Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils: The Successor of Bodhidharma

Page 40

Kang Min collapsed to the ground, the excruciating pain in her legs far outweighing the fear and shame of having all her pretenses stripped away in public. She screamed and cried, trying to gain sympathy with her pitiful appearance, but it all seemed so pale and ridiculous in the face of that cold evidence.

Immediately afterwards, Qiao Tian's gaze flashed like lightning as he shot towards Bai Shijing, the law enforcement elder whose face was pale and who was trying to hide his figure!

"Bai Shijing! You hypocrite! You old scoundrel!"

"As the Beggars' Sect's law enforcement elder, you should be impartial and uphold the sect's rules! Yet you knowingly break the law and have an affair with that wicked woman, Kang Min. This is disloyalty!"

"You participated in the plot to murder the deputy gang leader Ma Dayuan, and afterwards you pretended to investigate to confuse the public. This is unjust!"

"You chose to remain silent in the face of a conspiracy to frame the gang leader, and even secretly fueled it. This is inhumane!"

"You're always spouting 'gang rules' and 'morality,' all talk and no action, but your heart is full of thievery and debauchery! You dare wear this beggar's robe? You dare wield this staff? Bah! You old dog!"

Yao Yao's voice rang out at just the right moment, like a death knell—"Letters and clothes from Bai Shijing's secret meeting with Kang Min"...

Bai Shijing trembled violently. Under Qiao Tian's all-knowing gaze and overwhelming evidence, he felt as if he had been stripped naked and thrown into the sunlight. All his pretense and dignity had been crushed. He opened his mouth, but finally slumped down, as if all his energy had been drained away in an instant.

Qiao Tian didn't stop walking, his gaze turning to Elder Xu Chongxiao, who had white hair and beard and seemed to be highly respected!

"Xu Chongxiao! You old, rotten piece of wood who won't die!"

"You've lived such a long life, yet you can't distinguish right from wrong, loyalty from treachery, you're utterly muddle-headed and incompetent!"

"You've been deceived and seduced by beauty (your gaze sweeps meaningfully over Kang Min), so you've taken advantage of your seniority and jumped out to act as the vanguard in framing loyal officials! You think you're protecting the Beggars' Sect? You're pushing the Beggars' Sect into an abyss of no return!"

"What use is an old, blind, and incompetent fool like you, who only causes trouble? You're nothing but a waste of food. You should have stepped down long ago and found a quiet place to die!"

Elder Xu's face turned red and white as he was scolded. He pointed at Qiao Tian, ​​trembling with anger, but he couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal. The gazes from those around him made him feel like he was sitting on pins and needles.

Immediately afterwards, Qiao Tian's cold gaze fell on Master Zhiguang of Mount Wutai.

"Zhiguang! You pedantic coward! You dare to call yourself a 'high monk'?"

"You keep talking about being compassionate, but back at Yanmen Pass, did you not smear the blood of innocent people on your hands? Your hypocritical repentance afterward is nothing but self-deception and burying your head in the sand!"

"You knew the truth, but because you protected that 'ringleader,' you dared not speak out, allowing the villains to frame you and letting my brother Feng suffer an injustice! You so-called 'high monk,' who only cares about your own reputation and disregards the lives of others, are no different from an accomplice! Your Buddhist teachings have all gone to waste!"

Master Zhiguang's face was ashen. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply. His hands, which were holding prayer beads, trembled uncontrollably. He was speechless.

"And you! Zhao Qiansun!" Qiao Tian's gaze was like a knife, shooting towards Zhao Qiansun, who was hiding behind Granny Tan and acting like a madman.

"You've been feigning madness for decades, afraid to face the bloodshed of that year, afraid to take responsibility for your own crimes! Cowardly and incompetent, just trying to survive! You don't even dare to admit what you've done, do you even consider yourself a man? If I were you, I would have already smashed my head against this Shaoshi Mountain to avoid living and making a fool of myself!"

Zhao Qiansun shrank back abruptly after being scolded, his face turning deathly pale. He made meaningless gurgling sounds and truly dared not look at Qiao Tian again.

Qiao Tian's gaze was like a cold searchlight, sweeping over Shan Zheng, Tan Gong, Tan Po... everyone who participated or knew about it back then, but chose to remain silent or become an accomplice today, was rebuked mercilessly by him! He dissected their actions back then, their motives today, and their filthy thoughts in a thorough and scathing manner, cursing them mercilessly!

