My cultivation disguise has been exposed by Xiao Sizi.

Inside the Taiji Hall.

The atmosphere was like a pot of water that had been boiled thoroughly.

The intense killing intent, mixed with a fanatical fighting spirit, almost overturned the hall of supreme power in the Tang Dynasty on the spot.

"Fight! We must fight!"

Cheng Yaojin stepped onto the stool of the general next to him, his dark face turning bright red.

His large eyes were bloodshot, and he waved his large, fan-like hands, his loud voice booming like a broken gong in the empty hall.

"Your Majesty! We've even got the address of their stronghold, what are we waiting for?"

"These bald monks not only plotted against us in the northern frontier, but they're also secretly engaging in some kind of pyramid scheme brainwashing. They simply don't respect our Great Tang Dynasty at all!"

Cheng Yaojin patted his chest, making a loud, booming sound as he pounded his armor.

"Give me, Old Cheng, 100,000 Xuanjia soldiers!"

"I'll head straight for those coordinates and smash their main hall to pieces with one axe! I'll smash all their Buddha statues and use them as chamber pots!"

"Old Black is right!"

Yuchi Gong also jumped out, even carrying his signature pair of male and female whips, sparks flying out of them.

"We absolutely cannot swallow this insult!"

"When have the men of our Great Tang ever suffered such humiliation? Those who dare to provoke us must be retaliated tenfold!"

Not just military generals.

This time, even the civil service, which has always advocated benevolence and morality and insisted on having a legitimate reason for everything, was all enraged.

Wei Zheng, the most outspoken critic of the Tang Dynasty, strode out of the queue with a cold expression.

He straightened his dark court robes, and a righteous aura emanated from his body.

"His Majesty."

Wei Zheng clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, his voice booming like a great bell.

"These wicked monks of Buddhism are bewitching people and attempting to overthrow the very foundation of our Great Tang Dynasty. This is an act of utter depravity!"

Confucius said, "To achieve benevolence," and Mencius said, "To uphold righteousness!"

"For such evil spirits, we Confucian scholars should also wield our swords to vanquish them and uphold justice! This old minister seconds the proposal to send troops!"

The entire court was filled with indignation.

The Tang Dynasty's war chariots seemed poised to accelerate at full speed at any moment, crushing the void and hurtling towards the Western Buddhist kingdom known as Little Thunder Temple.

Li Chen stood at the very front of the princes' procession.

His face was now filled with a chilling murderous intent.

He ripped off the cumbersome white brocade robe, revealing the dark, form-fitting cultivation attire underneath.

"Zheng—!"

A clear and high-pitched sword cry rang out.

Li Chen drew his long sword from his waist without hesitation.

The purple-gold lightning streaked wildly along the blade, crackling and popping.

Even the surrounding space was slightly distorted by the violent force of the lightning.

"Father, issue the decree!"

Li Chen raised his head and looked directly at Li Shimin on the dragon throne.

In his eyes, the will to fight burned fiercely, almost tangible.

"These bald monks are going too far."

"If we don't teach them a lesson, they'll really think our Great Tang is a pushover!"

Li Chen gripped the sword hilt tightly, his knuckles turning white.

"Your subject is willing to be the vanguard, leading troops to raze their Little Thunderclap Temple to the ground!"

Civil and military officials, princes and nobles.

A rare high degree of consensus was achieved.

Everyone's eyes were filled with fervent anticipation as they stared intently at the bright yellow figure atop the ninth level of the imperial staircase.

however.

However, the thunderous imperial edict announcing the start of war was not delivered from the high dragon throne.

Li Shimin sat there upright.

He didn't speak.

His imposing, square face was expressionless, like a bottomless, icy pool.

His deep dragon eyes quietly watched the ministers below, who were as frenzied as boiling water.

Looking at Li Chen, who exuded murderous intent and pointed his sword at the sky.

The noise inside the main hall gradually subsided.

