Chapter 2: The World of Xianxu – A Guide to the Veins of Destiny
Welcome to Xianxu, a realm where power isn't born—it's awakened. If you're stepping into this world for the first time, let me paint you a picture of its heart and soul, so the colors, weapons, and energies make sense as Rin and Amaya's story unfolds.
Imagine a land alive with spiritual energy, flowing through natural channels called Tiānmài, or the Veins of Heaven. These are like rivers of power running through the earth, feeding villages, cities, and empires. The strength of a Tiānmài determines how prosperous a place can be—stronger veins mean stronger cultivators, bigger cities, and fiercer wars. Each Tiānmài is ranked by color, and here's what those colors mean, from weakest to strongest:
- **Red**: The weakest, like the faint pulse under Yusheng village. It's enough to keep a small community alive, but it's no place for legends.
- **Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue**: Each step up means more power, drawing stronger cultivators and bigger ambitions.
- **Purple, Silver, Gold**: Rare and coveted, these veins birth empires and spark wars. A single Gold Tiānmài can make a dynasty.
- **Black, White**: Near-mythical, whispered about in ancient tales.
- **Rainbow**: A legend, unstable and hidden, said to hold unimaginable power.
Every settlement needs a Tiānmài to survive, and the stronger the vein, the fiercer the fight to control it. That's why wars rage over Blue or Silver veins, and why Yusheng's humble Red vein keeps it small and overlooked—for now.
At eighteen, everyone in Xianxu faces the Awakening Ritual, a moment that decides their fate. This is when your soul reveals two things: your weapon and your element. Your weapon is your partner in cultivation, the path to power. It might be a sword, a spear, or something strange like a flute or even a yo-yo. Some weapons are practical for battle, others—like a broom or a pot—seem weak but can hide surprising depth. A rare few, like Rin's yo-yo that becomes a bow or Amaya's flute that turns into a sword, are dual-form, making them special and unpredictable.
Elements are just as crucial. They're random, not inherited, and they shape how you wield your power. The five primary elements are:
- **Wind**: Swift, elusive, strategic.
- **Fire**: Fierce, destructive, passionate.
- **Water**: Fluid, adaptable, calm.
- **Earth**: Sturdy, unyielding, grounded.
- **Lightning**: Explosive, unpredictable, rare.
Most people awaken one element, if any. Two elements happen in one in a hundred thousand. Three, like Rin and Amaya, are one in a million. Four are one in a billion, and five? Impossible, unless you carry an ancient divine bloodline. Rin's mysterious Pseudofire element, born from the friction of his yo-yo's spin and his breath, is a strange, ghostly flame that burns energy and spirit, not just matter—a wildcard even in Xianxu.
Cultivation is the art of growing your power, refining your weapon, element, and spirit through paths called Daos. Amaya's Music Dao uses her flute's melodies to weave illusions and control emotions, while her Sword Dao channels precision and dominance. Rin's Rune and Array Daos let him inscribe space with traps and seals, his Martial Dao hones his body, and his budding Archer's Dao sharpens his aim and patience. Only about one in five people awaken a weapon at all. Those who don't are called the Hollow, living ordinary lives unless they find a rare chance to cultivate artificially.
Rin and Amaya, our leads, are no ordinary cultivators. She's a white-haired prodigy, a hidden matriarch whose crimson eyes and flute-sword command respect. He's a black-haired wanderer, his cyan eyes hiding a past as mysterious as his yo-yo-bow and Pseudofire. Together, they're bound by a choice made when Amaya, at three years old, pointed at Rin and claimed him as hers. Now, at eighteen, their awakenings have set them apart—Amaya as a blazing star, Rin as a mocked enigma. But in Xianxu, where strength is forged and fate is fought for, their story is just beginning.
As you follow them, remember: the colors of the Tiānmài light the way, but it's the choices of cultivators like Rin and Amaya that shape the destiny of this world. So, step into Xianxu, and let's see where their path leads.