November 1, Year 183 of the Xia Era.
The weather was clear, and the sun shone brightly.
All of Mount Tai had already been cleared in advance, and preparations had been made.
Of all sacrificial ceremonies, none was more solemn or grand than the Fengshan rites.
What were the Fengshan rites? "Build an altar of earth to give thanks for Heaven's blessings."
The Fengshan rites were how a mortal emperor repaid Father God after unifying the world.
Xuanyuan Huangdi had named this mountain Mount Tai and performed the Fengshan rites here. He had received a response from Father God and ultimately founded a nation-Xia.
The second Fengshan ceremony took place when Xuanyuan Huangdi passed the throne to Zhuanxu, but no response came on Mount Tai.
Some said Zhuanxu had performed the rites here despite lacking sufficient merit, which was why Xia had fractured and fallen five generations later.
For the next hundred years, no one had dared hold a ceremony to worship Heaven here.
After the Qin emperor announced that he would perform the Fengshan rites again, the news drew tremendous attention across the world. Remnants of the Seven Kingdoms spread rumors and slander everywhere, claiming that he lacked sufficient virtue.
If Qin performed the Fengshan rites, it would surely fall.
Despite the opposition of many ministers, the First Emperor of Qin insisted on coming here to perform the rites.
Many people believed that only receiving Father God's response during the Fengshan rites on Mount Tai meant one had truly been acknowledged by Heaven and Earth.
You, an emperor, claimed to surpass the Three Sovereigns and eclipse Xuanyuan Huangdi's achievements, taking a character from each of their titles for your own. Such staggering arrogance, yet without Heaven and Earth's acknowledgment-was that not the greatest joke under Heaven?
This was the Human Race's third Fengshan ceremony.
Ying Zheng wore exceptionally grand attire that day, with countless officers and soldiers standing guard around him.
Ying Yiren, Ying Si, Lü Wei, Shang Yang, Wang Jian, Bai Qi, Li Mu, Zhang Yi, and the other ministers all followed behind Ying Zheng, their emotions tangled.
They were terrified that no response would come and the newly unified world would fracture once again.
At the same time, they felt a sliver of curiosity. What exactly had happened a hundred years ago?
Were the accounts in the history books true?
Did Father God really exist?
The First Emperor of Qin followed the prescribed steps in worshipping Father God. As time passed, everyone began to panic. Why had there still been no response?
Even the First Emperor's own heart began to race. Were my achievements not great enough?
Yet his expression remained unchanged as he calmly proceeded through the ceremony, step by step.
The entire Fengshan ceremony had been planned in advance, with no questions or answers. It was more like going through a set routine to avoid embarrassment.
Once the written Fengshan prayer had been burned and the First Emperor had offered incense, paid homage, and kowtowed, the whole ceremony would be considered complete.
Yet Ying Zheng remained on his knees without rising. Looking up at the heavens, he spoke directly:
"I destroyed the Seven Kingdoms and united all under Heaven. I defend our Human Race and protect our Blue Star. In the name of the First Emperor, I swear this oath: while I live, peace shall reign across the four seas, and the Human Race shall enjoy health and security. I shall establish the foundation of Great Qin for ten thousand generations. When I die, I shall become a dragon soul and protect our Human Race from decline forever. Let the sun and moon bear witness to this oath, and let Father God judge it."
The instant the First Emperor finished speaking, a fierce wind suddenly rose, sweeping up the incompletely burned Fengshan prayer and carrying it soaring ninety thousand li into the sky.
Everyone present was struck speechless, their eyes wide and their tongues tied. This! This-this!
Overwhelmed with excitement, the First Emperor kowtowed again and cried, "Ying Zheng, Son of Heaven of Great Qin, bows in gratitude to Father God!"
Then he gazed expectantly at the sky.
Several white clouds drifted in from afar, slowly gathering in the air into the shape of a giant.
Shang Yang said in shock, "He looks exactly like the portraits passed down to us. It really is Father God!"
Thump, thump, thump.
