Knife splashing

Chapter 618: The Court’s Plan

The conference will be held in Shangqing Hall.

The original Shangqing Palace had a small space. When Cheng Jianxin, the sword immortal of Shu, was in charge, the reputation of Qingcheng continued to rise, so it was expanded.

Today, the hall is high and spacious, with star maps and Tai Chi Bagua depicted in the huge caisson above, and three statues of gods enshrined against the wall.

Laozi was in the center, with Sanfeng Zushi and Lu Chunyang on either side. The statues were tall and the hall was vast. Coupled with the gloomy weather, even with many large butter candles, it was still dark and mysterious.

Outside the palace, frost covered the pines and cypresses, the cold wind howled with damp and cold mist, and the copper bells on the eaves rang clear sounds in the wind.

The hall was crowded with people and the atmosphere was solemn and dignified.

Green smoke rises from the sandalwood incense burner, like a dragon coiling around the beams and pillars, interweaving with the light and shadow coming in from the window, making the statues enshrined in the hall flicker.

Under the guidance of the Taoist child, everyone sat down.

The main figure is Qingcheng Chen Kongzi, sitting on the left side below the altar.

After the ritual was over, he had changed his clothes and was now wearing a black crane cloak, a Five Mountains crown on his head, and a green jade whisk in his hand.

Two Taoist boys stood quietly behind him, holding swords and whisks.

The demeanor of the leader of a religion was suddenly revealed.

Pei Zongti, the Minister of Rites, sat on the right.

He was wearing a scarlet official robe, which was out of place with the plain colors of the Xuanmen sect. On his knees was a gilded official seal box, with the yellow silk imperial edict inside the box half exposed. He was closing his eyes to rest.

This conference was both a Taoist and a martial arts conference, so some rules had to be followed. The person presiding over the conference called out the names of the participants, and everyone burned incense and paid their respects in turn, which took quite some time.

But the atmosphere of the conference became increasingly solemn.

At this point, Chen Kongzi stood up and said, "My fellow Taoists, today's cellar meeting is not just for taking the secret treasures from the treasure cellar. I'm sure you all know why."

"The appearance of the Nine Cauldrons, the innovation of firearms, the changes in the weather in China... all these signs indicate that a change in humanity has arrived. You all need to discuss a countermeasure..."

The gist of all this is that no one can stay out of this matter, and new rules need to be established to avoid chaos.

Afterwards, Pei Zongti, the Minister of Rites, also stood up and read the imperial edict.

His voice was as cold as iron: "I have heard that the Xuanmen knows about yin and yang. Now that China is in turmoil and demons are causing trouble, I have specially ordered the Ministry of Rites to assist in the investigation..."

After hearing the imperial edict, many people's faces turned ugly.

The appearance of the Nine Cauldrons would certainly alarm the imperial court, which was expected by everyone, but no one expected that the imperial court would use this as an opportunity to make a fuss.

"Anyone who secretly keeps the Nine Cauldrons will be punished for treason!"

No one cared about this. After all, the Nine Cauldrons were too important. So many people had died because of them, and they didn't dare to touch them.

In addition, the court also required Xuanmen to report all information related to the Nine Cauldrons, which was also within their acceptable range.

But the next few items made them feel uncomfortable.

The imperial court revised the "Da Xuan Law" and officially included the crimes of the Taoist sorcerers in it, and any sect that sheltered them would be punished with the same crime...

Some of the techniques in the Xuan Sect will also be examined by the Xuan Priests. If they are listed as forbidden techniques, the crime will be determined as witchcraft...

In addition, disaster relief, temple building, teaching and religious activities, and large-scale disaster rites must all be reported to the Xuan Priest...

Although some of these were unspoken rules in the past, they were so formal that everyone still felt restrained.

Especially included in the law.

The imperial court can either turn a blind eye or conduct a strict investigation.

How to do it depends entirely on the will of the court.

“Isn’t that a bit too much?!”

