Lilium City. The Yao Clan First Elder's Office.
"First Elder, the Fifth Elder is requesting an audience." Said a young guard while bowing deeply.
The First Elder, face buried in his work, grunted in response. The guard immediately understood his superior and invited the Fifth Elder in.
The Fifth Elder walked in and sat in front of his cousin's desk, waiting for the First without disturbing him.
"What is it?" Said the First.
"Two letters have arrived from the capital. A letter from Cai Palace, and another from the Yao clan patriarch." Said the Fifth.
"And? Don't pretend you have not opened them and read them already." Said the First.
"I have not read either." Said the Fifth with a straight face.
The First Elder put his quill down, looking at the Fifth annoyed. "Cut the bullshit, and hand me the letters."
The Fifth Elder took out two rolled letters from his long sleeves and handed them over.
Breaking the seal, then unfolding the letter from Cai Palace first, the current head of the Yao clan branch in Lilium city quickly read it.
"What...? Why would he do that?"
"What is it, First Elder?"
"It is our sovereign, Count Cai. He is abdicating his sovereignty and throne in three years." Said the First confused.
The Fifth Elder grimaced. "Has he named a successor? He has fathered many children."
Sighing, the First Elder shook his head. "It does not say anything about any successor, just the Count intentions. We have never heard anything of note about any of his children. There may be no qualified successor in his palace."
The First Elder picked up the second letter and unfolded it, reading it quietly. "Fuck..." Groaned the First Elder loudly.
***
Behind Lilium City, the Ancient Platform.
Amon is sitting down, alone, gently chiseling away a small piece of the platform at its outer circular outline. After carving out a small perfect square, he wiggled it off with his hand.
"Truly ingenious. They hideaway the repair rune beneath the platform, a layer lower. With time, the upper layer became one giant rock, without any outline to indicate a second layer. I'm not sure if they wanted no one to discover it, or it's an oversight, and they did not plan for the platform to go unused this long."
He cleared the dust on the hidden small rune with a clean brush. Once it was clear, he analyzed it. "It is intact, but..."
Amon placed a finger on the now exposed rune, trying to power it. Once he failed, he switched tactic and just allowed his Source to travel beneath the platform following the arrays linked to the rune to get a feel for the rest of the runes set.
"Hmm...There are six more repair sets hidden, excessive. Then, the designer wanted to ensure the platform survives more than just the passage of time. Deep down, there may be a third layer with a more powerful reconstruction rune set too. It must have taken decades to design the whole thing then actually carve it."
Amon sighed. "I still don't understand why did my heart transport me here to the platform instead of the platform destination. If it had the power to rip the fabric of space, then teleporting me here to use a teleportation device does not make sense."
"Wait...The heart is lifeless; it cannot reason or think on its own. Then it must have behaved based on its true nature, attracted to something else entirely." Amon looked around, dumbfounded.
Cupping his face, Amon groaned loudly. "I don't understand anything anymore..."
"Do you talk to yourself a lot?" A soft voice drifted to Amon's ears.
"Ning...What can I do for you?"
"We are ready." Said Ning.
Amon stood up and started walking past Ning, towards the city's gate.
"You appear distraught. Are you sure you can do this?" Said Ning.
"I'm fine. I was going through an existential crisis." Joked Amon.
"You have always appeared confident. It is alarming to see you like this right before you are about to hurt Ling." Said Ning.
"Really? Are you holding it against me before I even fail or succeed?" Said Amon.
Ning seized Amon's wrist and stopped him from walking further. "If you succeed, I will owe you a life debt, and I will never forget this kindness you bestowed upon my family. If you fail, then you must immediately leave, don't apologize, and wait for my sister and master here by the platform to deliver our end of the deal."
Amon faintly smiled. "Fair enough."
***
Yao Gui's Mansion, Amon's room.
"Uncle Gui, why are you here? It is not something a father should watch." Said Amon.
Gui shook his head. "I can't stop my girls, nor do I have a say in practitioner's matters. The least I could do is be here through the whole thing for my girl."
Amon sighed. "I would have done the same if I were in your shoes. Now, where is the star of our show?"
Nuan approached Amon. "Annchi is having one last talk with Ling before they go through with it. Ling has no reservations, but you can't blame an elder sister for developing some as we get closer to the decisive moment."
Amon nodded. He walked towards his room dining table, moving it and other items of furniture to clear a wide area. Once he was done, he sat down in meditation, replaying the scene, his instincts showed him when he thought about helping Ling the first time in his mind.
After a while, he opened his eyes to see Ling sitting right in front of him. He stood up, walked towards a drawer in his room where he placed the parchments that contained his drawn runes.
Unfolding the largest one, he placed it on the ground in front of Ling. "Come, stand right in the center where I indicated." He took Ling's small hand and guided her to stand where he needed her to be.
