It wasn't until this mont that Fan Wubing asked the critical question, "What will happen after the Dragon-Soothing Sound is struck?"
To him, striking the Dragon-Soothing Sound was to trigger the "Heart's Desire" storyline.
But what exactly would happen? This was sothing the mories of the ga hadn't revealed to him.
Chengming's gaze was deep, "In the depths of Celestial Balance Upper City, there is a Dragon-Touching Immortal Bell, the most crucial national treasure of Great Li, the core of suppressing the nation's destiny. It bears the dynasty of Great Li and the roots of the Great Li King Saint. The Dragon-Soothing Sound is the awakening sound of the Immortal Bell. Once the bell sounds, all things from the five lakes and four seas, the three mountains and six peaks, the eight wildernesses and ten paths, will pay homage! It is the start of the road to the Imperial Dynasty."
"The road to the Imperial Dynasty!"
"Yes. Striking the Dragon-Soothing Sound, for us, its greatest use is to forcibly open the road to the Imperial Dynasty of Great Li!" Chengming's tone was distant, "Whether the Celestial Balance Upper City, or whether Ye Chuxuan is ready or not, he has to face the road to the Imperial Dynasty. If successful, he will be the eternal emperor of Great Li; if not, he will be a sinner."
Upon hearing this, Fan Wubing understood sothing.
He asked, "Does Master Cheng hold a grudge against the Great Li King Saint?"
Chengming's eyes flashed with ferocity, "Yes... a deep grudge. You know why, Wubing kid, why he harbors a grudge against , yet doesn't kill , but imprisons here?"
"Why?"
"Because in all of Great Li, only I can strike the Dragon-Soothing Sound to awaken the Dragon-Touching Immortal Bell. If I die, Ye Chuxuan can never start the road to the Imperial Dynasty." Chengming said in a low voice, "He is a good emperor, an ambitious one. In nearly five thousand years of Great Li's history, it took generations of emperors to forge this indomitable Dragon Court. In his generation, naturally, he wants to establish accomplishnts, to have Great Li achieve imperial greatness under his rule."
Chengming's tone shifted, "Anyone who stands in his way of achieving imperial greatness is an enemy. He doesn't allow any stain on his dragon throne. But that dragon throne of his is already stained with blood. Three hundred years ago... three hundred years ago..."
"Three hundred years ago?"
Chengming suddenly snapped back to reality, giving a bitter smile, "I was too lost in the past, forgetting the present." He took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Wubing, I admire you, and I cherish you. So, at this mont, I must tell you. Striking the Dragon-Soothing Sound is a path of utter danger. I am, by nature, a sinner's body, there's no burden for in doing such a thing, but you, up to this mont, are still innocent."
He stared directly at Fan Wubing, "Are you really ready to do this?"
Fan Wubing asked, "What will I face?" He was rational, not impulsive, and did not imdiately agree.
Chengming said, "If Great Li becos an Imperial Dynasty, you and I will both be honored contributors. I don't care about fa or fortune; I only want to prove Ye Chuxuan wrong. And you will be revered by Great Li for generations, with rits eternal and fa everlasting. They will inscribe your na into the dragon of national destiny, and you will be continually protected by the destiny of Great Li."
"And if we fail?"
Chengming laughed heartily, "Then you and I will be sinners. Great Li will hunt us down for generations, until death." He tenderly stroked the back of Fan Wubing's head, "But kid, my life is worthless, while you have an infinitely bright future. If we really fail, you should leave Great Li forever and never co back, as far away as possible."
Fan Wubing was silent for a long ti, then suddenly laughed.
He laughed like a "young man," yet not like a real youth.
Because, at this mont, he indeed did not feel a surge of passion, but rather regarded this matter seriously with the mindset he had always held in this world.
For him, to obtain the "Heart's Desire," he must strike the Dragon-Soothing Sound.
This reason alone was sufficient.
"Master Cheng, it's getting late, let's begin."
"Good boy, good boy!" Chengming's eyes were moved; in his heart, he thought, "I will do my utmost to protect you from being discovered... at least, before I die, you will not be found by those in Celestial Balance Upper City. I believe you will eventually grow to a height where even they must look up to you."
"Then, let's begin!"
Chengming raised a pitch-black heavy hamr and smashed it fiercely into the void.
Dong!
A ripple spread from where the hamr struck. The rhythm of the Dao spread outward, as if announcing its arrival to all things.
Fan Wubing moved his hand, with no seat behind him, and his aura beca the seat. With no platform before him, the true intent within the music beca the zither table holding the carp.
He then sat like this, seatless and without a stand.
This was his first ti playing "Raindragon Echoes in the Heavenly River."
He closed his eyes, forgetting himself.
At this mont, it was as if he was no longer in Shilong Lane, no longer in Buxu City, no longer in Great Li, and perhaps... no longer in the Mortal World.
In his mind, the lody of "Raindragon Echoes in the Heavenly River" arose from an elegant tune.
Fan Wubing stood atop a high mountain, where a giant waterfall, like a white ribbon, hung from the Silver River to the Mortal World.
Truly, it seed as if the Milky Way fell from the nine heavens.
A silver-white giant dragon danced and walked among the waterfalls. It sotis leaped out like a big fish, sotis soared high like a bird, and sotis coiled like a mountain. Its imnse, burgeoning vitality stirred a silent rhythm. Such rhythm was not sothing the present world could possess; it traversed countless ages, flowing slowly from the river of history.
This ancient and vast vitality suddenly reminded Fan Wubing of the Immortal his senior sister had given him.
That Immortal, was it not also an ancient life? Innate before the heavens, and the earth, it existed even before the so-called Dao had ford. Heaven and earth observed these lives, these magical artifacts, and comprehended various Daos, forming the Innate Dao. The collection of all these Daos is the Heavenly Dao.
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