Since June, the imperial palace has issued a decree that so monks falsely claiming to follow the Righteous Path are deceiving the people into worshipping using the na of the Green Lake Water God, when in fact they are under the influence of an Evil God. The Evil God corrupts the hearts of n and harms their yin de. Private worship by the people is prohibited and, once discovered, will lead to fines and labor service. Anyone who reports a household engaging in such worship to the governntal office will be rewarded with ten pieces of silver.
This move caused a ripple across Jiangnan, with the populace disbelieving, especially in Yuhang, questioning what turned their protective deity into an Evil God.
Yet, Master Taicheng of Jinhua Temple and Master Hui Quan of Yufu Temple personally traveled to Jiangnan to speak and eliminate evil spirits, strongly confirming that the Green Lake Water God had given birth to evil spirits. Worshiping these evil spirits was akin to personal servitude to evil and would not end well.
Exterminating evil naturally suppressed those monks setting up the Water God, and those who stubbornly continued down their path were imprisoned and had their cultivation abolished; the most defiant were reconciled on the spot.
Indeed, for those entrenched in the Evil God faction, those irredeemable by the Righteous Path faced either crippling or death, subdued by thunderous thods.
Those joining this exorcism campaign included two senior Daoists as leaders, followed by many fellow Daoists, notably so quite young, such as the newly honored Junior Temple Master of Li City Qingping Temple, Xuan Yi, who received many valuable Scripture Scrolls and magical artifacts from the New Emperor.
He is the eldest disciple of Master Buqiu, extraordinarily gifted, having entered Enlightennt for less than ten years yet has shown astonishing talents. As Master Taicheng said, he and his master are born with Dao seeds, with profound understanding of the Xuann Five Skills.
He is indifferent and decisive; when confronting opponents in combat, he uses the least moves possible, wasting no talismans as if they cost him nothing. Why say this?
Because encountering cunning and challenging evil paths, he sets up an array craftily while fighting, trapping them, then tosses a few Five Thunder Talismans, executing a great Five Thunders Bombing, leaving no escape.
This strategy is clever, making people believe Qingping Temple’s resources are vast.
The crucial point is that so extravagant with Five Thunder Talismans—the magical artifacts he uses seem like treasures able to be worthy of display in high towers. He employs them freely, akin to wielding a kitchen knife.
Rumor has it that the magical artifacts he uses are made for him by his master, tailor-crafted, leading others to wonder if the master still accepts disciples?
They too yearn for such a generous master.
Even if the master doesn’t, this little Taoist must inherit the master’s teachings and accept disciples, right? Are they worthy?
Cultivation can be pursued anywhere, and the ancestors of Qingping Temple were indeed a major sect. Their desire is for genuine lineage, certainly not for abundant resources.
"Zhaozhao, do you feel a lump in your throat?" Little Ginseng poked Teng Zhao, pouting his lips, saying, "Look at those people; they look at you as if you’re a piece of juicy at they want to gobble down."
Teng Zhao followed his direction and said, "The term lump in the throat isn’t used this way; it should be like thorns on one’s back. You shouldn’t just play daily; you’ll need to read more books."
Little Ginseng choked: "Are you mocking for being illiterate?"
"I’m afraid you’ll laughable and lose face," Teng Zhao said indifferently. "Reading opens the mind and understands principle—only good, no harm."
Little Ginseng mumbled, "Which ginseng needs to read books?"
"How many ginsengs beco human?" Teng Zhao countered.
Little Ginseng: Right, right, you’re absolutely right!
He glanced at the people opposite, saying: "Let’s go. If we don’t leave now, I think they’ll rush up to recognize you as their father!"
Teng Zhao nodded, needing to vanquish a few more demons. Doing so can expedite his growth, from dueling opponents, knowing one’s shortcomings to improve thereafter.
"I wonder what the Great Demon King Xixi’s situation is now. There’s an impending storm feeling," Little Ginseng glanced at the scorching Taiyang and sighed.
Teng Zhao slightly pressed his lips, saying, "Just do what we should."
"True."
The man and the ginseng bid farewell to other Daoists, heading to another site to exorcise evil and defend the Dao.
Days passed amid the evil eradication, Jiangnan’s situation beca tense, as the court aggressively intervened in the mission, leading to sweeping changes among Jiangnan’s official system, leveraging the opportunity to confiscate several entrenched powerful families and their intertwined networks, significantly replenishing the national treasury, and consolidating the New Emperor’s regi.
So inevitably wondered if it’s the treasury gone mad, thus the Saint orchestrated such an ostensibly demon-slaying campaign to whittle down obstinate old bureaucrats of Jiangnan and bolster the treasury, while replacing its system with trusted officials, thereby strengthening imperial power.
If so, then the Saint’s young and inscrutable mind is quite so.
Qi Qian: I truly just intend to exterminate evil and demon paths!
Yet he didn’t anticipate such an effect; indeed, as Feng Xiu said, eliminating troubleso elents, sidelining so prickly individuals also bolstered the treasury, no longer dreading encountering Minister Qian who seeks silver.
Though able to breathe a sigh of relief, it’s far from enough—many places still require silver extensively.
By September, collaborating with the court, monks and Taoists, fewer people worshiped the Water God, and many statues were burned, even tearing down the Green Lake temple. At least openly, they dared not worship, fearing confidentiality’s consequences leading to familial doom.
Especially those village punks and ruffians targeting this aspect, knowing reporting grants silver rewards—far better than thievery, scam, and deceit?
Of course, so tried to fabricate such matters for rewards, but governntal offices aren’t foolish; if discovered, their punishnt far outweighs worshiping evil gods, discouraging testing boundaries.
With sufficiently stringent asures, even harboring resentnt, the populace dared not gamble life against governntal offices. Should anyone attempt such insanity, they’d be showcased as pri examples of those under evil spirit control.
However, as with all things, pros and cons exist—such actions aren’t conducive to the New Emperor’s favor among the people, perceived as overly authoritarian without empathy, even taking advantage of god worship.
Voices of critique reached Qi Qian, who shrugged them off, despising matters of reputation compared to governing the ss. He remained decisively aloof.
Moreover, ordinary folk were unaware of potential existential threats—surely unbeknownst to him?
As long as he fulfills Qin Liuxi’s entrustnt and remains unwavering, sustaining his conscience.
High officials, aware of court affairs, praised the New Emperor; they welcod a decisive ruler over an inept one, preferring executionable plans, carrying the vessel forward.
Lin Xiang found resonance; perhaps that’s why soone favored Qi Qian.
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