I changed the world.

The guests who came to observe the ceremony, regardless of their purpose or whether they believed or not, couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at this scene. This is humanity's awe of the unknown.

Even Li Jingxin, who was still on the stage, was stunned for a moment. He probably did not expect his ritual to be so effective. You know, similar rituals had been performed before. The same procedure had only been done once before when Master Xiao passed away. However, there had never been such a situation before.

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind the History Books: Chapter 1038 The Ascension to the Throne

Standing in the middle of the second row of guests, Wang Shuqing reached for a tissue and wiped the sweat from his brow. The recent climb had left him feeling somewhat hot in his formal attire. The guests attending the ceremony today were all dressed in dark clothing according to ancient Chinese customs. He, for example, wore a black robe trimmed with red and black borders. This type of clothing was a tradition continued by the nobility of the Zhao Kingdom during sacrificial rites. While modern society is less strict about the specific form of clothing, the choice of colors remains extremely important.

However, regardless of the circumstances, the Da Zhao tradition emphasizes the concept of "interaction between heaven and man." Since heaven has shown signs, those below should also show signs.

But he looked solemnly at his disciples and the crowd below: "Heaven is high above, and even if you do not wish for it, it will grant your request. The Way is vast and difficult to name, but it will surely answer your prayers. We rely on this offering of fragrant incense to help you understand the boundless and profound. The image of the Dharma is solemn and the prayers are sincere."

At this moment, a disciple offered incense, which Li Jingxin solemnly accepted. He descended from the altar, went to the incense burner in front of the Sanqing Hall, lit the incense, and recited: "I humbly proclaim that the primordial energy gave birth to all things. The five elements nurture and transform, and the three realms illuminate and govern. The founding of the nation and the establishment of families are thanks to the blessings of the holy beings. The peace and benefit of people and things are due to the profound merit of the supreme Dao. Now, as we ascend the altar to perform the Dao, the assembly of disciples, with sincere devotion, offer these three sticks of incense."

Then, Li Jingxin looked at his junior brother Zhou Jingyuan. The two brothers exchanged a glance, and Zhou Jingyuan, knowing the situation, chanted: "Incense reaches the nine heavens, pervading the nine heavenly palaces, forming a canopy of clouds for offering, to pay homage to the Three Pure Ones, the Great Heavenly Venerable. With utmost humility and fear, we bow our heads and kowtow, gazing at the heavenly steps to offer a hundred prostrations. We humbly pray that Your Holy Compassion will look down upon mortal desires, and in Your radiant light, turn your gaze and see clearly."

Then all the disciples around said in unison, "We pay homage to the Supreme Heavenly Venerable, we pay homage to the Mysterious Origin Heavenly Venerable, we pay homage to the Pure and Subtle Heavenly Venerable."

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After the ritual concluded, the procession, accompanied by a group of disciples, proceeded to the Ancestral Hall for the enthronement ceremony, a tradition followed by successive abbots of the Yunxiao lineage.

The difference from the past is that in the past, the abbot's enthronement was almost always the previous abbot passing away and the current abbot ascending the throne. The difference in this abdication ceremony is that Li Jingxin has not yet passed away, so there are some changes in the ceremony, with the addition of a handover ceremony. However, it is basically a modification of the previous ceremony and does not violate the rules.

According to the rules of the temple, outsiders are not allowed to enter the ceremonies in the Ancestral Hall. However, since even representatives of the royal family are present this time, the temple made an exception and allowed the Princess and her husband, the eunuch Rong Yu, and the Director of the Religious Affairs Bureau Qian Bushi to enter as representatives of the Emperor, the Empress, and the government to observe the ceremony.

Other guests are allowed to tour the site, and if they need to rest, their rooms can be temporarily arranged for them to make room repairs.

In fact, An Huiling, Wei Chengguang, and Zhu Yingwei could certainly have been granted entry if they wanted to visit. However, doing so would have been tantamount to announcing to the outside world that they had a special relationship with Yunxiao Temple. Therefore, they all chose to keep a low profile, as their sect had its rules.

After Li Jingxin and Zhou Jingyuan entered the Ancestral Hall under the protection of a group of high-ranking officials, senior monks, representatives of various branches, abbots of branch temples, and other figures, disciples from the temple guarded all the exits of the Ancestral Hall. The doors were sealed off, prohibiting entry and exit. Even the windows inside the Ancestral Hall had their curtains drawn to block out sight and sound.

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Normally, there is an election ceremony before the enthronement ceremony. Of course, that is when the previous abbot passes away without leaving a decree, in which case the next abbot needs to be elected according to certain procedures.

