Starting from the Tiger Demon Yaksha, the demon immortality

Chapter 329-338 The Three Altars are Initially Established, the Three Primal Officials and Three Primal Officials

About ten miles away at the foot of the Maitreya Buddha.

A group of Huayin residents gazed at the hellish imagery atop the Buddha's head and whispered among themselves.

"It's been almost half a month, what have these monks been doing? They all look unfamiliar, they don't seem to be high-ranking monks from Qinglong Temple."

"Qinglong Temple? That's ancient history. Didn't you hear the imperial decree? The one in the capital now is the newly built Yuhua Temple. These must be eminent monks from Yuhua Temple!"

"I've asked around, and it turns out that the Thirteen Protectors and their master are leading a ritual here to help the souls of the deceased!"

Who are the Thirteen Protectors?

"Oh my, that's Li Cunxiao, Li Gaogong, from the old Louguan Dao. He's now an official of the imperial court, I heard he's a prefect and a military governor or something, he's incredibly powerful!"

"Why didn't you say so earlier? I'm relieved to hear it's Li Gaogong. The evil cultists almost harmed the entire city of Huayin before."

"If it weren't for Master Qici and his disciple's intervention, my whole family would have been killed by those madmen!"

"Hey kid, who did you get all this information from?"

"Why don't we just ask those military officers?"

"Are you out of your mind?! Soldiers are all bandits. You won't dare do that again."

"The soldiers under the Thirteenth Prince are different from those others."

On the diagram of the transformation of hell, Li Cunxiao paused in his work of drawing the Book of Life and Death.

His gaze lingered briefly on the people near the Buddha before turning his attention to the distance.

Amidst the smoke and dust, a large flying tiger banner drew ever closer, alongside a general's flag bearing the inscription "Li, Commander of the Left Wing of the Flying Cavalry."

"Li Siben? What's he doing here?"

Amidst their confusion, the other monks on the mural also noticed the commotion in the distance.

Li Cunxiao greeted everyone, then, riding on his Wind and Fire Wheels, landed on the ground from the top of the Buddha's head in the blink of an eye, causing a stir among the people of Huayin City not far away.

However, when the military flag fluttering in the smoke and dust came into view, the crowd of onlookers scattered like birds and beasts.

Of all those Taibao, they only recognized Li Cunxiao. As for the other generals leading troops, who knew what kind of people they were?
If things go wrong, it could be used as a military achievement, and they could borrow your head, wife, and children.

"Thirteenth Brother!" Upon seeing the newcomer, Li Siben abandoned the main force and rode up at full speed.

"Sixth Brother, what happened that made you come all this way? And with all these men?"

Li Cunxiao glanced at the large army in the dust and saw several familiar faces, all of whom were his subordinates in the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War.

"There is something, but it's nothing serious; in fact, it's a good thing."

Li Siben jumped off his horse and, as if they were old friends, put his arm around the man's shoulder.

"This morning I received a military report that Wang Jian of Jiannan Circuit has launched a surprise attack on Wenzhou and Fuzhou, which are located in the western part of Shannan Circuit."

"The Prince of Qi's scouts learned of this and reported it to the court."

"However, he's the only Grandmaster in Jiannan Dao. How could he dare to mess with us?"

"If he wants to come to Gyeonggi, he has to deal with Li Zhengchen and Ma Yin first. Gyeonggi is very safe."

Li Cunxiao nodded, agreeing with this explanation.

"If that's the case, why is Sixth Brother making such a big fuss?"

“Of course it’s for my godfather,” Li Siben said matter-of-factly.

"After Thirteenth Brother left, Seventh Brother and I couldn't easily order around those men under you."

“Originally, it would have been fine to deal with this after you returned to the capital, but Master Zhigang will be coming in a few days to replace Master Zhiheng and take charge of the capital.”

"With him around, what's the point of me and Lao Qi being here? What are we waiting for if we don't go to the front lines?"

"Huayin is closer to the Eastern Capital. Wouldn't it be more convenient for you to be stationed here and manage military supplies?"

