Sin Mal’s heart shook. Her future projection’s words carried the Dao of Unceasing Dreams. It made her inadvertently recall her memories with Shi Tian. The more she thought of them, the greater the suffocation she felt on her chest. Her mind slowly went towards a daze as her surroundings gradually changed.
“..!”
At the last crucial moment, Sin Mal’s eyes opened wide. The haziness on her mind disappeared, and so did the faint cloud-like illusions about to take over her sight. She was back to her burning bedroom—to the silent and despondent Sin Mal.
She was about to put out a smug speech when Sin Mal’s words came first.
“It is still not enough.”
Shaking her head, the future Sin Mal opened her bright golden pupils. She directed her gaze towards Sin Mal.
“Resist this great dream… or fall to eternal slumber.”
Sin Mal was swept by a great tide once again.
*****
Bronya’s pale silver irises reflected the constellations consisting of the Zhou Tian (lit. Cosmic Orbit). When the universe was first made, stars dotted the blank void, each holding life within. The Zhou Tian were the most prominent constellations within a universe’s creation. It is the benchmark for the cardinal directions. It is also the basis for the orbits of suns, moons, and stars. It is a fundamental law etched within every universe.
As the one taking the Dao of Undying Radiance, Bronya knew full well everything about stars. The stars hanging above the skies carried immense weight and status. They remained dormant, waiting for the day they would fall.
Her eyes swept her surroundings. Everywhere she looked, the land was blanketed with a thin layer of snow. There was the familiar pathway leading into a highway. Pairs of footsteps were left on the snow, heading towards the nearby town.
Bronya’s gaze followed the pathway before arriving at a tall mansion. Outer walls surrounded its perimeter, stacking up to ten meters tall. Gray bricks were layered atop each other, with a tall black iron gate standing tall in front of the pathway.
She wasn’t surprised when a woman bearing an appearance the same as hers stood in front of the gate. She wore the Silverwing Battlesuit, abandoning her typical office outfit. Her dress was divided into two parts—the white portion extending to her breasts and to her hips and the lower extension coming from her waist to her ankles. A large slit appeared on her legs, adding another layer of elegance along with her silver earrings.
“You already know what is to come.”
Her future self spoke. Her eyes held a scrutinizing gaze, awaiting Bronya’s answer.
“Mn. The greatest plight everyone faced is the Venerated Dao.”
Shi Tian’s three-time comprehension of Venerated Daos is a special situation. His comprehension surpassed everyone else’s. His experience with Nihility tempered his mind. Following that was his Tao Heart, and then Remembrance. Finally, there was the assistance of his future projection, allowing him to comprehend the World Destroying Millstone. With two Venerated Daos in hand, comprehending the third one became easier.
It wasn’t the same for everyone else. The Venerated Dao is a hurdle. It is the usage of Dao Integration Realm power at the Void Refinement Realm. The process of simplification is more difficult than to outright comprehend it. Out of all, nobody possessed a Venerated Dao—not even Kiana.
Bronya was the same. She had already raised her comprehension of Undying Brilliance to the Dao Integration Realm breakthrough threshold. Her Tao Heart had reached the eighth-level, too. All that was left is to comprehend a Venerated Dao to have a final card against their adversaries.
The motives of the future projections were clear. They wanted to give the crucial push to their counterparts, allowing them to learn their Venerated Dao.
‘She shouldn’t be the only one.’ She surmised. ‘If they are offering a shortcut, it won’t be as simple as that.’
Just then, Bronya felt an intrigued look. She met her future self’s gaze.
“You are one of the most composed out of everyone.”
That comment made Bronya raise her eyebrows. The future Bronya saw through her inquiring look and gave her an answer.
“Legacy space, a trial for those at the present.” She shook her head. “It is a pity for those who are not present. They will wait longer.”
Bronya retained her flat expression. She did not show any emotional distress since she spoke with the real Bronya. Her face embodied her numb soul, reverting back to her past as the Silverwolf of Urals.
The two did not say any more words. Bronya saw the stars hanging in the night sky fall downwards.
‘Another me… I won’t accept this future…’
She faced her future self wearing a hollow mask. Their attitudes might have changed, but not their intelligence. Their sharp minds knew what the other thought.
‘...and you know it.’
*****
“Where am I..?”
The moment Theresa sensed the abnormality, she projected her mind outwardly. Her surroundings came to her mind. The unfamiliar large castle came to her sight. She stood on a long bright-red carpet. Theresa followed one of its ends with her eyes and saw a tall wooden door. It fitted perfectly with the gray bricks that composed the room.
The other end of the carpet led to a tall iron throne.
“Who?!”
Theresa’s shoulders jolted as she noticed the woman sitting with her right leg crossed atop her left leg. She didn’t notice her existence inside this hall until now!
Theresa’s reaction was delayed. She was stunned to see that the woman who gave off an air of haughtiness and a condescending look was a mirror version of herself. Even the dresses they wore were the exact same.
The woman on the throne found her reaction to be amusing. She narrowed her scarlet pupils as she looked at Theresa with an entertained look. Those pair of inhuman eyes are devoid of everything that made Theresa, Theresa.
That gaze chilled her heart.
Despite not knowing where she was, or who even was the woman sitting on the throne, Theresa wanted nothing of her.
Nothing!
“You asked who I am. I shall tell you.”
With a light harrumph, the future Theresa sat upright on her throne, her long white legs now uncrossed.
“I am you. Happy now?”
*****
Art Source: https://www.deviantart.com/shasaae00/art/Bronya-Silverwing-N-EX-905066907