Chapter One - The Chaos Reawakens
At the distant horizon, the first light of dawn pierced through the darkness, casting a warm glow across the land. Meanwhile, within the grand palace of the Qing Emperor Dragon Kingdom, one of the Four Great Ancient Kingdoms, a new life was quietly beginning.
The queen of the Qing Emperor Dragon Kingdom lay in her luxurious chamber, the cries of a newborn breaking the tranquility, heralding the arrival of a new life. Palace maids moved about the room, their faces beaming with joy and excitement.
An elderly midwife cradled the infant in her arms and, with a loving smile, handed him to the queen, speaking gently, "Your Majesty, congratulations. It's a strong prince."
The queen gazed at the baby with a tenderness in her eyes. The child had deep, profound eyes that seemed to harbor limitless wisdom and power. She whispered softly, "My child, you will be the future of this kingdom. I hope you lead us into the light."
At that moment, the door opened quietly, and a man clad in a magnificent dragon robe entered. He was none other than the king of the Qing Emperor Dragon Kingdom, Emperor Qinglong. His face was alight with excitement as he hurried to the queen's side, asking in a hushed tone, "Your Majesty, are you well?"
The queen nodded with a smile, presenting the baby to the king. "Your Majesty, look at our son. How adorable he is."
Emperor Qinglong lowered his head, carefully studying the infant. A glimmer of surprise flickered in his eyes as he sensed a unique aura emanating from the child, as if some mysterious power slumbered within. He murmured, "This child is unlike any other. Perhaps he is a gift from the heavens."
The queen nodded, gently caressing the baby's cheek. "Yes, I feel the same. We should give him a name. What do you think?"
After a moment of contemplation, Emperor Qinglong spoke firmly, "Let him be called Tianming, meaning the light of dawn, bringing new hope."
"Tianming... a wonderful name," the queen smiled in satisfaction, lowering her gaze to the infant in her arms. "Tianming, my child, may you be the light that illuminates this land."
---
At the same time, within the palace of the Zhu Tianque Kingdom, an urgent meeting was underway. Ministers surrounded a woman dressed in red imperial robes, the queen of the Zhu Tianque Kingdom, Empress Zhuque.
The queen held a scroll of parchment inscribed with ancient and mysterious runes. She looked up, her gaze sweeping over the ministers, and spoke gravely, "Gentlemen, this is the latest prophecy delivered by the Holy Sky Priest. The gods are about to punish the mortal world, and this represents an unprecedented crisis for us."
An elder minister stepped forward, bowing respectfully. "Your Majesty, what details does this prophecy contain? How should we prepare?"
Empress Zhuque inhaled deeply and unrolled the parchment for all to see. "The prophecy says that the gods of the heavens, angered by the disrespect and strife in the mortal world, will bring destruction upon us. But, it also foretells the birth of a savior who will rise to lead us through this calamity."
A murmur spread through the hall as the ministers exchanged worried glances. A young general stepped forward, his face set with determination. "Whether the prophecy is true or not, we must prepare. Strengthen our military, protect our people, and be ready for what's to come."
Empress Zhuque nodded, her eyes gleaming with resolve. "You're right. We cannot sit idly by. Give orders to fortify the borders, and send envoys to the Bai Shenghu Kingdom and Xuanhuang Wuguo Kingdom to discuss possible alliances. Together, we must face this catastrophe."
---
In the grand palace of Bai Shenghu Kingdom, King Baihu stood atop a high platform, gazing out over the vast grasslands. His brow furrowed deeply, for he too had received the same prophecy.
His chief advisor quietly asked, "Your Majesty, what are your plans regarding the Holy Sky Priest's prophecy?"
Baihu King remained silent for a moment before responding coolly, "Our kingdom has always revered strength. Whoever the enemy is, we will not back down. Immediately gather our finest troops for military exercises to ensure we are always ready to fight."
The advisor nodded thoughtfully, then asked, "What about reaching out to the other three kingdoms for an alliance?"
Baihu King pondered briefly before replying, "Let's wait and see. They will come to us. Right now, our priority is to strengthen our own forces."
---
As night fell, the skies over the Xuanhuang Wuguo Kingdom darkened to a deep purple hue. In his study, Emperor Xuanwu sat in deep thought, his fingers lightly tapping on the table.
