Chapter 27: To Ascend Is Human, to Fall Is Also Human

Xie Lian turned his head and asked, "What do you mean?"

"The homeless street urchins of the imperial capital all run together in a gang, and they come to my neighborhood frequently to beg for food. I know all of them, but I've never seen this child before."

That young child peered at Mu Qing and didn't say a word. Feng Xin was doubtful.

"Who do they beg for food from? You? And you'd give it to them?"

Mu Qing glared at him. "If they pester relentlessly, there's no other way."

Feng Xin still thought the notion rather unbelievable but didn't make any further commentary. "Oh."

Watching their exchange, Xie Lian wanted to laugh.

"Besides, there are sewn patches on his clothes," Mu Qing added. "Judging by the needlework, it must have been done by a grown-up sometime recently, so there's at least someone of age in his household. His family situation might not be the best, but he's definitely not a beggar."

Xie Lian naturally would not notice the details of needlework on sewn patches, nor whether it was done by adults. But Mu Qing used to be an errand boy at the Royal Holy Temple, and he also did all kinds of chores at home.

When Xie Lian looked closely, it was indeed as he had said. So he asked, "Do you have grown-ups at home?"

The young child shook his head, but Mu Qing said, "There must be. If he doesn't go back, his family will surely be worried sick looking for him."

"No, no way! There's nobody!" that young child cried, sounding like he was afraid to be sent back, and he opened his arms reaching for Xie Lian.

He was still covered with mud and blood, and Feng Xin couldn't stand it anymore. "What're ya doin', kid? Things were urgent earlier, so whatever, but shouldn't you know better by now? This is the crown prince. His Highness the Crown Prince. Do you understand?"

That young child's arms immediately shrank back, but he was still gazing at Xie Lian. "My parents were quarreling and kicked me out. I walked for a long time but had nowhere to go."

The other three looked at each other in dismay. After a moment, Feng Xin said, "So what now?"

One of the imperial doctors suggested, "If His Highness is troubled, he can be kept here in the palace and have a few attendants assigned to take care of him."

Xie Lian contemplated, but after some thought, he shook his head slowly. At the end of the day, he was afraid Qi Rong wouldn't give up, and he'd sneak out to cause trouble.

"The way I see it, it'd still be best if I watch over him until his wounds are healed. It seems his family won't be able to look after him, unfortunately. Feng Xin, when you take care of the stalls that were toppled by Qi Rong, send some men to see if his parents can be found and let them know so they don't worry."

"All right." Feng Xin nodded.

One of his arms was still in a sling, but he extended the good arm to reach for the young child, intending to pick him up by the collar. Xie Lian laughed.

"You're wounded. Don't worry about it."

However, Feng Xin shrugged it off. "Only one arm is broken, the other's still fine. If both my arms were broken, I could still use my teeth to carry him by the collar and bring him up the mountain for you."

Mu Qing rolled his eyes from behind him, then spoke up. "Don't bother. Let me carry him."

But just as he took one step forward, the child jumped off the bed himself and said, "I can walk on my own."

That expression, set with resistance, spoke louder than words, and it made Mu Qing's second step extremely awkward, as he was unsure whether or not to proceed. That little kid had five broken ribs and a broken leg, but he was still bursting with energy. Xie Lian really didn't know whether to laugh or ache for him.

He settled on saying, "Stop running around!" Then he bent down and picked him up.

The three of them left the palace with the child in tow. Since Qi Rong had caused havoc on the streets earlier, disturbing the townspeople and toppling a number of stalls, Xie Lian felt deeply guilty and that he had no face to meet any of the citizens. So the group slunk around, afraid to show themselves, using only the back alleyways. The entire way, that small child was extremely docile in Xie Lian's arms. They told him to be quiet, and he uttered not a single sound.

Feng Xin glared. "This brat kicked me yesterday, but look at him now. He really knows how to pick 'em."

"It's His Highness the Crown Prince. Of course he's liked more than most people," Mu Qing said.

For some reason, even when he said something well meaning, he'd still choose words that made people feel wholly uncomfortable. Feng Xin didn't want to acknowledge him anymore.

After walking for a while, Feng Xin spoke up. "No. I still don't think Your Highness should hold a strange child for everyone to see."

"What's the problem?" Xie Lian asked.

"You're the crown prince!" Feng Xin exclaimed. While he spoke, he saw a worn-down handcart farther up the alley and said, "Put the kid in that cart and pull it."

Mu Qing immediately voiced, "Just so we're clear, I will not pull that thing up the mountain."

"No one's asking you to," Feng Xin said. He reached out and yanked the child from Xie Lian's arms, and the child started struggling again.

"Never mind, forget it. Maybe someone else needs that cart!" Xie Lian said.

