The Divine Weapon Ancestral Land is a sacred place for worshiping the nation-guarding divine weapons.
Among the Thirty-Six Nations of the Central Plains, each nation holds a corresponding Divine Weapon Ancestral Land.
For the royal families of these nations, the worship of the divine weapons is of utmost importance, even more so than ancestral worship or honoring past emperors.
In the Great Flame Dynasty, it was only due to Lin Yuan's absolute authority and his ability to withstand the court's pressure that the divine weapon worship was delayed for fifty to sixty years.
However, despite this delay, the number of living sacrifices sent to the Divine Weapon Ancestral Land each year did not diminish by even a fraction.
Lin Yuan chose to turn a blind eye to this situation.
Unlike matters such as throne succession, any slight reduction in the living sacrifices would inevitably be detected by the divine weapons.
Once they awaken, they would seek sacrifices on their own, and the consequences of such an awakening would be unbearable for the Great Flame Dynasty.
The amount of sacrifices needed would far exceed what was required while the divine weapons slept.
Therefore, without sufficient strength to subdue the divine weapons, maintaining the status quo and buying time to become stronger was the wisest choice.
At least this way, Lin Yuan could choose when to act, like now.
It was a perfect opportunity.
Lin Yuan planned to lure the divine weapons out during the ritual and strike at the moment they began to feast.
After agreeing to permit the worship of the divine weapons, the Minister of Rites and numerous officials became busy with preparations for the ceremonies.
While they were preparing, Lin Yuan returned to the Heavenly Conquest Hall to contemplate the matter of the divine weapons.
Since he had resolved to make a move against the divine weapons, Lin Yuan was naturally well-prepared.
By combing through the memories of many 'cursed weapons,' Lin Yuan had gained a deep understanding of the Thirty-Six Divine Weapons.
In terms of combat strength, Lin Yuan was confident he was not weaker than any divine weapon.
However, he needed to be cautious of the divine weapons' trump card: their ability to merge with heaven and earth.
Both divine and cursed weapons are manifestations of the essence of heavenly laws and can merge back if necessary.
Cursed weapons, having broken forms, cannot return to the heavens, but divine weapons can.
Once they merge back, even if Lin Yuan were a hundred or a thousand times stronger, he wouldn't be able to harm them unless he could destroy heaven and earth itself.
Yet, divine weapons would only choose to return as a last resort, since such an action would cleanse their consciousness, effectively 'reformatting' them.
Even if they re-emerged many centuries later, they would not be the same weapon, as their consciousness would have changed.
Knowing this, Lin Yuan wouldn't idly stand by as the divine weapons returned to their origin.
His main purpose for confronting the divine weapons was to subdue them and comprehend the essence of the rules they contained.
Over the decades, the essence of the rules from countless cursed weapon fragments had offered Lin Yuan great enlightenment.
But these were only fragments.
An intact divine weapon, with a complete essence of rules, could elevate him to the fourth tier.
Not just any fourth tier, but one with a foundation rooted in the essence of rules.
"Since the divine weapons can merge with heaven and earth," Lin Yuan mused, "then I will simply isolate them."
Over the course of eighty years since arriving in this realm, Lin Yuan had used his heaven-defying comprehension to create a secret art that could isolate heaven and earth.
By using eighty-one cursed weapons at their core, he could seal off an area completely, isolating it from the heavens.
This ‘sealing’ has a time limit.
Heaven and earth can repair themselves, and the best Lin Yuan can manage is to seal off an area for one hour, thus isolating a section of heaven and earth for that duration.
The Great Flame Emperor's journey to the Ancestral Land to worship the divine weapons became the top priority of the court.
Rituals were prepared meticulously, with many lively practitioners being selected as sacrifices for the divine weapons.
Since Lin Yuan's ascension to the throne, although he did not reduce the number of sacrifices, he tried to ensure they came from those condemned to death or severe punishment.
If the numbers were insufficient, willing volunteers from the populace were recruited.
Those who volunteered would ensure that their families, either parents or children, received care from the court.
Elders would be supported by the Great Flame, and descendants would have advantages in education, government, or military service.
This policy once sparked heated debate, with many ministers arguing it wasn't necessary and that commoners should feel honored to be sacrificed to the divine weapons.
