Chapter Four
883 Words
The celestial chariot pierced through layer after layer of clouds.
Bai Lingxi had never imagined Heaven would look so…
Lonely.
Towering jade mountains floated in endless skies.
Silver waterfalls flowed upward instead of down.
Ancient palaces rested upon clouds brighter than snow.
Immortals crossed crystal bridges in complete silence.
No laughter.
No music.
Only order.
Only perfection.
Only rules.
The chariot finally descended before the largest palace she had ever seen.
Its gates stretched hundreds of feet into the sky.
Dragons carved from black jade coiled around towering pillars.
Above the entrance, three ancient characters glowed with emerald light.
Jade Palace.
Lingxi swallowed nervously.
“So this…”
“…is Heaven.”
The celestial messenger finally spoke.
“Mind your words.”
“The Lord dislikes noise.”
She frowned.
“What if I accidentally make some?”
The messenger looked horrified.
“Then pray for mercy.”
…
The enormous jade gates slowly opened.
Inside…
Thousands of immortal officials stood in perfect rows.
Not a single person dared speak.
The silence itself felt oppressive.
Lingxi suddenly wished she were back sweeping leaves in her tiny courtyard.
A loud voice echoed through the hall.
“Bai Lingxi of the Azure Cloud Sect has arrived!”
Every immortal turned to look at her.
Some looked curious.
Some looked puzzled.
Others openly frowned.
“She’s mortal?”
“She has no spiritual aura.”
“How could Lord Xuanyuan summon someone like her?”
Lingxi lowered her head.
She hated being stared at.
She took one nervous step forward.
Then another.
The polished jade floor reflected the ceiling like a mirror.
Unfortunately…
She wasn’t looking down.
Her foot caught the hem of her own robe.
“Oh!”
She stumbled forward.
The entire hall gasped.
She desperately tried to regain her balance.
Instead…
She slid several meters across the smooth jade floor.
Straight toward the endless staircase leading to the Heavenly Throne.
“No, no, no—”
She reached out to stop herself.
Too late.
CRASH!
She collided with someone.
The impact echoed throughout the palace.
The hall fell completely silent.
Lingxi squeezed her eyes shut.
“…I’m dead.”
She slowly looked up.
Black.
The first thing she saw…
Was black.
A robe as dark as the night sky, embroidered with ancient jade dragons in emerald thread.
The fabric looked simple.
Yet every thread shimmered with divine power.
She lifted her gaze higher.
Broad shoulders.
Long black hair flowing like ink to his waist.
A face so breathtakingly handsome it hardly seemed real.
Sharp brows.
Cold jade-green eyes.
A straight nose.
Lips pressed into a thin line.
No anger.
No surprise.
Nothing.
His expression was terrifyingly calm.
He looked down at her as though she were a pebble that had somehow wandered into his path.
Lingxi realized…
She was still clutching the front of his robe.
“Oh!”
She immediately released it.
“I-I didn’t mean—”
She hurriedly stood.
Only to slip again.
This time…
She grabbed the nearest thing she could.
Unfortunately…
It was his belt.
The jade pendant hanging from it snapped free.
Time stopped.
The pendant fell.
Clink.
A tiny c***k appeared across its surface.
Every immortal in the hall inhaled sharply.
Someone whispered in horror.
“The Jade Soul Pendant…”
“He has worn it for one hundred thousand years…”
Another immortal covered his mouth.
“She broke it…”
The celestial messenger closed his eyes.
“It is over.”
Lingxi stared at the cracked pendant in disbelief.
“I…”
“I can explain.”
“You tripped.”
“I tripped.”
“It wasn’t intentional.”
She looked up hopefully.
The man remained expressionless.
His gaze rested upon the cracked pendant.
Then…
Upon her.
For the first time…
Their eyes truly met.
A strange pain flashed through Mo Xuanyuan’s chest.
Gone before anyone could notice.
His fingers twitched almost imperceptibly.
He had imagined this reunion…
For a hundred thousand years.
She had imagined nothing.
She did not recognize him.
Not even a little.
“…Leave.”
His voice was low.
Cold.
Without emotion.
Lingxi blinked.
“…Excuse me?”
“I said…”
“Leave.”
The entire hall froze.
The celestial officials looked at one another.
Hadn’t he been the one to summon her?
Lingxi’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
A spark of anger ignited inside her.
She bowed stiffly.
“As you wish.”
“I never wanted to come here anyway.”
She turned around.
Took three determined steps toward the palace doors.
Only for an invisible barrier to throw her backward.
“Ah!”
She yelped as she flew through the air.
Before she hit the floor…
A single arm caught her effortlessly.
She found herself suspended in midair, inches from the same cold face.
Neither of them spoke.
Neither moved.
For one impossible heartbeat…
A faint crimson thread appeared around both of their wrists.
It glowed softly…
Then vanished.
Only one person saw it.
Far above the Heavenly Hall, hidden within the Pavilion of Destiny…
An old woman weaving countless red threads suddenly stopped.
Her weaving needle slipped from her fingers.
Her face drained of all color.
“No…”
She whispered.
“It can’t be…”
“The Original Thread…”
“…has awakened.”
- Writer
