Muttering, "Eternal..." Yufang laughed, "A path beyond all." This was it. This was the very reason Yufang lived on, the very reason Yufang chose to live once more.
Reading a few minutes pass, and once more a sudden hollow echo of knuckles rapping on the door sounds out, placing down the book Yufang pauses for a second.
To fight those above never sure of life or death, to walk a path unsure, to live the life of a glass cannon. Eternal? Yufang yearned for it. A feeling of pressure overcame him, however here, Yufang only responded by smiling maniacally, and muttering to himself, "An Eternal? The sect of Eternals? Perhaps I'll stick around after all..."
Standing up Yufang opens the door, and once more in his sight, that same young lady from earlier is standing there before him holding a tray in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. The door opened she walks in and presents the food quietly and carefully before swiftly taking her exit.
Watching this Yufang smiles once more, "Truly something interesting to watch. Like a cat playing in the wind, or a dog running through a field."
His vision expanded, a world new before him, a world grander and more vast than ever before. A taste cheap, yet uncanny, a meal heavenly. Biting into a steak Yufang, felt the level of care that lead to the transformation of such mediocre ingredients rising to a greater level of taste.
Having completed the feast, Yufang drank long into the night, before retiring to bed. A few thoughts lingered while he drank, and so before completely entering slumber, Yufang muttered, "Tomorrow I better complete my enrollment to the sect."
The night sky vanishes, and a bright sunny sky takes its place; the transition of night to day.
Piercing rays of blinding light shine in through the window. Awakened from his slumber, Yufang prepares for his departure collecting his things Yufang begins making his way down the stairs. However, there at the final step, Yufang's movement ceased and walking backward, Yufang returning to his room, opened the door and pondered for a moment.
A sudden realization, on his body, Yufang had nothing. No wealth, no gold, no money, he had nothing to pay his bill and so through the window Yufang went, running for the vast array of markets to escape his inevitable fate.
At top speed, Yufang did it. He successfully escaped into the markets in mere minutes, however, a feeling of regret as Yufang had scammed such a place that had treated him with such care and hospitality, in his head, Yufang promised, "The Drunken Myriad, I promise you, 2 favors. One day I'll return, and then on that day, I'll help you rise above all else. I promise you in the future, there will be no man, nor women that doesn't recognize the name The Drunken Myriad."
His escape a success, Yufang's path grew unclear, for to join the Sect of Eternals and complete his enrollment, he could not. Scared of his name being picked up by The Drunken Myriad after enrollment Yufang's path changed once more.
Now, however, all of this was put to the back of his mind, all Yufang could think of was to recover what was rightfully his. To recover what he had left behind in that stadium, and so, a commando mission lead by Yufang was underway.
Scared to run into anyone belonging to the Drunken Myriad Yufang walks a path astray, a road rugged, a road vast. A road dangerous, however this path it was only Yufang's.
Wearing a robe belonging to the Drunken Myriad, especially one of such quality, Yufang could only do this, he could only walk a path solitary until his debt was cleared.
First. Yufang would have to find his bearings. In a sect Eternal, nothing was simple. To find one area was akin to finding a dragon in a world of lizards. Something unfeasible without consideration for the surroundings and beyond this, to find a path untouched, to do such a thing, Yufang had to calculate each and every possible path the people of Zhou take.
For this. Yufang muttered, "For this... I need time. How many hours? No. How many countless days would such a thing take?" Sighing, Yufang continued on, "No. I don't need this, I only need one path. I only need..." In an uncontrolled manner, a grin rose and, Yufang spoke once again, "30 minutes... Yes, 30 minutes that's all I need."
Trekking the pathways, Yufang began to collect information from passerbyers and shopkeepers, 5 minutes pass, and all his work turns to be useless. The shopkeepers all frugal with information, looking only to turn a profit, and those passing by hold no care to answer Yufang's questions.
All hope was lost, Yufang would have to wait this out, Yufang could no longer ask for assistance. Now all he could do was wait, watching to study each and every path.
wuh-PSSSH!
wuh-PSSSH!
wuh-PSSSH!
However, just as Yufang had given up, a miracle. Three Qilin drawn carriages, shot by, opportunity. If Yufang could just catch up to the cart, he could utilize them for cover until Yufang could discover a path safe and free from danger.
Qilin, a rare sight across all realms. A divine beast, that fell out from royalty, a beast betrayed by man.
* * * * * * * * * * *
5,456 years ago. Year 14,523,123 of the Perseus Calendar, the divine beast Qilin reigned king overall. The Qilin, a species renowned for its indestructible defense and chaotic strength. A God, among mortals, the Qilin reigned as king over all star systems, and below them, many species inevitably were rendered slaves before their undeniable strength.
Of the vast array of species below the Qilin, a small and insignificant one laid infinitely evident within. A species dubbed Human. Human or Mankind, a word that directly linked to the meaning of the weakest. Throughout all time, Mankind was nothing. To others, such a species were merely a lower lifeform, a slave to boss around, nothing more nothing less.