Just then, from somewhere nearby, someone suddenly called out. "Are you…the crown prince?"

Another immediately shouted, "Yes, yes, yes! That's the crown prince! His mask fell yesterday, and I saw his face with my own eyes! That's him!!"

"Catch him!!"

The three of them froze, their hearts stopped. Although Xie Lian didn't think he did anything wrong at the Heavenly Ceremonial Procession the day before, he also knew that others might not agree. To cut short the God-Pleasing Martial ceremony was an ominous sign of misfortune; it was taboo amongst the nobility, and when all the excitement wore off after the fact and the people started to wonder what it all meant, they probably wouldn't be as forgiving either. Added on top of that was the havoc on the streets caused by Qi Rong earlier in the day. The complaints must be endless. If they were surrounded now, it might end badly.

Before Xie Lian could dwell on it, Mu Qing grabbed him and shouted, "Your Highness, run!"

Feng Xin was pulling the cart and urged him too. "Your Highness, I have a broken arm, I won't be able to stop anyone rioting. Go!"

However, outside the alleyway there was already a mass of people who were pouring in, their faces filled with excitement, blocking all viable exits. The four of them had nowhere to run, and they watched as they were surrounded by countless pairs of wide eyes.

Xie Lian braced himself and thought, If anything, I'll just let them beat us down without fighting back.

But unexpectedly, although the crowd poured in, it didn't pulverize them. Instead, a number of hands reached out and threw him into the air with cheers of, "YOUR HIGHNESS!" Xie Lian was thrown into the air multiple times but still maintained his calm and composure.

The people shouted, all talking at once.

"Your Highness, that leap on the Grand Avenue of Divine Might yesterday was spectacular!"

Someone praised in awe, "That was such an amazing jump! Really, really, I totally thought the Heavenly Emperor himself had descended! I had goosebumps!"

Another validated him. "His Highness was right to save that child! A life is a life—do they think kids from our poor families are so different? If it were me, I'd do the same!"

Another raged, "That's right! Today there was talk of how His Highness had ruined the event, and I just couldn't stand it! If it had been a royal or a noble who had fallen, they wouldn't be saying those things! Your Highness, don't mind those people!"

"His Highness is the one who truly cares about us…"

Xie Lian went from feeling guilty at the beginning, to disoriented halfway through, until finally he was affected by the enthusiastic, cheerful faces all around. The crowd clustered around Xie Lian, and when they emerged onto the main street, more and more joined them. Feng Xin, Mu Qing, and that young child were pushed away and separated, left a long way back without any way to get through, and they could only follow along behind the parade. This large assembly of people was surprisingly no smaller than the crowd from the day before. Every time Xie Lian made a move to leave, he was forcibly dragged back in and thrown in the air without any chance of being let down.

Xie Lian couldn't help but find it both funny and reassuring, and he thought to himself, The people and the State Preceptor have completely opposite sentiments. It looks like I was in the right.

***

When they reached Mount Taicang, the setting sun was ablaze, burning strong as always.

Once they passed through the large entrance gates, they saw trainees and cultivators all along the long winding stone path, carrying water buckets and firewood and running up and down the road. They greeted Xie Lian and company as they went, but many watched the four-plus-a-cart with wonder. Feng Xin was pulling that handcart with one hand like a perfectly diligent young black bull. Xie Lian and Mu Qing laughed with as much restraint as they could muster at first, but since they couldn't change his mind, they stopped caring.

The maple grove was vast, and the wheels turned steadily. As they hiked, Xie Lian helped push the handcart from behind. He was in a good mood and casually asked the child another question.

"Little guy, what's your name, really? Hong what?"

The child gazed at him attentively and answered in a small voice, "I…I don't have a name."

Xie Lian was taken aback. "Your mother didn't give you a name?"

That young child shook his head. "My mother is gone."

Sympathy sprouted in Xie Lian. "Then what did your mother used to call you?"

The child hesitated for a moment, and then he replied, "Honghon-er."

Xie Lian smiled. "That's a rather cute nickname. I'll call you that from now on."

Honghong-er seemed shy whenever they talked, and he kept his head bowed low. Dusk was approaching, and lights were ignited in the palace temples on each of the mountain peaks in the far distance. Among them, the brightest was of course the highest peak, the Divine Might Summit.

Atop the Divine Might Summit, within the Palace of Divine Might, it was as bright as day, and the lights gathered like stars on the peak. Xie Lian sighed as he watched.

The sigh wasn't born of sadness but from scenery that emanated such beauty and magnificence. Every bit of light within the hall was an offered Everlasting Lamp. Each lamp contained a devotee's most sincere prayers. The more Everlasting Lamps there were within the temple of a god, the more powerful that god. The chance to offer a lamp within the Palace of Divine Might of the Royal Holy Temple was difficult to buy even with a thousand gold. Wealth, power, ability, passion, affinity—at least one of those five conditions must be fulfilled to enter the temple to offer light. Yet there were so many in the world who had none of those five.

