"We were chasing the same dream..." Shin muttered Junius' words like a broken record. "I see, that's the reason why the Allfather said that we weren't too different. That's the reason why I've been torn over fighting the Black Masks in recent days… All living beings… We're all the same."
As if a weight had been lifted off his shoulder, Shin relaxed his entire body. All of the tension that had been building up over the past few weeks had been released, and his soul felt like it was sinking into the vast ocean that lay underneath his feet. For the Prince of Water, the courage to admit how similar he was to the Allfather, that was the key for his ascension. Shin knew that all too well. Turning his head over his shoulder, Shin could see Junius smiling right at his direction, wholly appeased with his brother's advancement.
"Junius, thank you..."
"Don't thank me, I don't really exist. All you should do… Is thank yourself."
The viridian-haired man slowly started to fade, and his entire body turned into a see-through plastic. And as Junius disappeared into the abyss, a new lifeform took his place. A lean and thin woman, one that was at least two metres tall, stood above the calm ocean with a beaming smile. She had blue hair that fell all the way to her ankles with a pale complexion that could make anyone fear for her health. However, her aura was anything but weak. Even though it was Shin's inner realm, the woman seemed to have absolute authority over the vast ocean that Shin called his own. Whenever she waved her hands, the oceans would rise along. Whenever she stamped her feet, the skies would sparkle in complete fury. In this world, she was the queen… And so was Shin.
However, Shin wasn't perturbed at all. His eyes were as calm as a pristine lake undisturbed by any lifeforms, and his face was as relaxed as can be. Shin raised his chin up and spoke in indifference: "I know you."
"And I know you." The woman replied. The Celestial Dragon who was coiled around Shin didn't see the woman as a threat to its owner's life. Instead, it smiled and floated towards the gorgeous woman like a dog would when its owner returned. Other than Shin, there was one other entity in history that could do that to the Celestial Dragon.
"Lady of Water..."
"Yes, that's me..."
The pair stared at one another, not moving in the slightest. If Shin were in the material realm, his mind would be racing at a million thoughts per second, trying to deduce what in hell was going on. However, within his own Spiritual Body, Shin didn't feel the urge to over analyse. Nothing in this world could harm him, and Shin knew that better than anyone.
"So is this the answer? Am I your reincarnation?"
The Lady of Water chuckled and shook her head. "No, reincarnation doesn't exist. I am just a memory of the Celestial Dragon that had awakened itself in your body."
The woman waved her hand, causing a ripple to spread out from the bottom of her feet. The bright ocean beneath started to morph into something else… A mirror. A mirror that acted as a screen to recount details of Shin's life. There was the first time Shin entered his Spiritual Body, a mere ten-year-old who had no understanding of this profound realm. The first time Shin created a new ability. A gorgeous crystal obelisk that could hold the majestic power of 'Heal' within its compounds. The moment when Shin passed through the first barrier of mortality… The list went on.
Shin observed the changes all with a nostalgic glint in his eyes. Those thirty-odd years had passed by like a beam of light. Shin didn't even remember most of them to a great degree. Yet, all of those scenes were being played back to him in high definition.
"Shin, from the beginning of your cultivation journey, you have been wrestling with the inner powers of this world. I'm sure you've noticed that there were some irregularities with your Spirit."
"And those irregularities weren't with the Celestial Dragon?"
"No, most of them were." The Lady of Water declared. "However, the main reason why you've been unable to fully synchronise with this world… Is because of the inheritance of the Celestial Dragon. The Celestial Dragon is one of the two most powerful beings that ever existed. It is far more powerful than you could ever imagine. Therefore, as a mere human cultivator, you've only been able to inherit bits and pieces of its inheritance as you were far too weak. Until now that is..."
"The Spirit Venerate Realm..."
"Precisely," the Lady of Water smiled. "Well, normally the Celestial Dragon would pass down all of its power to you when you reach the Spirit Saint realm, just like I did. However, your vessel is far more amazing than mine ever was. So, you have gained the right to take complete control over the Celestial Dragon… To inherit everything that it had."
"I see..." Oddly, Shin wasn't all too surprised with the current developments. It was as if deep down inside his soul… He'd always expected this to happen.
Seeing the Prince of Water this calm, the Lady of Water smouldered and clapped her hands twice. The calm oceans turned berserk as hurricanes and tsunamis became the norm. Raindrops, snowflakes, icy hail… All sorts of precipitation fell from the heavens, filling the entire oceans with a cumbersome pressure. However, Shin wasn't affected by the changes at all. Instead, it seemed like he thrived from the intense weather changes, and his entire soul was lifted from its original state.
And then… Shin clapped his hands.
The oceans calmed down instantaneously and the never ending winds heeled in submission. Chaos had turned into order with Shin at the epicentre. The Prince of Water walked silently alone to the centre of the ocean, and nine crystal obelisks rose from the abyssal deep. The first eight were familiar to Shin, as he was the one responsible for placing them there. They were the manifestations of his spiritual abilities, each one boasting a different type of aura. However, Shin wasn't interested in the eight coloured ones. His eyes were wholly focused on the singular transparent one, that didn't have an ounce of mana or elemental energy.
"The ninth obelisk..." Shin raised his head in complete awe. "I'd never thought that I would get to see it this quickly..."
"Yes, the ninth obelisk… Your Spirit Venerate's ability." The Lady of Water smiled. "Accept your inheritance, Shin. Accept it and learn the one ability that allowed me to dominate my era. The ability that will give you the power to contest against the Allfather!"
As the woman spouted out her rambling thoughts, five immense shadows crept up from the bottom of the ocean. Each one was titanic in size and was easily capable of overpowering an island or two with just their movements. Water dripped down from their immense bodies as they rose from the depths of Shin's soul.
The first shadow revealed itself as a blob of blue slime. It looked adorable and cuddly, but its size was anything but cute. It was at least ten times the size of the Celestial Dragon and possessed a staggering amount of Water-Elements within its viscous body.
The second shadow turned into a pure golden ring, one that held the power of the heavens itself within its lining. Each time Shin stared into the golden ring, he could feel his eyes burn at the immense Light-Elements that slept within it.
The third shadow was a billowing celestial cloud that expanded and contracted like any good nebula. No matter how skilled one was if their consciousness were to be trapped within the Mind-Element dense fog, they would likely fail to escape and were doomed to sleep an eternal rest.
The fourth shadow morphed itself into a transcendent butterfly, one that had cosmic wings that held the entire sky within them. Each time the butterfly flapped its wings, a part of the ocean turned turbulent, and the other corner of the heavens became warped in a spatial disturbance. The Space-Elements that came with the Cosmic Butterfly were hard to grasp, even with Shin's abundance of experience in cultivating that element.
And finally, the fifth shadow. Breaking free from its restraint, the fifth shadow was surprisingly in a shape that was familiar to Shin. In fact, he had grown up with that entity constantly flapping its tail by his side. Though it wasn't the same cerulean colour that he enjoyed, but the intense flavour of grey.
"The Sovereign Koi..."
"No, that's the Koi of Time." The Lady of Water corrected Shin's mistake. "The Water Titan, the Aqua Slime. The Light Titan, the Divine Halo. The Mind Titan, the Mystic Cloud. The Space Titan, the Cosmic Butterfly. The Time Titan, the Koi of Time. These are the five Titans of Old that the Celestial Dragon consumed to become the strongest being on the planet. The primordial entities that ruled the ancient world at the beginning of our planet and the beings that allowed me to rule my era unhindered."
The Lady of Water looked at the five beings with a whiff of nostalgia until; eventually, she flashed Shin the brightest smile one could put on.
"And now… They're yours."