Future Plans

Yao Gui's Mansion, Back Garden.

"Have you talked to Ning about the engagement proposal?" Said Gui, eyes focused on his daughters dancing together under the single tree in his flower garden.

"No, and I won't. The matter has solved itself. Look at them, even Ning the iceberg is exuding an aura of tranquility and peace. The three sisters are now united, I won't stand in their way after I brought them together." Said Amon after drinking his tea.

Gui had a faraway look in his eyes. "I don't know if you are this family's greatest fortune or my tormentor. Annchi left home to protect her sisters, and Ning stayed behind to protect her sister. It was difficult enough to lose one of my children, now I have lost all three. My only solace is knowing my daughters are going to be together always, supporting each other, and protecting each other.

Forgive me. I can't help but be selfish. My girls are what remains in this world of my beloved. It is not easy for me to accept that I may not see my girls for many years to come. The next time I lay eyes on Ling might be when she has grown into a splendid woman. You will one day understand when you become a father yourself. Only a father would understand the raging conflict in my heart."

Amon switched the topic to get Gui out of his depressed mood. "Speaking of your late wife, I would have loved to meet the perfect creature that gave birth to those three. Her beauty and grace must have been a fairy tale on its own. That's one thing you and my father have in common, I believe."

Gui turned his head towards Amon. "What do we have in common?"

Amon chortled. "You both are blessed with a stupid amount of dumb luck. How else would two ugly bastards get to marry two different out of the world beauties?"

Gui broke into a genuine smile then laughed out loud as a tear escaped his right eye. "HAHAHA, I see, so your father is a lucky bastard too."

"You tell me, a Raven marrying a fucking Phoenix. Honestly, there is no justice in this world." Amon shook his head, amused, remembering his father's ugly mug compared to his mother's delicate face.

Gui returned to watching his daughters, a smile still on his face, his mood improved after remembering his late wife. "I heard you rejected Lady Nuan's invite to join their sect?"

"Yes. After inquiring more about the Eternal Rain Palace, it became apparent we are incompatible. Their Profound Ethereal Arts are focused on areas I don't think I will ever have any 'talent' for. I'm also in need of self-discovery to understand myself better; my father's and mother's teachings and training are proving themselves inadequate currently."

Amon internally lamented. All the arts and skills he knew required things he no longer has access to from his Phoenix's bloodline to his two laws of fire and darkness. He was not sure if he should try to repurpose what he knew to his new reality or start over from the beginning. It all ultimately depends on how his body will develop in the future.

"So, what will you do next?" Asked Gui.

"I will head towards Green Hill city. From there, I will see where life takes me. What about you? Any plans?" Said Amon.

"I plan to get back to my old routine before I met my wife. I have spoken to my girls about it, and they will escort me to Vicia's capital city, the Principality. My old contacts will help me set up a decent shop there, and I will get back to peddling goods. After all, it is all that I know." Said Gui.

"Oh? That's quite a dramatic lifestyle change. I would have thought you would stay here among your relatives." Said Amon.

Gui looked at Amon. "I had thought one of my girls would have told you. A week ago, a letter arrived from our clan's Patriarch. It was a blanket summon, all practitioners of the Profound from all the Yao clan's branches across the County are to join the main branch in Green Hill city. My girls do not care much about the Yao clan's affairs, but everyone else must answer the summon. There is even a small party heading to inspect our city's Yao clan populace so no one can avoid the summon."

"Eh? Sounds serious, what happened?" Said Amon.

Gui shrugged. "I do not know. The only significant matter is our Count announcing his intentions to abdicate his throne in three years."

Amon frowned, there are few reasons he could think of that would make a Sovereign Count give up his throne willingly. Either he expects the tits he is currently suckling to dry up in three years, or he is about to make his last breakthrough on this planet. Either way, to everyone else, three years represents a warning to an impending bloodbath over the crumbs he will leave behind.

"Do you have any idea how old is the Count?" Said Amon.

Gui shook his head negatively.

'Hmm. A war zone might be a nice place to be at.'

"YAY! I broke through! HAHAHA, MIGHTY LING WILL SOON RULE THE WORLD!"

Amon smiled at the overly excited child jumping around. If the platform turned out to be a dead-end, he would at least have this pleasant memory of Lilium city.

"Thank you."

Looking to his left, he saw Gui gazing at the clouds.

"Deep down, I know what you have gifted my child is a priceless gift. For that, I will always be grateful. I Yao Gui will always have my doors open to you and consider you part of this family. When I purchase a new home in the Principality, I will make sure you have your own room there. I hope you will visit me there." Said Gui, making peace with everything that happened since Amon showed up.

"Will do, I'm bound to visit the city one day."

"Daddy! Did you see? Ling'er is so strong now!" Ling ran towards her father's open arms, hardly able to contain her joy.

Annchi and Ning approached Amon. "Shall we get going?" Said Annchi.

