The Court Cleansed, Storm Approaching

Weeks passed by in the blink of an eye.

Lin Long, who had been appointed Governor of Yu Province, had already taken up his post, managing the military, politics, and taxes of Lin Changqing's entire fiefdom.

With the cultivation of an early Ninth-tier Martial Saint and the imperial appointment letter from Prince Wu'an in hand, no civil or military official in Yu Province dared to be negligent.

In just a few weeks, the fiefdom was managed in an orderly fashion, and all affairs were back on track.

Meanwhile, back in the Capital City, Lin Changqing lived a life more carefree than an immortal.

After thwarting two actions by the Holy Demon God Sect, the enemy seemed to have become much more subdued.

At least, there were no more demonic auras appearing in the Capital City.

Lin Changqing didn't care about this.

If they didn't provoke him, he wouldn't bother seeking trouble. If they dared to come again, he wouldn't mind adding a few more heads to his tally.

His cultivation as a Ninth-Rank Martial Saint Peak was his greatest confidence.

His daily life was extremely regular.

He slept until he woke up naturally, enjoyed a sumptuous breakfast, and then rode Golden Radiance for a stroll around the Capital City.

Sometimes Su Wanqing would come to find him, and they would go to teahouses to listen to stories, restaurants to try new dishes, or out of the city to enjoy the scenery.

When Su Wanqing didn't come, he would go to the Imperial Scripture Pavilion alone to browse ancient books. Although they were also Ninth-tier Supreme Grade, they were far inferior to the cultivation techniques and martial skills provided by the system.

Furthermore, since he couldn't directly obtain complete comprehension, Lin Changqing was too lazy to cultivate them.

Or he would take a bath in the hot spring pool in the backyard.

Lin Hu, Lin Que, and Lin Wu spent their days either meditating and cultivating in the courtyard or following him around.

These three early Ninth-tier Martial Saints were treated like followers by him.

The three of them didn't feel wronged; instead, they enjoyed this leisurely life.

Late that night.

The backyard of Prince Wu'an Mansion.

The bright moon hung high, and its silvery glow filled the entire courtyard.

The surface of the hot spring water rippled, reflecting the full moon in the sky.

Lin Changqing sat in the pavilion, with a pot of spiritual tea and several plates of exquisite pastries in front of him.

He ate pastries while looking up at the moon, his expression as relaxed as if he were on vacation.

Just as he put a piece of Osmanthus Cake into his mouth, a system prompt suddenly sounded in his mind.

["Ding! This month's sign-in count has been refreshed. Does the host wish to sign in immediately?"]

Lin Changqing's chewing paused, and a look of joy appeared on his face.

After waiting for so long, the sign-in count had finally refreshed!

It had been a month since the last sign-in. Although he had lived a carefree life during this period, he had been thinking about this matter.

"Sign in immediately."

He responded in his mind.

["Congratulations to the host for successfully signing in! Reward: Complete comprehension of the Ninth-tier Supreme Grade fist technique Great Wilderness Demon-Subduing Fist!"]

["Great Wilderness Demon-Subduing Fist: A Ninth-tier Supreme Grade martial skill, embodying the ancient simplicity of the Great Wilderness, breaking all methods with sheer force. The fist strikes are like the cracking of the Great Wilderness, and the fist energy can shatter the void, with an additional restraining effect against demonic power.

It is divided into seven forms, each with the power to collapse mountains and crack the earth. The seventh form, 'Great Wilderness Return to Void,' is the ultimate killing move, where the fist intent transforms into primordial chaos, capable of suppressing all enemies of the same rank."]

["Does the host wish to claim it immediately?"]

Lin Changqing's eyes lit up.

A Ninth-tier Supreme Grade fist technique!

It was a perfect complement to the Green Lotus Sword Art.

Although he had many offensive methods now, his only true ultimate move was the Green Lotus Sword Art.

Now he had another Ninth-tier Supreme Grade fist technique, and it even had an additional restraining effect against demons.

This effectively doubled his combat capabilities. In the future, when he encountered powerful demons, he could solve them with a single punch without drawing his sword!

"Claim immediately."

The moment the thought landed, a torrent of martial skill memories surged into his mind.

Every form of the Great Wilderness Demon-Subduing Fist, every circulation route of the fist energy, every exertion technique, was instantly integrated.

It was as if a fist technique practiced for hundreds of years was deeply imprinted into his muscles and bones.

Lin Changqing closed his eyes and digested for a moment, then slowly opened them.

