Chapter 52: Chapter 52: Did I Orchestrate the Spiritual Qi Revival?

At the time when the entire Great Yu was thrown into chaos due to Yang Xuansu being executed with his nine clans and Xu Mujun’s military defeat, another Holy Decree was issued from the Great Yu Imperial Palace.

The 4th Year of Zhengyong, October 11th.

The Emperor decreed: “On the occasion of my thirtieth birthday, I approve to hold a special edict to reward the scholars. Accordingly, an imperial examination will be conducted on November 15th of this year to facilitate my intention to select talented individuals.”

“Anyone who has attained a scholarly title in the previous imperial examination can come to the Capital City to participate in the examination, with all travel and other expenses covered by the Imperial Court!”

Simultaneously, a Holy Decree for the military examination was issued.

The content was very simple: to recruit heroes from all over the world to come to the Capital City to participate in the military examination.

As long as one ranks in the top hundred, they can freely choose to enter any military post in the Great Yu Court.

From the Imperial Guard, the Imperial Army, the Border Army, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Sacrificial Institute, to even the Dragon-soaring Army!

Those who acquire the top three positions may approach the Emperor personally and can also obtain a general’s position!

The Martial Champion Scholar may lead an army independently and be granted a title!

Once these two Holy Decrees were issued, they immediately ignited the entire literary and martial arts circles of Great Yu.

“The Emperor is opening a special examination? Wonderful! Hahaha, I finally have a chance…”

“November 15th, there’s just over a month left, if I start traveling now, I can still make it.”

“With the ongoing unrest in the Six Northern States, I think southern scholars have a better chance this year!”

“There’s also the military examination? Martial artists can also participate in the imperial examination?”

“The royal grace is boundless…”

“What use are those bumpkins? Daring to join us scholars in the imperial examination…”

“Shh! Rumor in the Capital City is that the literary and military examinations are held separately, the two groups won’t be together.”

“Military examination? It seems the Imperial Court has no one left to use, so the Emperor was compelled to make this arrangement.”

“Military examination? This is our opportunity, as long as we can enter the court, hahaha…”

The entire martial arts world, scholarly world, or even the entire Great Yu Court was discussing this matter.

Even several small surrounding countries had many people secretly entering Great Yu, wanting to participate in this year’s imperial and military examinations.

While the world was abuzz with discussions, there was no movement in the eye of the storm – the Imperial Palace.

Both the literary and military examinations were delegated to the Cabinet for handling; everyone performed their duties, thus the administration was well-ordered.

As for the struggle between powerful officials and noble families arising from the imperial examination, Zheng Yi did not care.

In Qiankun Hall, Zheng Yi sat steadily on the Dragon Throne, his breaths calm and measured.

A small, plump, finger-length, blood-red insect was crawling up and down his finger.

Moonlight Gu.

This was the Moonlight Gu he nurtured, at the cost of 25 drops of Essence Blood and over three months of Moonlight Essence.

No.

It would be more appropriate to call it Blood Moon Gu.

Whether in size, color, appearance, or aura, it far surpassed the Moonlight Gu recorded in the gu cultivation scriptures of the Nanyue people.

Faster and stronger!

Although no experiments had been conducted, Zheng Yi vaguely sensed that the Blood Moon Gu could easily slay Grandmaster Realm Martial Artists.

It could even handle Innate Realm Martial Artists.

Such power in a tiny gu insect.

What’s more, this Blood Moon Gu was a mother gu, capable of self-reproducing, and had already laid over a hundred Blood Moon Gu eggs, though none had hatched yet.

“Your Majesty~”

Liu Cheng’en quickly walked in: “Chen Liancang, Prince Xian have been brought!”

“Hmm? Let them in.”

With a thought, the Blood Moon Gu swiftly crawled into Zheng Yi’s sleeve and disappeared.

Soon, two figures entered the hall.

Chen Liancang, leader of the Shadow Guard, Grandmaster Realm Martial Artist.

