Chapter 205: The Imperial Diviner—The Tang Family

Dongfang Ji clapped a hand over his mouth, his round eyes darting nervously. Crap, he’d let the secret slip.

He gave an awkward laugh, trying to play it off.

But Old Man Tang wasn’t having it. He hooked an arm around Dongfang Ji’s neck, his eyes alight with excitement. “If it really is divination, then we’re from the same hometown! When folks from the same place meet, it brings tears to the eyes. Introduce me to Tang Liangjun, will you? Let me have a good cry with him.”

Dongfang Ji: …

Tang Liangjun, who had no desire to get teary-eyed: …

The three of them fell silent for a moment. In the end, it was Tang Liangjun who stepped forward and admitted his identity.

“I’m Tang Liangjun. I’ve long heard of the Tang family of the Northern Central Beast-Tamers, but never had the chance to meet you. I never imagined I’d run into a senior from the clan here on this exile star.”

Tang Liangjun’s handsome face was pale and scholarly. He offered a faint smile, pressed his hands together before his chest, and gave a slight bow—a gesture unique to the Han Dynasty.

The moment Old Man Tang saw this, he knew without a doubt that this was a member of the Tang family, the renowned clan of diviners.

His gaze grew deep and probing as he asked calmly, “Why have you come to this exile star?”

From what he knew, although both families were heirs to secret arts, the Tang family was far more esteemed than his own Beast-Tamer clan. For generations, the Tang ancestors had served as Imperial Diviners to the Han kings, until one particularly ambitious Han king, unwilling to be constrained by anyone, reclaimed military power and stripped his officials of most of their rights. The prestigious title of Imperial Diviner was abolished in one fell swoop.

Yet the Tang family’s founding ancestor was so skilled in divination that he’d foreseen this. Though the family lost their official title, their standing in the Han Dynasty remained unshaken.

Even that ambitious Han king seemed wary of them, never daring to move against the Tang family—he simply let them fade into the background as reclusive sages.

You could say the Tang family’s position in the Han Dynasty was absolute; as long as the dynasty stood, the Tang family would endure.

But now, seeing a descendant of the Tang family here on this exile star, Old Man Tang couldn’t help but be suspicious.

Tang Liangjun’s expression shifted slightly, a trace of sorrow and bitterness crossing his face. “There was upheaval at home. The elders divined that a great calamity would befall the Tang family, so we were sent away from Poluo Star in groups. I was ambushed as I left Poluo Star and, by a twist of fate, ended up here on this exile star. But at least I managed to escape my pursuers.”

Old Man Tang’s pupils contracted. His own story was eerily similar.

“Is someone targeting all the heirs of secret arts in the Han Dynasty?” he blurted out.

Tang Liangjun looked at him in surprise, impressed by his insight.

After a few seconds of silence, he decided to tell the truth. “Senior, your guess is correct. After the Northern Central Beast-Tamer Tang family was wiped out, my grandfather sensed something was wrong. In the following years, the Wu family, the Hua family, and the Yi family all suffered mysterious massacres. When it was the Tang family’s turn, my grandfather’s premonitions grew stronger. He forced a breakthrough in his divination and saw that our disaster was imminent, and that someone coveted our secret arts. All these tragedies among the secret arts families have been orchestrated by the same force.”

By the time Tang Liangjun finished, Old Man Tang’s face was ashen.

He’d thought the attacks were aimed solely at his own family, but it turned out other clans were involved too.

If the Wu family’s forging arts, the Hua family’s sealing arts, the Yi family’s gu techniques, and the Tang family’s divination were all being targeted, then surely the Shen family’s alchemy, the Cen family’s talismans, and the Yu family’s formations were also in danger.

But since no descendants of those families had turned up on this exile star, he had no way of knowing their fate.

Judging by the methods of their enemies, if those families had been targeted, they likely hadn’t escaped disaster either.

Old Man Tang’s expression grew heavy. “So, do you still have contact with any other members of the Tang family? Or with the Han Dynasty? What’s become of the Han king?”

Tang Liangjun’s face darkened, his mood sinking. He seemed lonelier than ever.

Finally, his voice came out hoarse. “I’m only in touch with my father and mother. My mother says the Han Dynasty is in chaos. The old Han king died suddenly of illness, and the new king, swayed by evil counsel, has executed many loyal ministers and generals. The dynasty is in decline—collapse seems imminent.”

Old Man Tang felt his heart clench, his brow furrowed, his fists unconsciously tightening.

He’d grown up in the Han Dynasty. As a child, he’d met the gentle, kind old Han king alongside his father, and had sworn to serve him as a general. But just as he enlisted, disaster struck his family. Forced to flee, he’d spent his life hiding among the stars, a wanderer.

His oath had never been fulfilled. Even though that benevolent monarch would never blame him for breaking his promise, guilt still weighed on his heart.

Now, hearing of the old king’s death, even someone as strong as him felt his eyes sting with tears and his heart ache with grief.

He was also furious at the new Han king. From Tang Liangjun’s words, it was clear this successor was unfit to rule, unworthy of the old king’s legacy.

But there was nothing he could do now—he couldn’t go back and set things right. All he could do was glare, eyes red with frustration, cursing his fate for being trapped on this one-way exile star.

“Senior?”

Tang Liangjun’s gentle call snapped him back to reality.

He blinked away his tears, composed himself, and looked at Tang Liangjun with newfound warmth. “If you ever need help in the future, just come to me.”

“Thank you, Senior.” Tang Liangjun didn’t refuse the offer, just smiled. He had a feeling he and this senior would cross paths many more times.

Dongfang Ji, seeing that these two fellow countrymen hadn’t ended up crying on each other’s shoulders, but had clearly hit it off, felt reassured by the warm atmosphere.

He decided he didn’t need to hold back with Old Man Tang, and excitedly called out “Senior!” just like Tang Liangjun.

“Senior, were you serious earlier? Will you really help me summon berserk beasts so I can kill them and beat that sneaky, treacherous Xun Min?”

Old Man Tang snapped out of his thoughts, his mood shifting in an instant. He was back to his usual cheerful, roguish self.

“Of course! But you’ll have to tell me what your abilities are, and how many beasts you can handle at once, so I can plan accordingly.”

Dongfang Ji’s eyes lit up. “I’m an S-class archery ability user. Hundred shots, hundred hits, splitting arrows, two birds with one stone—that’s all me!”

He gave a big thumbs-up, then grinned, flashing his little tiger teeth. “I’m awesome!”

Old Man Tang laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. “Good lad! It’s settled then. I’ll lure the beasts, and you take them down.”"