Chapter 887: All Sides Shocked

A deep rumble reverberated. The entire Tingqiu Mountain began to stir, and without Hong Shengtin needing to manipulate the earth's ley lines, each peak showed a tendency to rise. The mountain range extended upwards from deep underground. The whole of Tingqiu Mountain trembled gently, but not with the violence of a great earthquake.

The attendants remaining at the foot of the highest peak watched in fright and unease as the surrounding mountain ranges were thrown into commotion. The startled cries of wild beasts and the flapping of birds filled the air. This upheaval awoke many hibernating animals, causing them to fall into a state of restless agitation.

Soon, however, soft light began to emanate from the mountains, somewhat soothing the animals' agitation. Nevertheless, the entire Tingqiu Mountain still seemed to awaken, as if roused from a long hibernation.

But the unease of Yang Sheng and the officials of Da Zhen intensified, becoming increasingly pronounced.

After he proclaimed the new era, starting from the first year of Jianchang, the subsequent text primarily concerned Da Zhen, or rather, the affairs of humanity and the human Dao. Sweat beaded on Yang Sheng's forehead, but he suppressed the urge to wipe it away, continuing to recite without pause. Occasionally, he would glance up, seeing the stars in the sky seemingly pressing down upon him.

An unprecedented pressure bore down on the Emperor and his officials of Da Zhen. Naturally, Yang Sheng, who held the Fengshan text, was the first to feel its brunt.

Any other emperor might have struggled to stand steady at this moment. However, Yang Sheng had trained in martial arts since childhood, achieving remarkable feats. He had also been tutored by Yin Zhaoxian from a young age and possessed high ambition and resolve. He stubbornly kept his legs straight, not bending them even slightly. Though his muscles began to tremble, he didn't even shift his stance, standing perfectly still.

“Mr. Ji,” the Old Dragon said softly, approaching Ji Yuan, “some parts of the first half of the Da Zhen Emperor’s Fengshan text are quite intriguing, aren’t they?” Ji Yuan glanced at him, and though he didn't answer directly, he nodded gently.

The Old Beggar also arrived from the cloud where the Qian Yuan Sect stood. He cupped his hands and bowed to Ji Yuan and the Old Dragon, then bowed separately to Hong Shengtin.

“Gentlemen,” the Old Beggar began, “today Da Zhen performs the Fengshan ceremony on behalf of humanity. Leaving aside the monstrous and demonic, what do you think would be the reaction if the Immortal and Buddhist Paths, and various other righteous factions, were to learn of this? Yes, excluding Yuhuai Mountain and Qian Yuan Sect, of course.”

The Old Dragon looked at the Old Beggar, a smile spreading across his face. “You old beggar, you’re boasting after getting a good deal! But as the saying goes, 'those by the water get the first view of the moon.' Sometimes, it’s simply a matter of luck; what else can one do?”

Ji Yuan looked up at the stars in the sky and said calmly, “Let’s not even talk about the various cultivation realms. Even other great human nations, upon learning of this, would likely be shaken to their core, both government and populace.”

“How then can this be considered peace for humanity?” Juyuanzi, who was just arriving on a cloud nearby, said this, bowing to the few people gathered on that cloud as he spoke.

The Old Beggar turned and smiled at him. “There’s no way around it,” the Old Beggar said. “Someone has to do this, and no matter who undertakes it, it won’t satisfy everyone. But ultimately, the only one with the necessary foundation to do this right now is the Da Zhen Dynasty, which gave birth to the Two Sages of Civil and Military Arts and established the Human Dao’s civil and military fortunes. Though, of course, other regions might not necessarily acknowledge it.”

“The existence of Yin Zhaoxian and Zuo Wuji is like a comet blazing in the sky; surely no one is so blind as to be unaware of them?” Juyuanzi remarked, and Ji Yuan chuckled.

“Being aware is one thing, but acknowledging it is another,” Ji Yuan explained. “Even if those courts don’t acknowledge it, the civil and martial paths certainly will, especially after reaching a certain realm. And even if they refuse to acknowledge Da Zhen’s Fengshan ceremony, once Da Zhen establishes its Temples of Literature and Temples of Martial Arts, enlightened individuals will naturally guide all parties. The various human nations will surely follow suit; otherwise, how could they stabilize their own civil and martial fortunes?”

Among those present on the clouds, only Ji Yuan and a few others could converse relatively easily about the Fengshan ceremony. Others, even while standing on the clouds, could feel the immense pressure exerted by the power of heaven and earth, and were deeply affected by the strange power of the ceremony, observing it with extreme meticulousness.

As Yang Sheng recited the final section, he was already drenched in sweat, and his hands began to tremble slightly. The physical exertion seemed infinitely more intense than climbing the mountain itself.

It was at this moment that two streams of light, one following the other, flew from afar across the sky. Many of those on the clouds who noticed this showed expressions of surprise.

“What is that?”

“What is it? A streak of light?”

“Doesn’t look like it!” “A magical artifact, perhaps?”

Ji Yuan and the others, of course, did not miss this, but they seemed to have anticipated it. The two streams of light were not cultivators, but rather two artifacts: the two Star Banners from Yunshan Temple.

“They’re here, the Yunshan Temple’s artifacts! Hmm? Lord Qin is here too?”

Many cultivators thought these were merely two magical artifacts flying, but those of exceptionally high cultivation, like the Old Dragon and others, after looking closely, discerned a luminous figure following behind the Star Banners, hidden within their shimmering light.

