After the Black Guard General Divine Hound, encountered the enigmatic Noe within the depths of the underground city, he received a harrowing prophecy concerning the destiny of the Western Wolf Kingdom. Through this encounter, the Divine Hound began to pierce the veil of many mysteries. Noe spoke with absolute clarity: the devastating assault on the Old Capital was not a mere act of war, but a manifestation of the Will of Heaven—the Heavenly Dao.

  The mandate of the Heavenly Dao echoed across the lands of the Jade Pearl Kingdom and the Western Wolf Kingdom like a resonant, inescapable curse: “I shall show you mercy only as you have shown mercy to others; I shall inflict retribution upon you exactly as you have inflicted it upon your fellow man.”

  The Sin of the Jade Pearl Kingdom

  This was, first and foremost, a divine scolding of the Jade Pearl Kingdom for its hubris in attempting to obstruct the grand design of the Heavens. The roots of this tragedy were buried in a dark secret: the previous King had issued a clandestine decree to assassinate Noe. At that time, Noe was traveling as the Prophet of the Heavenly Dao to deliver a message of divine forgiveness and salvation to the Great Ancient Southern Nation of Nam Man.

  The betrayal did not end with an assassination attempt. The Jade Pearl Kingdom went further, weaving a web of falsehoods and propaganda that led to Noe being captured, beaten, and tortured until he lingered at the very threshold of death. Because the King had conducted this betrayal in the shadows—sudden, unprovoked, and denying Noe any chance to defend himself or seek refuge—the Heavenly Dao responded in kind. The punishment was silent, unexpected, and utterly devoid of any window for repentance or clemency.

  The Trial of the Western Wolves

  Simultaneously, this invasion served as a crucible for the Western Wolf Kingdom. It was a test designed to measure the depth of their devotion to the Heavenly Dao. The Heavens watched to see if they acted as instruments of divine will, or if they were merely driven by a primal, bloodthirsty desire to pillage and slaughter the innocent.

  As the Heavenly Dao placed the actions of the Western Wolves upon the celestial scales, the balance tilted toward darkness. Their conduct was found to be deviant and cruel, signaling that the retribution destined for the Western Wolf Kingdom in the future would be unimaginably severe. The very duration of their nation’s survival was now bound to a grim tally: it would last only as many days as there were survivors remaining in the ruins of the Old Capital.

  Noe spoke solemnly to the Black Guard Divine Hound King: "The Heavenly Dao is ever-ready to be magnanimous and forgiving toward those who embody those same virtues. Return now to your King, the Wolf King. Tell him that if he shows compassion to the people of the Jade Pearl Kingdom who have been dragged into chains as slaves, the Heavens will extend the horizon of his kingdom’s existence, allowing the Western Wolf nation to endure."

  The Divine Hound took these words to heart and went into a period of silent observation. He watched the remnants of the city's population, counting every soul. He discovered that approximately 50,000 people remained—a number that translated to 50,000 days in the prophecy, or roughly 150 years of remaining life for the Western Wolf Kingdom.

  However, a grimmer truth lay within the numbers: less than one-third of these survivors were in the prime of their youth; the rest were the elderly and the frail. This meant the Western Wolf Kingdom would only experience about 40 years of true strength—the remaining lifespan of the "Old Wolf" King—followed by 110 years of inevitable decay until total disappearance.

  Haunted by this realization, the Divine Hound returned to the capital of the Western Wolf Kingdom. He exhausted his spirit attempting to convince the King to liberate the captives of the Old Capital. Yet, every plea fell on deaf ears. Bound by his loyalty and his sorrow, he knelt outside the royal palace, weeping for days, then months, then years. He wailed until his eyes grew milky and dim, losing his sight to the grief of a future he could not change.

  The New Capital and the Prophet’s Life

  During this same era, within the borders of the Jade Pearl Kingdom, a New Capital was rising from the foundations of a great metropolis named Phoenix City (Ph??ng Thành). It was a place of immense strategic value, bisected by the powerful currents of the Phoenix River. The city was shielded by two massive layers of fortifications, standing 20 and 30 meters high respectively, with each wall girded by a deep, protective moat.

  To distinguish it from the scarred ruins of the past, the people called this place the Eastern Capital (??ng Kinh ??), while the original capital was renamed the Central Capital (Trung Kinh ??). However, because the Eastern Capital was being built during a time of immense upheaval—faced with constant warfare in the North and insurrections in the South—the King prioritized the blade over the brick. Military expenditures drained the treasury, leaving the city’s grand architecture to progress at a sluggish pace.

  In this atmosphere of slow recovery, Noe chose the life of a commoner. In the Eastern Capital, his daily existence was one of profound simplicity. He sat at a dusty street corner, offering divinations to the common folk without ever asking for a single coin in return. Even when grateful citizens brought him livestock or fresh fish, he shook his head. He would only accept wild forest fruits or berries gathered from the hills.

  The people grew to adore him, seeking his wisdom for every facet of their lives. Among his most frequent visitors were the local fishermen. Every morning, they would ask where the schools of fish were running and where they should cast their nets. Noe’s answers were never wrong. Their boats returned so laden with fish that they sat low in the water, ensuring the fishermen lived in unprecedented abundance.

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  Noe constantly offered them a gentle warning: “Know what is enough. Do not let greed take root, for it will eventually destroy the self.”

  But his words fell on deaf ears. Seeing the endless bounty, the people’s greed only intensified. Their nets became finer and tighter, sweeping up everything from the great fish to the smallest fry. Because Noe’s help cost them nothing and provided them with everything, they became obsessed with harvesting every last creature from the river, terrified that if they didn't, someone else would.

