Ch. 5
Those mesmerizing magenta eyes gazed across the endless layers of time and space.
Their sight finally settled upon a young man of seventeen or eighteen that was sleeping.
He was tall, with a lean yet perfectly proportioned frame. His short obsidian-black hair rested loosely against a face so exquisitely handsome that it bordered on perfection.
"Hoho~!"
The pair of mesmerizing magenta eyes curved into crescents.
"Master is so handsome!"
"As expected! After all, you've merged two perfect Innate Bodies!"
"Even in the Immortal Realm, either one alone would cause countless ancient sects and immortal clans to fight until rivers of blood flowed. To possess both at the same time..."
The mysterious existence giggled happily to itself.
Suddenly…
Its smile froze
"...Eh?! Eh! Wuwuwuwu! Master is destined to die!"
The girlish voice immediately became flustered.
"Ahh! The Chaos Element... it's always been a taboo!"
"I slept for almost fourteen billion years..."
The magenta eyes immediately became teary.
"The Heavenly Dao would never allow such a being to exist!"
"Just like... just like what happened to my previous Master fourteen billion years ago..."
"Wuwuwu… The heavens are so cruel… Am I really destined to never find a successor?"
Suddenly...
A ripple spread across the endless River of Time.
It flowed through countless worlds, connected endless dimensions, and permeated every corner of existence and space. Every past, present, and future left its reflection upon its boundless waters.
The mesmerizing magenta eyes lit up and its gaze fixed upon one particular moment.
There, a flickering soul drifted toward a lonely shore, its light on the verge of being extinguished.
Yet suddenly...
The current shifted. The soul was pulled back into the endless flow of the River of Time.
"Eh?! Fate… changed? How is that possible?"
The magenta eyes widened in disbelief.
"...It doesn't matter. What's done is done."
The little voice quickly shook itself out of its surprise.
"But..."
"It's still not enough. This tiny bit of luck is nowhere near enough to contend against the Heavenly Dao."
It looked once more at the dim soul drifting through the River of Time. Even the tiniest currents were enough to shake it as it slowly drifted toward the shore once more.
"But why? Why has the Master's soul always been so weak?"
The mysterious voice fell into confusion. Master's soul had been dim since birth.
Its soul flame was barely a flicker, even fainter than that of an ordinary mortal.
The mysterious being immediately began its investigation.
To an existence capable of gazing across countless realms and peering through the river of time and the fabric of space, uncovering the roots of a mere mortal was a trivial matter.
A couple incense sticks later...
"I see… Tsk. How unfortunate. But maybe..."
Suddenly, an idea came to it.
Its gaze turned inward, toward the broken universe it had inhabited for countless eons.
Long ago, this universe had been severed from the path of cultivation. Spiritual qi had long since vanished, leaving behind only a desolate cosmos with barely any traces of life. Yet hidden within its deepest reaches still existed scattered planets where civilizations endured.
Its profound gaze pierced through the entire dimension before quickly settling upon a young man. Within his body, a flickering soul clung weakly to life, as though it could be extinguished at any moment.
"...Hm? Is this destiny?"
A hint of surprise flashed through the magenta eyes.
By sheer coincidence, the young man happened to share the same name as its Master.
Shen Ziye.
...And judging by the state of his soul...
He was only moments away from death!
The magenta eyes curved into crescents.
"Hehe… I'll place all my bets on you."
The mysterious being no longer hesitated.
In the next instant, a terrifying wave of power erupted from its body.
Had such a fluctuation appeared in the Immortal World, it would have shaken countless supreme beings and thrown the entire realm into turmoil.
Yet this broken dimension existed beyond the reach of the Heavenly Dao, hidden outside its perception.
…
The next morning.
A sleek black Rolls-Royce Cullinan glided silently through the streets of Xuan City before coming to a stop outside the city's international spaceport.
"Wow... is that a Rolls-Royce Cullinan?"
"I heard those cost over three million yuan..."
Curious gazes immediately gathered on the luxury SUV.
The driver's door opened first.
Bai Qingluo stepped out gracefully.
Time seemed to have treated her with extraordinary kindness.
Her long black hair was tied into a neat low ponytail, revealing a graceful swan-like neck. She wore a fitted ivory silk blouse tucked into high-waisted black wide-leg trousers, the simple outfit accentuating her mature figure.
A pair of pearl earrings, a delicate platinum bracelet, and nude-colored designer heels completed the ensemble. There were no gaudy logos or extravagant ornaments. Yet every piece she wore was unmistakably luxurious.
Bai Ningxue stepped out beside her.
She wore a simple white short-sleeved blouse tucked into a light-blue pleated skirt that fell just above her knees. Her long slender legs were bare, complemented by a pair of clean white sneakers that gave her an effortlessly youthful charm.
A small cream-colored shoulder bag rested at her side, while her waist-length black hair flowed naturally behind her in the warm breeze.
As the mother and daughter walked toward the terminal, whispers immediately erupted from the surrounding crowd.
"Wow... who are those two beauties?"
"Are they mother and daughter? They both look incredible!"
"Oh my god... do you think the daughter is an idol?"
"She's even prettier than the girls from the Celestial Fairy Troupe!"
Bai Qingluo and Bai Ningxue paid no attention to the gazes following them. Such attention had long since become commonplace. The two calmly entered the arrivals hall and made their way to the designated pickup area.
Looking at her daughter, Bai Qingluo smiled helplessly.
"Xue'er, why did you insist on coming so early?"
She glanced at the large holographic departure board overhead before continuing,
"The Spirit Shuttle from the 7th planet won't be arriving for another half an hour."
Bai Ningxue simply sat down and calmly said, "The early bird catches the worm. Being prepared ahead of time is never a mistake."
Bai Qinglou looked at her daughter speechlessly.
"Xue'er... since when did you become so diligent about picking someone up?"