Mandate of Heaven Cannot Withstand Yama

Chapter 40: The Mandate of Heaven Cannot Withstand Yama

Prince Jian, Chen Sui, paced back and forth in the room. After much thought, a smile appeared on his face.

"This is a good thing? I have already brought the officials of Jiangzhou under my control. If the Five Gods Cult is destroyed, I will be able to seize control of the entire river route.

"Jiangzhou is a prosperous land, and it will all belong to me. Furthermore, the Five Gods Cult will no longer be a hindrance."

"It would be even better if we could eliminate True Lord Xuanzhu Huode of the Five Gods Cult as well."

Prince Jian's eyes grew brighter as he spoke. As an ambitious man, his greed for wealth far surpassed what ordinary people could imagine.

The official who came to deliver the news stepped forward and said cautiously.

"Your subordinate has heard that the Immortal detests evil and acts righteously. I fear that the Sword Immortal of Gongzhou may not only intend to destroy the Five Gods Cult but also investigate the Prince's Estate..."

"And what else? Does he dare to attack the Prince's Estate? Even if he is an Immortal? Does he intend to oppose the Great Zhou Dynasty? And oppose everyone in the world?"

"Even Immortals have their fears. As long as one lives in this world, they must abide by the rules."

Prince Jian had studied the art of ruling and was skilled at understanding people and managing subordinates. He particularly enjoyed using such tactics.

All the officials and generals in Jiangzhou had been brought under his control, both openly and secretly, through these methods. He was extremely proud of his skills and believed he could see through the hearts of all people.

"Moreover, I am of imperial blood, a prince personally enfeoffed by the Sage."

"Even if the Five Gods Cult harms the common people, what does it have to do with me?"

His face was full of piety, but his heart was filled with treachery.

The Five Gods Cult had already lost three altars, and their main altar no longer appeared easily. They had already intended to abandon these pawns of the Five Gods Cult.

Furthermore, True Lord Xuanzhu would likely be unable to protect himself when facing such a formidable Sword Immortal.

As for the Gu God, it had long been brought under Prince Jian's control through an heirloom and a favor from the former Emperor. This was the secret the Altar Master of the Poison God Altar had tried to conceal.

Prince Jian could already envision the scene of the Five Gods Cult's decades, even centuries, of accumulated power and resources being completely absorbed by him.

"I order you to proceed to the West Market immediately and take people to..."

At this moment, a brilliant light suddenly flashed outside the window, so bright that it was impossible to open one's eyes.

Whether it was the musicians and dancers performing in the main hall, the guests, or the servants and maids throughout the Prince's Estate, everyone covered their eyes and turned their heads.

In an instant, the entire Prince's Estate felt as if the sky had brightened.

"BOOM!"

A divine sword descended from the heavens, landing precisely in a garden to the right side of Prince Jian's Estate.

It directly leveled a rock garden and the entire garden, revealing a massive abyss-like opening beneath.

The people in the Prince's Estate all looked towards the spot. Prince Jian's face changed drastically, and he shouted for guards to surround the area.

The opening led to the depths, connecting to the underground palace caves where the Five Gods Cult nurtured the Poison God, Gu God, and Mountain God.

Along the walls of the cave hung numerous cages.

Inside the cages were naked people. As the wind blew through, their cries and pleas echoed upwards.

And standing above the cave was a young man in white.

Others felt a chill upon seeing the young man in white, but Prince Jian and the official who had delivered the news instantly stiffened.

The young man in white raised his hand, and one by one, the cages flew up. Only then did everyone clearly see the situation inside.

"What is going on?" A guest in the main hall pointed at the cave, his hand trembling.

"How can there be such a large hole underground?" Another young official was shocked.

"And how are so many people imprisoned here?"

From the elderly with white hair to the young children, over a hundred people were kept in this dark, sunless place like livestock, raised as reserve feed and sacrifices to nurture the demons below.

Some of them had their limbs broken, crammed into cages like maggots, unable to even turn over.