After Pei Zongti finished reading the imperial edict, someone finally couldn't help but speak up, "Xuanmen has always been aloof from the world. When it comes to the stability of Shenzhou, we are not unwilling to cooperate, but the court is doing this. Does it want us to be its lackeys?"

These words were very impolite.

But once it started, others followed suit.

"Yes, what does the court want to do?"

"They are forcing us step by step. It's clear that they don't want us to live..."

Li Yan glanced at him without changing his expression.

The person who just spoke was the elder of the Shigong sect, who originated from the Guangdong and Guangxi regions. He was popular among the people and had considerable influence in the local area.

But to be honest, it may not be for the sake of Xuanmen.

This sect was a mixed bag of good and bad people, and was a loose group. Some of them colluded with local merchants, making money in the name of warding off disasters and privately building temples.

But if we really want to investigate, many things will become difficult to handle.

He glanced at Pei Zongti above him again.

This gentleman, who had spoken to him in a friendly manner yesterday, seemed like a different person now. He turned a blind eye to the quarrel below and drank his tea with a calm expression.

Chen Kongzi of the Qingcheng Sect was also calm and composed.

Yesterday, he and Minister Pei of the Ministry of Rites seemed to be chatting and laughing, and the atmosphere was good, but it was far from being as harmonious as it seemed.

He had already guessed what the emperor in the capital wanted to do.

Since ancient times, Xuanmen and the Jianghu have been unstable factors. Whenever the world is in chaos, there will be people who use their power to cause trouble.

The same was true when the Xiao family seized the Daxing foundation.

Other emperors are easy to deal with, but how could the ambitious emperor in the capital, who even destroyed the Yang family of Bozhou, which had hundreds of years of foundation, allow Xuanmen to remain out of control?

Last year's tightening of the road was his doing.

Now that the Nine Cauldrons have appeared and humanity has changed, the other party is even more uneasy and will certainly take the opportunity to reduce the power of the vassal states and restrict the Xuanmen.

He understood, but found it hard to agree.

Firstly, he is the head of Qingcheng Sect and doesn’t want to put a hoop on his head.

Secondly, Xuanmen is not an ordinary person. If he is pushed too hard, who knows what will happen.

However, Lord Pei did not listen at all and just asked him to stand on the side of the court at the critical moment.

Qingcheng is the orthodox sect of Xuanmen. If they don't want to lose this reputation, they cannot have too strained relations with the imperial court, so Chen Kongzi agreed immediately.

He was very curious about what Lord Pei was going to do.
At the same time, the noise below became louder.

It seemed that seeing the huge momentum, many Dharma lines that did not want to cause trouble also started to speak out, hoping to avoid this incident.

But at this moment, a voice suddenly sounded.

"Everyone, this is too much!"

A short and fat middle-aged man wearing a bamboo hat and a black robe stood up and said with a smile: "We are from the Xuanmen Sect, but we are also the people of Shenzhou. Humanity is about to change. If we don't restrain ourselves, there may be a disaster. So does our Meishan Sect agree with this?"

As soon as these words came out, everyone was stunned.

"Tang Laojiu, are you out of your mind?"

"That's right, what nonsense are you talking about!"

Someone couldn't help but scold.

Meishan?

Looking at the short and fat middle-aged man, Li Yan was also a little surprised.

On his way to Qingcheng, Zou Shaohai, the president of the Shuzhong Divine Fist Association, sent someone to deliver a letter.

The purpose of writing this letter is to plead for mercy.

Tang Ling, a famous monster catcher in Meishan, got involved with Master Wuxiang in order to avenge his sister. He also killed someone with a firearm in the street. Afterwards, he was imprisoned in Chongqing Prison by Lord Wang, the Censor.

The Tang family is a big force in Meishan. Zou Shaohai asked him to help if he was able to, which would not only allow him to gain some benefits but also to do him a favor.

Li Yan had dealt with Tang Ling before.

Although he is stubborn, he is not a wicked person. After thinking it over again and again, he has decided to help.

However, when the people from Meishan came to Qingcheng, they did not look for him.

