I became a Sword Emperor in the Martial Arts World

Chapter 223 Refining Red Tassels: Stay with Me Tonight

The martial arts philosophy values ​​self-interest. For the strong, great power belongs to themselves, so they do not need to rely on organizations or groups. Therefore, they can often act entirely in their own interests without having to compromise or back down.

In the present-day Kingdom of Rakshasa, vested interests are deeply entrenched, and various factions exist within the kingdom. Around the four veteran martial gods, four circles have formed, and the power struggles between them are becoming increasingly fierce.

Although Lian Hongying is a princess and possesses the cultivation of a martial god, she has actually been outside the "system" for many years.

The reason is simple: the power and resources of the royal family are mainly in the hands of the king. As long as Lian Huozhi does not abdicate, the power in her hands will not fall into the hands of Lian Hongying.

Moreover, even if Lian Huozhi were to relinquish her position as queen and go to Yujing to await the orders of the Queen Mother of the West, the position of ruler of the Rakshasa Kingdom might not necessarily fall to Lian Hongying.

The reason is simple: the First Princess Lian Qixia has now gained considerable power. She has painstakingly cultivated her influence in the capital for many years, winning over more powerful and influential figures in the country.

Furthermore, Lian Qixia herself possesses the cultivation level of the tenth level of the Ascension Realm, giving her a significant advantage in the competition for the inheritance.

In contrast, Lian Hongying has been obsessed with cultivation all these years and has no other forces or connections besides her fiefdom of Huajian City.

Within five years, under normal competition, it would be impossible to attract more support than Lian Qixia, because Lian Qixia would never stand by and watch Lian Hongying overtake her.

This is the biggest dilemma facing Lian Hongying.

Ye Qingzhou's proposed solution was simple and direct: if he couldn't win over the nobility, he would win over the lower classes, especially the common heroes who were excluded by the ruling class.

"What exactly should I do?"

It must be said that Lian Hongying was very tempted at this moment. Although she came from the noble class of the Rakshasa Women's Kingdom, she had now cultivated into a Martial God, so she naturally considered her own interests more.

In particular, Ye Qingzhou's suggestion was closely related to forging her own divine weapon, making it even more difficult for Lian Hongying to give it up.

"It's simple, the military examination."

"Military examination?"

"By recruiting warriors and gathering heroes from the common people of the Rakshasa tribe, and giving them a path to advancement, we can naturally gather new destiny and form a force of great importance."

The power of thought in Kunlun Grotto Heaven is basically monopolized by the Western Kunlun and divided up by the "Hundred Gods" led by the Queen Mother of the West. The eight hundred fiefdoms are not qualified to intercept it, and it is not allowed to privately worship other gods besides the "Hundred Gods". Otherwise, it is considered illicit worship, which will incur divine wrath and punishment.

Therefore, Ye Qingzhou had no choice but to find another way and start with the "national destiny" of the Rakshasa Kingdom.

In the current Kingdom of Rakshasa, the fate of the nation is controlled by the royal family and nobles, while the common people are cruelly exploited to the extreme, with almost no power to resist.

Therefore, if a savior were to appear who was willing to lend a helping hand to the underprivileged, he would immediately receive the people's response and support.

Upon hearing Ye Qingzhou's suggestion, Lian Hongying frowned slightly: "A martial arts examination? Our Rakshasa Kingdom already has martial arts academies in various cities throughout the country to select talent for the kingdom. Why go through the trouble of holding a martial arts examination?"

"This is different."

Ye Qingzhou patiently explained the difference: "The establishment of martial arts academies, although they teach martial arts, is merely for selecting soldiers. The martial arts examination I'm talking about is a selection process that uses martial arts tests to identify talent, teaches advanced martial arts techniques, and even grants titles based on military merit, giving commoners the opportunity to become new military nobles."

"Rankings based on military merit!?"

After understanding the core of the matter, Lian Hongying was instantly astonished.

These four words had a tremendous impact on the Rakshasa Kingdom, which was still primarily based on aristocratic enfeoffment.

Despite the fact that the Rakshasa Kingdom already possesses powerful martial god-level experts, in terms of its civilization, it is still an extremely backward feudal aristocratic system.

Bringing the Three Cardinal Guides and Five Constant Virtues here could be considered a progressive ideology.

