The sky was still dark, not yet dawn.
The biting chill of the early morning wind cut like a knife. Liu Qi’an breathed in the cold air, invigorating his spirit.
About ten meters away, Song Tingfeng said, “After the ceremony, shall we go to the Jiaofang Department to play that Russian roulette game?”
Hearing this, Zhu Guangxiao on the other side showed interest.
Liu Qi’an had already taught the basics of Russian roulette to his two colleagues. Ancient people had never heard of such an outlandish game and found it quite scandalous.
The usually quiet Zhu Guangxiao couldn’t stand it at first, angrily rebuking Liu Qi’an for being indecent.
But afterward, the more he thought about it, the more exciting and tempting it seemed.
“We’ll see,” Liu Qi’an said.
This era lacked smooth, thin protective gear, which made him a bit reluctant.
“You’re no fun,” Song Tingfeng said unhappily. He had piqued their interest, but now wouldn’t satisfy their curiosity.
“I can be the game master and teach you how to play,” Liu Qi’an offered.
“No way, you have to play too. That way it shows our deep friendship,” Song Tingfeng flatly refused.
“He wants you to invite Miss Fuxiang as well,” Zhu Guangxiao exposed his old friend’s ulterior motives.
As they chatted, Song Tingfeng frowned and asked, “Why do you keep looking at the lake?”
Liu Qi’an answered honestly, “I just feel like Sangbo Lake has an eerie atmosphere. It makes me uncomfortable.”
“Shut up!” Song Tingfeng said in a low voice. “You must be chilled by the wind. Sangbo is the holy land of Great Feng, where the founding emperor attained the Dao. Don’t spout nonsense.”
Zhu Guangxiao added a warning: “High-level martial artists have keen senses. If someone overhears such talk, you could be punished.”
Liu Qi’an immediately fell silent.
At that moment, the deep, resounding toll of bells and drums echoed in everyone’s ears, evoking a solemn atmosphere.
The night watchmen, who had been chatting casually earlier, instantly quieted down and put on serious expressions.
Accompanied by ceremonial music, a grand procession left the imperial palace, heading towards Sangbo Lake.
There were no horses or carriages; everyone was on foot.
The procession for the ancestral worship included the imperial family, royal clan members, and civil and military officials – hundreds of people in total.
This group represented nearly all of the Great Feng Dynasty’s power elite.
At the forefront, Emperor Yuanjing wore a simple Daoist robe. His black hair was tied up with a wooden hairpin. Though over fifty, he had a long flowing beard and handsome features, exuding the ethereal aura of a cultivated Daoist master.
Behind him on either side were the elegant and noble Empress and the voluptuous Noble Consort.
Then came the princes and princesses.
Emperor Yuanjing had many children – twelve princes, but only four princesses. The eldest princess was only 25 this year, nearly a decade younger than the crown prince.
This princess, renowned in the capital for both talent and beauty, had clear eyes like deep pools and a fair complexion. She walked silently in the procession, cool and aloof.
As the music played, the procession arrived before a golden-yellow tent. The Daoist-like Emperor Yuanjing entered the imperial tent, accompanied by two head eunuchs.
Everyone else remained outside.
The officials in charge of the ceremony busied themselves – some invoking the spirits, others arranging the formation, preparing for the emperor’s subsequent ancestral worship.
Liu Qi’an kept his body still but strained to turn his head, trying to catch glimpses of the ceremony with his peripheral vision.
He saw a line of people carrying spirit tablets covered with yellow silk cloths. They walked along the winding walkway over the water, ascended the high platform, and placed the tablets on the large altar in front of the temple.
After this group returned, another line under the guidance of Ministry of Rites officials brought out sacrificial vessels and offerings. There were many types, numbering at least two to three hundred items.
When all preparations were complete, the Minister of Rites called out in front of the imperial tent: “The spirits have been pacified. We humbly welcome Your Majesty.”
The princes, princesses, and officials all knelt in unison.
A head eunuch lifted the curtain, revealing Emperor Yuanjing, now dressed in imperial yellow robes, his expression solemn.
At this moment, he no longer had the transcendent air of a Daoist master, only the majesty of a mortal emperor.
“This ceremony feels even grander than the highest-level meetings in my past life… It was worth coming, truly worth it…” Just as Liu Qi’an was thoroughly engrossed, he suddenly felt his heart flutter, knowing someone had spoken in the Book of Heaven and Earth group chat.
