The path of national destiny lies in the soul, in the emperor's body.
It depends on how much of the nation's fortune one can endure.
With Ying Zheng's current cultivation speed, tempering his soul, it would still take a year or two before he could fully withstand the power of an upper-tier dynasty's fortune.
Of course
Once Ying Zheng could completely grasp the national destiny, the future rise of the dynasty would make his control over it much easier.
"Descend."
With a wave of his hand, Ying Zheng commanded.
The power of national destiny surged forth.
The massive meteor was held aloft and guided toward the imperial palace.
As the meteor landed in the plaza before the Grand Assembly Hall
The eyes of all the court officials were fixed upon it.
This meteor was enormous, the size of a grand palace hall.
"Look closely!"
"There are words on it!"
Li Si cried out in alarm.
Everyone's eyes focused.
In an instant
The expressions of the entire court drastically changed.
Ying Zheng slowly descended.
His gaze also fell upon the meteor.
When he saw the large inscriptions on its surface, his face turned ice-cold.
What met his eyes
Were three lines of text:
"Upon the Divine Land, the Qin Emperor falls, and the world fractures!"
"Calamities upon Qin, chaos begins!"
"He who bears the Mandate of Heaven shall claim the Divine Land's rule!"
Seeing these three sentences
The entire court's faces paled.
A meteor had descended from the heavens, seemingly carrying a divine decree.
Was this the will of Heaven to end Great Qin?
"The will of Heaven seeks to destroy Qin?"
"What a laughable will of Heaven. How ridiculous to say I will fall and the world will divide."
Ying Zheng's gaze bore coldly into the meteor, a furious rage burning in his eyes.
He immediately understood
This was the work of those so-called immortals, making their move against Great Qin.
Ever since he had come to understand the path of national destiny, ever since he had truly grasped the nature of this world
Zhao Feng had explained to Ying Zheng what the true world was, what the mortal realm truly represented, and what lay beyond.
"Ministers."
"Are you afraid?"
Ying Zheng turned, looking at the officials whose faces were filled with trepidation.
"Your Majesty"
"This… this meteor descended from the heavens with such words."
"This is not a good omen for our Great Qin."
Lü Buwei spoke with a grave expression.
"Do you all truly believe these words on the meteor are divine will?"
"Do you truly believe this to be Heaven's decree?"
Ying Zheng let out a cold laugh.
At this question
The court fell into complete silence.
Seeing this
Ying Zheng swept his gaze across them but did not reprimand them.
In this era
The heavens, the will of Heaven
These were the supreme authorities.
For all the people of the Divine Land, these were unquestionable truths. If Heaven decreed something, then it was fate, and fate could not be altered.
"What of Heaven's will? And what if it is not?"
"I tell you all this"
"I do not believe in Heaven's will, nor do I believe in fate."
"If this meteor is the will of Heaven, then I shall tear apart the heavens! If this meteor is the work of demons, then I shall eradicate these demons!"
"It is but a meteor why should we fear it?"
"Even if it is Heaven itself, would you all simply kneel and await death?"
Ying Zheng's voice thundered, carrying the boundless authority of an emperor.
His words
Shook the hearts of every minister.
Looking at Ying Zheng, exuding an unparalleled imperial might, none dared waver.
"We, your ministers, shall follow Your Majesty to the death!"
"Even if this is truly Heaven's will, this old minister shall defy the heavens alongside Your Majesty!"
Lü Buwei bowed deeply before Ying Zheng.
"We, your ministers, swear to follow Your Majesty to the death!"
The entire court of officials knelt, swearing their allegiance.
Just then
Han Fei's expression changed.
With a wave of his hand
His Heavenly Profound Mirror shone with a radiance.
"Your Majesty!"
"Beyond our Liang Province, where Xianyang stands, governors of the other eight provinces have submitted urgent reports."
"In Yang Province's Kuaiji Prefecture, a meteor fell from the heavens, wiping out an entire village over a thousand lives lost."
"In Jing Province's Jiangxia Prefecture, a county was struck by a falling star, its walls shattered casualties in the tens of thousands."
"In Qing Province's Eastern Prefecture, another meteor fell an entire village was annihilated."
Han Fei's voice grew increasingly solemn as he reported.
Ying Zheng's brows furrowed deeply.
Nine meteors had fallen from the heavens.
And they had already brought such devastation upon Great Qin.
This was something Ying Zheng had not anticipated.
"So this is Heaven's will?"
"Do you all truly believe the real heavens would act so deliberately?"
"Would the true heavens treat all living beings as mere straw and dust?"
Ying Zheng gazed coldly at the sky above and let out a stern shout.
Facing such a situation, the expressions of all the officials turned grim.
Nine stars had fallen from the heavens.
The devastation they had wrought upon Great Qin was immense.
If this was truly an act of fate, then it seemed far too deliberate. If this was truly the will of Heaven, then it was too excessive.
"I tell you this," Ying Zheng said coldly, his voice filled with barely suppressed fury.
