Emerald Dream

Waves of lucid red light blasted through the city, as the wind started to turn warm. Thousands of soldiers dressed in bulky white armor marched through the city, while the citizens watched on with fervor.

Bouncing off the towering military houses and offices were spires of silken light, scraping the clouds and gleaming like jewels. He saw a city, generations upon generations of a city, a catalogue of history.

Shi Yuanfe, from far away, wistfully sighed while covered by an imperial robe.

He felt a strange burning emotion in his chest, as he would eventually have to leave his beloved city. It wasn't the attachments he had to it, but the people living in it.

Yanhaven was its name, and it was the designated headquarters for the armed forces and administration of the Shi Dynasty. Prince Shi Yuanfe had lived here since birth and a result, he was far more closer to the administration and the citizens, than he was with the politicians and nobles.

Regardless, Shi Yuanfe didn't want to think about it any longer. He draped the robe on his face, and began to wander around the city. After half an hour of walking, he finally found his destination; a manor to the east of the inner city. It was his home, but most of the time, it would be empty.

Filling the entire city were red lanterns, banners of various sizes, and cheerful people. The leaves of the trees had aged and had fallen to the paved ground, which created a rather nostalgic feeling.

All of the city had been brightly decorated, except for Shi Yuanfe's desolate manor. It was as if even the mischievous children were afraid of pasting red banners on its walls.

Shi Yuanfe uncovered him robe, and entered the manor. The guards standing beside the gate had let him in with solemn expressions.

…

"Young master, the Emperor has sent a decree. Shall I come in? " A solemn voice appeared from the other side of the door.

Shi Yuanfe's lips closed as he dropped the zither from his hands. He hummed, and the door opened, revealing Elder Wang dressed in a black changshan.

Behind were him the staff of his manor, a dozen guards and maids. All of whom had rueful expressions written on their faces, especially the younger, prettier maids.

Shi Yuanfe smiled upon seeing such a scene, and felt warmth in his chest. He hadn't thought that his employees would be that sad over his leave.

Before even opening the decree, Shi Yuanfe tried to cheer up his servants, "Why do you all look as if Uncle Wang is handing me a death sentence? Relax, you bunch. "

The youngest of the maids, a juvenile girl who looked to be of thirteen, sobbed while being hugged by an older maid. "Young master, we-we're all sad because-because, you're going to leave us! "

"Shh, Ruo'er, calm down, " the older woman tried to restrain her, but all she could do was wipe away Ruo'ers tears.

Shi Yuanfe shook his head, "No, let her speak. "

"Ruo'er, I'm going to leave…but ah, I can't just leave you all alone here, can I? I promise you, I'll take you to wherever I go. Okay? "

Shi Yuanfe chuckled, and swiftly opened the letter. The quiet sobbings had died down, as Rou'er began to stare at him intensely. The others sighed in relief.

However, most of them didn't have the same attachment that Shi Yuanfe had with them. Except for a handful, and Elder Wang, their main worries were their meals and money. Some of them had even left the manor as soon as the marriage between Shi Yuanfe and Shan Yuan was nulled, as if they had already understood that he'd be thrown away from the political sphere.

Shi Yuanfe looked towards the decree,

"Third Prince[¹] Shi Yuanfe, on the account of inferiority in the mythical arts, shall be relegated to Southern Sky State, Seahaven City as Deputy Mayor. He shall be banned from the Golden State, and will not be allowed to appear before the royal clan. Swift execution shall be meted out if he fails to comply.

Emperor, Shi Huang. Sealed. "

Shi Yuanfe handed the letter back, and stood silent. His face turned expressionless as he ruminated over something unknown to his servants.

Uncle Wang, being suspicious, read through the decree, and turned pale from fright.

"Banned from the Golden State?! Has the emperor gone mad?! "

The servants gasped, and felt their hearts tighten. Most of them were of course, not expecting such a rapid turn of events.

