Chapter 1074: Civil and Military Affairs Reversed (Part 3) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
Gu Chi never dreamed that he would one day be associated with the phrase "half-exposed shoulders." Hearing the tearing sound of his own clothes ripping, he was dumbfounded—his clothes had ripped open, revealing a large expanse of his chest, hanging precariously from his shoulder, looking utterly indecent. But experience prevailed; he only felt embarrassed for a moment before regaining his composure, remaining calm and collected, unmoved even by a collapsing mountain.
He casually patted the frightened warhorse beneath him while calmly pulling up the tattered cloth hanging on his shoulder.
"My breach of etiquette before the Emperor was truly unavoidable; I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness."
Gu Chi was initially flustered, but he quickly calmed down after realizing he wasn't the only one in an awkward situation. He even began to appreciate his still-charming colleagues. He had shed his previous weak and listless appearance, which seemed to have been drained of his yang energy. He stood tall and straight like a towering tree, with a robust and slender physique. While he was rather thin among martial artists, he possessed a more sunny and vigorous air than scholars, displaying the demeanor of a well-rounded Confucian general who was skilled in both literature and martial arts.
Yes, their voices are much deeper now.
Shen Tang: "..."
The people around: "..."
Gu Chi: "..."
He didn't quite understand. The entire army had clearly changed, so why was his lord only focusing on him? Was it because his physique was exceptionally outstanding? Chu Wuhui was also disheveled; wouldn't it be more interesting to look at him? Speaking of colleagues, he accurately found Bai Su.
He gave her a barely perceptible smile.
For some reason, Bai Su glared at him fiercely instead.
Gu Chi felt somewhat wronged and confused.
In the past, Shao Xuan had worried about his health. Now that she had finally obtained a health experience card, allowing her to see what a healthy "wandering knight Gu Wangchao" should look like, why was she angry instead? Sigh, could it be that she prefers his frail and sickly appearance?
That makes sense.
Shao Xuan, who has always been assertive, likes someone like him; they complement each other.
Bai Su's face darkened further.
Gu Chi suppressed his thoughts, intending to ask her privately about her discomfort after the battle, but unexpectedly, his lord took several deep breaths and gave him a forced smile, saying, "Gu Wangchao, you're very good!"
Those six simple words made Gu Chi's heart skip a beat.
The two had been master and servant for many years; when had she ever addressed him as "Gu Wangchao" in such a tone? Even a fool could tell there was ill intent in her words.
While Gu Chi was panicking, Shen Tang forced a stiff smile.
"Her bare shoulders?"
Gu Chi didn't react for a moment: "Huh?"
"Does your colleague still retain his charm?"
"Do I possess the demeanor of a scholar-general?"
Every time Shen Tang said something, Gu Chi's expression changed, and an extremely terrifying guess arose in his mind. At the same time, he noticed that the usual omnipresent noise and clamor had disappeared, leaving only the sound of the wind blowing the banners and the dense drumbeats.
Without any warning, he could no longer hear his own thoughts.
It's actually normal not to hear what's on your mind.
He had temporarily transformed from a scholar with a literary mind into a warrior with martial spirit, and it was understandable that a warrior without literary spirit would not follow the ways of a scholar. However, he forgot that while warriors without literary spirit do not follow the ways of a scholar, they possess the will of a warrior!
In a flash, countless analyses flashed through Gu Chi's mind.
Before a conclusion could be reached, the enraged lord interrupted them.
"And what's going on between you and Shao Xuan?!"
Gu Chi: "..."
The worst-case scenario has actually come true!
Good news, now I can no longer hear the voices of others and am no longer tormented.
Bad news, everyone can hear what he's thinking!
Only this conjecture could explain the lord's inexplicable words and Shao Xuan's inexplicably dark face! The thought of this possibility made Gu Chi's vision blur; he wished he could just abandon the battle and disappear into the ground. Truly, karma struck him!
