[A/N: Present Time ]
Cecilia slowly opened her eyes, greeted by the soft glow of dawn filtering through the leaves overhead. The tranquil sounds of nature surrounded her, and as her senses awakened, she realized she was lying on a bed of fragrant flowers. Confusion briefly clouded her thoughts, but the memories of the Secret Mystic Realm and the romantic date with Azrael soon flooded back. It was not a dream!
Sitting up, she found Azrael gazing at her with a tender smile. His eyes, filled with affection, locked onto hers as if they held the secrets of the universe. The warm embrace of the mystical realm lingered, wrapping them in a cocoon of serenity.
"Good morning, my sweet elf," Azrael whispered, his voice a gentle melody.
Cecilia's lips curved into a blissful smile. "Good morning, Azrael."
As she moved to stand, Azrael extended a hand, offering his support. Their fingers intertwined, creating a connection that transcended words. Together, they strolled through the enchanting landscape, the morning dew glistening on the vibrant petals around them.
Seated on a moss-covered rock, Azrael pulled Cecilia into his arms. The sun's rays danced on the water's surface, casting a warm glow on their surroundings. Azrael's gaze held a depth of emotion as he cupped Cecilia's face with gentle hands.
"Hmm," Azrael hummed, his keen senses picking up on Cecilia's attempt to communicate.
"Is there something you want to talk about?" Azrael inquired, sensing Cecilia's unspoken thoughts.
Cecilia gazed intimately at Azrael.
"It's just that when I was reincarnated, something extraordinary happened to me. It's about my origin in this reality," Cecilia paused, "I was wondering if it was orchestrated by you."
Azrael listened attentively. Although he had the ability to peek into Cecilia's past and origin in this reality, he respected and trusted her, as he always did with his wives. He patiently waited for her to share her thoughts with him.
Cecilia peered into Azrael's eyes, her expression serious.
"You see, I don't have any parents. And when I say that, I don't mean it figuratively, like being an orphan or something. I mean I was literally born without any parents, or at least that's my hypothesis. Did you have a hand in this due to my old trauma?" she inquired.
Azrael's gaze intensified, and a hint of seriousness crept into his expression. Forming numerous hypotheses in his mind, he sought more details from Cecilia.
"No, but tell me more about it," Azrael urged. As he looked at her, a sense of vigilance settled in. He considered the possibility that someone with malicious intent had intervened during the reincarnation process. Though he had implemented safeguards and prevention measures to deter third parties, Azrael couldn't dismiss the idea that there might be forces capable of circumventing his precautions, forces possibly linked to calamity.
Cecilia nodded in response.
"When I was reincarnated, I lacked any consciousness. Unlike my other sisters, who could perceive things while in the womb, it was as if I was in a coma. Then, one day, consciousness just dawned on me. I found myself surrounded by fragments of wood, precisely bark. Upon inspection, I sensed a potent life force, a powerful trace of the Life Great Dao. I tried to connect these woods with my memories from the Dream world, but I couldn't link them to this peculiar type of wood," she paused. "When I questioned my adoptive mother, she initially ignored my inquiries. However, due to my persistent questioning, she eventually relented. She revealed discovering an egg-shaped object made of wood. Upon inspection, she detected a fleeting sign of life, as if the 'egg' was trying to convey its vitality. After that initial moment, the egg-like object displayed no further traces of life. She safeguarded it, and after ten years, I emerged by breaking the shell."
Upon hearing Cecilia's revelation, Azrael couldn't help but sigh in relief. Cecilia noticed this simple exhale and questioned, "Is there something wrong?"
Azrael shook his head, offering a reassuring smile. However, his expression shifted as he narrowed his eyes, focusing on the threads hanging above Cecilia's head. Among them, one was connected to him, colored in a romantic shade of red, signifying their relationship. Another thread, vibrant with life, caught his attention. Following it, his gaze transcended dimensions and the very fabric of the cosmos, revealing a colossal tree that stretched infinitely into the unknown.
"Do you remember when I explained the nature of the dream world before suggesting the reincarnation stuff?"
"Yes," Cecilia replied.
"Good."
"Just as I've explained to all of you, the dream world is not merely a 'dream' but a replica of reality, albeit a cheap one. Despite its simplicity, replicating this cosmos is easier said than done. That just shows how amazing that old man is."
