The palace stood at the heart of his sacred mountain plain — that was all "Hoaran"knew.
He was the best friend of the Crown Prince, who often visited him in the village. Yet, Hoaran had never been to the palace. He was branded a bastard, for his mother had never married his father. To make matters worse, she had died giving birth to him — without ever revealing who his father was.
Since then, Hoaran had lived with his grandmother.
Today was a momentous day — the selection of young mortal lords who would be trained to awaken their immortality and discover their destined roles: the Peacock, the Phoenix, and most importantly, the Dragon Lord.
When Hoaran arrived at the palace gates, dawn had already broken.
He had set out the day before, and the journey had been long and uncertain.
Mist swirled around the marble steps of the Golden Phoenix Gate — the grand entrance to the Imperial Palace.
Drums and gongs echoed through the air as imperial guards, clad in black and crimson armor, struck their hallberds against the stone in perfect rhythm.
Hoaran, now inside the imperial palace, watched from a distance as carriages began to appear one after another, rolling across the long jade-paved road. Not everyone was permitted to attend such an occasion, but the Crown Prince had personally given him a gate pass. He wanted his friend to witness his selection as one of the chosen candidates to ascend to immortality.
The first carriage to arrive was draped in white silk and golden tassels — it belonged to the Li family. Inside were the eldest son, Li Yichen, and his sister, Li Yuxin, both candidates for the selection. Their father, the Minister of Rites, accompanied them.
Beside the carriage, four maids dressed in pale blue hanfu walked gracefully, each holding a parasol embroidered with white cranes. Riding alongside were two guards on horseback, their armor polished to a mirror sheen.
Hoaran marveled as the noble ladies and lords stepped out of their carriages. He couldn't tell which among them was more beautiful or more regal than the other.
Next, a deep red carriage adorned with phoenix carvings rolled to a stop. Its emblem — a quiet serpent — marked it as the house of Lord Wang Zhiyuan. Rumor had it that his family descended from the ancient Phoenix line, but since no female had been born into their household for generations, many whispered that the Phoenix spirit had abandoned them.
Beside him stood Wang Zihan, his paternal cousin. Twenty armored soldiers marched before them, their banners snapping sharply in the morning wind.
Then came Lady Zhang Jingyi, gentle yet striking in presence. She arrived on foot — her carriage had broken down miles back — attended only by two servants. She was of the Peacock Clan, the poorest among the sacred lineages.
Why must ours be the weakest? she often wondered.
Being chosen today, she thought as she passed through the grand gates, could be the chance to restore her clan's lost honor and wealth.
At the sound of a trumpet, everyone began to walk into the Emperor's Throne Room. There, seated upon his grand golden throne, was the Emperor himself — flanked by his three legitimate children from his two wives, all of whom were candidates for the sacred selection.
Five other royal children stood nearby — the Emperor's sons and daughters by his concubines — though they were not among those chosen to compete for immortality.
Hoaran entered quietly with the others, his heart pounding. The Crown Prince's pass had granted him access beyond what he'd imagined possible, yet he made sure not to draw attention. Commoners like him were not expected to stand in such a place — before the Emperor himself.
The three great clans of the kingdom — together with that of the Emperor — stood in formation before the throne, along with the lords of the imperial court.
Other young men and women were already present, for this was the long-awaited Selection Ceremony, where each noble house presented its children as potential candidates.
The four clans of the realm were as follows:
The Dragon Clan, the mightiest of them all, was the Emperor's own lineage. Known for producing both emperors and Dragon Lords, their strength and authority had long ruled the kingdom.
The Phoenix Clan was led by the Wang family, with four other family heads serving within the imperial court. Their children, too, stood among the chosen.
The Peacock Clan was governed by the Zhang family. Like the Phoenix Clan, they also had several family heads within the Emperor's service — seven in total. Whispers spread through the palace that this was due to their declining wealth, forcing the clan's leader to push many of their kin into imperial service in hopes of regaining influence.
The Divine Clan, led by the Li family, held five seats within the Emperor's Court.
The remaining lords — making the council a total of twenty — came from the Emperor's own Dragon Clan.
The ceremony soon began.
One by one, the young candidates stepped forward, each facing a series of questions about martial arts, ancient lore, and the history of immortality. Out of thirty-four hopefuls, only ten succeeded in providing the answers the judge sought.
Among the selection committee were the Crown Prince, his younger brother, and younger sister — each observing carefully.
When the results were announced:
From the Peacock Clan, two candidates passed.
From the Phoenix Clan, three succeeded.
From the Divine Clan, two were chosen.
Together with the others, the total stood at ten candidates, each now one step closer to the path of immortality.
But then, a problem arose.
Master Shen Wu, the Spirit Healer and overseer of the selection, suddenly spoke.
"There is a mistake," he said calmly.
"What do you mean?" asked the Emperor, his expression still bright with pride — his three children had been chosen among the ten.
"There are to be eleven, not ten," Master Shen Wu replied. "Each chosen one carries a role that completes the balance. One is still missing."
"What do you mean by that?" demanded Lord Wang Zhiyuan, the Minister of War, stepping forward.
"What should be done?" another minister asked anxiously.
"Pick one more from the remaining candidates," someone suggested from among the council.
A murmur rippled through the hall — ministers whispering, candidates glancing at one another nervously.
