Starting as the young master of a medicine shop, he practiced swordsmanship for twenty years.

Chapter 376 The Eastern Depot Only Has One Sun! Mingfo Temple!
At this moment, Cao Yi had completely lost his usual sinister composure. His pale face was plastered with a fawning smile, and even his manner of bowing was disordered.

He practically lunged forward to receive the imperial edict, his back bent so low it was almost folded in half: "Chief Steward Yi, Your Majesty, you've worked so hard!"

Cao Yi's voice was sickeningly sweet, "For such a small matter, you had to make the trip yourself, Grandmother. Your grandson is truly... truly..."

As he spoke, he pulled out a brocade pouch from his sleeve. Judging from its heavy appearance, it must have contained at least a hundred taels of gold.

It should be noted that Cao Yi was the head of the Thirteen Protectors of the Eastern Depot.

Even in front of this Grand Eunuch, one must respectfully address him as "Grand Ancestor".

With a half-smile, Eunuch Yi weighed the brocade pouch in his hand. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Lu Xuan, who sat calmly on the throne in the hall.

In the inner court of the Great Yu Dynasty, he was indeed nominally the "ancestor" of all the eunuchs.

But who doesn't know... that the real King of Hell is the head of the Eastern Depot, who doesn't even bother to look up when even the Grand Eunuch himself personally intervenes.

"Commander Cao, you're too kind."

Eunuch Yi deliberately raised his voice, "I'm just passing on a message, how can I compare to your Grand Eunuch..."

He suddenly changed the subject, lightly brushing his whisk across Cao Yi's fawning face: "His Majesty also has an imperial edict—"

Eunuch Yi's deliberately drawn-out tone was like a dull knife cutting flesh, "The Eastern Depot has been making too much noise in the capital recently..."

"This is against the natural order!"

The last four words were like a bucket of ice water poured into the hall.

The Eastern Depot agents, who had been secretly pleased just moments before, instantly turned ashen-faced.

Who doesn't know that a few days ago, they practically turned the capital upside down?
Many of the residences that were forcibly entered belonged to His Majesty's trusted ministers...
"His Majesty said..."

Eunuch Yi squinted, his gaze sweeping over the pale faces of the Twelve Protectors. "It's time...to stop."

The last three words were as light as a mosquito's buzz, yet as heavy as a thousand pounds.

This clearly shows that the Emperor is genuinely angry at the Eastern Depot's recent unbridled actions and wants them to immediately cease all operations.

"Ah."

Lu Xuan simply responded with a faint sound, and the celadon teacup touched the sandalwood table, producing a crisp sound.

This simple word made Eunuch Yi's old face freeze instantly.

He came by imperial decree, never expecting to receive such a dismissive response.

The air inside the hall seemed to freeze.

The eunuchs behind Eunuch Yi looked at each other, their foreheads already beaded with cold sweat.

Having served the emperor for many years, this was the first time they had ever seen anyone dare to respond to the emperor's will in this way.

This old guy has changed quite a bit.

Old Master Yi narrowed his cloudy old eyes slightly, and a meaningful smile appeared on his wrinkled face.

He served two emperors and witnessed the rise and fall of many powerful eunuchs.

But the change in the once arrogant and imposing head of the Eastern Depot still made him secretly alarmed.

“Lu Changgong…”

With a drawn-out tone, Eunuch Yi lightly swept his whisk across the hem of his crimson palace robe. "It's been a long time. Your composure is truly beyond my reach... tsk tsk, I can only look up to you in awe."

These words sound like flattery, but they are actually barbed.

Everyone in the hall understood the unspoken meaning—the tyrant who used to massacre the court at the drop of a hat could now treat the imperial edict with such indifference.

Is it truly about self-cultivation... or is there another motive?
The wrinkles on Eunuch Yi's face bloomed like chrysanthemums, and his smile seemed to hold countless secrets.

