Day One— Racing frantically through the Questioning Heart Forest, the nine-month-pregnant Jiang Ling was heavy in breathing and paddled with scratches. Behind her, the sounds of hollering of men and the clopping of horses on the uneven ground struggling to navigate the pathless terrain resounded like thunder in her heart. She found her legs weakening as she inevitably stopped, leaning against a tall oak tree while her breathing was heavy, gently rubbing her protruding belly while restraining all the rampant fear wishing to surface.
"Jiang Ling, you can't falter here. Not just for your sake..." She silently whispered as the vivid memories of her village's burning as billowing black smoke clouded the skies resurfaced. The smell of burning flesh, the tragic screams of her family, and the frantic urging words of her uncle-in-law as he gave his life to halt the pursuit of those responsible.
Jiang Ling could still remember the sight of his wide-eyed head flying in the air when she turned back. The image of herself reflected in his desperate and unwilling eyes was soul-piercing. She had been running and hiding for three full hours. If not for the adrenaline and her willpower to power through the pain, she might have collapsed. "IS THERE SOMEONE OVER THERE?!" A voice pierced through the air, vicious and inquiring. She clenched her teeth to the point her gums nearly bled, and pushed forward with every ounce of her strength. She had to survive. For them.
For her.
-----
The Mystic Judges were akin to the heavens, and they carried out the initial directive of the players at their own discretion. This was especially so if the initial directive given to them by the players was fate-directing. Sun Jiazen, Shang Liu, and Lady Missulena were observing the situation. Since she had to escape her pursuers and then survive a month, this was one of the easier directives to complete.
While they questioned why Wei Wuyin had chosen a woman in her late teens, pregnant, with as little talent as possible, they didn't openly voice their thoughts. It wasn't their place. Jiang Ling was driven to a corner, surrounded by jeering men clad in armor and scars, their faces malicious and their intentions vile. They were already discussing things, such as commenting on her decent looks and how he'd never laid with a pregnant woman before, and another suggesting that she'll fetch a good price at the brothel house while her baby, if a girl, might be worth a little bit more.
Just as she was on the verge of breaking down, holding a large sharp rock with the intent to fight to her dying breath, a sinister shadow slithered into view. The dull brown scales blended with the dirt, and just as the leader among this bunch felt the predatory intent in the air, a large python struck. It was like venomous lightning. Within seconds, one of the men lost their lives as the horses cried in fear, stumbling about and causing chaos.
Trying to order his men to quell the chaos, Jiang Ling tossed her rock with all her might at him, and while distracted, despite possessing a cultivation base at the First Stage of the Qi Condensation Realm, the highest among them all, he was struck with eerie precision. A squeal of death followed.
Jiang Ling didn't wait to see the result as she held her belly with one hand and ran away. Unaware of how long she had traveled, she heard the sounds of horses behind her again, but in front of her was the sound of rushing water. A river! The Mystic Judges hadn't expected her to kill the leader of the group but that was irrelevant to them. They guided her to the river. She was left with a choice, try to cross it using a fallen tree or swim and hope for the best.
Given the dangers of swimming in her state, she tried to balance herself across the tree. Unfortunately, an untimely kick from within her belly caused her to lose her balance for a brief moment and she hung on the edge of the tree with a hand missing quite a bit of flesh. The water was pushing her along its current and she struggled to resist before being swept away just as the horses arrived.
They saw a pregnant woman go under, vanishing in the rapid currents. In the end, one of the men determined that she wouldn't be able to escape the currents, and likely drowned.
"What a waste."
Normally, Jiang Ling's fate would be to drown. But the guidance of these Mystical Judges blessed her with some strength, enough to survive the rapid currents, avoiding jagged rocks and harsh impacts to her belly in a miraculous turn of events. In the end, she found herself grabbing another fallen tree that she used to pull herself to shore. She had survived. Laying there on her back, she rubbed her belly with motherly concern in her eyes. "Everything's going to be okay. Everything will be okay. Just hang in there." she gently whispered. Whether she was comforting herself or her unborn child, it was difficult to tell.
The three Mystic Judges nodded. While certain unpredictable factors occurred, this was enough. Unbeknownst to her when Jiang Ling found herself holding a stone roughly the size of her palm in her hand. She recalled grabbing desperately at anything for the sake of life and had clasped her hand on this object with great strength, unwilling to let it go.
When she examined it, her curiosity was piqued as there was a tiny leaf embedded within the stone, and the leaf contained the faint depiction of a bladed weapon, perhaps a sword or saber. Moreover, it was warm to the touch.
'Solar Stone?' Jiang Ling was intimately familiar with this type of stone, having used it against the harsh cold of winter many times in her lifetime. She placed it to her heart, feeling the cold from her recent river bath disperse, and then moved it to her belly, hoping to warm it up to a comfortable temperature.
