Author Announcement:
A heartfelt thank you to dada4 for your generous support by sending power stones my way. I truly appreciate it! As a token of gratitude, here's a chapter just for you and all my wonderful readers. Please read and enjoy!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Aerum narrowed her eyes, her mind reeling with questions. "The Imperial Path?"
Xenos nodded, his expression solemn. "Yes, the Imperial Path. Long ago, humanity was a dominant force in the True Universe. We were feared, respected, and unrivaled. But after the Great War, the human race was no more."
Aerum's brows furrowed. "What happened to us?"
Xenos' gaze darkened, his voice heavy with regret. "Our people scattered like dust, our potential sealed. Humanity forgot its own glory, left in ignorance. Though I have my own reasons for creating this sect, a major part of it is to protect and revive the human race."
"A sect?" Aerum asked, her tone cautious.
"The Eternal Flame Sect," Xenos explained. "As its name suggests, it exists to reignite the flame of humanity and guide it forward to reclaim its place among the stars."
Aerum felt a chill run down her spine as she listened. Xenos then began recounting his origins—a tale that seemed as vast and unfathomable as the universe itself.
He spoke of his past, of a time when he lived in the True Universe. Due to a spatial anomaly, he was cast far beyond its borders and spent billions of years cultivating. When he finally returned, he found his home planet after escaping from paragons, the entire universe was destroyed. Using his immense powers, he rewound time, risking everything to rewrite history.
"Wait a minute," Aerum interrupted, her voice trembling. "You're saying... the universe was destroyed? When?"
Xenos' voice turned grim. "In three to four years from now."
Aerum's eyes widened in shock. "Three to four years?! But... you said my sister's healing would take five years! If the universe is destroyed, how can I save her?"
Her voice rose in desperation. "Didn't you say you've already returned to the past? Can't you stop it from happening?"
Xenos held up a hand to calm her. "I am already working to prevent it. The creation of the Eternal Flame Sect is part of that plan. But my actions are limited. During my adventures, I made many powerful enemies—paragons who would stop at nothing to kill me. Even now, if they catch wind of my existence, they could deduce everything. That would spell disaster for humanity."
Aerum clenched her fists, struggling to process his words. "So... you're saying you can't act openly?"
"Exactly," Xenos confirmed. "That is why I want you to walk the Imperial Path. You can lead humanity out of the darkness and toward the light."
"Why me?" Aerum demanded.
Xenos' tone softened. "Because the moment an Empress of Humanity is born, the scattered fate of our people will converge. Humanity's potential will be unsealed, and talents will awaken across the race. A unified fate can shield humanity from the gaze of our enemies."
Aerum fell silent, absorbing the weight of his words. After a long pause, she finally asked, "If I walk the Imperial Path, can I save my sister?"
Xenos gave a slight nod, his gaze unwavering. "If you choose this path, I can guarantee she will awaken within one year."
Aerum's breath caught. "One year?"
"Yes," Xenos said firmly. "But I also want you to be the Elder of the Eternal Flame Sect. As an Elder, your fate will intertwine with the sect and the human race. My own fate will shield yours, concealing humanity from the sight of hostile entities. It is a heavy burden, but it is also a beacon of hope."
Aerum stared at him, her emotions swirling in turmoil. Her love for her sister battled with the fear of the unknown. The responsibility he was placing on her shoulders felt immense, almost unbearable.
After a long silence, she murmured, "What should I do?"
Xenos smiled faintly as he withdrew a golden scroll from within his robe. The scroll shimmered in the faint light, intricate engravings of four auspicious beasts—Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, and Black Tortoise—adorning its surface. At the center, between the Vermilion Bird and the White Tiger, was a circular depression, hollow in the middle, resembling a lock waiting to be opened.
Aerum's gaze shifted from the scroll to Xenos, her brows furrowing in puzzlement. "What is that?"
Xenos held the scroll out, his expression calm. "This is a relic of the ancient royal bloodlines. To activate it, you need to offer your blood—just a single drop—into the center of the circle."
Aerum's confusion deepened. "Why my blood?"
Xenos explained patiently, "When a royal dies, their bloodline doesn't dissipate entirely. It remains within their soul, but the laws of reincarnation purge it during the cycle—unless someone intervenes."
"Intervenes?" Aerum asked, her voice edged with disbelief. "You mean someone broke those laws for my sister?"
"Exactly," Xenos replied, his tone measured. "Someone ensured your sister retained both her bloodline and her memories through her reincarnations. Whether it was for her benefit or some greater purpose, I cannot say... not yet."
Aerum's expression darkened with thought, questions burning in her mind. But before she could voice them, Xenos continued, "When your sister divided her soul, her bloodline was split as well. Half was bound to her, and the other half... to you."
Aerum's eyes widened. "To me?"
"Yes," Xenos affirmed. "When you were born, the bloodline began to integrate into your own. It gradually altered your body, fortifying it, healing it, and shielding you from harm. Even when your sister shared her soul energy to aid you in impossible tasks, it was your royal bloodline that ensured you suffered no backlash."
Aerum absorbed his words, her mind racing to connect the dots.