"Look, I've even moved the government office here for you. The sooner we gather the military supplies, the sooner I can send out troops, saving you the trouble of running back and forth. Isn't that a win-win situation?"

Fuck your mother.

Li Cunxiao outwardly agreed, but inwardly he sneered repeatedly.

The brutality of these militiamen was not only evident in their belligerence and indiscriminate killing, but also in their handling of government affairs.

We are all members of the Thirteen Protectors, each with our own small groups, and there should be an unspoken understanding to maintain boundaries between us.

Whether Li Siben was genuinely considering Li Yisheng's best interests or simply acting for his own convenience, he took it upon himself to punish Li Yisheng's subordinates.

Li Cunxiao preferred to believe that it was the sixth and seventh princes who were extorting money and resources in the capital to raise military supplies, which was secretly resisted by people like Changsun Fu.

If you can't win through political means, just get rid of everyone.

"Sixth Brother is very thoughtful, I can't match him. But Master Zhigang had been staying in Hedong, and now that he's come to the capital, we're definitely safe."

"But isn't it a bit inappropriate that there's only Chang Gong on the border?"

Chang Congjian was a fierce general under Li Yisheng, a master of martial arts for many years, and was as famous as Yang Shihou and Ge Congzhou.

But Yelü Yi was, after all, a terrestrial immortal and a grandmaster. What if the other side used a feint attack? Wouldn't his home base be stolen?

"Thirteenth brother, don't worry, these are all arrangements made by your godfather."

"What we can think of, he certainly could also think of."

Li Siben's words were ambiguous, and Li Cunxiao immediately frowned.

"Sixth Brother's words are really just a perfunctory response."

"I have been working diligently here in the rear, raising funds, supplies, and armor for the army at the front, and for several months I have not made a single mistake."

"We are here today to perform rituals and deliver the vengeful spirits, in order to eliminate the threat to our heartland as soon as possible."

"The progress is extremely fast now, and the purification may be completed before Master Zhigang arrives."

“My master also said that he was preparing to go to Luoyang with Master Zhiheng to take charge.”

"I never imagined that after doing so much, I would still be an outsider!"

Having said that, he flicked his sleeves and turned to leave.

Li Siben panicked immediately and quickly stepped forward to grab the man:
"Thirteenth Brother, is it true that you said Master Qici would go to take charge of the Eastern Capital?"

"Hmph, my master is compassionate and cares for all living beings."

"The king had no choice but to fight in order to pacify the world. He was unwilling to kill the innocent, but that did not mean he was unwilling to protect any side."

"Don't try to stop me, Sixth Protector. My master's decision is final, and even if I try to persuade him, it won't change."

"I will go and gather military supplies right away, so that you can go to the front lines and make your mark as soon as possible."

"Oh dear, thirteenth brother, thirteenth brother," Li Siben immediately put on a smiling face and apologized repeatedly.

"No matter what the fault is, it's all Sixth Brother's fault. What do you mean by outsider? Aren't we all under our godfather's protection?"

You are, but I am not.

Li Cunxiao cursed inwardly, but pretended to struggle but couldn't break free, and the anger on his face faded a little.

"Alright, alright, this matter was originally a secret, even Seventh Brother didn't know about it. It was Godfather who sent a message to me alone, so don't tell anyone else."

Li Siben looked troubled, glanced around, and then whispered:
"Our adoptive father has already sworn brotherhood with Yelü Yi and is preparing to jointly attack the Zhu traitor. How could he have time to steal our home?"

what? !

Li Cunxiao was taken aback. "He and Qida have sworn brotherhood?"

If that's the case, then it certainly makes sense.

As long as Qida does not invade the border, Hedong will not need to leave its precious military strength in the rear.

In particular, if Yelü Yi and Li Yisheng could launch a pincer attack from the north and south respectively, then even if Mingzun could break free from Maoshan's control and return in time, the previously envisioned dangerous situation would not occur.

As for why Qida allied with Li Yisheng, the reason is quite simple.

