Chapter 937: Sacred Majesty Ceremony

At the sight of the doll, Xu Qing's face remained impassive, but a ripple of emotion began to stir within his heart.

He recognized the doll.

It was a birthday gift from his older brother when he was a child in Peerless City.

Later, during that catastrophe, he, only six or seven years old, clutched this doll, weeping in the blood rain, calling for his father, calling for his mother, calling for his brother.

Afterward, he passed out.

When he woke up, the doll was gone!

The meaning it held...

“He sent this with the intention that I ponder its meaning…”

Xu Qing fell silent.

There were some things he was unsure about, such as the memory of what appeared within the purple crystal during his battle with the Crimson Mother in the Moon Sacrificial Grand Domain—a memory that contradicted his own.

In the vision, a palm came down on his head without any hesitation!

Yet, in his own recollection, there was no bleeding from a hand; he simply passed out on his own.

Another example was this doll, which had once disappeared, only to reappear now, stitched back together!

Why had it been broken?

After a long time, Xu Qing closed his eyes.

He didn't pick up the doll; he left it by the door, lying there alone.

Time passed. The night wind blew, sweeping up dust from the ground and scattering it onto the doll.

The chill in the wind assailed it from all directions, making the stitched-together doll seem to shiver as if trembling.

Just like the trembling youth who once huddled in the slums during the bitter cold of winter.

A day passed.

When only twelve hours remained until the Ancestral Offering, all the princes and ministers in their respective residences chose to bathe.

This was part of the Ancestral Offering ritual.

Regardless of whether they were qualified to accompany the Human Emperor to the Ancient Imperial Star, all had to do so.

This was because the Ancestral Offering was divided into inner and outer ceremonies.

The inner ceremony took place within the Ancient Imperial Star, while the outer ceremony was observed from outside.

Furthermore, they needed to wait at the Grand Ancestral Temple three hours before the Ancestral Offering, for the precise moment of sunrise.

The Grand Ancestral Temple, however, did not exist on ordinary days.

It would only appear in a specific area outside the imperial palace, as if emerging from time itself, three hours before the Ancestral Offering.

Eight hours later, under the cover of night, Xu Qing left his residence.

After stepping over the doll, he paused, looking down at it.

After a moment, Xu Qing withdrew his gaze and walked away.

He timed his arrival precisely, appearing before the Grand Ancestral Temple the instant it materialized.

Although the sky was still dark, at that moment, it was infused with brilliant colors.

A vast and magnificent temple, revealed from the flow of time, stood majestically to the east of the imperial palace.

Xu Qing was not the first to arrive; to be precise, everyone stood solemnly at the same time in this place.

As a Heavenly King, Xu Qing naturally stood at the very front.

The Blazing Flame King stood beside him.

Behind the Heavenly Kings were the Heavenly Marquises, followed by thousands of ministers, densely packed but utterly silent.

All eyes were fixed on the very front.

There, six figures emerged from the void.

It was the Human Emperor and the imperial princes who had obtained the right to accompany him.

Today, the Human Emperor was dressed in unprecedented splendor and solemnity, radiating an even greater sense of majesty.

Behind him were the First Imperial Prince, the Fourth, the Fifth, and the Twelfth.

Although Ning Yan had been in seclusion, even the most important cultivation would have to be set aside for this day; his presence was mandatory.

Both he and the other princes were dressed differently from usual, adorned in magnificent, ceremonial attire.

What surprised everyone was that beside the Twelfth Imperial Prince Ning Yan, there was actually a fifth prince.

It was the Tenth Imperial Prince.

His presence there was naturally by special permission from the Human Emperor, but no imperial decree had been issued beforehand.

However, concerning matters of the imperial princes, others found it difficult to comment. Although Xu Qing's position as Grand Tutor allowed him to inquire, given the current circumstances, he had no inclination to do so.

After more than ten breaths, under the gaze of the crowd, the Human Emperor's eyes swept over his assembled officials.