"The falling stars have taken the lives of my Great Qin's people this is not the will of Heaven!"
"Your Majesty, how should we handle this matter?" Li Si asked loudly.
A catastrophe of this scale falling stars descending upon the Nine Provinces had never occurred before. Even someone as experienced as Li Si was momentarily at a loss.
"Deliver my decree to the governors of the Eight Provinces."
"They are to swiftly dispatch troops to provide aid and relief to all those affected by the disaster. The wounded are to be treated, and the bereaved are to be given assistance and comfort."
"As for the fallen stars, they are to be transported to the capital using the Heavenly Profound Mirrors."
"No commoner is to discuss the matter of the fallen stars, and no information regarding them is to be transmitted through the Heavenly Profound Mirrors."
Ying Zheng issued his decree without hesitation.
As soon as his words fell, his decree was set into motion.
First, within the Heavenly Profound Mirrors under Ying Zheng's authority, the ability to discuss the fallen stars was immediately restricted.
Now widely distributed among the populace, the Heavenly Profound Mirrors allowed the common people to communicate with one another by exchanging contribution points.
If news of the fallen stars were to spread unchecked, it could cause great unrest within Great Qin.
To prevent this, Ying Zheng needed to suppress such discussions from the outset.
As the ruler with the second-highest authority over the Heavenly Profound Mirrors, he could enforce this restriction effortlessly.
"In addition."
"Deliver my decree to the entire realm and make an official proclamation."
"Great Qin is flourishing, yet remnants of vanquished states conspire in the shadows, spreading false rumors. Worse still, they are aided by demonic forces."
"This is an unforgivable crime."
"From this day forth, across the Thirty-Six Prefectures of the Nine Provinces, all garrisoned troops are to conduct a thorough search. Anyone found within Great Qin's borders without a Heavenly Profound Mirror or official household registration is to be imprisoned immediately. If they are discovered to be remnants of the fallen states, they are to be executed on the spot."
Ying Zheng swiftly issued another decree.
Though he had curtailed the spread of information regarding the fallen stars through the Heavenly Profound Mirrors, he knew well that remnants of fallen states would still attempt to exploit this disaster, using it as an opportunity to sow chaos and disorder within Great Qin.
If that was the case, he would act first.
By stabilizing the hearts and minds of the people in advance, he would ensure that those seeking to disrupt Great Qin would have no opportunity to do so.
"We accept the decree!" Lü Buwei immediately responded.
"That is all."
"Ministers of the court."
"There is no need to dwell too much on this matter. If the heavens were to fall, I would bear the weight."
"And if I were to falter, then the Crown Prince would take my place."
"Simply carry out your respective duties as usual."
Seeing that many of his officials still carried expressions of fear and unease, Ying Zheng spoke firmly and waved his hand dismissively.
"We understand, Your Majesty!"
The court officials responded in unison.
"That will be all. You may go."
Ying Zheng waved his hand again.
"Your subjects take their leave."
The officials bowed and withdrew to carry out Ying Zheng's decrees and policies.
Ying Zheng, on the other hand, slowly approached the fallen star.
"The Qin Emperor shall perish, and the world shall divide."
"He who bears the Mandate of Heaven shall rule the land."
"Heh."
"So this is the work of the so-called immortals and deities that Feng'er spoke of."
"Though I have yet to meet you in person, you sit high above the mortal realm. With this act, you seek to throw my empire into chaos, to plunge the world back into war and disorder, to cast countless lives once more into the flames of battle."
"I will not allow you to have your way."
Ying Zheng's voice was icy.
At this moment, his heart burned with fury.
From Zhao Feng, he had already learned of the existence of immortals and deities.
At first, he had held a measure of reverence toward them.
After all, immortals resided high above in the celestial realm.
As a mortal emperor, the distance between himself and them was vast.
But today
The incident with the falling stars made it clear that this was an act of those very immortals.
Stars had plummeted from the sky, causing the senseless deaths of tens of thousands of his people.
If Ying Zheng did not feel anger over this, he would be unworthy of his title as the First Emperor of Qin.
Chu Region, Kuaiji Commandery!
A hidden stronghold in the shadows.
"Uncle!"
"Great news unbelievable news!"
Xiang Yu ran toward his uncle with uncontained excitement.
"What is it?"
Seeing his nephew so exhilarated, Xiang Liang immediately asked.
"Heavenly stars have fallen!"
"They struck a county in Kuaiji Commandery, destroying half of it!" Xiang Yu exclaimed, barely able to contain his joy.
Hearing this, Xiang Liang frowned and said, "Yu'er, what are you saying?"
"Though our great state of Chu was conquered by Qin, the people of Kuaiji Commandery are still former Chu citizens. Now that they have suffered from this calamity, how can you be so pleased?"
Xiang Yu's expression changed, and he quickly explained, "Uncle, if it were merely that, of course, I would not be happy. But the key lies in the fallen star itself."
"What about the fallen star?" Xiang Liang asked, puzzled.