It is important to know that in the Kingdom of Rakshasa Women, social classes divide the entire country into different classes. Commoners are cruelly exploited, while slaves are even more miserable, lacking even the dignity of being human and having a status lower than that of cattle or horses.

At least, cattle and horses are usually worth more than slaves.

Even worse, Kunlun Grotto-heaven experienced no social change, and the feudal system persisted for thousands of years, lacking a selection and promotion mechanism similar to the imperial examination.

As a result, the whole society became a stagnant pool.

People at the bottom will always be at the bottom.

Those at the top will always be at the top.

There is no flow of talent, no innovation or change, between the different classes of the entire Rakshasa Kingdom; there is only eternal oppression and exploitation.

This is why Yuan Jinyou and Duan Qianfeng, both Martial Saints, rose up in rebellion. Even if they were to become Martial Saints, they would not have the status of nobles and would still be cruelly exploited by the royal family and nobles, never receiving the respect they deserved.

"Do you know what doing this means?"

Lian Hongying stared intently at Ye Qingzhou, as if trying to see through his thoughts.

Ye Qingzhou, on the other hand, seemed completely unconcerned. After all, if things were to proceed, he would be the one to benefit, while the royal family and nobles of the Rakshasa Kingdom would be the ones to pay the price.

Why not sacrifice my fellow Daoist to save me?

Faced with Lian Hongying's questioning, Ye Qingzhou remained remarkably composed: "Your Highness, everything in this world comes at a price. How can you achieve great things if you're unwilling to take any risks? Divine weapons won't magically appear in your hands; to forge them, bloodshed and sacrifice are always inevitable."

Lian Hongying remained silent for a long time after hearing this.

In the past, how many of the Rakshasa Kingdom's people died in battle over thousands of years in order to gain acceptance from the Western Kunlun and the recognition of the Queen Mother of the West?

Even a god of war who is immortal and coexists with the world must enter the game and go to the Jade Capital to "serve corvée labor," only to enjoy eight hundred years of wealth and honor in the human world. Is this price too small?

How much blood of the Rakshasa clan has been spilled on the blades of the Phoenix Twin Blades, the national treasure?

This shows that the path to becoming a king is always paved with countless corpses.

The implementation of the military examination policy will inevitably cause turmoil throughout the Kingdom of Rakshasa Women.

Allowing commoners to rise to nobility through military merit is undoubtedly a move that disrupts the existing aristocratic political ecosystem. To put it bluntly, it is jeopardizing the livelihoods of the nobility and even the royal family.

However, the benefits are also quite obvious...

If the policy of the martial arts examination can be successfully implemented, the commoner martial arts geniuses of the Rakshasa tribe will automatically gather around Lian Hongying and constantly move closer to her.

A king who wishes to inherit the Mandate of Heaven must gather talented individuals, for these individuals often possess the innate fortune of their people. Only by gathering enough people can harmony be achieved, and through this opportunity, the king can unite as one to receive the Mandate of Heaven and attain the status of a human king.

"Your Highness, fortune favors the bold."

Ye Qingzhou's words made Lian Hongying make up her mind completely.

Her phoenix eyes flashed with a sharp light, and when she looked at Ye Qingzhou, they were filled with admiration: "You are even more adept at bewitching people than the Heavenly Demon, but this suggestion is too tempting, and I simply cannot refuse it."

A martial god at the tenth level of the Ascension Realm, wielding a divine weapon, can possess the combat power of the eleventh level of the Heavenly Realm, which is equivalent to the Heavenly King level. Who wouldn't be tempted by such an advancement?

Ye Qingzhou was so eager to plan for Lian Hongying because he wanted to use Lian Hongying's resources to improve his own forging proficiency.

At the same time, in order to accumulate double the resources, while forging a special divine weapon for Lian Hongying, he secretly used the extra "scraps" to forge another divine weapon and gain unimaginable benefits.

In any case, only Lian Hongying herself knew the contents of the "Heavenly Forging Scripture". Even Lian Hongying herself did not know how many materials were needed to forge a divine weapon.

It would be far too easy for Ye Qingzhou to do something underhanded.

…………

Two days later, at the Fengshentai (Investiture Platform) in the western suburbs of the capital.

The sun shines with golden light, bathing the mountains in its glow. It is the season when locust flowers are in full bloom, and the mountains are covered in wildflowers. Birds flutter their wings, and a cool and pleasant spring breeze blows from time to time, brushing against one's temples.

