Prologue: The Wheel of Fate

Chapter One: The Wheel of Fate

Year 417 of the Mohe Calendar.

In the northern suburbs of the Qinglan Empire’s imperial capital, at Luyeyuan. The Tower of Five Spirits stands tall, seemingly touching the sky.

By the riverside, herds of deer drink water; monks in white robes shuttle between the temple towers; on the deep red roses, dewdrops glisten. In the dense shade of the Yiyun trees surrounding the Tower of Five Spirits, thornbirds begin their daily song.

Four hundred and seventeen years ago, in this very place, facing five ascetics, the god-descended Mohe turned the Dharma Wheel for the first time, imparting his profound understanding of the five-elemental arts to the world; the Five Saints spread the teachings across the land, founding the Orthodox Mohe Faith. Sixty years later, Emperor Dana Liu of Qinglan converted to the Orthodox Mohe Faith and, with the power of the nation, built the Tower of Five Spirits. From then on, wherever the stars shone, all who believed in the god-descended Mohe were blessed, while blasphemers were slaughtered or exiled.

……

Luyeyuan is built on a gently rising slope. Exiting Luyeyuan, a wide avenue paved with countless massive, well-laid blue stone slabs stretches all the way down, connecting to the Yanxiu Gate of the northern city of the imperial capital. On both sides of the avenue, the lawns are as fresh and green as mushrooms, and wild deer frolic at the edge of travelers’ sight.

“Sir, for what reason has the Pontiff invited us this time?”

A middle-aged man in a brown long robe stood on the open lawn, gazing up at the Tower of Five Spirits, resplendent under the morning sun, feeling the surging tide of power within the tower, as if he hadn’t heard the young man’s question behind him.

The two strolled slowly along the soft lawn beside the bluestone path, seemingly enjoying this rare moment of tranquility. The middle-aged man was about forty-seven or forty-eight, tall and robust, with a resolute face and the dignity cultivated from long years in high office. He was known as the “pillar of the empire,” the Left Minister of the Privy Council, Brian Sutton.

The young man behind him was the Left Minister’s attendant, named William Harper. It was common for noble youths of the empire to serve under high-ranking ministers, accumulating experience and credentials for their official careers. William Harper was the eldest son of the lower-ranked Wu clan, and had been by the Left Minister’s side for seven years. At twenty-two, he possessed a handsome and flawless face, was one of the most outstanding young martial artists in the capital, and, despite his youth, had a rare calmness, like a famous sword sheathed, never revealing its edge unless necessary.

In the distance on the bluestone road, carriages and horses rumbled as a convoy slowly exited Luyeyuan. Once the convoy had completely left Luyeyuan, William Harper was surprised to see that it consisted of thirty-six fine bronze war chariots, each drawn by two silver-horned wind horses, with the foremost chariot pulled by a thundercloud beast with wings under its armpits.

The thundercloud beast moved slowly, its dark blood-colored cloud-patterned wings folded under its armpits, calm and composed, not at all agitated by the onlookers. Its breath rumbled like thunder; occasionally, it would raise its massive, whiskered head like a dragon, lightning flashing in its eyes, frightening passersby into trembling legs and scattering to either side.

“The Sixth Highness?” William Harper looked at the thundercloud beast, somewhat astonished.

Thundercloud beasts hail from north of Jinwei Mountain and are the attendant beasts of Huanhua Star God Tulie, one of the five great evil gods in creation myths, with the body of a tiger and the head of a dragon. An adult thundercloud beast stands over ten feet tall, with wings under its armpits and blue scales covering its body, impervious to blades and weapons.

This thundercloud beast was a tribute from the Beijia Empire. As one of the highest-ranked royal wild beasts, the thundercloud beast possesses abilities beyond ordinary understanding. Brian Sutton suspected the Beijialuo people had ulterior motives in presenting this beast as tribute, but thought that keeping it in the imperial gardens would do no harm. However, the Pontiff personally placed a restriction spell on the beast, so even if others had doubts, they dared not voice them publicly.

The Emperor bestowed this thundercloud beast upon his sixth son.

Yet the Sixth Highness used this war beast to pull his own lavish bronze chariot.

“The Emperor’s excessive favor toward the Sixth Highness may not be a good thing.” Brian Sutton frowned slightly, leaving the open lawn with William Harper and blending into the crowd by the bluestone road.

For an underage prince to travel with thirty-six fine bronze war chariots was bound to make people resent his spoiled arrogance.

William Harper couldn’t help but lower his voice and ask, “Is the Pontiff’s invitation this time related to the position of imperial heir?”