Chapter 34: News of the Holy Maiden

In the Forbidden City, the triumphant Lord Taiping who was in control of the situation, fell flat onto the floor.

There was a wound in the center of his eyebrows as blood slowly flowed out. 𝐟re𝐞w𝐞𝒃𝓃𝒐𝐯𝚎𝒍.c૦𝚖

Not only him, but the Martial Sages of the demonic sects suffered the same fate as him. Facing Lin Jiufeng’s sword strike that was casually executed, they couldn’t resist at all.

They all died!

Lin Tianyuan’s Martial Sages immediately began their counterattack. They attacked and killed the commanders of the Forbidden Troops.

The rebellion was controlled in an instant.

Everyone looked at Lin Tianyuan in a daze.

What happened?

They didn’t saw Lin Jiufeng’s sword just now.

The move Lin Jiufeng used was similar to a spring breeze and rain. Just like how the rain was formed by invisible water vapors, people wouldn’t notice its formation.

But Lin Tianyuan knew that only his Uncle had the ability to execute these people so covertly.

He looked at the Forbidden Troops. He was suddenly scared.

If it wasn’t for Lin Jiufeng, his reign would’ve been overthrown.

“I paid too much attention to external matters and reforms. I’ve relaxed my control over the imperial capital. This is a harsh lesson to me.” Lin Tianyuan gnashed his teeth and swallowed the bitter pill.

“Drop your weapons. I won’t hold you all accountable. I will only punish the leaders!” Lin Tianyuan took a deep breath and declared solemnly.

As soon as this statement of his came out—the soldiers successively put down their weapons.

They didn’t dare to resist.

A crisis disappeared, just like this.

Lin Tianyuan looked in the direction of the Cold Palace.

Words weren’t enough to describe his gratitude.

…

After Lord Taiping’s rebellion, the imperial capital immediately strengthened its management.

The other Lords have been scared off by the turn of events.

They didn’t dare to make any move for fear of being targeted.

Some people described the current Emperor Ming as a frightened tiger. When he encountered any person or beast, he would choose to kill the other party to ensure his own safety.

For a while, the security in the imperial capital greatly improved.

Lin Tianyuan didn’t do anything to the outsiders, he first cleaned up the royal family members from the inside out.

Those who committed a lot of crimes, those who colluded with the demonic sects, and those who participated in the rebellion were all killed.

This time, many royal family members were executed. Heads rolled here and there, causing many people to panic.

With the executions, Lin Tianyuan’s majesty as the Emperor in the eyes of the masses became heavier.

However, Lin Tianyuan didn’t care what others thought of him. After cleaning up the pests in the royal family, he came to pay respect and express his gratitude to Lin Jiufeng.

This was his second trip to the Cold Palace since he ascended the throne.

On average, one trip to the Cold Palace every five years.

“Uncle. Thank you for saving my life,” Lin Tianyuan said respectfully.

“It’s just a small matter,” Lin Jiufeng said calmly. This was really just a small matter to him.

“Uncle, with the in-depth reform of the Yuhua God Dynasty, and the removal of the nine vassal lords. The pressure on the treasury has been reduced by quite a lot. Next, I plan to do something about the sects,” Lin Tianyuan said solemnly.

“Do something against the sects of the world?” Lin Jiufeng raised his brows.

“No, I just want to eliminate the Buddhist temples in the Jiangnan area.”

Lin Tianyuan shook his head.

In the land of mist and rain, Jiangnan. Buddhist temples prevailed. One could say that there was a temple in every three steps and a monastery in five.

“The monks in these temples and monasteries do not do anything productive aside from accepting the people’s offerings. The Bodhisattva statues in the temples are shining from the gold that was used to create them, but the people outside the temples are hungry.”

“Despite that, they still had to give their offerings and pray to the Bodhisattvas for safety…”

“This is too much,” Lin Tianyuan said indignantly.

Lin Jiufeng remained quiet as he listened.

“What’s worse was that that ordinary people who have committed crimes are using these temples to hide by pretending that they have put down their butcher knives to become monks and eventually a Buddha…”

“Since they now belonged to the buddhist sects, the imperial court no longer has any right to arrest them for the imperial court has no right to interfere in the affairs of the buddhist sects…”

“This is why it’s common for the villains to become monks in the Jiangnan area.”

“Once they have become monks, they would then proceed to commit more crimes under the protection of the buddhist sects.”

‘Adultery, looting, all sorts of crimes weren’t a problem for them to commit…”

“But despite all of these, in the eyes of the people, all the monks from the buddhist sects were all kind and compassionate. This point of view makes it hard for the imperial court to handle them.”

“These temples and monasteries must be demolished. The evil monks must be arrested.”

“Temples and monasteries can exist, but they can’t be everywhere like they are right now.”

