Ming Dynasty, New Rome, and Infinite Divine Machine

The night faded away, and Shangluo picked up the Fetion card. He placed his finger on Zhu Xianxun's title:

"Apollonia, do you think I should consult him?"

[It's right to consult professionals on professional matters. Even I might not be as expert as he is when it comes to alchemy.]

Apollonia praised Zhu Xianxin's professionalism. She added:

Knowledge, experience, and technology—these are merely results. "First creation" is the cause of all of this. The first murder, the first painting, the first torch, the first film screening. The symbols created by humans are the true light, and the Akashic Records merely faithfully record the shadows of that light. Of course, now, with some of the extra shadows, the Akashic Records no longer have a one-to-one correspondence with human creations. Is an experience that hasn't happened still considered experience? I don't know. However, the Akashic Records themselves have undergone subtle changes as a result, causing a series of unusual movements. What are your thoughts?

"What do I think? My answer is that it has nothing to do with me. I didn't ask to come here, so I should blame the person who dragged me here. If there is any cause and effect, it will of course be all on his head. I'm just worried that someone will use this to find me."

"Don't worry, the Akashic Records aren't a place for journals; they're anonymous public domain. That's why I didn't notice it when I first met you. You were invited back by Daozu because the Imperial Guards took the initiative to inquire about it. So feel free to use it."

After integrating the information, Shangluo began to ask Zhu Xianxin for "off-field assistance" with confidence.

He clicked on the avatar wearing sunglasses and typed out a paragraph:

"Your Majesty, I have a question about alchemy. Here is a golden branch, but it may be dangerous. Should I take it?"

He knew Zhu Xianxi might be busy and not have time for small talk, so he sent the questions first, and when he was free, he would open Fetion and see the messages.

However, just as he was about to exit the chat box and wait for a while, a phone call came in. The caller was Zhu Xianxun.

"Hello?" Shangluo answered the phone.

"Jinzhi, right? Do you have a way to get her?" He spoke several times faster than before. A noisy voice could be heard faintly from the other end of the line, seemingly outside the venue. One could even hear the sound of slamming the table.

"Yes, the golden bough from Rome, the kind that has to be picked from Lake Nemi."

"That's not right. Is the golden branch ripe? I remember it's not ripe yet. How can it be so soon? Otherwise, I would have bought it for you a long time ago. The golden branch Zheng Yin used to build his foundation last time was bought. Is the person who provided you with the golden branch reliable?"

"It's the Roma interior guard."

Zhu Xianxin on the other end of the phone was stunned for a while.

"There really is a golden branch that can be ripened prematurely? Don't hang up, I'll wait here. I'll ask you about your situation and then go back to the meeting—wow, we've been looking for it for so many days and we can't find it, and you actually found it yourself. Please confirm it first."

"learn."

He put the phone aside and asked Titus on the other end, "Why is the Golden Bough coming earlier this time than last time? Our information shows that the Golden Bough won't mature until now."

"We're not sure about that either. It certainly wasn't supposed to happen today, otherwise Delphi wouldn't have acted so hastily. It's actually because of local legends that a 'Shadow King of the Forest' roams. Every night, the Shadow King walks resolutely in one direction along the road, seemingly on his way to fulfill his destiny. All of this is a sign before the Golden Bough Ceremony begins."

"Will the omen be revealed in the form of legends?"

"Yes. Jack the Ripper was originally a legend, a nursery rhyme, or some other inexplicable source. We collected information from all sides before finally confirming the existence of 'Jack the Ripper'. This time is no different. The Prester Kings have been a legend around Nemi since the Roman Empire. But he shouldn't have come so soon, leaving our generation unprepared."

Shangluo conveyed this information to Zhu Xianxun, who immediately responded:

"Take it! You must take it! This ritual is very troublesome, but we will do everything we can to help you complete it. The Golden Branch has the effect of ascending to the Tao, it is a top-grade spiritual medicine, and one of the best ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill. If you don't use the Golden Branch, you will have to consider the time of year, opportunity, destiny, and other factors when taking it. Wen Yuan's father didn't wait for the Golden Branch, nor did he wait for other suitable ingredients. As a result, he died when taking the medicine because of lack of opportunity."

"Is there any principle behind this?"

"Because 'similar causes' can lead to 'similar results'. When the first celestial being blazes a trail, those who follow can follow his path simply by imitating it. So-called morality itself is an imitation of the best year in human history. The Foundation Establishment Pill is an imitation of the miracle of 'foundation establishment', condensed into a pill - miracles are miracles because they can only be approached, not achieved. Therefore, the formula is not important; what matters is whether it is 'similar'. Because only when it is similar enough can it elicit a response from the Great Dao, and thus bring down another miracle."

