Lin Chen slowly looked around,his face turning pale."Did all of you hear that?"Chen Yu gave a slow nod."I heard it."Hei Long's expression remained calm,but his eyes had become noticeably sharper."It came from inside the village."Yan Luo tightened his grip on his sword and stepped in front of Xu Yang without thinking."Stay behind me."Xu Yang's eyes remained fixed on the narrow street ahead.His heartbeat refused to slow.Yang yang...This voice...why it's looks so...
Before he could think further,the voice came again,soft and distant."Gege..."This time it sounded closer.Lin Chen instinctively swallowed."Who is there?"Zhao Ming slowly raised his head,listening carefully."It's moving."Chen Yu frowned."Moving?"Zhao Ming nodded once."The voice isn't coming from one place.It's changing positions."Yan Luo's gaze swept across the empty houses. "Stop hiding!" he said in a calm but firm voice."Show yourself."
For several long seconds,nothing happened. Then one of the doors farther down the street slowly creaked open on its own. *Creeeak...* Everyone immediately turned toward it.The room beyond the doorway was completely dark.Lin Chen unconsciously took half a step backward."Please tell me we're not going in there."Hei Long kept watching the doorway. "Something wants us to."
Xu Yang stared into the darkness without blinking.Why...does that voice sound so familiar? He searched his memories,but found only broken fragments.A little child laughing beneath falling white petals and his small hand reaching toward him.Then everything became blurred again.Xu Yang quietly pressed a hand against his forehead. Who are you...?
The voice echoed once more,clearer than before."Gege...you're late."Xu Yang's pupils contracted.His feet moved before he realized it.He took one step toward the open door."Xu Yang!" Yan Luo caught his arm."Don't."Xu Yang stopped,but his eyes never left the darkness."Did you hear what it said?"Yan Luo frowned."I heard a child."Xu Yang slowly shook his head."No..."His voice became barely above a whisper."It wasn't calling for all of us."
Xu Yang looked at the dark doorway,his heart beating harder with every passing second."It was calling for me."Just then,a small figure briefly appeared inside the darkness.It looked like a child wearing white clothes.The figure stood motionless for only a second before quietly turning around and walking deeper into the house.As it disappeared around the corner,a single white petal drifted out through the doorway and landed gently at Xu Yang's feet.
Xu Yang lowered his eyes to the white petal resting near his feet.For some reason,it looked fresher than all the others scattered throughout the village.He slowly crouched and reached toward it."Don't touch it!" Yan Luo warned immediately.Xu Yang's hand stopped for a moment,but after a brief hesitation,he gently picked it up.The petal was cool and soft.Nothing happened.Lin Chen let out the breath and said,"So...it's just a flower?" Hei Long slowly shook his head. "No."Everyone looked at him.Hei Long pointed toward the ground."Look."Xu Yang lowered his gaze again.The moment he had picked up the petal,something had changed.
And a single footprint had appeared beneath it as though someone had been standing there a only second ago chen yu'sexpression immediately became serious."That wasn't there before."Zhao Ming slowly crouched beside the footprint and examined it carefully. "It's small."He measured it against his own hand before quietly adding,"A child's."Lin chen's face stiffened."You're saying.. someone was standing here?"No one answered.
The footprint faced the open doorway.Xu Yang slowly lifted his head and looked into the darkness once more.His heart was beating faster than ever.Was that child real?...Before he could think further,another footprint slowly appeared a short distance ahead.No one had stepped there.It simply emerged upon the dusty floor then another. The footprints quietly continued into the house,forming a clear trail.
Chen Yu narrowed his eyes."They are appearing on their own."Yan Luo immediately stepped in front of the group."Nobody follows them until we understand what's happening." Almost as soon as he finished speaking,the footprints stopped appearing.And heavy silence returned then a voice drifted from deep inside the house."Gege..."Xu Yang's fingers tightened around the white petal."Who are you?" he called quietly.
The house remained silent for several long moments.Then the same voice answered, You promised..you wouldn't leave me alone." Xu Yang froze and his breathing became uneven and broken images flashed across his mind.He saw child suddenly appeared before him, no more than seven or eight years old, running across a field with tiny, unsteady steps. The little boy stretched both hands toward him, his bright eyes filled with excitement as he happily called out, "Gege! Gege!" His laughter echoed warmly through the air as he chased after him without slowing down. Then, without warning, the child stumbled over a small stone. "Ah!" he cried softly as he fell onto the ground, his tiny hands scraping against the earth.
