Four

The nature of the friendship between Xun Wang and Gu Fengchen is now difficult to clarify. What we do know is that Gu Fengchen is not only the lord of the Stark city-state of the Feather Clan, but he also holds a prestigious title, which is the Great Khan of Qingyang, known as Zun Ge Er Tai.

The Xun King said: "From today onwards, the barbarian tribes shall be one family. We will share the grasslands bestowed upon us by the heavenly gods, and there shall be no more warfare. We will establish a city at the center of the grasslands, in the northern region, where all the elderly and weak can find refuge and settle."

Although the warriors of the Eastern Continent are not formidable, several hundred years ago, there emerged a great emperor known as the Rose Emperor. He was a grand emperor, greater than our own sovereign, who unified the four provinces of the Eastern Continent and established an empire called Dayin. The empire holds a deep fear of our barbarian tribes, for the warriors of the Eastern Continent are far less courageous than our own soldiers. They are aware that as soon as the barbarian cavalry sets foot on the land of the Eastern Continent, it will become our pasture.

I said: "Yes."

I am as anxious as fire in my heart, waiting every night in the snow with the sky mirror and the sea mirror, wishing that a strong wind would blow away the clouds at any moment, revealing a patch of the sky so that I can see the stars

The meaning of the Kuriga Conference is "everyone sit down". At this conference, people from tribes of all sizes can sit together to hold meetings, with no distinction of rank or status.

This is merely the beginning. In the future, various tribes will take turns invading the Northern Capital, yet few can sustain their presence for long. The longest lasts only a few decades, while the shortest barely reaches six or seven years, before being driven out by others. The head of the former leader is displayed at the city gate for all to see. Although the claims of Gu Fengchen may sound absurd, most of the chieftains of the major tribes are well aware of them. However, what can be done? The Northern Capital has since become the center of our grasslands, and those who aspire to dominance cannot avoid entering the Northern Capital.

Throughout his life, what he has seen are the barbarian people wielding bows and riding horses, herding cattle and sheep, wandering on the grasslands, never able to rest. Now, a great city has been built, a place that is not afraid of wind and snow, and everyone is filled with hope, yet it is a cursed city, which the king refuses to accept. No matter how much the ancient wind and dust advises him, he is simply unwilling to give up the Northern Capital

I stood still for a moment, surrounded by darkness, with no one in sight, and where could the torchlight come from? I looked up and was astonished to see a thin layer of clouds in the sky, but behind the clouds, there were actually three large meteors. They were three large meteors side by side, so bright that the clouds could not obscure them, their colors resembling flames. They streaked across the eastern sky and finally fell behind the Tongyun Mountain, sounding like thunder, yet I had never heard thunder so loud in my life. It was as if the Tongyun Mountain had caught fire; in the deep of night, the mountain peak glowed with golden light. Later, it was said that people within a hundred miles had seen that golden light. They streaked across the eastern sky and finally fell behind the Tongyun Mountain, sounding like thunder, yet I had never heard thunder so loud in my life. It was as if the Tongyun Mountain had caught fire; in the deep of night, the mountain peak glowed with golden light. Later, it was said that people within a hundred miles had seen that golden light.

Indeed. It was on that night when the mysterious Ming in the divination pool died a crimson death, the eternal lamp in the ancestral temple's underground palace was extinguished, the summit of Tongyun Mountain radiated a golden light, and three large meteors streaked across the sky of the Northern Capital, illuminating the heavens as bright as day. Everything was in accordance with the prophecy of the "Stone Drum Scroll"; it was the punishment of the celestial gods upon the world, the grasslands turned blood-red, transforming into a region filled with the dead and the *map* of the land. The old man took a deep breath, "However, the barbarian tribes usher in a new era, a hero draws the divine sword from the volcano, the eagle with a lion's head unifies the grasslands, and the celestial god of the Panshan possesses the sky, leaving the earth and the ocean to his children. Everything was in accordance with the prophecy of the 'Stone Drum Scroll'; it was the punishment of the celestial gods upon the world, the grasslands turned blood-red, transforming into a region filled with the dead and the *map* of the land. The old man took a deep breath, "However, the barbarian tribes usher in a new era, a hero draws the divine sword from the volcano, the eagle with a lion's head unifies the grasslands, and the celestial god of the Panshan possesses the sky, leaving the earth and the ocean to his children. This child is King Tieqin, the King of Mountains and Seas!

