Only after unifying the world did I realize that immortals existed in this world.

Chapter 95 Offering Sacrifice to Heaven, Enlightenment

"We're offering sacrifices to Heaven! We're offering sacrifices to Heaven!"

"Quick, quick, go to Dingjun Gate and see if you can see His Majesty!"

"His Majesty doesn't do this kind of thing often!"

"The last time we offered sacrifices to Heaven was when His Majesty founded the dynasty and ascended the throne—is something major about to happen this time?"

Three months passed quickly, and winter turned to spring.

In the new year, there were no external enemies, no wars, and the political situation was clear and peaceful. Great Xia remained as peaceful as ever, and Lieyang City was safe and prosperous.

Today may be a special day; the sky is blue and cloudless.

A high platform stands atop the Dingjun Gate of the Imperial City, reaching towards the sky, upon which sacrificial offerings, including bells and tripods, have long been prepared.

The people of Kyoto spontaneously stopped what they were doing, left their homes, and gathered in the same direction.

The streets were bustling with people, shoulder to shoulder, creating a lively scene.

This is because their emperor is going to hold a ceremony to worship heaven today, and he wants to say something to announce to heaven and earth and to all the people.

Xie Cangrong did not ask anything of the people, nor did he hold any grand ceremonies that would consume their resources. He simply set up a platform, prepared sacrificial items, and waited for the time to come for him to take the stage and speak.

Xie Cangrong was a pragmatist and rarely engaged in such sacrificial rites to heaven.

Such a ceremony was only held once, during the founding ceremony and the enthronement ceremony.

People gathered in the street, discussing and speculating about the reason.

"In my opinion, it might be related to those immortals!"

"His Majesty is not like that foolish ruler of the previous dynasty who sought immortality and immortality!"

"I didn't say His Majesty was! I think His Majesty is a reincarnation of an immortal, perhaps—even higher than an immortal, some kind of Celestial King, who came here to save us!"

"The immortal who caused trouble last time was even imprisoned! In my opinion, our Great Xia should be an immortal dynasty! Even immortals have to follow the rules!"

"What's so strange about that? That's all old news! I heard that during the New Harvest Festival this year, a powerful immortal caused trouble and was beheaded by His Majesty! Many ministers witnessed it!"

"Will His Majesty bestow upon us immortal techniques so that we too can become immortals?!"

Xie Cangrong's offering of sacrifices at this juncture makes it easy to associate it with cultivators.

This is quite a hot topic in Lieyang City.

News of the monks was not subject to any special control and spread naturally among the common people.

The appearance of the cloud boat and the disturbance at Shiyu—these events were not concealed, and were even spread by word of mouth, with considerable artistic embellishment.

People talk about all sorts of ridiculous legends, like the divine destiny of the kings and immortals, or how the Great Xia Dynasty was favored by the gods and established as a celestial dynasty.

Ultimately, it did not cause any adverse effects.

Are cultivators powerful?

The cloud boat still ended up at sea!

He still got locked up in jail!

The Great Xia was safe enough, and the rumors circulating gave them confidence and assurance. Peeling back the layers of mystery, these so-called immortals were like cloud boats being knocked down from the heavens; they were not of an incomprehensibly high class.

Ultimately, they are just people who are stronger.

The Great Xia has ways to deal with them, ways to subdue them, and ways to kill them.

The Great Xia Dynasty possessed its own authority, so order naturally remained intact.

At most, it's just that some people can't control their desires, wanting to pursue immortality, wanting to become powerful.

Time flowed slowly, and the sun rose high in the sky.

Suddenly, someone shouted.

"They're here! They're here!"

"Your Majesty!"

"His Majesty!"

Amidst the watchful eyes of the crowd, a figure appeared on the steps leading to the heavens.

He was dressed only in a crimson dragon imperial robe and a crown, just as he would normally be when attending court.

It was not as solemn and luxurious as prescribed by etiquette, and there was no one to serve it.

There were no parades, no military drills, no cattle or sheep sacrifices, and no luxurious gold, silver, or jade.

All those messy customs and systems were abandoned.

He walked alone onto the high platform, his steps steady and unwavering, without slowing down for the sake of solemnity. Below the altar, civil and military officials, dressed in their official robes, stood in neat rows, gazing solemnly at the monarch ascending the platform.

Of course, only they themselves know what they are really thinking.

From any perspective, this sacrificial ceremony to heaven is far too simple. Can such an ordinary ceremony possibly be effective?