The four of them stopped, gazing spellbound upon the Palace of Divine Might that shone like the sun, their expressions dissimilar. Just then, a somewhat familiar voice called out to them.

"Your Highness!"

Xie Lian looked back and saw a fair-faced young man hurrying toward him. It looked like the trainee who guarded the entrance of Sixiang Palace, and Xie Lian composed himself.

"Zhu-shixiong, what's the hurry?"

Zhu-shixiong noticed Mu Qing standing behind him and felt awkward, so he spoke pretending not to have seen him. "State Preceptor has been asking after you for a while. He's at the Palace of Divine Might right now, waiting for you."

Xie Lian was taken aback hearing this, but he figured it had to be about the incident during the Heavenly Ceremonial Procession the day before. "Very well. Thank you, shixiong."

Xie Lian had Feng Xin and Mu Qing take Honghong-er back to the Palace of Xianle, then he headed toward the Divine Might Summit.

Outside the great hall, clouds born from the incense vessel floated and wrapped around the Palace of Divine Might, giving it a dreamlike look. On either side of the vessel there were long rows of bright Everlasting Lamps hung in the air in neat lines that made a wall of lanterns. Every Everlasting Lamp had the name and prayer of the light-offerer inscribed in proper and dignified clerical script. Once inside the hall, there were rows upon rows of even more Everlasting Lamps hung on each wall. The lamps offered within the Palace of Divine Might were, of course, even more valuable than the ones outside.

Inside the massive temple, at the very front, the Chief State Preceptor was offering incense before the statue of the Heavenly Emperor, and the three Deputy State Preceptors were behind him, uniformly prostrating before the divine statue.

Xie Lian nodded when he entered. "State Preceptor."

The State Preceptors finished paying their respects before they turned to him and motioned for him to come forward. Thus, Xie Lian approached, took an incense stick, and also paid his respects with sincerity.

It was a moment before the State Preceptor finally spoke.

"Your Highness, the four of us have deliberated. In regards to the Heavenly Ceremonial Procession, there are but two ways to resolve the problem."

"Please, do tell, State Preceptor," Xie Lian said.

"The first method," the State Preceptor said, "is to find the child who disrupted the procession, and then we shall conduct a ceremony. At the very least, one of his five senses must be sealed as penance."

Xie Lian's head shot up.

"No." He then repeated definitively, "Absolutely not."

The State Preceptor nodded. "I expected this response from you. So we've put the weight of our consideration on the second method."

"Please, do tell," Xie Lian said solemnly.

"The second method," the State Preceptor said, "is to have Your Highness publicly repent before the people of Xianle, ask the heavens for forgiveness, then face the wall in reflection for a month."

"Not possible," Xie Lian said leisurely.

The State Preceptor was taken aback. "We're not really asking you to face the wall to reflect, you just have to look like you are…ahem." He suddenly remembered they were before the statue of the Heavenly Emperor and immediately corrected himself. "As long as you are sincere, it will suffice."

Still, Xie Lian responded, "No."

"And the reason?" the State Preceptor asked.

"State Preceptor, when I descended the mountain today, do you know what I saw?" Xie Lian asked. "Not only did the people of the imperial capital not condemn the accident that happened during the Heavenly Ceremonial Procession, they very much approved of it. This proves that the people of this kingdom all believe that the decision to save that child was right. If I were to do as you say and be punished for something correct, what would they think? Won't it only tell everyone that if we save a life, not only do we not obtain fortuitous merits, but we'll instead be punished for our sin? How should they think or act after that?"

"Whether it's right or wrong isn't important," the State Preceptor said. "You must choose between the two paths. Nothing is perfect in this world. Either that child shoulders this blame, or you do."

"Right or wrong is very important. If I must choose, then I choose the third path," Xie Lian replied.

The State Preceptor rubbed his forehead. "Your Highness…excuse my bluntness, but why do you care what they think? Today they think one way, tomorrow they'll think another. There's no need for you to mind the small details; trust me, people will carry on doing what they need to do and will not be touched by your actions nor use you as an example. It's best if we focus on carefully serving the ones above."

Xie Lian was silent for a moment, then spoke. "State Preceptor, ever since I entered the Royal Holy Temple to become a disciple here, the more I train, the more I reflect. There's actually something I've always thought but didn't dare to speak of."

"And what's that?" the State Preceptor asked.

"Is it really right for us to worship and prostrate before the gods like this?"

