Engagement Canceled: I Can Extract Prefixes-Chapter 326 - 325: Becoming the Ominous One

Four people, three men, and one woman.

From the Qi Country, Peng Nannan, Sheng Fang.

Both are practitioners of the Saber Technique, which is the strongest art in Qi Country.

Among many countries, Qi Country’s Saber Technique is also recognized as the strongest.

From the Yan Country, Gong Ze, Pei Sulan.

They are presumably practicing the Scholar’s Technique.

Dean Tianyi naturally wants Shen Han to know himself and his enemies, to respond with ease.

However, people of Shen Han’s age seldom have stepped beyond their nation’s borders and rarely reveal their own strength.

Information on these younger generations is indeed limited.

Dean Tianyi and Mr. Zhong Nan can only rely on past experiences.

Explaining the strengths of Qi Country and Yan Country to Shen Han.

The strength of the three countries is about evenly matched, each having its own merits.

If forced to rank them.

According to the general consensus, Wei Country is the strongest, followed by Qi Country, and Yan Country is the weakest among the three.

But after experiencing a rebellion, Wei Country’s national power has declined significantly.

Moreover, over the past century, the strength of the younger generation in Wei Country has noticeably declined.

The reasons are complex, but the problem is already evident to everyone.

In the last Ten Nations Grand Competition four years ago, Great Wei did not gain much advantage.

If Shen Ye hadn’t made a remarkable impression, that year, Great Wei might have lost even more disastrously.

This year, due to injuries, Shen Ye did not attend the Ten Nations Grand Competition.

Shen Han also understands that although he does not get along well with Shen Ye and the Shen Family,

his performance will inevitably be compared to Shen Ye’s.

If his performance is poor, the little reputation he has built may completely vanish.

The Ten Nations Competition, after all, is an external battle.

No matter what, the people of Great Wei share a common enemy and are united externally.

In the competition, he defeated Su Jinyu and Shen Ye’s incarnation.

At the age of nineteen, his performance was astonishingly brilliant.

But if he performs poorly when facing other countries,

he might be drowned in spittle.

Of course, with these risks in front,

if he performs exceptionally well, all fame and fortune will come.

Shen Han doesn’t overly demand these things,

but if he returns victorious, as Prince Qingyuan said, he could compete for the Shen Family title.

He has a slight interest in this title.

The Shen Family has brought him so much trouble, and Shen Ye even wanted to kill him.

Since that’s the case, the title Shen Ye always wanted, the position of Shen Family successor,

he just wants to compete with him for it.

Two days passed.

On the east side of the Capital City, the Heaven Sacrificial Altar.

This is the place for sacrifices, praying to Heaven.

For matters of the nation, they must ask Heaven.

Praying to Heaven for its meaning, receiving Heaven’s will, to prosper Great Wei affairs.

On significant occasions, there always are sacrifices and prayers to Heaven.

In Great Wei, quite a number of people take this will of Heaven seriously.

Over hundreds of years, the intent of praying to Heaven has accurately predicted several major events.

The saying that the nation’s fate and individual fate are related is widely spread in Great Wei.

Therefore, many people truly value the outcome of this prayer to Heaven.

Shen Han followed behind Dean Tianyi, going with the crowd to the Sacrificial Altar.

The Forbidden Army had already taken control long before reaching the Sacrificial Altar.

The crowd began to be dispersed.

Ordinary citizens of the capital were guided to a slightly distant location to watch.

Those with some status, naturally, were given preferential treatment and could stand a little closer.

Around the entire Sacrificial Altar is an elevated area in the center.

During the sacrificial and heaven prayer ceremony, due to the terrain, others stood lower than those in the sacrificial center.

This was to highlight the dignity of the sacrificial ceremony.

The auspicious time for the sacrificial ceremony was from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM during these four two-hour periods.

The citizens who came to watch the ceremony seemed to understand this as well.

As 7:00 AM approached, they all began to silence.

Standing amidst the crowd, Shen Han slightly tilted his head to observe.

The surroundings, every corner, exuded a sense of solemnity.

The prominent ministers of the court were already standing in front of the altar.

This sacrifice and prayer to Heaven were mainly for blessing Shen Han and those attending the Ten Nations Grand Competition.

Naturally, Shen Han, following Dean Tianyi, stood at the front.

As 7:00 AM arrived, the music of the sacrificial ceremony played.

A group dressed in ceremonial attire played the music, slowly passing through the road.

The sound of ritual music lingered.

At the same time, an elder, clad in more luxurious ceremonial attire, held a golden scepter.

Though the elder’s steps seemed somewhat unsteady, he exuded an aura of authority.

He walked to the center of the altar, thrusting the golden scepter into the square cauldron.

He then began to chant, seemingly uttering words to summon the gods.

Beside him, the musical ensemble grew louder, and the tempo quickened.

The elder was the Minister Yingtian of Great Wei, the one who receives Heaven’s will.

It was Shen Han’s first time participating in such a sacrificial ceremony, his gaze wandered slightly.

