The elder leaned against the impossibly smooth, black boat, his expression a mask of amusement as he began to speak, his voice a low, resonant hum that seemed to vibrate within Riu Xian's very bones. "It's no secret, young one. When a mother is pregnant with an extraordinary child like you one born with the powers of a Qilin and supreme eyes the pregnancy doesn't follow normal rules. The longer the mother carries such a child, the more powerful the child will become."
Riu Xian's breath hitched, a choked gasp caught in his throat, as the elder's words slammed into him like a physical blow, confirming his worst, most terrifying fears. This was no accident, no random twist of fate. His existence, his struggles, his very being they had all been meticulously orchestrated, a carefully constructed symphony of suffering conducted by the man standing before him.
"When I kidnapped your mother," the elder continued, his voice calm, almost nostalgic, as if recalling a fond memory, "she had already been pregnant with you for three years. At the time, I was a renowned alchemist in the upper world, a master of my craft. I had knowledge and treasures that others could only dream of, but I wanted more, more power, more influence, more immortality. You were my solution, the key to unlocking it all. And when she was pregnant with you, her cultivation was suppressed by the very pregnancy itself, leaving her vulnerable and unable to resist."
The elder gestured toward the sleek, rune covered boat beside him, a sweeping motion of his spectral hand. "This spatial boat was my prized possession, capable of traveling underground, storing living beings, and holding immense resources. I used it to escape to the lower realms with your mother. She was essential to my plans, a vital component, so I ensured she had every comfort and facility she needed, every luxury imaginable."
He chuckled, a hollow, empty sound that echoed through the chamber, bouncing off the walls and sending shivers down Riu Xian's spine. "Do you understand, boy? I didn't kidnap her out of malice but out of necessity. You were to be my perfect vessel. But things did not go as planned, not entirely."
The elder's expression darkened, a shadow passing over his spectral features, and his ethereal aura flickered ominously, like a dying flame. "Your father's family the Riu family was not ignorant. They discovered my actions far sooner than I anticipated. One of my own disciples betrayed me, revealing my carefully laid plans in exchange for their favor. They attacked me with everything they had, sending their elites, their most powerful warriors, to hunt me down."
Riu Xian's fists clenched, nails digging into his palms, as the elder continued, his tone laced with bitterness, a lingering resentment that had festered for centuries. "The Riu family was formidable, even by upper world standards. Their lineage carried the blood of the Qilin, a powerful, ancient bloodline, and their patriarch was a cultivator far beyond my realm his power was immense and terrifying, a force of nature. When they found me, I was forced to fight for my life, knowing that escape would come at a great cost, a terrible price."
The elder's spectral form shifted, wavered, as if the memories themselves were causing him pain, forcing him to relive the events. "The battle was fierce, a maelstrom of energy and power. I used every artifact, every technique I possessed, every ounce of my knowledge and skill, to hold them off. But their strength was overwhelming, a relentless tide. I was gravely injured, my soul damaged, my body riddled with wounds. Yet I refused to surrender. Your unborn potential was too valuable to lose, a prize worth any sacrifice."
He gestured toward the boat again, a sharp, decisive movement. "In my desperation, I used this spatial treasure to flee. It was my lifeline, my escape route. But descending to the lower realms required a heavy price, a sacrifice of power. To survive, I sacrificed my cultivation, reducing myself to a mere shell of my former self, a shadow. It was a humiliating defeat, but it was necessary to preserve my plans, to ensure their eventual fruition."
The elder's gaze turned distant, unfocused, as he stared into the past. "One hundred years passed, and your mother's pregnancy progressed. By then, she was nearing her labor, the culmination of centuries. But there was a problem my soul strength wasn't fully recovered, and you weren't ready for the transfer. To successfully occupy your body, you had to reach the peak of the Qi Gathering realm, and I needed my soul to be in its prime, its most powerful state. I realized I had to delay your birth, buy more time."
He paused, his spectral form glowing faintly, a soft pulse of light. "It was then that I decided to use the core and blood of the Dragon and Phoenix that my master had gifted me. I infused them into your unborn body, increasing your mother's pregnancy while enhancing your potential and power. The process extended her pregnancy by another seven hundred years, far beyond anything natural.
Stolen story; please report.
Riu Xian's eyes widened in disbelief, his mind struggling to grasp the enormity of the statement. "Seven hundred years? That's…" He trailed off, unable to articulate the sheer scale of time, the vast expanse of centuries.
"Yes," the elder said, his voice calm, matter of fact. "During those centuries, I ensured she had the best conditions. I built this underground cave as her sanctuary, her refuge, providing her with everything she needed, every imaginable comfort. But as the years passed, I realized my soul still wasn't fully healed. I needed more time, more years to recover. So I decided to use the blood and core of the Bixi to infuse into you. The Bixi's essence would block all the meridians inside your body, and the pregnancy would be delayed further. The Bixi is a legendary beast, and I was fortunate enough to acquire its core and blood from my sect in the lower world. While not as powerful as its counterparts in the upper world, it was potent enough to delay the pregnancy."