The entire square was filled only with Qiao Tian's furious shouts, like thunder from the heavens and a biting winter wind, and Yao Yao's clear, cold voice as she presented the evidence! Everyone was stunned by this storm of revelations and condemnations! Seeing those usually sanctimonious and renowned "experts" and "knights-errant" stripped of all pretense before Qiao Tian, ​​revealing their true, despicable nature, everyone felt a chill run down their spines and their minds trembled!

Qiao Feng stared blankly as his brother named him one by one, exposing the crimes and hypocrisy of those who framed him, slandered him, and wished him dead! The pent-up resentment in his chest seemed to dissipate with each angry rebuke from his brother, and an indescribable warmth and bitterness surged into his heart once again.

Finally, Qiao Tian cursed everyone one by one.

He whirled around, facing the entire arena once more, his gaze like lightning sweeping over the assembled heroes who had been shouting for battle but were now trembling in fear. His voice suddenly rose, bursting forth with a boundless rage and overwhelming domineering aura that seemed to sweep across the land:

"Did you all see clearly? Did you understand?"

"These are the worst of pigs and dogs, despicable, shameless, hypocritical, and cowardly bastards! These are the filthy, scheming, and despicable creatures in a den of snakes and rats!"

"They! Framing loyal officials! Harming brothers! Turning black into white! Inciting hatred and murder!"

"They! For their own selfish desires, for power, for their own shady motives, they want to put my upright and honorable brother Feng to death!"

"They! Do they even deserve to call themselves heroes? Do they even deserve to talk about chivalry? Do they even deserve to stand here, pointing fingers at my brother Feng, shouting for him to be beaten and killed?"

Qiao Tian's voice was like thunder, each word filled with boundless anger and contempt. He abruptly raised his hand, pointing at Quan Guanqing, Kang Min, Bai Shijing, and the others who were lying on the ground. His voice was resolute, carrying the majesty of a final judgment, and resounded through the heavens:

"Such scoundrels—"

Should he be killed?

Should I die?

"Today, I, Qiao Tian, ​​will act on behalf of Heaven and tell you—"

"They deserve to die!"

This thunderous questioning, like a judgment by lightning, shook the hearts of everyone present! A chilling killing intent, like the arrival of winter, enveloped the entire Shaoshi Mountain Square!

Chapter 123 Murong Fu, who do you think you are?

Qiao Tian's question, which sounded like a final judgment, struck everyone's heart like ice falling to the ground!

The gazes directed at Qiao Tian were no longer simply filled with anger or shock, but rather with a deep-seated fear! Their fear wasn't merely of the crimes being exposed, but rather of Qiao Tian's cunning and shrewdness, his ability to see through everything! He seemed to have anticipated this situation, preparing all the evidence beforehand and knowing everyone's background inside and out! The Wudang's infiltration of the martial world and its control over intelligence had reached such a terrifying level!

Abbot Xuanci trembled uncontrollably, a chill running from his tailbone to the top of his head! He had no more doubts now; Qiao Tian not only knew about Ye Erniang, but probably also knew his identity as the "ringleader"! Before him, the Shaolin abbot was as naked as a man, with no secrets whatsoever! This feeling of being completely seen through, of his lifeline held in his grasp, filled him with unprecedented fear and powerlessness!

Amidst this extreme oppression and fear, Qiao Tian's icy voice rang out again, like the death knell of the King of Hell:

"Wudang disciples, heed my command!"

His gaze swept over Quan Guanqing, Kang Min, Bai Shijing, who were slumped on the ground, as well as Elder Xu, Zhiguang, Zhao Qiansun, and others whose faces were ashen. His voice was resolute, containing an undeniable killing intent:

"The person I've specifically named here—"

"The evidence is irrefutable, and this is an outrage against humanity!"

"Kill them all!"

"hiss--!"

Upon hearing this, a collective gasp filled the hall! The assembled heroes were utterly shocked! Was Qiao Tian truly going to carry out this thunderous slaughter in this sacred Shaolin Temple, a pure Buddhist sanctuary, right before the eyes of all the heroes of the world?!

"Qiao Tian! Don't be so arrogant!"

At this critical moment, Murong Fu, seeing that his painstakingly constructed and nearly successful campaign to "eliminate Qiao" was about to be completely shattered by Qiao Tian, ​​could no longer care about concealing his strength and composure. He suddenly stepped forward from the crowd, his voice filled with urgency, anger, and incitement:

"Even if these people have a thousand faults and ten thousand mistakes, Qiao Feng is a Khitan barbarian. This is an undeniable fact that cannot be changed!"

