The attire of the ritual participants is also quite particular.
The three offerings to the True Monarch of Fire and Water are naturally extraordinary.
The initial offering is "Craftsn's Tools as the Heart."
Eight bare-chested apprentice craftsn carry the steam engine model to the front of the vat, and Zhou Bainiao sprinkles sulfur into the cracks.
"Zila" — a burst of blue fla shoots up, instantly transforming into a sulfurous white smoke.
The disciples closest to the stage feel a sharp sting in their noses and hurriedly hold their breath, but the craftsman Grandmaster Zhao Huogong kneels with a thud, leading many craftsn in a loud exclamation: "Ancestor, bless us with a craftsman's al!"
The disciples below, seeing this, quickly bow and salute.
The secondary offering is "Grains as Blood."
The disciples of the Agricultural Departnt pour millet, wheat, rice, sorghum, and beans onto the iron wave base.
When boiling water is poured, it sizzles, scalding the nearby disciples so that they hop around, while millet grains roll down the hem of Yan Jiuling's ritual robe.
The final offering is "The People's Wishes as Prayers."
The divine healer Ge Posheng throws the elixirs into the gears, and a hundred craftsn strike the gears, playing a disorderly and discordant tune:
"The water and fire wheel turns, hey-ho!"
"Don't let the steam valve explode, hey-ho!"
Yuan Feng performs mantras and enters incantations, holding a dust whisk, constantly circling around the Divine Statue.
Up above, Li Yan notices this and slightly furrows his brow.
"Brother Yan."
Beside him, Wang Daoxuan muses, "This Sui Lun has yet to gather spiritual charm. Even if it's listed in the National Ancestral Temple, it will probably take a long ti for enlightennt. There's no urgency now."
Li Yan slightly shakes his head, "I'm not sure."
"Perhaps because there are many Academy disciples, they might want to worship early to gather incense..."
Before he finished speaking, his eyes widened in disbelief as he looked towards his chest.
Just a mont ago, the Hook Paper showed faint signs of reaction.
Though it was brief, it was very noticeable, being a mix of hot and cold.
This feeling is not from encountering a yin criminal.
It was more like those tis near a temple when so Mortal Gods wished to communicate with a living Yin ssenger.
Could it be that this "Sui Lun True Monarch" has already taken form?
While he was pondering, the grand ceremony below finally ca to an end.
The hundreds of disciples in the square, led by Academy servants, first toured various pavilions and workshops to familiarize themselves, then returned to their dormitories to rest a bit, preparing for the next day's courses.
anwhile, the various forces observing the ceremony also presented the gifts they had long prepared.
They seed to be competing, the sheer number, variety, and value of gifts were astonishing.
The rewards granted by the court and the plaques sent by the Three Provinces and Six Ministries need not be ntioned.
Those forces seeking favors from the Academy were the ones making substantial sacrifices.
The Cao Gang's "Nine Rivers Dragon King" Hong Zhenyue personally attended the scene.
A burly Squad Leader wearing a short jacket over a brocade shirt delivered the gifts in person.
"A Golden Silk Phoebe Carved Map of the Waterway of Nine Rivers; twenty large pearls, wishing the students clarity; a hundred sets of fine tinware; thirty thousand silver taels..."
Listening to the presenter announce the gifts loudly, many glanced at each other, surprised at the Cao Gang's high profile.
They didn't know that previously, Hong Zhenyue had a private discussion with Luo Mingzi and spent a lot to ensure that his recomnded three disciples could smoothly enter the Observing Things Departnt's shipbuilding group, aiming directly at the core technology of the steamship.
With it, the Cao Gang's future voice in waterway matters would be maintained.
The main altar of the Pai Sect is in the south, far away, so they didn't attend this ti.
If the Cao Gang can take the lead, perhaps they could suppress the Pai Sect in the future.
Following them was the incredibly wealthy Jinzhou Chamber of Comrce.
Several carts covered with oilcloth, pulled by strong mules, slowly rolled in, prominently displaying the Jin insignia.
The list of gifts was equally astonishing.
A full set of ten "Tianshu" abacuses with carved red wood and brass inlays; five annotated manuscript versions of "Mo Records of Examination" and "Heavenly Craftsmanship"; ten of the latest telescopes; and a donation of ten thousand stone of "Scholarship Rice."
The Jinzhou Chamber of Comrce naturally had its own requests.
They were very interested in the roads newly built after the popularization of steam vehicles.
The Sea Opening Sect people were even more generous, gifting an entire large piece of sea-grown Yin Chen Wood; twelve book boxes with covers inlaid with coral, conch, and turtle shell for "Essentials of Observing Things"; and an improved model of the South Seas secret "Watertight Compartnt."
These people did not hesitate, they were eager for the Academy to prosper and for the promised steamship to be developed soon.
In short, all parties had their desires.