Golden State was the capital of the Shi Dynasty, and an astonishingly expansive territory surrounding the Golden Sea. It was the center of the political affairs of the empire, where a majority of the nobles lived. Banishment from such a place meant that he would never be able to partake in state politics, or meet with his father. Emperor Huang had sealed his fate!

"Young-young master, what happened? Why is…why is everyone so tense? " The innocent Rou'er asked as she glanced around herself.

"Nothing. " Shi Yuanfe shook his head. A brilliant smile broke out on his face as he stretched out his hands, and to the girl's surprise, pulled both of her bubbly cheeks.

"A-awowo…!"

"Everyone's just surprised, and very happy. My father just appointed me the mayor of a city, how cool is that? "

The worry on the white-clothed girl's face evaporated as she smiled, and thawed the atmosphere with her warm expression. The others just sighed, and took her away, while Elder Wang remained behind with his hands behind his back.

Elder Wang shook his head solemnly, and bowed towards the silent Shi Yuanfe.

"Young master, whatever happens, I will stay in your shadow. " He remained in his bent state and awaited for Shi Yuanfe to say something.

"Uncle Wang, why are you so loyal? My maids, people — most of them have left me for greener pastures, even though they've known me since childhood. I barely know you, Uncle Wang, so why follow me? "

"I'm sorry. I can't tell you that, young master. "

Elder Wang was perfect. Almost too perfect as a servant. Shi Yuanfe sometimes suspected his objectives, but knew he meant no harm.

"We shall leave for Seahaven tomorrow. Staying here any longer would be an insult to your honor, young master.

I shall take my leave, if there is nothing more to be required from me…"

Elder Wang walked through the door, and Shi Yuanfe was left to his own devices once again. But now, he had no patience left to play the zither.

He wanted to think, and plan for the next day, but a mysterious sleepy haze washed over him, as he snapped his eyes shut and sat on the bed. His head started to shake, and soon, he had fainted on the bed.

…

…

…

Generations upon generations of lives, memories of a million years, where do they go in the end? Isn't it a bit strange that the dead don't get to keep their memories?

Before a blindingly white world, thousands upon thousands of colorful, mystical and gleaming canvases unraveled, and illuminated the world. Their luculent light was mainly aimed towards Shi Yuanfe, who was standing in front of it all. He was watching it happen, but to his surprise, he was strangely calm. Apathetic even.

The canvases morphed, and displayed images, pictures, paintings drawn by Shi Yuanfe since the first time he took up his brush. From an insignificant broken line, to the image of a burning woman, none of them were missing. The entire catalog of his life was in front of him, but at that moment he felt nothing but apathetic.

Imperfection. That was all he could see. All of them lacked any signs of life, as if they were dead bodies trapped within cells made of paper.

"I…can't give them life. I wish I could; I wish I was a God. Then I'd be able to create life; give life. "

Subconsciously, a whisper escaped from his mouth. And instantly, the area around the canvases started to bend and distort, as if something invisible was twisting reality.

An epiphany hit Shi Yuanfe, as he expressed disbelief.

To be God?

"Ah, paths of the soul, mysterious ways of the heart! One must walk their full lengths before facing the supreme equation of perfection. I have finally found perfection! I was a fool! "

"Fate is just a concept; I have to transcend it. To create worlds, filled with life, there needs to be flaws. Imperfections. "

Storms of ravenous fire erupted from the canvases, while Shi Yuanfe closed his eyes and drowned in the sea of flame. His consciousness was blank, as he reveled in the magnificence of his new insight.

He felt no pain, no fear, as he embraced his spiritual death. It was calming, apathetically so.

Shi Yuanfe had consciousness, he could think and feel clearly, but he tried his best not to wake up.

Thus it wasn't strange, that when a hazy voice asked, "What is it that you wish? " He answered without hesitation, "I want to be God; how amazing it would feel. "

It was a subconscious action. So when Shi Yuanfe opened his eyes in surprise, he noticed that the entire scene in front of him had changed.

