Suddenly, a white, misty fog spread across the land. thick and unnatural, as if the sky itself had fallen to earth.
Mocking laughter echoed through the stillness, confident and cruel, swirling with the fog as it drifted toward the heart of the mountain.
And there, within the depths of that cursed mist. stood a place once revered by all three realms.
A grand sect, suspended between the heavens and earth.
The Heavenly Citadel.
Its spires pierced through clouds like spears of light, draped in silver vines and shimmering jade bridges that floated above glowing lotus ponds. Divine talismans circled in the air, humming with holy energy. But the beauty was drowned by blood that day.
At its center, before the altar of judgment, knelt a man...
in a closer look.., yeah! seems like a demon beast.
Chained in the ancient Circle of Demon Destruction, his body was torn, soaked in blood. his skin marred by lashes of divine punishment, and his dark robe soaked in the red of betrayal. From the left side of his forehead, blood dripped slowly, painting the sacred floor like war marks. His figure was shadowed by the fog, but one thing was clear:
> His eyes...
Eyes that had swallowed entire galaxies of darkness. Eyes that once saw love and now burned with loss of love.
Suddenly, a figure in white appeared in front of the demon. a cultivator in the ceremonial robes of the Divine Clan, ancient Hanfu etched with heavenly script. His blade, glowing silver with star-forged qi, was raised to the sky.
"Thousand Sword Judgment!" he roared.
From the sword, thousand blades formed from light struck downward, all aimed at the man in chains.
And then—
"No!" a voice cried.
A woman burst through the fog, light swirling around her like a shield as she threw herself in front of the attack. Her barrier shattered under the force, but she held strong. until a dozen blades pierced her heart.
Her blood hit the altar...
Weaken the demon destruction circle.
And for a moment, time seemed to stop.
With her last strength, she reached toward the man and broke the chains with a pulse of divine energy. A teleportation spell lit the air, the woman transported with the man, beyond the reach of those who sought to end them.
To a forgotten mountain, shrouded in starlight and spiritual energy. Quiet. Holy.
There, beneath the full moon, the woman lay in his lap. Her robes were soaked with blood. Her breath shallow.
"Don't fight them anymore," she whispered, voice trembling. "All I ever wanted… was peace between the Heavenly Realm and the Demon Clan…"
He shook his head, his hands glowing with healing light. "No. No... don't say that. Don't leave. don't you have the power of life. you can save yourself."
She gave a soft, broken laugh. "Silly… Even if I could… I wouldn't. I don't be a prisoner to those Immortals again."
Coughing blood, she lifted her hand and placed it on his chest. "After my soul shatters… my heart will remain. Use it. Its energy can protect the Demon Clan. They won't dare strike again… because there's no longer a me to fear."
He gripped her hand. "I swear… I'll protect them. No more war. I promise you."
Her gaze softened, filled with the kind of love that transcends time. "You know, all I want is to be with you happily. I'd always wanted to travel the universe with you… just us… without any boundaries..."
Her lips trembled. "seems like there is no chance.."
"Goodbye, my demon."
And then, her soul shattered.
Fragments of golden light scattered into the wind. But as they vanished, a single drop of his bloody tear fell onto one of the fragments.
In his hands… the source of her heart remained in a small, translucent core, still stained with her blood. Warm. Beating faintly.
He fell to his knees, crying out as blood poured from his eyes. "No… No… No—!"
Darkness erupted from his core. Energy so vast and chaotic it cracked the mountain and poisoned the wind. Trees withered. Birds fell mid-flight. Beasts shrieked and fled.
The world began to rot. the dark energy swallowed the moon and turned it into red color
> "Aaaaah—!" the demon screamed hardly
And then—
A crack.
A small sound broke through the chaos.
"Meow… Meow…"
A golden cat yowled again, perched beside a small EGG, the shell is thick and in black color and crimson red rugged lines. now tipping dangerously off the table.
A girl jerked upright in bed, tangled in her blanket, hair messy and long, covering her face like a curtain of shadows. The room was dim.. still not morning. The world is ordinary.
She rubbed her head, breath uneven.
> "Why… Why have I been dreaming of that dream lately?" she muttered.
The golden cat leapt again.. this time knocking the egg toward the edge.
"Nope!" she gasped, lunging forward.
Her hand caught the egg mid-air.
"Oh man… thank god it's not broken."
The girl sighed in relief as she steadied the egg, the began to rub the egg and the egg is still warm.
"It's been twenty two years and you are still unhatched. who are you?" the girl whispered to the egg in her hands while watching it with smiley face.
"If you don't hatch this year..I'll sell you to that ancient bureau..."
"oh... I'm just joking."
"If I do.. I'll be discovered too.."
"haha haha..." the girl left silly chukle towards the little egg.
later moment, the girl turned sharply toward the troublemaker, her voice rising.
"Mianmian! How many times have I told you not to jump onto the table?"
The golden cat blinked innocently from the windowsill, its long fluffy tail flicking like it didn't care a bit. Mianmian let out a soft "mrrrow" and began licking its paw, as if nothing had happened.
"Don't act cute now," she scolded, though the fierceness in her tone didn't quite reach her eyes. "You almost gave me a heart attack."
