"We are guilty of failing to maintain clarity of mind."
Wang Ben and Tu Sui immediately bowed deeply to Zhao Feng.
The elite Qin warriors also bowed in shame.
"This matter is not your fault," Zhao Feng waved his hand, showing no intention of blaming them.
The Buddhist sects were most formidable in their ability to convert others. The stronger the Buddha, the stronger their power of conversion.
Even immortals and gods struggled to resist, let alone ordinary mortals who had yet to step into the realm of immortality.
Even someone as powerful as Guiguzi would have struggled against Randeng's formidable conversion technique if not for the protection of Great Qin's powerful national fate.
The methods of the Buddhist sects were truly fearsome.
"You have lost."
"Your Buddha could not protect you."
Zhao Feng's gaze fell upon the despairing Buddhist cultivators, whose faith had crumbled.
Hearing Zhao Feng's words, none of the Buddhist cultivators spoke, but their eyes were filled with nothing but the collapse of their faith and an overwhelming fear of him.
"Has your faith shattered?"
"Did the invincible Buddha's incarnation perish?"
"Good."
"In that case, there's no need to waste time."
Zhao Feng looked down at the Buddhist cultivators and had no intention of leaving them alive.
He raised both hands and within his palms, a black ghostly flame and a three-colored divine fire appeared.
One burned the soul, while the other destroyed the flesh.
With a casual flick of his hands, the two flames transformed into a sea of fire stretching ten thousand feet wide, descending upon the Buddhist cultivators below.
Since they had exhausted their lifespans and vitality to summon Randeng's incarnation, they were already at the end of their rope.
Now, facing Zhao Feng's attack, they could not resist.
Under the burning of these divine flames, the ten thousand Buddhist cultivators were reduced to ashes, annihilated in both body and soul.
"Killed peak Refining Void and Merging Dao Buddhist cultivator acquired 1000 full attributes, 1000 merit points."
"Killed early-stage Refining Void and Merging Dao Buddhist cultivator acquired 500 full attributes, 500 merit points."
"Killed early-stage Spiritual Refining Buddhist cultivator acquired 100 full attributes..."
"Killed Qi Refining Buddhist cultivator acquired 50 Dragon Power points..."
"Killed Qi Refining Buddhist cultivator acquired 50 Light Evasion points..."
"Killed early-stage Spiritual Refining Buddhist cultivator acquired 200 full attributes..."
…
As the ten thousand Buddhist cultivators were obliterated, a series of notifications flashed across Zhao Feng's status panel.
In total, he gained tens of thousands of attribute points and hundreds of thousands of merit points.
"Every single one of these Buddhist cultivators was steeped in karma… But strangely, despite their reckless slaughter, they seem unaffected by the malice of heaven and earth?"
Zhao Feng was puzzled as he noticed the vast amount of merit he had obtained.
Wasn't it said that those tainted by karma would be rejected by the heavens?
Why did these Buddhist cultivators seem completely unbothered?
And the celestial gods of the Heavenly Court as well why were they seemingly unaffected?
However, Zhao Feng didn't dwell on it too much.
This battle to eradicate the Buddhist sects of the western regions had yielded incredible gains.
He opened his status panel to check.
Host: Zhao Feng
Age: 35
Attributes: …
Lawful True Essence: 46,534 points (Martial Dao Great Power, Fourth Level!)
True Dragon Power: 45,565 points (A single punch carries the strength of a thousand true dragons.)
Light Evasion Divine Ability: 45,867 points (A single step traverses a thousand miles.)
Acquired Dao Body: 47,858 points (Absorbs spiritual energy 300,000 times faster than a mortal body, enhances comprehension of laws, grants boundless vitality, rapidly restores true essence, and possesses an unending life force.)
Spiritual Sense Power: 45,859 points (Spiritual sense extends for a thousand miles, easily manipulating the spiritual energy within that range.)
Lawful Primordial Spirit: 46,959 points (Primordial spirit infused with the essence of laws, impervious to all evils.)
Lifespan: 100,646 years (Realm-given lifespan: 100,000 years)
Merit: 502,304 points (Merit accumulated, favored by the heavens.)
