Within the void, betwixt the Earthly Realm and Netherworld, a host of beings hovered on the precipise.
Standing before the Wall, they gazed through it at the obscured expanse of the Netherworld.
One of these was Xu Lan, her godly aura about her as her mystical eyes peered unblinkingly.
Around her, aside from the laissez-faire Monkey King, were various other immortals and immortal beasts. However, closest to her were two individuals cloaked in cloudy attire.
Looking like terrible storm clouds, their clothing would flash with soft white light, then the sound of a minor peal of thunder could be heard.
These individuals were identical to one another, both women, with ocean blue water for hair. Their fully white eyes eternally overflowed with tears of pure water from the freshest spring.
When they spoke, their voices were one. "Xu Lan, is there a problem with your ocular divinity?"
Xu Lan grunted, "No. The Realm itself has activated some kind of defense mechanism. I've never seen anything like it. Have you, Lan Yelan? Or you, Lan Yeyu?"
Turning to look at the identical twins, Xu Lan's eyes returned to what was normal for them to look like- the endless night sky.
Both the twins had tattoos on their foreheads. Lan Yeyu's tattoo was of a strange marking that resembled a raindrop.
Lan Yelan's tattoo looked like a tidal wave.
"We have not," they said, "but we know someone who has."
Nodding, Xu Lan turned away from the Wall while glancing at the immortals. "The Goddesses and I are going to return to the Heavenly Realm. Decide amongst yourself who will stay and keep watch here-"
"I volunteer," said a unserious voice.
All eyes landed upon the humanoid monkey laying atop the violet void, scratching his ear with his back to them.
"I don't have anything better to do, anyway. I'm bored of doing nothing in Heaven, so why not switch it up and do nothing here?" The Monkey King waved, his front facing the Wall.
"Well," Xu Lan saw no objective expressions, "I guess that's settled. Be seeing you all."
Xu Lan's eyes twinkled, and a rift in spacetime opened up for her. The Twin Goddesses stepped in before she did, and the portal closed.
The Immortals found their own ways to leave, and soon only the Monkey King remained, yawning into the void.
At a certain point, he gazed over his shoulder suspiciously before he reached into his robe and magically procured a spirit fruit.
"And now... we wait!"
Crunch!
_________
The Heavenly Realm consisted of a vast number of spheres stacked atop one another.
The bottommost sphere, the Starry Sphere, was the destination of all those mortal cultivators who began their ascent into immortality.
It was a known fact that the only way for a mortal to attain immortality was to journey through the Heavenly Realm's Spheres, continuously getting stronger and more in touch with the Dao.
In doing so, they would also become more closely attuned to the Heavenly Daos, and eventually approach Godhood.
Travelling through these Spheres via her godly power, Xu Lan eventually descended onto a Sphere of endless white clouds, and spotless blue sky.
As was above, the same was below. There was no earth.
Travelling further into this Sphere, Xu Lan and the water goddesses arrived before an enormous jade gate with golden designs.
They knelt beneath that gate and lowered their heads.
"The Goddesses Lan Yelan and Lan Yeyu, along with the Goddess Xu Lan. We are here to make a report to the Court."
The gate was no different, but they knew that it was listening.
"Xu Lan reported the matter to us, and once we confirmed it we came here right away." Lan Yelan and Lan Yeyu said in unison.
"The Netherworld has shown signs of awakening. It has come out of its dormant state, is now actively moving against our efforts to capture the Supreme Immortal Body."
The gate, looming overheard, suddenly attained a subtle green glow.
"Xu Lan sent in a team of Immortal Beasts using her divinity. Under normal circumstances, their power would be intact. However, due to the Netherworld's resistance, her connection to them was severed."
"They all perished at the detestable hands of the Supreme Immortal Body."
There was a soft but powerful 'dong,' and the gate returned to its former state.
The Twin Goddesses were about to raise their heads when Xu Lan spoke up. "Another thing."
Not expecting this, Lan Yelan and Lan Yeyu were visibly shaken, but also quick to regain their composure.
"When I was still able to peer into the Netherworld, I noticed a young man with the aura of Heaven on his person. I believe he was one of the Prodigies of the Jade College, who have all gone missing along with Celestial Instructor, Yun Wuxi."
"He was standing on the same side as the Supreme Immortal Body."
Xu Lan paused, noticing a swelling pressure coming from the gate. However, the pressure stopped growing after a certain point.
Almost like it was waiting.
Amidst the endless tears falling from the Twin Goddessess' eyes, sweat started running down their faces.
"I witnessed him using a peculiar sword attack. The very moment he did, was when the Netherworld acted against me, rejecting my ocular divinity." Xu Lan fell deeper into her bow; the twins did the same.
From the gate, green energy and immense pressure built. Then, suddenly, it all vanished.
Even so, they did not dare to move. That was, until they heard something they never expected to hear.
A man's voice coming from the direction of the gate.
"The Court hears you. You have done well, Xu Lan."
Gasping, the Goddesses looked up and saw something they never expected to see.
A man, looking to be in his mid-to-late thirties, stood before them. Clad in soft armor, he cupped his fist at them and gave the slighest nod of the head.
Dark hair flowed behind him like black silk, bound beneath an ornate war crown of emerald metal and gold.
Around his neck, a necklace with a simple spirit-jade pendant could be seen.
"Jade Warlord!" The Twin Goddesses kowtowed, causing Xu Lan to remember herself.
As she was about to mimic them, the man gestured with his hand for her to stop.
"No need."
Xu Lan paused and looked at him. She really looked at him.
The Jade Warlord. A man renowned in all of Heaven.
His appearance was that of an ancient conqueror, tall and broad-shouldered, with an imposing frame.
His face was sharp and severe, carved with cold authority.
The Jade Warlord's armor shimmered with an unnatural sheen, somewhere between polished gemstone and dragon scales.
His eyes were perhaps the most unsettling aspect of all. They were cold, gleaming green beneath heavy brows, carrying neither compassion nor fury, only pure condescension.
Even so, he managed to smile warmly at them, though they would never believe in its sincerity.
"The Court has ordered all subjects of Heaven currently engaging in the hunt for the Supreme Immortal body... to desist."
The Jade Warlord brought his hand behind him, where it had been originally alongside his other one.
"The time when the true hunt begins... is almost here. You two may return to your duties within your respective Spheres. I will personally lead the charge... when the moment arrives."
Just as suddenly as he arrived, the Jade Warlord left.
Xu Lan and the twins finally felt the pressure vanish and they stood up, breathing heavily.
"What did he mean by that?" Xu Lan breathed. "The 'true hunt?' Is there more to this that we don't understand?"
Lan Yelan and Lan Yeyu gazed at her, shaking their heads. "That is the business of the Court and the Celestials. If they don't tell us, we will never know."
"Could this all have been part of some plan?" Xu Lan posed the question as she cautiously gazed back at the gate.
"Be mindful of where you are, Xu Lan! And your place!" They spat, the pure tears falling from their eyes attaining a reddish color that quickly went away.
"You are a servant of The Court- we all are. The place of a servant is not to ask questions. It is to serve." The Twin Goddesses hovered off the cloudy floor, beginning to fly away.
"Just serve, Xu Lan. Serve well, and maybe one day you will have an answer."
Xu Lan watched them depart, her eyes glistening a tad bit more than usual. The night sky and its endless stars seemed to be accompanied by something else in that moment.
As clarity returned to them, she scoffed. "Serve well. Is that all?"
Pretty soon, she left the gate behind as well.