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

For centuries, the imperial court has remained stable, with very few major upheavals, all thanks to this black dragon suppressing the flow of fortune.

"But in recent years, the world has completely changed."

Some people saw clearly the ills of the nation's decline and the root causes of the dynasty's decay, and wanted to break with the old and establish the new, and reform and strengthen the country.

Some people, however, want to be content with the status quo, turn a deaf ear and a blind eye, and simply ignore everything.

However, a large number of people were afraid of the foreigners' powerful ships and cannons, coveted the private wealth and status brought by foreign powers, and shamelessly fawned on foreigners, betrayed their homeland, and became the claws and teeth of foreigners.

Cheng Yuanhua stopped talking after saying this, and said no more.

He has seen too many ordinary people displaced and struggling to survive in the mud of a chaotic world.

They also witnessed the extravagance and corruption of officials and the ugly faces of those who preyed on the people.

He doesn't want to criticize the helpless compromises ordinary people make in order to survive, but he will never tolerate those despicable acts of selling out their country for personal gain.

In the end, all that was left was a feeling of utter helplessness.

"Is the raging flames encircling the dragon's body a backlash from the dragon's energy?" Li Xin went straight to the heart of the matter.

"Yes." Cheng Yuanhua nodded heavily, his gaze fixed on the imperial city. "Ordinary external things, such as weapons, cannons, evil arts, and martial arts, cannot break through the natural protection of the nation's destiny and dragon vein."

The only thing in this world capable of destroying a dragon vein and overturning a nation's destiny is the dragon's energy itself.

"The Xuanhuang dragon energy that now occupies the imperial city has long since become disillusioned and is no longer willing to protect this decaying and corrupt dynasty."

They would rather scatter and return to the earth than suppress the chaos and preserve the already crumbling nation.

He stared intently at Li Xin, speaking slowly and deliberately, his tone extremely heavy: "Tell me, will this dragon collapse?"

"meeting."

Li Xin answered decisively and without the slightest hesitation.

The master was talking about dragon energy.

His answer was actually about human nature...

At that moment, he saw through the ultimate root of this chaotic world.

The real deadlock is never external, but rather stems from deep-seated internal problems.

The dragon vein collapses on its own, and the nation's destiny crumbles.

When morale is low, the system is corrupt, and the entire system is utterly decayed from top to bottom, this is a truly irreversible dead end.

No wonder that righteous man who sacrificed himself for the law was imprisoned and refused to escape even in death.

With the mountains and rivers ravaged and the world in such a state of disarray, there is not a single clean place to live under the heavens.

There was nowhere to escape, nowhere to avoid.

……

A moment later, the wind and rain gradually subsided, and the thick dark clouds were slowly dispersed by the gentle breeze.

The clear sunlight once again shone down on the world, covering the entire capital city.

The illusory image of the dragon in the sky vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed in the world.

All that remains is the city's moist and fresh air, and the still majestic imperial city.

Li Xin stood quietly on the long bluestone street outside the palace, without turning around to leave, awaiting the final edict from inside the palace.

Before long, the sound of gongs and drums echoed from the depths of the palace...

The emperor issued a decree to the court and the public, spreading it to every household: Li Xin, the newly appointed martial arts champion, had vanquished evil spirits in the palace hall during the imperial examination, suppressed malevolent forces within the palace, and stabilized the order of the palace. His meritorious deeds were outstanding and unprecedented.

Now, he is exceptionally granted the title of Martial Saint of the Nation, appointed as the Imperial Preceptor of the Court, and allowed to ride out of the palace through the nine gates to patrol the streets, proclaiming this to all the people of the world and demonstrating the imperial grace of the current dynasty.

The magnificent and solemn Zhengyang Gate slowly opened inwards under the watchful eyes of the crowd.

Twenty-four rows of armored imperial guards led the way out of the palace gates, their armor gleaming and sharp, their long spears and golden halberds in hand, their steps precise and resounding.

The heavy iron boots clattered across the wet cobblestone path after the rain, their sound resonating rhythmically.

Twenty-four thunderous bronze gongs struck in succession, their deep, resonant sounds spreading out in layers...

Following closely behind the grand procession, a royal chestnut horse steadily stepped out of the palace gate.

The horse has a glossy, smooth coat, a majestic and upright posture, and strong, powerful limbs. It is equipped with a gilded, exquisitely crafted saddle and bridle, and a scarlet tassel harness, exuding an extraordinary and noble air.

It is a top-of-the-line steed exclusively for royalty.

Li Xin sat upright on his horse, dressed in a neat and solemn official's armor, exuding an awe-inspiring presence.

The crimson brocade robe with gold embroidery was fitted and neat, with bright and elegant colors.

The outer layer is covered with a layer of finely crafted copper-plated, bright, soft armor. The armor plates are smooth and sharp, fit the body well, and are both lightweight and extremely imposing.

The helmet is gilded with phoenix patterns and topped with a translucent and lustrous pearl.

The sunlight falls upon it, its brilliance restrained and unassuming, exuding supreme majesty.

His expression was calm and peaceful.

Their attention was not focused on the grand parade.

Instead, it sensed the faint red lights of faith coming from all directions.

Crossing the most bustling East and West Markets, traversing the core streets and alleys of the Nine Gates, I slowly made my way forward, but the number of light spots was less than I had expected.