At this moment, the Human Emperor seemed to carry a subtle emotional difference from his usual demeanor.

Normally, his eyes showed no hint of emotion, but now... a flicker of disturbance seemed to stir within them.

It was as if he was taking one last look at his ministers, at this land of mountains and rivers, at the human race, and at the distant statue of the Great Emperor.

Then, the Human Emperor took a deep breath, and both his expression and eyes returned to their usual state as he turned around.

As the five imperial princes bowed their heads and stepped back, he gazed at the Grand Ancestral Temple, lifted his foot, and walked towards it step by step.

Only after he had walked more than ten zhang did the five imperial princes solemnly follow behind him.

For these last three hours, according to the Ancestral Offering rites, the Human Emperor was to meditate cross-legged within the Grand Ancestral Temple, waiting for time to pass. The imperial princes granted permission to participate in the offering were to kneel behind him within the temple, awaiting sunrise.

Inside and outside the Grand Ancestral Temple, silence reigned for these three hours.

Even the Human Emperor himself was profoundly silent at this moment.

As time gradually elapsed, the night sky above slowly lightened. The horizon seemed to ignite, forming a sea of fire that consumed the darkness.

Until the next instant, a crimson glow spread, as if a giant capable of supporting the heavens and earth had raised a hand and peeled back the veil of night.

At that moment, rays of light instantly shot in all directions, covering the sky and earth, showering down upon the mortal realm.

“The time for the offering has arrived.”

At this instant, a resonant chant echoed throughout heaven and earth.

Outside the Grand Ancestral Temple, from the Heavenly Kings to the lowest-ranking officials, all knelt down at that moment.

“The Imperial Star ascends.”

Accompanying this declaration were magnificent strains of chime bells, creating a solemn melody that resonated far and wide.

Within the celestial rays of light, the dragon formed by the human race's destiny coiled through the radiance, circling the sky above the imperial capital and exhaling auspicious omens.

At the same time, the ethereal forms of human ancestors materialized across the sky, bowing in unison towards the imperial palace.

Their homage was not to the current Human Emperor, but rather to... the Ancient Imperial Star itself!

In the next instant, the Ancient Imperial Star began to shine, and with a thunderous roar, it conspicuously rose into the sky, growing larger and larger in everyone's sight, evoking a sense of awe.

The dense mist that had previously enveloped this star now churned violently, transforming into seven colors, forming a rainbow that extended towards the Grand Ancestral Temple.

Ultimately, it connected with the Grand Ancestral Temple.

The seven-colored mist formed a path, a bridge.

At this moment, the Human Emperor emerged from within the Grand Ancestral Temple, ascended into the air, and was the first to step onto the seven-colored mist bridge, leading the way.

Behind him, the five imperial princes followed with bowed heads, ten zhang behind.

Following them, the Blazing Flame King, with a profound look in his eyes, stepped forward, and all the Heavenly Kings simultaneously set foot on the seven-colored mist bridge.

Xu Qing was among them, his expression consistently solemn.

Behind them were the Heavenly Marquises and the assembled officials, divided into multiple groups according to rank, with ten-zhang intervals between each group, as they walked onto the rainbow bridge.

From a distance, in their respective silences, thousands of people advanced, led by the Human Emperor, slowly approaching the Ancient Imperial Star.

At this moment, the citizens within the imperial capital and the many cultivators who were not qualified to enter the Grand Temple all looked up, gazing at this immensely grand spectacle for the human race.

Concurrently, a chanting voice broke the silence of heaven and earth, announcing one name after another.

“Blazing Flame King, Soaring Azure King...”

These names continued to be announced as the crowd proceeded along the seven-colored mist bridge.

Not all Heavenly Kings were among them, nor were all Heavenly Marquises called out. The same applied to the ministers in the rear.

The voice paused after the ninety-ninth name was called.

“Those listed above are granted the qualification to enter the Imperial Star and witness the Grand Ancestral Ceremony!”

As this declaration echoed, the Human Emperor's figure reached the end of the mist bridge. Without the slightest hesitation, he stepped onto the Ancient Imperial Star.

