At this moment, in the capital of the Tang Dynasty, Chang'an, the once mighty kingdom now stood as the ruler of the newly conquered Chen. Over a month had passed since the Tang forces had obliterated the Chen Kingdom, bringing its vast territories under their dominion. The population had swelled to an astonishing 600 million, and the army of the Tang Dynasty now numbered in the millions, with soldiers stationed throughout the land.
In terms of military strength and national power, Tang had never been so formidable. However, despite these gains, Li Xiao, the new sovereign of the Tang, found himself overwhelmed by the weight of governing such an enormous realm. Barely a youth, his brow was furrowed, his once-youthful face now marred by the strain of his responsibilities.
The greatest calamity was not the suppression of the rebellion in Chen, but the unnatural disasters that had struck the kingdom. Earthquakes, droughts, and crop failures had wreaked havoc across the land, leaving countless villages and towns in ruin. The population was decimated by starvation, and gruesome tales of cannibalism spread like wildfire.
Despite all his efforts, Li Xiao was powerless to halt the suffering. His position as the ruler of Tang was of little comfort in the face of such overwhelming disasters.
After exhausting all known methods and remedies, a final thought occurred to him—one that had been whispered by the wind itself. Perhaps, just perhaps, the ancient god, the one who had once gifted him the power to rule, could provide an answer. In his desperation, Li Xiao turned to the only force that could save his kingdom—the god he had sworn to serve.
And so, he gathered the most powerful officials of his court, as well as countless common folk, bringing them all to the grand square to offer their prayers. They bowed in unison, as they had done for three days and nights, pleading for a divine response.
At long last, their devotion was met with a voice—mighty and eternal—echoing in their minds.
"He has responded. The Lord God has spoken."
The sound of this divine reply brought waves of relief to the people. Their hearts swelled with gratitude, for the gods had indeed heard their desperate cries. But the next moment, a question arose.
"Wait… the Lord God asks for world props and all the knowledge of this world?!"
One of the ministers turned pale. "World props? Such treasures are nearly impossible to acquire. Tang has but a single world prop—the Book of Wisdom. There is no other. What will we sacrifice in its place?"
The question lingered, as the officials exchanged worried glances. World props were the ultimate treasures, objects that could not be found in the mortal world, let alone offered as a sacrifice. Tang had only the Book of Wisdom, a relic from a time long past. For them, offering such a sacred artifact was an impossibility.
"Perhaps," Li Xiao said, his voice steady, "we need not sacrifice world props, but knowledge. We will offer everything we have, all the wisdom of our kingdom. Whether martial arts, secrets of cultivation, or even the most mundane texts, we will give it all."
The idea was met with reluctant agreement. Though world props were irreplaceable, the gods, they reasoned, might be pleased with the knowledge they could provide.
"Yes, knowledge is the ultimate offering," another minister added. "Gold, silver, and ores are of little value in the eyes of the gods. Only knowledge can satisfy them."
So, the ministers and officials scoured the kingdom, collecting every scroll, every book, and every secret technique they could find. Cultivation manuals, martial arts secrets, even the most basic texts on geography, were brought before the altar, stacked in towering piles. They would offer all they had, hoping it would be enough to appease the god.
Meanwhile, in the realm of Xia Chuan...
The sacrifices began in earnest, as Li Xiao and his court sent forth their offerings.
"Ding dong, your followers have sacrificed the cultivation manual 'Tian Yuan Xin Fa.'"
"Ding dong, your followers have sacrificed the martial art 'Tian Gang Zhi.'"
"Ding dong, your followers have sacrificed the secret technique 'Tai Su Yin Gong.'"
"Ding dong, your followers have sacrificed the martial skill 'Feng Zhu Gong.'"
One after another, the messages of sacrifice rang in Xia Chuan's mind. The ringing sound grew unbearable, each notification like a relentless drumbeat. Eventually, Xia Chuan could bear it no longer and blocked the flood of sacrificial messages, but the Book of Wisdom continued to process them without issue.
In the span of mere moments, nearly every martial arts and cultivation secret from both the Chen and Tang kingdoms had been offered up. The sheer volume of knowledge was staggering, and Xia Chuan felt the weight of it.
"Not bad," Xia Chuan mused, pleased with the bounty of cultivation secrets. With this wealth of knowledge, his path to transcending the mortal realm was now assured. These texts, brimming with arcane wisdom, would be the key to unlocking his ascension to greatness.
However, he knew that a reciprocal gesture was required. The sacrifices of his followers must be met with his divine favor.
"I am pleased with your offerings," Xia Chuan's voice rang out through the spiritual ether. "Tell me, what is it that you desire, my loyal servants? Speak, and your wishes shall be granted."
As his divine voice reverberated through the hearts and minds of Li Xiao and his court, the faithful awaited their answer, trembling with anticipation.