*Hi everyone!!!
Ok. I want to apologize to all my readers for the really or should I say completely out of schedule late, like super, really late update on this book. I didn't mean to do this. I was busy since I was recently enrolled into a university. It's my first semester and was hectic as hell. Even when the semester break is nearing, the work load became more. Thankfully i've settled most... MOST of my work that needed to be done and was finally able to write down two chapter (which i'm so guilty about right now) for you... YEAY!!!! (crying on the inside knowing i promised you more chapters) Well... i guess that's all and again I'm sorry for the super duper late update. I'll try updating as fast as I can once semester break sets in. (Final exams coming up (>.<) ) So... yeah... enjoy...
P.S. Sorry if its short....
THIRD PERSON POV
Shun Rong woke up the next day earlier than usual. He looked to his right to see both his Imperial Mother and Father still asleep. He felt a little weird and the scratch mark at the back of his left shoulder had a light aching feeling. It wasn't painful to him, but uncomfortable.
Shun Rong got himself ready and went out to see if Feng Liqin's servants had arrived. Stepping out into the courtyard, he saw the three servants walking over to him.
"Crown Prince, what are you doing out here so early in the morning?" Asked Ye Hai. The other two servants stood behind their elder sister, listening.
"I just woke up earlier than usual, that's all. Imperial Mother and Father are still asleep so, please don't wake them up yet." Answered Shun Rong politely.
Ye Hai nodded. She pursed her lips, bowed and went inside with both her sisters following from behind. Shun Rong stood there. He clenched his left shoulder as the mark was suddenly burning his skin. Clenching his teeth to not make a sound that could wake his parents, his body bent forward in pain. Shun Rong then caught a glimpse of something between the trees of his mother's garden. He squints his eyes to look closer as he breathed hard. He wondered what was it in between the trees. It looked almost familiar to him, but he couldn't remember as if something was blocking him from remembering.
Then, red eyes looked his way. Startled, Shun Rong fell back on the ground. The thing with red eyes growled. Shun Rong looked back at the red eyes to see a huge beast standing between the trees. He was amazed by the sheer size of the beast that he has never seen before.
'Or did I? Those eyes look so familiar.'
Shun Rong's mark burned even more that he screamed from the intensity of the pain. He breathed hard and look back at the beast to see it gone. Frowning in curiosity, he looked around for the beast only to be burned again by the mark on his shoulder. Screaming once more as he clutched his left shoulder, his eyes shut close. Feng Liqin and Huang Longwei woke up from the scream. Looking around to see Shun Rong out of sight, they hurriedly went out to see Shun Rong doubled over on the ground with one hand clutching his left shoulder.
Feng Liqin pulled Shun Rong into his embrace. He tried soothing Shun Rong of the pain, but it was of no use. Huang Longwei turned Shun Rong around and tore Shun Rong's clothes open from behind to see Shun Rong's back being slowly marked. Feng Liqin gasped at the sight. He had tears in his eyes as he looked at his son being marked. Both, although powerful, couldn't do a thing as a beast marking was out of their control. They could only watch as their son was marked by an unknown beast.
"BAI!!" Huang Longwei shouted for his beast as he was consumed by rage. Bai instantly came as his master commanded. "Find the beast marking my son. NOW!" Huang Longwei was seething. A beast marking is sacred. Beast marking is painful but not to the extent of wanting to die if the beast is near. If the beast were to mark their new master at a long-range, the possibility of their master dying due to the high intensity placed on marking is high. Therefore, a ceremony is usually held for beast marking. It's to ensure the master of the beast doesn't die and the beast doesn't go anywhere during the marking. If ever a beast were to mark their chosen master without consent, the punishment would be made upon them as it is a severe crime even among the most sacred beasts that had ever lived. Huang Longwei would not accept just any beast from marking his son without showing itself or its power to him. He doesn't want his son to be bonded with a beast that could not protect him.
Beasts are attracted to people with great power but, as long as the person chosen does not give their consent on wanting to be the master of the beasts, then they can't mark the person chosen. Huang Longwei gritted his teeth in anger as he watched his son writhing in pain. If Bai doesn't catch the beast marking his son, he would only know what beast has marked his son after the marking is completed.
Feng Liqin held Huang Longwei's hand as he embraced his writhing son. Looking at his husband with pain and tears in his eyes, he could only hold onto his husband's hands. Huang Longwei wrapped his arms around the pained Feng Liqin and Shun Rong. He released his energy and let it be consumed by both his wife and child as healing energy. They waited for the marking to cease on Shun Rong's body. It took longer than expected but, it finally stopped in the near afternoon.
Shun Rong fell into a deep sleep after his marking. Huang Longwei laid Shun Rong with his marked back exposed to heal it on their bed. Feng Liqin quickly but gently cleaned and healed Shun Rong's back. Once that's done, what they saw on Shun Rong's back surprised them.
"How is this possible? It can't be true, right Longwei?" Feng Liqin asked his husband as he slightly shook from fear of his son.
Holding the shaking form of Feng Liqin, he answered. "I believe it's true, my love. The truth is right in front of our eyes." Feng Liqin pursed his lips and stroked his sons face. "If I'm not mistaken, his marking was painful but not to the extreme. If it's not to the extreme, it means that his beast was near. One possibility of that is because it can camouflage itself and suppress its aura from being known."
Feng Liqin turned to face his husband behind him. "Wait, Longwei. Does that mean our son was just marked by an ancient beast?" He asked. Huang Longwei nodded in confirmation. Feng Liqin gasped.
"That's not the only surprising thing." Hang Longwei continued his assumption. "The other surprising thing is that the beast is still a young one. Even though it's power is the same level as an adult, It's still a minor."
"So that means that by the time Shun Rong has grown along with the beast, they would be the most powerful even surpassing you." Feng Liqin concluded. Huang Longwei nodded.
"Which is also dangerous."
Both had grim looks on their faces. Everyone wants to be powerful, but the price of it is high. You might be hunted down as people feel threatened or you are worshipped like a God. Sometimes those with too much power can destroy themselves as they are unable to control their power when cultivating.
Suddenly, the door to their room was open by Ye Hai, the eldest of the three siblings. She kowtows in front of them. "Your Highness, both of Your Highness's beast have arrived." With that said, the couple instantly went out to see both of their beasts. Ye Hai was ordered to stay and looked after Shun Rong.
Coming out into the courtyard, Xiaoli was sitting down with an unconscious man beside her. Bai was floating on top of her. They both bowed slightly once they see their masters arriving.
"Xiaoli, are you alright? I was worried when I didn't see you after I stopped cultivating. Where did you go?" Feng Liqin asked after kneeling and caressing Xiaoli to find any injuries on her. Feng Liqin was worried for his beast that suddenly disappeared.