Li Yan was confused, but he didn't have time to think about it.

This happened suddenly...

Li Yan secretly glanced at Lord Pei.

The two of them probably reached a deal!

Sure enough, facing the criticism from everyone, Tang Laojiu from Meishan showed no fear at all. Instead, he said confidently, "Minister Pei's words of 'cooperation' do not mean annexation. The Xuanmen protects the earth veins, and the imperial court ensures the people's livelihood. There is no conflict."

"If the Nine Cauldrons fall into the hands of evil spirits, it will cause earthquakes and landslides, and all living things will be destroyed. By then, the Xuanmen will not be able to escape unscathed..."

These words were not wrong, but they were just changing the subject. After all, no one said they disagreed with the Nine Cauldrons.

However, Tang Laojiu did not give them a chance to refute, and said with a righteous attitude: "Shenzhou is in trouble, and Meishan has no choice but to take responsibility. Not only do we agree to this, we will also send disciples to serve in the army!"

At this point, the truth has finally been revealed.

Everyone in the hall also reacted.

Some people laughed.
Someone shook his head slightly.

Meishan Dharma wants to go one step further and become the orthodox Xuanmen religion!

But then again, now is indeed the best opportunity.

When new firearms appeared, Meishan Fajiao was the first sect to research the technique of using firearms, and currently it is still the only one.

Many speculate that it has something to do with their hunter heritage.

In any case, they are all lucky people in this humanitarian change, so they will naturally seize the opportunity.

Meishan is not working together.

They are divided into upper cave, middle cave and lower cave, known as the Three Caves Meishan, and there are also navy and family inheritance scattered everywhere.

Become a true sect of Xuanmen and integrate all forces. Your strength will soar and become one of the top-ranked major sects!

Moreover, Meishan is based in western Hunan. If the imperial court can conquer it, it can use its power to radiate and suppress the southern part of China.

For a moment, the expressions of many people from the Southern Law School became solemn.

Even Qingcheng Sect Master Chen Kongzi was stunned for a moment.

Controlling national sacrifices is not a random act. There is a position for every person and it is already full, so there are few vacancies for the Xuanmen Orthodox Sect.

I gave it to Meishan, whose should I take...

Suddenly, an idea flashed in his mind.

Ministry of War!

There are also soldiers in the army, but they are only strong in personal combat power and the way of using troops. There is no one who specializes in controlling sacrifices.

The army often worshipped Chiyou, the Lord of War. The origin of Meishan Buddhism was also related to him. They were also good at new firearms...

What luck.

Chen Kongzi sighed inwardly, without any hesitation, he said directly: "I, Qingcheng Mountain, agree with the court's policy."

"I, Wudang, agree as well."

"Dou Muyuan agrees..."

These are the main forces of Taixuan Orthodox Sect. Almost at the same time when Chen Kongzi agreed, they all agreed.

Pei Zongti naturally also looked for them.

But these people have the same attitude as Chen Kongzi, they are just waiting and watching.

They are not fools, but the Meishan family may not be a big deal, but with the support of the court, firearms, techniques and personnel targeting the cultivators will probably appear soon.

The situation is set. If we continue to waste time, we will inevitably offend the imperial court.

For a moment, the hall was silent.

No one expected the situation to turn out like this.

Pei Zongti, the Minister of Rites, finally put down his teacup, raised his head, and said calmly: "The Meishan Dharma has a long history. If you keep it in mind, your majesty will be happy. On the day of the mountain gate's grand celebration, the clan office will go to congratulate you."

After that, he turned around and looked at everyone in the hall, and said calmly: "I am a disciple of Confucianism and also a member of the Xuanmen sect. You all need to know that when the nest is overturned, no egg can remain intact."

"Your Majesty once said that the power of Xuanmen can be used for good or evil. It depends on your choice which way to go."

"Since no one objects, the matter is settled..."

Li Yan looked at Pei Zongti deeply.

As expected, he is the person in charge of the mysterious priests.

He is very scheming and his methods are really powerful.