Of course, this time there's no need for that; everything is predetermined.

Although the entire ceremony appeared quite mysterious, it was actually not complicated in simple terms. Li Jingxin, as the previous abbot, took the seat first. After recounting the history of the Yunxiao Mountain lineage and reviewing the achievements of past masters, especially the virtue of his late master Xiao Daoguang, he went on to describe his own achievements since assuming the position. Finally, he stated that he was wholeheartedly devoted to the Dao and therefore wished to renounce worldly work to focus on cultivating the true Dharma. He also stated that his duties as abbot would be inherited by his junior brother, Zhou Jingyuan.

Here, he praised Zhou Jingyuan's character and conduct, saying he was capable of undertaking great responsibilities, and so on...

Because much of what's said here is just for show, many of the high-ranking priests present actually know what's going on and are just going through the motions.

Finally, the high priest tried to persuade him to stay, but Li Jingxin declined repeatedly. In the end, he stepped down from his seat. After that, Li Jingxin was no longer the abbot of Yunxiao Temple, but an elder of Yunxiao Temple.

Of course, he himself was still the Imperial Protector of the Nation, the Profound and Virtuous True Man, and still had a significant influence in Yunxiao Temple.

Then Zhou Jingyuan took his seat.

Before ascending the throne, Zhou Jingyuan had to remove his blue Taoist robe from under his disciple's robes and put on a purple Taoist robe to signify the change of status...

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It must be said that as a major Xuanmen sect with a history of two thousand years, this enthronement ceremony has many complicated rituals and a lot of parallel prose that ordinary people cannot understand at all. In fact, some of the content is not only incomprehensible to ordinary people, but also to many so-called high-ranking Xuanmen masters. They are just following the procedures and regulations. After all, everyone here has rehearsed the rituals in advance...

Of course, the only guests who hadn't rehearsed were the Princess and her husband, the eunuch Rong Yu, the director of the Religious Affairs Bureau Qian Bushi, and a limited number of other guests who came to observe the ceremony.

For these guests, the enthronement ceremony, which seemed mysterious and extraordinary, undoubtedly aroused great curiosity, and they might even have some unrealistic fantasies, wondering if they would witness some supernatural event...

However, to their disappointment, at least so far, everything seems perfectly normal, even too normal, and nothing beyond their comprehension has happened.

Of course, this was not some kind of circus act, but a serious and solemn sect ceremony. Therefore, no matter what the guests thought in their hearts, they all maintained a serious and attentive attitude.

About half an hour later, the entire ceremony was completed, and three chimes came from the Ancestral Hall. Soon, disciples who had been prepared in advance rang the bronze bell in the temple, and three long chimes quickly spread throughout the entire temple.

Everyone knew that the new abbot had officially taken office.

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind the History Books: Chapter 1039 Flattery

If nothing unexpected happens, the entire ceremony has now come to an end. Of course, the ceremony is over, but things are not over yet, especially for Zhou Jingyuan. Many things are just beginning, especially with so many guests still in the temple, many of whom hope to have a face-to-face conversation with him.

Inside the ancestral hall, which was still closed, Qian Bushi had already prepared his speech in his mind. He needed to congratulate Zhou Jingyuan on becoming the new abbot, while also praising the noble character of the former abbot, Li Jingxin. After all, both the former and current abbots were present, and how to deliver his words in a way that would please both of them was a true test of his speaking skills.

After reviewing the situation in his mind once more, Qian Bushi turned to look at the Eldest Princess. According to the hierarchy, the Eldest Princess should deliver the congratulatory speech on behalf of the royal family first, and then it would be his turn.

At this moment, Zhou Jingyuan had already risen from the main seat representing the abbot's ascension to the throne. Dressed in a purple robe, with a warm smile on his face, he walked towards the guests who were attending the ceremony, clearly intending to exchange pleasantries with them.

Princess Chen Xuzhuo, clearly prepared, wore a beaming smile as she rose from her seat and bowed to Zhou Jingyuan, saying, "Congratulations, Abbot Zhou, on assuming the position. I have long heard of the great virtue of Elder Xiao in the Xuanmen sect, not only for his profound cultivation but also for the high moral character of his disciples. Elder Li is an elder I greatly admire. Meeting Abbot Zhou today, I can see that he truly lives up to his reputation..."

"Your Highness is too kind. I am no match for my senior brother..." Zhou Jingyuan first bowed and then said humbly.

The two had a very amicable conversation. In this kind of situation, Chen Xuzhuo naturally wouldn't say anything that would spoil the mood. After exchanging pleasantries with Zhou Jingyuan, he conveyed the emperor's congratulations and then presented the gift list.

