My Wife Is The Leader Of A Demonic Cult

56  Chapter 56 The Human Emperor's Plot to Bring Buddhism to the East n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

September 27th, the Ullambana Festival (fabricated for the novel, please do not apply to reality).

Auspicious: Starting a business, initiating construction, opening shop, cooking.

Taboo: Moving house, settling into a new home, digging, traveling.

With the change of seasons, the air had turned somewhat chilly.

But the area outside Yu State City and around the Three Temple Mountain was bustling, with travelers visible all along the mountain roads.

The Ullambana Festival, originally a festival from the Western Regions, is a day when everyone pays homage to their parents and commemorates their ancestors; it's one of Buddhism's sacrificial festivals.

Because Buddhism thrived during the Great Zhou Dynasty and was valued and appreciated by successive Zhou emperors, the Ullambana Festival became widely celebrated during the Zhou Dynasty, with many eager to emulate the tradition.

However, as the Zhou Dynasty fragmented and disintegrated, Buddhism's status in Great Yan gradually declined, even facing resistance from many sects, leading to the gradual decay of Buddhism. Most Buddhist sects retreated to the Western Regions, resulting in their sacrificial practices and festivals dwindling as well.

But today seemed different, with throngs of pedestrians converging along the way, moving slowly like ants towards Fa Xi Temple atop Three Temple Mountain, making it much livelier than previous Ullambana Festivals.

For today was not only the Buddhist Ullambana Festival but also the grand meeting called by Cao Gang to denounce the Demon Sect. Although the Ghost Swordsman of the Demon Sect had died, the campaign against the Demon Sect still had to be waged.

Inside the Scripture Storage Hall, Fa Zhi sat on a meditation cushion, his eyes slightly closed as he recited the scriptures.

The young monk Fa Wu, with his rosy lips and white teeth, was also deeply focused.

"Master Fa Zhi, long time no see."

Just then, a deep voice came from outside the hall.

Outside the hall, the man appeared to be in his forties, with his eyes as tranquil as the abyss and a face devoid of any expression, as cold as the ice on a snowy mountain. His wide red cloak further accentuated his solitary chill. Hanging around his waist was a token made of yellow jade, engraved with the character 'Xuan'.

Upon seeing the man, Fa Wu felt an extreme chill engulf his entire body, as if he had abruptly gone from the coolness of autumn to the harsh cold of winter.

Behind the icy man followed three Gold Constables clad in black cloaks, with Hong Yuanwu among them.

"Our first meeting was in the seventh year of Xingping; now it's the thirteenth year of Xingping. Six years have passed in the blink of an eye."

Feeling quite nostalgic, Fa Zhi stood up and said, "Governor Gan, you are as consistent as ever. Aside from progress in martial arts, your appearance hasn't changed much."

In Great Yan, those involved in Jianghu must first understand the sharpest blade and weapon of the current Human Emperor, the Xuanyi Guard.

Indeed, it was because of the Xuanyi Guard that the Human Emperor could sleep without worry, for it can be said that the Xuanyi Guard is like a sharp blade dangled by the Human Emperor over Jianghu.

The Xuanyi Guard is divided into four tiers of experts: Jade, Gold, Silver, and Bronze. Among them, the Gold tier comprises seventy-two experts, known as the Heavenly Gang Seventy Two Evil. Each one possesses Second Grade peak cultivation, and almost all have the strength to enter the Tiger List, but since they hold official positions, they are not listed on the Jianghu Dragon and Tiger List.

Next are the Jade tier experts. There are thirty-six of them, collectively referred to as the Great Heavenly Gang.

The Jade tier experts are even more formidable. The lowest among them possess First Grade cultivation, and many have reached the Human Flower or Earth Flower realm.

Each year, the Court attracts Jianghu masters to join the Xuanyi Guard. If a member of the Heavenly Gang or Earthly Evils is killed in battle, someone immediately fills the vacancy, ensuring an abundant reserve of personnel for the Xuanyi Guard, astonishing all Jianghu forces.

The reputation of the Xuanyi Guard in Jianghu is thunderous and awe-inspiring. As the Human Emperor's tool to deal with Jianghu, its significance goes without saying—it eliminates those in Great Yan who are restless.

Any power in Jianghu would dread a visit from the Xuanyi Guard, even the top forces of the Seven Great Sects.

This cold man before them was one of the Thirty Six Great Heavenly Gang, the star of the Heavenly Prison, Gan Yue.

