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

Chapter 378 Seven Treasures Glazed Lotus!
The midday sun was still scorching. As the incense burned out, the wisps of smoke vanished into nothingness under the blazing sun at the eaves.

Master Beifeng stood under the mottled eaves of Mingfo Temple, gazing at the gleaming embroidered spring knives at the waists of the Eastern Depot agents at the foot of the mountain, and watching the Imperial Guards in their flying fish robes disappear into the distance, shrouded in dust.

The wind swept past his deep red robe, stained with the blood of the dead monk, and swirled up a few withered ginkgo leaves, which finally fell softly onto the moss-covered stone steps.

A golden glint suddenly flashed in Master Beifeng's cloudy old eyes, and ripples spread deep within his pupils.

The image of the vermilion-lacquered, gold-painted sedan chair carried by eight men reappeared in his mind.

With the sedan curtain half-rolled up, the renowned head of the Eastern Depot leaned against a mink-fur cushion, his black python robe embroidered with exquisite gold thread.

Master Beifeng, living in seclusion under the ancient temple's lamplight, had never seen the face of this powerful eunuch, the head of the Eastern Depot.

All the information about this ruthless head of the Eastern Depot was obtained by Master Beifeng from his disciples.

In short, the name of this Governor Lu is always associated with words such as "power over the court" and "bloodshed".

People in the Great Yu Kingdom all say he is ruthless and can turn the world upside down with a flick of his wrist.

Rumor has it that the head of the Eastern Depot has a large following, and a significant portion of the court and martial arts sects are under his authority.

But after seeing the East Depot Supervisor with his own eyes today, Master Beifeng was deeply impressed by his lazy yet imposing demeanor.

That nonchalant yet all-knowing gaze sent a shiver down my spine, even though I was a monk who had seen the vicissitudes of life and the coldness and warmth of the world.

With the heroic bearing of Governor Lu, even though he had lived through more than a hundred years and witnessed the rise and fall of dynasties and the emergence of heroes, he was still a formidable figure.

However, I have never seen someone so sharp and unfathomable.

"Hey!"

A helpless sigh pierced through the scorching sunlight as Master Beifeng slowly closed his eyes and clasped his hands together.

The temple bell rang at just the right moment, its deep sound echoing through the valley.

"The world is bustling, all come for profit, and the world is bustling, all for profit."

"All living beings suffer. We monks can only use this ancient temple as a boat and this lamp as an oar to do our best to pray for peace for all living beings."

After saying this, Master Beifeng turned and stepped into Mingfo Temple.

At the foot of the mountain, the sound of horses' hooves faded into the distance.

People vie for power and profit, the imperial court is rife with intrigue and treachery, and the iron hooves of the court shatter the peaceful dreams of countless ordinary people.

On the blood-soaked land, white bones formed a staircase leading to the sky.

Countless cities were reduced to ashes, and countless children wept blood in the streets.

Those who wield their swords recklessly in their pursuit of power have long since reduced compassion and kindness to dust.

Even though Master Beifeng was the strongest person in the world and possessed unparalleled martial arts skills.

With a mere gesture, one can shatter mountains and split rocks; the true energy flowing through one's palm can destroy everything in its path.

Faced with the surging tide of power struggles and the vast web of desires woven by countless people, his strength seemed so insignificant.

When he was young, Master Beifeng single-handedly repelled bandits and saved the entire village.

He also once exhausted his inner strength to drive away the disease for the people during a time of rampant plague.

But now, standing on the edge of the power vortex of the Great Yu Kingdom, he can only watch helplessly as the people suffer.

Human strength is ultimately limited, and no matter who comes, they cannot directly confront the overwhelming trends of the world!
Dynasties rise and fall like the changing of the seasons, and ambitious people follow one after another, like moths drawn to a flame, knowing full well that it is an abyss, yet still going crazy for power.

Master Beifeng gazed at the flickering candlelight in the temple, and an endless sorrow welled up in his heart—when will the suffering in this world end?

