Weird Cultivation, I have a five-organ temple

Chapter 586 It's not the court that's rebelling, it's the King.
Li Zisi, the Chief Justice of Chu, stood in the center of the courtyard with a gloomy expression.

The sounds of fighting and screams all around, along with the turbulent magical power and the eerie winds of ghosts, intertwined to create a bloody scene of purgatory.

He seemed detached from the situation, merely staring at the panting Black-Clad Guard Inspector in front of him.

This inspector of the Black-Clad Guard was no longer the imposing figure he once was. His sorcerer's robes were tattered as if they had been gnawed by a ferocious beast, and all the powerful sorcery on them had collapsed.

He coughed up blood, his voice trembling with fear, and demanded, "Minister of Justice, do you really intend to rebel?"

Li Zisi remained expressionless: "Inspector, you're quite the joker. It was clearly you who led your men into my residence and indiscriminately killed innocent people. How can you turn around and accuse me of rebellion? According to the laws of my Chu Kingdom, without a royal decree and the signature of the Court of Justice, trespassing into the residence of an important official is tantamount to treason! You Xuanyi Guards, though you are the king's henchmen, are not allowed to overstep the law!"

"so……"

He sneered and retorted, "Who exactly is rebelling?!"

The inspector of the Black-Clad Guard was terrified and hurriedly explained, "Your Excellency, please understand! It was not that we intended to break into your residence. Rather, there were treacherous individuals hiding in the shadows who first attacked my troops, and then used witchcraft and hidden arrows to incite a bloody battle and chaos in your residence..."

"enough."

Li Zisi interrupted him.

“I know you’re not lying. There are indeed villains stirring up trouble and sowing discord in this chaos.”

Li Zisi shook his head slightly and let out a soft sigh: "But the arrow has already left the bowstring, and spilled water cannot be retrieved. The Black-Clad Guards are the Emperor's personal army, a symbol of royal power. To assassinate a member of the Black-Clad Guards... Hmph, given the current King's temperament, he will not forgive such an act. I, Li Zisi, have no choice but to rebel today!"

Before the inspector of the Black-Clad Guard could speak, he raised his right hand and pressed it down on the other party from a distance.

A surge of witch energy flew out from his hand, instantly condensing into several chains of law!

Each chain was covered with densely packed Legalist legal texts, as tiny as fly heads, exuding a chilling aura of imprisonment, judgment, and deprivation!

Seeing this, the Black-Clad Guard Inspector unleashed his last strength in despair!

He pounded his chest and spat out a mouthful of foul blood containing primordial essence. Driven by the witch's energy, it transformed into hundreds of blood curse nails that exuded a stench and aura of curses. With a shrill sound, they shot towards the chains of law and towards Li Zisi!
"Puff-puff-!"

The blood nails collided with the chains, producing a dull thud.

The runes on the chains shimmered with an eerie light, forcibly erasing and purifying the curse power of the blood nail!
The blood nails couldn't even penetrate the Lawful Ethereal Light, let alone injure Li Zisi, before crumbling into filthy black mist and dissipating!

The chains of law shattered the blood-curse nails, binding the Black-Clad Guard Inspector tightly. Tiny legal symbols, like countless needles, pierced his body, wreaking havoc and destroying his meridians, dantian, and internal organs…

The inspector of the Black-Clad Guard was dragged by the chains of law and was thrown heavily at Li Zisi's feet.

At this moment, he finally panicked and cried out in a hoarse voice, "Minister of Justice, spare me! Spare me! I am willing to follow you, I am willing to die for you, please give me a chance..."

"late."

Li Zisi's voice was icy cold, as if he were interrogating a prisoner in the Imperial Court.

"The law is impartial and unwavering."

He raised his right hand and placed it lightly on the head of the Xuanyiwei Inspector.

"If you can betray the king today, who knows if you won't betray me tomorrow?"

A burst of witchcraft energy erupted from Li Zisi's palm.

"Ahhh-"

The Black-Clad Guard Inspector let out an even more shrill scream, his body convulsed violently, his flesh withered rapidly, and even his soul was forcibly extracted!
In a mere instant, he went from a vibrant human being to a dried-up corpse!

Li Zisi clenched his fist, taking all the life force and soul that had been taken from the Xuanyiwei Inspector and putting it into a soul banner embroidered with the word "Prison".

The body was then thrown to the ground, shattered into pieces, and turned to dust.

Li Zisi never raised a torch from beginning to end, but the Eye Demons and Mist Nightmares that were lurking in the surrounding night fog did not dare to approach him at all.

These strange creatures also knew right from wrong, fearing the cold aura of Legalist torture emanating from him.

With the death of the Xuan Yi Wei Inspector, the remaining Xuan Yi Wei and city guards were no match for him and were quickly killed by Li Zisi and his clan soldiers.

The Black-Clad Guards and the city guards surrounding Li Zisi's residence was routine. If the king ordered the arrest, he would send experts to assist. Unexpectedly, the king's order never came, and Li Zisi himself lost his life first.

"Master, we've killed all of the demon king's lackeys. Before the rest of the lackeys arrive, should we leave the capital tonight and return to our hometown?"