Lin Tianyuan relayed his thoughts to Lin Jiufeng.

Lin Jiufeng who has been silently listening all this while, asked, “The buddhist sects are still quite strong. How many Martial Sages do you have under your command?”

“Five!” Lin Tianyuan said.

“But I managed to recruit a few Martial Sages recently…”

“They know my plan and are willing to help me.”

“So in fact, the actual numbers are about a dozen or so Martial Sages.” Lin Tianyuan added.

Lin Jiufeng instantly understood.

It was because of this group of Martial Sages that Lin Tianyuan gained the confidence to deal with the buddhist sects.

“Since you have already decided to do this, then go do it. The temples and monasteries all over the land should indeed be demolished,” Lin Jiufeng said.

Lin Tianyuan replied, embarrassed. “I hope that Uncle can help me when necessary.”

“You already have a dozen Martial Sages under you,” Lin Jiufeng said.

This was a very formidable group.

“There are three buddhist sects in the Jiangnan area—Dalin Temple, Xuankong Temple, and Shaolin Temple!”

“The Dalin Temple respects the boundaries of their territories without daring to expand their area of influence. Its believers are also bountiful, and their monks are kind. I won’t target the Dalin Temple this time.”

“As for the Xuankong Temple and the Shaolin Temple, it feels like they are competing with each other. If one expands its influence further, the other also expands…”

“There are 80,000 temples and monasteries in the Jiangnan area alone, all of which were built by the believers of these two sects that used their influence to bluff the believers into building these temples and monasteries for them.”

“This time, these two sects are the ones I’m targeting.”

Lin Tianyuan explained in detail.

“But the Xuankong Temple and the Shaolin Temple are both buddhist sects that have been passed down for thousands of years…”

“Their backgrounds are also profound with resources enough to nurture a lot of powerhouses in their sects. Besides, they are quite far away from the imperial capital. Plus, they also have a lot of cultivators in their ranks, so they aren’t afraid of the imperial court.”

“I’m worried that these two sects might have one or two powerhouses that I won’t be able to handle.” Lin Tianyuan explained his worries to Lin Jiufeng.

“Do what you want without fear. If such a person really appears, I will help you handle it.”

Lin Jiufeng thought for a while and agreed.

Lin Tianyuan’s reform was akin to continuing the unfulfilled wishes of Emperor Yuan.

In the past, Emperor Yuan wanted to destroy the vassal lords first.

Then, he was planning on destroying the monasteries and temples of the buddhist sects in the secular world afterwards.

Now that the problem of the vassal lords had been resolved and the other places of the Yuhua God Dynasty were safe and sound, he wanted to target the Jiangnan area next.

Lin Jiufeng naturally supported him.

“Thank you, Uncle.” Lin Tianyuan was overjoyed.

Now, he was reassured of his success.

Lin Jiufeng was what gave him the confidence.

Having received Lin Jiufeng’s guarantee, Lin Tianyuan’s mood relaxed.

He couldn’t help but speak with a smile.

“Uncle, I recently received a piece of news. I reckon you might be interested in it.”

“What news would I be interested in?” Lin Jiufeng looked at him.

“Uncle, do you still remember why you were sent into the Cold Palace in the first place?”

Lin Tianyuan asked as he laughed.

This question made Lin Jiufeng recall his memories.

At that time, he had just transmigrated and was then directly sent into the Cold Palace.

25 years passed in a flash.

When Lin Jiufeng remembered why he was locked up in the Cold Palace, the white cat appeared in the corner and curled up. It looked very inconspicuous but its eyes were full of spirits.

It eavesdropped.

It wanted to know why Lin Jiufeng was locked up in the Cold Palace.

“Why did you bring up this matter?” Lin Jiufeng asked, puzzled.

“It has been 25 years since you released the Holy Maiden of the Great Yan Dynasty. Your actions back then incurred the wrath of the imperial court, and that was why you were exiled and locked up in the Cold Palace,” Lin Tianyuan said.

“En. It’s indeed because of this, then?” Lin Jiufeng calmly looked at Lin Tianyuan.

“It’s been 25 years, don’t you want to know how that Holy Maiden is faring after all these years?”

Lin Tianyuan asked.

Lin Jiufeng was dumbfounded.

He never thought about this so-called Holy Maiden even once in the past 25 years.

He thought he would never hear anything about her ever again.

Lin Jiufeng may have forgotten, but Lin Tianyuan’s words just now sent him on a trip down the memory lane. He couldn’t help but ask, “What news is it all about?”

Lin Tianyuan boisterously laughed before he answered.

“I knew that you wouldn’t be indifferent in matters that concerned this Holy Maiden.”

The little white cat listened.

Then, it narrowed its eyes slowly as it wrote two words on the ground with its paw.

You pervert!