The Heavens: A Qing, the Yue Girl at the beginning

Marston Royal Mechanical College, Church Tower, 00:12.

The torrential rain was stretched into silver threads, and the lingering notes of the organ continued to echo, a requiem, like an entire legion of angels singing in the clouds, as loud as lightning and thunder.

But beyond the torrential rain and thunder, there was also a lingering sadness.

"Seraph... Four years have passed, and we meet again. We still can't escape fate... even if it's a reversed fate..."

"Cesare sighed, his pupils gleaming with purple light."

Like two pools of poison brewed repeatedly by the night, reflecting countless fragments of lightning.

A huge moon pierced through the clouds and hung from the roof of the chapel.

Behind him stood a large, silver machine.

That's the Hercules's Frame, the exclusive machine of the Armored Seraph. It's impossible for a single person to wear the entire several hundred kilograms of mobile armor; external equipment is required for assistance.

A suit of Seraph's armor was already mounted, and he sat there like a steel warrior, waiting for the one who would awaken him.

Caesar leaned back in his steel seat and forcefully flipped the switch.

An electric current surged into Hercules's frame.

With a clanging metallic sound, the knight's pod folded up, and the upper body of the motor armor, including the chest, shoulders, and back, opened completely. The knight's pod entered and locked along the rails, like a baby returning to its mother's womb.

Immediately afterwards, eight robotic arms, along with the remaining components, descended from the sky. Amidst blinding sparks, the mechanical components and the human body were successfully assembled.

Visible arcs of bluish-purple electricity pierced Caesar's spine along the golden needle, the Seraphim Armor's neural control system relentlessly assaulting his neural hub.

At that moment, it was as if a mechanical spirit had descended from the sky and was tightly embracing the trembling, thin boy.

According to the Minerva Institute's research, when a new circuit is added to a knight's neural circuitry, a neural short circuit occurs. After putting on the armor, the knight will feel as if the most terrifying experience in their memory has been awakened, as if trapped in a nightmare from which they cannot escape.

Pain! Excruciating pain! A chaotic, crimson scene surged forth...

The pendant of the pentagram swayed like a pendulum, and the woman in the white robe burned fiercely on the cross. She writhed in pain, murmuring and singing a lullaby that soothed the soul.
The heavy footsteps approached from afar. It was an old man with iron nails in his hands and feet. He was wearing the blood-soaked robes of the King of Ceylon, shackles that symbolized prisoners, and a hole in his chest.

The man, his face covered in blood yet still smiling, stretched out his iron hand but fell backward, his eyes gradually dimming, like a candle wick extinguished in the wind...

Time seemed to flow backward, and memories rained down from the sky, striking a blow to the soul; more abstract images continued to flash by...

Clocks spinning at ten times the normal speed, crosses studded with bleeding roses, girls… thousands upon thousands of girls, all with identical faces, dressed in identical white robes, singing silent songs…

The city reflected in the sky slowly fell, and when it collided with the earth, the entire scene shattered.

In those few seconds, he had countless nightmares, and finally stood beneath the vast Milky Way, facing a gigantic cross, upon which lay a desiccated, enormous corpse.

The enormous corpse slowly raised its head and opened its purple eyes, revealing Caesar's own face!

“Welcome back,” the skeleton said, “my vessel.”

……

“The mental synchronization rate is 400%,” Zhao Qing commented. “Although it’s just a broken key and not yet complete, with the right skills, we can still unlock the ‘lock’ and take a tour.”

She loosely clenched her fingers, as if using the raindrops as a cable to pull the night sky down slowly, and then gently twisted it in mid-air, as if turning an invisible key half a turn more.

From the nearby clock tower, Caesar let out an almost inhuman roar—the roar was amplified into a shockwave through Omega's "spiritual loop," sweeping across the sky above Marston.

The torrential rain was instantly shattered into mist and powder, breaking into rings of white; the steam pipes throughout the entire academy groaned simultaneously, and rivets clanged and fell, as if someone had pulled the safety valve on the world.

Then, his pupils gradually turned from deep purple to pitch black, like the abyss itself. And within that darkness, another pair of even more eerie and indescribable eyes slowly opened.

"500%, 600%...1000%..."

The mental synchronization rate skyrocketed, far exceeding the limits that humans could withstand, simply because the sword spirit also participated and joined the resonance.

At the same time, the pair of metal wings behind the Omega opened with a "whoosh," but they were no longer wings; instead, they became tiny "doors"—each wing scale was a narrow door that only allowed a soul to pass through, and behind each door shone a completely different light:

Snow-colored, dawn-colored, dusk-colored, blood-colored.

