How come I'm invincible?

Chapter 98 The Ming King Cult? I am the Great Heavenly Venerable of the Nine Heavens with the Silver Cudgel—Lin Fan

Two believers, dressed in dark gray coarse cloth shorts and with strips of cloth wrapped around their hair, carefully carried over a pot of boiling oil.

I saw the oil pan.

The first thought that popped into Lin Fan's mind was... these same old tricks he's tired of seeing.

Is it like reaching into a pot of boiling oil with your bare hands to retrieve a coin?
Sure enough, everything was as he expected.

After the oil cauldron was placed securely, a burly believer with a ruddy complexion and similar attire walked up to the cauldron with his hands raised.

Amidst the rising gasps and gasps of the surrounding crowd.

With a devout and fearless expression on his face, the believer suddenly plunged his right hand into the seemingly scalding hot oil pot.

His hands were seen stirring and groping in the oil pan, splattering hot oil everywhere, making the viewer's heart jump.

After a while.

He abruptly pulled his hand out, raised it high, and his fingers were clearly holding a shiny copper coin.

At this moment, a man who appeared to be a member of the Mingwang Cult's management walked up to the believer and said loudly, "Fellow villagers! You have all seen it with your own eyes, haven't you? This is a believer who has received the supreme blessing of the Mingwang. Only with a sincere heart can one receive the protection of the Mingwang and be immune to water and fire, thus achieving such divine power."

The surrounding people whispered among themselves, watching with astonishment.

Some people have a deep faith in the Mingwang Sect.

They shouted.

"The divine might of the Bright King!"

"The divine might of the Bright King!"

Ning Yu, who had gone to collect the amulet, returned and handed it to Lin Fan. "Master, I don't see anything special about this amulet."

Lin Fan glanced at the amulet, crumpled it in his palm, and raised his chin slightly towards the oil pot. "Look at this. Do you know how he managed to walk into the oil pot with his bare hands without getting hurt?"

Ning Yu shook her head; she had witnessed it herself from the other side.

Equally astonished.

"Master, the oil is so hot, won't your hand get burned if you put it in?" Ning Yu was full of doubts. Although she didn't understand, she felt that there must be something wrong with it, she just didn't know it.

Lin Fan smiled and said, "If it's really boiling oil, then that's true. But in my opinion, there's something wrong with this pot. It's not all oil; vinegar has been added."

"Vinegar?" Ning Yu blinked, her mind full of questions.

Lin Fan said, "That's right, it should be vinegar. Vinegar requires a very low temperature to boil. When vinegar is boiled, the bubbles will rise, so to outsiders, it looks like the oil has been boiled."

Ning Yu pondered for a moment, then suddenly realized, her face full of admiration, "Master, you know so much!"

Looking at Ning Yu's face, which was both innocent and alluring, Lin Fan clearly wanted to give her a little explanation, but judging from her expression, it didn't seem like she understood. Instead, she was very cooperative in praising him as her teacher.

"Yes, you'll understand a lot more in the future," Lin Fan said calmly.

His voice was not quiet as he spoke to Ning Yu, and the surrounding people heard it. The Mingwang Sect's management obviously heard it as well, and he immediately recognized the man carrying the iron rod as the renowned Chief of the Anzhou Security Bureau.

Its reputation has recently spread far and wide.

Silver Stick King Lin.

When Lin Fan told him that the pot wasn't all oil, he was shocked, but he didn't show any unusual reaction. He just couldn't believe that someone actually knew the secret of their Mingwang Sect.

He did not question Lin Fan about why he doubted Ming Wang Cifu.

The worst-case scenario is that the other party exposes the deception on the spot and tries to retrieve the coins by hand. If that happens, we'll be completely outmaneuvered.

But in life, what we fear most is not being foolish enough to provoke others, but rather being provoked in return.

obviously.

They, the Mingwang Cult, have finally encountered something.

When Lin Fan walked out, he instantly attracted the attention of the people, and even the management protector of the Mingwang Sect noticed him.

Lin Fan angrily said, "The evil righteous king dares to come out and swindle people."

The sound was loud and clear, like thunder, making the heads of the people buzz.

That's all he said.

This left the people completely dumbfounded.

what?
Evil Dao Mingwang?

"Master Lin, you can't say such things. The Ming King is a real person, or you might incur divine retribution."

