You became an emperor by letting me AFK.

"Yes, many familiar faces are leaving, and some will never be seen again. The temple's leadership is undergoing a reshuffle."

Feng Tianyin's tone carried a hint of melancholy.

Time has no meaning for this body, but those around me remind me of its passage. Some of the talented scholars and great officials I once personally mentored have retired to their hometowns, which is quite poignant.

Unfortunately, they were not as successful as those who passed the imperial examination in the earlier rows; they were late bloomers and did not work long enough.

It needs to be replaced.

"It's a common occurrence to say goodbye to the old and welcome the new; we just need to get used to it gradually."

Gedentana patted her colleague on the shoulder, but because the other person was a head taller, she had to stand on tiptoe.

I felt both moved and gratified. The passage of time had made this high priest more human, less cold and rigid. Instead, he was more charismatic and exuded a more vibrant aura.

Unexpectedly, Feng Tianyin did something surprising again.

She touched the corners of her mouth with both index fingers, and then her lips curved into a smile, revealing bright eyes and white teeth, her face as beautiful as a flower.

"This is……"

"Tiandao once said that I have a cute smile, but that special flow state doesn't come often, so I thought: when I want to express a friendly smile to people, should I do it this way? Would that reduce the feeling of being fake?"

"It's inexplicable, but it does look much more comfortable."

"There is a scientific basis for this. As long as the body language is rich enough, people's visual focus will be on the movements first, and they won't find the face awkward..."

"Stop, stop, stop. No need to explain things to me. Let's get down to business. We should go and preside over the sacrificial ceremony."

"it is good."

Only the great prophet dared to interrupt the high priest's interest in popularizing science, and the latter immediately complied by dressing up.

The maids around him bustled about, doing his makeup and dressing. Everyone present was a highly skilled makeup artist, so of course, a light touch of powder was enough.

The sisters have good genes.

Therefore, applying the usual vermilion eyeshadow, eyelash trimming, and lipstick to Feng Tianyin will suffice.

It's hard to imagine that this person is already 68 years old. Time has frozen on her beautiful face, and despite the changing times, she will continue to wait for the Great Qian Dynasty.

Being around her does make you feel older.

Apart from the first few batches of clerks who were both lucky and talented, most of the successors were already quite old, so it's no wonder that they retired due to their inferiority.

"My lord, it's time to change your clothes."

The key lies in the elaborate and ornate sacrificial robes, which, through continuous evolution and improvement by many tailors of the Great Qian Dynasty, have become aesthetically valuable, but are also troublesome and heavy.

So the high priest walked out of the temple surrounded by a crowd.

She and Gegentana went up to the high platform, where thousands of people were praying below.

Another Heavenly Ritual has begun.

From afar, Feng Tianyin, perched high on the platform, appeared majestic and beautiful, extraordinary and celestial.

For fifty years, the emperor has ruled the country, and the land has prospered year after year.

Her serious demeanor seemed to possess an aura that caused those around her to adopt solemn expressions, while the temple's high-ranking officials, such as scribes and priests, also came forward.

Everyone who glanced at her was stunned, and couldn't help but admire her natural beauty.

Truly a celestial being.

The upper garment is a triple-layered design. The innermost layer is a plain gauze undergarment, as thin as a cicada's wing. The middle layer is a crimson silk robe, with the collar and sleeve edges decorated with the twelve imperial symbols in gold thread. The outer layer is a bright yellow crimson silk robe with cloud and dragon patterns, elegant and luxurious. Below is a dark blue brocade phoenix-tail skirt with twelve panels, symbolizing the twelve months. A jade leather belt is tied at the waist, with the belt buckle carved from Hetian jade into a dragon and phoenix motif. All the ornaments are understated and not ostentatious.

Only the high priest could pull off such attire.

The key is that she is tall, has a well-proportioned frame, and an upright posture, making her a walking clothes rack; she looks good in any outfit.

This saved the makeup artist some trouble.

The most skilled tailors in Xiayi served this purpose, using their superb "interlocking weft" technique to weave a cloud-like pattern, combined with the exquisite "light and shadow brocade" technique, making every stitch valuable and reflecting countless efforts.

Gedentana then gave detailed instructions on the arrangements.

Because this place was no longer a site for religious activities, it often hosted many powerful and influential figures from all over the Great Qian Dynasty.

The Great Prophet arranged the scene meticulously. However, unlike the previous round, the Great Qian Dynasty was now much larger and more prosperous, with a large number of pilgrims and officials arriving from afar. Therefore, a temporary venue was specially set up:

The viewing platform.

In the past, people could simply kneel and pay their respects at the foot of the temple, but now there's no such space.

Rapid urban development has shrunk the space for public activities, unlike in the past when there were just wastelands everywhere where people could lie down.

Moreover, powerful and influential people from all over the country are arriving, so they can't just be settled arbitrarily.

Therefore, this year, Gegentana instructed that a viewing platform be built next to it. The group entered one after another, all dressed in fine clothes and high hats and shoes, arriving with great respect.

They discussed it with faces full of admiration:

"What a huge temple! It should be able to overlook the entire Xia County from the top. Is it technically feasible?"

