Earth Metaverse 10 Years, January 18
The sunlight outside the window grew brighter, yet it remained soft and warm through the curtains, casting a gentle glow over the quiet morning.
Shawn Wen slowly moved the piece of paper away from the side of his head and opened his eyes. Everything around him seemed clearer, more vivid—as if the world itself had been illuminated in a new way.
The weight of the octagonal jade meteorite medallion on his chest grounded him, a tangible reminder that what he had just experienced was neither a dream nor an illusion.
It had all happened so suddenly, so inexplicably. He had become an extraordinary member of the Meta-Origin Society—a Soul Realm member, no less—his advanced Soul Energy now fully activated.
Trying to steady his thoughts, he recalled the profound words of Professor Yuxiang Cai in Psychological Challenges of Future Society:
> "Soul Energy is akin to 'qi' and 'field'—a fundamental force in both physical and quantum forms. It carries the core essence of the soul, influencing human consciousness, thought, and behavior, even extending its reach to the external world and the deeper layers of existence."
> "When one enters an advanced state of Soul Energy, they can transcend conventional space-time, gaining insights beyond ordinary perception."
The concept straddled the line between science and metaphysics.
Yet the reality before him was undeniable—he could feel the faint energy fluctuations emanating from the Zhen Palace Spirit Key on his chest.
It was real.
"How was my Soul Energy activated?" Shawn murmured to himself, struggling to piece it together.
From yesterday's conversation, he had gathered that Soul Realm and Divine Realms were the elite tiers within the Meta-Origin Society. But he had never been a member before—he hadn't even heard of the Society until now.
So how had he obtained Soul Realm-level energy?
Could it be, as Secretary General Quinn had suggested, that he was a Soul Kin with a high-ranking Soul Realm member—someone who had willingly transferred their Soul Energy to him?
He had researched the term:
The Soul Kin refers to two individuals who share the Soul Energy Spectrogram—a unique signature akin to Soul DNA. In essence, it means their cognition, consciousness, and intelligence are fundamentally identical.
Who could this person be?
Was it Grandpa?
Just then, the Zhen Palace Spirit Key on his chest trembled slightly, emitting a soft, radiant glow.
A familiar voice resonated in his mind.
"Shawn, it's Uncle Quinn."
"I've transmitted ‘A Brief History of the Development of the Meta-Origin Society' to you. Through it, you'll learn about the Meta-Hierophant, Meta-Origin Order, and the events that led to the Society being sealed."
"You can access it directly by activating your Soul Energy or use a brain-computer interface to import it into your system."
Shawn froze for a moment, then instinctively tightened his grip around the Zhen Palace Spirit Key and closed his eyes.
In an instant, a vivid manuscript unfolded within his consciousness:
A Brief History of the Development of the Meta-Origin Society.
Around 8000 years ago, Fu Xi founded the Hierophant Order, also known as the Kunlun Order, to spread the teachings of the Meta-I Ching. The order's philosophy, Hierophantism, was centered on illuminating the Great Way.
Fu Xi served as the first Grand Hierophant, followed by the legendary Five Emperors—Huangdi, Zhuanxu, Ku, Yao, and Shun—who carried on his teachings. However, when the Xia Dynasty was established, the second monarch, Xia Qi, abruptly halted the dissemination of the Meta-I Ching, causing it to fade into obscurity.
In 1600 BCE, Shang Tang, a direct descendant of Huangdi, revived the teachings upon founding the Shang Dynasty. He reformed Hierophantism, declaring that the position of Grand Hierophant should no longer be exclusive to kings but open to individuals of exceptional virtue and wisdom.
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In 1045 BCE, King Wu of Zhou established the Zhou Dynasty and sought to appoint the revered scholar Rong Shang to a high government position. However, the Zhou Dynasty rejected the Meta-I Ching in favor of the Zhou Yi, prompting Rong Shang to resign and retreat into seclusion in the Taihang Mountains.
In 1041 BC, following the death of King Wu, his son King Cheng ascended to the throne under the regency of Duke Zhou ( Dan Ji), who swiftly consolidated power and eliminated opposition. Among those opposed were Shudu Cai, a member of the Hierophants Order, and two royal brothers, who allied with Geng Wu, the son of the last king of the Shang Dynasty, to rebel against Duke Zhou and instigate a revolt. The rebellion was ultimately suppressed, and Duke Zhou ordered a large-scale purge of the Hierophants Order.
One survivor, Shudu Cai, defied exile orders and secretly fled south with Rong Shang, retracing Fu Xi's path. Their journey led them to Meta-Origin Mountain,, where they rebranded Hierophantism Order as Meta-Originism Order.
Rong Shang became the first Grand Hierophant of the newly established Meta-Origin order, while Shudu Cai was honored as the Meta-Hierophant
Alarmed by this resurgence,Duke Zhou enacted a powerful sealing ritual, sacrificing 200 years of Zhou's national fortune to suppress the order and push it underground. This reduced the Zhou Dynasty's lifespan from 1000 years to 800 years.
