The whole family is insanely eavesdropping on my thoughts Chapter 453
Chapter 453: A Thousand Lights
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
By the time they returned to the imperial palace, dawn had already broken. Within the grand hall, the gathered monarchs paced anxiously, glancing out the windows with deep sighs.
Across the mortal realm, the sky flickered with an eerie, elusive glow.
“At most three months,” came the solemn voice of Yue Shi Yu, “and the Barrier Gate will fully open. When that happens, peace in the mortal realm will be no more.”
Jing Li stood behind him, her expression grim.
“At dawn, I conducted a heavenly divination… but the Divine Realm did not respond at all.” A sigh left her lips. Over the years, she had not spoken of it, but the connection between the heavens and the mortal world had grown weaker and weaker.
The National Advisor, gripping a stone mirror, furrowed his brows, his gaze unreadable.
He too had failed to reach the gods.
It was as if… the Divine Realm had abandoned them.
The thought, once formed, rooted deeply in his heart, refusing to leave.
The mortal realm had always survived under the protection of the gods. They were faith, shelter, and belief.
If the Divine Realm truly abandoned them…
He dared not imagine it.
How great would the devastation be if faith itself were lost?
The oppressive silence in the hall was shattered by approaching footsteps outside. Instantly, all eyes turned towards the entrance.
“What is it? What has happened to the Barrier?” Emperor Xuan Ping demanded.
“The Barrier Gate—it cannot be stopped,” General Lou delivered the verdict, sinking the hall into despair.
A crack.
The prayer beads in the hands of the Brahma Kingdom High Monk snapped, scattering across the floor. The sight made many flinch.
“I cannot reach the Divine Realm,” the National Advisor admitted, his voice carrying a trace of uncertainty. “There is no sign of the gods.”
“What does this mean? Have the gods abandoned us?”
“Would they truly forsake the mortal realm?”
“Leave us to our own fate?”
Upon his throne, Lu Chao Chao narrowed her eyes.
Abandoned? No. The disaster itself may very well have come from the Divine Realm.
“For now, keep this quiet,” Emperor Xuan Ping ordered. “The natural upheaval is already unsettling enough. We must first steady the people’s hearts.”
Everyone nodded in agreement. The priority was maintaining order.
“If the Barrier Gate fully opens, how can mere mortals, of flesh and bone, withstand it?”
Minister Ming hesitated before offering, “There may be a way.”
“The records of the Southern Kingdom state that when the barrier was first established, the Spirit Realm took promising individuals from the mortal world.”
General Lou’s eyes brightened. “Yes… and the Little Prince of the Southern Kingdom was among them.”
Many nodded in remembrance. Back then, those with spiritual roots had been chosen and taken away for cultivation, a fact still recorded in various family histories.
“They left behind a token upon their departure. Perhaps… we can seek their help.”
“The court ensured the well-being of their families who remained behind,” someone added. “But after so many years, whether they still recognize such kindness is unknown.”
Now, they were like beggars knocking on doors.
“First, we must see if we can contact them. With the Barrier already cracked, their return to the mortal world should be easier.”
Everyone agreed.
“Have Jin Tang take some disciples to guard the sea region. Should any monsters breach the realm, they are to be cut down immediately.”
Lou Jin Tang had been personally taught swordsmanship, and it seemed her time to wield it had arrived.
General Lou nodded.
Though young, Jin Tang’s comprehension was extraordinary. Even the Lou Family could no longer best her.
Meanwhile, Lu Chao Chao rifled through her spatial dimension, eventually pulling out an ancient, dust-covered, and damaged tome.
“Relying on others is one thing, but we must prepare ourselves as well.”
“This ancient text…”
“It records a method of cultivation. Even those without spiritual roots can use it to strengthen themselves. And for those with spiritual roots, it will be even easier to grasp. In time, they may stand as a force to protect the mortal realm.”
“Once this tome is read, it will self-incinerate.”
“Copy it down and take a copy with you.” Lu Chao Chao addressed the monarchs.
None hesitated, bowing deeply before taking the tome with great respect.
The Western Yue Emperor was the first to depart with his men.
The High Monk of the Brahma Kingdom stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with insight. “Empress Sunshine, the little Heir Prince beside you is a natural-born Buddha’s Child.”
“His fate belongs to the Buddhist path. He is the Holy Son of our temple.”
“May I take him back to the Brahma Kingdom for training…”
Before he could finish, Xie Yu Zhou erupted in fury.
“Hey! You old monk! Talking nonsense! Who’s a Buddha’s Child?! Who the hell wants to be a Buddha’s Child?!”
“I wanna get married! I wanna eat pork knuckles!”
“Not joining! Never joining the temple!”
His face turned red with anger. Last night, he had dreamed of a golden-robed monk chanting over him, and the moment he woke, the Brahma Kingdom monks had surrounded him, chanting “Buddha’s Child.”
He bolted, and they pursued.
Prince Jing Xi’s expression darkened, though within his gaze lay traces of realization and helplessness.
“Truthfully,” he murmured, “when Yu Zhou was born, Abbot Shi Kong saw him and immediately wanted to take him as a disciple. He was only six months old.”
“When I refused, the Abbot said his fate belonged to the Buddhist path. The sooner he entered, the sooner he could escape suffering. Even if not now, he would eventually join.”
“My Consort was so furious she threw him out the door.”
Now, with the Brahma Kingdom’s relentless insistence, he felt powerless.
“Don’t worry. His worldly desires run deep. Can you imagine him ever taking vows?” Lu Chao Chao smirked. “He’d drool just seeing Windchaser run past.”
Prince Jing Xi thought on it and sighed in relief.
After court adjourned, Lu Chao Chao summoned Lou Jin Tang.
“Jin Tang, these men wield divine power. They will remain by your side to guard the Barrier.”
Behind her stood four figures, clad in black with ink-dark hair.
Their postures were rigid, their gazes cold, exuding an air of sharp solitude.
Each held a sword—clearly sword cultivators.
Jin Tang attempted to probe their depth but found herself staring into an abyss.
“They are Sea One, Sea Two, Sea Three, and See Four.” Lu Chao Chao introduced them, their names plainly drawn from the sea’s silt where she had shaped them.
Though Jin Tang found the names perfunctory, her manners forbade her from commenting.
“Honored to meet you, brothers. I’ll rely on you in the future.”
The four nodded silently, their expressions unmoved.
As Jin Tang departed with them, Lu Chao Chao wavered slightly, gripping the table.
“Chao Chao, you granted spirit again.” The youth’s ethereal voice carried exasperation.
Lu Chao Chao, pale-faced, merely grinned.
He sighed, then pressed a flow of spiritual energy into her body.
As color returned to her cheeks, he withdrew his hand.
“Chao Chao, keep the Spirit Bestowal hidden. It is of utmost importance.”
She nodded. “Don’t worry. I’ve placed a restriction on my clay figures. Any who attempt a Soul Search will perish.”
The youth hummed softly.
She led him to the window.
“You are Heaven’s Will. To you, all things are fleeting, passing clouds. Even if the mortal realm crumbles, you would not be moved.”
He hesitated but nodded.
“But look…”
“Under every light… is a home.”
Before them, endless stars merged into the glow of a thousand lanterns.
Behind her… stood all of humanity.