The Ancestral Shrine

The sages are not benevolent. They treat the common people like straw dogs. War is a weapon of ill omen, and the sages use it only when they have no other choice. A towering gate bore a massive plaque inscribed with the words “Shrine of the Sages.” Three lifelike statues stood on the altar. These three sages... Inside the shrine, a withered old man sat motionless on a meditation cushion, his brows and eyes lowered. He had not spoken in a thousand years. After finishing the cleaning, he had little strength left. He lifted his drooping eyelids slightly and grinned at the statue of the young man in the center, then lowered his head heavily once more... “Teacher...” A faint, startled voice came from the statue...