Why are all of us who transmigrated at the same time demons?

"The path to enlightenment is long; let us encourage each other!"

Hokage Loran stepped in to smooth things over: "Alright, let's not talk about these unpleasant things. By the way, brother from One World, shall we talk about that national treasure you forged?"

One of them, Loran, also readily steered the conversation away from the heavy topic of seeking enlightenment. He was somewhat pleased when the treasure was mentioned.

"The national treasure has been fully forged and is now ready to be activated by a grand ceremony."

"What ceremony?"

"A grand religious ceremony for all under heaven".

Chapter 146 Under One Person: The Grand Ceremony

The so-called "jiao" is a major ritual in Taoism for worshipping deities. Its core is to set up an altar, offer sacrifices, burn incense and recite scriptures, and submit memorials to the gods to pray for blessings, express gratitude, ward off disasters, and deliver the deceased.

The Luotian Grand Ritual, the Zhoutian Grand Ritual, and the Putian Grand Ritual all belong to the category of "Grand Ritual," which means they are large in scale, long in duration, complex in ritual, and involve the worship of numerous deities.

The "Luo Tian Grand Ceremony" appears in the original novel of Under One Person, but in reality, the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony held by the Celestial Master's Mansion in Under One Person is actually just a name for a martial arts tournament, and has little to do with the real Luo Tian Grand Ceremony. At least, the supernatural beings did not participate in the real Grand Ceremony ceremony at all.

The Luotian Grand Ritual is the smallest of the Grand Ritual rituals, but it is the most common. It enshrines the "gods of the Three Realms (Desire Realm, Form Realm, and Formless Realm)". It mainly covers the major deities within the Taoist Three Realms system, and it has at least 1200 ritual positions, especially for deities related to human fortune and misfortune, the cycle of life and death, and the elimination of disasters and difficulties.

During the Luotian Grand Ritual, Taoist priests will express their reverence and prayers to the gods through burning incense, offering prayers, and performing rituals according to specific ceremonies and procedures. They pray for national peace and prosperity, favorable weather, social harmony, and the flourishing of temples and monasteries. They also pray for the exorcism of plagues, wars, floods, fires, locust plagues, and the salvation of emperors, generals, fallen soldiers, heroes who sacrificed for the country, and wandering souls of the local people, so that they may rest in peace. They also pray for the gods to protect the living.

The Zhou Tian Grand Ritual worships "the stars of the heavens and the deities of the three realms". The focus is on the celestial system (the sun, moon, five planets, twenty-eight constellations, the Big Dipper and the Southern Dipper, etc.) and the main deities of the three realms associated with them.

It typically has 2400 altars, often used to pray for celestial anomalies (such as comets, solar and lunar eclipses, which are considered ominous), for national peace, for the health and longevity of the emperor, or for celestial protection for specific major events (such as military operations).

The highest level is the Universal Ritual, a ritual of this magnitude that is extremely rare in history, requiring the entire nation's resources to hold. It is the most extensive and largest in scale, enshrining "all the deities of the Three Realms and Ten Directions." This includes almost all known important deities and spirits from all directions in the Taoist pantheon, encompassing the entire universe (under the heavens), and often has 3600 ritual positions, corresponding to the number of days in the celestial sphere.

In Loran's design, activating this national treasure required a ritual, and the Grand Ritual of Universal Salvation perfectly suited his needs. However, Loran did not intend to follow the Taoist system entirely, because he only needed the ritual, not to relinquish control to Taoism.

In Loran's plan, the sacrificial ritual for this treasure should include four systems:

First, it is used to worship Heaven and Earth, including the sun, moon, stars, the Five Sacred Mountains, rivers, lakes, seas, wind, rain, thunder, and clouds.

