Chapter 182: Sacrifice to Heaven

"I see. That would explain how someone of your cultivation level could join the Wuchang Alliance. By the way, you said this mask and token were passed down from your ancestors?" Han Li nodded slowly after hearing Bai Suyuan's account, then asked.

"The original owner of this mask was an ancestor of our Bai family, an immortal who served as an inner sect elder in the Candragon Sect. The reason our Bai family became a cultivator clan secretly governing Baiyou Nation is also due to this ancestor. As for the token, it naturally belonged to him as well," Bai Suyuan explained.

"In that case, why didn't you go directly to the Candragon Sect to find this immortal ancestor and ask him to kill the heavenly fiend?" Han Li raised an eyebrow and asked.

"According to my grandfather, this ancestor suddenly disappeared thousands of years ago and has been missing ever since. Several clan elders at the Combined Movement stage went out to search for him but also vanished... Since then, our Bai family's power has gradually declined. That's why my great-grandfather was so eager to transcend the tribulation and become a true immortal, ultimately allowing the heavenly fiend to take advantage of him," Bai Suyuan said with a heavy sigh.

"I cannot verify what you've said for now. I'll decide whether to act after I see Bai Songshi with my own eyes and confirm that he has been possessed by a heavenly fiend," Han Li said after some thought.

He did not fully believe everything the young woman said.

In his view, the fact that a late Nascent Soul stage cultivator like her could hide under the nose of a true immortal for so many years was already quite remarkable, which naturally made him more cautious.

"Well... all right. Next month's first day is the ten-yearly Heaven Worship and Blessing Ceremony of Baiyou Nation. The emperor will lead the civil and military officials to Mount Tai'e for the ceremony. As the head of the officials, Bai Songshi will naturally have to accompany him. If we act then, away from mortal cities, we can minimize the impact," Bai Suyuan hesitated before speaking.

"Fine," Han Li nodded, settling the matter.

"By the way, may I ask your name, Daoist friend?" Bai Suyuan's eyes brightened as she asked.

"Li Feiyu."

...

The Tai'e Mountain Range in eastern Baiyou Nation was renowned for its majestic peaks and beautiful scenery. Among them, Mount Tai'e was the highest peak in the entire nation, revered as the "Eastern Sacred Mountain" and held in high esteem by the people. Legend had it that a true immortal had ascended to heaven here in broad daylight.

Scholars and poets of Baiyou Nation considered it an honor to climb Mount Tai'e and compose poems about it. To this day, the mountain was covered with cliff inscriptions left by famous poets of past and present, attracting many visitors each year.

However, a month ago, the entire Mount Tai'e was surrounded by heavily armored soldiers and completely sealed off. No one, whether nobles or commoners, was allowed to ascend.

No one in Baiyou Nation objected, as they all knew the emperor was coming to perform the Heaven Worship and Blessing Ceremony.

Although Mount Tai'e was sealed, a few days before the ceremony, the county of Dongtai at the foot of the mountain was already packed with people from nearby counties.

On the day of the ceremony, before dawn, the official road from the county town to Mount Tai'e was jammed with people eager to catch a glimpse of the emperor.

At the auspicious hour, the emperor's carriage and those of the civil and military officials set out directly from the temporary palace in the county town, escorted by the imperial guard, and headed straight for Mount Tai'e without stopping.

At the summit of Mount Tai'e, an open circular altar had been prepared with incense burners and tables, and the ground was covered with red brocade carpets. Surrounding the altar were many officials from the Ministry of Rites, standing with folded hands, their faces full of reverence.

Among them, a middle-aged official of ordinary appearance stood with his hands hanging in front of him, his eyes constantly moving as he surveyed the surroundings.

This person was none other than Han Li, who had changed his appearance and infiltrated the ceremony. Bai Suyuan, using a concealment technique, was hiding outside the altar.

After observing for a while, Han Li noticed that besides a dozen or so Nascent Soul and Foundation Establishment cultivators hidden among the patrolling soldiers, the Minister of Rites beside him was also a Deity Transformation stage cultivator.

Han Li guessed that these people were mostly secretly arranged by the Bai family.

After waiting about one or two hours, the emperor's carriage finally arrived first at the summit of Mount Tai'e.

The emperor, who appeared to be no more than twenty, stepped down from the carriage with the help of a eunuch. Instead of immediately approaching the altar, he stopped beside the carriage as if waiting for something.

After a moment, the carriages behind also arrived one after another.

When the carriage immediately following the emperor's stopped, the door opened, and a purple-robed old man with white hair and beard extended a hand. Supported by two attendants, he tremblingly stepped down from the carriage.

His face looked extremely aged, covered with wrinkles, his eyes were cloudy, a few strands of silver hair hung loose on his forehead, and his figure was stooped, giving the impression of someone on the verge of death.

