Chapitre 152: Chapter 288: Shockwaves Across the Nation
"Can he really twist the truth with a single imperial decree? It's not that easy!"
"Let the people from the Buddhist Sect calm their followers and spread the truth. This is a great opportunity to undermine the emperor's authority and bring ruin to the Jiang family!" The Demon Goat Venerable clenched his teeth as he spoke.
"Spread the truth..." The purple-patterned, graceful woman felt that these two words put together sounded a bit strange.
However, she quickly agreed and left with the youth in the black robe.
Just as they were about to counter-attack, traces of top demonic forces appeared in various states.
These demonic forces raised their banners, commanding the mountain spirits and river monsters, and other demons to bypass the border cities and infiltrate the states, attacking the cities where Buddhist disciples had gathered.
"The Buddha Lord is dead, and the Great Yu is about to fall!"
"Your Buddha Lord has already been killed by our Demon Emperor. Don't you dare surrender quickly!"
"Kill! Slaughter them all!"
Among these demonic forces were remnants of the Dragon Gate, survivors from the Holy Palace, the Ancient Demon Temple, and the Star Moon Academy, which had a wide influence among demons and cultivated demons with their teachings, comparable to the Hanlin Palace of the Great Yu.
The Star Moon Academy had always maintained a neutral stance in the demon world. Unlike those who chose to seclude themselves in the Tai Xu realm, the academy never involved itself in disputes. They kept a respectful distance from the Great Yu Divine Dynasty, neither interfering nor attacking each other. Yet, this time, they, too, descended from their mountain and waged war against the Great Yu.
Leading this invading demon army were none other than great demons of the San Bu Xu realm, second in rank only to the Demon Kings among the top demonic forces.
They raised their flags high, commanding the offense, and their mighty army swept across the land.
As city after city fell to their rampage, and with the demons' relentless attacks, the accusations made by the high-ranking Buddhist officials, blaming the emperor for showing bias and offering protection, were instantly shattered.
A single imperial decree could only convince the world, but the ravaging demons before their eyes made many Buddhist disciples realize that their Buddha Lord had indeed been slain by the demons!
After all, those demons were shouting it from the rooftops!
They had no choice but to believe it.
...
In You State, at the Xia family residence.
Secret reports from various states and cities poured in, and in the hall where discussions were taking place, Xia Linglong, who had received reassurance from that eunuch, had just returned from the imperial palace.
At this moment, demons were wreaking havoc everywhere, raising their banners as if they were about to launch a full-scale attack on the Great Yu, causing panic among the people.
"Could it really be the Demon Emperor's doing?"
Many members of the Xia family were astonished. They had thought it was that young man who had killed the Buddha Lord, never expecting there to be another hidden truth.
A hint of shock flashed in the eyes of Xia Yuansu and the other elders.
Their family had done quite a few things for His Majesty, and that elder sister-in-law was skilled in taming demons; some matters were kept confidential. They had only caught wind of some rumors, which they couldn't disclose.
But now... the situation before them seemed to confirm some of the whispers they had heard before.
Xia Linglong was a little dazed. The reassurance she had received from that eunuch earlier had calmed her, but the current situation... was this the backup that His Majesty had promised General Haotian?
Her thoughts wandered until the discussion below concluded, and someone asked how they should send troops to deal with the demons invading some of the cities in You State where Buddhist disciples had gathered.
Xia Linglong snapped back to attention, her mind racing as she considered the situation before responding, "Now that the demons are causing chaos, we must be vigilant in other places as well. Let the city guards on that side cooperate with the Buddhist disciples to hold their ground. You will lead the troops to defend the other cities and prevent the demons from diverting our attention."
The crowd was taken aback, looking at Xia Linglong with confusion.
Instead of aiding the cities currently under attack, she was deploying troops to guard other cities that were safe and sound?
This decision seemed odd no matter how one looked at it, unlike something Xia Linglong would suggest.
"This..."
Someone hesitated, and the debate began anew.
Before Xia Linglong could speak, Xia Yuansu glared at them and said, "Didn't you hear? Do as the family head says. Do you know more, or does the family head know more?"
Seeing that the elders were of the same mind, those who had questioned earlier fell silent. They immediately understood that there must be another reason for this decision.
After all, the intelligence they had access to was different from what the family head possessed.
And being from a military background, they knew that possessing accurate intelligence was key to seizing the initiative. Only decisions made based on reliable intelligence were the correct ones. Otherwise, rushing in with a passionate desire to help could disrupt the higher-ups' plans and make matters worse.
Having engaged in warfare for a long time, they had heard of numerous military cases where thousands of soldiers were used as bait to lure the enemy out and then counterattack to recapture a city, ultimately achieving a great victory.
Sacrifices were inevitable in war, and these sacrifices included not just charging into battle but also luring, ambushing, and sending in death squads.
Hence, there was a saying that the first requirement in the military was obedience!