After catching her breath, she slowly stood up as her entire body was racked with severe pain, especially her legs and arms. The palms of her hands that once had calluses from her farm work had been ripped to shreds, the surface skin almost entirely gone, while her thigh, feet, and arms were riddled with faint lacerations. -----
A few minutes ago, Hao Chengxue and Imentet announced the first few cards that were used immediately. Typically, in games of Mystics, the Blessing or Calamity Cards were used early to gain an advantage or disrupt an opponent. If high-level enough, used in a timely manner, the Calamity Card could prematurely end a person's entire game. "World-Saint Angelic Peach has used the Sky Phenomenon Blessing Card!" (Earth) Sky Phenomenon, Awakened Blessing - This can only be used on a target that has yet to reach the Qi Condensation Realm.
When used, the target will give birth to a World Qi Phenomenon within the sky at random, granting them an innate talent at the Earthly Excellence-level. If they already possess a talent at that grade, amplify that specific talent to the Worldly Excellence-level. Unable to affect Worldly Excellence or Heavenly Excellence Innate Talents.
In the cultivation world, innate talent was graded as: Null, Standard, Excellence, Overlord, and Chosen, and each level, besides Null, was further divided by Earthly, Worldly, and Heavenly grades.
The elevation of a cultivator's innate talent was possible through the intervention of a Mystic Ascendant Realm cultivator, or by an Alchemist, as numerous products can either modify a person's innate talent or elevate it, akin to modifying post-ascension a person's cultivated foundation, such as the number of Soul Rings, Spatial Ripples, or Mortal State.
The Mystical Judges were all existences at the upper-stages of the Mystic Ascendant Realm, so while elevating an innate talent to Earthly Chosen might be a little difficult, performing certain arts by expending a few months of their cultivation to bring it to the Earthly or Worldly Overlord-level wasn't difficult. Tianshi Ya used her blessing at the right time.
"How lucky she is to have drawn that card! With the special conditions made by Daoist Su in play, this will give her a great early advantage! That is...if it's a blessing!" Hao Chengxue exclaimed with great energy, riling the crowd. Moreover, this type of phenomenon would draw the attention of powerful figures of the kingdom, and they'll likely use various means to recruit this person.
That was the real usage. The elevation of innate talent was merely a way to justify the existence of the sky phenomenon.
In the Defiant Dragon Continent, no—in the vast galaxies, both lesser and greater, the talent of Chosen was profoundly rare, while Overlord-level was considered to be demonically talented, capable of dominating an entire generation. The vast, vast, vast majority of cultivators had Standard-level talents in terms of physique, meridians, or psyche. Some had abnormal talents, such as heavenly observation and alchemic talents, which were measured differently. Regardless, Earthly Excellence would establish solid foundations, enough to pursue the path of cultivation with greater ease despite the various difficulties. For example, Shang Liu's physique, meridian, and psyche were all at the Excellence-level.
Yet he still reached the Mystic Overlord level! As for why he hadn't used various talent-enhancing products, that was largely due to the difficulties of doing so. As you ascend to higher stages, the grade of products required to elevate your innate talents rises proportionally. If it took a seventh-grade product at the Qi Condensation Realm, then it'd require a Mystic-Earth grade product at the Astral Core Realm, and so on.
Moreover, the effectiveness and time required were dependent on grade and tier, and it was highly advised to not use impure-quality talent-enhancing products. Highly advised. It would just become profoundly difficult as you continued your path of cultivation that it didn't seem worth it. What's the point of having an Overlord-level talent if you die of old age?
In exchange, you could diligently cultivate to reach higher stages of cultivation or reinforce your cultivated foundation, improving your strength to fight for greater opportunities.
"Grand Seer Rippledark used a Hidden Card!" After declaring this, the expressions at the table changed as they glanced at this Grand Seer. Yue Baoyue snorted. She thought about her cards but didn't play any. Su Yi and Qin Yingyin similarly decided against using any of their cards. Despite the announcements, they were unaware of the exact grade or the subtype of the card for both, only the name. This only increased the pressure on the other players, especially if the Sky Phenomenon from Tianshi Ya was a Calamity Card and not a Blessing Card. If it was the Calamity version, then either it could produce a destined enemy for a particular Chosen or grant them a disadvantaged talent, such as one that allowed them to become a Yin Cauldron.
"OH!" Imentet yelped in a way that would churn men's hearts, and her voice drew endless numbers of spiritual eyes to her as she announced: "World-Saint Neo-Dawn has played a card! And it's one of the rare Dao Cards!"
"You're right! The Guiding Dao Card!" (Heaven) Guiding Dao, Descent - For (Five Years), you may guide your Chosen as a Spiritual Entity. You may sacrifice this Spiritual Entity's form to draw an (Earth) Life Card within three years of the allotted time limit.
