The scenery around both Yun Che and Jasmine suddenly changed as if they were transported into a different world. It was the same as before, they felt the scenery around them changed when they viewed that pedestal on top of the altar back in the hallway. However, that was just a change in their surroundings. Both of them were still in the hallway just now and their surroundings changed as if they're in the holographic world. But this time, it was different. He was back to his usual and original form while Jasmine was right beside him. However, only both of them and the hollowed image of the Moon Empress in the so called new world. Looks like Chu Yueli didn't come with them. As expected as she didn't possess the Eagle Vision to see the Soul Essence and moreover, she's not a soul being like Jasmine and Yun Che.
[Ding…. Host's and Jasmine's consciousness has been transported into the Soul Essence. Host cannot leave the Soul Essence until the true purpose of the message was delivered successfully.]
"It seems that the pedestal brought us into the Soul Essence."
Jasmine widen her eyes at her surroundings before she spoke "But, she could just show us the message like before."
Since he was back to his original form, he could finally act like his original self. "By my guess, I think she wanted us to see and experience the message instead of showing it."
Jasmine suddenly went on thinking before she spoke "Why bother to go for such lengths for a mere orb?"
"Like I said before, if this is what I think it is then that orb is more than a mere orb."
The scenery brought them into a mountain area where the crater similar to the Moon Empress's first message. The crater with a small rock in head size rock in it. Previously, they saw a heavenly light mentioned by the Moon Empress before it was divided into nine rays before dispersing themselves to the rest of the world and one of them landed nearby the Moon Empress younger form back then.
But, anyone could see something was amiss. As if the heavenly light was meant to land near her. If the item is what Yun Che thought it would be, then it was possible she was chosen by it than acted like a mere coincidence.
Back to the story, the scenery changed to the scene where the Moon Empress's message in the hallway was cut and it was continued like a restored part of a cut movie. Both Yun Che and Jasmine were right beside the teenage form of the Moon Empress as if they were there but either one of them couldn't interact with her. He tried to touch the girl but his hand merely phase through her. When the small head size rock crumbled, it revealed the item she was talking about. The mysterious golden orb.
The golden lights around them subside before revealing the orb she was talking about. The orb was bigger than her hands but smaller than her head. The Moon Empress slowly remove the rocks covering the orb before holding it with both of her hands. It was a sphere shaped metal made from unknown material.
Jasmine floated near the girl, she was looking closely at the mysterious orb the Moon Empress referred. The orb was golden and had strange linings with circles all over it. Most of the circles were small but she could see the orb had three larger circles all over it. From the perspective, it was an orb with strange linings and circles. Moreover, she never seen or heard the existence of these orbs in the realm of the gods.
When Yun Che saw the orb, he was quiet and speechless. His hunch was right. This is the thing the Moon Empress referred to. No wonder she could create such as marvelous tomb. Those pedestal, messages, the materials used to create the temple and all of them pointed to the same thing. This is the last thing he expected from his home world. But it was impossible. He was the only one came from his original world. Just how could these things exist here? More importantly, if these things exist then were those people exists as well? But if he gave it a thought, this is a multiverse and there are more realms other than the Blue Pole Star. The probability of their existence is possible but sometimes those things can be dispersed as imagination.
Then a thought suddenly hit him. "Wait, she said nine heavenly lights. That means there are eight more of these things scattered all over the world? Damn it all, even one of these things caused enough ruckus back in my home world and now it exists in this world as well? This is such a pain in the ass."
Jasmine observed the orb from her view and concluded that the orb is not something she seen before. "So, what do you think? Is it the same from orb you had in mind?"
"Yeah, never expected she encountered one of these things in this world. I was hoping it was a different thing but history is about repeat itself again."
Jasmine turned to him and concluded "So, you do know of this thing."
"I do, this thing is...." He was about to talk but before it could happen, the Moon Empress continued her message.
"The mysterious golden orb, the very thing that changed my life for the better and for the worse. The turning point of my life. My only wish was to know why did I picked up this thing? Am I destined to find it or am I chosen to bear the responsibilities of possessing it?"
