Chapter 150 - A New Organization in The Ming Dynasty? Lu Xiaofeng's Excitement, Temujin's Schemes, Li Shimin's Jealousy

"Hey, have you heard?"

"The White Lotus Cult has rebelled!"

"Not only that, but several princes have also joined the rebellion. How bold of them!"

"Truly overestimating themselves!"

"With the current Emperor's strength, aren't they just asking to die?"

As Lu Xiaofeng and his companions were chatting, a nearby table of guests began discussing the current state of the world with a mocking tone. This made Lu Xiaofeng and the others change expressions slightly.

"Hey, brother, what exactly happened?"

"Tell us the details. By the way, this table's food and drinks are on me."

Lu Xiaofeng walked over and asked eagerly.

"So it's the famous Lu Xiaofeng. An honor to meet you."

"Since it's you asking, I'll tell you everything I know."

"The White Lotus Cult's rebellion happened just a few days ago. They suddenly rose up and gathered tens of thousands of troops, occupying a city."

"They killed the local officials and even took countless innocent civilians hostage."

"Unfortunately, the White Lotus Cult was too arrogant. They thought that alone was enough to successfully rebel."

"But unexpectedly, not long after, three mysterious black-clad figures appeared in the city."

"In just a few swift moves, they slaughtered all of the White Lotus Cult's high-ranking members, including the Leader, the Holy Mother, and the Saintess, on the spot."

"Even their elite soldiers couldn't resist and were wiped out one by one."

"A so-called rebellion ended in a complete failure. It didn't even last three days before being crushed entirely."

Listening to the guest's recount, Lu Xiaofeng couldn't help but click his tongue.

Too powerful!

He had heard of the White Lotus Cult before, especially the Holy Mother, whose strength was extraordinary, certainly in the Great Grandmaster Realm. Many of the sect's top members were also Great Perfection Grandmaster Realm.

Yet only three people had eliminated them completely.

There was no doubt those three were of the Land Immortal Realm.

The court's hidden power was terrifying and far beyond imagination.

Previously, the court had ignored the White Lotus Cult because they were just stirring up minor trouble. Or perhaps it was simply because the Ming Emperor never considered them a threat.

But now that they had rebelled, there was no reason to let them continue existing.

"Great Hero Lu, you think that was the end of it?"

The guest shook his head repeatedly.

"Those rebellious princes also got what was coming. As soon as they acted, massive military forces descended upon them."

"At the same time, countless mysterious cultivators emerged."

"All of the rebellious nobles and their top cultivators were captured in one fell swoop."

"Clearly, His Majesty had been aware of their intentions for some time. In fact, it might have been a trap he deliberately set to eliminate these rotten elements."

"His Majesty is truly brilliant."

At this point, the guest's face showed a look of respect and admiration.

It was directed toward the Ming Emperor Zhu Houzhao.

Since the appearance of the Golden Ranking, although some of Zhu Houzhao's secrets had been exposed, his prestige among the people and in the Martial World had risen day by day.

In the past, cultivators disdained serving the court. Many even saw it as disgraceful, viewing themselves as nothing more than hounds and lackeys of the government.

But now?

Everyone in the Nine Provinces knew that the Ming Emperor was a Great Perfection God Demon Realm cultivator.

Many young cultivators had started to develop a unique reverence for the Emperor and even the court.

More and more began actively joining the government, offering their strength.

The Six Doors, the Zhuge Divine Mansion, and even Dragon Guarding Manor had all begun to attract cultivators.

Unfortunately, most ordinary people weren't qualified to join these organizations.

Even though Lu Xiaofeng already knew the court was powerful and the Emperor was unfathomable, such swift suppression of rebellion was still unbelievable.

He had heard the news.

In the Qin Dynasty, the Six Kingdoms were allied and fighting the Qin Dynasty's army in a brutal war.

In the Sui Dynasty, rebel forces were everywhere, impossible to fully extinguish.

In the Song Dynasty, rebel armies were waging campaigns and even attempting to divide the dynasty.

In the Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin was desperately suppressing powerful vassal kings, trying to bring them under total control.

And don't even mention the Han Dynasty.

There, the nobility, Yellow Turban Rebellion, and all kinds of bandits were emerging endlessly.

Chaos was everywhere.

Even in the Qing Dynasty, the Heaven Earth Association and Red Flower Association were rising one after another.

In order to satisfy Hongli's personal desires, the army had even gone to war with Uyghur Kingdom forces, all for a single woman.

