Chapter 113: Shifts on All Sides (1)

At the very moment the Emperor and Cihang Pudu were discussing the matter, those involved who possessed even a modicum of cultivation knowledge felt a subtle shift.

Within the Imperial Palace, in a small, exquisite, and ornate courtyard that retained an air of otherworldly simplicity, a girl sat at a stone table in a small garden, looking as if she had stepped out of a painting. Her features were delicate, with phoenix eyes and willow-leaf brows, carved as if from jade. She was intently reading a Daoist scripture, her expression shifting between furrowed brows and moments of delight. When she reached a particularly profound passage, she used her slender fingers to pick up a brush and jot down notes on the paper beside her. Yet, a trace of lingering unease remained between her brows, as if a long-entangled knot prevented her from appearing truly perfect.

Just as the Emperor and Cihang Pudu finalized their plans, the girl suddenly experienced a flash of intuition. She looked toward the source of the feeling—the direction of the alchemy room—and felt a sense of confusion. She rarely left her quarters and seldom interacted with others; how could this matter concern her? She shook her head, sinking into deep contemplation.

Suddenly, she drifted into an unconscious state. She found herself in a Daoist temple, standing before a stone table where a young man sat, engrossed in a Daoist scripture. He would furrow his brows and then smile, and upon reaching a brilliant passage, he would pick up a brush to write on the paper. She felt a surge of joy, pleased to share the same interest, and moved to tap the youth on the shoulder. But just as she reached out, her heart tightened, and she froze. She desperately wanted to flee, but she found herself unable to move. After a moment, the youth placed his book on the table and turned to look at her.

"Ah!" The girl let out a shrill cry and woke up with a start, gasping for air. She felt something was amiss; in her usual visions, she would lose control, tap the youth on the shoulder, and then be flung into water, only waking up after struggling for a long time. Upon waking, she would usually be drenched in sweat, as if pulled from a pond. But this time, she had not been thrown into the water, nor was she soaked—only a light sheen of cold sweat remained.

Though startled, she felt no fear, but rather a tiny, secret spark of joy. The youth had turned around—why hadn't she looked to see what he looked like? She chided herself for her cowardice, but quickly pulled her thoughts back, shaking her head vigorously. What was she thinking?

"Your Highness, did you have another nightmare? The hot water is ready," a crisp voice called from beside her. She hurriedly pinched her fingers, her face flushing crimson. She felt a secret resentment toward that youth for causing her such embarrassment.

After a long while of trying to harbor resentment, she found she simply could not. Sighing, she tidied the items on the stone table and turned toward her room, her steps lighter, as if a sliver of hidden joy still lingered in her heart.

The maid looked at the Ninth Princess with confusion, sensing something different about her. This had been happening for two years; usually, every time she was startled, she would fall ill as if from a major sickness. Yet today, she seemed much recovered, even appearing somewhat cheerful. After a moment's thought, the maid decided it was best to report this. She gave instructions to the other maids and headed out.

At the same time, in a subterranean river, Wang Yuanfeng was swiftly traversing the water alongside a ten-foot-long golden dragon. Suddenly, he stopped, standing still in the water, lost in thought.

"What is it, Divine One?" The Kang Jin Long, seeing Wang Yuanfeng stop, circled around and transformed into a youth in golden robes, asking about what Wang Yuanfeng was sensing.

Wang Yuanfeng looked toward the direction of Shengjing and said, "While traveling, I suddenly felt a trace of the imperial dynasty’s destiny settle upon me, with much more lingering in the background, as if waiting for the opportune moment to descend."

"Isn't that a good thing? You possess the Great Destiny of the Immortal Dao and can confer titles upon various gods. If you now have the destiny of the human realm, and can further collect the destiny of the Underworld, you would truly be the supreme ruler of the Three Realms," said the Kang Jin Long, aware of the benefits of such destiny.

Wang Yuanfeng shook his head. "I have neither friendship nor ties with the Chen family of the Great Liang. Our destinies are separate and should not interfere with one another. To have the destiny of the Great Liang thrust upon me now is a calamity, not a blessing."

"How is that possible?" The Kang Jin Long, knowing only that destiny was beneficial, asked in confusion.

Wang Yuanfeng explained, "You do not understand the principle, Golden Dragon. The Great Liang Dynasty is already in its twilight, like the setting sun or the final tolling of a bell; its destiny is nearly exhausted. If the dynasty falls, the first to be implicated will be those tethered to its destiny."

The Kang Jin Long realized the truth and was enlightened. It was no wonder that no practitioners were willing to serve the imperial court, fearing the backlash of such destiny. Seeing that the fate of the Great Liang was clear to many, the dragon said, "Then, Divine One, you should sever this destiny from your body to avoid the backlash."

Wang Yuanfeng sensed the trace of purple destiny in his spiritual altar. In the heavens and earth, purple was the color of nobility and the foundation of the Great Dao, but this was not the energy of the Dao—it was human destiny. He considered severing the thread; he had no desire to be buried with the Great Liang. Just as he prepared to channel his sword energy to cut the purple thread, a flash of memory crossed his mind: he was in the Taixu Temple outside the city, reading a scripture, and a little girl was walking toward him.

The girl was about to tap his shoulder, and his subconscious reaction was to grab her and throw her aside. But at this moment, Wang Yuanfeng was horrified; he forcibly controlled the vision, closed the book in his hand, placed it gently on the table, and turned to look at the girl. He saw her panicked expression, as if she had seen something terrifying. Wang Yuanfeng was baffled, and then he saw her take a deep breath and let out a scream, at which point the vision shattered.

"The Ninth Princess," Wang Yuanfeng murmured to himself. He remembered the little girl he had accidentally thrown into the water two years ago. When he pulled her out, she had been in a daze, as if deeply traumatized. He had merely cast a few soothing charms into her spiritual altar and fled. He later learned she was the Ninth Princess, and he had nearly been arrested; only his father's intervention saved him, and he was confined to his quarters. He had never checked on her since, and strangely, he had not heard a single word about her afterward.

It was as if she had vanished, or as if he had simply ignored her existence. Now, Wang Yuanfeng felt a pang of guilt, and the sword energy that had been billowing around him vanished without a trace.

The Kang Jin Long watched him, puzzled. Hearing Wang Yuanfeng's murmur, it asked, "Divine One, have you discovered something?"

Wang Yuanfeng nodded. "I have a karmic debt with the Great Liang. This is a law of the Great Dao; to sever it would be improper."

"But if the Great Liang falls, it will surely harm you," the Kang Jin Long said with concern.

Wang Yuanfeng nodded, prepared to say he would simply have to endure it, but then realized keeping it in his spiritual altar was not a solution. "I can only seal it away for now and decide later."