Then, she walked towards her younger form before she continued "Its beauty and material. It caused me to look at it with curiosity. My hope and despair back then was instantly forgotten by it as if I was called upon by it. It pulled me from mind as I gaze onto its shiny surface. My only question back then was what is this thing? Is it a divine object fell from the heavens to incite chaos upon the world or bring peace to it? Is the heavens fulfilling my wish of saving my wretched life? Back then, I merely thought of instantly gaining power to destroy my opponents. But now I know, the power I gained had its own price."
The teenage form of the Moon Empress continued to gaze the orb as she twists and turn it with eyes of curiosity. Not long after that, her thoughts were interrupted as she heard multiple voices in the distance. A blast from the heavens like that was bound to attract more people towards it so did what she had to do. She brought the mysterious orb and run towards the distance without looking back. She knew the cultivators came for it. So before those people find it, she brought it away.
Not long after she left, a group of cultivators arrived at the crater and started to investigate it. Yun Che and Jasmine can sense their aura and it was merely Elementary Profound Realms. Some of them were merely fifth and sixth level. However, one of them almost touch the threshold of the realm itself. To Yun Che and Jasmine, these levels are trash compared to them. Probably back then, this kind of level was enough for the non-cultivators to worship them. They curiously wander around the crater finding some clues of anything that can give them a lead.
Then, one of them started to speak "That golden light from before, are you sure it came from here?"
Their clothes looked the same indicating that these cultivators hailed from a sect. Judging from the men arrived here, the sect is probably not that far from here. One of them suddenly spoke "Yes, it was bright and illuminate the forest with its grace. It happened after I saw a golden light crashed into this area a few hours ago."
"Leader, the rock here looked like it was crumbled and there's a branch here. Someone's been here."
"They wouldn't have gotten far. Spread out and look for them. That golden light is probably a heavenly treasure. We will not let someone take it."
"Leader, what if the person who took it is stronger than us?"
"Hmph, this is the most isolated forest in the continent and most of its inhabitants were mere mortals. Besides, this forest is our sect's territory. We will the first one to know if anyone infiltrated our territory. Fan out and search for any clues." The cultivators suddenly disperse looking for the one that took the mysterious treasure.
Suddenly, the hollowed image of the Moon Empress suddenly takes off and travel towards the direction her younger self just ran. Yun Che and Jasmine took flight before they followed her. Her image led them into a cave not far from the impact site. Everything in the soul essence felt real as if they stepped on real ground but they couldn't interact with it. They slowly entered the cave along with her image before finding her younger self panting as she rested on the nearby rock. In her hands was the golden orb she took from the crater.
After regaining her composure, she placed the orb on top of a flat rock and stared at it. No matter how hard she tried exploring the orb, it wasn't responsive. But, a certain thing did happen. When she placed it on the flat rock, the linings around it started glow and pulsing like a beacon. The glow and pulse was getting brighter and soon illuminates the whole cave.
"Just what is this thing?" Jasmine murmured softly at the same time glances at her partner. Who was quiet all the time as his eyes was fixed on the orb.
The Moon Empress suddenly spoke "At that time, I panicked. I don't know what happened or what I did to cause such an event but I was more afraid that the cultivators would soon discover its existence. That's when I made my first mistake."
The girl at that time was panicked by the state the orb did the thing she will regret later in her life. She immediately grabbed the orb to hide its pulsing light but as soon as she touched it....
SWISH
The orb suddenly grows brighter and it shot light rays illuminate the cave and caused the girl to covered her eyes. She screamed as her head hurts from the illuminating lights and that's when she was shocked and fell on her bottom. It felt like she was witnessing a miracle.
Symbols…
Designs….
Alien words….
These things float around like crazy showing her countless of random things and it was too fast for her eyes to see and comprehend any of those symbols. With the lights blinding her eyes, she couldn't get even a single of them but Yun Che and Jasmine could see them clearly. Despite everything was fast like a fast forward video, Yun Che could grasp them clearly as the random symbols showed to them were too familiar in his eyes and Jasmine had her mouth widen as she saw countless alien symbols and words floating around her. Moreover, she couldn't even understand each and every one of it as she was bathe from the limitless knowledge from the realm of the gods. If she were to compare these knowledge and the apple, it would be like comparing the river and the ocean. The girl who was struggling at that time but she simply immediately taps the mysterious orb and it went back to normal as if it never happened.