Following him, the five imperial princes walked across in succession, then all the princes and ministers whose names had been called.

Once all those qualified, including Xu Qing, had walked off the mist bridge and stepped onto the Ancient Imperial Star, the star vibrated with a mighty rumble. Mist churned within it, and vaguely visible on its surface, a vast altar seemed to rise.

Simultaneously, the grand formation of the human imperial capital fully activated, focusing its protection on this location.

As for those not qualified to enter the Ancient Imperial Star, they stood solemnly on the mist bridge, bowing in worship.

“They shall witness the Ancestral Offering together from this place!”

Meanwhile, the altar rising on the Ancient Imperial Star grew larger and clearer, eventually ascending into the mid-air above the star.

It became the Heavenly Altar.

“This... is the Ancient Imperial Star!”

Beneath the Heavenly Altar, all those qualified to enter were now present. Xu Qing instinctively gazed in all directions, murmuring to himself.

First, he felt an incredibly dense force of destiny, along with fluctuations of royal bloodline from all directions.

Heaven and earth shifted at this moment; winds rose and clouds surged.

Besides the force of destiny and royal bloodline fluctuations, there was also astonishing spiritual energy.

Its density was nearly extreme, forming streams of spiritual energy that flowed through the void of the Ancient Imperial Star, like dazzling spiritual dragons.

However, Xu Qing had no time for further observation; the Ancestral Offering ceremony had already begun!

The chanting resonated.

“The Human Emperor dons his armor!”

The Ancestral Offering was the Human Emperor's ritual. So, under the gaze of everyone, the Human Emperor walked forward. Rays of light converged from all directions, forming a coarse linen robe around him.

“Since ancient times, emperors, by celestial mandate, have been the co-masters of heaven and earth; thus, they remove their imperial crowns and discard their worry-free sandals, signifying their return to the cosmos!” The voice rose again.

The Human Emperor closed his eyes. The imperial crown on his head floated away on its own, and his worry-free sandals likewise turned into nothingness.

Ethereal figures converged from the force of destiny and received them with both hands.

With nothing above his head and nothing hindering his feet, the Human Emperor strode forward.

“Burn the incense of the human race's destiny, that the ancestors may partake and behold!”

Before the Human Emperor, the force of destiny gathered once more, forming a colossal cauldron. Three sticks of incense materialized in mid-air, landing in the Human Emperor's hand, and he solemnly placed them inside the cauldron.

In the next instant, the incense sticks ignited, and curling smoke ascended into the sky.

Immediately, the firmament thundered, clouds churned, and lightning flashed. Vaguely, multiple illusory doors seemed to appear.

These doors floated between heaven and earth, seemingly piercing through various different spacetime realms.

At this moment, black qi emanated from within the doors, as if some inexplicable entities, sensing the incense of destiny, wished to transform into demons and monsters and breach the gates.

But even as these doors vibrated with booming tremors, even more terrifying auras suddenly emanated from the depths of the Ancient Imperial Star, beneath the Heavenly Altar.

Their appearance was overwhelmingly domineering, encircling all directions and forming a vast, ocean-like pressure. Furthermore, indistinct whispers reverberated all around.

These whispers carried a heaven-shaking intent; the moment they spread, heaven and earth trembled.

Except for the location of the Heavenly Altar, everything else in all directions, including those illusory doors, collapsed and shattered amidst these terrifying whispers, transforming into spiritual rain that scattered across the star, becoming nourishment.

This scene caused Xu Qing, who was witnessing the Ancestral Offering ceremony for the first time, to feel a surge of emotion.

As for the Human Emperor, after igniting the incense sticks, he did not pause in the slightest. He walked unhurriedly up the steps before him, towards the highest point of the Heavenly Altar.

Behind him were the five imperial princes, including Ning Yan, each similarly clad in coarse linen robes formed from destiny, their crowns removed and sandals discarded, following barefoot.

They ascended the Heavenly Altar.