My Demonic Cult's Holy Maiden

The datura flower is related to poppies on Earth and is a raw material for making drugs.

Although Qi Yu had never been exposed to it before, he knew that once you got involved, it was very difficult to quit.

I can suppress it now, but as time goes on, I will only become more and more dependent on it.

Zhen Qing's self-administered acupuncture can only treat the symptoms, not the root cause.

Qi Yu has now developed a fear of the excruciating pain, like thousands of ants tearing at his flesh and bones, and has become dependent on the datura flower.

He really wants to find Lin Ruoxi now, and get those white pills to relieve the pain in his body.

But reason told him that he couldn't go; if he went, there would be no turning back.

Qi Yu stood at the entrance of the Star Gazing Tower. Even when a torrential downpour began, he did not leave. He stood in the rain and got soaked.

Since Qi Yu realized that his words and actions would affect the leader, he has always worn his Taoist topknot in public, instead of being as disheveled and unrestrained as before.

Today, he wore a Taoist-style topknot and held the Zhanqiu sword in his hand. Rainwater streamed down the scabbard, and Qi Yu's vision was blurred by the rain.

Qi Yu didn't know what the point of standing here was, but he just wanted to stay here, in the place closest to the leader, for a while.

Qi Yu stood in the rain, but gradually, his body began to tremble slightly, the veins on his hand gripping the sword sheath bulged, and his brows almost furrowed together.

At this moment, the poison took effect!

This is the third time today!

The sky had completely darkened, and Qi Yu stood in the wind and rain, closing his eyes and gritting his teeth to endure it.

Just as Qi Yu was about to lose his temper, the doors of the Star Gazing Tower opened, and the candles inside lit up automatically with a series of pops.

The warm firelight shone on Qi Yu's pale face, and along with the firelight, a stream of dark blue true energy surged into Qi Yu's body.

The dark blue true energy was warm and pure, and Qi Yu's complexion gradually improved. Then he opened his eyes and looked into the Star Gazing Tower with a look of surprise.

The ground floor of the Star Gazing Tower was empty, with only a statue of the Taoist Ancestor and a few prayer cushions. The sect leader had not yet emerged from seclusion.

Qi Yu raised his head, looked at the top of the Star Gazing Tower, pondered for a moment, and then walked into the Star Gazing Tower.

As soon as Qi Yu went inside, the door closed immediately, and the flame on the candle flickered as if it would go out at any moment.

This looks rather eerie, like something out of a horror movie.

However, Qi Yu felt no fear whatsoever; instead, she felt even more warmth.

His clothes had been dried by the dark blue true energy from earlier, as had his hair.

The leader knew he had arrived, so he used his inner energy to open the door of the Star Gazing Tower, allowing Qi Yu to come in and take shelter from the rain, while also helping Qi Yu suppress the poison in his body.

Taoism has a unique skill called "One Mind, One Thousand Uses," which allows one to do many things at the same time.

This extraordinary technique was taught to Qi Yu by the sect leader himself. It's impossible for the sect leader not to know it. He was in seclusion, but he still spared a sliver of his attention to watch over him.

Qi Yu glanced at the statue of the Dao Ancestor, but still knelt down on the futon and bowed.

After finishing his prayers, Qi Yu stood up and went up the stairs to the second floor of the Star Gazing Tower.

There is a room on the second floor, which is very simple and plain, with just a bed and a few tables.

Qi Yu did not go to the third floor, nor did he intend to visit the sect leader. He sat on the bed, adjusted his posture, crossed his legs, and circulated his inner energy to suppress the restlessness within his body.

Even with Qi Yu's current willpower, he can only barely suppress it. This is still under the condition that most Taoist techniques and skills are designed to temper willpower.

If it were an ordinary master who had not studied Taoist practices, he might really lose his mind.

But that doesn’t mean you can get through it with willpower alone. Physical pain can be resisted with willpower.

The Fallen Immortal Pill, made from Datura flowers, is a poison that erodes the spirit, affects the brain's judgment, and causes dependence.

Moreover, the turning point is becoming increasingly intense, and it emerges every so often.

Thanks to him, I am now so weak that I am neither human nor ghost.

……

While Qi Yu was recuperating from his injuries, Li Qing had already assembled his army in a large mountain outside the city.

The Dayun Dynasty has no need for Taoism, so the Temple of Longevity will inevitably be destroyed, but Taoism itself will not perish.

Because it's unrealistic to completely eradicate Taoism.

What is destruction?

Should they kill its disciples and followers?

no!

This is only the surface; the real destruction is severing his lineage and extinguishing his legacy.

The lineage of Taoism is basically concentrated in Qi Yu. Destroying the Changsheng Temple is merely destroying one force within Taoism.

But that's enough!

……

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Chapter Thirty-Three: Not a Single One Left Behind

Qi Yu settled down at the Star Gazing Tower to adjust his state of mind.

