Bestowing the Ten Thousand Races, Forging Unity with the Longevity Dao Rhyme

The square before the Hongmeng Sacred Hall was festooned with lights and decorations, brimming with celebration. At its center stood an enormous platform, covered in a red carpet embroidered with the emblem of Ten Thousand Races United. Colorful lanterns hung around the platform, each painted with the totems of different races, looking especially vivid beneath the sunlight.

Today was Hongmeng's grand ceremony of rewards for the ten thousand races. After the Longevity Lotus had bloomed, Shen Hao had decided to hold this ceremony: first, to commend the leaders and soldiers of every race who had rendered distinguished service in the battle to defend Hongmeng; second, to distribute the Longevity Lotus seeds to help them break through their bottlenecks and safeguard Hongmeng's peace.

The square was packed shoulder to shoulder. Representatives from every race wore their traditional attire, radiant smiles on their faces as they gathered in small groups, chatting and laughing. The Stone Race representatives wore hard stone armor, their builds brawny and their voices like great bells; the Feather Race representatives wore light feathered garments, the wings on their backs fluttering gently and stirring a faint breeze; the Flame Mo Race representatives wore crimson robes, wisps of flame coiling around them and giving off scorching heat.

At the third quarter of the hour of the Snake, a melodious bell tolled from within the Sacred Hall. Its sound rose into the clouds. Everyone in the square stopped talking and turned their eyes toward the hall.

The great doors of the Sacred Hall slowly opened. Shen Hao emerged in a bright yellow Dragon Robe, its hem embroidered with nine golden dragons so lifelike that they seemed ready to fly free at any moment. In his hands, he held a jade tray bearing eight fiery-red Longevity Lotus seeds. Rich vitality lingered around