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Yang Mo's pupils suddenly contracted, and he was utterly horrified.

The Great Ming Sect operates in secrecy, and the identities of the Five Mingzi are a core secret of the sect. Even in the grasslands and the Western Regions, very few people know their specific names.

How could the leader of the Heavenly Dao Alliance, so far away in Xiangyang, see through his identity at a glance, and even directly reveal his name?!
This is simply unbelievable!
Seeing Yang Mo's outburst, Yi Huawei's eyes remained indifferent as he turned to Zhu Yuyan, Song Lu, and the others, whose faces showed confusion and seriousness, and said:

"You may all know very little about this sect. I will now explain it to you."

"The origins of the Great Ming Zun religion can be traced back to Zoroastrianism in Persia, also known as Zoroastrianism. This religion believes in a dualism of good and evil, regarding light, fire, and purity as good and darkness, death, and filth as evil. Its doctrines were introduced to China and the grasslands via the Silk Road, where they combined with local witchcraft and beliefs, gradually evolving into the Great Ming Zun religion we know today."

"This sect's doctrines are extreme, its actions are secretive and ruthless, and it is ambitious, intending to seize profits in the chaotic world and even plotting treason. Its internal organization is tight and its hierarchy is strict."

Yi Huawei paused for a moment, then explained its architecture in detail:

"The highest leader of the sect is called the 'Great Venerable,' who is in charge of all sect affairs and is mysterious and unpredictable. As far as I know, the current Great Venerable is named Xu Kaishan. He is a top-notch martial artist and strategist with great ambition. He is one of the key figures who stirred up trouble in the grasslands and the Western Regions."

"Below the Great One, there is a 'Good Mother,' a position of great esteem. She assists the Great One and is in charge of the transmission of teachings and some internal affairs. The current Good Mother is named Sha Fang, and she is not someone to be trifled with."

"Next up are the core combat force and managers—'Wumingzi'."

Yi Huawei's gaze swept over Yang Mo's pale face again, and he continued:

"The Five Masters used the names 'Void, Wind, Fire, Water, and Speech'."

"Miao Kong Ming Zi Lie Xia is a master of mental illusions, cunning and treacherous. He is most adept at bewitching people and manipulating others silently. He is the leader of the Five Ming Zi and also one of the most dangerous figures."

"Miaofeng Mingzi Jiulingzhi is as nimble as a ghost, moving like the wind. He is skilled in assassination and reconnaissance, and his lightness skill and stealth techniques are unparalleled in the Western Regions."

"Miao Huo Ming Zi Yang Mo,"

Yi Huawei pointed to the kneeling red-robed man: "This is the person here. His evil technique, 'Burning Body Explosion,' is incredibly powerful. It is a ruthless method that leads to certain death with the enemy, specializing in attacking and destroying."

"Myo-sui Akiko Karu, it is said that his soft skills have reached the pinnacle, his swimming ability is excellent, his palm strikes are soft and lingering, and he is good at penetration and underwater movement."

"It is said that Zixinya is a woman who is skilled in eloquence and intelligence gathering. She can often extract secrets in the midst of conversation and is also an important figure in the church's external liaison."

"Below the Five Bright Ones, there are also the core elite disciples known as 'Atoms,' who are all outstanding individuals selected from the outer altar disciples to carry out various important tasks."

"At the outermost edge are numerous 'outer altar disciples,' scattered across various regions, responsible for grassroots intelligence, resource gathering, and general affairs."

After introducing the organizational structure of the Great Ming Sect, Yi Huawei changed the subject:
"Furthermore, it is worth noting that the martial arts originating from Persian Zoroastrianism have another important lineage besides the Great Ming Zun Sect. This is the Wind Control Secret Technique, which is mastered by Yun Shuai, a master of the Western Turkic royal family. This technique shares the same origin as the Great Ming Zun Sect's Illusionary Light Technique, but it takes a different approach, focusing on speed and stealth, moving like the wind and difficult to catch. With this technique, Yun Shuai became one of the top masters in the Western Turkic Khaganate and even the entire Western Regions. The relationship between the Great Ming Zun Sect and Yun Shuai is subtle, involving both cooperation and competition."

