Darkness. Eternal Darkness.
Ning Xiaochuan felt himself floating in the void, with no up, down, left, or right. He could not even feel his own body. Only his thoughts still functioned, yet he was like an insect trapped in amber, unable to move.
"Linger? Little One?" He tried to call out, but no sound came forth.
After an unknown length of time, a faint glimmer pierced the darkness. Ning Xiaochuan struggled to "open his eyes" and saw Su Linger and the Sacred Spirit Dragon floating nearby, likewise encased within cocoons of light. The Primal Crown hovered between the three of them, radiating a gentle glow.
"Where are we?" Su Linger's voice rang directly within Ning Xiaochuan's mind.
"Inside the Seal," an unfamiliar voice answered. "The prison of the Void Master, and also our final resting place."
The light gathered, forming a hazy humanoid figure—silver hair and blue eyes, with features seventy percent similar to Ning Xiaochuan's. A complete Primal Crown rested upon his forehead.
"The Primal Dragon?" Ning Xiaochuan guessed.
The figure smiled. "I once was. Now, I am merely a wisp of remnant soul, guarding the crown's final will."
The Sacred Spirit Dragon curiously flew toward the figure and affectionately rubbed against his arm. The figure gently stroked Little Dragon's scales. "Long time no see, Little One."
"You know him?" Su Linger asked in surprise.
"He is my other half. Back then, he willingly split from me and remained in the world to await the Son of Sacred Source," the figure explained. "And now, he has found you."
Ning Xiaochuan suddenly understood. "So the Primal Covenant..."
"It was fate's arrangement." The figure nodded. "The souls of you three have already become tightly linked. Only then could you jointly bear the reforging of the crown."
With a wave of his