Revelation and Preparation: Between the Past and the Future

  In bed, Huang Di and Sara were spooning beneath the heavy blankets after an intense and passionate night. Despite their exhaustion, sleep did not come easily to either of them.

  "How did you know I was there that day?" Sara asked, breaking the silence.

  "The two of you, despite being cultivators, never studied the senses of the body deeply," Huang Di replied. "During my training, I developed and refined my senses. Even though you used the same perfume, your scents are different. Your movements, your footsteps, and your hands are also different. Your taste and your sounds are unique as well. Even with my sight blocked, my other senses were working intensely. It was easy to realize you were there. I said nothing at the time so as not to ruin the mood. I simply enjoyed the moment, just as you both enjoyed me. That day, you took something precious from me; today, I took something precious from you."

  Sara was surprised but not shocked by Huang Di’s maturity. Despite his youth, he displayed a deep understanding of many things, an elder in the body of a young man, she thought.

  After a few hours of sleep, they went to the hotel restaurant for lunch. During the meal, Huang Di asked about Mio Hio and her family.

  "Everything is connected," Sara explained. "Our family would have been destroyed if it hadn’t been for the intervention of the Strong Steps Sect. After you left, we went to the sect, but we couldn’t get accepted. We met someone named Ye Jue, who promised to help us if we became his servants. He was very curious about you and asked many questions that made us uneasy. Then my cousin managed to get an elder to recommend us for another test, and we entered through the back door. That drew a lot of attention and caused problems at first, but we discovered that Mio Hio had a special body related to fire, which attracted the interest of great powers within the sect. A great elder accepted her as a disciple, and our lives improved greatly."

  "I entered as her servant, but I quickly stood out because of my learning ability. I was called a genius, someone who can learn three times faster. Mio Hio’s master recommended me to one of her friends who was looking for a disciple with that trait, and I was chosen as an official disciple as well."

  Sara continued:

  "We later learned that the sect answered a request from Mio Hio’s father, who brought some ancient treasures in exchange. Because of that, my master, Mio Hio’s master, and several disciples came to handle this mission. But now the situation has become complicated, because our enemy received reinforcements. Our mission was to draw several of them out to relieve the pressure on the other groups. Thanks to you, many of them suffered heavy losses, and even a Rank Sky elder had to come, further reducing the number of enemy specialists. That bought us time for our reinforcements to reach the city and balance the scales of power. The junior disciples must have already reported this, and I will have to report as well. It seems we will have to part again."

  Concerned about the pressure they were under, Huang Di asked about Ye Jue.

  "He didn’t seem to be an official disciple," Sara revealed, "but he has many connections inside the sect, through an influential family in the region. We found out his family has ties to the underworld, which gives them influence in both the Strong Steps Sect and the Butchers Sect. He was the one who revealed Mio Hio’s special body to other powers, which led to kidnapping attempts and the need for constant protection."

  Hearing that, Huang Di felt a deep surge of anger. He remembered the warning of the Emerald Supreme Elder not to make enemies of the Ye family, but he decided that if he ever saw Ye Jue again, he would not hesitate to eliminate him along with his accomplices.

  After saying goodbye to Sara, Huang Di returned to the room he had rented, noticing that the young women were still waiting outside his door.

  When he opened it, he made it clear there was no one for them to receive, so he chose not to leave them at a loss. He asked the price for the night, and when he learned it was one large stone per hour, he paid generously, five large stones for each of the six beautiful companions.

  The young women, surprised by the amount, left happily, while Huang Di prepared to use the ring that granted access to the Time and Space Relic.

  It was now two o’clock in the afternoon.

  The Point of Return: The World of the Relic

  Seated on the bed in a lotus position, Huang Di began his first meditation with the ring, now his key to the world of the Time and Space Relic. With a mixture of unease and confidence, he activated the artifact, which began to spin rapidly counterclockwise, expanding until it completely enveloped him. In the blink of an eye, he vanished from the room, leaving behind only a small shining point, imperceptible to ordinary eyes, the point of return.

