If you don't give up, I'd like to be your adoptive father.

Chapter 1211 The Kind-hearted Grand Tutor Yu
Stared at with questioning eyes by a group of powerful deities and immortals, the Jade Emperor felt a little uneasy.

However, his expression remained calm and composed as he said, "The Dao Ancestor has ordered that Buddhism and the Heavenly Court discuss this matter together."

Moreover, as you just mentioned.

If only the immortals of the Xuanmen sect follow the heavenly rules, all cultivators in the world will surely leave the Xuanmen sect and turn to other religions.

Now, the Buddhist sect is willing to abide by the new Heavenly Laws together with our Xuanmen sect, and is even willing to send Buddhas and Arhats to the Heavenly Court to help us suppress the Three Realms and punish those who defy the Heavenly Laws.

Isn't this a good thing?
Although Buddhism and Taoism are different, they are both orthodox religions. We have had many exchanges in the past and are all fellow practitioners.

There are countless fellow practitioners of the Xuanmen school who also practice Buddhism.

Since we're all like-minded people with similar interests, why be so formal?

Even the good-natured Barefoot Immortal couldn't help but say, "Nowadays, there are only a few ascetic monks in the land of China, and even fewer temples."

Only in the northwestern border region, within the area designated by the emperor, were a few temples built.

If Arhats and Bodhisattvas enter the Heavenly Court and become 'immortals', wouldn't that mean that Buddhism is about to spread widely in Jambudvipa?

Will Buddhist temples appear throughout China in the foreseeable future?

—Our hometown has been robbed, how can we tolerate this? If you really want to join Buddhism, then don't be the "Lord of Heaven," this is the "divine duty" of our Xuanmen (Taoist sect).

Seeing the hostile looks in the eyes of the gods and immortals, the Heavenly Emperor sneered inwardly: This is a contest between me and the Dao Ancestor, how dare you gods and immortals object?

He remained silent, only looking at Guanyin Bodhisattva.

Buddhism wants to enter China, and now is the time to show its strength.

Guanyin said softly, “There are many Taoists in the Western Spirit Mountain. Some of you have converted to Buddhism, while others are just studying Buddhist teachings to explore their own path to immortality, a path that has already been cut off.”

Many of these fellow Daoists left behind their lineages in the West, passing down the profound Dao of Xuanmen.

The Taiyi Xuanmen sect takes the pursuit of the Great Dao as its highest ideal. Is the Dao in Buddhism not part of the Great Dao?

Of course, the Buddhist teachings are only passed on to those with whom they have a karmic connection. If a believer does not believe, the Buddhist community would never dare to force them.

“Our Taiyi Xuanmen already possesses the perfected Great Luo Dao, attaining the Great Luo Dao Fruit, transcending the Five Elements, and escaping reincarnation. There is no need to study Buddhism,” a Xuanmen immortal exclaimed.

Guanyin said calmly, "How can one attain enlightenment if one's attachments are not broken?"

“We are different from you. Even if our path is broken, even if we never attain enlightenment in our lifetime, we will not abandon the Tao for Buddhism.” Someone directly mocked Guanyin.

Seeing the atmosphere growing increasingly tense, the Queen Mother quickly reminded everyone, "Gentlemen, today we will only discuss the new Heavenly Laws."

Such a momentous event as the eastward transmission of Buddhism must have been reported to the Daoist patriarch.

If necessary, we can convene another grand assembly then, where all the gods can discuss the matter together.

The gods and immortals then looked at the "lackey of the Dao Ancestor," the Old Man of the South Pole.

The immortal seemed to be wandering in the heavens, showing no reaction whatsoever, his eyes even half-open and half-closed.

Then they all remembered something: Guanyin Bodhisattva and the Antarctic Immortal were fellow disciples!
If the Daoist patriarch had firmly opposed the eastward transmission of Buddhism, Guanyin Bodhisattva probably wouldn't have attended today's court assembly.

Could it be that the Daoist patriarch has lost his mind and truly agrees to the full-scale introduction of Buddhism into China?