[Ding…. System had detected an upgrade feature hidden within the mysterious orb. It is recommended for the host to obtain the orb so system can initiate the upgrade.]
"Hoo..an upgrade feature? What sort of upgrade the system can learn from the apple?" Yun Che thought in his mind.
"Back then, my mind wasn't strong enough to withstand the orb's power. Those symbols, words and markings were alien to me. I couldn't even understand them. Since then, I've been trying to reactivate that moment but the orb didn't show it to me anymore. Those words, I will never be able to understand them even if I wanted to. What is this thing? Is this merely a heavenly orb? Why is it appeared on this world?"
The moment everything was covered with darkness. That's when the teen girl at that time heard voices outside the cave.
"In here!!! The same golden light from before!!" The girl was panicked as she heard the voices. The cave had a one-way entrance and she just delivered herself to death's doorstep. She couldn't even hide as she grabbed the orb and stared at the entrance. That's when it happened…
The cultivators from before. All of the them from before stood on the doorway of the cave preventing any escape room for her. She was just a normal girl. Powerless and naive of the world of cultivation. In the world of cultivation, the strong ruled over the weak and going against them is the worst possible fate even for her.
Seeing a girl in a village's outfit holding a golden orb is suspicious enough. But more importantly, she was holding the item that supposed to be at the meteor site. The leader of the cultivators shot her with a disdainful look as he spoke "Well, well. So you're the one who took the heavenly treasure. Little girl, you are playing with things you couldn't even hope to understand. Why don't you give that thing to me?" The cultivator known as the leader was eyeing the golden orb she had on her hands. Whatever the heavenly treasure was, there's no way it could produce such a majestic light from before. They really wanted to take and examine the orb.
"Leader, she's merely a mortal. Why bother asking like this? Let's just grab it."
The leader gave a thought before he realized that the one who took it is a mortal. He simply shrugged and spoke "Humph, grab it and then kill her. Wait, why don't we play with her? Even if she's a mortal. She's quite a looker."
Seeing dozens of cultivators eyeing her like a sheep. The girl defended herself "No…Please leave me alone. I could give it to you but please. Just leave me be…." She was begging to be let go but Yun Che could guess that even if that happens, the Moon Empress at that time won't have a good ending but they could only watch as the events unfold.
Seeing her freightened all of a sudden, the men slowly approached her but their expression says otherwise. "No..no.. Don't be scared. We won't bite."
"No… no… Please..." She was clutching the orb as hard as she could unaware that she was activating its true powers. The leader suddenly went on guard as he saw the orb on her hands was glowing and pulsing once more.
"Forget it. Kill her and take the orb!!!" The cultivators around her suddenly gank towards her to prevent them from using the power of the orb or whatever it had. Seeing her inevitable death, she strongly wished herself to be saved from their clutches. Unaware that a voice was suddenly influencing her from the orb.
"At that time, I was in a pinch. Death was already on my footstep the moment I took the orb. Whether I gave them or defend it were the only choices I had. I wish nothing more to be saved at that time. That's when I heard a voice came from inside my head. It just said 'Do you wish to be saved?'"
"Voices? That thing supposed to be silent and didn't have anything at all unless the precursors put something in there as a message like in my previous world. To think that it possessed a voice." Yun Che's expression suddenly stiffened. This thing is unlike those things in his previous world.
The Moon Empress continued her message "I should've said no. I should've died that day. In the end, I only said yes."
The cultivators were ganking towards her in an attempt to take the orb as well as kill her and suddenly, it happened. The mysterious orb suddenly pulsing before illuminating the entire cave once more with its light.
Yun Che suddenly murmured "Here it comes."
"What comes?" Jasmine asked curiously.
"See it for yourself. The reason this orb is not a mere orb."