However, in such a time. Mankind a species bullied nigh the brink of extinction by all, became slaves. This... To become a slave although in theory was a horrid thing, to all of Mankind it was a chance. A chance to expand their horizon and evolve into something unforeseen. This was there chance to claim a spot within this cosmos infinite.
Belittled by all, humans were seen not as a threat, but as a nuisance, a mere pest that lived to scavenge on those above their own.
A slave, that could not even do what it was told. That is what Humans were. A mere nuisance that leads to the overworking and extinction of many others. A plague.
And so, on the year 14,499,000 of the Perseus Calendar, an uprising. Behind the backs of the Qilin's a complete revolt of slaves. A battle had begun, nay a war to eradicate this pitiable thing dubbed the Human race.
Mankind, although a neglectable species, thought further than all others. To others becoming a slave meant their end, however to mankind this opportunity they took a tight hold on it. And in mere centuries their numbers reached further than any eye could see. Asif a plague, they spread their seeds and bred like wildfire.
A war wagering 14,234 species against one. A war, secretive from the Qilin, and for such thing to go down successfully, a level of planning beyond the expectations of any was necessary.
Trillions upon trillions of Humans lived among the numerous star systems. To kill a plague that had already spread, and had no stop, a committee was created amongst the species of slaves, to concoct a plan to destroy the very roots of humanity. A plan to entrap the whole Human race, ridding them of this world.
Years passed, and mankind's growth continued to plague this land.
The year it was 14,483,194 of the Perseus Calendar. In a certain room, in an unknown place, 5 sat upon separate thrones, facing each other, at the ends of a table. These five beings, the representatives for all the species, the committee built of the smartest and greatest individuals to destroy mankind.
Of those here, the former King of those Draconic, Long Jiao. The Holy Maiden, the embodiment of the sun itself, Hua Pi. A man with no past, Liu Ji a respected military genius. Feng Dian, the only man to capture the east alone, a scientist that captured the east with only crazed inventions, and a vast array of unknown machinery. And finally, Zhan Luan the chaos of war, a self assented being that rose up amidst the ungodly turmoil of war.
Here these beings had sat, and met, for 15,806 long years. Planning, instigating and preparing for the complete eradication of the Human race.
The species had waited long enough, outraged, they began to crack under pressure. Towards the species dubbed mankind, a chilling and ceaseless bloodlust ran through all. The species that they had once worked along with, turned cold. It was on this day, that Humans where excommunicated with a world outside their own.
There plan entering fruition it was not the ex-communication of mankind was merely an unplanned instigation of the byproduct of war. Act the species of the committee could not. Their plan far too incomplete for any action now would only be proved meaningless before the ungodly strength of the Qilin. And for such impatience, their charade against the Humans would be no more.
Slaves disobeying orders and rising up against another species. No matter their power nor their purpose to their Qilin overlords punishment would come, a punishment grander and more outrageous, than all could even begin to fathom and to all involved in such treachery their very surroundings would be painted red, under the outrage.
Mankind the species at the very center of all things. Excommunicated, mankind as a whole grew estranged to the entirety of life, and from that day on, a certain stillness lingered within the air, and the wind changed never returning to the way it once was. A bone-chilling wind, never to leave nor flow away.
Years pass, and the world changes. It was on that everso cold memorable day, in the year 14,231,094 when it all came to an end, no... When the world grew insane.
An oddity had come to this world. Mankind although in number a behemoth, grew numbered. However, they grew numbered not in actuality, but the reality was 276,223 years had passed, but mankind remained the same as before, not stepping forward nor backward. A species frozen in time.
To mankind, their opportunity had been wasted, no longer could they gain knowledge, and no longer could they rise, observing the work of others. Mankind now could only rely on themselves, a slow and prosperous route, they had to walk, and so frozen in time they remained, unchanging as millenniums passed by.
Mankind remained weak. An insignificant species destined to never live out their dreams of becoming something greater. Giftless, and without hope, mankind would soon fall.
Since the very beginning. The committee stood strong, having a tight hold over the Human race. Countless eras had passed, and to those present, many remained unknowing of the ambiguous plans set by those before them.
For countless years, the committee grew to know fear. With any single mistake leading to immediate death, and the tension between the races high. They could only act in secrecy, and from that day on, any mentioning or conversation of the war against Mankind was prohibited.
The winds calmed, however in the distance, a frozen tundra from where none returned. Nothing had changed, the world was still split, and the Humans still despised.
Of this world, countless are born with a gift. They are born into this world with a lifespan immense. To such species, their outlook of life is altered, may of which able to live countless years to them the matter of mere millenniums passing, was neglectable and so, passing down any word of this war truly wasn't necessary.
Within a certain unknown location, five aged beings sat opposite from each other. These 5 although blessed, had grown affected by the passage of time, truly they had lived for too long. However, here near death, the five all looked to each other and grinned.
After all these years, the plan. It was finally in fruition.