"I hope we had more time. So, you can stop receiving my broken pieces, and instead give you my prettiest ones."
↺
Inside of the discussion hall, six gathered around the room. An array blocking any outsiders to prevent the spreading of unnecessary rumours they didn't need at a time like this.
Once more, as years passed, peace has returned in the three realms. No threat that the heavenly emperor needed to check himself. No problem to shake the heavens in fear.
But in time, wars and destruction was inevitable. So long as there is pride and greed, so long as one commits a terrible sin, peace will never last in the world.
Because no matter how good they say they are, there will always be thorns on a rose.
"This... This is bad, indeed." One says, putting a hand on his chin. Eyebrows furrowed in an earnest way the others haven't seen from him in a while.
One nods, agreeing as he stares at the scroll as though it held answers and solutions, not just the problem and the question. "We need to do something quick. This is terrible in itself."
"What do you suggest we do, then?" Another questions with an arched brow. Crossing his arms as he leans on a pillar almost casually, if not for the similar frown on his features. "We're not even sure where this thing is. Uncertain of his location and state."
"Who knows, it probably even cultivated a core for himself."
"They..." One man trails off in surprise. "They can do that?"
"While there's only cases for it happening with supreme ghosts... It's not really impossible." The first that spoke explains calmly, lowering a hand to brush it against the words on the scroll. As though feeling for more hidden spaces they had missed upon reading. "How long did you say this thing was?"
"We suspect about nine hundred years if not younger." A woman states, clasping her hands behind as she purses her lips. "We recieved signals before, but it wasn't as strong as what we had been receiving recently."
The other's face twists into somewhat of a perplexed frown. "When did you start receiving it?"
The woman points at a quiet man, leisurely watching the others discuss. "Just after his first heavenly calamity."
"First calamity. Then, it was long before Bai Wuxiang..." One sighs, putting a hand on his hips as the other interlaces with the man beside him. "How strong are the signals you're receiving now?"
The signals they referred to were the odd twists in the spiritual energy lingering about in the three realms. The abrupt shift of an angle of a spiritual qi's line as if a foreign touch has disturbed it.
A spiritual power line is a thread-like golden flow of qi. Coming from the cores of cultivators, heavenly officials, ghost kings alike, all connects to one, single palace in the heaven.
The Xianle Palace.
As it is the palace occupied by the current emperor. The disturbance of a specific qi's line was worry-inducing itself as that never happens before. If one's core was destroyed or voluntarily removed, the line would simply disappear. No longer of use.
However, in their situation, the suspection of the core wasn't on the table as they stare at the words on the scroll layed out before them.
Because the line wasn't connected to any core.
It was just there. When they had tried to track down where the other end was, they arrived back empty handed. When they tried to look for the previous owner of the line, they find that it had always been like that.
A spiritual line that is not connected to any core had been here for longer than eight hundred years, and they only realized it now. One that even the former emperor hadn't noticed before.
They try to decipher the riddle numerous times. Coming up with random theories here and then, that maybe they just mixed something up. Therefore, needing to check again.
And when that did not work, they tried to look for histories of spiritual energy not coming from spiritual cores. That perhaps, this was something rare. Something that the mortals had created that the heavens didn't know.
That was futile as well.
"We need to look for it." One says firmly, clenching a fist as he uses it to hit his palm. "We need to stop it."
"How? As far as we know, we don't even know what it is. Who it is."
"We work it out, somehow. Find clues. In mysteries, there's always specks of the puzzle littered around, gone unnoticed by the oblivious people. We need to find atleast something."
"But this..." The quiet one finally speaks up. "This, whatever this is, isn't about pride nor greed is it?"
"What are you on about?"
"We are dealing with something angry... It's a hunch, and more of a thought and not a fact. The line's shiftings and bouncings are getting stronger by the days isn't? What if it's getting stronger?"
"... Elaborate further."
"If we say that the more the shifting of the line is getting higher and more blatant, the more stronger it gets - couldn't this be a sign that whatever this is could be something akin to an angry beast?" The man hovers a finger over the line on the scroll, frowning as if even his words had confused him as well. "And that it found a way to be... as strong as a supreme ghost. Fueled by resent."
"..."
"..."
"At this point." Another says with a sigh, "I'll take every theory there is. Every assumptions. And your assumption, sort of has a point. Because the signals were weak before that no one noticed. Look-" He points at the curves of the lines drawn on the scroll. "Recently, the elevation spiked higher. When we didn't know the emperor was Bai Wuxiang, it wasn't this high."
"If it found something, what is it?" Frustrated noises could be heard from the others. Sighs and mutterings, they weren't even sure what they were looking for, or if it was even worth a shot to investigate.
Who knows, this was probably some kind of innocent trick.
"It's best if we concern ourselves with the surrounding areas as well. Look for anything suspicious in the three realms that could relate to this."
"I'll keep an eye on the spiritual lines in case of anything."
"I'll tell the other domain rulers of the news."
"Make sure nothing is spread around. We don't want to raise any panic."
"I'll continue lurking around the ghost realm."
"I, too."
"That's great. That's all for now, you may all go on your way. We will call once more if anything is found." All nods, inclining their heads in respect before they began to stride outside.
All except for one.
"How are you feeling?"
A man halts. In surprise, he turns. "Fine...?"
The other smiles knowingly. "You haven't visited me in a while. I suspect you kept going to him."
"There's no excuse. Yes, I've been visiting him atleast everyday now." He smiles as well, "I just can't help myself."
"Ai, it's alright. Visit him as much as you'd like, as long as he allows you to. Have you entered the kingdom yet?"
"Not so much. He forbids me to."
"Why so?"
"I suspect it's because of his father. I'm not sure, I didn't dare venture deeper." He averts his gaze almost shyly, "I want him to tell me himself."
They stand in silence momentarily. Indulging in memories they had tried so hard to keep to themselves. Memories they both hid in the depths of their minds, refusing to pull back out in the open until recently.
The other chuckles. "Can I visit him as well? Surely, you won't be keeping this as a secret to them for so long."
He chortles as well, shrugging. "His day of birth is coming up. He didn't say, but I'm sure they'll be holding a celebration. You can visit him there along with the others as well."
Albeit quiet, the smile the other gave him goes to show he was just as delighted as he is. "You seem happier."
That, he did not need to be told. The darker skies had become brighter and more blue. The sun shining more vividly than he remembers, and the smiles he finds he couldn't get rid off no matter how much he tries. The way he had to physically calm himself as not to scream when something unexpectedly happens between him and that man that sends his mind into haywire.
If he didn't know any better, he'd say he's even addicted.
He no longer have to falsify his laughs, along with his positive reactions. Able to indulge himself into feasts or celebrations without having to think of murder everytime he sees something particularly unpleasant.
He's... happy.
"I have found him again." He replies softly, clasping his hands behind him as he tilts his head up with a sigh. "Whoever gave this second chance to me, I thank them forever for giving him back to me again."
________
n. it's a bit longer now, i guess, ngl.
bit.
anyways, guess who they were lol. if it's not that obvious yet.