Confucian and Taoist scholar

Only after Lu Zheng left the sect did the cultivators breathe a sigh of relief.

Someone whispered, "He seems to have become a saint; even the great god of Chu is no match for him."

"The state of Chu has probably changed drastically. I told you back then not to associate with those gods..."

"Judging from how fast he walked, he's probably chasing after someone else..."

"Why don't we close our sect? We must not get involved in worldly affairs."

The high-ranking members of the sects were whispering among themselves, their expressions very solemn.

Someone couldn't help but say, "Close the sect? He previously rallied all forces in the world to create a peaceful world. If he closes the sect now, what if he comes knocking on our door again..."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions darkened even further.

They had personally experienced Lu Zheng's invincible aura just now, and they had no desire to contend with him.

……

A violent fluctuation arose between heaven and earth, and divine aura emanated from it.

Another god-level Chu god was killed by Lu Zheng.

All the great gods of Chu who had scattered and fled perished. As for the other gods of slightly lower realms, Lu Zheng did not continue to pursue them.

He changed direction and headed back to Yingdu.

"Dead, all dead..."

Within Yingdu, powerful figures sensed the collapse of the divine statues in the Divine Palace, their faces turning pale and their expressions filled with utter horror.

In a single day, all the great gods perished, a calamity unprecedented in the history of the Chu Kingdom for hundreds of years.

Deep within the palace, the Chu Emperor sat there with a solemn expression.

There were many guards around, each with a solemn and tense expression.

A familiar oppressive aura descended upon Yingdu once again.

This caused some of the guards to tremble, and they could barely hold their weapons.

Lu Zheng took a step and entered the Chu Kingdom's royal palace directly.

Seeing this, none of the surrounding soldiers and powerful figures dared to step forward to stop them.

Lu Zheng arrived outside a tightly closed palace and said loudly, "Lu Zheng has come to pay a visit. I wonder if Your Majesty has time to see me?"

Upon hearing this, the Chu Emperor's expression shifted uncertainly. Seeing that those around him remained silent, he couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart.

He took a deep breath and strode out.

The heavy palace doors slowly opened, and the guards stepped aside.

Looking at the young man before him, the Chu Emperor said with a complicated expression, "Mr. Lu has finally attained sainthood, which is a great blessing for our human race."

Lu Zheng smiled and said, "Your Majesty flatters me."

Lu Zheng paused, then continued, "Looking back, when I traveled to the State of Chu, His Majesty granted me permission to punish evil and promote good. Unfortunately, I wasn't strong enough back then. This trip to Chu can be seen as a way to complete what I didn't finish back then and to share His Majesty's burdens..."

The Chu Emperor's expression appeared somewhat stiff. Was he trying to alleviate the burden on the kingdom by executing all the powerful figures of Chu?

Should he say thank you?
Lu Zheng continued unhurriedly, "This world doesn't need so many gods, at least not so many who are merely occupying positions without doing their jobs. This is harmful to the country and its people. What does Your Majesty think?"

The Emperor of Chu said, "What Mr. Lu said makes sense."

Lu Zheng said, "There are some things that Your Majesty cannot do, is unable to do, or dares not do... so let me do them for you. I would also like to borrow one item from Your Majesty."

The Chu Emperor's eyes flickered slightly. "What?"

Lu Zhengdao: "A vital national treasure of the Chu Kingdom."

Everyone's expression changed upon hearing this. Could something like that be lent out?
An elderly member of the royal family couldn't help but say, "Lu Zheng, don't think that just because you've become a saint, you're invincible and can act recklessly. How can a great nation's most important artifacts be given to outsiders? Is the righteous path you cultivate just for the purpose of suppressing others?"

Lu Zheng glanced sideways and said calmly, "Having cultivated the righteous path, does that mean you can't use the power of the righteous path to suppress others? I've spoken so many profound truths of the righteous path over the years, but it seems you haven't listened to them at all."

Lu Zheng slightly raised his hand, and a ball of lightning suddenly appeared in his hand, releasing a faintly terrifying aura.

"Just because I haven't laid a hand on some of you doesn't mean you're innocent or without guilt. I'm not standing here for you to make demands of me..."

"If you can withstand this wisp of righteous heavenly lightning, then we can talk about anything else."

Having said that, the lightning in Lu Zheng's palm suddenly flew out.

The old man didn't even have time to dodge before he was instantly engulfed by lightning.

A sudden clap of thunder struck from the ground, and the old man vanished into nothingness, never to be seen again.

The people nearby looked terrified, and some even had the thought of running away, but they were too afraid to move.

Lu Zheng said coldly, "Anyone else who thinks this is inappropriate can step forward. Don't worry, my lightning can distinguish between good and evil; good people won't be struck by lightning."

That's what they said, but no one dared to step forward anymore.

No one present dared to claim they were some kind of great philanthropist.

Even the powerful members of the Chu royal family became cowards.

