I Killed Gods and Demons in Song Dynasty

Chapter 290 Yuxu Palace's Ambition
In the early morning, the city of Bianjing was still shrouded in a faint gray fog. The sun had just jumped out of the horizon, and the city walls and eaves showed mottled outlines in the morning light.

A breeze blew by, bringing with it a hint of chill, making one wonder whether it was early summer or late winter.

The soldiers guarding the city yawned, but did not dare to slack off. After all, the shadow of the foreign gods' power had been hovering over the border for these days, and no one knew when the next disaster would affect this prosperous capital.

A team of luxuriously dressed sedan chairs entered the city from the south gate. The accompanying guards were all wearing dark blue Taoist robes, with their backs straight and their steps solemn.

Wherever they passed, people looked at them sideways and whispered to each other.

Someone who knew the situation shouted in surprise:
"Look at the fluttering flag. Is it the god from the Jade Void Palace in the upper realm?"

Some people also cursed in a low voice, recalling the betrayal of the gods in Yuxu Palace in the past, and felt so angry that they had no place to vent.

Some people even hurriedly avoided it, as if they were afraid of getting into trouble.

The Taoist robe team ignored everyone's reactions and went straight towards the imperial city.

Melodic music could be faintly heard from the sedan, like the sound of a sandalwood flute, but it brought a cool feeling in this hot morning.

Several demigod attendants had indifferent expressions, as if they were accustomed to the sidelong glances and amazement of mortals.

Some people discussed privately:

"Wasn't Yuxu Palace defeated by Lord Li Qingyun and retreated to the God Realm? How dare they show up now?"

This scene was seen by the city defense troops not far away, and they couldn't help but become alert.

A few days ago, the palace issued a secret order to strictly prevent people claiming to be Taoist monks from sneaking in, but His Majesty the Emperor also hinted that if they saw them entering the capital in a high-profile manner, they should not make things too difficult for them.

Seeing that the other party had flags flying and a large formation, the leader of the city guards had no choice but to let them go. However, he was wondering in his heart: What are these Taoists trying to do?
At the same time, inside the palace, Emperor Renzong Zhao Zhen was sitting at his desk, his brows full of fatigue.

There have been a lot of things happening in the world recently: foreign gods have been attacking frequently, and people inside and outside the court are in panic. Li Qingyun's momentum has also been greatly reduced due to the abnormality in his body that he has sealed, and he is unable to do everything himself.

Zhao Zhen had to hand over a large amount of military affairs to generals such as Mu Guiying, but the border crisis still did not improve.

What is even more embarrassing is that the Taoist forces have returned like ghosts, and their restlessness is becoming more and more obvious, causing the already precarious situation of the Song Dynasty to fall into a vortex again.

A eunuch reported in a low voice:
"Your Majesty, the envoy from Yuxu Palace has arrived outside the palace and requests an audience."

Zhao Zhen put down the bamboo slips and his heart skipped a beat.

After a moment, he said in a deep voice:

"Please invite them into the temple."

He had discussed with Li Qingyun that the outer gods were approaching dangerously and the human world urgently needed help from all parties.

Although he knew very well that Yuxu Palace was not a good group, he had to deal with them temporarily and use the "delaying tactic" to buy a moment of respite.

But he still felt a little uneasy in his heart: How could Yuxu Palace, a sect that once rebelled, sincerely come to help?

When the palace door opened wide, all the civil and military officials in the hall turned their heads.

I saw four monks in Taoist robes walking in side by side. The one in the lead had white hair and beard, but no wrinkles on his face. He held a whisk in his hand and had an elegant demeanor.

He walked to the center of the hall without looking around, bowed to the emperor, and said softly:
"I am the Immortal Huanglong, following the order of Yuanshi Tianzun of Yuxu Palace, and have come to visit the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty to slay the demons and quell the rebellion together."

The voice was neither humble nor arrogant, but it revealed a hint of arrogance, as if the Golden Palace was just a passing cloud.