Then, she saw it. Pillars of light suddenly conjured all over the cave as the orb suddenly pulsing with power. The teen form of the Moon Empress was still holding it as it suddenly emits a thin lightning that zaps its way towards all the cultivators nearby her. It was fast, the lightning zaps into their head and she could see it clearly. All of a sudden, the cultivators running towards her immediately stop as if they hit a barrier.
"What are you lots doing? She has bewitched you!!! Kill her now!!!" But his cries were ignored by the cultivators and none of them responded. Then, in a moment of truth.....
Shing… Stab
The cultivators around her drew their swords before started stabbing each other. It was a brutal sight. Dozens of them started massacring each other each other without any sense of fear. The moment they were stabbed and slashed, none of them emits a cry of pain as if they were completely controlled against their will. Under the orbs power, the sounds of slashing and stabbing were heard across the cave with the leader standing gawking at the entrance. The powers of the orb were still in effect as it illuminates the cave with its light. It continued to control the cultivators to kill one another before the floor was dyed with their blood.
Jasmine widen her eyes on the unfold event. She wasn't referring to the massacre but she was referring to the orb's powers. "What in the world?"
"Now, you finally witnessed it. Jasmine. This mysterious orb she referred to was not a mysterious orb at all. This thing exists in my world as well and one of the most powerful weapons of the ancient world as well as a big pain in my ass back then."
She looked at him with demanding eyes. "What is that thing?"
Yun Che smiled before he dropped the bomb. "This, love. This is the Apple of Eden."
"Apple of…Eden?" She spoke with a curious tone. She was always curious about his home world and this is the first time she heard the word 'Eden'. Then, why is this thing known as the Apple of Eden?
"Hnn, it's an ancient and powerful weapon designed to enslave mankind in my original world. They created these weapons to enslave humans back then. However, even after years had passed. This thing was nothing more than a big pain the ass and caused more trouble than helping us. This thing was designed to control the weaker minds and bid them under their power."
"Control the weaker minds? So this thing is a mind control treasure?"
"Hnn, those with weaker minds will be instantly fell under its power. However, those who had a stronger resistance can resist its power. But, despite its power. It only had a small area of effect. You can see that leader isn't affected. So, they will be safe as long as they didn't get in range of the apple's powers."
She slowly murmured "A treasure that can bid humans to its will."
Yun Che sighs before she spoke "Oh no, it can do more than that but I am sure the empress will show us later. It's better for you to witness it rather than hearing it from me."
"You said before about 'they' created these things. Who are 'they'?" If Shinigamis and Quincies exist, then who are these new beings who used powerful weapons aside from them?
Yun Che took a deep breath before he spoke "Hmph, 'they' were advanced beings with a humanoid body known as the Isu. They came into our world during the ancient times and enslaved the humans in our world to their bidding. They are nothing more than bunch of control freaks who wanted our world for themselves and use the humans as slaves. Even if we're shinigamis. We're also dwell in the realm of humans to watch over them and these people caused us nothing but trouble."
"These Isu race, are they similar to Quincy and Shinigami in your world?"
Yun Che shook his head. "No, they're mortals but they are highly advanced mortals who had the power of technology to dominate the entire realm. There was once a rogue Shinigami claimed one of the apple and brought it into the realm of the gods in our world. Let me tell you, it caused the shinigami a bunch of chaos in our realm. That rogue shinigami tampered with the apple and descend the realm of the gods into chaos. At first, that thing didn't even work on us but I don't know what that rogue did but it ended up enslaved the entire realm of the gods. You can imagine the chaos a single apple can cause. Then, rogue powers started to descend into that mortal realm to find other apples or pieces of Eden they can take but we managed to stop them."
"To prevent similar incident from happening. We created a special division among us Shinigami to find the remnant pieces of these technologies in the human realm and hide them from the mortals as well as ourselves. Tempting as they might be but these things are nothing more on bunch or troublemakers. A creation of the ancient mortal race caused the gods chaotic troubles. Ironic."
The truth is those events did happened it his previous world but he did tell Jasmine he was a shinigami through and through but he never told her about his life in the mortal realm.
Jasmine when curious once more as weak mortals like them had the power of 'technology' to cause the realm of the gods some trouble? She suddenly spoke "Technology?"
