Chapter 221: Chapter 219: Ascend the Heavenly Ladder, An Audience with the Heavenly Emperor!
Shen Hao had already realized that if he wanted to establish a long-term affiliated alliance, Human Civilization indeed needed more dignity and a higher status than before.
After all, even species that had joined Human Civilization could potentially betray it, let alone those in the Affiliated Alliance.
The Civilization Trial did not impose a rule against betrayal.
To secure rights and status, to ensure the stability of the civilization system, Human Civilization had to rely solely on its own efforts.
And naturally, the biggest confidence of Human Civilization was him.
Fortunately, at the current moment, the initiative was in their hands.
The Sky Spirit Civilization and Great Yan Civilization had applied several days ago to become affiliated civilizations, but due to the reason “awaiting Shen Hao’s decision,” their applications had been temporarily postponed without a clear response.
On one hand, Shen Hao had indeed been occupied with numerous matters over the past few days; on the other, it was necessary to assert control.
And now, it was indeed time.
On the seventh day following the end of the Civilization Trial, the Sky Spirit Civilization and Great Yan Civilization both received a response from Human Civilization.
Shen Hao would allow, at a specific time, the Sky Spirit Sage Council and the Emperor of Great Yan to come for an audience.
He requested that they make the message public and set off in the official posture of applicants for affiliated civilization status within the specified time.
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His purpose in doing so was not hard to understand, but for the rulers of these two civilizations, this was an extremely delightful response.
Especially for the Great Yan Immortal Dynasty.
The Empress of the Great Yan Immortal Dynasty and various civil and military ministers had a stronger desire to survive than the Sky Spirit Civilization. Empress Xi Qing also bore a pressure far greater than what could be shared among the members of The Sage’s Council.
Thus, faced with the announcement from Human Civilization, Xi Qing accepted it directly and even convened a court meeting to announce it, setting the tone alongside several ministers, including Military God Mu Zhan.
“We must secure the quota for an affiliated civilization of Human Civilization!” Xi Qing even asserted directly in the court.
There were many supporters, but there were also dissenters.
A large part of the Great Yan Immortal Dynasty, still immersed in their past status on the planet, recognized the necessity of becoming an affiliated civilization but opposed the Empress’s unyielding stance.
“Even as an affiliated civilization, we must maintain the dignity of Great Yan,” some radical ministers even wept loudly in the hall, “As the Emperor of Great Yan, Your Majesty should inspire self-improvement, how can you flatter so obsequiously, it really is humiliating, humiliating indeed.”
At that moment, Xi Qing really wanted to curse.
Dignity?
Although she came from the jianghu, any old hand in the jianghu knew that dignity and respect must be earned through strength.
Only those young masters who just entered the jianghu would still think they had dignity when they had no real skills!
If they did not secure this affiliated civilization spot, the next Trial would likely be the time of Great Yan’s extinction!
Fortunately, the truly high-ranking civil and military ministers were not so foolish, especially Military God Mu Zhan, who had participated in the last undead war and was very aware of the power and potential of Human Civilization.
He was equally clear about the style of Human Civilization.
As long as Great Yan Civilization could bring sufficient benefits to Human Civilization, there was no need to worry about being abandoned at will.
Becoming an affiliated civilization was indeed the greatest opportunity for Great Yan Civilization to survive in the Civilization Trial.
Thus, under the unanimous promotion of the Empress and the civil and military ministers, the application to become an affiliated civilization of Human Civilization was declared to all, and it was decided that three days later, the Empress would personally lead the ministers to meet the strongest being of Human Civilization.
After the message spread, the public’s reaction was quite strong.
After all, Great Yan had not entered the information age, and apart from the soldiers who had participated in the battles, the majority of the ordinary populace did not understand the strength of Human Civilization.
And there were also many sects, gangs, and various forces interwoven.
For a time, various voices emerged.
The authority of the Empress was even slightly damaged.
But regardless, the day to depart finally arrived.
According to the message from Human Civilization, they didn’t need to do anything; they would naturally understand when the time came.
However, Xi Qing still held a grand ceremonial departure.
On the high mountain used for sacrifice to heaven and earth by Great Yan, dressed in Emperor’s clothes, with civil and military officials following behind, countless bell tones rang out at once. Under the enormous magic array, accompanied by Xi Qing’s voice echoing in the high sky.
All the people of the Imperial City could hear distinctly.
After finishing the previously recited sacrificial text to heaven and earth, Xi Qing solemnly bowed towards the sky. At this moment, she felt the gaze from Shen Hao, and though she felt confident about obtaining the quota, she couldn’t help but feel nervous.
She took a deep breath and in a deep voice said,
“Emperor of Great Yan earnestly requests an audience with the Supreme Emperor of Human Civilization!”
Accompanied by this voice, like the earlier sounds, it reverberated far away. Xi Qing had thought that at the next moment, she and her retinue would disappear into the distance.
