You, a tyrannical ruler, roam the heavens; you cannot understand my joy.

Lu You?

The official in the Ministry of Rites who supported the new policies? His fiancée was kidnapped here.

"Why did they capture you? Do you know where this is?" Pei Xuan asked, suppressing his anger.

Tang Wan shook her head, her fear deepening: "I don't know... I only occasionally overheard the monks who delivered the food muttering something when they were drunk, saying things like... 'sacrificial offerings,' 'living Buddha,' 'the big day is coming soon'..."

"I didn't hear the specifics... Your Excellency, please save us!" She and the other women knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly.

Offerings? Living Buddha?

Pei Xuan's mind was reeling.

Tantric Buddhism!

This Ciyun Temple is indeed related to Esoteric Buddhism!

These women were abducted as sacrifices!

"Don't be afraid! I'll get you out of here!"

"Quick, keep up with me!"

The women, as if grasping at a lifeline, supported each other and stumbled out of the prison, following Pei Xuan toward the entrance of the passageway.

Just then, a jumble of footsteps and angry shouts suddenly came from above!

"Oh no! The secret door is open!"

"Someone has broken in!"

"Quick! Block the exits!"

Pei Xuan's expression changed; he knew their whereabouts had been exposed. He hissed, "Stay close to me!"

Having said that, he rushed out of the passageway and returned to his meditation room.

Four or five monks, armed with knives and clubs, burst into the meditation room. Their temples bulged and their eyes were fierce; they had lost all trace of the kind and benevolent demeanor of monks.

The first, a dark-skinned, stout monk, was the seemingly kind receptionist. Now, his face was contorted with rage, and his eyes flashed with murderous intent as he saw Pei Xuan and the women surging out behind him.

"How dare you!"

"How dare you trespass on forbidden grounds?"

"Kill him! Don't let any of those women escape!"

"This sacred Buddhist sanctuary has become a den of filth and vice, a place where women are imprisoned. Do you even deserve to be called monks?"

Pei Xuan laughed in anger, and before the other party could make a move, he took the initiative and rushed straight at the dark-skinned, fat monk who was in charge of receiving guests!

The monk in charge of the guest roared and brought his bronze cudgel down on his head!

Pei Xuan neither dodged nor avoided, but his left hand shot out like lightning. Just as the bronze staff was about to fall, his five fingers, like iron hooks, grabbed and twisted the staff!

"Let go!"

The monk felt a strange and tricky force coming from the staff, and his tiger's mouth was in excruciating pain. He couldn't hold onto the copper staff, and it flew out of his hand and crashed against the wall with a "bang".

He was terrified. Before he could change his move, Pei Xuan's right palm had already silently struck his chest.

"puff!"

The guest monk coughed up a mouthful of blood, his burly body flying off the ground, crashing into tables and chairs. On the ground, it was clear that they were not going to survive.

A monk holding a dagger was shocked and enraged when he saw the leader of the monks die in one move. He let out a strange cry and swung his dagger to cut the monk in half!

Pei Xuan slightly turned his body, the blade grazing past the monk's chest. He then used his left hand to grab the monk's wrist holding the knife, pulling and stretching him. The monk immediately lost his balance and fell forward. Pei Xuan seized the opportunity to strike backward with his right elbow like a spear!

Click!

A cracking sound rang out as the elbow struck the monk squarely in the back.

Before the monk could even scream, he collapsed like a broken sack, his spine broken.

The remaining three monks were terrified by Pei Xuan's ruthless and efficient methods, but their ferocity was also aroused. They roared and pounced on him, swinging their clubs in unison.

Pei Xuan snorted coldly, his figure darting around the cramped meditation room like a ghost, dodging two sticks at eyebrow level, reaching out to grab the end of another wooden stick that was being thrown at him, and giving it a shake!

Buzz!

The monk felt a surge of immense force, the wooden stick trembled violently, and his fingers instantly went numb and loosened. Pei Xuan snatched the stick and swept it horizontally with a backhand!

With two muffled thuds, the two monks wielding sticks were struck in the ribs, their ribs broke, and they flew backward, spitting blood, crashing into the wall and losing consciousness.

The last monk with the dagger, seeing his companions wiped out in an instant, was terrified. He let out a strange cry and instead of attacking Pei Xuan, he turned and pounced on the women huddled together at the door, his dagger aimed straight at Tang Wan, who was closest to him!

It's obvious they wanted to kill him to silence him!

"court death!"

Pei Xuan's eyes were bloodshot, and the wooden stick he had snatched flew out of his hand like a powerful arrow!

puff!

The wooden stick struck first, piercing the monk's back and causing him to fall forward. The dagger clattered to the ground, barely an inch from Tang Wan's toes.

From the start of the fight to its end, it only took a dozen or so breaths.

Five fierce monks were either killed or maimed.

"Hurry up!"

Before Pei Xuan could catch his breath, he rushed out of the meditation room.

However, as soon as he arrived in the backyard, his heart sank.

There were already twenty or thirty monks standing densely packed in the courtyard!

Armed with sticks, knives, and even strange weapons such as iron whips and grappling hooks, they blocked the exit completely.

What made Pei Xuan even more alarmed was that the few people standing in front, although also wearing monks' robes, had high noses, deep-set eyes, and dark skin, clearly resembling monks from the Western Regions!

Two of them had a deep and focused aura, sharp eyes, and bulging temples, clearly indicating profound internal strength, far surpassing that of the ordinary martial monks from before.

"Amitabha."

An aged voice rang out, the crowd parted, and an old monk with a gaunt face, wearing a bright red kasaya and holding a staff, slowly walked out. He was the abbot of Ciyun Temple, whose Dharma name was "Liaokong".

His gaze swept over Pei Xuan, then looked at the group of terrified women behind him, a sinister glint in his eyes: "Benefactor, you have trespassed into the forbidden area of ​​this temple, killed and injured monks, and released evil spirits, committing boundless sins."

"Today, stay here and offer your flesh and blood to Buddha to atone for your sins."

"Evil spirits?"

Pei Xuan laughed in anger, pointing at the woman behind him: "Imprisoning innocent women and engaging in such despicable acts, yet you dare to call yourself a Buddhist?"

"I think you are the demons in monks' robes!"

"explain!"

"What is your relationship with Tantric Buddhism?"

"What is the purpose of abducting these women?"

Abbot Liaokong remained expressionless and said calmly, "The Buddha said, it cannot be spoken of."

"Since you have seen what you should not have seen, you will be condemned to eternal damnation."

"Take him down!"

"Kill all those women, leave no one alive!"

"Absolutely no word of this can be leaked!"

The monks responded in unison, especially the few Tibetan monks from the Tantric sect, whose eyes flashed with fierce light as they rushed forward first!

Two Tibetan monks with profound internal strength stood on the left and right, cooperating perfectly. One of them used the Tantric Great Hand Seal, his palm whistling and fierce.

One person used a strange finger technique, his fingertips hissing as he struck Pei Xuan's major acupoints.

The other monks brandished their weapons and charged at the unarmed women with strange cries, intending to kill them on the spot!

Although Pei Xuan was highly skilled in martial arts, he was under great pressure when facing two masters who were clearly at the level of Tantric masters, and he also had to protect the woman behind him.

He roared and unleashed all his skills, his palms flashing and his fingers flying, as he fought the two Tibetan monks. The sounds of their blows were deafening, and their energy surged, kicking up dust from the ground.

But ultimately, two fists cannot fight four hands; he was overwhelmed and faced constant danger.

The women, terrified by the menacing monks, scattered in all directions screaming as they fled.

The backyard was large, but the exit was blocked. Where could they escape to?

A woman was running too slowly and was caught up by a monk wielding a staff, who struck her hard on the back of the head with the staff!

puff!

Her brains splattered, and the woman collapsed to the ground without uttering a sound.

"younger sister!"

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Another woman turned around and saw this, cried out in grief, and after a brief pause, she was slashed in the back by another monk, falling to the ground with a scream.

The stench of blood instantly filled the air.

Tang Wan and the other women were so frightened their legs went weak, and they huddled in the corner, watching as several martial monks grinned menacingly as they approached, raising their monk knives...

At the critical moment!

Chi Chi Chi!

Several sharp whooshing sounds rang out!

The monks who were forcing their way toward Tang Wan and the others screamed and fell to the ground, each with a steel crossbow bolt stuck in their throat or chest, the fletching of the bolt still trembling!

More than a dozen figures dressed in black, their faces covered with black cloths, appeared on the back wall and roof. They were armed with crossbows, short knives at their waists, and their eyes were as cold as ice. They were the elite guards of the Imperial City Guard that Pei Xuan had arranged to meet them outside the temple!

They had been keeping watch outside, and upon hearing the sounds of fighting and a woman's screams in the backyard, they immediately scaled the wall and entered, just in time to rescue Tang Wan and the others.

"kill!"

"Leave no one alive!" the leader of the men in black ordered sharply, his voice hoarse.

The elite guards of the Imperial City Guard were well-trained and coordinated perfectly. They fired crossbow bolts in quick succession, instantly felling several more monks. Then, they drew their short swords, leaped into the courtyard, and engaged the remaining monks in a fierce battle.

Their martial arts skills might not be as good as Pei Xuan's and the two Tibetan monks, but they were adept at combined attacks, ruthless and decisive, and immediately turned the tide of the battle.

With the pressure greatly reduced, Pei Xuan's spirits lifted. Seizing the opportunity when one of the Tibetan monks had exhausted his old strength and had not yet generated new strength, he bravely endured a palm strike from another Tibetan monk and struck his chest acupoint with lightning speed!

"Well!"

The Tibetan monk groaned and froze.

Pei Xuan, seizing the advantage, pressed his advantage, transforming his fingers into a palm and delivering a powerful, forceful palm strike that landed squarely on the top of Pei Xuan's head!

"Snap!"

The sound of a skull shattering rang out, and the Tibetan monk bled from all seven orifices, collapsing to the ground.

Upon seeing this, another Tibetan monk's eyes flashed with shock, anger, and fear. He feigned an attack, then abandoned the fight and retreated rapidly, letting out a sharp whistle, clearly signaling his companions to retreat.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Abbot Liaokong also had the idea of ​​retreating. He swept his staff horizontally, forcing away two Imperial City Guard experts who rushed at him. With a sway of his body, he rushed towards the meditation room, trying to escape through the secret passage.

"Trying to leave?"

Pei Xuan was not about to let him escape. He mustered his inner energy and endured the excruciating pain from the palm strike to his shoulder. He moved like a roc spreading its wings and pounced into the air. His five fingers formed claws and he aimed straight for the vital point on the back of the man!

Liao Kong heard the ominous wind behind him and had no choice but to turn around and swing his staff to block it.

"clang!"

With a loud bang, Pei Xuan's five fingers clashed with the fine iron staff, producing a metallic clang!

Liao Kong's arm went numb from the shock, and he staggered back several steps, his heart filled with horror.

Pei Xuan unleashed a series of fierce grappling techniques, each move aimed precisely at vital points.

At this point, the elite troops of the Imperial City Guard had basically taken control of the situation. The warrior monks had been almost entirely killed or wounded, and only a few Tantric monks were still putting up a last-ditch resistance. However, they were also divided and surrounded, and their defeat was only a matter of time.

Knowing that things would not end well today, Liao Kongxin's eyes flashed with a ruthless glint. Suddenly, he shoved his staff into the ground, clasped his hands together, and began chanting incantations. His monk's robes fluttered without wind, as if he were about to perform some kind of secret technique.

Pei Xuan is experienced and shrewd; why would he give him a chance?

With a stomp of his foot, the blue bricks on the ground shattered, and he shot forward like an arrow, delivering a powerful and heavy kick to the chest!

"puff!"

He coughed up blood and flew backward, crashing into an old locust tree in the courtyard. He slid down softly, his sternum collapsed, and it was clear he was going to die.

After saying that, he died.

With Liao Kong's death, the last few Tibetan monks who stubbornly resisted were also hacked to death by the Imperial City Guard's experts.

The backyard was littered with corpses, and the stench of blood was overwhelming.

The rescued women, having survived the ordeal, embraced each other and wept.

Pei Xuan clutched his shoulder, his face pale. He had taken a blow from the Tibetan monk, and although he had neutralized most of it with his pure internal energy, his internal organs were still shaken.

He surveyed the chaotic courtyard, his gaze finally settling on the dark entrance to the secret passage, his eyes growing even colder.

Ciyun Temple... Esoteric Buddhism... Offerings...

We must return to the palace immediately and report to His Majesty in person!

"Clean up the scene and search the entire temple!"

"These women should be properly cared for and given strict protection!"

……

The air in the Imperial Study was still.

After listening to Pei Xuan's report on the underground prison of Ciyun Temple, the fierce battle, and the shocking keywords such as "sacrifice" and "living Buddha," Lu Zuo lightly slapped the imperial desk.

"Ciyun Temple...offerings...esoteric Buddhism..."

"In broad daylight, right under the emperor's nose, a Buddhist temple, supposedly a place of purity, has become a den of iniquity, a haven for imprisonment and plunder, and a sanctuary for collusion with foreign enemies and evil spirits!"

"it is good."

"My capital, right under my nose, has become a hunting ground for these wicked monks."

"Buddhism..."

"What a fine Buddhist sect!"

"Pei Xuan, heed my command!"

"Your subject is here!" Pei Xuan knelt on one knee, enduring the pain to straighten his back.

"Effective immediately, all temples and monasteries, regardless of size or sect, inside and outside Yingtian Prefecture shall be closed."

"All monks and nuns are temporarily confined to their respective temples, and are not allowed to leave or communicate with the outside world."

"The Imperial City Guard and the Palace Guard are to cooperate in this operation. Anyone who resists will be killed without exception!"

Pei Xuan's heart skipped a beat: "Yes, Your Majesty!"

"besides."

Lu Zuo added, "Tang Wan, make proper arrangements and protect her."

The decree was issued as swiftly as thunder.

In the late afternoon, the once peaceful Yingtian Prefecture was suddenly broken by the sound of horses' hooves, footsteps, and shouts.

Squads of Imperial Guards, their armor gleaming and swords drawn, along with the Imperial City Inspectors in their dark red uniforms and with their cold expressions, surged like a flood bursting its banks towards the temples and monasteries in the city and its suburbs.

In an instant, the bells and chimes stopped ringing, and the chanting ceased.

Countless pilgrims and believers were asked to leave the mountain gate, and gathered outside in a daze, watching as the soldiers quickly sealed off the entrances and exits and affixed seals bearing the official seals of the Imperial City Guard and the Palace Guard.

The monks and nuns were ordered to gather in the front hall or square, where they were guarded by soldiers. Whispers of surprise, fear, and anger filled the air.

.....

The Shuiyue Nunnery in the east of the city, known for its tranquil environment, was not spared either.

This nunnery is not large in scale, but its architecture is exquisite. It is backed by a small mountain, faces a bamboo forest, and is surrounded by a stream. There are not many worshippers on weekdays, mostly women seeking peace and quiet.

At that moment, the gate of the nunnery was violently pushed open, and a large number of soldiers carrying weapons filed in, driving seven or eight young nuns to the open space in front of the Guanyin Hall.

"Amitabha......"

"May I ask what brings you gentlemen to my humble abode?"

At this moment, a nun walked out of the Guanyin Hall.

She looked to be no more than twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with exquisite features, fair skin, and a graceful figure. Her eyes, like autumn water, were now filled with fear as she looked at me, making her even more pitiful.

It was Jingchen, the abbess of Shuiyue Nunnery.

Pei Xuan stood with his hand on his sword, his cold gaze sweeping over the abbot. He unfolded the document in his hand and read aloud, "By imperial decree!"

"It has been discovered that heretical sects, under the guise of Buddhism, have colluded with esoteric sects in the Western Regions to harm the people and plot wickedness."

"In order to eliminate evil influences and protect the capital, effective immediately, all temples and monasteries in the capital region are to be closed, and all monks and nuns are to be temporarily confined inside pending inspection."

"Those who disobey orders will be treated as accomplices!"

After reading the decree, ignoring Jingchen's deathly pale face and the nuns' hushed gasps, Pei Xuan waved his hand: "Clear the area!"

"Please remove all irrelevant personnel!"

"All nuns in the nunnery, please move to your meditation rooms to rest temporarily. Do not move around without permission!"

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