Today is the ceremony for Lian Hongying to be crowned king.

Therefore, almost all the nobles of the capital were present, and the king, Lian Huozhi, personally presided over the imperial decree ceremony for Lian Hongying.

On a high platform made of white jade, a beautiful woman with a hot figure, dressed in gorgeous clothes and with a long train, walked gracefully.

She possessed unparalleled beauty, with a pair of sword-like eyebrows that slanted upwards towards her temples. Her entire being exuded an air of elegance and nobility, while also possessing the majesty and domineering presence of a monarch.

This person was none other than the Queen of the Rakshasa Kingdom, the Blazing Feather Blade Phoenix Refining Fire Weaver.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

A deafening roar echoed from all around. Regardless of their inner thoughts, the nobles present could only be respectful and deferential in the face of Lian Huozhi, the foremost expert of the Rakshasa Kingdom. They dared not utter a single act of disrespect. If the king were to lose his temper, he could truly kill whomever he pleased.

In the martial arts world of Kunlun Cave Heaven, where great power resides within oneself, there are very few people and things that can make the strong hesitate and compromise.

After that came the coronation ceremony, which was full of strange customs and traditions.

Ye Qingzhou joined in the fun, watching the show from the sidelines.

Little did he know that, besides Lian Hongying, the main figure in this coronation ceremony, the most prominent person was also him, a "stranger" with a special identity.

At this time, people in aristocratic circles were already talking about it.

"Who is this child?"

"I heard he was a male favorite of the Chan King."

"Really? Wasn't it said that Queen Chan was devoted to martial arts and had never had any close relationships with any man?"

"That was before. Now that Chan Wang has ascended to the tenth heaven and successfully been deified, shouldn't she be allowed to enjoy herself? Besides, she's already living in Chan Wang's mansion, how could she be lying?"

"His appearance is indeed exceptionally handsome, and his temperament is unique. No wonder he has won the favor of the Chan King."

"Alas, the two most beautiful flowers of our Rakshasa Kingdom have now been plucked by the human race. When will the men of our Rakshasa tribe be able to stand tall again?"

Many nobles sighed, still hoping to arrange marriages between their outstanding sons and Lian Hongying.

If a family can win over a martial god, wouldn't it take off on the spot?

Unfortunately, Lian Hongying is now spending all her time with Ye Qingzhou, and there are even rumors that the two have spent the night in the study. It's not like a man and a woman alone in the study just chatting and doing nothing else, is it?

Anyway, everyone is now convinced that Ye Qingzhou is Lian Hongying's lover, and they all say in private that he is the femme fatale of the Rakshasa Kingdom and will definitely bring disaster to the country and its people in the future.

In a way, they weren't entirely wrong.

After all, in the current Rakshasa Kingdom, apart from the royal family and nobles who are considered "citizens," the ordinary Rakshasa people are not considered "citizens"; they are just a bunch of weeds.

If Ye Qingzhou's plan succeeds, the nobles of the Rakshasa Kingdom will not have many good days left. Isn't this a disaster for the country and its people?

Then, a nearby nobleman took a closer look at Ye Qingzhou's profile and said, "Hey, don't you guys think he looks like someone else?"

"Who does he look like?"

"The king's consort."

"?"

Is it possible that all humans look pretty much the same?

"No, they really do look alike. I've met Wang Fu several times, I wouldn't mistake them."

After the investiture ceremony, Lian Hongying returned and took Ye Qingzhou's hand: "Come with me to the palace for the banquet tonight."

"All right."

Ye Qingzhou looked reluctant, but unfortunately, he really couldn't refuse the client's request.

At night, the palace walls of the capital are brightly lit, reflecting the starlight in the sky, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene.

In contrast, the slums on the outskirts of the capital were silent in the darkness, with only the pungent stench occasionally drifting on the evening breeze.

The magnificent palace, with its pristine white walls.

Just by getting close, Ye Qingzhou could smell a rich milky and sweet aroma through the carriage curtain.

Looking at the magnificent palace walls before her, Lian Hongying said to Ye Qingzhou in a mocking tone, "You probably can't imagine that this royal city was built during a famine when the land was littered with corpses. The reason the palace walls are so white and flawless is entirely due to the dye made from a mixture of milk, lime, honey, and sugar, which was poured on layer after layer over many years, resulting in the spectacular sight you see before you."