Xu Yang instinctively took a step forward, his heart tightening with an unfamiliar sense of panic. "Wait!" he shouted before he even realized the words had left his mouth. Just as he was about to reach the child, Yan Luo suddenly grabbed his arm tightly. "Xu Yang!" Yan Luo called sharply, pulling him back.Xu Yang pressed a hand against his forehead, his expression filled with confusion."I..."He clenched his teeth."I almost remembered something."Chen Yu stepped closer."What did you see?"Xu Yang slowly opened his eyes."A child..."His voice trembled slightly. "Someone kept calling me 'Gege.' "
Lin Chen looked toward the dark doorway again."Then...was that child someone you knew?"Xu Yang remained silent.Before anyone could speak again,the wooden floor inside the house gave a soft creak.A tiny figure briefly peeked around the corner.It was only visible for a second.His two bright eyes quietly looked at Xu Yang.Before anyone else could react,the child smiled,placed a finger against their lips,and whispered, "Shh... they're still watching."The figure disappeared,and at the exact same moment,every open door throughout the abandoned village slammed shut together with a thunderous *Bang!*
Meanwhile at heaven After receiving Grand Elder Tian Xuan's orders, the vast Hall of Heavenly Judgment gradually fell silent. One by one,the elders bowed respectfully before leaving through the jade doors, followed closely by the heavenly cultivators.Before long, the once-crowded hall stood empty once again.Only Grand Elder Tian xuan remained seated upon the white jade platform, his expression as calm as an undisturbed lake.Before him, the Heavenly Mirror floated quietly in midair, its surface rippling gently as it reflected the distant mortal world where Xu Yang and the others continued their journey. Tian Xuan watched the image without blinking. After a long silence, he spoke in an even voice without turning his head. "You can come out now."
The shadows behind one of the towering white pillars suddenly began to ripple like disturbed water. Dark mist gathered silently before a tall figure slowly stepped into the light. The man wore elegant sapphire-blue robes embroidered with silver clouds and soaring cranes.And his long black cloak rested over his shoulders, flowing quietly behind him with every step. His long jet-black hair was neatly tied behind his back with a silver jade clasp, and his sharp, refined features carried the calm dignity of someone accustomed to authority.His eyes were clear and steady, revealing neither fear nor arrogance.
This was Shen yuchen,the Deputy Commander of the Heavenly Watch, the elite division responsible for monitoring disturbances across the mortal realms. The Heavenly guards standing nearby remained perfectly still, showing no sign of surprise or alarm. It was obvious that Shen Yuchen belonged here and enjoyed trust of the Heavenly Court.
Shen Yuchen walked forward with measured steps before stopping several paces behind Tian Xuan. He lowered himself respectfully onto one knee and bowed his head. "Grand Elder." Tian Xuan's gaze never left the Heavenly Mirror as he asked calmly, "Did the Chain Bearer make contact?" Shen Yuchen raised his head slightly before giving a single respectful nod. "Yes, Grand Elder. Our observers confirmed the contact. The Chain Bearer approached Xu Yang exactly as you predicted."A faint smile appeared on Grand elder's face."As expected!" he murmured.
He slowly rose from his jade seat and walked toward the enormous Heavenly Mirror suspended in the center of the hall. Golden light flowed beneath his feet with every step, and his reflection blended with the image of the mortal world within the mirror. Xu Yang and his companions could be seen traveling toward their destination, completely unaware that Heaven was watching every move they made. Tian Xuan folded his hands behind his back and stared at the image in silence before speaking again. "Has the Chain Bearer told him everything?"
Shen Yuchen lowered his gaze respectfully. "No, Grand Elder." He paused briefly before continuing. "He only revealed enough to guide Xu Yang forward. The deeper truth remains hidden." Tian Xuan nodded once, seemingly satisfied by the answer. "Good." His voice remained calm and emotionless. "There are truths that must not be spoken too early."
Shen Yuchen remained kneeling, but his brows gradually drew together as though something weighed heavily on his mind. After several moments, he finally spoke again. "Grand Elder..." Tian Xuan did not turn around. "Speak." Shen Yuchen hesitated before asking carefully, "If Xu Yang reaches the Shrine of Origin..." His voice became quieter. "...the seal will eventually fail."