"This is already considered an old building. Do you see those two spires in the back? The future cathedral will probably be handed over to it many weeks from now."

"It was worth the trip from Loulan; I'm not tired at all now."

"It is the favor of Heaven."

"Haha, yes, we have all benefited from the blessings of the High Priest and the Great Prophet."

Everyone's excitement was palpable, as they came from all corners of the country and it wasn't easy for them to make the trip. The thought of witnessing the descent of the Heavenly Dao filled them with surging emotions and immense anticipation.

Seeing Him is a great blessing, a rare occurrence that happens only once every ten years. Bathing in His gaze in Xia Yi will surely bring abundant wealth.

Some of them had only recently converted to Christianity.

However, once one converts to the faith, one will inevitably experience the arrival of the will of Heaven.

Having experienced the grandeur of countless thoughts converging into a single point, and deeply understanding its magnificence and loftiness, one must have an even stronger experience during a festival. What is that called?

Good fortune.

Many people come here hoping that "pilgrimage here will surely cleanse my sins" and seek forgiveness, at least to make themselves feel better. As a result, the powerful and wealthy flock here, since they have plenty of money, they might as well join in the fun.

Those with money usually can't get onto the viewing platform; instead, they stand in the restricted area next to it.

Power is what allows you to rise to the top.

Those who could sit comfortably and see far were all from long-established local families, high-ranking clerks, local priests, scholars, and those with outstanding achievements, second only to the altar of the temple.

From the high platform, Gedentana waved her hand and said, "Pay tribute."

She stepped aside, and a line of priests beside her brought out countless rare treasures on trays, placing them all in front of the ancestral tablet and altar of the Heavenly Way.

The altar wasn't large, but it immediately felt crowded when filled with all sorts of treasures.

Dazzling.

The accumulated skills of countless workshops, as if contributing to this once-a-decade grand event, naturally produced a large number of precious items, all of which were offered to the heavens.

Although He never accepts them, the necessary rituals cannot be omitted.

The most important event in the Great Qian Dynasty was the festival, which was said to be held once every ten years.

These small trinkets can still be sent, but other gifts, such as Akhal-Teke horses or cathedrals, can only be described with a "congratulatory message" and then burned in a brazier, which can be regarded as sending a letter.

Gedentana carefully directed the tribute payment.

But then Feng Tianyin, who was beside him, suddenly paused and looked up at the sky, where there was nothing.

"Something's up?"

She asked nervously in a low voice, afraid that something might go wrong with her first Heavenly Ritual. After all, theoretically, the entire ceremony was to be handled by the Great Prophet.

"It's nothing, let's continue. Everything's going smoothly, she'll be there on time."

Xia He was already there.

She had previously searched the entire Great Qian territory for possible subspace contamination and also toured the capital, arriving ahead of schedule. She simply used a different perspective to experience the grand event firsthand.

It was for my own benefit, yet I didn't even look at it carefully once. Wouldn't that be a waste of everyone's good intentions?

So I wandered around in the crowd for a bit.

People were packed together.

Before she knew it, Xia He discovered that the capital of the Great Qian Dynasty was now a city with a population of 100,000, which would have been a miracle in ancient times, a veritable behemoth megacity.

Its supporting facilities, household registration management, road network and neighborhoods are still well-organized.

Besides, there were also some faces that were clearly not from the Great Qian Dynasty.

Xia He glanced at them and immediately understood that they were most likely from some city-states in the south. These people had actually converted and were worshipping with the mentality of pilgrims. In that case, perfect. She should indeed make a big show of it and add special effects to convert these people into believers all at once to pave the way for expansion.

With this thought in mind, she returned to her overhead view and prepared for the ceremony.

"She should be here soon."

With Feng Tianyin's keen senses, she naturally discovered the clues.

However, because the creator was unable to pinpoint the exact location while rapidly switching between "different camera angles," she simply continued to sit upright on the futon in front of the altar, closing her eyes to rest and await good news.

Fortunately.

After confirming that everything was alright, Gegentana continued working, determined to take over the tasks previously undertaken by Feng Tianyin.

The meaning of the divine promotion of the great prophet is to separate religious affairs.

The High Priest retains the actual religious leadership but is detached from specific affairs, allowing her to manage the operations in order to improve efficiency.

If you do a good job, your status will rise accordingly.

Many were watching the Great Prophet's performance, so she had to be extremely focused. Thus, Gengantana took a deep breath and cautiously stepped into the totem to begin the final blessing ritual:

Imitating Feng Tianyin's dance as a host, while simultaneously resonating with psychic energy—

hum!

A tangible energy suddenly rose between heaven and earth, dazzling and colorful, wispy and delicate, leaving everyone in awe.

Even Gergentana: "Is this right?"

"Because the influence of the Heavenly Dao Sect has grown stronger, the spiritual energy entrusted to faith has begun to manifest. This is a sign that the gaze of the Heavenly Dao has descended. Continue. Stay calm and let your dance resonate with that energy."

Feng Tianyin's unwavering tone strengthened her resolve, and her movements became even more graceful.