Outside, the rain poured down, and the sound of rain hitting the trees and tiles was incessant, easily making one feel irritable.

On this rainy night, the mountain where Changsheng Temple was located was surrounded.

Surrounding the Changsheng Temple were a group of armored warriors dressed in bright silver armor, each wielding a scimitar and riding a warhorse with crossbows and fire arrows hanging on either side of the horse.

Li Qing stood on the stone steps leading to the Changsheng Temple, his face showing a hint of struggle.

The Li family's success today is largely due to Taoism, as it means that their Great Yun Dynasty has two Grandmasters.

But today, he has no choice but to destroy the Temple of Longevity with his own hands, thus destroying the foundation of Taoism in the Dayun Dynasty.

It is even highly likely that in the future, it will destroy the lineage of Taoism.

Qi Yu has already positioned himself on the opposite side, so he is destined to die.

Destroying the concept of immortality now is just an appetizer.

They're gambling now, taking a chance!

If the leader emerges from seclusion, or if he fails to act at the crucial moment as the Emperor predicted, then all the people he brought tonight may die.

A single Grandmaster could slaughter their entire Imperial Guard!

Moreover, all she brought was five thousand Imperial Guards, which, although well-equipped, were nothing to use against the leader of the sect—a pipe dream.

"Your Highness, the Changsheng Temple has been surrounded as you ordered!" The commander of the Imperial Guard rode up to Li Qing and said respectfully.

Li Qing suppressed his complicated emotions, his gaze calmed, and he began to plan the encirclement and suppression of the Changsheng Temple.

"Form groups of one hundred men into battle formations, advance towards the mountaintop in a triangular formation, and if you encounter Taoist disciples, capture them alive, but be sure to spare their lives."

"Once we reach the summit, proceed according to plan!"

The commander of the Imperial Guards nodded and turned to issue the order.

However, he slightly modified Li Qing's order: all Taoist disciples should be killed without exception, and they were allowed to execute first and report later!

This was not the intention of just one commander, but rather the intention of His Majesty the Emperor and His Highness the Crown Prince.

He was assigned to coordinate with Li Qing in order to help Li Qing make up his mind.

After all, this era has no need for benevolent monarchs!

If Li Qing remains as indecisive as before, he will completely lose his decision-making power regarding the throne.

Li Muchen is raising Gu poison, and Li Ming and Li Qing are the two strongest ones.

When Li Ming was about to fail, he protected Li Ming, which led to Li Ming being defeated by Li Qing and Qi Yu in one fell swoop.

Now that things have turned around, Li Qing is at a disadvantage, but he will still protect and give Li Qing opportunities.

This is Li Qing's last chance. If he fails, he will become a scapegoat and the culprit behind the destruction of Taoism.

After all, Taoism enjoys a high reputation now, and taking action against Taoism under these circumstances could easily cause a backlash among the people.

Therefore, the disappearance of Taoism requires a reasonable explanation, and Li Qing was simply a scapegoat to quell the anger.

If he succeeds, then the scapegoat will be someone else, and Li Muchen has already thought of another scapegoat.

Emperor Xuanzong!

In any case, Taoism is doomed!

He used to stand by and watch, but now he's shifting the blame eastward.

The Li family of the Dayun Dynasty could not possibly be unaware of the alliance between Emperor Xuanzong and the Ziqi Pavilion.

……

In the rainy night, streams of true energy soared into the sky, enveloping the entire Changsheng Temple, and a chilling aura spread.

Qi Yu was still regulating his body when he sensed the fluctuations of true energy. He suddenly opened his eyes, released his true energy, and saw the Imperial Guards charging towards him.

They are all soldiers of the ninth rank!

The Imperial Guard is the second strongest army after the Blazing Forest Army, and its soldiers are all martial artists.

The Chilin Army was primarily responsible for external affairs, namely, fighting against enemies.

The Imperial Guards, responsible for protecting the capital, were personally commanded by the emperor.

Li Muchen gave the military tally of the Chilin Army to Li Ming, while he gave the military tally of the Imperial Guard to Li Qing.

He didn't show favoritism; he gave them all to forces with roughly the same level of respectability.

Qi Yu was extremely familiar with the battle formations formed by these Imperial Guards, as he had also studied battle formations before.

His sword formation evolved from battle formations.

Martial artists are fast, have high combat power, and are highly mobile, while battle formations can effectively counter their speed.

At this moment, these Imperial Guards, numbering one hundred men per battle formation, attacked the mountaintop in three groups in a triangular formation, and their advance was fierce.

Just as Qi Yu was about to make his move and eliminate all of them, a sword light flashed above Changsheng Temple, like a bolt of lightning, piercing the darkness and sweeping away the hundreds of Imperial Guards charging down the mountain path.