Xenos extended a small lancet toward her. "Now, to activate this scroll, you must place a drop of your blood at the center."
With slight hesitation, Aerum took the lancet from his hand. She glanced at him one last time, searching his expression for any sign of deceit, but Xenos' calm demeanor remained unshaken. Resolving herself, she pricked her finger, wincing at the sharp sting, and held it over the scroll.
The moment her blood fell onto the circular depression, the scroll reacted instantly. A burst of golden light erupted from its surface, illuminating the entire hall with a brilliance that made Aerum shield her eyes.
The scroll levitated into the air, pulsing with waves of golden energy. Its light intensified with every pulse, emitting a unique rhythm like the beating of a celestial heart. The engravings of the beasts shimmered to life, their forms glowing with vibrant hues. The Azure Dragon's scales gleamed with an emerald brilliance; the Vermilion Bird's feathers burned with fiery scarlet; the White Tiger radiated a silvery glow; and the Black Tortoise exuded a deep, obsidian aura.
Aerum stared in awe as the pulsating light filled the room, creating an almost musical hum that resonated within her very core. It wasn't just a sound—it was a rhythm, a call to something ancient and primal.
Xenos' expression darkened as he focused on the scroll's rhythmic pulsations. A frown etched deep lines on his face—it wasn't just a random pattern. The pulsations were deliberate, each beat carrying a message hidden within its cadence, akin to an ancient form of morse code.
Adjusting his perception, Xenos tuned his hearing to the unique frequency resonating from the scroll. As the rhythm aligned with his senses, the faint echoes of a voice emerged—a voice primal and ageless, carrying a solemn weight as it recited an ancient tale:
In the void where shadows shrouded all,
Darker than the essence of blackened night,
No breath of life, nor whisper of death,
Did stir within the vast, unending abyss.
Yet from this formless chaos, beings arose,
Entities of primordial wrath and whim.
They roamed, restless in their aimless drift,
Clashing for solace, finding meaning in strife.
And so, from the heart of this tempest, creation was born.
Among them stood Nüwa, a radiant force,
Her hands shaped flesh from formless clay,
And breathed into it the soul of humanity.
Humans, sons and daughters of Nüwa divine,
Flourished in realms touched by her care.
But fate turned cruel, a cataclysm loomed,
Leaving her children cast into despair.
Nüwa, their mother, forsook the broken land,
Her tears etching trails of grief upon the void.
Heaven's chosen fell to hell's grim embrace,
To toil, to suffer, to carve life from despair.
But among the forsaken rose one, resolute,
A human whose heart bore the ember of hope.
With companions forged in bonds unyielding,
He united the scattered, the broken, the lost.
He crafted a fate to command the stars,
And wrote upon the heavens an imperial law.
With sword and will, he calmed the seas,
Tamed the earth, and mastered the shadowed depths.
Peace he wove for his kindred race,
A haven of light amidst the eternal storm.
Yet, in his triumph, the ancients whisper:
"Never forget the womb of chaos from which you sprang,
The agony endured, the blood freely spilled,
And the love that binds the human soul."
Thus, humanity's tale is etched in the winds,
A song of suffering, triumph, and endless striving.
Born of darkness, they claimed the light,
And carved their heaven in defiance of the abyss.
As the ancient poem concluded, the room was filled with a sudden, sharp click—the unmistakable sound of a lock breaking. It echoed like a thunderclap, reverberating through the still air.
A jagged crack followed, as if the scroll itself was breaking free of unseen restraints. Then, with an otherworldly brilliance, the engravings of the Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, and Black Tortoise sprang to life.
One by one, the magnificent beasts emerged from the surface of the scroll, their forms shimmering with golden light. The Azure Dragon coiled with a serpentine grace, its emerald scales glinting as it let out a low, resonant roar. The Vermilion Bird flapped its fiery wings, casting a warm, ethereal glow around the room as embers danced in its wake. The White Tiger prowled, its icy-blue eyes glowing with fierce intensity, while the Black Tortoise, ancient and sturdy, exuded an aura of unshakable calm.
The four beasts encircled Aerum, their movements fluid and deliberate, as though acknowledging her presence. Their roars blended into a harmonious symphony, resonating with joy and reverence, as if celebrating her arrival.
Aerum stood frozen, wide-eyed as the divine creatures moved closer. She could feel their power—a mixture of primal strength and gentle warmth—surrounding her like a protective barrier.
The scroll, glowing even brighter now, began to drift toward her. It hovered in mid-air, unfolding slowly and deliberately, as though revealing a hidden truth. The beasts, still circling Aerum, seemed to guide its movements, their ethereal forms shimmering like dreams made real.
As the scroll fully unfurled, golden light filled the room, illuminating every corner with an otherworldly radiance. Aerum felt a surge of energy rush through her veins, her heartbeat aligning with the rhythm of the scroll's pulsating light.
The moment was profound, almost sacred. Aerum couldn't help but whisper, "What is this...?"
Xenos watched silently, his expression unreadable but his eyes reflecting a deep understanding. He knew this was only the beginning of her journey.