The old man, Azrael's master, is a powerful cultivator. If he wished, he could create a real dimension capable of housing universes. However, bringing the dream world into reality is beyond his strength. After all, it is a replica of the cosmos with its own rules and systems.
"This replica, of course, has some characteristics similar to this cosmos. It encompasses a mortal realm, a divine realm, and even a reincarnation realm that governs the cycle of reincarnation. Although the old man tried to conceal the history of the Dream world from me, he couldn't keep it hidden forever, especially as I grew stronger. Fate, my ass, trying to create a lame reason when I accidentally found his cave just to hide his embarrassment," Azrael chuckled and then continued.
"The origin of the dream world can be traced back to when the calamity in his time reached its peak. He was the leader of the cultivators of his time, attempting to combat the calamity. At its zenith, they were winning, but he realized that even if they won that day, the calamity would return in the future. That's when he conceived the idea of creating the dream world as preparation for this impending calamity."
Although Cecilia had already heard this explanation, she nonetheless listened attentively to her husband.
"And coincidentally, during the time of the calamity, the reincarnation realm was in chaos. It was a mess; many souls at that time couldn't enter it, and if they didn't enter, they would eventually be erased. That's why he collected them and planned for them to populate the dream world. This is the reason why your reincarnation went smoothly, as you guys are originally from this reality. Now, what I will tell you are the things that I haven't properly explained in the dream world," Azrael paused and looked at Cecilia. Seeing her attentive face, he couldn't help but smile. "Just like I said earlier, the dream world is a replica of this cosmos. However, there are certain things that the dream world lacks, and that is the Tree of Life."
"Tree of life?" Cecilia asked.
"Yes, it is basically responsible for creating souls. Technically, the old man can replicate it, as he has already seen and studied it. However, that would bring chaos to the reincarnation realm."
"Why?"
"Because, you see, the reincarnation cycle in the reincarnation realm is already processing souls from reality. If the 'souls from the dream world' were added to that, due to the two different natures and origins, one is real and the other is nothing but a fleeting dream, it would lead to chaos. After all, it is a cheap replica, so, of course, it wouldn't be as stable and robust as the reincarnation realm in this reality. The only thing capable of bringing chaos to the reincarnation realm in this reality is the calamity itself. However, the reincarnation realm in the dream world is not as stable as the original. That's why my master, the old man, couldn't risk it."
"Now, regarding your origin, the egg-shaped wood, which is basically your cocoon, is from the Tree of Life itself," Azrael revealed.
Cecilia was in pure shock after hearing that piece of information. Azrael couldn't help but pinch her cheek, and that action brought her out of her reverie.
Cecilia blushed a little because of Azrael's simple intimate action.
"Stop treating me like a kid."
"I am not treating you like a kid. If I were to do that, I wouldn't even try to marry you. Well, now let's get back to the topic." Before Cecilia could respond, Azrael proceeded with his explanation, looking toward a certain distance. "I have a feeling, no, I am pretty sure that this is the investment of the cosmos itself to build a good relationship with me. You see, the cosmos definitely sensed my power when I reincarnated you guys. With my power and my relationship with a certain old man, I am pretty sure that it judged me as one of the variables that would disrupt the calamity in the future. And as an investment it strengthens you."
Cecilia went into shock again. "So that's the reason why my already perfected Life Great Dao shows a sign of breakthrough! To think that I would benefit because the cosmos itself was trying to build a good relationship with my husband," Cecilia muttered. "But then why only me? What about my other sisters?"
"Well, the cosmos itself can afford to make this investment, but doing it multiple times would be an overinvestment." Azrael then narrowed his eyes. "Maybe its instinct was telling something, maybe its experience saying that it would hasten the arrival of the calamity," Azrael said profoundly. "But well, maybe in the future, before the calamity, it would strengthen your other sisters."
"Enough of that, do you still have the fragmented woods of the Tree of Life?"
"Yes."
"Good. If it's okay with you, I would love to have it when I am cultivating my soul. It would be a great resource."
"Okay." Cecilia nodded, her face tinged with red as she thought that those fragments were basically her clothes when she was still in an unconscious state.
Azrael only chuckled at her current reaction.