Aerum sat cross-legged at the center of the intricate formation, her body still, her breathing steady. Around her was the Yin-Yang Formation, encased within the Five-Element Formation, and further encircled by the Eight Extreme Duality Formation. The arrangement pulsed with raw, ancient power.
As the formations activated, the surrounding spiritual energy was drawn in like a roaring tide, creating gusts of wind that swirled violently around Aerum. The air was charged with intensity, and the ground trembled faintly beneath the sheer force of energy being gathered.
The first formation—the Yin-Yang Formation—began to glow softly, its light gradually intensifying until it burst forth in a wave of energy. Yin and Yang particles materialized, their contrasting forces swirling toward the formation. Aerum remained oblivious to the chaos, sitting calmly amidst the growing storm, her senses focused inward.
The particles vibrated with increasing intensity, their movements synchronized as if guided by an unseen hand. They collided repeatedly, each impact releasing a ripple of energy. With every collision, the particles began to merge, giving birth to a harmonious Yin-Yang Diagram.
The diagram expanded, growing larger and more defined with each rotation. Suddenly, with a flash of brilliance, it vanished from Aerum's immediate vicinity and reappeared above the earth. Suspended in the heavens, the diagram began to spin slowly.
Xenos watched the unfolding phenomenon with a calm yet thoughtful expression, his gaze fixed on the immense Yin-Yang diagram suspended above the earth. The energy radiating from it was overwhelming, yet precise, as though wielded by a master craftsman.
"The Yin-Yang diagram now hangs over the earth," Xenos said, his tone steady but laced with gravitas. "The fate of humanity has been thrown into chaos. One path leads to life, as dictated by the original timeline, while the other spirals toward destruction—an outcome influenced by the meddling of the Negative Realm."
He paused, his eyes narrowing as the diagram began to spin more deliberately. "This chaos has scattered the threads of fate for every being. However, the Yin-Yang Formation is no ordinary creation. It is a unique, imperial-level formation capable of breaking through this chaos and forcibly gathering the fragmented fates into one."
As if responding to his words, the Yin-Yang diagram's rotation grew steadier, its motion pulling the disordered threads of fate toward it like iron filings to a magnet. Above the earth, countless strands of light—representing the destinies of every human—rose and spiraled into the formation. The streams converged into a single point, coalescing into an orb that glowed with an ethereal brilliance, resembling an unhatched egg.
Xenos's gaze sharpened. "The fates of all living beings have now been gathered into this form. The formation's function is shifting."
The diagram slowed and moved closer to the radiant egg. Its Yin-Yang energies began to inscribe intricate patterns onto the egg's surface, lines and symbols forming in perfect symmetry. These markings, imbued with the very essence of Yin and Yang, wove themselves into the fabric of the egg, embedding the laws of duality deep within it.
When the Yin-Yang inscription on the Egg of Fate was complete, the Five-Element Formation began to glow. The intricate array moved closer to the egg, spinning steadily as it released streams of elemental energy—wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. The egg absorbed this energy, its surface radiating a soft luminescence as the Five-Element Laws began to etch themselves into its structure, creating a foundation of balance and order.
Xenos watched intently, his voice calm but resolute. "The Yin-Yang Formation broke the chaos, and now the Five Elements will establish order. The egg absorbs these energies to forge a unique destiny. Every human born henceforth will possess at least one spirit root aligned with the five elements."
As he observed the intricate process, Xenos's sharp eyes caught a disturbance in the distance. Turning his gaze, he noticed twelve golden rays of light streaking across the skies, each originating from the main residences of the Federation's twelve hidden families. Within each ray, a distinct, majestic figure could be discerned.
A frown creased Xenos's face. "Twelve golden rays... they represent the constellations of the Zodiac—Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces."
His tone betraying a hint of annoyance. "I suspected there was more to these hidden families, but their connection to the constellations confirms it. I'll need to question my disciples later."
Despite his concerns, Xenos did not interfere as the golden rays converged upon the Egg of Fate. As each ray made contact, the corresponding constellation's image appeared on the egg's surface, adding to its growing complexity and unique aura.
Xenos's brows furrowed further as he sensed yet another force. A thirteenth energy approached the egg, distinct and ancient. The energy carried the symbol of Ophiuchus—the Serpent Bearer, an elusive constellation long thought lost.
"Ophiuchus..." Xenos murmured, his gaze narrowing. "It seems this constellation has been hidden beneath the sea, undiscovered until now. Someone is pulling strings—perhaps the ancient human race. Ophiuchus grants an extraordinary blessing, enabling humans to possess multiple elemental attributes within their spirit roots."