“Yunshan Temple?”

The Old Beggar and Juyuanzi exchanged glances. Of course, they knew of Yunshan Temple. It wasn't just from what Yang Zong had heard previously at Ju'an Small Pavilion; in fact, they had learned of Yunshan Temple years ago because Ji Yuan’s ‘Mystical Transformation Heavenly Book’ on the Dao of Artifacts was housed there, with an agreement that outstanding juniors could go and view it.

When these two streams of light appeared, hovering above Tingqiu Peak, the Da Zhen officials and Yang Sheng all noticed them. But seeing that the surrounding immortals and deities showed no reaction, Yang Sheng could only grit his teeth and continue his recitation.

After the two Star Banners and Qin Zizhou arrived above Tingqiu Peak, Qin Zizhou gradually materialized, his entire body enveloped in a layer of pure yang white light. Only his outline was visible, not his form or color. He executed several hand seals, and the two Star Banners began to spin in circles in the sky.

Swish—swish—

The Star Banners rotated continuously, growing larger with each revolution, gradually becoming immense, yet they did not obscure the sunlight.

Streaks of dark and profound light continuously diffused in all directions from the rotating Star Banners. Gradually, a wondrous transformation began to unfold.

At one point, people looked up at the sky and discovered that even though it was bright noon, with the sky clearly lit, stars were appearing overhead. The sun was still visible, but the sky’s backdrop had deepened, and countless stars twinkled above, their light not overshadowed by the sunlight.

Before they knew it, the sky above was a vast expanse of stars.

This was not Qin Zizhou’s power alone, nor could the Star Banners possess such might. For it was not just above Tingqiu Mountain; in fact, the entire Da Zhen—no, the entire world—had, at this moment, its sky filled with stars.

Within the Qian Yuan Sect’s mountain gate, Dao Yuanzi looked at the sky with a smile; inside the Tianji Pavilion, Xuanjizi and many long-bearded elders were performing divinations; in the Buddhist lands, old monks paused their scripture recitations, looking up at the sky; within numerous immortal manors, both high immortals and their juniors watched the sky with expressions of shock…

Not to mention the various spirits and lesser demons on the earth, or the common people and officials across the human world; all instinctively stopped what they were doing and gazed at the sky.

People’s gazes were fixed on this marvel where the sun, moon, and stars appeared simultaneously, on this wondrous scene of daytime on earth yet a night sky above. Their attention was naturally drawn to the most prominent stars.

Ji Yuan and the others were no exception. The stars in the sky were brilliant, especially those in the positions of Tiangang and the Big Dipper, and the Wenqu and Wuqu stars shone with immense light, as if competing with the sun and moon for brilliance!

Veins protruded on Yang Sheng’s hands as he tightly clutched the Fengshan text. The content of the scroll was almost completely recited, with only a few final words remaining.

Rumble, rumble, rumble...

The heavens and earth trembled, and the light of the stars above illuminated everything.

But these phenomena could no longer affect Yang Sheng. He strained to calm his mind, placed the Fengshan text on the stone platform of the Fengshan altar, then stepped back two paces and bowed deeply in a grand kowtow. Behind Yang Sheng, all the civil and military officials knelt towards the Fengshan altar at that moment, performing the grand kowtow.

At this moment, Yang Sheng put all his effort into loudly proclaiming the final few words.

“We appeal to Heaven and Earth—May the Human Dao flourish—!”

As Yang Sheng’s voice faded, the civil and military officials behind him, along with the imperial guards in the mountain, also rose and shouted.

“We appeal to Heaven and Earth, may the Human Dao flourish! We appeal to Heaven and Earth, may the Human Dao flourish! We appeal to Heaven and Earth, may the Human Dao flourish!”

Their voices merged into a single roar that shook all directions. Streaks of starlight descended from the sky, like a fine rain of shimmering light. Moreover, sheets of aurora-like light appeared within the range of Tingqiu Mountain, encircling the central Tingqiu Peak.

On the Fengshan text placed on the stone platform before Yang Sheng, a shimmering light passed over the yellow silk. Its color seemed to darken slightly, yet it appeared much heavier.

Yang Sheng gasped for breath, exhaling slowly as he composed his excited breathing. He bowed three times, then raised his head and slowly walked two steps forward to retrieve the Fengshan text.

Upon taking the Fengshan text into his hands, he found that the scroll seemed to have changed. Not only was its color deeper, but it was also significantly heavier. What was clearly just a roll of yellow silk now felt like a roll of iron.

The light in the sky began to recede, and the stars once again faded from view. The feeling in everyone’s hearts of directly facing heaven and earth rapidly diminished.

“It is done!” Ji Yuan murmured. He bowed towards Tingqiu Peak, then departed, riding the wind. Most of the people beside him and those standing on the clouds around also followed suit, some even approaching Tingqiu Peak to bow before leaving.

Yang Sheng, still slightly breathless, looked back at Yin Zhaoxian, who stood at the head of the officials.

“Teacher, how did I do?”

“Your Majesty has brought no shame to the ancestors of Da Zhen, nor to the myriad people of the human world. To have enlightened Your Majesty is the great fortune of Yin Zhaoxian’s life!”

Behind him, numerous ministers spoke in unison. “Your Majesty is sagely!”

This moment was the most satisfying Yang Sheng had felt in all his years as emperor.

But what Yang Sheng hadn’t yet realized was that, even as the Fengshan ceremony concluded for them, a massive stir had already been caused among all parties in heaven and earth.