Zeonen, The Prince Of God Realm 3

Zeonen left the Banquet Hall in a daze. Ever since he could remember, his peers looked down on him for his stagnant celestial energy. The instructors at the Celestial Academy never said anything, but he heard the disdain in their voice and felt the ridicule in their eyes.

As the Heavenly Prince of the Heavenly God Emperor, what could be more insulting than being looked at like a piece of trash by a pack of ordinary masters?

Though his parents protected him and tried to shield him from every mocking whisper, they couldn't change the gaze with which others looked at him.

His pride didn't allow him to point this out or lower his head. So for 9 years (90 celestial years), he diligently focused on raising his celestial energy.

Every training session was a nightmare. Sharp pain sliced his skin, and his insides felt as if they were being melted by molten lava. There were times when the pain got so intense that he found it hard to breathe.

But to wipe off the mocking sneers, he never stopped. To erase the ill-concealed disdain, he never cried.

Not when he was coated in sweat.

Not when his seven orifices bled.

Not even when he fainted for three days and three nights.

Others had the advantage of easy breakthroughs. But he couldn't advance a single inch without putting in a hundred percent effort. But even then, he had been willing to put in the effort to gain the same result.

Even today, when it was his birthday, he didn't slack off. He woke up earlier than usual and began his morning routine, so he wouldn't miss any training time due to the celebration.

His 100th celestial birthday should've been the start of a new journey. He was supposed to declare his future partner in front of the Realm Gods.

Iris. The only person who approached and talked to him in the Celestial Academy should've been recognized as his fiance. He thought he knew her, and liked her for not judging and avoiding him like everyone else. She was kind and beautiful, and treated him like an equal. She was his very first friend.

Or so he thought.

When she asked him if she could visit him in the God Realm, he was ecstatic and begged his mother to allow her entry. The first time she told him she wanted to become his wife, he tossed and turned for an entire night.

But when the day finally came for them to get engaged, she showed him his place.

A cripple. A useless trash that couldn't even make a breakthrough in his celestial path after 90 years of training. While his peers were already upgrading their Divine Gates, he was still stuck on opening his Celestial Gates.

"I'm really a trash!" Zeonen roared and punched the pillar. Pain assaulted his senses as blood leaked from his fist.

But he didn't stop. The physical pain helped dull the agony in his chest. Numb the frustration and the sense of helplessness. He slammed his fist into the golden pillar over and over again, until his entire fist was drenched in blood and sweat dripped down his face.

Drained and exhausted, he rested his forehead against the pillar and slowly slid to the ground. The gold tile was cold to the touch, and helped cool the heat in his body. Zeonen sighed and closed his eyes.

"Hurting yourself won't change the situation. Your pain won't reach the one that caused it."

Right at this moment, an immature, melodious voice rang out from the side.

A gentle gust of wind caressed his face, carrying along the tantalizing fragrance of rain and fresh flora, fruit nectar and medicinal herbs.

When the mild fragrance entered his nostrils, Zeonen's turbulent emotions settled down. The anger, disappointment, and pain from Iris Saros's betrayal faded to the back of his mind as he hurriedly pushed to his feet. Though he felt embarrassed, he couldn't stop his sapphire orbs from drifting to the girl, who was gazing at him with bright and captivating violet pupils.

She was exquisite.

Clear and pure as the celestial water, her mesmerizing eyes complemented her slender brows that were as smooth as flowing streams. Jade-like lustrous snow-white skin and hair as black as the midnight sky. Garbed in a pure-white petal like dress with snow-white cherry blossoms braided in her hair, the girl exuded ethereal beauty that put to shame Iris's charm.

Even at her small age, even with the white veil covering half of her face, she attracted his attention.

"You are..."

Yusria smiled, her eyes curving into crescent moons, as she strode over and held out her hand. "For you."

"For me?" Zeonen lowered his head, and stared confusedly at the stalk of rose.

"I saw you leave the hall in a dejected mood, and plucked this rose to cheer you up. Go on. Take it." Yusria forcefully shoved the rose into the Crown Prince's hand and proudly raised her head. "My father says you shouldn't cry for what you don't get. Instead, consider it as it was never meant to be yours, and strive to obtain something that's a hundred times better."

Zeonen tightened his grasp on the rose and smiled self-deprecatingly. "You can only achieve something better when you have no flaws. Who would want a trash?"

"Have you seen a butterfly?" Yusria suddenly asked.

"Yeah? What about it?"

"Butterflies start out as eggs, then hatch into ugly and slimy larvae. They are so ugly that no one pays them a second glance. And if others encounter them on the road, they would step on them or kick them aside without hesitation."

Yusria grabbed the Crown Prince's clenched fist and gently blew on his wound. "After a period of time, caterpillars enter hibernation, and go as still as dead. However, when they break their cocoon and show themselves again, they transform into winged creatures with delicate beauty that no one can keep their eyes off." Ripping a piece off her dress, she wrapped it around the wound and held his gaze with a bright smile.

"I don't believe the Crown Prince is a trash. It's impossible for you to be one, as your mother and father are the rulers of the God Realm. If you ask me, in my eyes, you're like a caterpillar in hibernation. Your celestial energy is probably stagnant, because it's not time for you to break out of your cocoon. But once your transformation is complete, the entire Seven Heavens will resonate with your name."

Zeonen's heart skipped a beat. No one had ever said something like that to him before.

Releasing his hand, Yusria stepped back and turned towards the banquet hall. "Keep the rose. It'll cheer you up." She waved.

As he watched her go, Zeonen couldn't help but shout. "What's your name?"

"Yusria, the Light of Flora!"