Yin and Yang… two polar opposites that clash endlessly, yet can never exist without one another.
Death is not the end of life, just as life cannot flourish without death beneath it.
This dense Yin Death Qi would not harm the soul… instead, it would nurture it, tempering the life within the flower and guiding it toward balance… allowing true rebirth to finally take place.
"Take this… before I change my mind,"
Soul Emperor Yama said gruffly, clearly trying to shoo her away.
He waved his staff once more.
The wrapped Samsara Sunflower drifted forward, hovering gently before Lilith.
Lilith had been frozen ever since Soul Emperor Yama took out the soul.
She stared at the sealed soul before her, her red ruby eyes widening slightly as a rare look of genuine shock crossed her face.
"Whose soul is this?" she asked softly, honestly not expecting that what she needed to take back was actually a soul.
Suddenly, her eyes turned pitch black, shimmering as if filled with countless stars. It was as though an entire night sky had been compressed into her pupils.
She stared directly at the soul, her gaze aligning with the Laws of the World, attempting to peer through the past, present, and future.
A few seconds passed.
Her eyes reverted to their normal red colour… but the shock remained.
"I… can't see through it," she stammered.
She turned sharply toward Soul Emperor Yama.
"Did those two block the Heavenly secrets?"
Yama fell silent.
This time, the air around him subtly changed… no anger, no irritation… only a heavy stillness.
After several breaths, he finally spoke.
"Interesting, isn't it…? Even I can't see through it."
Lilith felt genuinely surprised. If anyone else had heard those words, they would have been completely shocked… after all, he was no ordinary being.
"E-Even you…?"
Before she could say anything more…
Something changed.
The dark, oppressive Netherworld sky above the tower suddenly trembled… then brightened.
Night turned into day.
Pure white light flooded the heavens.
Soul Emperor Yama looked up, his expression strange.
"Little girl," he muttered,
"I only said the sky would brighten if you smiled… I didn't expect it to happen because you were surprised."
The radiant light in the sky condensed, shrinking rapidly.
Soon, it formed a small white sphere… no larger than a clenched fist.
It descended slowly… and gently merged into the Samsara Sunflower, slipping straight through the black Death Qi wrapping it.
"T-This…!"
Lilith gasped, staring wide-eyed at the scene.
Soul Emperor Yama remained silent once more.
After a few moments, he spoke quietly.
"This is… the blessing of the Netherworld," he said.
"…No. More than that."
"This soul is favoured by the Will of the Heavens."
He lowered his gaze and looked directly at Lilith.
Then, unexpectedly, he asked the very question she had asked earlier.
"Whose soul is this…?"
Lilith stared at him, her expression strange.
'You're the Soul Emperor of the Hell Tower', she thought.
'The one who governs life and death… the holder of the Life and Death Book.'
Her expression turned even more baffled.
'You're the one who knows every soul in existence… so why are you asking me?'
Lilith didn't say anything. She looked at his bony face with a blank expression.
Soul Emperor Yama returned the stare, equally expressionless.
After a few seconds of silent staring, she bowed… gentle and proper… then lifted her gaze, looking at him as if she were looking down on him.
Without another word, she turned around and left.
Soul Emperor Yama remained seated on his throne, dumbfounded.
'Wasn't she going to say something?
Why did it feel like she was looking down on me…?'
He felt genuinely baffled, unable to understand why the younger generation was so rude.
Shaking his skeletal head, he rose from the Golden Throne, staff held in his right hand and the Life and Death Book resting in his left. He walked behind the throne and slipped into a corridor concealed by a golden drape.
He walked all the way through the corridor but stopped just before stepping out.
Beyond the exit lay a vast hall, completely empty. Its walls and floor were pure white, as if untouched by time itself.
At the far end of the hall rose a long flight of steps, ascending steadily toward the final… the 101st floor of the tower.
Soul Emperor Yama looked at the silent hall, then at the steps leading upward. His ancient gaze flickered, emotions long buried stirring faintly within it.
He bowed gently, then muttered softly to himself,
"…I felt your aura some time ago."
"…Are you finally returning?"
****
Somewhere far from the Netherworld, in a dark room of a white castle that stood high above, supported by the clouds themselves, a small white cat sat quietly on the windowsill.
From there, she gazed down at the vast expanse of lights glittering across the city below.
Her green eyes sparkled as the moonlight caught them, a trace of buried excitement flickering deep within.
The little cat bore a hideous black scar across her forehead, and her soul seemed tainted by something ominous, pressing down on her very being.
Though the scar marred her beauty, her pure white fur glowed softly against the darkness of the night, giving her an almost unreal, otherworldly appearance.
She pressed her small paw against the cold glass, her face scrunching into an annoyed, slightly grumpy expression.
Suddenly, faint footsteps sounded from outside the room, growing closer with each step. The door creaked open, and a middle-aged man entered. Atop his head were sharp, upright tiger beast ears, the fur pristine white with black-tipped edges.
He carried a stern and imposing presence, radiating an authority that pressed down on the room like an unseen hand.
Seeing the darkness, he casually waved his hand. One by one, the candles in the room lit up, bathing the space in warm light.
The man's neatly groomed white beard was similarly tipped with black, matching his ears. He wore flowing white robes traced with thin black stripes, exuding authority and cold dignity.
He took a couple of steps inside, clasped his hands behind his back, and looked at the little cat with an aged, serious expression.
"You are a noble princess… act like one," he said calmly.
"And don't cause any trouble."
"Young masters from several major powers will be visiting tomorrow," he continued.
"Many of them have come as your suitors."
The little cat glanced at him and snorted softly, but said nothing.
The man studied her for a moment before speaking again.
"Don't do anything that could damage our honour and reputation," he added, his tone firm.
"Otherwise, don't blame me."
The little cat looked at him once more, her expression indifferent and cold. Yet deep inside, her heart felt as though it were being locked inside a cage.
"Even with that scar of yours, it would be fortunate if just one of them favoured you."
The man gave her one last glance, then turned and left. The door closed slowly behind him, and with a flick of his hand, the candles went out, plunging the room back into darkness.
From beyond the door, a faint voice echoed,
"It is decided. You have no choice but to be grateful…"
The little cat ignored it.
Her gaze drifted back toward the window… toward the distant city lights far beyond her reach.
As she continued to stare outside, a single thought surfaced in her mind.
Freedom… A life of my own
Her green eyes shone brighter in the darkness, as if she had finally made up her mind to do something.