Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

After this, although Xiang Shaolong continued to search for Fang Zheng as per Ying Zheng’s orders, he never found him again. In fact, Fang Zheng had already decided not to appear before Xiang Shaolong anymore.

After interacting with Xiang Shaolong a few times, he discovered the protagonist’s biggest flaw, which is—emotional softness.

Not only is he emotionally soft toward women, but also toward enemies, even to the point of being soft-hearted toward enemies who wish to kill him. In a way, Xiang Shaolong is reminiscent of a benevolent saint. Once this was confirmed to be unchangeable, Fang Zheng found himself helpless.

Xiang Shaolong’s emotional softness and sentimentality ultimately led him to his fate, not without reason.

Although in the novel, Ying Zheng’s act of wanting to kill Xiang Shaolong is attributed to the strategy of killing the hounds when the hares are caught, Fang Zheng believes Xiang Shaolong himself bears significant responsibility.

In short, he was too soft-hearted.

Even with great enemies like Guan Zhongxie, Xiang Shaolong would ultimately choose to release them out of mutual respect for their heroism. A person like this should not be a general, and not even a civil official. Ying Zheng had reason to want Xiang Shaolong dead; even if Xiang Shaolong maintained absolute loyalty to Ying Zheng, his ”benevolent saint” attribute could inadvertently lead him to betray secrets at times. If Fang Zheng were in Ying Zheng’s position, his options would be for Xiang Shaolong to either die or leave.

Otherwise, keeping such an important minister might inadvertently lead to one’s own downfall.

Xiang Shaolong could have changed this situation, but he didn’t, because he was constrained by history. He believed history would develop in a certain way and felt he couldn’t change it. So, he chose to do nothing unless facing life-and-death situations, often behaving no different than an idiot.

More importantly, he hadn’t studied history well enough.

So you see, the consequence of a poor student traversing through time is exactly this.

The so-called ”rotten mud can’t stick to the wall” is exactly this.

After this, Fang Zheng stopped paying attention to the issues of the Warring States and turned his focus inward.

He remembered clearly that his thousand years in this world were just a trial, and his goal and enemy remained singular—Chaos.

But how does one combat Chaos?

The ideas and theories of the Order Clan have proven their helplessness and incapacity in dealing with chaos, compelling Fang Zheng to find another way. Of course, initially, he considered the theories of Yin-Yang, Taiji, and Daoism; however, he hadn’t been able to delve deeply into them before. Now was different.

This was the Era of the Warring States, after all, the Era of the Hundred Schools of Thought.

Instead of going through ancient texts that might be incomplete due to war, why not directly discuss with the authors themselves?!

Therefore, after this, Fang Zheng traveled to all famous mountains and rivers, primarily visiting scholars of various schools of thought, to discuss the principles of heaven and earth and primordial chaos. His goal was to form a new theory to apply in practice, countering the threat of chaos.

The ”Primordial Experiment” in the Milky Way by the Goddess of Order gave Fang Zheng a good start. Now he needed a comprehensive theoretical foundation to reunify theory, once again differentiating Chaos and Order, seeking new strength from it to confront the crisis of chaos.

Among these, what Fang Zheng valued most were Laozi’s ideas.

Especially Laozi’s statement: ”The opposite movements of the Dao, the usefulness of Dao through weakness. All things under heaven are born of being, and being is born of non-being,” which profoundly inspired Fang Zheng. According to Laozi, the rules of the Dao operate between the two attributes of things, always moving toward opposition and returning at critical points, repeating this cycle over and over.

This mirrors the crisis in the Main World. As the saying goes, the Main World flows between the unified opposites of ”Chaos” and ”Order,” and Laozi once said that things fear overreaching as they easily reverse upon reaching critical points—hmm, it seems the Order Clan is missing a Laozi.

But what really caught Fang Zheng’s attention was what Laozi said: ”The Dao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, and three gives birth to all things. All things carry Yin while embracing Yang, blending their breaths to be harmonious,” which speaks of an initial emergence of Yin and Yang from the formless Dao, the harmony of Yin and Yang then giving birth to all things.

This is the foundational basis of the Goddess of Order’s Primordial Force system, harmoniously uniting Order and Chaos forces, transforming them into the life-giving Primordial Force, hence generating all things.

Hmm... maybe when I go back, I should bring a few ancient texts for the Goddess of Order?

However...

”It truly is difficult...”

Standing in the mountains and forests, watching the flames burning in his hands, Fang Zheng slightly frowned, looking troubled. Verifying these theories isn’t difficult since Fang Zheng himself possesses the Primordial Fire representing order and the Black Fire representing chaos. But finding a way to unite them truly gives him a headache. According to Laozi’s theory, Yin and Yang must be in a delicate balance to harmonize and give birth to all things.

But this balance, as Fang Zheng sees it, is difficult to grasp.

The Primordial Fire is easy to control, but the Black Fire is like chaos—unfathomable and entirely uncontrollable. This is normal, given that chaos is characterized by unpredictability. But conversely, this forms a vicious cycle; if you can’t control it, you can’t harmonize, and if you can’t harmonize, you can’t progress to the next stage...

Even the Goddess of Order can’t do it, or she wouldn’t need to chop her body but just create a mechanism with similar functions...

”Further theoretical research is needed.”

Fang Zheng shook his hands, withdrew both flames, then sat back down, picking up the ancient texts nearby to study diligently. Discussions with these ancient great thinkers provided him with much insight. Unfortunately, while their ideas were extremely advanced, they were ultimately mere mortals and couldn’t comprehend the true power of the collision between chaos and order... like coaches who can propose various scientifically effective suggestions to athletes, yet they aren’t the athletes themselves...

