Outside Chaoge City stood a not particularly tall round hill, its altar built from White Jade Stone Bricks. At the altar's highest point sat a Square Golden Cauldron, a zhang tall, blazing with golden light beneath the sun. The golden square cauldron stood at the very center of the altar, its four sides carved with great events from humanity's ancient past. History had settled into every groove. Whenever the wind passed over the cauldron's mouth, it gave a low, mournful hum, like the sighs of ancient ancestors...
Officials from every corner of the Imperial Dynasty stood layer upon layer across the round hill.
Ranked from highest office to lowest, they stood according to the regions under their jurisdiction, solemnly holding Official Seals in silence.
The lowest-ranking officials had arrived early. They stood there in bewilderment, not daring to move recklessly, watching one Imperial Court heavyweight after another climb the steps. Flying was forbidden at the site of the heavenly sacrifice. Mighty Imperial Guard generals held ceremonial Magic Tools and glared like tigers eyeing prey, while the censorial officials watched with sharp eyes, paper and brush in hand, waiting for someone to make a mistake so they could write down a name. The mortal officials who had rushed here in haste truly had it hard.
For such an important ritual to sacrifice to Heaven, wasn't this a little too sudden?
Imperial Guards placed all manner of costly wood into the great cauldron—golden, purple, all rare Spirit Materials.
The aged Imperial Dynasty ministers whispered as they studied the ancient rites of sacrifice. Major ceremonies involved countless particulars; if there were any flaws, then whenever trouble arose in the future, they would be forced to take the blame. The Emperor was pressing them urgently, but fortunately, history contained many records of heavenly sacrifices.