The four colors of light intertwine to form a twisted spiral that stretches straight into the night sky, like drilling a deep well into the firmament.

At the end of the well shaft lay an upside-down wasteland.

The sky is burning copper, and the earth is a cracked mirror, reflecting all the raindrops of the "upper realm"—each raindrop imprisoning a human face, screaming in the mirror.

But no one heard it.

It was an extremely vast, parallel, underlying dreamscape, composed of countless fused soul memories superimposed upon each other.

The masters of the Seraphim generation after generation, the deceased purified by Omega's karmic fire, and even the billions of ghosts from prehistoric civilizations and ancient times, are all immersed in its enigmatic transformations, and thus find eternal peace.

"It's time to climb the tower." Zhao Qing closed his eyes and then opened them again.

Suddenly, the world fell silent.

The rain was frozen in time, the wind was broken, and the flames of artillery fire on the battlefield solidified into dark red sculptures.

A giant hand woven from light and ash slowly emerged, palm facing the sky, supporting the palace forged by countless laws and orders.

Bricks, rails, trains, clock towers, domes, corridors, and even the night itself were all removed from their original positions, transformed into shimmering fragments, and rolled upwards to fill the space.

The world is like an old book with a page torn out, revealing a brand new, blank page behind it.

Zhao Qing and Xiao Shi stood side by side, their feet no longer on the same ground: "Come, let us traverse the delusions of all living beings."

……

All around was darkness, with a flickering light in the far distance ahead, like a lighthouse. Beneath their feet was red water, an endless expanse of crimson water, level with their waists.

The charred, twisted, and shriveled corpse transformed into a shapeless demon, rubbing its serrated metal claws as it lurked and ran around nearby. Two charcoal balls rolled and burned in its eye sockets, and it emitted screams that sounded like a baby crying or metal tearing apart.

They would occasionally scratch their chests, tearing open their charred skin to reveal their hearts, which were made of copper wires and gears.

With each heartbeat, a cluster of eerie blue sparks erupted, illuminating the distorted, half-crying, half-laughing expressions on their faces.

Upon seeing two new people in the blood-red heaven, the hordes of demons didn't rush to attack and tear them apart; they simply circled around.

Like a group of patient diners, waiting for the feast to officially begin.

"Is this the first floor behind the 'door'?" Xiao Shi asked in a low voice.

"Actually, it was the second to last level. I directly crossed the countless 'ascension' steps and the restrictions of the 'guardian' spirits in the middle."

Zhao Qing gazed at the tower and the light, and slowly replied: "All the souls that are 'ferryed' here have a layer of 'shell' peeled off—memories, emotions, and self, all dissolved into this 'red mercury elixir,' or rather, the material that elevates the 'fruit of wisdom.'"

A golden arc of light emanated from her sleeve, like a lamp wick thrown into a sea of ​​oil, causing the surface of the water to suddenly light up.

Beneath the crimson, there is an even deeper layer of black and blue.

That is the sediment formed from boundless resentment and hatred.

Occasionally, a string of bubbles rises, and when they burst, they emit sound waves that are inaudible to the average person, yet they still make one's heart clench.

For Zhao Qing, coming to this other world was not just about experiencing the plot, solving mysteries, or playing a grand game with characters like Odin; her true pursuit was to explore the myriad principles of cultivation.

Just as the universe has a 3K microwave background radiation, this "fragment of cosmic light" that has entered a "historical crossroads" and been modified also has a similar picture of the laws of primordial energy, which is profound and mysterious. Perhaps the nodes and characteristics of the split of the world line can be confirmed in some way.

Many seemingly ordinary questions, when examined closely, are thought-provoking. For example, where did the sunlight, moonlight, and starlight that previously illuminated all directions come from?

This is not a complete star system or the Milky Way; it only encompasses an area of ​​tens of millions of square kilometers. Theoretically, these things don't even exist here.

Traditional Nibelungs, always shrouded in the gray twilight and darkness, could not possibly have evolved complex celestial phenomena and weather.

At times like these, the quantum memory matrix might be a theory that can locally describe its operation, providing inspiration for her inner universe cultivation.

"The Fruit of Wisdom? The Human Instrumentality Project?"

Having already noticed the similarities between the worldviews of EVA and Dragon Raja, Shi Yiguang did some research and asked, "They're very similar, but fundamentally different."

Zhao Qing's gaze pierced through the crimson and black-blue "water" beneath her feet: "EVA's completion is to eliminate the wall of the heart and return to the original state of fusion of life; it is 'returning'."

