CHAPTER I: THE CALL OF HEAVEN AND EARTH
Before Heaven and Earth were divided, the world was but a sea of mist and murky haze. Clouds coiled around the peak of Mount Thái Sơn, and thunder roared like echoes of the primeval age. Amidst that chaos, a crimson light surged from the South, tearing through the fog, carving out a strip of land nestled by the deep blue ocean.
That was XÍCH QUỶ (The Land of the Red Demons), the first territory of the Việt people, where the sun shone down, reflecting the shadow of the Dragon in the water and the silhouette of the Fairy amidst the heavens.
From the South, the wind rose. Each raindrop turned into a drop of the Dragon's blood, falling onto the Red River, while the breath of the wind transformed into mist on the peak of Mount Nghĩa Linh. One night, amidst the hazy sea of smoke, the call of Heaven reverberated throughout the realm:
"From the bottom of the deep sea, let he who bears the bloodline of the sacred Dragon rise up and claim this land!"
From the profound depths of the ocean, Lạc Long Quân (The Dragon Lord of Lạc) emerged, his body etched like ancient bronze, his eyes blazing like the morning star. He gazed upon the newborn land, his heart surging like the rising tide.
"This land is young, the mountains are not yet firm, the rivers are not yet calm, but the spiritual energy has gathered. I shall call this the Land of the Dragon People!"
On the peak of Mount Nghĩa Linh, amidst the white clouds, Âu Cơ (The Mountain Fairy) answered Heaven's call:
"If you are the water, I am the cloud. Water embraces the land, cloud shelters the sky. Let us bind our vows together, to establish the race born of the communion of Heaven and Earth."
Lạc Long Quân looked up at the clouds, his smile gentle yet heroic:
"Though we are of different realms, our hearts share the same resolve for all living beings. Let us forge the lifeline of this nation together!"
Thunder exploded as Heaven and Earth merged. From the Dragon and Fairy union, a hundred eggs were born, hatching into the hundred first children of the Việt nation. When the hundred children grew up, the mountains and forests shone brightly, and the sea glittered like a mirror. But the land was still divided, and the people's hearts were not yet united. Lạc Long Quân spoke in a deep voice:
"I am the Dragon, accustomed to the aquatic realm. You are the Fairy, suited for the mountain forest. Let fifty children follow me to the sea, and fifty children follow you to guard the mountains. When the land and river face peril, let us return together, uniting our blood to rebuild the Land and River!"
Âu Cơ wiped away her tears, her voice choked yet proud:
"Though we part, our hearts are never distant. The blood within our children remains the blood of the Dragon and the Fairy. One day, if this land falls into calamity, remember that there is still a Mother in the high heaven, and a Father deep in the sea."
The hundred children knelt down, shouting in unison:
"We vow to etch this into our very bones and hearts. Even if a thousand generations pass, we will remember the bloodline of our Mother and Father, and we will turn toward each other like rivers return to the sea, and clouds return to the sky!"
Heaven shook, the mountains cheered, and amidst the strong wind, the first bronze drum sounded like the heartbeat of the Việt land. From then on, the land carried the soul of the Dragon and the Fairy. The eldest son stood on the peak of Mount Nghĩa Linh, raising a handful of red earth, and spoke the oath:
"From now on, this place shall be called XÍCH QUỶ, the Red Land of the Dragon and Fairy blood! Though a thousand years may change, though the winds and sands may swirl, this bloodline shall never run dry!"
Thunder roared across the sky. Clouds shaped into a Dragon coiling around the mountain peak. The sea surged, the waves transforming into hands reaching up to touch the heavenly palace. From that moment, the sacred fire was passed down through countless generations:
Đinh- Lý- Trần- Lê- Nguyễn…
And to this day, it still burns fiercely within every child of Việt. No matter where they are, they still hear the sound of the Dragon and Fairy blood flowing in their hearts!
The Dragon and Fairy blood shall not wither, the land and river shall not fade. The Soul of the Việt Nation originated from Xích Quỷ. May it forever echo in every oath of the children of the Dragon and Fairy!