Yun Che started to smirk and he spoke "From where I came from, Jasmine. Mortals in our world are far more advanced than here. Sometimes, I was glad I was reborn in this world but never expected this thing exist in this world as well. These things might be artifacts but it can cause more harm than good if it fell into the wrong hands. But one thing hit me when she told about the apple's origins back then."
"The apple's origins? I thought it fell from the heavens?"
"Exactly, they were created in my world by those advanced mortals and one thing strikes me the most. These Isu came into our world and these things were sent into this realm. Could it be…"
Jasmine didn't understand him but she managed to get what he was trying to say "They came from the same place? Could it be they have their own realm as well?"
"Hnn, I can assume that they found a way to perform a travel between realms but why did they only sent the pieces here aside from their own race? Looks like there's more to this story than meets the eye."
Jasmine was having troubles understanding the Isu race from his home world but she decided to use the system's database to read the rest. "Anyway, lets listen to her side of the story. Maybe she had all the answers for our questions."
As the fighting was over, dozens of men laid dead on the floor in their own pool of blood. However, the teen girl from before fell on her knees as the mysterious orb or the Apple of Eden she held tires her instantly. Looks like Yun Che didn't mentioned to Jasmine that the Apple consume the wielders life force in exchange for power. Every time she used it, her life force was consumed by the apple. Her body was still young and she couldn't support that much power drained from her. Moreover, she's not a cultivator at that time.
Seeing all of his men had been killed by the orb's power, the leader of the men shouted at the girl. "You…YOU WITCH!!! What did you do to my men!?!?!?"
However, the girl herself was confused as well as she too witnessed the true power of the orb first hand. She didn't know how and what she did just now. All she knew that everything happened in an instant. The men were controlled by the orb and started killing each other. She was horrified on her actions just now. She just killed dozens of men using the orb's power.
The hollowed image of the Moon Empress spoke "As I witnessed its powers, I was shocked at that time. I've got what I wished for but this is not the wish I was hoping for. I never wanted for them to be killed in cold blood. I never knew this thing can control their minds. Back then, I am nothing more than a murderer. I convinced myself that I was protecting my own life. I had to kill them or else they would've killed me. Then, something awoken within me. I gaze at my mortal's self and curse everything. I wanted power. I want to protect those who are dear to me. So, I desire more."
The Moon Empress's teen form slowly woke up before she slowly walks to the leader with bangs covering her eyes. Her image of walking on top of the dead cultivators with the apple's power still activated on her hands triggering a mental image within the leader who is now scared shitless. The image she had right now akin to an evil empress who used the power of the orb to destroy all who stands in her way.
"You….stay away from me. I'll be your loyal dog….no…your slave… Just please don't kill me!!"
However, his voice was muffled by the apple's power as she raised it on him. All of a sudden, the leader was slowly lifted from the ground by an unknown force before she channeled her remaining energy into the apple. In an instant, the apple overloads the leaders mind with its energy before….
BOOM!!! SPLAT!!!
The head of the leader suddenly exploded into tiny pieces as his blood squashing out like a fountain covering her entire body with blood. The scene shocked both Yun Che and Jasmine as they witness the sweet Moon Empress had a 180 degrees swing in her personality. She changed instantly because of the apple. However, her change just now reminded them of their past selves. Both Jasmine and Yun Che experienced the change of their lives back then but seeing such changes happened again sparks a bad memory within them. With that, she suddenly fell to the ground and passed out deactivating the apple's power at the same time.
"It was the day I regretted the most. The day I possessed absolute power. Thinking that I could control everything. However, there wasn't a single day I regretted everything happened on that day. I should've died that day. I should just let them take the orb but I realized back then that I am a monster. With that mindset, I marched back into my village. I had the power but I lack the knowledge to use it. Then, my second mistake begun."
Suddenly, the scenery around them changed once more. It was like she was fast forwarding this moment instead of showing them like before. Well, as much as he was curious on the later events after she passed out. They were hoping to know what happened after she marched back into the village. It was only a moment as the scenery of her village was shown back to them. Still covered by the blood of her assailants, she walked past her villagers triggering whispers as well as rumors as both Yun Che and Jasmine followed behind her back. She was a famous one even before she obtained the apple as the village's cute troublemaker but seeing her in this state caused some of them sees her as a monster.
