All Buddhas rose simultaneously, and the Buddha’s Light swiftly filled the Heaven and Earth.

Even with their power suppressed, their strength was still enough to make Heaven and Earth change color.

Yet that unassuming woodcutter stood before all the Buddhas, his slightly emaciated body now like a mountain.

He was seen holding an axe, moving as fast as lightning, weaving through the crowd, constantly swinging his axe, its bright light flashing ceaselessly.

All the Buddhas had to stop in their tracks, as the episode with Precious Light Buddha had taught them, this axe should not be taken lightly.

Even with the protection of the Buddhist Golden Body, they could not afford to underestimate it.

Who would have thought that just a woodcutter could bring a host of Buddhas to a standstill.

"Who are you really?" a Buddha shouted loudly.

Why would such a person remain obscure in the Three Realms, and how could he willingly be a woodcutter, living reclusively between mountains and forests.

The woodcutter smiled without responding, seemingly unwilling to answer the Buddha’s question.

While everyone at Two Realms Mountain was entangled, a storm was brewing in Chang’an.

Elder Lord Wang beheaded an Arhat, ordered his head to be hung above the city gate as a warning, and then returned to the Imperial Court to report.

"Your Majesty, I have successfully fulfilled your command, the Demon Monk has been beheaded, and his head now hangs above the city gate," Elder Lord Wang’s voice, dignified and weighty, echoed in the great hall, carrying a force that stirred the heart.

The Emperor, upon hearing this, showed delight and said, "Good, my trusted official, you truly are a pillar of the nation, striking down demons, enhancing the might of the Great Tang Dynasty."

"It is but the enlightened reign of a sagacious Emperor that suppresses all evil, sweeping away all ghosts and demons; how dare I claim the work of Heaven as my own," Elder Lord Wang said gravely.

Yet the Emperor revealed a happy expression; indeed, Elder Lord Wang was a veteran of three dynasties, and his flattery was extraordinary.

With the Emperor in a good mood, the multitude of ministers in the grand hall also relaxed significantly; previously, the angry Emperor had made everyone jittery, to the point that they dared not even breathe too loudly.

However, another topic was laid before them at this time, which was how to deal with the Buddhist Sect.

After all, the origin of this incident lay in the ambition of the Buddhist Sect; the Arhat was not alone, he represented the will of the Buddhist Sect.

Of course, in Dongsheng Shenzhou, Buddhism was just one religion, powerful though it might be, it had not yet reached the point where it could sway court affairs. Had their plan succeeded this time, it would be another matter.

But now, with the Emperor in fury, no one spoke up in defense of the Buddhist Sect, and people like Elder Lord Wang had no fondness whatsoever for monks who renounced worldly affairs and did not engage in production.

Thus, the suppression of Buddhism proceeded naturally.

When the Emperor’s wrath stirred, a million corpses lay and blood floated on the water. A grand anti-Buddhist movement thus began, and a nightmare unfolded for countless Buddhists across Dongsheng Shenzhou.

On this day, into the temples that were once sacred and inviolable, a legion of soldiers resembling fierce spirits and malevolent demons burst in. Without a word, they smashed the statues of Buddhas and dragged the previously revered monks out of their temples.

"You cannot do this, you will suffer retribution," cried an elderly monk, looking up to the sky.

He watched helplessly as the soldiers toppled the statues of the Buddha and bound the monks in the temple, unable to stop himself from uttering such a curse.

A soldier rushed over and kicked him to the ground, cursing, "You bald donkey, how dare you curse us?"

The rude soldier didn’t care at all that the one lying on the ground was an elderly monk, and he kept saying, "I think you all deserve death for daring to bewitch His Majesty, trying to make us all become monks."

The monk lying on the ground felt as if he had been struck by lightning upon hearing these words; his body began to tremble uncontrollably.

"How is this possible?" the monk murmured to himself, full of shock.

They were born and raised in Dongsheng Shenzhou, understanding better than anyone the weight of the title of Emperor, and yet someone within the Buddhist Sect had dared to bewitch a monarch.

This was practically the same as seeking death.

"Heavens, have they gone mad, Buddha, please look upon us, for the calamity of our Buddhist Sect is right before our eyes!" the monk knelt on the ground and shouted loudly, hoping that Buddha’s gaze would fall upon this land and see the suffering of his followers.

"Old monk, stop wasting your strength, your Buddha is not going to save you. I heard that the demon monk captured in the capital city claimed to come from Mount Ling and was an Arhat intending to establish a Buddha Kingdom on Dongsheng Shenzhou," a young general dressed in rather fancy attire said with a smile.

"Impossible, this is impossible..." the old monk muttered to himself, unwilling to believe what the general had said. If it were true, then the Buddhist Sect’s calamity was unavoidable.

In fact, even the young general was filled with doubt and reluctant to believe the news when he first received it from his family.

That was an Arhat from Mount Ling, a divine spirit from legends, and yet he ended up beheaded like a mere mortal. Although the beheading was difficult, it was still deicide.

It was said that the Arhat’s head was hung on the walls of Chang’an City for all passersby to see, and it had now become a must-see attraction.

The young general made up his mind that once this mission was completed, he would find an opportunity to return home and, along the way, take a look at the legendary Arhat’s head.

Perhaps his words had an effect, as the struggling monks suddenly stopped resisting, as if they had accepted their fate, and the aged monk appeared utterly soul-crushed, completely lacking any Vital Essence, Qi, and Spirit, and exuding a sense of agedness and death.

His heart had died.

However, the surrounding soldiers felt not a hint of sympathy. They were the Emperor’s claws and teeth, and their mission to the temple was to vent the Emperor’s fury, showing these monks who claimed to be recluses outside the secular world the majesty of the Imperial Court.

Scenes like this were unfolding in every corner of the Great Tang Dynasty. The monks suddenly felt as if the end of the world were upon them, with the entire nation targeting them.

The wealthy gentry who used to welcome them with smiles, as if they would offer up their lives for the Buddhist Sect, had turned into the most vicious demons, each starting to fervently target the Buddhist Sect.

It was then that the monks realized just how cheap belief was in the mouths of these people; when it conflicted with their personal interests, it would be discarded completely.

"This is a land of demons; the people here have no genuine faith."

Many monks lamented and cried out, yet none of it could stop their fate, for when the imperial decree to destroy Buddhism was conveyed to the world, their destinies were sealed.

Outside Chang’an City, the temples that had been thriving with devoted worshippers were now desolate and empty, with countless people looking on in horror; what was once revered had turned into fear.

Because this place was Master Jue Ming’s dojo.