Chapter 10

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Winter passed and Spring came. Over a month passed just like that.

The previous battle at Yongxue Pass that shook Tianjing City had already settled down.

The right chief minister led a gift envoy and personally headed to Yan Province for the alliance conference.

Finally, they settled on using Yongxue Pass as the border and both parties were to leave each other be.

Also, the Yuanmeng Empire was required to return the bodies of Fifth Prince Zhao Cheng and Marquis Yang Kezhong.

At the same time, they had to provide proper compensation in order to protect the Zhou Kingdom’s dignity.

Other similar promises were written on the contract.

“Showing weakness to the enemy. This will eventually lead to more troubles,” Zhao Mu lamented softly as he sat in the study.

Being imprisoned in the cold palace, he did not get much information.

He only got news of it from those gossipy eunuchs and maids after the alliance conference had ended.

The Zhou Kingdom had vast territory, placing it at the lead of the four kingdoms, controlling over half of the 49 provinces in the continent.

Each city and province was won over by the past emperors with the sacrifice of many soldiers and generals.

Although losing Yongxue Pass might not seem much, without it, the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun would be exposed to the baring fangs of the Yuanmeng Empire.

If that natural barrier was lost, then the wolf riders from the Yuanmeng Empire would be able to ride right through and sweep across the Central Plains.

That was why the Yongxue Pass should be in the Zhou Kingdom’s control no matter the price.

Unfortunately, despite being stronger than the other party, they could not regain what was lost from the battle with negotiations.

“The Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun is a natural barrier, situated between Yanran Mountain Range and Beixing Mountain Range with sixteen fortresses guarding over them, forming an indomitable line of defense.”

Zhao Mu had read many geographical records and naturally understood the importance of Yongxue Pass.

“No wonder I heard that Imperial Tutor Wen Yan cursed aloud in anger.”

Within the imperial city, several types of people were in abundance.

Eunuchs, busybodies, and women.

Whenever news got out, it would seemingly take on wings and fly to the various parts of the inner court.

Even a desolate place like the Eternal Happiness Palace would hear of such news.

Imperial Tutor Wen Yan, who had always been an upright person and was strict with etiquette lashed out verbally at the right chief minister in the imperial court the previous day. He claimed that the Yan Province conference was a humiliation to the nation while stripping its rights.

The right chief minister who signed the deal could not even make up for his sins by dying 10,000 times over.

The court ministers and military generals were also caught in a messy debate.

It was one of the rare instances where the Emperor of Zhou got angry and walked away.

“The Zhou Kingdom had only been founded for less than two hundred years. The people in each province and districts can’t even fill their stomachs. Moreover, the rich families joined their lands and various sects ruled over their own territory. It’s really lawless.”

When Zhao Mu had nothing to do, he would analyze the power play within the continent and the politics of the imperial court.

It was not because of his interest in the throne, but more for killing time and as mental exercise.

It was just like him surfing the internet when he was bored in his previous life.

“I think the emperor must be feeling helpless too. He has empty ambitions, but lacks actual power to support them.”

From his father’s standpoint, Zhao Mu could understand why he signed the Yan Province Treaty.

Although there were the three main sects of Heavenly Dragon Temple, Cloud Abode, and the Origin Chaos Path within the Zhou Kingdom, the emperor could not move those martial arts experts to serve the imperial court for nothing.

Faced with the Yuanmeng Empire and the Great Boundless Palace’s Phags-pa supporting them, the Zhou Kingdom could only back away.

Moreover, the workings of the world was not up to the Emperor of Zhou’s decision alone.

Wang of Langya, Cui of Qinghe, Lu of Fanyang, and Xia of Chen Commandery.

The four great families had endured several dynasties yet remained standing.

Each of them having untold wealth and their people spread across provinces and districts.

When the Zhou Kingdom was founded, there were even rumors of Wang and Zhao sharing the world.

One could see how far reaching and deeply rooted the powers of these rich families.

“I more or less understand why the previous dynasties never produced a martial emperor.”

He fell deeper in thoughts. An hour later, Zhao Mu suddenly snapped to attention.

Being the emperor and having access to limitless resources and secret techniques, why was it difficult to even find an emperor in the various dynasties who reached the Spiritual Transformation Expert of the eighth Mortal Stage?