The old man quietly squatted down, picking up the counting sticks one by one, and then handed them back to Amoc.

But none of them were as surprised as I was. I don't know how I jumped off the back of Bahang and ran recklessly towards Tongyun Mountain, collapsing in the snow only when I could run no more. Bahang was stunned. But how could I tell him? He wouldn't understand. At that moment, the starry sky of Beidu happened to rotate to the top of Tongyun Mountain, and three shooting stars passed through the starry sky of Beidu. I had been a Hesa for over thirty years, always hoping to find a star in the starry sky of Beidu, breaking the ancient prophecies of the wind and dust. But how could I tell him? He wouldn't understand. At that moment, the starry sky of Beidu happened to rotate to the top of Tongyun Mountain, and three shooting stars passed through the starry sky of Beidu. I had been a Hesa for over thirty years, always hoping to find a star in the starry sky of Beidu, breaking the ancient prophecies of the wind and dust.

I still remember that it was the fourth day after the Feast of the Burning Lamb, on January 4th, when I finally fainted in the snow.

Amoc had a cold war, "Those women said, the heir is Gu Xuan... Is there really such a thing as a fateful star?"

The King of Xun was astonished. The so-called invisible stars, in the vast sky, there was only one Gu Xuan. Gu Xuan emitted no light, being a deep and dark black; some said it was a gap in the sky, from which all light flowed out.

However, this city has another name, which you may not know, called "Beidu." We, the barbarian people, do not use such terminology; this term was coined by the feathered people, meaning "the city of errors"

"He is the King of Shun." The old man nodded heavily

"Indeed, that is my destiny; I shall bear everything myself." This is what King Xun said, a true hero.

That was the largest calculation in the life of Gu Fengchen. It is said that King Xun built a large stone base measuring one thousand paces in length and width at the site of the current Golden Tent Palace. Gu Fengchen commanded four hundred youths to move the counting rods, coordinating with the celestial instruments, continuously calculating in accordance with the movements of the stars and nebulae. The calculations lasted for a full three months, employing an astonishing eleven methods of joint calculation.

Ancient style dust! Amoche is simply about to exclaim

Everyone was rendered speechless, and those wizards suddenly knelt down and prayed, as if they had gone mad. At that moment, the only ones who could remain calm were the Grand Duke, the Ninth Prince, and Long Ge Zhen Huang of the Zhen Yan tribe, who was taking refuge in the Northern Capital at that time. When I saw Lady Ying enter from behind the curtain, holding a child, my head buzzed as if it were about to explode, and the blood in my body turned cold all at once. I suddenly remembered that it was the night the heir was born, and my words had already brought him harm. When I saw Lady Ying enter from behind the curtain, holding a child, my head buzzed as if it were about to explode, and the blood in my body turned cold all at once. I suddenly remembered that it was the night the heir was born, and my words had already brought him harm.

Asule, meaning longevity

"You will become the new Hesa." He patted Amoche's head, "Do you know why?"

However, such bravery, the old man took a puff of his cigarette and fell silent for a long time, is also unavoidable

He traveled alone from Ningzhou to here to calculate the fate of the Northern Capital for King Xun. Gu Fengchen asked King Xun how many years of fate he wished to know about the barbarian tribes, to which King Xun replied one thousand years. Gu Fengchen stated that the maximum he could predict was five hundred years, as anything beyond that exceeded the limits of his knowledge. Thus, they agreed to calculate for five hundred years.

These are all legends, and some say that the goddess is actually the wife of King Xun, Aganda. However, King Xun is a patient hero, destined to dominate the grasslands. He was willing to offer his wife Aganda to his lecherous adoptive father as collateral, only asking for three thousand brave warriors in return. With these three thousand men, King Xun later swept across the grasslands, defeating all tribes that refused to submit to him, and more people were willing to follow him. Eventually, hundreds of tribes merged into seven major tribes, and King Xun convened the first Kurig Conference. With these three thousand men, King Xun later swept across the grasslands, defeating all tribes that refused to submit to him, and more people were willing to follow him. Eventually, hundreds of tribes merged into seven major tribes, and King Xun convened the first Kurig Conference.

"Do not speculate on the heart of God, my child," the old man's voice seemed to murmur in a dream, "There is no heart in God's chest, it is merely a piece of iron and stone"

Yet the stars that one truly sees are the fiery meteors. Those meteors have been devoured by the pitch-black abyss.

