"Heaven above delivers souls, sternly commanding Northern Fengdu; divine officers receive their orders, sweeping away all ill; the eight powers spew venom, fierce steeds spread in four directions; heavenly soldiers lead the charge, great marshals bear their banners; fire is hurled ten thousand miles, flowing bells ring through eight quarters; let any who dare interfere..."
The moment the chanting began, something extraordinary appeared. Just how extraordinary it was, ordinary mortals could not appreciate. Broadly speaking, the more complex it was, the more profound its mysteries, and the more obscure characters it contained, the more badass it was.
The voice from the heaven beyond heaven was not loud, yet it pierced the void and imprinted itself directly in everyone's mind. The dim, gray lamplight shrouding the earth swayed ceaselessly in response to the chanting, as though something was about to emerge.
Zi Shou looked troubled. Every word of the chant was exceptionally clear, the voice as warm and smooth as jade, gentle and soothing to the ear. The problem was that he could not understand a word.
Beside him, Shen Gongbao was horrified. He could not remember where he had seen that lamplight, but he would never forget this voice.
His teacher, Yuqing Yuanshi Tianzun.
Shen Gongbao's heart pounded fiercely. Was this aimed at me?
It made sense. All the Yuqing disciples of the Chan Sect supported Zhou. Even that good-natured fellow Yun Zhongzi had only wanted to eliminate monsters because he could not bear their presence at court; he had never intended to prolong Great Shang's fortune. Shen Gongbao alone had not only joined Great Shang as its Imperial Preceptor, helping it suppress rebellions and sustain its fortune, but was also here with the Western Expedition Army. Today, he had even taken a central role in conducting the transcendence ritual.