The cultivators had made the village their own base for the past month plundering their resource and raping their girls. As cultivators, they were treated like kings in return they treated her villagers like slaves.
As much as other villagers were curious on her outfit, she was carrying something that caused some of them distance themselves from her. She was carrying the glowing and pulsing Apple pf Eden in the open like her body part. The cultivators saw her unusual and bloody attire from a far and started to question her. But, everyone can see that the cultivators were actually eyeing that particular orb on her hand. Thinking that it was a rare treasure. Some of them tried to accuse her as a crazy monster and shout out in the open to kill her on behalf of justice but they wanted nothing more to snatch that treasure from her hands.
Without any provocation or talk, they immediately attacked her with full force. However, she immediately activated the apple's power and subdue the cultivators. The activation shocked the entire village as the golden lights covered the entire village's square. However, instead of making them killing each other and brutally exploded their heads. She makes them stabbed their own little brother with their knives repeatedly. Triggering a brutal scene where blood flew all over the direction. She knew each and every one of them as some of her friends were killed as offerings to satisfy their lust. Even after being heavily injured, they still stabbed themselves without feelings of fear and conscious. Her feelings and desire for revenge was shown on how she dealt with the cultivators without a shred of mercy. When she dealt with the cultivators, she didn't even realize the others were looking at her with a gaze of fear.
The last cultivator begs for his life when she wanted to kill him as well but instead of having his head exploded, he was spared when a man and a woman suddenly hugged the teen girl from behind with all their strength. They were begging for her to stop the senseless killing. It was brief and the cultivator took this time to run away from her. In an instant, she regained her consciousness and witness the brutality that she committed.
The Moon Empress sigh as she spoke "I killed each and every one of them but instead of admiration and praises. All I get was gazes of fear, disdain and greed. When I remembered that moment's time, I knew the orb I had on my hands were merely incite people to fulfill their greed. An object with absolute power. My actions were monstrous and could incite the wrath of the heavens but my parents saved me. I killed the cultivators one by one using the similar way and only one of them was left. He was begging for his life and I wanted to end it but my parents immediately stopped me. Telling me I am not a murderer and they wanted my troublemaker self-back. That's when I realized. I fell under its power and greed. I didn't notice and I remembered all the horrible deeds I've done back then."
"It's true…. The apple was none other than the device that incites chaos and destruction because it was built that way." Yun Che nodded in agreement as he witnessed the apple's power.
"Built that way?" Jasmine asked once more.
After years of understanding the research of the apple in his previous world. He spoke "The Isu race created these things and they did not simply create these things on a whim. They also build a safety measures to prevent their weapons from being misused by their enemies."
"It means…."
"Hnn, I've spend quite some time researching these things back then and I knew the apples can only be wielded by a member of their race. If the apple fell into their assailants, it would influence the assailant instead. Filling them with greedy and powerful thoughts to cause chaos among themselves. You've seen what the Empress had become at an early age. Not only it affects her but those around her as well. Only a strong and powerful mind can resist the apple's temptation and powers. Her parents' decision of stopping her was wise as it prevent her from falling further into madness."
"To think that the apple can cause this much trouble."
"Hnn, imagine what happened if one of the apples fell into the hands of the cultivators. Moreover, the hands of those from up there."
"I could imagine the chaos the apple could cause. Looks like if we're the only ones who knew the truth about these apples. It's better for us to reclaimed all eight of those things scattered all over the world."
"I doubt it because these things scattered three thousand years ago. Anything could happen."
Jasmine shook her head and continued "Anyhow, if these so called Apple of Eden can cause more harm than good. We should find and store them away. Like you said, 3000 years had passed and probably two or three of them ended up in the realm of the gods already."
Yun Che can't expect or know the things happened for the past three thousand years. "I don't know. Let's just hope for the best."