Yi Huawei meticulously and clearly presented the origins, structure, core figures, and even related forces of the Great Ming Venerable Sect to everyone. This information was so detailed that even established demonic sects like the Yin Kui Sect might not know it in such great detail.

After listening, Zhu Yuyan's cold eyes flashed with a chilling light, and she said in a deep voice, "So there is such a force lurking in the borderlands. Judging from what the Alliance Leader said, this sect has grand ambitions and uses strange methods. Yang Mo's sneak attack on Junior Sister Wen, intending to silence Chijishe, clearly shows that he is colluding with the Turks, and may even have been involved in some of Zhao Deyan's previous schemes."

Song Lu, Xu Xingzhi, and the others also wore solemn expressions. They hadn't expected that besides the heroes of the Central Plains and the Turks, there was such a venomous snake lurking in the shadows.

Upon hearing this, Wen Caiting gritted her teeth even more, glaring at Yang Mo with murderous intent in her beautiful eyes: "What a Mingzun Sect! What a Miaohuo Mingzi! If it weren't for the Alliance Leader's divine power, I would have almost fallen into your hands today!"

As Yang Mo listened to Yi Huawei recount the core secrets of the sect as if they were his own family, especially knowing the names and characteristics of the Great Venerable, the Good Mother, and all the Bright Sons, his shock reached its peak.

I felt as if I and the entire Great Ming Sect had no secrets whatsoever in front of this mysterious leader!

This feeling of being completely seen through was more terrifying to him than death!
"Who...who exactly are you?! How do you know so much about my Holy Church?!"

Yang Mo's voice was distorted with fear as he struggled to stand up, but was held down firmly by the Yin Kui Sect disciples behind him.

Yi Huawei looked down at him, his eyes indifferent.

"You don't need to know who I am. You only need to know that the Great Ming Venerable Sect's reach has gone too far."

"Capturing you today is just the beginning. Go back and tell Xu Kaishan that I have no time to deal with the western grasslands for the time being, but if he dares to extend his reach into the Central Plains and into the territory of my Heavenly Dao Alliance... I don't mind personally making a trip to the borderlands and erasing your so-called 'Mingzun' along with you cowardly demons and monsters from this world."

As soon as he finished speaking, an invisible and intangible killing intent, which seemed capable of freezing the soul and crushing the will, surged toward Yang Mo like a tide!
Yang Mo felt a sudden darkness before his eyes, as if he saw an endless sea of ​​blood, mountains of corpses and seas of bones, and a terrifying scene of the annihilation of light and the collapse of the Holy Church! His spiritual will, cultivated for many years, crumbled instantly like a paper fortress in the face of this vast killing intent!

"puff--!"

Yang Mo suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood, not from physical injury, but from the loss of his mind and the collapse of his will. His entire body seemed to have had its spine removed, collapsing completely to the ground, his eyes unfocused; clearly, his spirit had suffered a severe blow.

Yi Huawei withdrew his gaze, the chilling killing intent vanishing instantly as if it had never existed, and looked at Zhu Yuyan and Wen Caiting:
"This man is crippled. His mind has been taken away, and he will hardly make any progress in the future. Let's spare his life, cripple his martial arts, and hand him over to 'Shadow' for safekeeping. Perhaps we can extract more details about the collusion between the Great Ming Zunjiao and the Turks... Just leave him alive to pass on the message."

"As for Chijishe and Chao Gongcuo..."

Yi Huawei turned his gaze to the other two.

Although Chijishe was captured, he remained arrogant and glared fiercely at Yi Huawei, while Chao Gongcuo remained in a daze.

"This Chiji is under strict guard, and he will join Zhao Deyan in the New Year's Day sacrifice to Heaven. As for this Japanese spy..."

Yi Huawei looked at Chao Gongcuo, who was as limp as mud, without the slightest fluctuation in his eyes:
"Disable his martial arts, sever his tendons, and hand him over to 'Shadow' along with Yang Mo. We must dig out everything he knows about the 'Seven Killings School' of Japan and its network of infiltration in the Central Plains."

