fifth form

Chapter 3264 The Imperial Edict on the Fengshan Ceremony

"Kong Ning seems to be finished!"

"Demons... perhaps this is the fate of demons!"

The Imperial Shuttle once again carried two people, tracing an arc across the sky and soaring far into the distance towards Mount Tai.

The new emperor glanced at the long-gone shack several times, a hint of melancholy in his eyes.

Zhang Xuezhou, however, found it difficult to give an accurate answer.

Since the fall of the Heavenly Court, the demon race has never had a decent place to live.

The culture of the demon race is different from that of humans. Although great cultivators such as Zhu Jiuyin and Jiuling Yuansheng seem to be stirring up trouble, the demon race can only survive in the cracks.

Kong Ning was one of those cultivators caught in the middle. The more outstanding he was, the more coveted he became, but he lacked the power to break free of his confinement and could only live a life of hiding and running.

This doesn't mean Kong Ning is decadent and doesn't know how to fight back. Her father, the Peacock King, had already fought back, and the Peacock King's strength was almost among the top ten in the Three Realms at that time.

Even a great demon like the Peacock King is not free, let alone Kong Ning, who has no hope of surpassing his father.

That's roughly the gist of the matter. The demon race is in a somewhat awkward position, yet it is precisely this demon race that has been demonstrating its value by suppressing the Han Dynasty in order to seek its survival space. This makes it difficult for Zhang Xuezhou to explain the complex relationship involved, and the new emperor probably can't understand it either.

"Can't Kong Ning change his fate?" the new emperor asked.

"I don't know!" Zhang Xuezhou shook his head.

"Do you think she can't change her fate even if she cultivates fortune-telling techniques?" the new emperor pressed.

"Technique is not a panacea!"

Zhang Xuezhou shook his head.

Luck only increases the chances of something happening.

If the success rate of something is 50%, the assistance of luck might increase it to 60% or 70%.

If the probability of something succeeding is only one or two percent, increasing the chance to three or five percent with luck is not very meaningful.

Ultimately, fortune-telling techniques can only be the icing on the cake; the real key to success lies in human effort. If one reverses the order of importance and believes that practicing fortune-telling techniques will inevitably change one's fate, then that is just wishful thinking.

At this time, there was no need to hide one's cultivation of techniques, and Zhang Xuezhou and the new emperor also had related discussions.

Zhang Xuezhou had his own insights, and the new emperor also had an understanding of cultivation.

"I also believe that people are the true foundation, and luck cannot determine everything," the new emperor said. "Luck is more like a belief that one can win. If you believe, you will succeed; if you don't believe, it doesn't necessarily mean you can't succeed!"

"Yes!"

"You have to be strong yourself to succeed. You have to put your skills to the test to see if you have the ability, instead of relying on luck to achieve everything!"

The art of manipulation is portrayed as omnipotent in legends, and it is also imbued with various fantastical elements.

The new emperor was very satisfied with Zhang Xuezhou's pragmatic attitude.

Only by possessing the corresponding abilities can one seize opportunities when fate smiles upon them; if one lacks the ability, even the strongest luck will be of no use.

This is why the new emperor needs talented individuals skilled in the art of destiny, who can effectively leverage the momentum generated by major shifts in the political landscape to propel themselves upwards. In turn, these individuals will undoubtedly contribute their efforts and resources to the process, actively driving everything towards a positive outcome.

The new emperor witnessed Zhang Xuezhou's numerous opportunities to profit. Zhang Xuezhou benefited each time, but he also demonstrated his irreplaceable talent each time, thus securing a share of the spoils.

To be honest, the new emperor didn't mind this kind of subject.

With Zhang Xuezhou around, he at least benefits as well; without him, he gets nothing.

"Fortune has its peaks and its troughs. When one's fortune is at its peak, one needs to have the strength to match one's position, otherwise one may cause trouble. Han Yan suffered from this. He..."

The new emperor murmured as he recounted many things about Han Yan from childhood to adulthood.

The incident of someone who practiced the art of manipulation losing their head happened just a few days ago. If any wise person claims that practicing the art of manipulation can grant one's wishes and obtain everything, the new emperor hopes that such a person can also try practicing the art of manipulation and see if they can obtain what they need.

This is more like a technique to compensate for deficiencies, thereby filling in some gaps in the system.

