Republic of China Era: Entering the Dao through Divine Strike.

In the eyes of the veteran officials and nobles, this young emperor was audacious and reckless, and did not understand the way of governing a country at all.

Inside and outside the court, undercurrents were surging and criticisms were rampant.

Many people appear respectful on the surface, but secretly harbor ulterior motives, secretly conspiring with other factions, and constantly plotting to replace him.

To support a new emperor who is more obedient, more conservative, and more easily controlled by the powerful and wealthy to ascend the throne.

The young emperor understood all of this perfectly well.

Deep within her heart lay endless sorrow.

As the supreme ruler, who would willingly submit to others if given even the slightest chance?

Who wouldn't want to rely on their own country's strength to revitalize their nation?

But this emperor lived a life of great frustration, even less comfortable and peaceful than an ordinary eunuch in the palace.

Outsiders, unaware of the truth, only know that he is the emperor, the one destined by heaven, and holds great power, possessing a vast empire and countless subjects.

But only he himself knew that the so-called imperial power was all an illusion.

He can't even guarantee the most basic safety.

People call him a puppet, but that's actually an exaggeration.

At least puppets are safe and sound, without having to worry about their lives or property.

But what about him? Every night when he closes his eyes, he doesn't know if he'll ever wake up again.

Foreigners are indeed hateful and deserving of death for their arrogance, bullying of the court, and trampling on the Chinese people.

But what chilled him even more than external enemies was the unpredictable nature of people within the court.

It was those cold, indifferent eyes in the harem.

As his thoughts raced, a face with lively eyes and a captivating expression flashed through his mind.

The young emperor swayed slightly, a sudden pain shooting through his chest...

He immediately raised his hand and tightly covered his chest, his brows furrowed deeply, and a deep, sinister glint flashed in his eyes.

He had the title of emperor but no real power, and couldn't even protect his beloved concubine.

Even the safety of those closest to us cannot be guaranteed.

What a laughable and pathetic emperor he was.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the grief, anger, and resentment surging in his heart, and quickly gathered all negative emotions.

In an instant, the gloom in his eyes vanished, and his face regained its usual gentleness.

He glanced around at the civil and military officials beside him and slowly asked, "My dear ministers, the champion of this martial arts examination has already been determined."

Li Xin single-handedly defeated powerful enemies, enhancing the prestige of our Great Qing Dynasty. What do you all think is the most appropriate way to reward him?

After he finished speaking, the people around him fell silent.

After a moment, the newly appointed Minister of War, a prince who had been sitting quietly and observing coldly, spoke first:

"Your Majesty, all previous champions of the martial arts examination will be appointed as third-rank imperial bodyguards with swords, stationed in the palace and serving Your Majesty."

Established rules and regulations for centuries, established court practices, cannot be easily disregarded...

Li Xin is exceptionally brave and skilled in martial arts; he can be placed under the usual arrangement. As for rewards, he can be exceptionally rewarded with a generous sum of money.

To inspire martial artists worldwide.

The prince's statement was mature and prudent, and there was nothing wrong with it.

As soon as he finished speaking, Yang Guangyuan, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, immediately bowed, stepped forward, and shook his head, saying:

"Your humble servant is not skilled in martial arts, but is adept at judging character. Li Xin is a decisive and ruthless man, with an unruly and rebellious nature..."

Ordinary official positions would likely be insufficient to win their hearts.

Upon hearing this, the young emperor's eyes flashed with a glint of light. After a moment of contemplation, he slowly nodded.

“What Yang Aiqing said makes sense.”

He looked up at the arena, his gaze distant: "This year's martial arts competition is completely different from previous ones."

The country is in turmoil and the borders are unstable.

Our Great Qing Dynasty suffered repeated defeats and retreats in foreign wars, and morale has been low for a long time.

Li Xin has been remarkably effective against foreigners... I think it would be wise to bestow upon him an extraordinary honor and appoint him as a general.

The imperial court allocated special funds, allowing him to recruit soldiers and train a new army on his own…

Upon hearing this, the prince immediately shook his head in denial, his tone grave.

"Your Majesty is mistaken..."

"The more exceptionally brave and skilled someone is, the less we should indulge them or delegate authority to them in an unconventional manner."

Li Xin is hot-tempered and has no respect for the imperial court. If he is easily given military power and allowed to build his own army, there is a risk of unforeseen consequences in the future!

This piece of advice is truly powerful and impactful.

The young emperor's brow twitched suddenly, and a clear hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes.

The faces of the New Party officials beside him instantly darkened, their expressions turning grim.

I thought it would be the same as always.

The imperial harem was extremely vigilant, determined not to allow the New Party faction to gain even the slightest control over the military.

Everyone knew that although the prince's words were motivated by personal motives, there was nothing wrong with them.

It is entirely in line with the governing principles of all dynasties.

They always manage to gradually seize control of imperial power within the framework of ancestral laws and fundamental principles, which is extremely unsettling.

Since ancient times, after the world has been at peace, the imperial court has been most wary of military generals wielding power.

Military men command large armies, wield military power, and have the authority to appoint and dismiss personnel.