"Yes! Alliance leader!"

Zhu Yuyan, Wen Caiting, and Danmei accepted the order in unison.

Yi Huawei nodded slightly, walked back to the main seat and sat down, his gaze once again falling on the military map.

The people in the hall watched as Yi Huawei dealt with these three important prisoners with ease, especially his swift and decisive methods of exposing Yang Mo's identity and intimidating him. Their respect for the Alliance Leader deepened.

...............

It is New Year's Day, the beginning of a new year.

The sky was overcast, with leaden clouds hanging low. A biting north wind swept through the streets, carrying a chilling cold, but it could not disperse the dark mass of people in the square, nor could it cool the burning gazes of the people, which were filled with resentment.

The kneeling figures on the execution platform in the center of the square have become two.

On the left is Zhao Deyan, already emaciated from torture, dressed in a dirty white prison uniform covered with densely written charges of his crimes in vermilion. His hair is like withered, white weeds, and his head hangs low, obscuring his expression.

On the right was Chijishe, the younger brother of the Turkic Shibi Khan and the head of the royal guard. Although he was tightly bound by black iron chains and forced to kneel on the platform with his major acupoints sealed, his eyes still fiercely scanned the crowd below, as if he still wanted to maintain his last shred of dignity.

Two rows of soldiers in black armor stood around the execution platform, wielding long halberds and carrying powerful crossbows. Dozens of black-clad law enforcement officers, armed with narrow, curved swords, patrolled the perimeter of the crowd.

The figures of Heavenly Alliance archers could be vaguely seen from the high places around the square and on the rooftops of some buildings facing the street. The defense was so tight that it was practically impenetrable.

Wearing a crisp black general's robe and a dark red cloak, Su Dingfang stood on a temporary platform erected in front of the execution platform. Behind him stood two messengers holding command flags and a team of elite guards.

"Waaaaahh ...

At the exact moment of Chen Shi (7-9 AM), a deep and powerful horn blast pierced the sky above Xiangyang City, instantly silencing the once bustling square as everyone's attention focused on the execution platform.

Su Dingfang stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the thousands of silent people below the stage. Then, he unfurled a bright yellow silk scroll in his hand, gathered his strength, and spoke in a clear, resonant voice, like the clash of metal, echoing throughout the entire square:

"A Proclamation from the Heavenly Alliance to All People!"

"There are two traitors whose crimes are heinous, arousing the wrath of both gods and men, and are intolerable to Heaven and Earth!"

"Firstly, Zhao Deyan!"

"First crime: betraying your ancestors and forgetting your lineage! You are a Han Chinese citizen, yet you recognize a thief as your father, surrender to the Turks, willingly become a henchman of Jieli, and were appointed as the national teacher. You have brought a wolf into the house, and your crime is unforgivable!"

"Second crime: aiding and abetting evil! You have repeatedly offered wicked schemes, instigating the Turks to invade our borders, slaughtering our Han people, burning, killing, looting, and committing all kinds of atrocities! Your hands are stained with the blood of your compatriots, and countless bones lie on your hands—all thanks to your deeds!"

"The third crime is to subvert the Central Plains! Secretly colluding with rebels within the country, such as Bi Shouxuan, instigating infighting among various forces, intending to disrupt China, cause the land to sink, and make it available for the Turks to enslave!"

"Fourth crime: Practicing evil arts! Using the bizarre methods of the Demonic Appearance Sect to harm living beings, absorbing the death energy and vengeful spirits to increase one's own power, he has lost all conscience and humanity!" "Fifth crime: Plotting and scheming! Infiltrating our alliance, plotting treachery, intending to assassinate the alliance leader, and overthrow the foundation of our Heavenly Dao, his heart deserves to be punished!"

With each charge read out by Su Dingfang, the breathing of the people below the stage quickened, and the anger in their eyes intensified. Countless people clenched their fists, their nails almost digging into their flesh, glaring at the humble figure on the stage with gritted teeth. Some people who had experienced border troubles and whose relatives had died at the hands of the Turks couldn't help but sob softly.

