NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2: An Unusual Entity.
Mortal Realm ~
Primordial Carp Nation - YinYang City...
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With more and more people beginning to regain their composure, the seed of curiosity slowly began to sprout in their hearts. They were all intrigued about the mysterious object the massive golden hand had thrown at the city. Slowly, people began approaching the forest. Upon arrival, they discovered that the once lush and thriving forest had been reduced to what now looked like a valley by the crater created from the impact. Bewildered, they approached the eye of the crater.
Close to the eye of the crater were greenish-blue flames that burned with an utmost unholy, ghostly aura that sent shivers down people's spines. Even the creatures in the forest that had been lucky enough to survive had long since fled the environment of the crater's eye. The unholy flames burned, spanning several meters around the eye of the crater. At the eye of the crater was a blob of light. The blob of light was pitch black; it looked like it could even devour light. Another part of the blob was bright white, emitting a soft halo. It possessed such an orthodox feel that it almost made people want to worship it due to the feeling of insignificance they felt from it. These two contrasting lights squirmed together like fluid water, round and round they went.
The people who arrived at the crater were astonished at the sight. The ghostly flames seemed to be protecting the odd blob of light.
Minutes trickled into hours...
By now, many people had gathered at the scene, witnessing the odd flame. Many had tried to approach, but were unable to; the closer they got to the flame, the colder they felt. Some could have sworn that they felt their souls freeze over. Even trying to put the flame out was of no use as the odd flames woudn't go out no matter what was done. But suddenly, the flames began to recede like an ebbing tide before vanishing into the blob of light. After which, the blob of light began melting away, revealing what was within the blob of light. After the light blob had melted totally, what was within left everyone in shock.
Within the blob of light was a baby girl, not more than a year old. The babe was wrapped in a golden scarf that was imperial and noble, and her hair was black and white like the blob of light she was in, half being pitch black and the other half being pure white. It created a very sharp contrast. The babe was fast asleep with soft, rosy cheeks. A name tag was attached to the golden scarf, inscribed on it was a name: "Lu Xitong". People's mouths were agape as they couldn't believe what they saw. Some rubbed their eyes or pinched themselves in exaggeration.
"This is definitely an unusual child," an old man with barely any hair left on his head spoke up in disbelief. Based on his elaborate dressing, one could easily infer that he held some lofty position in the city. "I must say, this is indeed unusual, unprecedented even," a scholarly dressed elder chimed in. The crowd was then abuzz as everyone made comments. Some even came up with conspiracy theories; some believed the child was no human but rather evil in flesh and blood. Quickly, the crowd was split in two: those who were trying to protect the child and those who saw the child as the descent of trouble abandoned by the heavens. Quarrels began to break out as a conclusion could not be reached on what to be done about the child.
"That's enough!" An imperial voice resounded through the crowd as a stifling aura descended, quickly silencing the turmoil amongst them. A woman in her late years could be seen floating down from the sky. Her face was full of wrinkles and aged spots, making it clear she already had one leg in the grave. Her yellow robes exaggerated that her body couldn't even be found in it. An appearance could scare a child to sleep, reminiscent of a living skeleton. But as she appeared, nobody seemed to mind that; rather, they bowed in an almost 90° manner, as if afraid of meeting her sight. It was clear that she was a terrifying figure in the city.
She was the grand ancestral matriarch of the Yan family clan, second only to the rulers of the Primordial Carp Nation, the YinYang Dynasty. Her name was Yan Rouxi; she was known for her notorious temper and as the main backer behind her clan's overbearing attitude. Her appearance here was no good news. She slowly descended before walking towards the babe, still fast asleep. Her eyes flashed a chilling ray. "I will be taking this child away," she said as she slowly turned to face the crowd with indifference in her eyes. "The child is inauspicious and must be dealt with to avoid any future problem."
As she said this, she prepared to take off with the babe. No one was willing to confront her, afraid they might meet their untimely demise at her hands. But suddenly, the scholarly elder stepped in her way and spoke up to her: "This isn't right; we can't end a child's life based on mere assumption." He was fidgeting as he spoke, clearly overwhelmed with fear.
"Mere assumption?" Yan Rouxi uttered, as a cold grin broke out on her wrinkled face. "Long Jiang, how dare you stand in my way? Don't you fear that I might just accidentally wipe out your Green Feathered Sect? As a venerated elder of your sect, do you dare to carry such a sin?"The scholarly elder, Long Jiang, suddenly felt bone-piercing cold all around him; that was a thinly veiled threat.
"Yan Rouxi, don't you think you're going too far?" A bald monk, supporting himself with a staff, spoke up. He was inconspicuous-looking amongst the crowd, but if you paid attention to him, one could sense a powerful aura from him; by no means was he an ordinary character.
"This is YinYang City, and I believe the Yang lord and the Yin empress should have the final say in this matter," he said, lightly tapping his staff on the floor. Immediately, a restrictive force was created, protecting the child.
Yan Rouxi chuckled derisively: "You YinYang dynasty lapdogs, I can see there's no saving you. Since you obstruct me, don't dream of living here alive." She then tapped on the air; immediately, the restrictive force was shattered like glass. Then, she sent a palm strike at the bald monk and Long Jiang.
"Since you dare defy me, pay with your lives." Her laughter crackled like the avenger of death. If the strike was to land, they would surely be dead.
The crowd looked away, unwilling to watch such a tragic end. A shrill scream suddenly resounded, making the crowd cover their ears with their hands and forcing their eyes open. The sight before them was the opposite of what they expected. Yan Rouxi was on the floor, unconscious but still twitching; she was barely breathing.
At some unknown point in time, an even older lady than Yan Rouxi had appeared. If Yan Rouxi had one leg already in her grave, then she already had both in the grave, ready to drop dead at any moment. But she was not the one behind Yan Rouxi's state; rather, it was a dashing young man in his mid-thirties who radiated the aura of a leader. He was none other than the most powerful figure in Primordial Carp Nation and YinYang City, the Yang lord Yang Chan.
"I have been overlooking your overbearing ways all along, Yan Rouxi, but you have gone too far today. And the last time I checked, the YinYang dynasty is still the ruler of this city and nation. I will spare your rotten life today, but I will not be as magnanimous next time."
He and the old woman with him vanished from the crowd's sight, along with the babe.The crowd soon dispersed, each to their own business.
YinYang City ~ YinYang Dynasty Mansion...
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In a grand hall, Yang Jiang stood with the babe in his arms; he was unsure of what to do now. His appearance at the crater was no coincidence; an unusual entity had visited him, instructing him to take the child in. After he returned with the child, the Yin empress immediately grew fond of the babe. Then, the next day, the Yang lord and the Yin empress made a shocking announcement: they had decided to adopt the child but retain her true name, Lu Xie Tong.