The Path of the Martial Arts BOSS

Inside the Northern Zhou Divine Capital Palace, within the Yangxin Hall.

Qingyu leaned back in the Dragon Throne, one hand propping up her cheek as she gazed at the scroll floating before her, elevated by her True Qi.

This ancient scroll was the Emperor Martial Art that both Emperor Qian and the previous Emperor Zhou had sought but failed to acquire. Qingyu had seen it during her time contending for a position in the Literary Arena, when the scroll was sealed within a crystal—she had wanted to look at it but could not open it.

Later, the Emperor Martial Art was returned to the Academy by Feng Jiu in exchange for the Academy's support.

As time passed, more than two years later, the scroll once again came into Qingyu's hands.

"So it is," Qingyu whispered to herself, "this Emperor Martial Art is purely a heart-based Martial Art, highly idealistic, and demands a much higher Mental State than other forms of Martial Arts."

Heart-based Martial Arts are actually very mysterious. Generally speaking, the cultivation of heart-based Martial Arts doesn't demand much in terms of innate talent or physical root, but rather a suitable Mental State acts as the key to their cultivation.

Once the Mental State is compatible, heart-based Martial Arts can progress rapidly and be mastered swiftly.

Its mystery lies not only in the cultivation requirements of heart-based Martial Arts but also in the demands of unleashing its power.

The upper and lower limits of heart-based Martial Arts are exceedingly high; some extreme instances of such Martial Arts could slay dragons when strong, yet be reduced to catching loaches when weak.

Without the compatible Mental State, heart-based Martial Arts could be even less valuable than widely practiced arts like the Five Tigers Breaking Gate Saber.

"There are various Divine Skills in worldly society that also require a certain Mental State, but extreme Martial Arts like heart-based ones are few and far between. I remember, it seems that only the Demon Path's Seven Absolute Manor still practices heart-based Martial Arts," Qingyu pondered.

More advanced Martial Arts have significant demands on one's Mental State, like the Confucian 'Vast Righteous Qi' and the combined Martial Arts of Buddha and Taoist schools, all of which require maintaining a specific Mental State.

But even if you lose balance in these Martial Arts, at least they can still exert basic combat power. While with heart-based Martial Arts, once out of sync with the required Mental State, they are as good as learned in vain.

The Emperor Martial Art before Qingyu is such an extreme form of heart-based Martial Art.

Actually, this world is not lacking in Martial Arts that draw on the Dragon Vein, so Dragon Qi Martial Arts are not considered Emperor Martial Arts. Only those Martial Arts that can be cultivated by an emperor, who holds sovereignty over Qiankun and governs a nation's welfare, are truly Emperor Martial Arts.

This Emperor Martial Art requires the cultivator to hold sway over the nation, subtly manipulate the Qi Mechanism, unite in feeling with the populace, and use the well-being of the nation as nourishment for oneself, in order to rapidly increase one's strength.

Though the text is concise, it touches upon the Qi Fortune Technique, the Spirit Path, and some obscure and difficult-to-articulate principles of the Human Dao. Nameless as it is, it is called a Martial Art, yet it is more like a secret technique—a secret technique that mystically aligns with the Human Dao.

Most warriors, especially those from the Taoist sect, pursue Unity of Heaven and Man, directly connecting with the Heavenly Dao. However, this Emperor Martial Art is about merging with the country one reigns, forming a deeply mysterious Human Dao that enables the cultivator to reach a state where "I am the state."

"No wonder, no wonder... no wonder the Daqian Ancestor Ji Muqing was able to defy both the Righteous and Demonic forces, requiring their combined effort to slay him."

Ji Muqing only took a few years to Ascend to God, yet his power was comparable to a Divinity Realm warrior who had cultivated for hundreds of years. In the final battle to slay the dragon, even while besieged by a union of Righteous and Demonic strong men, he managed to kill over half before falling.

His power came from this Emperor Martial Art, and also from the vast lands and rivers of Daqian.

"However, the difficulty and risks of cultivating the Emperor Martial Art are no small matter," Qingyu's eyes flickered as she scrutinized the not-so-lengthy scroll, murmuring to herself.

Cultivating the Emperor Martial Art entailed merging one's being with the nation's fate, bearing the weight of the nation. This burden was not carried on the shoulders but in the heart.

Only by accommodating the nation in one's heart can one harness the nation's power. This force could be said to be an implicit power of the nation, or it could be regarded as one's own Mental Power. This is why Qingyu said that the Emperor Martial Art was a type of heart-based Martial Art.

If one were to bear the nation, how expansive and strong one's heart must be. By harnessing this Mental Power, one could possess the ability to shake gods and ghosts.

Although Qingyu's current Realm was not yet sufficient to comprehend the Emperor Martial Art's mysteries, she could discern the magnitude of its power.

By carrying the nation within one's heart, the Mental State would be cleansed by the nation, acquiring countless spiritual nourishments, which would rapidly advance the Mental State.

Of course, this depends on whether the cultivator could withstand the immense mental pressure; only then could the power of the Emperor Martial Art be harnessed. If not, mental collapse into a living dead would be the only outcome.

In Qingyu's estimation, the previous Emperor Zhou, Feng Tianming, was severe indeed, but not harsh enough on himself, lacking the resolve to see death as a return home. Such a Mental State would never let him master the Emperor Martial Art, and should Feng Tianming try to practice it, he would end up nothing more than a living dead.

That must also be why the Academy adamantly refused to relinquish the Emperor Martial Art.

As for Feng Jiu, his strength was not even on par with Feng Tianming's, and although his Mental State had grown strong under Qingyu's influence, it had not yet reached the level required to cultivate the Emperor Martial Art.

"So, does the Academy still require Feng Jiu to sign that Imperial Decree..."

Before the Emperor Martial Art was handed to Feng Jiu, the Academy set a condition.

If Feng Jiu failed to cultivate the Emperor Martial Art and turned into a living dead, Feng Qiwu would become the Imperial Brother and ascend the throne of Northern Zhou.

With this Imperial Decree and the position of State Preceptor, the Academy then relinquished the Emperor Martial Art.

This move not only served as insurance against the possible demise of Feng Jiu but also prevented the demon path Qingyu from becoming the Northern Zhou National Preceptor. Overall, the Academy didn't lose out.

Originally, Qingyu thought the Academy had softened, exchanging the Emperor Martial Art for a yet-to-be-realized position of National Preceptor.

After truly understanding the Emperor Martial Art, Qingyu realized it wasn't about the Academy softening, but rather they never considered Feng Jiu would cultivate the Emperor Martial Art.

Either Feng Jiu wouldn't practice it and would simply place the Emperor Martial Art atop a shelf, effectively allowing the Academy to benefit from nothing, holding the National Preceptor position unfilled with a useless gesture.

Or he would practice it, but with Feng Jiu's Mental State, the likely outcome was 99% failure, turning into a living dead. In such a case, Feng Qiwu could claim the throne with that Imperial Decree.

"Zhuge Longsu is indeed Zhuge Longsu, skillfully playing us with asymmetrical information."

"Pity, you didn't anticipate the relationship between Feng Jiu and me..."

A cold smile touched the corners of Qingyu's mouth, "In this deal, it's yet to be seen who really loses out."

Zhuge Longsu, despite calculating thousands of scenarios, never accounted for Feng Jiu being Qingyu's Tribulation Slave. Given the mental bond between the two, fulfilling the Mental State demand wasn't the biggest challenge.

The difficulty ceased to exist once Feng Jiu received the Emperor Martial Art.