Chapter 1578: Chapter 803: Dragon Sacrifice Ceremony, Pacifying Tai Lake

During this period, Li Yan had already figured out the origin of the Dragon Sacrifice Ceremony.

This ritual is ancient, tracing back to the sacrificial and oath traditions of the mountains and rivers from the Han, Shang, and Zhou dynasties. It integrates the unique ceremonies of ancient mountain and river worship, dragon totems, jade culture, and Taoist beliefs.

In simple terms, the process is to bind gold, silver, jade, and bronze bamboo slips inscribed with apologies or wishes along with objects like golden dragons, jade bi, and golden buttons with blue silk, and throw them into mountains, caves, or water pools.

The dragon acts as a divine messenger to communicate with the Heaven, Earth, and Water officials.

During the late Han and Wei Jin periods, the Mystical Sect of Daoism adopted this ritual and transformed it into the "Three Officials’ Handwriting." It was first recorded in Eastern Jin Daoist scriptures, elevated to an Imperial Family ritual during the Southern Dynasty Liang, and formally established as a national sacrifice by Daoist-revering emperors such as Tang Xuanzong and Wu Zetian during the Tang Dynasty.

The peak of the Dragon Sacrifice Ceremony was during the Five Dynasties Wu and Yue Kingdom and has continued until now...

By the Xuanwu Lake in Jinling, the sky was still dark.

Seventy-two Daoists stood solemnly in positions corresponding to the Beidou, with green banners fluttering in the wind, and the chanting of sutras mingling with the morning mist, creating a solemn atmosphere.

A three-zhang tall altar had already been erected, with a two-person high bronze pagoda in the center, inlaid with a seven-colored glazed lamp.

The original bronze color was golden yellow, which, combined with the glazed lamp, made it even more dazzling.

On the ground of the altar were engraved symbols of the talisman for the Heaven, Earth, and Water officials.

Given Zhou Yinyao’s special status as an Earth Immortal and yin criminal, showing up in such a scene was akin to walking with a torch at night, so he only hosted from behind the scenes.

Initially, it was for others of the Mystical Sect to preside over, but since Zhang Jingxuan, the leader of the Mystical Sect in Jiangnan, was present, it was naturally most appropriate for this expert to take charge.

He held a jade scroll in his hand and stood at the center of the altar, followed by the disciples of the Jinling Prince Mansion, all adorned in splendid attire, showing respectful expressions without a hint of negligence.

The King of Jinling was still bedridden and could only rely on them to act on his behalf.

Li Yan and others stood in the front row of the onlookers.

The hook paper in his arms subtly heated up, pointing towards the second floor of a distant inn.

There, precisely, was where Zhou Yinyao was hiding to observe the ceremony.

Li Yan initially had some suspicions about him, yet seeing Zhang Jingxuan treating him with the honor of a Daoist, he dispelled any doubts.

"Jinling Prefecture adheres to the Heaven’s mandate, fervently offering at the water mansion through the Golden Dragon Relay: due to the Jiangnan earth veins inheriting the residual vitality of Yu Gong, this year’s star has lost its path, Huaiyang suffers from flooding, demonic energy festers in the Old Dragon-locking Well, and resentful spirits gather in the Wangguo Resentment Realm..."

"One prays to the Water Official to relieve disasters, two prays to the Earth Official to pardon grievances and violence, three prays to the Heavenly Official for blessing and longevity...With golden buttons as the message, and jade bi for divine communication. May the dragon soar and the phoenix fly swiftly to the celestial court!"

As Zhang Jingxuan recited the prayer and wielded the Magic Sword, the ceremony officially commenced.

Rumbling~

Suddenly, a strong wind arose by the Xuanwu Lake, causing the banners to flutter wildly.

This roused Li Yan and others, prompting them to immediately activate their Divine Skills, all appearing astonished.

They could feel that the Earth Qi surrounding Jinling City was rising, seemingly coming to life.

However, this was just the main altar of Jinling City.