He waited a moment for the patrol to pass by, then reached into his robe. Without fully taking out the jade mirror, he half-exposed it and glanced at it.
[Two: I remember today is the day of the Great Feng imperial family’s ancestral worship. One and Three, is that right?]
[Four: Counting the days, it is indeed the grand ceremony today. I once attended the imperial ancestral worship in years past.]
[Two: Years past? Heh, Four, so you were once an official and not a low-ranking one?]
[Four: Mm.]
Four was once an official… Liu Qi’an was startled. Wasn’t Four acquainted with the female National Preceptor of the Human Dao?
Ah, that could still make sense. It was precisely because he had been an official that he became acquainted with the female National Preceptor.
It seemed Four also had quite a story.
Liu Qi’an found this very interesting. The holders of the Book of Heaven and Earth fragments were all extraordinary individuals with mysterious identities and strong cultivation.
Interacting with them was like playing a game, peeling back their layers of mystery one by one.
[Two: Interesting. One hasn’t replied, and neither has Three.]
Damn this sneaky bastard… Liu Qi’an’s mouth twitched as he suddenly realized he had fallen into a trap.
Two wasn’t concerned about the imperial ancestral worship when he sent this message. It was a test.
A test of Three and One’s identities.
Given the connection between the Book and its holders, even if they were asleep, they would be awakened. So there was no possibility of missing the message due to rest.
Unless there was an urgent situation preventing a reply.
But both One and Three couldn’t have urgent situations simultaneously. If that were truly the case, it would mean they were both participating in the ceremony and couldn’t take out their Book fragments to reply in front of so many people.
At this moment, Liu Qi’an’s actions caught Song Tingfeng’s attention.
He discreetly let go of his hand, allowing the half-exposed jade mirror to slide back into his pocket.
“Pay attention and don’t make unnecessary movements,” Song Tingfeng frowned and admonished.
“I know, I know,” Liu Qi’an responded perfunctorily.
This is bad. I’m a disciple of the Cloud Deer Academy. I have no reason or qualification to attend the imperial ancestral worship… My identity has been exposed… Damn, these Heaven and Earth Society members are all so cunning and scheming.
But One didn’t reply either… Heh, he (or she) must also be present. Who could it be?
As Liu Qi’an’s thoughts churned, the other members of the Heaven and Earth Society, holders of the Book fragments, were pondering the same questions.
Wasn’t Three a disciple of the Cloud Deer Academy? As was widely known, the Academy had almost completely severed ties with official careers. Even if some had official positions, they wouldn’t qualify to attend the imperial ancestral worship.
Moreover, judging by Three’s image so far, as a student of the Cloud Deer Academy, it was even more impossible for him to attend the ceremony.
Could it be that Three wasn’t a disciple of the Cloud Deer Academy?
No, that didn’t explain previous events.
Unless he was attending the imperial ancestral worship in another capacity – yes, perhaps as someone the Cloud Deer Academy had placed in various government departments?
But which department, and in what position?
As for One’s identity, they weren’t surprised, as they already knew One was a high-ranking government official.
[Two: Four, you were once an official. Why don’t you analyze Three’s situation?]
[Four: I do have some guesses, but why should I tell you?]
[Six: Two, you’re not even in the capital. Even if you knew One and Three’s identities, what could you do?]
Both Four and Six were subtly speaking up for Three.
Liu Qi’an resisted the urge to check the messages.
After observing the ancestral worship ceremony for a while, Liu Qi’an once again felt something strange stirring inside him.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that Sangbo Lake had an eerie atmosphere, giving him an inexplicable sense of danger.
Suddenly, amidst the ceremonial music, Liu Qi’an heard an odd sound.
The voice was saying:
“Save me, save me…”
Liu Qi’an was stunned for a moment. He listened carefully, but the voice had vanished.
“Tingfeng, Guangxiao, did you hear any strange sounds?” Liu Qi’an asked his two colleagues nearby.
“You mean the ceremonial music? It is indeed… quite ear-splitting,” Song Tingfeng changed his words mid-sentence, his survival instinct kicking in. He had wanted to say it sounded terrible.
Zhu Guangxiao simply shook his head.
Just as Liu Qi’an was about to speak, that eerie voice came again. This time he heard it coming from Sangbo Lake.
“Save me, save me…”
The voice was shrill and oppressed, utterly chilling, like a malevolent ghost whispering in one’s ear.