The Arhat murmured to himself, yet a great fear was born in the depths of his heart.

It seemed as though a magical mood permeated this land, where people did not have as much faith in divine spirits as one might expect, even though this place was under the domain of the Heavenly Court.

However, the Heavenly Court had turned a blind eye, and recalling the mysterious energy that had emerged before, the Arhat felt as if cold water had been poured over his head.

"This is a trick, a trap set by the Heavenly Court!" The Heavenly Court must be hiding some secret, which is why they were content to watch him cause havoc in Dongsheng Shenzhou, perhaps for this very day.

Thinking of this, the Arhat felt a chill run through his body. He wanted to shout to the heavens, to tell his conjectures to the disciples of the Buddhist Sect, but was shocked to find he couldn’t open his mouth no matter what.

His gaze swept around, and soon he saw an old man with white beard standing amidst the crowd, as if he were detached from the world, yet at one with it.

"Taibai Jinxing!" The Arhat recognized the old man’s identity.

He was one of the Star Lords of the Heavenly Court, one of the Jade Emperor’s most trusted officials, an ancient Immortal and God who had lived for countless years. He had descended to the Mortal World unnoticed at some point, hiding his presence, all to seal his mouth today.

It should be noted that at this moment, Dongsheng Shenzhou was completely sealed by a terrifying power. All Immortals and Gods that entered would soon become mortals, their mana locked, and only deities recognized by the agreement could continue to cast spells.

The Buddhist Sect, due to their previous deceit of the Emperor, was now being repelled by this land, which was why Taibai Jinxing had taken action.

He was afraid the Arhat’s calls would resonate with the Buddhas of Mount Ling.

This was a covenant established in the presence of the Three Pure Ones between the Jade Emperor and the sages of the Human Clan: the Mortal World should belong to the sovereign, and the incense offerings should go to the Heavenly Court.

It was also because both sides had been at peace with each other that Mankind had never shown its true power over these many years.

The Arhat wanted to pass all this information on, but now, under the power of Mankind, he was no different from an ordinary person, and controlled by Taibai Jinxing’s spell, he could not speak, only making some simple characters with muffled sounds from his mouth.

Some people were curious and tried to listen carefully to what he was actually saying, but they could not fathom the meaning at all.

Thus, an Arhat from Mount Ling was pressed onto the execution ground.

"Mere mortals, how dare you kill me!" The Arhat was pinned to the ground, and his heart roared with anger. This was the greatest humiliation to him; if word got out, he feared he could no longer stand in Mount Ling.

"The Third Watch at Noon has come, begin the execution."

At the command, the executioner drank a gulp of strong liquor, spitting it onto the blade, which shimmered eerily in the sunlight.

The executioner, with effort, raised the large axe in his hand, its ghostly glint flashing in the air, chopping directly toward the Arhat’s neck.

The Arhat struggled furiously, lifting his head to glare angrily at the executioner nearby. To be beheaded and made an example of by such a mortal was a tremendous indignity and shame.

The blade struck his neck, creating a sound like the clashing of gold and iron, and a substantial notch instantly appeared on the sharp edge.

Although his mana was suppressed, the Arhat had cultivated the Buddhist Golden Body; his body’s toughness remained, and ordinary weapons simply could not breach his defenses.

The Execution Officer was encountering such a situation for the first time and immediately became utterly disconcerted.

"Worthy of a Demon Monk who dared to bewitch His Majesty, indeed you have some tricks up your sleeve."

They immediately sent someone to report the matter.

At this moment, in the grand hall of the Imperial Palace, numerous ministers were righteously indignant, denouncing the malevolence of the Buddhist Sect.

"What audacity the Buddhist Sect has, contributing nothing to society, deceiving followers, amassing wealth, and now they even dare to scheme to control the Emperor. They show no respect for laws or heaven," an elder minister raged.

Despite the old gentleman’s frail appearance, when he roared in anger, the whole hall echoed with his voice.

This was an elder statesman of three dynasties, highly respected in the Imperial Court, and he was nearly of the age to retire and return to his hometown. Since his youth, he harbored reservations about the Buddhist Sect, considering their members unproductive parasites of society and detrimental to the nation.

During the reign of the previous Emperor, who was a devoted Buddhist, the old minister had repeatedly submitted petitions in opposition, and he remained unmoved even when faced with demotion and exile.

Later, he also repeatedly opposed the current Emperor’s summoning of high-ranking Buddhist monks.

Having heard the news today, he naturally would not miss such an excellent opportunity to vehemently attack the Buddhist Sect in the court.

In the past, there might have been a few who would have debated with this eminent elder, as the matter involved the Three Teachings, and there had always been those who would take sides.

But today’s court was deathly silent, not a single person daring to stand up against the elder’s thunderous diatribe.

The actions of the Buddhist Sect were tantamount to courting death, bewitching the Emperor was no different from treason—an offense grave enough to reach heaven. Everything now depended on the Emperor’s mood; no one would dare to anger His Majesty at such a time.

Many, chilled by the Emperor’s experiences, realized that the Buddhist Sect had such sinister Dharma Techniques. If the Emperor could be targeted today, then tomorrow it could be any one of them. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

The thought of succumbing to these Evil Arts in an instant, becoming a madman solely dedicated to protecting the Buddhist Sect, sent a shiver running through them.

Some among them were on good terms with the Buddhist Sect, fulfilling their spiritual needs, but they had no desire to become puppets manipulated by others.

After all, each one of them held positions of power and influence. Their dealings with the Buddhist Sect were merely transactions of mutual benefit.

"Since my beloved subjects have no further objections, from today forth, Great Tang shall eradicate Buddhism. All monks are to demit their holy orders, and any defiance will be met with death. All temples shall be destroyed and Buddha statues confiscated," the Emperor said coldly.

Everyone felt the suppressed fury in the Emperor’s icy voice, a clear indication that last night’s events had thoroughly enraged the monarch.

Just then, a voice from outside bringing a report interrupted them, and upon allowing the messenger in, all present learned of the Demon Monk’s methods.

"Can’t be killed?" The Emperor’s gaze was icy as he looked at the person kneeling below. His first thought was that they were lying, trying to save the despicable monk’s life.

But after a moment’s consideration, he realized something was amiss; no one would dare to provoke his ire at this time, and indeed, the monk had some mysterious tactics.

Yet, if such a demon was not beheaded for the public to see, where would the Imperial Court’s authority stand, and where would his own imperial dignity be placed?

"Do any of my beloved subjects have a strategy?" the Emperor asked, scanning the room. He decided to pass this difficult question on to his ministers below.

"Your Majesty, this servant has a method that might work," the previously indignant elder minister stood up and said.

"Speak, Zhu Aiqing!" The Emperor’s eyes brightened, not expecting to have a solution so promptly.