Creation Of All Things

A breeze rolled through the city, lifting petals from the lantern trees, scattering them across the rooftops and glowing banners.

Inside a tall pagoda carved from black jade, a pair of eyes narrowed behind a paper fan.

"So… that's the guy?"

"Mm," another voice replied from the shadows. "He didn't even chant. Just waved his hand and poof—your niece's big move turned to sparkles."

"…She trained for eight years to master that sound phoenix."

"Yeah, well—he finished a bowl of noodles while dodging it."

The fan snapped shut.

Down below, the city moved like nothing had happened, but you could feel it—people were buzzing. Shopkeepers whispering behind counters. Kids reenacting the fight with wooden swords and finger flicks. Elders quietly adjusting the rankings on their jade slips.

Adam? Still sitting, feet up, leaning against the stall with a straw poking out his tea.

He blinked once. Then twice.

"Yo," he said suddenly, "you guys feel that?"

Wraith tilted his head. "The air just changed."

Krozak growled low. "Someone's watching."

"No," Adam said, standing. "Everyone is watching."

The ground trembled—soft at first, like a heartbeat. Then louder. Boom. Boom. A rhythm. A beat.

From the end of the street, something was coming. Something heavy.

Then they saw it.

A carriage.

But not just any carriage—it was massive, pulled by four stone lions with glowing eyes, each step shaking the tiles. The carriage itself was black wood, etched in gold, floating just above the ground, wrapped in barrier charms and trailing incense mist.

The crowd parted instantly.

A small figure stepped out first. A kid. Maybe ten? He wore all white, had silver hair and eyes like a mirror. No aura. No killing intent.

Just walked up to Adam and held up a sealed scroll.

Adam raised an eyebrow. "Fan mail?"

"No," the boy said quietly. "An invitation."

Then he turned and walked back to the carriage like it was nothing.

Wraith whistled. "That's the Ghost Pavilion's style. They don't show up unless someone's on their list."

Adam stared at the scroll for a second, then opened it.

A single sentence written in ink that shimmered with moonlight:

> Come to the Pavilion. Bring your friends. Or don't. We'll be watching anyway.

He blinked. "Creepy."

Then the sky cracked.

Literally—like someone had smacked the clouds with a hammer. A massive golden sword mark split the clouds open, and a voice boomed across the city:

> "ADAM."

Everyone froze.

A golden platform descended like a god's elevator. On it stood a tall woman in crimson armor, flaming wings flaring from her back.

"Holy crap," Wraith muttered. "That's the Flame Lotus Sect's Saint General."

Adam sipped the last of his tea, tossing the cup away. "Still mad, huh?"

She pointed a giant burning halberd down at him.

"You humiliated my nephew."

"Which one?" Adam asked.

"…both."

"Oof. That's gotta hurt."

She descended in a burst of flames, landing like a meteor. Tiles cracked. Everyone stumbled back, shielding their eyes.

Adam sighed.

"Okay," he muttered, stretching his arms. "Guess I've digested now."

Krozak cracked his neck. "Want us to step in?"

Adam shook his head, a lazy smile spreading across his face.

"Nah. I'll make it quick."

—Adam stepping forward, each footstep rippling the air. The wind circled him, playful, mischievous.

He raised a hand and snapped his fingers.

BOOM.

The fire vanished. The platform shattered. The Saint General was thrown backward in a spiral of light—caught mid-air by a sudden invisible force.

The city was dead silent.

Adam yawned again.

"Can I go back to eating now?"

No one answered.

Because every single person in that city?

They were already updating their jade slips.

Adam. Name: Unknown. Origin: Unknown. Cultivation: ???

Rank: Do Not Engage.

Unless you're bringing food.

And just like that, days slipped into weeks. Jiuhan City buzzed as always—duels, spirit beasts, flying boats, markets with glowing fruits and stalls selling things that whispered when touched. But for Adam? It was vacation. Pure, dumb fun. He wandered, fought when he felt like it, ate like a king, and slept like he had no responsibilities.

He knew it wouldn't last. Knew that once he left this place… there'd be no more lazy days. Not for a long, long time.

Morning came soft, sky painted in orange and pale blue. Adam sat on the roof of the inn, sipping spirit tea with his legs swinging off the edge.

Behind him, Wraith stood quiet, arms folded. "I'll head out now. Gonna check on the kids, see how things are going across the stars. I'll send word if anything's weird."

He bowed his head slightly—not out of respect, just habit.

Adam didn't turn. Just waved lazily with his cup. "Nah, don't bother. Go chill with your family. You deserve it. Same for you, Krozak," he added, glancing over his shoulder.

Krozak was by the stairs, already packed, heavy axe strapped to his back. He grunted, nodded once.

"When I feel like knowing what's happening out there," Adam said, standing up, "I'll go take a look myself."

The wind picked up. A leaf fluttered past.

No goodbyes. Just that vibe—the kind only real ones have. They left without another word, two flashes of light streaking into the sky, disappearing into the clouds.

Adam stayed.

His robe flapped a little in the breeze. He finished his tea, stretched, then looked down at the street.

"Now…" he said, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "What's for breakfast?"

And somewhere across the city, someone screamed as a spirit beast got loose.

Adam vanished from the roof mid-laugh.

The streets were chaos. A six-legged, feathered lizard the size of a house barreled down the market lane, knocking over stalls and sending cultivators flying. One poor vendor dove into a pile of peaches, cursing his ancestors as his fruit rolled everywhere.

Adam strolled into the scene a second later, hands in his sleeves, eyes half-lidded like he just woke up from a nap.

"Eh?" He blinked as the beast roared, its breath hot enough to melt the cobblestones. "That thing again? Didn't someone put it in a cage two days ago?"

A young sect disciple scrambled by him, eyes wide. "Senior! Please—help! That thing ate Elder Goh's pills!"

Adam scratched his head. "So? Elder Goh's pills taste like feet."

The beast saw him. It stopped mid-rampage, tail twitching. They locked eyes.

A moment of silence.

Then it turned around and bolted the other way.

Everyone watched as the giant lizard skidded around a corner and vanished into the hills, yelping like a kicked puppy.

The street was silent.

Someone whispered, "It ran… from him?"

Adam yawned. "If it comes back, just throw snacks at it."

He walked off like nothing happened.

Above, on a nearby balcony, a few sect elders watched him go.

"Is he… really staying here for fun?" one of them asked, sipping from a jade cup.

Another nodded. "Apparently."

"I thought he was a god or something."

"Maybe gods get bored too."

Meanwhile, Adam wandered into a noodle stall and sat down with a loud sigh.

The vendor peeked from behind the counter. "Uh… you're not here to blow anything up, right?"

Adam grinned. "Not unless your broth's terrible."

Relieved, the vendor quickly handed him a bowl.

Adam slurped noisily, then grinned wider. "Not bad."

Behind him, a new commotion started down the street. Another beast. Another poor soul screaming.

Adam raised his bowl. "Five more minutes," he muttered with a mouth full of noodles. "Let them sweat a bit."

Because right now?

He was still on vacation.