Dawn broke shrouded in a thin mist.
The mountains of the Western Region seemed like gigantic shadows under the gray sky, and the wind blew, carrying dry sand and dead leaves along the abandoned trails. Han Feng walked alone along an ancient, cracked stone road, maintaining a steady pace, not too fast to draw attention, nor slow enough to appear vulnerable.
His destination was set.
The Central Region.
The heart of the Gu World.
The place where true forces gathered.
If the Western Region was a wild field full of fierce sects and brutal conflicts, the Central Region was different. There, power ceased to be mere force. It became inheritance, politics, destiny, and Dao. Ancient clans had dominated entire territories for thousands of years. Gu immortals disappeared into seclusion for centuries. Supreme sects observed the world like gods observing ants.
And Han Feng knew:
If he wanted to survive what was coming, he would need to grow in that place.
Because the collision of universes wouldn't end in the Western Region.
It would trample the entire world.
As he walked, Han Feng kept his aura completely sealed. After the encounter with Fang Yuan and the indirect contact with Wang Lin, his perception had profoundly changed. Before, he only thought about hiding his cultivation from the sects and young masters. Now he understood something greater:
There were beings capable of perceiving changes in their own destiny.
And that was much more dangerous.
He needed to be careful even with the sky.
The thought made his eyes narrow.
His Celestial Diagram pulsed gently once more.
This time, the sensation was different.
There was no pain.
It was just a slight vibration, almost like an internal breath. Since the previous night, those golden lines had become more stable within the diagram, appearing at short intervals before disappearing again.
Han Feng didn't try to force it. He knew that certain transformations couldn't be accelerated by force. The greater the power, the greater the risk of destruction if the base couldn't withstand it.
Even so…
He clearly felt it.
His diagram was changing.
As if he were learning something from another universe.
The golden seal on his chest remained silent, but Han Feng no longer trusted it completely. Fang Yuan's words still echoed in his mind:
"Don't trust the golden seal on your chest."
That didn't seem like a gentle warning.
It seemed like amusement.
As if Fang Yuan knew something he didn't yet understand.
Han Feng breathed slowly and pushed the thoughts away. Getting caught up in paranoia wouldn't help him now. The most important thing was to keep moving forward.
At midday, he reached a major trade road.
Carts moved slowly between low mountains, accompanied by mercenary cultivators and weary merchants. The atmosphere among them was strange. No one spoke loudly. No one seemed relaxed. There was tension in their eyes.
Fear.
Han Feng walked among them unnoticed, listening to scattered conversations.
"Another rift has appeared near Blue Stone City."
"They say strange creatures came out of it."
"Weren't they Gu beasts?"
"No… they were humanoids."
The group fell silent.
Another man spoke in a low voice:
"I heard that the Black Cloud Sect lost three elders trying to capture one of those things."
Han Feng continued walking without altering his expression.
So it had already begun.
The fissures were becoming frequent.
And creatures from the other side were beginning to cross over.
But the most important thing wasn't the creatures.
It was the fact that the sects were already moving.
This meant war for resources.
Treasures.
Inheritances.
Bodies.
Cultivation methods.
The entire Gu World would slowly begin to go mad.
And in the chaos…
those who grew quickly would survive.
Han Feng left the main road before nightfall and entered a quieter mountainous region. He preferred to travel alone. Groups were drawing too much attention, and attention now meant trouble.
The sky slowly darkened as he sensed something.
His step stopped.
The Celestial Diagram vibrated.
More strongly this time.
Han Feng slowly raised his eyes.
The surrounding spiritual energy had shifted.
It wasn't a large change, but enough for someone like him to notice. Qi was being pulled forward, converging in a specific direction, like water flowing down an invisible crack.
Han Feng narrowed his eyes.
A ruin.
Or a newly formed fissure.
He stood still for a few moments, calculating.
Normally, the wisest course would be to avoid it.
But now…
he needed opportunities.
His cultivation was progressing rapidly, but the world was changing even faster.
Without risks, he would be left behind.
Han Feng changed direction and moved forward.
He crossed through dry trees, descended a narrow slope, and entered a small valley hidden among mountains. The place seemed abandoned for decades. Broken stones covered the ground, and ancient, partially buried structures emerged here and there.