Countless lives were lost each day.

Only the Ming Dynasty had managed to eliminate all rebellions from the start.

Any force or organization that dared to act out was annihilated without mercy.

There was no room for luck.

Without thorough preparation and means, even if the Emperor himself was powerful, this would have been impossible.

Clearly, the Emperor was far more terrifying than Lu Xiaofeng had imagined.

This was not only a display of martial might, but also of supreme governance.

Thinking this, Lu Xiaofeng no longer dared feel the slightest disrespect toward the terrifying Emperor.

He decided to obediently remain an Imperial Secret Agent.

If he even slightly tried to deceive the Emperor, he would likely be exposed immediately and punished severely.

"By the way, Great Hero Lu, are you planning to join the newly established Dragon Division?"

The guest suddenly looked at Lu Xiaofeng with a peculiar expression.

"Dragon Division? What's that?"

Lu Xiaofeng was confused and curious.

"His Majesty issued a decree. Any cultivator in Ming Dynasty Territory, whether from righteous sects, demonic sects, or unaffiliated, can join the newly formed Dragon Division and Phoenix Division as long as they pass the examination."

"Those who join will receive extremely generous rewards."

"As long as you don't harm the Ming Dynasty and complete the court's missions, you can grow stronger continuously."

"With your strength, you'll surely qualify for the Dragon Division."

"With their training, it may not be impossible for you to advance to the Great Grandmaster Realm or even the Land Immortal Realm."

"Ah, I really envy you gifted individuals."

"People like me can only join the Six Doors and become minor constables."

The guest spoke with admiration and a hint of jealousy in his eyes.

"Dragon Division? Phoenix Division?"

"What's the Phoenix Division for?"

Lu Xiaofeng asked.

"The Dragon Division only accepts men who pass the test."

"The Phoenix Division is for women."

Lu Xiaofeng was stunned.

"They're even recruiting women?"

"What's wrong with that? Women are in no way weaker than men!"

"Look at the Golden Ranking. Aren't those women terrifying?"

"Even you, Lu Xiaofeng, can't compare to them."

"I bet one day the Dragon Division might not even rival the Phoenix Division."

Lu Xiaofeng was speechless and could only smile bitterly.

It was true. The women who made the ranking were all terrifying.

Especially the top ten on the Prodigy Ranking. Aside from the Ming Emperor, the other nine were all women.

That almost completely humiliated all the men in the Nine Provinces.

Even in the Land Immortal Realm, many terrifying women existed.

Li Hanyi, the Snow Moon Sword Immortal. Mei Yinxue. Murong Xisheng.

All fiercer than most men.

Thankfully, the Ming Emperor was there to save face for men.

Thinking of this made Lu Xiaofeng shiver slightly.

That was true terror.

Indeed, the women of the Ming Dynasty, no, of the entire Nine Provinces, were terrifying.

It seemed His Majesty intended to recruit young martial geniuses from the Martial World.

With proper training, they could become a formidable force in the future.

"Brother, do you know who has joined the Dragon or Phoenix Divisions recently?"

"Heh, you asked the right guy."

"I know quite a few famous names who've joined."

"Like Linghu Chong from the Mount Hua Sect, Zhuo Yihang from the Wudang Sect, and Yuan Suiyun from Clashless Manor..."

Before the guest could finish, Lu Xiaofeng cut him off.

"Clashless Manor? Yuan Suiyun?"

"Are you sure? I remember him being blind. How could he join?"

The guest rolled his eyes.

"So what if he's blind? Yuan Suiyun's strength is probably above even yours. And now, he's no longer blind."

"No longer blind?"

"That's right. His Majesty gave him an Immortal Pill that cured his eyes."

"He can now see again."

"And in return, he joined the Dragon Division and became a squad leader."

"I personally saw him kill a ruthless Great Grandmaster Realm cultivator."

Lu Xiaofeng couldn't help but take in a sharp breath.

One pill cured Yuan Suiyun's blindness.

Thinking of this, Lu Xiaofeng became extremely excited.

If Yuan Suiyun could be healed, then Hua Manlou certainly could as well.

No, he had to request an audience with the Emperor and beg for an Immortal Pill for Hua Manlou.

He stopped asking further and immediately returned to Ximen Chuixue and the others.

He shared everything he had just learned.

"Xiang Shuai, Ximen Chuixue, Third Young Master, Yan Shisan, I plan to take Hua Manlou to the capital."

