Bloodline of the Forgotten Emperor

I opened my eyes gently, greeted by the familiar ceiling of my room. My whole body ached, but beyond that, nothing else hurt.

I turned toward the direction of a gaze I could suddenly feel. *I couldn't sense this before. Did that torture of a training actually work?*

*Want to go back to that plain?* the System asked, playful.

*I'd rather die than go back to that hell.*

*Prepare to die, then, host,* it said, mocking.

The gaze belonged to Mei. The moment she saw me turn toward her, she bowed quickly. "Good morning, Young Master. How was your rest?"

"Hmm," I answered, leaving it at that.

"How long was I unconscious?" I asked, standing despite the ache, and made my way to a gold-crested mirror.

No scars, no marks anywhere — a relief.

"You were out for a night, Young Master," she said, gentle and polite.

I dressed with her help. "Young Master, Elder Mo Xuan says you're expected back at the mountaintop in three hours, to continue training."

I scoffed. "Mei, go to the library and collect books on the world's geography, politics, and general knowledge. Keep them in my study." I handed her my clan insignia so she could check them out under my name.

She took it, bowed, and closed the door gently behind her.

I made my way to the open space in my courtyard where the eggs sat. Warmth radiated steadily off the Sun-Eater Wyrm's egg, while the other two stayed quiet, no visible change at all.

"Guess it's time I check your status. Been a while since I last did." I approached the egg closest to the Sun-Eater Wyrm's.

Its shell was grey, giving off a faint, restless qi.

"System, appraisal," I said, genuinely curious.

**Appraisal**

Name: Storm Sovereign Kirin

Details: An ancient race, once sovereign rulers of storm and ocean before the rise of the great leviathan. Driven to near-extinction by an ancient war.

Age: Egg-bound since the battle that nearly wiped out its race.

Note: Extremely selective — only recognizes hosts strong enough, and with the potential to become truly terrifying.

Color: Grey.

Note: This egg recognizes you specifically, and hopes you'll help save its race from extinction.

"Hmm. Sounds powerful. So, little buddy, you recognize me — means you want to follow this Young Master. I'll do everything I can to help your kind." Gentle, meaning it.

"System. Let's appraise the last one." I approached the final egg.

*Just so you know — appraisals are capped at one per day, but given how busy your schedule's about to get, I'll deduct today's from a future one.*

"Okay." I nodded and approached.

This egg had no visible color at all — just the color of the void itself. Nothing flashy, nothing that screamed powerful on the surface.

"What's hiding behind this shell." I muttered, running a hand across its surface.

"System."

**Appraisal**

Name: Umbral Void Drake

Details: A species that dwells within the void, known in this realm before being mysteriously wiped out by an alchemist who used them to refine the "Heaven-Piercing Pill."

Age: Egg-bound for many epochs.

Color: The color of the void.

Note: Desperate to break free of its shell and go explore the world. Be warned — it'll likely push you toward reckless danger, all in the name of "adventure."

"Hmm. So you're the adventurous type. Same here — though not the death-seeking kind, okay." I chuckled, which seemed to settle it for a moment.

I moved to stand between the three of them. "I, this Young Master, shall bestow upon you names — prestigious ones, powerful ones," I said, full of pride, like I was the Dao itself.

I pointed to each in the order I'd approached them. "Sun-Eater Wyrm — your name will be Sunny, since your kind carries the sun in it."

"You, Storm Sovereign Kirin — Sparky, given your thunder attributes."

Then, pointing at the last one, "And you'll be Shadow. Your race has void abilities, so it fits." I delivered each name with the smug satisfaction of someone bestowing true honors.

The eggs went still for a moment — then their combined aura exploded outward like a hurricane, shoving me back several feet.

"Why are you all mad? I gave you honorable names, you should be thanking me," I said, genuinely confused.

My words only agitated them further — enough that I could actually see cracks spreading across their shells now.

Before things could escalate further, Mei approached from behind — my full attention had been entirely on the eggs, understandably, given they're basically my family at this point.

"What's wrong, Young Master? Why are they so angry with you?" she asked, surprised, arms full of books.

"Can you believe it — I gave these ungrateful eggs cool names and they're furious with me over it. You can't expect me to keep calling them by their species name, 'Sun-Eater Wyrm,' that's exhausting," I said, annoyed and completely baffled.

"What names did you give them?" she asked, stunned, books slipping from her hands as she stood, unnervingly calm, right in the middle of the fiery aura storm the eggs were putting out.