But that wasn't the strangest thing.
The strangest thing was the sky above the valley.
It was… distorted.
As if an invisible layer covered the place.
The air trembled slightly.
Han Feng slowed his pace.
His instinct screamed caution.
Then he saw it.
In the center of the valley was a vertical crack suspended in the air.
Small.
No bigger than a door.
But deep.
Inside it, there was only darkness… and occasional golden glints.
The Celestial Diagram vibrated violently.
Han Feng felt a strong pressure in his chest and needed to stabilize his breathing immediately.
The golden lines within the diagram began to glow.
As if they were reacting to that crack.
Han Feng narrowed his eyes.
—Another connection…
But before he could get any closer—
a roar echoed.
The ground trembled.
Han Feng turned instantly.
A creature emerged from the shadows of the ruins.
It had a humanoid form, but its body was covered in black plates resembling burnt metal. Its arms were excessively long, ending in curved claws, and its face seemed incomplete, as if flesh and shadow had been forcibly fused together.
But the worst part…
was the aura.
It wasn't the aura of a Gu beast.
It was something far more chaotic.
Something coming from the other side.
The creature looked at Han Feng.
And attacked immediately.
Without hesitation.
Without apparent murderous intent.
Just pure instinct.
Han Feng took a sideways step the exact instant the claw smashed into the ground where he stood. Stone exploded in all directions.
Quickly.
Very fast.
Han Feng activated two movement Gu simultaneously and stepped back, analyzing.
The creature spun its body abnormally, as if it lacked human bones, and advanced again.
Han Feng raised his hand.
The red flame exploded.
FOOOOM!
The crimson fire struck the creature directly in the chest.
But something unexpected happened.
The creature didn't die immediately.
It screamed.
And the scream made the space vibrate.
Han Feng's eyes widened.
The red flame was burning the creature, but at the same time it seemed to… attract it.
As if both shared a similar origin.
The creature advanced even in flames, driven mad.
Han Feng narrowed his eyes.
Then the circulation of the primordial essence changed.
The golden seal glowed faintly.
And golden particles appeared mixed with the red fire.
The next instant—
the creature froze.
As if crushed by an invisible pressure.
Then its body began to slowly disintegrate.
Turning into black ashes.
Han Feng stood motionless.
His heart beat faster.
This had been different.
Very different.
The combination of the red flame with the golden seal energy had created a completely new effect.
As if the two forces together were naturally superior to that creature.
Han Feng looked at his own hands.
Small golden particles still floated around his fingers before disappearing.
His Celestial Diagram pulsed again.
Stronger.
Deeper.
And for a brief instant…
he felt something coming from the fissure.
Not a presence.
An intention.
As if someone, on the other side, had sensed the creature's death.
Han Feng immediately sealed his aura.
The valley fell silent.
The wind stopped.
The fissure swayed slowly.
Then…
a shadow emerged within it.
Just an outline.
Distant.
Immense.
Han Feng felt his blood run cold.
That thing wasn't trying to cross over.
It was merely observing.
And the feeling emanating from it was as ancient as the sky itself.
Han Feng didn't move.
Nor did he breathe harder.
The shadow remained motionless for a few breaths.
Then it disappeared.
The fissure began to close slowly.
Han Feng stood still for a long time.
His heart was still racing.
This…
wasn't something he could face right now.
Not even close.
When the fissure finally disappeared, the valley returned to normal.
But Han Feng knew.
The barriers were getting thinner.
And truly dangerous creatures would soon begin to appear.
He took a deep breath and looked at the dark sky.
The three stars shone again.
Red.
Purple.
Gold.
And at that moment, far away…
somewhere beyond the void between worlds…
a man with an indifferent expression slowly opened his eyes.
His gaze pierced countless layers of space.
As if he had sensed a slight disturbance in karma.
He didn't speak.
But a single conclusion arose in his mind:
"The interference has increased."
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the void…
a young man with a slight smile observed a Gu chessboard before him.
A black piece moved on its own.
He smiled.
— Interesting…
The golden piece beside it vibrated softly.
And Fang Yuan raised his eyes to the sky.
As if he could sense that someone, on the other side, was also watching.
The game hadn't truly begun yet.
But the pieces…
were already moving.