"Like, pray for rain?"

"Yes, you can understand it this way. Xiao Ming sneezes, and it rains. So next time, if you want it to rain again, you'll naturally start to recall: What happened the last time it rained? If you want it to rain again, shouldn't you make the circumstances as similar as possible? So as early as ancient times, people began praying for rain in various ways, including making Xiao Ming sneeze. This is the origin of the ritual itself. People hope to obtain a similar result—rain—through a similar cause—such as Xiao Ming sneezing."

"Ah, so the golden bough is the cause of that 'similarity'?"

"Yes and no. When the first celestial being was born and performed a miracle, it was without the assistance of the Golden Branch. Now, the only one who has successfully used the Golden Branch to draw Dao essence and establish a foundation is Zheng Yin. The Golden Branch's path is completely different from our celestial beings'—but after all, how can two different events be completely similar? The timing, opportunity, and destiny are only imitated as best as possible, but no matter how much we imitate, it is impossible to completely overlap with the causes and conditions of the first foundation-building. So how do miracles bear fruit? The answer is the power of will."

Chapter 111 Golden Branch and Foundation Building

Zhu Xianxun paused, then concluded:

"Willpower is crucial. When it comes to foundation building, the more the timing, opportunity, and destiny align with a miracle, the less willpower is required. But a slight error can lead to a huge difference; a single thought could destabilize your Dao heart and cause you to stray a thousand miles. But if your willpower is overflowing, then a slight difference in timing or destiny won't matter. The willpower contained in the golden branch can completely fill the gaps in cause and effect, increasing your chances of foundation building to 1,000 percent! This is called great power bringing about miracles. As long as your willpower is strong enough, you can make miracles happen again."

"Is the power of vows such a convenient thing?"

"In fact, all the time you accumulate time, opportunity, destiny, and rituals you perform are actually accumulating willpower, because these are all your 'wishes' for miracles to happen. While the amount of willpower required is unquantifiable, the golden branch is more than enough. It can help you infinitely approach miracles—this also seems to be related to the magic of Rome. So now all we have to do is wait for the Foundation Establishment Pill to be produced. We can use it to determine the direction of our 'wish', and then a golden branch will help you fill the causal gap and make the miracle happen directly. If that's the case, I have a solution. I can force open that stone statue."

"Is there a way?"

"Hey, have you forgotten about Taishang Laojun refining Sun Wukong? At the time, Taishang Laojun probably also wanted to use Sun Wukong as the 'inner furnace' and the alchemy furnace in Tushita Palace as the outer furnace, so as to refine the miraculous golden elixir. Of course, he just messed up in the end, and let Sun Wukong break the alchemy furnace and escape. But this trick does work, so if you can get the golden branch, I plan to put the stone statue directly into the furnace and refine it. I will directly refine it into the foundation-building elixir. This is also a miracle made possible by great strength."

"Wait, Your Majesty, we've gathered so many unlucky elements. Will she escape as well?"

"It doesn't matter if all the elements are complete. It's not powerful enough to work miracles. I didn't refine it before because the foundation-building pill has an expiration date. If I can't find the medicinal ingredients, it's useless to refine it in advance. Besides, I also heard that there is a living being inside, and we should save it if we can. But now that the medicinal ingredients are about to be obtained, there is no need to wait. That Phaethon dug his own grave and knew how to die, so it's not our fault. In addition-"

He emphasized, "The Golden Branch has an expiration date. Once we obtain it, we must refine the elixir as quickly as possible. No matter how much hope there is for her rescue, we cannot miss the expiration date, or it will wither. So, what do you think? Your elixir, your furnace, ultimately, is up to you."

"No problem, let's get started." Shangluo had already prepared himself mentally and wasn't going to hesitate. He'd already memorized the phrase "Don't name your food."

"Very good. After the meeting, I'll go prepare for the alchemy. I need to warm up the furnace first. You and the Roman Guard will also need to finalize the procedures for the branch-breaking ceremony. If you need any help, please let me know. I can also call in a celestial being to help you—but it seems that a celestial being can't be used. You can ask him for the specific requirements. That's it. I'll be hanging up now. Let me know when the date is confirmed. The furnace here can be kept warm and ready for alchemy at any time."

After hanging up the phone, he turned to Titus and nodded.

"Yes, I will participate in this operation."

