Chapter 18: Mythical Creatures

There is a bird whose appearance resembles a crane, standing on one leg, adorned with red markings on a blue-green body and a white beak. It is called Bifang, and its call is unique to itself. The sight of it foretells a disastrous fire in the land.

This was Liang Yuan’s plan—Bifang.

He beckoned, and that crane-like bird with blue and red plumage fluttered its wings and, with just a few beats, came to rest beside him, its gaze fixed on Liang Yuan with a hint of curiosity.

Liang Yuan simply extended a hand, pressing it gently atop the crown of the red-crowned crane, and spoke softly, “Would you wish for immortality?”

A pure and wondrous sense flowed into the crane’s mind, and in an instant it understood Liang Yuan’s intent.

The crane’s eyes were impossibly clear as it stared at him, nodding its slender neck.

If given the choice, what being under heaven does not long for eternal life, to endure through the ages?

“Very well.”

Liang Yuan nodded, lifting his wrist. A thin line of blood appeared silently.

Fresh blood welled up and fell into the crane’s beak.

A single drop of blood, after countless eons, can give birth to life.

Now, Liang Yuan offered more than a single drop.

When the quantity seemed sufficient, he stopped, and the wound on his wrist vanished without a trace.

But the crane that had swallowed Liang Yuan’s blood began to behave oddly.

Its entire body blazed red, as if flames were gathering within. Liang Yuan could see the creature was in distress, unable to withstand the surging power.

Seeing this, Liang Yuan waved his hand, and divine force settled around him, holding the crane’s state steady for the moment, as he fell into contemplation.

This force-feeding method of creating gods did not seem to work; the living creature simply could not bear his divine power.

If he forced them to contain it, the only outcome would be…self-destruction.

“Tsk.”

Liang Yuan frowned. Yet he was not about to give up on this crane-like bird so easily.

If that was the case, he would have to find a way to temper and balance his own energy.

In an instant, his divine consciousness swept across the three central provinces.

To mix divine power with external things and forge new life—this was a technique Liang Yuan often used and one he favored.

For example, this very planet beneath his feet, the moon in the heavens, and the myriad stars—all had been created in this way.

To conjure something like the sun from nothing was not impossible, but the cost was tremendous.

The Nine Provinces had only just begun to flourish; Liang Yuan had no wish to slip into another long slumber because of it.

So, the creation of the divine Bifang bird would have to be a slow and careful process, not a single leap.

Mythical beings are, after all, mythical—they are not like the ordinary races of wisdom and cannot be compared.

The Feathered Clan and the Mermen needed time to develop. For now, Liang Yuan focused his energies on Bifang, which would allow time for the others to grow and for society to take shape.

Meanwhile, the passage of time would grant Liang Yuan experience, preparing him for the eventual creation of a race he knew best—humans.

Returning to the matter at hand, in the western reaches of the three central provinces, Liang Yuan found a volcano.

With the power of the volcano, balanced by the ocean, and mingled with his own divinity, perhaps he could quell Bifang’s raging energy and allow it to contain a portion of his power.

Only practice can prove the truth.

He would try first, and then consider other matters.

...

Trouble had erupted in the Mermen Court.

The former king’s eldest son, Prince Quanxi, had gone missing.

This plunged King Quanan into deep anxiety, and he summoned all the court’s guards, planning a thorough search of every corner of the near and mid-seas.

Though Quanan and Quanxi were half-brothers, both sons of the late king, Quanxi was still royal blood—an important member of the family.

When Quanan first ascended the throne, some of Quanxi’s followers among the black- and red-finned mermen, led by Quanhuai, attempted to enthrone Quanxi and sparked a rebellion.

At the time, Quanan lacked the might of the great shark. Though there were many warriors among the royals, once war broke out, the merfolk court would know no peace.

At that critical moment, it was Quanxi himself who laid down arms, preventing civil war.

Now, Quanxi’s mysterious disappearance was a calamity of the highest order.

If those who once supported Quanxi believed that Quanan had killed him and concealed the truth, another war would be unavoidable.

Just then, a guard swam into the hall and reported respectfully, “My king, two guards request an audience. Eight days ago, they saw Prince Quanxi ascending to the surface with an old white-finned woman.”

At these words, Quanan’s heart skipped a beat. Without hesitation, he ordered, “Bring them in at once!”

The White-finned Clan?

That clan was notorious for currying favor with those in power. In the old days, the late king was lured by their wiles to take on legs and foolishly aspire to godhood.

Now, a white-finned clanswoman had appeared at Quanxi’s side. Could it be…

At this thought, Quanan drew a deep breath to steady himself, a chill settling in his heart.

Reforming the bad habits within the merfolk had become an arrow nocked to the string—there was no turning back.

“Greetings, King Quanan!”

...

While the merfolk court was thrown into chaos over Quanxi’s disappearance, the prince himself had set out on a new journey upon the land, accompanied by the Dark Bird.

The land was a source of endless curiosity for Quanxi.

Especially after meeting the Primordial God and receiving the divine gift that allowed him to communicate with the Dark Bird, his curiosity knew no bounds. He asked the Dark Bird about everything he encountered.

The Dark Bird had considered itself quite talkative, but it soon discovered that Quanxi was even more inquisitive, like a child with a thousand questions.

For instance, Quanxi often asked why the Dark Bird could fly.

Heavens, who could explain that clearly?

The Dark Bird, for its part, wanted to ask why Quanxi could swim, or why he needed to stay in the water to survive!

“Dark Bird, where exactly are we going?” After dozens of strange questions, Quanxi finally posed one that seemed reasonable.

The Dark Bird, hearing this, paused its constant fluttering and circled around Quanxi. “I’m taking you to our ancestral land. My mother says our ancestors all came from there—it’s our root.”

“If you want to understand the land, how can you not go to the ancestral land?”

Quanxi nodded, half-understanding, and then asked, “You… really don’t know the Primordial God? Have you never encountered a god?”

“I don’t know. I wasn’t born in the ancestral land. When we get there, you’ll understand more,” the Dark Bird chirped.

Ever since the Dark Bird clan left their ancestral land a century ago, they had not returned.

Still, every newly hatched Dark Bird must return to the ancestral land for a time before wandering abroad.

“My mother says that any Dark Bird who’s never been to the ancestral land will be rejected by it after death!”

Hearing this, Quanxi nodded and suddenly thought of another question. “By the way, you always call yourself Dark Bird, Dark Bird. Don’t you have a name?”

“A name? What’s that?”