Upon hearing this, Ye Qingzhou felt a chill run down his spine.

In times of famine and starvation, were palace walls plastered with milk, honey, and sugar?

How utterly depraved this behavior is!

In the prisons of the Eastern Kingdom, those heinous death row inmates seem like harmless little children compared to the nobles of the Rakshasa Kingdom.

It's hard to imagine what kind of life the Rakshasa people lead in such a country.

The fact that they have survived to this day is nothing short of a biological miracle.

Many members of the royal family of the Rakshasa Kingdom like to use the "white wall" in front of them as a source of pride, to show off their noble status.

Only Lian Hongying felt nauseous and disgusted by this.

On the snow-white palace walls, what is being poured on them—milk and honey?

These are clearly the countless white bones of the Rakshasa people!

"I didn't understand it, but I was deeply moved."

The white wall in front of him seemed to "cleanse" Ye Qingzhou's soul, and his brain almost crashed.

Lian Hongying looked at Ye Qingzhou, her tone languid: "Every Rakshasa noble who comes to the capital from their fiefdom makes a pilgrimage here. Therefore, this white palace wall is also called the 'Holy Wall' by them, as they believe it represents the holiness and nobility of our Rakshasa clan. What do you think?"

"I didn't see holiness and nobility..."

Ye Qingzhou sighed, then shook his head and lamented, "The sweet aroma of milk and honey is intoxicating, but in this pure white expanse, I only see two words—cannibalism."

The so-called holy wall before us is neither holy nor noble, and it shouldn't even be white; it should be dyed blood red to be appropriate.

Because it was built upon the countless bones of the Rakshasa people, and was constructed by devouring the flesh and blood of countless Rakshasa people.

Cannibalism is not a rhetorical device, but a realistic description.

In the extremely underdeveloped Rakshasa Kingdom, milk, honey, and sugar were used to build the six-meter-high, twelve-mile-long white palace wall before us...

Without using millions of corpses as "firewood," this magnificent spectacle would never have been possible.

Ye Qingzhou originally thought that stirring up internal strife in the Rakshasa Kingdom was already extremely wicked, but compared with the royal family and nobles of the Rakshasa Kingdom, he realized that he was still too young.

These inhuman bastards deserve to be overthrown.

Ye Qingzhou looked at Lian Hongying: "You want to change the Rakshasa Women's Kingdom?"

"I have no idea."

Although Lian Hongying was a martial god, she still showed some confusion at this moment: "I just feel that this world is not right."

She had witnessed a three-month-old baby starve to death due to malnutrition.

She had witnessed a group of Rakshasa peasants, who were trying to protect their land, being thrown into a raging fire and burned alive by arrogant nobles.

She had encountered too much injustice, which is why the Red Lotus Fire ignited in her heart, giving rise to the thought of purifying the world.

Even a powerful god of war cannot sweep away all the filth in the world, because as long as the old filth is removed, new filth will be born.

Just like when the Kingdom of Rakshasa was first established, there was no distinction between nobles and commoners. Everyone was equal. Even the first king was a Rakshasa royal who had fallen on hard times and fled to Kunlun Cave Heaven. He lived in constant fear and uncertainty.

The Kingdom of Rakshasa was only established after the Queen Mother of the West extended a helping hand and accepted the Rakshasa people, who were on the verge of extinction.

In the beginning, everyone was struggling to survive.

Farmers cultivate crops, herdsmen raise livestock, artisans forge weapons and armor, while nobles fight on the battlefield to expand the territory of the emerging kingdom.

At that time, Kunlun Cave Heaven was overrun by demons and monsters. They attacked villages, preyed on the living, and constantly threatened the integrity of the Rakshasa Kingdom.

Finally, it was the royal family that stepped forward, leading the valiant Rakshasa nobles in a bloody battle, that ultimately eliminated these bloodthirsty monsters.

But after the demons and monsters disappeared, countless years passed, and the once united atmosphere of the whole country vanished, replaced by the cruel oppression of the royal family and nobles.

As a child, Lian Hongying listened to the sacred teachings of her ancestors in her mother's arms and witnessed their greatness. Naturally, she longed for all of this and imagined how she would write her own epic chapter in the future.

However, what she saw and heard during her travels to the Kingdom of Rakshasa after she grew up was completely different from what was described in the book.

(End of this chapter)