This land is called Jiuzhou, though it is unclear how long ago this was. Legend has it that a divine emperor once unified the entire world, dividing it into nine provinces and naming them. Yet, no one knows who that divine emperor was. In the northern region, there are three provinces: Shangzhou, Hanzhou, and Ningzhou. Some say that the northern region was once an ancient dragon that lived for many years before finally dying, sinking to the seabed, where sediment accumulated on its bones, transforming into the northern region. Shangzhou is its head, from which the Kuafu tribe emerged, tall and mighty, fierce like a wild beast; Ningzhou is its tail, from which the Yu tribe emerged, light and soft, capable of soaring into the sky; while the grasslands of Hanzhou are the dragon's chest, from which our barbarian tribe emerged, the bravest.

I still remember the words of Longge Zhenhuang, who said: "We, the people of the Zhenyan tribe, worship the great Panbatian God. If He were to say that this child is cursed and should die, I would kill him with a single stroke. However, I have not heard the God speak to us; I only see these filthy cow bones and turtle shells. If this child is truly cursed, then let my Longge clan members kill him in the future; I am willing to raise him!"

He downed the remaining wine in the jug in one go, turned over, and fell asleep on the mink fur coat, his breathing gradually becoming long and deep

The ash in the smoking pot had cooled for quite some time, and the old man remained silent. Amochi did not dare to speak either; he glanced at the old man and thought of the enraged lion. Such a person had actually become a traitor at the Kurig Conference, and now he was just a head in a wooden box.

The old man shook his head, "Only the Huangji Sect of ancient Fengchen believes in fate and stars. I do not know, but I have read the 'Shigu Juan'"

Because you are quite foolish! He smiled mysteriously

In such a northern land, how could we possibly build great ships to compete with the easterners for territory? Surviving would be a remarkable feat. Later, a hero finally emerged from our northern land, and you must surely know of him.

Approximately seventy years ago, the Lü clan of our Qingyang tribe invaded the Northern Capital. At that time, we had the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry and the Iron Floating Tower, the two foremost cavalry units of the grasslands. The Great Lord was more benevolent towards the other six tribes than before, so although there were still wars over the past seventy years, stability was ultimately achieved.

In the pitch-black night outside the tent, it is unknown who is sharpening a knife, the sound of iron grinding against stone, a chilling "clang" that sends shivers down one's spine

However, Gu Fengchen did not calculate anything.

When I and Bahang rushed to the Golden Tent with all our might, it was already filled with people. The commotion from Tongyun Mountain had awakened everyone, including the lords of various tribes, the khans and shamans of different clans, as well as the great nobles. Those shamans displayed all sorts of strange and peculiar items in the tent, such as cracked turtle shells and cow bones, the skeletons of the dead, and the mysterious objects pulled from the divination pool.

However, the Tiantuo Gorge separates us. The Rose Emperor acquired naval technology from the Feather Clan, and the lords of the Eastern Land constructed numerous warships, using their navy to control the Tiantuo Gorge. No matter how swift our barbarian horses may be, they do not have wings and cannot fly across the sea

However, that legend is not something anyone dares to forget; it is etched in everyone's heart. ... Generation after generation, the Grand Hassas have passed down the secret words to their students, and finally, when it was my turn to be a Hassas, an incident occurred ...

At that moment, it was Long Ge Zhen Huang who saved the Crown Prince. For some unknown reason, he became enraged, seized the shaman of the Zhen Yan tribe, and dragged him out of the tent, thrusting him into a snowdrift. Everyone was stunned; at that time, the Lion King was the foremost hero of the grasslands, and no one dared to stand up when he was angry

That year, as autumn began, the white-haired wind blew incessantly, and the grasslands filled with big needle grass in the north were flattened one after another, leaving no chance to harvest winter grass. The snow around the Northern Capital was waist-deep, and the snow on the other side of Tongyun Mountain was even thicker. Groups of yellow sheep and spotted deer were frozen to death in the snow. The herdsmen, lacking winter grass, early on slaughtered the thin sheep and lambs, hiding in the sheltered areas of the mountain hollows. The lords of several major tribes brought their nobles to garrison in the Northern Capital, as it was the only large city on the grassland that was not afraid of wind and snow.

This prophecy was fulfilled even more swiftly than the ancient Fengchen had anticipated. Seven years later, the head of King Xun was displayed on the city gate of the Northern Capital

"King Xun!" Amon shouted.

