Before Dawn 6
In the end, no one remained outside the tomb.
They all walked towards the base of the stone tablet, waiting for the truth to emerge.
Huaiwen looked up at the stone tablet in front of her and said, "I swear by the destiny of God, that I will not steal or take anything from the tomb. I only hope that the waters of the three rivers can relieve the suffering of countless souls."
Huaiwen planted his Mingjing Sword in front of the stone tablet, and soon a black aura emanated from the sword. This black aura grew larger and larger, enveloping Huaiwen and the other two.
"Bang—"
They disappeared.
Amidst the wailing and howling, Huaiwen heard a voice calling out: "Your destiny is the same as His Highness the Crown Prince's. We wish to elevate you to a new deity. Are you willing?"
Huaiwen slowly opened her eyes. She was standing on the sacrificial altar of the Yin Kingdom, surrounded by no one but a history book. She asked, "Are you... the history book of the Yin Kingdom?"
The history books say: "Yes. All things will pass, we will be submerged in the past, we will have no surnames or names, we will write our own stories. We hope that the world will remember this grand sacrificial ceremony."
Huaiwen frowned and asked, "So...you are actually ghosts from inside the stone tablet?"
"We are the people of the Yin Kingdom," the history book says. "We hope you will open the history book of the Yin Kingdom and read about our past. This way we can communicate better, and you will better understand why we do what we do."
Huaiwen nodded, and the history books were opened, allowing the past to be seen.
Two thousand years ago, this was the capital of the Yin Kingdom.
A rare sight appeared: hundreds of birds paying homage to the phoenix, and golden light radiated everywhere. Inside the imperial city, the empress, six months pregnant, suddenly experienced abdominal pain and was rushed to give birth.
However, the baby had not yet been delivered, which was truly worrying. The king immediately summoned the royal advisor and asked, "The sight of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix should be an auspicious omen, so why is the baby not being delivered from the queen's womb?"
The Imperial Preceptor said, "The time has not yet come."
The king then asked, "Can you calculate what time it is?"
The Imperial Advisor calculated with his fingers and said, "The one in the Empress's womb is a person of destiny. Her fate cannot be foreseen by heaven. However, Your Majesty need not worry. Take good care of the Empress, and when the time comes, the prince will naturally descend."
Unexpectedly, the sun did not set for three consecutive days.
The auspicious omen suddenly changed. The king hurriedly summoned the imperial advisor, but the advisor had barely stepped into the queen's palace when the sound of a baby crying came from inside.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Your Highness has descended to earth, a blessing from Heaven upon our nation," the Grand Preceptor said, bowing.
In his joy, the king exclaimed, "The sun rises for three days without setting, and I stay up for three days without sleep for my son. From now on, let him be given the nickname 'Sleepless'."
His Highness, the Sleepless Prince, was born amidst auspicious omens, and the entire nation rejoiced for three days without ceasing. The King, delighted with him, bestowed upon him the title of Crown Prince. Because the Imperial Advisor was exceptionally skilled in divination, the King entrusted His Highness the Sleepless Prince to him, ordering him to teach him.
As it happened, the Crown Prince was fascinated by Taoist practices and insisted on learning them. The King, unwilling to let him leave the capital, built a Taoist temple outside the capital for his use.
One day, the Imperial Preceptor and the Crown Prince went out of the city to a Taoist temple. On the way up the mountain, they saw a child, dressed in rags, lying on the steps. The kind-hearted Crown Prince sent someone to rescue the child and bring him to the Taoist temple.
When the boy woke up, he was very surprised to find himself in a royal Taoist temple. He was at a loss, because he had never even been inside a slightly more prestigious local temple, let alone a royal Taoist temple.
Just as the child was about to run away, His Highness the Crown Prince came into his room.
After His Highness the Crown Prince ordered someone to bring him delicious food and drink, he asked the boy, "Where do you live?"
The child answered, "I have no home."
His Highness the Crown Prince asked in alarm, "Have you found a place to stay?"
The child shook his head: "No."
His Highness the Crown Prince looked sadly at the child before him, who appeared to be about his own age but was as thin as a rake. His tragic past truly stirred pity in him. After all, the child was still a citizen of his Yin Kingdom, and he had a duty to care for his people.
The Imperial Advisor entered at this moment, and as soon as he entered, he sensed a remarkable resilience in the boy. Despite his frail body, which could be blown away by a gust of wind, he remained steadfast, kneeling before the Crown Prince with utmost respect.
"Your Highness, it's time for you to begin your cultivation," the Imperial Preceptor said.