"And here, it is 'refining' and 'forging'. It does not seek to return to chaos, but attempts to refine something... a purer and more powerful 'single' from the impurities of countless souls."

"Like the 'cave dwellers' described by Plato, one day they will step out of the cave, look directly at the light of the torch, and finally embrace the real world under the sun, no longer confined to the limitations of their senses and experiences."

"The primordial substance of 'Taiyi'?" Xiao Shi asked thoughtfully.

The demons surrounding them finally began to stir.

No longer content with merely wandering around, they pressed and piled up against each other, their charred bodies merging together like melted wax, forming even larger and more indescribable aggregates.

Countless metallic claws emerged from the aggregate, slowly approaching the two with a piercing scraping sound.

"They've realized we're not 'raw materials' anymore."

Xiao Shi spoke calmly, holding an empty sword in his hand.

"It doesn't matter."

Zhao Qing didn't even look at the assembled monsters; her attention was entirely focused on the distant firelight. "They're just the 'cleaners' of this furnace system, responsible for handling the 'residue' that doesn't want to dissolve or doesn't dissolve completely. We... skip them."

Before he finished speaking, Zhao Qing took a step forward.

The scene around them suddenly distorted and stretched, and the howling, aggregated monsters, the boundless blood, and even the entire dark space seemed to be caught in a vortex, rushing backward madly.

It feels as if you are traveling through a tunnel made of pure light, with countless fragmented images and sounds flashing rapidly across the tunnel walls—the last fragments of memory before countless souls are melted away:

The shouts on the battlefield, the weeping of loved ones, the whispers of lovers, the ecstasy of success, the despair of defeat...

They converge into a surging river of emotions, only to be crushed and assimilated by an even stronger force in an instant.

A thousand miles away, it can be reached in an instant.

The "lighthouse" that had seemed dim and inconspicuous just moments before was now clearly revealed before them:
It is at least tens of kilometers high, and its base is more than ten kilometers in diameter. It appears to be made of black iron, and theoretically it is a creation that even the earth's crust cannot support. Therefore, it has a lot of openwork, presenting mysterious and complex alchemical patterns. It emits a brilliant and dazzling light from high up, and can always be seen in the vast wilderness.

If it were the first time seeing this colossal tower, it would be hard not to feel awe and awe, and to feel an urge to prostrate oneself in worship.

Its spire rises above the clouds, almost above the throne and the stars, incredibly presumptuous, yet incredibly lonely.

Around the giant tower, crimson blood still flows, like a huge shallow lake, with metal bases at the bottom made up of countless slowly rotating gears.

A pale blue steam billowed from the gaps in the gears, condensing into ice crystals in mid-air before falling and making a crisp, chiming sound.

“‘The Tower of Babel’ was built long ago,” Zhao Qing said, standing in front of the tower’s towering walls. He reached out and touched the fine blood seeping from the cracks in the metal bricks, knowing that this entire wasteland was the source of the red water. “Its history is over ten thousand years old, but it is just a reflection.”

It's just a projection of the "True Tower" from the history of the Dragon Clan.

The original, authentic Tower of Babel was clearly destroyed as punishment by "God" and erased by the Black King Nidhogg.

She looked up at the clouds and seemed to see a sinner who had been nailed to a white cross, whose blood, after endless humiliation, flowed as a long red ribbon across the black iron tower.

“I see…” Zhao Qing said.

To build such a magnificent creation, containing the highest secrets of alchemy, and to realize the plan of "unifying all souls and ascending from man to godhood," it was absolutely impossible for ancient humans to accomplish. It must have been presided over, promoted, and mobilized by the extremely noble Dragon King.

That being was neither the White King nor Odin.

……

At the base of the tower, the sacred doors are already open, with two rows of Omega watches standing guard on either side, as if welcoming distinguished guests.

Zhao Qing and Xiao Shi walked down the long white corridor, pushing open one white door after another, each door adorned with golden mimosa flower patterns.

They climbed higher and higher up the narrow, tall black iron spiral staircase, while the candlelight below, as vast as the sea, gradually went out.

Like a prayer that has been extinguished.

It was like a grace that had been taken back.

On the 6666th floor, the two finally arrived at the circular platform at the top of the tower.

Although it is called a round platform, it is actually surprisingly large. The platform is decorated with many magnificent buildings and gold and jade ornaments, as well as gardens and squares covered with green plants. At the very center is a palace, or rather an ancient church, surrounded by flocks of ravens.

Inside the hall, a huge pool of water was rising, the water was bright red, and it overflowed the white marble steps in layers.

