Unsheathed

Liu Jinglong smiled and followed the two people, with the three of them continuing to walk along the path beside the river. "I hope that Mr. Qi... Mr. Liu can explain the concept of surface-level observations to me. I still hope to hear Mr. Liu's answer even though I already have an answer in my mind. That way, we can verify the affinity of our thoughts," Chen Ping'an said.

Qi Jinglong nodded and explained, "Rather than equating might to right, we should instead focus on the separation of earlier events and later events pertaining to the theory of sequential order. Being strong belongs to the latter category, and a critical truth is hidden in the former category."

Chen Ping'an squinted his eyes but didn't say anything.

Qi Jinglong continued with a serious expression, "True strength derives from... rules and regulations. It involves the knowledge and the ability to wield them. Are emperors powerful beings? Yet, why are there so many perishing nations and fallen empires in the world? Why do some officials enjoy peaceful deaths, yet other officials suffer wretched ends?

"Can official immortals in immortal forces and wealthy descendants in prosperous clans be regarded as powerful beings? You can trace back the many threads and learn about the founding emperors of nations, the founding ancestors of immortal forces, and the founding ancestors of prosperous clans. You can learn about how they managed to establish and grow their forces.

"These forces can't be regarded as genuinely powerful, and they simply rise to power because of rules and regulations, as well as the tides of the great trend. They then collapse and fade from existence when their actions fail to adhere to rules and regulations. They're like a flash in the pan, unable to last for extended periods of time. This is similar to cultivators being unable to achieve longevity."

Afterward, Qi Jinglong spoke eloquently as he explained his views to the two outsiders whom he had only just encountered for the first time.

The first step was to truly understand the rules and regulations, being aware of both their strength and their complexity. The more one understood, the better. It was also important to understand the various... omissions and oversights pertaining to the rules and regulations.

The second step was to adhere to these rules and regulations. More precisely, to firmly attach oneself to these rules and regulations.

For example, foolishly loyal officials and restless separatist generals.

The third step was to establish one's own rules and regulations. Of course, one could also attack and damage the existing rules and regulations.

The fourth step was to maintain and safeguard rules and regulations.