The land of China is the exclusive domain of our Xuanmen!
While the Heavenly Court leaders discussed the new Heavenly Rules, the public trial at Xianyang Palace in the mortal realm was also drawing to a close.

The biggest challenge in trying a case is to clarify the truth and determine the suspect's criminal acts.

The trial of the sworn master in this case was supported by both witnesses and physical evidence.

After Akiko recounted her criminal psychology and detailed account of the crime, there was nothing left to interrogate her about.

The trial process was uneventful; the key was the final verdict.

The magistrate of Xianyang, Ying Ziying, personally delivered the closing statement.

"A total of 487 Great Qin Celestial Masters betrayed the 'Mount Hua Heavenly Oath' and also betrayed the Great Qin Dynasty."

Heaven, earth, and humanity bear witness; their crimes are irrefutable.

At this time, a total of 352 people had been captured and were serving their sentences under the command of Grand Tutor Yu of the current dynasty, and no further judgment was needed.

Forty-eight of them were brutally murdered by the River God and the Dragon King of the Ji River while searching for other rebellious officials for the Qin Dynasty.

On behalf of the Qin Dynasty and the Ying royal family, I hereby announce that the forty-eight Celestial Masters who died in battle have atoned for their sins.

Their souls can now peacefully enter the cycle of reincarnation; their karmic ties with the Qin Dynasty of the Ying Clan have come to an end.

"The remaining 135 traitors who broke their oaths to Heaven have been convicted, yet they remain at large."

According to the laws of the Qin Dynasty, their silhouettes would first be drawn and posted in all cities within the territory of China.

Secondly, for those criminals who belong to the Xuanmen sect, the imperial court will issue arrest warrants to their respective sects, informing their leaders and ordering them to escort the criminals to Xianyang within three days.

Finally, those Taoist sects that have chosen to harbor filth and corruption will be punished along with the criminals, and the court will punish them according to the law.

For example, Geng Sangzi of Tianzhu Peak in Huangshan, who harbored He Zhenjun.

Zhuangzi's close friend, Geng Sangzi, was already a wanted criminal, just like He Zhenjun.

The imperial court would also issue arrest warrants for him and present the warrants to Geng Sangzi's relatives and friends, including Zhuangzi.

"If one person breaks the law, their whole family will be notified, and the entire society will be informed!"

The magistrate of Xianyang was very efficient.

Or rather, he had received the highest instructions from Grand Tutor Yu in advance and prepared in advance the silhouettes of the escaped prisoners, as well as the "relationship charts of the prisoners' relatives and friends".

As soon as he announced the verdict in court, five hundred guards, each carrying a stack of notices, divided into one hundred teams of five and went to the busy intersections of Xianyang City.

At the main gate of Xianyang Palace, a long row of 135 notices was also posted.

The shadow paintings are so lifelike that they even use color.

The image occupies only half of the notice, while the other half is blank, detailing the identity and background of the fugitive.

For example, Zhong Yuangong is clearly marked as: "The most beloved disciple of Ma Gu Niangniang from the Immortal Mountain of the Eastern Sea Ancestral Prefecture, he is a close friend of XX Immortal of a certain sect and XX Great God of a certain divine palace, and they are sworn brothers."

Every notice includes such an introduction, which ranges from forty or fifty words to three or four hundred words.

It doesn't describe any supernatural abilities or secret techniques, but only the network of relationships.

All the deities who had close ties with criminals, along with their names and religious affiliations, were listed on the wanted list.

Even after achieving this, Grand Tutor Yu was still not satisfied.

She called Qiu Mingzi and Ye Jiutian to her side and instructed them, "Now you two will split into two groups."

Ye Jiutian, you are highly skilled and fast. You are responsible for spreading the Shadow Image and the judgment results throughout the Three Realms.

Mainly the Middle Realm, the Heavenly Realm, and the Demon Realm of Beiju Luzhou.

The Heavenly Court has four main gates: east, south, west, and north, and notices are posted at each gate.

There are many blessed lands and grottoes in the Middle Realm, and notices should be posted at the entrances of these blessed lands and grottoes.

In Xiniu Hezhou, a land overrun by demons, a stack of notices was thrown out.

