Chapter 135 Identity

Upon hearing the contents of the divine oracle, everyone was filled with excitement and great joy.

However, the old man who had just been chatting with Jiang Chen and the others poured a bucket of cold water on everyone's enthusiasm.

He asked respectfully, "May I ask, Saintess, if we openly promote our sect's teachings, I fear the local government and the City God will not permit it."

He could guarantee that if he dared to preach openly in the market that day, his corpse would be hanging on the city wall the next day.

The Holy Maiden of Wusheng's voice was like a tinkling bell: "Do not worry. The divine oracle of Wusheng Laomu has already been conveyed to the local government and the City God; not only will they not hinder us, but they will also open wide the doors of convenience."

"Is that true?!" The old man was extremely excited. Could the Divine Might of Wusheng Laomu actually shake even the Imperial Court?

"There are a few points you must remember: Do not use the name of Wusheng Laomu to amass wealth or harm lives, do not turn a blind eye to the weak, and do not deviate from the tenets of Wusheng Laomu. Those who violate these shall fall into Hell and never enter the Vacuum Hometown!"

As she finished speaking, everyone wore expressions of fanatical agreement, save for one or two individuals who briefly showed a trace of shame, but they immediately concealed it.

However, such expressions did not escape the eyes of the Holy Maiden of Wusheng. She surveyed the expressions of everyone below, seeing them all clearly, and even mapped out their psychological activities in her heart.

"Where are the Enforcers?" Suddenly, the Holy Maiden of Wusheng spoke indifferently.

There was a commotion below; no one knew why the Saintess had suddenly called for the Enforcers.

One had to know that the Enforcers were primarily aimed at the sect's internal affairs, purging those with unsteady faith.

For these people, the punishments were generally very severe.

Those few who had guilty consciences had their expressions change slightly, feeling anxious and uneasy, unable to help but shift their gazes.

Immediately, among those who had come with the Holy Maiden of Wusheng, three people stepped forward. They were expressionless, and all possessed the cultivation of the Dao Entry Realm.

"Take Yuan Luo, Liu Qingxiang, and Ji Bochang away!"

The Enforcers immediately turned and walked into the crowd.

The three whose names were called could no longer suppress their panic. As the Enforcers approached, some even trembled like a sieve.

By the time the three were dragged out, they were already weeping bitterly and unable to speak.

"Saintess, I confess, I confess everything! I robbed local gentry and kept the wealth I collected for myself. I am guilty, I beg the Saintess to punish me lightly!"

"I also confess, I also confess! I forcibly took Master Ma's daughter from the county, but I married her properly; I dare not have the slightest impropriety!"

"Saintess, I just had a momentary craving and stole a chicken from Old Man Wang next door, but I compensated him afterward! I regret it; I did not dare to give even a single copper less!"

These three did not make the slightest attempt to argue or quibble, and without hesitation, they laid bare the faults they had committed.

"Since you know your faults, you should know what the outcome will be. This is the rule set by Wusheng Laomu, and even I cannot overstep it."

For a moment, the wailing and howling below became even more tragic.

But the others felt not a shred of sympathy; instead, everyone looked satisfied, as if justice had been served.

At this time, the Enforcer began to read the charges and punishments: "Liu Qingxiang, for the crime of theft and gluttony, shall receive the punishment of tongue-plucking."

"Yuan Luo, for the crime of greed and amassing wealth, shall receive the punishment of hand-severing."

"Ji Bochang, for the crime of forcible possession and lust, shall receive castration and hanging!"

Upon hearing the punishments, the wailing of Liu Qingxiang and Yuan Luo suddenly lessened, and they both looked at Ji Bochang.

Without comparison, there is no pain.

At this moment, Ji Bochang had already collapsed on the ground in fear, but he was dragged outside mercilessly by the Enforcers.

The other two were also dragged out.

Soon, intense screams and a faint scent of blood drifted in from outside the temple.

Jiang Chen's eyes narrowed slightly. The Wusheng Sect's style of doing things was exceptionally harsh; even for stealing a chicken and later compensating with money, one still had to receive the punishment of tongue-plucking.

But he was more interested in what the Saintess had just said: that they could propagate their faith in the three prefectures without any scruples.

To say that Wusheng Laomu had persuaded the local government and the City God, Jiang Chen did not quite believe it.

The status of the City God came from the Imperial Court and from the Saint. Without the Saint's permission, would He dare to allow an unknown wild god to propagate a religion within the city?

The eyes of the Holy Maiden of Wusheng were as calm as an ancient well, like a bright moon shining through the ages.

"Regarding today's events, I hope you will all take this as a warning and not repeat such offenses."

After speaking, the Holy Maiden of Wusheng walked down from the high platform and headed outside the temple, with the original attendants and Enforcers following behind her.

Walking to the doorway, she suddenly stopped.

"My messengers, why are you not following?" A faint voice came, but it made Jiang Chen's pupils shrink suddenly.

He glanced at Jianzhen and Yang Shu, discovering that they were also looking at him, their eyes filled with their own respective shock.

Jiang Chen hesitated slightly, stood up, and walked outside the temple.

Seeing this scene, the old man from before secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

At first, he had actually been a bit suspicious of the specific origins of these three, but holding the attitude that it is better to believe it exists than to believe it doesn't, he had not delved too deeply.

Now it seemed his choice had been correct; these three were actually the messengers of the Saintess!

When they reached outside the temple, the Holy Maiden of Wusheng spoke, her voice carrying a trace of coldness.

"You all have quite a lot of nerve, actually daring to impersonate my messengers?"

Hearing this, those attendants and Enforcers immediately looked at Jiang Chen and the others vigilantly, and the True Qi within their bodies began to condense.

But the next moment, the Holy Maiden of Wusheng's words left them stunned.

"You all leave first."

"Holy Maiden, this..." an Enforcer said hesitantly.

"What, my words are not effective?" The Holy Maiden of Wusheng's voice was bone-chillingly cold.

"We dare not."

Soon, these people all left.

The scene was left with only the Holy Maiden of Wusheng and the three, Jiang Chen, Yang Shu, and Jianzhen.

Yang Shu and Jianzhen were still not quite clear on the situation, their faces filled with suspicion.

Jiang Chen gave a wry smile; he had not expected to meet an acquaintance here.

"May I ask this Messenger Jiang... to speak: using my name in the territory of my Wusheng Sect, is it quite useful?"

Jianzhen and Yang Shu both looked at Jiang Chen simultaneously. They were even more confused now; Jiang Chen actually knew this Holy Maiden of the Wusheng Sect.

Then why did he come here to investigate the details?

What could Jiang Chen say? He could only sigh in his heart that her methods of insight into the human heart had become even more profound.

"The two of you, go wait to the side as well. I have some private words to speak with this Messenger Jiang."

The Holy Maiden of Wusheng suddenly spoke, her tone carrying an imperious, commanding air.

Yet Yang Shu and Jianzhen did not notice anything amiss, as if it were naturally meant to be this way.

After receiving a signal from Jiang Chen, the two walked off into the distance.

After the two had walked far away, the Holy Maiden of the Wusheng Sect removed her silk veil, revealing the peerless face behind it.

She asked with a half-smile: "I clearly already changed my physique and appearance. I wonder, Junior Brother Jiang, how did you recognize me?"

Jiang Chen said calmly, "I do not believe this so-called The Unborn Venerable Mother could reach any agreement with the governor of a prefecture, unless this matter was something Your Majesty had already permitted."

"Besides, Your Highness, although you changed your physical appearance, your habit of pausing when speaking has not changed."

"Of course, the most important thing is intuition."