C1 One Bow the War God Kneels

In the twelfth year of the grand undertaking, spring had arrived.

To the east of Longjing City in the State of Liang stood the War God Altar.

The Crown Prince, accompanied by countless nobles from Longjing, led a solemn tribute at this sacred site.

The Great Liang, a nation built on martial prowess, honored the War God with unwavering devotion, holding ceremonies in spring and winter without fail.

"Come to your senses, young Marquis, and kneel down at once."

An urgent voice snapped Lu Yu from his ageless slumber.

Blinking open his eyes, Lu Yu found himself under an expanse of azure sky, with the imposing statue of the War God towering before him like a colossal presence.

"Where... am I?" Lu Yu finally asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

His simple, instinctive question unexpectedly provoked a chorus of mocking laughter.

"The infamous simpleton of the Marquis Yongping Mansion doesn't even know his whereabouts—how laughable."

"It's said that Lu Yu, the fool, couldn't write his own name at five and only managed to learn a basic set of fist forms after three years. Truly, he's the epitome of uselessness."

"Had he not been the sole heir of Yongping, he'd likely have perished in the streets by now. Were it not for his father's formidable power, which forcibly elevated him to the First Level of the Houtian Realm, he wouldn't even be worthy to step foot on the War God Altar."

Disdainful glances were cast upon Lu Yu as a cacophony of jeers swirled around him.

The ceremonial officer beside him, frantic with impatience, stomped his feet and pleaded with Lu Yu to kneel promptly, lest he miss the auspicious moment.

But Lu Yu was oblivious to the commotion.

"Seventeen years have gone by..."

"I, the Nether Daolord, have at last consumed the soul of the Heavenly Emperor!"

"Shen Linglong, you never saw it coming, did you? Despite your alliance with hundreds of Daolords to ambush me, not only did I survive, but I also consumed the Heavenly Emperor and have been reborn!"

Lu Yu gazed at the stretch of blue he had never before seen, his eyes gleaming with a sharp intensity.

"Lu Yu, you stand now at the War God Altar! I'll excuse your befuddled state this once and spare you! Cease your senseless defiance and kneel to offer your homage!" bellowed the Crown Prince.

Lu Yu lifted his gaze to the Crown Prince and noticed a golden aura radiating from him.

It wasn't just the Crown Prince; several other young nobles in attendance also shimmered with a similar golden light.

The light carried an aura of authority, commanding respect from those around them.

"Lu Yu, stop staring! That divine light is a mark of the War God's favor, bestowed only upon the most promising young talents. It greatly benefits one's martial journey. If you're green with envy, why not go worship the War God and see if you're lucky enough to receive such a blessing," someone jeered.

Following those words, the crowd's looks toward Lu Yu were laced with even more mockery.

Nobody believed the fool from the Lu Family would catch the War God's eye!

Considering the young people gathered here, there were well over a hundred under thirty, yet fewer than ten were graced with the divine light.

Those who received it were exceptional talents with boundless potential!

The Crown Prince refrained from mockery, but his eyes briefly betrayed his contempt as he dismissively gestured, "Lu Yu, go make your offering and don't waste any more time."

"No need."

Lu Yu shot a glance at the Crown Prince, then turned to leave.

What?

To refuse the chance to worship the War God—an opportunity others would beg for?

The Crown Prince blocked Lu Yu's path, his voice stern, "Lu Yu, worshipping the War God is a sacred duty in our Liang Province. Are you trying to cause a disturbance?"

Lu Yu met the Crown Prince's gaze evenly. "There's no need because worship is unnecessary."

"And why is that?"

"Because the War God isn't worthy of my kneel," Lu Yu declared.

His words sent shockwaves through the crowd.

"Insolent brat, what blasphemy are you uttering!" a military officer thundered in outrage.

"Such absurdity! He's utterly ignorant of his place! How did the Marquis of Yongping raise such a son? Upon the Emperor's return, we must petition for his censure!" Several scholars were so incensed that their beards quivered with fury.

Suddenly, a voice cut through the air with a sneer, "Is he too scared to go, worried he'll disgrace his father? His father, the Marquis of Yongping, was a prodigy who received the War God's divine light at just ten years old. Imagine the shame if his seventeen-year-old son can't even achieve that."

Lu Yu let out a resigned sigh. "You're venerating a mere wild god, one not even officially recognized by the God Ranking. It's absurd!"

But then, Lu Yu shook his head, "Even if he were the true War God, I've slain more than one. The heavens couldn't possibly condone me worshipping him."

