Hansen Keane spoke heavily, "Yes, Quinn has suffered so much. When he found out he was only Quinn Fenix's second consciousness, I really don't know how he kept going without breaking down."
Princess Consort Hansen's eyes filled with tears. "When I learned he severed his soul and gouged out his eye to save Fenix, I couldn't stop crying. I don't know how this child survived. Fenix still has a mother, but he was an orphan, enduring such torment..."
Quinn Shepherd was the second consciousness within Fenix Greenwood Keane’s body. Fenix, the Netherworld Divine Son, committed countless atrocities and was sealed and exiled to the mortal realm by Tu Bo, the Earth Sovereign.
The moment Fenix crossed from Youdu into the Great Ruins, Quinn’s consciousness was born. Thus, he entered the world as an orphan, left in a basket as Aunt Penny fled with him, trying to escape the pursuit of Heavenly Court’s gods and demons.
He drifted to the Yong River, where Aunt Penny died, and was taken in by the elders of Oldridge Village.
From childhood to youth and then adulthood, Quinn always believed he was a unique being—until he discovered he was merely the second consciousness born in this body, which was not truly his, and that even his soul did not belong to him.
Later, during the Everpeace Cataclysm, he found himself surrounded, crushed by despair. To prevent the Netherworld Divine Son Fenix Greenwood from falling into Heavenly Court’s hands, he resolutely gouged out his third eye and severed his soul, sending Fenix back to Youdu.
He kept only the borrowed body, allowing his consciousness to survive, and became what others called a cripple—a ‘useless’ Overlord Body.
Princess Consort Hansen and Hansen Keane could hardly imagine how Quinn survived so many hardships, nor how he maintained such vibrant resolve, wandering the world and even reaching this place.
Their love for Quinn was not only parental compassion but also deep guilt and a sense of debt.
“Report this to the Pioneer Emperor—no matter what, he won’t let Quinn suffer harm.”
Princess Consort Hansen watched as Prince Hansen’s carriage sailed away, comforting herself: “The Pioneer Emperor has wanted to see him for a long time. His power is unfathomable—he’ll surely find a way.”
Princess Consort Hansen nodded silently, but at the thought of Quinn about to endure endless trials among the Creators, she couldn’t help but feel heartbroken and shed silent tears.
“It’s nothing but torment!”
In the Shaw clan’s territory, the Creators dressed Quinn in a bright red robe and seated him atop the highest platform, making him feel rather uneasy.
When they changed his clothes, the Creators even put a big red baby bellyband on him. Quinn couldn’t help but feel awkward about the whole situation.
Still, for a not-yet-two-year-old child to wear a bellyband was perfectly normal. After all, kids this age usually ran around in just bellybands, bare-bottomed and wild. Quinn himself wore one at that age, and the blind Grandpa and the crippled Grandpa used to flick his little birdie to make him wail before letting him off.
That was all in the past—no need to dwell on it.
He sat on the highest seat, which looked just like an altar. For an adult Creator, it wasn’t that big, but to him, it felt impossibly grand.
Quinn sat at the very top of the altar, feeling more like a sacrificial offering than an honored guest. He couldn’t help but feel a little flustered inside.