Most of them were displaced refugees, beggars from Jiangting Commandery, or servants and maids bought by the Five Gods Cult and the Prince's Estate.

These were the sacrifices for this year. Over the years, how many lives had this abyss-like cave swallowed? How many horrific atrocities had occurred within? How many sins and evils had been born from it?

A fiery light streaked through the air, and the Donkey Guardian General leaped out of the cave, stopping beside the young man in white.

It was he who had found the correct location and the Gu God.

"Here they come! What a big centipede!" The donkey spoke with unusual confidence today; it had made a great contribution.

The young man in white stood before the abyss.

Although his back was to them, a chilling aura gathered in the sky, refusing to dissipate.

Even though they could not guess the identity of the person before them, everyone felt that tonight would likely not be peaceful.

A green light flashed, and the Azure Dragon Sword floated in the sky.

A young boy slowly appeared on the sword, sitting cross-legged and looking at everyone present.

Retribution was far faster than they had imagined.

Prince Jian, who had just been immersed in music and dancing, found that the Yama, who brought death, had arrived in the blink of an eye.

The Azure Dragon Guardian's attendant, his face stern and righteous, let out a sharp cry, "All who were involved in this matter, step forward!"

Under the shock to their souls, those with guilty consciences unconsciously took a step forward. This was a small trick utilizing the power of the soul.

Several of them immediately reacted and tried to retreat, but it was too late.

The Azure Dragon Guardian's attendant moved, and dozens of heads flew off simultaneously, their blood splashing onto those around them.

Then, the bodies all fell towards the abyss.

It was only then that the surrounding people snapped back to reality. Terrified, they collapsed to the ground, retreating repeatedly and screaming loudly.

Finally, the white-robed youth's gaze fell upon Prince Jian, who was surrounded by the crowd like the moon among stars.

But as Kongchenzi turned his head and looked over, The surrounding stars scattered, and Prince Jian was instantly left alone.

He hastily looked left and right. His usual confidants were either headless corpses littering the ground or were keeping a distance of eight feet from him, still retreating.

Prince Jian's face was deathly pale, yet he still held onto a shred of confidence.

Or rather, he knew that escape was impossible.

"I am of the imperial bloodline, Prince Jian, enfeoffed by the Emperor. If you kill me, you will be opposing Great Zhou, and you will be opposing all the common people of the realm."

"You can kill me, but can you kill the million cavalry of Great Zhou, or the myriad people of the world?"

Kongchenzi extended his hand, and Prince Jian flew backward, grabbed by the neck and dangled over the edge of the abyss.

"You can't kill me! You can't kill me!"

Prince Jian's voice grew increasingly shrill as he spoke, finally reaching a pitch like a woman's, a hoarse, broken cry.

His feet dangled in the air, flailing as if he were a grasshopper caught in a hand.

He was breathing out more than in.

The Great Zhou princes and nobles who had been sitting majestically in the hall were now reduced to a limp pile of quivering flesh, terrified into paralysis.

For the first time, he understood the intensity of fear when facing death.

For the first time, he understood the despair of those he had considered fodder for demons in their final moments.

"No... no... no..." Prince Jian wanted to beg, but he no longer had the breath to form words.

To Prince Jian, Kongchenzi's expressionless face was more terrifying than an Asura's.

"Tell me, can your imperial bloodline make this monster bow its head?"

"The Mandate of Heaven is no match for Yama's summons."

He released his hand, and Prince Jian plummeted into the abyss.

It was as if he was falling into a bottomless netherworld.

As he fell, Prince Jian saw a giant centipede, like a dragon, crawling out along the cave wall. It was dozens of meters long, its many legs sharp as blades, digging into the rock face.

Its monstrous head loomed larger in his vision, and a foul, fishy wind assaulted him.

"Ah!" His scream was cut short halfway.

The centipede bit down, directly severing Prince Jian in two.

The Five Gods Cult's Gu God had appeared.