There were no more objections in the hall, and as the crowd dispersed to carry out their orders, Xia Linglong exchanged glances with her uncles, each understanding the other's thoughts.
Without saying anything further, Xia Linglong made her way deeper into the Xia family residence to meet with the old lady who lived in the farmhouse.
"There are indeed spies of His Majesty among the demons."
The old lady, seated in a rocking chair and full of wrinkles, uttered these surprising words, slowly revealing this hidden information to Xia Linglong.
Because when a person is aware of something, it becomes difficult to pretend otherwise. Moreover, when orders are given during prolonged military campaigns, the responses and strategies employed will inevitably reveal some cracks and expose the truth.
Thirdly, although she knew that the Emperor had control over some of the demons, she didn't know the specifics, so speaking about it would be meaningless.
Now, however, the Emperor had taken the initiative to reveal traces of his hidden agenda, and Xia Linglong also guessed that there was no longer any need for her to continue concealing it.
Hearing the words spoken by the old lady, Xia Linglong was stunned. Her stunningly beautiful face then showed shock and astonishment.
It was actually true!
That Emperor really hid his cards deep!
It seemed that this attack was also orchestrated by him.
If this got out, it would shatter the worldview and beliefs of countless people.
The human Emperor actually used demons to attack the city...
"Now, His Majesty has used the hidden pieces he planted a thousand years ago for that child. He truly dotes on him..."
The old lady rocked in her chair and sighed softly, a hint of envy flashing in her eyes.
Who in this world could receive such favor from the Emperor?
Perhaps not even his brothers or those imperial princes had received such attention...
Xia Linglong was a little dazed and didn't respond.
The old lady glanced at her and said softly, "Do you find it unbelievable? When His Majesty summoned me to discuss this matter, I was as shocked as you are now. But soon after, I was so impressed by His Majesty that I was left speechless."
Xia Linglong fixed her gaze on the old lady.
The old lady continued, "Can we kill all the demons in the world? Obviously not. If the Great Yu Dynasty is a piece of juicy meat, then there will always be flies coveting it."
"But if this piece of meat is already surrounded by flies, will new flies try to join in?"
"No..."
Xia Linglong was stunned, feeling goosebumps all over her body, and the hairs on her body stood on end.
Was this the layout of that Emperor?
"...those demonic forces..." She opened her mouth slightly.
"If I'm not mistaken, most of them have His Majesty's hidden agents within, allowing him to grasp the movements of the demons at any time. His plan is for these hidden agents to one day directly replace the leaders of the demon factions. If I'm right, then the Star Moon Academy should be the deepest-rooted piece he has planted among the demons."
The old lady's eyes shone as she spoke softly.
Xia Linglong felt her scalp tingle. She had never imagined that the Emperor was so formidable and cunning.
"Since His Majesty has such hidden agents, why didn't he...in recent years, with the constant battles, why didn't he..."
Xia Linglong's thoughts raced, and she opened her mouth slightly. If the Emperor had utilized the intelligence from these hidden agents, their casualties could have been greatly reduced!
After all, among those who fell were powerful experts from the Five Great General Mansions.
The old lady shook her head slightly and said, "Precisely because the losses were so severe, these hidden agents were planted deeply. I'm afraid that even the Buddha Lord didn't expect the Emperor's heart to be so ruthless."
Xia Linglong was stunned once again.
"As for that Ninth Young Master of the Li family, if he hadn't been so hot-blooded, righteous, and impulsive, single-handedly breaking through the border and killing his way out, he wouldn't have perished. There was a trace of the Emperor's hidden agenda in that incident, but unfortunately..."
The old lady slowly shook her head. As she had always been paying attention to such matters, especially with her knowledge of some inside information, she was able to observe many traces that ordinary people couldn't see.
"In other words, the Buddha Lord was indeed killed by that General Haotian, but the Emperor...still favored him. Now, he's even willing to expose these hidden agents planted a thousand years ago for him?"
Xia Linglong felt that this was incredible. What kind of favoritism would lead to such actions?
Killing the second strongest person in the world without any suspicion or hesitation, and even exposing the hidden agents cultivated for many years because of him. Even that favored imperial prince might not receive such love! A complex emotion also flashed in the old lady's eyes.
"It is indeed extremely biased favoritism, but besides that, it's also because that young man is irreplaceable. With such talent, if he doesn't become a Saint, no one in the world will be able to. As for what's hard to understand, it's that the Emperor is so assured that he's willing to hand over this world to that child. He must see that young man as the future of the Dao lineage."
"The future Dao lineage!"
Xia Linglong's pupils contracted, and her blood seemed to boil.
These four words carried too much weight!
The Buddha Lord had plotted for two thousand years, spreading Buddhist temples throughout the cities, all for the sake of gaining one incense stick's worth of faith.
Over the years, the struggle between Buddhism and Taoism was ultimately for the position of the Dao lineage of the Great Yu, to inherit all the faith of the Great Yu.
