Drip ....

Drop ....

Suddenly, a sigh broke the peaceful illusion of the endless starry landscape.

"Ugh. Why is it still raining? When will it stop?"

Chen Xin muttered, holding a parasol. Its delicate fabric barely kept her dry from the persistent downpour. She pulled her hanfu closer—a flowing gown of soft, silk layers. The pale lavender fabric shimmered faintly in the starlight, embroidered with silver threads that traced the patterns of distant constellations. The wide sleeves, though graceful, swayed with each raindrop that caught the edges, making her frown in mild irritation.

She glanced up, annoyed, as raindrops continued to fall, despite the backdrop of countless stars surrounding her. The rain seemed endless, as though the universe itself wept quietly, soaking her in an atmosphere of calm isolation. Each droplet echoed across the vast, infinite expanse, but there was no real sound—just the eternal silence of space, broken only by the soft patter of the cosmic drizzle.

In the distance, the stars shimmered with faint light, and beyond that, she could see a celestial dragon, born from endless flames, its enormous body twisting around a distant sun. The dragon's scales pulsed with the heat of a star, its fiery wings sending cascades of light through the void. It was a rare sight, even for Chen Xin—these beings only stirred when the universe's balance was under threat.

Chen Xin stared into the cosmic expanse, thoughts drifting lazily. Her sister was still holding onto the 99th spot in Heaven's Will, but it wasn't really her concern. Heaven's Will wasn't something she lost sleep over, and besides, her sister had always been fine at running away. The rankings were always shifting; it was just how things went.

Suddenly, a deep, resounding whale echoed through the cosmos, reverberating across the stars. The sound was unmistakable—a signal from Heaven's Will. The stars themselves seemed to shudder in response as if acknowledging the magnitude of the shift.

Heaven's Will—a universal ranking that transcended realms, held together by a mysterious force that governed the power and status of the most powerful beings in existence. The rankings weren't just symbolic; they dictated the cosmic order. To rise in rank was to ascend in power and influence. A change in Heaven's Will was no small event—it could ripple across galaxies, destabilizing entire systems. The heart of this ranking system was a colossal, ethereal whale, an ancient guardian bound to the order of Heaven's will. Each time a shift occurred, the whale's call echoed through the cosmos, signaling to all who dared to challenge the heavens. 

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As the whale's call faded, a ripple moved through the void, and Chen Xin could see a serpent coiling lazily around a black hole in the distance, its long, shimmering body flickering in and out of sight as it twisted around the edge of the event horizon. These serpents, born from the pull of gravity itself, were drawn to instability in the universe, thriving off the chaos that followed a shift in power.

Chen Xin's grip on her parasol tightened, out of habit. The cosmic balance had shifted. A death? A defeat? She straightened, eyes narrowing as she scanned the heavens. The air around her felt denser, the weight of the whale's call pressing against her chest. Something significant had happened.

Was it significant? Probably. Was it worth her time to think about it? Not really. But does she want to know though? Yes..

A mix of curiosity and interest flashing through her calm demeanor. Chen Xin's mind wandered back to her sister, currently holding the 99th spot on Heaven's Will—a coveted position that came with constant challenges. The whale's call could mean anything—someone had been defeated, or perhaps worse, death.

Off to the side, in the void where the stars did not shine, a flash of brilliant light erupted, and from the darkness, a phoenix emerged, its body glowing with radiant flames. It flapped its wings, filling the silence with a low hum, its very presence bending the space around it. The phoenix, born from the void itself, symbolized rebirth and change, often seen when powerful figures fell or rose within Heaven's Will.

Chen Xin glanced at the stars again, her eyes searching the distant constellations. The stars blinked dimly, their light seeming to falter for a moment as if they, too, were waiting to see who had fallen or risen. The rain continued to fall, but now it felt different—heavier, laden with the tension that permeated the air. It wasn't like her sister to lose easily, but this was Heaven's will after all. Power struggles were constant, and the higher the ranking, the fiercer the battles. Every victory was a hard-fought step toward Heaven, while defeat could mean erasure.

"Did she get into another fight?" Chen Xin mused aloud, her lips curving slightly in a thoughtful expression. Her sister was always at the heart of chaos, thriving on stupidity.

For a moment, the stars around her seemed to pulse in sync with her quiet anticipation. Was her sister rising in the ranks, or had something more dangerous occurred? Heaven's Will was as unpredictable as it was merciless. A single defeat could mean death, but victory could change everything. Chen Xin wasn't one for drama, but Heaven's Will never stayed calm for long.

She exhaled deeply and closed the parasol with a soft snap. The rain seemed to slow, almost as if sensing her decision. She could feel the universe calling her.

"Well.. it looks like I'm heading that way after all," she said to herself, her tone light yet purposeful. Her gaze lingered one last time on the stars before she stepped forward, vanishing into the cosmic winds, the rain finally ceasing as if the universe itself waited in anticipation for what would come next.

"Mmmmm.. Since we have time, let's go find Ghost," she decided, her lips curling into a small smile.

Ghost, a chilling presence in Heaven's Will, was known for her nonchalance. Currently sitting at the 19th spot, she was the Empress of the ghosts, spirits, and any form of life containing them. Lazy and indifferent, Ghost reveled in her power without concern for her rank.