Compared to the people of a nation or the great power's strategic equipment, one's own life is more important.

The Chu Emperor remained expressionless as a golden light flew out from his body.

It is the Imperial Seal of the Great Chu Dynasty, containing a strong national destiny, and is the most precious artifact of the Chu Kingdom.

Lu Zheng raised his hand and grabbed the jade seal that was shimmering with golden light and Daoist charm, without even the slightest resistance.

This surprised the members of the Chu royal family.

Lu Zheng had a thought and immediately activated the jade seal.

A vast national fortune surged forth from the jade seal, transforming into a magnificent radiance that soared straight to the heavens, causing a reaction throughout the entire capital city of Ying.

An invisible force swept across the land of Chu.

Wherever it passed, the temples that exuded divine aura reacted violently.

Even many temples and shrines outside the State of Chu resonated with this.

Lu Zheng was enveloped in a golden light.

"I, Lu Zheng, hereby declare to all the gods of the world that all those who continue to commit evil and inhumanity since the beginning of this initiative, whether they are righteous gods or wild gods... their crimes deserve to be punished!"

"The rest of you are temporarily spared death. We hope you will each perform your duties and atone for your sins through meritorious service..."

"If there are still any gods who wreak havoc in this region, then heaven, earth, humans, gods, demons, and ghosts can all join together to exterminate them!"

Lu Zheng's voice, carried by the divine path, resounded in one temple after another, reaching the ears of countless humans, gods, demons, and ghosts.

Even An Taixuan, who was far away in Anguo, heard Lu Zheng's voice through the incense and temple in Tai'an City.

"I knew it……"

An Taixuan was so shocked that he couldn't close his mouth and couldn't help but mutter to himself.

……

Those Chu Shen who had fled and hidden also heard Lu Zheng's words, which sounded like they were exploding right next to their ears.

A very ominous premonition welled up from the depths of my heart.

In the next instant, the aura within the bodies of many gods in the world became unstable, and their divine power transformed into a violent force that raged uncontrollably. This was a backlash from the divine path.

One by one, those who cultivated the divine path died instantly, their bodies and souls vanishing.

Furthermore, bolts of heavenly lightning descended from the sky, locking onto each target and unleashing divine punishment.

On this day, less than one in ten of the local gods in the Chu Kingdom survived.

In Yongzhou, Chu State, the City God Mi Gu gazed at the crumbling statues of deities, sensing their disappearance. His expression was complex, and he felt a lingering fear.

"What did I tell you? We should do more good deeds and accumulate merit..."

Mi Gu was somewhat fortunate to have met Lu Zheng back then, otherwise he would have perished today.

Migu stroked his chin and said, "These priests are almost all dead, so won't I be able to advance a few more steps..."

Migu shook his head, realizing he was overthinking things.

After such a ordeal, can the State of Chu still exist?
Outside of the State of Chu, deities in some other places were also being attacked.

Even with the protection of the nation's fortunes, the Han Dynasty in the far south lost many local officials.

This caused the Han court to be both alarmed and terrified.

Before they even met Lu Zheng, their country had already suffered a heavy blow, which was completely unexpected.

The emperor of Han immediately summoned his ministers to discuss countermeasures.

……

The turbulent times in Yingdu have finally calmed down.

The crowd looked at Lu Zheng with a mixture of awe and fear.

This eradicated many of the malignant tumors of the divine path in one fell swoop, something even the top-level Saint Realm experts could not do.

Even the Chu emperor was moved, his emotions surging and fluctuating.

Lu Zheng returned the dimmed jade seal to the Chu Emperor.

It really is a case of repaying a debt... The Chu Emperor stiffly accepted the imperial seal.

This was using the national fortune of the Chu state to exterminate an evil god, and it's unknown how much of the national fortune was lost in the process.

But that seems to be no longer important... Emperor Chu couldn't help but think.

Lu Zheng began, “Your Majesty can summon all officials to stabilize the situation in Chu and prevent chaos. This is my first time in Yingdu City, and I will spend a few days sightseeing. If there are any issues that cannot be resolved, Your Majesty can also send someone to find me…”

After saying that, Lu Zheng left the palace with light steps.

As the Chu Emperor watched Lu Zheng's departing figure, he felt a tightness in his chest.

He thought he had become the ruler of a fallen kingdom, but Lu Zheng caused such a mess and left him with such a huge mess.

The Chu Emperor's lips twitched, and he looked even worse.

But then I thought about it again, and the fact that I could still hold my position proved that I was still useful to Lu Zheng.

Moreover, Lu Zheng's continued presence here is enough to intimidate many figures, and it wouldn't be a problem for him to use this opportunity to cause the Great Chu to fall and rise again.

The Chu Emperor's eyes flickered uncertainly. He was no fool to be the ruler of a country.