The Human Race within a thousand li saw the giant forming in the sky and all fell to their knees, gazing at the legendary Father God.
Even those who did not know what was happening knelt after being scolded by the people around them.
His portraits were enshrined in temples. Many members of the Human Race had not forgotten him, and incense offerings continued throughout the year.
Important figures always have to appear at the crucial moment!
Zhang Yang had awakened three years earlier, in Year 180 of the Xia Era. After observing this emperor, who shared the name of the one from his previous life and was just as great, he found him quite worthy of approval.
Even without the First Emperor's final display, he would have manifested.
If he truly did not appear, it would deal a tremendous blow to the Qin Kingdom and introduce uncertainties into the development of Human Race civilization.
What they needed now was rapid development. After all, they were about to advance to a Second-Level Civilization.
For now, he could only manifest through the white clouds. That way, he would not spend any energy points. He simply did not have enough!!
Improving Human Race genes, strengthening their bodies, extending their lifespans, even expanding Blue Star's surface area and improving its energy—all of it required energy points...
Zhang Yang had only 1,050 energy points on hand.
He would reserve 1,000 to use after advancing to a Second-Level Civilization!
He had already spent forty replenishing the sun. Otherwise, one day the Human Race might discover that the sun no longer shone??
The Qin Kingdom had just been established and was brimming with talent. Its civilization was developing rapidly, making this a good opportunity to advance to a Second-Level Civilization.
Wait another twenty years! Advance the civilization in twenty years! That will give Human Race civilization more time to develop.
Zhang Yang suddenly realized that the Qin Kingdom's leadership would be rather elderly by then. The First Emperor's father was already 119, and the First Emperor himself was eighty-three. The civil officials and generals around him were much the same, which would affect the civilization's development.
Twenty years later, they would all be over a hundred. If a Star War began right after their civilization advanced, the impact would be enormous!
The emperor calls himself the Son of Heaven, so that makes him my son. My son has done well. There's nothing wrong with giving him a little reward, right?
Looking down at the expectant First Emperor, Zhang Yang finally made up his mind to lend them a hand.
Once the giant had fully formed, Zhang Yang slowly spoke. "The cycle of Heaven and Earth and the succession of dynasties are natural laws of development. But the Great Qin Empire has contributed to the advancement of Human Race civilization and deserves a reward."
The Jade Seal originally bestowed upon Xuanyuan Huangdi had vanished after his death, reclaimed by Zhang Yang.
No one had found the Jade Seal, which meant their authority lacked a rightful name and their words lacked legitimacy.
Every king of the Xia Dynasty had searched for it. Even Ying Zheng, the king of Qin, had searched, but none had found it. The Jade Seals they now used were all ones they had carved themselves.
None, however, bore the words "By Heaven's mandate, may longevity and prosperity endure forever" on the underside. No one dared carve them.
That same Jade Seal slowly appeared out of thin air and gently descended into Ying Zheng's hands.
Ying Zheng carefully turned it over. Seeing the large characters inscribed on its underside, he was instantly overjoyed and kowtowed again and again.
"Over the past hundred years, the Human Race has flourished in numbers and developed swiftly, with new technologies emerging one after another. Father God is deeply gratified."
"In twenty years, Blue Star will once again undergo a tremendous transformation. This will be both a blessing and a danger. Everything will depend on the Human Race's technological development."
"Seize this opportunity, and the Human Race will make another leap forward."
"What you can do is unite as one and accelerate technological development. No one knows when the next Star War will descend upon you. Only by developing technology can the Human Race take control of its own destiny."
Ignoring the shocked crowd below, Zhang Yang casually pointed toward Mount Tai.
A dazzling beam of light shone upon several people. They exchanged bewildered looks, but nothing changed.
The giant in the sky slowly vanished as well.
Father God had appeared again!
An enormous transformation would arrive in twenty years!
Father God had acknowledged the Human Race's century of development!
He had acknowledged the Great Qin Empire!
Effective immediately, the Xia Era would become the Qin Era. Next year would be Year 1 of the Qin Era!
