At the feet of the Emperor, within the Capital city, an unprecedented rebellion erupted. What did this imply?

The Capital was supposed to be the paragon of cities, carrying the hopes of the common people. It often acted as a weathervane for a dynasty. When rebellion struck the Capital, the entire dynasty’s heart would begin to waver.

The old Emperor, having ascended the throne many years ago, naturally understood this.

He had not anticipated that the Daoist Sect would possess such formidable influence, to the extent that it could incite such a large-scale rebellion within the Capital. This situation filled him with shock.

He did not know what the Daoist Sect had developed into in the places beyond his sight, and whether this world was still truly his own.

Golden Light Master, looking at the gravely worried old Emperor at his side, sighed softly, "It seems they were well-prepared. This turmoil must have been planned by them well in advance."

Although the specific details had not yet been conveyed, Golden Light Master had already determined that this was no accident, but a deliberate act by the Daoist Sect aimed to damage the Imperial Court’s prestige and shake the foundation of its rule.

This talk jangled Golden Light Master’s nerves even more.

The Daoist Sect had already begun to act, first severing the nation’s fate and then immediately launching a rebellion, leaving him no chance to catch his breath.

"Issue an order to the entire nation, seize all Daoist Cultivators!" the old Emperor shouted angrily, pounding his hand on the desk.

He felt an immense humiliation; the Daoist Sect’s actions clearly showed disregard for the Imperial Family. He swore in secret to show these arrogant people his true power.

Golden Light Master quietly waited for the Emperor to vent, but inside he was sneering coldly. How could mere mortals understand the mysteries of the Practice of cultivation? Perhaps, in the eyes of the old Emperor, those Taoists were nothing but reputation-seeking charlatans capable only of petty tricks not fit to be brought to light—hardly worth mentioning.

Even if he pointed out that the Daoist Sect had severed the nation’s destiny, the Emperor would remain skeptical, and as for the clean sweep of Qingning Temple, it was just a convenient afterthought.

He had been laying his plans for a long time, constantly reducing the influence of the Daoist Sect and supporting the Buddhist Sect to counter them.

It must be admitted that the Emperor was very skilled in the application of political tactics, and his foresight was keen. He acutely realized that the Daoist Sect had become too powerful to be kept in check and took the initiative to handle it.

However, the one thing he miscalculated was the influence of the Cultivation World. The Taoists of Qingning Temple were not ordinary charlatans; they were true Cultivators with Cultivation Level.

The severing of the nation’s destiny was not merely alarmist talk; it was a reality. And the means of the Cultivators naturally went far beyond, if he was not mistaken, right now the disciples of the Daoist Sect were already cultivating Hidden Dragons throughout the world to compete for the dynasty’s fate.

After all, Cultivators cannot lead the world; this is a rule set by the ancient wise men of the Human Clan, which even they cannot violate.

Golden Light Master did not care about the fate of Great Ning. For him, it did not matter who the Emperor was. After all, they were just a bunch of individuals who could not live past a hundred—why bother seeing eye to eye with him. Perhaps he was only a closed-door practice away, and the reign of an Emperor would turn to bones.

The only thing he cared about was how to expand the Buddhist Sect, promote the Buddhist Law, and make this land a Buddhist territory.

"Your Majesty, now that Daoist followers are spread throughout the world, such actions may disturb the state’s stability," Golden Light Master said very amiably.

Old Emperor was filled with rage upon this mention. Every year, the Imperial Court spent a great amount of money on the Daoist Sect, only to rear a pack of ingrates that now sought to upset his own empire.

"I refuse to believe that all my subjects are followers of the Daoist Sect. I have a mighty army at my disposal; for every one of their brainwashed fools that approaches, I will kill one," said the old Emperor with disdain.

What he cared about was his empire, never the common people.

"Amitabha Buddha, may all be well,"

Golden Light Master’s face was full of compassion, as if he was already performing rites for the souls who had died unjustly.

Suddenly, the old Emperor turned and fixed his gaze on Golden Light Master, "I know you have some unconventional methods. Since you have become the State Preceptor, the task of hunting down those Taoists practicing Evil Arts falls to you."

At this moment, a cold light flashed in the Emperor’s eyes, but Golden Light Master knew it was the cruel methods of the Daoist Sect that had started making the Emperor suspicious of the Buddhist Sect.

Yet, he was not afraid and, bowing to the Emperor as usual, he said, "Amitabha Buddha, since I have accepted the role of State Preceptor, it is my duty to fulfill my obligations!"

"Very good, very good. As long as you succeed, the Buddhist Sect will become the state religion of Great Ning and will share the nation’s fate," the old Emperor promised solemnly.

Golden Light Master smiled and expressed his gratitude, but he scoffed at it in his heart. He would never take the Emperor’s promises seriously. The Imperial Family had once promised the Daoist Sect the same, yet today they had turned their backs on them, trying every means to eradicate them.

Such promises from schemers were often worthless, but he also had his own means to cope, so there was no need to rush.

As Golden Light Master slowly left the Imperial Palace, the old Emperor watched his retreating figure, his expression gradually becoming somber.

He rubbed the space between his brows, somewhat agitated, as if some force was constantly eroding his brain, making him unusually irritable.

"Could there really be such a thing in this world as severing a nation’s destiny?"

The words of Golden Light Master lingered in his ears, involuntarily heightening his vigilance. At this moment, he began to regret having pushed the Daoist Sect too hard.

He had not expected those Taoists, who seemed to spend their days in quiet cultivation, to have such resolve. As soon as he had revealed his intentions, they had struck back fiercely, making him feel overwhelmed.

That night, the old Emperor could not sleep. At dawn, as the rebellion gradually subsided, all kinds of news also came in. The fanatical followers of the Daoist Sect were creating chaos in the capital city, and countless families were destroyed overnight, leaving the entire capital city shrouded in a haze of sorrow.

In the heart of the capital city, beneath the Emperor’s feet, such horrific events had taken place, shocking the entire realm.

Suddenly, rumors were rampant, especially about the incident at the Qingning Temple, which had become the center of heated discussions. Over the years, Qingning Temple had become a sacred place in the hearts of Daoist devotees. Now that their sacred place had been destroyed, many were filled with righteous indignation.

And naturally, their anger was directed at the Emperor, who sat on the throne. Led by the guidance of some Daoist disciples, countless people began to blame the Emperor for his faults, and in no time, this Emperor, already known for his misdeeds, was being labeled a tyrant.

When this news reached the old Emperor’s ears, this ruler, who had reigned for many years, couldn’t help but spit out a mouthful of fresh blood and fainted in the Golden Palace.

The old Emperor slowly opened his eyes to find himself surrounded by concubines and ministers, each with their own agenda.

In that moment, he truly felt the weight of his age.