Secondly, it is a rite of honoring the spirits of the people, including the heroes and martyrs of the Chinese nation throughout history. This includes not only the clay and wooden statues enshrined in temples, but also all the heroic souls who sacrificed their lives for this civilization and this country—those who bled on the battlefield, worked tirelessly in laboratories, toiled in the fields, and so on. Going back five thousand years, from that time onward, the people's heroes who shed their blood and dedicated their lives to this nation and this civilization will be immortalized.

Thirdly, there are various industries related to sacrifices, including agriculture, textiles, light industry, heavy industry, and services. These industries are the foundation of people's livelihood and the crystallization of human wisdom.

Fourthly, the sacrificial time is used to anchor the time sequence and completely correspond reality with the inner world. Loran plans to worship the twelve two-hour periods of the day together with the twelve zodiac animals, so that each zodiac animal becomes the god in charge of the corresponding time, and only in this way will the national treasure Dharma realm in the inner world be stable.

The altars for the Universal Ritual are very precious. People like Laozi, Zhuangzi, and Ge Hong are not only the founders of their respective sects but also the ancestors and heroes of the Chinese nation. So, the government will naturally include them in the sacrifices. But we need to carefully consider things like "Emperor XX," "Lord XX," "Arhat XX," etc., which are purely made up by the sects themselves, or even products that were fabricated from the beginning to flatter certain rulers.

Whether the "deities" you worship can participate in this unprecedented sacrificial ceremony and have a place in the realm of national law depends on your sincerity!

When the Dharma realm is perfected and the supreme national treasure suppresses the nine provinces, your deities will be suppressed, and then you can't blame anyone else. We've been waiting patiently from the beginning, hoping you'd show your sincerity. Don't say we didn't warn you!

However, perhaps Loran overestimated the world of superhumans, or perhaps the world of superhumans was used to ruling from behind closed doors for a long time, their reaction was unexpectedly slow.

There are exceptions, such as Feng Zhenghao, a newly emerging business-type superhuman. After all, he is in big business and his understanding of national policies is first-rate. He quickly got the wind from above and began to actively align himself with the higher-ups, which pleased them.

As a representative of "spending a fortune to buy a horse's bones," the so-called "inheritors of the Eight Extraordinary Skills" pose a hidden danger. The higher authorities have spoken out, stating that the "Jiashen Rebellion" and the "Eight Extraordinary Skills" are historical issues, and we will now thoroughly clarify them. Afterwards, if anyone dares to use this as a reason to harm Feng Zhenghao, they are going against the country.

Now that the country is strong enough, let's see what immortals and such can do against my national treasure.

Feng Zhenghao was also quite sensible. As one of the Ten Extraordinary People, he vigorously supported the country's new policies at various Extraordinary People events, which led many Extraordinary People to call him a "lackey of the imperial court".

In addition, many large supernatural forces have begun to seek transformation, but the small and medium-sized supernatural forces have been slow to react.

For example, the Gao family, originally one of the top ten families of extraordinary individuals, had already proactively integrated into the company system as a family unit. However, in exchange, the company granted the Gao family greater autonomy in Northeast China. As semi-insiders of the system, the Gao family clearly understood the opportunities presented by the higher-ups.

They couldn't confront those above head-on; that would be suicide. So the Gao family started actively cultivating connections, hoping to completely transform themselves from half-insiders into full-fledged members of the system.

Boss, if the higher-ups don't think the title "Northeast Regional Manager of All-in-One" sounds good, can I also be called "Director of the Northeast Office of the Bureau of Extraordinary People"?

We desperately want to improve; we beg the higher-ups to give us a chance.

Unlike the other three of the Four Great Families of Extraordinary People, the Lu family transitioned relatively easily, demonstrating the wisdom of their ancestors. All Lu family members were sent out to learn various martial arts, but these skills were never taught to their own people. This allowed the Lu family to establish connections with other sects and forces without becoming too deeply entangled in their own affairs.