There was a mild sandalwood scent in the room. The bright sun shined through a hollow window, turning the shadow into fragments of light. Right below him was the view of the entire room, which made him feel as if he was a specter floating below the ceiling.

The whole thing made him very confused. Suddenly, something appeared in his view that shocked him to his very core.

Right above the festively colored bed, a woman was softly writhing and moaning, while a muscular man was moving back and forth between her two dazzling legs.

The fair, delicate complexion of the maiden had turned embarrassingly red as she held her mouth with her slender hands and tried to hold back her moans. However, after seeing this, the man on top of her mischievously grinned and began to piston with additional strength; as if he wanted to turn the lady's insides into soup.

Attached to the ceiling, the ethereal form of Shi Yuanfe could do nothing but struggle and rage, but unfortunately, he had the best view of the act in the entire room.

"Mm…b-brother Shi...don't be so do-rough…nhaa…!"

Shi Yuanfe's heart started to slow down, as tears fell out of his eyes. He didn't want to see this, he'd never wanted to see this. Even though he knew she'd never be his, he didn't think that he'd ever see her indulge in sex, much less his brother, with such intense love.

They were rather loud and expressive in their coupling, moving with such passion as if they were long-lost lovers reuniting after a century.

Shan Yuan's turquoise blue eyes shone as she looked towards the man above her with a loving glow on her face. Her silky smooth black hair adorned with a golden, shimmering hairpin burned itself inside Shi Yuanfe's mind. The man grabbed her ample white thighs and forced her more closer to him.

The entire room smelled of sex, hidden by faint sandalwood; as if this wasn't their first time doing it in the day.

"Why…why are you showing me this?! I don't want to see this, free me!! " Shi Yuanfe screamed and yelled, but no one could hear him.

"You…you, I hope you die in the depths of the twisted nether! You deserve all the pain in the world! Why…why does she have to love you, why can't it be me! "

Like a broken dam, a decade of pent-up and hidden emotions burst out of him as he scathingly spat at the bed below him.

But, at that very instance, something had changed.

The sun outside the window turned red, as a shadow entered the room and stood behind the bed.

Even though they were making love, they weren't commoners, but in fact strong cultivators. So Shi Yuanfe was surprised when he saw them not notice the black shadow.

The shadow extended it hand towards the bed, and tightened his hand into a fist. At that very moment, a cloud of intense black flame burst out of Shan Yuan's body and engulfed her entire body, and consumed her husband as well.

Shi Yuanfe's vision began to shudder at that moment, as he blinked, and the world disappeared in front of him.

…

…

Shi Yuanfe instantly woke up in his bed sweaty, cold, and shocked. He immediately wiped his forehead, and called for Rou'er.

"Rou'er! Rou'er! "

After a few moments had passed, sounds of hurried steps began to ring from the other side of the door.

A little girl dressed in a white and green robe dashed inside from the other side. She looked to be of thirteen-years-old, and was very cute. Her hair was elegantly tied up in a bun, but Shi Yuanfe could care less at the moment.

"Yo-young master, what happened? " She looked at him with mild worry in her eyes.

With a strange frown on his face, Shi Yuanfe asked, "How…how long have I been sleeping for? "

"Oh, that, " she sighed in relief, "don't worry, young master. I think it has been, um, two hours? Sleep as much as you want, master!"

Shi Yuanfe dryly coughed, and waved his hands at her. "Forget it. Bring me a glass of water. "

However, just as Rou'er was about to leave, the door slammed open as Elder Wang rushed in with a weird expression on his face.

"Young master, young master, someone has reportedly attacked the Shi Palace! "

As if expecting it, Shi Yuanfe exhaled. He nervously asked, "And? "

"The attacker is suspected to be from the Fire Dominion! Prince Shi Xiaofei escaped without any harm, but Princess Shan Yuan was burnt to a half-dead state! Her entire body resembles a mummy now! "

"Elder Wang…don't waste time. We have to leave this city, now! Or we risk being executed! "

1| He isn't the third child of the Emperor. The Third Prince here is his rank.