"..." Su Yi frowned. The Guiding Dao Card came in many grades and sub-types. The highest Guiding Dao Card was the Guiding Dao, Descent—it was a Heaven-grade Mystic Card and allowed the person to enter the game for a limited time. Instantly, the expressions of Grand Seer Rippledark, Tianshi Ya, and the others underwent drastic changes. Normally, this typically meant sending a cultivator of a specific cultivation base from outside inwards, allowing them to guide their target. This was easily achieved as they had numerous individuals at the Astral Core Realm under them willing to take the task, and since the Mystical Judges were at the helm of this game, they would organize the individual sent. With three cards played already, the atmosphere went tense.
Wei Wuyin's smile never faded as he stealthily sent his Spiritual Will imbued with all of his spiritual aspects: Spiritual Sense, Spiritual Strength, and Spiritual Aura. This was no different than sending a False God Avatar in spiritual form, but as a player, he still had to abide by the rules as the Spiritual Entity was an extension of him. At most, he could guide his Chosen without interfering with the world as instructed by the card.
A sealed spirit, weakened by the passing ages. Their home since—a stone.
-----
Day 31— Jiang Ling was feeding her baby with her plump, milk-filled breastfeeding in a makeshift bamboo house she had built in the forest. There was fabric hung out to dry on a thin line alongside some fish and hares tied to a wooden post.
She was a farmer's daughter and had picked up how to build with the efficiency of a skilled carpenter from her uncle, allowing her to build a house out of bamboo with a stone oven and various amenities to survive, including turtle shell pots to collect rainwater, a few waterskins made of deer skins, and a wooden bow.
In her arms was a little infant, a girl, who he had given birth to alone in the dead of night, stifling her screams hoping not to attract the wildlife, in a damp dirt-dug spot beneath a massive tree. The only thing she had was the faint light of the Solar Stone with a leaf and a blade. It gave her warmth on extremely cold nights when starting fires would attract unwanted attention, unsure if her pursuers would follow her, or if it would draw out carnivorous animals seeing her as an easy meal.
She was fortunate to have not encountered anything too deadly.
Jiang Qiangjue. Her name embodied Jiang Ling's wishes for her—to survive, to grow strong and determined in will and heart. Jiang Ling gently caressed Jiang Qiangjue's face as the little infant suckled on her breast with the gentle warmth that only a mother could ever exude. "Everything's going to be okay." Suddenly, the Solar Star that was placed around her neck, tied by an intricate lacing of twine, harvested from the inner bark of a basswood tree, glowed with an ever-increasing heat.
Shocked by the change, she hurriedly removed it from her neck and held the stone away from Jiang Qiangjue in disbelief, wanting to ensure that it wasn't going to explode or do anything harmful. At the first sign of anything, she was ready to chuck it across and run despite her unwillingness to lose it. "Hun...hungry..." A voice echoed outwards from the stone, causing the wind to rile into a brief frenzy!
Eyes wide, Jiang Ling tried to throw the stone, yet it tethered itself to her hand with a strange suction force. She didn't think too much as she gently placed Jiang Qiangjue in her cradle she had whittled in her idle time and grabbed a sharpened stone knife from her waist. She was about to sever her hand at the wrist!
Eyes wide, Jiang Ling tried to throw the stone, yet it tethered itself to her hand with a strange suction force. She didn't think too much as she gently placed Jiang Qiangjue in her cradle she had whittled in her idle time and grabbed a sharpened stone knife from her waist. She was about to sever her hand at the wrist!
And without hesitating! "WOAH!" The voice pulsed outwards, causing the stone knife to crumble into dust. "Calm down, little one. I was just thinking about eating some of that hare there." The voice became abundantly clear, and Jiang Ling's vigilance went up twenty degrees, but her heart was shaken to an extreme seeing the crumbling knife she worked so hard to acquire. Before her very eyes, a hazy image of a man appeared. He was silver with notable differences in shades to denote hair, eyes, shape, etc., and the figure glided in a ghostly fashion to the hare. It reached out, yet the hare went through his fingers. He tried a few more times to no avail.
"Who...are you?" Jiang Ling rushed to her baby and held her close. She didn't run. She instinctively felt told that this figure didn't have any malicious intent. "I'm so weak that I can't even grab a single hare? How unfortunate. I used the last bit of my spiritual energy to warm your body all these days and then had to expend more to make sure you didn't cripple yourself. Woe is me." The silver figure heavily sighed with all the vicissitudes of emotions.
Jiang Ling was unable to get a grasp on this silver ghost, but she wasn't ignorant of all the stories told of cultivators, especially god-like powers such as Creation and healing. Still, she heard what he said. "You..."
"Me?" The silver ghost interrupted. He turned around and despite not being able to see his face, she could sense an invincible smile laced with paragonic levels of confidence. "You may have heard of me. I am the Defier of Time, the Conqueror of the Four Hells, the Virtuous Imperial Dragon of the Mortal Realm, the Alchemist that brings about a new dawn, and finally, the one that dares to challenge all that is seen and unseen with the edge of his saber—The Saber Ascendant!" Winds churned and the clouds swirled. Jiang Ling blinked a few times.
"...Who?" "..." OH YO!

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