Guardian Sword Saint (Finally finished the third update...)

"How? How? You're not—"

The voice of disbelief didn't come from the Daoist True Man, but from Ku Bu Luohan.

At this moment, Ku Bu Luohan was utterly wretched. His body was crisscrossed with sword wounds, deep enough to expose bone. Purple-green corpse poison seeped through the cuts, steadily corroding his flesh. An ordinary person suffering such injuries would have long been writhing in agony.

Yet Ku Bu Luohan seemed oblivious, his face twisted in shock and disbelief as his two black eye sockets stared at Pu Du Ci Hang.

"How could you become a Buddha?"

"The Buddha is merciful—even a demon can become a Buddha! Why can't I claim Buddhahood?"

As Pu Du Ci Hang spoke, the giant Buddha projection opened its mouth in unison, its voice shaking the ground for miles: "Ku Bu, torturing yourself to experience the suffering of the mortal world is already a demonic delusion. Surrender to this Buddha, and I shall grant you eternal bliss!"

Ku Bu Luohan's face flickered through a series of changes, blood streaming from his eyes.

Suddenly, his body convulsed. The swollen frame shrank back to gauntness, and step by step, he walked toward the golden Buddha.

Bam!

The Silver Corpse struck Ku Bu Luohan on the back of the head. Caught off guard by the heavy blow, he was instantly dazed.

"Demonic fiend! You deserve death!"

The golden Buddha's palm slammed toward the Silver Corpse—but its target wasn't just the corpse; it also aimed at the four Daoist True Men.

"Damn it!"

"Tai Yin, why do you meddle with him? If you want to die, don't drag us along!"

The four True Men each unleashed their arts. Tai Yuan and Tai Su fled on their flying swords. Xuan Qingzi turned into a bolt of purple lightning and vanished.

Guan Lan Zi fared the worst. His Natal Artifact's four great demon souls had all been obliterated. He shot a venomous glare at Pu Du Ci Hang, then transformed into a white crane and soared away.

Only the Silver Corpse knew no method of escape. As the golden palm bore down, with the golden Buddha's power, it would likely die a second time.

"Imperial Preceptor, Old Ancestor Tai Yin is the Crown Prince's Tutor and the Guardian Sword Saint appointed by me. Could there be some misunderstanding?"

Emperor Li Yu's voice suddenly rang out. Behind him followed Zhou Yi and the eunuch Chu Xiu.

Chu Xiu glared at Zhou Yi with hatred, his aura fluctuating unsteadily, his face growing paler—clearly suffering from internal injuries.

"His Majesty is truly unparalleled in benevolence and righteousness. No wonder Eunuch Chu is so fiercely loyal."

As Zhou Yi spoke, the Dark Gold Flying Sword pressed against Li Yu's lower back. With a single thought, he could strike the emperor dead on the spot.

With the Imperial Preceptor wreaking havoc in the court, ambitious warlords lurking beyond, and Crown Prince Li Zhu still unseasoned, Li Yu's death would all but signal the end of the Great Jing Dynasty.

Li Yu had no other choice. Either he was assassinated by Zhou Yi, or he gambled that Pu Du Ci Hang wouldn't commit regicide.

Chu Xiu whispered, "Chixiao, aren't you afraid that demonic monk will use this chance to overthrow the court? If that happens, not just you, but even the Daoist Sect will suffer a devastating blow!"

"I'm betting Pu Du Ci Hang won't dare kill His Majesty. If the emperor dies, the Dragon Qi dissipates, and he'll have no chance left!"

Zhou Yi knew Pu Du Ci Hang's true nature well—it was a Centipede Demon, a thoroughbred monster.

Yet the eminent monks and living arhats of the Buddhist Sect all had murky ties with it.

The Undying Arhat had mastered Mind Telepathy. Zhou Yi didn't believe Pu Du Ci Hang's identity could be hidden.

The Buddhist Sect knew Pu Du Ci Hang was a demonic creature. Instead of exposing it, they gave it full support, using the Imperial Preceptor's power to expand Buddhist influence.

If there was no conspiracy behind this, Zhou Yi would sooner die than believe it.

Chu Xiu fell silent for a moment, then sent a secret transmission: "Now, not only does Pu Du Ci Hang hate you to the bone, but even if His Majesty survives this ordeal, he'll take revenge later. What are you doing all this for?"

Zhou Yi transmitted back: "Not just them. The Buddhist Sect already despises me to the marrow, and the Daoist True Men see me as an enemy... I've offended all four major powers under heaven."

"For what?"

"Only to seek immortality and the Dao."

"From what I know, the path to immortality is long and demands caution and restraint—not at all like Daoist Chixiao's approach. Take Guan Lan Zi: his inherited artifact was destroyed, but as long as his life was spared, he fled without a moment's hesitation..."

Zhou Yi didn't answer. He was different from every cultivator in this world.

The True Self was the foundation; all Other Selves were merely tools to gather cultivation resources.