His hunched body leaned slightly forward, and his withered fingertips lightly traced a line in the air—

In an instant, a violent storm arose in the hall, and an invisible, chilling energy, like a venomous snake spitting its tongue, struck directly at Lu Xuan's face!

This is the "Yin Wind Finger," a secret technique passed down within the imperial palace, specifically designed to break through various protective auras.

"Our family has been hoping for this..."

Eunuch Yi's voice suddenly became ethereal and eerie, "Will I be able to see the Grand Eunuch in such glory again next time...?"

Before he could finish speaking, Lu Xuan merely raised his eyes slightly.

In an instant, the temperature in the entire hall plummeted, and Eunuch Yi's sinister finger strike froze into ice in mid-air, shattering on the ground with a "crack".

Thank you for your concern.

Lu Xuan tapped the armrest lightly with his fingertips, each sound like a death knell striking everyone's hearts. "Eunuch Yi is getting on in years, he should... worry more about his own lifespan."

Upon hearing this, Eunuch Yi's smile froze instantly, and his fingers trembled uncontrollably in his sleeve.

He then realized with a start that a thin layer of frost had somehow covered his fingers.

"Grandmaster...?"

Eunuch Yi's cloudy pupils suddenly contracted, and the veins on the back of his hands, covered with age spots, bulged.

He knew better than anyone else that when they met half a month ago, this old guy was clearly still stuck at the Grandmaster level!

How could it have been so short, just over ten days...?

No wonder he dared to be so disrespectful to the imperial edict, no wonder he could easily neutralize even his own "Yin Wind Finger".

It turns out that this old scoundrel had crossed that insurmountable chasm without making a sound!
Like himself, he became one of the few Grandmasters in the Great Yu Kingdom.

"Hehehe..."

Suddenly, Eunuch Yi let out a dry chuckle like an owl, his hunched back bending even more. "Eunuch Lu is truly... a man of few words..."

He took a half step back without making a sound; his most urgent task now was to return to the palace immediately!
Suppressing his shock, Eunuch Yi straightened his hunched back slightly, his crimson palace robe fluttering even without wind: "Eunuch Lu, I am under imperial command and cannot keep you company any longer."

He flicked his whisk and turned away without looking back, as if he had made up his mind.

"go!"

The stern shout startled the stunned crowd.

In that lightning-fast duel, most of the people present didn't even see what happened.

They only vaguely sensed that the usually unfathomable Eunuch Yi's departing figure revealed a hint of panic.

The most embarrassed were the accompanying eunuchs, who all stared down at the tips of their shoes, wishing they could bury their heads in their chests.

The less you know about the rivalry between your ancestors and Lu Changgong, the longer you'll live...
Cao Yi, on the other hand, made a complete fool of himself.

This fellow, with a beaming smile, trotted after Eunuch Yi, forgetting even the most basic courtesy of taking his leave.

Only when he stepped across the threshold did he suddenly seem to remember something, turning back to meet Lu Xuan's ambiguous, half-smiling gaze—

Cao Yi felt a chill run down his spine from that gaze and scrambled to catch up with Eunuch Yi's group, looking like a stray dog ​​wagging its tail and begging for mercy.

Inside the hall, the remaining eleven bodyguards slowly rose, their expressions complex as they watched Cao Yi's departing figure.

As the saying goes, those involved are often confused, while bystanders see things clearly!

Everyone knew perfectly well that within the Eastern Depot, the sky could be black, the earth could be red, but there could only ever be one sun.

Even if you are highly regarded by His Majesty, you must remember your place.

As one of the Thirteen Protectors of the Eastern Depot, Cao could only be his adoptive father's dog for the rest of his life.

Half a day later, at Mingfo Temple, ten miles outside the capital!

Outside Mingfo Temple, the mountains are verdant and the sound of bells is melodious.

A dozen or so monks, hands clasped in prayer, greeted the endless stream of pilgrims with smiles. The stone steps in front of the mountain gate, moistened by the morning dew, gleamed warmly in the sunlight.

Suddenly—a commotion arose from the foot of the mountain.

