Prince Jidu, his machinations ran deep. Wang Lin held the jade slip, his gaze sweeping over the image it contained – a likeness so near to his own, a single glance would betray him. “He suspected since first seeing me in Blackrock City,” Wang Lin mused, “yet concealed it with a skill that even I did not perceive.” He observed Jidu, whose face was a mask of deference, yet sweat beaded on his brow, his complexion paling.

“He orchestrated the attack of the Great Ancient Fiend,” Wang Lin realized, “to test his suspicions. Upon confirmation, he feigned shock, then showered me with courtesy to ensure my continued presence.”

“To declare my identity so openly, then offer obeisance…he signals no ill intent,” Wang Lin pondered. “But what makes him believe a Celestial Ascendant Venerate, arriving amongst the Ancient, would spare the life of a prince? Unless…” Wang Lin’s gaze lingered on the prince before lifting. “You presume much, to act so before me. It would seem you know who I am.”

A breath of relief escaped Jidu’s lips. He knew he had danced with death, yet his resolve remained unbroken. This encounter with Wang Lin was the chance of a lifetime, a destiny-altering opportunity he dared not squander.

“The sole disciple of the Great Celestial Venerate Xuan Luo of the Dao Ancient, Wang Lin by name… though hidden within the Ancient Tribe, such knowledge is not beyond the reach of royalty,” Jidu began, sweat now pouring freely. “When the Great Celestial Venerate Xuan Luo returned from the Celestial, the First Ancient bloodline began its investigation with the aid of the Great Celestial Venerate Song Tian. We surmised…”

“Even then,” Jidu continued, “my royal father and Song Tian could not confirm if the white-haired Celestial Ascendant Venerate Wang Lin was one and the same with Xuan Luo’s disciple. Only when I beheld you in Blackrock City did the truth dawn – that you, Senior, are the disciple of the Great Celestial Venerate Xuan Luo!” The pressure emanating from Wang Lin was immense, greater than that he felt even before his own father, rivaling that of Song Tian.

The maiden behind Jidu, his sister, stared in disbelief, her face ashen. Her presence at Jidu’s side spoke of his trust. Wang Lin’s eyes flickered over her, noting the faint familial resemblance to the prince. “This is my younger sister, of the same mother,” Jidu explained hastily.

“You know my name, know I am the disciple of Xuan Luo, and have seen me seek maps to the Dao Ancient Lands. You know I must travel there. So I ask you, Prince, why this sudden obeisance?” Wang Lin inquired calmly.

“Senior, the Dao Ancient are not a welcoming folk…even with the Great Celestial Venerate Xuan Luo as your master, the Ancient Emperors of the Dao Ancient possess a cruel and unforgiving nature. Your presence there would be one of endless frustration…” Jidu began, but Wang Lin’s eyes flashed, and he snorted, turning to leave the hall.

“Senior!” Jidu, gritting his teeth, dropped to one knee with a resounding thud. A prince of the Ancient Tribe, he had knelt only before his parents. This act, on this land of absolute royal power, would shock all who knew of it. His sister, stunned, hesitated before mirroring his posture.

“Senior, I offer myself as your adopted son! From this day forth, you shall be my father. Should I become Emperor of the First Ancient, then you shall be the Father of our Nation!

I beg you, Senior, to aid me! My royal father has seven sons; I am but the fifth. If you assist me, I shall grant you any desire!” Jidu pleaded, his voice ringing with sincerity.

Wang Lin paused, turning to face the kneeling prince, his eyes glowing with an unsettling light.

“A prince of the absolute royal power that is the First Ancient, kneeling before Wang… Answer me: who commanded you to accompany the Dao Ancient emissaries in their search for consorts? Who told you that if you encountered Wang, you were to beg and plead, even to the point of kneeling?

And who foretold that you would meet Wang in Blackrock City?” Wang Lin refused to believe such an act was without cause. Someone, a key figure who held the prince’s absolute trust, had orchestrated this encounter.

Jidu’s face drained of color. Though cunning, he felt naked before Wang Lin, his innermost thoughts laid bare.

“It was… the Imperial Advisor… my mother’s brother… He emerged from a decade of seclusion, and at the cost of his own life, divined my fate. He commanded me to accompany the Dao Ancient delegation, for it was during this journey that I would encounter a destiny-altering opportunity…

Should I seize it, my future would be limitless… fail, and I would not live another century… he saw little more, but felt a transformation after…after which, he…passed away.” Before Wang Lin’s piercing gaze, Jidu’s resolve crumbled, and he dared not lie.