The fact that Chu is still in good condition after going through such a ordeal doesn't seem like such a bad thing.
The Chu Emperor said in a low voice, "Go, summon all the officials to the palace for a meeting."

Emperor Chu turned and walked back to the main hall. He felt he needed to vent his anger, and then he would take it out on certain powerful clans...

Some powerful families have been even more audacious than those high-ranking officials in recent years; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the two sides are in cahoots.

The Chu Emperor suddenly realized that Lu Zheng had kept him around for this very reason, since he was much more familiar with the Chu Kingdom than Lu Zheng was.

Before long, a group of Chu princes and ministers entered the palace with trepidation.

Seeing that the Chu Emperor was safe and sound and that Lu Zheng was not present, they all breathed a sigh of relief, but were still shaken.

The Emperor of Chu asked his officials to express their opinions on how to stabilize the situation in the Chu state.

One minister spoke up, saying that although the local officials were gone, the government was still there, which was enough to stabilize the region.

The most important thing now is to change the original policies of the State of Chu, reduce the number of gods who rely on incense offerings, and appoint more truly talented people to manage the local areas.

Some even suggested that they should learn from the benevolent governance of the new state and invite its talented people to help reform the state of Chu.

After all, many talented people from Chu who had not found their place in the state had gone to Xin in recent years, and perhaps some of them could be recruited back now.

Some high-ranking officials are even willing to donate their family fortunes to cover the country's losses.

This was also because they were frightened by Lu Zheng's actions and wanted to do some good deeds to avoid being punished by heaven in the future.

Everyone offered suggestions and advice, and were also willing to contribute materially.

Seeing the attitude of the crowd, the Emperor of Chu felt a chill in his heart.

He found it ironic that these officials had never been so proactive and generous before.

After discussing matters with his officials for a good half-day and issuing some decrees, the Chu Emperor finally adjourned the court.

Afterwards, the Chu Emperor sent someone to invite Lu Zheng to meet with him alone and have a thorough discussion.

Late at night, the Chu Emperor was still awake in the palace, full of energy, and not a trace of sorrow remained on his face.

The palace servants and guards standing nearby were puzzled, wondering why His Majesty was so calm.

……

Outside Yingdu City, a figure flew swiftly towards them.

Wang Tong looked at Yingdu, which seemed unchanged, with even the city's defenses still in place, and was puzzled.

He entered the city smoothly, found an acquaintance to inquire about the situation, and learned where Lu Zheng was. He hurried over to see him.

When Wang Tong saw Lu Zheng, who looked almost unchanged, he couldn't help but feel quite emotional.

Wang Tong bowed somewhat reservedly and said, "Wang Tong greets Saint Lu..."

When Lu Zheng saw that it was Wang Tong, he couldn't help but laugh and said, "Brother Wang, you're being too polite. Your personality has changed too. Where has that unruly style of a madman from back then gone?"

Touched by these words, Wang Tong couldn't help but laugh and say, "Brother Lu's heart remains unchanged; I am far inferior to him..."

Lu Zheng led Wang Tong into their temporary accommodation. After chatting for a while, the two opened up to each other and there was no longer any awkwardness between them.

Wang Tong then became more carefree, "I heard some commotion earlier and knew that something big had happened in Yingdu. I thought Brother Lu was coming here to destroy the Chu Kingdom."

Lu Zheng chuckled and said, "Judging from your tone, Brother Wang, it seems you'd be more than happy for me to do so?"

Wang Tong said quietly, "There is a new country in the north, a peaceful land, far inferior to the Chu state. It's better for a country like Chu to perish."

He has absolutely no sense of belonging to the current Chu state; the deaths of those great gods only make him ecstatic.

I'm afraid people in various places are already celebrating what happened today.

Lu Zheng said slowly, "When a great dynasty collapses, many problems arise. I still hope for a peaceful transition..."

"Later, some people will come from the new country to help change the current situation of the Chu country."

"Ten years. I've given the Chu Emperor ten years. If he does well, I'll give him a decent life, just like the Wei Emperor Yuan Si..."

"The Chu state at that time may still be the Chu state, or it may no longer be, but it will certainly not be like it is now."

Lu Zheng looked at Wang Tong and said, "I heard you're doing quite well as a local deity. Are you interested in continuing and doing more?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Tong asked curiously, "What are you doing?"

Lu Zhengdao: "The first priest below the Great God, a celestial being walking among humans, enforcing the law..."

The number one below the Great God? Wang Tong's eyes flashed with a strange light. Now that there are no Great Gods in the Chu Kingdom, doesn't that mean he is the highest priest in the Chu Kingdom?

Wang Tong couldn't help but ask, "May I?"

Lu Zheng raised his hand and took out a scepter. "This is a divine artifact of your Chu Kingdom, which I have refined. By wielding this, you can become a judicial officer, walking among mortals and upholding justice."

"We will certainly live up to our mission."

Wang Tong solemnly accepted the authority. (End of Chapter)