Dozens of pilgrims, their faces ashen, ran frantically up the mountain as if they had seen a demon.

Some people didn't even care if they lost their shoes, and some even used their hands and feet to climb the stone steps.

Even more alarming was that several monks who were supposed to be on guard at the foot of the mountain were also mixed in with the crowd.

They raced each other, displaying their lightness skills, and in a few leaps, they were the first to jump onto the mountain gate.

"Senior brother, something terrible has happened! A large group of people have suddenly arrived at the foot of the mountain!" The warrior monk at the front hurriedly approached the gate.

Even after he finished speaking, his body was still trembling uncontrollably.

"Oh?"

Master Huibao, who was in charge of greeting guests, paused slightly as he twirled his prayer beads. "So many people have come? A gathering of pilgrims—isn't this a grand event for our Buddhist community?"

He looked up at the mountain path with a smile, as if he could already see the glorious scene of Mingfo Temple flourishing with incense and being regarded as the state religion.

"Senior brother, they're henchmen of the Eastern Depot!"

Another monk's voice trembled with anxiety as he gripped his senior brother's robe tightly. "They're everywhere, and they're all armed!"

The smile on Master Huibao's face froze instantly.

He then noticed that the "pilgrims" all looked pale, and the swaddling clothes of several women's babies were torn by thorns.

"Quickly... quickly sound the alarm!" Master Cibao slammed open the temple gate, his voice booming like thunder. "You are responsible for getting all the pilgrims into the temple immediately! Hurry!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a flock of birds took flight from the woods below the mountain.

Immediately afterwards, a troop of black-clad cavalry pressed in like a dark cloud, their embroidered spring blades gleaming so brightly they blinded the riders.

All those grand ambitions of a national religion have become a joke. These Eastern Depot devils have clearly come to wipe out entire families!
At the end of the mountain road, dust billowed.

A black sedan chair with python patterns moved slowly forward, surrounded by sixteen strongmen.

The emblem of the Eastern Depot, inlaid on the roof of the sedan chair, gleamed with a cold metallic luster in the sunlight.

The sedan curtains were lowered, and a tall, upright figure could be vaguely seen sitting inside.

Although he did not show his face, he silenced all the birds in the entire mountain forest.

On either side of the official sedan chair stood the Twelve Bodyguards of the Eastern Depot, but Cao Yi was not among them.

These ruthless figures, feared by all, have all arrived today.

They were all dressed in white factory uniforms, with gilded tokens hanging from their waists swaying with their steps, and the morning dew still clinging to the scabbards of their embroidered spring knives.

What's even more chilling is the dark array of people behind the official sedan chair.

The three commanders of the Embroidered Uniform Guard personally led the elite of the Embroidered Uniform Guard out in full force.

The Vermilion Bird Garrison Commander wore a fiery red robe and carried two maces on his back, the flame patterns on the maces appearing lifelike in the sunlight.

The Azure Dragon Garrison Commander had a cold and sharp gaze, and the soft sword at his waist coiled like a serpent.

The White Tiger Garrison Commander's steed neighed, and his eighteen-foot-long spear gleamed coldly.

Apart from Commander Shen Wanbao, who claimed to be ill at home, and Xuanwu Zhenfushi, who was dealt with by Lu Xuan, all the high-ranking combat forces of the Embroidered Uniform Guard were present!
In front of the mountain gate, the wooden fish in the hands of a group of monks fell to the ground with a "thud".

This kind of spectacle isn't about offering incense; it's clearly about massacring the temple gates!
"Insolence! How dare you! Seeing the Grand Supervisor's carriage arrive in person, how dare you close the mountain gate?"

When the twelve bodyguards of the Eastern Depot saw that the gates of Mingfo Temple were tightly closed, they all shouted angrily.

The rolling sound waves were like thunder from the heavens, exploding on the bluestone path outside Mingfo Temple.

Cao Er, the leader, drew his embroidered spring knife half an inch from its sheath, its cold light reflecting off the eyes of the stone lions in front of the temple, making them bleed.