Once their power grows, they can easily seize control of a region, develop ambitions, and evolve into warlords who wreak havoc on the world.

It wouldn't be a problem if military power fell into the hands of loyal and respectful old ministers who revered the emperor.

A single imperial edict could reclaim power and control the army.

However, if military power falls into the hands of someone like Li Xin, who is not afraid of imperial authority and has an arrogant temperament, it will be a huge hidden danger.

At that time, they will hold a large army and wield immense power, making them uncontrollable by anyone in the court.

The consequences could be disastrous.

Silence spread beneath the yellow parasol.

The young emperor stared at the prince for a long time before finally speaking slowly:

“What the Imperial Uncle said is indeed profound.”

The prince seemed completely oblivious to the distance in the emperor's tone, taking it as the emperor's acceptance of his advice.

He smiled calmly, cupped his hands in greeting again, and spoke.

"Your Majesty need not rush to bestow rewards. Although Li Xin has won two consecutive matches, the final outcome of this year's martial arts champion competition is still uncertain."

It is too early to reward those who have made contributions.

The young emperor frowned slightly, looking puzzled: "What makes you say that, Imperial Uncle?"

He looked down at the bustling arena below, his ears filled with cheers as loud as a landslide or a tsunami.

With two overwhelming victories before him, Li Xin's strength far surpassed that of all the martial artists present, including a group of foreign experts.

In his view, the outcome was already decided, and no one could stop Li Xin from becoming the top martial arts champion.

The prince, with a serious expression, cupped his hands and said, "His Majesty only saw Li Xin's two consecutive victories and unparalleled fighting prowess, but did not notice the expressions of the remaining foreigners."

"Angsa, a master from the East, watched the whole thing and witnessed the tragic deaths of Lemon and Rogge on the stage, yet he remained expressionless and calm."

Japanese boxer Herman's eyes burned with fierce fighting spirit...

"This shows that even though these experts from all over the world witnessed Li Xin's formidable skills, they were not afraid and were full of confidence."

In a duel between masters, victory or defeat can be decided in an instant. No one knows what trump cards or secret techniques these foreigners are hiding.

Li Xin will have to fight a tough battle to secure the championship; the outcome is still uncertain.

Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look at the foreigners' line.

Just as the prince said.

The faces of Angusa, the Japanese, and the Japanese experts showed no fear or hesitation.

Far from being afraid, they all appeared calm and composed, their fighting spirit hidden beneath the surface, displaying immense self-confidence.

If they had never seen Li Xin make a move, their confidence could only be attributed to ignorance.

But they watched the whole thing from the sidelines, clearly witnessing both overwhelming battles and seeing firsthand Li Xin's terrifying combat power—shattering bodies with one punch and exploding heads with another.

That's absolutely illogical.

The desire to live and the fear of death are human nature.

No one would knowingly go on stage to fight and willingly face death when they knew they were doomed to lose.

The only explanation is that these foreigners each had their own trump cards and hidden tricks, and were not afraid of Li Xin's overwhelming strength at all.

The mood of everyone in the room instantly shifted from excitement and elation to solemn curiosity.

"Let's see how the battle unfolds."

At this moment, even the young emperor suppressed his thoughts of bestowing rewards, and a deep curiosity surfaced in his eyes.

In his mind, Li Xin was now more powerful than he had ever imagined.

He was eager to know what terrifying abilities these foreigners were hiding.

As it turned out, the prince's judgment was correct.

soon.

A tall, upright figure slowly walked out from the foreigners' line.

It was Herman, the Japanese boxer.

He was tall and straight, with square shoulders and back, and his body had clean and strong lines, without an ounce of excess fat.

Standing there, he exudes a stern, iron-blooded, and austere aura.

Herman made no unnecessary movements or deliberately created any momentum... he simply stepped out of the line step by step and walked towards the ring.

His every step was perfectly spaced, not a fraction more or less, as if it had been precisely measured with a ruler.

He steadily ascended the stone steps of the arena, his expression indifferent and his steps unwavering throughout.

He showed no emotional fluctuation whatsoever.

The moment he stepped onto the ring, his aura changed abruptly.

An invisible, chilling, and murderous aura instantly enveloped the entire tabletop.

Herman stood opposite Li Xin, his eyes flat, indifferent, and lifeless. His gaze didn't seem to be looking at an opponent, but rather at a corpse.

“I once exchanged a punch with your master Cheng Yuanhua, and I have also witnessed you fight several times.”

"I have to admit that your strength, speed, and fighting skills far surpass those of ordinary people. You are above all martial artists of this era and can be considered a superhuman."

This is an extremely rare form of recognition, coming from the mouth of a proud, top-tier foreign expert; it is no small feat.

But then Herman's tone shifted, his cold voice now tinged with arrogance.

"But life-or-death battles, battlefield duels, and victories and defeats are never just about strength, speed, and skill."

Upon hearing this, Li Xin slightly raised his eyes, a faint smile appearing on his face.

"Oh? You mean to say that victory or defeat depends on words?"

He has his own judgment.

The meticulousness, rigidity, and precision of the Germans are truly impeccable when applied to industrial manufacturing, machinery research and development, and fine craftsmanship.

It far surpasses that of many other countries.