Dongchang!

The evening clouds surged like a boiling sea of ​​blood, and the setting sun dyed the sky a thick crimson.

Under this eerie light and shadow, the vermilion gate of the Eastern Depot seemed to be soaked in the blood and tears of countless wronged souls, gleaming with a chilling dark light.

As the entourage of the Eastern Depot's chief eunuch slowly drove toward the depot gate, several gray-clad eunuchs huddled in the shadow cast by the screen wall, like frightened birds.

Their frail figures trembled incessantly in the blood-red light, their coarse clothes soaked with cold sweat, clinging tightly to their hunched backs.

The youngest eunuch in the very center was tightly clutching a gilded and vermilion-lacquered wooden box.

His pale face almost blended into the afterglow of the setting sun, and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down as if he were swallowing immense fear.

"stop!"

A loud shout tore through the stagnant air.

The Twelve Bodyguards of the Eastern Depot were dressed in silver-white tight-fitting clothes, with flying fish patterns embroidered on the hems of their garments fluttering in the wind. At the same time, the Embroidered Spring Blade at their waist was drawn three inches from its sheath, its cold gleam intertwining with the setting sun to form a dazzling net of light.

Before the smile on Cao Er's face could reach his eyes, his triangular eyes were fixed on the bright yellow silk peeking out from the seam of the wooden box.

Those were imperial items that only the eunuchs delivering imperial decrees dared to take out of the palace.

The other gangsters exchanged meaningful glances, their unease subtly tinged with the rustling of their boots crushing fallen leaves.

When a eunuch from the palace enters the Eastern Depot, it always means he is carrying the emperor's decree.

Such an unusual action immediately made all twelve pairs of eyes tense up.

At dawn, His Majesty in the palace urgently summoned Cao Yi, the head of the Thirteen Protectors, to the palace to bestow honors upon him. Now, he has sent someone with an imperial decree, which is quite intriguing.

Cao Jin and Cao Haosheng looked grave. They suddenly remembered their godfather's indifferent attitude when Cao Yi left this morning.

A strange chill ran down the spines of the twelve bodyguards from the Eastern Depot and straight to the top of their heads.

Cao Er's lips curled into a smile that seemed harmless, but in reality, it concealed a terrifying killing intent.

Immediately afterwards, Cao Er slowly walked towards the few trembling eunuchs.

He deliberately slowed his pace, but the sight of his black official boots on the bluestone slabs still made several eunuchs tremble in fright.

Each step felt like stepping on the other person's heart; the sound of the boots crushing dry leaves was particularly jarring in the silence.

“Three young eunuchs…”

Cao Er's voice was so gentle it was almost eerie, and even the corners of his eyes showed a few smile lines.

"You've come all this way from the palace, is it that person? What urgent matter brings you here?"

As they spoke, Cao Er even considerately bent down to help the leading eunuch up, and casually dusted off the dust from his palace robes.

This gentle and easygoing demeanor made the members of the Eastern Depot behind him raise their eyebrows.

Who doesn't know the methods of Cao Er, one of the Thirteen Protectors of the Eastern Depot?

The more amiable and pleasant he appears, the stronger his murderous intent.

However, after Cao Er finished making all the movements, his gaze swept over the little eunuch holding the wooden box in the middle, his pupils slightly contracted, and fell on a corner of the bright yellow silk.

These three young eunuchs had never seen anything like this before.
The three of them stammered, "Is the Grand Eunuch here? His Majesty has issued an edict..."

Cao Er's smile deepened, but the strange look in his eyes made the twilight feel even colder.

The young eunuch in the middle suddenly straightened his hunched back, as if he had remembered something terrible.

He took a deep breath, his nails digging deep into his palms, forcing himself to calm down.

If this matter is botched, his entire family might not be enough to be executed!
"His Majesty's oral decree—!"

The shrill voice suddenly rose in pitch, piercing the eardrums of those around the East Factory gate.