"Not yet. I have asked Yao Chang to acquire some necessities for me. We also should wait until it is night time away from prying eyes. It might be too flashy to hide when you activate the runes set, but I still rather do it at night time." Said Amon.

Annchi extracted, from her storage ring, her Flawed crystal, and the sealed parchment Amon drew for Ling but did not use.

"You should keep this on you. I have already given the other two to Ning and Ling." Said Annchi.

"That's very generous of you, thank you." Amon accepted the gift, wrapped the seal's parchment around the Flawed crystal, and stored them away in his void.

"Think nothing of it." Annchi smiled a genuine smile behind her veil, something she has not done in a long time.

"By the way, where do you keep your storage ring? I have not seen one on you." Asked Annchi.

Amon smiled. He was about to repeat his cheesy 'secret' line but was abruptly stopped by Ning.

"He has an endless void in him. He is storing it there, I presume." Said Ning.

Amon glared at Ning.

"You are among friends, Enigma; no one here will speak of you or your capabilities in front of anyone else." Said Ning.

Annchi frowned. "Is that what made you wary of him?"

Ning nodded. "It felt..."

Ning stopped talking, unable to formulate a sentence to describe what she felt, sensed, and witnessed.

"So, what is this void she speaks of?" Asked Annchi.

"Oh my! Is the great veiled fairy interested in little old me? I'm at a loss! What should I do?" Amon started acting like a shy maiden in front of her lover, which promptly forced Annchi to try and knock him on his head with her knuckle.

"Young master. Everything you have asked for is in your room, the best quality I found, and in the amount you requested." Said Yao Chang.

"Sweet! Annchi, Ning, let us meet at the platform midnight." Amon flipped backward from his chair and ran towards his room.

"He already knows my secret, what is the big deal about sharing his?" Said Annchi while she watched Amon quick retreat.

"He did not care about mentioning he used to be like you before. I can only conclude that whatever he does not wish to talk about is beyond our sphere of comprehension. Furthermore, I believe in this instance; it is something we all rather not know or get introduced to. Some matters are better left alone." Said Ning.

***

Behind Lilium City, Midnight.

"You know she is following us, right?" Said Amon casually.

Annchi pressed her nose bridge. "Ling, come out, you win, you can accompany us."

Ling ran straight towards Amon and clutched his hand. "I want to see! I'm not useless anymore. You don't have to worry about me."

"It is their job to worry about you, you little spitfire. You can come with us, but the moment you hear me say go home, you will do as you are told, understood?" Said Amon.

Ling nodded and kept holding Amon's hand as they walked towards the ancient platform.

"Where is Nuan? I have not seen her in a while." Asked Amon.

"Master had to return to our sect. She needs to register Ling as her disciple and prepare an escort to travel with us when we take father to the Principality city." Said Ning.

"Life moves along. Any bets on the platform once it is repaired?" Said Amon.

"I bet it leads to a magical land, with lots of secrets. Oh! It is going to be fun!" Jumped Ling excitedly, dragging Amon's hand with her.

"You still have no idea what to expect? Asked Annchi.

"Not a clue. Runes Artisans hide their work under jargon that looks like runes and arrays but is not. It is a fathomless art in itself, add the damage time did to the platform, and it is outright impossible for me to make any sense of it. I only know it is a teleportation platform, and even that I'm only eighty percent sure." Said Amon.

"We are here. What do you want me to do?" Said Annchi.

Amon extracted a lantern from his void, motioning for Annchi to follow him. He uncovered the hidden rune by removing the piece he carved and pointed at it. "Place your finger here and push all your Source into it, if you feel your Source is going somewhere it means it is working, don't let go until you feel your Source is bouncing back."

Annchi knelt and followed Amon's instructions. Amon left the lantern next to Annchi and walked back to Ning and Ling.

"What now?"

"Now, we wait." Said Amon while caressing Ling's head.

***

Two hours passed quietly. Ling has long fallen asleep on Ning's lap.

Amon sat in meditation, trying to predict Entropy's cultivation path so he may prepare for it. The matter between whether he is an Intelligent Race member or a Wise Race member, concerned him immensely. One means he needs to figure out everything on his own, and the other means his path is almost set in stone. From what he observed so far, he appeared to be in a unique situation, not belonging to either category, a race with only him as its sole member, which in turn troubled him.

"It is done."

Amon opened his eyes, watching Annchi stand up from her kneeling posture. He stood up and walked towards the platform, waiting for it to show any sign of life.

The ground beneath his feet started vibrating violently. White light started escaping from between the platform's first and second layers. The girls stood next to Amon, watching with him.

The cliff's vibrations magnified, accompanied by the sound of rocks being crushed to dust. Soon the first layer started to raise itself a few inches above its second layer. Then it started slowly revolving, increasing in speed every second.

The runes and arrays on the first layer started emitting a blinding white light, forcing the group of four to cover their eyes.