CHAPTER 3
The Awakening: Summon From the Primordial Carp.
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~Twelve Years Later~
~The Mortal Realm — The Year of the Weird~
Twelve years.
In the life of a mortal, it is a lifetime. In the life of a cultivator, it is but a breath. But for YinYang City, the last twelve years had been a rollercoaster of hope and despair.
Following her dramatic adoption, Lu Xitong had stunned the world. By age six, she was a prodigy. She displayed a cultivation talent that made the old masters weep with jealousy. The Dynasty was ecstatic, Her talent was shocking enough to shake the entire Mortal Realm.
Then, the tragedy struck.
It happened during the Fourth Year of the decade calendar– Year of Wood. Lu Xietong, the shining star, collapsed.
It wasn't a normal sickness. Her skin turned grey, her blood ran cold, and her Qi meridians began to wither. The Yin Empress and Yang Lord spared no expense. They summoned Spirit Alchemists from every corner of the world, burning through mountains of gold.
Nothing worked.
On the brink of death, they made a desperate choice. They sought the aid of the Nine Sacred Light Sect—the colossal overlords of the Mortal Realm.
The Sect saved her. But the price was steep.
She was forced into a betrothal with their Young Lord.
And worse... the cure had burned out her potential.
When she woke up, the genius was gone. Lu Xietong was alive, but she was broken. Her meridians were clogged, her spirit dormant. For the last six years, she had lived as a "Crippled Mortal," a bird whose wings had been clipped.
But misfortune never comes alone.
The Yan Clan—led by the vengeful Yan Rouxi—had begun to stir again. They challenged the Dynasty's authority at every turn. Assassins from the notorious Blood Malva Cult lurked in the shadows, making attempts on Lu Xietong's life.
The city was a powder keg, waiting for a spark.
~The Tenth Year Of The Decade Calendar– The Nameless Year~
~YinYang Dynasty Palace — Inner Courtyard~
The afternoon sun filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
In a heavily guarded garden, a young lady sat on a swing, gently swaying back and forth.
Lu Xietong's thirteenth birthday was now around the corner. She was breathtakingly beautiful, with her signature hair—half black, half white—flowing down her back like a waterfall of ink and snow. She watched with calm grey eyes as her older siblings sparred in the center of the courtyard.
Clang! Swish!
Yin Kai and Yang Mei, the twin prodigies of the Dynasty, moved like blurred shadows. They possessed the rare Twin Taichi Bloodline– A mutating of the natural Primordial Carp's Bloodline exclusive to twins, their movements perfectly synchronized.
"Sigh."
Lu Xitong's soft sigh cut through the air.
Yin Kai froze mid-strike. Yang Mei lowered her wooden sword. The twins immediately rushed over to the swing.
"What's wrong, Little Sis? Are you in pain?" Yin Kai asked, panic in his eyes.
"Do you need the physician?" Yang Mei added, reaching for her pulse.
Lu Xitong smiled, a gentle expression that seemed far too mature for her age. "I am fine, Brother, Sister. I was just... admiring your strength. I miss the days when I could join you."
"Don't say that!" Yin Kai declared, pumping his fist. "The Alchemists said your condition is stabilizing, especially since the beginning of this year. You'll be beating us up again in no time!"
"Exactly," Yang Mei grinned, poking Yin Kai's ribs. "And until then, we protect you. If anyone looks down on our Xietong, I'll break their legs!"
"I've felt the change too," Lu Xietong said thoughtfully, looking at her hands. "Ever since the Nameless Year began... the pressure in the air feels different. It doesn't hurt me. It feels... like... am constantly being strengthened."
"See? That's the spirit!" Yin Kai laughed. "The Genius of YinYang City is returning!"
"Hey, Idiot Brother," Yang Mei interrupted. "Stop slacking. Come here so I can practice my new 'Face-Smashing Fist' on you."
"Mercy!" Yin Kai yelped, darting behind a pillar.
Lu Xitong laughed, the sound like wind chimes. It was a rare moment of peace in a life filled without medicines and assassins.
"Enough."
A frail voice silenced the garden.
The guards instantly snapped to attention, bowing low.
An elderly woman walked into the courtyard. It was the Grand Aunt, the same old lady who had accompanied Yang Jiang– The Yang Emperor in retrieving Lu Xietong, a pillar of the family who had always doted on the children. Usually, she carried sweets and wore a warm smile.
Today, her face was as pale as ash. Her hands were trembling inside her sleeves.
The laughter died in Lu Xietong's throat.
"Grand Aunt?" Yang Mei stepped forward. "What is it?"
The Grand Aunt ignored the twins. Her gaze locked onto Lu Xietong's with a mixture of fear, determination and hope.
"I have no time for games today," she whispered, her voice cracking.
She walked up to Lu Xietong.
"Lu Xie.. you must come with me immediately."
"Where?" Lu Xietong asked, standing up. "Has something happened to?"
"No," the Grand Aunt shook her head. She looked toward the forbidden mountain behind the palace.
"The Primordial Carps... the Guardian Deities of our nation..."
She swallowed hard.
"Are demanding to see you."