Chapter 186: Hundred Martial Arts Divine Shadow, Martial Arts Clone?

Chapter 186: Hundred Martial Arts Divine Shadow, Martial Arts Clone?

In Tie Shan County, within the ever-thriving Changqing Pavilion...

After the storm had passed, peace returned once more. Chi Cat lounged in the courtyard, its physique noticeably more robust.

Xu Yan and Meng Chong were both diligently cultivating, reflecting on their recent insights.

Su Lingxiu, immersed in the study of alchemy medicine and martial arts, had performed an anatomical examination on the body of a peak grandmaster, delving into the mysteries of martial artists.

Zhou Ying was preparing for his breakthrough to the Prenatal Realm.

Shi Er, driven by a touch of embarrassment at being surpassed by Zhou Ying, was engaging in frenzied cultivation.

Meng Shushu, brimming with enthusiasm after his earlier excitement, had set off in search of spirit herbs, his eyes gleaming with determination. Before departing, he had asked Su Lingxiu if there were any particular spirit herbs she desired, offering to seek them out and bring them back.

Su Lingxiu provided him with a list of several herbs, tasking him with procuring them.

Kou Ruozhi, occupied with spreading the teachings of the Great Wilderness Martial Arts, had dispatched additional personnel from the Great Wilderness into the Inner Domain. Simultaneously, he was conspiring with the Wu Emperor and Qi Emperor, plotting their rebellious scheme to overthrow the Great Yue Kingdom and establish the Great Wilderness in its place.

Their discussions revolved around strategies for destabilizing the Great Yue Kingdom and ensuring the rise of the Great Wilderness.

Neither the Wu Emperor nor the Qi Emperor could have imagined that they, as emperors, would one day find themselves conspiring with others to plot a rebellion. Yet, the prospect of toppling the Great Yue Kingdom and establishing the Great Wilderness as the dominant force within the Inner Domain filled them with excitement.

As the second emperors of the Great Wilderness, they would forever be remembered for their achievements.

In the narratives of future generations, people would speak with admiration of how the Great Wilderness' second emperors displayed exceptional strategic acumen, crushing the evil Great Yue Kingdom and ushering in a new era of the Great Wilderness' dominance in the Inner Domain.

The more they deliberated, the more excited they became, concocting intricate plots and strategies—internal destabilization, co-optation, suppression, and more. One scheme after another emerged, leaving even Kou Ruozhi momentarily stunned.

In his heart, he cursed the Qi Emperor and Wu Emperor. These two were indeed not foolish rulers. Despite their imperial status, they were profoundly adept in the ways of rebellion, perhaps even more so than he.

The Qi Emperor shot a disdainful glance at Kou Ruozhi. How could an emperor who didn't understand the art of rebellion safeguard against insubordinate subjects or suppress rebels? He wasn't a feeble or incompetent ruler; he had the means to secure his position on the throne.

The Wu Emperor, too, possessed grand ambitions. Since his ascension, he had solidified his imperial power and toured the lands of the Wu Kingdom. If it hadn't been for Meng Chong's unexpected emergence, he wouldn't have found himself confined to the imperial palace.

Elsewhere, Xu Junhe was engaged in discussions with the Tianbao Pavilion regarding the sale of alchemy pills. He intended to rapidly distribute the pills throughout the Inner Domain, expanding Changqing Pavilion's influence and propagating the ideals of the Great Wilderness. Collaboration with the Tianbao Pavilion was essential to achieving this goal.

Li Xuan offered a suggestion of equity investment, which immediately sparked Xu Junhe's interest. Negotiations with the Tianbao Pavilion regarding this proposal were already underway, and Xu Junhe subtly implied that if the Tianbao Pavilion didn't agree, Changqing Pavilion would have no choice but to seek cooperation with other forces.

The idea was to jointly establish a powerful alliance focused on the sales and distribution of alchemy pills.

After much back and forth, the Tianbao Pavilion finally relented. Changqing Pavilion would invest in the Tianbao Pavilion through the provision of alchemy pills, which the Tianbao Pavilion would then sell exclusively, with profits split at a rate of 20% for Changqing Pavilion and 80% for the Tianbao Pavilion.

