The Grand Elder's Lesson
The moment Seraphina's voice faded, the High-Level Yaoguai pressing the attack retreated, melting back into the purple mist. The brief, paralyzing command from the Divine Eye had saved them, but the silence that followed was heavy with latent threat.
Grand Elder Lin, recovering from the shock, led Jade into the temple's cavernous interior. The stone chamber was lined with dusty scrolls and illuminated by dim, flickering spirit-lamps.
"The Eastern Dragon Princess, Seraphina, has begun her move earlier than anticipated," Lin stated gravely, handing Jade a cup of bitter herbal tea. "She seeks to claim the Western Dragon King's weakened territory. Your appearance—the raw power of the Divine Eye—is the wild card she will stop at nothing to possess."
Jade ignored the tea, rubbing her throbbing azure eye. "Why me? Why bring a history major to a mythical war zone?"
"The Divine Eye requires a cynical, unbiased host—someone detached from Xianzhou's traditions," Lin explained, his gaze distant. "You were pulled through the only remaining intact Celestial Vessel. It is fate. Your role is to balance the scales. But first, you must master the Eye's authority."
He led her into a small, enclosed courtyard where a bizarre creature was chained to a crumbling stone pedestal. It resembled a large, muscle-bound lion with a massive, horned head, covered in thick, bronze-colored fur. It snarled, eyes yellow and full of hatred.
[Yaoguai Classification: Bao (Pixiu/Lion Hybrid). Level: 12. Temperament: Hostile/Untamed.]
"This is Bao," Lin said. "A powerful Yaoguai captured decades ago. Untamable, disobedient, and driven by pure hunger. He will be your first subject."
"You want me to control that?" Jade swallowed hard. "It looks like it eats mountains."
"You don't control him with muscle, Jade. You control him with Authority," Lin instructed. "The Divine Eye sees the creature's core essence, its weaknesses, and its loyalty matrix. Focus your azure sight. Find the gap in its will."
The Whisper of Command
Jade closed her brown eye, focusing only with the radiant blue of the Divine Eye. The world shifted. The courtyard dissolved into a stream of pure, pulsing energy. She saw Bao not as a lion-beast, but as a whirlwind of Level 12 yellow energy, contained by fragile, flickering nodes of fear and submission.
Control, she thought, pouring all her will into the Eye. I command your fear.
The Eye obeyed, channeling her intent. It wasn't a roar or a blast; it was a silent, insistent whisper directly into Bao's consciousness.
The beast roared, shaking its massive head, fighting the alien intrusion. But the pressure was immense—the voice of absolute authority. Finally, Bao collapsed to its knees, letting out a pitiful whimper, its yellow eyes dimming.
[Yaoguai Bao (Level 12) has succumbed to Host Authority. Loyalty Matrix: 70% (Developing).]
Jade stumbled back, exhausted. She had defeated a Level 12 monster without moving a muscle.
Bao, now subservient, shuffled forward and nudged its huge, horned head gently against her hand.
[Skill Acquired: Yaoguai Taming (Rank F). Ability: Basic Command and Loyalty Management.]
"Excellent," Lin breathed, astonished by her speed. "You have the talent. Now listen closely, child. The Dragon War is a lineage conflict. The Western King's illness is not natural; it is a dark curse meant to destabilize his ancient hold on the elemental forces."
He leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "The Eastern faction is being supplied by a third party—a power that craves chaos. You must ally yourself with the Western Prince, Aether. But be wary. His power is immense, and his temper, volatile."
The Price of Power
Just as Lin finished his warning, the earth trembled. It wasn't the distant tremor of a weak king, but the heavy, localized presence of dominant, aggressive power.
Bao, now intensely loyal, whined and backed behind Jade, its tail tucking in fear.
"He's here," Lin muttered, his face turning pale. "The Western Prince. He senses the Divine Eye has been activated, and he will demand answers."
A colossal shadow fell over the temple courtyard. The air grew frigid, smelling sharply of rain and metal.
A figure descended from the sky without wings, materializing as if carved from the darkness itself. He was devastatingly handsome, with high cheekbones and a jawline sharp enough to cut glass. He wore armor made of overlapping, polished obsidian scales, and his long, ink-black hair was tied back with a silver clasp.
But it was his presence that stole the air: raw, untamed elemental authority.
His eyes were the deepest, most dangerous amethyst purple Jade had ever seen. They locked immediately onto her azure eye, and the power clash was instantaneous. Jade felt a pressure that threatened to crack her bones, the authority of an apex mythical predator demanding submission.
"Who are you, human," the Prince of Obsidian Scales demanded, his voice deep, resonant, and laced with absolute power. "And why does your eye steal my lineage's light?"
Jade, powered by the newly activated Divine Eye, felt a sudden, defiant surge. She knew who this was: Aether, the Western Dragon Prince. Volatile, powerful, and undeniably beautiful.
"My name is Jade," she replied, refusing to look down despite the terror surging through her. "And my eye isn't stealing anything. It's just a damn better color than yours."
The Prince's amethyst eyes narrowed, a slow, dangerous smile curving his lips. The air crackled. The stage for their forbidden, dangerous alliance was set.