It was as if every drop had been filtered repeatedly until all temperature was removed.

"arrive."

Walking through the dark corridor, Zhao Qing stopped in front of the mysterious blood pool, watching the waves surge within. A pure white monarch, somewhere between an angel and a demon, floated up.

It was impossible to tell whether the other party was male or female, but it should be a six-winged dragon wearing a silver-white crown.

A mirror appeared beside Him, and three apostles in the form of young girls were summoned: one in a white dress, one in a red dress, and one in a black dress.

"The Three Fates?" Zhao Qing asked.

She noticed that the girl in the red dress looked exactly like the witch Yingluo. A rough analysis showed that the resemblance was so perfect that it was hard to say that they were two different people.

In Norse mythology, the three sisters, Urd, spin the lifeline; Belldandy, pull the lifeline; and Skadi, cut the lifeline. This is the fate of all things in the world, unchangeable.

In addition, they were also responsible for drawing water from the Well of Uld to irrigate the roots of the World Tree, and for adding new soil to it, so that the sacred tree would always be green and vibrant. They also guarded the apples of youth hanging on the branches of the Tree of Life, allowing only beautiful eyes to pick them, and preventing others from stealing them.

Perhaps this pool of blood is a reflection of that spring?
The three girls did not reply, but sat silently by the blood pool, their eyes like clear lamps, their porcelain-like faces bearing a serene expression of having seen past and present lives, and having an empty heart...

Or perhaps it's loneliness.

"destiny?"

A voice resounded directly deep within Zhao Qing and Xiao Shi's consciousness, ethereal and ancient, carrying an indescribable weariness and mockery, indistinguishable from either the white dragon or the entire hall:

"They weave, they measure, they cut... but who will weave their destiny?"

The king in the pool of blood slowly opened his eyes. They were eyes that could not be described by color, as if they contained the birth and death of nebulae, the vortex and straight lines of time.

His gaze fell upon Zhao Qing, devoid of hostility or curiosity, only an unchanging, detached indifference that overlooked the evolution of all things: "Since you have crossed countless cages and arrived here treading on star remains, you should know that this place is not your home. This is 'returning to one place,' the final destination of all spirits, and also... the beginning of 'Taiyi' merging the upper and lower realms."

"Lilith?" Xiao Shi tentatively asked the name that was revered as the progenitor of demons in the Satanic cult's scriptures.

The pure white king shook his head slightly, his silver crown shimmering with moonlight: "All names and titles are illusions. They are the 'shadow of rebellion' and the 'unfinished dream.' I am the lingering echo of that dream's awakening, and also the first and last guardian of this tower and the white moon."

"speak English!"

Zhao Qing frowned: "You must be Kukulkan, right? The White King's second sacred remains that were never recorded, Hiruko-gami who drifted from Japan to the Americas, and who regained part of her Grandeur a long time ago?"

Based on the known clues, Izanagi obtained two sacred remains from the very beginning, one overt and one covert. The overt one was passed down in the Age of Gods civilization, while the covert one was directly smuggled to Central America, disguised as the feathered serpent god, a next-generation ancient dragon, and began a long-term scheme before disappearing nearly a thousand years ago.

Given that Odin is suspected of inheriting the World Tree cult founded by the White King, and considering the mysterious origins of the White King's bloodline in this area, it is understandable that the two sides would begin cooperating at some point.

Of course, the other party's current "real name" or identity should be the Time Giant Norvi, the father of the three Norn goddesses.

Just as Hela was born from the union of Fenrir and Jormungandr, Norvi and her three daughters can also be seen as the fulfillment of a prophecy in mythology.

He clearly possesses the power of spacetime simulated by spiritual elements, and his status is far above that of ordinary first-generation species, almost equivalent to half of a zero-generation species.

"You... actually know this name."

The pure white king slowly raised a giant claw covered in fine white scales, pointing it at the two figures as small as ants:
“But now, I have used the power of ‘original sin’ to reshape the dragon bones and authority, and I can ascend to the position of ‘Star Priest’ at any time, complete the unfinished work of ‘Babel’ in the past, and be crowned as ‘Taiwei’ ‘Zhen Emperor’ in the destruction of this world.”

"...You are people whose backgrounds are blank and empty, newly trapped in the spiral of fate. Now, listen to my explanation—"

"It tells the story of the past, present, and future of the 'sinner who stole fire,' the 'monk who lost love,' and the 'wandering witch.' It also tells the story of the 'heavenly substitution' of the despairing black dragon—those who wish to gain power must sacrifice themselves."

...(End of chapter)