His gaze swept across the crowd, attempting to reignite their racial emotions that had been suppressed by the evidence:

"Those who are not of our kind are sure to have different hearts! The blood of the Khitan barbarians flows in his veins, a mark that can never be erased from the martial arts world of the Central Plains and the land of our Great Song! If we allow such a person with foreign blood to leave unscathed today, who knows if he will wield his butcher's knife against the people of our Great Song when we meet on the battlefield one day?! Fellow heroes, you must not, out of momentary compassion, release a tiger back into the mountains and commit a grave mistake that will last for eternity!"

His words once again accurately struck at the deepest fears and prejudices in many people's hearts.

However, Qiao Tian didn't even let his words linger in the air for a second longer.

He slowly turned around, his gaze like two invisible icicles, instantly nailing to Murong Fu. The disdain, contempt, and absolute pressure contained in his gaze were like an invisible mountain crashing down on Murong Fu!

"Murong Fu".

Qiao Tian spoke, his voice calm, yet carrying a condescending indifference, like an emperor scrutinizing an ant:

"Who do you think you are? How dare you bark and howl here?"

He didn't give Murong Fu a chance to refute at all; the sarcasm and contempt in his tone were like cold knives.

"With your meager skills, you're so scheming and calculating, you're not even worthy of carrying my brother Feng's shoes! You're not even a fraction as upright and honorable as my brother Feng!"

"Do you think your Murong family's shady dealings can be hidden from the world?"

Qiao Tian suddenly raised his voice, as loud as a thunderclap:

"Here!" Yao Yao responded and stepped forward. With a flick of her jade hand, another dossier was quickly presented to Xuan Ci by the Wudang disciples.

Qiao Tian's gaze was like a torch, piercing straight at Murong Fu, and his voice, like a pronouncement, resounded throughout the entire hall:

"Descendants of the Xianbei, descendants of the fallen Yan! Murong Fu! You and your son, under the guise of 'restoring the Great Yan,' have secretly colluded with Tibet and Western Xia, stirring up conflicts among various countries, raising private armies, stockpiling weapons, and even attempting to use the Imperial Seal and Xianbei clan genealogy to prove your legitimacy! Your intentions are despicable, and your actions deserve to be destroyed!"

"You are the true traitors who intend to overthrow my Great Song Dynasty and plunge all the people of the world into the flames of war!!"

"The Murong family is actually..."

"Colluding with foreign powers? Overthrowing the Song Dynasty?"

This accusation was more shocking than anything before! It directly branded Murong Fu as a traitor who intended to rebel! The entire audience erupted in uproar once again, and all eyes turned to Murong Fu in horror!

Murong Fu's face turned deathly pale. His greatest secret and deepest ambition had been laid bare by Qiao Tian before all the heroes of the world! He trembled with rage, pointing at Qiao Tian: "You...you're spouting nonsense!"

"Slanderous accusations?" Qiao Tian sneered, no longer looking at him, as if even glancing at him was a waste of time. He turned to Huang Shang, who stood as still as a pine tree, his voice steady and full of trust:

Huang Shang bowed slightly: "Disciple is here."

“Go,” Qiao Tian raised his hand, pointing to the high platform at Shaolin Temple that symbolized authority, his voice carrying the power to establish order, “Declare it!”

Huang Shang responded, straightened the black Taoist robe symbolizing the Wudang Sect Leader, and walked with composure and calm demeanor. Under the gaze of thousands of surprised, shocked, and complicated eyes, he stepped onto the Shaolin platform step by step!

He stood atop the high platform, looking down upon the masses below. His face was thin and frail, yet his eyes were clear and resolute. He slowly took out an object from his sleeve—not a martial arts token, but a scroll woven with auspicious clouds and mounted on a sandalwood axis, and a jade token engraved with mysterious runes, faintly emanating a purple aura!

He held the token high above his head, and in the sunlight, the words "Imperial Decree for Compiling the Longevity Daoist Canon - Attendant of the Chongwen Pavilion" were clearly visible on it! This was the honorary official title specially bestowed upon him by the Song Dynasty court for his meritorious service in overseeing the compilation of the Longevity Daoist Canon! Although he had no real power, it represented the court's recognition and status, and granted him the qualification to convey the emperor's will and demonstrate imperial favor on specific occasions!

Huang Shang's gaze swept across the entire hall, his voice clear and deep, carrying an undeniable authority, like the gentle ringing of a jade chime, resounding in all directions:

"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:"

"There is a man named Qiao Feng. Although he was born in the northern frontier, he grew up in the Central Plains, was influenced by the king's teachings, and studied the classics. His loyalty and righteousness have been evident in his actions. Since taking the lead of the Beggars' Sect, he has often led his men to defend the border, thwarting the Khitan's incursions and quelling the provocations of the Western Xia. He has made some contributions to the country and the people. His actions are commendable and his aspirations are worthy of emulation."

