Prince and His Fool

Rong Zian opened his eyes but everything was dark as a moonless night filled with an eerie emptiness. He lifted his hand to see his fingers but all he could see was darkness. His body was floating in an infinite sea of darkness with no one to save him. When he thought if Wu Yange's lifeless body lying out in the open with no one to guard him, Rong Zian panickingly moved in a swimming motion looking for a means to escape but there was no way out.

He just wanted to go home and his home was were Wu Yange was but the universe seemed to be against him. Fear of being stuck in this place forever terrified him to death. Rong Zian didn't want to die here in the vast emptiness with no one to mourn for him but as time passed it seemed like a one way trip with no other means of escape. Wallowing in his despair, Rong Zian suddenly heard a familiar voice calling for him, it was like a bright light at the end of the tunnel and so he eagerly answered.

"Mum I am scared, Wu Yange is all alone and I am stuck here. I can't get out," he said looking around but couldn't see her. He had never been this happy to hear Guang's voice if she were here he would gladly give her a hug.

"Don't be scared I am here," she said in a gentle motherly tone that could soothe even a teething baby, "and don't worry Wu Yange he will be okay. I am watching over him."

Knowing Wu Yange was okay, Rong Zian heaved a sigh of relief. As long as Wu Yange was okay, nothing else mattered to him. "You know how I can get out of here?' he asked scanning around for a way out.

Guang kept silent for a minute before choosing to tell half-truths. "Ah-Zian! Look within yourself, Wu Wúqíng is no match for you. His power is borrowed from another but you came from the source which means you are more powerful than you can ever imagine. Even the poison forged by the god of death is nothing compared to you. Just listen to mummy, okay?" she said in hopes of encouraging him without divulging too much detail.

"What if I can't do it? Would I be stuck here forever?" he uttered while blinking away a tear. Ever since he got a stepmother, Rong Zian never cried again because no one cared if he cried. He had to grow up and handle things like an adult but faced with his mother in this kind of situation, he couldn't help but feel emotional.

"Don't worry I am here with you. You will surely get out. Now do say I said and search within you," she replied wishing she could hold his hand.

Rong Zian didn't doubt her words as he closed his eyes thoroughly searching through his spirit veins. It took him a while to get used to navigating through complex networks that seemed sporadic and puzzling. When he finally got the handle of it, it all seemed to make sense following the network until he reached the source. His golden core was overwhelmingly powerful with two halves of different colours. The two bright sections puzzled him but he didn't care right now drawing power from his core instantly energising him like he had been injected with chicken blood.

His body was subjected to an immense amount of pressure looking for any opening to burst out from but Rong Zian held on. He needed enough to break through from the dark abyss and wanted to get it right the first time but he underestimated his own strength. Rong Zian overdid it losing control with the abyss shaking viciously like a megaquake.

Somewhere in the heavenly realm, the gods were minding the own business going about doing what they always do when a tremendous quake shook the entire realm at its foundation. In shock, the gods made to their way to the hall of assembly for answers but there were barred at the door. Within the hall itself, the lead council were scratching their heads looking at each other with obvious confusion.

***

While Rong Zian was having a conversation with Guang in the dark abyss, Wu Yange arose from where he lay his body feeling like a ton of bricks. He was evidently powerless with a high probability of collapsing at any moment but when he thought of Rong Zian, he pressed on heading for whatever was left of Wu Wúqíng's palace. Dragging his sword while limping all the way, he finally got to the palace hall determined to kill the pervert at any cost. The scene that he walked into angered him to death that he impulsively lunged at Wu Wúqíng using the last of his strength. The vile man was standing above a topless Rong Zian trying to pry out the fragments embedded in his chest when Wu Yange attacked.

"Who gave you permission to touch him!" bellowed an enrage Wu Yange slashing at Wu Wúqíng. Li Wei weighed a ton in his hands but didn't stop him from defending the love of his life swinging the sword with great difficulty.

Wu Wúqíng found it amusing watching the famous powerful prince pitifully wave his sword with no ounce of dignity left. He could kill Wu Yange now with the snap of his fingers but chose to toy with him dodging his pathetic attacks like it was nothing. The prince's strength was exacerbated with beads of sweat forming on his forehead but he stood his ground against Wu Wúqíng protecting Rong Zian.

Sick of it, the vile man managed to get Wu Yange in chokehold forcing him to face an unconscious Rong Zian. He squeezed tighter as the prince struggled to free himself. "Look! Look at him! Do you think he would ever love a mere man like you? He was forged from a goddess, do you think he would ever want a weakling like you?" spoke Wu Wúqíng glaring at the pitiful prince.

Wu Yange didn't stop struggling if anything he was even more aggravated. Annoyed, Wu Wúqíng persisted, "Is he worth you losing your life over? Here I will give you a choice. I give five minutes to flee this place and forget everything you saw today," he said letting Wu Yange go but to his surprise, the stubborn prince picked up his sword and viciously lunged at him.