"Great, great!" Titus clapped his hands excitedly three times. "Finally, it worked. Can Aurora help?"

"Yes, even if we have to send out celestial beings, that's fine."

"No, no, no, celestial beings can't. The Zhezhi Trial is for 'humans', not celestial beings. The existence of celestial beings would disrupt the ritual; they are too powerful. High-end combat power like that can't be used, so we previously had apprentices participate in the ritual. Also, age is important; being too old would disrupt the ritual. This is theoretically a ritual to 'kill' the Priest King by participating in the 'sacrifice', so one must at least meet the qualifications of a sacrifice, and not be too old."

"What level is apprentice?"

"6666 descendants of the Golden Book families. Each of them is qualified to wield the lights, and therefore can become apprentices. However, we have very few apprentices, only a dozen or so each year. This year's apprentices were useless; none of them made it through the night to the ceremony site, not even the first hurdle. You arrived directly, seemingly a miracle will befall you. You can find more helpers, no more than five will be enough. They should be of similar age to you, and the stronger the fighting ability, the better."

"Five, right? Let me think."

He also counted the combat power of the "Qigong practitioners" he knew.

Wen Yuan was completely qualified, just unlucky. But when he and I worked together, the plan went quite smoothly.

Lu Liang also has this level of combat power, so he just needs to eat radish in advance. If Zhu Xianxun can get the concentrated radish, then Lu Liang can also fully participate in the battle.

Han Xingzhi in the team was also a Qigong practitioner, but he didn't know what technique Han Xingzhi practiced. He could ask him later.

Including himself, there are four of them in total, and only one more is needed to complete the task.

"No problem," Shangluo replied. "I can find the candidate. What are the benefits for other participants?"

"Unfortunately, no." Titus shook his head. "There's only one Golden Bough at a time, and only one person can break it. So it's best to invite someone you trust, otherwise it might be a disaster if they change their minds at the last minute. And once you break it, only you can use it; no one else can. That's all. Just prepare these, and we'll take care of the rest."

"Then I'm ready here, I can start in a few days."

"We'll have to wait a moment. We need to prepare enough EITR potion for five people." As he spoke, he took off his cloak.

Beneath the cloak, the inner guard's attire looked significantly different. The limbs protruding from the garment were made of close-fitting fabric, remarkably resembling a diving suit. In fact, a closer look revealed that the breathing mask itself resembled a diving suit component, complete with a breathing cylinder at the back.

"Those five people will all have to wear our outfit. This is the phlogiston stealth suit, and the most important thing is the cylinder behind me. It contains the EITR agent."

"It's actually liquid in there? You need to breathe liquid?"

"Yes. So you must be prepared, because you might feel the suffocation of drowning. But this is part of the nightfall. You've almost forgotten the details of Lake Nemi, right? Because that was a dreamfall, not a nightfall. The Hydra guards you saw were probably wearing costumes that matched the scene. The real branch-breaking ceremony is not a dreamfall, but a nightfall. You must first drown in the EITR before you can dive into the mystery and stay awake. It may take a little diving training and time management. Once you gather everyone, the ceremony can begin."

The rest of today's update will be posted at noon. Good night everyone.

Chapter 112 The Golden Bough and the Priest King

"By the way, have you ever sold golden branches before?"

Shangluo suddenly thought of this question. If they often sold golden branches, wouldn't every generation be able to send a celestial being to the court?

"Of course, we couldn't just sell it before. The branch-breaking ceremony happens once a generation, and each golden branch is a ticket to the next ceremony. It's because someone was crazy enough to sell you the golden branch last time that this ceremony is impossible to start, and more than a dozen apprentices can't find the way. This time, there's nothing we can do. You're the only one who meets the qualifications, so we can't refuse you."

"What use is the golden bough to you?"

"Sorry, it's a secret."

"They took the Golden Bough to seize the Forest King's authority. That's its true purpose." Apollonia immediately gave the correct answer. "But now that I've said that, you can ask the other Priest Kings about it. They'll probably tell you the same thing."

Are there other Priest Kings? Shangluo asked directly after receiving the hint.

"You want to ask about the other Priest-Kings? Well, since you know about their existence, there's no need to hide it. Indeed, the Priest-King around Lake Nemi is known to us as the 'Forest King.' This myth actually comes from ancient Greece and is a blood sacrifice to the moon goddess Diana. Originally, in Diana's blood sacrifice, all outsiders would be hunted down and sacrificed to the moon goddess. In Roman Nemi, this myth evolved. The objects of sacrifice are still outsiders, but they are given the opportunity to duel with the priest himself. The victor becomes the new Forest King."

