"The first blessing bestows grace upon the earth!"
The ancient voice of the gods came, like the chanting in a temple, cleansing people's souls and instantly putting them into a state of emptiness.
A phantom image appeared before everyone, showing the Holy Glory Empire submerged after the natural disaster. The broken objects were incredibly glaring, and people from different regions could be seen holding devout prayers at this moment.
A ray of light blessed countless lands, and in the blink of an eye, everyone could clearly see the land, which had been submerged by the dirty rain, recovering.
The water level dropped at a visible speed, and the bent tree trunks and vegetation all recovered under the blessing of this land, even becoming more lush and robust than before.
At this moment, the energy of the Holy Glory Empire became even more concentrated, which every superhuman could clearly feel.
This is a true miracle, allowing the new life after the disaster to give birth to the miracle of all change.
Everything was revived, which was astonishing.
Quan Ji took a deep breath and smiled.
It seems I don't need to spend money on disaster relief. This blessing, though not the best, is the most appropriate right now.
At this moment, the voices of the gods echoed from the sacred realm once more.
"The second stage of the Holy Empire's certification by the heavens."
"I have already asked you, today... I will tread your path, to understand the people's suffering, to ascend to the Heavenly Court, and to see the ruler's heart!"
The moment the gods' voices faded.
A tornado suddenly appeared on the altar, making everyone almost lose their footing.
A beam of divine light descended, revealing itself to be a staircase composed of layers of golden light!
The steps may seem ordinary, but even those who are not superhumans can clearly feel the immense energy and pressure emanating from them. Each step carries a powerful sense of "thought".
This kind of "thought" originates from all aspects of human life and the myriad aspects of people's livelihoods, representing all different kinds of "suffering" in people's lives, which makes people feel extremely sad.
The words of the gods came, explaining the purpose of the stairs.
"This ladder is called the Jun Ladder, and each step represents a kind of suffering of the people."
"A true monarch should experience the lives of ordinary people and their hardships in order to deal with the various livelihood issues that may arise in the future."
"Just as you said back then, the people are the water, and the ruler is the boat. Water can carry the boat, but it can also capsize it."
"If a boat doesn't know how to navigate, it will inevitably be trapped in the water and unable to get out!"
"Therefore, the second test for the Holy Glory Empire, and the test for the monarch, is precisely this ladder to the throne!"
"The gods have decreed that those who ascend the King's Ladder must not give up halfway, or they will be condemned to eternal damnation. The hardships endured by those who ascend the King's Ladder are beyond the comprehension of ordinary people. If you wish to step onto it, you must consider this carefully beforehand!"
"The gods ask, will you abandon me?!"
The combined voice of the gods did not frighten Quan Ji, but rather caused panic among the people of the Holy Glory Empire.
To make the young lady experience every hardship of ordinary people?!
As their subjects, they know better than anyone how terrifying it truly is.
Despair, the will to survive, life hanging by a thread.
The best example is that if it weren't for the young lady's rescue during this natural disaster, they would have had absolutely no harvest this year, and not a single livestock would have survived!
What does this represent?
This may not sound like much—but they've experienced it firsthand!
For them, the despair of having no harvest meant not having enough to eat!
For them, the despair of losing all their livestock meant the destruction of their source of income!
Once you've experienced all of this, no one will want to do it a second time.
Now, the gods say that the young lady should experience these things?
This is outrageous!
The voices of the people rang out in unison:
"Young Miss... no need... our Holy Glory Empire is already good and strong enough... there's no need to go this far!"
"Yes... Miss, the common people suffer, and the monarch has his own worries. Why do this for us?!"
"Young Miss..."
...
Quan Ji heard everyone's shouts; she could sense their anxiety and worry.
The common people have their own sufferings, and the monarch has his own worries.
But... if a monarch doesn't even know what kind of suffering his people are enduring, wouldn't that be utterly outrageous?!
Moreover, as a leader, Kwon Ji felt that if she couldn't bear more than ordinary people, then how could she lead others?
If the leader and his subordinates were to behave the same way, wouldn't that be a complete fantasy?!
Amidst the people's urging her to retreat, Princess Quan shouted:
"The people of the Holy Glory Empire have no way out, only nowhere to go but nowhere to get through!"
If she can't even handle this little bit of difficulty, what will she rely on when she's about to touch upon forbidden truths?!
Without hesitation, Princess Quan stepped onto the first step of the royal staircase.
In that instant, she felt as if she were in a certain environment.
She walked through the wind and snow in the cold night, wrapped only in a thin strip of cloth.
While everyone around her was celebrating, she was starving, freezing, lonely, and helpless.
Listening to the laughter and chatter, she eventually sat down next to a small hut, leaning against the wooden planks to shield herself from the wind and frost, and gradually died in the cold, snowy night.
When Quan Ji regained consciousness, she was clutching her stomach, trembling all over. She realized she had returned to reality.
The feeling was terrifying; she could clearly feel every step of her death.
In the end, she didn't even know whether she froze to death or starved to death.
This is the suffering of widows, widowers, and the lonely.
This was a trial she had never experienced in her previous life.
As expected—the gods prepare different tests for different situations.
She took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and despite her pained expression, bravely stepped onto the new step.
In that instant, she felt as if she had stepped into a new world.
She was a widowed farmer whose entire family depended on her for survival.
Their family's main source of livelihood is the vegetables and fruits they grow on the two acres of land in front of their house, which barely provides them with enough to eat and wear.
However, one day a heavy rain fell and washed away all the rice, leaving her with no harvest.
Her family was crying and comforting her, while her child was wailing and crying for food.
But where can we get food?
All the grain was washed away by the flood!
That feeling of despair enveloped her, extinguishing her like a flickering candle flame, leaving her without any light.
When she was conscious, Quan Ji could even feel that there was a layer of tears on her face!
These are tears that flowed uncontrollably when emotions reached their extreme.
The people all looked at Princess Quan. Although they didn't know what she had gone through, they could clearly feel her despair and were extremely anxious.
They clenched their fists, but they couldn't persuade the young lady to turn back!
They cried out in despair, "Young lady... hang in there! The people of Holy Light are with you!"
Quan Ji could sense the emotions of the people. She closed her eyes and stepped onto the third step.
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