9 The Origin

The man behind the fog had uttered a single sentence, so softly that no one could hear it, yet the conclusion was what Lin Xueqin did not expect. The voice of the figure has resonated in the void.

"You...are?" Lin Xueqin took a step backward. Transported in a completely foreign void, he needed to be cautious no matter what.

As he eyed the figure in the fog, it vanished in its spot, Lin Xueqin leaped in terror as words landed next to his ears.

"So you're the current heir to the old thing. You're a decent young man."

Lin Xueqin collapsed on the ground in fear. Slowly, the fog passed and bent down to scrutinize him. Its eyes, even though obscured, were gleaming with lustrous and terrifying mind power. It immobilized Lin Xueqin as he stared at it.

"Relax, young man. I will not cause you any harm. That old thing wouldn't allow me to meet you otherwise. And, after all, my life—no, our lives—depends on you."

Lin Xueqin's heart could not calm down at all. Its stare appeared to pierce him naked. It was as if it could see what was beyond his skin, his body, his heart, and his soul. It absolutely terrified him.

"Are you Zhou Yan, Senior?"

"It doesn't matter anymore." The fog raised its head. Constellations hovered around them "It is those who mattered."

Lin Xueqin followed the fog's gaze and looked at the constellations that shrouded them. They were brightly coated, with some dyed in crimson and others in various shapes and positions.

Lin Xueqin's eyes gleamed as he enjoyed the breathtaking sight. "Are you attracted to them, senior?"

"You wouldn't say that if you knew them." The fog chuckled, his laugh resonating in the void. "Believe me, I never lie."

Lin Xueqin raised his brows and frowned. "What are these constellations?"

"Your ultimate foes."

"My enemies?" Lin Xueqin was taken aback, for he had not expected to hear that.

"You're surprised now. I mistook you for a block of wood without any emotions." The fog laughed. "Anyway, for the time being, you must use this opportunity to cultivate For the time being, they will not notice you. However, once they did, believe me when I say that even the Heavens can't help you."

"Now that you mention it, you stated in your diary that the system cannot be trusted. Is it one of the constellations?" Lin Xueqin's heart tightened in worry. He yearned to know the answer hidden in this particular question.

"The constellation?" The fog appeared surprised to hear that. "Would you help a guy knowing he's your ultimate villain boss, young man?"

"I won't. That's the same as raising a possible threat." Lin Xueqin's eyes furrowed. "Do you mean that the system is Heaven?"

"Specifically, yes." The fog sighed. "But it did have a name and an origin. It was the supreme entity before my era - no, the absolute beginning - when the cosmos was first created. Its existence is greater than that of the universe itself. It is not an exaggeration to state that it transcends some of the most powerful beings in the outer world. It's known as 'Thearch of Primordial Origin.'"

As Lin Xueqin was about to open his mouth, the fog waved his hand. "I understand what you're thinking. My time is almost up, so let us get to the crucial stuff."

"First and foremost, the world in which we live is known as the Inner World. The Outer World exists outside of the Inner World... As the chosen one of the current era, you would undoubtedly come into contact with them sooner or later—the constellations, no, the Gods of the Outer Worlds."

"Anyway, I can't spill you any more information since they'll find out about your presence. They would, at worst, crush your soul. After all, you're still young. If you faced them with your current strength, forgive me for being blunt, but you're a tiny ant. As you can see, even with all of my power, I can't stop them from wiping their presence from the diary."

"It's no surprise the pages were erased." Lin Xueqin's pupils constricted. The difficulty of his path has risen to hell.

"Do you have any further questions?" The fog said. "Anyway, I understand your concern. It's not your enemy, but you'll come to hate it eventually...or not? I'm not sure, however, at worse, it will transform you into someone you never imagined. That old thing is a pain in the ass. You'll know when you get to that level."

"Not my enemy?" Lin Xueqin nodded. He breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that the system was not a foe. If it was his enemy, Lin Xueqin did not know where to find something that could aid his martial path. Suddenly, he remembered something and said. "What exactly did you face in your last mission, Senior?"

"Are you interested in that?" The fog grinned, displaying a set of yellowish teeth. "Unfortunately, it won't let me speak. However, I must warn you: There are two options, but only one road. You'll suffer on any path you'll choose. If I hadn't met my loved ones, I might have chosen 'That' road instead of 'This.' Hehe, I wonder whether they're still fine? I miss them terribly."

Lin Xueqin remained mute. He understood what Zhou Yan was saying; he was referring to his wife and children. Although Lin Xueqin was bothered by the fact that Zhou Yan was still alive after the passage of many eons, he still asked. "Senior...in that case, why are you still alive?"

"Don't mind me. You brat, I'm not even alive. Can't you see I'm just a pathetic fog?" Zhou Yan gnashed his teeth. "If it hadn't been for those outer entities, I would have..."

"Anyway, I'm leaving right now." The Fog murmured something. "Young man, I believe in you. Perhaps you are the Chosen One we have been looking for. Remember to be wary of the Outers. And, I almost forgot, be careful of the apostles of the constellations."

The Fog's figure gradually became transparent. Before departing, it told Lin Xueqin. "Also, if you happen to run into my family, tell them I love them."

———

——

—

Murmuring could be heard in the void.

"That old thing allowed you to meet him. Did it changed?"

"Change? That's not going to happen. However, I am concerned about its new successor. He's not like us."

Silence maintained the void. A bit later, the conversation continued.

"Let it be. If he chooses that path, then it's fate."

"From what I've observed, his golden finger is really unusual and wicked. The old thing had finally learned its lesson. It no longer wished that its heir be righteous."

"What do you expect? It will not obey if its successor has good intentions. The seal is progressively weakening as time passed, and it couldn't wait any longer for the virtuous person to obey his plan. According to what I've seen, it picks him because of his - ambition. That boy has a seed of desire in his heart, and it's so strong too."

"You meet him, old fifth. Is he good...or completely evil?"

"That successor? He's decent, utmost. He'll most likely walk 'That' path."

"We are not the same as him. Sigh, I'm not entirely opposed to its plan. But I'm still concerned about them."

"We have our loved ones- there's no way we're going to go along with its plan."

"But that boy is unique. Perhaps this is the era in which everything changes."

"As fallen, all we can do as fallen is watch him develop. This is our job, the reason we exist!"

———

——

—

[Congratulations on absorbing Zhou Yan's diary. You have absorbed the 1x part of the primordial origin]