  Huang Di found himself traveling through a vast intergalactic tunnel inside the ring, which now resembled a vessel, protecting him with a force field. After a few blinks, he emerged into the sky, eight kilometers above the ground, gazing at a familiar yet transformed landscape. The desert had given way to fertile farmland, the once dry great tree was now full of life and succulent fruits, and the inactive volcano had become active, with lava forming a huge static pool that released hot bubbles. The edges, which had once resembled a floating island, now seemed to be part of a larger world, surrounded by a dense mist that extended beyond sight.

  With his enhanced vision, Huang Di could see the city and the elders watching him with curiosity. He realized that although their bodies had once seemed to be made of smoke, they now had much more substance, as if they were made of gelatin. The relic also seemed to translate everyone’s language for him, allowing him to understand conversations that had previously been incomprehensible.

  Suddenly, he felt a call from the grimoire. It was Umbra, eager to come out. With a simple thought, Huang Di released the great winged wolf panther, who emerged majestically and surveyed the surroundings. Though more confident, Umbra almost shrank back when he realized he had returned to the place he so desperately wanted to escape from. He cast a mildly reproachful glance at Huang Di, as if blaming him for not warning him about where he was being summoned.

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  "I think you must be hungry, my friend. With your strength, I believe you can hunt some meat for us today. What do you say?" said Huang Di in a friendly tone.

  Taking the cue to leave, Umbra did not hesitate and ran toward the plains, where those delicious boars he liked to devour during his leisure time lived. Huang Di watched him go, certain that he would return satisfied.

  Meanwhile, he noticed that the elders’ bodies, once unstable, now seemed far more alive and full of strength. He wondered about the reason for this change. Soon, he began to receive numerous invitations, even from elders he did not know, asking him to visit them when he had time. However, he remembered that he had only one week before being sent back. He needed to make good use of this period, promising himself that in the future he would have more opportunities to visit them all.

  Thanking the elders, he promised to see them soon and then shot off toward the forest. There was something he had been postponing because of the lack of stones for the fusion formation. Now, with abundant resources, he could finally fuse the two troublemakers he had captured earlier. Determined, he headed into the forest, leaving the elders curious about his intentions.

  Intrigued, the elders tried to follow his consciousness, but they were blocked by a great barrier. Looking up at the sky, they sensed the presence of an imposing spiritual mountain and, when they flew with their consciousness, discovered that four great visitors had arrived unnoticed. They recognized those beings, but did not understand their intentions.

  When they returned, the elders exchanged looks, incredulous and awed, realizing that Huang Di had once again caused an unprecedented event. One of them, the oldest, recalled something similar that had happened many generations ago, an event that had given birth to legends. Convinced, he told himself that he had bet on the right horse and that he would profit greatly in the near future.

  Fusion and Legacy: The Birth of Kurt Saro

  Huang Di, his heart filled with anticipation, advanced resolutely through the forest, his steps carrying him straight toward the lake where, not long ago, he had captured the Black Shell Turtle and the Great Serpent. These two Rank 5 beasts, sealed within his grimoire, were key pieces in the next step of his plan to fuse them. In the past, such a fusion required a colossal amount of energy, a resource he did not possess in abundance. Now, however, with his new abilities and resources, he felt confident in accomplishing this feat.

  Upon reaching the lake’s shore, Huang Di was struck by a palpable change in the environment. The air was dense, almost solid, and gravity itself seemed unstable, as if space were subtly warping. With every fiber of his being, he sensed the presence of something extraordinarily powerful and dangerous, yet strangely familiar.

  Suddenly, a rough and powerful voice shattered the silence, echoing all around him.

  "Do not be afraid, young human. I am not here to harm you, but to offer you a gift. You have done something of great value for me, and that is why I am here. Come closer, I do not bite, hahaha."

  Despite the chill running down his spine and the slight tremor in his hands, Huang Di took a step forward, approaching the source of the voice. Slowly, a massive figure emerged from the lake. First, a great black shell broke the surface, followed by a long, sinuous tail around which a serpent was coiled, watching him with intense eyes. Finally, a turtle’s head rose above the water, with a colossal mouth and a gaze that seemed to hold the wisdom of ages.