Governing a nation was like cooking. It took too much time and effort.

Martial arts required extreme focus. Once distracted, it would be difficult to have any progress.

“In conclusion, I should still train in martial arts.”

His mind got distracted for some time before Zhao Mu quickly reorganized his thoughts.

200 years after the founding of Zhou Kingdom, it had gone through three generations of emperors.

Even if they suffered one defeat, the accumulated power and wealth was still there. It would not go down anytime soon.

Even if the Yuanmeng Empire united the great plains coupled with the suppression from Phags-pa of the Great Boundless Palace, the Central Plain still had the Ten Great Sects and Six Sacred Grounds. How could they let the outsiders do as they like?

“If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it.”

Zhao Mu made a full Qi cycle. Pure internal energy flowed through his entire body.

After passing through each aperture and acupoints, it turned into a strand of silk-like true Qi.

Several months passed, and he had been cultivating hard every day.

Physical practice, breathing technique, and nurturing the body.

Strength training, Qi circulation, and internal energy transformation.

Zhao Mu did not turn lazy just because of the mysterious stone dial’s imprinting of Dao marks.

After being in the cold palace for 12 long years, he was almost driven crazy by the boredom.

After finally finding a goal to work for, he naturally became extra hard working.

“What a pain. Why am I accumulating more and more internal energy?”

After completing a few complete Qi cycles, Zhao Mu’s face turned slightly worried.

For several months, he had imprinted his Dao mark daily to sign in, and would gain elixirs to boost his power.

Occasionally, he would get lucky and obtain five to ten years worth of internal energy infusion.

Zhao Mu sighed, then focused his attention.

The mysterious stone dial trembled slightly and gave out lines of texts.

[Zhao Mu]

[Two hundred years of internal energy.]

[Tiger Demon Bone Refinement Fist, Presence Concealment Mantra, Divine Sun and Moon Scriptures.]

“Two hundred years of internal energy. How much time will I need to convert all of them into true Qi?”

Zhao Mu lamented helplessly. When others cultivated, they would wish for a stronger internal energy reserve.

However, in his situation, that same wonderful thing brought him headaches instead.

200 years of pure internal energy. If he converted them all into Primordial Yang Qi, it would take him several months at his current progress.

“Too much accumulation is also another trouble.”

Zhao Mu uttered those elitist words that would incite jealousy and hate in others in a casual tone.

He put two fingers together and rubbed lightly.

Whoosh!

A thread of fire shot out from there!

The candle placed on the study table lit up.

“Is this the power of true Qi? Using innate essence to cultivate various martial arts with different properties, then manifest the power of the five elements, controlling fire, water, wind, and thunder… This is truly powerful!”

Zhao Mu had already condensed several dozen of silk-like Primordial Yang Qi. It was strong and ferocious, just like a strong flame, burning everything it touches.

If a regular body touched even the slightest bit of it, it might turn into a human bonfire.

“This Divine Sun and Moon Scripture is living up to its name as a divine art. I’m only at the third Mortal Stage of Unblocking Aperture Stage. After cultivating the Primordial Yang Qi, I’m actually able to release my true Qi outward to cause harm like a Qi Refinement Expert at the sixth Mortal Stage.”

Zhao Mu nodded in satisfaction.

That meager thread could only light up candles and charcoal. Its use was limited.

However, after he converted the 200 years of internal energy into Primordial Yang Qi, things would be different.

Within the Divine Sun and Moon Scriptures, there are the Flame Blade, Flame Arrows, Divine Flame Shield, and other moves.

As long as one understood the method to utilize true Qi, then one could form all sorts of weapons from it.

Furthermore, with the extremely domineering Primordial Yang Qi, any true Qi of a lower quality would be burnt away upon contact and burn through the opponent’s internal organs. It would be extremely advantageous in a fight.

“Your Highness, Eunuch Gao is here.”

Zhao Mu suddenly detected a series of footsteps while he was studying and experiencing the essence and wonder of the true Qi circulation.

He immediately recited the mantra silently, “Conceal all presence, let the mind be still.” It calmed the internal energy within him and concealed the fiery Qi around his body.

Moments later, an old eunuch ran up to him and said while breathing laboriously, “There’s an imperial decree!”