Individuals may have mortal feuds, but between forces, there is only ever interest; whether someone is an enemy or a friend is a matter of a single thought. It's true that Li Yisheng rose to power in Hedong and was in a long-term standoff with Qida, but in reality, the two sides always maintained a tacit understanding.

People are dying down there, but the grandmasters and great grandmasters on both sides are all fine.

It wasn't until Yue Liduo and others launched a sneak attack on Louguandao, resulting in the death of Master Gelu, that the first casualty at the Grandmaster level occurred.

The one who took action was none other than Taiyi Zhenren.

Although Yelü Yi did not personally carry out the death of Taiyi Zhenren, he was still an accomplice of Zhu Quanzhong.

“Li Yisheng knew all of this perfectly well, which is probably why he didn’t tell me about the alliance with Qida.”

"Are you afraid I'll cause trouble from behind? Or do you simply not care? Do you think whether I know or not is irrelevant to the overall situation?"

Li Cunxiao was displeased, but he didn't try to hide it much.

Everyone knows the cause of Taiyi's death, so it would be strange if he remained indifferent.

"Thirteenth Brother, I didn't dare tell you because I was afraid of upsetting you."

"But don't overthink it, the alliance is just a temporary measure."

"How could your adoptive father not know about your feud with the traitor Zhu and Qida?"

“Once Zhu Ba Hui is killed, Yelü Yi will be next.”

“Qida’s wanderings in the borderlands are also a great threat.”

Even if you don't believe in your godfather's affection, you should at least believe in his ambition, right?

Li Siben kept talking, and Li Cunxiao reluctantly agreed on the surface, but his desire to establish his own independent faction grew stronger.

No sooner had Li Yisheng appointed Liu Shouguang as the Prince of Yan than he became sworn brothers with Yelü Yi.

Liu Shouguang eagerly awaited reinforcements from the imperial court, unaware that he had already been betrayed.

Two dogs fight, play off.

The fact that Qida and Liu Shouguang are fighting like dogs, weakening each other, is a great thing for Hedong.

Working under such a ruthless and cunning man, even if you are extremely cautious and walk on thin ice, you will likely be kicked aside when you lose your usefulness.

Of course, Li Cunxiao's value far exceeds that of ordinary people.

He is both a martial arts genius and a master of alchemy. As long as he doesn't rebel, Li Yisheng can tolerate him.

But Li Cunxiao did not want to continue living under someone else's roof.

After seeing the brute off, he first met with his subordinates in the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue, and then found a temporary government office in Huayin City.

Upon further inquiry, it turned out to be exactly as expected.

Li Si'en and Li Siben were originally spies and informants left in the capital by Li Yisheng to hinder Li Cunxiao.

With Zhigang's arrival and the presence of a Grandmaster, there was no need for them to stay behind, and naturally, they couldn't suppress their restlessness.

The other brothers were all conquering cities and capturing strongholds at the front, and they were promoted and ennobled when they returned. They were all military men, so how could the two of them resist such temptation?

Before Li Cunxiao could return, Li Siben and Li Si'en issued orders, commanding the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War to raise the necessary funds for their expedition and to conscript auxiliary troops.

Li Yisheng had already taken away a large amount of resources when he went on his expedition. It is only mid-April now, and there is still some time before the summer harvest.

Therefore, the two men's forceful collection of taxes and levies immediately aroused dissatisfaction among their subordinates.

While they might not dare to openly rebel, they were certainly adept at slacking off in secret.

Li Si'en and Li Si'ben were so angry they wanted to kill him, but Li Yisheng knew his adopted sons' bad tempers and had explicitly forbidden them from doing so before leaving.

Whenever it involves life or death, we have to wait for him to return before making a decision.

To prevent killing, Li Siben had a brilliant idea: he simply moved the entire government office there.

He doesn't care about the process, he only cares about the result.

As long as the goal is achieved, it doesn't matter if the methods are a bit brutal.

"The Sixth and Seventh Protectors are clearly incompetent in administrative affairs, yet they make excessive demands."

