The Eye of Heaven in the void bore no expression. It remained still and indifferent, gazing silently. The Heavenly Dao is impartial, free of bias. The Great Yi had indeed bled for the Eternal World, fought against its enemies, and even invaded the Evernight Battlefield directly—holding back the demonic legions of Evernight for a full twenty years. In this second round of the Battlefield of Gods and Demons, no other force could compare to that feat. The Great Yi's promotion was something the Heavenly Dao would never obstruct.
Nor could it possibly deny it.
However, it also would not give open approval. Silence was tacit acknowledgment.
"First bow to the Earth! The earth nurtures all living things. Humanity stands upon it. The earth is our mother, bestowing grace upon all beings!"Cai Yong, as the chief officiant, intoned solemnly.
Without hesitation, Yi Tianxing ascended the first level of the Heaven-Sacrificing Platform, stepping forward and kneeling deeply in reverence. This bow honored the earth's nurturing of humanity, giving them a place to stand, live, and reproduce, generation after generation.
Boom!!
With this bow, the ground trembled. The entire territory of Great Yi surged with profound Xuanhuang energy. One could even sense the earth itself subtly quaking. An invisible power of the land converged upon the sacrificial platform. On the first level, countless runes flickered, and the pressure intensified sharply. Divine light burst forth. If cultivators observed with mystical sight, they would see vast swaths of verdant green light spreading across the Hanhai Realm. This green energy was the Fortune of the Earth, perfectly aligned with Great Yi's own aura. The green areas marked the locations of immortal cities, each radiating outward for a thousand miles.
The farther from these centers one looked, however, the thinner the earth's fortune became.
That was the wilderness. Beyond the green came zones of blue, and then yellow. But even in the furthest regions, traces of yellow earth-fortune still rose—showing that Great Yi's control there was not weak. At the very least, its influence could not be ignored. Given time, even these areas could be fully assimilated. The land was generous and could provide an endless stream of fortune.
Yi Tianxing performed this bow with sincere piety, fully willing and devoted.
"Second bow to the Heavens! The heavens are father; the Heavens move with strength. The human race must strive for self-improvement!"Cai Yong's voice rang out again.
Yi Tianxing ascended to the second tier, kneeling once more. The heavens gave space for humans to live. Only through self-reliance could humanity flourish endlessly and pass down their legacy. Heaven provides opportunity to all beings equally. No race is born noble—Heaven treats all without bias.
This Heaven was not the Heavenly Dao, but the Will of Heaven. Heaven and Earth nurture all people, including the people of Great Yi—this was undeniable.
As the rite continued, an invisible force from the void gathered atop the sacrificial platform. The second tier was soon enshrouded in divine radiance.
"Third bow to the Dao! The Great Dao is impartial, the Heavenly Dao selfless. The Dao shapes all things. The Dao is boundless. May the Dao have compassion on the hardship of humanity and protect our race, that our legacy may never perish!"Cai Yong continued presiding over the ceremony.
Yi Tianxing stepped onto the third level. The instant his foot touched it, he clearly felt an invisible will descend upon him—that of Heaven and Earth. Only now was he truly facing the cosmos and being tested.
Almost immediately, unimaginable pressure crushed down on him. Even Yi Tianxing felt his breathing falter, as if on the verge of suffocation.
"I, Yi Tianxing, Lord of the Great Yi Emperor Dynasty, hereby offer sacrifice to the Heaven, Earth, and Dao. May they show mercy. The position of Emperor Dynasty can no longer bear the weight of Great Yi's national fortune. Thus, I respectfully petition the Dao to permit our ascension to the rank of Sacred Court."
Despite the crushing weight upon him, Yi Tianxing never hesitated. Each word was spoken with unwavering clarity. But with every syllable, the pressure mounted. Without sufficient cultivation or firm will, one would not even be able to speak—crushed and thrown from the platform.
This was the true formal sacrifice. Every word and action would be eternally imprinted into the fabric of Heaven and Earth.
As he spoke, divine light flowed across the sacrificial platform. Scene after scene unfolded:
Great Yi immortal cities suppressing the wilderness. Countless bounty hunters guarding the frontier. The Iron-Blooded Great Wall protecting the borders. Millions of Great Yi troops charging into the Battlefield of Gods and Demons, locked in brutal combat with Evernight's forces. Even the moment when they crossed the realms through the Well of Gods and Demons appeared.
One by one, vivid and lifelike, the images inspired awe and reverence.
These were Great Yi's deeds and merits before Heaven and Earth. The higher-ups knew of them, but for the common citizens, such stories had been hearsay—until now. Seeing them with their own eyes, they were moved to tears, their hearts swelling with pride.
Great Yi's rise was no fluke. It was forged from the blood of countless warriors and the tireless efforts of countless wise officials.