Some of the ministers present looked disdainful, while others were secretly wary.

The emperor remained calm, smiled and nodded:
"I have long heard that Yuxu Palace has profound immortal techniques that can help the world and save people. There are many troubles on the border right now, and I am in need of help from an expert. I hope Master Huanglong will not hesitate to lend a hand."

Huang Long Zhenren smiled kindly:

"Your Majesty, that's great. But recently, the foreign gods have invaded, and I couldn't bear to see mortals suffer, so I took the initiative to come to help. I hope to join hands with your country to protect peace on earth."

Someone among the civil servants sneered:

"Master, what you said sounds good. Back then, the Heavenly Master of your palace also said he would protect the world, but in the end, he secretly colluded with the forces of the spirit world and almost caused an irreparable disaster. I wonder if he really meant it when he came again today..."

Before he finished speaking, a Yuxu Palace disciple glared at him and shouted:
"Shut up! The defeat of Yuxu Palace that day was caused by some demons who took advantage of the situation and stigmatized us. How can I allow you to talk nonsense!"

This disciple was young, but had a hot temper, and he almost rushed to the center of the hall to argue.

Huang Long Zhenren hurriedly raised his whisk and signaled him to leave, but there was no panic in his expression. He just said calmly:
"The truth of that old story will come out someday. I came here only to resolve the current crisis. If your officials have doubts, that's fine. After all, I have my own way to prove my sincerity."

The emperor narrowed his eyes and looked at Master Huanglong with a little doubt.

At this time, Master Huanglong gently waved the whisk in his hand, and a light green breath spread in the hall, like a breeze blowing on the face, giving people a refreshing feeling.

Some people were surprised to feel that the old injury on their shoulder seemed to be healed, as if there was really some magical power to save the world.

Huang Long Zhenren said with a smile:
"This is a small breathing technique to help you temporarily relieve your fatigue. Although the outer gods are powerful, as long as your heart of Taoism is not extinguished, you will eventually be able to deal with them."

All the officials looked at each other, each thinking in their own mind: This Master Huanglong really has some real power, and is not like an ordinary charlatan.

The emperor also secretly felt that this person's cultivation was not low and he was definitely not an ordinary person.

But the more this is the case, the more vigilant we should be.

At this moment, a messenger sergeant rushed in, clasped his fists and said:
"Your Majesty, an unusual black fog has reappeared in the northern suburbs. According to scouts, there is a monster with a human body but a wolf head, and it is preying on the villagers!"

The implication was that the Outer Gods had a new tactic. The emperor frowned, thinking to himself that something was not going well.

Huang Long Zhenren immediately responded:

"Your Majesty, I would like to go and investigate and see if I can dispel the evil spirit and do my best to help."

Some officials in the court immediately agreed, thinking that this just proved the sincerity of Yuxu Palace.

The emperor thought for a moment and then said:
"Then I'd like to ask you to come. If you can really defeat the demon, I will be grateful."

Huang Long Zhenren bowed slightly:

"Your Majesty, don't worry."

He turned around and signaled to the disciples who were following him, and they all turned around and left the hall. The whisk swayed lightly with their footsteps, and he actually had a bit of an immortal air.

The emperor remained silent, but a warning bell was ringing in his heart: Why is Yuxu Palace working so hard? What is the purpose behind this?
Once they win the hearts of the people, I am afraid there will be another big change.

This scene was seen clearly by Li Qingyun who was standing in the side hall.

He originally looked pale, and now he looked even more tired.

Since the seal of "Ji", although he tried his best to support the government, it was difficult for him to show up all the time.

The emperor originally planned to discuss with him how to deal with Yuxu Palace, but the situation was changing rapidly, so he simply waited and watched for the time being, letting Zhenren Huanglong fight against the small group of monsters from the outer gods first to see what Yuxu Palace was planning.

Half a day later, the news came back: Huang Long Zhenren and four other Taoists were indeed fighting with the wolf-headed monster outside the city, and they used a set of mysterious Taoist techniques to drive away or kill the monster.