Prince Xian, member of the Great Yu Imperial Family, Jade Token Tributor of the Sacrificial Institute.

“Your subject/palace maid, greets Your Majesty!”

The two gave their salutations in turn, Zheng Yi raised his hand saying: “Both love ministers, rise.”

“Is the Imperial Uncle’s family well?”

“In response to Your Majesty, all is well.”

Zheng Zongxian, the late emperor’s brother.

Passionate about martial arts since childhood, he cared not for state affairs, achieving the Grandmaster Realm at the age of forty-five, remaining there since.

He has lingered on the brink of the Grandmaster Realm for nearly twenty years, unable to glimpse the threshold of the Innate Realm.

Zheng Yi continued: “Imperial Uncle, I called you here today to inquire whether your martial arts cultivation has any breakthrough opportunities?”

Prince Xian bowed: “In response to Your Majesty, how could a twenty-year bottleneck be easily surpassed?”

“However, after suppressing Yang Ni, this subject suddenly felt the Innate bottleneck was loosening and wishes to request Your Majesty to allow this subject to head to the Northern Border to battle with Wu Country.”

“Perhaps in a life and death situation, I might luckily break through to the Innate Realm.”

Bottleneck loosening?

Zheng Yi was moved, it seemingly relates to the birth of the consort’s daughter indeed!

Even if those four strands of Innate Pure Yin Qi dissipated, the Imperial Palace, or rather the Harem, still remained the area with the densest concentration.

Staying in the Imperial Palace would certainly be faster for breakthroughs than at the Northern Border or anywhere else.

With differing concentrations of Spiritual Qi, the chances and speed of breakthroughs are naturally different too.

Zheng Yi said: “Imperial Uncle, please wait a while longer, the world is in turmoil; I wish that Imperial Uncle stays in the Capital City to protect your nephew more.”

“Your Majesty speaks too highly!”

Prince Xian promptly said: “In that case, this subject will stay a while longer.”

“I owe thanks to my Imperial Uncle!”

Zheng Yi then looked at Chen Liancang: “Elder Chen, how do you feel?”

A Grandmaster Realm Martial Artist stands as a giant in the martial arts world, a figure capable of establishing sects.

Moreover, having rendered great service to Zheng Yi, he respected the elder, thus he showed the utmost respect.

Chen Liancang was excited: “Your Majesty… my Innate bottleneck is already sealed, it is only a matter of time before I can breakthrough!”

Prince Xian exclaimed in surprise, “Old Chen, how did you get here so fast?”

“I remember you entered the Grandmaster Realm after me, didn’t you?”

The two were clearly familiar with each other from a young age and somewhat close.

Chen Liancang said, “I don’t quite understand it myself. It’s just that in the past few months, it feels like there’s been a slight change in the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, and I can sense it more clearly.”

Innate Realm Martial Artist.

The most obvious sign is the ability to harness the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi with one’s Inner Strength.

Or rather, the Spiritual Qi!

Thereby achieving wonders that ordinary martial artists simply cannot achieve.

Now that Chen Liancang could sense the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, it proved his Martial Arts Cultivation was ahead of Prince Xian.

Or perhaps… Chen Liancang, being in the harem, could perceive those four strands of Innate Pure Yin Qi more clearly and closely!!!

If Xu Mujun were in the harem, or rather the Imperial Palace or Capital City, his perception would be even clearer.

At this moment, Zheng Yi had already made a decision in his heart.

Indeed, he was behind the Spiritual Qi Revival!

As long as the women born from the Pure Yin Qi within the Yin Yang Treasure Mirror could integrate the Innate Pure Yin Qi into this world, thereby increasing the concentration of Spiritual Qi in this world.

Grandmaster Realm Martial Artists and Innate Realm Martial Artists would become more aware, and the number of high-level martial artists in this world would increase.

Even… cultivators!

Zheng Yi quickly made a decision in his mind.

It seems that plans concerning cultivation need to be accelerated.