As they witnessed the aftermath of the event, the Moon Empress continued "But, my suffering had just begun. The more I hold the orb, the more people around me started to desire for it. There was once the people in my village wanted me to turn the orb to them but I refused as I experienced the first effect and tasted its powers. The people I knew turned against me. I had to threaten to use it against them but I feared they would come after my parents. Then, things started happening once more. The cultivator I let go from before turns out told his sect about the orb's existence. My worst fears come to life. He brought more and more cultivators but this time I noticed some of them were stronger. Most of them have ascended and even brought a powerful 'Spirit Profound Realm' old man."
The Moon Empress sigh as she recalled that particular day. "I tried to use the orb but its powers doesn't work on any one of them. I tried to use it once more but I couldn't control their mind and now I understood the nature of its powers. These cultivators and that old man had higher powers than me back then. I was only a normal mortal while they are ascended mortals. My powers were too weak to use it against them. Then, the villagers who have a greedy thought against me sold me off to them by telling them the true powers of the treasure I had. I was mad at them. I trusted them but they sold me off as I refused to give them the orb. But, there was nothing I could do. I couldn't even use its powers against the cultivators as they had stronger minds and bodies but it showed me one thing. It showed me the nature of humans of this world."
"When the cultivators stormed my house, my parents protected me by asking me to run as they hold them off. So I ran… I could still hear my mother's scream as they murdered her in cold blood. I couldn't use the orb to save her. I couldn't even do anything. This village was doomed whether I tried to save it or not. Even the villagers turned themselves against me. So I did what I had to do to survive."
Yun Che and Jasmine were brought to the scene where the Moon Empress was chased by the villagers. They have seen that even the people from her village turned against her. Then, the apple gave her another ability. It used the invisibility powers it had and she disappeared from sight even the strongest cultivators at that time can't see her. She cried as tears of despair fell from her eyes as she fled away from the village with the apple. She didn't have the heart to use the villagers as puppets to slow the cultivators. She had enough of killings already. As for her village's fate, the cultivators slaughtered all them as they did not get what they wish for.
The Moon Empress slowly dissolved the soul essence world as she spoke "My successor, I don't know whether you could see this message but I showed you the nature of the orb. I only wanted it to be use for the greater good. I've come from a bad start using the orb. Find my third essence. You will decide what you will do with the orb."
Then, the message was over as Yun Che and Jasmine's consciousness was ejected back to the tomb. That was her second message. She showed them the true nature of the Apple of Eden. A powerful weapon used to enslave mortals but turns out it was useless against stronger cultivators as stronger as they had stronger minds than ordinary mortals. But she showed what happened if the apple was exposed to the world.
Right now, Yun Che was back to his Mihawk's persona and Jasmine floated right next to him. She recalled the Apple's nature and understood why the Moon empress had to leave everything behind. "So she had to brought it somewhere to hide it."
Yun Che nodded in agreement with her. "Hnn, But I am sure she'll use it to gain more insight. This message only showed its nature but not her path to become a sovereign. I am sure she had more to tell us. Besides, she knew the Apple's nature and she wouldn't built a teleporting formation to send everyone here. It means there's more to this story."
"Now that you've seen that message. It's your job to find out."
"Why me?"
"You're the only one here who knows about the apple through and through. Besides, I am only a floating ghost who just knew about the existence of the Apple."
Yun Che sweat dropped at her antics before he murmured "Floating ghost, my foot."
Jasmine slowly floats beside him once more before spoke"By the way, how long did we spend in that message?"
"I don't know. A few minutes? Probably hours? She did show us a lot at that..." As he was talking internally with Jasmine.
"Mihawk…"
His thoughts and speech with Jasmine was interrupted as a lovely voice suddenly entered his ears. He turned his head around and he immediately saw his wife's master or the only woman who entered the tomb with him. The woman he saved before killing those two old men.
"Chu Yueli."
She looked at him with curious eyes and said "What is the matter? You've been staring at that pedestal for quite some time. Is something wrong with it?"
"I…how long I was staring at it?" He asked her some questions hoping that he didn't take that long in the Soul Essence.
"You stared it for a while and you didn't even respond when I called you just now." She answered but Yun Che and Jasmine widen their eyes. They felt like hours in there as she showed them quite a lot and she only responded he was in there for only a moment?
