Chapter 15: The Sacrifice of Knowledge

In the heart of Chang'an, the capital of Tang, the city was alive with change.

More than a month had passed since Tang had conquered Chen and absorbed its lands.

The kingdom's population had swelled to 600 million, its armies now numbering in the millions, stationed across every province.

Tang's national strength had never been greater.

Yet despite his rapid success, Li Xiao was exhausted.

The weight of ruling a vast empire pressed down on him, and at such a young age, he felt himself aging prematurely.

His greatest challenge wasn't military resistance.

It was nature itself.

Earthquakes, droughts, failing crops—disasters swept through the land, displacing millions.

Starvation loomed, and desperate families resorted to cannibalism just to survive.

Even as the Lord of Tang, Li Xiao was powerless against the wrath of nature.

And so, he turned to the one being who could save them.

He gathered Tang's greatest officials and thousands of citizens, leading them to a massive altar in the city square.

Together, they knelt and prayed to the ancient god.

For three days and three nights, they remained motionless, their knees pressed to the cold stone.

Then, at last—

A voice descended from the heavens.

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"Responded! Lord God has responded!"

The crowd erupted in joy as the divine voice echoed within their souls.

Their greatest fear had been silence—that their prayers would go unanswered.

But now, they had been heard.

Li Xiao's hands trembled as he received the divine will.

"Lord God desires world items... and knowledge."

Gasps spread through the gathered officials.

"World items? But… we have none left!"

"Only one existed in Tang—the Book of Wisdom—and we have already offered it to the god!"

"World items are rarer than kingdoms themselves! Where could we possibly find another?"

A heavy silence fell over them.

Then, Li Xiao's voice rang out, unwavering.

"If we cannot sacrifice world items… then we shall sacrifice knowledge."

The officials exchanged glances, nodding in agreement.

"Yes. The gods do not always require the greatest sacrifice. If knowledge is what Lord God seeks, then knowledge shall be given."

"Could it be that Lord God is a god of wisdom?"

"Perhaps. After all, gold and silver mean nothing to a deity. Only world items and knowledge are worthy of divine interest."

"But what knowledge do we offer? It must be worthy of the god's attention!"

The officials murmured among themselves, uncertainty filling their eyes.

Then, a scholar stepped forward.

"We will offer everything."

"Martial arts manuals, cultivation techniques, books of geography, history, poetry—even common novels. If it is knowledge, then it shall be sacrificed."

"Yes! We shall empty the libraries of our greatest knowledge!"

There was no hesitation.

Across the kingdom, citizens rushed home, gathering precious scrolls, ancient tomes, and secret manuals.

These books had once been priceless treasures—hoarded by nobles, guarded by martial sects, passed down through generations.

Now, they would be offered to the divine.

For if the ancient god was pleased, his blessing would save them all.

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In his own world, Xia Chuan's mind buzzed.

Sacrifice messages flooded his consciousness, the sheer volume making his head ache.

> Ding! Your believers have sacrificed the cultivation manual "Tianyuan Heart Law."

Ding! Your believers have sacrificed the secret martial art "Heavenly Steel Palm."

Ding! Your believers have sacrificed the forbidden technique "Tai Su Yin Skill."

Ding! Your believers have sacrificed the hidden art "Wind Dominance Fist."

The notifications piled up endlessly, forcing Xia Chuan to mute them entirely.

Even so, he could feel the weight of knowledge surging into his mind.

In mere moments, he had gained an entire civilization's worth of wisdom.

His eyes gleamed.

"Not bad."

With so many cultivation techniques, his journey to transcendence had truly begun.

But Xia Chuan knew one thing—

To maintain faith, one must return faith in kind.

There was borrowing and repaying.

These followers had given him countless treasures.

Now, they deserved a response.

His divine voice descended into the souls of Li Xiao and his people.

"I am pleased with your offerings. Speak—what do you desire?"

The ground trembled as his words resounded across the kingdom.

Li Xiao and his followers bowed their heads, trembling in reverence.

For now, their god had spoken—and they would not waste this divine opportunity.

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