Moreover, the Lu family has never valued power and influence. Under the guidance of the Lu family tradition, the Lu family members commit far fewer illegal and taboo acts than other families. Even if policies are tightened, the impact on the Lu family will not be that great.

However, the other two major families—the Wang family and the Lü family—are not so easy to deal with. The Wang family, for example, is the largest of the four great families, with its various branches and lineages spanning the world of supernatural beings, the art world, and the business world—a truly colossal entity. The Wang family has repeatedly exploited loopholes between the world of supernatural beings and secular society for their own benefit, and given their family traditions, a thorough investigation would likely uncover a great deal of wrongdoing.

Not to mention the Lü family, while the other families, even the Wang family, have been more or less reformed by modern ideas, the Lü family is still completely governed by ancient patriarchal system. A feudal patriarch decides the life, death, honor and disgrace of everyone in the family. It can be said that this change above is what will kill their family.

The Lu family members have been controlled by this madman Lu Ci for so long, do they really have no complaints at all? Even if Lu Ci's purpose is to protect his family, under such high-pressure control, it's natural that everyone has grievances. But once this high-pressure control is loosened, it will be the last straw that breaks the camel's back!

As for sects like Taoism and Buddhism, they are actually easier to govern. This is because they have already undergone extensive reforms, making it easier to deal with these sects. The state can handle these sects openly without fear of exposing the secrets of these "extraordinary people."

They stand at the forefront of the world of supernatural beings, and the public has become accustomed to accepting their existence. What is truly difficult for them are the various families and sects hidden among the common people.

The government is hesitant to act against these hidden forces, fearing that mishandling them could lead to chaos.

The usual approach would be to use both carrots and sticks.

First come the stick, then the carrot; the order is crucial.

Using a stick first and then a carrot is called applying both kindness and severity; using a carrot first and then a stick is called fattening someone up before killing them, which forces people to rebel.

So, who should be the first to take the hit?

Chapter 147 Under One Person: The Nation's Treasure

"Why does the Eastern Land have 34 first-level administrative regions? Otherwise, I would call this treasure the Thirty-Three Heavens' Supreme Treasure."

"Now that there's one more, calling it the Thirty-Four Heavenly Treasures just feels a bit strange."

Luo Chuan, the director of Institute 749, leaned back in his high-backed chair, looked at the warehouse space behind the glass window, and pursed his lips.

The assistant next to him pushed up his black-rimmed glasses. He didn't understand why the director was so fixated on the so-called "Thirty-Three Heavens Treasure." What was the specific significance of it?

Luo Chuan saw right through his assistant's inner monologue. There was nothing special about it; he just wanted to pay homage. Yes, it was homage, all of it.

"Director, the preliminary plan for the Universal Ritual has been submitted, and an internal meeting will be held this afternoon to discuss it," the assistant reported to Luo Chuan, outlining today's schedule.

Luo Chuan didn't reply; he simply stared blankly at the thirty-three exquisite treasures meticulously arranged behind the glass window. He had referenced the form of the Nine Provinces Cauldrons when designing this set of magical artifacts, creating a corresponding artifact for each administrative region.

Corresponding to the capital city is a towering Ziwei Huabiao (a type of ornamental column), as tall as a small mountain, surrounded by a constellation of stars, capable of drawing upon the power of the central axis to transform into a pillar of light that pierces through heaven and earth.

Corresponding to Liaoning Province is a massive long spear called the Jade Dragon Spear, nearly twenty meters long, a spear that only giants could wield. The spear gleams coldly, its tip resembling jade, like a straightened, abstract version of the first dragon of China. The shaft is covered with ice crack patterns and steam pipe-like runes, and gears rotate at the tail.

Corresponding to Yan and Yun is a set of armor resembling that worn by giants, called Youyun Zhenyue Armor. Since ancient times, Yan and Zhao have been home to many generous and tragic heroes. This is a set of simple and heavy bronze armor, with armor plates shaped like the crenellations of the Great Wall, inlaid with jade pieces, making it indestructible.