"So you're going to start from Delphi, not here?"

"Yes. The element here is 'foreigner,' so only those entering Nemi from outside of Rome could be considered offerings to the Forest King. In classical times, this Forest King did hold secular power. They evolved from the 'Witch Kings' of primitive human society. Although they are mostly hidden in myth, they can now be manifested through heroic pilgrimages. In Rome, there was the Forest King, and in Gloucestershire, Britain, there is a Wicker King."

"I think I've heard that story. It says the local Britons would sacrifice people in willow branches to pray for rain?"

"Yes, this is contrary to the Forest King's request. It's still a sacrifice, but here it's not offered to outsiders, but to locals. More precisely, it's offered to lords with secular power. From the perspective of mystical history, it's possible that a witch king first sacrificed himself here, creating a miracle, which later generations imitated, creating a replacement in the form of the 'Wicker King' to pray for abundance and peace."

"Is there really anyone willing to be a sacrifice?"

"Yes, in fact, the Wicker King has existed longer than the Forest King, continuing into the Viking Age. The last secular sacrifice took place in 866 AD. But disasters don't come every year, do they? Even if they do, the lord himself wouldn't be sacrificed unless absolutely necessary. So we don't interfere much with the Wicker King's rites, as they are only necessary when natural disasters strike Gloucestershire. We only need to provide secular disaster relief. The Forest King isn't the one we interfere with the most. It's actually the Bean King that we interfere with the most."

"The Broad Bean King? What is that? Does it appear often?"

"Yes, he appears most frequently of all the mysterious phenomena. This is because his anchor isn't in the woods of Lake Nemi or the countryside of Gloucester. Instead, it's in the great city of Athens. The ancient Athenians believed that only those randomly selected using dyed beans could be the absolutely righteous chosen by the gods. Therefore, the true and legitimate lord of Athens must be chosen by lot, and whoever is chosen becomes the ruler."

"So you're still drawing lots?"

"That's not the case. If you still use dyed broad beans for lottery draws these days, it would be considered performance art. So we've switched to selling tourist lotteries throughout Athens. The tickets are arranged in a pattern of colored broad beans, and the winners, with the cooperation of the Interior Guard, can take a day trip to experience the 'Priests of Athens.' This day trip is open to all tourists on weekdays, but the Interior Guard will coordinate the rituals for the lottery tickets. It's quite cumbersome and involved, including offering tributes to Athena and dividing the offerings. Of course, it's still quite fun as a tourist attraction."

"Ah, it turns out that being an internal security guard isn't easy either."

"Yes. While it's troublesome, it's also the most well-executed ritual. It's hidden in plain sight, so it doesn't affect the citizens' daily lives, and it also brings a little fun and festive joy to the citizens of Athens. But the Golden Bough's Forest King is one of those dangerous rituals. It's incredibly powerful, and every time it's a thrilling experience. We've never found a good way to contain it, and we always have to fight the Forest King."

"Can't it be sealed?"

"Well, we've thought about sealing it, but that's our karma, the price of magic. To put it in a context the people of Zhendan are accustomed to, the celestial beings of Zhendan are cultivating their innate bodies, while we are cultivating our innate methods. Every time we cast a spell, a miracle is inevitably pulled into reality, becoming an innate and reasonable natural phenomenon. Because if there is no miracle first, how can there be a manifestation of magic? What's common in Zhendan is from miracle to magic, which requires willpower to reproduce. But we are inferring miracles from magic, which will result in karmic retribution. If we don't repay the karma and seal it, then the magic itself will no longer exist."

"So you have already paid the price of magic in advance?"

"That's a very fitting statement. Karma is what we must face, and that's what we call obstacles. Alchemy, astrology, and theocracy—these three great powers all generate obstacles, and there's a one-to-one correspondence between obstacles and magic. Every time we embark on a heroic pilgrimage, we're exploring new frontiers of magic, expanding its territory. Once expanded, we must maintain it, keep it running, otherwise the magic will spiral out of control. If we can't complete this Golden Bough Ritual, the Forest King's corresponding magic will become ineffective."

He said it too lightly, perhaps fearing you'd raise the price. In reality, magic isn't a parallel relationship, but rather a tree-like development, nested layer by layer. The Golden Bough is a very basic magic, nestled at the base of the tree. Failure of the Golden Bough is equivalent to the failure of one of Newton's three laws of physics in the realm of classical physics, bringing the edifice of magic to its knees. Otherwise, the Romans wouldn't have gone to such great lengths to try to repair it.

