Lanlan shook her head and sighed, the corner of her lips curling downward. Her once-blossoming face now appeared like a wilted flower.
Before the library threw Leo out, she patted the golden strip of silk on her leg, causing it to flow towards him and coil around his waist, forming a makeshift belt.
The library's expulsion force vanished and Leo lay curled in place, sound asleep.
Lanlan remained in her knee-hugging position, her gaze fixed on Leo. Whatever thoughts occupied her mind, they remained a mystery, known only to her.
…..
Unbeknownst to her and Leo, a pair of bright crimson eyes were staring at them from a million li away.
A lofty figure in regal robes leaned against a throne made of swords. His surroundings were dimly lit. Beside his leg, two swords lay inclined upon the throne, each bearing its own tale of power and prowess.
One gleamed with the brilliance of polished steel, adorned with intricate engravings that spoke of honor and duty. The other, darker and more foreboding, bore traces of ancient runes and fiery crimson flames along its slender blade, a stark contrast to the purity of its counterpart.
Supporting his face with his fist on the armrest, the figure, possessing a stoic expression, muttered gently, "The reaction was strange."
…..
After who knows how long, Leo woke up, and found himself still surrounded by books. I'm still in the library?
The thought flashed in his mind, and disappeared just as quickly when he saw his young lady present beside him. She was still hugging her knees while squatting, but also busy applying paint to her toenails.
Leo raised his eyes in bewilderment and said weakly, "Young lady, don't—"
"Oh, you woke up?" Lanlan cut him off and asked. "See this color, doesn't it look cute on my nails?"
Lanlan finished applying an indigo color to her nails and proudly showed them off.
Leo wanted to say that these colors were not meant to be used this way as they had a dirty oily texture, but didn't do it. His advice would not be paid any attention. If his young lady made up her mind, she wouldn't listen to even her father!
"It does look cute," Leo put out his honest thoughts.
Lanlan smiled brightly. "Hehe, I knew it. Do you want me to apply it on your nails too?"
Leo shook his head. "You shouldn't trouble yourself like that. And anyway, if you're done using the colors, can you give them back to me?"
"Are you going to color again?" Lanlan tilted her head and asked. She handed him the color box before getting an answer from him.
Leo took it and nodded his head.
Lanlan didn't talk further. She propped her face on her palms and stared at Leo, who began coloring again, this time with a renewed vigour.
This book is definitely mysterious. There's no doubt about it anymore. If it's a Time Path manual, it's understandable as to why it's above the mist and in this particular section.
Leo's hands worked swiftly, coloring one page after another with the instructions given.
With each page colored, the feeling of something major happening was getting stronger.
His old heart was beating quicker and louder, so much so that Lanlan could hear it from a distance.
Is he okay? She wondered, but didn't voice it out to not disrupt his focus.
As Leo flipped the pages, Lanlan could see him color the various martial stances on the manual.
The premonition of something major happening made Leo's scalp tingle. His forehead was covered in sweat and the feeling of exhaustion was starting to take over once again.
Leo persisted and finally reached the end. Only one spot remained to be colored. With this, his life would either end here or a new chapter would start.
He took a deep breath and brushed the last spot on the river coming out from the mountains with a blue color.
Suddenly, not only Leo, but even Lanlan could feel something was odd.
Not just the two, the lofty figure who was watching them could also feel something was odd. A stir occurred in his consciousness, and his expression darkened.
Perched on his sword throne, the figure turned his head up to look at the starry cosmos.
…..
A strange change occurred throughout the Nine Realms.
Every single being instinctively felt the change and turned their heads to look up. It didn't matter which world, dimension, or realm they were in, they all did a similar motion of turning their heads up.
The twinkling stars did not twinkle anymore.
The rocketing asteroids suddenly halted with their trail getting frozen along.
The expansion of the infinite space stopped and the entire cosmos turned into a still picture.
Light did not move, neither did space nor… time.
Every being, from the smallest atom to the grandest celestial entity, came to an abrupt standstill. Yet, amidst this universal paralysis, consciousness remained sharp, tinged with a growing sense of panic.
This panic only worsened after a few moments when something suddenly changed right in front of them.
The fabric of space contorted, bent, and wrapped even, materializing something transparent and luminous.
A shiver ran through the fiber of everyone's soul as they saw this 'thing'.
Nobody had to be informed on what 'this' was as they instinctively knew.
The River of Time!
Manifesting in all its incomprehensible glory; it was the very River of Time!
…..
While all of the Nine Realms were in panic, back in the Heaven's Library, Leo was suffering through a major shock.
The drawing book had flown out of his lap and right in front of him underwent a tremendous change.
Its pages flipped swiftly and their color changed to pitch black.
The book fell back in Leo's lap and as he looked at the cover again, a chill rang along his spine and made his heart palpitate.
The bright landscape was totally replaced with ominous things.
Instead of the sun, there now lay a crimson moon. The mountain peaks showed signs of erosion. Dark thunder clouds took over the white ones. The birds were gone. The house was broken, the tree was cut down, and finally, the grass was wilted and decomposing.
The only thing that did not change was the blue river. However, there was something on it that made Leo's scalp tingle and his hair to stand on their ends.
T-t-this… w-w-what is this…