The policy certainly strained the state treasury, but Lin Yuan enforced it with determination.
The ritual process was complex.
After a day of preparation, the final worship ceremony commenced.
Lin Yuan, as emperor, led the procession, walking toward the central underground chamber of the ancestral land.
Hours passed, and Lin Yuan stood, his gaze deep and fixed on the central altar.
In his perception, a mighty, mountain-like presence began to emerge.
The aura was fierce and majestic, sharper and more powerful than any cursed weapon Lin Yuan had encountered.
Despite the existence of the 'Heaven-Splitting Axe,' which was nearly complete at ninety percent, it paled in comparison to this aura.
Over eight thousand years, cursed weapons remained stagnant, while the Thirty-Six Divine Weapons had continuously absorbed the vitality and souls of living beings, gradually growing stronger.
Over these millennia, their power naturally surpassed what they once were.
Moreover, these Thirty-Six Divine Weapons fought their way to prominence out of a war among a hundred divine weapons, marking them as the strongest among their kind.
"The Sun and Moon Spear," Lin Yuan murmured, a glint of color flashing across his face.
This was the nation-guarding divine weapon of the Great Flame Dynasty, noted as one of the most offensive among the Thirty-Six Divine Weapons.
In the ancient war, the Sun and Moon Spear pierced through at least seven or eight divine weapons, earning it a fearsome reputation.
"That's enough. All of you may leave," Lin Yuan ordered the ministers and royal family members as he sensed the Sun and Moon Spear was about to appear to consume the offerings.
"I have words to exchange with the divine weapon."
"Yes. We shall take our leave," they acquiesced, relieved as the lingering pressure of the Sun and Moon Spear's aura was overwhelming for ordinary people.
Sharing space with such overwhelming presence was arduous.
The Great Flame royal family, being the 'spokespeople' of the divine weapon, made it perfectly normal for Lin Yuan, as the emperor, to have a private moment with it.
Soon, everyone had respectfully departed, leaving Lin Yuan alone on the vast, expansive altar, save for the living human offerings kneeling in the distance.
These living sacrifices, all death row inmates, were already unconscious to ensure the ritual proceeded smoothly.
Lin Yuan stood still, patiently awaiting the divine weapon's emergence.
He had restrained his aura.
Otherwise, the sheer strength of his blood and energy would have already driven the Sun and Moon Spear into madness, rather than letting it proceed 'slowly.'
With rumbling, Lin Yuan watched as a hundred-zhang long divine dragon, encircled by the sun and moon, emerged slowly.
"A dragon?" Lin Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly.
Not a true dragon.
This ‘divine dragon’ was but an illusory form created by the divine weapon's aura.
Lin Yuan observed the core of the ‘divine dragon’ illusion, where an indistinct long spear floated.
It was the divine weapon, the Sun and Moon Spear.
Lin Yuan's expression showed a hint of seriousness.
He had seen divine weapons before in the memories of various ‘cursed weapons,’ and had even witnessed scenes of the Sun and Moon Spear striking out.
But those were merely scenes.
Compared to the tangible presence of the actual Sun and Moon Spear, those scenes were like the faint glow of a firefly against the brilliance of the moon.
"Whoosh!"
The Sun and Moon Spear trembled lightly, and the towering divine dragon illusion opened its massive jaws, inhaling the offerings with a gentle suction.
Instantly, the life force, vitality, and souls of the offerings were consumed by the dragon.
"The offerings this time are satisfactory," the Sun and Moon Spear emitted a vast mental wave, showing a hint of satisfaction.
"Are you the new emperor?" it asked, sensing something anew, another mental wave emanating.
"Correct," Lin Yuan nodded.
"In that case..."
The Sun and Moon Spear began to sway, and an enigmatic aura descended.
Every emperor is marked with the divine weapon's seal during these ceremonies, a mark that serves both as a deterrent and a restriction.
Lin Yuan had yet to cleanse his father, the former emperor, due to this divine weapon's mark.
"Wait," Lin Yuan said, breaking his silence.
As he uttered the word ‘wait,’ he lifted his right foot to take a step.
By the time he finished saying ‘wait,’ his foot had touched the ground, and the surrounding heaven and earth were isolated, centered on the altar.
(End of Chapter)