"One of our brothers has official household registration in that county he saw the inscription on the star with his own eyes!"
Xiang Yu's face was alight with excitement, though he struggled to suppress his emotions.
"A message on the star?" Xiang Liang's expression shifted.
"I have transcribed it please read it, Uncle."
Xiang Yu pulled a piece of cloth from his robes and handed it over.
Then he handed it to Xiang Liang.
Xiang Liang immediately unfolded it.
After reading its contents, a look of astonishment flashed in Xiang Liang's eyes, quickly followed by joy.
"Above the Divine Land, the Qin Emperor shall die, and the world shall divide!"
"Qin shall face endless calamities, and chaos shall begin!"
"He who holds the Mandate of Heaven shall rule the Divine Land!"
"This... these words were truly on the falling star?" Xiang Liang looked at Xiang Yu, his expression filled with complex emotions.
"Uncle," Xiang Yu said with a firm nod, "our men in the city saw it with their own eyes."
"A falling star from the heavens, and these words foretelling Qin's downfall..."
"The heavens truly have eyes! This is a sign from above that the Qin Dynasty's fate is nearing its end!"
"Hahaha! This is excellent!"
"Our Great Chu shall rise again! The Xiang clan's revenge is within reach!"
"Qin Emperor and Zhao Feng..."
"They have waged relentless wars, slaughtering countless lives."
"They have angered the heavens!"
Xiang Liang burst into laughter, his excitement evident.
"Uncle," Xiang Yu's eyes gleamed with anticipation, "if this falling star's prophecy declares Qin's doom, shouldn't we rise now?"
"No."
"This alone is not enough."
"The falling star is a divine omen that Qin's fate is sealed."
"But we must fan the flames, spread this news across the land! Only then will Qin descend into chaos. And when Qin is in turmoil, that is our chance!" Xiang Liang declared.
This was an opportunity he could not afford to waste.
He knew exactly how much impact this celestial event could have.
"The Heaven's Mirror."
"That treasured tool of the Qin. It allows communication across the empire."
"Have our men use the Heaven's Mirror to spread the word of the falling star."
"Once the message spreads, Qin will inevitably fall into disorder."
"Also, send word to our allies in the other five kingdoms and tell them to be ready."
"The time to destroy Qin draws near."
Xiang Liang's voice carried unwavering conviction.
"Understood, Uncle!" Xiang Yu responded immediately before hurrying away to carry out the orders.
"A star falls from the heavens, a divine decree to end Qin."
"The heavens truly have eyes."
"It seems that the tyranny of Qin has not earned the favor of the divine, thus this sign has been sent."
"Ying Zheng, Zhao Feng..."
"The day of our vengeance is not far off."
To the East of the Divine Land, over the vast and boundless sea
Zhao Feng and Guiguzi stood high in the air, scanning the ocean below, searching for something.
"This so-called Penglai Immortal Island is well hidden."
"We've been searching for so long and still haven't found it," Zhao Feng remarked with a hint of admiration.
"The sea is vast beyond measure."
"As long as even a trace of its aura leaks, we will find it," Guiguzi replied with a calm smile.
After being trapped in Guigu Valley for a thousand years, he was overjoyed to finally be free.
Just then
Zhao Feng's expression suddenly changed.
"Your Highness, what is it?" Guiguzi immediately asked, noticing the shift in Zhao Feng's demeanor.
"A celestial phenomenon falling stars."
"They have fallen across the Nine Provinces of Qin, and on each one, there are words foretelling the downfall of Qin," Zhao Feng said gravely.
With a wave of his hand, a shimmering screen appeared before Guiguzi.
On it was an image of the fallen stars, along with the three ominous phrases written upon them.
"These are stars from the Outer Heavens."
Guiguzi's face darkened.
"The Outer Heavens?" Zhao Feng asked in confusion.
Other than the mythical stories from his past life, most of his knowledge about this world and its celestial realms had come from Guiguzi.
"Beyond the firmament lies the Heavenly Court," Guiguzi said solemnly.
Then, with a grave expression, he continued, "For celestial stars to fall into the mortal world nine of them at once, all inscribed with declarations of Qin's doom..."
"It means they have finally noticed that something is amiss with the fate of the Divine Land."
"And they seek to destroy Qin."
Zhao Feng nodded.
The fate of the Divine Land is the fate of mankind itself.
According to Guiguzi, this land was the last bastion of human destiny. In time, the fate of humanity would have dissipated completely, and the Divine Land would have become just like the Immortal Realm.
A place where mortals were nothing but livestock for the immortals where their bodies were harvested for spiritual energy, their very essence devoured by celestial beings.
And the fate of mankind would be seized by the gods.
However, Zhao Feng's establishment of the Great Qin had altered that course.
By consolidating the empire's fate into a singular national destiny, he had unknowingly stabilized the fading human fate, even pushing it toward a resurgence.
With this, the Mandate of Humanity had fallen into Zhao Feng's hands.
Such a shift
Had surely not gone unnoticed by the deities above.
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