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

"But... according to ancestral precedents, those who pass the military examinations must be granted official positions, and those who perform meritorious service must be rewarded; this system cannot be abolished..."

"Ancient precedent?"

Li Xin spoke again, directly interrupting his excuses, his tone somewhat mocking.

"Young Emperor, you have been well-versed in the classics since childhood, and you must have heard the old saying: 'A drop of kindness received should be repaid with a spring of gratitude.'"

"Today I will not discuss rules with you, but only human relationships. You should think carefully about how you will repay my kindness."

"Gratitude?"

The young emperor's expression suddenly changed, his heart sank, and he cautiously asked.

"I wonder what favor I have done for you, Scholar Li? I ask myself, I have never had any private dealings with you."

"The grace of not being killed."

The four words fell, spoken in a light and airy tone, yet carrying a chilling cold that permeated the entire hall.

The temperature in the Hall of Heavenly Purity instantly dropped to freezing point. The soft clattering of armor plates inside the hall suddenly became chaotic, and countless guards trembled, their hands gripping their swords shaking slightly.

Gong Yutian's expression changed drastically. Without saying a word, he instantly stepped forward several steps and stood firmly in front of the dragon throne.

His blood and qi instantly boiled, his internal energy was released outwards, and his entire body's energy was stretched to the limit, ready to be unleashed at any moment to protect his master at the cost of his life.

"Do not be nervous."

Li Xin looked calmly at Gong Yutian, who was on high alert, and spoke in a composed tone.

“If I wanted to kill him, he would have been dead at any moment, outside the palace or in front of the hall.”

You can't stop me, and neither can all the guards in this palace.

Before he finished speaking, a faint crimson light flashed in Li Xin's eyes.

hum!

The air vibrated violently.

His figure suddenly vanished completely from the spot, so fast that it was impossible for the naked eye to detect it.

In the next instant, more than ten figures in blue robes appeared simultaneously in various parts of the hall, all with identical appearances and attire.

Each figure had a pale face and cold eyes, exuding a chilling murderous aura.

This is the ultimate speed, exceeding the limits of the naked eye, leaving behind a visual afterimage.

Bang bang bang!

A series of rapid, continuous impacts rang out.

More than ten figures in green robes attacked simultaneously, their fists and palms flying, their offensive covering the entire arena.

Every armored imperial guard felt a sharp, gust of wind rushing towards them, making it hard to breathe.

They didn't even have time to see their opponent's movements clearly, nor did they have time to raise their hands to block or dodge.

A sudden pain shot through his body, and he was instantly thrown into the air by a tremendous force.

clap clap clap!

The resounding thuds of heavy impact echoed one after another.

In the blink of an eye, the once imposing imperial guards lay lying around the beams and pillars of the main hall, on the jade steps, beside the glazed screen wall, and on both sides of the hall door.

These elite guards, who were usually handpicked and highly skilled in martial arts, couldn't even last a single exchange against Li Xin.

Everyone collapsed to the ground, their armor deeply embedded and deformed, and they coughed up blood.

They were all injured and unable to fight anymore.

Only Gong Yutian remained standing.

His eyes were extremely sharp; he kept a close eye on the entire scene and saw every detail.

As he quietly exhaled, a growing sense of dread crept into his heart.

He could sense that Li Xin was very measured in his actions.

The palm strike was fierce and powerful, yet it did not harm any of the people's internal organs or vital organs.

There is no hidden force that penetrates the body and destroys the heart, nor is there any deadly move that can shatter the skull or shatter the heart meridian.

This action today is only to establish authority, not to carry out a massacre.

But this show of mercy is far more chilling than indiscriminate killing.

This means that the other side is in control of the entire situation and holds everyone's life and death in their hands.

Completely at ease, doing whatever one pleases.

Before Gong Yutian could calm down, an extreme sense of oppression suddenly enveloped his entire body.

He instantly unleashed his life's cultivation, pushing the Monkey-Style Bagua Steps to their limit, his body leaping and bounding, shifting and turning.

His entire body's stance is perfectly rounded and flawless, protecting all vital organs.

His movement technique was far beyond the comprehension of ordinary martial artists; it was so fast that only a blur remained, but it was still useless.

No matter which direction he dodges, shifts, or breaks through...

A figure in blue robes remained firmly close behind him.

A warm, thick hand rested firmly on his shoulder.

It was like a mountain pressing down on him, locking away all his movements, all his strength, and all his escape routes.

He could clearly sense that a powerful and masculine energy lay dormant in his palm, like a sharp sword hanging overhead.

If the opponent exerts even a little force, one's bones will break instantly, and one will die on the spot.

The two figures transformed into two streaks of light, rapidly traversing, maneuvering, and strategizing within the vast hall.

The sound of rapid, heavy breathing gradually rose in the silent hall, becoming clearer and clearer.

Gong Yutian completely lost his composure.