Gu Chi was so guilty that he was barely breathing. However, he was full of energy and his voice could not convey the sickly effect of the past. He had a bit of the feeling of Black Whirlwind burying the fragrant tomb and Flying Swallow weeping over the fallen red petals. How could he possibly evoke Shen Tang's pity?
He forced himself to say, "My lord, this matter..."
We absolutely must listen to his excuses!
"You still want to argue?" Gu Chi's words were like adding fuel to the fire of his already raging temper.
Gu Chi: "..."
He had no choice but to mute himself.
Previously, he had always listened to others' innermost thoughts without restraint, and the way of the scholar naturally shielded him from similar forms of eavesdropping, so most of the time he didn't need to consciously restrain his thoughts. This resulted in his lack of experience in this area, and his innermost thoughts were full of loopholes.
Good news, Gu Chi managed to get things under control despite his frantic efforts.
The bad news is that his thoughts can be heard by all three branches of the armed forces of both countries.
This area is truly like a mother cow opening the door for her calf; the cow has arrived home.
Gu Chi: "..."
At this moment, he was heartbroken. He could not control the way of the scholar, so why did it harm people so much when it was transformed into the will of the martial artist?
His scholarly ways were initially known only to a small group of people, some of whom only vaguely guessed at them and were unaware of the specifics. The vast majority of court officials remained in the dark. These people even wondered why Gu Chi was appointed Censor-in-Chief, since, judging from both his temperament and apparent abilities, he was clearly capable of holding other positions of real power. The Censorate held great power, but it also meant offending people.
Now, the truth has finally come to light.
With such a scholarly approach, who else but the Censor-in-Chief should be appointed!
The ministers turned green at the thought that Gu Chi had been present at court meetings almost every morning and evening, regardless of the weather, all these years—how much of what he should and shouldn't have heard had Gu Chi over the years? Considering the major cases initiated by the Censorate in the years since the founding of Kangguo, they could only be thankful that although they had minor flaws, they were not enough to overshadow their merits, and that they hadn't given this living devil any leverage to play a game of elimination with their entire clan.
Their faces turned green, and Gu Chi's vision went black.
His scholarly way of life has truly been nerfed to an epic degree.
Through this incident, everyone learned a piece of information—when the roles of civil and military are reversed, the way of the scholar and the will of the warrior will also be reversed, and abilities will be "improved" on the original basis.
Some were unlucky enough to be nerfed to an epic degree, while others received an epic buff. Yu Zi is a prime example. She was briefly banned during the battle in the Northern Desert. Not long after the ban was lifted, she hadn't had time to familiarize herself with her literary energy again. All of this literary energy was converted into corresponding martial energy! She couldn't control this vast and powerful martial energy, and the shockwaves generated by the explosion of her aura almost knocked her own people off their feet.
Taking advantage of the fact that everyone was distracted, Yu Zi hurriedly conjured up a martial armor, and only after her whole body was covered did she breathe a sigh of relief.
"The warhorse is dead..."
After Yu Zi finished tidying up, she realized that she was standing on the ground instead of riding a horse. Looking down, a bloody scene shocked her eyes - the chestnut warhorse had been turned into a meat patty and pressed tightly to the ground, with blood splattered and bits of flesh sticking to the armor scales.
As is widely known, the literati of Wenxin did not have horses.
The warhorses they rode were all live horses.
The physique and defensive capabilities of ordinary warhorses are simply no match for the martial spirit warhorses created by martial arts masters, let alone the ability to withstand the immense martial spirit erupting at close range with flesh and blood. Yu Zi felt regretful; although Kang Kingdom had incorporated Beizhou and Wuzhou into its territory and was no longer short of horses, the price of a warhorse with excellent bloodlines remained high.
She was heartbroken to have lost such a horse.
We can't just bring her a horse right now.
No, she's a Martial Arts Warrior now!