So that when demons are exorcised and punished in the future, they can proudly proclaim—"You dare to claim to be 'acting on behalf of Heaven'? Don't think I don't know you're the treacherous death row inmate (friend) from the Qin Dynasty's treason case!"

Just like in the Journey to the West, when demons and monsters encountered Sun Wukong, they would shout, "Isn't this the Keeper of the Heavenly Horses?"

"And Mount Ling, we should also post notices there, so that the bald thief cough cough, so that the Buddhas can see the style of the Daoists of Shenzhou. And then there are the demons of Beiju Luzhou."

They would certainly enjoy hearing the story of 'five hundred Xuanmen masters reciting their oaths in unison.'

Grand Tutor Yu was beaming with excitement as he spoke eloquently.

Ye Jiutian looked embarrassed and said, "Grand Master Yu has trampled the face of Taiyi Xuanmen into the mud in front of Buddhism and demons."

If one were to anger a powerful deity, or even displease the Dao Ancestor, the consequences could be severe.

Grand Tutor Yu said calmly, "You're right. This matter will definitely enrage the Xuanmen Immortal and disgust the Dao Ancestor."

The consequences will be very serious.

But the consequences weren't severe for me.

Regardless of how many years the Qin Dynasty has left, at least for now, the Qin Dynasty is still a "superior state" on earth.

As the Grand Tutor of the current dynasty, I have the authority to issue arrest warrants for Qin criminals to the best of my ability.

The people who truly bring shame upon the Xuanmen are the Xuanmen Taoists who betray their oaths to Heaven and are faithless and unrighteous.

Of course, you can rest assured that you and your teachers and sects are not on the wanted list.

Those despised by Buddhists, demons, and mortals alike are all on this list.

—If you don't behave and obey, you can also join the list.

Grand Tutor Yu didn't say these words aloud, but conveyed his meaning to the Qin scoundrels through his cold gaze.

Ye Jiutian felt bitter inside and numbly agreed.

Grand Tutor Yu then turned his gaze to Qiu Mingzi, "You lead the others, holding the image map and the results of the trial of this case, to the mountain gate where these prisoners are located one by one."

They were posted outside the main gate of the Taoist temple.

From the gate of the Middle Realm all the way down to the foot of the mountain in the human world.

Then post the notices for all nearby counties and prefectures.

The local prefect and magistrate were ordered to lead their officials and runners to search for the wanted criminal in the countryside, accompanied by gongs and drums.

We don't expect them to catch anyone, but we must make a big show of it.

Let all the people know that there is a mountain next to their homes, a Taoist temple on the mountain, and immortals in the temple, but these immortals are treacherous, shameless, and immoral villains.

Just like Ye Jiutian before, Qiu Mingzi felt miserable and looked embarrassed. He asked, "What if the Qi Refiners from the Dao Palace come out to stop us, or tear down all the notices we post? What should we do?"

"Have the local officials lead a group of constables to post the notices in front of a crowd of onlookers. Arrest anyone who dares to obstruct them," said Grand Tutor Yu.

“The flying swords of the Xuanmen Dao Palace are not necessarily at a disadvantage,” Qiu Mingzi said.

Grand Tutor Yu smiled and turned to Ying Ziying, saying, "Immediately issue a decree in my name: any official who is harmed by his master's elders during the 'search and capture' of the wanted criminal shall be compensated 100 taels of gold if injured; and 1,000 taels of gold if the criminal is killed, and his brothers, sons and nephews shall inherit his official position and be promoted three ranks."

Ying Ziying exclaimed in surprise, "A reward of a thousand gold pieces and a promotion of three ranks are enough to drive people crazy. I'm afraid some desperate people will take the initiative to provoke the immortals of the Dao Palace."

"A dignified immortal from the Dao Palace, do you need to worry about him? They possess great supernatural powers, while the yamen runners probably don't even have a human immortal. Human immortals wouldn't risk their lives for a thousand gold coins."

"If the immortals are unwilling, how can mortal servants be allowed to take advantage?" Grand Tutor Yu said.

Qiu Mingzi, Ye Jiutian, and the others had just left with several hundred kilograms of shadow diagrams.