"If I fail, will the Romans still have a chance to complete the ritual?" he asked Apollonia.

Yes, but it requires a bloody sacrifice, and there's no reward. Given the relationship between Cathay and Rome, they won't dare sacrifice you, so they'll have to sacrifice their own people. To avoid resorting to a 'last resort,' they'll even offer the Golden Bough itself as a reward—but I'm wondering, with Qigong practitioners already handling the situation twice, will this ritual become mandatory every time? That would be a huge win for you. Also, some of their forbidden spells, like the Dragon Tooth Soldier, require 'sealing after use' and must be unsealed using the Hero's Tour before use. If you're interested, you can borrow them.

Chapter 113 Forbidden Curse

The word forbidden spell made Shangluo's ears prick up - he thought that forbidden spell might be some kind of powerful spell?

Forbidden spells might not be what you imagine. Think of them as a code. They're currently divided into three levels, but the levels aren't determined by power, but by how dangerous they are. Some spells might not even be able to cast a fireball, but they're still incredibly dangerous.

"For example? What are Dragon Fang soldiers like?"

Dragon Tooth Soldiers are a Level 2 Forbidden Spell, also known as Earthborn. They are a gift from the God of War, Ares. There are two ways to obtain them: obtain Dragon Teeth during Cadmus or Jason's pilgrimage. Planting a Dragon Teeth will cause Dragon Tooth Soldiers to sprout from the ground.

"Is this dangerous?"

[The Dragon Tooth Soldiers are intelligent. They will organize themselves and start wars on their own.]

"Goodness!" Shangluo immediately understood the danger of this thing. "Then what can they do? How dangerous it is depends on its combat effectiveness."

The Dragon Fangs' combat effectiveness is equivalent to that of Greek Phalanx infantry, but they can also build cities tirelessly and multiply themselves. Even if you only seed five Dragon Fangs, they can build a city as large as Thebe, complete with an army of Dragon Fangs, and then begin upgrading their equipment. If a Dragon Fang escapes, even a small number, they will take root and grow into an endless army. A legion-level force is required to suppress them.

"It's so dangerous and it's only level 2?"

Because the Dragon Fang Soldiers have a weakness: they're prone to internal strife. In the original mythology, if you throw a stone into their midst, they'll kill most of themselves, so there's no need to worry about them spreading to the point of flooding the Earth. In reality, if these were the only abilities, the Dragon Fang Soldiers would only be considered a Level 1 Forbidden Spell. The extra level is because they're the spirit creatures of the God of War, Ares. Using them too often could draw Ares in, making him quite formidable. But I have a vague feeling that this could be somewhat dangerous.

"why?"

When the Dragon Fang Soldiers were initially ranked, the observation period for Thebes was too short. I've reviewed the reports and discovered that later on, the Dragon Fang Soldiers actually began collaborating with each other, even trading newly generated Dragon Fangs.

"Won't they just fight among themselves?"

This is the key. The Dragon Tooth Soldiers were actually quite different. Legend has it that before the construction of Thebes, the Dragon Tooth Soldiers engaged in a civil war, decimating each other until only five remained. However, these five Dragon Tooth Soldiers didn't fight among themselves, but instead began collaborating and ultimately building the city of Thebes. However, seemingly due to the influence of Ares, they began fighting again after the city was built, but that's a story for another time. But the Dragon Tooth Soldiers seemed to always be able to select the right builders, like cultivating insects. Through their collaboration, they quickly established order within the city-state, even leading to the phenomenon of trading dragon teeth, as I mentioned earlier.

"Why do I feel something is wrong? Where are these dragon teeth kept?"

As a forbidden spell, Dragon Fang is never kept. Whenever you need it, you first perform a Cadmus or Jason Pilgrimage, depending on which one is currently active. After using the Dragon Fang soldiers, all of them will be destroyed on the spot, leaving no Dragon Fang. The next time you need it, perform it again. The Romans were already very familiar with the procedures for performing these two Pilgrimages.

"Why do I always feel like they're...brushing a dungeon?"

[Wait a moment.] Apollonia was already very proficient. Whenever Shangluo came up with some strange words, she would search for them.

It's very similar. But at its core, video games use 'mechanics' to simulate your impact on another world, which is the same idea the Romans had. Different approaches, but the same goal. So Rome does have a lot of this kind of, how should I put it, 'gameplay'. You might see more of these mechanics, and it seems you're picking them up pretty easily.