The State Preceptor was speechless for a moment. "If we don't worship the gods, then what are we to do? Go homeless? What, Your Highness thinks that the thousands and millions of devotees who come here to worship are wrong in their beliefs?"

Xie Lian shook his head and pondered for a moment. Then he said, "Their beliefs are not wrong. It's only that…this disciple doesn't think it's right to prostrate oneself."

He raised his head and pointed to the resplendent, scintillating great statue of the Heavenly Emperor.

"When humans ascend, they become gods. To humans, gods are elders, teachers, everlasting light, but they are not our masters. Therefore, we should be full of thankfulness and admiration but never groveling worship. Just like the Shangyuan Heavenly Ceremonial Procession, I believe the correct attitude is thankfulness and shared joy—not fear, not ingratiation, not intimidation, and certainly not putting oneself in a position of servitude."

The State Preceptor remained poised and silent, but the other three Deputy State Preceptors grew restless, turning their heads back.

Xie Lian continued, "An accident happened. It couldn't be helped. I am willing to offer a thousand lamps to brighten long nights; even if this is an act of self-destruction, I am not afraid. But I refuse to bow my head for something I did right. Face the wall in reflection? What have I done wrong? What has anyone done wrong? It's like how Qi Rong committed evil, but Feng Xin—who subdued the wrongdoer—had to be punished. Where's the logic in it? If the heavens have eyes, they will not condemn me for this."

The State Preceptor cast his gaze elsewhere. "Then, Your Highness, let me ask you. What if the heavens really do condemn you? Will you apologize then?"

"If that should happen, then the heavens are wrong. I am right. I will stand against the heavens and defy them until the end."

Hearing this, the State Preceptor's face changed slightly, and he chuckled. "Your Highness, you're pretty brave to say such words."

The other three Deputy State Preceptors watched him, wanting to speak, but hesitated. Just then, an alarm suddenly blared outside the hall, like the ringing of multiple bells at once. Now none of the four State Preceptors could remain in their seats any longer, and they rushed out at the same time, dashing toward the back of the hall.

Xie Lian followed close behind. They traveled through the many buildings behind the Palace of Divine Might until they came before a black pagoda. The doors to that black pagoda were open, and countless wisps of dark smoke whooshed out.

The State Preceptor let out a despairing scream. "Where's Zhu An?! Where the hell did he go?! How did this happen?!"

A number of trainee watchguards rushed over, and the one leading was Zhu-shixiong. "State Preceptor!! I'm over here! I don't know what happened—the door was perfectly locked, but it suddenly opened on its own!"

The State Preceptor pulled at his hair. "Quickly! Bring me a new soul-sealing jar!"

Xie Lian charged straight inside. Within that black pagoda, the walls were covered in latticed sandalwood panels of varying sizes and shapes, stacked unevenly atop each other. Within each panel were various clay jars, porcelain vases, jaded boxes, and so on. Each of those containers had originally been secure, the red stoppers stuffed firmly in place, the mouths sealed with yellow talismans inscribed with vermilion spells. But now, many were shattered. Many more continued to drop off the shelves by themselves, and those not yet fallen were wobbling.

Each of those soul-sealing containers had a demon or ghost who once caused havoc sealed within. A black pagoda like this existed in the back of every single temple on Mount Taicang, utilizing the mountain's pure, saintly qi to keep them subdued. However, something had happened to cause this sudden insurgence, and they had all escaped!

"It's too late!" Xie Lian shouted.

He immediately kicked the doors closed. The steel lock that originally chained up the door had been broken by the resentful spirits, so Xie Lian unsheathed his sword and used the tip to draw out some characters, then plunged it down. He'd brought over two hundred swords with him when he arrived at the mountain, and he'd switch the one he carried on his person almost every day; each was a peerless, singular, treasured sword. This sword, having been planted in the ground at a slant, did indeed seal the door shut, never to be opened again. Only the sounds of resentful spirits thrashing in rage within the black pagoda could be heard.

Once they retreated from the black pagoda, they looked up, and atop each of the summits, black clouds were erupting from the black pagodas behind each temple. All the resentful spirits were rushing to the sky, and like rolling thick smoke, they all flew toward the same place to gather.

"What's over there? Why are they all flying over there?" Zhu An asked.

The State Preceptor yelled, "Have you lost your brains?! That's the Palace of Xianle!"

The group moved like there was wind beneath their feet, and in the blink of an eye, they arrived at the Xianle Summit. On top of Mount Taicang, heavy, thick smoke emerged from countless temples across innumerable peaks and rolled over to form an enormous whirlpool above the Palace of Xianle.

"What's going on in that Palace of yours?! The evils are all being lured over—what exactly did you put inside?!" the State Preceptor demanded.

Xie Lian was dumbfounded too. "Nothing! Just…"

Just what? Xie Lian suddenly remembered: that child!