Karma: 10,203 points (The higher the karma, the greater the rejection by the heavens.)
Personal Space: 300,000 cubic meters
Cultivation Methods: …
This was Zhao Feng's current state after his recent transformations.
After fusing with Pangu's bloodline, although much of its energy had dissipated over time, the benefits he gained were still substantial. His innate spiritual body had evolved into an Acquired Dao Body, greatly accelerating his comprehension of laws and his ability to absorb spiritual energy.
Furthermore, fusing with Pangu's bloodline granted him access to the inheritance of the ancient god himself the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art, the path to physical sainthood.
However, Zhao Feng had no intention of switching cultivation methods. Instead, he planned to integrate Mysterious Art with his Martial Dao, cultivating both his internal and external strengths.
This would not only compensate for the weaknesses in his current cultivation methods but also provide a clear path for his martial growth beyond the realm of Martial Dao Great Power.
"National Preceptor, are you unharmed?"
Zhao Feng turned to Guiguzi.
"If not for Your Highness, I would have perished here today," Guiguzi said with a smile.
His gaze toward Zhao Feng carried a trace of awe.
How long had it been?
Zhao Feng's strength had advanced once again.
He had even slain a Buddha's incarnation.
Although Martial Dao warriors were generally stronger than immortals of the same level, Zhao Feng's power far exceeded a mere one-realm advantage.
His combat prowess was simply terrifying.
"This time, we underestimated the means of the Buddhist cultivators," Zhao Feng sighed.
"They directly summoned an upper-realm Buddha's incarnation through sacrificial rites."
"If not for the National Preceptor holding them off, our elite Qin warriors would have suffered heavy losses."
"Your Highness has now completely offended the Buddhist sects," Guiguzi said with a worried expression.
"From now on, we must be more cautious."
"The Buddhist sects possess some of the most fearsome techniques in the celestial realm."
"National Preceptor."
"Do you think that if I had not slain Randeng's incarnation today, the Buddhist sects would have spared Great Qin?"
Zhao Feng smirked.
Guiguzi was momentarily stunned.
Indeed, Great Qin's situation had always been like this.
To the celestial immortals and Buddhas, Great Qin and the Divine Continent were merely fat prey to be carved up.
Whether they resisted or not wouldn't change their fate.
"Therefore," Zhao Feng continued, "since they have come to hunt us, we shall hunt them in return."
"For everyone that comes, we shall kill one."
"Right now, the mortal world is still Great Qin's domain."
Zhao Feng's smirk carried an unmistakable ruthlessness.
If slaying Randeng's incarnation brought him such immense rewards, he eagerly awaited more celestial gods descending upon the mortal realm.
"Come, National Preceptor."
"Let us see what treasures lie within this Buddhist temple."
Zhao Feng smiled and descended from the void.
Guiguzi immediately followed.
The two of them walked slowly into the Buddhist temple.
Looking around
Gold and jade in glorious splendor.
Every extreme luxury of the mortal world had been poured into this place.
The elite soldiers of Great Qin swiftly followed, charging into the temple.
Inside, many attendants remained.
"Bald ones kill them all."
Zhao Feng commanded coldly.
"Yes, Your Highness."
The elite soldiers responded in unison.
They stormed into the temple.
Blood stained the Buddhist grounds.
They arrived at the grandest hall of the temple the Mahavira Hall.
Inside, statues of Buddhist deities were enshrined.
"What a heavy resentment."
Zhao Feng merely sensed it briefly and spoke calmly.
"Indeed."
Guiguzi nodded.
Then
Zhao Feng walked further into the hall.
What met his eyes
A scene of utter carnage.
The front hall was filled with golden statues of Buddhas.
The back hall was a sea of blood and netherworld darkness.
A gruesome, gory sight.
At this moment
Zhao Feng gained an even clearer understanding of the celestial Buddhas and deities of this world.
Perhaps once upon a time, celestial Buddhas were truly righteous and just, but with the changes in the heavens and earth, they too had been affected and had become what they were now.
"Your Highness."
