"Bring forth the offerings!"
After the elaborate ritual concluded, Ying Zheng commanded loudly.
His heart was filled with anticipation.
At the same time, he was a little nervous.
Although he had already witnessed others making sacrifices.
This was, after all, his first time, like a maiden going to her sedan chair for the first time.
If the deity did not manifest, he would be finished.
Meanwhile.
His consciousness sank into the chat group.
Lord of Qin: "Everyone, my sacrifice has begun! I'm live-streaming it for you now!"
God's Dog: "Is King Qin making a sacrifice? Anticipation.jpg. I get to see my God's majestic figure again, excitement.jpg."
Saintess of Spirit Hall: "Anticipation +1"
Mount Hua Sect Leader: "Anticipation +1"
Overlord of the World Society: "Anticipation +1"
Descendant of the Great Yan Imperial Family: "Anticipation +1"
Second Boss of Tu Shan: "Anticipation +1"
Immediately after.
The live stream began.
They saw the massive altar outside Xianyang City, and the more than one hundred thousand people surrounding it.
There were armored soldiers, civil and military officials, and common folk.
The group members, who had already witnessed many grand spectacles, remained calm.
As Ying Zheng gave his command, the offerings, including the three sacrificial animals, six domestic animals, and five grains, which had been prepared long in advance, were brought to the altar.
"What is that? Gold, silver, and jade artifacts?"
"And divine weapons and treasured swords?"
"Has Ying Zheng gone mad? Gold, silver, and jade artifacts are one thing, but using a weapon like a sword as an offering? Isn't he afraid of angering the gods? Of incurring divine wrath?"
The Hundred Schools of Thought, the Six Kingdoms' forces, and the civil and military officials of Great Qin stared wide-eyed.
They looked at the offerings prepared by Ying Zheng in disbelief.
However, what shocked them even more was Jing Ni, holding the Jing Ni Sword, gracefully walking onto the altar.
"King Qin is actually sacrificing living people to the gods!?"
"Is that… the Jing Ni Sword?"
"It is the Jing Ni Sword!"
"Is this woman the Luo Net's top assassin, Jing Ni?"
"No mistake, her strength is immense, and her killing intent is thick. She is definitely Luo Net's top assassin!"
"Holy crap!"
"Ying Zheng must be insane!"
"Sacrificing living people is an outrage against the world!"
"He even let Luo Net's top assassin bring the Jing Ni Sword, a weapon that has killed countless people, onto the altar!"
"Isn't he afraid of offending heaven and provoking divine wrath?"
"Ying Zheng is courting death!"
"Excellent, our chance has come!"
"Even if a god came now, they couldn't save him!"
The forces of the Six Kingdoms and the Hundred Schools of Thought hostile to Qin rejoiced in their hearts.
With Ying Zheng doing this, any problem that arose, whether it was drought, floods, or mudslides, could be blamed on him, claiming he had angered the heavens and incurred divine punishment.
After all, since ancient times, who would ever offer a weapon as a sacrifice to the gods, especially a Luo Net weapon?
The gods would surely be enraged.
At the same time.
Ying Zheng's sacrifice of living people was also the act of a tyrant.
"Your Majesty, you must not!"
"A sword is a weapon of ill omen. How can it be used to sacrifice to the gods? Moreover, a Luo Net weapon that has killed countless people, please retract your command, Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty, since ancient times, there has never been a precedent for using weapons in sacrifices to the gods. Please retract the offerings, Your Majesty!"
...
One by one, the ministers wept bitterly, pleading with all their might.
They seemed determined not to give up until Ying Zheng withdrew the offerings.
Overlord of the World Society: "A bunch of foolish ministers! My God is a true God! How can he be compared to those false gods? Drag them out and behead them!"
God's Dog: "Sect Leader Xiong is mighty!"
Second Boss of Tu Shan: "Sect Leader Xiong is mighty!"
Saintess of Spirit Hall: "Sect Leader Xiong is mighty!"
Descendant of the Great Yan Imperial Family: "That's too brutal! Shouldn't we make such people realize the greatness of our God, then let them embrace our God and become believers?"
Mount Hua Sect Leader: "Look, King Qin is making a move!"
