Path of God Worship, God Slaying Department

Seeing Fang Heng take an interest in the singing girls, Yun Menglan spoke with a hint of sourness.

"This concubine will have those little vixens come serve Your Highness at once."

"Cough, cough! Aunt Yun, you misunderstand."

"I am a gentleman. How could I indulge in flowers and moonlight?"

"Lin Ye, a dignified Director of the Ministry of Justice, does not think of being loyal to his sovereign and serving the realm, yet spends all day on this messy nonsense."

"I must criticize him properly."

Seeing Fang Heng's righteous and awe-inspiring appearance, Yun Menglan rolled her eyes.

A man's mouth was a lying ghost.

Just do not let that criticism end up on the bed later.

Before long, Fang Heng met the twelve singing girls Director Lin had sent over.

They were devastatingly beautiful. Though none could compare to Yun Menglan, they were indeed first-rate beauties.

These singing girls had clearly been trained; their eyes were alluring and exceptionally seductive.

Clad in gauzy silk that exposed their willow waists, every gesture and movement radiated temptation.

Most importantly, this was twelvefold happiness.

Seeing Fang Heng staring straight at them, Yun Menglan had no wish to make herself unwelcome.

She rose and bid Fang Heng farewell.

"Your Highness, this concubine shall return to her room first."

"Cough, cough, Aunt Yun, wait."

Fang Heng stopped Yun Menglan, startling her badly.

Could it be that His Highness wanted me and these singing girls to serve him together?

Fang Heng had no idea what Yun Menglan was thinking.

At that moment, Precognition of Danger activated.

Something was wrong!

The source of the anomaly was actually one of the singing girls.

Moreover, this anomaly was rather strange.

It was not dangerous, yet it was directed at him.

"You stay. The rest of you may withdraw first."

Fang Heng pointed at one of the beautiful singing girls.

The other eleven singing girls revealed faint disappointment and intense jealousy in their eyes.

They seemed to be saying, Why can Yue Mei do it while we cannot?

Once the others had left, Fang Heng deliberately assumed a frivolous manner.

"Come closer!"

"Let me have a look!"

"This servant will serve Your Highness."

Yue Mei seemed somewhat nervous. Her pretty face was restrained as she rose and approached Fang Heng.

She took a few steps closer, and at that very moment—

A crackling sound rang out.

Accompanied by a thunderous boom, a bolt of azure lightning sprang from Fang Heng's fingertip.

It was as swift as lightning itself.

After leaving an afterimage in the air, it plunged into Yue Mei's chest.

Before Yue Mei could even react—

A crystal-clear, jade-like seed shot out from her chest.

Upon seeing the seed, the Wood-Thunder Divine Lightning was like a shark that had caught the scent of blood, pursuing it directly.

"Scatter!"

Fang Heng shouted sharply.

The Wood-Thunder Divine Lightning transformed into a net of lightning and descended over it headfirst.

A net spread across heaven and earth, so tightly woven that not even water could pass through.

It caught the seed squarely.

Yun Menglan's pretty face changed slightly at the sight, and she blurted out—

"A Divine Seed!"

Divine Seeds were a unique method of cultivating the Path of God Worship.

Yue Mei had been implanted with a Divine Seed; that was equivalent to making her an avatar of the divine abomination behind it.

This woman had been implanted with a Divine Seed, then sent to the prince's residence.

What was the purpose?

Surveillance?

Or to drag His Highness into the water?

Yun Menglan's heart tightened. She clenched her delicate fists until her knuckles turned slightly white.

After seeing the Divine Seed, Fang Heng's mood sank, and his eyes turned cold.

The Path of God Worship had actually set its sights on him.

"Notify the God Slaying Department and the Ministry of Justice."

Fang Heng spoke in a deep voice.

The God Slaying Department was an office established by the Founding Emperor of Great Qian, dedicated to apprehending divine abominations.

During Emperor Taizong's reign, the God Slaying Department was further granted the authority to monitor the officials.

It could bypass the three judicial offices, establish private torture chambers, and interrogate the officials.

Its power was so immense that it rivaled the imperial secret police.

Its fearsome reputation was enough to make three-year-old children cry at night upon hearing of it.

Any case involving divine abominations had to be reported to the God Slaying Department.

As for the Ministry of Justice...

Lin Ye was a Director of the Ministry of Justice, and the singing girls he had sent had a problem.

This matter was destined to be connected to Lin Ye.

It was only natural to notify the Ministry of Justice as well.

A quarter of an hour later.

Peng Xiaochuan, Battalion Commander of the God Slaying Department, and Yin Tingshu, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, arrived at the prince's residence.

"This subject greets Your Highness!"

"Rise, both of you."

The two men rose, their expressions solemn.

They had learned of the case on the way here.

Anything involving divine abominations was a major case.

What was more, this case involved the Ninth Prince, who was held in the Emperor's favor, as well as a Director from the Ministry of Justice.

The ramifications of this case were so extensive that ordinary officials could no longer handle it.

A Battalion Commander from the God Slaying Department and a Vice Minister from the Ministry of Justice.

The arrival of these two showed just how seriously the case was being taken.

"Your Highness, please allow this subordinate to inspect the Divine Seed," Peng Xiaochuan said.

"Battalion Commander Peng, please have a look."

As he spoke, Fang Heng handed the already-sealed Divine Seed to Peng Xiaochuan.

When Peng Xiaochuan saw it, his pupils contracted slightly.

