Chapter 6: The Place of Enthronement Ceremony
In the desolate and dark expanse of space, nine enormous dragon corpses lay strewn about. The bronze coffin was ancient and majestic, as if existing alongside the universe's primordial chaos for eons.
Days passed, but the mysterious signal conveyed by the bronze patterns remained undecipherable, and there was still no reliable way to "salvage" it and bring it back to the ground.
"It's moving!"
"It's deviating from its orbit and descending!"
At this moment, several elite astronauts inside the International Space Station's pupils suddenly contracted. The Nine Dragons Coffin had deviated from its orbit and was slowly descending.
Mount Tai, majestic and profound, exudes a majestic presence and is known as the leader of the Five Sacred Mountains, hailed as the number one mountain in the world.
Since ancient times, Mount Tai has been a sacred symbol, located in the easternmost part of ancient central China, surrounded by the Yellow River and the Wen River. It was regarded as the birthplace of the sun and the origin of all things in ancient times.
No mountain is greater than Mount Tai, and no history is older than that of Mount Tai!
Mount Tai is magnificent and grand, with a profound historical background that can be traced back to the period of the Three Emperors and Five Sovereigns in ancient times, making it a holy place for the worship of gods and spirits.
"The sky is high and unattainable. Stand on Mount Tai and perform the Feng and Shan ceremony, hoping to approach the gods."
Emperor Qin Shi Huang, who swept through the world, and the talented Han Emperor Wu both held unprecedented Feng and Shan ceremonies at Mount Tai.
Even before that, seventy-two emperors and kings in ancient times held Feng and Shan ceremonies at Mount Tai.
The ancient book "Guanzi. Feng and Shan Chapter" recorded, "In the past, Wu Wang of the Huai family held a Feng and Shan ceremony at Mount Tai, and the ceremony was as follows; Fuxi held a Feng and Shan ceremony at Mount Tai, and the ceremony was as follows; Shennong held a Feng and Shan ceremony at Mount Tai, and the ceremony was as follows; Huangdi held a Feng and Shan ceremony at Mount Tai, and the ceremony was as follows; Yao held a Feng and Shan ceremony at Mount Tai..."
In ancient times, all the holy emperors and ancient kings chose to hold Feng and Shan ceremonies here, shrouding Mount Tai in layers of mist and emitting an endless mysterious atmosphere.
During the Spring and Autumn Period, Confucius sought out the remnants of the ancient Feng and Shan ceremonies at Mount Tai, but was unable to find anything and left with regret, unable to answer his disciples' questions.
Later on, some discoveries were made.
In the 20th year of the Republic of China, General Ma Hongkui led his army to camp at the foot of Mount Tai and accidentally discovered a five-colored altar with two sets of jade scrolls sealed with "stone, mud, and golden rope" buried underground.
During the Pre-Qin period of ancient times, it remains a mystery as to why the ancient emperors all performed the Fengshan sacrifice on Mount Tai. It may be a mystery that can never be solved.
Ye Fan and his companions rested at a hotel for a night before beginning their ascent of Mount Tai.
Many in the group were climbing Mount Tai for the first time, and only by being here could they feel its grandeur and majesty.
The mountain is divided into three layers of terraced geological structure, like steps ascending to the heavens, facing north and sitting south. The entire mountain is open, and a 10-kilometer-long stairway to heaven leads to the vast expanse of the mountain and up to the summit.
Whether from a distance or up close, one can feel the majestic atmosphere that stirs the soul.
In the face of the magnificent Mount Tai, one can't help but feel a strange illusion that one's own self is as small as an ant, and even the sun, moon, and stars in the sky seem insignificant.
This is a breathtaking feeling that shakes the soul.
When the tour guide spoke about the various ancient Fengshan sacrifices, it made people ponder endlessly. Humans always have a yearning for the unknown and the mysterious.
