Yuelong did not know how long he had spent in a daze. When he did wake up, however, he was greeted by the sound of a cough and the feeling of wetness coating the tip of his nose.
What followed next was a sharp screech and a heavy blast of wind to his chest.
“LEAVE!”
Before he knew it, Yuelong found himself arcing across the air breathless and dazed. The ornate marble carved doors that granted entry into this chamber, opened automatically just as he was about to crash against them, allowing his exit, before closing tight immediately.
Coming to the end of his travel, the Young Master of the Mu Household found himself impacting the ground quite heavily.
“Yuelong!” cried his mother, Bai Xiulan, as she rushed towards him. She had not expected her to arrive as suddenly and dramatically as he had, and in her surprise, failed to react in time to catch him.
Yuelong whimpered as pain racked his back. His body wriggled and curled pathetically while his lungs swallowed gulp after gulp of air to restore the breath that he had lost. Fortunately, he did not have to suffer for long as Bai Xiulan arrived soon and quickly cast a healing spell. A cool and refreshing current coursed through his body and quickly cooled the fiery pain raging across his back.
“Are you alright!? What happened? Wait, is that blood on your nose!?” Bai Xiulan extended her hands and swiped the top of his nose. The redness that spread onto her fingers immediately indicated that it was indeed blood that stained his nose’s tip.
“Why is there blood on you? Did you suffer any injuries!? Oh Heavens, please tell me what happened!” She proceeded to grab her son’s head and bury it in her bosom as she cried toward the heavens.
Smothered by his mother, Yuelong struggled desperately before barely managing to eke out a few words. “I’m… alright… Mo…ther!”
Bai Xiulan suddenly froze. She then pulled her son back and unflinchingly stared at his face. “You! You can hear me? You can hear my voice!?” she said, her voice choking as tears started to drip from the corners of her eyes.
It was only at her saying that did Yuelong himself realise that sounds had returned to him once more. For a moment, he sat dazed in partial disbelief. However, the sight of his mother quietly tearing up and feeling the sensation on his face as he felt her cold palms trembling faintly, pulled him out of his stupor.
While holding back the tears that threatened to spill out of his own eyes, Yuelong replied with difficulty, “...yes, Mother.”
Bai Xiulan lunged forth and hugged him with all the motherly force that she could muster. Tears of joy and relief spilt from her eyes.
Overcome by his own emotions, Yuelong quickly joined her.
---
Having cured Yuelong of his ailment, the Mu Household visit to the Sovereign of the Heavenly Spirit Empire had proven to be an effective venture. Bai Xiulan and her son returned to the Mu Household’s lodgings in the city and retired for the night. Tomorrow was to be an extremely important day.
Tomorrow was when the long-awaited Paths Symposium was to be held.
Heaven Overseeing City, while not the capital of the Heavenly Spirit Empire, was a city of great renown and much import. Not only was it the oldest established city in the world, but it had also served as an important bastion for Mankind during the tumultuous period before the advent of the New Calendar Era.
This city was also the home of the Heavenly Spirit Tower, the most sacred of lands for the study and innovation of the Paths. It was also the oldest established organisation in the world and was the leader and very face of the Righteous Faction. It was a centre for pilgrimage as all practitioners, be they Righteous, Demonic, or Rogue, made it a point to visit the city at least once in their lifetimes. It was believed that the blessings of the Heavens were most concentrated within the city and all practitioners who visited it would take part in some of that blessing and luck.
Heaven Overseeing City was home to a populace numbering a few million. The class of citizens ranged from cultivators of the highest level to lowly mortals. There was no discrimination between the strong and the weak in the city; all were human. Killing was absolutely prohibited within the city and the very act of it would invite the wrath of the heavens.
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At the very centre of the Heaven Overseeing City was Mount Bereshith, which when translated to the common language of the current Era meant ‘The Mountain Where it All Began,’ or the ‘Mountain of Beginnings’ for short. It was a massive natural formation that towered a great 55,000ft in height and pierced into the heavens themselves.
Mount Bereshith had a very important place in history as it is believed that it was here that the First Human was born. In the ‘Tale of Beginnings,’ the book which spoke of history prior to the dreaded Blank Era, it is mentioned multiple times how important a role Mount Bereshtith played in Mankind’s struggle against the tyranny and oppression of the Seven Ancient Races. Even the ‘End Plague,’ which eventually played a pivotal role in wiping out the Seven Ancient Races and freed Mankind from its chains of slavery and ignorance, was believed to have originated from this mountain.