"It is indeed a Divine Seed!"

"Moreover, its divinity is dense. The divine abomination clearly came into contact with the singing girl within the past three days."

"This subordinate will immediately investigate everyone who came into contact with Yue Mei during those three days."

The God Slaying Department began its investigation, while Fang Heng then turned his gaze toward Yin Tingshu.

"Vice Minister Yin, what about the Ministry of Justice?"

"Rest assured, Your Highness. The Ministry of Justice will certainly cooperate with all its strength."

"I have already sent people to arrest Lin Ye. Furthermore, the Ministry of Justice, from top to bottom, will conduct a thorough internal investigation."

Seeing Yin Tingshu's attitude, Fang Heng nodded slightly.

"Lin Ye, as a high-ranking court official, actually colluded with divine abominations. Truly..."

"Your Highness, after Lin Ye's beloved son died two years ago, he became somewhat strange."

"Perhaps the divine abomination used the resurrection of his son as bait to bewitch Lin Ye."

Resurrecting the dead?

Fang Heng froze for a moment, then asked suspiciously.

"Can divine abominations truly resurrect the dead?"

"Of course not!"

"These are merely claims divine abominations use to beguile people's hearts."

"Besides resurrecting the dead, promises such as Eternal Life and eternal youth are also commonplace."

Yin Tingshu shook his head, utterly disdainful.

If the evil gods worshipped by the divine abominations truly possessed the power to resurrect the dead—

Then the rulers of the Divine Land would not be the Great Qian court, but the Path of God Worship.

Very soon, news arrived from the Ministry of Justice.

Lin Ye was dead!

When he was discovered, he had already turned into a puddle of blood.

"Heh—he brought it upon himself!" Peng Xiaochuan sneered.

He was not only mocking Lin Ye, but also taking a veiled jab at the Ministry of Justice.

Yin Tingshu's expression naturally turned unpleasant.

A key member of the Ministry of Justice had colluded with divine abominations and met such an end.

The Ministry of Justice had lost all its face.

Fang Heng shook his head, his expression grave.

"The Path of God Worship is actually this brazen, slaughtering court officials like dogs in broad daylight within Yujing City."

"Rest assured, Your Highness. Lin Ye colluded with divine abominations; he was seeking his own death."

"Anyone who colludes with divine abominations will be implanted with a Divine Seed. Whether they live or die rests on a single thought of the divine abomination."

"Above Yujing hangs the protection of the God Slaying Grand Array."

"So long as one does not actively collude with divine abominations, then even if they possess abilities vast enough to reach the heavens, they cannot stir up any waves."

Peng Xiaochuan said with a smile. His confidence in the God Slaying Grand Array was overflowing, bordering on blind faith.

Any divine abomination that entered Yujing City would be slain by the God Slaying Grand Array.

For nearly ten thousand years, there had never been an exception.

The three conversed in the main hall. Peng Xiaochuan occasionally mocked the Ministry of Justice, turning Yin Tingshu's face ashen, which gave him indescribable satisfaction.

The discord between the God Slaying Department and the Ministry of Justice did not escape Fang Heng's notice either.

More precisely, the God Slaying Department was the blade in the Emperor's hand.

It was not merely at odds with the Ministry of Justice; it did not get along with the Three Prime Ministers and the seven ministries either.

Half an hour later.

A God Slaying Guard came to report.

"Reporting to my lord, everyone who came into contact with the singing girl Yue Mei within the past three days has already been thrown into prison."

"Only..."

"Only what?"

Peng Xiaochuan frowned.

The God Slaying Guard lowered his head and gave a bitter smile.

"My lord, we did not find the divine abomination."

Peng Xiaochuan's heart sank, and he immediately gave an order.

"Then throw everyone who came into contact with Yue Mei within the past month into prison."

"My lord, this subordinate has already done so."

"Yet the divine abomination is cunning, and there is not even the slightest clue."

This time, Peng Xiaochuan completely lost his composure.

He had intended to display the methods of their God Slaying Department before the Ninth Prince and Yin Tingshu.

Instead, he had made a complete fool of himself.

Seeing that the God Slaying Department had gained nothing, Fang Heng looked toward Yin Tingshu.

"Vice Minister Yin, what are your thoughts?"

Yin Tingshu's expression was grave. He held a white-jade teacup in his hands; the tea had gone cold, yet the cup remained full.

After pondering for a while, Yin Tingshu slowly said—

"This subordinate is incompetent and has no better method."

"At present, we can only petition His Majesty for an imperial decree and have the Imperial Astronomical Bureau act to divine the divine abomination's whereabouts."

The Heavenly Mechanism Masters of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau had to pay with their lifespan to divine the secrets of heaven.

Therefore, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau obeyed only the Emperor's orders.

Other than the Son of Heaven, not even the Crown Prince or the Three Prime Ministers could command the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.

In Yin Tingshu's view, as long as the Director of Imperial Astronomical Bureau took action, he would surely be able to find the divine abomination's whereabouts.

Yet the moment Yin Tingshu finished speaking, Peng Xiaochuan objected.

"No! Absolutely not!"

Peng Xiaochuan firmly opposed the Imperial Astronomical Bureau's involvement.

Their God Slaying Department was the sharp blade in His Majesty's hand.

If that blade had gone dull, what value would it still have?

Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Emperor Yuanchu's voice rang out.

"Chief attendant, make a trip to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau!"

"This servant will go at once!"