Arrival

Looking down from his vantage point, Chen Jin saw that the patterns vaguely formed a massive array, with the Eight Trigrams embedded within and the constellations extending outward.

Each young boy was positioned precisely at a star point, like pieces settled upon a chessboard.

Xu Fu himself held the Spirit Box and walked steadily to the very center of the array, kneeling at the "Great Yin" position where the yin energy was most potent, placing the Spirit Box before him.

Almost the moment the last boy knelt and Xu Fu took his place at the eye of the array, the first golden rim of the morning sun leaped over the horizon in the east.

The first quarter of the Mao hour, the moment when yin and yang alternate.

At this very instant, the alchemists scattered around the plaza, who had been waiting for a long time, simultaneously formed hand seals and began to chant obscure, ancient incantations in low voices.

Hum—

A low vibration originating from deep within the earth resounded.

The entire Langya Mountain seemed to come alive.

Invisible, colorless lines of spiritual energy covering the mountains and plains suddenly lit up.

Golden currents of light, like living things, followed the pre-carved grooves on the mountain and utilized the natural fissures of the earth's veins, rapidly spreading and intertwining to instantly form a massive web of light that blanketed the entirety of Langya Mountain.

Just as Xu Fu and the three thousand boys formed the array on Langya Terrace and a solemn silence gripped the world, a long, piercing horn blast echoed from the distant horizon.

"Woo—hum—"

The horn's sound was desolate and heavy, carrying an unquestionable majesty.

The sound traveled from far to near, layer upon layer like a relay, clearly announcing the arrival of some supreme existence.

Chen Jin followed the sound and gazed into the distance.

He saw a vast, sprawling procession appearing on the horizon where the morning light was just beginning to break, looking like a slow-moving black tide.

Banners obscured the sky and the honor guard was stern; even from such a distance, one could feel the solemnity and pressure rushing toward them.

At the center of the procession was a luxurious Cloud Chariot, surrounded by layers of carriages and guards.

On the vast, cleared ground at the foot of Langya Mountain, the procession slowly came to a halt.

The foot of the mountain was reorganized, silent as a mountain.

The Imperial Guards, clad in black heavy armor and holding long halberds, moved rapidly to readjust their formation, creating a tight protective perimeter.

The standard-bearers held the Great Qin Azure Dragon Banner straight, snapping in the morning breeze.

All accompanying personnel, including the high-ranking ministers in their official robes, held their breath and stood with heads bowed, not daring to show the slightest negligence.

The entire procession was deathly silent, with only the faint clanking of armor plates adding to the gravity of the scene.

Chen Jin held his breath; he could feel the rules of the world becoming active in the air, as if welcoming their sovereign.

Once the reorganization was complete, the horn sounded again, this time even more high-pitched and impassioned.

The luxurious Cloud Chariot, pulled by six Dragon Horses, began to move. It did not follow the winding mountain path but instead lifted off the ground, treading through the air.

The six Dragon Horses were far more robust than any ordinary beast, with jade-like horns on their heads and bodies covered in cold, shimmering jade scales. Their hooves, the size of bowls, stepped into the void, sending out ripples of transparent light as if walking upon invisible stairs.

They raised their heads and neighed, their voices like the roar of dragons, echoing through the valley.

The canopy of the Cloud Chariot was like a cloud, based in gold and jade, with black imperial tassels hanging from its sides.

The body of the chariot was carved with the sun, moon, stars, mountains, seas, and mythical beasts, flowing with a warm yet dazzling luster in the brightening morning light.

As the six Dragon Horses stepped forward, the Cloud Chariot rose steadily, moving slowly along a path in the void that pointed straight to the top of Langya Terrace.

The honor guard continued to advance along the mountain path as a terrestrial echo, but this chariot transcended the mundane, like a deity patrolling the heavens.

As the Cloud Chariot rose higher and approached the summit, the imperial pressure enveloping the area grew stronger.

The birds in the forest had long since scattered, and even the chirping of insects had vanished entirely.