He looked down at his fists, a satisfied smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

"Not bad. Another killing move."

He finished the last sip of spiritual tea in his cup and stood up.

In high spirits, even the moonlight seemed a few shades brighter than before.

"Next, I'll find a suitable opponent to test the power of this punch."

He whispered to himself, then turned and returned to his room to rest.

The next morning.

The Imperial Palace, Hall of Supreme Harmony.

The bells for the morning court had just rung, and the civil and military officials were already lined up according to their ranks.

The atmosphere inside the hall was far more solemn than usual.

The Demon Suppressing Division's comprehensive investigation had been ongoing for days, and over a dozen officials had already been taken down.

Although they were all small fry of low rank, every time someone was apprehended, it left the other officials trembling with fear for days.

Who knew if they would be next?

Su Gan sat upright on the dragon throne, his expression unreadable.

But those familiar with him knew that the more expressionless His Majesty appeared, the fiercer the rage burning within him.

"Proclaim the decree."

Su Gan spoke indifferently.

The old eunuch unfurled a scroll and began to read in a loud, clear voice.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Following days of investigation by the Demon Suppressing Division, it has been confirmed that the following officials have colluded in secret with the Holy Demon God Sect. The evidence is irrefutable, and their crimes are unforgivable."

"Director of the Ministry of Revenue Ming Wenyuan, Vice Director of the Ministry of Rites Sun Maocai, Chief of the Ministry of Works Zhao Huaian, Erudite of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices He Yongnian, Judge of the Capital Prefecture Ma Decheng..."

One name after another was read aloud by the old eunuch.

With every name called, a person in the hall collapsed, falling to their knees.

Some were ashen-faced, some trembled uncontrollably, and others kowtowed like pounding garlic, desperate to beg for mercy.

But Su Gan did not give them the slightest chance to speak.

By the time the last name was read, seven or eight people were already kneeling in the hall.

Su Gan stood up, his gaze sweeping over the kneeling officials; there was no anger in his eyes, only cold, murderous intent.

"My dear ministers."

His voice was low and frigid.

"Since ascending the throne, I have asked myself if I have treated you poorly."

"You serve as officials in the court, drawing the imperial salary and enjoying the support of the people. Yet, you secretly collude with Demon forces, sell state secrets, and provide sanctuary to the Holy Demon God Sect."

"The Director of the Ministry of Revenue, in charge of the national treasury, secretly embezzled funds for the Demon sect. The Vice Director of the Ministry of Rites, responsible for receiving foreign guests, leaked intelligence on foreign envoys to the Demon sect. The Chief of the Ministry of Works, overseeing the manufacture of armaments, privately handed over weapon blueprints to the Demon sect."

"Tell me... how should I deal with you?"

With every word he spoke, the kneeling officials shook even more violently.

"Yo-Your Majesty, spare me! This official was forced! This official—"

Before Zhang Wenyuan, the Director of the Ministry of Revenue, could finish, Su Gan cut him off.

"Forced?"

He let out a cold laugh.

"When Qian Youde was taken down, why didn't you step forward voluntarily? Did you think Qian Youde could withstand the methods of the Ministry of Justice and not betray you? Did you think the Demon Suppressing Division couldn't track you down? Did you think I was blind and deaf?"

He slammed his hand against the armrest of the dragon throne.

"Guards!"

The Demon Suppression Guards, who had been waiting outside, swarmed into the hall in unison.

"Seize these treacherous ministers! Throw them into the Ministry of Justice Prison, and have them beheaded alongside Qian Youde in three days!"

"Confiscate all their family assets, arrest their nine generations of kin, and let not a single one escape!"

The Demon Suppression Guards pounced like wolves and tigers, dragging away the officials who were kneeling and begging for mercy.

The hall echoed with shrill cries, which soon faded into deathly silence.

The remaining officials kept their heads bowed, terrified into silence.

Many had their court robes soaked through with cold sweat, but no one dared to wipe it away.

Su Gan sat back down on the dragon throne, his gaze sweeping across the room.

"My dear ministers, there is no need for panic. This investigation by the Demon Suppressing Division only targets the guilty; as long as you are innocent, you will naturally be fine."

"But if anyone harbors delusions of escaping justice—"

He paused, his voice dropping another three degrees.

"Qian Youde's fate shall be your warning."

The hall fell into a deathly silence.

A moment later, the officials knelt in unison.

"His Majesty is wise!"

Su Gan nodded slightly and raised a hand to signal for the officials to rise.

