Fifteen years ago, during the rebellion of the Prince of Qi, his entire family was sentenced to death. At that time, the imperial astrologer divined that the newborn son of the prince possessed the aura of a dragon. Sacrificing him would replenish the spiritual energy of the Central Plains for another thirty years.

An infant’s life was exchanged for the survival of his entire family. This infant was then taken into the palace and raised, always by the astrologer’s side.

Qin Cang spent fifteen years in the imperial palace, his home the sacrificial altar. His days were spent chanting prayers and being bled for rituals.

The astrologer told him, “At your coming-of-age, you will face a calamity. A bone of an ancient dragon god has reincarnated within you. Whether or not you can grow it remains to be seen.”

Qin Cang asked, “What if it grows?”

The astrologer replied, “The bone will be offered to the heavens.”

Qin Cang: “And if it doesn’t?”

The astrologer: “I shall expedite your reincarnation.”

This uncertain fate of the dragon bone not only preoccupied the astrologer but also the millennia-old nine-tailed fox.

As the tales go, the ancient dragon god was originally a malevolent serpent and a close friend of the nine-tailed fox. To grow its dragon bone, it stole the fox tribe’s treasure and annihilated the entire fox demon clan.

Qin Cang wondered if, should he grow the dragon bone, the legendary nine-tailed fox would also seek to offer his bone to the heavens.

Indeed, the nine-tailed fox came, as beautiful as described in the legends, and said to him airily, “I have been waiting for your death for a long time.”

“Fine, very fine. So, I’m not even seen as human, am I?”

“Then let neither of us have peace!”

That night, Qin Cang had a dream. The ancient malevolent serpent coiled before him, transforming into a human form, bearing the same face as his.

The black dragon serpent spoke: “When you are weak, fate is simply fate. But when you grow strong, you’ll realize that fate is but a pair of malicious eyes belonging to someone else.”

“Go and conquer it.”