Chapter 16 – Call from the Heavens
In one corner of Holuang City, in the home of Defei Sixie, a subtle vibration crept through the air so faintly, like a whisper of wind without sound. On the old wooden table, the Root Ring placed inside a black box slowly emitted a soft glow.
The light pulsed…
Once.
Twice.
Then dimmed again as if nothing had happened.
Yet none of those in the house noticed…
That something was awakening.
Something that had slept in long silence.
Meanwhile, in Domain Zhi, the storm of auras had not yet subsided. Four Heavenly Spiritual Fruits still spun rapidly in the sky, creating a whirl of pressure that made anyone looking up unable to breathe freely. The wind danced wildly, the students' clothes fluttered, and their long black hair swayed in the air.
No one dared to speak.
All eyes were fixed.
All breaths held.
Until finally…
The Seven-Colored Heavenly Spiritual Fruit began to slow. Its spectral light shifted gently toward the north from the center of the storm.
One by one, heads followed its direction.
"Towards whom…?" someone whispered softly.
The fruit descended slowly, passing over Yun Xiwe's head…
Then Xieyi Zui's…
Then Yuji Daofei's…
And finally…
It landed in front of a man wearing dark purple clothes, standing upright among six other finalists.
The man's eyes widened, but only for a moment, before a confident and joyful gleam filled his face.
His hand clenched.
His smile lifted.
"This… is for me…" he said, almost whispering.
No protests. No disappointment.
The other students only lowered their heads silently. They acknowledged…
The choice had fallen.
The sky rumbled again.
It was the turn of the White-Golden Heavenly Spiritual Fruit.
Its form reflected light like a mirror, gentle yet full of hidden power. It floated around each person on the Peak of Mount Lihai.
Occasionally it stopped in front of someone, then moved on again.
And finally…
It stopped directly in front of Yun Xiwe.
Yun Xiwe's eyes widened, her breath caught.
Her small hands trembled at her sides, but a gentle smile began to appear on her lips.
A complex smile, a mixture of disbelief, emotion, and determination.
"I… am chosen?" she thought.
Beside her, Xieyi Zui covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes glistening.
So did Yuji Daofei, who glanced briefly and nodded slightly.
No words left their mouths, yet their gaze carried acknowledgment.
The sky still shone.
Two Heavenly Spiritual Fruits remained.
And the world… still held its breath.
Amid the slowly calming wind, the two remaining Heavenly Spiritual Fruits finally moved together. Both shone brightly, one with a soft silver-green aura that was healing, the other with a wild red-purple glow that seemed to contain hidden strangeness within its small form.
They hovered in the air, moving along the line of students on the Peak of Mount Lihai. All eyes stared without blinking. Even the sound of leaves seemed silent.
Among the crowd stood a young woman who looked different.
Her face innocent, her smile gentle.
She did not push forward like the others. She showed no ambition, only waiting…
With a calmness unusual for her age.
Then, the Silver-Green Heavenly Spiritual Fruit directed itself toward her.
Her steps were light but firm, stopping directly before the girl.
The woman gazed at the glowing fruit with wide eyes.
Silent.
Then her smile bloomed.
Her small hand touched her chest, and she murmured softly,
"Could it be… for me?"
Then, laughing quietly,
"Thank you… thank you…"
All who watched could only smile faintly. They knew, though she appeared ordinary, the girl possessed a calming aura like morning dew amidst a storm of chaos.
Before all of that settled, one more Red-Purple Heavenly Spiritual Fruit darted quickly like lightning dancing.
Unstable. Ungraceful. Yet… full of determination.
The fruit spun wildly, causing many aspiring students to step back nervously.
Then… it dived sharply toward an ordinary young man.
No lavish clothing. No renowned family.
Yet he stood upright.
His gaze was fearless, even when no one regarded him as anyone special.
The fruit stopped in front of him.
The young man froze. His eyes widened.
Then he laughed…
"Haha… finally, I am chosen too!"
His hand clenched into the air with enthusiasm.
Small cheers arose from a few who knew him.
But most simply sighed…
Two remained…
Only two Heavenly Spiritual Fruits left.
Yet one of them, which had not moved since the beginning, still hovered slowly, as if waiting for the right moment.
The Seven-Layered Black Light Heavenly Spiritual Fruit.
The most mysterious fruit.
The least understood.
The most dangerous… or valuable.
The sky above Domain Zhi felt darker than usual, even though the sun still hung high. The last two fruits had not moved, still floating calmly yet shaking, as if waiting for the perfect moment to choose someone's fate.
The Three-Colored Heavenly Spiritual Fruit spun slowly, emitting blue, gold, and red light that waved beautifully like a celestial dance.
Meanwhile, the Seven-Layered Black Light Heavenly Spiritual Fruit remained still, silent, yet creating an invisible pressure. Its light was pitch black, yet within it were layers that seemed to depict the depth of space and time itself. Its presence alone made the students' breaths catch.
Among the line of students, they stood frozen, some biting their lips, some bowing their heads, and some even beginning to pray silently.
"Why is it taking so long…" whispered one student softly.
"That black fruit… it feels like staring at something not of this world," replied another, his body trembling slightly.
"If I am chosen by that black fruit… will I survive?" murmured a young man with a pale face.
Tension spread like mist.
Not only on the mountain. Outside Domain Zhi, this event caused great ripples.
In remote villages to major cities across the Guhawe Nation, large spiritual observation crystals broadcasted this moment live. Viewers gathered in squares, government halls, and tea houses. All silent. All waiting.
And among them, in a small village called Yunboa, the Lawzi family gathered in silence in their courtyard.
A large spiritual projection crystal hung in the village sky. Its light dim but clear, showing the last two fruits on the mountain peak.
Lawzi Kunren stood upright, arms crossed over his chest. His brow furrowed sharply.
Tsai Mianzu stood not far from him, her face expressionless but attentive. She said not a word, only staring deeply at the unmoving black light.
Lawzi Jeu sat cautiously, while Quim Zunxi gripped her own fingers tightly.
"The last two fruits…" murmured Quim Zunxi, her voice low but tense.
"One looks beautiful… the other…" Lawzi Jeu paused, staring at the screen. "Unpredictable. But I do not like the feeling."
Beside them, Lawzi Zienxi stood silently.
The boy's eyes were fixed on the Spiritual Mirror. The dancing three-colored light captivated him, but the black light… made his chest race. Not out of fear. But because… of a deep curiosity.
"Is this a sign… something is about to change?" Zienxi thought.
Next to him, Vuyei gripped the end of her sleeve. Her face serious and unblinking.
"I do not know why," Vuyei said softly. "Is that… okay?"
Zienxi looked at her.
"Are you scared?" he asked.
"A little… but I also… want to see who will be chosen," Vuyei replied almost inaudibly.
Back at the Peak of Mount Lihai…
Suddenly, the air shook lightly. The Three-Colored Heavenly Spiritual Fruit began to tremble, then slowly floated downward.
All eyes followed its movement, hope and anxiety merging into a single gaze.
Yet at the same time… the Seven-Layered Black Light Heavenly Spiritual Fruit also began to move.
Unlike the other fruits, it moved slowly and silently, without a single dazzling flash. Yet the pressure around it grew heavier, as if each step pressed upon the chests of those nearby.
The students' heartbeats became the only sound.
The two fruits floated toward the crowd…
And the world held its breath.