The surviving page from the Record of Origins on the Mandated Kingdoms is as follows, reproduced here for the safety of the remaining fragment:

Once, all was naught but grey and fog. Beyond this came the Last Prince of the Yellow River and the Celestial Mother. Then what followed were their 10,000 disciples. The disciples cried out for there was nothing within the fog but melancholic formlessness. The Prince of the Yellow River tore himself open, his blood fell to become water while his flesh became the earth. His scales scattered over the lifeless world to become the first dragons.

The 10,000 disciples cried out once again, for although water and earth existed, there was nothing upon or within.

The Celestial Mother gave birth to her and the Prince’s children, each of whom a Flame given form by Celestial Inheritance.

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The Jade Prince, who oversaw the oceans and the weather, of an ever changing temperament

The Amber Emperor, who sits within the heavens and wisely rules the processions of gods and spirits

The Empress of Hell, tyrant of earth and the high judge of the dead

Her strength spent, the Celestial Mother faded into the bones of the world, leaving behind a meager flickering white flame.

From this subtle flame, with bodies crafted from clay, fire, and water, did the Three Divine Rulers create the first Woman and Man.

Your High Eminence, Heavenly Mandated Queen, I beg your forgiveness in this letter. Despite scouring the entire remaining library up and down, shoveling through ash in the humidity, pulling out books, scrolls, and tablets, we could not find what became of the rest of Chen Zihua's Record of Origins On The Mandated Kingdoms. It may be possible that the arsonists took books with them, but my servants believe it was lost in the flames.