"Yes, Mr. Lin, you must not talk nonsense."

The people who believed in the Mingwang Sect were very grateful to Lin Fan, and now that they heard what Master Lin said, they tried to persuade him.

If it were someone else spouting nonsense, they would have already shouted angrily at them, and might even have physically beaten them up.

The guardian knew how terrifying Lin Fan was, but now that he had insulted the Ming King, which was an evil path, how could he tolerate it? He rebuked him, saying, "Lord Lin, how can you talk nonsense? You are just a mortal, how dare you insult the Ming King? The Ming King is merciful and will not blame you, but we are the Ming King's devout followers, how can we allow you to slander him like this?"

"Nonsense?" Lin Fan remained completely unfazed. "When have I ever spoken nonsense?"

The Dharma Protector turned pale with anger and said, "You are talking nonsense. The Bright King saves all living beings and the world. He is compassionate and his grace extends to all. Your insults to the Bright King are insults to all of us believers."

"Bullshit!" Lin Fan shouted angrily.

The Dharma Protector was startled.

As for the Dharma Protector, he truly didn't understand what had gotten into Lin Zongban. He could have easily imprisoned someone with evidence, but instead he insisted on claiming that Wang was an evil cultist and a demon god.

We need to provide evidence.

But can you produce that evidence?
Just as the protector was sneering inwardly, Lin Fan turned his gaze to the surrounding people, cleared his throat, and spoke in a very serious tone.

"Fellow villagers, now that things have come to this, I have no choice but to confess a secret that I have kept hidden for many years."

The people all turned their attention to Lin Fan.

My mind is full of doubts.

I wonder what Master Lin wants to say.

Although... however, they hoped that Master Lin could explain that King Ming was a true god, not a false one, and certainly not some evil force.

"To be honest, I awakened my innate wisdom at a young age and learned that in my previous life I was the Great Heavenly Venerable, who resided high above the Nine Heavens!"

Wow! ! !
The crowd erupted in an uproar, everyone staring wide-eyed at Lin Fan in disbelief.

Completely bewildered.

Lin Fan took in the bewildered looks in the shocked eyes of the people and spoke slowly.

"Because I could not bear to see the suffering of the human world and the rampant evil, I specially reincarnated and came to the human world."

People: ...

Mingwang Sect followers: ...

Ning Yu: ...

"The Ming King you believe in is actually a heretic and evil. In my previous life, I personally suppressed him. I originally intended to completely destroy him, but considering the difficulty of his cultivation and the benevolence of Heaven, I gave him a chance to repent and reform, imprisoning him in the endless void to reflect on his actions."

His voice suddenly rose in pitch.

"Who would have thought that this evil spirit would be so unrepentant, using some unknown means to escape even a trace of its demonic power, and now dares to bewitch people and mislead the villagers. Since I, the Heavenly Venerable, have been reincarnated here and know about this matter, how can I sit idly by and let this evil path continue to wreak havoc on the world?"

The whole place was in deathly silence.

The people looked at Lord Lin, whose face was upright and awe-inspiring.

to be frank.

Some of them actually believed it.

The main problem is that the way they said it was so powerful that it's hard to believe it was fake.

Ning Yu was completely dumbfounded, her mouth slightly open and her eyes wide open.

She never imagined that her master could boast so extravagantly in order to deal with these pretentious charlatans; it was completely beyond her comprehension.

She really wanted to say it.

Master, let's stop bragging, your bragging is scaring me.

At this moment, the bewildered protector came to his senses and angrily said, "Nonsense!"

He was genuinely bewildered.

He originally thought the Mingwang Cult was already full of nonsense, but who would have thought that this Lin Zongban could spout even more nonsense than them.

"Stubborn fool!" Lin Fan snorted coldly, his gaze sweeping around, and he was surprised to see a thick-backed cleaver on a meat stall next to him.

Under the puzzled and tense gazes of the crowd, he strode over, picked up the cleaver, and returned.

Without saying a word, he swung his knife and chopped at the wooden plank next to him.

Click!

With a crisp crack, the wooden board was split in two, the break clean and smooth.

"Fellow villagers!" Lin Fan raised the knife and asked, "Tell me, is this knife sharp?"

Although the people didn't understand what Master Lin was trying to do, they all nodded subconsciously.

