With the combined efforts of Mingxin Pavilion and the Shanhe Gang, news of the grand ceremony spread quickly throughout the county town and its surroundings.
Under Li Wenqing's machinations, various factions also managed to glean some inside information through their own channels.
Upon learning of Shenxuan Sect's involvement, the participation of a significant figure from the Prefectural Governor's office, and the presence of the Imperial Censorate, some factions outwardly distanced themselves while secretly making their preparations.
"The county town hasn't been this lively in a long time," Tie Xiongxin remarked with a smile in a private room at Mingxin Pavilion. However, a hint of mockery flickered in his eyes.
Since the appearance of the Samsara Tower and the subsequent rebellions across the land, all factions had maintained a conspicuous silence after the initial chaos. While they might have been active behind the scenes, on the surface, things had been as still as a dead pool. After all these years, finally, there was some stir.
"They weren't this eager when dealing with the Samsara Tower," Tie Xiongxin scoffed. "Now that there's profit to be made, everyone's getting restless."
It was only natural for people to seek good fortune and avoid disaster. As a faction, one had to pursue benefits, otherwise, how could they support their disciples? What he disdained were those who called themselves righteous but were more heartless than the demonic path when ordinary folk suffered misfortune and died in the ensuing chaos.
Ji Yuan glanced at him, secretly thinking that Tie Xiongxin hadn't sounded so righteous when he had tricked him in the past.
"It seems this is no longer just a matter between us and Shenxuan Sect," Elder Hong Tian sighed. What had started as a confrontation between two parties had, with subsequent moves, drawn in all sorts of factions. At this point, no one cared about who would win or lose, whether it was Mingxin Pavilion and Jiuxuan Sect, or Shenxuan Sect in Chongyuan Prefecture. What they truly cared about was how much benefit they could derive from the power struggle at the Prefectural Governor's level. Some factions had already begun to pick sides, supporting those they favored, hoping to usher in a new Prefectural Governor through this turmoil. More factions, however, aimed to seize significant gains during this process.
"Don't have any reservations; proceed boldly," Lin Yubai said, seeing Ji Yuan's solemn expression. "Don't forget, before we set out, the Peak Master explicitly instructed us to fully support all your decisions." By now, he had also realized that Peak Master Lei Ze Peak's directive was likely at the behest of the Sect Master. His words meant full support for Ji Yuan's actions in Luoxia Prefecture. Otherwise, even if Xu Chengfeng was the Peak Master, he wouldn't have been able to directly command the elders of Tianjian Peak and Kumu Peak.
"Dealing with the people from Shenxuan Sect wouldn't be difficult," Ji Yuan sighed. "The challenge lies in how to contend with these various factions." The battles between cultivators were ultimately about who was more skilled. Conversely, the power struggles between different factions, though seemingly mundane, were the most perilous. A single misstep could not only lead to utter ruin but also implicate everything connected to them. Even a formidable existence like Jiuxuan Sect could face unimaginable repercussions from the imperial court's wrath. Ji Yuan's current objective was not merely to eliminate a few Shenxuan Sect cultivators and the unfavorable situation in the county town; he also aimed to achieve more and gain greater benefits from it. From the attitudes of Peak Master Lei Ze Peak and the Sect Master of Jiuxuan Sect, Ji Yuan surmised that they supported him in developing his influence outside Feiyun Prefecture. In the eyes of Jiuxuan Sect's high command, their disciples and elders developing their own powers externally was equivalent to increasing the sect's foundation.
Another half month passed in the blink of an eye. One morning, numerous Taoist priests and Buddhist monks took to the streets, all heading towards the outskirts of the city. At the city gate, Mingxin Pavilion had already prepared a large number of carriages to transport these clerics to a location eighty li away.
Ji Yuan had chosen a vast open plain for the grand ceremony. Over the past month, structures had been erected on this site. Altars for both Taoism and Buddhism stood alongside a central high platform. All necessary ritual items had been prepared, costing tens of thousands of taels of silver for these preparations alone. In terms of the scale of the ceremony, it far surpassed the one he had held by the Linfu River in the past.
For several consecutive days, various Taoist priests and monks continuously gathered here. Many Confucian scholars also arrived upon hearing the news. Outside the altars, in makeshift tents and other accommodations, the sounds of diligent study and the chanting of scriptures could be heard daily. Although most of the people gathered here were ordinary individuals without cultivation, these sounds alone were enough to repel any lesser demons or ghosts. Any attempt to approach would result in severe injury or even immediate salvation.
Ji Yuan had arrived at the site much earlier and had been meditating on the central high platform, circulating the core cultivation technique of the Xuan Tian Dao Scripture to maintain himself in peak condition. Once all the invited Taoist priests and monks had fully assembled, the grand ceremony commenced. Without any further instruction, everyone chose an altar and began their preparations.
As noon arrived, Ji Yuan, who had been meditating for days, slowly opened his eyes.
"Fellow Daoists, I have thwarted the plans of the Samsara Tower in Chongyuan Prefecture and seized a magical artifact from them," he announced. "This artifact is called the Myriad Souls Yin Spirit Banner, which has imprisoned the residual souls of a hundred thousand commoners. Their deep resentment is enough to cause widespread destruction. Today, I implore all of you fellow Daoists to join forces to purify the imprisoned souls of these hundred thousand people and send them into reincarnation!"
His eyes gleamed with potent brilliance as he spoke, his voice amplified by spiritual energy, sweeping across the entire plain. Instantly, a buzz of discussion arose across the flatland, and even Confucian scholars erupted in angry curses. Although they had heard some rumors, hearing of such atrocities firsthand caused even the Taoist and Buddhist practitioners, who focused on self-cultivation, to repeatedly chant their incantations, struggling to suppress their anger.
Just then, large dark clouds suddenly gathered in the sky, and a chilling wind swept across the land. Ji Yuan produced two Myriad Souls Yin Spirit Banners: one was obtained from the Liuhuo Bandits, and the other was confiscated from the Samsara Tower by Elder Hong Tian. Each black banner held tens of thousands of residual souls and vengeful spirits, totaling over one hundred thousand! If Ji Yuan were to rely solely on his own strength, it would likely take him a year or more to fully purify them. During such a long period, the majority of the residual souls would dissipate, losing even the chance to enter reincarnation. Therefore, regardless of the Shenxuan Sect's involvement, he would have chosen to hold a grand ceremony in the near future. By pooling the strength of the three schools of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, he intended to send the hundred thousand residual souls to their next lives.