He knew all too well that he had already lost, and lost completely, with no chance of turning the tide.

His opponent remained behind him the entire time, preventing him from even glancing at them.

He never had a competitive spirit; all he sought in his life was to fulfill his duties.

Losing to such a peerless genius is not shameful at all; on the contrary, it is only natural.

Continuing the stalemate will only increase casualties and is pointless.

I surrender!

Gong Yutian was decisive and stern, admitting defeat without further struggle.

Bang!

The moment the words fell, the immense power lurking on his shoulder suddenly erupted.

A force as powerful as a torrent or a mountain collapsing crashed down, instantly locking his limbs and bones.

Gong Yutian's body suddenly stiffened, his limbs went weak and powerless, and he was unable to steady himself. He fell headfirst to the ground.

Boom!

The hard, gold-brick ground suddenly shattered, turning the stones into dust.

Gong Yutian, armor and all, was deeply embedded in the cracks in the ground. His body was numb, his blood was churning, and he was unable to move for a long time.

Li Xin swayed and returned to his original position in the center of the hall.

He was dressed in blue, upright and dignified, his robes were perfectly smooth and wrinkle-free, and his hair was neatly combed...

He looked down at Gong Yutian, who was embedded in the ground, and gave a brief comment.

"As expected of one of the Six Masters of the Capital, his movements are agile and swift as the wind. Compared to me, he is only two levels below."

"But your punches and kicks, and your ability to adapt to situations, are still a bit lacking."

Too deeply bound by worldly rules and the ideology of loyalty to the emperor, they are constrained and unable to reach the pinnacle.

He pondered to himself.

The young emperor, living deep within the palace, was physically weak and utterly powerless to protect himself.

Gong Yutian deserves immense credit for being able to sit comfortably on the dragon throne.

Although this person was brainwashed by feudal loyalty to the emperor, his perspective was limited, and he was constrained by the times, he did not completely become a lackey of imperial power.

This is also why he never used excessive force during the entire standoff.

The palm strike, seemingly as fierce as Mount Tai pressing down, actually showed considerable mercy... but it was precisely this that made the assembled officials in the hall even more horrified.

'I've been trying so hard to play the monkey, I wonder how it's going?'

With this thought in mind, Li Xin quietly mobilized his thoughts, sinking them deep into the depths of his mind and soul.

The next second, clear progress feedback quietly appeared.

[The Great Sage Equaling Heaven's progress in comprehending the first level of divine intent: 68%]

Progress is steadily increasing, faster than any previous digestion.

A knowing smile flashed across Li Xin's eyes.

It seems he's still not arrogant enough.

But the direction has been found, and I will soon be able to digest the first level of divine intent and break through to the second level.

……

Requesting monthly votes.

Chapter 174 The Dragon Throne, the Hidden Agent

The lingering effects were still felt in the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

The lingering power of the brief exchange still faintly echoed within the main hall.

More than ten imperial guards, who usually honed their martial arts skills and protected the palace, all fell to the ground like kites with broken strings.

The heavy iron armor clashed against the gold brick floor, producing a series of crisp, chaotic sounds.

Everyone lay sprawled out, their bodies trembling, suppressed groans escaping their lips...

Gong Yutian lay quietly on the cracked ground, his whole body embedded in the bricks and stones, his blood surging uncontrollably.

He was one of the six most skilled martial artists in the capital, possessing a mastery of the Monkey-Style Bagua Kung Fu. He was the young emperor's most relied-upon and trusted personal bodyguard.

He is also recognized as one of the top martial arts masters in the entire imperial city.

Yet even such a top-tier expert, capable of suppressing petty officials in the imperial court and intimidating martial artists from all directions, was suppressed by Li Xin with a single palm strike.

Defeated on the spot, they had no chance to fight back.

On the high dragon throne, the young emperor trembled violently, his whole body turning ice-cold...

He sits on the throne, holding imperial power, nominally ruling over the vast land and leading countless subjects.

It can make people lose sight of themselves and also make them extremely arrogant.

Faced with this absolute overwhelming force, he suddenly saw himself clearly.

At this moment, all the civil and military officials, and the armored imperial guards, were rendered useless.

One's own life and death, honor and disgrace, the survival and stability of the court, and the fate of everyone else are all beyond one's control.

Whether they live or die depends on the young man's single thought.

When Li Xin uttered the phrase "the grace of not killing" in the palace, everyone present, including the reigning emperor, felt it was absurd.

They simply assumed the boy before them was rambling incoherently.

Only after witnessing firsthand the scene before the palace today—the crushing of all the guards and the severe injury of a top expert—did he finally come to his senses.

What the other party said was entirely true.

To spare his life is truly an immense act of mercy.

He knew, of course, that with years of natural disasters, the government's ineffective disaster relief efforts, and rampant corruption, young people could not survive in the area, and their parents died young.