The Supreme Emperor of Human Civilization had such great power, frequently demonstrated during the wars.
But—
A golden radiance suddenly emerged in the high sky, shining on Xi Qing and the civil and military officials, and even on the citizens of the Imperial City and people further away.
At that moment, everyone subconsciously looked up.
Then, they all displayed expressions of incomparable shock!
High above the clouds, radiating golden light that illuminated the entire earth, was a tremendously large golden palace!
Words failed to describe everything the people saw. For the palace was so majestic, so enormous, it completely surpassed human imagination. It even soared higher than the clouds, shined brighter than the Great Sun, and even from the ground looking up, one could feel an indescribable supreme authority.
Was this the residence of the Supreme Emperor of Human Civilization?
No, this was clearly the Immortal Realm! It was the Heavenly Palace!
Some Qi Refiners at this moment nearly went mad!
“That is the legendary Immortal Palace!”
“I feel the presence of immortal essence, true and genuine immortal essence!”
“Ranked among the Immortal Class, immortal and undying!”
“That one already possesses the potential of an Immortal Emperor!”
“…”
Indeed, unlike the previously acquired Mage Tower, the Lingxiao Palace, from any angle, resembled an Immortal Palace.
For many cultivators of the Great Yan Civilization, they might not understand where the power of a spacecraft lay, but they absolutely grasped the concept of “Immortal Emperor.”
Ranked among the Immortal Class, immortal and undying, was the ultimate pursuit of every Qi Refiner!
It was also the greatest mythological legend of this civilization.
Some of the common folk who witnessed the enormous Immortal Palace high in the sky, even knelt down on the ground, overwhelmed with excitement.
The next moment, an even more shocking scene appeared. Right before everyone’s eyes, a golden ladder descended layer by layer from the Immortal Palace above the clouds, accompanied by a grand and prolonged sound that echoed through the heavens and the earth!
“Announcing the Emperor of Great Yan, ascending the Heavenly Ladder, to pay homage to the Heavenly Emperor!”
Ascend the Heavenly Ladder! Pay homage to the Heavenly Emperor!
This grand sound undoubtedly plunged every onlooker into profound astonishment.
Even those courtiers who held opposing views, upon seeing the golden ladder extend right in front of the Empress, were also in a state of deep shock.
They knew that the strongest of Human Civilization were powerful, but the scene before them could not merely be described as powerful!
That grand palace, that ladder extending from the void, all far exceeded their understanding.
It was as if, it truly was a genuine Immortal Palace, and indeed a genuine Heavenly Emperor!
Ultimately, it was Empress Xi Qing who first recovered.
Taking a deep breath, she turned and looked at over ten of the highest ranking court officials behind her, and said gravely, “My beloved subjects, join me in ascending the Heavenly Ladder, to pay homage to the Heavenly Emperor!”
Her eyes still retained a hint of astonishment at this moment.
Indeed, she had long understood the strength of Human Civilization and the power of that “Emperor”, and she knew that today’s ceremony was to formally establish the affiliation and to declare it throughout Great Yan.
But she had not anticipated such a shocking scene as the one before her.
The Immortal Palace amidst the clouds, the Heavenly Ladder reaching straight into the sky! All of this surpassed her imagination.
At this moment, Xi Qing, just like all the civil and military officials, seemed to have a clear recognition in their minds.
— The one located above the clouds deserved the name of Heavenly Emperor!
Xi Qing took the first step onto the Heavenly Ladder.
As it appeared, it seemed illusory, but upon stepping onto it, everything became incredibly solid.
With each step forward, everything became more and more real, especially the massive palace they saw as they looked up, resonating with a palpable reverence in their hearts.
Ascending the Heavenly Ladder was not merely a process, but a ceremonious act.
A formal audience, establishing authority.
It was one of the functions of this legendary structure.
The Dominator’s pressure and the Emperor’s Power would penetrate the heart in a gentle yet firm manner during this ceremony.
Everyone who ascended the Heavenly Ladder would retain in their hearts a reverence for both this great palace and Shen Hao.
As everyone approached the massive palace, they also saw another group of people, and they were the Sky Spirit Civilization’s Sages, likewise appearing on the Heavenly Ladder.
Indeed, the Heavenly Ladder directly crossed through the void, appearing both in the Great Yan Civilization and the Sky Spirit Civilization!
Realizing this, both groups experienced even greater shock between them.
Not until they continued upward, really approaching the great palace, did a massive ethereal shadow also appear before everyone.
This ethereal shadow was a manifestation of Shen Hao’s status, seemingly enveloping cosmic galaxies within, boundless and vast, and also carried the dignity of an emperor.
Even Empress Xi Qing, the most powerful among them, felt an unbearable suppression at this moment.
So much so that she dared not look any longer, bowed her head, and proceeded forward with utmost respect, finally stepping into the great hall!