At that same moment, Zhu-shixiong cried, "State Preceptor, this is bad! The Crown Prince Hall is on fire!"

Sure enough, a corner of the Xianle Palace was alight, flames bursting toward the sky, reflecting a faint shade of crimson on the black clouds above. At the foot of Mount Taicang, all those in the imperial capital who hadn't yet gone to bed witnessed the scene from afar, but they had no idea what was going on. They excitedly dragged others outside to watch in awe.

"Wow! The great gods on the immortal mountain are performing magic! What a show!"

In a flash, the group arrived at the Palace of Xianle. Xie Lian didn't keep too many servants, and dozens of cultivators from the other summits had hurried over, desperately drawing well water and trying to put out the fires. Xie Lian didn't see his two attendants, and he rushed straight inside. All the resentful spirits of Mount Taicang had gathered here; the Palace of Xianle was practically pitch-black inside and nothing could be seen.

Xie Lian vaguely saw two figures in the center of the great hall and yelled, "Feng Xin! Mu Qing!"

The two were defending a protection array that repelled the invasion of evil spirits, straining as they barely held on. Sure enough, Feng Xin's voice rang out.

"Your Highness, don't come in! There's something strange with this

child! All those things are coming for him!"

Only then did Xie Lian notice that behind the two figures was a small, black shadow, kneeling on the floor with his head in his hands.

He cried, "It's not me!!"

After observing them for a moment, Xie Lian shouted, "Stop holding on. Release the shield!"

Mu Qing cried back, "We can't release it! If we do, those things will go crazy! Let me find the most—"

Xie Lian cut him off. "No fear. Release it. NOW!"

Mu Qing gritted his teeth, and he and Feng Xin dropped their hands at the same time. Sure enough, with the restraints off, the resentful spirits screeched, ready to go wild! However, in the next second, Xie Lian reached out lightning fast and choked a particular wisp of black smoke.

He didn't even look, just strangled that black smoke with his bare hands, gripping it firmly in his palm. The moment he caught that one resentful spirit, all the others in the crazed swarm within the Palace of Xianle grew sluggish.

Outside the Palace of Xianle, everyone silently nodded.

In a situation where a large swarm of resentful spirits gathered in the same place, they usually followed the lead of the strongest one. Once that one was caught, the spirits would lose direction without their leader. At that moment, Xie Lian had instantly recognized the strongest one and choked it, leaving it no chance. With only a squeeze, that one resentful spirit disintegrated into nothing in his palm.

Immediately after, the four State Preceptors raised their sleeves and called out, "Come back!"

That swarm of resentful spirits, having lost its leader, flew haphazardly around the Xianle Palace like a band of headless flies until finally they had no choice but to resign themselves to their fate and reluctantly returned to the seals within the State Preceptors' qiankun sleeves. Dozens of other cultivators continued to put out the remaining fires, and only when the heavy smoke had finally dispersed did Xie Lian clearly see the figures of the other three.

Feng Xin and Mu Qing were half-kneeled on the floor, still in shock. Behind them, the child was still holding his head, not uttering a word.

The State Preceptors entered and spoke after only a glance.

"Where did that child come from? Feng Xin said all the resentful spirits were going after him? What's going on?"

"That's the child who fell from the city wall during the Shangyuan Heavenly Ceremonial Procession."

All four State Preceptors were taken aback.

The Chief State Preceptor demanded, "Why did you bring him here?"

Xie Lian shook his head, not wanting to explain, and instead asked Feng Xin, "What did he do to attract all the resentful spirits of the black pagodas?"

One of Feng Xin's arms was still in a sling, and he rose to his feet. "I don't know what he did! But not long after he arrived on the mountain, as soon as he came inside the Palace of Xianle, a bunch of those black things suddenly flew over from the other peaks. They were all barreling this way, swarming around him, gathering more by the minute. We couldn't get out."

Xie Lian looked around at the walls and pillars inside the Palace of Xianle, all burned to a crisp. "What about the fire?"

Mu Qing, whose face was covered in soot, said, "We couldn't leave, so we had to draw an array to defend. Those resentful spirits used the candle flames as kindling and burned the curtains, hoping to force us out of the array."

"Thank goodness Your Highness came swiftly and immediately seized their vitals! If it kept burning, we'd have been burned to death along with the array!"

Hearing his words, Mu Qing closed his eyes and hung his head. To the side, the four State Preceptors had already surrounded the child, scrutinizing him closely.

"State Preceptor, is there anything the matter with that child?"

If there was anything wrong, like if he were possessed by evil, Xie Lian should've been able to recognize it at a glance. In the years he'd studied at the Royal Holy Temple, he had specially trained his sight, and very few things could deceive his eyes. Yet he couldn't see anything off with this child. The State Preceptor shook his head, also seeming to observe nothing amiss.