Seeing the old man slowly walk to his side, the emperor smiled and, accompanied by him, slowly walked toward the altar. The other civil and military officials quickly followed.

Mingling in the crowd, Han Li's eyes flashed with an almost imperceptible blue light as he swept his gaze over the old man. He was basically certain that this person was the Grand Preceptor Bai Songshi.

Although the old man now appeared as an infirm elderly man and concealed his aura well, it naturally could not fool Han Li's divine sense. On the surface, this person was indeed a Great Vehicle stage cultivator.

Apart from deliberately suppressing his cultivation and concealing his aura, Han Li found nothing else amiss.

The emperor and Bai Songshi slowly ascended the steps, one by one, to the altar, while the other civil and military officials stopped at the foot of the altar.

When the old man, looking decrepit, passed by the officials of the Ministry of Rites, including Han Li, his steps paused slightly. His peripheral vision seemed to casually glance in a direction outside the altar, and a glint of light flashed in his cloudy eyes, but it was gone in an instant. Then he returned to normal and walked to the center of the altar.

Under the direction of a high-ranking official from the Ministry of Rites, the ceremony proceeded as usual. Han Li remained silent, weighing the situation in his mind.

"Daoist Li, that fiend has probably discovered me. Why haven't you acted yet? Could it be that you've been fooled by the fiend's illusion?" At that moment, Bai Suyuan's voice suddenly sounded in his mind, sounding somewhat anxious.

"Fellow Daoist Muguang, can you take a look for me..." Han Li lowered his head to look at his shadow and asked through his spiritual connection.

After a moment of silence, without any visible change in his shadow, Muguang's voice echoed in his mind: "Fellow Daoist Han, this person's skill in concealing qi and form is not weak, but from my observation, he is indeed of our extraterrestrial demon clan."

Han Li's eyes narrowed slightly, and the corners of his mouth curled up into a faint smile.

At this point, the emperor, under the arrangement of the high ritual official, had offered the three sacrificial animals and burned three tall incense sticks, then retreated to the imperial carriage nearby.

"...Our emperor reveres virtue, looking up to the sage spirit, succeeding heaven and establishing the ultimate... To set the heart for heaven and earth, to establish destiny for the people, to create peace for all ages... The merit and transformation are vast, eternal without harm... I reverently inherit the heavenly order, respectfully offer sacrifice..."

Bai Songshi, as the head of the officials, then faced the crowd and began reciting the prayer to heaven on behalf of the emperor. His voice was hoarse, as if he was struggling and out of breath.

Seeing this, Han Li suddenly stepped forward, emerging from the crowd.

The ritual officials beside him were greatly startled and tried to stop him, but they only saw a blur before their eyes, and he had disappeared.

The next moment, he appeared in the center of the altar.

With a flick of his sleeve, a green whirlwind surged out, sweeping through like a green dragon, lifting everyone, including the emperor, and carrying them straight down the mountain.

The cultivators hidden among the mortals glowed with light, trying to break free, but they were powerless and drifted down the mountain with the others.

"Are you the reinforcements that girl brought?" Bai Songshi stopped reciting the prayer, turned around, and looked at Han Li.

His originally cloudy eyes instantly became clear, his stooped figure straightened, and he smoothed the stray hair on his forehead. The decaying aura on his body was swept away, replaced by a rather imposing air of authority.

Han Li sneered without answering. His figure flickered and he appeared in front of Bai Songshi in an instant, punching straight at his head.

Seeing the sudden burst of momentum, the old man's eyes twitched slightly. His figure flickered and he retreated dozens of zhang.

Han Li's punch missed and struck the ground of the altar.

With a loud "boom," the entire altar shattered into dust.

A dozen or so streaks of light flashed around Han Li, landing around him, all glaring at him angrily.

"Who is this reckless madman, daring to attack our ancestor!" An old man in a green robe pointed at Han Li and cursed loudly.

Having thrown the punch, Han Li did not press the attack. He stared fixedly at Bai Songshi opposite him, not even glancing at the people around him.

These people were all Bai family cultivators, the strongest among them only at the Deity Transformation stage. He naturally would not bother with them.

Just then, a slender figure shot over from afar and landed on the shattered altar. She had a delicate and pretty face, wearing a pink lotus short skirt—it was Bai Suyuan.

"Second Granduncle, Eldest Uncle... stop! This Senior Li is someone I invited to kill the heavenly fiend. Don't be fooled by that fiend and throw away your lives in vain," Bai Suyuan shouted loudly.

"Shut up! You wretch, not only did you kill your own grandfather, but you also dare to slander the clan leader. You truly don't know your place. Today, I will clean up the family for my elder brother!" The green-robed old man, whom Bai Suyuan called Second Granduncle, flew into a rage. His body glowed with light as he charged at Bai Suyuan.

Han Li caught a glimpse of this from the corner of his eye but paid no attention. Instead, he walked step by step toward "Bai Songshi."