The people at the scene witnessed his divine power and bowed down in admiration, praising the Taoist magic.

In just a few hours, the rumor that "Yuxu Palace slew the demon and saved the people" spread in Bian Jing, and people in the market were talking about it. Some people even went to the Taoist's simple altar to burn incense and pray for protection and peace.

All these signs made Li Qingyun even more alert. He knew that the monks of Yuxu Palace would never simply "do what is right" so simply.

Most likely they want to establish their authority through this, and then take advantage of people's fear of foreign gods to gradually infiltrate the human world.

In addition, he was tortured by "silence" and his cultivation had not recovered. If he confronted Yuxu Palace head-on at this moment, it would be tantamount to forcing them to join the foreign god camp, which would become an even more terrifying hidden danger.

That night, deep in the palace.

Emperor Renzong Zhao Zhen secretly held a banquet in the imperial garden and invited Huanglong Zhenren and several important ministers to have a secret talk in an attempt to stabilize the attitude of Yuxu Palace.

Taoist Huanglong's robes fluttered in the wind, with a decent smile on his face. His words were full of humility, but his words hinted that Taoism was the orthodox force to protect the world.

The emperor smiled on the surface, but he was stern in his heart.

Sure enough, Huanglong Zhenren handed over a suggestion: Please ask Your Majesty to issue an order to officially open a "Taoist Altar" in Bian Jing and all prefectures and counties, so as to cast spells on a large scale to exorcise demons and protect the people.

Bao Zheng couldn't help but question when he heard this:

"If this is the case, won't the people of the world have to rely on the power of the Taoist sect? Where will the prestige of the court be in the future?"

Master Huanglong flicked his whisk and said with a slow smile:
"Please forgive me, Lord Bao. We have no intention of fighting with the imperial court. We are just concerned about the people's livelihood. Moreover, the attacks of foreign gods have been going on for a long time, and the people are in urgent need of religious protection. If we can save millions of lives through this, wouldn't it be a merit?"

Zhao Zhen drank a cup of imperial wine silently and nodded vaguely:

"What the Master said... does make some sense. I need to discuss this with you all, and we cannot make a hasty decision."

Zhenren Huanglong did not press him any further. He just stood up gracefully, saluted, and then took his leave.

After he left, Zhao Zhen's face suddenly turned gloomy.

The accompanying ministers were also muttering: If Taoist altars were really spread throughout the Song Dynasty, it would undoubtedly give Yuxu Palace a wide influence, and might even shake the imperial power in the future.

But now foreign gods are approaching and people's hearts are in turmoil. If the imperial court forcibly suppresses Taoism, there is no guarantee that the people will not turn to the other side, making the situation even more chaotic.

At this time, someone whispered:
"How about asking Li Zhenshen to come forward first? After all, his deterrent power is greater than that of the Taoist sect?"

The emperor shook his head slightly:

"Lord Li has not recovered yet. Any battle with the Dao Sect may give the foreign gods an advantage. Alas, we can only pretend to be accommodating for the time being and wait and see what happens next."

So it was agreed that if Yuxu Palace could once again kill foreign gods and monsters and make meritorious deeds, they would be allowed to set up a temporary altar in Bian Jing as a stopgap measure.

In this way, the emperor and Li Qingyun could both delay for a while so that the situation in the entire city would not get out of control.

But everyone knows that this is a stopgap measure and may even lead to disaster.

In the next few days, more monks in Taoist robes appeared on the streets of Bianjing.

Some of them walked the streets, curing diseases and exorcising evil spirits for the poor; some sat high on simple Taoist altars, preaching the "law of salvation", claiming that Yuxu Palace reshaped the Taoist tradition and intended to spread the doctrine in the world. Such good deeds won many supporters from the people. Although some people remembered the past mistakes of the Taoist sect, they were now afraid of foreign gods and threw themselves into the embrace of the Taoist sect, hoping to be protected by immortal arts.

