Zaltarish's sword qi had sliced a 10-meter scar into the center arena. But, it seemed as though it had no end to its depth. It was clear that Zaltarish could have made this scar much longer, but instead chose to restrain himself. However, as a display of power, dug deep into the earth instead.
"As your understanding increases, the depth of your will increases. And as that depth accumulates, you will level will increase along with it. With each sinking step, with each dive into comprehension, with each breath of enlightenment, one taps further and further into wills. Raising a raging tempest of will of the purist form.
"What else must be said? The philosophy of will is exactly as I've described it. It isn't any less complex, and it isn't any more profound. Because it many ways, it is both. It can be as fleeting as autumn leaves, yet as everlasting as the stars in the sky."
The eyes of the crowds sparkled with glee. They felt as though their own understandings were deepening, as though their thoughts were Zaltarish's thoughts.
A slow and steady clap reverberated through the crowd. Cheers erupted, shaking the coliseum's foundation. The roars of infatuated women and idolizing men were many. To everyone, it was as though there was no need to continue.
Suddenly, Dyon coughed.
Like a hot knife through butter, his disruption seemed to not care about the disparity in volume. His will was the most important and the most domineering.
Instantly, a feeling of uneasiness and displeasure spread through the crowd. It was almost like they had been on Zaltarish's drug and Dyon's interruption had sent them into withdrawal.
Boos rained downwards.
Zaltarish snickered. He was at first apprehensive about the fact Dyon had so easily cut through his suggestion technique. But, it seemed like his forceful slash didn't reveal to the audience Zaltarish's ploy, but instead made him an enemy that cut off a good feeling from them.
'Idiots. They don't even realize he saved them from essentially becoming my slaves in this life and the next.'
Kymil lightly chuckled. "You see, Jade? This is the shameless man you tried to protect. You really are too kind hearted of a beauty."
Darcassan smiled in agreement, but Jade held a complicated look on her face. As a member of the Eostre family, suggestion techniques were useless against her. And although she didn't know how Dyon escaped it, it was clear that even her friends were affected.
Uncle Acacia looked down towards Dyon with a worried expression. He didn't know whether he should use his authority as the Acacia Academy headmaster to force them to stay or if their leaving would prevent Dyon from taking too much of a loss. However, as he was conflicted, Dyon began speaking as though this had nothing to do with him at all. As though only those who were worthy could listen to his words at all.
However, this only made Uncle Acacia pale further, because Dyon's voice had no suggestion, no wills and even lacked his usual domineering qualities!
"Wills are nowhere near as simple as you've made them out to be… for a member of the Elvin race – one who claims to be of a culture that strives for the peak of all understanding – I find it surprising that you of all people would say what you've said…"
Dyon had found Zaltarish's words to be overly flowery. They sounded nice and were even quite poetic, but what was that worth before the truth?
Zaltarish's eyebrows furrowed. But, he immediately relaxed as he noticed that the crowd had forewent leaving to instead boo Dyon.
It seemed as though they were intent on forcing Dyon into submission before they happily left the coliseum.
However, no matter how loudly the booed, it was as if Dyon's words couldn't be drowned out.
"For one… you claim that the soul is the key to understanding wills and that what holds our understanding back is nothing but ourselves, but you've already made a logical error. The idea of us holding back the soul isn't mutually exclusive with the idea of the soul also holding us back.
"You then claim that dao formation is the cultivation level we must reach for us to never have to hold the soul back, but you fail to even understand what being a dao formation expert means, yet to claim to be able to deduce its benefits. Don't you find that to be ridiculous?"
Zaltarish's eyebrows frowned as the crowd suddenly felt something shifting in the air. But, they weren't willing to calm down so easily, so although they quietened, their anger had yet to be satiated.
Zaltarish's voice rang out. "You speak as though you yourself understand dao formation? If you claim that I know nothing about it, your knowledge has to at least surpass mine."
Dyon chuckled. "Wrong again. My knowledge only need be equal to yours for me to understand that you know nothing. Because then, if I'm aware of my own lack of understanding, wouldn't that mean that you also don't understand?"
Zaltarish grit his teeth. He didn't like this game Dyon was playing. Although Dyon was technically correct, to Zaltarish, this was petty and unnecessary.
Dyon seemed to have read Zaltarish's thoughts and chuckled. "You must think that was petty?"
The crowd roared in agreement, hating Dyon's shamelessness.
Dyon didn't seem too bothered. "Interesting. I think it's only about as petty as sending your sword qi to dance for me before marking an Acacia Academy arena as though you owned it."
Dyon's words cut through the noise. Immediately silencing the crowd. It seemed as though they were finally beginning to see flaws in Zaltarish. And yet, Dyon had still not used any suggestion techniques. To him, his logic and reasoning was more than enough to crush Zaltarish.
"Dao formation isn't the soul becoming one with the body. That concept in and of itself is absolutely ridiculous. Dao formation is the soul becoming a body, not your body."
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