In the world of "Covering the Sky": An Analysis of the Ancient Sacred Body at the Start

"However, it seems I don't need to intervene. Given his current condition, he probably won't live much longer unless he can break through to the Celestial Realm in the near future..."

The storyteller system forcibly detached from its host, causing Su Chen to suffer a severe backlash. He lost most of his life force and aged decades in an instant.

Given Su Chen's current condition, he either needs to consume rare and precious herbs to replenish his life force, or break through to the Celestial Realm in a short period of time; otherwise, he may not live for more than half a year.

Without the system, Su Chen is just an ordinary person. It's simply a pipe dream for him to break through from the early stage of Grandmaster to the Celestial Realm within half a year.

As for rare and precious materials that replenish vitality, that is, lifespan, they are extremely rare in the small world of the Great Ming Martial World, and may not even exist at all.

"Help me..."

Su Chen was clearly aware of his current situation; the only one who could save him now was Yu Yi.

"I told you before that the consequences of being attacked by the system would be unpredictable. You said you didn't regret it, and in your current situation, there's nothing I can do to save you."

There are indeed many miraculous medicines that can replenish lifespan in the world of "Covering the Sky," but the key is that Yu Yi doesn't have any.

"Your only chance now is to save yourself, which means breaking through to the Celestial Realm in the short term and extending your lifespan..."

Below the Celestial Realm, one's lifespan is limited to two Jiazi (60 years). Breaking through to the Celestial Realm adds another Jiazi to one's lifespan, and breaking through to the Land Immortal Realm adds another two Jiazi.

Yu Yi ignored Su Chen and turned to leave Tongfu Inn, leaving Su Chen to fend for himself.

"Cao Zhengchun, send someone to keep an eye on Su Chen. Report back immediately if anything happens..."

"This servant obeys the decree..."

A few days later, Yu Yi and his entourage returned to the capital. As soon as they arrived at the palace, a eunuch reported that Zheng He had returned from Jianzhou and was requesting an audience outside the imperial study.

"Announce!"

Soon, Zheng He entered the imperial study with a young eunuch, who was carrying a box made of Phoebe zhennan wood.

"Your Majesty, this old servant has not failed in his mission. Nurhaci's head has been retrieved..."

The wooden box contained Nurhaci's head.

"In addition, the entire Jurchen people of Jianzhou have been completely wiped out by General Qiu Yue's troops..."

"very good!"

Yu Yi nodded in satisfaction. With the entire Jurchen tribe wiped out, there would be no more queue-wearing dynasties.

"Eunuch Zheng, I have already issued an edict ordering the Ministry of Works to build warships, intending to have you resume your old profession and embark on your eighth voyage to the Western Ocean to conduct trade with overseas countries..."

"But we must first pacify the internal situation before we can deal with external threats. There are two things I need you to do before that. First, you must wipe out the Demon Master's Palace, otherwise you'll always be jumping around like a monkey."

"Secondly, Buddhism will be suppressed. From now on, no Buddhist temples will be allowed to exist within the territory of the Ming Dynasty. Every one that exists will be demolished..."

Yu Yi had long wanted to suppress Buddhism. The Buddhist community occupied a large amount of land and wealth, but did not have to pay taxes, which undoubtedly reduced the government's fiscal revenue.

What is most intolerable is that Buddhist monks are exempt from corvée labor and military service, which puts the imperial court in a difficult position when it needs labor and conscription.

Of course, the main reason is that Yu Yi wants to spread his faith in this world, and Buddhism is his biggest competitor, so it must be eliminated!

"Your Majesty, it is virtually impossible for this old servant to kill a terrestrial immortal of Buddhism on my own..."

To destroy Buddhism, one must first deal with the terrestrial deities of Buddhism, but once they reach the level of terrestrial deities, killing them is as difficult as ascending to heaven.

"Since I've entrusted you with this matter, I've naturally made preparations. This thing is called a trial card; it allows one to temporarily possess the strength of a terrestrial deity..."