”Ah...”

However, after flipping through these ancient texts for a long time, Fang Zheng couldn’t find any useful solution and helplessly sighed, putting them aside.

”Forget it, I’ll rest for a while.”

Thinking of this, Fang Zheng hummed a little tune, then headed down the mountain with his hands behind his back.

Since Fang Zheng came to this era, several decades had passed, and the Qin State had already swept across the Six Kingdoms, unifying the world. Because of the scholars from Fang Zheng’s Carefree Palace and their circulated technologies, the Qin State became increasingly powerful, a process occurring five to ten years earlier than in history. However, in other respects, there wasn’t much change. Xiang Shaolong still fled to the steppes to hide from Ying Zheng, and after Ying Zheng ascended the throne, he began to implement a series of reforms as previously stated.

Of course, over these many years, he never gave up looking for Fang Zheng, which annoyed Fang Zheng greatly. Why are you still looking for me after ascending the throne? As the First Emperor, you have so many trivial matters to handle, please don’t bother me, okay?

I still have a universe-related problem to solve here.

Humming a little tune, Fang Zheng casually strolled down the mountain, arriving at a small town intending to grab a bite and rest before going off to enjoy himself... after all, there wasn’t much else to do, right?

But before that...

”Oh, there’s some excitement here.”

Seeing a circle of people crowding nearby, Fang Zheng hurried over, only to see a group of soldiers standing in the execution ground ahead, with a criminal bound and kneeling on the ground, while the executioner sharpens his tools, preparing to slaughter pigs and sheep.

Execution? That’s not unusual either.

Seeing this, Fang Zheng’s interest greatly waned. After unifying the Six Kingdoms, although there were no large issues on the larger level, small-scale problems persisted, so people frequently were executed for rebellion or serious crimes, further making Fang Zheng thankful for his cunning, letting Ying Zheng take the blame and attract hostility... it really does require a Lich King!

At this moment, the executioner raised his chopping knife, ready to strike down at the prisoner before him, but just then...

”Boom!!!”

Suddenly, accompanied by a bolt from the blue, a flash of lightning struck, hitting the executioner directly. His body convulsed, and he collapsed on the ground, unconscious.

And at the next instant, a young man wearing a black T-shirt and jeans fell from the sky, landing heavily on the prisoner. Both of them crashed heavily to the ground.

Seeing this, Fang Zheng was also stunned.

Huh?

What’s going on?

Another arrival?

Nearby soldiers quickly raised their weapons, forming a circle, while the official overseeing the execution widened his eyes in disbelief at the scene before him.

”Who is this person? Where did he come from?”

At this moment, the young man slowly opened his eyes and gradually got up. Looking at the soldiers around him, he seemed even more confused... indeed, by the looks of it, he might be less reliable than Xiang Shaolong.

”This person must be an accomplice of the rebels! He’s here to rescue them from execution!”

The captain beside him immediately spoke up.

”Makes sense, seize him, quickly!”

Since orders were given from above, the soldiers rushed in, despite their fear, and quickly bound him tightly, then dragged him up to the guillotine.

”Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing!”

The young man hadn’t reacted yet when he was bound and taken to the guillotine. He looked around in confusion, scanning the prisoners on his left and right, utterly bewildered. Meanwhile, the captain stepped forward, loudly announcing.

”This villain openly attacked the execution ground to rescue traitors. He must be an accomplice, according to Great Qin’s law, behead immediately! Execute!”

With the captain’s order, the executioner quickly picked up his knife, sprayed a mouthful of alcohol, and walked over to the first prisoner, who promptly burst into tears.

”I don’t want to die! Help me!”

”Brother, what are you crying for! A true man faces death proudly, don’t embarrass me!”

On the other side of the young man, a burly, strong-looking man shouted loudly. The young man remained bewildered, turning his head to look at this person and then that person.

”What kind of drama are you filming here? Is it Red Cliff or Romance of the Three Kingdoms?”

”Pffft.........”

Hearing this, Fang Zheng couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Hahaha, this guy is just too amusing.

Facing the young man’s inquiry, the soon-to-be-beheaded man glanced at him, teary-eyed, without saying anything. But the young man seemingly didn’t care and continued speaking.

”You act pretty well. Where did you graduate from? Beijing Film Academy, Central Academy of Drama, or Shanghai Theatre Academy? You’re quite into your role, but......”

However, before the young man could finish speaking, the executioner’s knife rose and fell, directly chopping off the man’s head.

”Safe travels, brother!”

The burly man shouted angrily, while the young man looked at the head on the ground, utterly shocked.

”Is this for real? Did they really kill someone?”

Of course it’s real, duh.

Fang Zheng couldn’t help but want to immediately jump up and comment... this kid is hilarious!

Just as the young man was questioning his life, the executioner walked up to him and raised his knife.

”What are you babbling about, it’s your turn now!”

”What do you mean it’s my turn!”

The young man finally seemed to have realized.

”What are you really trying to do? Are you serious or not! I’m not an actor from around here! Don’t mess around!”

Oh my, brother, did you time travel into a comedy film or what?

Fang Zheng laughed so hard that he couldn’t straighten his back.

But the executioner clearly wasn’t listening to the young man’s nonsense, as he raised the knife again, and just then.........

”Ding ding doo doo ding ding doo.........”

A cell phone ringtone quietly sounded.

”Pffft.........”

This time, Fang Zheng really burst out laughing.