Second Ring Mission: Yin God System?
With a swift strike, the Golden Sword instantly killed 1,366 criminals, Yang An and Jia Pu flew away.
The Inspection Department immediately fell silent.
Long Xiao remained by Zhao Xing's side. Chen Shijie didn't say much, just nodded to Zhao Xing, and then left.
After completing the first phase of the mission, Zhao Xing rested overnight at the Inspection Department before setting off the next day.
He reviewed his approach to the first stage of the mission using the Dream Storage Method on the Arrowfish Flying Boat, and soon woke up again.
The approach of severely punishing the lawbreakers within the Divine Might Army this time was not problematic. If given the chance again, Zhao Xing would still choose to sentence them all to death.
As for offending people? That won't have much of an impact.
First of all, Zhao Xing was not yet a soldier of the Divine Might Army, and those criminals who died only blamed Qiu Mingyi.
As for those who survived, they can be divided into two groups: those below the Seventh Grade and those above the Seventh Grade.
Lower-ranking soldiers below the Seventh Grade didn't have such strong subjective will; whatever the court's characterization of the matter was, it was basically enough to calm things down at that level. Moreover, these dead people had no grievances; they truly deserved to die, and there was no reason for them to harbor much resentment towards Zhao Xing.
To put it bluntly, they have no right to resent Zhao Xing, because the highest rank among those who were killed was Regular Seventh Rank, while Zhao Xing, once he completes his mission, will also become a Seventh Grade military officer! And he will only be stronger than those rotten people Hong Tai!
Those above the Seventh Grade would have a clear understanding of the matter and know that Zhao Xing had little choice. Even if he didn't make the judgment, Qiu Mingyi would. For example, Chen Shijie and Long Xiao knew to avoid suspicion as soon as Zhao Xing mentioned it, and they also knew that he had accepted an "inspection mission".
They would generally know something about Zhao Xing's identity, including his performance during his training at Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven.
Before Yang An appeared, some people might have thought that Zhao Xing was too ruthless, giving the Inspection Department the opportunity to execute without question. They believed that if he were to do so, he should have consulted Marquis Yang An of Boping Marquis first.
However, after Yang An appeared, Zhao Xing's influence in this matter diminished considerably.
The fact that Yang An spoke with Qiu Mingyi, the Inspection Department, instead of Zhao Xing, who held the Grand Inspector, speaks volumes about his attitude.
Qiu Mingyi also took the initiative to respond, because he knew that the imperial court was testing geniuses, not destroying them. If he were to push Zhao Xing to the front to talk to Yang An, then he would be being ignorant.
Zhao Xing understood this point well, so when Yang An appeared, he didn't say a word, bowed, and then withdrew. To outsiders, this made it more reasonable to assume that Zhao Xing was just there to go through the motions.
"If someone is a hothead who truly believes they have the power of life and death, and thinks they can be arrogant and domineering, and then goes up to confront the big boss at that time, saying that they must kill him and that it is unavoidable, then they are definitely a fool," Zhao Xing thought to himself.
No matter how righteous or stern his words were, that was not the time for him to speak.
If the Military Realm requires a new recruit to directly confront Martial Marquis in order to obtain the highest evaluation, then that would be extremely unreasonable.
The verdict itself demonstrates this attitude, and that's enough. Doing anything more would be excessive.
"My biggest concern about this whole affair is that Yang An use his privileges to pardon criminals. This would mean a huge conflict between him and the court's current rectification efforts. He's a narrow-minded person, so my execution without questioning him will not be tolerated by him."
"He came, but did not grant a pardon, which proves that Yang An is smart enough to see the court's intentions and that the rectification of the border troops is an inevitable trend. In addition, he only asked Qiu Mingyi and did not even glance at me. This is to downplay my influence so that it will be easier for me to do things later."
"As for the execution process..." Zhao Xing recalled Yang An's actions. Those criminal generals, who were clearly so rotten, were still willing to die for Yang An.