Changqing Pavilion would refrain from interfering in any of the Tianbao Pavilion's businesses apart from those related to the pills, while the Tianbao Pavilion would be responsible for the stable supply of spirit herbs necessary for pill concoction.

With these terms agreed upon, Changqing Pavilion officially entered the fold of the Tianbao Pavilion, yet it was not a case of being annexed. Instead, Changqing Pavilion gained access to the Tianbao Pavilion's sales channels, while the Tianbao Pavilion acquired only a portion of the profits from pill sales. Changqing Pavilion retained autonomy over all its affairs, with the Tianbao Pavilion holding no right to interfere.

As Changqing Pavilion continued to grow, there might come a day when it would completely dominate the Tianbao Pavilion, becoming its hidden controller.

Following the agreement with the Tianbao Pavilion, Changqing Pavilion entered a phase of rapid expansion and development. The alchemy lab was expanded, and additional pill production lines were established.

Apprentice alchemists were carefully selected from the Great Wilderness, ensuring only the most promising candidates were chosen.

In addition to the Qi-Gathering Pill, the Qi-Blood Pill and the Healing Pill also went on sale.

The introduction of the Qi-Blood Pill provided substantial assistance to martial artists below the first-rank, making it a highly sought-after commodity.

The Great Wilderness, too, entered a period of rapid development. Although the number of martial artists who had broken through to the Qi-Blood Realm hadn't yet reached a hundred, there was a significant increase in those at the Refine Skin, Refine Bone, and Refine Viscera stages.

Before long, the number of martial artists in the Great Wilderness would surge exponentially.

However, the number of Prenatal Realm martial artists couldn't be rapidly increased in a short period, as not all martial artists could regularly rely on pills to aid their cultivation.

Most martial artists only used pills during bottlenecks or when attempting to break through to a new cultivation stage.

In Tie Shan County, youths who practiced the Great Wilderness Martial Arts began to emerge, and Changqing Pavilion started recruiting individuals with exceptional talent, grooming them for future expansion endeavors and external affairs.

They also recruited martial artists from the Inner Domain as external personnel for Changqing Pavilion.

The people of Tie Shan County were constantly imbued with the ideals of the Great Wilderness, leading them to yearn for it and consider it the rightful ruler of the world.

They even began to disregard the Great Yue Kingdom.

Rumors began to circulate that paying homage to the Great Wilderness Martial Ancestor would bring blessings to one's martial arts journey, with a chance to gain his favor and enhance one's martial fortune.

These whispers grew, telling tales of cultivators who struggled with their practice, only to have sudden breakthroughs after venerating the Great Wilderness Martial Ancestor, their understanding of martial arts deepening overnight.

As a result, young men and women who embarked on the path of the Great Wilderness martial arts began to worship the Great Wilderness Martial Ancestor.

Li Xuan couldn't help but admire Kou Ruozhi's tactics. No wonder he was able to revive and expand the Heavenly Mother Sect, spreading its teachings far and wide.

Xu Yan began preparing for his breakthrough to the Penetrating the Mysteries Realm.

On this day, news finally arrived from the royal family of Great Yue Kingdom.

They agreed to cede Lanping County, the section of the Cang River where Canglan Island was located, and the border area of Yunfeng County bordering Lanping County, all to Changqing Pavilion as compensation for the recent conflict.

Additionally, through Tianbao Pavilion's channels, they sent ten thousand spirit herbs as a form of appeasement.

From this day forward, Changqing Pavilion would have dominion over the entirety of Lanping County up to Canglan Island, encompassing a territory of one and a half counties. Great Yue Kingdom relinquished its governance over this area and pledged to assist Changqing Pavilion in establishing complete control.

The task of overseeing and managing this newly acquired territory fell to Xu Junhe and Kou Ruozhi, who would devise a strategy after familiarizing themselves with Lanping County, Canglan Island, and the adjacent half of Yunfeng County.

They quickly formulated a plan to solidify their grasp on these regions.