Chen Jin felt the air around him grow viscous, his heart beating involuntarily to the rhythm of the Dragon Horses' hooves treading the void.

Chen Jin retracted his presence even more carefully, lying dormant like a stone.

Finally, the six-dragon Cloud Chariot hovered in the air above the plaza in front of the Shrine of the Four Seasons Deity, as if a celestial palace had descended into the mortal realm.

The shadow cast by the chariot covered more than half of the altar.

The bead curtains of the Cloud Chariot were silently drawn aside.

A figure dressed in black imperial robes embroidered with the twelve symbols, wearing the flat-topped imperial crown, appeared before everyone's eyes.

The hanging tassels obscured his face, revealing only a blurred and majestic silhouette.

At this moment, all things between heaven and earth seemed to hold him in the highest regard.

The First Emperor had arrived.

Xu Fu took three steps forward and performed the grand kowtow ritual of three kneelings and nine knockings toward the chariot.

A master of ceremonies in elaborate ritual robes stepped out from the crowd, unfurled a jade scroll, and began to chant in a long, rhythmic tone:

"Your subject respectfully submits: The Emperor, whose virtue surpasses the Three Sovereigns and whose achievements exceed the Five Emperors, has swept away the six directions and conquered the eight wildernesses!

Now the world is unified and the realm is at peace, yet Your Majesty's holy heart is benevolent, mindful of the vastness of heaven and earth, and compassionate toward the lifespan of all living beings."

Special Envoy Alchemist Xu Fu, having crossed the vast seas to seek the elixir of immortality, does so to extend the Holy Life and bring peace to the common people!

This is Heaven moved by the merits of Your Majesty, bestowing the divine elixir of immortality; it is truly a blessing for the masses and the fortune of the world!

I humbly beseech Your Majesty to consume this divine elixir, that your lifespan may match the heavens and you may rule the universe forever!

The chanting echoed through the mountains, causing the light of the "Law Eye" in the sky to swell slightly, witnessing this historic moment.

From within the Cloud Chariot came a calm voice, yet one imbued with supreme authority, every word etched into the void like a decree:

"Alchemist Xu Fu, having traveled ten thousand miles and fulfilled your mission without disgrace, you have earned merit in finding the immortal medicine.

Now, I confer upon you the title of Great Adept of the Profound Light of the Tripod of Longevity, Overseer of the Penglai Immortal Capital, and Director of Alchemical Affairs of the East Sea."

"This subject thanks Your Majesty for your heavenly grace!" Xu Fu kowtowed once more.

The moment the First Emperor's voice settled, vast fortune transformed into tangible five-colored radiance that descended from the void, bestowing its power upon Xu Fu. His alchemist robes fluttered without wind, and his aura surged abruptly, as if he were a true enlightened immortal.

He respectfully raised the Sandalwood Spirit Box in his hands and slowly opened it.

In an instant, ten thousand rays of rosy light and a thousand strands of auspicious energy burst forth.

A divine herb, shaped like a ganoderma, golden in its entirety, with purple, misty energy flowing through its veins, appeared before everyone's eyes.

A rich vitality mixed with the aura of the Heavenly Dao laws permeated the air, making mouths water and spirits sway.

"Your Majesty, this is the 'Heavenly Dao Purple-Veined Ganoderma' I obtained from the Penglai Immortal Mountain; consuming it allows one to glimpse the wonders of longevity."

Xu Fu's voice was filled with excitement. "However, the nature of this medicine is innate; it requires the divine power of [Bountiful Harvest] as a catalyst to unlock its medicinal properties for Your Majesty's use. Therefore, I must borrow the divine body of the 'Lord of the Four Seasons,' the master of this Langya Terrace who governs the cycle of the four seasons, to serve as a cauldron!"

"Granted."

As soon as the word fell, the entire Langya Mountain shook violently.

The array patterns previously carved into the mountain slopes contracted, their light flowing like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, converging toward the statue of the Lord of the Four Seasons inside the shrine at the center of the plaza.

The statue trembled violently, its stone skin peeling away to reveal features twisted in agony, emitting a silent wail.