The entire street fell silent instantly, and the returning agents of the Eastern Depot held their breath in shock.

Wow!
The twelve bodyguards, led by Cao Er, knelt down almost simultaneously, their knees echoing loudly on the bluestone slabs. Behind them, seven thousand agents of the Eastern Depot fell to the ground like a tidal wave, the sounds of clashing weapons rising and falling.

The gilded python-patterned sedan chair was gently placed on the ground, the curtains remaining perfectly still, as if the person inside had anticipated this scene.

As soon as he finished speaking, the middle eunuch tremblingly handed the wooden box to his companion.

As the wooden box was being passed around, it suddenly made a dull thud as it struck the box, startling Cao Er and the others so much that their pupils constricted.

Immediately afterwards, a piece of bright yellow silk, stained with ambergris, slid out from the eunuch's sleeve.

Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, the five-clawed golden dragon embroidered with gold thread on the silk seemed to be soaked in blood, with dark red liquid slowly flowing between its scales.

"Cao Yi, the Chief Executioner of the Eastern Depot!!!"

The eunuch's shrill voice suddenly rose, exploding in the deathly silence.

"Arrogant and disrespectful to his sovereign and father!"

With each word he uttered, it seemed as if he had used all his strength: "In the palace, he violated several palace maids, terrified the concubines in the harem, and even drew his sword against the imperial guards!"

Upon hearing this, Cao Er's boots had already left half-inch-deep marks on the blue bricks, and the breathing of the Twelve Bodyguards beside him instantly became heavy as drumbeats.

The Eastern Depot agents kneeling behind them lowered their heads even further.

Good heavens! Could Cao Yi, the chief executioner second only to the head of the Eastern Depot, really do such a heinous thing?

"Heinous crime!"

The bright yellow silk fluttered in the wind, and the dragon pattern twisted into a ferocious shape.

"He has already confessed his crimes and will be beheaded and his head displayed to the public!"

These words struck like a heavy hammer, making everyone's eardrums ache.

The distant chirping of birds could not drown out the gasps of the Eastern Depot members.

The young eunuch swallowed the fear rising in his throat, his gaze sweeping over the gilded sedan chair.

"As for Lu Xuan, the supervisor of the Eastern Depot, due to his ineffective discipline, he is ordered to reflect on his mistakes behind closed doors! He is fined three years' salary and dismissed from his position as commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard!"

As the last syllable faded, the entire street seemed to freeze in an invisible frost.

Cao Er suddenly looked up, and for the first time, his sinister face shattered completely.

He stared intently at the imperial edict, his pupils shrinking to the size of pinpoints.

Wow!

The next moment, the remaining eleven bodyguards straightened up in unison, their wrist guards made of black iron clanging together with a piercing sound.

Their faces were filled with disbelief, as if they had heard a fairy tale.

What does Cao Yi's death matter? The Eastern Depot has no shortage of human lives.

But stripping the Embroidered Uniform Guard of its command... that's practically crippling the Eastern Depot!
It should be understood that in the Great Yu Kingdom, the Eastern Depot held the power of life and death in the imperial prison, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard was the Eastern Depot's dog.

Now, the Embroidered Uniform Guard has been forcibly separated, which is tantamount to cutting off the sharpest fangs of the Eastern Depot.

Your Majesty, have you changed your mind?

This is clearly an attempt to cut off the Eastern Depot's lifeline.

Under the setting sun, a cold wind swept across the stiff backs of the crowd, carrying fine sand.

The dragon pattern on the yellow silk appeared even more ferocious in the blood-red setting sun, as if it were looking down on this group of defeated hawks and hounds.

"Your Excellency..." the little eunuch's voice trembled uncontrollably, "Please... obey the decree..."

He knew, of course, that it would be extremely disrespectful for Lu Xuan, the head of the Eastern Depot, not to receive the imperial decree in his sedan chair.

But the current somber atmosphere made it difficult for him to even breathe.