"Cultivation!" His Highness the Crown Prince suddenly exclaimed. "Imperial Preceptor, let's have him learn immortal arts too. I'm just missing a companion."
The boy was stunned. He felt it was impossible and could only lower his head. The Crown Prince saw this and felt even more sorry for the boy, so he begged the Imperial Preceptor to take him in as a junior apprentice.
The imperial advisor carefully calculated the boy's fate and found it to be similar to that of the Crown Prince—both were destined for divine intervention. This was truly a once-in-a-millennium occurrence; there were actually two people with such divine destiny. However, their circumstances were worlds apart.
His Highness the Crown Prince pressed, "Imperial Preceptor, are you really not going to accept him?"
After a long pause, the Imperial Preceptor asked, "Your Highness, are you sure you want him to be your fellow Daoist?"
His Highness the Crown Prince nodded: "He's the one."
Upon hearing this, the boy's eyes lit up, his spirits soaring, and he showed even more respect and affection for the future king. The royal advisor thought to himself, "This boy is destined for greatness."
The Imperial Advisor said, "Then you should listen to His Highness the Crown Prince."
"What is your name?" His Highness the Crown Prince asked.
The child nodded and then shook his head. His Highness the Crown Prince asked, "Do you have a name or not?"
"Some of them just don't sound very good," the boy said.
"What's wrong with it?"
The boy said with a hint of bitterness, "It's just an unpleasant word, it will offend Your Highness's ears."
Upon hearing this, His Highness the Crown Prince did not press further. He stroked his chin and thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "Since you are also going to enter the Dao, why not change your name? The day I saw you lying under the willow tree, with the birds in the forest flying about contentedly, how about calling you Fulan?"
"Fulin..." the child whispered his name.
"From now on, your name will be Fulin."
Afterwards, Fu Lin became a disciple of the Imperial Preceptor and cultivated immortal arts alongside the Crown Prince. Just as the Imperial Preceptor had predicted, these two were destined by the gods, and their cultivation of immortality was bound to be different from others. Their short few years of cultivation surpassed what others achieved in a hundred years.
With two divinely appointed leaders, the state of Yin grew increasingly powerful. The ambitious ruler of Yin sent envoys to fight neighboring states, and they were undefeated. At this time, Yin had expanded its territory significantly and was at its zenith.
During this prosperous time, only the king suddenly fell seriously ill.
At this critical moment, His Highness the Crown Prince returned to the palace with Fulin. He knelt before the King's bedside and asked, "Father, why did you suddenly fall ill?"
The Empress wept and replied, "The imperial physicians couldn't diagnose the problem either. That's why I called you back. Please quickly check on your father and see what's wrong."
The Crown Prince nodded, then grasped the King's wrist. A single probe sent a chill down his spine. The Queen paced anxiously behind him, chasing after the Crown Prince, wondering if he had foreseen something ominous.
His Highness the Crown Prince was stunned for a moment before saying that nothing was wrong, that the King was just tired and needed more rest.
After speaking, he left the king's palace first. Fu Lin followed behind him, clearly indicating that this matter was not so simple.
"Your Highness," Fu Lin asked, "did you glimpse anything?"
His Highness the Crown Prince wore a sorrowful expression; he couldn't believe he had foreseen such a thing. He didn't want anyone to know about this, but since Fu Lin's cultivation level was similar to his, if he could detect it, then Fu Lin could naturally detect it as well.
In this imperial city, His Highness the Crown Prince was like a withered leaf, drifting aimlessly.
After a long while, he returned to his palace with Fulin. The Crown Prince remained silent for a considerable time before speaking: "Fulin, do you know why my cultivation always progresses so rapidly?"
Fulan replied, "Because you were born with a divine destiny."
His Highness the Crown Prince smiled bitterly: "No, it's...it's because of my father."
"monarch?"
His Highness the Crown Prince said, "The stronger I become, the weaker my father will be. A country can only have one ruler."
Fu Lin understood instantly. He dared not speak lightly and could only remain silent. In the past, when a king suddenly fell seriously ill, it was mostly due to the influence of evil spirits. However, the sudden illness of the King of Yin was not due to evil spirits, but because of His Highness the Crown Prince.
His Highness the Crown Prince is a true dragon in the making, a god among men; his powerful aura will overwhelm others. Fu Lin had discovered this long ago, but he didn't say much. He was taken in by the Crown Prince, and he was willing to be suppressed by him.
Fu Lin hadn't anticipated that the Crown Prince's true dragon vein would suppress the King's. No monarch would willingly allow their dragon vein to be suppressed. To put it bluntly, it was tantamount to regicide. Moreover, the Crown Prince had murdered his own father.