Of course, this gift list is symbolic; the real gifts have already been delivered and are currently in the warehouse at Yunxiao Mountain. However, this process still needs to be followed.

Naturally, Zhou Jingyuan also showed a respectful attitude towards the royal family, displaying extreme deference and not showing the slightest arrogance, which made Chen Xuzhuo's smile even wider.

"My father often said that the Xuanmen (Taoist sect) is the empire's only indigenous religion, born and raised here, with a history spanning thousands of years and countless virtuous figures throughout the ages. Since the founding emperor expelled the Tartars and restored the Chinese civilization, successive imperial families have revered the Xuanmen; this is a tradition of our dynasty." Chen Xuzhuo paused slightly, then continued, "Before I came here today, my father specifically summoned me and instructed me to hope that Abbot Zhou would continue to love his country and his religion, setting an example for the Xuanmen..."

"Your Majesty's instructions are my duty, even though I am a recluse." Zhou Jingyuan immediately understood the meaning behind the princess's words, and his face became solemn. He cupped his hands and said, "The royal families of past dynasties have always been grateful for the care that Yunxiao Mountain has given us... When our master was still alive, he always instructed us disciples that religion should provide people with a sense of belonging and contribute to the stability of the country. We dare not forget our master's instructions."

After talking with Zhou Jingyuan for a while, Princess Chen Xuzhuo gave up her seat to Rongyu, who represented the current Empress. Naturally, there was another round of pleasantries, during which a gift list was presented...

While Rongyu and Zhou Jingyuan exchanged pleasantries, Princess Chen Xuzhuo continued her conversation with Li Jingxin, who had already relinquished his position as abbot.

When facing Li Jingxin, Chen Xuzhuo clearly lowered his stance, addressing him as "Master" and placing himself in the position of a junior. He also conveyed the Emperor's invitation, inviting him to visit the capital again when he had time. It can only be said that reputation precedes influence; although Li Jingxin had stepped down from his position as abbot, in many people's eyes, his influence and cultivation far surpassed that of the newly appointed Zhou Jingyuan. After all, even in terms of seniority, he was Zhou Jingyuan's senior brother…

In many people's eyes, the senior brother's cultivation level was definitely higher than the junior brother's... Moreover, Li Jingxin's act of retiring at the height of his career unintentionally created the image of a detached and virtuous hermit. After all, the current abbot of Yunxiao Mountain wielded considerable power and resources, and to retire at the height of his glory to focus solely on cultivation was unprecedented even in the history of Yunxiao Mountain. This undoubtedly added another layer of moral halo to him.

Having completely relinquished his responsibilities as abbot, Li Jingxin felt quite relieved and relaxed. In his conversation with Chen Xuzhuo, he became increasingly humble and casual. However, he did not immediately accept the emperor's invitation.

"I had a sudden inspiration a few days ago, and I will soon be traveling to seek opportunities on the path to enlightenment..." Li Jingxin stroked his beard and smiled, "As for His Majesty, I hope Your Highness the Princess can explain this to me on my behalf..."

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"Master Li, when I left the capital, Her Majesty the Empress instructed me to be respectful to you. She has been thinking about the boxing stance you taught her, saying that she feels much better after practicing the boxing you taught her..." The female official Rong Yu greeted Li Jingxin with a smile.

"I am deeply grateful for the Empress's trust and kindness. Even though I am wandering in the mountains and fields, I will still pray for His Majesty and His Highness."

"Her Majesty the Empress specifically instructed me to invite you to the capital again this time. Her Majesty and His Majesty are both eager to see you once more..."

Rongyu then, on behalf of the current Empress Wang, expressed the idea that Li Jingxin should go to the capital, but Li Jingxin still did not agree directly.

The eldest princess and Rongyu had come with a mission, so they naturally wouldn't give up easily. During their conversation, they repeatedly flattered and indirectly invited him, which made Li Jingxin feel somewhat helpless. After all, it was an invitation from the current emperor and empress, and he couldn't refuse too bluntly.

He didn't refuse, but he knew in his heart what he would face if he went to the capital again.

Given the current situation, with the extraordinary appearing in the mortal realm and the emperor repeatedly summoning him, the purpose is actually quite predictable. While there's certainly an element of wanting to consult further, there's likely also some desire for enlightenment, such as "seeking immortality and enlightenment," after all, the astonishing scene outside the beacon tower was witnessed by many.

For emperors, if there was anything they pursued, it was probably "longevity and immortality." After all, there are countless examples throughout history. It is human nature to be greedy for life and afraid of death, and emperors were no exception.