Li Zisi's ancestral home was in Donghai County of the State of Chu. Through years of hard work, they became the most prominent family in Donghai County.

Therefore, after the incident, the first reaction of the family members in the mansion was to return to their hometown to make further plans.

"Back to the East China Sea?"

Li Zisi snorted coldly: "What's the point of going back? To wait for death? Knowing the man in the palace as I do, if we leave, he'll immediately accuse us of treason! Then he'll mobilize surrounding forces to encircle and annihilate us, and incite other powerful families and sects in the county to stab us in the back. How can we, with our own strength, withstand a pack of wolves devouring a tiger?"

The clansmen looked at each other, all feeling a chill run down their spines.

The Li family was indeed the most prestigious family in the State of Chu, which made them the object of envy for many.

The pack of hungry wolves would never miss the chance to share them.

"So what should we do now?"

These clansmen all knew Li Zisi. Seeing his appearance, they knew he had already made a plan, and hurriedly asked him about it.

“That old man in the palace has been acting strangely lately. Even if there hasn’t been any treachery, something must have happened… In any case, it’s time to put a new king on the throne!”

Li Zisi was decisive; knowing there was no time to hesitate, he immediately made up his mind.

He quickly made arrangements, selecting several clansmen with considerable cultivation and unwavering loyalty to protect the women, children, and elderly in the mansion. They boarded a large ship overnight and left the capital, returning to their hometown.

He personally led the remaining men to meet up with the Second Young Master, intending to assist him in storming the palace, eliminating the demons, and protecting the country!

At the same time, they dispatched more people to contact officials of their faction in the capital...

The moment Li Zisi stepped out of the mansion gate, he took a deep breath.

The night fog carried a strong aura of witchcraft and the stench of blood...

"Will it be a further step forward, or a fall from grace..."

"It all depends on tonight!"

Li Zisi gritted his teeth, stopped thinking about it, and led his sons straight to the Second Young Master's residence.

At the same time, the same thing was happening in many places in Chu capital.

Either high-ranking officials in the court took the initiative to align themselves with the princes after breaking through the encirclement.

Either the prince sent out a large number of people to gather officials from his own faction, intending to enter the palace to "rescue his father."

At this moment, everyone, whether princes or ministers, regardless of their previous factions or past political struggles, reached a consensus—

Storm the palace and slay the demon king!

The ministers did not want a king who could live forever and devour his subjects.

The princes did not want a ruler who would not die but would devour his children.

For the sake of this common goal, they temporarily put aside their internal strife.

As for the succession to the throne and the distribution of power after the demon king is defeated...

That's something to consider after you've survived!
Hidden in the night fog, Shang Lu and Zi Shu, along with their hunting party, witnessed these scenes, feeling both surprised and delighted. They had prepared several methods to incite and guide these people to storm the palace after they broke through the encirclement.

Unexpectedly, they didn't even need to lift a finger.

This saved them a lot of trouble and reduced the risk of exposure.

At this point, using clever words and sophistry to incite others will not be as effective as before.

They are also easily detected and captured by experts like the Nine Ministers, especially Legalist masters like Li Zisi.

Now all they have to do is blend into the crowd and go to the palace together.

The group was a mixed bag; many people didn't know each other and wouldn't suspect a few unfamiliar faces.

On their way to the palace, Shang Lu and Zi Shu made an unexpected discovery during their hunt—a group of barbarians had also mingled with the group.

Although these barbarians were disguised, the primitive and savage magical energy emanating from them still betrayed their origins.

"The barbarians have come too? So, their missing high priest is also being held captive in the palace?"

Shang Lu and Zi Shu exchanged a glance and instantly made up their minds. They tacitly led the group and quietly crept up behind the barbarian tribe, where they soon made a new discovery.

These barbarian tribes did not act in isolation; they had close ties with several Chu people in the surrounding area.

It seems they've connected with some young master, and they're mutually beneficial.

The pokeweed and the rat were not interested in this matter; all they cared about was rescuing the Grand Master and the Palace Attendant who were trapped in the Chu King's palace.

The barbarian high priest was most likely imprisoned in the same place as the high priest and the clerk.

This is perfect opportunity for these barbarians to clear the way.

“Woo-woo-woo—woo-woo—”

As the surging crowds, taking advantage of the night fog, poured out of the palace, the imperial guards on the palace walls were immediately alarmed and, as if facing a formidable enemy, sounded the alarm horns.

Inside the palace, mysterious witch runes lit up into the sky, and violent witch power erupted like a tsunami, instantly weaving into a huge witch array above the palace!

The overwhelming sorcery energy, like a mountain, pressed down on everyone outside the palace walls. Those with weaker cultivation were immediately overwhelmed and unable to breathe!
The young men knew that this was the perfect opportunity to seize the moral high ground.

Under the tight protection of the elite guards, they stepped out from the crowd and stood at the forefront, shouting loudly at the imperial guards atop the palace walls:

"How could we, as sons, commit the heinous act of patricide? It is the emperor in the palace who has long been possessed by demons and ghosts, who have devoured his soul!"

"We have come tonight not to rebel, but to exorcise evil spirits and rescue the emperor! Open the palace gates immediately, and do not aid the demons in their evil deeds!"

