Chapter 00288: The Divine Descent Platform
# The Divine Descent Platform
Chapter 288
Novel: After the Immortals Disappeared
Chapter 288: The Divine Descent Platform
He was not just living in a dream; the Golden Armored Copper Man technique had great value in reality.
As for the alchemy gold, he could go to Songyang Prefecture to buy more, and Li Fubo might even help him secure a familiar price.
Perfect!
He Lingchuan grasped the jade slip containing the secret scroll of the Copper Man technique, and a wealth of information naturally flooded his mind, as clear as if it were etched.
Crafting the Copper Man was a meticulous task that allowed for no mistakes.
Fortunately, while this method of learning wouldn’t enable him to grasp the technique instantly, it at least ensured that his memory wouldn’t falter.
...
Upon leaving the Pengcheng Bureau, the two set off towards the Divine Descent Platform.
Years ago, the location where Zhong Shengguang honored the gods was not in the city but on the northwestern high ground five miles behind Panlong City.
Usually, that place was seldom visited, but now it was bustling with people heading towards the high ground.
He Lingchuan and Sun Fuling hired a spacious carriage.
Looking around, most of the travelers were common folk from Panlong City.
Some who couldn't afford a carriage simply walked there.
It should be noted that the dirt road outside the city was uneven, with patches of snow in some areas; it was far less pleasant to traverse than the city roads.
Moreover, the sky was partially dark, heavy clouds threatened, and a blizzard could arrive at any moment.
Yet, the townsfolk of Panlong City chatted effortlessly as they walked, seemingly unconcerned about the weather.
“It won’t snow,” Sun Fuling said, noticing He Lingchuan frequently looking up at the sky, aware of his worries. “Every year on the Festival of Heaven, the sky is like this; everyone is used to it.”
He Lingchuan rubbed his hands together in excitement. “I can finally meet Commander Zhong.” According to the timeline of this dream realm, he had been here for a few months but had yet to see Zhong Shengguang or General Hong.
He had offered a cup of wine at Zhong Shengguang's grave and seen the commander transformed into a dark flood dragon, but what did Zhong Shengguang himself look like?
“You’ll be disappointed,” Sun Fuling chuckled softly. “Lord Zhong won’t be coming here.”
“Huh?” He Lingchuan was baffled. “It’s his daughter’s festival, and he’s not showing up?! What kind of father is that?”
“Lord Zhong will perform the rites at his home. He said he feels unworthy of his daughter and cannot preside over the Festival of Heaven, so he has asked Wen Daolun to take his place.”
“If he feels unworthy of his daughter, then why doesn’t he set up a shrine for Zhong Wuhuan in the city?” Panlong City had shrines for the Goddess of the Sky and for both Zhong Shengguang and General Hong.
Sun Fuling laughed. “Where would he set up a shrine for offerings?”
He Lingchuan raised an eyebrow. “So he still sees his daughter as a sacrificial offering rather than a hero who saved the people of the city?”
Sun Fuling glanced at him and said slowly, “Are you standing up for her?”
“Me? What do I matter?” He Lingchuan smirked self-deprecatingly. “My opinions don’t count.” Up until now, he was still just a patrol guard and hadn’t even made it to the rank of squad leader.
Before long, the carriage arrived at their destination.
Up ahead was the Divine Descent Platform.
There were too many people for the carriage to get through, so everyone got down to walk.
Fortunately, the road was not too rugged.
On one hand, Panlong City had sent people to smooth the mountain path, and on the other, the Divine Descent Platform was located at the edge of the Chipa Plateau.
The terrain of the Chipa Plateau was unique, elevated by several dozen zhang compared to the Panlong Wilderness.
Standing at the edge of the plateau's cliff, one could look down and see treacherous mountain ridges with sharp fangs.
However, for those on the plateau, the walk was not too strenuous.
As He Lingchuan walked with the crowd upwards, he realized that the Divine Descent Platform itself was a massive protruding platform, precariously perched on the edge of the Chipa Plateau.
One leap down would land one directly in the Panlong Wilderness.
Of course, although the body would fall, the soul would ascend to the heavens.
When He Lingchuan and Sun Fuling reached the Divine Descent Platform, it was already surrounded by layers of people, all with bowed heads, kneeling or sitting on the ground.
The few children who dared to make noise would immediately attract angry glares from the crowd, and the parents had to silence them quickly or deal with others who would punish their children for them.
Sun Fuling had reminded He Lingchuan on the way that one should not be disrespectful to the Zhong family’s daughter on the Divine Descent Platform.
In the past, some outsiders had spoken recklessly here and had ended up beaten to death.
The ritual for the Festival of Heaven had already begun, leaving only one voice resounding throughout the platform—the recitation of the sacrificial text by Wen Daolun.
The words were carefully chosen, filled with archaic phrasing.
His tone was steady, with rises and falls.
He Lingchuan caught the meaning after hearing a few lines; it was essentially praising Zhong Wuhuan for sacrificing herself for her homeland, sincerity that moved the heavens and earth.
Historically, sacrificial texts were usually adorned with flowery language, almost excessively so, but all He Lingchuan heard was that the divine presence descended like thunder and collected the sacrificial offerings.
He thus focused his attention on the location itself.
The Divine Descent Platform was supposed to span the area of two football fields, yet one corner was missing.
This corner was... how to phrase it? It was as though someone had drawn a circular plan and directly cut it off.
Thus, the outer edge of the Divine Descent Platform had a curved shape, neat and smooth, uncharacteristic of a natural formation.
This gigantic gap made the altar built of blue stone appear diminutive.
Atop the altar stood a sharp obelisk shaped like a sword, pointing straight to the sky, yet without any name inscribed.
In front of the altar, offerings of pigs, cattle, and sheep were presented.
