Prologue: A Whole New World~ Don't You Dare Close Your Eyes! (Edited)

A/N: New story, will be written alongside Infinity. Sorry, I started writing a few line and just ended up with a whole chapter. Fate/Infinity tomorrow, pinky swear.

They teach you in school that when life gives you a lemon, you’re supposed to make lemonade, but nobody ever tells you how to react when life grabs you by the mouth and squeezes the unsweetened juice down your throat, all while chugging down three beers and calling you a ‘bitch’ in the process.

How is this relevant, I hear you asked!

Well, I just died.

One moment I was the ‘Golden Child’ of the scientific community; the next I was dead, my body ripped apart, stretched like a spaghetto by the unstable black hole I created, which also happily, eagerly devoured me whole.

My intention was a portal that’d lead to the galaxies beyond the Milky Way, now that Mankind has established a near unshakeable hegemony in our home-galaxy, but instead of purple grasses like Ether-5’s, or the expected alien sky, what greeted me was twisting Space-Time fabrics when I flipped the switch on.

In hindsight, I really should have heeded my mentor’s warning, but after three centuries of life and counting, courtesy of our forefathers’ patented BIT (Biological Immortality Therapy), I was getting a bit reckless.

Now here I am, floating in a Void with no light in sight.

I’m not even sure how I’m still alive or conscious in all honesty, but I’m not gonna cry about it.

When have complaints gotten anyone anywhere?

I’m a scientist, I’ll do as a scientist ought to do and study the Void…

To what ends? I know not, but something’s bound to happen eventually, right?

Maybe it’s just my brilliant, yet unfortunately mortal brain struggling to comprehend eternal nothingness, but this can’t be all. It just can’t! I mean, you are born; slave your whole life away and just get a fat load of fucking nothing at the end?

That’s not how the Universe operates.

Energy cannot be destroyed, only transformed.

Hypothetically, if a scientist were to put a fresh apple in a vacuum chamber and observe the fruit for trillion and trillion of years, the particles should rearrange into every possible state until the cycle restarts, repeating infinitely.

Whatever state I’m in, I’m still very clearly something, all I need is to wait for the conversion.

With a bit of luck, I may just be halfway sane when the process finally takes place.

‘It’ll happen soon.’

I reassure myself and wait patiently.

And wait…

And wait some more, until the encroaching claws of madness begin to rip and tear at my sanity like tiny, teeny Chihuahuas, which is to say they’re overestimating themselves ‘cause daddy’s out!

Cheering at the light that’s poking holes in my cornea, I cackle hysterically, whizzing towards it like a speeding bullet.

— [Audio Log #0: Played] —

That’s how I came into my new life, laughing like I had just won the lottery, which I technically did given the family I spawned into. Much had changed about Humanity, but not when it came to the desire, nor the hows to display wealth.

I had seen manors spanning mountain, castles miniaturized to fit the ‘good neighborhood’ that would cost millions of Terra Credits to buy, but the luxuries I was afforded in my Afterlife would put even the richest Warlords Westside of the Milky Way to shame.

Every need I had was attentively addressed by the handmaids, who I must admit were experts in their field.

In fact, since my… Reincarnation(?), I hadn’t seen a single speck of dust or a drop of spilled beverage.

They outperformed even the Caretaker-Droids from Terra-12, which is no small feat, I ought to give them that.

Out of the 600 handmaids I had met on rotating shifts—yes, I counted—my favorite was Xiao Daiyu.

She was the shortest, always sporting this goofy, awkward smile.

While others tiptoed around me, she brought me stories and fables.

Although not one was in any way intellectually stimulating, those books helped me learn their language.

It took me four months to fully understand her endless chatter, but it was well-worth the effort.

Through her, I discovered that I was a Prince—not in the sentimental way some parents call their child, but truly and verifiably royal.

I never saw my ‘imperial parents’ not since ‘Mother dearest’ had all but booted us from her chambers seconds after I was born, and that was the last I saw of her. 

Not that it mattered.

Lavishly-fed, grandly-housed, expensively-clothed and well-entertained with my handmaids’ witchcraft and wizardry, I was practically swimming in excess.

What complaints could I possibly have?

— [Audio Log #0: Paused] —

Witchcraft and wizardry are remnants of a bygone era; words that hadn’t had any relevancy beyond the hocus-pocus bullshit scammers, excuse me, ‘psychics’ would sprout on live television… Or so I thought.

“Your Highness, how was that?!”

Arms on her hip, Daiyu calls to me, face flushed with bashfulness and the tinniest smidgen of arrogance. “Aren’t I cool?”

“Yes, very…” I mumble, still somewhat awestruck by what just happened.

With naught but a punch, the maid has destroyed a boulder ten times her mass—atomized it in fact.