"What should we do..." His Highness the Crown Prince slumped down, utterly disoriented.
Fu Lin remained silent for a long time. He really didn't want to see His Highness the Crown Prince in pain. After weighing the options, he said, "Your Highness, if there is no other way for the time being, please take a break and rest for the next few days."
His Highness the Crown Prince did not respond, and stroking the bamboo slip was taken as tacit consent.
The next day, when Fu Lin came to the Crown Prince's palace, he did not see the Crown Prince. Fu Lin was alarmed and chased after him.
Soon, Fu Lin followed the Crown Prince's trail to Wushan. This was the ancestral home of their sect's Taoist practices. Upon arrival, Fu Lin met Nan Zhi, the disciple of the Imperial Preceptor's junior brother. Because Nan Zhi was older than Fu Lin, she instructed Fu Lin to call her Senior Sister.
"Junior brother, what are you doing here?" Nan Zhi asked.
"Have you seen His Highness the Crown Prince?" Fu Lin asked.
Nan Zhi shook her head: "I've never seen him before. Is His Highness the Crown Prince here too? What brings you here?"
Fu Lin made up an excuse and left. He searched the entire Wushan Mountain but couldn't find where the Crown Prince was hiding. Yet he could clearly sense that the Crown Prince was in Wushan Mountain.
Fu Lin chuckled in exasperation. His Highness the Crown Prince's divine mandate was too strong, suppressing him. He couldn't even find him when he wanted to.
With no other option, Fulin stayed overnight at Wushan, waiting for His Highness the Crown Prince to come out on his own.
Not long after, news came from the palace that the king's condition had improved. Fu Lin was startled and went to find the crown prince again. This time, the crown prince could not suppress him, and he successfully found the person.
Seeing the Crown Prince huddled wearily in a cave beneath Wushan Mountain, Fu Lin rushed over in alarm: "Your Highness!"
"Is it... news that my father has recovered?" the Crown Prince asked.
“Yes,” Fu Lin replied, “Could it be that Your Highness, the Crown Prince…”
The crown prince smiled bitterly: "It really is only by my death that I can save my father..."
Fu Lin didn't know how to answer. He helped the Crown Prince up and sat with him for a while before saying, "Your Highness, there will always be a way, won't there? Believe me, there will definitely be a way."
"What method?" His Highness the Crown Prince asked bitterly, "Only one person can survive."
Fu Lin fell silent once more. He wanted to help the Crown Prince out, but the Crown Prince shook his head and declined. He said that only by staying here could the true dragon's life force be suppressed, and only then could his father recover.
Ultimately, the Crown Prince had shown kindness to Fulin, and he had struggled internally for a long time. Finally, he spoke: "Your Highness, if you wish to live, if you wish the King to live, then hold a grand sacrificial ceremony to Heaven. Pray to Heaven with your true heart."
His Highness the Crown Prince was slightly surprised. He asked with chapped lips, "Will this... work?"
“Yes,” Fu Lin said, “I will definitely help you.”
Preparations for the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven began.
The Imperial Advisor, upon learning of this, attempted to intervene, but the Crown Prince had already made up his mind, so the Imperial Advisor said no more. The day before the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven was to begin, the Imperial Advisor summoned Fulan.
The Imperial Advisor frowned and said sternly, "Did you arrange this sacrificial ceremony? Do you know what the consequences of doing this will be!"
With a sorrowful expression, Fu Lin said helplessly, "This is perhaps the only way to save His Highness the Crown Prince and the King."
"Would you be willing to lose your entire life's cultivation?" the Imperial Preceptor pressed.
Fu Lin smiled bitterly: "I was saved by His Highness the Crown Prince, and what I have learned now is also out of the Crown Prince's mercy. I am merely returning it to the Crown Prince, simply to repay his kindness."
The Imperial Preceptor said, "But do you know that your ascension to immortality is imminent?"
Fu Lin nodded, the Grand Preceptor remaining silent and calm. The two chosen ones were on the verge of ascension. Therefore, one would inevitably suppress the other. However, he harbored too many fantasies and delusions, always believing that if he taught them properly, such a thing wouldn't have happened to his two disciples.
He was trying to ask for too much.
Since fate had been sealed, the Imperial Preceptor said no more, only sighing, "Fulin, as long as your soul has not been scattered, I will definitely bring you back. If you can still cultivate afterward, then I will take you back to Wushan. If not, then change your name and find a place to live a good life."
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