At the base of the mountain’s northern side rose an obelisk of white marble. This tower which stretched up to half the height of the mountain was the Heaven Overseeing Tower. It was here that the Heaven Gazing Fairy and some of the strongest cultivators of the world resided and carried out their sacred duty of righteousness and justice. It was their duty to keep Mankind from spiralling into the dark path and to prevent the events of the pre-New Calendar Era from happening once more.
Heaven Overseeing City, while massive and populous, was usually quiet and had a solemn air about it most of the time. Today, however, the tides of celebration and excitement buzzed throughout the city as it was the day of the decennial Paths Symposium; a special one in that because of the participation of the Star, ‘Son of the Heavens’ Mu Yuelong.
Practitioners and non-practitioners, royalty and peasantry; all manners of people from all walks of life from all around the world gathered at the city to witness and participate in this historical moment.
The streets stood packed as tens of thousands of first-time visitors toured the historical city, visiting various places of relevance and import. The ancient, partially broken great wall that once surrounded this city like an iron ring once again bore the weight of tens of thousands of bodies upon it.
Banners and pamphlets were hung and distributed at every street corner explaining the itinerary for the three days during which the symposium was to be held. Bands and bards sang about the various great cultivators and genius talents who were going to be participating in this event. There were also fairs and exhibitions being run here and there that showcased novel inventions of small-time inventors and tinkerers. Apart from these, there were also tents and moving stalls set up every few feet which sold knick-knacks and treats for children and adults alike.
Once a bastion that stood tall and firm for Mankind during its darkest of times, that same city served Mankind today as a centre for the exhibition of its collective progress and achievement.
This was the Heaven Overseeing City on the 28th Day of the First Month in the Year 736 NCE.
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19th Floor of the Heaven Overseeing Tower.
Heaven Overseeing City, Heavenly Spirit Empire.
The nineteenth floor of the Heaven Overseeing Tower belonged to Feng Tianfei, Crown Princess of the Heavenly Spirit Empire and Legacy Disciple of the Heaven Gazing Sovereign. It was awarded to her when she first rose to the position of the Sacred Daughter of the Heavenly Spirit Empire.
Within one of the three gardens that decorated this floor, Feng Tianfei reclined lazily on the plush silken bedding while being constantly tended to by a dozen female servants. Held in her hand was a stack of papers furnished with closely worded details and long sentences.
“Mu Wuzhi. Born on the 1st Day of the First Month in the Year 715 NCE. Place of birth is unknown except that it is in the Islida Continent. Early life unknown. Believed to have left the Isilda Continent in the early months of last year. Believed to have visited the Mu Household compound in Miu Aislu City. Later whereabouts unknown. Was found by his aunt, the Everfrost Fairy Chu Mingxi, earlier this month and was brought back to reunite with his birth family, where he was officially recognized and awarded the position of the ‘Second Son.’”
Turning the pages, she soon arrived at a sheet which contained a full-size facial portrait of Wuzhi, hand-drawn by one of the senior spies placed within the Mu Household. The instant her eyes settled on the image they widened following which, Feng Tianfei whistled an immodest catcall.
“Wow. The report wasn’t kidding when they said that he was a looker. He scores full in the face department.” She then proceeded to turn the paper all around, seemingly trying to appreciate the image from every angle. “His eyes are especially likeable. Bright and intense. Just how I like it.”
As she continued to stare at those specially drawn eyes, Feng Tianfei felt herself growing hot. Just as her thoughts began to spiral down a certain direction, the voice of a servant interrupted her.
“Crown Princess, your fiance ‘Son of the Heavens’ Mu Yuelong has arrived outside the floor and has requested to meet with you.”
Having had cold water poured upon her thoughts, Feng Tianfei sighed disappointedly. She then threw the papers in her hand aside and languidly answered. “Let him in. Let’s see what that puppy wants now.”
“Crown Princess, perhaps it would be better for you to dress more modestly before meeting with a man.”
“I refuse. I’m currently far too comfortable to be bothered to get up and change. Besides, he’s my husband-to-be, is he not? What’s there to hide that he won’t be seeing pretty soon?” A playful smile coated Tianfei’s lips.
The female servant bowed her head in agreement before going away to bring the guest.