Even a perfectly genetically-engineered super-soldier with the most advanced cybernetic implants and exoskeleton known to man couldn’t have done evaporated a boulder with a punch.

How that frail, bony arm managed to do what highly-specialized demolition equipment couldn’t frankly baffles me. Staring at her like I would a monster, I stumble forward to grab a handful of the dust and ask. “What Stage did you say you were in again?”

“Divine Gestation, your Highness!”

“Is this,” I gesture at the devastation she had left. “Doable for every Divine Gestation Cultivator?”

“Your Highness, with all due respect, I wouldn’t recommend using me as a reference. I’m rather… Underwhelming for a Cultivator at this Stage…”

Underwhelming? Did she just say that?

The audacity of this woman!

From what she’s said, the whole Cultivation thing has nine Mortal Stages and six Immortal Stages.

Each one has its own little hierarchy, going from Initial to Mid, then Late, and finally Peak or Half-Step, depending on the person you ask.

Daiyu herself is in the Mid-Divine Gestation Stage, though, she did mention the folks downstairs in the 3000 Mortal Planes call it Immortal Ascendency instead.

Seems that’s when the Worldly Laws decide you’ve gotten too big for your britches and kick you upstairs, right up here to the Upper-Realm with the rest of us. This galaxy… This Universe has something my old one did not—Essence.

It is typically invisible to the naked eye, but it is all around us… It’s a fundemental Force that permeates every single thing—organic or not.

This is where our Universes diverge.

Whereas the Humanity I’m familiar with requires machine of colossal proportions to control the Laws of Reality; the people here are those machines shoved within the flesh-bags they inhabitate.

“When can I start?”

“When you’re 6, your Highness…”

Two more years then.

Two more years of watching people perform literal Magic while I can barely change my own diaper.

It’s gonna be a hoot.

— [Audio Log #0: Played] —

There were countless questions swirling in my mind, so many possibilities to explore, but no matter how I asked, the maid always refused to enlighten me, claiming she didn’t want to lead me astray.

The best I got out of her were snippets about terminology and minor distinctions between the Stages, but honestly? I could figure out those details on my own.

The first three Mortal Stages were designed to strengthen and prepare the Body, while the next three serve to nourish the Soul.

It was the latter Stages that perplexed me. Daiyu mentioned that Divine Gestation and beyond required a Cultivator to grasp and refine their ‘Dao’, yet whenever I asked her to explain what the Dao was, she seemed as baffled as I was.

She said the Dao was everything, and to rise above the common throng, we must embody at least a Great Law, which was just a bucket full of shit from my perspective.

I had no idea what ‘comprehension’ here meant.

I liked to believe I had a decent grasp of the Universe, and despite all the differences, there were enough similarities to assume the Laws of Physics remained consistent across.

“Could I then skip the earlier Stages and leap straight to Divine Gestation?” I remembered inquiring, only to be met with a condescending laugh.

"Everyone in the Upper Realm gets to skip Stages. Even I did!" She had replied smugly. It sounded pretty unfair to me, but apparently all Heaven-Born—close descendents of Immortals and Gods could skip ‘classes’ based on their innate talents.

Usually, such drastic surges in power would lead to significant problems later on, for Cultivation was akin to laying bricks. One misstep, and the entire structure could tilt, compromising its overall integrity.

However, this Gift’s bestowed by the Heavenly Will, and is thus ‘perfect’ by Daiyu’s word, not mine.

My current hypothesis is that the Will acts as the Operating System, while the Dao are the programs running in the background to keep the Universe stable and smooth-sailing.

I could be wrong—I had been before, but I doubt it.

After the 1000th time of being pestered by me about Cultivation, Daiyu finally had enough. The next morning, I was introduced to my new mentor—an old man with a beard as white as a cloud, which he constantly touched as though fearing it might sprout legs and run away.

My hope for a proper education was dashed when it turned out he too could only speak in riddles and haikus.

At least I learned a few new terms: Immortal Veins, Constitution, Merit, and Techniques.

The first among these, Immortal Veins, referred to a set of innate Spiritual Nerves that spread across a Cultivator’s body.

These Veins were further categorized into different Grades: Mortal, Earth, Heaven, Immortal, and Divine, which were of course further divided.

I’m sensing a theme here…

Most Heaven-Born descendents would unlock Heaven-Grade and above Veins, which granted them superior talents in Cultivation overall.

In the Upper Realm where we lived, Low-Heaven Grade was considered quite trashy, while the lower Grades were essentially bird droppings that nobody would ever bat an eye at.

I myself possessed a set of Immortal Lightning Veins with 91 Nerves in total, which could be considered decent.

However, the real prodigies were people like my imperial siblings, all of whom possessed Mid to Peak Divine-Grade Immortal Veins with over 100 Nerves.