Now, General Haotian would replace that Daoist from the Qian Dao Palace and become the object of worship for all the people of the Great Yu in the future?
With the emergence of a future Dao lineage, did it also mean that the current Dao Master... was nearing his end?
...
Aside from Youzhou, many figures in other regions were also observing the chaotic demon attacks that had erupted everywhere.
A few old fellows vaguely discerned some traces behind the demons' actions, but they didn't dare to be certain.
Perhaps only the Xia family could confirm, as they were skilled in sealing the demons' lifeline.
However, this matter obviously couldn't be tested; one must not touch the dragon's whiskers.
As the demons attacked places where Buddhists had gathered, the arhats within the Buddhist Sect were both shocked and furious, their faces twisted with rage.
Their Buddha Lord had just passed away, and now these demons dared to launch an offense. Moreover, their Buddha Lord had indeed been killed by these demons!
Many who had escaped from Wuliang Mountain and witnessed Li Hao killing the Buddha Lord now wavered in their beliefs. With the imperial decree issued earlier and the demons' flagrant attacks, coupled with the demons' notorious reputation for wickedness and sinister demon arts, public opinion quickly turned against the demons.
"Kill!"
"Avenge the Buddha Lord!"
"I am a merciful Buddhist, and I shall exterminate demons!"
Many Buddhist monks removed their kasaya and joined the battle against the demons.
At the same time, in the imperial palace.
The officials who had previously accused Li Hao were now trembling in fear, and some even claimed to be ill and stayed at home to avoid attending court sessions.
Emperor Yu sat firmly on his dragon throne and threw the investigation dossiers from the Demon Suppression Department and the Ministry of Justice onto the table.
"The truth has not yet been revealed, and yet you dared to slander a loyal subject and a capable general, even going so far as to suggest stripping him of his title and rank. Are you aware of your crimes?"
His Majesty's voice, though not loud, struck fear into the hearts of many.
How could they question now?
The Demon Suppression Department and the Ministry of Justice were both powerful departments. While the Li family headed the Ministry of Justice, and thus their bias could be suspected, the Demon Suppression Department was directly under the Emperor's control.
Moreover, news of the chaos in various cities had already spread quietly to the imperial city.
Now that the truth was out, who would dare to continue arguing?
Emperor Yu glared at the pale-faced officials, his cold harrumph making many of them feel their legs turn weak.
There were wails and cries in the grand hall as those who had received favors from the Buddhist Sect or held personal beliefs were dragged out.
They wanted to plead their case, but the Emperor clearly had no intention of listening.
In front of the Xuanhuang Gate, heads rolled, and blood splattered.
As the other officials left the palace and returned home, they could still see eunuchs cleaning up, but the blood, washed away by water, only spread further, becoming more noticeable and striking.
...
On the other hand, the purple-patterned graceful woman and the youth in the black robe, who had intended to collaborate with the Buddhist Sect to spread the truth, were shocked and furious when they received the news from Tianji Temple. They immediately ordered the demons to retreat.
Who had instructed the demons to take the fall for this matter, intending to crush that bothersome boy?
However, it was too late. The elders of the various demon forces had hurriedly summoned their followers, but the counterattack from the Great Yu Emperor was too swift and fierce. He had shattered their plans and refused to follow the path they had laid out.
It was said that the human heart was unpredictable and prone to suspicion, but the Emperor had not fallen into their trap. He had even gone so far as to expend a tremendous cost to protect that boy.
"I thought we were the only ones who had infiltrated the human race, but I never expected these damned humans to have planted their spies among us as well!" The black-robed youth exclaimed, his face reddening with anger. At this point, the Buddhist Sect was completely useless to them.
Even if they could still utilize the two Bodhisattvas and some of the Buddhist disciples, their strength was meager. A single Divine General Mansion could easily suppress them, and they were no match for the Great Yu Divine Dynasty.
Without the middle and lower-level Buddhist disciples inciting a riot, there would be no chaos. Forcibly rallying them now would only result in the beheading of the Bodhisattvas, the Buddhist disciples, and a few arhats who firmly believed in the truth. The rest had already turned their anger towards the demons.
"Those useless Buddhists..." The purple-patterned graceful woman's face twisted in displeasure. Ultimately, she chose to abandon further negotiations with the Buddhist Sect and returned to the secret temple outside the Great Yu State.
After explaining the situation, the two of them fell silent, along with the elderly man with the walking stick.
The death of the Buddha Lord was a significant event, yet the Great Yu Emperor had easily resolved it. The countless Buddhist disciples in the Ten States who had rioted were now, through the Emperor's clever strategy, transformed into a sharp spear pointed directly at the demons.
It was too ruthless.
"We should report this to the Holy Son and let him decide."
Demon Goat Venerable's eyes glinted with a fierce light. "Since he's feigning an attack, why don't we make it real?"
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone