Xu Xing understood the principle of carrot and stick.
He needed to discipline Gongyang Yi, but he also knew when to stop.
Gongyang Yi was a clever person. He would understand Xu Xing’s intent. Instead of being angry, he would submit willingly, recognizing Xu Xing’s qualities as a capable leader and becoming even more eager to serve him wholeheartedly.
Besides, martial arts training was indeed the main path Xu Xing intended to follow, partly as a ruse to deceive Emperor Chongming.
Indulging in martial arts was similar to how some unenlightened rulers in ancient dynasties indulged in their harems or poetry. It was the mark of a lost cause!
The Three Major Sects sent their most prized cultivation methods to the Court of Xing Tian: the Iron Palm Technique from the Iron Palm Gang, the Entangling Wave Strength from the Flower Sect, and the Eagle Snake Life and Death Fight from the Su Shanmen.
Of course, the foundations of the Three Major Sects were certainly not limited to these. However, compared to their many other less refined martial arts, these three techniques were their most treasured and precious secrets.
It’s a pity... Xu Xing thought. The Instance World is currently closed. Otherwise, I could enter it to practice these martial arts, then condense my Destiny, and solidify it into Reality. That would greatly improve my strength...
In his study, Xu Xing glanced over the three secret manuals on the bookcase and sighed.
Although practicing some Outer Sect martial arts could increase his current strength, it was less effective than simply assigning more guards to protect himself.
Practicing Outer Sect martial arts would inevitably consume his True Qi.
The Realm was paramount.
King of Sorrow Yao Dang had once advised him that if he aimed for the Innate Realm, he should not learn Outer Sect martial arts.
However, it’s good to memorize these cultivation methods now and study them properly after entering the Instance World.
Xu Xing began to skim through the cultivation methods, memorizing every diagram and secret phrase. He spent the entire day, from morning till night, absorbing the essence of these martial arts.
Someone was at the door.
"Husband, I’ve cooked a meal for you. You haven’t eaten all day," Zhao Yunniang called out gently, standing on the veranda steps with a lacquer tray in her hands. "Please have something to eat."
Ever since she had come to Guanxi Road and moved into the Court of Xing Tian, Xu Xing had shown her great favor, granting her the title of Madam and giving her authority over the household. Most importantly, Xu Xing had also named Xu Zhang as his successor.
By rights, she should have had no complaints. However... Xu Xing had seldom been intimate with her since then. In fact, he had spent more time with her in the Sky Prison. This made her feel a sense of crisis.
Xu Xing put down the Entangling Wave Strength manual and looked towards the door.
The door creaked open.
Zhao Yunniang, dressed in red, entered and placed the dishes from the tray onto the writing desk one by one: braised carp, sweet and sour pork, stir-fried sea cucumber with green onions, and a plate of scrambled eggs with leeks. They were mostly simple, home-cooked dishes.
"You’ve gone to a lot of trouble," Xu Xing said, picking up his chopsticks. He tasted a few bites and offered a compliment.
He knew what Zhao Yunniang was thinking; she merely wanted to win his favor. However, he had no intention of lingering in the Mortal World for long. Having one son, Xu Zhang, was enough. More children would inevitably mean more worries.
"Husband, is something troubling you?" Zhao Yunniang pursed her red lips, gathered her courage, and asked. "If it’s possible, could you talk to me about it?"
Xu Xing always maintained an inscrutable expression, making it difficult for outsiders to discern his thoughts. But Zhao Yunniang, as his wife who had been by his side for a long time, could often glimpse some of his inner feelings from his expression.
"It’s nothing significant..." Xu Xing casually invented a reason. "I’ve looked through the cultivation methods of these Jianghu sects. They are indeed extraordinary. However, they still fall short compared to the Eight-Armed Vajra Sutra and the Three Mountains One Qi Spiritual Capture Method Concentration Vein Formula."
He guarded the secret of the Bronze Ancient Mirror closely, resolving never to tell anyone, not even those closest to him.
"This matter is easily resolved..." Zhao Yunniang murmured, her gaze lowering as a hint of disappointment flickered in her eyes. Then, she raised her pretty face again and smiled. "Husband, don’t you want Emperor Chongming to see you as a mere watchdog with no ambition, leading you to feign an obsession with martial arts?"
Xu Xing nodded, looking at Zhao Yunniang, wondering what she was getting at.
"Emperor Chongming’s character is known to all the Civil & Military Officers," she continued. "He bullies the weak and fears the strong. Husband, you are currently the Surveillance Commissioner of Guanxi Road. You can Petition the Emperor for martial arts secrets, claiming you wish to cultivate them. Emperor Chongming, to maintain his imperial dignity, would surely grant them, even if only as a casual reward. The cultivation methods from the Imperial Court’s collection are also bound to be top-notch."
"If the cultivation methods he bestows are subpar," Zhao Yunniang added, "Emperor Chongming himself would feel he has been petty and narrow-minded. To preserve his imperial majesty, he absolutely wouldn’t be stingy with his rewards."
At her words, Xu Xing’s eyes suddenly lit up.
He collected cultivation methods for two reasons: firstly, to enhance his understanding of martial arts and broaden his horizons, and secondly, to prepare for his next entry into the Instance World.
As for Petitioning the Emperor for rewards, it was a ’nothing ventured, nothing gained’ approach. It was worth a try!
"Yunniang, you are indeed my wise helper..." Xu Xing put down his chopsticks, wrapped an arm around Zhao Yunniang’s slender waist, and led her towards the inner bedroom.
The study in a large residence usually had an adjoining bedroom for rest, and his Heavenly King’s Mansion was no exception.
Shaoqing, the two shared an intimate moment.
Jiangnan West Road, Heyang Mountain.
"Alliance Leader, we must retreat!" Wu Chengsi, a strategist, declared urgently as he rushed into the Righteousness Hall. "If we delay any longer, Xi Ying’s Whitestep Army will block our escape route! Retreating now might be our only chance of survival!" He was trying to persuade Monk Shang.
Ever since Monk Shang had robbed the Imperial Court’s grain transports multiple times, the Local Army had set its sights on Heyang Mountain, viewing it as a rich prize. Unfettered by the Imperial Court, the Local Army’s combat effectiveness had greatly increased. After several sieges in recent months, Heyang Mountain had suffered continuous defeats, losing many soldiers and generals.
Monk Shang’s prestige had plummeted ever since the retreat from Mount Siming. Firstly, the 17 Kings in Rebellion, witnessing Monk Shang’s lack of benevolence and righteousness, had repeatedly opposed him, causing the Righteous Army Alliance to exist in name only. Secondly, the departure of Gongyang Yi, their strategist, had led the generals on Heyang Mountain to doubt Monk Shang’s leadership. Furthermore, Monk Shang’s handling of Wang Tong’s Family had made people’s hearts grow cold.
Retreat... "But where can we retreat to?" Monk Shang’s face was ashen as he slumped onto the gilded Dragon Chair, unwilling to rise.
Strategist Wu Chengsi, seeing this, stamped his foot and sighed repeatedly, not knowing how to persuade him. If he were a minor rebel king, surrendering to another power might offer a chance of survival. But Monk Shang had burned all his bridges. As the Alliance Leader of the Righteous Army, defeat meant he had no escape.
"Attendants!" Suddenly, Monk Shang’s face regained some color. He ripped off the red monastic robe he was wearing, sat imposingly on the Dragon Chair, and shouted to a nearby attendant, "Prepare a whole roast pig feast! This Emperor shall eat!"
Even on the verge of death, he wanted one last taste of being an emperor.
And a whole roast pig feast... that was what he had craved most when he was just a monk at Xuanji Temple.