The cultivator's destiny ultimately rests with themselves, not entirely on luck. To put the cart before the horse will lead to disaster. Perhaps one might escape danger by chance once, but life offers little room for luck.

We've arrived at Mount Tai!

From dusk to night, and from night to the emergence of light.

The new emperor murmured about Han Yan's past for almost an entire night, only stopping when Zhang Xuezhou reminded him.

He stood up on the Sky Shuttle and gazed down at the sea of ​​clouds.

Amidst the sea of ​​clouds, the peaks of Mount Tai occasionally emerge.

Another large flag flutters in the wind among the mountain peaks, thus indicating the location for sacrifices at Mount Tai.

Incense burned continuously on the altar cauldron set up by the crowd, and faint figures appeared beside the cauldron, gradually revealing many familiar faces as they flew closer.

"My lords~"

The new emperor raised his hand and shouted, waking some people who were still asleep. Wei Qing and others, who were very vigilant, gestured for everyone to be quiet.

The arc of the Imperial Shuttle streaked across the sky, and the new emperor in the sea of ​​clouds stepped forward, about to leap down, when he saw a warm sensation behind him.

When he looked up, he saw the sun rising in the sea of ​​clouds.

The sky below remained overcast, but the sea of ​​clouds shone with brilliant light.

The light instantly dispelled the coldness emanating from the new emperor and brought with it boundless power that was reviving within his body.

He felt something within him that wanted to leap out, and the feeling of 'rise and fall' that he had comprehended in Weiyang Palace was almost reappearing.

"Only by reforming the system can we ensure peace and prosperity throughout the land. I intend to reform the system, and once it is accomplished, I will perform the Fengshan ceremony to announce the end of this peaceful period!"

The new emperor shouted.

Holding the newly forged sword from the Pingyang Marquis's mansion, he leaped off the Sky Shuttle, his body treading on clouds as he gracefully descended, momentarily resembling a legendary sword immortal.

Even Wei Qing was slightly taken aback, and then quickly bowed his head in greeting.

"If you gentlemen can master the art of manipulation and become pillars of the Han Dynasty, then what need is there for prohibiting the cultivation of manipulation techniques!"

The new emperor stood with his sword at the great cauldron, gazing at the many people he had carefully selected.

These people included close advisors like Wei Qing, Cao Xiang, the eldest son of Marquis Pingyang Cao Shou, Huo Qubing whom he taught like a son, and even his wife Wei Zifu.

Many of them were no more than forty years old, and some were less than ten years old. They were all young and strong members of the court, or teenagers who had not yet grown up.

These individuals are either worthy of dedicated cultivation or have close ties with the new emperor; only these people dare to allow the new emperor to test the waters in the early stages.

Of the hundred or so people selected, fewer than forty were able to make it to Mount Tai.

It must be said that participating in this kind of sacrificial verification requires sufficient physical strength and courage to travel day and night, and then endure the hardship of temporarily staying at Mount Tai in order to stand here.

The new emperor's gaze swept across the landscape, and he could see Zhu Fuyan hurrying uphill below the mountain, as well as the carriages and tents stationed at the foot of the distant mountain.

Some people made it in time, some came but couldn't participate, and some had been waiting here for a long time.

Participation in the sacrificial ceremony also requires a bit of luck.

Those who failed to arrive were clearly less fortunate, and the new emperor did not force them to.

He reached into his large Qiankun bag and took out an old, coarse cloth notice stamped with the imperial seal.

The notice was printed with the three large characters 'Feng Chan Shu' (封禅书), along with more than a hundred other characters in faint ink, and below them were many unique inscriptions.

If one has the ability to recognize ancient characters, one can distinguish names such as 'Wu Huai Shi', 'Fu Xi', 'Shennong', 'Yan', 'Huang', 'Zhuan Xu', 'Ku', and 'Ji Song'.

Zhang Xuezhou glanced around and clearly saw that the new emperor had taken out the artifacts passed down from previous emperors during the Fengshan ceremony.

Ancient proclamations are no longer relics passed down for thousands of years; they have been replaced time and again. However, there is only one such proclamation in each dynasty.

The proclamation also bears the Qin seal, indicating that the new emperor's proclamation was clearly inherited from the Qin Dynasty. As for which dynasty the Qin Dynasty inherited it from, or whether it was made by itself, that is difficult to determine.