"Sharp".

Lin Fan walked up to the protector and handed him the knife.

"You say you received the blessing of the Ming King, so you obviously have divine power. I would like to test what the evil Ming King can do."

He rolled up his sleeves, revealing his stiff arms, and extended them in front of the other person.

"Of course, since I claim to be the reincarnation of the Great Heavenly Venerable of the Nine Heavens, I must first prove myself to you all. Now, take this knife and use all your strength to cut off my arm."

His tone was resolute.

"If this slash can sever my arm, then it proves that I am a fraud and am talking nonsense."

“But…” His gaze suddenly sharpened, “If my arm remains unharmed after this strike, then it proves that what I said is true, and that I am indeed the reincarnation of the Great Heavenly Venerable of the Nine Heavens.”

"Then, it will be my turn to chop you up. If your arm is also chopped off but not severed, then it means your Mingwang Cult has some skill. But if your arm is chopped off by me... hehe, then it means your so-called Mingwang is an evil cult that bewitches people."

Done.

He nodded in acknowledgment.

"Don't just stand there, chop."

The guardian was completely dumbfounded by Lin Fan.

The hand holding the knife trembled slightly.

He didn't expect it to go this far.

Ning Yu looked at her master with some worry, but quickly shook her head, putting her worries aside.

What are you thinking about?

This is the master I admire and trust the most.

Since Master dared to do this, there must be a reason. Perhaps Master really is the reincarnation of the Great Celestial Venerable.

If Prefect Zhao and others were present, they would surely be flushed with excitement upon seeing such a great opportunity.

Grass!
waste.

I told you to cut first, but you didn't. You're just crazy.

The onlookers stared wide-eyed, their eyes wide at the sight before them. The scene unfolding before them was beyond their wildest imaginations. They believed in the divine power of the King of Light, for retrieving copper coins from a cauldron of boiling oil was truly remarkable.

Now, Master Lin is asking the other party to cut off his arm with a knife, which is obviously to prove the authenticity of his status as the Great Celestial Venerable.

At this moment, the protector took a deep breath and tried to remain calm, saying, "Lord Lin, this knife is no joke. Once it's swung down, you can forget about losing your arm."

As he spoke, he touched the blade, feeling the stinging sensation as it cut his skin; he knew the cleaver was very sharp.

"Stop talking nonsense. I possess the divine power of a Great Celestial Venerable, making me invulnerable to swords and spears. How could mere mortal weapons possibly harm me in the slightest?" Lin Fan urged.

Lin Fan was now thinking that if his arm remained unharmed after the next slash, he couldn't imagine the extent of the impact it would have.

Meanwhile, the Dharma protector was also thinking about the outcome.

His strike would definitely sever Lin's arm, causing him to spurt blood and wail in agony.

Although Lin Fan did not oppose the Mingwang Cult.

But now it's the right thing to do.

The information he received was that this Lin fellow was Mad Dog, and now all his energy was focused on dealing with gangs, the Anzhou Chamber of Commerce, and Prefect Zhao and others.

If he were to resolve these matters, he would definitely turn his attention to the Mingwang Cult.

Think of this.

The Dharma Protector hardened his resolve, raised his hand, and his eyes sharpened.

The people around held their breath, their hearts pounding in their throats, and they could hear their hearts pounding.

With a roar, the guardian used all his strength to bring down on Lin Fan's arm.

Lin Fan analyzed the force of the opponent's sword swing.

The strength is insufficient.

With his current physical strength, he can withstand it.

Clang! ...
The moment the blade struck the arm, it produced a metallic clang. The force rebounded, and the guardian staggered back a step, the blade slipping from his hand and crashing to the ground with a clatter.

The imagined scene of a severed arm and gushing blood did not occur.

Lin Fan frowned slightly, quite dissatisfied, looking at the white mark left on his arm. It seemed he hadn't tried hard enough.

The scene was completely silent.

Everyone present was so shocked by what they saw that they were speechless and couldn't utter a single word.

This is a real bone-chopping knife.

The sound when the sword struck his arm was loud and piercing, absolutely true.

Lin Fan bent down to pick up the cleaver from the ground and shouted, "Fellow villagers, you all saw it with your own eyes, didn't you? I took a blow without a scratch. This is enough to prove that what I said earlier was absolutely true. I, Lin Fan, am the reincarnation of the Great Heavenly Venerable of the Nine Heavens."