"This is a common sight in the celestial realm."
"But compared to demons and devils, the Buddhist sects and the Heavenly Court conceal themselves much better. To the outside world, they appear sacred and inviolable, while the so-called demons that the celestial Buddhas and gods hunt down are mostly wandering immortals."
"Other than true demons, the rest are merely rogue cultivators."
"Furthermore, those demons do consume flesh and blood without restraint."
"In reality, the difference between celestial Buddhas and demons today lies in their methods while demons devour flesh and blood outright, celestial Buddhas extract spiritual essence and seize life force."
"One is unrestrained, the other is adept at disguise."
Guiguzi explained slowly.
"This world has undergone a drastic transformation. This is completely different from the celestial Buddhas I knew in my past life."
Zhao Feng sighed inwardly.
Then
"Master Guigu, do you wish to change everything in the celestial realm?" Zhao Feng stared at Guiguzi and asked.
Upon hearing this
Guiguzi trembled, staring at Zhao Feng in astonishment. "Your Highness, it is extremely difficult almost impossible."
"To be honest"
"Even after joining Great Qin, I have never had any hope regarding our chances against the celestial Buddhas."
"Against them, Great Qin does not even have a one-percent chance of victory."
"What I hoped for was merely to enjoy a long life in the mortal realm, to live freely and escape the confines of my small Ghost Valley."
Guiguzi spoke his true thoughts.
Hearing this
Zhao Feng was not angry.
When he had persuaded Guiguzi to leave seclusion, he had already expected this mindset.
After all, Guiguzi was someone who had descended from the celestial realm a true immortal.
He understood better than anyone the power of the celestial Buddhas and deities.
He knew that Great Qin, as a mere mortal kingdom, had no chance of changing fate.
With the fate of Shenzhou severed and celestial Buddhas already making their moves, their arrival was inevitable.
In other words
Great Qin was utterly powerless against them.
"Master Guigu."
"The future is never set in stone."
"If the celestial Buddhas see Great Qin as prey and the people of Shenzhou as their feast, then why can't Great Qin hunt them in return and rewrite the heavens?"
"The celestial realm's order has left all living beings in its shadow!"
"I, Zhao Feng, will ensure that Great Qin reshapes this world and restores true order!"
Zhao Feng smiled, but his words carried an ambition that seemed to shake the very heavens.
His tone held a confidence that even made Guiguzi tremble.
"I have already joined Great Qin."
"No matter what the future holds, I will stand alongside Great Qin and fight to the end."
Guiguzi solemnly declared.
"The celestial Buddhas rule the heavens but who can predict the future?"
Zhao Feng chuckled lightly.
Then, he called out to the soldiers outside.
"Wang Ben! Tu Sui!"
The two generals immediately stepped forward.
"We await Your Highness's command!"
They bowed.
"Seize every Buddhist scripture in this temple."
"In the future, Great Qin will not only flourish in martial arts but in Daoist cultivation and Buddhist cultivation as well."
"We will take everything from the celestial realm and make it our own."
Zhao Feng's voice was resolute.
"Yes, Your Highness!"
The two generals responded at once.
Xianyang!
Hall of Government Affairs!
The void tore open.
Zhao Feng stepped through, returning.
"Feng'er, how did it go?"
High above, upon seeing Zhao Feng's return, Ying Zheng immediately asked.
"It's been handled."
"The western border nations there are no more obstacles."
"They can be fully conquered within a month."
Zhao Feng smiled as he reported.
"What kind of enemy could even trouble Master Guigu?"
Ying Zheng asked curiously.
The assembled officials all turned their eyes toward Zhao Feng.
"Buddhists."
Zhao Feng uttered a single word.
"Buddhists?"
The ministers all widened their eyes in shock.
Though they were still mortals, they had heard many stories about celestial Buddhas and deities.
The existence of Buddhas were true immortals!
"Wasn't the connection between heaven and earth severed? Don't immortals remain unable to descend?"
"Why would a Buddha appear?" Ying Zheng frowned.
"It was not their true form descending, merely an incarnation."
