"It seems like we are in for a change of power," an old man murmured as he gazed at the two suns.
"All we can hope for now is that this new entity is like the great Venerable King Bai Long, who ruled with kindness for a billion years, and not like that tyrant Empress Leng Yue, who forcefully suppressed the heavens in only a million years and then ruled as a tyrant for a billion years."
As he spoke, it seemed almost as though he had lived through both dynasties. Physically impossible, considering he was barely three hundred thousand years old and the empress's dynasty had ended over seven million years ago, he had nonetheless experienced it spiritually. As the sect leader of Tianlu, a sect of mysterious diviners, he had managed to sense the emotions of the people under both rulers.
Those under Bai Long had felt endless joy, while those under Leng Yue, though prosperous, could not enjoy it fully, all living in the shadow of fear of their empress.
***
Somewhere on a floating island, barely twenty metres in diameter, a crimson egg began to crack. Fracturing, it revealed what appeared at first to be a large bird. Upon closer inspection, the feathers radiated such frost that the entire surface of the island froze. What had just been birthed should have been impossible, yet somehow it had occurred: the birth of an Ice Phoenix.
An Ice Phoenix, though incredibly rare, was not unprecedented, considering the previous empress had been one. What was impossible was that now a phoenix and a dragon existed simultaneously. Throughout all of creation, since the beginning of time, the cosmos had formed either a phoenix or a dragon egg; upon hatching, it would watch over or rule all living beings. Only after its death, and the passing of millions of years, would a new divine egg form.
'I failed, huh?' Leng Yue thought, unsurprised by her rebirth. Before attempting to break through to the Boundless Origin Realm, she had spent over a billion years creating a special technique, usable only by those at Realm 25, capable of binding a soul to a new body — even if it was not her original one.
'I remember creating this technique to forge a new body for myself, with the strongest spiritual root and physique possible.'
Even though she had attempted the impossible Boundless Origin breakthrough, her aim had been a failsafe: the ultimate reincarnation technique.
'Eternal Frost Root and Voidfrost Constitution… with these, nothing will stop me from ascending to the Boundless Realm.'
As she contemplated her next move, the sky darkened, filled with aurora lights across every realm.
The old man, observing the scene, could not suppress a feeling of primal fear.
A silver sun appeared amidst the night sky, accompanied by auroras stretching across the heavens.
"Why?" He knew the reason, yet every instinct within him screamed that such a phenomenon was impossible.
"Master! Master! The Emperor is here to see you!" A disciple came running, almost out of breath. The old man stood and cast one last glance at the sky before heading inside.
"Your Majesty," he said, entering the chamber to see the Emperor, a middle-aged man in golden robes, short black hair, leisurely drinking tea.
"Ah, old man Xu, how long has it been?" The King placed his cup down and greeted him warmly.
Ming Xu, though not as powerful as the Emperor, wielded immense influence as sect master of Tianlu, the strongest and most mysterious sect in the cosmos. Thanks to their divination powers, his authority was almost on par with the King's, demanding respect.
"It has been a while, Your Majesty. I wonder if you have come because of the phenomena currently occurring."
"Yes. When I saw the silver sun, I was already on my way. But with these aurora lights, I sensed something unorthodox, so I hoped you might have the answer."
"Yes… though I cannot say how it is possible. It appears two mythical creatures were born at the same time," the old man explained.
"Do you at least know if they are dragons or phoenixes?!" The Emperor asked, shocked.
"I cannot say with certainty, but my guess is a dragon and a phoenix. If two of the same species were born simultaneously, the galaxy itself would fall into ruin," Ming Xu said, hoping his theory was correct.
"Will you be able to locate them with your powers?" the Emperor asked.
"No. They exist outside the laws of this galaxy. Not even I know their location," Ming Xu admitted.