A thin melodious sound of zither reverberated across the round hall. A beautiful lady with an amethyst mask stood in front of the huge screen, methodically running her jade fingers across the strings.

*rinnnnnn~~*

Everyone stood silently and just let themselves drown in the sensory feast.

They felt like they were sitting in a breezy plain, with waves of soft air caressing their bodies. Sweet smell of the flowers and rosemary hit their noses, making them feel like they were healing from within, from their very soul.

“Thank you for listening to my performance.”

Everyone woke up from the trance as the sweet voice reached their ears, slowly standing up in awe. Such a performance took beyond cultivation techniques.

*clap*

The entire hall resounded with thunderous clapping noises.

“What a performance. I felt like I was in heaven for a few minutes.”

“Lady Zayn, please perform it again!”

“Please!”

However, Lady Zayn just bowed and left the platform. Too much of something is never good, doing it again on request just dilutes the value. Furthermore, every minute was secured for someone else, meaning her taking up an extra few minutes would cause someone to lose their chance.

“Young master!”

As soon as Long Tian turned towards the source of the melodious voice, he saw a roasted chicken taking up his entire vision.

Yes, an entire chicken that was 3 meters tall and 2 meters wide. This chicken had an overly long neck that made it look like a dinosaur with a chicken head. He had only seen it in records before.

Aravian Mingesa

Ying Mei lifted it up with one hand like it was no big deal, causing all the surrounding audience to gape. That shouldn’t be right? Is that chicken just incredibly light?

“Young master! There was only two caught. I roasted one just for you. Come, have a bite!”

Everyone looked at the scrawny Long Tian and had a laugh among themselves. But that chicken looks like it would be more than half a ton in weight. The way she was handing it so easily meant she was-

“Above Second gate?!”

“How exaggerated! Now Long manor is employing second gate cultivators as maid. And she’s so beautiful as well.”

Hou fei said wistfully as he rubbed his long nose.

Zhou Ren was looking at his friend like he was an alien. He quickly held Hou Fei's head in concern.

“What are you doing, you bastard?”

“I am just checking. There is no injury though. Is your brain just empty? How could you not know?”

“Huh?!”

“She’s the daughter of Spear lord. Did you really not know?”

“WHAT!?”

Hou Fei stared at his friend in stupor. Did he hear that right? That infamous Spear lord's daughter is a maid in Long manor? He felt like his worldview had been shattered.

“How?! this makes no sense, why would she-”

Zhou Ren pointed at Long Tian. Hou Fei stared at the scene playing in front. Ying Mei was forcefully feeding a piece of meat to Long Tian, even though he was refusing it. He could see the care and love in her actions.

“Lucky bastard”

Hou Fei felt heavens had been too unfair for him. He had been almost a decade in the Academy, cultivating all day. As a result, he turned out decently strong. Yet, women seemed to avoid him for some reason. And here he was, watching a revolting scene that made him want to puke!

How hateful! In real world, skinny malnourished boys stole all the beautiful girls!

Soon, the next person stood on the platform, singing with a somber, throaty voice.

“Beneath the Full Moon

An angel descended from heavens

I, the fool, on this side of the river

Got lost in her eternal gaze

Losing my soul in an entrance~”

The heavenly voice ceased the chitchatting. The middle aged man was wearing an oversized robe that dragged on the white platform. Despite the simple lyrics, his melodious voice and the unique overlong chorus tugged at everyone's heartstring.

“Oh, my eternal lord,

You show such a colorful illusion

I lost everything in a delusion~.”

As they heard the deep chorus, They could picture a man beside a river, trying to reach towards the other side. They saw the man slowly walk into the river, however, the flow soon overpowered him, washing him ashore.

“In winter, I was deep in sleep,

In a trance of white and black

You broke my sleep early, My lord

With no hopes for a spring~”

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The lyrics barely made sense, however, they could picture everything clearly. They saw the man failing in that river, drowning in the river in a continuous cycle. He kept trying and trying, but to no avail.

