Chapter 57: Chapter 51: Six Years of Devastation, the Time to Seek the Seed Has Come

Shang Rou was now aware that her brother had risen to power, becoming the General of the military force that ruled Anqing.

She also knew that what Xu Lei had said before—about taking a commander’s head from the midst of his army—had actually come to pass.

The Grand General was beheaded in the midst of his army!

Such a Divine Monk!

What was wrong with kneeling to him?

Therefore, she could understand Shang Yin’s actions.

It was just that her brother, who for so many years had disdained spirits and deities and shown no respect for the Daoist and Buddhist Sects, had suddenly become like this.

The contrast felt so great that, for a moment, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion.

"Amitabha Buddha."

Xu Lei then helped Shang Yin to his feet. "Benefactor Shang Yin, please rise.

Remove these thorns at once.

I never held those few words from back then to heart.

There is no need for this.

You are now the leader of the rebel army, rising with the will of the people and the mandate of heaven.

You are vying for the throne!

In the future, you may become the True Dragon Emperor!

There is no need to debase yourself!

Rest assured, the former General has already been punished by the Buddha.

The matter is settled.

From now on, no matter how your army rampages wherever it goes...

...remember this one thing: do not involve the Daoist and Buddhist Sects!

Let the Daoist Temples and monasteries, these places beyond the mortal world, stand apart from it all.

No matter how you vie for supremacy, as long as the Daoist and Buddhist Sects are not affected!

We will not interfere!

The Daoist and Buddhist Sects have no interest in vying for the throne.

Of course, if you come to believe that commanding an army makes you invincible and that you can sweep everything away...

...then the Daoist and Buddhist Sects may replace you, installing someone who understands how to revere the divine to take control of the rebel army!

However, if it means less trouble, the Daoist and Buddhist Sects prefer not to meddle.

Many of the great adepts within the Daoist and Buddhist Sects are focused solely on their Cultivation.

They have no desire to involve themselves in worldly affairs unless the sects themselves are slighted.

Furthermore, you can rest assured.

If you can sweep aside all opposition and establish a new dynasty...

...and in the future become the supreme ruler...

...the Daoist and Buddhist Sects will respect you as well.

You need only treat the Daoist and Buddhist Sects as Da Yu did.

As for taxes... well, the Daoist and Buddhist Sects do not pay them.

Offerings of incense are, of course, required.

But the realm will still be yours to govern.

To reiterate: the Daoist and Buddhist Sects do not meddle in worldly affairs!"

Xu Lei was being quite courteous.

After all, Xu Lei wasn’t a being who truly possessed Magical Power or Divine Power.

He was merely the public face put forward by the Daoist and Buddhist Sects for this incident.

Besides, the Daoist and Buddhist Sects didn’t actually want to keep intervening.

Every intervention consumed Magical Power.

It pained them greatly to do so!

They wanted to focus single-mindedly on their Cultivation, to achieve Nirvana as Buddhas or Ascension as immortals.

They had no desire to waste Magical Power, and thus their potential for enlightenment, on such worldly matters.

If Shang Yin’s rebel army hadn’t grown so powerful...

...powerful enough to influence the fate of the realm and even contend for Imperial Authority...

...the Daoist and Buddhist Sects would never have intervened over the deaths of a few ordinary Monks or Daoists.

After all, ordinary Monks and Daoists were merely employees hired by the sects to handle menial tasks at the various temples and Daoist Temples.

It was just like on Earth—what company truly cares about a few ordinary employees?

If a few employees had an accident,

...well, with money in hand, they could simply hire new ones later.

The Daoist and Buddhist Sects of today were no different.

As long as the True Daoists and True Monks were still around,

as long as the sects’ real estate assets like Daoist Temples and monasteries remained,

then once peace returned to the land, they could simply recruit new commoners to serve as ordinary Monks and Daoists.

It didn’t really change anything.

This time, however, Shang Yin’s rebel army had grown too large!

But its core leaders were all from common stock!

Not a single one of them knew the true power of the Daoist and Buddhist Sects!

That was why they had expended Magical Power to bare their fangs a little.

And it wasn’t the Daoist Sect or the Buddhist Sect acting alone.

Rather, both sides dispatched their own people to act together.

In truth, either sect could have handled the matter alone.

They simply insisted on sharing the cost in Magical Power.

Therefore, Xu Lei was naturally courteous toward Shang Yin, a potential future Emperor.

He wasn’t especially condescending.

Of course, despite this, Xu Lei still laid out all the stakes clearly for Shang Yin.

As a Monk of the Buddhist Sect, he naturally had to protect the sect’s interests.

He made sure Shang Yin understood the stakes.

Shang Yin could not be allowed to cross the Buddhist Sect’s line.

"I will remember the Divine Monk’s words well,"

Shang Yin said. "From now on, wherever my army passes, we will be sure to pay our respects to the Daoist and Buddhist Sects.

Furthermore, I thank the Divine Monk for his protection this time.

If not for the Divine Monk’s blessing,

the one who died might have been me."

"Amitabha Buddha."

Xu Lei said, "Life and death are both a matter of destiny.

In truth, I am not considered a truly powerful figure within the Buddhist Sect.

It is only that this time, the Head Temple had me step forward and choose who would live and who would die.

