After Xu Xing heard that Dong Chao had been captured, her mind immediately changed. It was better to go and see the cult leader first. Elder Zhi Zhen and the sacrifices hung on the wooden poles were wrapped in straw mats and placed in a room. Xu Xing planned to mourn the old monk after the entire matter was concluded.
When Xu Xing arrived at the cult's temple, she discovered countless people smashing the Buddha statues and murals inside. It was evident that the disaster victims deeply hated the things within the cult, and such harmful things should not exist in this world.
As Xu Xing walked, fervent people recounted what had happened: "When we rushed over, that scoundrel Dong Chao was packing his things and trying to escape. He was wearing ordinary clothes, a hat to cover his bald head, and a mask to hide his face. He even smeared red mud on his forehead. We were almost fooled by this guy."
"Oh? Then how did you catch him?" Xu Xing asked casually.
The crowd quickly replied, "Originally, none of us recognized this guy. But as he was escaping, his hat fell off. After all, he was bald, and the friction was low. So, when everyone saw the bald monk, they immediately beat him up. It was then that we realized it was Dong Chao. Now, how should we deal with this scoundrel?"
Xu Xing said lightly, "Let's see first. In any case, he won't be allowed to live easily."
Afterward, Xu Xing went directly into a huge hall. She saw no Buddha statues here, only empty ground and a few shelves around. Seeing this, Xu Xing couldn't help but ask, "What is this place used for?"
The person beside her hesitated, thinking that revealing the true purpose of this place would be an offense to Immortal Xing. However, not answering was not an option, so he then said, "This... this is where the Wuzhe Assembly is held. The meaning of this Wuzhe Assembly is very simple..."
"Enough, no need to say more. I know what this place is for," Xu Xing interrupted. Upon hearing these four words, Xu Xing completely understood the meaning. It was no wonder the entire hall was empty; such things must be done in a spacious area.
However, the great hall was already filled with people, and the smell of blood could still be faintly detected. The presence of this bloody smell made Xu Xing feel uneasy, as she worried that the angry crowd had already killed Dong Chao. If it had really turned out that way, it would have been too easy for that fellow Dong Chao.
Fortunately, such a thing did not happen. As Xu Xing approached the center of the crowd, she saw the bodies of several lamas on the ground. As for Dong Chao, he was tied up to the side, already bruised and swollen. Xu Xing knew that it was time for a public execution.
"Take him to the street and execute him directly. Seeing how fat he is, I think he's suitable for the 'lighting of the heavenly lamp.' What do you all think?" Xu Xing asked directly.
This was Immortal Xing speaking, and who could possibly object? So, everyone immediately began to act. They broke Dong Chao's limbs, rendering him unable to move. Then, they tied Dong Chao to an offering table, tore off his clothes, and stuffed a wick into his navel, setting it ablaze.
It is said that among the "Ten Great Tortures of the Qing Dynasty," the "lighting of the heavenly lamp" was included. However, there was actually no such thing as "Ten Great Tortures"; these were ten punishments compiled by busybodies. But the punishment of lighting the heavenly lamp did have a very early history, and there were specific methods for how it was carried out. Some said that a person was wrapped in a quilt, stuffed into an oil tank, and then set on fire, burning for several days.
Another theory was to place the person on the ground, stuff a wick into their belly, and then set it alight. Human fat is generally concentrated in the abdomen. When ignited, the wick would be replenished with oil and burn for a long time. When the "lighting of the heavenly lamp" was performed on a living person, humans would not die quickly and would still suffer immense pain before death. As for a deceased person being subjected to the "lighting of the heavenly lamp," their corpse oil would flow everywhere.
Xu Xing also detested Dong Chao. As a cult leader, he had harmed countless women and acted as if he were superior, putting on airs daily, like a villain descending from heaven. But in reality, he was just a villain who deluded the world.
When Dong Chao was tied to the offering table and displayed on the street, people from the nearby streets were also watching cautiously. The sect leader, who was once regarded as noble in the eyes of everyone, had now become so miserable. This scene deeply shocked them.
As the wick was lit, Dong Chao immediately let out a painful howl. Although his limbs had been broken, at this moment, Dong Chao still wanted to struggle. He was completely immobilized, making any movement impossible. Thus, apart from painful howling, he could do nothing else.
Dong Chao then uttered the most venomous words of his life, spewing obscenities towards Xu Xing. Upon hearing this, the crowd glared with anger. This scoundrel dared to insult the sacred Immortal Xing in their hearts. It was simply unforgivable. However, Xu Xing said calmly, "Don't rush. Let him continue to curse. Don't kill him. Let's see how long he can last!"
Xu Xing did not care if she was being insulted. What Xu Xing cared about now was whether she had avenged those who were harmed by Dong Chao.