After saying that, he picked up the knife.

"Quickly, stop dawdling, stretch out your arm right now."

"what?"

Seeing that Lin Fan really wanted to chop him up, the protector was so frightened that he retreated repeatedly. If Lin Fan really stretched out his arm, he would forget about keeping it.

At this moment, the Dharma Protector dared not stay there any longer and turned to run away, but was grabbed by Lin Fan.

The Dharma protector struggled desperately.

"Let me go, let me go."

The guardian looked at Lin Fan with a look of fear, his face turning pale and bloodless. Seeing that he couldn't escape, he knelt down in front of Lin Fan with a thud and begged for mercy.

"Great Heavenly Venerable! Great Heavenly Venerable of the Nine Heavens, spare my life! I was wrong! I know I was wrong! I have no divine power! I lied! I really have no divine power! Please, Great Heavenly Venerable, spare my dog's life!"

Lin Fan angrily said, "If you don't have divine power, then he does."

After saying that, he turned the tip of his knife and pointed it at the burly believer next to him who had just performed the act of catching copper coins with his bare hands. The believer was now pale with fright and trembling like a leaf.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! He has divine power. He received the blessing of the Mingwang... ptooey, the evil Mingwang. He has divine power. Go ahead and cut him, try cutting him."

Pfft!
Upon hearing the Dharma Protector's words, the burly believer's knees buckled, and he knelt down, crying out to the Dharma Protector.

"Guardian! You can't make false accusations and betray me after I've served my purpose! What divine power do I have? As for that oil cauldron... don't you know best what happened with that oil cauldron?"

The people were stunned.

Nobody expected it to turn out this way.

Lin Fan said, "Tell us, tell the folks what's going on with this oil pot."

The burly believer recounted the details of the oil cauldron quickly, afraid that if he spoke too slowly, he would anger the other party and be chopped down with a knife.

When the people who trusted the Mingwang Cult learned the inside story of the so-called divine power that allowed them to retrieve copper coins from a frying pan with their bare hands, they were all struck dumb, as if by lightning.

They genuinely believed that the King of Light would bestow blessings upon them.

But now the other party says it's all fake.

This had a tremendous impact on them, and their long-held beliefs completely collapsed.

"That's how it is, Great Heavenly Venerable, please spare me!" the burly believer pleaded desperately.

Lin Fan said, "Ning Yu, take them back to the police station and ask them properly how many people they have cheated over the years."

"Yes, master."

Ning Yu stepped forward and kicked them, which startled them so much that they quickly got up and stood obediently with their heads down, not daring to have any thoughts.

The protector of the Mingwang Sect looked at Lin Fan as if he had seen a ghost. To this day, he still doesn't know how the other party did it.

That knife is for chopping bones; it shouldn't be used like that.

Lin Fan addressed the people, saying, "Don't believe in any gods or ghosts. These are all scams. What I just said about the reincarnation of the Great Celestial Venerable was just to fool them. In my eyes, the Mingwang Cult is an evil cult and cannot be trusted. I hope everyone can raise their awareness to avoid being deceived."

After saying that, he left with Ning Yu.

The people stared in disbelief at Lin Fan's departing figure until he disappeared at the end of the street, and then they began to murmur amongst themselves.

"Great Celestial Venerable, I never imagined that Master Lin was actually the reincarnation of the Great Celestial Venerable."

"Didn't Master Lin say that he was just fooling the Ming King Cult?"

"You don't know anything! Master Lin is now a person with divine power. If he calls himself the Great Celestial Venerable, how is the imperial court supposed to face him?"

"That's right, that's exactly the point. We just saw it with our own eyes. That cleaver didn't even break the skin. What else could it be but a reincarnation of a god?"

One of the commoners muttered to himself, "The Great Celestial Master Lin with the Silver Cudgel!!!"

The owner of the cleaver held it in his arms as if it were a precious treasure, excitedly saying, "Hahaha... This cleaver was once used by the Great Celestial Venerable. I will keep it as a family heirloom and pass it down from generation to generation."

"Brother, how about I sell you the knife for five taels of silver?"

"Don't even dream about it. This was used by the Great Celestial Venerable."

