Six hundred and eighty thousand years ago.
"Lin Hawk, hurry up!"
A group of gods escorted a coffin to the bank of the Celestial River. One urged, "Lin Hawk, why are you still standing on the shore? Hurry up! Her Majesty the Empress gave these orders—they must be carried out!"
Lin Hawk steadied himself, gazing at the Ghost Ship emerging from the light. After a moment's hesitation, he followed the others and murmured, "I feel like I've been here before. It's like a nightmare—I saw the Four Emperors board the ship, and I saw the Feather-Guard Corps' commander..."
"You're just dreaming! Get on the ship—now!"
Lin Hawk stood at the edge of the ship, still wavering.
"If you do this well, Her Majesty the Empress will bless your descendants for generations!"
A god snapped, "If you hesitate again, to protect this secret, we'll have to kill you right now!"
Gritting his teeth, Lin Hawk stepped onto the ship, telling himself, "It's just a dream. It has to be a dream!"
Seven hundred thousand years ago.
Celestial River.
A burst of light exploded from the Celestial River. The figures of Southern Emperor Vermilion, Eastern Emperor Azure Dragon, Western Emperor White Tiger, and Northern Emperor Black Tortoise appeared, standing on both banks. As the light faded, the Ghost Ship reassembled itself within the river.
On the ship, Lord Drakebar roared and struggled, trying to break free from the Ghost Ship's restraints and escape.
This divine dragon was incomparably strong, but his body was pierced through with chains by the Feather-Guard Corps and suppressed on the ship. So even when Qin Mu borrowed the power of the Four Emperors to crack Venerable Skysoar's divine art, Lord Drakebar remained trapped.
Now, as the Ghost Ship reformed and Venerable Skysoar's divine art returned in force, his struggles only fused him further into the vessel. His body merged with the tower before the deck, leaving only his dragon head exposed.
Terror flashed in Lord Drakebar's eyes. He cried out, "Save me! Four Emperors, get me out of here!"
The Four Ancient Emperors stood separately on each bank, watching as the ship was once again shrouded in black mist, their expressions uncertain and wary.
"Shepherd Heavenly Venerable is on that ship!"
Northern Emperor Black Tortoise suddenly turned to Southern Emperor Vermilion and said gravely, "Shepherd Heavenly Venerable even calls you sister. Shouldn't you give us an explanation, Southern Emperor?"
"Why are you looking at me?"
Southern Emperor Vermilion let out a tinkling laugh. Her crimson robe swept around her, transforming into a streak of fire that fled far away, her laughter echoing: "I'm just like you—I know nothing at all!"
The other three emperors frowned.
"Besides us escaping, I also saw beams of light fading away, like silhouettes slipping off."
Eastern Emperor Azure Dragon said quietly, "And those Feather-Guard Corps generals I caught just now—they vanished from my hands. When the light burst, they... they disappeared from the ship too!"
He looked around but couldn't spot the Feather-Guard generals anywhere, muttering, "This ship is too uncanny..."
Seven hundred and twenty thousand years ago, the mist struck.
"General, there's a woman casting spells in the fog!"
A massive world-ark slowly sailed into the mist. Wayne Gale watched the sudden fog on the Celestial River, his heart stirred. He shed his armor, took the lantern hanging from the mast, and began writing furiously on the wall of the tower-ship.
He wrote a final message: "I came from Home's End Abyss, met this woman and returned to the ancient era, sought ancient mysteries, chased the riddles of history. Now I meet her again. I think it's time to snuff the lamp and go back."
He hung the lantern on the lamp rack, opened it, and blew out the divine light. Darkness fell inside the ship.