Chapter 877: Wenwu Temple

“Were even those martial artists specifically mentioned at the Dragon Transformation Banquet?”

Regarding the immortal cultivation sects, the one with the most frequent contact with Da Zhen was not Mount Yuhuai, which was already located within Da Zhen. Instead, it was the Qianyuan Sect, responsible for bringing new citizens to Da Zhen. Previously, cultivators from the Qianyuan Sect had also specifically mentioned several exceptionally talented martial artists, urging the Da Zhen court to take notice of them.

Grand Tutor Du Changsheng, who had been silent until then, felt it was time for him, as the Grand Tutor, to contribute to the conversation. He promptly stepped forward, bowed, and spoke.

“Your Majesty,” he replied, “those martial artists were not specifically mentioned by the host of the Dragon Transformation Banquet. However, many cultivators of considerable standing did speak of them. Even the true immortal master who used great divine abilities to bring all guests of the Dragon Palace into a realm within a book, also spoke of these martial artists, saying they were very special, perhaps even comparable to Chancellor Yin…”

At this point, Du Changsheng secretly glanced at Yin Zhaoxian. Ji Yuan had previously stated that he wished his relationship with the Yin family not be mentioned in front of the Da Zhen imperial family. Under these circumstances, Du Changsheng and other understanding individuals had unanimously decided not to bring it up. The matters concerning the martial artists, however, were something Ji Yuan had discussed while beside Yin Zhaoxian.

The Emperor of Da Zhen frowned.

“This sounds like an exaggeration, doesn’t it? What kind of person is my teacher? He is universally acknowledged as the reincarnation of Wenqu Star, his boundless righteous qi purifying the court and the land. How could a few martial artists, even if they slew some monsters in demon caves, achieve such distinction?”

Having heard more about monsters and with his celestial masters becoming more capable, Emperor Yang Sheng was no longer as apprehensive about monsters as before, at least when they were far from him.

Yin Zhaoxian smiled, feeling the Emperor was being somewhat naive. He glanced at his eldest son, Yin Qing, who seemed to have his response ready but didn't speak immediately, instead looking at his younger brother.

As expected, Yin Zhong bowed and spoke the next moment.

“Your Majesty,” Yin Zhong began, “I am also a martial artist, and I know their achievements were by no means easy. Without relying on military formations, it is almost impossible for ordinary mortals to contend with those powerful demons. Not to mention their martial prowess, even overcoming fear is incredibly difficult. And the demons slain by Great Hero Zuo, Great Hero Yan, and Great Hero Lu were formidable Black Desolate Greater Demons, dominant even among their kind. They have already broken through their limitations and forged a new path in martial arts…”

Yin Zhong paused, sensing the true qi within his body and a certain ethereal sensation, before continuing.

“Lately, my martial arts, which had stagnated, have also made significant progress. When practicing, I can even feel my spirit seemingly integrating with my true qi and martial skills. I believe this is certainly due to my diligent practice, but also to other factors… Your Majesty, you also…”

“Your Majesty!”

Yin Zhong had intended to say, “Your Majesty is also a martial artist,” but before the words could leave his mouth, Yin Qing immediately interjected, interrupting his younger brother with a louder voice. Yin Zhong frowned slightly but, sensing his elder brother's unspoken intent, said no more.

Yin Qing cast a sidelong glance at Yin Zhong and continued.

“Your Majesty, regardless, those martial artists are ultimately people of Da Zhen and are not rebels. During the war with Zu Yue, they also joined forces with the righteous martial arts factions, helping our dynasty win the national war. As those immortal elders spoke of 'qi luck'—though it is ethereal—it is a blessing for the nation to have such loyal and brave powerhouses. Would it not be wonderful if they could also be used by the court in peacetime?”

“Indeed, Minister Yin speaks well. Minister Zhao, you were previously in charge of investigating those martial artists, correct? How has the progress been?”

A minister with a grizzled beard stepped forward, slightly uneasy, bowing as he replied.

“Reporting to Your Majesty, Wang Ke, the chief constable of the Six Fan Gates, has some connections with these martial arts heroes. I previously leveraged his relationships to send people to contact Great Hero Yan and Great Hero Lu. Neither of them has any intention of joining officialdom, nor have they accepted the court’s rewards. As for Great Hero Zuo, he is reportedly not in Yunzhou, and furthermore…”

“Furthermore, what?”

As the Emperor's voice came, Minister Zhao braced himself and continued.

“Furthermore, I have discovered that these great heroes now enjoy astonishing prestige in the martial arts world. Especially Great Hero Zuo, whom I have never met, is highly esteemed not only within the martial arts community but also among our new citizens of Da Zhen.”

“Oh? Our new citizens? Why is that?”

The Emperor showed some interest, and Minister Zhao below organized his thoughts before continuing.

“Your Majesty may not be aware, but our new citizens of Da Zhen have been persecuted by demons for generations. Their fear of demons had seeped into their very bones. However, several chivalrous figures from Da Zhen, using their martial skills, slew the governing Greater Demons within the demons' own strongholds. This feat is now widely circulated among them, greatly invigorating them. Like many martial arts heroes, they refer to Zuo Wuji as… Martial Saint.”

At this, Yin Qing glanced at Yin Zhong, causing the latter to momentarily freeze. He subconsciously looked back at his elder brother, then, after a moment of deep thought, realized the implication. The term “Martial Saint” carried immense weight. If he had just said the Emperor was also a martial artist, wouldn't that place the Emperor far below Zuo Wuji?

