Mercury Capital.
At the highest point of Mercury Capital, the Eagle Column Empire's capital—at the summit of Fansail Tower.
Upon the white spire that shot straight into the heavens like a thorn, two white-haired old men in white robes and silver crowns—one seated cross-legged, the other standing—gazed together at the sprawling, prosperous city in the distance.
"She's emerged again," the cross-legged old man said in a low voice.
"Every thousand years marks one cycle. In this cycle, she should only have awakened not long ago. Recall all the tentacles. The black curtain is about to descend. We'd better not come into conflict with her," the standing old man said calmly.
"This is the variable. Abandoning her memories in exchange for her true body reincarnating again and again without perishing—does such rebirth truly have meaning?
"If someone no longer has memories of herself or even the imprint of her existence, is she really still her original self?" the seated old man sighed.
"Who knows? But one thing is true: she's growing stronger and stronger."
"Have every outpost in the Lagrange Republic withdraw. Let her have that territory."
"There's no choice but to give it up. After all, that kind of power is an irresistible force. Anyone who stays around her for too long will run into trouble."
Morning sunlight slowly filtered through the window and fell across the bed in the bedroom.
The creamy-white quilt was bunched into a messy heap.
Lu Sheng slowly opened his eyes and climbed out of bed. After casually tidying up and changing clothes, he pulled open the bedroom door.
His parents were nowhere to be seen in the living room. As usual, a note lay on the table. His older sister, Wang Jing, sat on the sofa with her back perfectly straight. She wore a