"Spear and Leaping Horse!" Among the martial arts incantations, there are many incantations that transform one into a horse, each with a specific purpose—such as "Spear and Leaping Horse," which, as the name suggests, means to be armed and armored in preparation for battle. Whether it is horse armor or martial arts armor, it is formed in one go, consuming a lot of resources.
Yu Zi was a little worried about using it right away.
They were afraid that their martial energy reserves would be insufficient and that they would consume too much.
As the words of power fell, a magnificent horse appeared beside her. The horse had strong hooves, smooth lines, and firm muscles. At first glance, it was jet black, but under the sunlight, it shimmered with a faint purple hue.
As Yu Zifei mounted her horse, the warhorse donned its armor the instant she was seated—a set of horse tack with an amethyst sheen. Moreover, the scales of the tack were engraved with subtle phoenix patterns.
It immediately caught the attention of many people upon its appearance.
This horse armor is the most exquisite and beautiful I have ever seen in my life.
It also doesn't give people the impression of being flashy but impractical.
Even Yu Zi, the warhorse's owner, was nearly stunned. Perhaps it was because martial spirit was more exhilarating than literary spirit, but she, who had originally had little interest in warhorses and horse armor, felt an overwhelming joy, wishing she could hug the warhorse's neck and kiss it a few times, and then declare to the world that it was her soulmate!
When he got excited, his meridian energy surged wildly.
The chaotic flow of martial energy leads to uncontrolled energy waves.
A large space immediately became empty around her.
"Wei Heng, control yourself."
These words were spoken by Ning Yan.
Ning Yan, now clad in snow-white martial armor, effortlessly wielded a ten-foot-long horse-slaying sword, her brows and eyes resolute. Perhaps because the physical difference between female martial artists and female scholars is not as significant as that between men, Ning Yan had only grown half a head taller, her physique more lean and muscular, giving her neither an overly bulky nor frail appearance.
Not too much, not too little, just right.
Yu Zi only lost control for a moment before returning to normal.
"Minister Ning!"
"Don't delay, quickly familiarize yourself with the meaning of martial arts."
Most scholars and gentlemen study the Six Arts of the Gentleman. Although Yu Zi started late, she benefited from strong faculty, which greatly compensated for her shortcomings. Now, her riding, archery, and swordsmanship are all passable. In addition, she had been mentally prepared and had been intensively studying these days, so her transition from a scholar to a martial artist was not too chaotic. The martial artist's intent is also a variation of the scholar's way, and familiarity with it is an advantage.
Time is of the essence; we don't need to be experts, but rather able to apply what we've learned.
The more martial arts practitioners one has, the greater the advantage one gains.
Yu Zi focused intently on sensing this surging power that was both strange and familiar. With a thought, information about martial arts intent instantly surfaced in her mind. In that instant, her expression became exceptionally subtle. To put it simply, she was now terrifyingly strong!
[The evil purple usurps the vermilion]
When she uses the Way of the Scholar, she can seize the fortune of her lord, colleagues, and even enemies in exchange for 80% of the reward for her own side. However, this Way of the Scholar is too selfish and harmful to others. When she first awakened it, Yu Zi had no way to control its targets and scope of plunder.
Whoever has the strongest luck and is closest will be plundered first.
Yu Zi dared not use it recklessly, fearing that it would make enemies and invite retribution. Now she has made some progress and has once touched the threshold of perfection. Although she is still far from true perfection, she has a concrete clue that allows her to control her target—plundering colleagues and enemies while avoiding her master.
There's no need to hesitate to plunder from the enemy.
It takes some effort to plunder your colleagues.
Thanks to Qi Zhongshu, she was drawn into the Pantheon, and as a member of the Pantheon, she theoretically had many colleagues.
The roles of the scholar and the warrior are reversed; the way of the scholar is transformed into the mind of the warrior.
The two have the same effect.
However, she has changed her method of exchanging literary energy for martial energy instead of plundering her colleagues and enemies. Theoretically, as long as her colleagues don't all die, and her body can withstand the strain, her martial energy will be inexhaustible. Even if her martial courage level is relatively low, it won't affect her formidable strength.
