The moment the word "Rule" left Ren Zu's dying lips, the reality of the Cavern of Eternal Night shattered.
The suffocating darkness did not merely fade; it peeled away like dead skin. The absolute void, which had felt as heavy as a mountain and as endless as the ocean, evaporated instantly in the face of the correct definition.
Light—pure, dazzling, and ancient—flooded the space. Ren Zu squeezed his eyes shut, tears streaming down his face as his retinas, starved of sight for so long, were assaulted by the brilliance.
When he finally dared to open them, blinking against the glare, he saw them.
Two Gu worms floated in the void before him, illuminated by their own internal radiance. They were the physical manifestations of the world's order.
The one on the left was Cubic. It was a perfect block of darkness that somehow shone. Its edges were razor-sharp, its corners precise to the infinitely small degree. It exuded an aura of cold, hard rigidity. It was unbending, unyielding, and absolute. It looked like a prison, a wall, and a shield all at once.
This was Regulation Gu.
The one on the right was Spherical. It was a flawless pearl of white jade, rotating gently in the air. It had no edges, no beginning, and no end. It was smooth, fluid, and adaptable. It exuded an aura of infinite possibilities within a cycle. It looked like a wheel, a coin, and a path all at once.
This was Rules Gu.
Together, the Square and the Round, the Black and the White, the Rigid and the Fluid, made up Rules and Regulations.
They floated down until they hovered mere inches from the dying human's face. They spoke in unison, their voices resonating not just in the air, but inside Ren Zu's skull.
"No matter who it is—be it beast, human, or ghost—as long as they know our true names, we will listen to them," they declared, their tone devoid of emotion. "The Great Dao is impartial. We do not choose our master based on strength or virtue; we choose based on Knowledge."
They hovered closer. "Human, since you have divined our names from the chaos, we will be at your service. We are the tools, and you are the artisan."
Ren Zu felt a surge of triumph in his failing heart. He reached out with a trembling hand to grasp them.
However, just as his fingers brushed their aura, the two Gu recoiled slightly. They issued a grave warning, a secret condition that would weigh heavier than any mountain.
"But you must remember one thing," the Rules Gu whispered, spinning faster, its voice like the whistling of wind. "This is the most important rule of all. It is strictly forbidden to let others know of our names."
"Why?" Ren Zu asked weakly, his voice barely a rasp. "Is glory not meant to be shared? Are names not meant to be spoken?"
"Power shared is power lost," the Regulation Gu explained, its voice vibrating like a heavy bell. "We are the Definition of Order. If only you know the Rules, you are the Arbiter. If only you know the Regulations, you are the King."
The two Gu worms circled each other, creating a mesmerizing pattern of light and shadow.
"But," they continued in grim unison, "the more people that know our names, the more people we have to obey."
"If everyone knows the Rules, everyone can use the Rules. If everyone knows the Regulations, everyone can navigate the Regulations. If the secret spreads, your command over us dilutes. If the whole world learns our names, we will no longer be your servants; we will be the world's common law, and you will be nothing special."
Ren Zu's eyes widened. A chill that had nothing to do with death ran down his spine.
He understood instantly.
Rules and Regulations were absolute, but their loyalty was not exclusive. They were mercenaries of logic. They did not care who gave the order, only that the order-giver knew their nature.
If he wanted to command the world... if he wanted to be the Master... he had to be the only one who knew the definitions of Order.
Ren Zu clenched his jaw. He looked at the vast, empty darkness that had once terrified him. Now, he was grateful for it. In this darkness, there were no other ears.
"I understand," Ren Zu whispered, sealing the secret in his heart forever. "I will be the only one."