"Remarkable," Zhao Xing commented.
Yang An was able to cut off his own arm and utter the words of grief at losing his brother today.
This kind of leader is charismatic!
If Yang An were to tell his soldiers, "These brothers have broken some laws, they deserve to die, and if they commit crimes, they are no longer my brothers."
It's useless; it's not very effective.
When we started out fighting, we said we were all brothers. I, Boping Marquis, would never mistreat any of my brothers. How come you're not my brother now?
They might not say anything, but in their hearts they feel that you, their commander, are far too heartless.
But if I were to say that I was willing to be punished with them, or even cut off my own hands and feet, the effect would be different.
Whether it was a show or an act, it doesn't matter what Yang An really thought, or whether he was faking it. But that's what he did!
Judging by actions, not intentions, is enough to unite the entire Divine Might Army in their efforts.
Moreover, Yang An eventually reduced himself to Bitter Soldier to atone for the sins of his fallen brothers by killing barbarians. In this historical context, anyone would be deeply moved.
While serving as a warning to everyone, it also gave the Divine Might Army a goal: to kill the barbarians.
"No powerful figure who can command respect across the world is simple; I was just being narrow-minded."
The difficulty of this task mainly lies in Yang An's attitude. Judging from Yang An's behavior, there is no need to worry about him being intolerant. In fact, it can be said that working under such a person would be quite good.
From the conversation between Hong Tai and Qiu Mingyi, it can be understood that Yang An removed the commander from his position in order to protect the positions of the others. Clearly, his actions were consistent and not just a temporary show.
"In any case, I won't be on this train for long. Once I complete the Nine Ring Mission, I'll be Seventh Grade. After that, I'll seize the opportunity during the Pacifying Barbarians War to Subdue the Barbarians and reach Fifth Grade, after which I'll leave the Divine Might Army."
Zhao Xing stopped thinking about it and started looking at the Second Ring Mission.
As soon as the Earth Mirror was opened.
Then I saw that the evaluation for the first task had been released.
The first quest, "Inspecting the Divine Might Army," has ended.
[Military Realm Rating: Grade A]
"Just as I thought." Zhao Xing smiled slightly.
Next, let's look at the Second Ring Mission.
[Second Ring of Military Affairs: Anping Prefecture Temples]
Location: Anping Prefecture
[Military Realm intelligence: Anping Prefecture is located west of Datong Prefecture. Since the establishment of Nine Heavens Responding Origin Prefecture two hundred years ago, there have been many folk tales of strange phenomena and immortals. The people have spontaneously built temples to the Yin Spirit and set up altars in their homes for worship. The spirits they worship are not only those of Human Race, but also those of strange beasts.]
[The following is a detailed list of 52 temples, including their origins, main areas of worship, and Divine Lord over the past two centuries. Please travel to Anping Prefecture to investigate each temple and decide whether to retain or dismiss them.]
"A folk temple?"
Zhao Xing frowned upon seeing the Second Ring Mission.
This matter is far more challenging than the 'Inspecting the Divine Might Army' mission.
This is because it involves the "Yin Spirit system" of the Great Zhou.
The Yin Spirit system is an extremely important part of the Dynasty of Fate, and it is no exaggeration to say that it is the foundation.
To enjoy the offerings of incense after death, to Yin Soul live on forever, and to share in the fate of the nation—this is the dream of every official.
This is more than just leaving a mark on history.
Because as long as the Yin Spirit continues to burn and the dynasty does not fall, the spirits can continue to exist.
It's equivalent to another form of immortality!
For the strong, being granted titles and ranks is not difficult to achieve, nor is it the ultimate goal.
The greatest temptation is to be conferred the title of Yin Spirit and enjoy incense offerings for ten thousand generations!
Because there's a prevailing belief in this era: death isn't the end, being forgotten is. If one can transform into Yin Spirit, one can roam freely in another world!