After waiting for a long time, Guowei Liao said, "Now that the case of the Celestial Master's betrayal is basically over, is Grand Tutor Yu going to Xingyang?"

His Majesty the Second Emperor and all the Grand Councilors have been waiting for the Grand Tutor for months!

"Don't be anxious, it's not over yet!" Grand Tutor Yu turned to the Magistrate of Xianyang and said, "Ziying, after today's grand trial at Xianyang Palace, the story of those traitors who broke their oaths will surely spread throughout Guanzhong, the Central Plains, and the land of China."

However, word of mouth is a bit slow, and the story may be distorted.

You select a group of scholars from Xianyang who are skilled in writing and storytelling, preferably masters with brilliant writing skills.

Let them write storybooks, narrative songs, and operas based on this story.

Try to make it as simple and easy to understand as possible, so that even the elderly people at the village entrance who are hard of hearing can understand it.

Then, through the Qin Dynasty's Sima Order, these works were quickly spread to major towns and cities throughout China.

In addition, they found merchants from the Central Plains and from the sea who came to China to do business.

Please send the 'Shangbang New Works' to the four corners of the earth and to the islands overseas.

Those who perform well will have their business taxes reduced or exempted, or will be bestowed with great treasures.

Those whose stories are widely circulated, deeply loved by the people, and become masterpieces can be rewarded with official positions and titles; the most outstanding can even be ennobled!

The Grand Commandant was both shocked and terrified. "The Grand Tutor is too ruthless. Is it really necessary?"

"How is that cruel? I'm very kind, okay? Let them go down in history." Grand Tutor Yu laughed.

“You’re leaving them no way out, you want them to be infamous for eternity!” said the Imperial Commandant.

"Whether it's a good name or a bad name, they'll be remembered in history. Besides, since they dared to do it, why can't I publicize it? I've already shown great kindness by not exaggerating or slandering them," said Grand Tutor Yu.

“Alas, if you want to write books for them, then go ahead and write them. But the Grand Commandant of Qin is busy investigating the situation of the rebels.” The Grand Commandant sighed and said, “Chen Sheng has already captured Chen County. Chen County was the capital of the ancient Chu Kingdom, which is not only of great significance but also of great strategic importance.”

Chen Sheng's investiture as king is imminent. Turmoil in the Central Plains is also just around the corner.

The Grand Tutor, however, has ordered Sima Ling to be distracted by spreading folk tales. Isn't this putting the cart before the horse and losing the greater good?

Xiao Yu curled her lip and said disdainfully, "The Grand Commandant has been in Xianyang for a long time, so he probably doesn't know the specific situation of the Commander outside."

Any hero in the land who wishes to rise up in rebellion will first target the local county magistrate.

First, find Sima Ling, who is hiding his identity and lurking in the shadows.

Through various forms of coercion and enticement, they were eventually brought under their control.

In addition to external erosion, it has also become corrupt internally.

Many Sima Ling, taking advantage of their special status, colluded with local powerful figures, oppressed the villagers, and acted tyrannically.

They even actively colluded with the rebels.

The Qin Dynasty's Sima Ling was rotten to the core; expecting them to accomplish anything significant would only lead to disaster.

It would be better to treat them as the lowest of the low and let them do the lowest of the low.

They were relaxed and willing, and could at least get a few things done.

When Zhongli Mo was a bandit in Mengshan, wasn't he colluding with the local Sima Ling?

The two even became good brothers and buddies.

Sima Ling informed Zhongli Mei in advance that the Commandant planned to take action against Mengshan, which prompted Zhongli Mei to take his mother and confidants and flee to Wuzhong ahead of time.

Needless to say, the Sima Ling, whom the imperial court had placed in Wuzhong, was definitely going to become a dog of the Xiang family.

Contact Wu Zhong Sima Ling now and ask him to investigate the Xiang family. He will carry out the order and then issue a bunch of false information.

Letting him spread the story has nothing to do with the Xiang family's ambitions, and besides, whether the story spreads or not is impossible to keep secret. He'll definitely do his job diligently.

(End of this chapter)