What is His Majesty thinking?

Some felt helpless, some were surprised, and some supported it.

However, no matter what, they could not change the monarch's decision.

Amidst the expectations of the people and the admiration of the officials.

Xie Cangrong quickly walked up to the sacrificial altar.

Suddenly, a bright and clear view appeared before us; this was the highest point in the entire capital city.

Looking into the distance, one can see the horizon where the mountains meet, the vast blue sky, and the rich land of Great Xia beneath it. As his vision narrows, Xie Cangrong lowers his head and looks towards Dingjun Gate, where the people of Great Xia reside.

The sky of Great Xia, the land of Great Xia, the people of Great Xia.

He can see all of that.

On the street, the crowd was dense, and countless people were looking up at him, their eyes revealing all sorts of expressions.

Reverence? Excitement? Request? Faith?

Through these gazes, Xie Cangrong felt as if he were connected with these people, able to sense their emotions and inner thoughts.

The capricious monarch was reckless, showing no reverence for sacrifices and disregarding solemn rituals.

He stepped forward, waved to the millions of people below, and smiled.

"Gentlemen, I am Xie Cangrong, the Emperor of the Great Xia!"

When the senior officials of the Ministry of Rites who had previously offered their advice in the Zhaolin Pavilion saw this scene, they felt a rush of heat to their heads, their vision went black, their blood pressure soared, and they almost fainted on the spot.

Your capricious Majesty—

What do you take this sacrificial ceremony for?!

Such frivolous and casual behavior—who throughout history has ever offered sacrifices to Heaven in this way?!

But in the next instant, everyone was shocked.

The sun shone brightly in the sky, and a gentle breeze was blowing. Xie Cangrong's voice was not loud, and logically speaking, it was impossible for it to reach the ears of the people below at such a distance.

But—they did hear it!

This wasn't transmitted through their ears, but rather through another strange form of communication, seemingly relayed through their minds. It didn't contain any specific content, but rather conveyed Xie Cangrong's emotions to them.

The world before my eyes seemed to gradually fade into the distance.

Only that one place, where the king resided, shone as brightly as the sun.

It wasn't just the people of Lieyang City; an invisible aura emanated from the altar of heaven, spreading outwards.

Farmers in the villages and towns surrounding Lieyang City, working in the fields, paused for a moment, then looked up towards the majestic capital city.

Amidst the surging river, the boatman ferries passengers across, waving his oars and chatting with them. Suddenly, he pauses, and together with his passengers, they look up into the distance.

On the shore of the sea, the beach gleamed golden in the sunlight. Fishermen, their hands gripping their nets, drooped and stared blankly westward.

The scholar, engrossed in his books, absorbing the wisdom of his ancestors, and vowing to excel in the imperial examinations to serve his country, suddenly looked up out the window.

Even the loyal guards on the border wall, who were diligently performing their duties, couldn't help but look somewhat lost in thought.

Farmers, merchants, craftsmen, officials, soldiers, scholars—even criminals, prisoners, thugs, and rogues—no matter where they were in the Great Xia Dynasty, no matter their status, as long as they believed in the Great Xia Dynasty, as long as they revered the emperor, as long as they stood on this land—in this instant, they all seemed to sense something, feeling a will transmitted from above.

Sincere, open, and magnanimous, encompassing all.

It brought together their shared aspirations and common interests.

Even the wild beasts, plants, mountains, and rivers of the world seemed to react.

The people below the altar were stunned for a moment. The emperor on the altar was looking at them, waving to them, and talking to them!

The next moment, time seemed to resume its flow.

"His Majesty!!!"

"His Majesty!!!"

"Long live His Majesty! Long live the Great Xia Dynasty!!!"

-

"Hahaha~ Your Majesty!"

The accumulated energy erupted with a deafening roar, the shouts of the people like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashing down. Their eyes burned with fervor, their faces filled with excitement, and they waved their arms incessantly, shouting loudly towards the monarch on the altar.

When a king offered sacrifices to Heaven, he would look up at the sky and recite those complicated sacrificial words.

But His Majesty alone stood on the high platform, looking down at them.

The blood in their chests surged, and countless people felt that just being looked at by him once was worthwhile.

Being in such an environment, even those who are not from Great Xia are deeply affected.

Lu Junfeng and the other four stood behind the assembled officials, watching. They couldn't help but sway in their tracks, as if swept up by that great will and caught up in the frenzied atmosphere of the crowd.