  The Wrath of the Water Dragon

  However, the Great Water God—a majestic Water Dragon who claimed the Phoenix River as his domain—watched this plunder with growing resentment. He saw the life of his river being stripped away. The ecosystem was collapsing as the greedy fishermen spared not even the youngest offspring.

  Taking on a human guise, the Water God walked through the streets of the Eastern Capital. He soon found the modest stall of the man the locals called the "Divine Calculator Immortal." The God intended to humiliate Noe, to strip him of his credibility so that the people would stop relying on his prophecies to pillage the river.

  The Water God, who possessed the divine authority to command the clouds with pinpoint accuracy, approached Noe. He spoke with a voice dripping with disdain: "You fraudulent street-peddler! I do not believe for a second that your words hold any truth. If you are so gifted, tell me: will it rain tomorrow?"

  Noe looked up. Using his "Body-Clarity Vision," he saw through the human skin to the divine essence beneath. The internal structure of the Dragon Race was unmistakable, glowing with a light different from any mortal.

  He replied with a calm that unnerved the God: "I know exactly who you are, and I know the rain that comes tomorrow. Outside the city walls, there shall be seven inches of water. Inside the city, there shall be three inches. Listen to these words and follow them to the letter. Do not let your arrogance be the cause of your death."

  The River God let out a mocking laugh and vanished into the bustling crowd.

  The very next morning, a messenger arrived from the Heavenly Maiden of the Mystic Ice Sect. The decree for the day’s rain was delivered, and it matched Noe’s prediction word for word, down to the last inch. The message came with a stern postscript: do not allow pride to lead you into defiance.

  This only fueled the Water God’s spite. In his heart, he felt a bitter melancholy when he thought of the greedy mortals who had pillaged his waters. He decided that if a few of them had to die, it was a price worth paying to prove his own power. He chose to do the exact opposite of the decree, ignoring the long-term catastrophe he was about to invite.

  That afternoon, he unleashed a torrential downpour inside the city. Because the Eastern Capital was still a construction site with poor drainage, the river rose with terrifying speed. A flash flood surged through the streets, dragging many into the depths. Most of those who perished were the fishermen; despite their lives spent on the water, they were helpless against the divine wrath and drowned in the muddy currents. Meanwhile, outside the city, the rain was a mere pittance, leaving the thirsty crops and parched earth dying for want of water.

  The Prophet’s Sentence

  Before the echoes of the disaster had even faded, the River God felt a momentary pang of dread. Yet, his competitive nature pushed the fear aside. Assuming his human form once more, he hurried to Noe’s corner to boast. He laughed with supreme confidence, mocking Noe as a failure and a liar.

  Noe’s eyes flashed with a divine, terrifying anger. He pointed a finger at the Water God’s face and declared: "Seven days from now, at this exact hour, your head shall fall to the dust!"

  The River God’s face contorted with rage. "Do you know who you are speaking to? How dare you insult a deity! With a single flick of my wrist, I could end your life right now!"

  Noe did not recoil. "If you wish to kill me, then do it. But know this: the Heavenly Dao shall visit a punishment upon you and your entire family that you cannot imagine for laying hands upon the Prophet of the Heavens."

  The River God froze. It dawned on him then that the man before him was no mere fortune-teller. He was the chosen mouthpiece of the Heavenly Dao, occupying the same spiritual rank as the Heavenly Maiden of the Mystic Ice Sect. This was why their prophecies had been identical.

  The River God remembered his own history; it was the Heavenly Maiden herself who had performed his "God-Consecration" ritual two centuries ago. That ritual was his greatest pride, the very bedrock of his ego. To realize he had offended a fellow servant of the Heavens shattered his confidence instantly.

  As his arrogance evaporated, he finally looked around. He saw the frantic citizens running to save the drowning, the bodies being pulled from the silt. He realized the scale of his crime. This wasn't just a minor act of rebellion against the Mystic Ice Sect; he had caused the deaths of thousands. As a sitting deity, his responsibility—and thus his sin—was magnified a thousandfold.

  Overwhelmed by panic, he didn't even think to help the survivors. Instead, he clung to Noe, begging, "Show me a way to lessen this sin! Help me escape this fate!"

  Noe, his voice cold with fury, replied: "Seven days from now, the Great National Teacher will arrive to claim your head. Only the King possesses the authority to stay his hand. Your only hope is to submit to your judgment. Do not resist, and do not flee. If you accept your fate, your family will be spared, and your son shall be permitted to take your place as the God of this river."

  Without another word, Noe turned and ran toward the river to help save the survivors.

  The River God, now truly desperate, reverted to his dragon form. He streaked through the sky like a bolt of blue lightning and descended into the royal palace. He appeared before King Chau Ng?c Yên, confessing everything and pleading for the King's intervention. In return, he promised the King that he would provide perfect weather forever, ensuring the city would never flood again. He brought with him massive chests overflowing with celestial jewels and rare treasures as a tribute, promising even more if he was saved.

  The King was young and still fascinated by the mystical. To be addressed by a dragon in his own court was an intoxicating experience. Furthermore, with the kingdom drained by war and rebellion, the dragon's gold was a godsend. Viewing the Great National Teacher as merely a high-ranking official under his command, the King gave his word to protect the dragon, failing to grasp the celestial gravity of the situation.

  The River God then spent the remaining days frantically reaching out to his kin, begging the Great Dragon King and the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea for sanctuary. But the great powers of the deep remained silent. He dared not run, for he knew the reach of the Mystic Ice Sect. They acted with the mandate of the Heavenly Dao, and if he fled, his entire bloodline would be purged. He was trapped between the King's promise and the executioner’s blade.