He asked the child, "What's your birth date, month, year, and time?"

Honghong-er seemed guarded against everyone and tense with hostility, and he only stared at him without speaking.

Xie Lian encouraged gently, "Just tell him. The State Preceptor only wants to tell your fortune for your own good."

The moment he spoke, Honghong-er obediently told them the time of his birth in a small voice. The State Preceptor knitted his brows and started divining with pinched fingers. The people nearby watched him for a bit, then discussed in hushed voices for a bit, and at the sight of his gradually dimming expression, Xie Lian also grew more and more solemn.

While the State Preceptor looked like no more than a tender thirty-something young man, Xie Lian knew better than most just how powerful his shifu was, as the one ruling over the Royal Holy Temple. The Chief State Preceptor of Xianle, Mei Nianqing, was famed throughout the land for his divination. Xie Lian learned the art of the sword and of spells from the Deputy State Preceptors, but he never learned the art of divination from the Chief State Preceptor himself. It was because the State Preceptor told him it was an art of the streets, and as the noble crown prince, he had no need for such tricks. Xie Lian himself also had no particular interest, so he never attempted it. However, whenever the State Preceptor worked his art, there were never any mistakes.

A while later, more and more cold sweat was rolling down the forehead of the State Preceptor as he divined, and he mumbled, "No wonder…no wonder…no wonder he ruined the Heavenly Ceremonial Procession; no wonder the spirits of the black pagodas grew excited upon sensing him; no wonder the Palace of Xianle was burned too… This… this…this is truly…"

"Truly what?" Xie Lian asked.

The State Preceptor wiped his cold sweat and suddenly backed dozens of meters away. "Your Highness, you really brought something you shouldn't have up the mountain! That child is toxic! He bears a fate of extinction, the sign of the Star of Solitude! He is destined to bring destruction to all save for himself—truly the kind that evil loves most! Whoever touches him will have misfortune befall them, and whoever gets close will lose their life!"

Before he even finished, there was a loud scream. Honghong-er leapt to his feet, rushing the State Preceptor to headbutt him.

Although his voice was young and tender, his screams were filled with rage, as if his heart were filled to the brim with inexhaustible pain and despair. The sound made the hearts of many of those present squeeze. That young child was covered in injuries, yet he tore and lashed out like a red-eyed rabid dog, violent and aggressive to the extreme.

The Deputy State Preceptors blocked Honghong-er, and the State Preceptor backed away, yelling, "Make him leave the mountain, hurry! Don't touch him, I mean it! That fortune is too toxic; don't touch him!"

The Deputy State Preceptors hurriedly moved aside, and Mu Qing and Feng Xin didn't know whether to act. Seeing that everyone was avoiding him like he was poisonous vermin, the child was shaken and started thrashing even harder, biting and screaming with all his might.

"I'm not! I'm not!! I'M NOT!!!"

Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around his waist, encircling his small form. A voice came from above his head.

"You're not. I know you're not. Don't cry, now. I know you're not."

The young child pressed his lips closed tightly, grabbing on to the pair of snow-white sleeves around his waist with a desperate grip. He forced himself to hold back for a long time, but in the end, he couldn't. A stream of tears suddenly rolled down from that round, black eye, and he burst out into sobs.

Xie Lian embraced him from behind and reiterated with conviction, "It's not you. It's not your fault."

Honghong-er whipped around, buried his face in Xie Lian's chest, and wailed.

This wailing contained no words, utterly meaningless, and was nothing like the sound of crying, but was nevertheless hair-raisingly dreadful. Without looking at the source, it would sound like the desperate cries of a full-grown man breaking down, or the struggling of a small beast on the brink of death with its throat slit open by a knife—as if only by immediate death could it be relieved. Anyone could make such a sound, but it shouldn't be coming from a child of ten years. Everyone was shaken.

A while later, the State Preceptor said, "I mean it. It's best if you let go."

Feng Xin finally came to his senses and exclaimed, "Your Highness! Let go! Be careful of…" But in the end, he didn't have the heart to continue.

"It's fine," Xie Lian said.

Zhu-shixiong, however, was quite concerned for His Highness's welfare and saw that Honghong-er was smearing blood and snot all over Xie Lian's white robes, so he ran over to pull at the young child, berating him, "Hey, kid, stop it!"

Yet the harder he pulled, the harder that young child held on to Xie Lian. He refused to let go no matter what, using both his hands and feet to grip on and screaming in anguish. Several more people came forward to try and tear him away, but that just made him hang on to Xie Lian like a little monkey. Xie Lian found it both funny and pitiful. He held Honghong-er with one hand, gently rubbing up and down that tiny emaciated back to comfort him, while raising the other hand.

