White Lotus Enters Cloud Sun City

In the second year of Chengping, on the nineteenth day of the sixth month, the Guanyin Festival arrived.

The Guanyin Festival was originally a well-known Buddhist event, celebrating Guanyin Bodhisattva, an enlightened high monk of Buddhism! But then the White Lotus Sect emerged, claiming that Guanyin Bodhisattva was actually the White Lotus Sacred Mother of the White Lotus Sect, not Guanyin Bodhisattva at all. Just look at the white lotus seat she sits upon! Isn't that the White Lotus Sacred Mother?

Therefore, the White Lotus Sect designated the Guanyin Festival as the White Lotus Sacred Mother's birthday! The Buddhist community and the White Lotus Sect had been arguing endlessly about this, and in the end, they could only compromise, each holding their own celebrations without interfering with the other.

On this day, the Buddhist community held grand celebrations in the thirteen provinces of the Great Qian Dynasty, hoping to overshadow the White Lotus Sect and prove that Guanyin Bodhisattva was the true and orthodox figure, while the White Lotus Sacred Mother they promoted was nothing but heresy.

The White Lotus Sect was not to be outdone, and they intensified their promotion of the White Lotus Sacred Mother's birthday! Although their momentum was not as grand as that of the Buddhist community, which could carry out activities in all thirteen provinces of the Great Qian Dynasty, in the cities where their influence could reach, activities celebrating the White Lotus Sacred Mother's birthday were also readily visible.

Even Cloud Sun City had been making meticulous preparations for more than a month, hoping to take advantage of the White Lotus Sacred Mother's birthday to establish a Cloud Sun branch altar in one fell swoop.

In Cloud Sun City, early this morning, civilians began to leave their homes one after another, gathering towards the West District gate. Gradually, the crowd grew larger and larger, and no one spoke on the way, all heading towards the same destination.

Outside the West District gate, a high platform made of towering trees stood tall, with colorful long cloths hanging around it. On the platform was a white lotus seat, empty.

When the civilian crowd arrived outside the West District gate, the area was densely packed, with at least tens of thousands of people at a rough estimate, creating a huge spectacle. The civilian crowd, upon seeing the high platform, consciously sat cross-legged around it, without making any noise, quietly waiting. More and more people continued to join them.

As noon approached, a white figure slowly floated down onto the white lotus seat on the high platform. Behind her followed four attendants, two boys and two girls, each holding a pure water bottle, a jade scepter, a mortar and pestle, and a silk sash.

Around the high platform, White Lotus Sect members stood, having appeared unnoticed at some point. One of them, presumably the master of ceremonies, shouted, "The White Lotus Saintess, her holy carriage has arrived! Kneel!" As he spoke, he took the lead and knelt down.

Following him, all the White Lotus Sect members knelt down, and the civilians participating in the gathering also knelt down.

The White Lotus Saintess gestured slightly, and the girl holding the pure water bottle said, "The Saintess decrees, rise!" The girl didn't shout loudly, but the civilians felt as if someone was speaking in their ears, demonstrating the girl's profound martial arts cultivation.

Half an hour later, the White Lotus Saintess floated away. The civilians remained kneeling on the ground, prostrating themselves, while the remaining White Lotus Sect members continued to hold the grand ceremony.

Behind the high platform, a door was open, covered by a felt cloth. White Lotus Sect members guarded the entrance, and civilians were occasionally led inside. After a short while, the civilians who were led inside came out with expressions of excitement on their faces.

This White Lotus Sacred Mother's birthday celebration lasted until the city gates were about to close before it ended.

In the East District of Cloud Sun City, at the Cloud Sun City branch of the Martial Prohibition Hall, Lin Pingfan, the Wind Division's Deputy Centurion in charge, hurried towards the main hall.

The Martial Prohibition Hall was an organization established by the imperial court specifically to control the Jianghu forces, with the Martial Division, Wind Division, Crane Division, Investigation Division, and Guard Division under its command.

The highest-ranking officer in the Cloud Sun City Martial Prohibition Hall was Yu Heming, a sixth-rank peak Centurion. Below him were the heads of the four major divisions, all sixth-rank experts, otherwise, how could they so easily suppress the various forces in Cloud Sun City?

Yu Heming saw Lin Pingfan rushing in and asked in surprise, "What's the matter? Why are you in such a hurry?"

Lin Pingfan stepped forward and said, "Centurion, the White Lotus Sect is acting suspiciously!"

Yu Heming looked at Lin Pingfan and said, "The White Lotus Sect hasn't been active in Cloud Sun City, has it? How could they appear here?"

"The specific reason is unknown, but it should be normal religious activities! I'll ask the prefecture city later to see if there are any findings!" Lin Pingfan said uncertainly.

"Keep a close eye on them and don't let them take advantage of the situation. Now that the Jianghu forces are growing stronger day by day, the imperial court is still using a policy of appeasement, and I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing," Yu Heming said with a headache.

"Alas! Yes! Back when our Martial Prohibition Hall was first established, how imposing we were! Which of those Jianghu forces didn't retreat when we appeared? It's nothing like now, where they increasingly don't take our Martial Prohibition Hall seriously, especially those major sects and aristocratic families," Lin Pingfan said with resentment.

"Alas! Ever since Commander Lu took office, our Martial Prohibition Hall has begun to indulge those Jianghu forces! There are rumors that…!"

"Shut up! Don't talk nonsense about things that haven't been confirmed, or you'll get yourself into trouble!" Yu Heming interrupted Lin Pingfan before he could finish speaking.

"Yes, this subordinate was being too talkative! Thank you, Centurion!" Lin Pingfan bowed gratefully.

"Alright! If there's nothing else, go back and continue monitoring the White Lotus Sect. Report any further suspicious activity to me immediately!" Yu Heming instructed.

Lin Pingfan bowed and replied, "Yes!" He turned and disappeared out the door.

Yu Heming sat on the high chair, deep in thought. After a long while, he got up and went to the secret room.