Everyone seemed to sense that something was wrong, and the atmosphere began to become tense.

Sudden.

Li Shimin stood up.

He didn't reprimand anyone, nor did he launch into a long lecture.

Instead, he suddenly stretched out his right hand and grabbed the "Emperor's Sword," which represented the highest authority of the Tang Dynasty, and was leaning against the dragon throne.

He did not draw his sword.

Li Shimin held the sword sheath and raised it high.

Then, using all his Nascent Soul stage true essence, he unleashed a terrifying force like an overwhelming tidal wave.

Facing the dragon-shaped desk in front of him, crafted from ten-thousand-year-old golden nanmu wood—

He slammed it down hard!

"Bang--!!!"

A deafening, earth-shattering roar.

The entire seemingly indestructible dragon table shattered instantly under the immense and violent impact!

Wood chips flew wildly in all directions like projectiles.

The dragon case was completely reduced to dust, which drifted down onto the imperial steps.

All the sounds in the hall were amplified by this deafening roar.

Stopped abruptly.

A deathly silence.

Cheng Yaojin opened his mouth wide, but all the bold words of requesting to fight that were in his mouth were forced back down his throat.

The purple-gold lightning that flickered in Li Chen's eyes also paused slightly under this imperial aura.

"Shut up, all of you!"

Li Shimin's voice was as cold as a blizzard sweeping across Siberia.

It has no warmth whatsoever.

"beat?"

Li Shimin sneered, his gaze like two sharp swords, fiercely sweeping over everyone present.

"What are you going to use to fight?!"

He strode down the imperial steps, and the invisible imperial pressure made it difficult for the ministers in the front row to even breathe.

"Do you really think that the Tang Dynasty is now invincible?"

"Do you think that you can rely on tens of thousands of Xuanjia soldiers who have just established their foundations, and on a few generals like you who have just formed their golden cores?"

"So, they dare to be so arrogant and ignorant as to try and sweep through a vast world that has existed for tens of thousands of years?!"

Li Shimin angrily pointed outside the palace, towards the direction of the northern frontier battlefield.

"That day was in northern Xinjiang."

"That enormous Buddha eye that descended from the heavens, that oppressive force that prevented an army of 100,000 from even raising their heads."

"Are you all blind?! Didn't you feel anything?!"

Faced with the emperor's angry shout.

The entire room fell silent.

Cheng Yaojin swallowed hard and lowered his head guiltily.

Recalling the terrifying aura that sent shivers down his spine that day, even this fearless troublemaker couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

Li Shimin took a deep breath.

He forcibly suppressed the anger in his heart, his tone revealing a deep sense of helplessness and utmost solemnity.

"That's a true Nascent Soul stage expert!"

"Moreover, he's definitely not an ordinary early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator!"

Li Shimin looked at his ministers, each word stained with tears.

"The Western Buddhist Kingdom possesses unfathomable depths. Who knows how many powerful beings like that are hidden deep within that Little Thunderclap Temple!"

"In their eyes, those at the Golden Core stage are nothing more than slightly larger ants."

"Your clamor to march straight to the heart of the enemy is utterly foolish!"

Li Shimin slowly walked up to Li Chen.

He looked down at the longsword in his son's hand, which still exuded a sharp, sword-like aura.

"Chen'er".

Li Shimin's voice softened slightly as he placed his hand on Li Chen's shoulder.

"You are exceptionally talented and possess extraordinary combat prowess. I know you have been wronged and are resentful."

"But you need to understand a harsh truth."

Li Shimin looked directly into Li Chen's eyes.

"The reason I was able to summon the Golden Dragon of Fortune from afar and crush that Buddha's eye in Chang'an that day was because..."

"It's not because my cultivation level is higher than his."

"And it's not because my strength is enough to disregard a Nascent Soul cultivator!"

"It's because this is the Tang Dynasty!"

Li Shimin opened his arms as if to embrace the entire Taiji Hall.

His voice carried an inviolable sacredness.