The Gaze of Legends
The steward's silent guidance led them through gardens where every shrub and stone seemed placed by a master's hand, whispering of ancient, patient power. At the towering castle doors, a phalanx of servants bowed in seamless unison, their movements too fluid, too quiet to be entirely human. The heavy doors swung inward without a sound, admitting them into a grand, vaulted entrance hall. Their footsteps echoed on polished stone as they traversed corridors lined with tapestries depicting not human history, but breathtaking, elemental landscapes—storms over primeval forests, glaciers under twin moons, volcanoes cradling lakes of stars.
Finally, they entered the main hall. It was vast, lit by crystalline chandeliers that cast a soft, shimmering light. The air here was thick, not with dust, but with the weight of millennia and the quiet might of its occupants.
Four figures awaited them.
Gu Yue's step lightened, a genuine warmth entering her voice as she broke the solemn silence. "Uncle Di, Aunt Zi, Aunt Bi, Uncle Xiong, I'm back." She gave Yao Xuan's hand a slight, encouraging squeeze before releasing it. "Look, this is Yao Xuan, whom I told you about."
Yao Xuan's heart, a steady drum, did not falter. His gaze swept across the four, matching them to the legendary titles he carried in his mind. The Four Fiend Beasts. The pillars of the soul beast world.
At the center stood Di Tian. His human form was a man in his prime, draped in simple black robes that seemed to drink the light. His face was carved from weathered stone, severe and intelligent, with long black hair framing piercing golden eyes that held the depth of endless nights and forgotten wars. He stood with a stillness that was not passive but potent, like a mountain that chooses not to move. The self-proclaimed Beast God, the 890,000-year Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King. Yao Xuan felt the faintest hum of his own Ancestral Dragon bloodline, a quiet resonance in the presence of this apex draconic being.
To Di Tian's left was a force of pure physicality. Xiong Jun was a giant of a man, well over two meters tall, his frame straining the seams of a simple leather vest. His skin had a dull, dark golden sheen, like aged bronze, and his arms were thicker than Yao Xuan's thighs, corded with muscle that promised cataclysmic power. His eyes, wide and bright, held a restless, simmering violence barely leashed by intellect. The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, whose claws could scar legends.
To Di Tian's right stood Zi Ji. She was elegance and enigma personified. A gown of deep purple hugged a figure of lethal grace, her long, plum-colored hair cascading like a waterfall of twilight. Her skin was flawless, her features sharp and bewitching, with violet eyes that seemed to see through layers of reality. The Hell Demon Dragon King. A fellow dragon, her aura was a complex melody of majesty and subtle, dangerous allure.
Beside Zi Ji, Bi Ji offered a stark contrast. Dressed in soothing shades of jade green, she emanated a tranquil, restorative peace. Her hair was the color of spring leaves, her expression kind, her eyes holding a gentle, sorrowful wisdom that had witnessed too much loss to harbor casual malice. The 590,000-year Emerald Swan, the greatest healer among soul beasts, the voice of reason and compassion.
As Yao Xuan observed them, they were dissecting him with senses far beyond human. The moment stretched, thick with silent appraisal.
Within Di Tian, a seismic shift occurred. The controlled aura he projected wavered for a nanosecond. 'This… this is not just a trace. This is the wellspring. The purity… it surpasses even Her Majesty's. How can a human child carry the heart of the Dragon God?' The shock was tectonic, but a lifetime of supreme command clamped down on it. His expression remained a mask of polite welcome, though his golden eyes held a new, intense focus.
Zi Ji felt it as a siren song in her blood. A pull, deep and primal, towards the source of her own lineage. Her purple eyes widened a fraction, a flush of involuntary reverence coloring her cheeks before she masterfully smoothed it into a look of curious interest. A sidelong glance at Gu Yue, standing protectively close, doused any flicker of deeper impulse with the chill of reality.
Xiong Jun grunted softly, a sound like grinding stones. He didn't have dragon blood, but his soul beast essence, born from the same cosmic tapestry as the Dragon God, vibrated in recognition of a higher order. This boy was no prey. He was… something else entirely. Respect, earned not by battle but by inherent supremacy, settled in his bullish gaze.
Bi Ji sensed it as a brilliant, soothing warmth. Unlike the others' turbulent recognition, hers was a feeling of coming upon a clear, pristine spring in a parched land. A source of life and unity that spoke to her healing spirit. Her gentle smile became more genuine, less perfunctory.
The initial, barely perceptible doubt that might have greeted a mere human boy evaporated. In its place was a unified, unspoken acknowledgment. The atmosphere in the hall subtly changed, the weight of their collective presence shifting from judgment to a guarded, profound respect.
Di Tian was the first to move, stepping forward with a grace that belied his imposing aura. He aimed for avuncular warmth, though the effect was like a glacier trying to host a garden party. "Ah, Gu Yue, you're back! How is your academy life?" His voice was deep, cultured. Then his golden eyes turned to Yao Xuan. "And this must be the young man with the unique martial soul you mentioned?"
Yao Xuan bowed slightly, perfectly calibrated—respectful but not subservient. "It is an honor to meet you, Elder… Uncle Di," he amended, following Gu Yue's lead. "My name is Yao Xuan. Gu Yue has spoken of your… guidance." He kept his tone even, his own dragon essence held in calm, respectful check, neither challenging nor cowering.
"Yes, Uncle Di," Gu Yue confirmed, seamlessly playing her part as the niece. "His martial soul is quite special. I was hoping you could help examine it?"
"But of course," Di Tian replied, the words rolling out with practiced ease. "However, the journey is long. Let us attend to hospitality first." He turned fully to Yao Xuan, extending a hand. The gesture was human, but the hand that took Yao Xuan's was perfectly sculpted, its grip firm and cool. "Welcome, Yao Xuan. I am Gu Di. Consider this your home while you are here."
As their hands clasped, Yao Xuan felt it—a controlled, microscopic pulse of draconic energy from Di Tian, not a test but an instinctive brush of recognition. His own bloodline stirred in response, a quiet, nine-colored echo in the depths of his soul. Di Tian's golden eyes flickered almost imperceptibly.
Releasing the handshake, Di Tian gestured to the others. "Allow me to introduce my family. This is Gu Zi," Zi Ji inclined her head, her violet eyes lingering with complex interest. "Gu Bi," Bi Ji offered a warmer, motherly smile that reached her eyes. "And Gu Xiong." Xiong Jun gave a short, sharp nod, his gaze assessing but no longer merely suspicious.
"You may call them Aunt Zi, Aunt Bi, and Uncle Xiong," Di Tian concluded, the domestic titles sounding strange yet deliberate in the grand hall.
Yao Xuan greeted each in turn, meeting their eyes steadily. With each nod, each murmured greeting, the silent understanding deepened. This was no ordinary meeting with a girlfriend's family. This was an audience. A moment where the hidden sovereigns of a fading world acknowledged, with wary awe, the dawn of a legacy they had thought lost forever.
Gu Yue watched the exchanges, her silver eyes missing nothing. She saw the respect in the elders' stances, the successful quelling of their doubts. A quiet triumph glowed within her. Her choice was being validated by the most ancient and powerful beings she knew. The plan was unfolding perfectly. The next step—the deeper confirmation, the intertwining of their destinies—could now proceed. The castle, for all its ancient stone, suddenly felt filled with the vibrant, thrilling potential of a new beginning.