Chapter 506: The Ministry of Rites Takes the Lead

From the Gao family of Pangu, King Qin Guang of Xuanming Palace, Gao Xizhou, led a procession of judges as they rose into the air, departing from Pangu Province. Sect Leader Gao Caiyun watched the distant figures of these ghost gods receding into the distance, her expression complicated. She murmured softly, "Yindu, for the sake of the Gao family, I must move against you. Do not blame me..."

She recalled the past, when she had eloped with Chen Yindu, only to be stopped by her elder brother. She had seen her brother wounded by Chen Yindu, and her heart softened—she had returned home with her brother.

If not for her family's interference back then, if her resolve had been just a little stronger, perhaps today they would not be forced to meet on the battlefield.

Now, as the Sect Leader of the Gao family, she had to think of the Gao family's future. She could not afford even a trace of personal sentiment.

"Besides, we're both old now," she thought silently to herself.

At the same time, from the Gu family's Zhoujue Palace in Binhai, King Song Di, Gu Huaiyuan, also led the judges of Zhoujue Palace, departing from Binhai Province. Meanwhile, from the Zhang family's Taihe Palace in Juzhou, Fifth Officer King Zhang Ruoshu; from the Xia family's Mingchen Palace in Beilai, King Bian Cheng, Xia Huaijin; from the Xu family's Bizhen Palace in Lingzhou, King Du Shi, Xu Luoying; from the Yang family's Qifei Palace in Tingzhou, King Ping Deng, Yang Sheng; from the Cui family's Suying Palace in Zhenzhou, King Zhuanlun, Cui Qingwu—each of these underworld sovereigns led thousands of ghost gods and countless spirits from their respective hells, all setting out.

The great clans also anticipated that Chen Shi might send people to launch a surprise attack on the very day of his enthronement as the True King, so they too left many ghost gods behind to guard their respective clans. The clan leaders, former leaders, and other powerful figures also remained behind, not joining the expedition.

This operation primarily mobilized the forces of the ghost gods.

On the third day of the tenth month, during the hour of the Snake.

The Imperial Capital of Xinxiang.

Resounding horn calls echoed forth, blaring loudly, their tones grand and lingering.

Along the path leading to the Hall of Supreme Harmony, one massive furnace after another was lit, flames shooting straight into the clouds.

One by one, the deities governing the fifty provinces materialized within the firelight, holding the Map of Rivers and Mountains in their hands, solemn and dignified. These were merely projections of the fifty provincial gods, not their true bodies manifesting—yet even as mere projections, they exuded an awe-inspiring aura that shook heaven and earth.

The Civil and Military Officials stood on the stone steps before the Hall of Supreme Harmony, arranged in two rows on the left and right. Each face was carved as if by knife and axe, stern and unsmiling, waiting in silence.

"Your Majesty, the auspicious hour has arrived," the young eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial said to Chen Shi.

He was the young eunuch sent by Eunuch Feng, Feng Tianhuan. His name was Xiao Chengzi, twelve or thirteen years old, castrated early by his parents and delivered into Eunuch Feng's hands. For Chen Shi's enthronement, the Ministry of Rites needed to establish the protocols, while the Directorate of Ceremonial managed the entire ceremony's rites. The Ministry of Rites drafted the procedures, and everything else was left to Xiao Chengzi to handle. But he had only just entered the palace and had never seen such a grand occasion; his voice trembled uncontrollably as he spoke.

"Don't be nervous."

Chen Shi donned his imperial crown, the tassels hanging before his eyes, the beads swaying gently. He said, "This is my first time being enthroned too. Look at me—I'm not nervous."

"I'm not-not nervous!" Xiao Chengzi said.

Chen Shi stepped forward, and Xiao Chengzi quickly followed him. After a moment's thought, the boy suddenly ran off, circling around to catch up with Chen Shi's stride.

"Your Majesty, slow down! You're walking too fast!" Xiao Chengzi called out in panic.

According to the Ministry of Rites' instructions, Chen Shi should slow his pace, allowing the maids holding the ceremonial canopies on either side to keep up with him. But now, Chen Shi was unconsciously quickening his steps, and the two rows of maids behind him could only hurry forward at a jog, clutching their canopies.

The starting point of Chen Shi's journey was not within the palace, but at the Gate of Heavenly Succession.

