Deep in the Void, the Devil Monarch walked alone, seemingly strolling leisurely, yet with each step he unknowingly crossed immeasurable distances. His speed of passage seemed no slower than Zhang Boqian’s technique of traversing the Void.
But here, at the depths of emptiness, glancing back, the entire world of Eternal Night had shrunk into a minor speck in the darkness. No matter how swiftly he traveled forward, from a perceptual standpoint, it felt like standing still, making no progress.
At times he would pause, look back briefly, and then proceed again.
Right ahead of him, a magnificent hall suddenly surged into view, seemingly materializing outta nowhere and yet feeling as though it had existed since time immemorial, completely immutable.
Underneath the hall hovered a small island-like landmass, akin to a floating isle.
The Devil Monarch stood before the hall, proceeding upwards upon its stairway and, arriving at the summit, knocked steadily upon its gate.
Slowly and ponderously did the grand doorway unlatch. Beyond laid another entire space, nestled within—a vast valley, surrounded in full by mountains and forests as well as illuminated endlessly by an unwavering full-moon in perpetual celestial suspension.
At the valley’s heart resided a small lake mirror-like waters revealing the silhouette of a slender and enchanting figure; even as a reflection Her splendour left speech bereft of words.
“Kaien, seems to have weakened.”
The Devil Monarch gently chuckled, walking gradually toward said lake. He remarked: “Having lost half my power, my perception of the world has shifted. This doesn’t signify weakness in me; it reveals a reconnection with what is truе in my soul. For too long, our power blinded us; it twisted vision, rendering a distorted, false impression of reality—the cosmos wasn’t as we saw.”
“I recall speaking to you before about such words.”
“That may be so. But back then they were mere echoes unregistered in deeper mind.”
“Then, your return—bore fruit?”
“It indeed has, assuming said result truly counts as gain.”
“The time has thus arrived wherein waking was necessary.”
By means of a vision the lakebound female dissipated into ephemeral illusions, until a sublime woman arose ethereally, surfacing with mystique—an indescribable being beyond beauty whose very presence diminished even Luna’s glow.
None but Her—Lilith the Queen of Nights and sovereign presence residing over the Sacred Mount.
Seated slowly yet regally upright with a serene opening of Her eyes, her gaze held Kai’En as she inquired,
“Reveal your acquired truths.”
“I witnessed pathways forward, even if veiled—surely a definitive course. However our times are dire indeed. I dread if we even possess a window any longer.”
Lilith furrowed delicately. “Rarity itself you losing heart so entirely, didst conflict take form?”
“I descended into the inner realm initially resolved to introduce Primordial Darkness—initiating purification for our world. If Dawn’s budding core had ended perhaps extended time awaited us. Yet… Qianye stood against me again. His might’s acceleration surpassed expectations anew.”
“In last moments, our kin lost Lin’Xi and Souza. Men’s Heaven’s Seal and Finger-Polar collapsed—our costs grievous.”
Queen surveyed Kai’En as though perceiving all timelines past current future within. Eyes narrowing further, her tone grave:
“This blade-force displayed defies modern men; such prowess only seen once prior—two souls capable of such:Ji Xingjin/Ji Xiansi. A blade-path of absolute clarity.”
“Ji Xung-chin?” Kai’En paused, retrieving the memory’s depth; “The ‘Ordinary Virtue’s Walk and Prudent in Minor Speech,’ legend himself?”
“He it was once who bested You; slipping beyond My manifesting Fragment’s hunt—he became founder of Qing’s lineage thereafter. A statement I pondered thousand years.”
Kai’En admitted, “I too thought extensively on the notion—their philosophy bears profound truth, but could mortal minds suddenly hold depth beyond millennia-bound logic without prior exposure?”
“You already have suspicions, don’t You. Share what you discovered fully.”
The Devil spoke slowly, “From Finger-Polar’s sword artistry, and Qianye—I beheld what is destined for both Our kins and the cosmos.” Queen appeared surprised—what future?”
“For thousand eras did my mind circle one riddle: why our elevation within Sacred Mountain halted irrevocably? Though I sense more potent energies beyond—although intellect abounds in comprehension—why roads toward it hide themselves? Just before now realization emerged—I saw it is ‘Our Lineage,’ the inheritance itself that binds our strength and preordains our ultimate bounds.”
“You devoted time toward refining your offsprings blood. That dark volume sought served that design too no?”
Indeed so… yet my approach was astray, misguided! It was the confrontation of the hidden world that I understood: Blood isn’t mere shackles on power—but it enslaves thinking itself. Thus in ease—we approach every trial solely with heavier force than ever. In problem—reaction is always craving even mightier energies rather than seeking smarter resolutions.”
“So even perception alters when we become mightiest. The cosmos itself changes. When we possess extreme strength—it warps truth from us, we see illusions. We have lost perspective of existence through such lenses.”
“Are you claiming primal energies are shaping OUR choices?”
“Not necessarily. We must also consider: The ‘Forgetting Ages.’ This realm may harbor external forces manipulating the essence within our souls, unknown or forgotten over millennia.”
I’ve listened that a certain talent within YOUR people bears a remarkable perspective on perception… Anwen was his moniker.”
“Exactly so; his insights on truth come encoded numerically—a system of symbols transcending illusion that physical sight may distort. He believes the truest truths can never deceive.”
“Anwen’s new calculations suggest a most provocative insight—concerning the destruction that ended Vast Valley’s Celestial orb was no spontaneous demise but intentional interference—something else forced it.” At gesture, the chamber now displayed torrents of numeric data and formulae streaming into perception.
Quietly, Lilith watched cascading flows of mathematical revelation, before murmuring.
“He proposes that the Fall was engineered. An external power guided its path.”
“Numbers hold nothing from us… previously speculation—but now facts arise.”
“We suspected—only never proving. Now evidence has gathered itself. So let this become action?”
“Perhaps it behooves revisiting the former orbital path of that world now departed.”
Is this matter grave?”
“Not urgent—but others loom more immediately.”
“State thee three matters at hand.”
“The first, mankind commences their celestial initiation with Zaiyao but we remain in ignorance about what that represents. The second, Qianya entered the River Of Blood—he matches the ancient prophecy’s path to Fate’s Loom. Lastly—breaking the cycle of Forgetting itself.”
Her Majesty gently massaged Her temple as weary expression settled: “This third trial has yet to yield in MY dominions.”
“We don’t have much time.”
“You know, when moments demand choice. Soon—I shall commit. Perhaps even I must meet this Qianye soon.”
Kaien replied softly, “I offer no counsel here… no opinion.”
The Queen suddenly tensed—stepping to the entrance she pushed wide the heavy doorway, standing upon its threshold surveying the void.
She found herself flanked by the Devil King.
“Was your mind troubled by something new?”
With narrowed eyes gazing into eternity, her soft whisper:
“I wonder… if stars today burn just a little too sharp.”
Thus the dialogue stood suspended in that boundless night between twilight’s edge of memory and fate.
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