Such a situation made the emperor and his ministers extremely worried, but they still had to cater to them on the surface; Li Qingyun, however, observed everything in an even more anxious silence.

He sent the Three Heroes and Five Gallants of Kaifeng Prefecture and the land immortals on the Tiangang List several times to secretly investigate the whereabouts of the Taoists. He found that they were not only winning the hearts of the people, but were also secretly searching for some relics or earth veins, as if preparing to build a larger sacrificial formation.

On this day, Wang Xuanfu really brought news quietly: in a ruin in the north of the city, dozens of Taoists were seen digging deep pits underground in the middle of the night, and it seemed that they were setting up an array formation.

What’s even more terrifying is that black fog emerges from time to time, as if someone is performing an evil sacrifice.

As soon as this news reached Li Qingyun's ears, he immediately felt a warning: Yuxu Palace might not only want to gather believers in the open, but also want to obtain unpredictable power through dark sacrifices or collusion with foreign gods.

If it succeeds, the world may face even greater disasters.

But when he wanted to go and investigate in person, he suddenly felt a stinging pain in the gray mist in his body when he used his divine power. The seal of "Silence" was not stable yet, and he almost vomited blood in the middle of the process.

As a last resort, they had to send He Xiangu and Han Xiangzi out again, leading the puppets in the Buzhou Divine Mountain in their bodies to attack the ruins at night.

But when the group arrived, they saw only messy holes and traces of remaining runes, and the building was already empty.

He Xiangu picked up the broken stone slab and saw strange symbols engraved on it, which implied a kind of cold aura that made her heart numb.

When she returned to the city to report, Li Qingyun just sighed deeply.

Now the details of Yuxu Palace remain a mystery, and he himself is unable to take action. For the time being, he has no evidence to expose the other party's conspiracy, nor can he stop it completely.

In addition, the foreign gods had been roaring at the border for a long time, the army continued to be dispatched outward, and the court was unable to take care of the internal affairs, so the Yuxu Palace took the opportunity to expand its power.

After a few more days, the people of Bianjing began to panic: some people rumored that some Taoists could actually summon ghost soldiers to punish mortals, and some people said that they saw a mysterious figure in a dark green robe wandering at the end of the alley in the middle of the night, chanting a difficult ancient spell, which seemed to summon a pair of scarlet eyes to spy from the void.

Considering the recent outbreaks of small-scale epidemics and floods in the suburbs, many people have a vague sense that there seems to be someone behind these disasters.

At this time, Huanglong Zhenren came out again, set up a "Taoist altar" and cast talismans and arrays for the people, temporarily curbing the spread of the epidemic in several places and winning applause.

Even rumors began to spread in the city that "Taoism is the immortal sect that saves the world, but Lord Li Qingyun is gradually losing his supernatural power and can no longer be relied upon."

Late one night, a heavy rain came down, accompanied by thunder and lightning, which made the ghostly shadows on the eaves of the palace sway.

Li Qingyun sat quietly in the back hall of the headquarters, the candle in front of him burning dimly, reflecting his slightly pale face.

He Xiangu, Wang Xuanfu, Mu Guiying and others stood by with melancholy expressions.

Zhao Zhen also sent an imperial envoy to ask for advice, hoping to quickly expose the conspiracy of Yuxu Palace, or directly eliminate those Taoist temples that were secretly causing chaos.

Li Qingyun slowly closed his eyes, and the shadow of a gray palace appeared in his mind.

He smiled bitterly:

"If my divine power had not been restored, this matter could have been resolved with one strike. But now I have to endure it. The other party can not only drive external forces, but also manipulate disasters. If we attack forcefully, I am afraid that Yuxu Palace will take the people as hostages, putting the court in a dilemma."

Mu Guiying couldn't help but say:
"But if we let this go on, the people will be brainwashed by them, and it will be even more difficult to deal with them in the future."