The corresponding massive ship's rudder in Tianjin is called the Nine Rivers Returning to the Ruins Rudder. This is an ancient ship's rudder that resembles both wood and iron. Nine winding water veins are engraved on the rudder disc, and a "Returning to the Ruins Pearl" that absorbs all water is embedded in the center. It can control the water veins of the world (especially rivers), open or close waterways, travel thousands of miles in an instant, and command thousands of ships.

In addition, there were thirty other treasures in the warehouse, each with its own unique characteristics, such as the Shaman's Summoning Drum, the Mirage Treasure Ship, the Exquisite Heavenly Craft Box, the Spirit-Connecting Mirror, the Azure Wolf and White Deer Banner, the Golden Seal of the King of Dian, the Sun God Tree, the Mountain-Crushing Bronze Drum, the Heavenly Yuan Cauldron, the Duck-Water Jade Cong, the Golden Coin Pagoda, the Heavenly Sacrifice Jade Book, the Three Heroes Sword, and the Crimson Three Realms Map, which rose and fell in the void within the warehouse.

Once the meeting concludes, these treasures will be transported to their respective provincial capitals and stored on the five-colored altars designed by Luo Chuan.

Once the grand ceremony concludes, these thirty-four treasures will be completely integrated with the Ziwei Huabiao (a type of ancient Chinese column) in the capital as the core, and will project themselves into the inner landscape to form a national protective realm. These thirty-four treasures will then transform into thirty-four guardian deities to form the Great Nine Provinces Barrier, and from then on, the overall situation will be settled.

"With the experience of forging these national treasures, I can also design my own unique magical cauldron."

"I will connect the Nine Provinces Barrier with the Kunlun Dragon Vein, and use my deduced Origin Technique to create a Ninety-Nine Dragon Mountain. I will absorb the essence of the universe and use this naturally blessed land to refine my own immortal cauldron. This will be my reward for helping Dongda refine weapons."

"When the mission is accomplished, all affairs on Earth will be entrusted to the Demon King's Dharma Body, while my true body will ride the Immortal Ascension Cauldron spaceship to roam the universe. Having seen the brilliance of the vast universe, who would want to be confined to a small planet at their feet?"

As for ascending to the Immortal Realm? Young man, I advise you to broaden your horizons.

Close your eyes and imagine yourself floating in the void of the universe.

Before you unfolds a colossal vortex of gravitational pull spanning billions of light-years, with countless galaxies flowing like golden sand, woven and pulled by invisible strings of gravity, slowly converging into the abyss of distorted spatial curvature.

It was a colossal dance on a timescale that was almost immeasurable by human civilization; each grain of sand was a family containing hundreds of billions of stars.

Our gaze shifts to the Orion Nebula—a furnace of interstellar gas and dust that gives birth to stars. There, dense clouds of hydrogen collapse, swirl, and heat up under their own gravity, with temperatures at their core rising high enough to ignite the temple of nuclear fusion.

The newborn star, like a sapphire, pierced through the dark red parent nebula, bursting forth with primal and violent light that illuminated the surrounding disk of embryonic planets.

Intense stellar winds whip through nebulae, sculpting dreamlike ridges and columns of smoke, their colors a magnificence that earth's paints could never capture: the deep red of hydrogen atom radiation, the eerie green of ionized oxygen, the silvery blue of starlight reflection… They burn and are born silently in the cold void, staging the most spectacular creation of the universe.

Looking further into deep space, a supernova remnant floats silently. A giant star, once a hundred times hotter than the sun, burst forth with a light more dazzling than the combined light of all the other stars in its galaxy, as it exhausted its core fuel and was crushed by gravity.

The shockwave expanded outward at near the speed of light, carrying away the outer layers of the star and the ashes synthesized from heavy elements, sweeping across the cold interstellar matter.

