The Dawn of the New World



She gave Hao Xuan a few minutes to digest everything first. He met her gaze once he was done, [I take it the sequence doesn't matter?]

"Not to me," she laughed, "To make the World Tree seed germinate you will first need the water and then the hellfire, the rest can go after. The fire will mark you and leave you disfigured but the feather can heal any injuries. And if you use the newly sprouted World Tree properly you can also gain numerous benefits as it grows. But if you don't trust me you can use them in any order after the tree is born."

Hao Xuan's eyes lit up when he heard that. He felt like a hammer had struck him from the back because some of the Emperor's memories suddenly popped up, a few things he thought would work if things turned out this way.

[I understand. What happens after that? Where is the spark and how do I get to it? I am guessing that it won't be easy either]

"Of course not, but if you are smart you can do all those things while you are journeying to the spark's location."

[I will be the judge of that. Where is it?]

She let out a long, woeful sigh.

"At this moment the spark can only be found in one place, within the ruins of 'Domus Minerva' deep in the abyss."

Hao Xuan frowned because he had heard that name before, or rather a rough translation of it.

[The place of learning for the forbidden knowledge? You speak of the 'House of Chaos' do you not? If I recall that was a school for those delving into the laws of Chaos, a sacred place somewhere deep within the Abyss]

She nodded bitterly, "Yes, a long time ago it was a holy place for any who had the foresight and resolve to take on the mantle of Chaos. Scholars, magicians, cultivators, all manner of beings attuned to the chaos went on the pilgrimage from across the known realms to Abyss in hopes of reaching the House of Chaos."

"Most died during the voyages while many others gave up and returned to where they had come from, broken and defeated in every way possible. But a select few, the 'chosen ones' were able to reach the final destination. There they would be mentored by the ones who came before them and continue to grow, taking on new challenges and making valuable discoveries for the next generation."

Hao Xuan had heard of this place before. He had even attempted the pilgrimage in one of his lifetimes along with a small group of like-minded individuals but they all perished in the end because the 'House of Chaos' lay hidden somewhere deep within the planes of the abyss.

The Abyss, by its very nature, was ungovernable. It wasn't a single place that existed somewhere out in the universe. Instead, it was an amalgamation of broken fragments trapped in a continuous cycle of creation and destruction.

There was no end to the layers of the Abyss just as there was no end to the monstrosities that lay within. Often times even the laws of nature were twisted or completely absent from certain layers which essentially turned into death traps with no way out. To navigate them was as much a question of luck as it was a matter of skill and experience.

Hao Xuan nodded, understanding the full extent of the dangers that he would be exposed to.

[So I only have to find these ruins then?]

The Old Witch shook her head wearily, "If only it were that easy. The 'House of Chaos' was destroyed by a mutual acquaintance of ours, Maymun and his demon armies. After it fell he erected a new stronghold in its place that is now called the 'Wailing Castle'. And one of the reasons for its existence is for protecting the 'spark' and keeping it from someone like you."

"If you wish to retrieve it then you must lay siege to the castle, kill the Demon Prince and his seven 'Demon Lord' underlings that guard the spark, and escape with your life before Maymun can send reinforcements."

Hao Xuan stared at her in silence for a good minute but she didn't speak up again.

[That is your plan? For me to gather my strength, create an army capable of not only traversing the abyss but also killing the demon lords that lay within, and then somehow escape with my life before Maymun can get to me? I would have a higher chance of jumping into a black hole and appearing in the 'Wailing Castle' by sheer luck]

And the Old Witch agreed with him entirely, "Indeed, but that is the only way."

[I would not be here if that was the only way. Do not be coy and tell me the truth, what other plans have you come up with?]

Even a child could tell this was a classic bait-and-switch tactic so how could it work on him? Well, it was never meant to. The Old Witch just wanted him to know the alternative before revealing her real plan.