Chapter Text
Prologue
Before Jingliu had her name wiped from the face of the cosmos, she was a legendary swordmaster. The people from the Luofu declared her Sword Champion, her apprentice — Jing Yuan — looked up to her, and her dearest friend would always bring wine for them to share as they stargazed together.
Only when she became Mara struck that this memories began to fade away.
Jingliu inhaled, then exhaled. Her life, filled with the ebb of prestige, felt like had gone in a blink. Before she knew it, another millennia had passed. Everything had lost its appeal. She would've ended her life before if it wasn't for her promise to cut down all the stars in the sky and desire for revenge.
It had not been an easy path to reach where she stood now. On top of her old comrade's lifeless corpse. Dan Feng.
The previous Imbibitor Lunae, currently known as Dan Heng. If he truly believed he was a new person or was cowardly hiding his identity, Jingliu couldn't tell (nor did she care).
She sheathed her sword and began to walk away, fleeing from the crime scene. If the Astral Express where to find her, it would cause a major delay to her plans. Just as she thought she got away, another old comrade arrived. Jingliu knew his current name, Blade, yet the name Baiheng addressed him as was stuck on the tip of her tongue, leaving a sour taste.
Either way, she didn't have time for this.
"I see you've learned nothing. Or perhaps you came to surrender?" Her hands were once again at the base of her sword, extremely impatient.
"Out of five people, three must pay the price." He ran past her and knelled beside the cadaver, Blade's hands softly embraced Dan Heng's face.
Jingliu and Blade could feel each other's Mara strengthening as the bad memories came back to haunt them, yet the only urge to violence they had was for themselves.
Jingliu left the room before he had the chance to say another word.
Many, many hours later, she arrived at the Xianzhou Luofu. The news had already spread: The Stellaron Hunters had killed Dan Heng, who managed to take down Blade during the battle — no outsider would ever know how incapable of killing their past life's lovers the two man were.
Out of those that deserved to be punished, Jingliu was the only one left behind.
However, what awaited her was not her own suicide at the Luofu, instead there was an empty cell at the Shackling Prison. She was imprisoned for ages, she couldn't tell how many centuries had passed.
She was saved by a guard and a piece of poisoned flat bread.
Hours later there finally was, before the Lord of Thunder, the long-cold corpse of Jingliu.
The crying sound of a child wafted into her ears, the sounds of a newborn being brought to life echoed, but all it did was make Jingliu's head throb with pain. The veins by her brow twitched.
Before she could say anything a light blue screen popped up.
<WELCOME>
You Have One (1) New Message!
Congratulations! You have been granted the chance of a new life! The System welcomes you.
?: N/A
?: N/A
New life?
She tried to speak to the glowing transparent screen, however the baby's cries intensified.
"It's a girl!" Said a voice coming from behind her.
"What are you naming her, Emperor?" That last word left her confused, where exactly was she?
Jingliu attempted to walk away but her legs weren't moving, she felt dizzy and couldn't think at this moment.
“Look at her,” a child-like voice coos from above. “Look at that cute face!”
<NEW FEATURE>
You Have Two (2) New Messages!
Congratulations! You unlocked Level 1 and can now view your current objective.
?: N/A
Current objective: Name yourself.
What? What messages? From who?
<OOPS…>
You Have One (1) New Message!
Oh, right! System forgot about the second message. Anyways… Please, pick out a name to progress.
>_ _ _ _ _ _ _
?: N/A
Current objective: Name yourself
What?
Jingliu attempts to walk away again, except this time she sees her feet while trying to do so. She never thought tiny baby feet would scare her (almost) to death.
<HINT>
What is your name?
Jingliu... My name is Jingliu.
<REWARD> + <NEW FEATURE>
You Have Two (2) New Messages!
Congratulations, Jingliu! You have unlocked Merit Points.
You have received 5 Merit Points.
Current Merit Points: 5
Current objective: None
"Our fourth daughter shall be named Jingliu." A powerful yet soft-hearted male voice finally replied, "Jing as in mirror and Liu as in flow. Together, the name evokes the idea of incorruptible virtue."
"Truly the perfect name for a princess, your Majesty," said a man who appeared to be writing the name down, as if the Emperor would, somehow, forget it.