“Finally,

I understand your rules,

My eternal lord.

You are the master of hallucination.

Even though i understand,

I can not help but fall into a trance again,

Staring at that side of the river again

Hoping for one last glance~”

A sea of mourning and yearning washed over everyone. Clarity and understanding flashed in everyone’s eyes. They understood now, this was not about a beautiful angel, or love. This was a fight between man and the unattainable.

“I, the fool, drown in the river again

Watching her shadow in a daze

Calling me to her embrace.”

But the man keeps trying, drowning himself in an unending cycle, even though he knew he could never achieve what he wanted. Everyone let out a large breath to reduce the heaviness they felt in their chest.

"This is not the type of song someone should play in a birthday banquet"

A man whispered as he rubbed his head, prompting nods of agreement.

Emperor Zhi Yan's grey eyes shone like stars, praise flashing on his face.

“Good!”

A youthful voice echoed throughout the hall. Everyone stared envious as emperor threw a jade towards him.

“You are allowed exchange for anything up to ten thousand jades from the empire.”

Long Tian gazed at the middle aged man, watching his long robe drag on the ground as he left the platform in excitement. He couldn’t help but find the timing a bit ironic. However, he did not care.

Even if it drowned him trying, he had no regrets. He was going to drown trying tonight.

He stared at his watch. In between the performances, a lot of time had passed by. It was almost 8.30. He stood up, prompting a questioning glance from Feng Huan.

“Going to the washroom for a bit.”

The sudden declaration from Long Tian caused a derisive smile to creep up on Feng Huan's face.

“Tch! Such a weak generation. In my seclusion days, I could hold my bladder for days! There was one time when I managed to hold it for 4 days straight!”

“But why?”

Also, you are from this generation!

Hearing the confused voice of Long Tian’s, he felt his face turning hot. He did not have a reasonable answer to that question.

Long Tian just stared speechlessly.

*****

Ying Mei kept running around with the huge plate like it was nothing, serving the meat to the sitting guests.

“Sister.”

A voice transmission reached her, causing her to promptly look ahead. A hooded boy stood beside one of the swirling pillars far away.

Recognizing his silhouette, a smile bloomed on her face. She quickly put the plate down and ran towards him.

“Ying Min, You! You have grown so big! I almost couldn’t recognise you. Is everyone alright at home? How is father and mother doing?”

A barrage of anxious question was shot at him, her soft voice a bit urgent as she stared with love and concern.

“Everyone is doing just fine. I wasn’t going to come, but father sent me to give you one final chance.”

Ying Mei's happy face turned downtown. She knew what he was going to say. She turned around, her voice resolute.

“Go back.”

“You are wasting your potential, big sis. You have given up everything for a mere cripple. Please come back home.”

She knew his brother was proud to the bones. He never begged for anything since his childhood. But now, his tone was one of pleading.

“Everyone misses you. Dad does not say it, but mom always stays melancholic, waiting in hopes that you would return someday.”

She turned around, watching her brother with a complex expression. Her face was full of melancholy and pain as she replied softly.

“I will return someday with Long Tian. Go back.”

“Sister, he is a cripple, a mortal! He can cultivate or awaken. Think! How long can he live? Two hundred years?! Five if you find all the rare heavenly elixirs and medicines in Raoqen. After that? Heavens will no longer allow you to extend his life. What about you? Even if you stop cultivating, you will live for much longer than him. It is going to be painful for both of you.”

Ying Mei no longer listened to him, she had already taken all of these into consideration. There used to be a time these thoughts plagued her, but over the years, she knew the answer.

None of these mattered to her.

“When he dies, I will watch over his grave for the rest of my life.”

Her resolute voice reached Ying Min's ear as she left.

***********

Long Tian stood in the spacious washroom, washing his face. He was taking his time, his movement slow and rhythmical. Soon, only 10 minutes left before nine o'clock. He gently rubbed the antique watch in his hand.

