The silhouette behind the golden door remained motionless.
But its presence…
seemed to crush the heavens.
The entire Gu World fell silent for an indescribable instant. Even the dimensional storms subsided. Even the fissures seemed to hesitate before that still existence on the other side of the passage.
Han Feng felt his blood run cold.
The Celestial Diagram within him vibrated violently, as if trying to respond to that presence.
The golden lines shone so brightly that his skin began to emit small golden reflections.
The girl behind him could barely breathe.
The Gu Immortals above the Central Region remained completely still.
And then—
for the first time—
the figure on the other side took a step forward.
DONG.
The sound echoed through the heavens like the tolling of a funeral bell.
The golden door opened a little wider.
And a wave of ancient energy swept across the Gu World.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
Mountains crumbled.
Spiritual rivers exploded.
Thousands of smaller fissures instantly appeared across the sky.
Ordinary cultivators began coughing up blood.
Even Rank 5s felt their souls tremble.
Han Feng narrowed his eyes as he watched the shattered sky.
Because now…
he could feel it clearly.
The energy of that being was similar to the silent presence that appeared in the void between worlds.
But incomplete.
As if it were only a fragment of its will crossing the dimensional barrier.
Then—
a voice echoed from the heavens.
Calm.
Distant.
But so profound that it seemed to pierce directly into the soul of all living beings.
"So this is the other side…"
The world froze.
The Gu Immortals immediately paled.
Because that voice…
did not belong to the Gu World.
The old white-haired Immortal clenched his teeth violently.
— Prevent the door from opening immediately!
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The ancient formations fully awakened.
For the first time since the beginning of the chaos, the true power of the great sects appeared.
Thousands of giant runes covered the skies of the Central Region.
Mountains began to move.
Spiritual rivers were pulled into the air.
Even the world's own qi began to converge towards the formations.
A colossal pressure descended upon the golden door.
The entire space trembled.
Han Feng watched silently.
Because he could perceive:
the Immortals were desperate.
Then—
the figure behind the door slowly raised its hand.
There was no technique.
There was no explosion.
Just a simple movement.
And the formations…
stopped.
The qi froze.
The runes became motionless.
As if time had been interrupted for an instant.
Han Feng's eyes narrowed immediately.
That…
wasn't brute force.
It was absolute understanding of laws.
Then—
CRACK.
The largest formation in the Central Region cracked.
Then another.
Then dozens.
The Gu Immortals coughed up blood simultaneously.
The white-haired old man took several steps back into the sky as he stared at the golden door with growing horror.
—This is impossible…
The figure remained motionless on the other side.
Then his voice echoed again.
"Different laws…"
Silence.
"Interesting."
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The formations exploded.
The sky of the Central Region completely collapsed.
A dimensional storm swept across entire continents as the golden gate continued to slowly open.
Han Feng felt the Celestial Diagram reach maximum activity.
The golden fissure within it had become enormous now.
And then—
for the first time—
he clearly saw the other world through it.
Not just fragments.
But cities.
Endless mountains.
Cultivators traversing the skies.
Colossal beasts flying among the stars.
And above all…
a suffocating feeling of vastness.
Much larger than the Gu World.
Han Feng felt his breath catch.
Because now he understood.
The two universes were completely different in scale.
Then—
the Celestial Diagram showed something else.
Far away in that other world…
A man walked alone under a dark sky.
Simple clothes.
A cold gaze.
Calm as a lake without waves.
But around him…
the space was dead.
As if countless lives and eras had been buried beneath his steps.
Han Feng felt his soul tremble.
Because at that instant…
he realized:
the figure behind the golden door…
was not that being.
It was merely someone connected to him.
Or perhaps…
a fragment of his will traversing the worlds.
Then—
the second presence appeared again.
Cruel.
Profound.
Like an abyss observing the cosmos.
The void between worlds began to tremble violently.
And for the first time…
the figure behind the golden door slowly raised its face.
As if it had perceived something from the other side of the universe.
The entire sky cracked.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The cruel aura responded instantly.
Red clouds covered half of the Gu World.
Black fissures appeared across space.
The sky itself seemed to be pulled in opposite directions.
Han Feng felt blood trickle from his nose.
His Celestial Diagram was at its limit.
The golden lines occupied almost the entire diagram now.
And then—
the small golden rune within it began to spin.
The golden flame reappeared before Han Feng.
But this time…
it grew.
Not much.
Just enough to form a small golden circle around him.
The instant that happened—
the nearby spatial distortions completely disappeared.
Even the chaos of the sky seemed to weaken near him.
The figure behind the golden door was silent for a moment.
Then—
it looked directly at Han Feng. His heart nearly stopped.
Because now…
that existence had truly perceived him.
The calm voice echoed once more.
But this time…
only within Han Feng's mind.
"So it's you…"
The Celestial Diagram exploded in light.
And at that very instant—
the other presence in the void responded.
Cold.
Deep.
Carrying monstrous pressure.
"Interesting."
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The two universes trembled simultaneously.
And then—
the golden door opened completely.