"The Buddhist cultivators used a blood sacrifice ritual to summon a Buddha's incarnation," Zhao Feng said with a smile.
He did not mention that the one who descended was a Buddha Lord.
"Master Guigu's strength has already reached the pinnacle of the mortal world, yet even he struggled against a single incarnation. This means that the Buddha who descended must be among the top powerhouses of the celestial realm," Ying Zheng thought to himself.
Although Zhao Feng did not state it outright, Ying Zheng had already inferred as much.
"Father."
"What was being discussed in the court before I arrived?" Zhao Feng asked.
"Replying to Royal Father."
"For the past few months, aside from the two great battalions leading the western campaign, we have transferred 100,000 elite warriors from the other four battalions. Each of them has reached the Xiantian Realm in cultivation."
"They are now stationed outside Xianyang."
"In addition to that"
"The Pill Hall, Artifact Hall, and Formation Hall have each selected 1,000 individuals."
"The Imperial Academy has also chosen 10,000 students."
"They have all been arranged outside the city," Zhao Qi promptly reported.
"After court is dismissed, I will personally lead them to their training grounds," Zhao Feng said immediately.
"Father"
"The Third, Fourth, and Fifth Princes"
"As well as the sons of many uncles have all been included in the selections."
"As for several princesses, they have been assigned to the Spiritual Herb Garden to cultivate medicinal plants," Zhao Qi added respectfully.
"Good."
Zhao Feng nodded.
He had no objections to this.
His children had already grown up. As members of the Great Qin imperial family, they enjoyed the empire's resources, so they naturally had to contribute to its strength as well.
"Your Majesty."
"Your Highness the Crown Prince."
"The Imperial Academy initiative has been in place for three years now."
"From its initial establishment to its current success, it has made significant progress."
"After discussions with the two assistant ministers, we have come up with a new proposal regarding the academy's examinations."
Lü Buwei stepped forward, his expression solemn.
"Uncle Lü, please speak," Ying Zheng said with a smile.
"Our Great Qin has four levels of academies"
"County, Prefecture, Province, and Capital."
"The first level is for beginners, while the latter three have already been planned and structured."
"After deliberating with my colleagues, we propose making the third-tier academy exams a national examination."
"In categories of Literature, Martial Arts, Alchemy, Artifacts, Formations, Immortal Dao, and Buddhist Dao"
"Each field will have a top ten ranking."
"Anyone who secures a place in the top ten will receive rewards and extensive resources from Great Qin."
"Furthermore, they will be granted direct entry into training grounds without needing to go through additional selection."
"The specifics, of course, will be up to Your Majesty and the Crown Prince to decide."
Lü Buwei presented the proposal.
"This is a good plan."
"However, Uncle Lü's proposal is still somewhat limited."
"Our Great Qin now has a population nearing a billion. The population of a single county alone is vast. Selecting only ten individuals per county is too few."
"Anyone who ranks within the top fifty in a county should receive rewards. The specific prizes I will leave for the Crown Prince to determine."
"For a prefecture, we will select one hundred individuals."
"For a province, two hundred."
"The higher the rank, the greater the reward," Ying Zheng declared.
"Your Majesty is wise."
Lü Buwei immediately bowed.
"Your Majesty."
"Your Highness the Crown Prince."
"Martial and Immortal cultivation both have instructors."
"But for Buddhist cultivation, our Great Qin has no pioneers."
"This matter must be addressed."
Han Fei stepped forward and spoke.
"For this matter"
"I will handle it personally."
"Whether it is Martial Dao, Immortal Dao, or Buddhist Dao, all paths lead to the Great Dao, each with their strengths."
"Our Great Qin must gather the wisdom of all paths and give them the attention they deserve," Zhao Feng said solemnly.
With nearly a billion citizens
Some people were suited for Martial Dao but not Immortal or Buddhist cultivation, and vice versa.
The more paths available, the more powerful individuals would emerge from Great Qin.
"I understand," Han Fei immediately nodded.
The court assembly continued.
Once it concluded
Zhao Feng flew out of the city.
He was preparing to lead the first batch of cultivators into a minor world for training.
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