Despite the suppression, the Meta-I Ching remained deeply intertwined with the Jiu Xia civilization. Within the hidden sanctum of Meta-Origin Mountain, the Sacred Monarch refined the Meta-I Ching, merging it with ancient mysticism to develop Meta-Origin Culture . This included the creation of the Meta-Spirit Key and the advanced Soul Energy cultivation method known as Meta-Gongfu.
Though officially sealed, Meta-Origin Culture continued to shape history. Throughout the ages, rulers and strategists have sought its wisdom to strengthen their Soul Energy, unlock celestial knowledge, and shape the destiny of their nations.
Each of them was a Divine Realm member of the Meta-Origin Order. However, aware of its potential threat to authoritarian rule, most rulers, upon securing power, worked to further suppress the order.
The most severe suppression came after October 1, 1949. The Meta-Origin Order was forcibly reorganized into an academic institution, renamed the Meta-Origin Culture Research Society—or simply, the Meta-Origin Society.
The Meta-Origin Palace was transformed into the Meta-Origin Martial Arts School, and strict orders were issued prohibiting any public activities related to the order.
Thus, the once-mighty Meta-Origin order, which had shaped civilizations for millennia, was forced into obscurity—its teachings confined to secrecy, awaiting rediscovery.
Shawn Wen slowly opened his eyes, withdrawing his palms as the glow of the Zhen Palace Spirit Key on his chest gradually faded.
He let out a long breath. The Soul Energy reading just now had felt like glimpsing a long-buried history firsthand. The sensation of touching such distant memories left him wanting more...
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains, casting a warm glow on his face. He squinted slightly and realized it was already getting late. Just as he was about to rise, footsteps echoed outside his door.
"Shawn, why aren't you up for breakfast yet?"
His grandfather stepped into the room, holding a steaming cup of tea. His tone was a mix of affection and gentle teasing. "You didn't wake up early today for once."
Shawn smiled, scratching his head. "I got… a little caught up."
His fingers instinctively brushed against the Zhen Palace Spirit Key medallion on his chest. He hesitated, then finally asked, "Grandpa, do you know about the Meta-Origin Society?"
The moment the words left his lips, his grandfather's expression froze for an instant. A flicker of something unreadable crossed his face. He slowly set his teacup down, his eyes dark and thoughtful.
"Meta-Origin Society?" he echoed. "Shawn, why are you suddenly asking about this?"
His tone was careful, the same guarded look he had worn when Shawn had once asked about the origins of those two mysterious verses.
"I just… came across its history." Shawn lowered his gaze, recalling the manuscript about the Meta-Origin Society. His voice grew heavier. "I never knew there was once such an organization on Earth, one that sacrificed so much to protect the Ancient Wisdom..."
He hesitated. Quinn's words about the Soul Kin echoed in his mind. His eyes fell on his grandfather again, and he couldn't hold back the question.
"Grandpa, does our family have any connection to the Meta-Origin Society?"
His grandfather was silent for a long moment, as if carefully weighing his answer. Finally, he exhaled lightly and said, "It seems you already know something. Yes, our lineage does have some ties to the Meta-Origin Society... but over the years, things have become complicated, and there's much I don't fully understand."
Then, as if something had just occurred to him, his expression shifted. His tone turned slightly more serious.
"The thing you came across… does it have anything to do with that picture?"
Shawn's heart skipped a beat. His grandfather did know about the Spirit Key Spectrogram!
Did that mean he also knew about the Soul Kin?
Nodding, Shawn said cautiously, "Yes. That picture led me somewhere… extraordinary. And there, I found this."
He unfastened the jade meteorite medallion from his chest and carefully handed it over. "It's exactly like the one in the picture you gave me."
His grandfather examined the medallion briefly, his eyes calm—no trace of surprise, no hint of recognition. Instead, he simply nodded with mild curiosity.
"It's beautiful," he said. "Suits you well."
Then, without another word, he rose, took his teacup, and walked out of the room.
Shawn sat frozen for a moment, a wave of disappointment washing over him.
His grandfather's reaction was unexpected—almost dismissive. He didn't seem to recognize the Zhen Palace Spirit Key, which likely meant he didn't understand the Spirit Key Spectrogram either… and if that was the case, how had he come to possess the picture in the first place?
And yet, Grandpa had always had a deep love for traditional culture, especially the I Ching. Was it possible that he was hiding something?
Slowly, Shawn got up and pulled back the curtains.
Golden morning light flooded the room. He glanced down at the Zhen Palace Spirit Key resting against his chest, the jade meteorite catching the sunlight, shimmering faintly—almost as if it was responding to his questions.
He turned toward the window, his eyes growing resolute.
No matter what, he had to uncover the truth.
He had to find the Meta-Origin Society.
And more than anything… he had to find the seven Divine Realm Members who had received the Spirit Key Spectrogram.