Firstly, Lanping County and the adjacent half of Yunfeng County would be merged and renamed "Great Wilderness," falling under the jurisdiction of the Great Wilderness and governed by the Great Wilderness Cabinet, responsible for all affairs pertaining to the region.

To win over the hearts of the people, they announced that all martial artists within the Great Wilderness region would enjoy a 30% discount when purchasing pills, and as a token of appreciation for those who contributed to the stability of the Great Wilderness, they would be rewarded with a bottle of Yun Qi Dan, an exceptional spirit pill.

And each bottle contained twelve pills!

Simultaneously, they proclaimed the formation of the Great Wilderness Guard, tasked with maintaining order in the Great Wilderness, patrolling the four directions, and safeguarding its interests. Those who joined the Great Wilderness Guard would receive one Qi Blood Dan every month, and Grandmaster realm martial artists would be granted two Yun Qi Dan monthly.

Furthermore, they would be imparted the Great Wilderness martial arts lineage, including the secret to true qi refinement for those at the Grandmaster level.

With these incentives, the situation quickly stabilized, and the establishment of the Great Wilderness Guard proceeded smoothly.

Of course, the consumption of pills was immense.

To meet this demand, the alchemy lab was constantly expanding, and the task of instructing apprentice alchemists in the intricacies of pill concoction fell to Pan the Alchemist and his senior apprentices, each tasked with mentoring a junior. New production lines were swiftly established.

The creation of new pills was also on the agenda.

Pan the Alchemist and several talented apprentices with a knack for alchemy were summoned to learn the methods for crafting these new pills, each mastering a different step in the process.

Then, they would attempt to complete the entire pill-concocting process independently.

As the Great Wilderness officially entered the Inner Domain, the Wu Emperor and the Qi Emperor relocated to the Inner Domain, and Guo Rongshan and the others established the Great Wilderness Cabinet.

The members of the cabinet began scouting for talented martial artists within the Inner Domain, but each candidate underwent a rigorous vetting process to ensure their loyalty to the Great Wilderness. Naturally, all of this took time.

Due to the attractive benefits offered by the Great Wilderness Guard, applications poured in, and the first batch of recruits was quickly filled. Subsequently, the enrollment criteria were tightened.

Even though Great Yue Kingdom had conceded and ceded land, Kou Ruozhi and his companions did not abandon their plan to topple the royal family. With the establishment of the Great Wilderness Guard and the recruitment of exceptional Inner Domain martial artists, their rebellion plans moved forward.

Kou Ruozhi, the Wu Emperor, and the Qi Emperor were orchestrating this insurrection, carefully and steadily sowing the seeds of rebellion within Great Yue Kingdom.

Li Xuan paid little heed to the expansion of the Great Wilderness or the development of Changqing Pavilion. He knew that no matter how chaotic things became, it would only benefit his martial arts journey.

Xu Yan, naturally, was also uninterested in these matters. Having achieved a sense of completion within himself, he was solely focused on breaking through to the Penetrating the Mysteries Realm.

Su Lingxiu, too, had little concern for Changqing Pavilion's growth. After exacting her vengeance, she felt a sense of liberation, devoting herself wholly to the path of alchemy and martial arts.

Li Xuan strolled through what used to be Tie Shan County, marveling at the rapid changes that had taken place since entering the Inner Domain. Once a barren county where even a first-rank martial artist was a rarity, it now played host to the occasional Grandmaster realm expert.

The county had expanded, incorporating the area where Changqing Pavilion stood, leaving behind the name Tie Shan County and embracing its new identity as Great Wilderness City.

Martial artists were involved in the city's expansion, and the construction progressed at an impressive pace. Soon, a grand city would rise in this very spot.

There were those with ragged clothes but resolute eyes, their spirits soaring as they strove for mastery in the martial way.

And there were also those who had yet to sense their qi and blood, their brows furrowed in worry.

Li Xuan sighed inwardly, amazed that the martial art he had fabricated was now flourishing and spreading far and wide.

And so, he had truly become the Martial Ancestor of the Great Wilderness, the founder of a new martial path!

Would the inner domain's martial arts be phased out because of this?

Li Xuan wasn't sure, but he believed that as more people practiced his martial art, various techniques and secret arts would inevitably be created and refined.