"Based on the above five crimes, the evidence is conclusive and overwhelming! In accordance with the 'Heavenly Laws of Punishment,' the traitor Zhao Deyan is sentenced to death by slow slicing! This is to serve as a warning to others and to comfort the wronged souls!"

"Lingchi! Lingchi! Lingchi!"

A roar like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami erupted instantly, the sound waves soaring into the sky, as if to shake apart the leaden-gray clouds!
Su Dingfang raised his hand, suppressing the boiling clamor, and turned his gaze to Chijishe on the other side, his voice even colder:

"Secondly, Chijishe! The younger brother of the Turkic Shibi Khan, and the chief of the royal guard!"

"First crime: cruelty and tyranny! As a Turkic nobleman, you have repeatedly led your army south, personally participating in and condoning your subordinates' massacres and plunders. Wherever you went, not a chicken or a dog was spared, and corpses littered the fields! Beneath your saddle are the wronged souls of my Han sons and daughters!"

"Second crime: Trampling on the alliance! Disregarding the etiquette between the two countries, repeatedly breaking faith and betraying trust, attacking and killing our border envoys and caravans, treating human life as worthless and faith as nothing!"

"Third offense: spying on secrets! Infiltrating Xiangyang, colluding with an inside agent, plotting to gather intelligence on our allied forces, and sabotaging the city's defenses—this is a crime equivalent to espionage!"

"Fourth crime: stubborn resistance! After being captured, he showed no remorse, uttered arrogant words, insulted our leader, disregarded the law, and remained obstinate!"

"In summary, these four crimes are heinous and unforgivable by Heaven and Earth! In accordance with the 'Heavenly Laws of Punishment,' the wicked chieftain Chijishe is sentenced to be cut in half at the waist! This is to demonstrate Heaven's wrath and to set the record straight!"

"Cut in half! Cut in half! Cut in half!"

The roar of the people rose again, like a surging wave, sweeping across the entire square. The Han people harbored a deep-seated hatred for these foreigners from the grasslands, whose hands were stained with blood.

Su Dingfang closed the silk scroll, raised it high, and spoke in a voice like thunder:

"The Alliance Leader has given the order! Execution—begin!"

Upon receiving the order, two executioners, dressed in blood-red shackles and wearing black hoods, revealing only their cold eyes, each carrying a specially made execution knife of one long and one short, walked steadily onto the execution platform.

The entire square fell into a deathly silence; even the wind seemed to stop. Everyone held their breath, their eyes wide, staring intently at the stage.

The execution order was first waist-cutting, then slow slicing.

The executioner wielding the heavy, demon-headed broadsword was the first to approach Chijishe.

Chijishe seemed to finally realize that death was coming. His arrogance and ferocity were replaced by fear, and he struggled violently. The sealed acupoints prevented him from shouting, but his distorted face revealed the fear in his heart.

He had thought his identity would make the Heavenly Alliance wary, but unexpectedly, the alliance leader acted unpredictably and actually executed him!

Two strong execution disciples stepped forward and pressed down hard on Chijishe's shoulders, firmly pinning his upper body to the specially widened execution block with a groove in the middle. His waist was positioned directly across the groove.

The executioner took a deep breath, his arm muscles bulging, and raised the heavy, sharp demon-headed broadsword high! The gleaming blade drew a cold arc under the gloomy sky!

There was no unnecessary talk, no hesitation.

Knife fall!
"Pfft——!"

Blood spurts out!
Chijishe's upper body jerked violently upwards due to immense pain and nerve reflexes, then fell heavily back down. His hands clawed unconsciously in the air, his eyes were wide open like copper bells, and his mouth was agape, only able to emit hissing sounds that seemed to leak air. His lower body continued to convulse violently in place.

This bloody scene caused many people in the audience to gasp involuntarily. Some timid women and children even covered their eyes or buried their faces in the arms of their loved ones. But most of them were men who had experienced hardship, their eyes bloodshot, staring intently at their enemy who had been cut in half at the waist, their chests heaving violently, and suppressing low growls, as if confirming that this blood feud had finally been avenged!
Chiji struggled futilely in the pool of blood for a few moments before finally losing all life, his bloodshot eyes still wide open, gazing at the gray sky.