"Tsk tsk, they're all shrewd people..."
Sha Lifei, seeing this, couldn't help but shake his head and say, "These guys, each one is like a bloodhound, no wonder they're all flocking to the Capital; if we were in a remote area, we might not hear of this for years."
"Hmm."
Li Yan nodded, sowhat distracted, and said in a deep voice, "I'm a bit tired, I'll go rest first."
Sha Lifei was taken aback, "Brother Yan, later at the banquet, I heard they've hired chefs from the Imperial Palace."
"You guys go ahead, just bring sothing back for ."
Li Yan didn't say much more and turned to leave directly.
Hastily returning to the small courtyard room, he imdiately shut the door, held the Hook Paper, and lay on the bed.
After the strange sensation from the Hook Paper appeared, it trembled slightly again.
This ti, the anomaly didn't co from the Hook Paper, but from the Heavenly Official Order behind it.
Since receiving this item, it was the first reaction it had given.
Li Yan felt a rising sense of unease.
Could the movent of the Heavenly Official Order be related to the "Sui Lun True Monarch"?
If the Heavenly Court orders him to destroy this nascent Divine, what should he do?
This situation is not impossible.
After all, the transformation of the Human Dao might very well begin here.
The "Daluo Law Realm" would be affected by the Human World's rituals.
Although the "Heavenly Rules" prohibit interference in the Human World, encountering such matters...
Li Yan felt uneasy, sensing the movent in the Hook Paper, and slowly closed his eyes.
Upon reopening his eyes, the surroundings were enveloped in dense fog.
Unlike his previous tasks in the Yin Bureau, as he pushed through the fog and moved forward, he felt as if his entire body was not touching the ground, floating upward like riding the wind, with the sound of wind rushing past his ears.
Could it be... this is the Heavenly Court?
Li Yan grew interested.
He had once used the Nuo Mask left by Immortal Master Erlang to briefly glimpse the Daluo Law Realm.
The so-called "Daluo Law Realm" from afar appears as a dark void with nurous cross-shaped light spots.
Each light spot represents a force.
For instance, the Netherworld, Luo Feng Mountain, and the Eighteen Layers of Hell all reside within a light spot.
While realms like the Heavenly Court and Western Pure Land are other light spots.
These light spot areas in the mythology of the Divine State, more or less, gather together and connect with each other.
Li Yan inexplicably felt.
This might relate to the belief system of the Divine State.
As for how it was ford, it remains unknown.
While he was lost in thought, his body finally ca to a stop.
As he felt before, he found himself standing above the sea of clouds.
Looking far into the distance, boundless all around.
The white clouds and the gray sky seed to rge into one.
Above the sky, there were faint virtual shadows.
It seed to be a towering palace, only its outline visible, with a row of large virtual shadows standing atop.
Li Yan's heart skipped, he hurriedly lowered his head, pretending not to see it.
He knew, if not for the strange Jade Plate from Yin Changsheng installed in the Hook Paper, these things wouldn't allow him to see them.
This situation is similar to that in the Yin Bureau, truly it wasn't he who entered the Daluo Law Realm with his Divine Soul, but through so power dreaming.
The Hook Paper engraved with the Heavenly Official Order at the back was the channel.
Boom!
As the sea of clouds trembled, a quaint stone platform suddenly rose before him.
Feeling sothing, Li Yan imdiately approached the stone platform, pretending to bow and salute.
Soon after, atop the stone platform, golden light surrounded, revealing a roll of Golden Silk Scroll.
It seems this is the Heavenly Official's task.
Truly extravagant...
Li Yan madly ridiculed in his heart, yet maintained a solemn appearance as he stepped forward to open the Golden Silk Scroll.
Seeing the writings on it, he was montarily stunned.
This Heavenly Official task was indeed related to the Sui Lun True Monarch, but contrary to what he thought.
The Heavenly Court did not ask to destroy the yet-to-be-born "Sui Lun True Monarch", but instead to help him beco a protector.
The Heavenly Court would deliver an edict to incorporate "Sui Lun True Monarch" into the Taoist system, after which major Mystical Sect factions from Buddhist Tao would send people to guard.
His task was to ensure safety during this ti.
The reward for completing the task was extrely generous, involving Five Gang Orders and Five Divine Astrals!
Goodness...
It was the first ti Li Yan received such a significant undertaking.
Additionally, he was curious about what exactly the gods in the Daluo Law Realm were plotting?
In any case, it counted as a good thing.
Li Yan put away the edict, and his form was promptly thrown out by a force, disappearing into the sea of clouds.
After he left, several voices faintly echoed in the air.
"This matter seed rather rash..."
"The Emperor's intent, surely has deep aning."
At the sa ti, in the grand halls of Dragon and Tiger Mountain and Wudang Mountain, incense billowed rapidly spinning...
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