Chapter 1 The Rite

Inside the Hall of Heavenly Worship.

Lu Changsheng finished his bow.

He raised his head, looking at the hundred thousand disciples of Da Luo.

For a moment, he felt an indescribable sensation.

Everyone's eyes were filled with anticipation.

Waiting for Lu Changsheng's declaration of investiture.

Soon, Lu Changsheng's voice rang out.

"Fifteen thousand years ago, the Da Luo Ancestral Master, with a frail body, established the Da Luo Sacred Ground."

"Twelve thousand years ago, the Southern Demon Catastrophe, the Eastern Lands produced devils; that era was shrouded in darkness."

"However, the Ancestral Master held a Da Luo Immortal Sword, pacified the world's chaos, and斩 *zhan* (slew) the demons of the world, instantly making the Da Luo Sacred Ground famous throughout the world."

"Ten thousand years ago, the Ancestral Master ascended to the Immortal Realm, leaving behind four words for our Da Luo Sacred Ground."

"Self-improvement."

Lu Changsheng spoke, his voice like a great bell, allowing every disciple to hear him.

This was aided by a formation.

However, after Qingyun Daoren heard these words, his expression subtly changed, because he discovered that Lu Changsheng did not seem to be following his script.

But all the disciples listened attentively.

No one dared to slack off.

"Today, I, Lu Changsheng, as the Da Luo Senior Brother, also leave behind four words."

"Heaven rewards diligence."

Lu Changsheng spoke, uttering these four words.

"The world says that cultivating immortality is difficult, more difficult than ascending to the heavens."

"However, I believe."

"When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a person, it always first frustrates his spirit and will, exhausts his muscles and bones, exposes his body to hunger, subjects him to poverty, confounds his actions. In this way, his heart is stimulated, his nature strengthened, and his abilities increased."

Lu Changsheng's words were impassioned, directly quoting Mencius' famous words to inspire the disciples.

The so-called oath is, in essence, to demonstrate one's own extraordinary nature, while encouraging disciples to achieve unity of purpose.

Since it was encouragement, Mencius' article was simply perfect.

At least ten thousand times better than the chuuni (cringey) declaration that Qingyun Daoren gave him.

However, at this moment, Lu Changsheng did not notice the anomalies occurring between heaven and earth.

Above his head.

Clusters of golden clouds appeared; these were clouds of great merit, which would only appear when one had done a great deed.

The hundred thousand disciples stared in astonishment at the phenomenon behind Lu Changsheng.

Feeling incredulous!

"Hiss! Clouds of merit, clouds of merit, they're actually clouds of merit!"

"Headmaster, are those really clouds of merit?"

"What's going on? Why would Nephew Lu attract clouds of merit?"

"Words of truth, words of truth! Senior Brother Qingyun, you've taken in a good disciple."

"To think that this nephew could utter such profound truths."

"'When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a person...' This is a sage's saying, recognized by Heaven and Earth, with the merit of enlightening all cultivators in the world."

On the Elders' Platform, the high-ranking members of Da Luo revealed expressions of incomparable shock, looking at the clusters of merit clouds, repeatedly shaken.

And in the Hall of Heavenly Worship.

Lu Changsheng was completely unaware that his words had triggered a celestial phenomenon.

He only noticed that everyone was looking at him with shocked expressions, and he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

It seemed he had managed to bluff them.

Thinking of this, Lu Changsheng continued his declaration. Since everyone liked listening so much, he would say a few more words.

"As the saying goes, 'Everyone is born with a purpose.'"

"The sharpness of a sword comes from honing, and the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from bitter cold."

"Everyone, as long as they are diligent and hardworking, will one day be able to scale the highest peaks."

"Sages say that the Dao of Immortals is illusory and ethereal."

"But I say that understanding can illuminate the Dao throughout the world, and that virtuous deeds can aid the world with a benevolent heart."

"Sages say that the Dao of Immortals should be practiced according to one's abilities."