Ying Zheng looked at the group of ministers trying to dissuade him, his eyes unchanged. He waved his hand and said, "Drag them away. The sacrifice continues."
If he really stopped now.
Everything he had done would be in vain.
He would also face countless doubts and attacks.
And lose the support of the people.
Today's sacrifice.
It could only succeed, not fail.
No one could stop it.
At this moment.
Lu Buwei, standing at the forefront of the civil and military officials, moved.
Under everyone's gaze, he walked step by step to Ying Zheng, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, today is not suitable for sacrificing to the gods. Please return to the palace, Your Majesty!"
His voice was firm and resolute.
It showed his stance.
Ying Zheng unleashed his powerful imperial aura, ignoring Lu Buwei's words, and walked directly to the altar, stating unequivocally:
"Everyone, follow this king in praying to the God of Grandmist."
"Those who disobey."
"Shall be executed without mercy."
His voice was equally firm, equally resolute.
It carried an unyielding, unquestionable determination.
Zhao Gao and the Luo Net experts guarded both sides, while loyal armored soldiers kept a vigilant eye on their surroundings.
Lu Buwei clenched his fists.
His face was grim.
The civil and military ministers exchanged glances.
They seemed to sense an impending storm.
"I'd like to see what tricks you can pull!"
Lu Buwei sneered inwardly.
He did not force Ying Zheng to return to the palace, because he saw Ying Zheng's determination.
Once he forcibly acted, a conflict was likely to erupt.
And internal strife in Qin was not what he wanted to see.
Only when Qin was strong would his power be strong.
If Qin weakened, his power would also weaken.
He still didn't believe that Ying Zheng could truly make a deity manifest.
As long as the deity did not manifest.
Everything Ying Zheng did today would be irreversible.
He might even lose his throne.
"What a pity!"
The Six Kingdoms and the Hundred Schools of Thought secretly lamented. It would have been great if Lu Buwei and Ying Zheng had clashed.
Unfortunately, Lu Buwei restrained himself.
However, they were also very happy.
Because this scene today was enough to show that the relationship between Lu Buwei and Ying Zheng was like fire and water.
Two tigers cannot share one mountain.
They would clash sooner or later.
Then their opportunity would come.
"Ying Zheng is probably finished!"
In the Mohist camp, Master Ban looked at Ying Zheng praying before the altar and shook his head, saying.
"Indeed."
The Mohist Giant, Six-Fingered Black俠, clad in a black robe, nodded and said indifferently:
"Sacrificing living people will inevitably make him a tyrant, and he has already lost the people's support."
"Sacrificing with a weapon will inevitably offend the 'gods,' and he has already lost heaven's mandate."
"Having lost both the people's support and heaven's mandate, how can he still rule the world?"
Not just the Mohists.
Confucianism, Taoism, the Hundred Schools of Thought, and the Six Kingdoms all seemed to foresee the downfall of the King of Qin.
Although a new King of Qin would ascend after his downfall.
The succession of power in Qin would inevitably lead to a decline in strength, and they would have no time to bother with the Six Kingdoms and the Hundred Schools of Thought.
This was their opportunity to grow and strengthen.
"Ying Zheng is going all in, cutting off his own retreat!"
Among the Yin-Yang School, the exquisitely beautiful Yan Fei parted her red lips, speaking softly, her voice ethereal and distant.
"Could it be that Ying Zheng has truly obtained information about a deity and is confident that the deity will manifest?"
A hint of anticipation suddenly arose in Luna's heart.
Their Yin-Yang School believed in deities and sought traces of them.
Unfortunately.
They had never seen a true deity.
God's Dog: "Ignorant people, I can't wait to see how wonderful their expressions will be when my God descends!"
Mount Hua Sect Leader: "Anticipation +1"
Saintess of Spirit Hall: "Anticipation +1"
Overlord of the World Society: "Anticipation +1"
Second Boss of Tu Shan: "Anticipation +1"
Descendant of the Great Yan Imperial Family: "Anticipation +1"
And just then, the altar changed. Runes on it seemed to come alive, emitting dazzling light.
Immediately after.
A dazzling pillar of light, reaching to the heavens, erupted from the altar.
It shot straight into the sky.
Brilliantly dazzling.
Everyone's eyes widened.
Could there really be a deity?
...