Still muttering to herself, the girl slid out of bed. Her bare feet landed softly on the cool tiled floor. The room was small but warm. sunlit cream walls, a wooden desk cluttered with old books, dusty scrolls, tiny glass jars of pressed flowers, and printouts of ancient runes. A softly glowing star-shaped night lamp sat beside a clutter of notes, and the corner bookshelf leaned under the weight of mythology books.
One wall had dozens of sketches pinned up. drawings of temple ruins, stone circles, faded murals.
She yawned, shuffled into the bathroom, and washed up. A few minutes later, she emerged dressed in a loose ivory blouse tucked into high-waisted mocha trousers, a vintage satchel slung across her shoulder. Her long hair, now brushed, flowed down her back in soft, unbothered waves. She tied a cream ribbon around it, leaving a few strands loose to frame her face. Her lips were soft pink, and her almond eyes had the faintest shadow of weariness not from sleep, but from the weight of dreams she couldn't explain.
She slipped on her sneakers and glanced back at Mianmian.
"Be good. and take care of that egg.. today, okay?"
The cat yawned.
---
As she entered into the elevator, the elevator doors closed with a gentle ding, and moments later she stepped out onto the street through the ground floor. The air was crisp, the city beginning to stir with morning life. Jinyuan City was a blend of old soul and steel ambition, towering glass buildings grew beside old stone alleys, neon signs beside incense smoke.
She passed by her favorite corner restaurant, its red wooden lanterns swaying gently in the breeze. The nameboard read "Yun House", and it looked as if it had been pulled straight out of an ancient drama. painted wood, curved tiled roof, cozy window light peeking through the latticework.
She paused.
And her stomach growled.
Five minutes later, she was seated at the window corner with a steaming bowl of handmade noodles in front of her. The scent of bone broth, ginger, and fresh herbs swirled through the air.
The waitress smiled at her kindly.
The girl chuckled shyly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
She took the first bite.
Warmth spread through her chest.
After paying and leaving a polite thank you, the girl continued walking.
She stopped before a building made of glass and polished black stone, clean and modern. but the logo above the entrance sent a jolt through her chest:
> [SoulVault Antiquities] – Reclaiming History, Piece by Piece
The lettering was elegant and sharp, accompanied by an emblem of a fragmented crown surrounded by ancient runes.
The girl swallowed her words.
> "This is it."
She stood for a moment, straightening her top and smoothing her ribbon. Then, she walked through the sliding doors.
Inside, the building felt like a museum crossed with a high-end research lab. Spotless floors. Display cases with labeled relics. Murals of ancient battles and celestial diagrams printed onto the glass walls.
A receptionist handed her a number. "Please take a seat in the interview area. We're shortlisting fast."
The waiting room had a few others, some nervous, some already angry from rejections. She noticed a boy coming out of the room, red in the face and muttering under his breath.
He had lasted barely a minute.
Her name was called.
> "Luo Qingwan?"
The girl stood up, inhaled once, and stepped into the interview room.
Inside, two people were seated at a long desk.
One was a sharp-looking woman in her 30s, glasses perched perfectly on her nose and the name plate shows Director Han Ruyin, she known for her strict, no-nonsense attitude.
The second,..
An older man sat beside the director. calm, silent, with long gray hair tied loosely at the nape of his neck. His traditional-style robe layered with a simple dark vest gave him the look of someone who didn't entirely belong in the modern world. His face was lined but noble, and his gaze felt like it had watched centuries go by.
> His nameplate read: Elder Shu – Historical Artifact Researcher.
(Though whispers called him The Eye of the Vault.)
Qingwan bowed slightly,...
"Good morning sir and madam. I'm Luo Qingwan. I recently graduated with a major in Archaeological studies from Tianhai University." her voice is clear and composed.
The old man said nothing. But as his gaze fell upon her, Qingwan felt a strange chill run along her spine. but, doesn't get feared. It was a sense of… being seen, deeply. As if her very soul was reflecting something ancient in his eyes.
Still, she continued.
"I've spent the last two years volunteering at excavation sites across multiple provinces, and I've written a thesis comparing celestial relic patterns with mythological prophecies found in the Eastern Vault Manuscript. My focus has always been on interpreting artifacts that don't fall under any single culture. the ones that feel out of place, almost… forbidden."
Director Han raised a brow, intrigued. "And you believe we have such artifacts?"
"Yes. At your southern excavation in Linghai, the lion-stone tablet with spiraling runes — it isn't listed in the regional relic registry. I think it's older than any known dynasty. Possibly pre-divine era."
The room fell quiet.
The director was about to speak when Elder Shu raised a single hand.
And for the first time, he spoke. voice gravelly, low, and ancient.
> "Tell me, Miss Luo... have you ever felt drawn to objects no one else can explain?"
Qingwan blinked, unsure how to answer.
"I… no.. I just felt sometimes feel like I've seen them before," she admitted. "Like… like... I've read about them."
He nodded slowly, folding his hands.
> "Then perhaps," he said softly, "is any of your family members had been worked in these areas."
after thinking of few moments.., Qingwan whispered, "yes.. my grandpa used to work in this area."
Elder Shu asked with curious inn his eyes, " then, can you tell about him."
Qingwan said, "I don't know. he passed away in my childhood. I just read about his words in books he wrote."
Elder Shu let out a quiet sigh...
Director Han cleared her throat, resuming the formal tone. "Thank you. We'll let you know within a day."
Qingwan stood, bowed politely, and turned to leave.
Elder Shu whispered himself, "I thought.. I've found it.."