Chapter 18: The Beginning Of Hegemony.
Chapter 18: The Beginning Of Hegemony.
Endless Catacombs~
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"I shall have my revenge, for my family, my happiness and all that was snatched away from me,I shall have it all back. Come what may, it's not over till it's over." Lu Xie Tong vowed.
With her memories restored, Lu Xie Tong found herself in a state of inner turmoil. The revelation of her true origins left her deeply conflicted, grappling with a profound sense of confusion and uncertainty. She was now faced with a daunting dilemma, unsure whether to disclose her past to her newfound family or to keep it concealed.
For thirteen years, she had lived with her new family, devoid of her memories, essentially starting anew from infancy. Her affection for them ran deep, akin to that of her biological family. She understood that revealing the truth could shatter their hearts and potentially expose them to unforeseen dangers.
After weighing the pros and cons she determined it was better to keep the truth from them, at least for now. The fewer the number of people who knew about her origins the better it was for everyone around around her.
" I'm sorry but I will have to keep this a secret, I can't disclose my true origins to anyone just yet as it may cause y'all endless trouble and I don't want a repetition of the past, just as the saying goes, 'those who fails to learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.'"Lu Xie Tong used this to justify her actions.
Just then, a recollection sparked within her mind, causing her eyes to illuminate with excitement. She hastily departed from the chamber, her delicate feet swiftly carrying her through the vast corridors of the labyrinthine catacombs.
Lost in her quest, Lu Xie Tong navigated aimlessly through the ornate halls and chambers in search of someone. The more she searched the more an unwanted realization set in.
Eventually, she chanced upon a grand hall themed in a black and white motif. Inside, she beheld Yin Yu and Yang Chen seated upon their black-white contrasting thrones. Yet, Yin Yu appeared lost in a trance, gazing into the void with a distant expression, while Yang Chen prattled on, oblivious to Yin Yu's state of being present in body but far of mind.
Yang Chen was the first to observe Xie Tong emerge at the entrance to the hall, causing him to pause his vocal epistle abruptly and adopt a dignified demeanor, quite distinct from his usual casual air just moments before.
"You have finally roused from your slumber,"he proclaimed, his words snapping Yin Yu out of her dreamy haze.
"Where is he?"Lu Xie Tong inquired impatiently.
"What do you mean?"Yin Yu feigned ignorance.
"Where is he? Where has he vanished to? Where is my brother?" Xie Tong asked hysterically, almost screaming, her eyes reddening, as she fell onto the floor crystalline tears welling up in her saddened eyes. Lu Xie Tong was stricken; her own brother had been by her side all along, yet she had failed to recognize him.
She couldn't imagine how hurt he must have beenl, as well as all the troubles he must have encountered over the years, that he had to face alone.
Her survival was all thanks to his sacrifices, and now probably knowing that she would regain her memories, he had decided to leave before she had awoken to prevent her from making any rash decision along with him.
Although she had not seen his face within the short time they spent together she could recognize his mystic art. Being born with the Sublime nether soul his mystic art had always had an extremely yin and ghostly appeal, furthermore, he was also a veteran array master, which fitted the description of that enigma perfectly. Lu Xie Tong needed no soothsayer to spell out the obvious for her; hence, she was dead sure of it.
Watching Lu Xie Tong breakdown like this was quite unsightly for Yin Yu and Yang Chen. They did prefer her quirky and sassy attitude more, than the unsightly sight before them.
They both tactfully allowed her the space to release her sorrow through tears. They understood that her weeping went far beyond the surface-level grief for her brother. Recalling her memories felt akin to reopening an old wound, inevitably leading to a flow of emotions. Furthermore, there was evidently a concealed narrative at play; otherwise, her brother would not have entrusted her to the Yin Yang dynasty's care for thirteen years only to disappear once she regained her lost memories.
To Lu Xie Tong, the calamity felt as if it had occurred just yesterday, despite the passage of thirteen years. The vivid scenes and harrowing experiences she had endured during their escape remained etched in her mind, thanks to her recently restored memories.
Theverynextday~
The following morning, in the serenity of her chamber, Lu Xie Tong exuded a composed demeanor, albeit with a chilling aura tenfold more intense than her usual self. Seated upright, she hugged her knees in solitude.
A soft patter of footsteps approached Lu Xie Tong's quarters, as light as the whisper of zephyr. A graceful figure, akin to a willow leaf dancing in the breeze, entered with a gentle tap on the partially ajar door.
"You're feeling better now?"A woman clad in a vanta black gown perched on Xie Tong's bed. This woman was none other than Yin Yu.
In response to Yin Yu's query, there was a profound silence from Xie Tong. Her gaze fixed on the vast emptiness as she blinked blankly. Her eyes, swollen with a darkened hue around them, they bore the marks of shedding tears and sleep deprivation.
"Lu Huo Gui had left certain items for you before his departure," Xie Tong's eyes sparkled at the mention of her brother's name from Yin Yu's lips.
"I deemed it more appropriate to entrust this to you once you had regained composure." Yin Yu promptly retrieved a parchment and an iridescent stone shard, the latter the size of a fingernail. Placing them beside Lu Xie Tong, she departed in the same graceful manner she had entered.
Lu Xie Tong extended her hand towards the items beside her, eager to unveil their contents. Hastily she grasped the parchment, delving into its message.
Her countenance shifted from anguish to apprehension, then to optimism and finally resolve as she absorbed the information within.
Putting the parchment away, she delicately held the iridescent stone, carefully examining it before stowing it as well. Being a memory stone, she couldn't delve into its secrets until she honed her primal divine senses.
Reading the parchment left behind for her from her brother, a fierce determination surged within her, unlike anything she had ever felt before. It ignited a desire to ascend to greatness, to dominate the nine realms and establish her hegemony. This journey of conquest would commence right here from the mortal realm.
A chilling grin adorned her features as she realized her advantage in this new path of cultivation - her past memories. This perfect loophole in the system would aid her progress, ensuring a flawless and rapid cultivation this time around.
"My primary focus lies on the imminent clash set for the the new year between my Yin Yang dynasty and the Yan clan," Lu Xie Tong proclaimed.
"Those Yan clan people will help me blow off some heat." Xie Tong continued.
"However, a prerequisite to this engagement is the augmentation of my strength to a requisite level, I have to break the shakles of the body augmentation stages within the next two days."