However, since he knew that going to the capital would lead to this outcome, for Li Jingxin, it would be better not to go. After all, in his current position, he had no demands on the emperor, and not going could even give people the image of a "detached and virtuous" hermit. After all, he was not the only one in history who had repeatedly failed to be summoned by the emperor, and many people even regarded this as a virtue.

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind History Books: Chapter 1040 Handwritten Letter

The royal family couldn't possibly hold a grudge against Yunxiao Mountain just because he didn't go. Yunxiao Mountain now has a real powerful backer.

Instead, if you go there, it becomes quite awkward to decide what to say, what not to say, what you can say, and what you can't say... If you don't handle it well, it might cause the emperor to harbor resentment.

Moreover, deep down, Li Jingxin was unwilling to get involved in this mess any further. After all, he resigned from his position as abbot so that he could focus on his cultivation...

However, he still needed to be able to handle many things in public, so after a slight hesitation, he said, "In that case, please take a letter for me and give it to His Majesty and the Empress..."

As he spoke, Li Jingxin beckoned, and his disciples quickly prepared a table, writing brush, and ink.

After thinking for a moment, Li Jingxin put pen to paper and wrote:

"When a sage undertakes an undertaking, he aligns with Heaven and Earth, pleases the people, and is auspicious to the spirits, so that the people may share in the benefits and all people may rely on him. This is what is meant by righteousness. He himself carries out his duties, and the ruler employs him, thus bringing long-term benefit to the nation and its people, and benefiting all people for generations to come."

The world's renowned scholars and national treasures are thus empty. One who can benefit others with a single word is a scholar; one who can benefit the nation with a single word is a national treasure. Therefore, a virtuous person humbles himself to follow the Way, uses his knowledge to discern it, strives to put it into practice, demands the Way to be in harmony with the world, and softens himself to await the opportune time.

The extraordinary follows the extraordinary, the orthodox follows the orthodox. The extraordinary and the orthodox never coexist. The way of change is neither gain nor loss, neither advancement nor retreat: the first to change is doomed. If one follows proper conduct, one will not go too far; if one relies on appearances and hopes for the future, one will not be confused; if one governs according to law, one will not cause chaos. The sage does not initiate, does not act selfishly; does not plan ahead, does not waste time; does not seek gain, does not refuse blessings.

According to the laws of Heaven. Those who lose their way to Heaven die; those who deceive their lord die; those who defy their superiors are in danger. What the heart desires, the will follows; what the will desires, the strength follows. Therefore, those who live in nests observe the wind, and those who live in caves know the rain; this is because they are concerned. If one is concerned, one will be at peace; if one is at peace, one will endure; one who cannot command cannot possess.

If Your Majesty were to know this, it would be a blessing for the nation.

After writing it, Li Jingxin signed it in a corner, stamped it with his seal, and waited for the ink to dry completely before rolling it up and handing it to Princess Zhuo.

However, at that moment, the light outside the door had dimmed without anyone noticing, as if it had already entered dusk. A disciple serving nearby glanced at the time with some surprise and confirmed that it was still noon. However, the light was getting dimmer, so he had to go to the side and turn on the lamp.

The Ancestral Hall is a typical old-style wooden building. The lights installed are artistic lamps that imitate oil lamps. They are not very bright, but fortunately, it is not completely dark outside at this time. Although the light is dim, it is not a problem.

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Just as Li Jingxin was writing furiously with his brush down his head, a thick fog was gathering outside the Ancestral Hall. The clouds in the sky seemed to be getting lower and lower, gradually merging with the fog on the ground...

Wang Huizhong is a disciple of the guest hall in the temple. Because of her lively and intelligent personality and her diligence, she has always been favored by Master Xu Dequan, the head of the guest hall, and was accepted as a personal disciple. During this abbot's enthronement ceremony, she and another disciple, Li Huifeng, were arranged to guard outside the mountain gate.

Besides their two disciples, there were also some police officers from the local government and some security personnel with special identities outside the mountain gate. After all, the mountain was full of distinguished guests, and even Her Highness the Princess was there. They couldn't afford any mishaps, so necessary security had to be in place.

If it weren't for the special nature of Yunxiao Temple, security would actually be much more thorough, with many security personnel entering the temple grounds.

This is also why Xu Dequan arranged for Wang Huizhong to be stationed at the entrance; he needed to coordinate relations with these officials there.

At this moment, Wang Huizhong carried several cases of bottled water and beckoned to the police officers and security personnel standing at the door to come and take them: "Come on... everyone has worked hard, have some water to quench your thirst..."