……

At this moment, Lin Fan, who had returned to the prefectural government, was completely entangled with Ning Yu.

"Master~ Master~ Please, tell me how you did it!" Ning Yu held Lin Fan's hand and shook it gently, her voice soft and sweet, full of coquettishness.

There were many people on the street at the time, so I was too embarrassed to bother the driver.

Now back at the prefectural government office. She really wanted to know.

Ning Yu's two attendants stood not far away, their eyes wide open, looking at their young mistress's unprecedented behavior with bewildered expressions.

In their impression, the young lady was always energetic and decisive, a real tomboy. Even when facing the master, they had never seen her act so coquettishly.

Lin Fan was getting a headache from being shaken, and said helplessly, "Ning Yu, you really can't learn this. I'm just naturally gifted, with superhuman strength and extraordinary bones. There's nothing I can do about it."

"Master... is there really no way at all? Not even a little bit?" Ning Yu looked up, her big eyes filled with longing and resentment.

Lin Fan shrugged. "There's nothing I can do."

What his panel displays is all for his personal use only; there is no systematic learning method involved, and it's impossible for others to learn even a little bit from it.

He doesn't need to go through all that trouble.

In the future, when major events occur, he won't need to personally intervene; he can simply assign his people to handle them.

"Ok."

Ning Yu was very disappointed and looked quite helpless.

……

In jail.

When Master Ximen saw the Dharma Protector of the Ming King Sect after he was imprisoned, he was slightly taken aback. "Dharma Protector Huang, how did you get arrested?"

Huang Hufa looked at the people locked in the prison, all of whom were familiar to him. Although their Mingwang Sect did not participate in the affairs of the Anzhou Chamber of Commerce, their church had many believers and held many activities.

Naturally, one had to get acquainted with the wealthy families of Anzhou.

"Great Heavenly Venerable, Great Heavenly Venerable!!!" Protector Huang cried out, still thinking about the details of that strike. He had swung it himself, so he naturally understood how real that strike was, without the slightest falsehood.

Master Ximen asked in confusion, "What Great Celestial Venerable?"

"Chief Lin, he is the Great Celestial Venerable. He is not human, he is a god, he is an immortal," Protector Huang muttered to himself.

Those locked in the cells, upon hearing this, began to curse angrily.

"That son of a bitch Lin Fan! He's not even human! He's a beast!"

“We’ve worked hard in Anzhou for decades to build this business, and he’s destroyed all our hard work in just one visit!”

"Simon Cong! It's all your fault, you stupid pig! If it weren't for you..."

The cell was in chaos.

Protector Huang seemed oblivious to the insults, remaining lost in his own world, muttering, "You didn't lose unjustly, you really didn't... He's not human, he's invulnerable to swords and spears, he's the reincarnation of the Great Celestial Venerable, he's the same as our Holy Maiden... they're both gods!"

Master Ximen was completely bewildered by Protector Huang's rambling words.

I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about.

Then, we heard what Protector Huang said next.

“I chopped at his arm with a cleaver and it didn’t even break the skin. How is that possible? That’s impossible.”

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at Protector Huang.

What triggered this?
Is it even possible for a cleaver to cut an arm without breaking the skin?

It's obviously fake just by listening to it.

at this time.

Footsteps echoed through the prison corridor.

Lin Fan appeared in the dim light. He walked straight to the cell door where Protector Huang was imprisoned, unlocked it, and took out the distraught Protector Huang.

Facing Lin Fan, Protector Huang knelt down with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly, his tone filled with awe and supplication.

"I was blind and did not recognize Mount Tai. I did not know that the Great Heavenly Venerable was a reincarnation. I beg the Great Heavenly Venerable to give me the opportunity to serve by your side."

"Hahaha..." Seeing this scene, Master Ximen in the next cell couldn't help but burst into mocking laughter. "You, surnamed Lin, I never thought that you, as an official of the imperial court, would engage in such superstitious tricks of pretending to be gods and ghosts and fooling people's hearts. Are you trying to make me laugh to death?"

Since they were imprisoned.

I already understood.

It's impossible for me to get out.

Since things have come to this, we might as well take it easy and do whatever we want. Even if we die, we should at least be tough before we die.