Therefore, the Great Zhou was known for its rites, music, and sacrificial ceremonies.
Zhao Xing had received this task in his previous life and understood its difficulty.
"Yin Spirit system is being challenged; Emperor Jing at this time truly has lofty ambitions," Zhao Xing thought to himself.
One radish, one hole; the positions of the Yin Spirit are also limited and cannot be granted indefinitely.
From Grand Ancestor to Wen Emperor and Emperor Jing, the number of Yin Spirit bestowed titles has been increasing.
The requirements are also constantly increasing.
The most titles were conferred during the reigns of Grand Ancestor and Wen Emperor.
Founding heroes should be honored. They conquered the country, but before they could enjoy their blessings, many powerful figures reached the end of their lives. They didn't enjoy blessings in life, so they shouldn't be denied blessings after death, right?
Another condition for submission is the presence of the sects or Daoist academies to which one submits. Each of the Seventy-Two Dao Academies Dao Academy has one or more Second Rank Yin Spirit.
For example, the Li Fire True Lord is a first-rank Yin Spirit. His Establish Dao Dharma Body existed before the Zhou Dynasty and can influence the laws of heaven and earth in the Nineteen Provinces.
The senior members of the Li Fire Dao Academy can even summon the founding ancestor's Establish Dao Dharma Body to fight against enemies, which is incredibly powerful.
Other Yin Spirit, such as Swift Travel Dai Zong, have lower ranks.
Delivering messages to the army was a thankless task with little consequence. If Huang Chengzhi issued four urgent march orders in a single day, even the Swift Travel Dai Zong could only curse a couple of times, or at most refuse the job.
But Li Fire True Lord, you borrowed the path, and you must Returning the Dao afterwards; that's much more prestigious.
"The collapse of the Yin Spirit system was the last straw that broke the camel's back for the Great Zhou." Zhao Xing recalled the mission he had done in his previous life.
One by one, those clay bodhisattvas jumped off the altar, looking fierce and menacing, demanding that the people make offerings to this and that.
Moreover, countless spirits were born. When Zhao Xing did a task and traveled ten miles, a Yin Spirit would demand a "toll".
Some even required the sacrifice of young girls.
"Originally, the 'Yin Spirit system' was effective in preventing illegal activities, leaving criminals nowhere to hide. However, later on, each family raised its own Yin Spirit, ushering in an era where Noble Families Yin Spirit, completely shielding them from the detection of the imperial Yin Spirit. Murder and robbery could go unpunished..."
"Emperor Jing's stinginess was not without reason. If he were too lenient, there wouldn't be many burial plots left for his descendants when he died. However, stinginess is only a temporary solution, and adding Hall of Valor would not meet the demand."
"This is tough. Why do I, a mere Military Sima Nong, have to do this kind of task?"
Zhao Xing felt a bit overwhelmed.
Although some of these temples are dedicated to the Agriculture Official, the connection seems far-fetched.
"Being an official under Emperor Jing is really damn difficult. One person is worth ten people. They're truly beasts of burden." After muttering a few complaints in his mind, Zhao Xing began to seriously sort out his tasks.
It's difficult, but we have to do it!
No one can shake Old Master Zhao's determination to live a long and healthy life!
[Yan Guang Temple: Sixth Rank Yin Spirit]
Location: Anping Prefecture Pingjiang County Hongyuan County.
[Military Realm intelligence: Yan Guang was a native of Pingjiang County, born in the 233rd year of Eternal Peace Era. In the third year of Renewal Era, he participated in the establishment of Nine Heavens Responding Origin Prefecture. During his lifetime, he held the high-ranking Official Rank of "Pingjiang Capital Water Division Chief), Official Eighth Rank official.]
[In the fifty-eighth year of the Renewal Era, Yan Guang died in office. He had diligently managed the flood control efforts for sixty years, earning him commendation from the imperial court. He was posthumously granted the title of Third-Class Earl of Pingjiang and was recognized as a capable official.]