He paused, his tone shifting from cold severity to solemnity. "There is one more matter to discuss today."

He looked toward the position of the Minister of Revenue.

"Although the case of Qian Youde has been concluded and the Branch Sect in the Capital City has been wiped out by Prince Wu'an, the Holy Demon God Sect has operated within Great Yu for many years. It is by no means the only branch. I fear their lackeys are lurking in every province and county."

"As long as these traitors who have defected to the Demons remain, Great Yu will never know peace."

His voice rose sharply.

"Hear my decree."

"Effective immediately, the Demon Suppressing Division shall take the lead, with the governors of each province and local garrisons providing full cooperation to launch a sweeping operation across the entirety of Great Yu."

"All identified strongholds of the Holy Demon God Sect are to be uprooted. All officials and martial artists suspected of colluding with the Demon Sect are to be apprehended and interrogated strictly."

"No matter the cost in manpower or resources, I will not hesitate!"

As these words fell, the entire hall was shocked.

The expressions of several officials changed on the spot.

A full-scale sweep? No hesitation regardless of the cost in manpower or resources?

This was no trivial matter!

Across the Fourteen Provinces and one hundred and twenty-six counties of Great Yu, merely mobilizing the armies and the personnel of the Demon Suppressing Division would be an astronomical expense.

Not to mention the destruction and instability that might be caused during the sweep, or the potential for a desperate, frenzied counterattack from the various branches of the Holy Demon God Sect before their total collapse!

The Minister of Revenue, an old official with white hair and beard, stepped out tremblingly and bowed.

"Your Majesty... this old minister has words to offer."

Su Gan glanced at him.

"Speak, Minister."

The Minister of Revenue took a deep breath, weighing his words.

"Your Majesty, this old minister understands that the scourge of the Holy Demon God Sect is indeed severe. I am also heartbroken by the events involving the Capital City Branch Sect, and a purge of the Demon Sect is imperative."

"However, the war on the front lines is currently critical. More and more Demons are pouring through the Seal Rift, and the military expenditures for the defense lines in the Northern Border and the Western Regions are already astronomical."

"If we launch a large-scale sweep across the entire territory now, the consumption of funds, grain, manpower, and armaments will be immense. This will only worsen the plight of a national treasury that is already stretched thin."

He raised his head, his tone sincere.

"This old minister does not oppose the purge, but I implore Your Majesty to reconsider. Could we perhaps focus on the Capital City for now, conduct preliminary investigations in the outer provinces and counties, and wait until the pressure on the front lines eases before launching a full-scale sweep?"

Other officials stepped out one after another to echo his sentiment.

"Your Majesty, the Minister of Revenue speaks the truth."

"The war on the front lines is critical; if we stir up such turmoil in the rear, I fear we will be unable to attend to both."

"Indeed, Your Majesty. While the scourge of the Demon Sect is severe, the Demons on the front lines are the true heart-deep threat."

Su Gan listened to the officials and remained silent for a moment.

Then, he slowly shook his head.

"I am naturally aware of your concerns."

His voice was calm, yet carried an unquestionable resolve.

"But to repel external threats, one must first secure the interior!"

"These traitors who have defected to the Demons are no less dangerous than the Demons on the front lines."

"The Demons on the front lines are open blades and spears, but the traitors in the rear are arrows in the dark that are hard to guard against."

"They spy on military intelligence, incite officials to defect, sabotage supplies, spread rumors, and even loot during a crisis."

"If they are not completely eradicated, how can the soldiers on the front lines fight with peace of mind? How can I safely entrust the rear to these people with ulterior motives?"

He looked at the Minister of Revenue, his tone iron-clad.

"The soldiers on the front lines are fighting with their blood; I cannot let them be attacked from both front and back."

"My mind is made up regarding the purge of the Demon Sect. It shall not be discussed further!"

"If the national treasury is tight, we shall draw from the private treasury. If manpower is insufficient, we shall mobilize the local garrisons."

"In short, the money that must be spent shall be spent, and the people who must be killed shall be killed!"

The Minister of Revenue opened his mouth, but ultimately only sighed and bowed as he retreated back into the ranks.

"This old minister... obeys the decree."

Su Gan scanned the hall, his gaze as sharp as a blade.

"Does any of my beloved ministers have any objections?"

Silence fell upon the hall; no one spoke.

Su Gan slowly sat back on the dragon throne.

"Since there are no objections, this matter is settled."

"Court is dismissed."

The ministers once again knelt and bowed, then carefully exited the great hall.

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