The increase in Spiritual Qi will inevitably cause changes in the surrounding environment, especially for the hidden cultivators.

With the rise in cultivators, his danger also increases.

But at the same time, it presents an opportunity for him.

An opportunity to obtain cultivation classics and step into the cultivation realm!

If necessary, he could slow down the birth of daughters to keep the Spiritual Qi at a certain level.

Once his own strength improves or the strength of the entire Great Yu does, or he obtains cultivation classics, he could then have more daughters and use the Innate Pure Yin Qi to cultivate.

“There are five strands of Pure Yin Qi, and only Consort De, Li Changle, has yet to give birth.”

“Let’s hold off on having children for now, and once both my strength and the overall strength of Great Yu have risen, I’ll have daughters again…”

Indeed!

Suddenly, Zheng Yi thought again.

Innate Pure Yin Qi can enhance the concentration of Spiritual Qi in this world.

Then… what about Innate Pure Yang Qi?

What use does it have?

But now is not the time to consider this; it’s a matter for later.

After a few more words, Prince Xian took his leave, leaving Zheng Yi with Chen Liancang.

“Elder Chen, how is the training of the Shadow Guard progressing?”

“Reporting to Your Majesty, all twenty Shadow Guards have been successfully trained.”

Chen Liancang said, “Sixteen of them are eunuchs, four are palace maids, all awaiting Your Majesty’s orders.”

“Deploy the eunuchs among my attending eunuchs, and the palace maids… will remain in the harem.”

“Understood!”

“One more thing.”

Zheng Yi continued, “Increase the workload for Shadow Guard training… no, tenfold it!”

“Conduct a massive search for children with a similar Root Bone and aptitude, and send them into the palace to train!”

“Regarding medicine and money, I will prioritize sending them from the inner treasury to you.”

Chen Liancang’s eyes widened at once, “Your, Your Majesty, this… a tenfold increase would require a large number of young children, this…”

Zheng Yi said coldly, “In the Great Yu Thirteen States, at least half are now stricken with natural and human-made disasters; young children are not hard to find.”

“I am doing this to aid the people’s suffering!”

“Understood!”

“If there aren’t enough, select from the eunuchs and palace maids newly entered into the palace!”

“Understood!”

At this moment, Liu Cheng’en entered once more.

“Your Majesty! A secret message from the Embroidered Uniform Guard!”

“Oh? From where?”

“Nanyue County and Wuzhou.”

“Present it!”

Nanyue County concerns the Baiyue Race’s High Priest Chenyue and that mysterious cultivator.

As for Wuzhou, it’s about the swordsmithing and iron smelting techniques of the Imperial Sword Manor.

These two secret messages were quite lengthy, yet Zheng Yi read through them at a glance.

“Interesting.”

Zheng Yi tossed the two secret messages onto the table and muttered, “The Heiyue Race and later the Baiyue High Priests turn out to be cultivators, although they are just junior cultivators with Third-layer Qi Cultivation.”

“Moreover, within the two races, there are those purportedly qualified for immortal cultivation.”

“The Baiyue Race’s High Priest Chenyue intends to send me a woman… a woman with an aptitude for immortal cultivation!”

“Since that’s the case, I won’t refuse.”

“I wonder, what mysterious experiences might dual cultivation with this woman bring?”

In the next instant, Zheng Yi’s eyes shifted subtly, a chilling aura emanating from his gaze.

“Wuzhou, Imperial Sword Manor. They dare deceive me with ordinary swordsmiths within the manor, while secretly colluding with the Celestial Destiny Sect and White Lotus Sect, selling a large number of military weapons.”

“I had suspected before, wondering where the rebel army’s weapons and armor were coming from. The Yunzhou Soldiers entered Qing over half a year ago and still haven’t completely eradicated them.”

“So it was… Imperial Sword Manor!”

“It’s truly… unforgivable!”

“Summon… the Divine Strategy Camp!!!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep