Longevity by Picking up Attributes in the Battlefield Chapter 850 Chapter 345: Ying Zheng's Golden Words Suppress the Buddhist Practitioner! Zhao Feng Establishes the Rules! (Part 2)
Previously on Longevity by Picking up Attributes in the Battlefield...
He has arrived. There must be a reason for his presence.
“Announce his arrival,” Zhao Feng commanded the Army Marquis who awaited him in the hall.
“Understood.” The Army Marquis departed swiftly.
Soon after, a bald monk, clad in a robe and adorned with prayer beads, entered the Morning Discussion Hall.
This particular monk was an unfamiliar sight in Shenzhou during this era.
Every civil and military official present regarded the monk with curious gazes, a distinct sense of wonder in their eyes.
“Amitabha. I, Fa Lin, pay my respects to Emperor Qin,” the monk intoned, offering a formal salutation with clasped hands before Ying Zheng upon entering the hall.
“How audacious! Do foreigners not perform the kneeling ceremony in the presence of His Majesty?” Wang Jian stepped forward, his voice sharp and cold.
“Kneel!” A chorus of shouts erupted from the military officials.
At this precise moment, a surge of martial pressure permeated the hall.
The monk’s expression shifted slightly as he observed Wang Jian and the other military officials, clearly detecting the presence of True Qi.
“I am a being detached from worldly affairs, not of the mortal realm. The only one I bow to is my Buddha. Earthly emperors are not worthy of my deference. Should I bow to the King of Qin, he would lose his life,” Fa Lin declared with arrogance, his gaze sweeping across the assembly.
“I wish to see how you would cause me to lose my life. Kneel before me!” Ying Zheng’s gaze fell upon the monk, his command delivered with icy coldness.
As his voice echoed, golden characters materialized in the air. A potent force, the Power of the National Fortune, began to mobilize the Rule Power of the Human Dao.
The monk, who had been exuding indifference, suddenly showed a drastic change in his countenance. Reacting instantly, a brilliant golden Buddha Light enveloped him, an attempt to counter the immense Power of the National Fortune.
“Refining the Void and Merging with the Path,” Zhao Feng observed, instantly discerning the monk’s cultivation level. “No wonder he dared to enter Qin alone, relying on his cultivation as a safeguard. However, with this level of Refining the Void and Merging with the Path, he ultimately cannot withstand Qin’s Power of National Fortune.”
With a resounding *bang*, the Buddha Light surrounding the monk abruptly shattered. He involuntarily fell to his knees, his struggles proving futile.
“What? Kneeling? Have I lost my life?” Ying Zheng looked down at the prostrate monk, his voice chillingly calm.
“You… what kind of demonic art is this?” Fa Lin stared at Ying Zheng, his face etched with profound astonishment. It was evident that he had never anticipated such an outcome.
“From the Western Borders, you traveled thousands of miles to reach Xianyang. Speak, what brings you to Qin?” Ying Zheng inquired coldly.
“Emperor Qin, if we are to have a discussion, it is not conducted in this manner,” Fa Lin responded, his voice filled with indignation. It was clear that being suppressed by the Rules of the Human Dao, he was compelled to kneel and could not break free even with his power of Refining the Void and Merging with the Path.
Ying Zheng cast a glance over and waved his hand, releasing the oppressive power that had held Fa Lin captive.
Now freed, Fa Lin slowly rose, though the arrogance he had displayed earlier was nowhere to be seen.
“I have come to Qin at the behest of my Buddha to save Shenzhou, to save Qin,” Fa Lin stated solemnly, clasping his hands together.
“Why does Qin require your salvation?” Ying Zheng asked calmly.
“Amitabha. Emperor Qin, are you unaware of the impending disaster from Heaven? This is the wrath of Immortals and Gods, the Heavenly Court sending down calamities. As long as Qin endures, the disaster will persist. In a single moment, Qin, and indeed all of Shenzhou, will be plunged into endless suffering. My Buddha’s duty is to liberate all beings. If Emperor Qin decrees that the people of Qin worship my Buddha, my Buddha shall bestow His grace, dispel the disaster, and bless Shenzhou while sheltering Qin’s people,” Fa Lin proclaimed with utmost seriousness, exuding an aura of immense Buddha’s grace as if bestowing a blessing upon Qin.
“Haha,” Ying Zheng chuckled, a cold smile playing on his lips. “You propose that Qin should worship your so-called Buddha. Buddha and Immortals are birds of a feather! Are you worthy?”
The moment these words left his mouth, Fa Lin's expression shifted drastically.
“Emperor Qin, you err greatly. Qin’s very existence defies destiny. The Heavenly Court seeks to destroy Qin and sever Shenzhou in accordance with destiny. My Buddha’s compassion offers your Qin a chance for protection, yet you fail to recognize this benevolence,” Fa Lin retorted coldly, visibly angered.
At this juncture, the aura of Refining the Void and Merging with the Path burst forth. Powerful Buddha Light shimmered around his body, rendering him exceptionally divine in appearance.
“Behave yourself,” Zhao Feng sneered, raising his hand and pressing down. An imposing palm seal descended towards Fa Lin.
