The Dawn of the New World

"Do you have something for me?" she asked cryptically, emptying the contents of the smoking pipe onto the ground without explaining further.

Jin Wang squinted his eyes, looking her up and down in excruciating detail trying to recall something.

"Hmm, I do but...I can't remember what it is right now. Do you know what I'm supposed to give you?" he answered her question with one of his own. Both of them were feeling the other party out, if they actually were the one they were supposed to meet.

She shrugged casually, "I should but don't. All I have is one prophecy to go on."

She paid extra care to his expression when mentioning the prophecy but all she could see was some belated confusion.

"Then...can you tell me what the prophecy is?"

She stared at him for more than a minute straight before exhaling a small cloud of white smoke. This cloud did not disperse and instead started playing out a small skit, creating various shapes.

The first shape was that of a tiny smoke figure holding a scroll. The figure didn't have any notable features other than numerous shadows that mimicked its movements.

It ran through a number of different scenes, dying or getting killed over and over again and each time it died, one of its many shadows took its place. But when it reached the last scene it didn't have any other shadows left.

The figure had gotten slow and weary from its travels. Its shoulders hung low and each of its steps did not have the vigor of its past self.

The old lady extended her hand and the smoke figure handed her the scroll, wiping its forehead and falling on its back exhausted.

Jin Wang's eyes were locked onto the tiny figure with an ocean of emotions welling up inside of him. When the figure handed off the scroll even he felt like a burden had been lifted off his shoulders.

The old lady smiled knowingly upon seeing his expression of relief.

"On the twilight night, a weary traveler will come to find the last of the caretakers. He will bring news of what is to come, straight from the era of the Sovereign of Swords."

The last shred of doubt within Jin Wang's heart was washed away upon listening to the prophecy. He chuckled.

"The Era of the Sovereign of Swords, huh? It's been a rather long time since someone said those words out loud. Although I doubt even you know what it means?" he looked to her for confirmation and as expected, she shook her head.

"You are correct, I do not know what it means, what any of its means. I'm not even sure if you are even the right person."

Jin Wang nodded understandably.

"Well, I can prove it, in a sense. I can show you something and it is up to you if you want to believe me or not. But first, can you tell me your name? I'm Jin Wang."

The old lady took a puff from the smoking pipe before answering, "You can call me 'Grand Priestess' if you wish."

Jin Wang smiled again, giving a gentleman's bow.

"A pleasure, grand priestess. It's not often I am in the presence of such gifted individuals."

The grand priestess started laughing uproariously, "Kahahaha, a gifted individual? I am but an old lady on death's door."

Jin Wang shook his head vigorously, "Age has nothing to do with your innate talents. Even in the greater world where the sons and daughters of old gods walk amongst men, there would be very few that could compare to your ability."

"Ho, you can tell what my abilities are?" the grand priestess asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"When you've seen as many things as I have, it becomes second nature."

"Well...I will take that as a compliment nonetheless. So what exactly are you going to show me?"

The grand priestess put down her guard to a great extent since she couldn't detect any hostility from Jin Wang.

Jin Wang looked at the gorge behind him and the forest in the front.

"How about we move somewhere with a little more privacy before continuing this conversation?"

The grand priestess realized they were still in the forest and quickly apologized before bringing Jin Wang down into the gorge where a small lake ending in a waterfall waited for them.

The grand priestess sat down beside the lake, submerging her feet in the milky white waters which were filled with various aquatic beasts that merrily swam about.

Jin Wang whistled loudly looking at the surroundings.

"Wow, so I was right. You have already managed to solidify your Mind Palace and manifest it into the outside world permanently. That is something very few individuals managed to achieve without breaking into the 'Emperor Realm' first.. In fact, you are the 3rd person I have ever met that accomplished such a feat."