Chapter 23: The True Self and the Rising Light
The fire crackled softly inside the cave, casting a warm golden hue on the stone walls. The scent of roasting meat curled through the air, rich and spicy with the perfect hint of smokiness. Ling Huai sliced another piece with her knife, flipping it with practiced ease, while Bai's water element hovered nearby, washing the meat clean of blood before she marinated it. The Omen had quietly gathered firewood with his spatial technique, but even he looked mildly curious when she began sprinkling a perfect mix of herbs and spices.
The little white beast, still perched nearby, wagged his fluffy tail eagerly.
"Is it ready yet? I might die from starvation. Again."
"You've never died," Ling Huai muttered.
"Details, details. You wouldn't understand the pain of a hungry stomach in a furry little body."
She gave him a flat look, but when the meat was finally done, she passed him the first piece. The little beast took it with a reverent expression and bit in. He immediately flopped on the floor, legs spread like a starfish, and let out a blissful sigh.
"This… this is what heaven tastes like."
Bai chuckled. "Is he always like this?"
"Pretty much," Ling Huai replied.
The Omen nodded slightly. "The dramatic ones are often powerful."
After a few more bites, the white beast rolled onto his belly and looked up at Ling Huai. "Hey, while we're all here and you're clearly a divine chef… how about taming me?"
Ling Huai froze mid-bite. "No."
"Wait—what? You didn't even think about it!"
"I did. The answer's still no."
"But whyyy? I've followed you all the way here, I brought you a beast to cook, I even let you trap me—wait, no, that didn't work, forget that part—but still! My loyalty is unmatched."
Ling Huai arched a brow. "You're literally begging for servitude. That's suspicious."
"Not servitude! Companionship!" he corrected, puffing out his chest. "I am a beast of honor!"
"Still no."
The beast flopped back down. "This heartbreak… is too much. I feel like I'm in a sad song in the rain."
Suddenly, Ling Huai gasped, her hand clutching her chest as a violent surge of qi exploded from her core.
The entire cave trembled.
The Omen stood up in a flash. "It's happening again."
Bai moved to her side. Ling Huai's body radiated gold and pink light, swirling violently around her like a storm. Her breath hitched as her dantian pulsed, the energy multiplying within her far too fast.
Her back arched as glowing ancient runes etched themselves onto her skin beneath her clothing, their pattern pulsing with raw power. Her long black hair began to shift in color, slowly turning pure white, strand by strand.
Her teeth sharpened into slight, elegant fangs.
The pain surged through her bones, down her spine, and into her very soul. Her mind snapped inward as she was pulled deep—into an unfamiliar place.
In Her Mind—The Vast Space
She floated in a realm unlike anything she'd seen before.
A vast cosmic space, painted in colors that didn't exist in the real world. Nebulae swirled around her like silk ribbons. Rings of golden light rotated silently around massive orbs. The air (if it could be called that) was filled with ancient whispers.
And in the center… stood a silhouette.
It was tall, elegant, wrapped in silver and violet robes. Its eyes shone like galaxies. It looked at her… and smiled.
"You're waking up," the figure said softly.
"Who are you?" Ling Huai asked, her voice echoing.
"Your blood. Your past. Your future. The one chosen to rise when others fall."
She stepped forward. "Why is this happening to me? Why am I changing so fast?"
The figure tilted its head. "You carry a spark—an ancient one. We've been waiting for you. The beast chose you for a reason."
"The white furry beast?"
"No. The first one. The one that brushed against your soul in the forest. It unlocked what was sealed. The rest... is unfolding."
Before she could ask more, the figure dissolved into starlight, and her consciousness was ripped back into her body.
Back in the Cave
She collapsed. Bai caught her before she hit the floor, cradling her glowing form.
Her skin shimmered with a faint pink and gold hue, and her body still pulsed with power.
The white beast, for once, was quiet.
Then, in a small voice, he whispered, "She really is special."
The Omen narrowed his eyes. "You knew something."
"Maybe," the beast said, tail twitching nervously.
Bai stepped closer. "Talk."
The beast swallowed. "She might've… benefitted… from being around me?"
"You what?" the Omen growled.
The beast raised his paws defensively. "I didn't mean to! My power is luck! Just being near me bends fate. It's not my fault she absorbed it."
"Then you'll not tell anyone," the Omen said coldly. "Not the beast clans. Not the humans. Not even the stars."
"Y-yes, yes! I won't!" the beast stammered.
"Name."
The little beast blinked. "Oh. Right. My name is… Tu Tu."
There was a pause.
"Tu Tu?" Bai echoed, blankly.
Tu Tu beamed. "It's cute and deadly. Just like me."
They stared.
Then, Tu Tu sighed and stared dreamily at Ling Huai. "But seriously. She's the first person who's ever… changed from being around me. Her eyes… did you see them?"
Bai and the Omen glanced at her. Her eyes were closed now, but they remembered it clearly.
Pitch black, filled with white stars, glowing softly with a pink and gold hue.
"She's… evolving," Bai murmured.
"Too fast," the Omen agreed. "Too much power… too soon."
And yet, none of them could deny it.
Ling Huai wasn't just a beast tamer.
She was something else entirely.
Something forgotten.
Something awakening.
And with Tu Tu, the luck beast, sticking to her like a second shadow…
Fate itself might begin to bend in her favor.
Whether the world was ready for her or not.
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