Everyone dismissed Lu Yu's words as the delusional ramblings of a fool.

The Crown Prince's face turned a steely shade of grey as he fixed his gaze on Lu Yu. "That incense belongs to your Marquis Yongping Mansion. You're the only male heir! If you don't show reverence, it's your family's honor at stake. How will your father face the Imperial Court when he returns?"

Could this really be happening?

Lu Yu's brow furrowed, and after a long silence, he declared, "I'll pay homage, but kneeling is out of the question!"

The Crown Prince's face twitched, but all he wanted was for this 'fool' to complete the ritual without delay. He chose to keep his silence.

Taking the incense from the ceremonial officer, Lu Yu lit it aflame. He approached the War God's statue, bowed respectfully, and placed the incense in the bronze cauldron.

A breeze wafted through, the rising green smoke casting Lu Yu's silhouette in a hazy shroud. Before the towering statue, he appeared utterly insignificant.

Yet, nothing happened.

The eager and curious onlookers' excitement faded to disappointment.

"Figures. How could someone who lives off his father's laurels ever catch the War God's eye?" came a mocking sneer.

Amidst the scornful stares, Lu Yu turned and walked away.

But just as he took his first step, a thunderous noise erupted from behind him!

Boom!

A thunderous roar shook the heavens and earth to their core!

The sky erupted in a blaze of golden light, outshining any known miracle, leaving onlookers reeling and disoriented.

"What is that?"

"Could it be a divine light? No, that can't be right. Divine light wouldn't sound like this!"

But before anyone could regain their composure, Lu Yu took his second step.

Another deafening blast ensued, and the ground trembled with fury.

Massive fissures snaked out from the altar, eventually fracturing the entire landscape.

The once clear, expansive sky was now shrouded in ominous clouds.

A cold wind howled as thick bolts of lightning streaked through the darkening sky.

Like the roar of an enraged dragon, a barrage of colossal thunderbolts ruthlessly pummeled the War God statue.

*Boom!*

*Crash!*

*Bang!*

The War God, emblematic of the martial virtue of Daliang, was struck by heavenly thunder!

The statue, forged from indestructible black iron, now bore countless cracks.

Thunderbolts, unforeseen in the clear sky moments before, seemed to target the War God statue with relentless fury.

Within the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, the War God appeared on the brink of toppling.

The knees of the War God's statue, bent under the force of the heavenly thunder, suddenly gave way, and the bronze figure knelt down.

Dust billowed, and faces around turned ashen.

"This is Lightning Punishment! The wrath of the heavens!"

"Could this be a sign from above? Impossible! Our Daliang is at the height of its power; how could such a calamity befall us?"

Amidst the widespread fear, some noticed that the War God was kneeling directly in front of Lu Yu.

Could it be... Lu Yu was responsible for this?

The War God, kneeling to Lu Yu?

"It has to be the officials from the Ministry of Works. They must have pocketed the funds and crafted a shoddy statue, deceiving us for years!"

"Upon our return, we must bring those parasites from the Ministry of Works to justice!"

No one could fathom that Lu Yu was behind this catastrophe. A mere fool, how could he bring the War God to its knees?

Unthinkable!

It was a tale too fantastical to believe, utterly impossible!

Yet, the scene before them was undeniable; from a distance, it appeared as if the War God's bronze statue was bowing before Lu Yu—a sight that was truly startling.

Surveying the chaotic scene at the War God Altar, Lu Yu pushed through the crowd and strode towards the exit.

"Lu Yu, where are you headed?!" the Crown Prince called out loudly.

Lu Yu glanced back, responding with a nonchalant tone, "I haven't been home in seventeen years. It's time I visited my family."

The crowd paused, taken aback, before erupting into laughter, their previous suspicions evaporating.

It had to be a coincidence.

Look at him, the fool's still a fool.

What's your age again? Just seventeen, right? Seventeen years since you've been home? Weren't you just emerging from the Marquis Yongping Mansion this very morning?

"Probably didn't receive the War God's divine light and couldn't bear the shame of staying, so he's scurrying back home," someone declared with conviction.

The crowd chimed in, their words laced with scorn for Lu Yu and grievances against the Ministry of Works' officials, who they accused of pocketing funds and crafting a shoddy copper statue.

Only the Crown Prince's gaze lingered on Lu Yu's retreating figure, a flicker of doubt in his eyes. But amidst the surrounding clamor, that sliver of uncertainty swiftly vanished without a trace.