Transmigrating over ten thousand years late, I was forced to become a mighty presence - Chapter 547

Chapter 547: Chapter 242 Xia Yunqiu’s Peril_1
 

The solar eclipse anomaly marking the opening of the Secret Realm Square-Inch had lasted a full seven days.

Throughout the history of the Primal Chaos Realm, such a prolonged eclipse had never been seen.

The people of the Primal Chaos Realm had gone from initial shock, to mid-way panic, and finally to acceptance as the norm.

The seemingly terrifying seven-day eclipse, in fact, hadn’t brought about any serious impact to the people of the Primal Chaos Realm.

Having experienced various changes brought about by the Spirit Energy Tidal Surge, the people of the Primal Chaos Realm had developed a strong tolerance for such transcendental phenomena.

Compared to the monster tribe besieging their cities and Ghost Objects running rampant, this eclipse, aside from the inconvenience of not having sunlight for daily activity, did not bring about a disaster in the real sense.

The only place in the Primal Chaos Realm that was significantly affected by the eclipse was Great Xia’s Imperial Capital.

Great Xia, Imperial Capital.

The black hole that served as the entrance to the Secret Realm Square-Inch, resembling a Great Sun, still hung high in the sky. Below this round of black sun, tens of thousands of soldiers dressed in rune armor patrolled and kept watch within the Imperial Capital.

Guards Commander Hoe Shao, one of the Nine Ministers, rode his spirit beast mount leading a group of military cultivators on an inspection tour within the Imperial City.

Seven days ago, with the opening of the Secret Realm Square-Inch, over a thousand powerful cultivators had broken through the seal of the Imperial Capital Great Array Formation and rushed into the Secret Realm.

Realizing this as a prime opportunity, Emperor Xia decisively ordered the mobilization of the dynasty’s forces, seeking to re-establish All City Gods before the closure of the Secret Realm, and in order to ensure the smooth conduct of lighting the City God Incense, he actively conceded the City God positions to local powerhouses.

This move, which could be deemed as radical, aroused criticisms from all levels of the court and the political arena, but ultimately, Emperor Xia overruled all objections and unified the will of the court and the political scene.

Just after the Imperial Decree was issued from the Imperial City, an unexpected accident occurred.

Hundreds of cultivators were eliminated by the Secret Realm Square-Inch in the very first hour and voluntarily exited the trial of the Secret Realm.

Although the vast majority of these cultivators were Loose Cultivators, the sudden appearance of so many cultivators still had a great impact on the entire Imperial Capital.

Especially since Emperor Xia wanted to take the opportunity of numerous cultivators going to the Secret Realm to plan the re-establishment of All City Gods, but these cultivators suddenly returning disrupted Emperor Xia’s original plans.

After all, no one could be sure whether sect cultivators or Spirit Refining True Beings would return in advance to affect the current situation.

Emperor Xia decisively ordered the 8 Great Legions within Jing Province to enter the Imperial Capital, combining forces with the Imperial Capital Great Array Formation to seal off the exit of the Secret Realm Square-Inch, and to immediately suppress any cultivator escaping from the Secret Realm.

In just one day, nearly half of the cultivators were eliminated and returned to the Imperial Capital, including sect disciples and members of noble families; the intensity was far beyond Emperor Xia’s expectations.

Just when everyone thought that the return of the powerful experts from the sects would disrupt Emperor Xia’s plans, no more Trialists exited the Secret Realm Square-Inch.

For six consecutive days, not a single person fled from the Secret Realm Square-Inch, which allowed Great Xia’s Imperial Court to sigh in relief and expedite the preparations for the re-establishment of All City Gods.

Inside the Imperial City, a ninety-five zhang tall altar had been constructed, and at its base, 3,650 incense burners enshrined Bright Divine Path Incense, symbolizing the 3,650 City God Temples within Great Xia.

Most of the Bright Divine Path Incense in these incense burners had already been lit, and wisps of blue smoke rose from the burners to the top of the altar, where a shrine hall made of what seemed like cast gold flickered in and out of existence amidst the swirls of incense smoke.

As time passed, the martial law within the Imperial Capital continued, and the remaining incense burners were being lit one by one.

Standing at the base of the altar, Xu YanKuan flipped through the City God Registry in his hands, his expression solemn as he checked the progress of the City God Temples being lit.

Pointing to a name on the City God Registry, Xu YanKuan said in a stern voice:

“Guyue County of Shang Province was supposed to light the incense fire three days ago; why has there been no movement until now?”

A nearby Incense Offering Officer hurriedly responded:

“Reporting to Taichang, there are three major families in Guyue County with intertwined and complex relations behind them, all vying for the rights to the City God position.

Although the City God Ministry already ordered a decision to be made within three days, the three families have refused to yield to one another, and no decision has been made.”

Xu YanKuan glanced at the Incense Offering Officer with a cold gaze and said:

“I remember that Guyue County is only a hundred miles away from the provincial capital. Since the three major families disregard His Majesty’s decree, send an order to the provincial capital’s military to go to Guyue County and exterminate the three major families.

As for the City God position, let the provincial capital’s military handle it. Ensure everything is arranged properly within three hours.”

The Incense Offering Officers and City God envoys looked at Xu YanKuan in disbelief.

Then they bowed their heads and reverently replied:

“We shall follow Taichang’s orders carefully!”

“Apart from Guyue County, the same applies to other counties as well.

No matter what it takes, I need to see all the incense burners on the altar lit within three hours!”

As the words fell, Xu YanKuan, holding the City God Registry, stepped toward the deeper part of the Imperial Palace.

Moving through the heavily guarded palace, Xu YanKuan entered the Mind-nourishing Hall.

There was no light source in the Mind-nourishing Hall, and within the dimly lit great hall, Emperor Xia sat on the throne, his gaze fixed on the black Great Sun in the sky, seemingly pondering something.

Seeing this, Xu YanKuan bowed and then spoke:

“Reporting to Your Majesty, a total of three thousand five hundred ninety-seven City God Furnaces have been lit, and the remaining fifty-three City God Furnaces are expected to be all lit within three hours.

Once the incense fires of All City Gods are in place, all that is needed is for Your Majesty to ascend the altar and offer the incense fire to the Capital City God position to revive All City Gods within Great Xia.”