"Esteemed members of the Tianshui Sect, please follow this old servant."
The old eunuch who had previously led the members of the Tianshui Sect to the sacrificial site now approached with a smile, leading Lin Bai and the others toward the ancestral-sacrifice grounds.
"Sorry for the trouble, Eunuch."
Zhang Bailiu nodded with a chuckle, then followed behind Sect Master Chu Xi and Holy Son Lin Bai.
Lin Bai saw that the other sects and lineages were also being led toward the ancestral-sacrifice grounds by eunuchs.
At this moment.
Almost all the sects and martial artists who had come to attend the ceremony wore strange expressions.
"What does the Chu Emperor mean by this?"
"He's striking the bells and beating the drums himself?"
"Doesn't this seem to go against the ancestral customs of the Chu Kingdom?"
Lin Bai surveyed his surroundings, inspecting the terrain.
Eunuch Gui walked out of the Ancestral Temple and called out in a ringing voice to all the martial artists present.
The Chu Emperor entered the Ancestral Temple with the Empress, Prince Chen, and the Third Prince, while the other members of the imperial clan remained at the entrance.
At the very center of the plaza stood a massive radiant gate, roughly a hundred zhang tall and ten zhang wide.
The plaza was surrounded by soldiers standing at the ready, their defenses exceptionally tight.
"Many thanks, Chu Emperor."
Sect Master Chu Xi pondered seriously for a moment. "My imperial father... has indeed become somewhat muddleheaded over the years, but when he was young, he was also a wise ruler of his generation, possessing great talent and broad vision."
The Chu Emperor walked out of the Ancestral Temple at this point, swept his gaze across the entire scene, and said loudly, "Thank you all for coming to attend