Bless me, mother.

“Big brother!”

A thin voice rang from behind, breaking him out of his musings. He found 'Long Xian' staring at him with an enigmatic smile.

“Myriad visage”

'Long Xian' soon started to shift in size, becoming much taller. However 'his' figure stayed thin. Soon, A identical ‘Long Tian’ was standing in front of him.

“I am Long Tian!”

Long Tian stared at her joking around. His entire plan hinged on her succesfully districting everyone. He handed over spatial ring, making sure she understood what to do.

“Myriad, as long as you insert the jade, the recording will play automatically.”

‘Long Tian' nodded, staring at Long Tian with a bit of concern as ‘he' replied softly.

“Long Tian, you can still reconsider. This plan of yours has very little chances of success.”

“It’s alright. I am wearing my lucky watch tonight. Mother will be watching over me.”

Long Tian shook his head, his voice firm. He smiled at her gratefully, knowing she had taken a huge risk to help him.

“I am forever indebted to you.”

“Don’t worry about all that. When I pay back, I repay back in full. Let alone fooling Naqueser and the emperor, i would attempt fooling the Sages and Gods for you. Go”

‘Long Tian’ brought out a small cube, holding it in front of him. As soon as Long Tian put his hand on the cube, he vanished.

‘Long Tian' went out of the washroom and slowly made ‘his' way towards Feng Huan.

“Wish me luck.”

Feng Huan laughed, unaware of the truth. He stood up patted ‘Long Tian’'s shoulders.

“Long Tian, I have always said the one thing. You are the best at whatever you do. Go.”

Feng Huan stared as ‘Long Tian’ slowly made 'his' way towards the pristine white platform.

“Now, Long Yu's small brother, the third young master Long Tian is going to perform a song.”

A melodious, but loud voice announced, prompting everyone to whisper.

“Him?”

“Now even sheep are going to take part in a horse race?”

“Hahahaha”

A few mocking voices and laughter reached ‘Long Tian' as he made his way towards the stairs.

*****

*Flap flap*

A strong wind was causing mayhem on Long Tian's unbuttoned overcoat, causing it's black to flutter wildly in the wind.

He was standing on the large watch above the church of Bellathor.

“V”

“V in service”

A mechanical voice transmitted from the small blue screen.

"Draw the diagram"

"Roger."

The soft glow of the moonlight shone over the circular spirit jade formation around him. Thousands of jades were floating above black pieces of armour.

The jades created a circle. Within the circle, a dragon seemed to be sleeping, it's long whisker's moving peacefully. The ethereal draconic diagram that seemed to exist throughout time was encircling the area around him.

Four artefacts stood on the four sides of the draconic diagram.

An axe,

A round clock,

A sundial,

and

An eyeball.

Each of them were replicas, but it was sufficient to induce a reaction from The White Dragon. He had to admit, luck has been on his side. Every cultivator, priest and awakeners within the city was now in the banquet. Even those who had decided to not go wagged their tail and ran as soon as they heard emperor had arrived.

His left hand adorned a reddish black armour, it's red vein pulsating with a glowing liquid that seemed to be alive.

He stared at the full blue moon.

“Inject. Lock all of the veins and arteries above. Make sure none of the red liquid can transmit to the rest of my body. And you know what to do if i lose control.”

V paused for a bit.

“V knows. Good luck, master.”

The dense draconic diagram around him expanded, taking over the entirety of Naqueser as they glowed brightly like stars in the night sky. They rhythmically moved around in a tandem.

*TING TING TING TING TING TING TING TING TING*

As soon as the resonant noise of the watch rang across the busy city, Long Tian felt a shot of pain. The swriling liquid above the armor was injected into his arm.

Then, let me blaspheme a God tonight!

Long Tian stared up at the sky as his solemn voice sang the ballad in Atur, the language of the Gods.

“The mythical beast that roams across the space time continuum-”