Li Yiqiang walked up to Xu Xing and said, "Lord Xu Xing, we found many women in the temple. These women were previously held captive when they came to offer incense alone, and their parents and families could not find them."
Xu Xing then understood why Lin Yue had heard crying sounds earlier. These were the mournful cries of those imprisoned women.
At this moment, many people appeared on the street, rushing towards Dong Chao on the offering table, shouting, "Save our Sect Leader! Now is the time for us to sacrifice our lives for our Sect Leader!"
After the disaster victims entered the city, they announced in the name of the righteous army that everyone should stay at home and not act on the streets. As long as they stayed at home, they would be fine. This action was targeted at Xue Ba, Dong Chao, and their subordinates. Ordinary people at this time would also hide at home and take no action. But at this moment, someone actually wanted to rush over. Judging by their attire, they were ordinary civilians.
Seeing this situation, Xu Xing immediately frowned and asked a righteous army soldier beside her, "Are these people all members of the cult?"
The soldier immediately replied, "I don't think so. I think most of them are ordinary people who have been incited, probably brainwashed."
Xu Xing sighed and said, "Whoever dares to rush over will die. Do you understand?"
Xu Xing knew that these were just ordinary people. Killing them directly seemed excessive, but there was no other way. These people had been brainwashed by the cult. Perhaps in their eyes, saving the Sect Leader was a noble and inviolable act, but in reality, such behavior was causing trouble for the righteous army.
Upon receiving the order, the righteous army immediately raised their butcher knives. No matter what Immortal Xing said, they would carry it out. Moreover, the people on the other side were believers of the cult, and they were causing trouble. Since that was the case, they could only be killed.
The righteous army was numerous. Although they were all gaunt, they had survived in times of disaster, and their physical fitness had already been tested. After entering the city, this group of people was further stimulated by their goal of revenge, their bodies filled with a violent aura. Instantly, they charged directly at the believers of the Huanxi Sect, brandishing their weapons. A massacre began, and blood splattered again.
There were over three thousand believers on the street, but as the righteous army charged, hundreds of them were killed on the spot. As they died, perhaps they were still wondering why the Buddha had not protected them. Wasn't it said that faith in the Huanxi Buddha would bring great blessings? Why wasn't it like this on their side?
Only when the butcher's knife reached them did humans awaken. The gods they believed in were all fake. Gods did not exist. Everything ultimately depended on oneself. Cultivating Buddhism or Taoism was actually about cultivating oneself, reaching a state of perfection, not believing in a statue made of mud or wood. Whether one held prayer beads or a cross, neither could protect them.
Upon realizing this, the believers knelt on the ground, raising their hands, no longer daring to charge forward. The Buddha they believed in would not protect them. Kneeling was the best way to survive.
However, even at this point, when saving the Sect Leader could no longer be achieved by force, some were still weeping, kowtowing towards Xu Xing and Lin Yue in the distance, and shouting, "The Sect Leader is a good person! Please release him!"
"The Sect Leader gives out porridge every day. He is a good person! We have all been saved by the Sect Leader."
Seeing these people still crying and begging for mercy, Xu Xing frowned and asked Lin Yue beside her, "Can the cult's brainwashing be so successful? Even now, there are still people begging for this scoundrel. I have never seen such a situation."
Lin Yue pointed to a group of people and said, "Look closely. Many of the people on the ground are beggars. What's clever about Dong Chao is that he often gives small favors, and thus wins people's hearts. These people are truly foolish. Clearly, Dong Chao and Xue Ba are in cahoots. Without the exploitation of these two, they wouldn't have become beggars. Yet, Dong Chao casually gave a small favor and immediately won them over."
Xu Xing found Lin Yue's explanation very reasonable. The people below did not understand anything, so they were easily deceived.
However, at this moment, thick smoke billowed from the direction of the palace in the distance. Lin Yue thought of something, and his face suddenly changed, saying, "This is bad! The grain in Jiucheng is basically in the palace. If the righteous army burns it down, then it's truly all over. Jiucheng has over a hundred thousand people. Without grain, Jiucheng will fall into chaos."
Upon hearing Lin Yue's reminder, Xu Xing also quickly reacted and said, "Then let's hurry over. Let's just hope it's not the granary that's being burned."
Although Xu Xing and Lin Yue brought five hundred tons of grain from Zhaotong, which seemed like a lot, it was clearly not enough to support over a hundred thousand people. Moreover, it was winter, and finding food was difficult. If the grain was destroyed, it would be all over. Therefore, Xu Xing immediately rushed towards the palace, wanting to protect the granary.
Before leaving the temple, Xu Xing was still instructing the righteous army there: "Do not let anyone rescue Dong Chao. Even if he is burned to death, do not stop. Keep burning him until even his corpse is not left behind."