But Master Ximen's joy didn't last long. He saw Lin Fan open his cell door, drag him out, and, ignoring his struggles and objections, throw him directly into the cell where Masters Li, Hu, and Zhou were imprisoned.

"Don't beat him to death."

This was Lin Fan's only request.

After a while.

Master Ximen's shrill screams echoed throughout the room.

Ximen Hai gripped the prison door and roared, "Don't hit my dad, you three sons of bitches, don't hit my dad!"

At this moment, Lin Fan had already taken Protector Huang aside and began to inquire about the internal situation of the Mingwang Sect.

Having been terrified, Protector Huang naturally spoke frankly and without reservation, revealing everything he knew.

"You said you've met the Ming King?" Lin Fan narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze seemingly carrying a fierce glint.

The Protector Huang trembled at the gaze and quickly swore an oath, "I really have seen him, I have personally seen Your Majesty the King, and there is not a single falsehood in my words."

Before Lin Fan could ask any further questions, Protector Huang took the initiative to describe the process in detail.

According to him, it was during the last birthday celebration of the Ming King that he was rewarded for his meritorious service in promoting the Ming King's teachings. The holy woman who attended the event bestowed upon him a blessing and led him to meet the Ming King.

The process was extremely mysterious.

They didn't go anywhere else; they stayed right there at the Dharma assembly.

Huang, the Dharma Protector, felt a sudden dizziness, and then found himself in a sacred space filled with rays of light and auspicious energy, where he witnessed the majestic and boundless Dharma body of the Bright King.

'Illusion?'
Lin Fan suspected that Protector Huang had been under the influence of some kind of hallucinogenic drug, which caused him to hallucinate.

But that's impossible; who can control hallucinations?

Moreover, Protector Huang also said that many devout believers have seen the Ming King and have since had unwavering faith in him.

Their church's teachings are...

"Those who enter the throne of my wise king are all brothers and sisters."

"Only by letting go of those material possessions can one achieve true freedom of mind and body."

"Only by severing worldly ties can one see the true compassion of one's father."

"All suffering is a form of spiritual practice, and all dedication leads to a pure land."

Abandon wealth and sever ties with worldly affairs.

Money is everyone's precious possession; who could bear to part with it?

However, those devout believers who had seen the Ming King all gave up their own wealth and donated it all to the Ming King sect, which is why the Ming King sect never lacked money.

Could there really be a master?

Lin Fan fell into deep thought. When he first came to this world, he thought there must be experts there, but as he continued to explore and dig, he had reached the point where he could do whatever he wanted, yet he had not encountered a single expert.

Of course, when Ning Yu was chatting, he told him about Qin Li, the Left Commander of the Five Military Commands, who was the head of the military officers and, when he was young, could lift a cauldron weighing two or three hundred catties with one hand.

But now I'm a bit too old to lift it up.

He didn't take it to heart.

They were simply considered one exceptionally talented individual among millions.

But now, when Protector Huang mentioned the illusory scene of the Holy Maiden leading him to see the Bright King, he began to take it seriously.

"Damn it, I don't care what kind of monster you are." Lin Fan sneered inwardly. "Tomorrow is the birthday of the Ming King. I will personally go and meet you. We'll see what you're made of once we take you out for a spin."

Lin Fan genuinely hoped that a master would appear; otherwise, he found everything too boring.

Without further questioning, they sent Protector Huang to his cell, while dragging out the badly beaten Master Ximen and returning him to his original cell.

……

The next day.

As Lin Fan led a group of constables toward the Mingwang Sect's headquarters outside the city, he discovered that the roads leading out of the city were teeming with people attending the Mingwang's birthday celebration, far exceeding his expectations.

Most of these people had piety and anticipation on their faces, and each held a carefully prepared gift in their hands.

Many people, their clothes patched and their lives clearly marked by extreme poverty, clutched tightly the hen that might be the only egg-laying hen in their homes, and trudged toward the Mingwang Sect's headquarters.

Seeing this, Lin Fan had no intention of blaming these people for being easily deceived.

All I can say is that the Mingwang Cult's methods of deceiving people are quite sophisticated.

Although he exposed the Mingwang Cult's deception in public yesterday, it didn't have much impact. For the people who were skeptical of the Mingwang Cult, it was just a spectacle.

But for the devout people, they will not easily change their minds because of some revelations.

Moreover, he learned that the Ming King Cult's counterattack methods were swift.