The Yin-Yang Mirror devoured the Storyteller System, and in the system's lottery pool, there were dozens of Land Immortal Experience Cards and hundreds of Celestial Realm Experience Cards.

These things are of little use to Yi, but for martial artists in the Great Ming Martial World, especially those at the Celestial Realm, they are like priceless treasures.

The Land Immortal Experience Card allows martial artists at the Celestial Realm to experience the mysteries of Land Immortals in advance, which greatly helps them break through to the Land Immortal realm later.

"Such a wondrous thing exists in this world?"

Zheng He looked surprised. He was over 130 years old and had lived from the Yongle reign to the present day. He was quite knowledgeable, but he had never heard of such a trial card.

"You should be aware that while using the trial card will temporarily grant you the strength of a terrestrial deity, it will only last for one hour..."

"I'm giving you ten Land Immortal experience cards and fifty Celestial Realm experience cards. That should be enough for you to surround and kill Pang Ban and that Land Immortal from the Buddhist sect..."

"I will have the Dragon Guard Manor, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Eastern Depot, and the Six Doors cooperate with you. I will give you three months to completely wipe out the Demon Master's Palace and the Buddhist sect!"

"This old servant obeys the decree..."

Yu Yi then wrote several imperial edicts on the spot, affixed the national seal, and ordered the Hulong Mountain Villa, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Eastern Depot, the Six Doors, and other departments to cooperate in this operation.

……

Goryo Mountain Villa, on the outskirts of Kyoto.

"Imperial decree has arrived, Iron-Blooded Marquis, receive the decree..."

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: I, having received the imperial mandate and continued the grand plan, bestow upon you abundant blessings and joyous gifts..."

"The remnants of the Mongol Yuan dynasty, the Demon Master's Palace, have repeatedly violated the borders without repentance; their crimes deserve execution..."

"Your humble servant receives the imperial decree..."

Zhu Wushi knelt on both knees, his expression respectful, and raised his hands above his head to receive the imperial edict.

"My Lord, His Majesty has also issued an edict instructing you to fully cooperate with Eunuch Sanbao to completely annihilate the Demon Master's Palace and the Buddhist sect. Once this matter is resolved, His Majesty intends to bestow a marriage upon you, My Lord..."

"Eunuch Liu, please convey to His Majesty that the Dragon Guard Manor will do everything in its power in this operation..."

Zhu Wushi's expression changed drastically. He had already saved Su Xin and wanted to give her a proper status for a long time.

At the same time, both the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Six Doors received imperial edicts instructing the two departments to cooperate in this operation.

The next day, Zheng He led a group of experts to the border to meet with Wang Shouren.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this item is called the Land Immortal Experience Card. As the name suggests, after use, it will allow you to temporarily possess the strength of a Land Immortal."

"And your task is to cooperate with me and Bo'an to besiege and kill the Demon Master Pang Ban..."

Zheng He took out the "Land Immortal Experience Cards" and distributed them to Zhu Wushi, Zhuge Zhengwo, Guo Juxia, Qinglong, Baihu, Cao Zhengchun, and other experts at the Celestial Realm.

In order to ensure the complete annihilation of the Demon Master's Palace without any mishaps, the imperial court mobilized almost all its top experts.

The reason for choosing to eliminate the Demon Master's Palace first, rather than going to the trouble of finding a nearby target, was mainly because they were afraid of scaring Pang Ban away.

Within the territory of the Ming Dynasty, the monks may run away, but the temples cannot. After the Demon Master's Palace is wiped out and Pang Ban is killed, it is not too late to deal with the Buddhist sect slowly.

"A Land Immortal Experience Card? It can grant someone temporary access to the power of a land immortal? Such a wondrous item exists in this world? Unbelievable..."

Zhu Wushi and the others looked at Zheng He with great surprise and their eyes were burning with excitement, because they were very clear about the value of the Land Immortal Experience Card.

Especially for a martial artist like Zhu Wushi, who is at the peak of the Celestial Realm, using the Land Immortal Experience Card greatly increases the chance of breaking through to the Land Immortal Realm.