  Huang Di immediately recognized the beast as the Great Turtle he had faced during the second phase of the Time and Space Relic trial. The creature’s body was formed of rock, minerals, and special stones, radiating power and majesty. Then he heard the voice again within his mind and understood that it came from the creature itself.

  The turtle introduced itself in a voice that rumbled like distant thunder.

  "I am known by many names in different worlds and realms. My existence dates back to primordial times, and I have traveled across much of the universe, spreading my legends through my chosen ones. In the classification you humans like to use, I am a mythical beast, or perhaps a lesser god to some. But that does not matter now. My time is limited, and so are my words, but you may call me by any of these names: Black Turtle, Xuánwǔ, Black Warrior, Hyeonmu, Genbu, Huy?n V?, among others. Choose whichever pleases you, for they all represent me."

  It continued.

  "As for the gift I mentioned, I believe you intended to fuse something here, did you not? Hahaha. Do not worry about how I know, but understand that without my help, you will not succeed in your endeavor."

  Still regaining his composure, Huang Di chose to call it the Great Turtle, which drew a deep, rumbling laugh from the creature. With a thought, he summoned the Small Turtle and the Small Serpent before him.

  "So how will we know what to do?" asked Huang Di, eager for guidance.

  The Great Turtle replied.

  "Do what you must do. I will assist you when you fuse these two unruly and ungrateful descendants of mine."

  Huang Di’s eyes widened as he realized that the two beasts were indeed descendants of the Great Turtle. Yet they were locked in a deadly rivalry, making the fusion even more difficult.

  Resolute, Huang Di began preparing the fusion formation, using sixty perfect stones and runes learned from Scarlet, derived from the Art of Spiritual Invocation, refined through the knowledge of The Foolish King of Runes, the legacy of Merlin. He merged these two bodies of knowledge, improving the spiritual fusion technique and reducing the risk of failure, a risk that could result either in a rampaging creature or total loss.

  With the Great Turtle’s presence, Huang Di felt confident. After seven hours of preparation, he realized he would need colossal energy to calm the beasts. Yet, to his surprise, they were serene, almost reverent before the ancestral presence. They paid their respects to the Great Turtle and obediently took their positions at the center of the formation at Huang Di’s command.

  Then the thunderous voice echoed again.

  "Kurt and Saro, my foolish descendants, the time has come for your petty rivalry to end. Now it is time for you to work together and grow as one, for united you will be stronger than ever. In your future evolutions, you will understand the true value of cooperation. Do not shame me again. You are my last living descendants. You will be responsible for bringing my legacy into the world. For a time, you will aid this human without question, and he will help you grow stronger and more powerful on your journey. Enter the center of the formation now."

  The two obeyed instantly. With a firm gesture, Huang Di activated the formation. The circle began to spin, releasing an overwhelming force. At that moment, the Great Turtle let out a roar that shook the heavens, and an immense aura enveloped the entire formation, taking control of it.

  Huang Di had intended to erase the beasts’ memories to soften their mutual hatred and ease the fusion, but within seconds the formation stabilized on its own. He watched in awe as their bodies liquefied and reshaped, like clay in the hands of a master craftsman.

  A colossal flash of light illuminated everything. When the light faded, the Great Turtle was gone. In its place stood a majestic creature, a medium sized Dragon Turtle, about fifty meters long, with a massive black shell and features that blended the serenity of a turtle with the serpentine majesty of a dragon.

  Huang Di walked toward it without fear. With hands wounded by the ritual, he gently touched the creature’s face, sealing the contract.

  Smiling softly, he said.

  "You shall be called Kurt Saro, my little sea dragon."

  Kurt Saro, filled with vitality, radiated power and majesty. His birth marked the perfect fusion of two descendants into a legendary being. From an ordinary talent, he had ascended into a Rank 6 beast of legendary class, bearing eight abilities, among them two new ones, Driving Force and Tyrannical Emperor.

  Thus, Huang Di’s new companion was ready to conquer, carrying within himself the blessing and the legacy of his ancestor.