These reports gradually spread across the continent. Many remnants of the six kingdoms gave up stirring up trouble. They would settle down as obedient subjects.
The vast army returned to Xianyang, the place where the Qin Kingdom had risen.
The entire Qin Kingdom was elated, especially its civil and military officials. Only if Qin endured for ten thousand generations could they continue enjoying its blessings.
The few who had received Father God's blessing still looked baffled. Nothing had changed at all!
Back in Xianyang, the First Emperor summoned the ministers who had been enveloped in the light. They sat together, exchanging puzzled looks.
The First Emperor ordered that no one was to disturb them.
Shang Yang was just about to speak when a wave of dizziness suddenly struck him. They all collapsed to the floor.
A while later, Bai Qi slowly opened his eyes. He had the strongest constitution among them.
Suddenly, he heard something. Trembling all over, he touched his firm skin, his face filled with disbelief.
Then Wang Jian woke as well. He slowly opened his eyes, then sprang to his feet.
Bai Qi hurried over to wake the First Emperor. After being shaken back and forth, Ying Zheng finally awoke.
Ying Zheng slowly opened his eyes and immediately became alert.
Then they woke Lü Wei, Ying Yiren, Lü Ji, Ying Si, and Shang Yang-all founding pillars of the empire.
After a while, they sat together, trembling from head to toe. No one spoke.
Ying Zheng calmed himself and slowly said, "Is this the power of a god? Did you all...?"
The instant Ying Zheng had awakened, a voice had suddenly sounded in his mind: "Ying Zheng swept through the Seven Kingdoms, ended the age of chaos, and founded the Qin Kingdom. For his service to the Human Race, he is rewarded with fifty years of life."
Ying Zheng knew this was Father God's voice. He was already eighty-three this year, and restoring his body to its thirty-three-year-old state was equivalent to extending his life by fifty years.
Shang Yang said, "For my meritorious reforms, I was rewarded with twenty-five years of life."
Bai Qi said, "For my service in defending the nation, I was rewarded with twenty-five years of life."
Wang Jian said, "For my service in defending the nation, I was rewarded with twenty-five years of life."
Lü Wei said, "For helping the Qin Kingdom develop, I was rewarded with twenty-five years of life."
Ying Yiren said, "For raising Ying Zheng, I was rewarded with twenty-five years of life."
Lü Ji said, "For giving birth to Ying Zheng, I was rewarded with twenty-five years of life."
Ying Si said, "For helping the Human Race develop, I was rewarded with fifty years of life."
Zhang Yang had spent five energy points to add a total of three hundred years to their lifespans.
In the period that followed, the Qin Kingdom's first act was to announce that it would relocate its capital from Xianyang in Qing Province to Yu Province.
The capital city was renamed Chang'an, heralding lasting order and peace.
Over the next twenty years, the Human Race united as one, pooling the strength of scientists across the globe as technology raced forward.
History called it the Third Industrial Revolution.
It was also known as the Information Age.
The third technological revolution greatly propelled the development of Human Race society.
Computing, networking, space, biology, materials, oceanography, and many other fields all entered new stages of development.
In civilian life, continuous technological progress once again brought major changes to every aspect of daily living, from clothing, food, and housing to transportation and everyday goods for the Human Race.
Blue Star's civilization had drawn infinitely close to the level of his previous life. Certain fields, such as materials, had even surpassed it.
In the military sphere, weapons of mass destruction were developed one after another.
January 1, Year 20 of the Qin Era.
No one had the heart to work or study, because everyone knew something momentous would surely happen on Blue Star that day.
Twenty years had passed in the flick of a finger. Looking at his medal, Zhang Yang said calmly, "Advance to a Second-Level Civilization."
"Confirm advancement? A Second-Level Civilization will face entirely new opportunities and challenges."
"Confirm!"
With Zhang Yang's confirmation, Blue Star instantly surged forward. For the living beings on Blue Star, perhaps only a single second had passed.
Zhang Yang felt his vision go dark. In the next instant, the entire star-filled universe looked completely different.
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