When the High Priest fell backward onto the floor, everyone in the hall exchanged terrified looks, followed by collective gasps.

Then, one of them forced out a nervous laugh.

"T-This is not funny."

The infant remained safely cradled in the dead man’s arms despite the fall.

For several seconds, nobody moved. Nobody even dared breathe too loudly for fear it could lead to something more dangerous.

They simply stared.

"Did the child just...?" one of the High Priests muttered.

"No way..." another whispered with a mocking expression.

"Please, do not look into his eyes!" the priest suddenly shouted, panic evident in his voice. "That is exactly what the midwife warned me about. And after witnessing this happen, I am certain she was telling the truth!"

High Priest I narrowed his gaze.

"So you are telling us that this infant can kill people simply by making eye contact?" he asked with a scoff, clearly unconvinced.

The priest swallowed hard before nodding.

"I know how absurd it sounds, Your Holiness. I thought the same thing at first. But after what happened in that village and after seeing this... I can no longer dismiss it as a coincidence."

The High Priest I sighed heavily.

"Very well. For now, I will take your words into consideration. But believing you? That will happen only when your words are proven to be true." His gaze shifted toward the motionless figure lying on the floor.

"Someone check High Priest XVII’s pulse."

No one dared to move. All were frozen in place as if they were buried in cold, freezing ice.

"Now," the man added, his tone sharper.

One of the High Priestesses hurried forward and knelt beside him. She pressed trembling fingers against his neck.

A moment later, the colour drained from her face. She stumbled backward, horror filling her eyes.

"H-He is..." Her voice shook violently. "He is dead."

The words struck the hall like thunder.

Every High Priest instinctively stepped away from the child.

As though the infant in their midst had suddenly become something far more terrifying than a mere orphan.

"We need to kill him!" one of the men exclaimed, unable to hide the fear in his voice.

"I agree!" another immediately added. "Even if he is only an infant, we cannot allow such a dangerous being to live!"

"What if he kills more people?"

"What if his powers grow stronger?"

"What if he becomes another disaster for Hianshu?"

The discussion erupted into chaos. Voices overlapped, none hearing the other. Some demanded the child’s immediate execution. Others suggested abandoning him outside the kingdom’s borders. Several simply wanted the infant gone before he claimed another life.

Yet while the others argued, High Priest I remained silent. His gaze never left the child. Unlike the others, he was not thinking about the danger.

He was thinking about the possibilities.

Hianshu had lost its immortals.

Its magic.

Its military.

Its power.

The kingdom was weak. Pathetically weak.

And now, a child capable of killing with a single glance had fallen into their hands.

The corners of his lips almost twitched.

At last, he could see a future where Hianshu would no longer need to fear anyone.

"We are keeping him." The middle-aged man’s calm declaration instantly silenced the room.

Every High Priest froze.

Several exchanged bewildered glances, wondering if they had heard him correctly.

Keep this child?

The very thought filled them with terror.

Countless deaths.

Countless risks.

How could High Priest I even consider such a thing?

None of them could understand.

Yet none of them dared openly oppose him.

When the immortals and mortals had separated years ago, every High Priest had signed a blood contract.

Among its many conditions was one absolute rule: Never go against the First High Priest.

"But... why?" one of them still dared to ask, a deep frown on his face.

High Priest I slowly turned toward him.

"You do not need to know."

The man immediately lowered his head.

Then the First High Priest pointed toward the priest who had brought the infant to the Temple.

"You."

The priest stiffened.

"From this day onward, you will assume High Priest XVII’s position and take responsibility for raising the child."

The man gasped, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"B-But Your Holiness!" he exclaimed. "I have a family to care for!"

For a brief moment, he hoped the First High Priest might reconsider.

Instead, he received only a cold glare.

The priest immediately lowered his head.

Refusing was not an option.

Not when the order came directly from the First High Priest himself.

"And one more thing," High Priest I added, his gaze drifting toward the infant once more.

"Never allow anyone to see his eyes."

The hall fell silent again.

Nobody missed the warning hidden beneath those words.

The priest stepped forward and lowered himself to pick up the child. He kept his eyes tightly closed while he tried his best to blindfold him. Then, once he was certain he had done a good job, he slowly opened his eyes.

Then, the priest looked down at the baby in his arms.

The child had stopped crying. Quietly, peacefully, he slept as though unaware that his fate had just been decided.

A fate that would shape the future of Hianshu itself.

A future no one was yet aware of. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

***

On the edge of a cliff stood a young boy. His loose white shirt fluttered violently in the cold wind, along with the light trousers hanging from his thin frame. A thin white cloth covered his eyes.

Although spring had already arrived, the breeze showed no intention of becoming gentler.

From his position high above the borderlands, he gazed down at the group of riders approaching from the distance.

Dozens of men rode powerful horses across the uneven terrain.

Silver armour glimmered beneath the sunlight, reflecting flashes of light with every movement. Some carried swords strapped to their waists, while others held bows across their backs, their expressions hardened by years of battle.

The riders appeared alert and extremely cautious. As though they were prepared to face enemies at any moment.

Then one of them suddenly slowed his horse.

"Is that a child...?" he muttered.