"I have heard that the great principles of the Spring and Autumn Annals lie in the distinction between Chinese and barbarians, and also in the importance of assimilation and goodness. Although Qiao Feng is of foreign origin, he admires propriety and music, and acts in accordance with the rules. His deeds over the years have made him a righteous man of the martial world and a pillar of the nation. How could the court forget his past achievements? The world will judge for itself!"

"This is hereby proclaimed: Qiao Feng's merits and demerits should be discussed separately. His past service in defending the borders and protecting the people should not be overlooked because of his background; any wrongdoings he may have committed should also be judged according to Song law. However, the matter of his bloodline is actually unrelated to his conduct throughout his life, or whether he is loyal or treacherous. He must not use this to fabricate charges, incite people's hearts, or frame the innocent, which would only make righteous people feel cold and make their relatives grieve and their enemies rejoice!"

“I hereby order—!”

The contents of the imperial edict struck like another thunderbolt, exploding in everyone's minds!

The imperial court... the imperial court actually spoke up for Qiao Feng! This is tantamount to removing the heaviest shackles from Qiao Feng in terms of law and morality! It has, to a certain extent, neutralized the racial antagonism of "those who are not of our kind" that Murong Fu and others were trying to incite!

Xuanci closed his eyes, his hand almost crushing the Buddhist prayer beads. The court's attitude shattered his last hope.

Murong Fu was pale and swaying. The court's endorsement made all his accusations seem weak and powerless!

Taking advantage of the situation, Qiao Tian stepped forward, his voice like rolling thunder, carrying boundless domineering power and pressure:

"Did you hear everything clearly?"

"What happened today is a personal grudge for me, Qiao Tian!"

His eyes were bloodshot, as if piercing through time and space to see the tragic scene outside Yanmen Pass thirty years ago; his voice was filled with deep-seated hatred:

“My brother Feng’s birth mother, her entire family, and dozens of innocent souls who perished still wander in the mountains and fields outside Yanmen Pass, unable to find peace!”

"This hatred is irreconcilable!"

He suddenly surveyed the entire room, his voice instantly turning chillingly cold:

"Now, who else dares to oppose Wudang?"

"Who else dares to oppose me, the 'Guardian of the Nation' appointed by the imperial court?"

"stand out!"

As soon as he finished speaking, dozens of leaders from small and medium-sized sects around the square almost simultaneously raised their hands, bowed in Qiao Tian's direction, and then led their disciples back quickly without hesitation, clearing a large open space! Their movements were synchronized, clearly indicating that they had been prepared in advance!

These people were the very pawns that Qiao Tian had planted over the years, using both kindness and coercion, or secretly forming alliances with! Now that they were revealed, the balance of power in the arena was instantly thrown off again, further demonstrating the profoundness of Qiao Tian's scheme and the overwhelming power he wielded!

The crowd gasped again, their shock reaching its peak as they gazed upon the immense hidden power revealed by Wudang!

Just when everyone was focused on it and the atmosphere was at its peak!

Qiao Tian suddenly turned his head slightly and whispered rapidly and clearly in a voice that only Qiao Feng and Xie Xiaoyu beside him could hear:

"Feng, Xiaoyu, I will force one of them out later."

"This man is one of the main culprits who murdered your mother outside Yanmen Pass back then!"

"The three of us must use swift and decisive methods to kill him together!"

"We cannot afford to fail!"

Upon hearing this, Qiao Feng's eyes instantly turned bloodshot! A deep-seated hatred that had been suppressed for thirty years erupted! He nodded heavily, and his killing intent solidified as if it were a tangible substance! Xie Xiaoyu's eyes also sharpened, and he silently adjusted his breathing, raising his state to its peak.

After giving his instructions, Qiao Tian suddenly looked up, his gaze like two sharp swords, instantly piercing through the crowd and locking onto any possible hiding places.

He addressed Huang Shang on the high platform, issuing his final command in a clear and resonant voice, yet with an undeniable resolve:

Huang Shang stood on the high platform, his green robe fluttering in the mountain breeze. Upon hearing this, he cupped his hands in greeting, his voice calm yet containing a powerful sense of authority.

"The disciple is here!"

“Go,” Qiao Tian raised his hand, pointing directly at Murong Fu, whose expression had drastically changed. His voice was resolute, like a final judgment:

"Take down that Murong Fu!"

"Take down the heirloom passed down through generations of the Murong family—"

"The Imperial Seal of the State, and the Xianbei clan genealogy!"