Fengle Hou, Changsun Changlin, was once the most gifted in profound arts in the You Kingdom and the entire nation's hope.
From the moment his talent manifested, he was highly esteemed by the royal family. At the tender age of ten, he was enfeoffed as "Fengle" Hou, showcasing the Emperor's deep regard for him.
By the time he reached his early twenties, the Grand Preceptor abdicated his position, and Changsun Changlin succeeded him as Grand Preceptor.
During his tenure as Grand Preceptor, the You Kingdom enjoyed favorable weather and peace, with no one pocketing lost items.
However, the prosperous You Kingdom soon attracted the covetous eyes of neighboring nations. Though Changsun Changlin was formidable, his mortal body could not withstand the enemy's vast armies.
Furthermore, the malevolent energy of the troops rendered his profound arts ineffective.
He used all his lifelong learning to divine the future and arrived at the grim conclusion that the You Kingdom's destiny was at an end. Yet, he was unwilling to accept this fate.
He collected the souls of all the fallen soldiers in the You Kingdom. Using his authority as Grand Preceptor, he gathered numerous farmers to construct a mausoleum for him situated above a spiritual eye.
The completion of the mausoleum coincided with the day the You Kingdom's capital fell.
Changsun Changlin enticed loyal officials and brave souls to commit suicide with him, intending to transform into vengeful spirits to avenge the You Kingdom.
Upon the demise of those ministers with strong destinies, he directly devoured their souls, absorbing all their essence for his own use.
Changsun Changlin was not a descendant of a lineage of celestial masters. He was of the You Kingdom's royal blood, a generation senior to the last emperor of You.
Despite both being of royal blood, why did he have no opportunity to ascend the throne?
He desired to restore the You Kingdom, but he did not wish to labor for another's gain. Since he was the one restoring the kingdom, why could he not become the emperor himself?
He calculated for a long time. In the many years to come, there would be children of destiny establishing their own dynasties. This was the will of heaven, which he could not defy. Even if he rebuilt the You Kingdom, it would inevitably be destroyed again.
Not until a thousand years later, in the present, did he find that the child of destiny had a deep connection with him. He could borrow her destiny to rebuild the You Kingdom, making it reappear on this land and become its master.
He, in turn, would become a monarch above countless others, enjoying their worship.
He calculated that the child of destiny was a woman. By bestowing upon her the position of Empress of You, her destiny would become that of the You Kingdom, and consequently, his destiny.
Husband and wife share a common fate. Heaven would surely not prevent his restoration of the kingdom.
Shi Man shivered and rubbed her small arms, "It's so cold!"
"Qingqing Shishu's heating talisman failed again. Alas, she's such a worry!"
Shi Man dragged her plastic chair, preparing to retreat indoors for air conditioning. She would never trust the skills of these martial uncles again.
No wonder Master was always so concerned. Seeing that even she was better than these martial uncles, Shi Man also worried about the future of the Lin family.
At such a young age, I have shouldered the great responsibility of revitalizing the family.
As Shi Man walked, she shook her head and sighed.
Those watching her behavior behind her couldn't help but smile. Only Lin Qing, whom Shi Man called Qingqing Shishu, had an embarrassed expression on her face.
If only there were a crack in the ground, she would surely disappear into it.
In the realm of minor ghosts, Lin Yan suddenly felt a sharp pain in her chest. However, the pain was fleeting.
Lin Yan suddenly clutched her chest. Those beside her couldn't help but show concern.
"Lin Shijie, are you alright?" This was a woman a few years older than Lin Yan, but she had lost to Lin Yan before, and her spiritual power was not as high as Lin Yan's, so she addressed Lin Yan as Shijie.
She had also been saved by Lin Yan once, making this address of Shijie all the more sincere.
"I'm fine. Let's keep moving forward," Lin Yan shook her head.
Although she said she was fine, her heart was filled with unease. This feeling was a warning. It seemed that something that could endanger her had already happened.
Recently, besides the appearance of the Ghost King, there was nothing else significant. It seemed the Ghost King had awakened, and she had to end her journey in the realm of minor ghosts quickly to prevent the Ghost King's actions.
"Lin Shijie, your complexion isn't good. Do you need to rest for a bit?" She looked at Lin Yan's somewhat pale face with concern. Although the realm of minor ghosts had been explored by the elders, there might still be some overlooked dangers.
The fierce ghost she encountered earlier was an example. If Lin Yan pushed herself too hard and ran into a difficult foe, what would happen to her, who couldn't compare to Lin Yan and could only be a burden!
"Don't worry, I'm really fine." Lin Yan suppressed her worries and continued her journey with her junior sister.
She had a premonition that what she sought should be not far ahead.
The characters in the air shone brightly, and many figures within the mausoleum opened their eyes.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!" Dense figures occupied the left and right side chambers, packed shoulder to shoulder.
They wore different armors, their faces and bodies were dirty, and their armor was riddled with sword and saber marks.
Two talismans arrays, still in operation, were on the ground in these two side chambers, trapping these figures within the small spaces.
These were not soldiers from the same era; their attire and appearance varied greatly.
These two side chambers housed two talisman arrays that attracted military souls. Military souls referred to the residual will and killing intent of soldiers, condensed into spirit bodies, born in places of war.
They possessed the soldiers' will to kill, their fighting spirit, and their lingering obsessions transformed into form. They had no independent thought, only the obsessions of soldiers before their deaths: protecting their comrades behind them, protecting their country.
Changsun Changlin had chosen a strategically vital location for his mausoleum. Countless battles had been fought there over a thousand years.
The military souls formed in these wars were absorbed by these two talisman arrays, becoming Changsun Changlin's sustenance and support.
Gradually, many ethereal figures gathered before Changsun Changlin, bowing to him.
"Greetings, Fengle Hou."
"Rise!" Changsun Changlin waved his hand, using his阴气 (yin energy) to help them up.
Although he disliked the title of Hou, it was alright. He would soon be king.
The figures before him were too weak, as if they would be blown away by a gentle breeze.
It seemed he needed to find some food for these ghosts. They were currently incapable of being his support.
Only after consuming sufficient malevolent energy and the flesh and blood of the living could they truly become an invincible army.
He had already scanned a city with his divine sense. It had a population of about a hundred thousand households.
Although the spiritual energy in this world was thin, there were quite a few people, and the cities were much larger than in his time. Such large cities and so many people were unheard of in his era, except for the capital.
Moreover, they couldn't build buildings as tall and grand as they did now.
With the flesh and souls of so many people as sustenance, his army would be truly invincible. Soon, he would become the sole ruler of this land.
He eagerly awaited that day!