Therefore, the young eunuch who brought the imperial edict could only bow even lower, almost breaking in two.

Cao Er snatched the imperial edict, and the gust of wind stirred up by his silver-white sleeves made the little eunuch tremble.

He rushed to the sedan chair, taking three steps at a time. When he knelt on one knee, his knee cracked the bluestone slab: "Godfather! The imperial edict has arrived!"

A casual reply came from inside the sedan chair: "Hmm."

This nonchalant attitude made the three eunuchs feel as if they had been granted a pardon.

In a flurry of activity, they shoved the wooden box containing the human heads into Cao Jin's hands and scrambled away from the Eastern Depot, this den of iniquity.

The young eunuch in the lead even tripped on the steps, but he didn't bother to pick up his hat that had been thrown off as he continued running wildly—as if a demon was chasing him from behind.

In the quiet room of the Eastern Depot, Lu Xuan gently stroked the Seven Treasures Glazed Lotus with his fingertips; this was something the old monk had personally told him about.

The colorful rays of light flowing on the lotus petals illuminated the entire secret room, making it look like a dream.

Each petal seemed to contain fragments of stars, flickering with each breath.

A delicate fragrance drifted out, and it could actually condense into a tangible mist in the invisible air.

Lu Xuan took a deep breath and immediately felt the Grandmaster-level Frost True Essence in his meridians boil.

The drop of seven-colored dew, not yet solidified, at the heart of the lotus, refracted a mesmerizing light under the sun.

Such a rare and precious treasure of heaven and earth is probably one of a kind that cannot be found anywhere else in the entire world.

"That old monk has some good stuff hidden away..."

A wisp of cold light suddenly condensed at Lu Xuan's fingertip and gently grazed the surface of the lotus stem.

In an instant, the entire lotus flower bloomed with dazzling brilliance, as if a seven-colored sun had risen in the secret room!
Lu Xuan stared at the radiant Seven Treasures Glazed Lotus in his hand, a hint of greed flashing in his eyes.

These pedantic bald monks have guarded such a treasure of heaven and earth for hundreds of years, yet all they know how to do is treat it as some kind of temple treasure.
Despite possessing a treasure capable of creating unparalleled powerhouses beyond Grandmaster level, they insist on pursuing a "slow and steady" approach.

Generation after generation of abbots of Mingfo Temple guarded the treasure mountain, only daring to occasionally take a petal and give it to the most outstanding Buddhist disciples.

No wonder that for hundreds of years, every abbot of Mingfo Temple has been the best martial arts master in the world.

The system interface suddenly popped up automatically!

Host: Lu Xuan, the Immortal of the Mortal World (Fourth Incarnation)

Realm: Grandmaster (Beginner)
Technique: Extreme Cold Palm 8/9
Score: 100
The power of the primordial essence of heaven and earth has been detected. Please devour and extract it immediately.

Lu Xuan suddenly clenched his five fingers, and the icy energy in his palm erupted like a raging torrent.

The biting cold spread with overwhelming force, and the seven-jeweled glass lotus, as big as a washbasin, was covered in ice.

Under the pressure of this terrifying force, the surface was instantly covered with spiderweb-like ice patterns.

Immediately afterwards, with a deafening crack, the Seven Treasures Glazed Lotus exploded.

Thousands of fragments transformed into shimmering dust, spinning rapidly within the vortex of icy energy.

As the chilling air surged, Lu Xuan's fingertips trembled slightly, manipulating the scattered fragments to reassemble.

A dazzling seven-colored light burst forth from the chaos, and the fragments containing the spiritual power of the Glazed Lotus slowly coalesced under the tempering of the icy energy.

As the icy aura dissipated, a seven-colored pill the size of a longan slowly rotated in Lu Xuan's palm.

Upon seeing this, Lu Xuan opened his mouth and swallowed the pill. Instantly, seven-colored light emanated from every pore of his body.

(End of this chapter)