Chapter 1127: Two Directions

Chen Wuji was considering the bad effects, but the result was that Chu Xiu and others directly extrapolated it into a good thing, which left Chen Wuji momentarily unable to turn his thinking around; his angle of consideration on this matter was completely opposite to that of Chu Xiu and the others.

The biggest difference lies in that the truly core martial arts techniques in the world are currently held by the imperial clan, the clans, and those Jianghu sects, making it very difficult for ordinary people to access them.

Chen Wuji turned the things these people cherished as treasures into a quantified tool for military merit and began widely teaching it in the army.

What Chen Wuji worries about is that after profound techniques are widely disseminated in the army, it will lead to a nationwide craze for martial arts, leaving a huge pitfall for future governance.

Chu Xiu and the others believe this pitfall has long existed, and they even refuse to see it as a pitfall, wanting to leap to the heavens to disguise themselves as the sky above the world's people, standing high to establish the world's rules.

Both directions are not wrong.

But because the martial world's influence on secular society has led to the complete exclusion of publicizing martial arts' effects, Chen Wuji thinks this is somewhat inappropriate.

Chen Wuji did not rush to conclude these two matters immediately, but instead shifted direction and asked: "After our army popularizes martial arts, overall strength has increased greatly; in your estimation, how much further can this level be improved?"

The several people in the tent all turned their gaze to Chen Li, who stood to Chen Wuji's right.

Chen Li lightly coughed and said: "It's hard to say; upon entering the martial artist path, eighty percent of young and strong individuals, with proper guidance from a clear teacher and diligent, hard practice, should be able to achieve it. But any step beyond external strength is not so easy to take—one pass surpasses another, comparable to ascending to heaven."

Since Chen Li unintentionally revealed his strength that day, the looks from superiors and subordinates in the army toward him have changed.

They are respectful, yet mixed with some strange and odd meanings.

So far, Chen Li still hasn't figured out what exactly these people's gazes mean.

Chen Li continued: "Moreover, this speed will absolutely not go anywhere fast; if the Family Head wants to forge a unit entirely of experts in a short time, it's nearly impossible!"

"According to our past experience, the overall soldiers reaching internal strength is already considered the peak; afterward, perhaps only one in hundreds will enter a high realm. Family Head, experts... in this world are not casually available goods, and they are not that easy to obtain."

"How are those few imperial guards of the court doing? Does anyone know roughly the situation?" Chen Wuji asked.

Xu Zengyi said: "Those few imperial guards have always been the imperial clan's trump card; the imperial clan guards them tightly, and very little information has leaked out. We don't even have reliable information on exactly which ones currently exist."

"Since the anomaly in Jingji appeared, the three now in power seem to have divided and seized those imperial guards, but they guard them even more tightly, treating those imperial guards as their own assassination tools for seizing the world. However, there is definite information: before they took power, they were very proactive in contacting various clans and Jianghu sects, forming alliances with many sect martial teams."

"Speaking of which, the Dazhu Imperial Clan is truly useless—they couldn't even hold onto the assassination tools they painstakingly forged with great expense!"

While objectively analyzing intelligence, Xu Zengyi seized the opportunity to criticize the Dazhu Imperial Clan.

This matter, upon hearing, indeed seems somewhat absurd.

The purpose of the Dazhu Imperial Clan forging those imperial guards was to protect their own world, but when the world actually fell into turmoil and the state became unstable, the assassination tools personally forged by the imperial clan turned into swords hanging over their own necks.

Such things have not been absent in history, but they are truly as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.

Chen Wuji immediately thought of the Eight Commanders of the Western Garden.

Emperor Ling of Han used real gold and silver to smash out the initial pattern of the warlord division at the end of the Han dynasty.

Chen Wuji listened and listened, and the idea in his heart gradually became clear: "The benefits of popularizing martial arts in the army are too great; even if there are some consequences, we cannot abstain from eating because of choking."

"But the people's livelihood and governance of the world are also of utmost importance; you all have been working hard these days, draft a chapter on governance. Let me say nothing else: afterward, local magistrates must be martial artists, and official positions must be tied to one's own strength."

Jianghu is an ancient topic; before Chen Wuji, Jianghu and Jianghu sects were known to ordinary people but existed as extremely mysterious entities, very much like the immortal sects in xianxia novels; now, even the transcendent status of immortal sects is being emulated by Jianghu sects.

Although Chen Wuji pioneered this, the root of this pot does not lie with him.

It's not that he refuses to do it; these things can be changed.

Starting from the violence mechanism is the most basic means of response.

Everyone followed the orders.

"Mr. Xu, speak about your idea for the blitzkrieg strategy." Chen Wuji spoke again.

The problems that might arise from opening martial arts are merely a side issue; the upcoming warfare remains of utmost importance.

Xu Zengyi solemnly said: "My lord, the news of our army reorganizing around martial artists will certainly not remain hidden for long. Once the information spreads, all forces in the world will certainly imitate us, and they will surely gather martial artists, collaborate with the various clans and sects to expand their own power."

"What we currently know similar to this is only those few imperial guards in the army, with no news of other martial artist units. In the Battle of Shangfang Commandery, Chen Baojia's General used solid battle achievements to prove the overwhelming strength of martial artist units on the battlefield; this is our rare opportunity—we must expand our gains as much as possible!"

"Deputy Officer agrees!" Guo Shuhan said, following closely.

"Jianghu sects have long since shown their ambition to influence the world's pattern; my lord, you must not underestimate these forces. Some ancient sects, with only disciples permanently residing on the mountains, have even reached tens of thousands in scale, and they recruit new disciples every year, while countless disciples who have descended the mountains walk the secular world, serving nobles and the wealthy."

"Once these people collude with local lords, they can easily raise a fully martial artist unit of several thousand people."

Chen Wuji's expression flickered with complexity: "How come it feels strange and odd? I've nearly flattened the Jianghu forces of Nan Jun, and it doesn't seem very hard to defeat, did I misunderstand something?"

He was truly asking this very seriously.

Xu Zengyi and Guo Shuhan spoke so seriously and gravely that Chen Wuji unconsciously thought the Jianghu sects of Nan Jun were weak, which led to this state, but then he recalled Zhang Lao saying earlier that Nan Jun is a paradise of the Three Teachings and Nine Streams.

"Family Head, let me explain this." Chen Li said.

"Although there are many Jianghu people in Nan Jun, representing the Three Teachings and Nine Streams, with nearly every family and sect having active members, there are no major sects; even with tens of thousands of troops surrounding and attacking one sect, it's indeed not difficult to defeat."