Ye Ziling awoke.
Pure moonlight streamed down through the large hole in the roof, illuminating her serene face and making her skin appear even fairer. Her entire countenance was strikingly, even eerily, beautiful.
She struggled to rise from the pile of straw, observing her surroundings. Due to the darkness, she could only get a general sense of the area by moonlight. She found herself in a dilapidated temple.
The hole in the roof was uneven, its outline resembling her own figure, clearly a result of her fall.
Her mind was suddenly chaotic. She touched her forehead, her head throbbing with pain. Frowning in thought, she sat down and attempted to circulate her qi to alleviate her physical discomfort.
As soon as she began, her internal organs ached fiercely, her entire body rejecting the attempt. A warmth suddenly surged into her throat, and before she could react, she spat out a mouthful of blood, her face instantly paling to the color of paper.
She lowered her head, her curled eyelashes casting a natural shadow. A trickle of blood ran down the corner of her lips, as red as cinnabar.
This was not a backlash from her immortal arts, but a shattering of her primordial spirit.
Her head throbbed with intense pain, as if thousands of ants were gnawing at her brain. She clutched her temples with both hands, her serene yet alluring face contorted in pain.
Scattered fragments of memory surged into her mind.
"Tu Yao, this is your fate!" The man above the clouds, handsome and solemn, his chilling voice echoing through the grand hall, each word like a dagger piercing her heart.
"Qing Bai, you altered my memories, deceived my affections, and used my body as the wick for the Sun-Moon Divine Lamp. Do you feel any guilt?" Ye Ziling's eyes filled with frost, her voice chilling to the bone.
Above the clouds, the man let out a cold laugh.
"It's only your fate to be a wick, you were born for this."
Ye Ziling refused to accept it.
She had once commanded the gods, guarded the Heavenly Court, and given her all to the Celestial Realm, only to receive such words in return.
Once, this man had sworn to make her his Empress, to be united in heart and soul, to stay together for life. Yet, on their wedding night, he had offered her poisoned wine, sacrificed her to the heavens, and used the Samadhi True Fire to scorch her body. Her blood had solidified into lamp oil, creating the Heaven- trấn giữ artifact, the Sun-Moon Divine Lamp.
"This is your fate! Everything I have done is for the Celestial Realm!" The man's heartless voice echoed in the sky.
Ye Ziling's eyes gradually darkened.
They all said all beings were equal. Why did she not have the right to live? Was it because of the selfish desires of these so-called righteous gods, or that cold, heartless decree of fate?
Why was she to be a sacrifice?
Seeing no trace of guilt or apology in the man's eyes, the ethereal silhouette behind her gradually gathered, her primordial spirit solidifying. A mocking smile graced her exquisitely beautiful face, "This lamp was born because of me. Even if I die, I will destroy it, destroy this Celestial Realm!"
A strong gust of wind blew, her hair flying wildly, her robes billowing. Her eyes held a fierce glint, as alluring and dangerous as a blooming poppy.
"Stubborn and unrepentant." The man paused, his serene expression deepening with solemnity. Then, he let out a command: "Heaven's Punishment!"
"Rumble—"
A bolt of lightning streaked across the night sky, followed by rolling thunder, illuminating the entire expanse.
Ye Ziling remained unfazed. The primordial spirit behind her grew more solid. She gripped the long sword in her hand, her spirit's aura steadily rising, transforming into a colossal silhouette that soared upwards, relentlessly advancing towards the bright light in the clouds.
Heaven and earth abruptly dimmed. A vast power swept through the entire palace, a power so incredibly potent that even a sliver of it was enough to destroy mountains and rivers.
Ye Ziling withdrew her thoughts, a bitter smile playing on her lips. Her gaze inadvertently fell upon the stone statue before her, covered in cobwebs.
The statue depicted a woman with eight or nine parts resemblance to her. She wore a flowing immortal dress, her eyes sparkled with dazzling starlight, and she stepped lightly upon the ground as if walking on waves. She was a peerless beauty.
This was the former Goddess Tu Yao, also her.
Ye Ziling walked to the door, cupped a pool of rainwater, and washed her face. A strange yet familiar face appeared in the water. She paused for a moment.
It was an incredibly cold and stunning face, with eight or nine parts resemblance to the statue. Slender, distant mountains formed her eyebrows, and a pair of alluring yet cold beautiful eyes, coupled with ruby-red lips, combined to create an unparalleled countenance.
This face was not much different from her original one, only possessing a bit more allure.
Her original face was like a queen of the night, serene and transcendent, astonishing but not vulgar. This new face, however, had a touch of sultriness and earthly charm, making one's mouth water.
This body had been recreated, meticulously sculpted according to her original appearance. He could have perfectly replicated her former self, but instead, he chose to deviate, injecting his own subjective aesthetic.
However, her memories had been altered by Qing Bai, and she didn't know who the creator of this body was.
She didn't dwell on it. As long as she could breathe, she was determined to rise again and return to the Celestial Realm to seek justice for herself.
Unconsciously, Ye Ziling walked out of the dilapidated temple and onto the street.
Along the sides of the street, ornate archways had appeared at some point. Tall buildings pierced the sky, and shops lined up in a dense row. Some shopkeepers wore immortal attire, while others wore beast masks. They all enthusiastically greeted customers at their doorways.
Among these merchants were mortals, and some were beast-faced humanoids, selling ancient beast mounts, elixirs, talismans, or immortal scrolls.
"Five years of simulation, three years of immortal exams, guaranteed to pass!" In front of a private school, a horse-faced divine beast loudly hawked his wares.
"Purebred beast mounts, no charge if they're not pure!"
"White Cloud Elixirs, for those who desire immortality, come and take a look, don't miss out!"
...
A beautiful arc streaked across the sky as a white jade dragon boat sailed through the clouds. Lanterns were hung high on the ground, and people, gods, and beasts mingled harmoniously in the bustling market, resembling a painted scroll.
The last time she visited the mortal realm was ten years ago. Back then, the Celestial Realm and the mortal realm were incompatible. Not to mention gods, even demons were disdained. Now, it presented a scene of prosperity, which was somewhat unexpected.
Ye Ziling walked along the street, engrossed in the sights, when her shoulder was gently bumped.
Looking up, a man in a dark robe walked past her. His slender, bony fingers lightly fiddled with his bamboo hat, obscuring half of his eyes. His chiseled jawline appeared even more refined, and the corner of his lips curved into a faint smile. "My apologies, excuse me."
[System: Lord Ling, touch her, gain fifty immortal power, and receive five divine beasts.]
A strange voice immediately sounded in the man's mind, but his face remained impassive, completely undisturbed.
[Ling Xi: Scram.]
He lowered his head to apologize. His bamboo hat concealed his eyes, but Ye Ziling could feel his gaze subtly lingering on her, devoid of any genuine apology.
Ye Ziling's expression remained calm. She didn't linger on him, preparing to leave. "It's nothing."
The man nodded politely, pulled his bamboo hat down further, bypassed her, and walked directly towards the alley entrance.
Ye Ziling stepped aside. Suddenly, she recalled something was amiss with that man. She reached for the spatial pouch at her waist and found it empty.
Opening the pouch, the silver taels were still there, but the most crucial item was gone.
The Heaven- trấn giữ artifact of the Celestial Realm, the Sun-Moon Divine Lamp.