: "Mr. Zhao, you claim to be a successor of Heart Learning, lecturing everywhere and teaching disciples. But your Heart Learning is merely half-baked."

Zhao Hansheng’s face turned pale.

"No, I can’t fail." Zhao Hansheng still wanted to resist stubbornly, but his mental state had already completely collapsed.

At this moment, a muffled groan came from behind.

He turned around abruptly, seeing Gu Qing with a pale face, collapsed on the ground. The expressions of the other Confucian cultivators were also quite grim.

"When desires arise, actions are performed..."

"Innate knowledge has no inherent good or evil, it is the user..."

"The heart is desire... desire is the heart..."

Qin De’s philosophies repeatedly echoed in Gu Qing’s mind, fiercely clashing with the previous Confucian principles.

"Ahhh!" Gu Qing clutched his head, rolling on the ground, letting out painful cries.

Zhao Hansheng was alarmed, hurriedly ran to Gu Qing’s side, supporting his upper body: "Qing’er!"

Gu Qing raised his head to look at Zhao Hansheng, eyes vacant: "Teacher... I... I don’t know... I don’t know who is right or wrong..."

At this moment, Zhao Hansheng felt as though his heart was being cut by a knife, simultaneously as if plunged into an ice cave.

He knew that this time he was defeated in the debate!

And it was a devastating defeat.

At this point, Zhao Hansheng found it difficult to have the face to stay forcibly.

He supported Gu Qing, helping him stand with difficulty. Then, he turned to look at Qin De, with a complex expression, let out a long sigh: "Today’s debate, it was I who was defeated, not Heart Learning."

"Friend Qin De is correct, I never mastered Heart Learning, at a half-baked level, encountering a catastrophic defeat, it’s deserved!"

"This matter comes to an end for now."

"Three years!"

"Three years later, I wish to return to the Myriad Images Sect in Flying Cloud Country, for a third debate with you, may I?"

Qin De laughed heartily: "Why not!"

Zhao Hansheng took a deep breath, expression solemn, and paid Qin De a respectful Dao salute, then walked with heavy steps, supporting Gu Qing, leaving Cloud Prison.

After all, he is a great scholar, even in utter defeat, he ultimately retained a trace of dignity.

Chu Xuangu and others witnessed the entire debate, now were stupefied, standing in place, unmoving.

Only when Zhao Hansheng’s steps turned the corner and left their sight, did Chu Xuangu finally realize, he looked deeply at Qin De, and left first.

The other Confucian cultivators glanced at Qin De before leaving, their gazes also very complicated.

But Qin De did not mind them, directly sitting cross-legged in the corner. He was very excited, closing his eyes, immersing completely in contemplating the "Ten Thousand Methods of Falling Demon Technique."

"This technique is undoubtedly a top-grade technique!"

"No, with such depth, the magic principle is profound, could it be the legendary absolute-grade technique?"

The cultivation techniques in this world are as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, difficult to count.

But overall, they are divided into upper, middle, and lower three grades.

Low-grade techniques are often entry-level, flawed, or have obvious defects. Cultivating such techniques, loose cultivators or low-level cultivators often find their future bleak.

Low-grade techniques generally cultivate only one elixir field and cannot be fully developed, cultivation efficiency is usually very low.

Their exposition, coverage, and exploration of worldly principles are shallow, singular, even erroneous.

The highest achievement of low-grade techniques is limited to the Qi Refinement Stage and Foundation Establishment Stage, at most reaching Perfect Foundation Establishment.

Middle-grade techniques are the mainstream techniques in the cultivation world, the foundation for establishing sects or families in small and medium sects, and cultivator families. Complete systems that can cultivate the mainstay forces.

Middle-grade techniques often only focus on one elixir field, the other two elixir fields only passively carry cultivation levels, not actively developed. Consequently, among the physique, mana, spirit, only one is excellent, the other two average, or even weaker due to negative effects from the technique.

Such techniques often comprehensively detail profound principles of certain attributes or certain types of powers (such as Divine Sense, Qi). Cultivators can follow this step by step, reaching higher realms.

Describing with two words, one is systematic, the other singular.

Cultivating middle-grade techniques, cultivators can reach the Golden Core Stage, rarely able to impact Nascent Soul Level.

Among top-grade techniques, numerous are sect secret skills of large sects and super sects.

Generally focusing on cultivating one elixir field while refining the other two elixir fields.

The principles they encompass are either deep or many.

The technique itself might mainly cultivate one element (like "Ten Thousand Woods Spring Thunder" deriving from Wood Element to Thunder Movement), but its principles are profound enough for cultivators to independently evolve, comprehend other related principles.

Otherwise, it’s similar to the Five Elements Qi Law, directly covering the Five Elements, explaining the foundational principles of the operations of heaven and earth from multiple angles.

These techniques can allow cultivators to reach Divinity Transformation Level or Refining Void Level.

Above third-grade techniques, there’s the absolute grade!

These techniques often reside in legends, even super sects might not possess them.

Absolute-grade techniques are supreme dharma gates pointing directly to the Great Dao, fully develop the Three Elixir Fields.

The principles they encompass either directly point to the source or unite from the myriad to one.

Cultivators practicing these can often reach Integration and Mahayana Realm.

And beyond Mahayana, to cross the tribulation and ascend as immortals, relying solely on techniques is inadequate, it requires the cultivators themselves. For immortals, the significance of techniques almost doesn’t exist.

Ning Zhuo’s Three Superior Sect Techniques show somewhat the vibes of an absolute-grade technique. Because it cultivates all Three Elixir Fields, fully integrated.

But it originates from Three Sects Elders, whose cultivation was at Refining Void Level, not yet reaching Integration or Mahayana.

Therefore, the Three Superior Sect Techniques he created, at most, is considered a top-grade technique.

Qin De’s exposure to and study of "Ten Thousand Methods of Falling Demon Technique," has been only a day or two, yet believes this technique likely is an absolute-grade technique.

He isn’t making wild guesses.

In fact, the number and quality of classics he studied and mastered far exceed that of Ning Zhuo.

Precisely because he mastered Confucian classics and extensively explored other techniques and texts within Myriad Images Sect, he could create the "Saint Thief Scripture."

Someone like Ning Zhuo, with such profound Five Elements Realm, still has a distance from creating a technique like the "Saint Thief Scripture."

Of course, as long as Ning Zhuo widely explored and drew on Five Elements techniques, he could also create.

It’s just that until now, he hasn’t had the leisure for it.

No need!

Ning Zhuo is already overwhelmed with cultivating the Three Superior Sect Techniques, why waste time and effort creating a Five Elements technique he cannot cultivate?

The more Qin De reflected, reviewed, the more he felt, the "Ten Thousand Methods of Falling Demon Technique" is very likely an absolute-grade technique!

"Back in the day, I also borrowed many top-grade techniques, none as vast and profound, with subtle truths, as the ’Ten Thousand Methods of Falling Demon Technique’!"

As this thought lingered in Qin De’s mind, Xiao Juxia’s voice came: "You guessed right, the ’Ten Thousand Methods of Falling Demon Technique’ is indeed an absolute-grade technique."