"Impossible?.." said the princ.i.p.al, before he slowly shook his head."Humans have time and again bested calamities since the ancient times.. how will these be any different?" he asked, trying to pry for some clues.
"Bested..? Have you humans ventured.. deep into the oceans?.. far to the desert reaches?.. and.. leave the sky.. of this world?" the tree replied, its voice seemed to be sneering at him in disdain.
The princ.i.p.al shook his head.
"Then.. the final calamity.. is something.. you human wouldn"t even dare.. dream to come true.. let alone bested.. " said the tree with a slight chuckle.
"Is there really.. no way out?" asked the princ.i.p.al once more after a deep contemplation.
"According to the fate.. that I have peered into.. for this world.. it is impossible.. " the tree replied with a sigh in the end.
To the Ancestor Zong, what the humans have tided through so far is nothing but a few setbacks, mainly due to their petty arguments and wars. Even the deep behemoths of the rivers, and monsters from the desert is something that the humans would always have trouble fighting against with, what more of the abominations to come out? And the Ancient One, an ent.i.ty that seemed to be tasked for utter destruction, to remold the world anew after the ends of time?
"You.. could peer through fate?" said the princ.i.p.al as he was surprised. But his expression has minimal reactions to it.
"Human.. do not dare to call me "You" once more.. I am an existence above you.. and you are beneath me.. call me Ancestor Zong!" the tree reprimanded the other party with a tone that seemed to be annoyed with the princ.i.p.al.
Hearing this, the princ.i.p.al smiled as his brows trembled.
It is true that this millennium Yidara tree is far above others in terms of seniority considering its age, but for a mere tree to call himself an existence above others?
What more calling him someone that is beneath even a tree?
Should I burn and whip or whip first and then burn this tree?
The princ.i.p.al smiled with a strange gleam to it.
Duan Li shuddered as he saw that deranged smile of the princ.i.p.al.
"P-princ.i.p.al, do not be hasty!" adviced w.a.n.g Guozhi from the side, afraid that the other party will be triggered and go whipping-spree on the spot!
That will be a true calamity then!
"I know." the princ.i.p.al replied, his voice calm.
"I am a being closely in tune with mother nature.. the cycles of life and death.. absorbed by the world.. I can feel it.. this inviolable cycle for all existences.. when one feel it all the time.. one would eventually piece out the puzzle.. of coincidences.. and consequences.. a series of meetings.. that creates fate.. a storyboard.. a plot of the world.. although vividly.. but yes.. I can peer.. through fate.." the tree replied impa.s.sively.
"If that is the case.. and we will reach our doom.. then, what Ancestor Zong have said before, why should we even bother to ally with the other empires?"
This time, it was w.a.n.g Guozhi who asked as he was quite curious. If fighting against an unstoppable being is indeed a fool"s dream, then why even bother to ally?
Shouldn"t they just focus on protecting their empire instead to the very last until the end?
Hearing this, the tree chuckled once more.
"Child.. if someone with a knife.. tried to stab your wife.. even if you knew you wouldn"t make it.. would you still stand idly by.. or run forward to save her?" replied the tree in a rhetorical way.
"Hmm.. I will definitely move to save my wife, that is obvious!" said w.a.n.g Guozhi as he threw a sneaky glance with a smile towards Ling Yu on his side.
Ling Yu rolled her eyes but smiled afterwards.
"Thus.. is the human"s nature.. or instinct.. faced with extreme threats.. of complete eradication.. if one does not lose.. their humanity.. then one would definitely.. protect.. their kind.. " the tree said and continued;
"Furthermore.. if what you seek is hope.. then find.. the miracle.. "
"The miracle?" asked the princ.i.p.al, his frown deepened.
Miracles are chances bestowed by the heavens for those with affinity and luck. For someone to try to attempt and find this miracle, isn"t that like seeking the ends of a rainbow? Forever unreachable?
"Haa.. I am still around.. 5000 years old.. according to natural law.. I should only be awake.. 5000 years later.. but now.. I am awake.. defying the natural order.. even undergoing.. a complete rebirth.. that should have.. only occur.. 5000 years later.. " replied the tree mysteriously.
The princ.i.p.al"s eyes widened as he realized what the tree was trying to imply.
The millennium Yidara tree which was supposed to hibernate for another 5000 years, to suddenly be forced awake now..
He turned towards the rest of them as his eyes finally laid on Duan Li and asked, ".. was it you?"
"I.. I don"t really know?" answered Duan Li in all honesty.
He had some suspicions towards the mysterious pearl for the cause of this, but he wasn"t sure at the same time as well. Thus, what he had just said is the truth.
"Do not bother.. to question the boy.. you will protect him from harm.. fate does not seem to.. flow along him well.. perhaps he.. may very well.. be the miracle.. the hope.. for your species.. " adviced the tree.
The princ.i.p.al then walked slowly and stood directly infront of Duan Li.
"Him? An anomaly against the fated impending doom huh? Very well.. " thought the princ.i.p.al cupping his chin with a smile.
Duan Li stepped back a little bit as he was intimidated by this strange princ.i.p.al of their"s.
"Now that I.. have been rebirthed.. my senses.. has also been extended.. impressive.. human"s civilization.. have advanced this far.. a pity indeed.. " sighed the tree.
...
The five of them exitted the hall as they were crowded with curious people from the academy.
"Princ.i.p.al, what happened to the millennium Yidara tree?" asked a senior teacher.
"Haa.. " the princ.i.p.al sighed.
"Go back to your respective faculties and continue with your previous activities. After all, it is not a problem but more like a fortune for our academy and the empire!" replied the princ.i.p.al sounding amiable.
"Fortune for the academy and the empire?" said some of the crowd looking confused.
From the startling flashes of bright light before that engulfed the whole empire, is it some auspicious sign for the Jiu Empire?
"No matter, I will explain in due time. Now go back to what you are doing!" ordered the princ.i.p.al with a gesture.
After which, the crowd sighed and reluctantly headed back to what they were doing before. Seemed like they would only know what was going on next time.
Duan Li and the rest of them had already been told by the princ.i.p.al to not tell the truth to anyone. If anyone were to ask, just say, "The millennium Yidara tree had awokened earlier due to it consuming a treasure tonic from the past to hasten its growth."
They all agreed on this as if anyone were to speak otherwise, the princ.i.p.al himself will hunt them down.
"Continue with your next test. I have matters to attend, so I will leave first for now." said the princ.i.p.al casually as he left them. Not a hint of worry seemed to reflect on his face.
"What a mysterious and unpredictable person.." thought Duan Li.
"Hey boy.. is what senior teacher Ling Yu just told me is true? You have mastered 89 stances with a total of 416 combinations?" asked w.a.n.g Guozhi with a peculiar expression on him.
"Yes.. that is indeed correct.. " answered Duan Li truthfully.
"How.. inconceivable.. it seems that your outrageous potential and latent talent in the field of martial arts is a testament for what Ancestor Zong said to be correct.. " said w.a.n.g Guozhi with his arms crossed together as he nodded.
Seems like this boy defies the natural law eh..
Awakening from his contemplation, a sudden inspiration struck him as he looked at Duan Li. He then said with a teasing smile, "Shouldn"t your name be Duanlu Qi instead? Pfff!"
Pu!
Duan Li chocked on himself.
"Law breaker? Breaker your head!" he said in his mind with indignance feeling that he was being bullied.
The four of them laughed out loud after that and proceeded to the next room for the second test.
Meanwhile, Hong Xin returned to his chamber to write for a report. He was still in a daze and his appearance unkempt after going through bizarre incident one after another.
What a day..
...