This was Yin Qing's way as a minister: even knowing that Yin Zhong and the current Emperor were close friends who grew up together, now that one was the ruler and the other a subject, Yin Zhong absolutely had to understand where to draw the line. At least in public, he must always consider the monarch's dignity as a subject and avoid giving the Emperor even the slightest cause for resentment.

“Martial… Saint…”

The Emperor on the dragon throne narrowed his eyes and repeated the term, but Yin Qing spoke up again at that moment.

“Your Majesty, what Minister Zhao said is true, but he hasn’t explained it thoroughly enough. I am also deeply concerned with this matter and would like to elaborate on the details for Your Majesty.”

“Very well, Minister Yin, proceed.”

Yin Qing glanced at Minister Zhao, then spoke in a clear voice.

“Your Majesty, Minister Zhao only knows one aspect of the matter. As I am fully responsible for our dynasty’s new citizens, I possess more detailed information. The new citizens of Da Zhen have been persecuted by demons for a long time. Now that they are liberated, their former fear of demons has gradually transformed into resentment and anger. They desperately wish to be truly accepted by humanity and no longer be treated as mere beasts…”

Some relevant officials among the civil and military court could not help but nod slightly. They had all sensed this, whether through reports from their subordinates or their own interactions.

The Emperor also nodded slightly and remarked with emotion,

“To be raised like livestock by demons for generations is truly pitiful.”

“Precisely. It is due to Your Majesty’s wisdom and compassion, combined with our diligent work as officials under Your Majesty’s decree, and the response of the common people across the land to Your Majesty’s sagely edicts, that their sense of belonging to Da Zhen is particularly strong. They also know that Da Zhen is a place that produces martial arts heroes like Chancellor Yin and Zuo Wuji, and that the nation has even more outstanding individuals. After immortals saved them and brought them across the sea to this place, they naturally understood and spread the word about Da Zhen’s involvement. Their loyalty to our dynasty is now rarely seen throughout the land, and their desire to serve the nation is exceptionally strong…”

Yin Qing paused, then looked up at the Emperor and continued.

“Your Majesty is the ruler of Da Zhen, under whom all citizens enjoy peace and prosperity. With capable and extraordinary individuals like Chancellor Yin and Zuo Wuji within the nation, a good reputation for Your Majesty has also begun to spread among the new citizens, who now refer to Your Majesty as a Sagely Ruler!”

“What Minister Yin says is true; I have indeed heard similar reports!” “I have as well, Your Majesty. With the New Year approaching, I have heard it multiple times firsthand!”

The words of his ministers greatly pleased the Emperor, whose face beamed with delight. Yin Qing’s meaning was clear: a significant share of Da Zhen’s glory belonged to him, the Emperor.

Yin Zhaoxian also spoke up clearly at this point.

“Your Majesty, this journey to the Dragon Transformation Banquet has made your humble servants realize even more that Da Zhen should embrace all peoples under heaven and the qi luck of humanity between heaven and earth. Even true dragons, with their power to connect heaven and earth, still ventured to open up the desolate seas. While Da Zhen has achieved much, the path ahead is still long!”

“Embrace all under heaven?”

Yang Sheng's heart skipped a beat. He knew he might have misinterpreted his teacher's meaning, but he still felt a slight thrill.

“My teacher is absolutely right. Although Da Zhen secured an upper-tier seat at the Dragon Transformation Banquet, what they truly observed was our dynasty's potential.”

“Your Majesty is sagely enlightened!”

Yin Qing then glanced at Du Changsheng, who understood, stepped forward, and spoke in a clear voice.

“Your Majesty, the matter of qi luck is by no means ethereal. It is said that humanity's destiny has great momentum. However, in my humble opinion, in the past, humanity's great momentum was not in the hands of humankind itself—it was, one might say, latent. Now, however, is an opportune moment for humankind to grasp this great momentum, and for our Da Zhen to lead the qi luck of humanity!”

“What does the Grand Tutor mean?”

Du Changsheng smiled.

“Your Majesty, we should establish Temples of Culture and Martial Arts to solidify our cultural and martial fortune, and to gather the hearts of scholars and martial artists across the land towards the Dao. The worship within these temples should be solely for the paths of culture and martial arts, not for any deities. In the future, should anyone truly be enshrined there, they must first be recognized by heaven and earth, and second, by the consensus of countless people across the land!”

“Your Majesty, this measure will undoubtedly inspire scholars and martial artists throughout the realm and gather the aspirations of all people. Imagine, if in the future our dynasty produces many martial artists like Zuo Wuji, capable of slaying Greater Demons alone, and if our scholars, like Chancellor Yin, are numerous and their righteous qi illuminates the cosmos, what a magnificent state humanity and the human path will be in, under the leadership of Da Zhen!”

“If such a day truly comes, then undoubtedly, Your Majesty’s name as a Sagely Ruler will be well-deserved, and this day will surely mark a monumental entry in historical records! Of course, this matter still requires careful deliberation.”

Yin Zhaoxian stated this solemnly, solidifying the decision in Yang Sheng's heart, which was already greatly moved.

“As my teacher said, this matter still requires careful deliberation. However, the Grand Tutor’s proposal is indeed beneficial to the nation, its people, the world, and humanity itself. I also find it reasonable. Whether it should be implemented will be thoroughly assessed and verified by the celestial masters, and then discussed in detail by the court and public.”

“Your humble servant accepts the decree!”

Du Changsheng bowed and accepted the decree. Those with discernment could see the Emperor’s true desire: he likely envisioned himself being enshrined in the Temples of Culture and Martial Arts in the future.