That a commander's daughter enjoyed such offerings was not in accordance with the gift-giving customs of the Western Luo Kingdom.
But evidently, Zhong Shengguang did not care, and neither did the people of Panlong City.
He Lingchuan pondered why Zhong Shengguang had chosen this place to honor the gods years ago.
Others honored the gods covertly, wishing for no one to know.
Yet, he chose an open and flat area that could easily accommodate thousands of spectators.
Besides Zhong Shengguang disregarding the prohibitions of the Western Luo Kingdom, and given that he held absolute power in Panlong City, allowing him to openly conduct ceremonies—was there perhaps more political consideration at play?
For example, to show the residents of Panlong City that the Zhong family had made significant sacrifices for the peace of the city and the welfare of each citizen?
The hearts of the people needed to be won.
If that were truly the case, then Zhong Shengguang's genuine sorrow at losing his beloved daughter had been meticulously calculated.
What a ruthless character; he could even use his own pain as leverage.
For some reason, He Lingchuan suddenly thought of He Chunhua and sighed.
Noticing his sigh, Sun Fuling turned toward him immediately, her bright eyes glistening like water.
She placed a finger to her lips, not making a sound, but continued to gesture towards the sky.
At that moment, the omens in the sky could only be described as tumultuous.
It was still early (around 3 PM), yet the heavens were void of light, with fierce winds roiling.
The thick clouds above seemed ready to crash down upon the mountaintops; when people looked up, they could see waves in the clouds beneath as if the sea had been turned upside down to press against the heavens.
The common folk bent low, not daring to breathe loudly.
At that moment, Wen Daolun finished reciting the sacrificial text, and with a flick of his hand, the golden-red paper inscribed with the sacrificial words was swept up by the roaring wind, igniting spontaneously in midair and quickly turning to ash.
He Lingchuan watched as the ashes flew into the clouds, disappearing from sight.
Then, a great light burst forth from the heavens, as a bolt of lightning struck down.
When He Lingchuan closed his eyes, he only vaguely saw a tree-root-like bolt striking straight down right below the Divine Descent Platform.
Then came a second thunderclap.
This was illogical; was it not supposed to strike the high places? Why did it disregard the sharp obelisk atop the cliff, instead crashing directly into the valley?
Perhaps to answer the question in his mind, after a full twenty breaths, just when he thought everything had ended, another bolt of lightning fell.
This one had a different shape from the previous ones; it appeared as a massive cylindrical beam of light, striking right at the gap in the Divine Descent Platform, fitting perfectly!
No living being dared to open their eyes, not even Wen Daolun, who was the main officiant, turned his head away.
The might of the heavens was unyielding.
When He Lingchuan opened his eyes again, he was met with a heavy burnt odor.
The clouds in the sky gradually retreated, and soon after, a beam of sunlight pierced through, focusing down on the Divine Descent Platform.
The splendor was beyond mere words to describe.
Gazing at the scene, He Lingchuan saw the common people of Panlong City prostrating on the ground, murmuring sacred words; no matter who it was, their expressions were far more reverent than before.
The divine presence still favored this place; who dared to question it now?
Wen Daolun stepped down from the altar and moved aside.
The main sacrificial ceremony had been completed, and the atmosphere was no longer solemn.
Common people began to step forward with their baskets to present offerings, bowing respectfully.
Those with particular customs bent their children's heads, instructing them to bow three times.
As the incense burned low, Wen Daolun prepared to offer incense once more.
The city guards were maintaining order at the side, everything proceeding in an orderly fashion.
He Lingchuan looked on; the offerings brought by the common folks were mostly fruits and vegetables.
In this season of swirling snow, fruits were not cheap, and those in good condition were even more expensive.
The lives of Panlong City’s residents still remained somewhat distant from affluence.
Some children even placed their cherished toys among the offerings.
He Lingchuan even saw a young boy take out fresh flowers from beneath his coat, carefully removing the oil paper wrapping, and gently placing them at the base of the obelisk.
The flowers were not crushed but instantly gilded with a layer of white frost on their delicate petals.
Tender things indeed could not survive in Panlong City.
At that moment, He Lingchuan truly felt the deep feelings the residents of Panlong City held for the Zhong family.
It didn't even require verbal expression.
Those who sacrificed themselves for the lives of the city’s inhabitants were always worthy of remembrance and respect.
Sun Fuling tugged at his sleeve, sharing the prepared offerings with him, and the two of them stepped forward together.
He Lingchuan looked down and discovered that besides the few crystal pears she brought, there was also a box of meat buns.
The box was elegantly crafted, with a name on it: Fragrant Stop.
These meat buns were actually from a reputable old brand.
There were too many common people taking part in the Festival of Heaven, and the offering table could no longer accommodate the items, so the fruits were arranged around the obelisk.
He Lingchuan placed down his offerings and bowed with Sun Fuling before heading toward Wen Daolun.
Wen Daolun's bodyguards immediately stepped forward to block their path.
However, Sun Fuling had already spoken up in advance:
“Mr. Wen.”
Wen Daolun turned his head to look. “Aren’t you Xu Shichu's female disciple? Come over here, come over here.”
Only then did the guards allow them to pass.
Sun Fuling knew his time was precious, so she didn't engage in too many formalities.
She got straight to the point. “Mr. Wen, I’m here to ask for a favor.”
Wen Daolun looked puzzled. “A favor?”
“Two months ago, when you and I were playing chess at Shumin Academy...”
Wen Daolun immediately exclaimed, “Ah! Alright, I remember now; go ahead.”
“My friend has been marked with a calamity; I’d like to ask Mr. Wen to guide him to a clearer path.” Sun Fuling pointed to He Lingchuan, who immediately clasped his hands in greeting. “Please help enlighten Mr. Wen.”
(End of Chapter)