"Annchi, sit right here behind Ling, place your hands on the two runes at the parchment corners closest to you. Do not do anything else." Once Annchi did as she was told, Amon placed the other three runes seals around Ling on the ground with Annchi's Flawed crystals on top of each.
Examining everything one last time, Amon studied his hands' work. He was sure of his quickly made runes; he only hoped it was enough.
"Alright, everything looks good to me. Ling, go behind the curtains and remove your clothes. I will call you back once I have relayed out my instructions to your sisters." Said Amon.
Ling face flushed red. "Why do I have to take my clothes off?"
Annchi stood up and knocked on her sister's head. "We can stop the whole thing if you want."
"No!" Ling immediately ran behind Amon dressing curtains.
Chuckling Amon looked at Nuan. "Your job will be to hold Ling in place with your Source; she cannot move an inch even if a hammer strikes her. Under no circumstances, you are to let go. The main seal will only help her if she is standing still where I indicated."
Nuan responded in understanding.
"Annchi, your job is simple; all you have to do is activate the Minor Restoration seal with your Source and Law once you see red. Push your Source through both your hands in full force, do not let go until the entire seal parchment crumbles away."
"Red?"
"Blood. Enough to ruin your pretty dress." Elaborated Amon.
Annchi held the hem of her dress tightly then nodded, surrendering her sister's fate to Amon.
"What do you want me to do?" Asked Ning.
"Stand by your father's side, and keep him from interfering." Amon took off his shirt, folding it and resting it to the side.
He walked to the water basin, thoroughly washing his hand; he did not need to but felt like it. After he was done, he had his Source cleanse his hands.
"Ling, it is time. Everyone, please take your positions." Amon stood in front of his main seal, waiting for Ling to show up.
After a while, Ning sighed and went to drag her shy sister out. Amon turned away to ease Ling's embarrassment. Once he sensed Ling was standing at the right place, he spoke. "Relax, spread your arms out like a flying bird, close your eyes, and take a deep breath, it will be over before you know it. Nuan, let me know when you have a grip on her."
Nuan indicated to Amon that she already does.
Turning around, his eyes met the frightened yet brave eyes of Ling. "Go on, close your eyes, and breathe in and out. We will only start when you are ready."
Ling tried to nod, but she could not move a muscle, Nuan held her in place tightly. She closed her eyes, intending to calm herself down to get ready. The moment she closed her eyes. She heard a loud stomp then felt a sharp, unbearable pain in her chest.
Ling opened her eyes to meet, cold, indifferent gray-bluish eyes without any pupil. It frightened her more than anything else; she wanted to scream but could not, her eyes could only open the dam for tears to express what she felt.
Amon's right index and middle finger swirled with his Source, penetrated Ling's chest mercilessly. From his Ethereal Veins to his arm and out of his fingers, his Source flooded Ling's small frame. From inside her body, he traced out all sixty of her closed Profound Entrances, marking them with a tiny amount of his Source. Once he was sure he marked them accurately, he retracted his Source completely out of Ling's body towards his heart.
The Heart of Entropy compressed the entirety of Amon's peak Elementary realm energy, creating sixty delicate strings. One loud pulse later, they exploded out into Amon's veins heading towards his two fingers, tracing the path Amon has drawn throughout Ling's body.
From sixty points all over Ling's body, blood gushed out like a geyser, drenching Amon, and Annchi completely. The noble lady immediately pushed her Source, activating the Minor Restoration seal. Within three seconds, the seal crumbled away, given birth to rising greenish water, coiling around Ling's body, bathing her, and healing her.
Amon extracted his two fingers from Ling's chest and watched as the wounds he inflicted on her gradually closed and healed.
"Nuan, let go of Ling."
The little girl fell in Amon's arms. He immediately inspected her pulse and breathing, she appeared fine, just out of it from trauma and pain.
Feeling relieved, Amon handed Ling over to her eldest sister. "It appears the grade four Minor Restoration seal was enough. She should be fine after a few days' rests. Take the other three seals with you and use them on her if anything happens, but I doubt she will need them."
Ling's family rushed to check on their youngest. Nuan stood next to Amon. "Did you succeed?"
"All sixty of her entrances are now open. It should be more than enough to make up for the years she could not enrich herself, sorry I mean cultivate." Said Amon.
Nuan held Amon's shoulder. "All SIXTY!?"
With a smirk, Amon gave her a thumbs up. "This sage does not half-ass his work."
Definite envy showed on Nuan's face. She did not know what to say; part of her wanted to beg Amon to do the same to her. Ling's potential promptly eclipsed Ning and anyone else Nuan knew. The speed she would be able to cultivate will be unprecedented and unheard of in her sect.
"He speaks the truth. They are sore and need time to heal fully, but they are all open." Said Annchi with a bright smile behind her veil. Her happiness, and the gratitude she felt towards Amon, could not be expressed with words.
Ning walked towards Amon, placing her forehead on his chest, whispering her thanks while stifling her tears.