"To meet the demands of these two individuals, our colleagues stayed up for two days and two nights without sleep, and even then, they still complained that it was too slow."

"At most we'll get a few scoldings, but the clerks in the government office will be whipped until their skin is torn and bleeding."

"Minister Li, you are our pillar of strength."

"Alright," Li Cunxiao said, stopping the other person from speaking.

"I know everyone has worked hard. But with the army setting out on the front lines, the battle is the top priority, and I am no exception."

"Tolerance is the foundation of a nation; this is the principle."

"Here are a few bottles of pills. Take them to everyone; it's just a small token of my appreciation."

"Li Siben and Li Si'en are acting recklessly. Once the war is over, I will definitely impeach them!"

Using both soft and hard tactics, he managed to appease his subordinates, allowing them to rest first and then assigning them work later.

After dealing with these matters, Li Cunxiao returned to the image on the Buddha's head, concealed the conflicting parts, and recounted what had just happened.

"If Senior Brother can come, that would be the best."

"If that's the case, then we can end our ritual ahead of schedule, and let the remaining evil energy dissipate naturally."

"My friend Qici and I will then be able to go to the Eastern Capital as soon as possible to help the people."

As Zhiheng spoke, he looked at Qici, who nodded slightly, but his gaze lingered on his disciple for a moment.

Li Cunxiao remained calm and composed, as if nothing had happened.

In the following days, he dealt with miscellaneous affairs in the government office in the morning, and in the afternoon he still went to the Buddha statue to absorb the evil energy.

Zhigang's arrival made him feel a sense of urgency, and he secretly increased his efforts.

Zhiheng was surprised to find that as he approached his departure, Qici became even more "diligent" in performing the rituals, and the purification efficiency doubled compared to the beginning.

He tried to persuade him a few times, but then he stopped trying and simply assumed that the monk was a man of principle.

After all, this person had done similar things before.

With the great monk's cover, Li Cunxiao could fill his vajra almost once a day.

Each time he filled it, he would use it all that night to deduce the "True Scripture of the Three Altars and the Sea Assembly".

As a peerless divine skill that integrates Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, it consumed the murderous aura of the great master, Demon Emperor Yang Ying, for just a few general principles.

Now, to deduce specific techniques, the energy expenditure is also considerable.

Fortunately, with the Buddha statue as a power source, Li Cunxiao is not lacking in malevolent energy. If one deduction is not enough, then two or three will suffice.

It wasn't until the fourth deduction that the entire cultivation method for the eighth realm, the Primordial Embryo Realm, was completely deduced.

Inside the Dragon Palace, Li Cunxiao sat cross-legged on the dragon throne. The spiritual energy in the caisson ceiling flowed down like a waterfall, and the essence of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism washed over his mind.

Within the Niwan Palace, three divine palaces and three spiritual figures shone brightly.

The three altars echo each other, arranged in a staggered, triangular pattern.

Those who dwell above are like the vastness of the sky;
Located in the lower left, it resembles the weight and solidity of the earth;
Located in the lower right corner, it is like the boundless sea.

The Heavenly Emperor resides above the vast sky, the Heavenly Venerable of Salvation from Suffering resides below the nine earths, and the Heavenly King of Wide Vision resides on the shores of the vast sea.

In the three altars of Heaven, Earth, and Sea, or the three altars of Heaven, Earth, and Water, a Dao seal appears, resembling the authority of Heaven and Earth, with jade-like sounds echoing:
"After the chaos was divided, there were the three elements of heaven, earth, and water, which gave rise to human relationships and nurtured all things."

"The Three Great Emperors of Heaven, Earth, and Water established the Three Altars of Heaven, Earth, and Water to govern all living beings."

"The first-rank Heavenly Official bestows blessings during the first Yuan Festival, the second-rank Earthly Official pardons sins during the second Yuan Festival, and the third-rank Water Official relieves calamities during the third Yuan Festival."

"To bestow blessings and punish sins, to relieve calamities and rescue from disasters, to traverse the universe and determine life and death!"

(End of this chapter)