"Never mind. Don't worry, let him be."

Some moments later, sensing that the child in his arms had stopped struggling and quieted down, Xie Lian asked the people close by in a low whisper, "Was anyone else hurt in the fire at the Palace of Xianle?"

"No," Mu Qing replied. "We were the only ones inside at the time."

As the Palace of Xianle was burned to a crisp, Xie Lian naturally could no longer stay there. After making sure it was only the building that burned and not any of the people, those who came to help extinguish the fires started to clean up the area, feeling rather distraught from all the charred precious gems and treasures.

Xie Lian wasn't concerned, however. The things he used daily were a little more exquisite than average, but other than that, Xie Lian didn't really have anything valuable inside the Palace of Xianle. The most precious items were his collection of over two hundred treasured swords, but true gold feared no fire, and since those famous swords were all thoroughly tempered and themselves forged in raging flames, they were all unharmed. Once he dug them out himself, Xie Lian stored them temporarily at the Sixiang Palace that belonged to the State Preceptors.

As for Honghong-er, he was still firmly holding on to Xie Lian, and after crying himself to exhaustion, he fell asleep. Xie Lian had wanted to bring him down Mount Taicang to find a safe place to settle him, but the State Preceptor asked him to make a visit to Sixiang Palace first, so Xie Lian carried the child over with him.

Tucking the young child in on the divan and righting the covers, Xie Lian dropped the bedside curtain and backed out of the room with Feng Xin and Mu Qing in tow.

"State Preceptor, is this child's fate really that frightening?"

The State Preceptor pursed his lips. "Why don't you divine it for yourself? Consider all that has happened since he appeared."

The three fell quiet. The moment that young child appeared, he'd fallen off the city wall before the eyes of millions, cutting the Shangyuan Heavenly Ceremonial Procession short after it only made three rounds. When he reappeared, Qi Rong was venting his anger by dragging him through the streets in that horse carriage, disturbing the public, and it all eventually caused Feng Xin to break his arm while Xie Lian butted heads with the king and made the queen's tears roll. This time, all the resentful spirits of Mount Taicang broke out of their seals within the black pagodas and even burned down the Palace of Xianle. Indeed, his misfortune was endless, following him like a shadow.

"Is there any way to resolve this?" Xie Lian asked.

"Resolve it?" the State Preceptor asked. "What do you mean? Change his fate?"

Xie Lian nodded. The State Preceptor said, "Your Highness, you haven't learned the art of divination from me, so when it comes to these matters, you really don't understand anything. If you did, you wouldn't have asked."

Xie Lian was taken aback and sat up straight. "Please elaborate."

The State Preceptor took the teapot on the table and poured a cup. "Your Highness, do you still remember that day when you just turned six, when His Majesty and the queen bade me to enter the palace to divine your fortune? Do you recall that one question I asked you?"

Gazing at that steaming cup of tea, Xie Lian thought for a moment. "Do you mean the riddle of the two people and the cup of water?"

That year, the State Preceptor had asked Xie Lian many questions to help tell his fortune. There were questions with answers, and ones without, and with every answer Xie Lian gave, the State Preceptor would have with a variety of praises for the boy, making the king and queen beam with smiles. Many exchanges from that conversation were later passed around as beautiful tales. But there was one question to which, when Xie Lian answered, the State Preceptor gave no commentary. Very few knew of the details, not even Feng Xin, never mind Mu Qing. That question was "Two People and a Cup of Water."

The State Preceptor spoke, "Two walked the desert, about to die from thirst, and there was only one cup of water. The one who drinks lives, the one who doesn't dies. If you were a god, who would you give that cup of water to—don't speak yet, I'll ask the other two and see how they answer."

The latter part was directed to the two standing not too far behind. Mu Qing contemplated and responded prudently.

"May I ask who those two people are, what their natures are like, and of their merits? A decision can only be made once all the details are known."

Feng Xin, on the other hand, answered, "I don't know! Don't ask me —tell them to decide amongst themselves!"

Xie Lian snorted and laughed. The State Preceptor admonished, "What are you laughing about? Do you remember how you answered?"

Xie Lian schooled his expression and said solemnly, "Give them another cup."

Hearing this, between Feng Xin and Mu Qing, one turned his face away and the other lowered his head, as though hiding their reactions. Xie Lian looked back and deadpanned his response.

"Why are you guys laughing? I'm serious. If I were a god, I would definitely give them another cup."

The State Preceptor gently shook that cup of tea in his hand, and the tea swirled in the cup as if it had a life of its own. He continued, "All fortunes in the world, good or bad, are limited. Just like this cup of water, there's only so much. Once you've drunk your fill, there'll be no more left for others. If one receives more, another must receive less.