After all, for those with sufficient talent in the inner domain's martial arts, it was possible to use that foundation to develop new secret arts suited to the Great Wilderness martial path.

"With more people practicing, I should receive more substantial feedback, right?"

Li Xuan pondered this in his heart.

Although he had not yet received any feedback, he was confident that as the number of practitioners grew, the feedback would surely come.

Returning to the Changqing Pavilion courtyard, Li Xuan used his bamboo staff to guide and instruct Chi Cat, whose plump body continued to grow more robust, its aura becoming increasingly fierce, truly showing signs of becoming a great beast.

Suddenly, golden light appeared.

"When a hundred people practice the introductory levels of the martial art you created, you will gain the Hundred Martial Arts Divine Shadow."

Li Xuan's heart was filled with delight as the long-awaited feedback finally arrived.

More than a hundred people outside the domain were now practicing the introductory levels of his martial art, triggering this response.

Indeed, as long as the number of practitioners reached a certain scale, feedback would be generated.

"Hundred Martial Arts Divine Shadow?"

Li Xuan's heart raced with excitement. With a single thought, countless shadows, both illusory and real, emerged from his body. Each shadow possessed the strength of the Qi and Blood Realm.

Moreover, each shadow's combat style and mastered martial skill were unique, even if they practiced the same skill, their combat habits and approaches differed.

When all the shadows merged into one, their strength rose to the Prenatal Realm.

"This isn't too different from a martial clone!"

Li Xuan was overjoyed.

Each shadow seemed like an extension of himself, a separate entity. Typically, creating a clone would require dividing a portion of the originator's strength.

However, the Hundred Martial Arts Divine Shadows did not work that way.

These shadows were like reflections of those who practiced the martial art he founded, and the feedback replicated their strength without drawing from his own.

When the hundred shadows united as one, their combined might reached the Prenatal Realm.

It was as if Li Xuan now possessed a hundred Qi and Blood Realm shadows and a single Prenatal Realm shadow.

"When I was in the Qi and Blood Realm, I could easily defeat Grandmasters. Now, with my Prenatal Realm shadow, crushing Grandmasters will be a breeze..."

Li Xuan's excitement knew no bounds. For most enemies, he wouldn't even need to lift a finger; one of his shadows could handle the task.

Even against powerful Grandmasters, the unified might of a hundred shadows, along with the strength of the Prenatal Realm shadow, would be more than enough to overwhelm them.

"The Great Wilderness martial art must be promoted and spread far and wide!"

Li Xuan's enthusiasm knew no bounds. As the founder of this new martial path, how could he not reap the rewards?

The Hundred Martial Arts Divine Shadows would continue to grow in number as more people practiced the introductory levels of the Great Wilderness martial art, and their collective strength would also increase.

Up to a maximum of nine hundred shadows!

"If a thousand people practice the introductory levels, will it evolve into a Thousand Martial Arts Divine Shadow? And then ten thousand, a million..."

Li Xuan's excitement grew as he contemplated the possibilities. Wasn't this equivalent to having a million martial clones?

Just the thought of facing enemies with an army of a million shadows was enough to strike fear into their hearts.

Unbeatable!

"For now, only the methods for the Qi and Blood Realm are spreading outside. Once a significant number of people have reached that stage, I'll start teaching the Prenatal Realm methods.

"If inner domain Grandmasters who have refined their true qi number in the hundreds switch to practicing the Great Wilderness martial art, will that count as a successful conversion, and will it trigger feedback?"

Li Xuan fell into deep thought.

Those inner domain Grandmasters would not be practicing the pure Great Wilderness martial art, and merely refining true qi couldn't be considered a successful conversion.

"I should ponder how to guide inner domain martial artists to smoothly transition to the Great Wilderness martial art. It won't be easy for me to figure this out alone, so I'll have to rely on my senior disciple."

Li Xuan sighed. Such intricate matters were best left to his disciples. However, since Xu Yan was focused on his own cultivation, perhaps Xie Lingfeng could give it a try. After all, he was also a genius, and he had successfully refined his true qi.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end