The only thing that is unclear is,
How many people will follow this rule...

…………

The Qingcheng Xuanmen Conference has made many people feel worried.

On that day, all kinds of spiritual birds and carrier pigeons flew away.

The court's rules became strict, Meishan Buddhism attempted to gain the upper hand, Taixuan Buddhism, Confucianism and Buddhism agreed, and this matter was irreversible.

Many of their plans also had to be adjusted accordingly.

After all, we all know that the one who sticks out will suffer the most.

Despite this, the cellar opening ceremony still went on.

The next day was the day when the treasure cellar was opened.

Just after the Yin hour, the altar was opened again on the cliff of Zhangren Peak, and many Qingcheng Taoists chanted scriptures, set up formations, and appeased the earth's qi.

The treasure cellar is equivalent to building an ice cellar within the spiritual cavity of the earth vein, which is nourished by the spiritual energy of the earth vein. It has probably been connected with the earth vein since the Song Dynasty.

Opening a cellar is equivalent to breaking the earth's veins.

If you are not careful, it will cause the earth dragon to turn over.

The worst result may even lead to the creation of evil spirits.

Fortunately, the ritual went smoothly.

At the time of Si, a Qingcheng disciple tied a black iron chain around his waist, climbed the cliffs and entered the Tiancang Cave. He used his "Golden Finger" to shatter the mud seal, revealing a number of huge pottery jars.

The Qingcheng cellar is arranged according to the five elements method.

Some news has already come out.

The gold cellar contains Shoushan copper mother, lightning-struck meteorite iron, and sword embryos...

The wood cellar contains three pieces of lightning-struck jujube wood and a Tang Dynasty carved version of the Daoist Canon…

The water cellar has a fragment of the Dujiangyan "lying iron" that was used by Li Bing to calm the water. It has become a magical object...

The earth pit contains the ancient Shu jade halberd, a sacred tool for earth sacrifices…

These are still famous. Even those ordinary spiritual materials, after being nurtured since the Song Dynasty, are probably extraordinary.

Of course, these things cannot be purchased directly yet.

Qingcheng will first sort them into categories and pick out the defective products. This is a huge project. Even if all the Qingcheng disciples are involved, it will take until dark to complete it.

So, the real buying and selling transactions take place on the third day.

On this day, Li Yan did not go to watch the ceremony, but stayed in Chaoyang Cave, carefully studying the stone shrine brought out from the Dragon Palace.

This thing is a cave stone that can help him expand Luofeng Mountain.

Last time, he absorbed the Boshan furnace of the fairy mountain, which allowed him to open up the eight caves of the outer altar in one fell swoop. According to the Fengdu method, this time he can open up the eight generals' caves of the inner altar.

The Eight Generals of the Inner Altar of Fengdu, also known as the Eight Evil Generals and the Eight Flying Generals, jointly serve in the underworld of Fengdu. They are in charge of the palace, touring the nine netherworlds, recording the living and the dead, and examining and summoning the wronged souls.

Compared with the Eight Generals of the Outer Altar, he is much stronger.

He also looked more ferocious.

According to common sense, those who practice Fengdu Dharma must abide by the rules, practice hard for many years, and have an extremely pure mind. Only then will they have the opportunity to slowly open up the inner and outer altars and the Eight Generals' Divine Palaces.

However, the existence of Fengdu Dharma probably did not expect that there would be a freak like Li Yan who could cheat by using the Daluo Dharma body.

The eight generals of the inner and outer altars opened up the sacred palaces to guard the central sacred palace.

Li Yan had built a four-story building years ago, which was already a miracle in the Xuanmen world, and it would be impossible to continue to improve it in a short period of time.

But these sixteen generals' divine palaces can make Luofengshan stronger.

The combat power is enough to deal with the masters of the fifth floor.

The only thing that worried Li Yan was the shrine.

This is no ordinary cave stone.

The ancient Queen Mother of the West is carved on it.

These days, a few abnormalities have occurred...

(End of this chapter)