In most 2nd Grade Sects, I could be amongst the top 100.

But as the Prince of the Immortal Court—the reigning Overlord of the Upper-Realm—however, I was wholly unsuitable to inherit the Throne, which explained my parents’ absence.

Fine by me.

I was a scientist; my aim’s to discover the secrets of this Universe!

As for the Heavenly Seat?

Why’d I care about it?

Leave the politicking to the politicians.

Unfortunately, trouble had a way of finding people...

Interested or not, my status alone made me both a threat and a potential ally.

I wasn’t sure why I was even surprised; I should have known my dearest siblings would come crawling out of the woodwork eventually.

— [Audio Log #0: Paused] —

Today is as good as any other.

It might have concluded as pleasantly, were it not for the hulking figure planted before me.

“Tea, Seventh Brother?” He is a bear of a man, his presence suffocating beneath a layer of ostentatious gold armor that offends my eye.

A display of power, perhaps? A not-so-subtle reminder of our disparity, station-wise?

Huangtian Wei is my eldest brother; the most popular Crown Prince candidate who’s currently a 173 years old Half-Step Heaven Immortal with a top-notch Divine Grade Constitution: The [Nine Yang Golden Body] and 108 [Divine Yang Veins].

The guy’s also born of a different mother, a consort.

It seems Father dearest—the Jade Emperor, has built himself quite the harem…

Over three hundred beauties just waiting on his every beck and call.

Imperial Father sure knows how to enjoy himself.

What? The maids like to gossip!

It’s practically all they do every chance they get.

Not a surprise considering how scarce entertainment is in the Upper-Realm.

Gaze glued to the steaming beverage, I tilt my head curiously. “What kind of tea is this?”

“It’s made from Enlightenment Bodhi Leafs… It was a gift from my grandfather for becoming a Heaven Immortal. Go on, try it.”

Picking up the cup, I swirl it around, watching as sparkles—secrets to the Universe slosh inside. Lifting it to my nose, I take a few sniffs, before putting it on my lips.

Although infighting and struggles for power can escalate quickly, I doubt he would risk poisoning me in my own turf. Even if the Emperor were to forgive him on account of his talents, such actions would only push other allies towards our siblings.

Not to mention, to be able to hold onto her position as the Empress for so long, in spite of the rocky relationship she and Father are rumored to have, my Mother’s background can’t be too pathetic. “Thank you, First Brother. It’s delicious!” I answer, fingers locked to fake anxiety.

One thing I’ve learned while rubbing elbows with politicians is that it’s best to play the fool always.

Even if you harbor no ill intentions, competence can seem threatening from their point of view. “May I inquire as to the reason for your visit?”

“Do I need a reason to see my littlest brother?”

“No?”

Huangtian Wei doesn’t need one, but he definitely has an ulterior motive, and nothing will convince me otherwise.

“Lighten up, Jun’er! After all, I’m still your big brother! I was busy breaking through when you were born, but I’m here to make amend!”

The First Prince bursts into laughter, giving me a friendly pat on the shoulder.

So he’s decided to extend an olive branch… It’s better than I anticipated, but honestly, I’d prefer to avoid him altogether.

In fact, I’d rather stay away from all my siblings.

Let the lions fight it out while the hyena profits.

Pausing, I grab a few roadside flowers and put it in his palm. “I- I don’t have a lot, so here! Will that pay for the Bo- Bodhu-thingy?”

“Enlightenment Bodhi Leafs!” Huangtian Wei chuckles, reaching forth to ruffle my hair.

“Prince Jun! What did I teach you about fairness?”

I immediately palm the golden string of beads on my wrist, as if to hide it.

It’s jewelry I stumbled upon in the treasury—my treasury, to be exact—and have kept ever since.

I chew on it when my teeth itch, but it’s not particularly useful beyond its flashy appearance, though I do imagine the materials would fetch a high price if sold. “Those Leafs sound pricey, so you have to offer his Highness something equal value… Go on.”

Puffing up my cheeks like a squirrel, I ‘reluctantly’ give the string to Huangtian Wei, holding back crocodile tears.

“There’s no need for that! What kind of elder brother would I be if I extorted my youngest sibling? Keep the jewelry.”

“Really?”

I flash an innocent smile, swinging my legs as we dive into conversations that seem to erode my sanity bit by bit.

Yes, it’s as excruciating as it sounds to feign ignorance like a child—at least until the topic of Cultivation arises. “Brother, what exactly is the Dao? No, no, wait! Let’s start simpler, what is a Constitution? How exactly does yours work?”

For the first time in this conversation, I feel a genuine thrill.

How could I not? This is Magic we’re talking about!

Not the hocus-pocus bullshit I’ve seen and disproved so often, but actual Magic displayed as Genetic Traits!

