Ding Yun found herself increasingly excited and saw significant potential for maneuverability in this regard.
Therefore, starting from the next day,
She requested numerous personnel from the palace to assist her,
And became incredibly busy.
She was busy spending money to construct a nationwide postal and logistics system, busy establishing newspaper agencies and presses, busy compiling various martial arts manuals, and busy researching how to make elixirs taste like rice, completely masking their medicinal flavor.
Most importantly, despite her busyness,
Ding Yun felt no hardship at all.
Because she was busy with things she loved, busy with things she found interesting, and felt a sense of accomplishment with every small progress or breakthrough.
So why would she feel tired or annoyed?
While Ding Yun was occupied with these endeavors, news that the Celestial Masters Sect had obtained her Qi Refining secret methods quickly spread throughout the so-called cultivation world, which actually had very few cultivators. This led to a surge of monks and Taoists flocking to her, hoping to meet Ding Yun and seek the Dharma.
Many noble families and officials also joined the throng, seeking out Ding Yun.
While elixirs were good, they couldn't compare to immortal cultivation. After all, elixirs were consumed and gone, but successful immortal cultivation could bring benefits for generations.
To avoid being disturbed, Ding Yun simply handed over the secret methods to her husband, tasking him with receiving visitors. Anyone who wanted them could obtain them by paying a certain price. Those with existing secret method inheritances could exchange them, while others could trade gold, silver, or medicinal herbs.
She would only provide the secret methods, not guarantee their mastery.
After all, even if passed on, people might not necessarily be able to learn them.
And even if they could learn, they might not be able to master them.
It was a matter of indifference to her.
Moreover, compared to orthodox Qi Refining techniques, martial arts displayed greater power in the early stages of cultivation.
It took at least the middle stage of Qi Refining to manifest some abilities with Qi Refining techniques, and the late stage to cast spells. However, generally speaking, reaching the middle stage of Qi Refining would take at least twenty years. With martial arts, one could fight ten men after just three to five years of practice, or even easily kill cultivators who were only in the early stages of Qi Refining.
Therefore, once Ding Yun compiled her martial arts,
And spread them out,
Most people with short-sightedness and a pursuit of immediate results would likely abandon Qi Refining techniques. At that point, Qi Refining techniques would be unsellable, so why not exchange them for whatever people wanted now?
Wouldn't it be wonderful to seize the opportunity to earn more gold, silver, and medicinal herbs?
All of this had been discussed in advance with her imperial father. She had even given him a copy of the Qi Refining techniques before they were sold externally.
So, the entire process proceeded without a hitch.
After selling them for over a month, the demand for Qi Refining secret techniques essentially disappeared. By this time, Ding Yun had successfully compiled a set of martial arts canons.
And she took this collection of martial arts into the palace,
Preparing to communicate with Emperor Pingzhao again.
Ding Yun was well aware that her current smooth progress in various endeavors was only slightly attributable to her successful Qi Refining. The most crucial factor was her backing.
With Emperor Pingzhao as her powerful supporter,
To maintain their relationship and affection,
And to avoid him becoming wary of her, it was essential to inform him before undertaking any major actions and to offer him some benefits.
Shortly after entering the palace, Ding Yun met Emperor Pingzhao in the front hall of the Royal Heaven Hall. After their usual pleasantries, Ding Yun presented the martial arts canon, saying:
"Imperial Father, this is what I mentioned to you previously—martial arts manuals designed for ordinary people who find Qi Refining difficult, aimed at reducing the challenges of refining Qi into spirit. It includes techniques for those with keen talents and those with dull talents, encompassing everything and being very easy to learn."
"Even those who are illiterate can practice the corresponding martial arts simply by following the diagrams. It's very simple."
When she had communicated with Emperor Pingzhao about selling the Qi Refining techniques, Ding Yun had briefly mentioned her intention to create martial arts manuals, so presenting the canon now was a natural progression.
"A'luan, what do you mean by this? Are you perhaps trying to promote martial arts universally?" Emperor Pingzhao was not foolish. Upon hearing that even illiterate people could practice martial arts,
He immediately guessed her specific intention.
"Yes, is there a problem?"
"Maintaining the populace as obedient and ignorant is beneficial for governance. When one possesses a sharp weapon, murderous intent naturally arises. If the common people gain the ability to resist, the imperial court will inevitably become unstable. You do not understand governance, so I can understand your unawareness!"
Although Emperor Pingzhao did not directly refuse, his meaning was clear: he did not approve.
"Imperial Father, I understand everything you've said.
But the common people in the previous dynasty and the dynasty before that did not possess martial arts, yet did they not revolt or resist during the decline of those dynasties? The people's rebellion is never caused by their ability to resist, but by their lack of it.
When there is no recourse through official channels, and no path to appeal,
All that remains is the desperate rage of an ordinary person, leading to mutual destruction.
If all the common people were skilled in martial arts, do you think certain corrupt officials would dare to push things to the extreme? If all the common people were skilled in martial arts, do you think foreign barbarians would dare to invade?
Would they be able to plunder as they pleased like they do now?"
"If only one person, or a few people, knew martial arts, then the situation of 'possessing a sharp weapon, murderous intent naturally arises' might occur. But if everyone knew martial arts, it would essentially be no different from before. At most, those with better talent would have more avenues for advancement.
And since I am here to inform you, I will naturally reserve the best martial arts manuals for the royal family, and I will also provide some methods and channels to accelerate cultivation. Once you possess sufficient power, then we can promote martial arts to everyone."
Ding Yun had long anticipated that Emperor Pingzhao would not readily agree, so she naturally had to persuade him actively at this moment.
Under her persistent persuasion,
Emperor Pingzhao finally compromised, albeit reluctantly.
Then, Ding Yun proceeded to tell him about the Dragon Tooth Rice. However, in this matter, Ding Yun did not speak the entire truth. She merely claimed to have cultivated rice seeds using a special secret method, which was also indispensable for universal martial arts promotion.
She stated that daily consumption was no less effective than eating elixirs every day.
She hoped to use this rice for cooking at the New Year's banquet this year,
And requested his help in promoting it.
Regarding this, Emperor Pingzhao, not knowing that Ding Yun planned to advertise the rice as having a yield of a thousand catties per mu and being cultivable on most lands, readily agreed without much hesitation.
Subsequently, everything proceeded according to plan.
Ding Yun successfully introduced the Dragon Tooth Rice, disguised with elixirs, at the royal palace's New Year's banquet.
She widely publicized its benefits, such as a yield of a thousand catties per mu, cultivability on most lands, and its primary absorption of celestial and terrestrial essence,
Consuming almost no soil fertility.
To enhance credibility, Ding Yun specifically stated that it was cultivated using immortal techniques, although the seeds were currently scarce and the heredity not yet fully stable.
She estimated that it would take about three to five years for full promotion.