Iron, gold, platinum, and even uranium... these building blocks that constitute our planet, our bodies, and our civilization were scattered into the vast space during such a tragic yet glorious death eruption, ultimately becoming the seeds of future stars and new worlds.

All people are like stars.

Compared to these wonders, even the most beautiful Jade Pool is nothing more than a pool of celestial water; even the most wondrous peaches are nothing more than fruits that prolong life.

What could compare to witnessing firsthand the magnificent and profound experience of a star struggling to emerge from its dusty cradle, or a galaxy spinning for billions of years in a gravitational dance?

The energy released in the instant of a supernova explosion far exceeds the limits that any celestial magic can imagine.

Behind the wonders of the universe lies the pure evolution of matter and the transformation of energy. Its magnificence is purposeless, not intended to please any being, and unaffected by human praise or criticism.

The birth, shining, bursting, and death of stars follow only the laws of physics. It is a pure state of "existence" that transcends moral judgment and requires no human emotional projection.

This vastness, indifference, and absolute reality endow it with a kind of "divinity" that is lacking in the celestial realm—a kind of impersonal, awe-inspiring, and immense power based on the fundamental laws of the universe itself.

Here, "God" is not an individual sitting on a throne, but the fundamental force that governs the birth and death of stars and drives the expansion of the universe.

Isn't this wonderful thing the embodiment of the so-called impartial and supreme way of Heaven?

The universe in one's own world is so vast, and there are countless alien civilizations. Stop talking about the immortal realm all the time. Let alone outer space, who knows if those ancient immortals have even traveled to every corner of the earth?

"Ascending the Heavenly Road, singing as I go, I can blot out the sky with a flick of my finger! I too will embark on the ancient starry road and fight to my heart's content with the geniuses of all races in the vast universe!"

"How could such a small planet as Earth possibly confine me, Loran?"

Chapter 148 Under One Person: Opening Chapter

Due to the Phantasmagoria incident a few years ago, coupled with someone's behind-the-scenes support, countless skilled players have suddenly appeared in this world.

Even the authorities don't know how many new superhumans have been added during this period, or what methods each of them possesses.

Overall, however, the situation has not deteriorated into chaos.

The saying "He who possesses a sharp weapon will naturally harbor murderous intent" is absolutely true.

However, arrogant young people who become rampant with a little power do not dominate this world, especially at Dongda University, where people are well aware of the principle of playing dumb to gain power and making a fortune in silence.

Moreover, the smarter a person is, the more benefits they can gain from Loran's Heavenly Demon Network. And the smarter a person is, the more they will consider various realistic factors and the less likely they are to boast about their gains.

Fools can also benefit, but they'll naturally get the smallest share. Loran is a demon, not a philanthropist. His demon network always distributes rewards according to merit; the capable get more and eat more meat, while the simpletons only get a little soup.

Therefore, those fools who exposed themselves early on were quickly caught. Those who committed serious offenses were sent to work on sewing machines, those who committed minor offenses were fined, registered, and given ideological education, and those who behaved well were recruited and given government jobs.

The higher-ups are considering establishing a new unit, intending to merge the original Nadutong Company and Institute 749. Externally, it will still appear as a courier company, but the management of the "Outcasts" will need to be reorganized to strengthen control over them.

With the technical support of the 749 Extraordinary Person Research Institute led by Luo Chuan, Na Du Tong has also undergone a complete transformation, with various advanced equipment and standardized magical artifacts emerging one after another.

Luo Chuan even created a cultivation method called "Hun Yuan Gong" specifically for state public officials, based on the ideas of the urban world of Loran.

Luo Chuan is an alter ego of Luo Lan, and his vision far surpasses that of the Six Doors members who created the "Hun Yuan Liu Fa" in the urban world of Luo Lan. The "Hun Yuan Gong" he created only references the framework of the "Hun Yuan Liu Fa," integrating Qi cultivation, body refinement, healing, self-protection, fist and foot techniques, weapons, simple and practical spells, and mental defense. Moreover, the probability of the technique causing qi deviation is extremely low.