[In the 60th year of the Dingxin era, the Yan family erected a family shrine for Yan Guang, which was frequently visited by people to worship. In the 65th year of the Dingxin era, people from many places spontaneously built temples. In the 89th year of the Dingxin era, Yan Guang's memorial tablet was removed from the Hall of Heroes and enshrined in the Pingjiang Reef Fort Temple. In the 143rd year of the Dingxin era, Yan Guang's spirit, receiving incense offerings, ascended to the seventh rank of the Yin Soul realm.]
In the 195th year of the Renewal Era, Pingjiang suffered a severe flood. The Yan family performed numerous acts of charity, including opening soup kitchens, repairing rivers, and building bridges. Yan Guang manifested his power for the first time, assisting Wang Ze, the Ministry of Agriculture Sima Nong of Pingjiang County, in Agrarian School magic to quell the flood.
In the 198th year of the Renewal Era, Yan Guang manifested his divine power for the forty-ninth time, attracting great worshippers, and was promoted to Sub-Sixth Rank Yin Spirit.
In the early years of the New Splendor Era, Yan Guang manifested his power for the 376th time...
[Jingxin Tenth Year...]
The Second Ring Mission involves only fifty-two temples, but the ranks of the Yin Spirit are not low. The lowest rank is Seventh Grade Yin Spirit, and the highest is Official Sixth Rank, Upper.
The main reason is that if the rank of the Yin Spirit is too low, it cannot manifest its power. At this time, the Seventh Grade is the lowest threshold for manifesting power and intervening in the mortal world.
Of course, these are not officially recognized deities, and even if they manifest their power, it is limited.
It belongs to the category of "false gods".
It's impossible to achieve the level of someone like Earl of East Lake or Cao Xi. They are capable of severing the soul clones of Blood Spirit Venerable. Blood Spirit Venerable is at least Third-Rank Yuan Soul Realm cultivator, because only in this way can he "receive offerings from his divided soul and nourish his main soul."
The intelligence information provided by the Military Realm is also a hundred times larger than before.
It would be extremely difficult for the average person to extract any useful information from this vast amount of data; it's just too complex.
If you don't understand the Yin Spirit system, you'll be completely confused and won't know why the court issued this task.
"Analyze problems to see their essence." Zhao Xing began to think from the Military Realm, and even from the perspective of Emperor Jing.
"Anping Prefecture is a border prefecture, and like Datong Prefecture, it is located south of Pinghai Province. Many tributaries of the Cang River and Lan River flow into the prefecture."
"It also has several important military towns within its borders."
"The Yin Spirit system was opened up too many times during the reign of Grand Ancestor, and there were several precedents of the spontaneous Divine Movement Shen being officially recognized. This situation only gradually decreased and was suppressed during the reign of Wen Emperor. This was because Wen Emperor intentionally controlled public opinion to prevent powerful families from manipulating public opinion to cultivate Yin Shen."
"There are many examples of wild gods being officially recognized. In addition, many people made meritorious contributions and were granted titles and fiefs after conquering the Nine Heavens Responding Origin Prefecture. As the legends spread, this phenomenon of spontaneous worship of wild gods gradually emerged in the border areas."
"However, it's hard to say that there weren't descendants of Yin Spirit pulling the strings. Take Yan Guang as an example. The intelligence reports mentioned the Yan Family many times. I don't believe that the Yan Family didn't play a role in pushing things along, and neither will the Military Realm."
"While these wild gods may not be considered serious Evil God deities or licentious worship, with the Pacifying Barbarians War imminent and military matters taking precedence, how can we allow such unstable factors to exist? Not to mention, there are also those who worship strange beasts as gods, which is clearly influenced by the Southern Barbarians tribes."
Finally, Zhao Xing concluded. "This is Evil God worship of evil gods, and they should be killed!"
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