Only by crossing the Gate of Heavenly Succession would his rule be blessed by heaven and his authority be legitimate.

Although Chen Shi heard Xiao Chengzi telling him to slow down, his feet still moved faster of their own accord. One vermillion palace gate after another swung open before him, and the horn calls grew even more resonant and distant, causing his mind to drift involuntarily. He recalled the days back in Huangpo Village, when he had subdued every dog in the village and made them bow to him as their king.

"Haha, why am I suddenly remembering things from my childhood?"

He thought his childhood antics had been utterly absurd—yet was this present scene not the same? He was subduing all the heroes under heaven and ascending to the throne of the True King!

His heart surged with emotion, a thousand heroic sentiments swirling in his chest.

Power—it was truly intoxicating.

He arrived before the Hall of Supreme Harmony, lifted his Dragon Robe with one hand, and began climbing the stone steps. The two rows of maids struggled to keep up, but before they had gone far, they were already panting and out of breath.

Just then, a thunderous roar split the air. Outside the Imperial Capital, a cataclysmic sound of heaven and earth shattering echoed. A colossal arm, two to three hundred zhang long, burst forth from beneath the earth, gripping the city wall with a deafening rumble.

Outside the city, the ground around the Imperial Capital split open, revealing boundless karmic fire burning fiercely below, casting a blazing crimson glow. In an instant, Xinxiang, the Imperial Capital, seemed to become an isolated city, suspended alone over the infernal flames of hell.

"Rebel! Traitor! You dare to usurp the mandate of heaven!"

The massive arm strained to pull itself upward, and a disheveled head emerged from the depths of the earth. Behind it loomed a vast hell, filled with countless ghost gods wielding weapons and brandishing magic treasures, their faces twisted in ferocious excitement, ready at any moment to burst forth from the underworld.

That deity struggled to climb out of the underworld, his voice like thunder as he bellowed, "Rebel! Traitor! Today, this entire city will be buried with you!"

He mobilized the power of the great dao from his hell, his divine power nearly reaching the boiling point, and smashed downward with a thunderous impact!

His fist erupted in blazing flames, as if a single blow could destroy half of the Imperial Capital.

At the same time, one towering ghost god after another rose from the underworld around the Imperial Capital, each bearing a hell upon their backs. Some wore ferocious expressions, others wore smiles. Their bodies grew taller and taller as they looked down from above, their enormous silhouettes encircling the capital, making the Imperial City itself seem utterly insignificant.

Panic swept through the city as countless citizens fled in every direction, screaming in terror.

Chen Shi, however, did not look back. He continued climbing the steps. That colossal fist, trailing flames, was aimed directly at the imperial palace.

The ghost god roared with laughter. Just as his fist was about to crash down upon the palace, the scene before him suddenly shifted. His body plummeted downward, plunging into the underworld!

Along with him, all the towering ghost gods and their hells fell as well.

What greeted their eyes was a towering mound as majestic as the Yellow Springs.

Upon that mound stood a massive, ancient willow tree, grand beyond measure. Behind the willow was a temple of dark yellow and black, connected by streams of radiant light drifting down from the mortal world. These rays formed a shape like butterfly wings, a strikingly beautiful sight.

An elder Daoist with an ancient bearing stood beneath the willow tree, looking down at them.

From the temple behind him, the Empress of Earth appeared with a smile, saying to the little Yama, "Fellow Daoist Bao, now we shall see whose skills are superior."

The little Yama stroked the toad in his arms and replied, "Naturally, Your Ladyship's skills are the greater."

The Empress of Earth seemed very pleased.

Suddenly, the judges activated their respective hells one by one, channeling the power of the great dao from within, and ferociously attacked the Temple of the Empress of Earth!

The countless branches of that ancient willow tree lashed out, striking downward. One branch coiled around a judge, flipping him upside down and smashing him into the earth.

Daoist Willow rose into the air, forming a Sword Seal with his hands. The ancient willow tree swayed in accordance with his hand seal, clashing head-on with the judges, meeting their divine power with brute force.

Countless ghost gods suddenly flew out from the judges' hells, shrieking wildly, and swarmed up the Yellow Springs mound like a tidal wave.

Seeing this, Daoist Willow urgently activated the willow tree. Countless branches grew wildly, their leaves swelling larger and larger, entangling the ghost gods one by one, hanging them from the tree like ornaments.