Li Qingyun nodded slowly:
"I understand. So we need to find another way to make them reveal their true intentions. Perhaps, the secret sacrificial formation is the flaw."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at each other and seemed to see a glimmer of hope: as long as they found the real sinister altar of Yuxu Palace and made its conspiracy public, they could use the power of the people to disintegrate the power of Taoism.

As for the attack from the outer gods, Li Qingyun, who had been gathering strength, would resist it with all his might.

But this process still involves great risks.

The night rain became more violent, as if whipping the roof tiles.

Suddenly, a flash of purple lightning streaked across the sky in the distance, making people seem to see dark clouds rolling outside the city, as if a huge shadow was moving.

Li Qingyun looked in that direction and felt an inexplicable chill in his heart: it seemed that in addition to the Yuxu Palace, there was a deeper echo that faintly resonated with the "silent" heartbeat in his body.

Perhaps, the Taoist sect has already reached some kind of deal with the outer gods, and is just waiting for the opportunity to swallow up the Song Dynasty and the human world in one fell swoop.

Sure enough, on the next morning, spies in the palace reported: strange noises were heard in the suburbs, the earth was shaking, and it seemed that a magic circle was operating.

But when the imperial guards arrived, they saw the whole place in a mess. A large piece of fertile land had been dug into a giant pit. In the center, there were evil runes remaining, emitting eerie light. It looked like a summoning circle leading to the dark abyss, which was chilling.

There was no sign of people or Taoist priests, but there were traces of blood on the ground, suggesting that someone had performed a human sacrifice.

When Mu Guiying got off the horse, her stomach almost churned. The scene of blood and runes was like the most terrifying nightmare.

When Li Qingyun got the news, he clenched and unclenched his fists.

He endured the dull pain in his chest and, while comforting Mu Guiying, informed the emperor: Yuxu Palace is by no means a bright and merciful group. They have been conducting secret sacrifices in multiple locations. Perhaps their purpose is to borrow the power of external gods in exchange for unpredictable potential energy, and then launch a heavy blow to the court and himself at a critical moment.

But Zhao Zhen was in a dilemma, and the people did not fully believe the accusation. After all, Yuxu Palace killed monsters and saved people in broad daylight, which was a good image. However, these bloody and hidden scenes were witnessed by a few soldiers and officials, and there were no widespread witnesses. If the court acted rashly but could not produce hard evidence, it might give Yuxu Palace an excuse to accuse the emperor and Li Qingyun of excluding dissidents, leading to greater chaos inside and outside the court.

Li Qingyun took a deep breath and told his subordinates to do the work first and then collect and organize it.

Although it may seem weak, it can deliver a fatal blow at a critical moment.

Mu Guiying and others took the order and left.

At this time, Li Qingyun watched them leave, and suddenly he felt a hidden pain climbing up his head again: the gray mist in his body was churning, and he could see the gloomy faces of Taoist priests such as Huanglong Zhenren, and the terrifying crawling black shadow in the palace corridor.

He vaguely felt that two dark forces were working together to tear the world into an abyss of despair.

At midnight, the emperor sent a eunuch to hand him a secret decree: temporarily show courtesy to Yuxu Palace, but closely monitor its actions. If there is conclusive evidence, eliminate it immediately at all costs.

He held the secret decree in his hands, feeling no joy at all, only a heavy feeling as heavy as a mountain.

At present, the danger from external gods, the ambitions of the Taoist sect, and the undercurrent of "loneliness" within himself are overlapping, almost suffocating him.

However, he is, after all, a powerful true god who has experienced countless dangers, and there is still a glimmer of unyielding spirit in his heart.

He closed the secret decree, gritted his teeth and said to the eunuch:

"Your Majesty, please be at ease. I will collect more clues and eradicate this cancer for the Song Dynasty."

The eunuch left respectfully. Li Qingyun stood alone in the courtyard, looking at the grayish-blue waning moon in the sky, which seemed to be half covered by an invisible shadow, and the light was dim. Under this cold moonlight, he quietly lit a small oil lamp.