“Well, [Nine Yang Golden Body] allows me to cultivate constantly under sunlight, whereas others must meditate.”

That can’t be everything… It’s supposed to be a Divine-Grade Constitution; passive Cultivation can’t be its only function.

“It also increases my physical strength compared to my peers, and amplify all Yang Immortal Arts I produce, but the real trump card is… And you can’t tell anyone!”

Nodding enthusiastically, I turn to Daiyu, gesturing for the maid to look in another direction. With a weary smile, she obediently follows my instructions, prompting Huangtian Wei to lean in my ear, whispering. “It gives me a fiery and explosive transformation! Makes my skin gold!”

Flexing his bicep, his skin suddenly cracks open to reveal a bright golden light.

Even while contained, I can feel the heat emeanating from the energy lurking beneath the surface. I was mostly a physics and computer science kind of guy, hence my involvement with Project B. R. I. D. G. E, but I have dabbled with biochemistry and biology at some points.

There is a reason I was never allowed to go beyond ‘dabbling’…

You get a bit too overexcited while experimenting on the dead aliens’ tissues, and the government will drop you like trash. Typical.

‘Will he be upset if I ask for a sample?’

A patch of skin will do, though you won’t catch me saying ‘No’ to a few drop of blood as well.

“This is a Constitution… It can manifest in many ways, even physical abnormalities like an extra pair of arms or a third eye. Some are better hidden, like mine.”

So essentially genetic mutations that come along with superpowers via Immortal Qi then.

Now that I’m old enough to not rouse questions, perhaps I should create a microscope soon; that and a quantum computer. It’ll be difficult to create the latter’s components without a specialized production line, but. “He… Hehe…” I have a humanoid Force of Nature besides me, do I not?

My dearest maid better ask for a raise, ‘cause I’m going to work her to the bone.

“As for the Dao… It’s everything. It’s every rock; every blade of grass. It’s the Laws that govern our Universe. His Laws.”

“His?” I repeat. Gods have a God?

“Pangu… The Primordial Giant; the Great Divider who cleaved the Nothingness to form the Heaven, the Earth and the Underworld. His breath became the wind, mist and clouds;

His voice, thunder;

His left eye, the Sun;

His right eye, the Moon;

His head, the mountains and extremes of the world;

His blood, rivers;

His muscles, fertile land;

His facial hair, the galaxies;

His fur, bushes and forests;

His bones, valuable minerals;

His bone marrow, precious jewels;

His sweat, rain;

And the fleas on his fur carried by the wind became the Cardinal Lifeforms—the Primordial Gods.”

Blinking at First Brother, I wrinkle my nose. “And people really believe that horseshit?”

His lips twitch as he attempts to suppress a boisterous laugh.

“The lineage of the Immortal Court traces back to the Purities—three Cardinal Lifeforms formed from the excess of Pangu’s Spirit. The rest became the Heavenly Will.”

Oh, Gods, he believes in this horseshit too…

“That doesn’t make any logical sense… Why would a literal God sacrifice his life and divide his being into other creatures…? Besides, how many eyes did he have? How many bones and muscles?”

“There are 3000 Mortal Planes—3000 galaxies, 3 trillion Systems, each with just one planet capable of supporting life with the same general layout as ours. Pangu is everything, and all is Pangu. They’ll teach you this when you’re old enough to cultivate, which is just another year, isn’t it?”

Head ringing from the information, I silently massage my temples.

“So what, all the Systems just look identical?” How would such a feat even be possible? Widespread, artificially-induced Quantum Entanglement perhaps?

How did I go from watching Daiyu perform magic tricks and atomizing a boulder to discussing the legitimacy of an allegedly humanoid, sentient Big Bang?!

“There are other System with slightly altered layout—”

“Ah-Hah! Variables!” I cheer.

“But those were either caused by local battles, or were created by an Upper-Heaven Stage Immortal for Cultivation purposes.”

“You can’t know that.”

“We have [Pangu’s Taiji Dividing Arts] on the top floor of the Forbidden Pagoda if you want to check it out.”

— [Audio Log #0: Played] —

I learnt a lot that day, both about the Immortal Court as a Faction and general knowledge that, supposedly, everybody knew.

Fine!

That was a hyperlobe, but the information was readily available for people of our station.

First Brother had to pry me off him to get away, leaving my bottomless brain starved intellectually.

I needed answers, and I needed them fast or I was going to lose my fucking mind, thus that same evening, I ordered Daiyu to get me all the necessary components, first to create a microscope that’d allow me to study how living cells interact with Qi being introduced to the equation;

The quantum computer would take longer, but I could wait…

I had all the time in the world, after all.

— [Audio Log #0: Ended… Replay?] —