Chen Rong smiled faintly and followed Genghis Khan into the great tent.
Because of the Khan's special command, he was given a seat unusually close to the ruler himself — a position that immediately drew the attention of everyone present.
The atmosphere inside the tent was tense.
Many of the gathered generals had remained deliberately, wary that this strange man might attempt deception.
Among them stood the Khan's most trusted warriors — Jebe and Subutai — along with the Khan's four sons: Jochi, Chagatai, Ogedei, and Tolui.
Several Han generals, including Guo Baoyu, also stood nearby, their expressions cautious and observant.
Now that Chen Rong's earlier claims had been tentatively confirmed, Genghis Khan leaned back upon his seat and waved a dismissive hand.
"Very well. I must now receive my guest. If you have no further business, withdraw."
The generals exchanged glances but did not hesitate.
One by one, they stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and exited the great tent. Soon, the vast space grew quiet.
Only Genghis Khan remained, along with his trusted adviser Yelü Chucai, Chen Rong, and several silent Mongol guards standing along the edges of the tent.
Genghis Khan leaned forward slightly, his sharp eyes fixed on Chen Rong.
"Sir, earlier you mentioned that you once lived in the abode of the gods. Tell me — what was it like?"
Chen Rong cupped his hands respectfully.
"Reporting to the Great Khan, I once lived in the dwelling of a divine being outside Xudu.
The interior was crystal-clear, like a palace carved from white jade.
Everything within seemed seamlessly joined together, without visible seams or joints, and the ground was as smooth as polished jade."
He paused briefly, as if recalling the scene.
"There was also a vast curtain of light inside, through which one could observe the outside world.
Beneath it stood a console filled with countless buttons and controls, each seemingly serving a different purpose.
Yet I did not understand how to operate them, nor how they functioned."
Genghis Khan listened without interruption, though his gaze grew increasingly intent.
"In the residence of this divine being, one could soar into the heavens and travel beneath the earth. From time to time, it would drift to distant locations.
The entire structure was silvery-white, round in shape, and astonishingly swift.
In half a day, it could traverse the entire land, north to south. At times, it even remained suspended high in the sky."
Chen Rong spoke calmly, yet inwardly he felt rather pleased.
What he described was not an immortal cave or Daoist paradise — but a spacecraft from science fiction.
If he had described a traditional immortal cave, these ancient people might have detected inconsistencies.
But an alien vessel? No one in this era possessed the knowledge to challenge such claims.
Even if someone later recorded this story in history books, future scholars might assume it referred to alien contact.
As for strange time distortions… that too could be explained by celestial travel.
Once elevated to the level of divine beings, even turning three years into a thousand seemed plausible.
"The abode of the gods… is truly so wondrous?" Yelü Chucai, who had been quietly recording everything, could no longer restrain himself.
His scholarly composure faltered as curiosity overtook him.
"You say it moves freely… travels across mountains and rivers in a single day… and dwells in the heavens?"
He had expected Chen Rong to describe some Daoist immortal grotto — perhaps a heavenly palace from legend.
Instead, Chen Rong described something entirely unknown.
"When immortals travel…" Yelü Chucai murmured thoughtfully, "they do not ride divine beasts… but rather… a vast round sliver object?"
Genghis Khan leaned forward slightly.
"From your description, this divine object is enormous… and capable of flight?"
"I would not dare deceive the Great Khan," Chen Rong replied.
"The residence was round shaped and silver-white, as vast as a mountain. Inside were countless chambers. I was confined to only one and forbidden from wandering."
He paused before continuing.
"Each day, I was given a milky-white liquid to eat. Only occasionally was I given mortal food."
Genghis Khan frowned slightly.
"Milky-white liquid? That does not sound particularly appealing.
And these gods… what did they look like? Were they like the Buddhas in temples? Or like the Sanqing of Daoist tradition?"
Chen Rong shook his head slowly.
"The liquid had no flavor, yet it satisfied hunger. A single plate was enough for an entire day."
He hesitated, then lowered his voice.
"As for the gods themselves… I fear my words may be unsettling."
Genghis Khan gave a short laugh.
"I lost my father in childhood. I fought wolves as a youth.
As a man, I conquered the steppes and beyond. There is nothing in this world that frightens me. Speak plainly."
Chen Rong nodded.
"Since the Great Khan commands it, I will speak truthfully."
He paused, allowing tension to build.
"The gods stood more than twelve or thirteen feet tall.
They wore armor — some silver-white, others pitch black. Their faces were hidden behind masks."
"When they removed their helmets, white vapor escaped with a hissing sound."
Chen Rong gestured faintly with his hands.
"The silver-armored figures were few. They seemed to be leaders.
Most wore black armor. Their armor was seamless — flawless — unlike anything forged by mortal craftsmen."
Genghis Khan's expression sharpened.
"And their faces?"
"They had eyes and mouths… but their noses were small.
Their features resembled beasts more than humans."
Yelü Chucai, recording beside them, involuntarily blinked.
This description sounded less like divine beings… and more like monsters.
"So," Genghis Khan said slowly, "these gods… had human bodies but animal-like faces? Their appearance was so strange?"
"When I first saw them, I too was shocked," Chen Rong admitted. "They were far from the celestial immortals I had imagined.
But this is what I witnessed. I dare not deceive the Great Khan."
Yelü Chucai stroked his beard thoughtfully.
"Though it sounds unusual… there are indeed similar descriptions in the ancient Classic of Mountains and Seas."
Genghis Khan glanced toward him.
"Oh? Explain."
"The Classic of Mountains and Seas records many strange races and divine beings," Yelü Chucai explained. "Some were neither fully human nor beast."
"For example, Zhurong had a human face but the body of a beast.
Gonggong possessed multiple faces and the body of a serpent. And Nuwa herself was said to have the head of a human and the body of a snake."
"These forms differ greatly from the immortal gods described in later Daoist or Confucian traditions."
Genghis Khan nodded slowly, intrigued.
"This Classic of Mountains and Seas… what sort of book is it?"
"It is an ancient text of the Central Plains," Yelü Chucai replied. "It records ancient lands, myths, divine mountains such as Kunlun, and legendary sites like Mount Buzhou, along with countless mythical beasts."
Chen Rong observed their reactions carefully.
The seed of belief had already been planted.
"Great Khan," Chen Rong said calmly, "when I departed, the gods gave me several gifts. I also received an image. Would the Great Khan and Mr. Yelü care to see them?"
As he spoke, Chen Rong reached into his belongings.
From within, he withdrew two objects — his mobile phone… and a small projector.
A faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Fortunately, his phone still contained cached images — fantasy, science fiction, and mythological illustrations.
This would make his story far more convincing.