Chapter 571

In front of the Wuji Palace, three thousand Embroidered Uniform Guards were assembled. Every Embroidered Uniform Guard was someone who had cultivated the evolution method. Although their realm was not high, such strength could be considered quite good in this world. Just wait until they condensed their souls in the future and accepted the power of incense-fire, then they could leap over the dragon gate and everyone would be like a dragon.

Such a massive operation naturally could not hide from others' eyes, but it didn't matter anymore at this moment.

Because it was already evening, and the sky was gradually darkening.

Inside the Wuji Palace, a young man wearing red jade purple gold armor walked out with large strides, stepping on golden clouds and draped in lightning. Just by standing there, the clouds in the sky seemed to be gathering around him. Although he did not speak, he naturally exuded a Qi of Dragon and Tiger, as if he only needed to stomp his foot to shake the mountains and rivers.

"Is this Daoist Tai Yi? It's truly incredible."

"He is also a practitioner, and his strength is extremely terrifying."

"The power of this Daoist Tai Yi is simply unfathomable."

The three thousand Embroidered Uniform Guards all had eyes like torches. They had long possessed spirit perception and could see vengeful spirits and incense-fire deities, so they could naturally see the strange phenomena around Li Yi. And just one glance made everyone in the audience silent.

Only evolvers could intuitively feel how great the gap in life level was between each other.

No words were needed, and there was no need to deliberately show off power. Just by standing there, your life aura would naturally make people feel awe, just like a fierce tiger passing by a group of wild dogs. Without roaring, the wild dogs would naturally feel terrified upon smelling the scent and be scared away directly.

"I am Daoist Tai Yi. Today, I have received His Majesty's order to lead three thousand Embroidered Uniform Guards and twenty Golden Pupil Guards to leave the capital and begin the path of breaking mountains and destroying temples." Li Yi's voice was calm but carried the power of magic, reaching the ears of every Embroidered Uniform Guard in an instant.

However, everyone had already received this secret mission and did not feel strange about it, and had long been prepared.

Even before the operation, the imperial court had issued a large amount of settlement money, enough for their families to live in luxury for a lifetime. Besides that, if they performed meritorious service this time, they would definitely be granted titles and hereditary rights. If they succeeded, they could even be enfeoffed as orthodox deities in the future, enjoying incense-fire offerings for thousands of years without being extinguished.

Money, power, immortality—Emperor Shenwu Emperor Li Li Jiye's cost-no-object spending had long made these Embroidered Uniform Guards' blood boil.

After all, they were all from poor backgrounds and clean families. Now that they had such an opportunity to turn their lives around, how could they miss it? The embroidered spring swords at their waists had long been hungry and impatient.

Li Yi spoke again: "This time, for breaking mountains and destroying temples, I will be in charge of all matters. If anyone violates my orders, they will be executed without mercy. If anyone has an unsteady will and wants to withdraw from this operation, you can leave immediately now. I will plead for mercy to His Majesty for you and pardon your crimes."

However, not a single one of the three thousand Embroidered Uniform Guards retreated.

Those who could be selected were naturally screened and could not retreat at this time.

"Very good. Since that is the case, I won't waste words. Let's set off." After Li Yi finished speaking, he pointed his finger, operated his Daoist arts, and performed the Cloud-Treading Technique.

In an instant, the spiritual energy in the sky gathered and turned into golden auspicious clouds. Then the auspicious clouds gathered and connected into a piece, forming a sea of clouds. These golden auspicious clouds covered all three thousand Embroidered Uniform Guards. Then the sea of clouds floated up, actually lifting these three thousand Embroidered Uniform Guards directly and beginning to rise into the sky rapidly.

All the Embroidered Uniform Guards were shocked. It was their first time seeing someone possess such great divine power, actually being able to carry more than three thousand people to fly in the air. Even some powerful incense-fire deities could not do this.