The Eastern Land people call us barbarians, and we do not mind. For the men of our grasslands, "barbarian" signifies courage. Our warriors wield battle axes and great halberds, riding on the wild horses we have tamed. When the Eastern Land people see our cavalry, they can only flee. Their swords and armor may be superior to ours, yet it is always us barbarians who emerge victorious in battle

On the first day of the completion of Beidu City, a member of the Feather Clan arrived from Ningzhou. You know his name; he is called Gu Fengchen. His full name, along with his title, is "Lord Stark Gu Fengchen · Sudra Jiong"

The lord of the Jiu Yan Department has captured the Northern Capital; he is the second great lord of the Kurige Conference

At the age of six, the heir went to the Zhenyan tribe. The old man took a small sip of wine and licked his lips, "I don't know if it's a coincidence or what, but it's truly strange. Throughout his life, many people around him have died. Now even the lions on the grassland have died; indeed, the places he has passed through are ominous"

The Valley of the Abyss is a dead star, and no living person can see it

Thus, generation after generation, only the strongest warriors can survive. Strong fathers beget strong sons, and for generations, they have been the heroes of the grasslands

Some say that the Crown Prince was a child born without breath, and it was the Concubine who bit him, bringing him to life. Others claim that the Princess was originally pregnant with twins, and the Crown Prince consumed his brother in the womb, which is why only he was born. At that time, the shamans were truly mad, and everyone was discussing only how to kill this child as a sacrifice to the Pan Da Tian God. The Great Lord could not maintain order, and Ba Hang stood in front of him with a knife, while the Ninth Prince had quietly left the tent to mobilize troops. At that time, the shamans were truly mad, and everyone was discussing only how to kill this child as a sacrifice to the Pan Da Tian God. The Great Lord could not maintain order, and Ba Hang stood in front of him with a knife, while the Ninth Prince had quietly left the tent to mobilize troops.

At that time, there was no one around me, and I was already on a path to death. However, when I woke up, Bahang was feeding me warm water. It was also fortunate that it happened to be the time when the side queen was nearing her delivery. The lord had sent Bahang to find me to perform a divination for the soon-to-be-born child. When Bahang found me, I was already half-buried in snow

The old man exhaled a puff of smoke, his eyes filled with longing yet also with a sense of bewilderment. "It is the ancient wind and dust, truly a person to be revered. Even after five hundred years, mentioning his name still stirs one's emotions."

On the rotating firmament, the starry sky of our Northern Capital is a void of darkness; for three months, not a single star has passed through, nor has any star approached this expanse of the starry sky

You reside in this city, the only city of our barbarian tribe, the Northern Capital City

The northern capital's starry sky may forever be empty, the ancient wind dust finally said, only the invisible stars pass through there, this is the city of curses

In fact, the grassland is a harsh and cold place, where only wild grasses thrive, yet it cannot be cultivated. It is said that in Donglu Wanzhou, rice can be harvested three times a year, but on the grasslands of the south, when we burn the fields to plant wheat, we can only produce one harvest in a good year. When food is insufficient, people will die; if there are no wars and no plundering of others' food, survival is simply impossible

It was exceptionally quiet when I entered, and everyone looked at me. The lord only asked me one question, saying: "Are you Gu Xuan?"

The slave boy Xun Wang A Kanti was born without anyone knowing who his parents were. From the moment he was born, he was tasked with herding livestock in the harshest of environments, where those who herded there rarely lived beyond the age of thirty. However, Xun Wang survived, for just as he was about to freeze to death, the goddess passed by the upper reaches of the Xuesong River and offered him her milk, while the Pan Da Tian God bestowed blessings upon him.

Bahang asked me if I could walk, and I replied that my legs were stiff. So, Bahang carried me back to the Golden Tent, and the torches were soaked by the snow, prompting him to hold onto his horse's tail. At that time, he was also cold, draping everything he could find over himself, with an iron-scaled armor from Donglu covering him, polished to a bright sheen by the snow. The snow stopped, and he trudged through it, one foot deep and the other shallow. I felt uneasy, lost in thought while drinking. By the end, my head felt like it was going to split open, and I was almost about to fall asleep on Bahang's back. The snow had stopped, and he continued to trudge through it, one foot deep and the other shallow. I felt uneasy, lost in thought while drinking. By the end, my head felt like it was going to split open, and I was almost about to fall asleep on Bahang's back. At that moment, I suddenly saw a fiery light flashing on the iron-scaled armor on Bahang's back.