They even spread rumors that Protector Huang and others had violated the rules of the religion, which greatly angered the Ming King, who then withdrew his favors to them.

This argument is riddled with flaws.

Nobody would believe it.

But for devout believers, their belief is unwavering.

Lin Fan gazed calmly at the bustling crowd ahead, which resembled a pilgrimage, his hand involuntarily resting on the hilt of his goose-feather saber.

"Let's go."

……

The main altar of the Ming King Sect.

The hall was filled with the smoke of incense, creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere.

Several high-ranking members of the Mingwang Cult were kneeling respectfully on the ground, facing the figure sitting on the lotus platform at the head of the table.

They bowed their heads, their gazes not daring to stray even slightly. In their hearts, the seated figure—the Holy Maiden—was the embodiment of the Wing King spreading divine grace among humankind, sacred and inviolable.

"Venerable Lamp Holder," the holy maiden seated above spoke slowly, her voice ethereal and melodious, "Are Prefect Zhao and Garrison Commander Qin not coming this year?"

The Venerable One who was mentioned respectfully replied, "Reporting to the Holy Maiden, Prefect Zhao is unwell and says he cannot come."

In the past, Prefect Zhao would come to offer his congratulations every year on the birthday of the Ming King, and Commander Qin would also accompany him, which was considered to be giving the Ming King Sect enough face.

But their absence this year was somewhat unexpected.

If Prefect Zhao knew that the Ming King Cult members were still discussing why he hadn't come, he would have been wrong.

I'll definitely rant.

I'll give you a piece of my mind.

I've been used as a pawn all along, and everyone knows Lin Fan is coming with his yamen runners. This so-called birthday celebration of the Ming King is going to turn into a disaster.

The Holy Maiden said, "Yesterday, Protector Huang was spreading his doctrines, performing miracles, and expanding his followers in the city when he was arrested by the police."

The Venerable One Holding the Lamp said, "Reporting to the Holy Maiden, it's like this: not only were they arrested, but they also exposed our Mingwang Sect's trick of retrieving copper coins from a pot of boiling oil with bare hands. Furthermore, this Chief Lin claims to be the reincarnation of the Great Heavenly Venerable of the Ninth Heaven, saying that our Mingwang Sect is a heretical sect and has been suppressed by him..."

As he spoke, the Venerable Lamp-Holder's voice grew softer and softer.

Obviously, they dared not say it.

The veiled saintess fell silent. Since the founding of the Mingwang Cult, she had never encountered anything like this before.

Boom!Boom!Boom!
The sound of the Mingwang Bell could be heard outside.

"The auspicious time has arrived. You should all go out and take charge of the overall situation," the Holy Maiden said.

"Yes, Saint."

The people inside the hall rose and respectfully left.

……

outside.

Lin Fan, accompanied by a group of constables, stood before the magnificent gate of the Mingwang Sect's headquarters.

The building in front of us has flying eaves and brackets, and is magnificent and dazzling in the sunlight.

"My lord, isn't this headquarters of the Mingwang Sect a bit too extravagant?" Yang Ming looked up at the magnificent building and couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.

"Hmph." Lin Fan snorted. "Since they don't have to pay for it themselves, they can build it however they want."

Ning Yu stood beside Lin Fan, already itching to try, her little face full of excitement. "Master, this is definitely not a good thing, it's a cult. I can't wait to wipe them all out."

At this moment, one of Ning Yu's attendants reminded him, "Chief Lin, this Mingwang Cult has some connections with the Three Dukes and Grand Tutors of the Imperial Court. It would be best to be careful."

"Oh." Lin Fan nodded.

Three public expenses?

He was indeed a high-ranking official, the very highest-ranking official in the land.

However, this has little to do with what Lin Fan is doing now.

The two sides are too far apart in terms of their levels to be in direct conflict for the time being.

Since we haven't reached the point where we need to confront each other head-on, there's no need to be overly cautious or hesitant.

When the day finally comes that we have no choice but to touch it...

Then just go straight for the other side.

"Let's go in and meet this King Ming."

Lin Fan was very dissatisfied with the Mingwang Sect's way of treating guests.

what happened?

Didn't I know that the Great Celestial Venerable of the Nine Heavens had brought his servants?
There wasn't even anyone to greet them.