"I'll request a pill from His Majesty to restore his sight."

"I'll go with you. I'm also interested in this Dragon Division."

Ximen Chuixue stood up and said.

"We're going too."

Xie Xiaofeng and Yan Shisan looked at each other and stood up together, also planning to go.

With the Golden Ranking now present, powerful people were emerging everywhere.

They felt they were gradually falling behind.

If this continued, they would soon be overtaken.

Eventually, they would become the weak ones.

Talent was important.

But opportunity and resources were even more crucial.

They needed to grow stronger quickly.

If they died halfway, it would be too regretful.

Chu Liuxiang gave a wry smile.

He loved freedom, but sometimes, choices had to be made.

If he didn't join the court with Xie Xiaofeng and the others this time, the gap between them would only widen in the future.

That was not what he wanted.

"I'll go too."

==========

Ming Dynasty Territory.

On a remote path, more than a dozen figures with strong auras were fleeing swiftly, faces full of panic as if someone was pursuing them.

"Sir, how did we get exposed?"

"Why so fast?"

"We had just taken action when the Ming Dynasty's Dark Guard found us."

"Out of over a hundred people, only we are left."

"And the mission the National Master gave us has failed completely."

"The White Lotus Cult and those Ming Dynasty princes were utterly useless. They couldn't even hold out for three days before being wiped out."

"Trash like that dared to rebel?"

These mysterious individuals looked grim, eyes bloodshot.

It seemed the sudden outbreak of rebellion across many forces within the Ming Dynasty had been orchestrated by them.

Suddenly, dozens of sword qi beams flew toward them.

"Aaaaah!!!"

These fleeing mysterious figures couldn't resist the incoming sword qi. One after another, they were struck and fell dead.

"Snow Moon Sword Immortal, Li Hanyi!"

The leader of the mysterious group dodged just in time and wasn't killed on the spot, though he suffered serious injuries.

Seeing who had arrived, he gritted his teeth in hatred.

"We have no conflict with your Snow Moon City. Why are you killing us?"

"Could it be that Snow Moon City is now willing to bow to the Ming Emperor?"

The leader roared angrily.

Li Hanyi looked at the man with a cold expression.

"You incited the White Lotus Cult and various princes to rebel. Snow Moon City had no intention of interfering."

"But you killed my people and framed us to drive a wedge between Snow Moon City and the Ming Imperial Court. For that alone, you deserve death."

"Most importantly, you tried to drag Snow Moon City into the chaos of war. That is utterly unforgivable."

With that, Li Hanyi prepared to finish them off on the spot.

"Wait, we're not your enemies. Maybe we can cooperate."

"If you only knew who we really are..."

Swoosh.

Before the leader could finish, a beam of sword qi from Li Hanyi sliced through his throat in an instant.

"Mongol lap dogs. That much is already obvious. Do you really think the world is full of fools?"

"Just a few Mongol dogs dare to scheme against Snow Moon City?"

"Even if Temujin himself were here, I would still kill him without hesitation."

Li Hanyi spoke disdainfully.

The leader collapsed in despair, eyes filled with unwillingness.

"Hmph, these people were sent by the Yuan Dynasty National Master, Phagpa."

"There's still one last batch left, the Bad People of Tang Dynasty."

"The enmity from the last Myriad Sword Diagram incident, this time I'll settle it."

Without even glancing at the corpses, Li Hanyi vanished.

Soon, in another location, several dozen more people were slain.

Each was struck fatally by sword qi, dying on the spot.

Among them was even a Heavenly Human Realm Land Immortal cultivator.

Yet in front of Li Hanyi, none of them stood a chance.

Each was killed with a single strike.

All of them were spies from various dynasties.

Their purpose had been to stir up internal rebellion in the Ming Dynasty and weaken its national strength.

Unfortunately, Zhu Houzhao had long been prepared for this.

To be safe, he had even entrusted the matter secretly to Li Hanyi.

Clearly, in the hands of someone at the Half-Step God Demon Realm, all the hidden enemies were easily wiped out.

They were not worth mentioning.

==========

Southern Song Dynasty, Outside of Xiangyang.

Yuan Imperial Tent.

"Failed? And so quickly?"

National Master Phagpa closed his eyes, his face full of unwillingness.

Over a hundred elite agents, all dead?

In the end, they hadn't achieved anything.

The White Lotus Cult rebellion and the princes' revolt had done nothing.