But his attention now focused on dealing with these ghost gods, he could no longer hold back the encircling judges.

The Nine Kings of Hell, each expressionless, advanced toward the Temple of the Empress of Earth, their auras growing stronger with every step.

The little Yama, carrying his toad, walked out of the temple and looked down from above.

Behind each of the Nine Kings of Hell, Vice Magistrates stepped forward, quickening their pace as they moved toward the little Yama.

Meanwhile, in the mortal world, the scene around the Imperial Capital—which moments ago had been as terrifying as hell itself—suddenly cleared. The sky became cloudless, the sun blazed brightly, and the cracked earth, surging karmic fire, bottomless underworld, towering ghost gods, and looming hells all vanished without a trace.

"Begin!"

Yang Bi gave the order. Within the palace, one Celestial Court token after another was swiftly activated, transforming into gateways. Long You the Freeholder, Shao Niangniang, and hundreds of other freeholders filed through these portals one after another.

Beyond these portals lay the minor heavens.

Inside the minor heavens, tens of thousands of talisman masters from the Red Mountain Hall Talisman Master Association across all fifty provinces of the Western Ox New Continent sat in absolute silence. Their talisman pouches bulged, their backs bore talisman-weapons, and their legs were bound with Horse Gallop Talismans. Every ten men formed a squad, each squad equipped with a magic treasure from the Yan family.

They remained utterly still, their eyes fixed on three gateways.

"The Ministry of Rites takes the lead!" Yang Bi said solemnly, also entering the minor heavens.

Li Tianqing, Yu Lingzi, and Little Dingxiang each stepped into one of the three gateways.

Little Dingxiang clutched a Staff of the Human Emperor, her expression a little nervous. This was her first time experiencing such a massive operation, and she was participating as a member of the Ministry of Rites, tasked with delivering a declaration of war to the Xu family.

The three of them each emerged from their respective gateways. Li Tianqing found himself outside Quanzhou city. Gazing at this city, countless emotions welled up in his heart, but he still raised his foot and walked into Quanzhou. His clear voice carried throughout the city: "Li Tianqing, Minister of Rites, by order of the True King, hereby pays a visit to the Li family!"

Yu Lingzi arrived outside Tingzhou, the True Martial Exorcising Sword strapped to his back. He entered Tingzhou city and announced in a ringing voice: "Yu Lingzi, Vice Minister of Rites, by order of the True King, hereby pays a visit to the Yang family!"

When Little Dingxiang stepped through the gateway, she found herself before the Xu family estate in Lingzhou.

She steeled herself and walked toward the city. Just then, a voice came from behind her—a disciple of Red Mountain Hall: "Senior Sister, do you need me to call out for you?"

That Red Mountain Hall disciple was the talisman master responsible for opening the gateway to Lingzhou. He stood beside the portal, and Yang Bi had prepared dozens of similar disciples for just such contingencies.

Little Dingxiang shook her head, gathered her courage, and let her voice carry throughout Lingzhou city: "Dingxiang, Vice Director of the Ministry of Rites, by order of the True King, hereby pays a visit to the Xu family!"

In an instant, countless pairs of eyes fixed upon her. Yet Little Dingxiang gradually relaxed, walking directly toward the Xu family estate.

The clan elders and powerful experts of the Xu family surged out like a tide, staring at this girl who was barely fifteen or sixteen years old.

The voice of Xu Yinglong, Sect Leader of the Xu family, rang out: "Do not trouble the envoy. Invite her into the residence."

Little Dingxiang entered the Xu estate and paid her respects to Xu Yinglong. She said, "I have come by order of the True King to deliver the declaration of war. The Xu family received the gracious favor of the previous True King, yet instead of repaying that kindness, you have tyrannized the people and manipulated the imperial court. According to the laws of the Ming Dynasty, your entire clan is to be executed."

Xu Yinglong accepted the declaration, sneering coldly, "Chen Shi has rebelled and declared himself the True King. Is a traitor also subject to the laws of the Ming Dynasty?"

Little Dingxiang remained neither humble nor arrogant, replying, "The True King is the True King of the Western Ox New Continent. He is also a subject of the Great Ming, honoring His Majesty Jiajing as his emperor, with no trace of disloyalty. I ask you, sirs, not to resist. The execution will be quick."

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