Chapter 381: Primordial Son!

The Primordial Pagoda soared into the clouds, bathed in a kaleidoscope of shimmering lights, making the ground and buildings below seem like something out of a dreamy fairyland.

At its base, tens of thousands of young men and women had gathered, their faces a mix of reverence and awe as they huddled in groups, whispering among themselves.

These were no ordinary youths; each one of them was like a dragon among men, their every move resonating with the profound mysteries of the universe. Their vitality and magic power were exceptional, far surpassing their peers in the mundane realms, standing tall above the masses of the myriad worlds.

Amidst this scene of admiration, nestled under the pagoda, was a row of elegant little cottages.

Inside one of these, a young boy in black sat cross-legged on the floor. Despite being around 13 years old, his features were marked by a stern resilience, with a nose sharp as a sword's edge and eyebrows like icy blades, making him a sight too intense for most to meet his gaze directly.

As he opened his eyes slightly, it became apparent that his pupils were white, turning his gaze into swirling vortices of chilling mystery.

Behind him stood a group of finely dressed youths, their cultivation evidently superior to those outside, yet they all bowed their heads in service to the boy in black, indicating his extraordinary status.

While the outside world buzzed with excitement for the revered Lian Xi, a young man approached the boy in black with utmost respect, whispering, "Primordial Son, Liu Yingying has arrived."

"Let her in," the boy responded, his white pupils expanding slightly, emotionless as if they were portals absorbing the essence of the celestial, spinning slowly in their icy detachment.

No sooner had his words fallen silent than a graceful young girl in a long pink dress swayed her way over. She was about 17 years old, a touch older than the boy in black, with a slender waist that spoke of elegance, and a face so pretty it could launch ships, crowned with eyes like pools of clear water that beckoned hearts to dive in.

"Liu Yingying pays her respects to the Primordial Son," she said, her voice sweet as a summer peach but not cloying, hitting just the right note of charm without tipping into saccharine.

As she spoke, she lifted her gaze just enough to steal a glance at the boy in black, her cheeks blooming a soft pink. Her hands clasped gently before her, she radiated purity, a sense of being untouched by the world's shadows.

"Senior Sister Liu," the boy replied, his voice a stark contrast to his icy demeanor, warm as a sunbeam coming through a window.

With a soft hum, she waited for him to continue, her eyes fixed on him with an expectancy that belied her calm exterior.

"Word has it you and Lian Xi grew up together. You two are close?" he asked, his gaze respectfully on her face, never wandering, his tone even.

At the mention of Lian Xi, Liu Yingying's heart skipped, but she quickly masked it with a smile as bright as the morning sun. "Indeed, Lian Xi found a second home with us, as close to me as a sister."

Nodding, the boy was not one for roundabouts; he produced a black invitation, saying, "Tonight, on the occasion of my birthday, I am hosting a small gathering. I wish to extend an invitation to Lian Xi and hope you might assist in this matter."

He didn't hand her the invitation, implying he intended to deliver it to Lian Xi personally, a gesture of sincerity.

"And of course, Senior Sister Liu, you are more than welcome to join," he added with a smile that could melt the coldest of hearts.

Liu Yingying's spirits lifted at the invitation, her eyes sparkling with a mix of delight and curiosity. "The Primordial Son's birthday celebration will surely draw the elite from all corners of the Primordial Ruins, won't it?" she mused, her voice light, teasing the grandeur of the upcoming event.

The boy in black shook his head with a chuckle. "Just a small gathering. I'm inviting only close friends and family."

Liu Yingying, her brows playfully arched, cooed, "Is that so? Well, if I manage to tie this thread for you, you might owe me a favor, wouldn't you say?" Her joke was a veiled yes to the boy's request.

The boy's laughter rang out, "With Senior Sister Liu's noble birth and unmatched beauty, just gracing my humble abode would draw admirers. There's no need for me to play matchmaker."

Flattered by his words, Liu Yingying blushed like peach blossoms in spring, floating with an ethereal grace. Yet, deep down, she knew her standing paled in comparison to the illustrious circles of the Primordial Son.

