Infinite Professions

Chapter 428: Chapter 220: Grand Sacrifice (Part 2)

A few days later, in Jinyang City, lanterns and decorations were everywhere, with platforms and stages being erected in preparation for the ritual event.

In the Prefecture Government Office, in the rear hall, Cui Shao was still reviewing documents.

"The support has arrived, now all that’s lacking is just an opportunity!"

"To accomplish great deeds, His Highness must act with just cause. Especially for this first battle at Jinyang, if one raises troops without proper justification, it would not only earn the reputation of forcing the people to revolt, but also cause unease across all states and prefectures."

"Therefore, to act against Li Mubai, we must first find charges of illegality against him!"

"But this person conducts his affairs flawlessly, merely relying on these criminal records cannot catch him."

"The key to him lies in that god!"

Cui Shao’s eyes sharpened, then he put down the documents, lifted his eyes to look outside, and murmured to himself, "I need to go out for a walk!"

...

So it went on for several more days.

On the official road, there was a steady stream of traffic, somewhat congested.

This was on the road to the "Divine Judgment Temple."

Cui Shao lifted the carriage curtain, and saw that on both sides of the road, at intervals, there were offering platforms, each with different gods and incense candles.

Each god statue was different: the Fu Kui repelling evil and inviting fortune, the Lu Kui ascending ranks and celebrating, the Shou Kui with cranes and pines for longevity, the Xi Kui with a rooster guarding treasures, the Pan Kui with uprightness and grandeur, the Zi Kui with descendants aplenty, the Wen Kui with pen and book, and the Wu Kui wielding a blade and sword...

Many gods, each distinct, each wielding authority, each enjoying incense offerings.

A multitude of travelers moved on either side, offering incense as they went forward.

Looking again at the carriages, the congestion was evident, Cui Shao frowned and then decisively acted.

"Get off the carriage!"

He got off the carriage and moved forward, encountering an even larger crowd, seemingly with all the Divine Judgment followers within Jinyang Prefecture gathering at this place.

"The time has not yet come, yet such momentum?"

"This ritual..."

Cui Shao observed it all, etched it in his mind, remained silent, and continued forward.

Thus it went, and who knows how long it took, before he followed the crowd to the front of the Divine Judgment Temple. What should have been a tranquil temple was now bustling, with yellow flags waving on both sides of the path, even the grass, trees, and stones were decorated with lanterns and streamers.

Cui Shao arrived before the mountain gate to see the temple priests and disciples, all wearing yellow headbands and robes, arranging the grand ritual celebrations. Two rows of apricot-yellow flags lined the stone steps, extending from the foot of the mountain to the summit.

At the foot, the middle, and the top of the mountain, there were many offering platforms set up, with gods and spirit tablets of the Divine Judgment Temple offered upon them, both magnificent and awe-inspiring.

Seeing this scene, Cui Shao stopped in his tracks, then decisively turned back: "Let’s go!"

"Huh!?"

The attendant who came along was startled, not understanding what drama his master was playing, having come all the way from Jinyang, only to turn back before the temple.

Yet, such were the words and duties of a servant, who dared not say more, and could only follow quietly.

Meanwhile, elsewhere...

In the rear pavilion of Qingye Temple.

A monk and a Taoist were no longer playing games, but gazing into the distance, eyes filled with surprise and doubt.

"Such specifications..."

"The Celestial Grand Sacrifice?"

"Waterway Dharma Assembly!"

"They’ve stolen our Dharma Gate!"

The Daoist Qingxuan watched coldly, a hint of anger rising.

The Divine Judgment Temple’s grand actions could not be ignored by them; they had already begun to investigate and now had gleaned a clue.

This ritual was unlike any other; not only did the preparations take far longer than usual, but the scale was also extremely terrifying. Divine Judgment followers from within Jinyang Prefecture were summoned, and entire clans of the Song, Li, Lu, and Huang were brought to the vicinity of the Divine Judgment Temple, awaiting the event.

This kind of mobilization far exceeded any previous ritual.

In addition, the preparation of the ritual also held extraordinary aspects, secretly aligning with the Great Technique of the Mystic Sect, resembling a universal sacrificial ceremony.

In a nation, grand affairs lie in sacrifices and military campaigns!

Each of the Three Religions of the Mystic Sect has its grand rites that can maximize and direct incense fire wish power, thereby communicating with the divine spirits and the greater world, harnessing unparalleled power.

The Luotian Grand Sacrifice of the Daoist Sect is one such ritual.

This is a great rite of the Daoist Sect; in the Daoist Canon, there are three texts regarding the sacrificial rites: the "Celestial Grand Sacrifice Establishment Ceremony," the "Three Rites of the Celestial Grand Sacrifice," and the "Supreme Cave Mysterious Treasure Heavenly Venerable’s Luotian Grand Sacrifice Supreme Marvelous Scripture."

This ceremony is extremely solemn, requiring the establishment of nine grand altars, leading the Emperor, the officials, and the common people to honor the deities of heaven and earth.

Of the nine altars, the upper three are for the universal ceremony, needing the Emperor to lead, offering to 3600 divine tablets; the middle three for the circumferential heavens, needing a Duke to preside, offering to 2400 divine tablets; the lower three for the celestial, needing offerings from the common people, to 1200 divine tablets.

The Universal, the Circumferential, and the Celestial altars unite the force of the Emperor, the Dukes and nobles, and the common people to offer to 7200 divine tablets, worshiping the supreme beings of the Third Realm, the Ten Holy Directions, Yujing Golden Palace’s Celestial Beings, the Master Teacher and the holy assembly of the ten directions, the officials of the Three Realms, and all divine spirits!

Offering sacrifices to heaven and earth, offering sacrifices to all deities, offering sacrifices... to the Great Dao!

In this way, summoning the unparalleled power, bestowing boundless divine techniques!

It is a grand weapon kept in reserve by the Daoist Sect.

Once this ritual is completed, it will bring a vast amount of incense to the honored deities, helping them communicate with the heavens and the earth, strengthening their divine power, and enhancing their authority, while greatly increasing the power of all their magic and divine techniques.

Three years ago, during the Drought Demon King rebellion in the Northern Lands, the Court led the three Religions of Daoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism to hold a grand sacrificial ceremony to support several Third-Rank Great Gods, ultimately subduing the Drought Demon King who had gained power from an Ancient Great Demon.

Now, the Divine Judgment Temple aims to conduct such a grand rite, clearly to lend a helping hand to Song Xiang.

Originally, the Divine Judgment Temple’s incense was already flourishing. Even if the Jinyang Prefect withdrew the Divine Seal and toppled Song Xiang from his divine pedestal, he could, by means of the vast incense fire wish power, become a deity autonomously and advance further to a Fifth Grade position.