Free Web NovelChapter 187: Chapter 187: The Grave of the Forgotten King
The wind roared in her ears as they ascended rapidly. The city lights of Dune City became tiny golden dots beneath them. They were flying so fast that Yue Yue had to close her eyes tightly, her fingers clutching his clothes nervously.
Xing Luoguang held her even closer, his arm like a steel band around her. "Don’t be afraid," he whispered near her ear. His voice was steady and calm, grounding her.
After what felt like a long time...though it was only a few minutes, the speed began to drop. They descended gently, their feet touching solid ground with a soft thud. The roar of the wind stopped. Everything became quiet.
"You can open your eyes now," he said softly.
Yue Yue slowly opened them and froze. In front of her stood a towering structure that took her breath away. It was tall, magnificent, and looked ancient.
The entire place was built from pale stone that seemed to glow faintly under the night sky. The air around it felt heavy and serious, filled with a sense of hidden power.
"Where... are we?" Yue Yue asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Xing Luoguang looked at the structure with deep respect. "We are at the very origin of our race," he said calmly. "This is the sacred temple our race worships."
Yue Yue was stunned. "What?"
They had their own temple? This far out in the desert? She looked at him innocently. "So... you do not worship the temple of the First Queen?" she asked carefully, knowing how the rest of the world felt about the legends.
Xing Luoguang’s expression changed. It became cold and serious. "Yes," he answered honestly. "We do not believe in her. We believe in a different entity."
Yue Yue’s heart skipped. A different entity? That was unheard of in the four empires. She had so many questions, but seeing his guarded expression, she swallowed them back. She knew their race was sensitive about their secrets.
Tonight, he had shown her his wings and brought her to the heart of his people’s history. That meant he trusted her completely. She did not want to ruin that trust by prying too deep too soon.
She nodded quietly. "I understand," she said gently.
Xing Luoguang looked at her for a moment, his gaze softening as he realized she wasn’t judging him. He reached out and held her hand, his fingers lacing with hers.
"Come," he said.
They walked toward the temple together. As soon as they stepped inside, Yue Yue felt her breath catch again. The interior was even more beautiful than the outside.
The ceiling was so high it felt like it touched the stars. Crystalline pillars stood in long rows, shining faintly like frozen light. The floor was smooth and clear, reflecting the soft glow from the walls.
Everything looked pure, sacred, and silent.
Yue Yue’s eyes moved everywhere, taking in the carvings and the glowing stones. She was completely awed. Xing Luoguang did not rush her. He simply held her hand firmly and led her deeper into the hall.
The massive stone doors slowly closed behind them with a heavy thud, and the quiet night outside disappeared completely.
Xing Luoguang led her deeper into the temple until they reached the heart of the sanctuary.
Yue Yue sucked in a sharp breath as she saw what lay in the center. It wasn’t an altar or a throne, but a massive, ancient grave.
Suddenly, Xing Luoguang dropped to his knees. He bowed his head deeply, his voice echoing with profound reverence.
"The children of Lingxiao are here to pay respect and seek the blessings of my King."
Yue Yue stood frozen, her heart skipping a beat as she watched the powerful warrior kneeling in total submission. freeweɓnovel.cøm
King? she thought, her mind spinning. The entire four empires worship the First Queen, but they worship a king?
Not wanting to be ungrateful or arrogant in such a sacred place, Yue Yue also dropped to her knees.
She bowed her head beside him. She loved her mate, and if this was whom he worshipped, she would honor his feelings with her own.
Xing Luoguang looked over at her, his eyes turning misty. No outsider had ever bowed their head here. She was the first. After a long moment of silent prayer, he stood up and helped her to her feet.
"Yue Yue, can you see this grave?" he asked with a soft smile. "It belongs to our ancestor, the origin of our blood. We are his subjects."
Yue Yue listened silently, sensing the weight of thousands of years in his voice. "Our entire race carries his blood," he continued. "But do you know why we worship him instead of the First Queen?"
Yue Yue shook her head. She had no idea at all.
Xing Luoguang’s smile turned bittersweet. "It is because the First Queen and he were mates. They vowed in this very place to be faithful to each other, to love for eternity, and to let the world see what true love was."
Yue Yue gasped. "What?" She had never heard this version of history in any book.
"Our race continued through the child of the First Queen... and him," Xing Luoguang murmured. frёewebnoѵēl.com
Yue Yue was so shocked she almost stumbled back. "That means... you are the direct descendants of the First Queen’s child?"
Xing Luoguang nodded solemnly.
"Then shouldn’t you be at the top of the hierarchy in the beast world?" Yue Yue asked, her voice trembling. "You would be royalty among royalties!"
Xing Luoguang smiled painfully.
"The world doesn’t know. The Queen betrayed him. She never acknowledged their children. In fact, she wanted to kill the child. She wanted to erase our father and our bloodline from history." He let out a dry, ironic laugh.
"And yet, we still survived."
He looked toward the distant horizon. "The ’adopted’ son of the First Queen, who claimed himself as the true heir, was the one who built the temples that worship her. He was from the Phoenix Clan."