"The Emperor has labored tirelessly to build this foundation. The government is clean, the people live in peace, and the army is strong. With such prosperity, how could we not rise to the rank of Sacred Court?"
"That's right! We've long heard tales of our Great Yi soldiers slaughtering enemies on the Battlefield of Gods and Demons. Every day was a bloodbath. The demons of Evernight were endless. Countless soldiers gave their lives. We've bled for Eternity. We've slain for Eternity. We've earned this."
"We are worthy of becoming a Sacred Court!"
Countless citizens could no longer hold back, shouting with passion.
These images were also seen by Longevity Dao Sovereigns and other powerful beings. How they felt was clear: far from calm. These were the records of Great Yi's history—its glory, its civilization. They were destined to be passed down through the ages.
Crack!!
As the rites concluded, Heaven and Earth fell into profound silence. Time seemed to stretch—was it a moment or an eternity? No one could say. Then, a golden glimmer flashed in the Eye of Heaven, and a crisp boom echoed through the void.
"Approved!!"
It was as if Heaven itself had spoken. The Dao had responded.
At that moment, Yi Tianxing instinctively sensed the shackles of the Emperor Dynasty breaking. The invisible chains binding their status were shattered.
"Today, the Great Yi shall ascend to the Sacred Court!"
Joy surged through Yi Tianxing's heart. He couldn't help but feel elated. This was the Sacred Court! Ascending meant leaping from a pond into a vast river—the road ahead was now wide open. Standing atop the sacrificial platform, he called out:
"Ascend to the Sacred Court—Great Yi Sacred Court!"
The cry rang across the realm, and Great Yi's citizens erupted in euphoria. They raised their heads and shouted, releasing their joy, faces glowing with happiness.
"Heaven may not block us, but the true trials of becoming a Sacred Court are only just beginning. Let's see if Great Yi can withstand it."
Xiaoyao Sanren (Carefree Wanderer) smiled as he spoke.
The ascension of a fortune dynasty was no simple matter.
It brought with it natural and man-made disasters.
The natural disaster was the Heavenly Tribulation, an unavoidable test for any fortune dynasty seeking promotion. This tribulation was directed not at individuals, but at the True Dragon of National Luck and the Auspicious Clouds of Merit. The tribulation was arriving. A cultivator's heavenly tribulation was already terrifying—but one for a fortune dynasty? That was on a whole other level.
"The tribulation is coming."Yi Tianxing could feel it too—an ominous aura rising above Xuanhuang City. Thick tribulation clouds manifested without warning. Within them flashed lightning and firestorms. Terrifying scenes appeared one after another like doomsday descending, radiating a dreadful pressure meant to annihilate everything beneath them. The Eye of Heaven had concealed itself within the tribulation clouds.
"Terrifying. Truly terrifying. Even someone in the Dao Platform Realm would fall in there."Lü Chunyang took a swig from his wine gourd, eyes gleaming. This was a tribulation for an Emperor Dynasty. The power it contained was unimaginable.
"Indeed. The leap from Emperor Dynasty to Sacred Court is vast—like the difference between heaven and earth. The tribulation it draws is unprecedented. I fear the entire Eternal World is watching this moment. It's not just us who can see it."Yaochi spoke slowly, her brows furrowed in concern.
There was no doubt. In fact, the moment Heaven permitted the ascension, the image of Great Yi had appeared across the void—visible from anywhere in the Eternal World. Countless forces now had their eyes on this moment.
Great Shang!
Immortal Qin!
Great Xia!!...
The Wu Clan, the Demon Race, the Barbarian Race—the list was endless.
Seeing the tribulation clouds over Great Yi, all these factions were struck with solemn awe. A fortune dynasty represented the trend of this era. Great Yi was the pioneer. They hoped to observe and learn—to better face their own future tribulations, rather than stepping into the unknown unprepared.
"The ascension of a fortune dynasty, even with Heaven's approval, must still endure trial. Should they fail, the result is regression. The national fortune will be damaged, the momentum lost. For an Emperor Dynasty ascending to a Sacred Court—this is the true great calamity."
Almost all rulers of fortune dynasties understood this deeply.
Roar!!
Above Xuanhuang Immortal City, a grand cloud of golden Auspicious Merit manifested, covering the heavens. A six-clawed azure dragon over twelve thousand zhang long appeared faintly within the cloud. Upon receiving Heaven's approval, one could see the dragon's horns beginning to glow golden—like forged gold. But the golden hue remained only on the horns. Full transformation was incredibly difficult.
It would require the tempering of the heavenly tribulation to complete the metamorphosis.
This tribulation was both catastrophe and opportunity.
Rumble!!
The clouds churned. Suddenly, the tribulation cloud descended like a tidal wave—sweeping downward, blotting out the sky.