Chapter 6: Sealing Ceremony Location

Chapter 6: The Imperial Sacrificial Grounds

In the desolate and dark expanse of space, nine enormous dragon corpses lay stretched out. The massive bronze coffin, ancient and grand, seemed to have existed alongside the universe since time immemorial.

Days passed, yet they still couldn't decipher the mysterious signals transmitted by the bronze patterns. There was no safe way to "salvage" the object and bring it to the ground.

“It moved!” “It’s deviating from its orbit, it’s sinking!” At that moment, the pupils of several elite astronauts in the International Space Station contracted sharply. The nine dragons pulling the coffin had deviated from their orbit and were slowly descending.

Mount Tai, majestic and profound, with an imposing grandeur, was revered as the foremost of the Five Great Mountains and renowned as the premier mountain under heaven.

Since ancient times, Mount Tai has been a sacred symbol. Located in the easternmost part of the ancient Central Plains, surrounded by the Yellow River and the Wen River, it was regarded in ancient times as the birthplace of the sun and the origin of all life.

No mountain is grander, no history more ancient!

Mount Tai, magnificent and vast, possesses a rich historical heritage dating back to the ancient era of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. It was a place where one could hope to be close to the gods. It was believed that because the heavens were unreachable, performing the Fengshan sacrifice on Mount Tai brought one closer to the gods.

Qin Shi Huang, who unified China, and the ambitious and sagacious Emperor Wu of Han, both held grand Fengshan ceremonies on Mount Tai. Even before this, as early as ancient times, seventy-two emperors performed the Fengshan sacrifice on Mount Tai. An ancient pre-Qin text, *Guan Zi: The Chapter on Fengshan*, recorded that in ancient times, rulers such as Wuhuai, Fuxi, Shennong, Huangdi, Yao, and Yu all performed the Fengshan sacrifice on Mount Tai.

In ancient times, without exception, numerous sage emperors and ancient sovereigns chose to perform the Fengshan sacrifice here, shrouding Mount Tai in layers of mystery and emanating an endless aura of enigma.

During the Spring and Autumn period, Confucius diligently visited Mount Tai, seeking the relics of the ancient Fengshan ceremonies. However, he was left with regret, finding nothing, and could not answer his disciples' questions about it. Later generations did make some discoveries. In 1931, General Ma Hongkui, while leading his troops stationed at the foot of Mount Tai, accidentally discovered an altar of five-colored earth. Inside were two sets of jade tablets, sealed with "stone mud and golden ropes" and buried underground. Why all the ancient emperors of the pre-Qin era chose to perform the Fengshan sacrifice here remains a mystery to this day, one that may never be fully uncovered.

Ye Fan and his companions rested for a night at the hotel. The next day, they began their ascent of Mount Tai. Among the group, many were climbing Mount Tai for the first time. Only by being there in person could they truly feel its grandeur and majesty.

The mountain body is divided into a three-tiered geological structure, resembling a staircase to heaven. Facing south from the north, the mountain seemed entirely open, with a ten-kilometer-long path leading through its vast expanse all the way to the peak. Whether viewed from afar or up close, one could feel its imposing grandeur, stirring one's heart. Before the magnificent Mount Tai, one had the strange illusion of being as insignificant as an ant, and even the sun, moon, and stars in the sky seemed trivial. This was a profound and shocking feeling that caused one's soul to tremble.

When the tour guide spoke of the various ancient Fengshan ceremonies, it sparked endless contemplation, as humans always yearn for the unknown and the mysterious. Li Xiaoman walked alongside Cade, constantly translating and explaining for him, making the young American increasingly amazed by Mount Tai and prompting incessant questions. Liu Yunzhi glanced playfully at Ye Fan, then at the two in front. However, his obvious intentions seemed to be directly ignored by Ye Fan, who showed no reaction at all, which left Liu Yunzhi very disappointed. In fact, Ye Fan hadn't even noticed him and was therefore completely calm.

Ye Fan had finished reading the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon, and thinking of the ancient sage emperors all performing the Fengshan sacrifice here, he suddenly had an absurd thought: Could a lost ancient civilization truly have existed? If so, Mount Tai would undoubtedly have been a sacred place during that period. But he immediately shook his head, concluding that he must be too bored lately to have such a ridiculous idea.

Mount Tai, with its lush ancient pines and numerous flowing springs and cascading waterfalls, possessed a delicate charm amidst its solemn grandeur. Coupled with the ethereal clouds and mist, it naturally added a few more layers of mystery and profundity. As they ascended, they passed countless scenic spots, historical sites, and cliffside inscriptions, eliciting endless admiration. From the sacrificial grounds, past the Emperor's Traveling Palace at Dai Temple, to the Jade Emperor Peak where heaven was worshipped, it formed a ten-kilometer axis connecting the underworld, the human realm, and heaven.

By evening, everyone finally reached the summit of Mount Tai—Jade Emperor Peak. Looking down upon the myriad mountains below and gazing at the distant Yellow River, they immediately understood the true meaning of Confucius's saying: "Ascend Mount Tai and all beneath heaven seems small." The Sage of Poetry also left behind an eternal masterpiece, proclaiming, "One day I shall ascend the highest peak, and all other mountains will appear small beneath me!"

At this moment, the setting sun was descending, and the cloud-capped peaks were all rimmed with a golden, glistening edge, shimmering with the brilliance of precious treasures. Such a magnificent sight made one feel utterly captivated.

Suddenly, several black dots appeared in the sky, then gradually grew larger, and a rumbling sound, like wind and thunder, echoed. Nine enormous entities descended from the sky, like nine dark rivers plummeting downwards. At this moment, everyone on Mount Tai froze, their expressions startled, staring at each other in astonishment.

Dragons, legendary beings, stood alongside gods, transcending the laws of nature. But with science developed to this extent, who would still believe that dragons truly existed? The tourists on the mountain, in their shock, held their breath, even forgetting to scream.

A brief silence, then Mount Tai erupted. Everyone panicked and scattered in all directions, fleeing from the approaching enormous dragon corpses. It was a breathtaking scene: In the crimson sunset, the nine dragons pulling the coffin descended upon Mount Tai! Screams of terror and helpless cries filled the air as everyone scattered in fear.

The nine dragons pulling the coffin did not fall very swiftly, but when it landed, it still heavily shook the summit of Mount Tai.

“Boom!” The nine enormous entities sank down like nine mountain ridges, causing Jade Emperor Peak to crack into large fissures. Earth and rocks splattered, and dust filled the air. The bronze coffin also crashed with a clang onto the summit of Mount Tai, and the mountain body trembled as if an earthquake had struck. Many rocks rolled down the mountain with a booming sound, like thousands of horses galloping.

Many people were affected, their bodies mangled by colliding rocks, falling down the mountain amidst terrified wails that filled the air. The tremors stopped, and the mountain quickly quieted down, but Mount Tai was already in chaos. Many had fallen while trying to escape, creating an extremely chaotic scene. Numerous people were bruised and bleeding, frantically rushing down the mountain.

The nine colossal dragon corpses, each a hundred meters long, lay still with most of their bodies stretched across the summit, while the smaller portion hung over the cliff. Like a black, steel Great Wall, they emanated a shocking sense of power, tremendously impactful to the eye. Mount Tai's Jade Emperor Peak was cracked, and the ground was covered with terrifying fissures. The twenty-meter-long bronze coffin was simple and unadorned, with some blurry ancient patterns on its surface. It was filled with the vicissitudes of time, and a mysterious aura flowed from it.