The executioner quickly stepped forward, dragged the two severed bodies aside, and casually covered them with a straw mat that had been prepared beforehand, leaving only a large, shocking pool of blood.

Immediately afterwards, another executioner, wielding a thin, sharp knife and skilled in the slow slicing punishment, walked up to Zhao Deyan.

At this moment, Zhao Deyan seemed to have had his will destroyed by the continuous torture and the scene before him. Like a soulless puppet, he allowed the execution disciples to bind him to the execution rack in a specific posture, so that his body could be fully extended to make it easier to cut him.

The executioner carefully wiped Zhao Deyan's thin chest with a damp cloth; the cold touch made Zhao Deyan's body tremble violently.

Then, the executioner raised the small, gleaming knife.

Lingchi, also known as death by a thousand cuts, required the executioner to use extremely high skill to make 3,600 cuts on the prisoner's body, during which the prisoner must not die. This was the most severe punishment for the most heinous crimes and the ultimate test of the executioner's skill.

At first, Zhao Deyan was able to barely suppress his emotions, but as the number of blows increased, he finally lost control and let out a shrill scream!

"Ah—! Kill me! Please, kill me—!"

The screams echoed through the silent square, sending chills down one's spine.

The reactions of the people in the audience varied.

Some people looked on with reluctance and turned away. But many more, especially those who had suffered greatly or whose relatives had died at the hands of the Turks and traitors, had cold eyes, even with a sense of satisfaction at having avenged their great wrongs.

Seeing the once high and mighty Turkic Grand Preceptor now wailing and begging for death on the execution platform, the resentment and hatred that had been accumulating in his heart for many years seemed to be released with each of those blows.

"Serves you right! You traitorous dog!"

"Retribution! This is retribution!"

"Heaven has eyes!"

Scattered curses and shouts rose from the crowd, but quickly subsided, leaving only Zhao Deyan's increasingly hoarse screams.

The executioner remained expressionless, strictly following procedure, slashing again and again with terrifying precision, as if he were not carrying out an execution but creating a work of art.

Time passed slowly amidst the bloodshed and screams.

By the time the executioner made the final cut, Zhao Deyan was already dead.

The two executioners simultaneously knelt on one knee towards the execution platform and said in a deep voice, "Reporting to the executioner! The execution is complete!"

Su Dingfang coldly stared at the two corpses in different positions on the stage, and the large patch of dark red blood that stained the stage surface, and slowly raised his hand:
"Verify his identity, hang his head as a warning to the world!"

"Yes!"

The executioner stepped forward and beheaded Zhao Deyan and Chijishe. After a simple treatment, the heads were hung on two tall poles that had been erected in front of the execution platform.

Su Dingfang's gaze swept across the entire room once more, his voice resounding:

"The traitor has been executed; this is a clear manifestation of divine justice, and retribution is inevitable!"

"Anyone who violates our territory or harms our compatriots, regardless of whether they are Han or non-Han, noble or lowly, shall be punished no matter how far away they are, and shall be slaughtered no matter how powerful they are!"

"Heavenly Alliance, protect China! Blood debts... must be repaid in blood!"

"eye for eye!"

"Long live the Heavenly Alliance!"

"Long live the Alliance Leader!"

After a brief silence, a frenzied shout erupted like a landslide and a tsunami!

On the high platform, Su Dingfang stood with his hand on his sword, his black cloak fluttering in the biting wind. His cold gaze swept over the boiling crowd and looked north, as if piercing through thousands of mountains and rivers, landing in the direction of the grassland royal court.

This is a signal, a declaration.

There is no turning back between the Heavenly Alliance and the Turks; only... war!
Amidst the frenzied shouts and chilling bloodshed, no one noticed a figure silently observing everything from the shadows at the edge of the square, seemingly blending into the environment. His eyes held a complex expression, a mixture of shock and fear, before he quietly disappeared into the crowd. (End of Chapter)