Standing Next To You-Chapter 421: The great monk

Bei Sangyun took another breather and looked back. She had climbed so far that she could no longer see the foot of the mountain. Turning around, she finally caught sight of the end of the staircase.

Just a few more steps.

Taking a deep breath, Bei Sangyun pushed herself onward. Finally, after nearly another hour, she reached the last step.

She sat down at the top of the stairs, catching her breath. Looking back at the stairs she had climbed, she realized that when Head Master Fei said it was a ’long walk,’ he hadn’t mentioned just how long.

But she had nothing to complain about. This kind of suffering was nothing to mention compared to what Fei Chuan was enduring right now.

"You have finished climbing the ’Road of Perseverance.’ You have earned my praise," an old voice sounded behind her.

Bei Sangyun stood up and turned around to face the speaker.

It was an old man with a shaved head. He had a soft smile on his face, appearing amiable, but Bei Sangyun could sense a slight edge in his bearing.

Judging by the worn-out color of his robes, he was likely the great monk that Head Master Fei had mentioned.

"...Head Master Fei recommended this place to me. I am—"

"The one who holds another dragon’s fate. I know who you are."

Bei Sangyun paused, her heart sinking. That damn dragon’s fate again. "...I don’t know what you’re talking about. But if you truly know me, then you should know why I’m here."

"It seems you have many questions. Come inside the temple." The great monk led the way to the worn-out temple behind him.

The temple appeared to be several hundred years old, with antique and weathered furniture. It would have been a fascinating place to visit for those wanting to immerse themselves in the past.

However, Bei Sangyun was not in the mood to appreciate her surroundings, nor could she enjoy the breathtaking view from the summit. All she could think about were the words the great monk had spoken.

Another person born with a dragon’s fate...

Two dragons fighting in the sky...

Her dream...

The River Village...

All of these were pieces of a puzzle that, if assembled, would lead her to a conclusion she neither wanted to believe nor dared to consider.

"I believe you’re not in the mood for tea, so I didn’t prepare any. Let’s sit." The great monk sat on the ground, gesturing for Bei Sangyun to sit across from him, with a table between them.

With an anxious heart, Bei Sangyun sat and immediately asked. "Do you remember Fei Chuan? Head Master Fei’s grandson—you read his fate when he was born."

"That pitiful child... Of course, I remember him." The great monk, though old, still had a sharp memory. "I did indeed read his fate. A boy born with a dragon’s fate—something I should witness only once in a century."

The great monk then looked at her, his deep gaze scrutinizing, as if seeing more than what was on the surface. "And now, here you are—another person born with a dragon’s fate. The one destined to rule the sky this time."

Bei Sangyun clenched her fists and denied it. "...I am not that person. Nor is Fei Chuan. That is just nonsense."

"Young Miss, there’s no need to deny it because the truth won’t change. Aren’t you already convinced that what I’m saying is real? You’ve experienced things that no one else in this life has. So, I believe you should be the most convinced of these ’nonsense.’"

Bei Sangyun’s heart skipped a beat. She was terrified inside. It was as if the great monk could see everything, leaving her nowhere to hide.

But what frightened her more were his words—and the possibility that her dream was coming true.

"...You’re wrong about two things. First, Fei Chuan won’t die early, and certainly not because someone is draining his life’s energy. And second, I might actually need that tea."

She was thirsty, and this conversation was so difficult to absorb that she needed something to drink to calm herself.

"I might be wrong about the second thing, but I’m not wrong about the first."

The monk lit the incense on the table, and as the smoke rose, the room filled with the scent of sandalwood.

"This incense can calm the mind; it will be a suitable replacement for the tea."

Whether it was just a placebo effect or not, her nerves did seem to settle a bit.

Bei Sangyun took a deep breath. "...You said I’ve experienced something that no one else in this life could have. If you tell me what it is, and your answer is correct, I might continue to believe you."

"I don’t need to prove myself to you. But to ease your troubled mind, I will try."

The great monk suddenly gathered a few items from the under the table—a prayer bead, a bell, and a scroll.

He closed his eyes and chanted several mantras while fingering the prayer bead. Bei Sangyun didn’t disturb him. This must have been what Head Master Fei meant when he mentioned the great monk performing rituals.

Afterward, the monk rang the bell a few times, then picked up the blank scroll and unfurled it. As he opened his eyes, he stared at the empty canvas of the scroll.

"Two dragons fighting under a red sky. The blue dragon wins, and the red dragon falls into the abyss. The sky overturns, the red dragon is reborn through the flames... and sends the other dragon to its death...." The great monk closed the scroll.

His eyes were distant, as if seeing something beyond the present. "This divination is the same as what I saw fourteen years ago. You are indeed the other dragon. The one reborn like a phoenix rising from the ashes, chosen by the heavens. I am incredibly fortunate to witness in this generation such an unbelievable bond of fate."

Bei Sangyun ignored the monk’s last muttered words. Her mind was in turmoil, and her heart felt like it was crumbling.

This was exactly what she had seen in her dream. So was that a vision granted by the heavens?

Did they give her a chance...

To reveal the cruel fate she was treading?

Ha. Ridiculous.