As they got higher and higher from the ground, they discovered that they had already left the imperial palace and arrived above the capital.

"Go."

Li Yi gave a low shout, his voice like a dragon and tiger, resounding through the firmament. Then a golden auspicious cloud rose beneath his feet, and then a strong wind rose, rolling this piece of golden sea of clouds and flying toward a direction.

The first thing he had to do was leave the capital.

In the capital, the Son of Heaven's Qi was thick, which interfered with his casting of magic. Only after leaving the capital could Li Yi be considered a true dragon entering the sea and a tiger leaping into the deep mountains.

"I pay respects to Daoist Tai Yi."

Suddenly, above the golden clouds, a woman with a beautiful appearance came up respectfully to greet him.

Li Yi glanced at her. Judging by her attire, she should be a member of the Golden Pupil Guard: "Does His Majesty have anything he wants you to convey?"

The Golden Pupil Guard were confidants around his father Li Li Jiye. Arranging twenty of them to come this time, besides being under his command, they would definitely be responsible for liaison in all directions. After all, many small matters did not need Li Yi to worry about personally, otherwise what were so many subordinates for?

"Reporting to Daoist, this subordinate is Flower Girl, a tea flower from the mountains and wilderness that gained the Dao and became a spirit. With His Majesty's care, I was transplanted from the mountains and wilderness into the imperial palace and enfeoffed as a Flower Deity. Only then did I gain the power of incense-fire and transform into a human body. His Majesty saw that you had no maids or servant girls by your side, so he specifically asked this subordinate to serve by your side. I hope the Daoist will grant permission."

This Golden Pupil Guard named Flower Girl knelt down, looking charming and moving.

"This poor Daoist knows. You may withdraw. If there are orders, I will call you," Li Yi glanced at her, expressionless, and waved his hand to signal.

"Yes, Daoist." Flower Girl received the order and then withdrew.

Li Yi finally understood. This Flower Girl—no, including the other nineteen Golden Pupil Guards—were all maids sent to him by his father, not just simple guards.

He scanned the other Golden Pupil Guards casually.

These women were all young and beautiful, with graceful figures and different charms. Their pale golden eyes added a bit of style, and they were loyal. They were indeed enough to make any man's heart move. However, he didn't come to this world to enjoy himself, but to cultivate. Women would only delay his speed of gathering the Three Flowers at the Crown.

He withdrew his gaze.

Li Yi stood on the golden auspicious clouds and looked into the distance. At this moment, the golden auspicious clouds carrying three thousand Embroidered Uniform Guards and twenty Golden Pupil Guards were about to leave the three-hundred-mile territory of the capital.

He had a premonition.

After he left the capital, there would definitely be a battle waiting for him.

The moment he was enfeoffed as Imperial Preceptor, he was destined to become a thorn in the side of the vast majority of incense-fire deities in the world, and the Yin Son of Heaven hiding in the dark would never let him go.

At this moment, the sky was becoming increasingly dim.

Night was the time for incense-fire deities to be active.

Just as night had fallen.

Streams of incense-fire Qi rose into the sky from all directions of the capital, and the green smoke intertwined, forming layers of clouds. And within the clouds, incense-fire deities manifested one after another.

"Where is Daoist Tai Yi?"

Soon, a huge voice resounding through the sky came over. He saw that just as Li Yi's golden auspicious clouds flew out of the capital, they were blocked by a piece of incense-fire Qi. Among them, orthodox deities who had attained the Dao through incense-fire blocked his path and intercepted him in mid-air.

"You came so fast? I thought I would have to wait until I left the capital for a period of time before being targeted by incense-fire deities. It's just that with these of you, I seem to have been underestimated," Li Yi's gaze was calm, staring at the three most special incense-fire deities in the dark clouds.

He recognized one of them: it was the Southern Guardian Divine General Zhang Wang Jian Gong.