No sooner had the words left his mouth than twelve dark figures shot into the air like arrows released from a bow.

Cao Er and his companions were dressed in silver-white outfits, with flying fish patterns embroidered in gold thread on the hem of their clothes swirling in mid-air, like twelve dormant venomous snakes suddenly awakening.

The twelve people lightly touched the treetops with their toes, breaking off branches wherever they passed, and the powerful internal force that surged out of them lifted the copper bells on the eaves.

In the next instant, the twelve streams of energy belonging to the Grandmaster collided violently in mid-air, just like twelve mountains collapsing at the same time.

An invisible force swirled in the void, drawing in all the surrounding fallen leaves and dust, forming a chaotic mass of air three zhang in diameter.

With a deafening roar that shattered the clouds, the two thick sandalwood doors exploded.

The flying wood chips, imbued with a sharp, powerful force, carved countless large holes, about the size of a bowl, into the screen wall in front of the temple.

The monks blocking the door felt as if they had been cursed by the heavens.

The leading grey-robed monk, wielding a staff, was struck head-on by the shockwave before he could even make a single move.

His chest cavity was sunken like a broken drum, and the blood mist that spewed from his throat drew a scarlet arc in mid-air.

Three more monks were torn to pieces by the force of the energy, their internal organs mixed with bits of flesh falling like rain, turning the mottled stone steps into a scene of carnage.

The other monks were not spared either; some were thrown several feet by the shockwave and crashed heavily into the pillars, the sound of bones shattering echoing around them.

Some coughed up blood, collapsed to the ground convulsing, their eyes filled with despair and fear.

The stench of blood mingled with the fragrance of sandalwood, filling the air. The chilling atmosphere in front of Mingfo Temple was even more terrifying than the eighteen levels of hell.

"Sin, sin!"

At the critical moment, the large contingent from Mingfo Temple finally arrived.

"Amitabha, anger arises, karmic fire is born, this is a great calamity for the human world..." The deep Buddhist chant resonated like a great bell, rippling across the ground amidst the mangled limbs and blood mist.

The gray-robed monks of Mingfo Temple surged in like a tide, their robes fluttering as they arrived outside the temple gate.

The elderly monk with snow-white hair at the head of the group is the abbot of Mingfo Temple, Master Beifeng.

He walked out slowly, leaning on his nine-ringed staff. The swastikas embroidered in gold thread on his deep red kasaya shimmered slightly with each step.

Master Beifeng gazed at the mess on the ground, his kind brows furrowed slightly, and the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes seemed to hold a century of sorrow.

Suddenly, the old monk clasped his hands together and, under the chilling gazes of the Eastern Depot members, sat cross-legged in the pool of blood, chanting sutras.

Withered fingers gently stroked the prayer beads; with each bead moved, a chanting arose as invisible ripples, seemingly to truly liberate the dead from the sea of ​​suffering.

"Is this the abbot of Mingfo Temple?"

One of the Twelve Protectors chuckled softly, but unconsciously gripped the scabbard of his Embroidered Spring Blade tighter.

Rumors circulate that this seemingly frail old monk may be the strongest person in the world.

At this moment, Master Beifeng's aura was as restrained as an abyss, yet it made the hairs on the back of the Twelve Protectors' necks stand on end.

Within the seemingly calm Buddhist light surrounding him, there appeared to lie a world-shaking power capable of purifying the heavens.

"Old bald monk, do you regret showing mercy back then?"

Cao Shi, dragging his still-healing right arm, walked triumphantly to the front of the battle.

His face was contorted with rage, and his single eye gleamed with a morbid excitement.

With his godfather here today, he wouldn't be afraid even if the Heavenly King himself came!

"Today I will make you understand the meaning of Mingfo Temple..."

Cao Shi suddenly ripped open his shirt, revealing a hideous Buddhist palm print on his chest. "Blood for blood!"

(End of this chapter)