The flame of the lamp trembled, silently resisting the beating of the night wind, but it still stubbornly remained burning.

“No matter how dangerous the situation is, someone has to go there.”

He thought of the Taoist monks' falsely compassionate faces, the cruelty of the bloody altar in the middle of the night, and the confusion of the emperor and the people under heavy pressure.

There are many difficulties ahead, but even the biggest conspiracy has flaws.

He must grasp that faint clue in order to light a ray of light for the people before darkness falls.

Outside the courtyard, the wind blew through the bamboo forest, making a rustling sound, and in the moonlight it seemed as if a group of human figures were swaying.

If you look closely, you can vaguely detect a few figures in Taoist robes standing on the rooftop in the distance, staring coldly at Li Qingyun's mansion, like giant beasts spying on their prey.

However, they did not approach rashly, perhaps because they were afraid of Li Qingyun's strength, or perhaps they were waiting for a more perfect opportunity.

A deeper storm is brewing.

The ambition of Yuxu Palace is not limited to establishing a religion in Bian Jing. Now they are secretly colluding with foreign gods, refining evil formations, and winning over the court. They not only want to overthrow the reputation of the True God Li Qingyun, but perhaps also want to completely control the destiny of the world.

Thinking of this, Li Qingyun grasped the hilt of the knife, and a sharp murderous intent emerged in his heart.

As long as there is still a glimmer of sword light, he will not sit idly by and watch this evil shadow engulf the Song Dynasty.

The "silence" in the palace may be a thorn in his heart, but he is confident that as long as he gets through this period of weakness, he will have a chance to break through again.

It can not only kill foreign gods, but also destroy Taoist conspiracies.

The next morning, the whole city of Bianjing was busy again.

Taoist monks have set up stalls in the streets, performing spells on the sick and earning money from incense; Taoists can also be seen walking in front of various city gates, and rumors of entanglement with the remnants of foreign gods are more frequent.

In this interweaving of superficial order and undercurrents, no one could predict whether the next moment would be the Yuxu Palace showing off its power even further, or the imperial court would issue a secret order to attack and wipe out the Taoist sect in one fell swoop.

But no matter what, the curtain has been opened, and when the time comes, war will break out and blood will fly everywhere.

Li Qingyun walked silently in the market, watching the various people. Some people bowed to him, still admiring him; others took a detour and retreated, obviously wavering about the Taoism or the rumors.

He sighed secretly but said nothing more.

His divine power is no longer at its peak, but his will is still there. When the final showdown comes, he will pick up his sword again and cut off the root of this chaotic world.

Thinking of this, he walked away gradually, disappearing in the crowd, leaving behind only a slightly lonely but tenacious figure.

The air around was chilly, as if there was an undercurrent roaring, heading towards an even greater storm.

In a ruin somewhere outside the city, Zhenren Huanglong and several Taoists stood solemnly in front of the altar. Runes beside them flickered ominously, and black steam rose from the deep pit, like another door leading to the abyss.

Master Huang Long sneered and whispered to himself:
"Li Qingyun, when your injury is difficult to heal, it will be the day when my Yuxu Palace will be completely revived. When the power of the outer gods is at my disposal, how can this world allow you to dominate again?"

As he finished speaking, the ground shook slightly and a strange red light flashed at the bottom of the pit, as if huge tentacles were rolling inside.

Wisps of blood-red mist rose up and quietly merged with the dark clouds above.

There seemed to be thunder rumbling in the distance among the mountains. The Song Dynasty seemed to be shrouded in even greater storms.

In the courtyard where Li Qingyun was, the lights flickered on and off, like candlelight swaying in the wind. Despite all the obstacles, he had to hold on until the last moment.

There is no way back, and no looking back. The ambitions of Yuxu Palace, the invasion of the outer gods, and the undercurrent of "silence" in his body will soon usher in an earth-shaking collision...

……

(End of this chapter)