Wang Lin frowned. He held a deep-seated distrust of those called Imperial Advisors, for they were masters of divination and calculation. In the Celestial, he had witnessed their power. Yet this Ancient advisor was lesser, his visions blurred. With Wang Lin’s strength and focus, even Jidu’s intricate schemes were transparent, and he knew the prince spoke the truth.
“With thy patronage, Godfather, my ascension is assured!” Prince Jidu exclaimed, his voice ringing with desperate hope. “Our Emperor grows weary, the twilight of his reign descends, and the throne must pass to one of his seven sons. I beseech thee, Godfather, make no vow this instant. But should the day arrive when thou dost tire of the Dao-Ancient Clan, and shouldst thou find thyself without a path to tread, turn then to thy son. Grant me the honor of repaying the debt of gratitude I owe thee.”

He hastened to add, “I have prepared a token, a humble expression of filial piety, which I pray thee accept.” With a flourish, Prince Jidu struck his chest, and his right hand glowed. Within its light, a jade box materialized, which he offered to Wang Lin with both hands and profound respect.

Wang Lin paused, his gaze thoughtful, before accepting the offering. A sweep of his divine sense revealed within the box a jade slip and a cylinder, no thicker than a finger.

“The jade slip is a treasure of the Shi-Ancient line, bestowed upon me by my Imperial Sire at my birth. It is a right granted only to a Prince of the blood, and only once in a lifetime,” Jidu explained, his tone reverent.

“Within it is sealed the power of an Ancestral Finger, a remnant left by our most ancient forebears. Its potency is immense, yet its true value lies in the opportunity it offers for understanding. One who could grasp the subtle shifts within this power would unlock limitless wonders. Alas, no Prince of the Shi-Ancient, nor even the Emperors themselves, have ever succeeded. Yet, it remains the highest symbol of princely authority, and I gift it to thee, Godfather!”

“As for the cylinder, it contains a liquid of forgotten origin, a legacy of the ancient ones, brimming with the purest essence of wood. I know of thy renown amongst the Immortal Clans, and that thou art a master of the elemental Ways. It is with this knowledge that I prepared this offering.”

“I am but a prince, not yet an Emperor. But should the fates align and I ascend to the throne, all the treasures of the Shi-Ancient, held in our vaults for eons, shall be thine to command. I would dedicate the entire strength of my lineage to repaying the boon of thy support!” His words were etched in steel, unwavering and resolute.

Wang Lin held the jade box, his eyes reflecting the light, his thoughts turning like wheels within wheels. He did not yet put the gift away.

Silence descended upon the great hall, broken only by the rustling of cloth and the hushed breath of the Prince. Jidu’s expression was one of barely suppressed anxiety, his every hope laid bare. He had offered his all – kneeling in supplication, declaring Wang Lin his adoptive father, and gifting treasures beyond price – all in the hopes of securing Wang Lin’s blessing and aid.

He clung to the words of his uncle, uttered ten years ago, upon his deathbed, words that had been burned into his heart:

“I cannot see who this man is, but if he aids thee, then thou shalt surely become Emperor of the Shi-Ancient, and perhaps… perhaps even rise to rule all three clans, a true and unchallenged Emperor! I cannot err, for I have paid the price of my life to glimpse this future! Should he refuse… then thou shalt not live to see thy hundredth year…”

Jidu’s mind echoed with the mournful gaze and fading breath of his uncle, the hand that had clutched his own now fallen still. “Godfather!” he cried, casting himself before Wang Lin and bowing his head to the stone floor.

The resounding thuds shattered the stillness, and his sister, the princess, paled, understanding the profound weight of this moment. At last, amidst the echoing sounds, Wang Lin spoke.

“Give me a jade slip, one that shall lead me to thee.”

Jidu’s frame jolted, and his face burst into a triumphant grin. He fumbled a jade slip from his robes, offering it to Wang Lin with trembling hands.

“If ever I truly abandon the Dao-Ancient, then thou mayest call me ‘Godfather’, and not before,” Wang Lin declared, his decision made. He could not bind his destiny solely to the Dao-Ancient Clan. This opportunity provided a means to secure a future path.

Having spoken, Wang Lin accepted both the jade box and the slip, cast a final look upon Prince Jidu, and turned, departing the great hall. He vanished into the mists that swirled beyond, leaving no trace.

Only after Wang Lin was gone did the full weight of the ordeal wash over Jidu, leaving him soaked in sweat. But his spirit soared, and he clenched his fist in triumph.

“Sister, knowing the Emperors of the Dao-Ancient as I do, I believe that our Godfather will find himself ill-suited to that place. A man of his power cannot be bound by such paltry confines. He will come to my aid…”

“Is it worth this price?” The princess rose, her voice barely audible. Prince Jidu laughed.

“Worth more than words can say! He is a man of loyalty, or he would not have sought out Xuan Luo, Great Celestial, even at great peril. I offer him true respect, as I would my own sire, and he will not betray me!”

“Tomorrow, I shall meet with Xuan Luo!”