"But I say that where there's a will, there's a way, and Heaven will not fail those who work hard."

Fortunately, he was a liberal arts student; Lu Changsheng had many of these poems in his mind, and at this moment, he was completely at ease.

Sentence after sentence of truth flowed from Lu Changsheng's mouth.

At this moment.

Golden clouds of merit covered the entire Da Luo Sacred Ground.

Lu Changsheng was still completely unaware, and gradually, as he spoke, Lu Changsheng became even more impassioned.

He didn't care whether they were words of encouragement or not; as long as they came to mind, he recited them directly.

"There will be times when I ride the wind and cleave the waves, and all the world will know my name."

"The road ahead is long and winding; I will search high and low."

"I have fought a hundred battles, piercing golden armor, and I will not return until I have conquered Loulan."

"The roc rises with the wind in a single day, soaring up ninety thousand miles."

"Today I am a menial servant, tomorrow I will be the headmaster."

"Don't wait idly, or your youthful head will turn white in vain."

"In high spirits, I shake the Five Mountains with my brush, and when the poem is completed, I laugh and roam the vast sea."

Various verses flowed from Lu Changsheng's mouth.

In an instant.

Lu Changsheng's mouth bloomed with lotuses, golden lotuses sprung from the earth, and golden light enveloped the Da Luo Sacred Ground. Beams of merit descended from the sky, landing on Lu Changsheng's body.

At this moment, Lu Changsheng felt warm all over. He didn't pay attention to it, only thinking that he had spoken too intensely, and his body was a little hot.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

At this moment.

The Holy Academy of Zhongzhou.

This was the land of Confucian Sages.

Statues of Confucian Sages bloomed with immeasurable light at this moment, alarming all directions.

"'When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a person, it always first frustrates his spirit and will, exhausts his muscles and bones, exposes his body to hunger, subjects him to poverty, confounds his actions. In this way, his heart is stimulated, his nature strengthened, and his abilities increased.'"

"There will be times when I ride the wind and cleave the waves, and all the world will know my name."

"The sharpness of a sword comes from honing, and the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from bitter cold."

"Everyone is born with a purpose."

"The roc rises with the wind in a single day, soaring up ninety thousand miles."

......

Ancient statues resonated with the voices of sages.

At this moment, in the Holy Academy, a contemporary Confucian scholar revealed an expression of shock after hearing such voices.

"This is...a sage's saying."

"Who is it that can utter such a sage's saying?"

"Is our human race about to produce another Literary Sage?"

He was incredibly shaken.

It wasn't just the Holy Academy.

The entire Zhongzhou was as if it had experienced a major earthquake.

Such a terrifying celestial phenomenon naturally attracted the attention of countless experts.

The Sun Moon Dynasty of Zhongzhou.

Within the imperial palace.

A middle-aged man surrounded by purple aura gazed at the northwest direction.

"Sage's sayings; is the human race about to produce a Literary Sage?"

The Star Sacred Ground of Zhongzhou.

In the Palace of Stars.

An old man, looking towards the northwest direction, couldn't help but exclaim in astonishment.

"The Da Luo Sacred Ground already has a Void Immortal; to think they'd also have a Literary Sage?"

Zhongzhou, the Heavenly Mystery Sect.

Tianjizi looked towards the northwest direction, pinched his fingers, and then said with a face full of regret, "I miscalculated, I miscalculated. This person is more than just a cultivation prodigy; this person is a reincarnation of a sage. Both inwardly and outwardly saintly, he is both a cultivation genius and a future Literary Sage."

The border of Zhongzhou.

A monk gazed at the celestial phenomenon.

His eyes were calm and silent.

At this moment, Zhongzhou was in turmoil.

Various factions were on the move.

And within the Da Luo Sacred Ground.

Lu Changsheng was still completely unaware; he hadn't even noticed the nine halos appearing behind his head.

He was still babbling incessantly.

Until an incense stick later.