A cloaked messenger appeared quietly in the room, kneeling and reporting softly, "Your Majesty, we have confirmed that the other three kingdoms have received the prophecy, and they are actively preparing."
Xuanwu Emperor smiled slightly, his eyes gleaming with sharp intelligence. "So it begins. Give the order to increase intelligence gathering, and secretly strengthen our power. This may be our best chance to unify the Four Kingdoms."
The messenger nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty. Our agents are already in motion, and we will have more information soon."
Xuanwu Emperor stood, walking to the window and gazing out at the dark sky. He muttered, "The gods plan to punish the mortal world? Perhaps this is just a game between us mortals."
---
Time passed, and back in the Qing Emperor Dragon Kingdom, the infant Tianming lay peacefully in his cradle, the moonlight streaming through the window and casting a sacred glow on his face.
Suddenly, a faint golden light flashed from Tianming's forehead before vanishing without a trace. In the distance, a dragon's roar seemed to echo, only to fade away moments later.
The queen, standing nearby, noticed the strange occurrence and approached the cradle. "Tianming, what's wrong? Are you dreaming?"
Tianming opened his deep eyes and fixed them on the queen, a faint, mysterious smile curving his lips.
The queen paused for a moment before smiling. "You are truly special, my child."
Far in the distance, dark clouds began to gather, thunder rumbling ominously, as if foretelling a coming storm. No one knew what role this child, named Tianming, would play in the future—what storms he would stir or what destiny he would lead the mortal world toward. News of his birth spread quickly throughout the Qing Emperor Dragon Kingdom, filling the people with joy as they saw him as their kingdom's hope for the future. However, the prophecy from the Holy Sky Priest cast a shadow over everyone's heart.
At this time, Emperor Qinglong convened a secret meeting with only the highest-ranking officials in attendance. The room was dimly lit, heavy silks draped around the walls to block the outside world.
Emperor Qinglong sat at the head of the table, his gaze calm yet penetrating as he looked around at the ministers. After a long pause, he spoke, "Gentlemen, I've gathered you here today because we face an unprecedented crisis. The prophecy states that the gods are coming to punish the mortal world, which will bring a great catastrophe to both our kingdom and the world."
The room fell silent as the ministers exchanged uneasy glances. An elder chancellor spoke first, his voice low and steady. "Your Majesty, how reliable is this prophecy? Why would the gods suddenly choose to punish us?"
Emperor Qinglong nodded grimly. "According to the Holy Sky Priest, this prophecy comes from the highest realms of the gods. They believe that the turmoil and disrespect of the mortal world have angered them. This prophecy cannot be ignored. We must take it seriously."
A warrior, known for his fierce temper, stood and shouted, "Your Majesty, whether gods or mortals, anyone who dares to threaten our kingdom, we shall meet with sword and steel! The Qing Emperor Dragon Kingdom has great power. We do not fear the gods!"
Emperor Qinglong shook his head slightly, his tone calm but firm. "The bravery of our warriors is commendable, but this is not a matter of mere martial might. If we are truly facing the power of the gods, this will not be an ordinary war. We need a deeper strategy."
At that moment, a blue-robed priest stepped forward, his face somber. "Your Majesty, you are right. We must not underestimate the gods' power. The Holy Sky Priest has given us a potential solution—search for the 'Savior Child' who will provide us with protection."
"The Savior Child?" Emperor Qinglong frowned. "Who is this Savior, and where can we find him?"
The blue-robed priest shook his head. "The prophecy does not reveal the identity or location of the Savior, only that they will be born in one of the Four Great Ancient Kingdoms and will rise in the time of chaos to lead the world through this trial."
Emperor Qinglong considered this carefully. "It seems the Qing Emperor Dragon Kingdom could very well be the birthplace of the Savior. Tianming... Perhaps he is the one foretold."
The room fell silent, the ministers deep in thought. A minister quietly asked, "Your Majesty, if Prince Tianming truly is the Savior, should we begin preparations now?"
Emperor Qinglong stood, his gaze distant yet resolute. "Whether the prophecy is true or not, we must prepare for the coming turmoil. Immediately, train Tianming in secret and ensure he becomes a true strength for the future. At the same time, we must fortify our kingdom and closely monitor the movements of the other three kingdoms. Our priority is the safety of the Qing Emperor Dragon Kingdom, no matter if we face gods or mortals."