"Throughout the ages, all conflicts are born from the fact that there are many in this world, but only one cup of water, and there is a good reason to justify giving it to any of them. You want to change fate? It's difficult but not impossible. But if you change that child's life, someone else's life will also be changed, and more grudges will be created. Once upon a time, you said to just give another cup of water, just like how today you wanted to choose a third path. Your intention is to expand the source— a beautiful thought. But I must tell you, it's basically impossible."

Xie Lian listened silently but disagreed wholeheartedly; still, he didn't rebut. "Thank you, State Preceptor, for your wisdom."

The State Preceptor drank the tea, smacked his lips, and said, "Don't trouble yourself. Wisdom or not, you don't listen anyway."

"…" Having been seen through, Xie Lian softly cleared his throat. "State Preceptor, earlier today in the Palace of Divine Might, in a moment of passion, this disciple offended you. Please forgive me for my affront."

The State Preceptor shook out his sleeves and smiled. "You're my favorite disciple, as well as the crown prince; how could I not forgive you? Your Highness, I can tell you that you are the most beloved by the heavens I have ever seen."

Xie Lian didn't understand, so he listened closely.

The State Preceptor continued, "You have the innate talent, the ambition, the heart, and you're not afraid of hard work. You have a prestigious background but still have a compassionate nature. No one is more worthy of the title 'Darling of the Heavens.' Still, I am worried about you. I'm afraid there will be a trial you won't be able to pass."

"And that is?" Xie Lian asked.

"Although you've already reached such a height, there are some things that you are still far from understanding and that others can't teach you. Like that speech you made today at the Palace of Divine Might, that bit about not worshipping gods or something; very few are able to think that far, and that you managed to arrive at such opinions at such a young age is already impressive. However, do not think yourself to be the only one in the world who has had such thoughts."

Xie Lian's eyes widened slightly.

The State Preceptor continued, "The things you spoke of today have already been said by others, decades or maybe centuries ago, but their words never gained momentum. Their voices were too small, so not many heard. Have you ever wondered why that is?"

Xie Lian pondered briefly and replied, "Because even if they thought of it, they never acted on it, and weren't determined enough."

"What about you? What makes you think you're determined enough?" the State Preceptor asked.

"State Preceptor, do you think I can ascend?" Xie Lian asked.

The State Preceptor gave him a look and said, "If you can't ascend, then no one can. It's only a matter of time."

Xie Lian smiled. "Then just you watch, sir." He pointed to the sky. "If one day I ascend, I will surely do all that I said today and become a power to behold!"

Feng Xin and Mu Qing, who were standing behind him, both unconsciously held their heads higher after hearing his declaration. Feng Xin's lips curved upward, and the light shining in Mu Qing's eyes was exactly the same as Xie Lian's. The State Preceptor nodded.

"Very well, I shall wait and see. However, I don't think it's a good thing for you to ascend too early. Let me ask you, what is The Path?"

Xie Lian inclined his head. "As you have said, that which is walked is The Path."

"Indeed," the State Preceptor said. "But you haven't walked enough. So, I think it's time for you to take a walk down the mountain."

Xie Lian's face lit up. The State Preceptor continued, "You're seventeen this year. I will permit you to descend Mount Taicang and gain some experience through travels on the outside."

"That's excellent!" Xie Lian exclaimed.

Every day he spent at the imperial capital, just thinking about the king, Qi Rong, and everything else, Xie Lian couldn't help but feel crabby. Plus, now that such a magnificent Palace of Xianle had been torched, he wouldn't be able to avoid another bout with his parents. So why not go farther away and focus wholly on walking his own path?

Just then, the State Preceptor added, "Your Highness, throughout the ages there's a saying that's been passed down like it's self-evident truth. But it's actually wrong, and no one has ever noticed."

"What saying?"

"When humans ascend, they become gods; when humans fall, they become ghosts."

Xie Lian gave it some thought. "Is there something wrong with that?"

The State Preceptor replied, "Of course it's wrong. Remember: when humans ascend, they are still human…when they fall, they are still human."

Xie Lian chewed on those words, and the State Preceptor patted him on the shoulder and glanced behind.

"In any case, as for that child…don't take it to heart. Everyone has their fate. Many times, there won't be a way to help just because you want to. If anything happens, we'll deal with it then. Go out and experience the world. I pray that when you return you will have matured."

However, that very night, outside of everyone's expectations, that child escaped from the Royal Holy Temple and disappeared.

And even further outside of everyone's expectations, after his travels, at the age of seventeen, Xie Lian the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Xianle soundly defeated a nameless ghost at Yinian Bridge. Just like that, he ascended to the heavens amidst roars of thunder and lightning.

It was the sensation of the Three Realms.