The reason I chose for you to live, Benefactor Shang Yin,

is because when I met you at the Wei Mansion all those years ago, I could tell from your words that you had been greatly persecuted by those in power.

I thought that perhaps one day, should you ascend the throne, you might truly be able to appreciate the suffering of the common people.

Another reason is the two benefactors, Shang Rou and Wei Qingning.

Over the years, those two have donated a great deal of incense offerings to the temple.

I have also interacted with both benefactors quite often.

The two of them have a strong affinity for Buddhism.

Since I knew you were Benefactor Shang Rou’s brother, and Benefactor Wei Qingning’s brother-in-law,

I was naturally inclined to favor you.

I hope you will not disappoint me, nor disappoint Benefactors Shang Rou and Qingning."

With this, Xu Lei took the opportunity to foster Shang Yin’s goodwill toward Wei Qingning.

This was to prevent Shang Yin from bearing a grudge because Wei Qingning had not remained in Anqing to meet with him.

But Wei Qingning had no choice at the time.

For the sake of his family, it was in his best interest to stay away.

Of course, Shang Rou had been entrusted to the Wei Family for many years and had lived very well.

Furthermore, thanks to the Buddhist affinity of Wei Qingning and Shang Rou, Shang Yin had managed to escape a calamity.

Xu Lei believed that Shang Yin could no longer possibly harbor any dissatisfaction toward Wei Qingning.

After all, if Shang Rou had not stayed with the Wei Family back then, she would not have had any dealings with him, the Divine Monk Wu Tan.

The one to die today might very well have been Shang Yin himself.

Because on the day the temples were raided, both Shang Yin and his elder brother had participated.

It could have been either one of them who died.

"In any case, thank you, Divine Monk."

Then Shang Yin said, "Sister, I have you to thank for this as well.

I never imagined that I, your brother, would be saved by the grace of you and my brother-in-law."

Previously, Shang Yin had always referred to Wei Qingning as a "pretty boy."

The fact that he didn’t use that term today was a clear sign his attitude had changed.

After all, having just been sheltered by the man’s good fortune, he could hardly be so rude now.

"Divine Monk! The realm is in chaos, and establishing a new dynasty will not be so easy!"

Then, unexpectedly, Shang Yin said to Xu Lei, "But for every day the realm remains unsettled, it is another day without peace.

I have heard of your great accomplishments and abilities, Divine Monk.

I wonder, would a person of your great talents consider emerging from seclusion to aid me in my campaign?

Let us join forces and sweep away this turmoil.

Let us restore order to these lands!

How about we forge a new, bright world and a magnificent new empire?"

He was actually trying to recruit Xu Lei and draw him from his life of seclusion.

"Amitabha Buddha."

Of course, Xu Lei immediately replied, "Thank you for your kind offer, Benefactor.

You flatter me.

But I am just an ordinary Monk.

There are many in the Buddhist Sect far more capable than I.

Besides, we who have renounced the world do not meddle in its affairs."

Hearing this, Shang Yin could only be disappointed.

"Amitabha Buddha."

Then Xu Lei added, "However, Benefactor, you could discuss the matter with Benefactor Wei Qingning.

The Wei Family is the wealthiest in the land.

Your sister, Shang Rou, is his principal wife.

If you were to gain the assistance of the Wei Family,

it would surely be like adding wings to a tiger."

"But my brother-in-law... would he be interested?"

Shang Yin paused, glanced at Shang Rou, and asked, "Would he be willing?"

After all, as beneficiaries of the current regime, the Wei Family might well continue to stand with the Da Yu Dynasty. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

The Da Yu Dynasty hasn’t completely collapsed yet.

There are still many stubborn factions holding out.

Many people are still calling for the suppression of all rebellions!

Whether the Da Yu Dynasty is truly finished is, at this point, completely uncertain.

"Brother, I will write a letter at once!"

Shang Rou then said, "I will ask my husband to rush back from the Capital City to consult with you.

Rest assured, I will do my best to persuade him.

I will ask him to aid you in your great cause!"

Hearing this, Shang Yin couldn’t help but look at Shang Rou with immense gratitude.

After all, such a persuasion could potentially affect their marital relationship.

Of course, Shang Rou only said this because she knew Wei Qingning himself was already inclined to do so.

「A month later.」

Wei Qingning returned to Anqing.

He and Shang Yin privately reached an agreement to cooperate.

He would use his financial power to help Shang Yin achieve his great cause.

It was, in essence, an investment in Shang Yin.

Instantly, the power of Shang Yin’s rebel army was enhanced.

They truly became one of the one or two greatest powers in the land.

「Six years later.」

War had raged across the lands of the Da Yu Dynasty for six years, and still, it had not ceased.

The Capital City had long since been breached.

The Da Yu Dynasty had already fallen.

But the various warlords were still locked in constant, chaotic battle.

No single power had emerged that could sweep aside all others and unite the realm.

On this day, beneath a tree in Anchan Temple,

a forty-eight-year-old Xu Lei gazed down from the mountain.

"The fires of war rage on without end."

He sighed. "Six straight years of devastation!"

"This storm has been blowing for long enough!"

Then, he turned to leave. ’It’s time to go and negotiate with the Buddhist Sect... and demand the ’Dao Seed’!’

’I’ve been waiting for this day for nearly ten years!’