Chu Xiu was right. Many accomplished immortals grew more afraid of death with age, refusing to fight unless it was a battle over the Great Dao.

Zhou Yi's true body couldn't wait. His talent was too poor, requiring vast resources to sustain.

Besides, his Other Self's spiritual root talent was only first-rank. Relying on quiet cultivation to greatly increase his power was utterly impossible.

Better to take a gamble. At least if he secured the position of Grand Tutor, he'd gain access to the Great Jing Dynasty's centuries of accumulated texts and resources—enough to take another step forward.

The secret exchange between Zhou Yi and Chu Xiu lasted only a moment.

After Li Yu spoke, the golden Buddha hesitated briefly, then withdrew its palm.

The Silver Corpse escaped disaster, dragging Ku Bu Luohan away and back into the Black Coffin.

Pu Du Ci Hang retracted the golden Buddha projection and landed before Li Yu: "Since His Majesty has personally appointed the Guardian Sword Saint, then this humble monk was in the wrong."

Zhou Yi clasped his hands: "From now on, serving alongside the Imperial Preceptor in court, I ask for your guidance."

"Naturally."

Pu Du Ci Hang said, "The rebels have scattered, and His Majesty is safe. This humble monk will take his leave."

With that, without waiting for the emperor to speak, he stepped away on golden lotuses, flying out of the Eastern Palace.

Li Yu's once-smiling face darkened. "Truly treacherous ministers and rebels!"

It was unclear whether he meant Pu Du Ci Hang, Zhou Yi, or both.

Du E Luohan and Pu Zhao Arhat had already vanished without a sound when the Daoist True Man fled.

Zhou Yi ordered the Silver Corpse to keep Ku Bu Luohan suppressed at all times. With so many doubts lingering, this old monk surely knew quite a bit.

The Eastern Palace had endured a great battle.

Over a dozen halls had collapsed from the shockwaves of the fight, but the official story was simply that they had fallen into disrepair from age.

As for the Buddha descending to the mortal world that the common folk had witnessed, the authorities offered no explanation whatsoever—instead, they arrested many who spread the rumors.

That very afternoon, Great Jing issued an Imperial Edict, appointing Guo Bei Sword Saint Zhou Yi as the Crown Prince's Tutor, further ennobling him as the Guardian Sword Saint, and granting him command of the hundred-thousand-strong Imperial Guard.

Another secret decree appointed Chief Steward Chu Xiu as the commander of the Imperial Guard Directorate, tasking him with rebuilding the organization to oversee the realm.

Great Jing had once possessed an Imperial Guard Directorate, but it had been repeatedly denounced by the civil officials and eventually abolished by Li Yu's grandfather.

Zhou Yi had advised the court to reestablish the Imperial Guard Directorate. Without a blade in the emperor's hands, he would become a puppet of the ministers.

Li Yu said the inner treasury had no funds to support it. The head of the Revenue Ministry had already become a follower of Pu Du Ci Hang, and the national treasury had long been emptied to build temples.

"Your Majesty, as an apology, the Immortal Wine House is willing to fund the establishment of the Imperial Guard Directorate. This humble Daoist has long admired the imperial collection of classics and hopes to peruse them to fulfill a wish!"

Li Yu considered it for only a single breath before accepting Zhou Yi's apology.

Great Jing was already teetering on the brink. He was willing to trade the classics for power he could wield.

The only person Li Yu truly trusted was Chu Xiu. The command of the Imperial Guard Directorate had to go to him.

As for the hundred-thousand-strong Imperial Guard, even though Li Yu rarely left the palace gates, he knew full well what state they were in now.

Once, Li Yu had fantasized about using the hundred-thousand Imperial Guard to surround and destroy Pu Du Ci Hang. He and Chu Xiu had secretly visited the Imperial Guard camp. After returning, he never brought it up again.

The Great Jing Imperial Guard, once a force that swept the realm, was no longer a pillar of the royal family—it was a burden. Better to toss it to Zhou Yi and see if he could work some miracle.

After accepting his titles, Zhou Yi summoned the Crown Prince, Li Zhu, and together they rode to the Imperial Guard camp.

One glance, and Zhou Yi understood why the command of the hundred-thousand Imperial Guard had been such a headache.

The word "rotten" couldn't fully describe the state of the Imperial Guard!

It was utterly rotten through and through!

Zhou Yi and Li Zhu charged into the camp on horseback. Not only did no one stop them, but a few men even tried to drag them into a gambling game.

"Not gambling? Need a woman? Got a fresh batch from two days ago. A hundred taels, take your pick, sir!"

"Where were they taken from?"

"The mountains, of course. Some village—forgot the name."

"What about the rest of the village?"

"Killed 'em all, naturally. If they came making trouble, we'd have to spend more money."

Thud!

A head was ripped clean from its neck!

"Fall in! Anyone not here within the time it takes a stick of incense to burn will be killed without mercy!"