Li Xiaoman and Kade walked side by side, constantly translating and explaining to him, making the American youth even more amazed by Mount Tai and asking questions non-stop.
Liu Yunzhi looked at Ye Fan with a teasing expression, then at the two people in front of him, but his obvious expression seemed to be directly ignored by Ye Fan, with no reaction at all, which made him very disappointed.
In fact, Ye Fan didn't even notice him and was very calm.
Ye Fan had finished reading the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon and suddenly had a bizarre association. Could there really be a disappeared ancient civilization? If so, Mount Tai during that period was undoubtedly a sacred place.
But he immediately shook his head, feeling that he had been too bored recently and had such absurd associations.
The ancient pines on Mount Tai are verdant, and there are many flowing springs and waterfalls. Amidst the solemn and majestic scenery, there is also no shortage of spiritual beauty, and the ethereal clouds and mist naturally add a bit of mystery and profundity.
Ascending all the way up, there are countless scenic spots and historical sites along the way, making people admire endlessly.
From the sacrificial ground passing through the imperial palace and Dai Temple, to the Jade Emperor Peak, forming a 10-kilometer axis from the underworld, to the human realm, and to heaven.
At dusk, the group finally reached the top of Mount Tai - the Jade Emperor Peak, overlooking the mountains and rivers below and gazing at the Yellow River in the distance, making people deeply understand the true meaning of Confucius' "climbing Mount Tai to view the world".
"Standing on the topmost peak, one overlooks all the mountains!" The poet also left such an immortal masterpiece.
At this moment, the setting sun was setting in the west, and the peaks were all adorned with a layer of golden light, sparkling like precious treasures.
Such a magnificent view is truly intoxicating.
Suddenly, several black dots appeared in the sky, gradually getting larger and accompanied by the sound of thunder.
Nine enormous creatures descended from the sky, like nine black rivers falling down. At this moment, everyone on Mount Tai froze in shock and stared in astonishment.
These were nine enormous dragon corpses, pulling a bronze ancient coffin and descending upon the peak of Mount Tai.
Dragons, legendary creatures that stand alongside gods, surpassing natural laws. However, with scientific development, who still believes that dragons truly exist?
Under the shock of the mountain tourists, they held their breath, even forgetting to scream.
After a brief silence, Mount Tai erupted into chaos. Everyone panicked and fled in all directions, trying to avoid the approaching giant dragon corpses.
It was a breathtaking scene as the nine dragons pulled the coffin, descending upon Mount Tai in the blood-red sunset.
Fearful screams, helpless cries, everyone ran away in a frenzy.
The nine dragons pulling the coffin did not fall swiftly, but when they descended, they shook the peak of Mount Tai heavily.
"Boom!"
The nine enormous creatures were like nine mountain ranges sinking down, causing cracks to appear on the top of Mount Tai. Stones and dirt flew, dust filled the air.
The bronze ancient coffin also made a "clang" sound, crashing onto the peak of Mount Tai. The mountain shook, as if an earthquake had occurred. Many rocks rolled down the mountain, making a rumbling sound, as if thousands of troops were charging forward.
Many people were affected, hit by rocks and bloodied, falling down the mountain. Cries of terror echoed throughout the area.
The shaking stopped, and the mountain soon became calm. However, chaos had already ensued on Mount Tai. Many people fell during their escape, and it was an extremely chaotic scene. Many people were injured, blood flowing from their heads, rushing down the mountain in terror.
The nine hundred-meter-long dragon corpses lay horizontally on the peak of the mountain, with most of their bodies motionless, while the rest hung on the cliff below, like a black steel Great Wall, full of shockingly powerful force, extremely impacting to the eyes.
Mount Tai's Jade Emperor Peak was shattered, with terrifying cracks on the ground.
The twenty-meter-long bronze coffin was simple and unadorned, with some vague ancient patterns on it, filled with the feeling of the vicissitudes of time. A mysterious aura circulated around it.