It's obviously a cult. Even if there really is a Mingwang (a deity in Chinese mythology), he's still an evil god.

Their appearance naturally attracted the attention of many people. At the same time, the leaders of the Mingwang Sect were delighted to find that there were more people coming this year, as it seemed that more and more people were becoming believers in their Mingwang Sect.

This is a good trend.

What he didn't know was that many of the people who came were just there to join in the fun.

This year in particular, many people, upon learning that Commander Lin was coming, naturally dropped everything and rushed over, just to see with their own eyes how Commander Lin would argue with the Ming King Sect.

Watching the drama unfold, whether you're observing it or not, is always very appealing.

When Lin Fan and his group arrived inside, many people held up their offerings and chanted the doctrines of the Mingwang Sect with fervent expressions.

"Those who enter the throne of my Wise King are all brothers and sisters. Only by relinquishing those material possessions can one attain true freedom of body and mind. Only by severing worldly ties can one see the true compassionate father..."

While shouting, they placed the gifts into the box meant for the Ming King.

Lin Fan witnessed this scene.

Not wanting to give the Mingwang Sect any opportunity to hold a birthday celebration, he quickly rushed to the highest platform, taking one or two steps... four or five steps.

"Keng!"

He pulled out the iron rod from his back and slammed it into the platform beneath his feet, driving it several inches deep into the solid surface with a dull, powerful thud that seemed to shake the entire platform.

"Stop right there, all of you!"

Lin Fan took a deep breath and roared at the top of his lungs.

The sound was powerful and imposing, overpowering the sounds of the Ming King teaching music and rituals, causing them to fall silent.

All eyes turned to Lin Fan.

The devout believers were furious, but when they saw that it was General Lin, their expressions became quite complicated. On one side was the Ming King they worshipped, and on the other side was the Lord Lin whom they loved.

This left many devout people unsure of what to do.

However, not all devout believers loved Lin Fan. The moment Lin Fan interrupted the birthday celebration, some fanatical believers cursed, "How dare you! Get down here right now! It's the birthday of the Ming King, such a solemn moment. How can a mere mortal like you interrupt it?"

"Get down here, get down here!"

The clamoring, devout believers were extremely arrogant.

Upon seeing this, Xu Ming's eyes sharpened, and just as he was about to step forward to make a move, he was shocked to find that the common people around this devout believer had taken action.

"Who the hell are you cursing?" A burly man grabbed the collar of the loudest believer, his eyes wide with anger. "You dare to curse our Master Lin? You've got some nerve, you're asking for it."

Before the words were even finished, a fist the size of a sandbag had already slammed down.

The surrounding villagers also rushed up and attacked, kicking him several times in anger.

They weren't believers, but rather there to watch the show. However, they genuinely respected Master Lin. Now, to have Master Lin verbally abused to his face, who could bear it?

Some people shouted, "The Great Celestial Master with the Silver Cudgel—Master Lin!!!"

Grass!
Just when the conflict on the scene was about to escalate, this sentence completely ruined the atmosphere.

The people who admired Lin Fan all shouted their support and cheered for him.

"The Silver Cudgel Grandmaster—Master Lin!!!"

Lin Fan took a deep breath. He needed to stay calm; these were his beloved people.

Do not get angry.

Dry!
Qin Si, you son of a bitch, don't wait until I get back to Yong'an, or I'll skin you alive and tear your mouth apart. My lifelong reputation has been completely ruined by your stupid, impulsive idea.

At the scene, Venerable Lamp Holder looked on in confusion.

He never imagined things would turn out this way.

This is not what he thought at all.

And right now.

A follower of the Mingwang sect hurriedly ran out of the hall and came to the side of the Venerable Lamp Holder, muttering to himself.

The Venerable One Holding the Lamp nodded and walked towards Lin Fan.

"Chief Lin, I would like to invite the Holy Maiden to the hall for a chat."

Lin Fan smiled, looked at the solemn, mysterious and luxurious hall, and turned to Xu Ming and the others, "Keep the scene under control. Anyone who dares to cause trouble should be executed on the spot."

As he said this, his murderous intent surged.

The Venerable Lamp Holder, who was standing to the side, was shocked. His palms were sweating. This Chief Lin was indeed as ruthless as he had been told.

(End of this chapter)