Monarch — Monarch —

The land of Daxia is truly a magical place.

Under the gaze of the masses, Xie Cangrong lowered his eyes slightly and spoke calmly: "I, upholding the principles of humanity, govern the world. Now, I reshape the universe and proclaim to the light of the sun, moon, and stars, the spirit of mountains and rivers, and all living beings of heaven and earth—"

The Ministry of Rites actually wrote a lengthy eulogy for him, which included accounts of the hardships of pacifying the chaotic world and his diligence in holding the holy position.

The reverence for heaven and earth and its natural world—but Xie Cangrong lost it.

The purpose of the sacrificial ceremony he was to hold was to stand on this platform and tell heaven and earth what he wanted to say and what rules he wanted to establish.

His voice was calm and steady, and he spoke such presumptuous words as if he were saying something perfectly natural.

He raised one arm and opened his palm.

Without any wind, the crucial object he was holding transformed into a streak of light and flew straight towards the sacrificial altar, landing in Xie Cangrong's hands, much to the astonishment of the attendants below.

Xie Cangrong gripped the jade seal. In that instant, his aura expanded infinitely, his will soared a million times, enveloping the entire Great Xia territory. His eyes shone with a majestic light as he calmly declared, "Firstly, from this day forward, break through the barriers of knowledge, connect with the profound principles, and awaken wisdom in all things. All people of Great Xia—officials in the court, scholars, soldiers, farmers, fishermen, woodcutters, merchants, beggars—whoever has a sincere heart and enlightenment can draw their qi to knock on the gates of heaven, open the path of cultivation, and grasp the opportunities of creation."

At the same time, everyone looked up at the sky in a daze, and felt that in the distance, it was as if a book was being turned over, and ink was being used to paint the sky. Every word Xie Cangrong spoke was written between heaven and earth.

Each character conveys Xie Cangrong's will, and even illiterate people can feel its meaning.

"This—this—"

Lu Junfeng stared wide-eyed at the strange phenomenon before him, utterly horrified.

He was a monk, and the world he saw was different from that of ordinary people.

Aside from the awe-inspiring phenomenon of the imperial edict, he could also sense that the spirits of heaven and earth were gathering in a vortex and converging towards the edict. Spiritual energy is a thing without a master, yet at this moment—it seemed to be expressing its will, showing respect to Xie Cangrong's edict.

Could a legendary expert at the second level of the Heavenly Realm trigger such a change? It is said that when the Dao Ancestor attained enlightenment, he communicated with the spirits of heaven and earth, causing a magnificent phenomenon and a reset of the rules—

How... how is this possible?

What exactly does this mad monarch want to do?

What exactly happened to Da Xia?!

Everything before him was beyond his comprehension.

Compared to the awe-inspiring foreign monks, the local people were much simpler.

They stared at the sky, arms outstretched in a daze, as if they felt something being brutally shattered.

The sky seemed wider, the earth more substantial, and a comforting atmosphere filled the air; their world seemed to have been transformed. Their will had merged into a larger collective; they were protected, and in turn, they protected others.

Everything went smoothly, and Xie Cangrong could sense the changes in Great Xia. This was what he had guessed, and what he hoped to achieve.

However, to his surprise, what seemed like a simple statement was actually quite complex.

The first and most important thing is a matter of great importance that affects the entire world.

Every word he utters is an adjustment of the rules, a confrontation with the old natural order, and even a confrontation with the established beliefs of the masses.

This feeling was uncomfortable, as if an immense force was pressing down on him. Even with the protection of the nation, he felt as if a thousand mountains were pressing down on his shoulders, making it hard for him to breathe. With each word he spoke, this oppressive feeling grew stronger.

Every word spoken, every stroke of the brush, carried immense weight. This feeling was far more oppressive than the illusion the monk had conjured, the so-called "billions of evil spirits."

Because he is a leader, he is a reformer, and he needs to take responsibility!

He is trusted by hundreds of millions of people, and even by all things in heaven and earth, so he needs to live up to that trust. Since he has made changes, he needs to be responsible for his transformations.

This is what the weight is telling him.

He let out a soft breath, and blood began to flow from his palm, staining the jade seal. He lifted it up and pressed it onto the imperial edict in the sky.

"boom!"

It was as if something had suddenly exploded between heaven and earth.

Once the seal is pressed, it cannot be changed.

Everything must be put into practice, and everything must be obeyed.

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