“What?!” Fa Lin’s expression contorted in shock as he perceived the invisible palm seal hurtling towards him. He hastily redirected his Buddha Light, attempting to launch a counter-attack. However, it was far too late. With a deafening roar, the impact occurred.
The brilliance of the Buddha on Fa Lin was instantly extinguished, sending him hurtling backward. Ren Xiao and several Imperial Guards swiftly advanced, unfurling chains to pierce Fa Lin's scapula. Two other guards then used sharp instruments to seal Fa Lin's Dantian. This meticulous process is precisely how the Qin Empire deals with cultivators. Piercing the scapula severs their strength, while impaling the Dantian prevents the mobilization of spiritual power. These chains and sharp implements were, in fact, a gift from the Heavenly Court, crafted from the refined materials of those nine fallen meteors.
"What demonic art have you employed?" Fa Lin, pinned to the ground by the Imperial Guards, managed to lift his head and glare at Zhao Feng. "If it isn't Buddhist cultivation or Immortal cultivation, then it must be a demonic art?"
"Indeed, birds of a feather flock together," Zhao Feng responded with a sarcastic smile. "Shenzhou has already severed the lineage of cultivation; how did you manage to tread the path of cultivation? Moreover, Shenzhou is under the watchful eyes of the Heavenly Court's agents; how did you evade their surveillance?" Fa Lin queried, his gaze fixed on Zhao Feng, brimming with confusion.
"Now, I will ask, and you will answer," Zhao Feng stated, raising his hand. "Otherwise, death."
An invisible force lifted Fa Lin directly into the air. "Do you dare to kill me?" he threatened. "Behind me stands the Buddhist Sect, and even the Buddha himself. Our Buddhist Sect has come with goodwill this time, yet your Qin has acted with excessive aggression. If you dare to lay a hand on me, the Buddhist Sect will one day raise an army and annihilate your Qin!" Fa Lin declared furiously.
Witnessing this outburst, Zhao Feng saw no need for further words. His Divine Sense extended forth, plunging directly into Fa Lin's Sea of Consciousness. Zhao Feng's current Power of Divine Sense was formidable, making the act of soul-searching this individual a simple matter. As his Divine Sense breached Fa Lin's Sea of Consciousness, shattering his Buddha Power, Fa Lin screamed in excruciating agony, his entire body writhing in torment. The Soul Searching Technique is undeniably cruel; after its completion, Fa Lin would be left mentally vacant.
After a short while, Zhao Feng withdrew his Divine Sense. Fa Lin, having lost consciousness, slumped to the ground with a vacant, foolish expression.
"The Buddhist Sect even covets Qin's Qi Fortune," Zhao Feng mused with a cold laugh. "Truly laughable." After the soul search, Zhao Feng thoroughly understood the Buddhist Sect's true intentions. Unlike the Heavenly Court, which sought to destroy Qin and progressively seize Shenzhou's Qi Fortune by employing the might of Immortals and Gods to obliterate the empire, the Buddhist Sect aimed for a more gradual encroachment.
Their strategy involved spreading Buddhism throughout Qin, enticing the populace to offer tributes, gathering faith, and thereby siphoning Qi Fortune. Over time, this would allow the Buddhist Sect to become deeply entrenched in Shenzhou, plundering its Qi Fortune. Of course, they had indeed presented Qin with apparent benefits. When the Immortals and Gods unleashed calamities upon Qin, the Buddhist Sect demonstrated the capacity to resolve them. It was evident that as the Heavenly Court cast disasters upon Shenzhou, the Buddhist Sect sought to profit like a fisherman from the ensuing chaos. If Qin were merely a mortal kingdom, it would undoubtedly be unable to refuse such aid. However, in its current state, the Buddhist Sect's actions had become a pathetic jest.
"Feng'er," Ying Zheng inquired, looking towards Zhao Feng. "How fares it?"
"Father Emperor," Zhao Feng replied, turning his head and smiling. "Qin can now add another cultivation method to its repertoire."
"Are you implying you have obtained this bald donkey's cultivation method?" Ying Zheng eyed Fa Lin, who was still slumped on the ground, grinning foolishly.
"Buddhist cultivation and Immortal cultivation, though divergent paths, ultimately converge at the same destination," Zhao Feng stated. "Since our Qin has entered this grand age of cultivation, it must embrace diversity. Immortal cultivation values the Spirit Root, Buddhist cultivation adheres to the Wisdom Root, and Martial Arts relies on the root bone. However, from this day forward, Qin shall enact a decree that all its people must observe." Zhao Feng's gaze swept across the assembled court with stern authority. Under his imposing stare, everyone bowed their heads in reverence.
"The people of Qin shall honor only imperial authority, not Immortals or Buddhas. Within the Great Qin Territory, no Immortal Temples shall be erected; only memorial tombs for the heroic souls of our soldiers. Qin shall revere the heavens and the earth, not the pronouncements of so-called Immortals and Gods who falsely claim to represent them."
Zhao Feng's command, irrefutable, echoed across the entire Court.
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