The elder's tone grew somber, a hint of weariness creeping into his voice. "After nearly a millennium, the time of your birth finally arrived. I was ecstatic, overjoyed. You were the culmination of all my efforts a child born after a thousand years, with the powers of the Qilin, Dragon, Phoenix, and Bixi combined. With such strength, you would be unrivaled within the same realm and capable of defeating cultivators above your realm. But the heavens did not smile upon me. Your birth attracted a divine tribulation, a punishment from the heavens for tampering with the natural order, for defying the laws of existence."
He shook his head, his spectral form flickering, a brief wavering of his ethereal presence. "The tribulation was unlike anything I had ever seen. It was vast, powerful, and relentless, an unstoppable force. I took you and your mother outside the cave to face it, thinking I could resist it, that my power was enough. But I was wrong, terribly wrong."
Riu Xian's throat tightened, a knot forming in his chest, as the elder continued, his voice heavy with the weight of the memory.
"The lightning struck us with unrelenting fury, bolts of pure energy from the heavens. Your mother died instantly, shielding you with her last ounce of strength, her final act one of selfless love. Before she passed, she named you 'Riu Xian.' Her final act was one of love, even after everything I had done, all the pain I had inflicted."
The elder's voice softened, a rare trace of regret coloring his words, a fleeting moment of humanity. "I fought with everything I had, but the tribulation left me mortally wounded, my body shattered, my soul clinging to existence. I tried to escape, but it was futile, a desperate, hopeless act. With what little strength remained, I used my boat to bring you back to this underground cave. My body was destroyed, leaving behind only my skeleton, but my soul endured, bound to this place. The technique I possess to take over a body can only be used once, so I refrained from using it before. But now, with you here, I can finally perform it and claim your body as my own."
The elder's gaze sharpened, becoming intense, focused, as he spoke of the years that followed. "You remained in a coma for thirteen years. During that time, I used the last of my resources to ensure your survival, to keep you alive. When you finally woke, I used a teleportation talisman to send you to the Cloudspring Sect. I also sent a transmission jade slip, instructing the sect to take you in as a handyman disciple."
Riu Xian frowned, remembering the hardships he had faced in the sect, the cruelty and disdain. "They treated me like an outcast," he muttered, his voice thick with resentment. "They said I had no talent and stopped giving me resources."
The elder smirked, a cold, knowing smile. "Of course they did. None of them realized the truth that your meridians were blocked, sealing your true potential. I intended to unblock some of them, but due to the essence of the Bixi, I was unable to do so. The essence formed a unique seal that can only be undone as you improve your cultivation. In a way, this worked to my advantage it kept you humble, hungry, and most importantly, alive. Had they known your true potential, they might have tried to exploit or eliminate you, to use you for their own gain or destroy you as a threat."
The elder's spectral form seemed to grow brighter, more solid, as he finished his tale. When the Bright Snow Sect attacked, you fled toward the forest in a desperate attempt to escape. Unknowingly, you were drawn directly toward the direction of my cave. It seems fate was on my side.
He spread his arms wide, a gesture of triumph, and his laughter rang through the chamber, echoing off the walls, a chilling, triumphant sound. "And now, here we are. My soul is stronger than ever, and you are at the perfect stage peak of Qi Gathering stage for me to transfer into your body. All my preparations, my sacrifices, my patience they have all led to this moment, this glorious culmination."
Riu Xian took a step back, as the elder's laughter grew louder, more intense. The weight of the elder's gaze bore down on him, a physical pressure, and he knew, with a sickening certainty, that there was no escape, no way out.
"Now that you are here, your body will be mine!" the elder declared, his voice echoing with power and malevolence, a promise of a terrifying future. "Finally after all these years, I will be reborn!"
**NOTE**
-
Bixi:
- A legendary beast known for its life-extending essence.
- Consuming its essence can significantly increase an individual's lifespan.
-
Legendary Beasts:
- Include creatures like the Bixi.
- Renowned for their unique powers but rank below divine beasts.
-
Divine Beasts:
- Superior to legendary beasts in power and majesty.
- Examples include the Golden Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin.
-
Legendary Divine Beasts:
- An elite tier above divine beasts.
- Represent the pinnacle of might and divinity.
- Examples include the Azure Dragon and Ice Phoenix.
-
Bixi:
- A legendary beast known for its life-extending essence.
- Consuming its essence can significantly increase an individual's lifespan.
-
Legendary Beasts:
- Include creatures like the Bixi.
- Renowned for their unique powers but rank below divine beasts.
-
Divine Beasts:
- Superior to legendary beasts in power and majesty.
- Examples include the Golden Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin.
-
Legendary Divine Beasts:
- An elite tier above divine beasts.
- Represent the pinnacle of might and divinity.
- Examples include the Azure Dragon and Ice Phoenix.