As he glanced around, he spotted some people he didn’t wish to see.

Not far to the west, Luo Zuchen and his mentor Shen Ye were standing there.

It seemed that upon sensing his gaze, Luo Zuchen narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at him.

His eyes harbored a fierce intent, seeming to hold a deadly threat.

Others might have been intimidated by this, their aggression weakening already.

But Shen Han was indifferent, meeting his gaze unwaveringly. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

No matter how fierce he was, Shen Han remained as composed as before, showing no fear.

Reflecting on it, Luo Zuchen had tried to harm him multiple times,

and only the first time, through a sneak attack, did he suffer some injuries.

Later, he attempted to assassinate me with a single strike, wanting to use his incarnation to take my life.

But when did he ever succeed?

So, why should I fear him?

When Shen Han met my gaze recklessly, a fleeting smile appeared in Luo Zuchen’s eyes.

It’s unclear what that smile meant.

These things no longer affected Shen Han.

In front of the sacrificial altar, the elder circled endlessly around a golden scepter.

Muttering words continuously without pause.

He truly looked like he was performing a praying to heaven ritual.

As the elder spoke, peculiar phenomena began appearing in the void above,

as if three auspicious clouds descended over the sacrificial altar.

Red, yellow, and purple in color.

The auspicious clouds seemed to hear his incantations, beginning to swirl gradually.

The surrounding onlookers all wore expressions of reverence, as if witnessing a miracle.

After roughly half a two-hour period, the elder finally stopped.

Solemnly pointing at the scepter in front of him.

He loudly proclaimed, "Invite His Holiness to worship heaven!"

The elder’s voice was drawn out, filled with a sense of solemnity.

Shen Han looked toward the center of the sacrificial altar.

Moments later, His Holiness, who occupied the highest position, stepped forward.

This was Shen Han’s first time seeing His Holiness.

Different from what he imagined, the Great Wei Emperor appeared...

somewhat benevolent...

This was indeed Shen Han’s first impression; the slightly aged face bore a hint of a gentle smile, not harsh.

Other citizens of Great Wei would likely also feel he had a touch of kindness.

Rumor had it he was quite old.

But what was observed seemed as if he still had a long life ahead.

The emperor, on the altar, merely twisted the golden scepter slightly.

Immediately, the auspicious clouds above the void altered, intertwining three colors, as if indicating some omen.

Shen Han sensed the mystery, but did not believe it was of divine will.

Likely it was some method conjuring this phenomenon.

Moments later, something else was offered, tossed into the cauldron.

"Worship, bow!"

A loud call, and everyone performed the ritual.

After about a quarter of an hour, Minister Yingtian spoke again.

"Pray for heavenly blessing, bless the Great Wei with fortune.

Pray for divine will, rise!"

The sacrificial ceremony was over, and next was praying to heaven.

Praying to heaven held meanings of divination and blessing.

It’s akin to a pre-departure prediction, seeking fortune.

Behind, Dean Tianyi gently patted Shen Han’s shoulder.

Shen Han understood and stepped forward.

Twelve people stepped forward from the surroundings to the base of the sacrificial altar.

At this moment, these twelve were the absolute protagonists, basking in countless gazes.

Shen Han glanced at the others.

There seemed to be no acquaintances, all eleven were likely first meetings.

"Inheriting the great fortune, traversing worldly turmoil, magnify Wei’s prestige!

Pray to heaven, auspicious!"

The elder’s aged face revealed more of an authoritative air.

He took the golden scepter in hand, pointing straight to the heavens.

While chanting again, he descended from the sacrificial altar step by step.

Lightly touching each person with the scepter.

Each touch caused the auspicious clouds in the void to flash and shift.

It seemed to be some kind of auspicious omen.

The first four people’s prayers went smoothly.

Until the golden scepter touched Shen Han, lightly pointing down.

The previous scenes of auspicious signs suddenly shifted.

The auspicious clouds above, their colors deepened, like ashes, like dust.

Even their once vibrant figures subtly withered.

Around the sacrificial altar, previously silent citizens began whispering to each other.

Seeing Shen Han, their eyes showed faint panic.

Not only that, Minister Yingtian’s face seemed to change.

Retrieving the scepter.

The auspicious clouds quickly returned to their previous purple aura.

This abnormal change seemed to plainly say Shen Han carried ill fortune...

The entire praying ceremony paused.

Everyone held their breath.

Again the golden scepter touched Shen Han.

The auspicious clouds behaved the same as before.

Initially full of purple omen, but upon contact with Shen Han, it withered, dimmed.

The minister shook his head solemnly, moving the scepter to the next person.

As expected, once it touched the next person, the auspicious omens returned.

Shen Han frowned deeply, quickly reflecting in his mind.

What divine will, what fortune.

Merely means for some to manipulate the populace and control public perception.

This minister seemed intent on labeling him as an ill-omened person.

Like how the Shen Family wanted to ruin him.

This label of ill omen might bring greater misfortune.

Leading to unavoidable exclusion, bias.

In these thoughts, Shen Han’s mind stirred.