The calmest reaction came from Chu Yao.
The gray-haired general sat steadily on his horse, one hand gripping the reins, his back straight as a pine or bamboo. Even as a warrior, he retained his inherent refined demeanor. Wei Shou, unaccustomed to this, touched his own chest and sighed deeply, "My pectoral muscles..."
That was the broad chest that Ruiji loved most, but it had shrunk.
Its lethality ranks second.
When the Eternal Life Cult's worshipper successfully activated the Confucian path, both armies fell into brief chaos. Chu Yao remained calm in the face of danger and used several martial spirit incantations to boost morale and intimidate the enemy. The combination of these two measures was enough to stop the unrest and allow the soldiers to find their leader.
Wei Shou said sourly, "...He's more like a military general than I am."
Chu Yao's move was too smooth and fluid.
It wasn't the first time he used it; he had clearly used it a hundred or eighty times.
Chu Yao kept issuing orders one after another, while also dealing with Wei Shou's sarcastic remarks: "I studied diligently in my youth."
"Youth? For whom?"
Wei Shou, who asked the question, also felt that he was talking nonsense.
Chu Yao's youthful study of the martial prowess and incantations of military generals couldn't have foreseen this day; it must have been for someone else, someone even a fool could guess was Chu Jie. The mere mention of Chu Jie displeased Wei Shou.
Over the years, Chu Yao's relationship with Chu Jie has improved, but Chu Jie only cares about cultivation and doesn't care about him like he does with Rui Ji. Chu Yao devoted himself to Chu Jie when he was young, but only schemes against him.
Is it fair to myself?
Chu Liangliang, this is so unfair.
Wei Shou was so angry that he couldn't even control his literary aura. A pink aura enveloped his entire body, so thick that his original appearance was almost unrecognizable. Such magnificent literary aura surpassed an entire literary palace, even Chu Yao was envious. It was a pity that he encountered Wei Shou, what a waste of such talent.
Chu Yao avoided the question.
Wei Shou muttered, "Anyway, he's not here right now."
He himself was the one assisting the newly formidable Chu Yao, the Martial Warrior, and in that respect, he was still superior to Chu Jie. After this resounding victory, he would return and boast to Rui Ji—that her man was both scholarly and martial, possessing both.
Wei Shou recalled that Chu Yao also possessed the principles of a scholar.
Oh, now it's the will of a warrior.
"What is your martial spirit?"
Speaking of martial arts, Wei Shou felt a pang of jealousy.
Why can the way of the scholar and the will of the warrior be transformed into each other?
Are the two items equally difficult to obtain?
The sheer number of scholars and intellectuals in the Kang Kingdom who possessed the Way of the Scholars gave him the illusion that the Way of the Scholars was rampant and harmful.
Chu Yao had already closed his eyes to sense the situation, feeling confident and prepared.
"It works."
He had mixed feelings.
Because of the unique nature of the "A Glimmer of Hope" phenomenon, this scholar's way was practically useless to him, offering almost no help to his or his lord's cause. Chu Yao occasionally worried about this. He never imagined that a somewhat useless scholar's way, after being transformed into the intent of a martial artist, would possess such formidable power.
The Gao Kingdom camp and the Kang Kingdom camp stabilized one after the other.
"You cowardly rats from Kangguo, do you dare to accept the challenge!"
_(:3」∠)_
There's a monthly ticket post in the book review section (it's from March 10th to 3rd; the one from the 20th still has slots available, but other monthly ticket activity posts are already full). There are still over two hundred monthly ticket slots left. Participating in the activity and voting will earn you Qidian coins! The activity ends in five days, so it's a shame to waste any slots. Try to fill them before the activity ends. Don't miss out on these website perks! (*^▽^*)
P.S.: While writing this, a sentence popped into my head: Wenxin Wenshi finally has a horse, but Tangmei still only has a motorcycle.
(End of this chapter)
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