Worse yet, they had helped Zhu Houzhao eliminate hidden threats within the Ming Dynasty.

Now his grip on the Kingdom would be even stronger.

That meant the Yuan Dynasty had only ended up helping Zhu Houzhao.

Thinking of this made him even more frustrated.

They had suffered multiple setbacks at the Ming Dynasty's hands, and Zhu Houzhao hadn't even acted personally.

Phagpa was so disheartened, he was even considering resigning as National Master and returning to Tibet Kingdom for secluded cultivation.

"National Master, let us put aside the Ming Dynasty for now. We're not yet ready for an all-out conflict with them."

"Breaking through Xiangyang is our top priority."

"Whether it is Ming Dynasty, Tang Dynasty, Qin Dynasty, or the mysterious Vast Sea Dynasty, they are all our enemies."

"The urgent task is to take Xiangyang and destroy the Southern Song Dynasty."

"Only by growing stronger can we qualify to challenge them in the future."

Though Temujin felt some pain from the loss, he had no choice but to pull himself together.

"By the way, I've gathered information. Inside Southern Song Dynasty Territory, there's a massive rebel army that has gained the attention of many cultivators."

"Perhaps we can secretly win them over and have them attack Xiangyang from behind."

"That way, they can assist our Yuan Dynasty forces in conquering the city."

At this, Temujin's eyes lit up.

"Your Majesty, you don't mean Long Zunyi's army, do you?"

"Impossible."

"That army has openly declared its opposition to the Yuan Dynasty. How could they possibly ally with us?"

"Especially their leader, Long Zunyi, who is even more resolutely Anti-Yuan than Guo Jing."

"A staunch enemy of the Yuan Dynasty. Totally impossible."

Phagpa reacted immediately, shaking his head repeatedly.

But then, seeing Temujin's smile, his expression shifted.

"Your Majesty, don't tell me that the army has our people inside?"

"Exactly. That rebel force under Long Zunyi was secretly cultivated by me."

"Aside from a few individuals, almost the entire force belongs to me."

"I have complete confidence that I can make Long Zunyi serve our cause."

"Compared to Guo Jing, Long Zunyi is nothing."

Temujin's face was filled with confidence.

"If that's true, then this could be very promising."

==========

Tang Imperial Palace, Taiji Hall.

"Your Majesty, news just arrived. The Bad People we sent to the Ming Dynasty have been completely wiped out."

Hearing Yuan Tiangang's report, Li Shimin showed no surprise.

In fact, he found it perfectly natural.

"No matter. I didn't place much hope in them anyway."

"Success would've been a pleasant surprise. Failure doesn't mean much."

"I just didn't expect the Ming Dynasty's response to be so fast. Less than three days, and all those useless fools are dead."

"That Zhu Houzhao must have laid a trap from the start, waiting for us to take the bait."

"Hmph, what a cunning little brat."

"I just can't understand why the heavens allowed such a monster to be born."

"Fate is so unfair. It has treated him far too well."

"Everything I struggled so hard to gain, Zhu Houzhao inherited effortlessly."

"His Former Emperor father left him vast legacies to squander at will."

"But my own father left me nothing but a mess. Not only did he fail to help me, he even became a burden. Why?"

At the mention of Zhu Houzhao, Li Shimin's face was full of envy, jealousy, and hatred.

He, Li Shimin, had to fight tooth and nail for the Tang Dynasty throne.

He helped his father conquer most of the Kingdom, yet was not made Crown Prince.

He finally seized the throne through the Xuanwu Gate Incident, but was branded a fratricidal tyrant.

He had paid a heavy price for all of it.

But Zhu Houzhao?

He was named Crown Prince at age two.

By fifteen, he did nothing and faced no competition.

The throne simply fell into his lap.

And he inherited enormous resources from the Former Emperor, which he could use however he liked.

How could that not inspire envy?

If he had such advantages, the Tang Dynasty would be much more powerful today.

He wouldn't be plagued by so many obstacles.

Now, even one covert strike against the Ming Dynasty came at great cost.

That he hadn't lost his mind with jealousy already was proof of his strong mentality.

"Your Majesty, should we continue?"

"No need. Let's ignore the Ming Dynasty for now and focus on dealing with the vassal kings."

"Besides, the mysterious Vast Sea Dynasty has emerged. It may turn out to be even more troublesome than the Ming Dynasty."

"Keeping the Ming Dynasty around for now might actually be more useful."