"If our father is completely possessed by a demon, it will be your fault! At that time, your entire family will be exterminated!"

The young masters, one after another, shouted slogans like "Evil forces have usurped the country" and "Serve the king and save the emperor" at a deafening volume.

The imperial guards on the palace walls, though in an uproar, merely looked at each other and dared not make a move.

They recognized these young men, and even more so the high-ranking officials, ministers, and scholars among the crowd.

To fight these people? That would be suicide!

Should we open the palace gates? What if the king inside isn't a demon...? Then they'll be doomed just as badly!

For a moment, the imperial guards were frozen in place, at a loss, unable to advance or retreat.

Suddenly, a flame lit up, illuminating the face of the Commandant of the Guards.

He tilted his head back so that the imperial guards on the palace wall could clearly see his face.

"Tonight, not only are all the princes here, but also the Three Dukes, Nine Ministers, Grand Masters, and Scholars... The pillars of Chu are all gathered here! You are all intelligent people, you should know what this situation is! Now, as the Commandant of the Guards, I order you to quickly close the witch formation and open the palace gates!"

"Lord Commandant!" Several exclamations rang out from the palace walls.

The Imperial Guards were under the command of the Commandant of the Imperial Guards, so the soldiers on the palace walls naturally recognized their commander.

Since the rumors started yesterday, these guards have been worried about their safety—in recent days, people in the palace have indeed gone missing one after another.

Now that the princes, along with the Three Dukes, Nine Ministers, Grand Masters, and Scholars, have forced the palace... and the Commandant of the Guards has stepped forward to take responsibility, they no longer hesitated. They immediately accepted the order, shut down the witchcraft formation, opened the palace gates, and let everyone in.

"So easy?" Lu Yang, who was mixed in with the crowd, was quite surprised.

They thought they would have to fight their way into the Chu King's palace, but to their surprise, a few princes and the Commandant of the Guards shouted and the palace gates were opened.

Shang Lu transmitted his voice and said, "These guards aren't stupid. Now that the entire Chu court has rebelled, it means that it's not the court that's rebelling, but the King of Chu! If they choose to hold their ground, they can certainly hold their ground by relying on the various arrangements within the palace."

But what good would it do to hold them off? Their parents, wives, and children were all outside the palace!
Not to mention, they were also afraid that the King of Chu in the palace might truly become a cannibalistic monster. If that happened, the King of Chu wouldn't be able to eat his subjects, but he would eat them! It would be better to rebel together.”

As the two talked, their steps were not slow at all. They followed closely behind Zishu Xunshou, Gongshu Ling and others, quickly crossing the palace gate and entering the Chu King's Palace.

"Where is the demon that has possessed the king's body? Quickly lead us there to exorcise the demon and protect the country!"

As soon as the young nobles entered the palace, they questioned the guards who had opened the city gates, repeatedly claiming they were there to eliminate demons and protect the country, determined to confirm the matter.

The guards officers knew that now was their chance to redeem themselves, so without hesitation, they led the group straight into the depths of the Forbidden City.

Shang Lu and his group mingled in the crowd, quickly surveying their surroundings.

The Chu King's Palace was vast in scale, with numerous halls and pavilions. What was even more troublesome was that the palace was filled with many magical artifacts such as the Jade Disc of Mystery and the Copper Bell of Concealment, which interfered with perception and investigation.

Without wasting any time, everyone immediately displayed their respective skills:

Cheng Ren formed a witch's hand seal, his ears instantly bulging and enlarging as he tried his best to avoid interference, listening to the sounds in the Chu King's palace, searching for any activity related to the Grand Master and the Palace Attendant.

Several cracks appeared on Gongshu Ling's witch armor, from which countless winged copper ants flew out and flew to various parts of the palace... Muffled popping sounds rang out, as she used the copper ants to dismantle and destroy witch artifacts such as the Misty Jade Disc and the Concealing Copper Bell.

Shang Lu also released the paper figures he had prepared earlier, which sneaked into the palace to search for people everywhere.

Xu Zhen chanted a spell, and countless tiny, hair-like Gu worms emerged from the tattoos on his arm, disappeared into the shadows, and vanished instantly...

The barbarians not far away were also performing rituals to find the missing person.

The leading wizard held the high priest's magical weapon in one hand and drew a sharp knife in the other, plunging it into his own chest without hesitation, using a blood curse to search for his target.

The other barbarians either released poisonous insects or summoned rampaging ghosts to help search for the person.

A moment later, the barbarians and Shang Lu made their discovery almost simultaneously.

Deep within the Chu King's palace, they found a strange, chaotic, and decaying place!

The aura emanating from this place was completely different from other parts of the Chu King's palace; instead, it bore a resemblance to a decaying and ominous place.

Shang Lu and Zi Shu immediately deduced that the Grand Master, the Clerk, and the barbarian high priest were most likely imprisoned in this strange place!

"found it!"

The barbarians also shouted and immediately rushed towards that strange place.

"Keep up with them!"

Zishu made a hand gesture, and Shang Lu and the others understood and immediately followed.

(End of this chapter)