"But..." she glanced outside, her voice a whisper, "Lian Xi is a tough nut to crack. I'll sing your praises, but the final say is hers."

The boy smiled serenely, "Do your best, Senior Sister Liu. That's all I ask."

Reassured, Liu Yingying nodded.

"Also, an ancient forebear of mine might grace the banquet, sharing insights on the sword's path," he said, his voice booming with pride.

"The founder of the sword's path, a celestial being among men!" Liu Yingying gasped, her eyes wide with reverence.

It took her a moment to recover before she smiled and assured him, "She'll come for sure!"

Pleased, the boy smiled just as a wave of admiration and excitement swept in from outside.

"She's about to conquer the eighth level of the Primordial Pagoda. Let's step outside and witness the miracle," he said, striding out of the cottage with the air of an unsheathed sword.

𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Outside, the air buzzed with the electric charge of excitement, as tens of thousands from the Primordial Academy, their eyes alight with fervor, craned their necks towards the direction of the Primordial Pagoda.

Yun Xiao, along with the bald middle-aged man, made their way into the throng.

"Make way! Don't block the path of enlightenment," the bald man bellowed, flinging any obstructing youths aside with a casual flick of his arms.

"Step aside, it's Uncle River!" The disciples quickly wisened up, opening up a path.

"So, this is the Primordial Academy, huh?" Yun Xiao mused to himself, trailing behind the bald figure, his gaze sweeping over the crowd with a mix of wonder and amusement.

"Among these tens of thousands, the youngest might be around ten years old. Yet, the weakest among them is in the Heaven Sanctuary Realm... Quite the lofty standards!" Yun Xiao pondered. Had the Primordial Ruins not drifted over the Nine Hells, rubbing shoulders with this caliber of cultivators might have remained a pipe dream for him.

One glance at their demeanor, their eyes, was enough to tell that their understanding of the Dao far surpassed that of the myriad worlds below. Here, everyone was a dragon among men, a cultivator through and through, and most astonishingly, each seemed to possess their own Seed of Creation, leaving Yun Xiao dazzled.

Then, as he followed the bald man to the base of the pagoda, where the crowd was densest and the gasps of awe loudest, he noticed something.

"Projection Art?" Peering forward, Yun Xiao saw a patch of ground beneath the pagoda where a play of light and shadow unfolded, displaying figures, objects, and battles within swirling mists. Though not crystal clear, the progression of events was discernible.

Clearly, the exploits of Lian Xi within the Primordial Pagoda were being projected for all disciples to marvel and learn from. Yun Xiao recognized the technique used to cast these images; it wasn't overly complex. The higher the practitioner's skill, the clearer the projected images would be.

"There" Through the projection, Yun Xiao finally caught a glimpse of her. Amidst the flickering, a girl in a short white dress emerged into view. Even from just her silhouette, it was clear how impeccably similar the two were... Chen Xi was already the fairest lady Yun Xiao had ever laid eyes on, her skin like unblemished white jade, unparalleled in purity.

So this familiar silhouette struck a chord in Yun Xiao!

"Good heavens," Yun Xiao couldn't help but find the humor in the situation.

Because this girl in the white dress, not only was her fairness familiar, but there was something else about her that took Yun Xiao right back to the Heavenly Realm!

In the midst of the shadows, the girl wielded a colossal, brutal war hammer in one delicate arm, and in the other, a massive battle axe wrapped in crackling thunder! Her slender frame belied a ferocity that rivaled great beasts, her white dress fluttering amidst flames and thunder, wreaking havoc within the Primordial Pagoda.

BOOM!

The sounds of explosions and tumult were relentless!

She faced many foes, swarms of golden celestial puppets shaped like behemoths, rhinos, mammoths, and more, each towering like a mountain of gold, their numbers in the tens of thousands!

She plunged into the herd, pulverizing a golden rhino puppet into dust with her hammer, cleaving a mammoth in two with her axe, belching white flames that swept through the ranks, and with a flick of her wrist, unleashed a million lightning serpents that struck down all around her!

This was the revered maiden? Yun Xiao thought maybe the bald middle-aged man beside him might fit the scene better.