Fa Wu looked at Gan Yue with puzzlement, wondering how his senior fellow disciple could have an old acquaintance with this chilly person. It was Xingping six back then, and he would have been only two years old.

"Master Fa Zhi flatters me."

Gan Yue said indifferently, "A face is nothing more than a layer of skin."

Fa Zhi brought his palms together and whispered, "Lord Gan has profound spiritual insights, which is extremely rare. His achievements in the future are boundless."

"To advance even further is something I dare not think about."

Gan Yue waved his hand, "I am here on orders to assist the master in suppressing the evil here. What is the current situation?"

At that time, he was one of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang, a top expert of the Xuanyi Guard. Placed in Jianghu, he also possessed First Grade cultivation, where advancing even a step further would be extremely difficult.

Fa Zhi's brows furrowed, and then he sighed, "In recent days, the Yin energy has dissipated, and with the collapse of the Buddha statue yesterday, I fear that this evil being will come into the world. In my opinion, this is merely a sign, or rather, a warning."

Gan Yue, seeing Fa Zhi's face so solemn, couldn't help but ask, "What exactly is this evil being??"

The monk before him was the head of the Great Sun Temple at Leiyin Temple, one of the Eighteen Arhats of the Western Regions.

To be called an Arhat in the Western Regions, one must at least have reached the realm of the First Grade Human Flower, with unfathomable power. Even he might not be able to fully comprehend it, yet the person before him wore such a grave expression, which was enough to indicate the terror of the being sealed.

"I am not quite clear myself, as many ancient texts have been lost, and many things are not clearly recorded in them."

Fa Zhi shook his head, "However, this seal is a relic of the Zhou Dynasty. Besides Fa Xi Temple, there are other places that also contain this evil being. Once the evil being emerges from the seal, it will bring about a disaster of epic proportions."

"A disaster of epic proportions?!"

Upon hearing this, Gan Yue couldn't help but recall an event from a few years ago.

Back then, in the Imperial Study Room, one of the Emperor's three eunuchs in charge of swordsmen, Eunuch Guang De, inquired about how to contain the current Zhenyi Sect, and Gan Yue, as a listening attendant, had the fortune to stand on the scene.

He clearly remembered what the Human Emperor said: If there are five monkeys and you have five peaches, if you give each monkey a peach, they are bound to be dissatisfied with their master. However, if you only offer four peaches, they will engage in internal strife instead, and they will treat their master with utmost respect.

If An Jing were here, he would understand the deeper implications, the Human Emperor of Great Yan was merely transforming class contradictions into internal conflicts.

Nowadays, the seven major sects of the world occupy the vast majority of Jianghu. Within this majority, the Zhenyi Sect, honored as the National Religion, is tremendously influential, holding sway over half of Jianghu.

As the Emperor, how could he possibly be willing to see the Zhenyi Sect dominate Jianghu? While the Sect Leader of the Zhenyi Sect contributed significantly and the number one person in the world residing in Zhenyi Mountain held a close relationship with him.

But in the world of men, an Emperor remains an Emperor.

Buddhism from the Western Regions withdrew from the lands of Great Yan during the chaos of the Nine Kingdoms. Now that the country is thriving and stable, if Buddhism is reintroduced, it would be like throwing a huge stone into the chaotic waters of Jianghu, stirring up a storm.

The reintroduction of Buddhism carries too many advantages in various aspects.

According to historical records, during the Taiping Era, Buddhism should flourish to stabilize the nation. Moreover, the return of Buddhism could curb the expansion of the Zhenyi Sect, even humble its arrogance, and resist the possible resurgence of the Demon Sect.

It is said that the Western Regions boast of Three Thousand Buddha Countries, and although this might be an exaggeration, there are indeed numerous Buddhist sects there, divided into Zen and Esoteric sects, with numerous experts, not inferior even compared to the Zhenyi Sect.

In addition, this could suppress the unknown seals left by the Zhou Dynasty. Even though Buddhism knows this is a deliberate strategy, for the sake of spreading Buddhist teachings in their ancestral lands, they have to jump in regardless.

And the Human Emperor had already started planning such a sophisticated game years ago, which is truly admirable.

Fa Zhi pondered for a long moment, then said, "I suspect that the loosening of this seal may also be the work of someone with ulterior motives. I ask for Lord Gan to be more vigilant."

In his heart, Fa Zhi guessed it to be the work of the Demon Sect, but he did not say it aloud.

"A human cause?!"

Gan Yue's eyes narrowed into slits as he chuckled coldly, "Does someone want to disturb the peace of the world?"