At this moment, Zhang Wang Jian Gong was wearing armor, with a tall and sturdy figure, holding a precious sword, his gaze gloomy, and he seemed to have some thoughts.

And beside him, there were also the Western Guardian Divine General and the Eastern Guardian Divine General. One held a long spear, and the other held double maces. They were equally majestic and extraordinary, surrounded by thick incense-fire Qi, and their bodies had turned from void to real, as if they possessed flesh and blood bodies.

"The Yin Son of Heaven has an order: Daoist Tai Yi, as Imperial Preceptor, has impure intentions and is guilty of heinous crimes. Today, your title of Imperial Preceptor is stripped, and you are to be executed immediately," a Western Guardian Divine General stepped forward, holding an imperial decree, and shouted loudly.

Although the imperial decree was issued by the Yin Son of Heaven, it was also recognized by the imperial court. At this moment, as soon as the imperial decree came out, heaven and earth resonated, as if his title of Imperial Preceptor had really been revoked. The power of incense-fire faith all over his body actually began to dissipate uncontrollably, and a large amount of incense-fire Qi no longer gathered on Li Yi, but dissipated between heaven and earth.

Feeling this change in himself, Li Yi couldn't help but frown.

It could even be like this?

With one imperial decree, the incense-fire Qi could not be gathered?

"Daoist Tai Yi, you are finished. You have lost your title of Imperial Preceptor, and the power of incense-fire is dissipating. Without the power of incense-fire, you will soon be beaten back to your original form," the Western Guardian Divine General sneered and said.

"So that's how it is." Li Yi understood at this moment why he had to train the Embroidered Uniform Guards to begin breaking mountains and destroying temples.

The incense-fire deities enfeoffed under heaven were all controlled by the emperors of successive dynasties. Just one imperial decree could make you fall from the altar and never be able to gather the power of incense-fire again. And there were twelve emperors of successive dynasties, checking and balancing each other, intertwined, and difficult to clean up. If one wanted to break this situation, only a practitioner could do it.

"Daoist, do not worry. We also have His Majesty's imperial decree in our hands." At this time, the Golden Pupil Guard Flower Girl walked up from the side. She also held an imperial decree, which was given to her by the current Emperor Shenwu Emperor.

It was just that the content of the imperial decree was empty, but it had the Emperor's seal stamped on it. As long as content was written on it, it could become true.

Li Yi waved his hand: "No need. Breaking mountains and destroying temples relies on people, not an imperial decree."

After speaking, he turned to look at these incense-fire deities in front of him: "You should be very clear about this poor Daoist's strength. Previously, there was a Northern Guardian Divine General, who seemed to be called Wang Wang Qijun, who was beheaded by this poor Daoist in the capital because he opposed me. I really don't know where you get the courage now to dare to say you will execute me?"

"If there are only you today, then I'm sorry, your time as Guardian Divine Generals has come to an end."

"Audacious! You have already lost your title of Imperial Preceptor. Today is your death day."

"Arrogant! The three of us Guardian Divine Generals joining hands will execute you with ease."

The two Guardian Divine Generals shouted loudly at this moment. Only the Southern Guardian Divine General Zhang Wang Jian Gong knew very well in his heart that the Daoist in front of him had improved again compared to some time ago. If it weren't for inviting the imperial decree, revoking his title of Imperial Preceptor, and scattering his incense-fire power, he really wouldn't have had the courage to come.

It was just that what they didn't know was that Li Yi didn't rely on the power of incense-fire at all.

Even now that a lot of his incense-fire power had dissipated, his own strength had not weakened in the slightest, because he was walking the path of borrowing the false to cultivate the true and did not rely on the power of incense-fire.

Li Yi laughed at this moment, laughing at the stupidity of these incense-fire deities.

Now he was at the third layer of the Five Qi Realm, and his strength had increased several times compared to before. If the three Guardian Divine Generals had had some chance of winning by joining hands before, but now, it was undoubtedly like throwing an egg against a rock.