Chapter Fifteen: An Unreturnable Pledge
A shadow of silence hung heavy in the murky space, her words of disaster and trial echoing like an inextinguishable echo.
Ling Yu's head dipped slightly, as if the same shadows were pressing on his shoulders, then he suddenly raised it, a gleam in his eyes that no one had ever seen before.
He said in a rough but steady voice, "Throughout my life, I've only encountered setbacks... the last of which was when I saw my father and mother die before me. I have nothing left in this world, no family, no shelter... except this path. And I will walk it even if it's the last thing I do."
There was a long silence. The woman didn't respond immediately, but stood watching him as if trying to gauge his true worth. Then she smiled faintly, a faint but genuine smile for the first time:
"Well... you've given me the answer I wanted to hear."
She raised her hand, and the translucent flesh shone with new lines, deeper than he'd ever seen before. "So, let's continue. You've learned the first three divisions: Ordinary, Earthly, and Heavenly. Now comes what many dare not even mention."
She extended her finger to a glowing line just above the heart:
"The fourth division: The Sage Line. Opening it draws you into the River of Time itself. You will then find yourself in an eternal stream, experiencing your past, your present, and perhaps even glimpses of your future. Some come back stronger… some are lost in its current forever. Success is not guaranteed, and failure means death or madness."
Ling Yu's body trembled as he imagined this, but his eyes never lost their luster.
Then she pointed to another line above her head, glowing with a majestic golden light:
"The fifth division: The Imperial Line. This line is only opened by those born to break the boundaries of humanity. When you reach it, you will attract an unspeakable catastrophe, one that reshapes your body and soul. You may be erased and reborn… or you may be shattered forever. You will only know when the time comes."
The lines suddenly disappeared, and darkness engulfed everything again.
Ling Yu remained standing, silent, deep in thought. Then he raised his head and said in a tone not devoid of defiance:
"All of this… is difficult and terrifying. But tell me… is there a reward for facing all these disasters?"
There was a brief silence, before a mysterious smile crossed her lips, half mocking, half veiled promise:
"Yes… there is a reward."
Her voice trailed off as the space faded away, leaving Ling Yu suspended between awe and anticipation…