The darkness was no longer just a comforting void; it was becoming claustrophobic.
Ethan drifted in and out of a strange, murky consciousness. The warm, gelatinous fluid that had been his entire universe for what felt like an eternity was beginning to press tightly against him. The rhythmic thump-thump of the giant heartbeat outside his tiny, unformed body had grown faster, more erratic.
It's getting cramped in here, his underdeveloped mind vaguely registered, feeling a sudden, strange pressure squeezing his sides. He tried to stretch his stubby legs, earning a muffled groan from the world beyond his watery cocoon. Wait... am I... is it time?
Beyond the confines of the womb, the world was vast, breathtaking, and deeply unforgiving.
In the eastern sector of Floating Cloud City, a prosperous jewel nestled within the borders of the Blue Wind Empire, the sprawling estate of the Xia Clan stood as a testament to immense wealth. Located right in the heart of the commercial district, the estate was a fortress of tranquility amidst the bustling trade and loud haggling of the city's merchants.
Inside the most secluded, heavily guarded master bedroom of the estate, the atmosphere was serene. The scent of burning sandalwood and high-grade calming incense wafted through the air, mixing with the cool, crisp breeze blowing in from the back mountain.
Resting on a lavish chair near the large, open window was a woman whose beauty seemed to defy the mortal realm. Her name was Dongxue.
She was as gorgeous as the pristine snow illuminated by a full moon. Her hair, a cascade of pure, shimmering white, flowed over her shoulders like a waterfall of liquid silk. Her skin was pale and flawless, though currently tinged with the pallor of deep exhaustion.
She rested a delicate hand against her swollen, heavy belly, her mesmerizing eyes gazing out at the lush, green canopy of the back mountain.
A sudden, sharp kick against her palm broke her trance.
A gentle, motherly smile bloomed on her face, completely melting the natural, icy aura she exuded. "Already starting to kick, eh?" she whispered, her voice like the chiming of silver bells. "Are you in such a hurry to see the outside world, my little one?"
She slowly turned her head, her loving gaze falling upon two meticulously crafted wooden cribs resting a few feet away.
Inside the cribs slept two tiny, one-year-old infants. They were a vision of absolute innocence, their breathing soft and synchronized. At first glance, their chubby, rosy-cheeked faces looked nearly identical, sharing the same flawless, delicate features of their mother. But looking closer, the heavens had marked them with a stark, beautiful contrast.
The infant girl on the left, Xia Qingyue, possessed a head of raven-black hair, dark and glossy as the midnight sky. She was a restless sleeper, one tiny fist currently gripping the edge of her blanket in a surprisingly firm hold.
The infant girl on the right, Xia Xueyue, was the mirror image of her mother. She had a halo of soft, snow-white hair that made her look like a fragile, porcelain doll. She slept quietly, her tiny hand reaching out across the small gap between the cribs, her fingers lightly brushing against her sister's crib.
Dongxue's heart swelled with an overwhelming, protective warmth as she looked at her daughters. But as another strong kick rippled across her abdomen, a flicker of worry crossed her deep, starlit eyes.
The physicians of Floating Cloud City—even the most expensive profound doctors her husband could hire—had been unanimous in their grim warnings. Dongxue possessed an incredibly weak constitution.
Bringing the twin girls into the world a year ago had nearly drained the last drops of her vitality. When she fell pregnant again so soon, the doctors had begged her to terminate the pregnancy, warning that carrying the child to term would likely result in her death, the child's death, or both.
But Dongxue had adamantly refused.
She gently rubbed her belly, feeling the distinct, vigorous energy of the life growing inside her. Her maternal intuition, sharp and unyielding, told her exactly what she was carrying. It's a boy.
She wanted to give birth to him. No, she needed to. The man who loved her with every fiber of his being, who showered her with the wealth of the world and asked for nothing but her smile in return, deserved this.
The birth of the twins had been a joyous, blessed occasion, but in the traditional, patriarchal mindset of the Profound Sky Continent, a male heir was essential to carry on the family lineage and shoulder the heavy burdens of the clan's sprawling commercial empire. She wanted to give her husband that heir, even if she had to trade her own remaining life force to do it.
"You will be strong," Dongxue whispered to her belly, a fierce light in her eyes. "Stronger than your mother. You will protect your sisters."
The heavy oak door to the bedchamber creaked open, breaking the quiet tranquility.
A man walked in, his footsteps incredibly light so as not to wake the sleeping babies. He was a man of striking, dignified appearance, dressed in the fine, embroidered silk robes of a wealthy merchant.
This was Xia Hongyi, the patriarch of the Xia Clan. Despite the immense pressures of running the city's largest merchant guild, his demeanor completely softened the moment his eyes landed on his wife.
A look of pure, unadulterated peace washed over his tired face.
"Dongxue," Xia Hongyi said softly, quickly crossing the room. He pulled up a stool beside her chair and gently took her free hand, pressing his lips against her knuckles. "How do you feel? Is there any discomfort? The physician is on standby in the courtyard, just in case."
For the past nine months, Xia Hongyi had been a bundle of nervous energy. He managed her diet down to the exact gram of spiritual herbs, supervised her sleep schedule, and practically turned the estate into a fortress to ensure she had absolute peace.
Dongxue chuckled, her free hand reaching out to brush a stray lock of hair from his forehead. "No, Hongyi. I am okay. The little one is just getting restless. How was your day at the guild?"