This technique even pioneered the combination of Qi and firearms. Based on the Daoist "Great Dipper Mantra", Loran created the "Thunderfire Heavenly Gang Great Mantra" to enhance guns and cannons. This not only greatly increased the power of guns and cannons, but also helped to counter evil magic and ghosts with the use of extremely Yang gunpowder.

Once introduced, this method was widely praised and listed as a standard skill for national public officials with extraordinary abilities. Luo Chuan also received a request from above to develop the "Military Way Hunyuan Gong" specifically for military combat. Even Ding Shian, one of the two heroes, coveted this "Hunyuan Gong" which was hailed as the most all-around skill of the contemporary era.

In a short time, this "Hun Yuan Gong" attracted many independent practitioners to join the newly established Na Du Tong and Institute 749. Due to the attention from above, the treatment and benefits of Na Du Tong's employees with supernatural abilities were upgraded, which made it extremely difficult for them to pass the recruitment exam.

The slogan that "entering public places will grant you the power of cultivation" greatly boosted the official power and firmly suppressed the unrest of certain individuals with ulterior motives.

"What? I need to take a written test and an interview to join NaDuTong?"

Zhang Chulan looked at Xu Si with a bewildered expression.

"No, Third Brother and Fourth Brother, aren't you the managers of the North China region for All-Telecom? For managers to go through so much trouble just to hire a deliveryman?"

Xu San pushed up his glasses somewhat awkwardly, a hint of embarrassment on his face, but Xu Si beside him didn't seem to feel that way at all, his skin as thick as a city wall.

"That's how it is. The higher-ups are planning to reorganize All-in-One, and I might be removed from my position as the North China Regional Manager. So, I'll have to figure out a good position in the new company." Xu Si said, casually fiddling with the documents on the table.

Zhang Chulan took the "Implementation Rules for the Recruitment of Extraordinary Talents at Na Du Tong" handed to him by Xu Si and quickly skimmed through it. When he saw the recruitment requirements listed inside, he couldn't help but gasp and click his tongue: "My God, you guys aren't recruiting deliverymen, you're practically recruiting civil servants!"

Seeing this, Xu Si simply shrugged, seemingly unconcerned. "There's nothing I can do. Jobs are hard to find these days. Everyone's scrambling to get into our company. And the higher-ups are really strict. Even I can't pull some strings to get you in."

"Zhang Chulan, don't worry. This time, the North China branch's recruitment is a 10-to-3 ratio, which means that out of the 20 people who applied, we plan to recruit 6 people this time, so your chances are still very good." Xu San quickly comforted Zhang Chulan, seeing his worried look.

Zhang Chulan didn't feel relieved after hearing this. He still pointed to himself with some uncertainty and stammered, "Huh? Then... then can I beat them?"

Seeing this, Xu Si couldn't help but feel disappointed. He raised his hand and gently patted Zhang Chulan's head, saying, "Zhang Chulan, you are a top student who got into Nankai University on your own! With that in mind, why would you be afraid of those people in the written test? Among these twenty applicants, there are not many with higher academic qualifications than you."

Hearing Xu Si's words, Zhang Chulan felt a little more at ease, but he was still somewhat worried about the interview. Xu Si seemed to see through his thoughts and continued, "As for the interview, you don't need to worry at all. Xu San and I are the interviewers this time, and how many points we give you is entirely up to us."

Xu Si paused, then added, "Besides, this recruitment isn't as strict as the civil service exam. We can even give you a sneak peek at the questions for the written test. With all these conditions, you're still worried about not being able to beat those people?"

"Haha, then I'm relieved...!" Zhang Chulan scratched the back of his head and laughed awkwardly.

Feng Baobao's pair of large, inorganic black eyes looked at Zhang Chulan, sending a chill down his spine.