As the inscriptions of the constellations and the Five-Element Laws completed, a stirring within the egg became apparent. A nascent life began to form, rapidly maturing from a mere embryo to a fully developed entity in the span of an hour. When the egg could no longer contain the being within, cracks formed along its surface.
With a loud snap, the egg shattered, revealing a snake-like creature with shimmering scales, tiny horns, and an aura of otherworldly majesty. The creature emerged, its hissing reverberating through the heavens as if proclaiming itself the harbinger of humanity's fate.
Xenos's eyes darkened as the atmosphere shifted. The earth trembled, and the skies turned crimson, brimming with wrath. The heavens roared in anger at the birth of this being, declaring it an anomaly that should never have existed.
Chains of divine energy materialized from the heavens, crackling with power as they surged toward the snake to bind it. The creature resisted, writhing and hissing defiantly, but the chains coiled tightly around its body, shackling it with unyielding force.
As the chains locked into place, the skies grew even darker, gathering storm clouds brimming with destructive energy. Lightning arced across the heavens, illuminating the ominous scene. Thunder rumbled like a judge's gavel, and the heavens prepared to unleash their fury, aiming to obliterate the snake—a being that dared to defy the natural order.
The darkened sky churned with thunder, each rumble growing louder as streaks of lightning illuminated the chaos above. In the midst of this celestial fury, the next formation activated—the Eight Extremes Formation.
Unlike the previous two formations that had approached the snake, this one remained stationary. Its intricate symbols glowed with a brilliant light as the energies of the eight extreme dualities—life and death, creation and destruction, space and time, light and darkness—merged together.
Slowly, they coalesced into a single, formless sword, pulsating with raw, primal power, and hovering within the Eternal Flame Sect's main hall near Xenos.
Xenos observed the sword, his expression unreadable, though a flicker of realization passed through his eyes. He thought to himself, 'So this is how it works. To break the chains of fate, it doesn't require the Empress herself but someone she trusts—or her knight—to wield this sword and sever the bonds enslaving humanity's destiny.'
Without hesitation, Xenos strode toward the sword and grasped its hilt. The weapon was unlike any other, its essence embodying the laws of the Eight Extremes. It felt both weightless and immense in his hand, as though he held the balance of the universe itself. He examined the blade, its shifting, formless nature reflecting endless possibilities.
"Even though I don't need this sword to break the chains," Xenos muttered to himself with a faint smile, "I might as well play the role."
In an instant, he vanished from the hall, reappearing at the heart of the storm, where the snake struggled against its divine bindings. The creature, recognizing him as part of humanity, turned its glowing eyes toward him and let out a desperate hiss. It seemed to plead for his aid, its scaled body writhing against the chains that sought to crush it.
Xenos regarded the snake calmly and said, "No need to worry. This will be over in an instant."
With that, he raised the formless sword, its edge glinting faintly despite its lack of a solid form. There was no flourish, no grand display of power—just a simple, unadorned slash. Yet that single movement radiated such mastery that it transcended technique. The chains binding the snake shattered instantly, disintegrating into motes of light that scattered like falling stars.
As the chains fell, the heavens roared in anger. The sky seemed to convulse, its thunderclaps echoing like the wrathful cries of an ancient deity. Bolts of lightning gathered in a frenzy, preparing to strike down the one who dared to defy fate.
Xenos looked skyward, his expression still calm. With the same effortless motion, he swung the sword again. This second slash cleaved the sky itself, splitting the storm clouds in two. The raw energy within the clouds destabilized, and with a deafening explosion, the tribulation dissipated, leaving the heavens clear once more.
The snake, now free, lifted its head toward the sky and let out a triumphant hiss, its voice carrying the joy of newfound freedom. It turned to Xenos, hissing again, this time in gratitude.
Xenos met its gaze and said, "Go. The process isn't complete yet. There's one final step remaining."
The snake nodded, as though it understood. With a flick of its tail, it slithered away, heading toward the Eternal Flame Sect's main hall, where Aerum awaited.
From the Author
Hello everyone,
How are you all doing? I want to take a moment to thank MyBook2023 and dada4 for the incredible power stones again! Honestly, it was a jaw-dropping moment for me—like, is this even real? I'm so grateful for your support and appreciation of my work. Because of you, I feel motivated to work harder to write and publish.
I also have an announcement to make. Today, I'm heading out for a vacation. If possible, I'll try to release a chapter before I leave, but if not, the next chapter will be published on 14-12-2024. I apologize for the delay and hope you understand.
Thank you so much for all your help and support!