The city was abuzz with discussions, and everyone was in a state of panic. Whispers circulated that the Great Lord had shown disrespect to the heavens, and that the celestial deities no longer protected the grasslands. The Great Lord said nothing, yet commanded me to observe the stars and determine when the wind and snow would cease. Thus, I spent countless nights awake, recording star charts and predicting changes, but throughout the entire winter, there were hardly any clear days. The sky appeared perpetually leaden, obscuring any view of the stars. Consequently, the people's hearts grew increasingly chaotic. Initially, the leaders of several major tribes sought refuge in the Northern Capital to escape the storm, but later, the shamans of those tribes began to burn cattle bones for sacrifices, with black smoke rising intermittently. Rumors also spread of live slaves being sacrificed.

That was nine years ago, according to the almanac, it was a "year of famine"

Amoc stared blankly at the old man, the counting rods in his hand scattering all over the ground with a "whoosh"

Amoc pressed his shoulder with boldness and asked, "Teacher, does the deity of the Tatar sky intend to bless the grassland or to punish us?"

Originally, everyone thought that as long as they waited for spring, everything would be fine. However, that year's wind and snow were truly malevolent, continuing day and night, with snow piling up in front of the city gate until it could no longer be opened. The Xuesong River and the Tiexian River were both frozen with thick ice, and those unafraid of death would break the ice to fish, often seeing fish over four or five feet long trapped in the ice holes. Yet, apart from fish, no otters or roe deer could be hunted, and even the yaks were nowhere to be found on the snowfields. In the northern capital, after consuming all the mutton, they began to slaughter horses. Our barbarian tribe lives on horseback, and if people do not eat, they will starve to death, yet no one is willing to kill a horse. However, apart from fish, no otters or roe deer could be hunted, and even the yaks were nowhere to be found on the snowfields. In the northern capital, after consuming all the mutton, they began to slaughter horses. Our barbarian tribe lives on horseback, and if people do not eat, they will starve to death, yet no one is willing to kill a horse.

Now you know there are seven large tribes on the grassland... but no longer seven, the Zhenyan tribe has been exterminated... We are left with only Qingyang, as well as Yanghe, Shuobei, Lanma, Shachi, and Jiuyan, a total of six. However, when Emperor Qiangwei established the Yinchao dynasty, there were hundreds of tribes on the grassland, where everyone stole each other's cattle and sheep, and I stole your women. Every spring, when there was no food and the sheep were at their thinnest, wars would break out, with hundreds or thousands of herdsmen charging into battle on horseback, and death was everywhere. The original meaning of the Lanma tribe is "guest soldiers". It is said that at that time, the Lanma tribe had no food, and the men went out with bows and arrows to hunt yellow sheep, only to have their camp raided by another large tribe called the Tagu tribe. When the men of the Lanma tribe returned, the young women had all been repeatedly violated by the men of the Tagu tribe, and half of them were already pregnant. The women wanted to commit suicide, but the men would not allow it. The men insisted that they give birth to the children, naming them "Lanma", feeding them with the milk of wild horses, teaching them to ride and shoot arrows, turning the children into the bravest warriors. Later, they broke through the Tagu tribe and killed all the men of the Tagu tribe. The women wanted to commit suicide, but the men would not allow it. The men insisted that they give birth to the children, naming them "Lanma", feeding them with the milk of wild horses, teaching them to ride and shoot arrows, turning the children into the bravest warriors. Later, they broke through the Tagu tribe and killed all the men of the Tagu tribe.

Amoc suddenly sat up straight. The "Shigu Juan" is the sacred text of the barbarian astrology, and until now, he has not known what kind of book this is.

He knelt before the sovereign and accepted the child, saying: "Then I shall name him, I shall call him Asule."

Amos shook his head in confusion

From the Eastern Land to the Northern Land, there is no one who does not know the name of this star diviner. Gu Fengchen represents a master, a ruler, and even the emperor of astrology. He established two foundational laws in the history of astrology and created a doctrine called "Huangji Jing Tian," which correlates the stars with the earth. This serves as the foundation for all future star diviners' predictions. However, Gu Fengchen's calculations are exceedingly complex, transforming astrology into a mathematical discipline. No one has been able to decipher his commonly used five or even seven-style calculations, which is why no one in later generations has been able to approach his contributions.