SWNOVELXO Chapter 112: Chapter 112 – Threads of Destiny Intertwined!
Zhu Ziyang pressed his brow against the third eye of the Three-Eyed Golden Lion. The moment their four eyes met, both man and beast trembled violently.
A shimmering ring of distorted light burst forth from their point of contact. In an instant, it enveloped them both. One silver, one gold—two auras wove together, entwined in a dance of resonance and fusion. The silver light flowed from Zhu Ziyang's body; the golden radiance pulsed from the Three-Eyed Golden Lion. These two fundamentally different, yet inherently harmonious forces flickered like starlight, transmitting information back and forth. With every exchange, both bodies quaked anew.
Zhu Ziyang's right eye turned completely silver, spilling an uncontrollable, mysterious light into the lion's right eye. In return, her left eye glowed with noble golden brilliance, channeling pure light into his left eye, which dilated as it absorbed the divine radiance. Gold and silver met and merged—two forces creating a realm as profound as the birth of life itself.
In the sea of Zhu Ziyang's spirit, his vast silvery mental energy boiled, and countless silver lights danced across its surface. In the sky above that sea, a radiant golden star—distinct from his Ultimate Light—flickered into existence. It cast down golden motes of light that clashed, merged, and fused with the silver ones.
In the outside world, time and space themselves had ground to a halt. Two Starlight Unicorns nearby stood frozen, unmoving. Even the falling leaves in the forest hung suspended in midair. It was a moment both eerie and sublime.
"Woooong—"
No one knew how long the resonance lasted.
Then, without warning, a blast of golden light exploded outward from the fusion circle. Zhu Ziyang was flung away, severed from the link. He regained consciousness instantly, twisted midair, and landed nimbly on Luoxing Xiya's back.
"Go!" he ordered without hesitation.
Without questioning, the elder Starlight Unicorn turned and galloped away, leaping past the dazed Three-Eyed Golden Lion. She didn't need to be told twice—she had no desire to linger near such a dangerous creature.
Little Xingcai followed close behind.
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion remained where she was, her gaze blank, her limbs limp. Only after Zhu Ziyang had completely vanished into the forest did she collapse to the ground.
Not long after, a massive beast appeared beside her.
It was a three-headed crimson hound, eyes full of panic.
"There you are! Why did you run off like that? Come back with me now! If Di Tian finds out, he'll be furious!"
"...Alright."
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion didn't resist. Her eyes were still clouded and distant.
Today's events had shaken her to the core. She didn't know what she had lost—or perhaps gained. An indescribable feeling lingered in her chest. She needed time to process it.
By the time she was found, Zhu Ziyang was already two kilometers away. At full speed, the elder Starlight Unicorn needed barely a blink to cover that distance.
Zhu Ziyang sat calmly on her back, eyes closed, quietly organizing his disordered thoughts and spirit sea.
He wasn't surprised to find a new set of memories in his mind. He had already experienced something similar with the Silver Dragon Wolf. This time, the process was smoother. He quickly dismantled and absorbed the memory—a tranquil recollection filled mostly with forests, light, and fleeting glimpses of the major Beast Kings of the Star Dou Forest.
With the lion's memories fully digested, Zhu Ziyang turned inward to examine the changes within himself.
In his sea of consciousness, Electrolux stared wide-eyed at the transformed world around him. He had lived there for over a year—but now, it felt utterly unfamiliar.
"Ziyang!" he exclaimed. "What have you done? Why is your sea of consciousness suddenly filled with so much fate energy?"
"Fate energy?" Zhu Ziyang blinked in confusion. "What is that?"
"Those shimmering gold-and-silver lights drifting in the air," Electrolux pointed at the countless specks floating above the spiritual sea. "That is the power of destiny."
Zhu Ziyang had noticed those particles earlier. He could tell the silver originated from the Silver Dragon Wolf, and the gold from the Three-Eyed Golden Lion. But he hadn't known what they were until now.
Electrolux spoke with deep reverence:
"Fate energy—also called destiny force—is the most mysterious and powerful essence in the universe. It comes from the Dao of Destiny, the fundamental law that governs all things. No living being can escape its grasp. In fact, the ultimate goal of cultivation is to transcend its chains."
He continued:
"It has no practical use—cannot be cultivated, cannot be consumed, cannot directly empower—but without it, life itself cannot exist."
"Every creature has fate energy, and every creature has the same amount. That's why it's said: 'Fate is the fairest force in the world.' But now and then… an exceptional being appears. Someone whom destiny favors."
"These rare beings attract stray threads of fate like a magnet. As their fate energy accumulates and condenses, it undergoes a transformation—becoming fortune, or what some call karmic luck. And if that being is human, they will be called…"
Electrolux paused dramatically.
"…the Child of Destiny."
"Child of Destiny?" Zhu Ziyang murmured.
"That's right," Electrolux confirmed. "A mortal chosen by the world's fortune. Their fate is unlike any other—blessed with opportunity, protected by luck, marked for greatness. You must never make an enemy of such a person."
"Am I… one of them?" Zhu Ziyang asked, uncertain.
"No," Electrolux said firmly. "Not yet. While your fate energy is impressive, it hasn't reached the level of true karmic fortune. Also, it's behaving strangely—merging with your spirit sea, even your body. That's… unprecedented. It's no longer just fate energy."
Zhu Ziyang was even more confused now.
"So… it won't harm me, right?"
"No, you're safe," Electrolux nodded.
"Then that's all I need to know," Zhu Ziyang said with a shrug. "Whatever it is, I'll figure it out someday."
"Haha… I suppose I'm overthinking it," Electrolux chuckled.
With that settled, Zhu Ziyang began tidying up his spirit sea.
He discovered that it had expanded by fifty percent. The core island remained unchanged, but its outer edges now glowed—half silver, half gold. The soul crystal of the Silver Dragon Wolf floated calmly on the silver side.
Above the nearly transparent canopy of his soul sky, the radiant Sun of Ultimate Light shone even brighter. To its right, the familiar silver star flickered quietly. But now… a second golden star had appeared on the left, slowly forming a connection to Zhu Ziyang's left eye.
Once complete, it might grant him a new power on par with the Silver Right Eye.
He turned his focus inward and found a pleasant surprise—his light element affinity had increased from 90 to 95.
At his level, every single point was a tremendous leap.
He had also awakened a new innate ability.
His former talent, Eye of the Light Heart, had evolved into Heart of Radiance. Now, he no longer needed to concentrate to sense whether someone meant him harm—the gift was always active.
As for his new ability…
Zhu Ziyang named it: Halo of Tranquility.
Once activated, it would suppress conflict in the hearts of nearby beings, calming them into a peaceful, enlightened state—like wise sages who sought no strife.