According to the ritual procedure, the Dragon Sacrifice required the "Three Bamboo Slips and Three Jades," each being thrown into different locations.

...

Zixia Cave on Zhong Mountain, ranked first among the "Forty-Eight Sceneries of Jinling," where during the Southern Dynasty Tao Hongjing once practiced Alchemy, the stone walls within faintly revealing the remnants of the Huangting Scripture.

The twelve high-level mages of the Southern Heavenly Master Dao performed the Astral Step, arranged the Green Banner Formation, and chanted the Shangqing Dragon Chapter, finally including the City God Temple resident Zhang Jingqing in the event.

He personally held a gilded bamboo slip, with vermillion inscribed with "Pray for the Heavenly Official’s blessing, stabilize the royal qi," matched with a round jade to honor the heavens, casting it into the misty depths of the cave.

Roar~

At the instant the jade fell, the Earth Qi seemed to traverse the cave, akin to a dragon’s roar.

On Qixia Mountain, the Thousand Buddha Rock housed Six Dynasties Buddha Caves.

Linglongzi of the Maoshan Shangqing Sect led disciples in deploying the Nine Palace Eight Trigrams Array, burying a square jade three feet under the rock with inscriptions engraved "Abolish Earth Official grievances, lock away demonic energy in the Yellow Springs."

Soon after burying it, a howling foul wind seeped from the rock crevices.

This was to expel the accumulating evil qi from the earth vein of Jinling City.

The Dragon-locking Well in Jinling City was where Zhang Huaisu had tampered with.

The Fire Cloud Taoist from the Lushan Magical Sect cast a hexagonal jade into the well, with inscriptions saying "Summon the Water Official to calm the surging waves and bind the flood dragon in the abyssal pool."

Gurgle!

The well water suddenly boiled, and the iron chains below clattered.

The "Red Silk Boat," which had initially shown leaks, was once again sealed.

At the Hongjue Temple Tower on Niu Shou Mountain, the underground passage was a secret geographical cavity.

A Taoist from the local Tiger Commandment Gate in Jinling paired a human bone scroll with a jade cong, inscribing "Secure the souls of the official ghosts, eradicate malevolent spirits in the Yellow Springs."

As soon as it was cast, the tower bell echoed without wind.

At the Yanzi Ridge Three Platforms Cave, the cliff walls were like knife cuts, inside the dark river directly connected to the water veins of the Yangtze River.

Another sect leader from a local Jinling Magic Vein threw a golden dragon-holding bamboo slip, with inscriptions carving "Concentrate the Dragon Official’s fortune, safeguard the Cao Yun across millennia."

As the final piece of jade sank deep into the dark river of Yanzi Ridge Three Platforms Cave, the Dragon Sacrifice nodes around Jinling City were simultaneously activated.

Buzz—!

A deep, grand resonance echoed through the sky and earth, and an underground buzz vibrated, like a giant beast stretching its muscles and bones in sleep.

The oppressive rain clouds hovering over Jinling City for days were torn open by an invisible force, the long-awaited golden morning sun pierced the sky like a sharp blade, projecting accurately onto the bronze pagoda at the center of the Xuanwu Lake altar.

Light from the glazed lamps refracted into a colorful halo, which reflected off the talisman engravings of the "Heaven, Earth, Water" three officials on the altar, instantly illuminating the entire altar.

At this moment, all cultivators within and outside Jinling City felt a resonance within their hearts.

The land beneath their feet no longer felt entrenched with the resentful evil and the dark undercurrent, but rather became unusually solid and heavy. The pervasive oppressive gloom within the city also swiftly dissolved like ice and snow under sunlight.

"The ceremony is complete!"

Zhang Jingxuan’s clear voice pierced through the sutra chanting, resonating across the lakeside.

The jade scroll in his hand radiated a gentle light, soon flying out of his hand, transforming into a streamer and deftly integrating into the "Golden Dragon and Jade Bi" combination prepared earlier, bound with blue silk in front of the altar.