"We shouldn't be doing this here!" a voice suddenly rang out above the noise.
It was Physician Mo Yao, known throughout the kingdom as the Forbidden Doctor. His tone was sharp, commanding silence as the hall slowly grew still.
"The candidate who failed cannot be chosen," Master Shen Wu declared. "They have already been rejected by immortality."
The candidates who didn't pass lost all hope of ever being chosen, especially since it was Master Shen Wu himself who had spoken those words.
"Then, should my other sons and daughters — those born of my concubines — take part instead?" the Emperor asked, his tone sharp with frustration.
Before he could finish, Physician Mo Yao interrupted.
"I am sorry, Your Majesty," he said firmly, "but bastards are not permitted to take part in the Dance of Immortality."
The hall fell into a heavy silence.
The Emperor's anger was palpable, though he struggled to restrain it.
Before he could speak, Elder Lin Qiyun, known as the Cloud Sage, stepped forward.
"Mo Yao," he said sternly, "why would you utter such words against the Emperor's children — born of his concubines?"
"Who even invited him here?" Lord Wang Zhiyuan demanded, his voice sharp.
"But it was wrong for His Majesty to make such a suggestion," added Lord Mo Yao, folding his arms across his chest.
"We all have concubines," Mi Yao continued. "And yes, some have borne us children — but none of them stand among us today. To bring the children of concubines into this sacred gathering is an insult — not only to our traditions, but to the noble candidates present here."
He paused, then added coldly,
"Even if those children belong to the Emperor himself."
"That's enough, Mo Yao," Elder Lin Qiyun said firmly.
The Emperor's children — both those born of his wives and his concubines — looked visibly offended, their pride stung by the physician's words.
The Crown Prince rose at once and motioned to the guards. "Seize him."
The royal guards obeyed instantly. Physician Mo Yao was dragged out of the hall, still muttering under his breath.
When the heavy doors closed behind him, silence once again filled the grand chamber — cold, tense, and absolute.
"Mo Yao may have been disrespectful," said Lord Li Hongwei, "but he wasn't wrong."
His words angered the Crown Prince, yet he could do nothing — Lord Li Hongwei was the Head of the Divine Clan, and arresting him was not an option.
"That's enough," Master Shen Wu finally said, his calm voice cutting through the tension. "The children of concubines cannot be accepted as immortals. Only those born of noble, rightfully wedded wives may ascend to immortality."
The hall fell utterly silent.
"There must be eleven…" he murmured, more to himself than to anyone else.
His gaze swept slowly across the chamber — and then stopped.
His eyes met those of the commoner who shouldn't have been there.
Hoaran felt the Master's piercing gaze and froze. A strange warmth spread across his chest — the birthmark he had always hidden began to tingle, burning softly beneath his clothes.
He clutched at his chest, struggling to avert his eyes, but the feeling only grew stronger.
Master Shen Wu felt it — a sudden surge of energy radiating from the young man.
There was power within him. Ancient, hidden, and untamed.
He tried to read the boy's mind, but something blocked him.
A force—silent yet unyielding—kept him out. Whatever it was, it was tied deeply to immortality itself.
"You there!" Master Shen Wu's voice echoed through the hall as he pointed toward Hoaran, standing quietly at the far end.
Few had noticed the boy until now — except for the Crown Prince, who had exchanged brief glances with him earlier.
"He is the missing eleventh member," Master Shen Wu declared, his voice resonating with certainty.
Hoaran froze, disbelief flickering across his face. Slowly, he stepped forward, the echo of his footsteps filling the chamber.
"There is more to this young man than meets the eye," Master Shen Wu murmured under his breath.
"What nonsense!" a minister thundered, his anger boiling over. None of his children had been chosen.
"This is not right," the Emperor said, his tone heavy and uncertain.
"Emperor, what is right or wrong here is for me to decide," said Master Shen Wu, his voice steady and commanding. "As the Spirit Healer, I say this young man"—he pointed toward Hoaran—"is an immortal candidate, even if he may be a commoner."
In truth, Master Shen Wu was not entirely certain of his claim. Yet something deep within urged him to speak — a force beyond logic, beyond doubt.
"He broke the rules!" one minister protested. "He isn't even supposed to be here!"
"How did he get inside the palace at all?" another minister demanded, his voice echoing through the vast chamber.
Master Shen Wu could see the disapproval written across their faces — most of the ministers' own children were not chosen, and they could not bear to see a commoner take a place where their children couldn't.
"He may have broken the rules by entering here today," Master Shen Wu said, turning toward the Emperor, "but it is the will of the heavens that brought him here. Fate itself has allowed him to stand among the chosen."
The Emperor exhaled deeply, then gestured for the boy to approach.
"What is your name, young man?" he asked.
"Liu Hoaran, Your Majesty," the boy replied respectfully.
There were murmurs among the nobles, whispers that slowly faded as the Emperor raised his hand for silence.
"Which clan do you belong to?" the Emperor asked.
"This… clan," Hoaran answered softly, lowering his gaze.
The Emperor studied him for a long moment, then finally said, "He is among the seven."
With that, the Emperor rose and left the hall, his robes sweeping behind him.
Master Shen Wu turned to the newly chosen.
"Prepare yourselves," he said. "You are to meet at my residence at dawn tomorrow."