The farewell banquet was drawing near. From deep within the layers of clouds, a solemn bell tolled, its echoes spreading like ripples across the endless sky. The sound carried with it a weight of divinity, a reminder that the grand event was about to begin.
Yet Vela was still running.
Her figure streaked through the dawn, her steps scattering golden mist and starlit dew. The boundless cloudscape unfolded beneath her feet, shifting like an ocean made of light. Crimson rays of the rising sun poured down, painting the heavens in fiery hues of gold and scarlet, as if the entire sky had been melted into a vast sea of molten glass. Every breath she drew was filled with the taste of wind and fire.
She clutched a single thought to her heart—the conviction that she must not disappoint her master. That belief gave her strength far beyond her limits. She dashed like a wild stallion loosed from its reins, reckless yet unstoppable. The winds howled against her, whipping her long hair into a storm behind her. Even as her lungs burned, her lips pressed into a faint smile.
If only I truly knew teleportation… then I wouldn't have to worry about being late…
Her gaze lifted briefly, catching sight of the endless expanse above. Clouds piled upon one another like silver mountains, their edges shimmering with morning fire. A flock of radiant cranes swept overhead, their wings trailing glimmers of frost. For a fleeting moment, she felt as though she were sprinting not through the sky, but through a dream woven of light and shadow.
At last, after what seemed like an eternity, she staggered to a stop before the banquet hall.
The hall loomed like a divine fortress suspended in the sky. Its gates soared higher than mountains, carved from jade-white stone that shimmered faintly with divine light. Golden pillars supported the structure, each one engraved with ancient runes that pulsed like beating hearts.
Lanterns of starlight floated in the air, illuminating the steps with a glow that seemed to blur the line between reality and illusion.
Upon the outer walls, sacred beasts were etched with flawless precision: phoenixes with wings ablaze, vermilion birds poised in eternal flight, and celestial tigers crouching as if ready to leap.
Their stone bodies exuded a breath of life, their gazes sharp and commanding. One could almost hear their roars reverberating across the skies.
Yet amidst these grand carvings, one image caught Vela's attention most of all. It was a painting—of herself.
The scene captured her seated before a crystal sphere, light scattering across the table in hues of gold and silver. Within the crystal, her own reflection was etched—focused, unyielding, mysterious. It was as though the artist had glimpsed a truth hidden in her soul, rendering it into immortal beauty.
Warmth bloomed within her chest.
Her eyes drifted past the gates to the banquet inside. From here she could already glimpse long tables overflowing with divine delicacies, radiant wines glimmering like liquid stars, and silken drapes flowing like rivers of light. The banquet was a celebration of abundance, a symbol of endless blessings.
Her lips curved into a smile. The immortals had always teased her for being too wild, too untamed, yet they had prepared such a magnificent welcome.
It was for her—the girl who had dared to bring "magic" into realms where it had never existed. Since the birth of the heavens themselves, this was the first and only time that magic had been acknowledged within the Celestial and Divine realms.
Even now, countless restrictions remained. Magic was forbidden within the Void Realm, the only passage that connected the mortal and divine.
Her smile faltered as she remembered how she had secretly used magic to cross through. Her gaze dropped, and she whispered a guilty prayer beneath her breath.
"Please… let this not bring me trouble."
A voice interrupted her thoughts.
Her parents had arrived. Both wore faint frowns, their regal figures glowing faintly with divine light.
Her mother, Gui Xia, stepped forward first. She lifted a silk handkerchief and gently wiped the sweat from Vela's brow. Her voice was soft, elegant, yet tinged with gentle reproach.
"I have told you, my child. No matter the circumstance, you must remain graceful and composed. Especially as a young lady."
Her father, Chi Ling, crossed his arms, his voice firm, displeasure flickering in his eyes.
"Have I not said countless times that you must prepare in advance? Look at yourself now—disheveled, panicked. Surely you understand the price of procrastination."
Vela accepted the handkerchief, carefully wiping the sweat from her face. One hand pressed lightly to her abdomen, she bowed her head and answered in a breathless voice, "Father, Mother, your teachings are correct. I will remember them always."
She bent in a formal bow. The next moment, her figure shimmered and vanished, stepping into the hall.
Chi Ling sighed softly, his gaze lingering on the space where she had disappeared. "She brushed us off again, didn't she?"
Gui Xia only chuckled, shaking her head as she entwined her arm with his. "Vela may act as though she ignores us, but in her heart, she remembers everything."
She tugged at his arm, her eyes sparkling with childlike excitement. "Come, husband. The banquet is about to begin. We must not be late either."
Together, they entered the hall.
The moment Gui Xia laid eyes on the feast, her composure vanished. She leaned close to her husband, whispering rapidly, her voice bubbling with joy.
"Look there! That is the Thousand-Year Begonia Cake—the fragrance takes a millennium to ripen!"
"And that cake in the shape of a phoenix rising from ashes, adorned with patterns of the Vermilion Bird and Celestial Tiger—it's a tribute to our phoenix clan!"
"Ah! And the lotus-shaped ice cream—do you see the steam curling around it? It's even shaped like a crystal sphere! That is clearly crafted for our Vela!"
Her voice rose higher with each discovery, her delight overflowing.
"And that dish—lobster, sea beast, golden carp arranged into one splendid platter. Doesn't it clearly symbolize prosperity, victory, blessings year after year?"
Chi Ling pressed his fingers against his temple, half-amused, half-helpless. "And who was it that just said a lady must remain calm and composed?"
Gui Xia paid him no mind, her gaze sparkling as she continued, "Such a banquet! Not once in the long history of the heavens has such magnificence been seen. Only our daughter could inspire the gods themselves to pour so much thought into their creations!"
Her laughter rang like a bell, filling the hall with warmth.