He regained his bearings before he replied "I was lost in thought. This place is majestic enough but they didn't even leave anything on the pedestal which makes me wonder."
She looked at the empty pedestal and unknowingly spoke "Could it be there are other people came before us?"
"But we're the only ones arrived at the tomb so I am sure this place has more mysteries to solve."
"Still, this methods and design in this tomb is different from what I heard or been. As feels like as if we're in a different world. The ones who build this tomb had very bizarre ideas." Chu Yueli started to widen her eyes as he scanned all over the arena zone. She went countless of times into temples and tombs but never actually found a tomb like this.
Yun Che play dumb and said "Who knows. Now, are you really going to tell me the true reasons why you are here in this tomb? I am sure recognition is not the only thing you're after."
"I…." The question suddenly wakes her up from her sightseeing. Mihawk asked her these questions before but she wasn't ready to answer them but he did save her. At least he trusted her and she wanted to tell him about her situation.
"You can take your time. I am listening." Yun Che tried distracting her about his stare just now. The secrets and existence of the Apple must be kept a secret from anyone but his trusted companions. From his research in his previous life, the apple's doesn't work on soul beings like him, Jasmine, Retsu, Kon, Nemu and Mio. Mio is not a soul being but she was bound by the system and immune to the apple's power.
Moreover, he did asked the system that whether the Apple can be modified by it. Turns out it can but only if he can get his hands on it the apple would be safe in his inner world. If he can modified the apple's nature, then it will be harmless and can't be used other than him or the system. Just like Jasmine mentioned before, he must regained all the pieces of Eden sent into this world. Those things caused enough trouble in his home world and he wasn't going to let the them cause trouble in this world as well. Moreover, he wanted to know the reason why the pieces were sent here instead of the race themselves.
As Chu Yueli was gathering her thoughts, Yun Che stared back at the pedestal where the Moon Empress just shown her message just now. Now he knew the purpose of this tomb, he decided to get to the bottom of it. By the way, this place wasn't it even a tomb. She probably tried to hide the secrets of the Apple in here.
"This is a vault." He spoke in his consciousness.
Jasmine heard his words and spoke "If this is a vault, then should one person be allowed to enter this tomb? Why bother gathering ten peak Sky Profound Realm warriors just to enter this vault? She could just pass the Apple to her successor and be done with it."
"Unless there's something hidden in this vault she doesn't want anyone else to know about. Just remember, the Isu won't sent the apples or any other things here without any member of their race accompanied them. She probably discovered something hidden within the Apple and wanted to hide it from the world. Remember she said something about a voice?"
"The voice, hnn. The voice that taught her how to utilized the apple's power as well as turn her temporarily into a cold blooded killer? You probably think…."
"Hnnn… let's pressed on. The answer probably lies there." However, Yun Che turned his head towards the two old men from before but his eyes widen when he saw nothing was on the pillars. The only thing that left was the sword and sword pieces he used to stabbed them. Thinking that probably Chu Yueli disposed them while he was in the Soul Essence but he still has doubts she was that cruel so he immediately asked "Yueli, did you dispose the old men from before?"
She suddenly grew red when Yun Che used her name but she regained her composure when he asked her that question. She shook her head and said "I did not. I was behind you all the time. Why did you… Eh!?!?! Where are they? They were here a moment ago. How in the….."
Yun Che kept his calm as he examined the light pillar. "Impossible, those wounds we gave them would kill them instantly if they tried to escape and even as simple as moving their arms."
"What is going on in this tomb?" Chu Yueli spoke while having thoughts on the men's disappearance. As if they suddenly vanished into thin air just like that. How in the world did that happened?
"I don't know but we're not going to waste our time to find out. The Moon Empress's tomb is not as simple as I thought it was." Yun Che looked at Jasmine as she nodded before proceeding on the energy path created by the arena before. Chu Yueli didn't know what is going on but she immediately followed next to him unaware that things had started to get more sinister than before.
Yo...back into writing. I read a review that someone disagree if I give Yun Che more girls. Should I stop and summon a man or men next time?
PS: You guys disagree when I summoned Kon. What will happen if I summoned more guys?