I had always underestimated this imperial court, but I never imagined that I had overestimated its standing in the hearts of the people.

Some people seek official positions, but many more harbor resentment towards them.

Most of the people avoided the procession as if it were a snake or a scorpion.

Li Xin felt another spasm in his heart.

Originally, these should all be sources of trust.

The procession moved slowly through several bustling streets and alleys, finally arriving at the busiest intersection of Zhuque Street.

The long-suppressed cheers of the people suddenly erupted, and it was unclear who led them in shouting:

Congratulations to the new martial arts champion!

"The Martial Saint has descended upon the world to guard our land!"

……

Chapter 177 All forces retreat, a wisp of silk comprehends the law

On the Imperial Street, the sound of gongs and drums resounded, and the noise of people filled the air.

Fine, pale red spiritual energy drifted down like a drizzle, gently covering Li Xin's body.

This is the power of the collective thoughts of the people, light and illusory, falling silently upon one.

It seeped into his body and soul little by little.

Li Xin sat calmly on horseback.

Faced with the kneeling and congratulatory gestures from the people and officials along the street, he raised his hands in a gesture of respect, displaying impeccable manners.

He had the composed demeanor of a newly crowned Martial Saint and Imperial Preceptor of the Dynasty.

But he felt no pride whatsoever; on the contrary, he was exceptionally clear-headed.

The entire city's people believed that the birth of the Martial Saint would stabilize the crumbling Great Xia Dynasty and ward off disasters and chaos.

But Li Xin knew better than anyone that the title of Martial Saint bestowed by the imperial court and the praise of the people...

They simply cannot withstand real war.

He remembers his past life's history as if it were a joke.

Two bombs shattered a nation's millennia-old confidence in its martial arts tradition.

Faced with firearms and industrial superpowers, the so-called fate of war...

The so-called glory of martial arts is utterly worthless.

A martial saint who is merely a figurehead cannot subdue the mountains and rivers, nor can he protect his country.

Of course, this does not mean that individual extreme power is useless.

A mere title of Martial Saint is insufficient.

This doesn't mean that a true martial god is incapable.

Li Xin's cultivation has been solid step by step, and each breakthrough is a real transformation of his life.

As long as he continues to improve and constantly pushes his own limits.

It's not impossible for one person to quell chaos and single-handedly stabilize the world...

With a thought, he scanned his status bar.

[Lifespan: 120 years]

Upon seeing this number, he understood immediately.

Ordinary martial artists, by cultivating qi and blood and refining internal strength, can only improve their physical health and combat power, but can never break through the innate limitation of a lifespan of one hundred years.

Only with the aid of special energies can the body achieve a deeper level of evolution...

Once a certain hidden threshold for cultivation is crossed, one's level of life will completely leap forward, and lifespan will increase dramatically.

The underlying principles were obscure, and he simply couldn't understand them.

We can only speculate based on the underlying logic of cells and life.

Perhaps through long-term, extreme cultivation, with the support of external forces, his physical body, qi and blood, and spirit are constantly being renewed.

It broke free from the inherent shackles of the mortal physical body.

Li Xin couldn't see or understand what lay ahead.

Fortunately, this path is supported by ancient texts and has a lineage of cultivation to follow...

He has never strayed from the right path, and his ever-increasing lifespan is the best proof of that.

Pulling himself back to his senses, Li Xin continued riding forward, calmly responding to the congratulations along the way.

A figure rode closer on horseback; it was Zhang Dingjia, the second-ranked player on this year's martial arts ranking.

Looking at the grand scene before him and at Li Xin, who was standing in the limelight, Zhang Dingjia's eyes were filled with admiration.

He felt no jealousy whatsoever after his defeat.

In the grand hall, Li Xin suppressed powerful officials, intimidated all ministers, and vanquished evil spirits, acting without regard for etiquette or law...

What others saw as arrogance and overstepping of bounds, he saw as the spirit a martial artist should possess.

In chaotic times, etiquette and laws become meaningless; only strength can break the deadlock, and only the strong can bring peace to the country.

He had long since put aside the various controversies in the hall, and only one thought remained in his mind: We, the warriors, should live like Li Xin.

"Brother Li."

Zhang Dingjia spoke, his tone sincere:

"Today you are adorned with the title of Martial Saint, parading through the nine gates of the city, your glory unparalleled."

Now that the nation's fate is uncertain and chaos is imminent, it is the time for warriors to serve their country.

"With your unparalleled talent and divine might, you will surely be appointed to the court to train troops and save the dynasty from its decline, won't you?"

This was Zhang Dingjia's truest thought. He always believed that those with unparalleled martial arts skills should step in, take responsibility, and save the collapsing edifice.

Even if one lacks the ability to do so, one can assist the strong and achieve great things.

It is not in vain that a man is born into this world.

Li Xin turned his head to look at him, smiled faintly, and said casually, "Such important matters of serving the country and helping the nation are best left to patriots like Brother Zhang who have the country in their hearts."

I have no grand ambitions, I only seek a peaceful and comfortable life.

Now that I have achieved fame and rank, that is enough.

As for serving as an official in a certain region, that doesn't suit my temperament.

Zhang Dingjia quickly shook his head and advised, "Brother Li is too modest. In the court and among the people, only you can suppress evil spirits, deter foreign enemies, and stabilize the hearts of the people."