The Heavenly Hall became completely silent. Tian Xuan remained standing before the Heavenly Mirror without the slightest change in expression."I know!" he replied calmly. Shen Yuchen slowly lifted his head, unable to hide the confusion in his eyes. "Then..." he asked cautiously, "...why allow it?" His voice echoed softly through the empty hall. "If the seal breaks, everything we have preserved for centuries may be exposed." He tightened his fists slightly. "Would it not be safer to stop Xu Yang before he reaches the shrine?"
Tian Xuan smiled. It was not a warm smile, nor a cruel one, but the quiet smile of someone who had already seen the outcome long before anyone else.He slowly raised one hand toward the Mirror, his fingers hovering over the image of the ancient shrine hidden within the mortal world. "Because..." he said softly, "the Shrine of Origin holds something Heaven has searched for over countless generations."His hand slowly closed into a fist. The image within the mirror rippled gently beneath his fingers. "We searched with Heavenly armies." His voice remained steady. "We searched with divinations." Another pause followed. "We searched with every method Heaven possesses." He looked at Shen Yuchen from the corner of his eye. "Yet the shrine never revealed its deepest secret."
Shen Yuchen listened without interrupting, his expression becoming serious.Tian Xuan turned his gaze back toward the mirror. "The shrine does not open for power." His eyes narrowed slightly. "It opens for those chosen by fate." He looked directly at Xu Yang's reflection. "Xu Yang is simply walking the path that was prepared long before he was born." His voice became colder. "And when he reaches the final gate..." A faint smile returned to his lips. "...he will open the door for Heaven."
Shen Yuchen's eyes widened slightly before he lowered his head once more. "So..." he murmured quietly. "he is bait."Tian Xuan neither nodded nor denied the statement. After a long pause,Shen yuchen spoke again, his voice carrying a trace of concern. "And if he survives after opening the shrine?" Tian Xuan remained perfectly calm. "Then he has fulfilled his purpose." He understood the meaning hidden within those words and fell silent. The Mirror continued reflecting Xu Yang's journey as Tian Xuan quietly watched from above. His ancient eyes remained unreadable as he whispered almost to himself, "Walk a little farther, Xu Yang..." His faint smile slowly returned. "Open the path that Heaven could never open on its own."
Far beneath mountain shrine, hidden deep within a cavern untouched by sunlight for centuries.Countless silver and gold chains hung from the cracked ceiling, stretching across the cavern like the roots of a dead tree. Some were wrapped tightly around enormous stone pillars, while others disappeared into the endless darkness beyond. At the very center of the chamber sat a solitary figure upon a weathered stone platform.
A silver-white mask concealed every trace of his face, its smooth surface marked only by faint, carvings that shimmered whenever spiritual energy passed through the chamber. Long black robes draped over his motionless body, blending almost completely with the surrounding darkness. Thick silver chains coiled around his arms, shoulders, waist, and legs, binding him to the stone beneath him.Then his eyes slowly opened.The instant they did, every chain inside the cavern began trembling violently and metal scraped against stone as the chains rattled through the chamber, the deafening echoes spreading into every corner of the forgotten shrine. The masked man remained silent for a long moment before a low, then he laughed."Heh" The sound was quiet "Still using children as pieces..." he murmured softly.
Very slowly, he rose to his feet. The countless chains wrapped around his body dragged heavily across the ancient stone floor, leaving long scratches behind every step. Despite the restraints covering him, every movement remained calm and graceful,He stopped beneath a narrow crack in the cavern ceiling where a faint beam of moonlight slipped through the darkness. The light reflected softly across his silver mask.He slowly lifted his head toward the unseen heavens far above and let out another quiet laugh. "Some things..." he whispered calmly, "...never change." His gloved fingers gently brushed across one of the black chains wrapped around his wrist.
The chain glowed with a faint crimson light before slowly fading once again.He lowered his hand and quietly looked toward the distant mortal world beyond the mountains. "Xu Yang..." he said softly. "You've finally reached this point." He fell silent for several moments before speaking again. "I wonder.." His voice became quieter. "how long it will take before you understand." The chains surrounding him slowly rose into the air like living serpents, circling silently around the chamber. "The greatest enemy..." he whispered, "was never the Threads." After little pause he continued, "It was always those who claimed they were protecting the world."
At that very moment, the air inside the underground chamber suddenly distorted. A quiet ripple spread through the darkness.The chains surrounding the masked man stopped moving. The ripple slowly widened until a narrow crack of light appeared in midair. And without asound,Shen Yuchen stepped through the opening.The ripple behind him quietly closed, leaving the chamber silent once more. Neither man moved and reached for a weapon.
They simply looked at one another across the ancient chamber. The masked figure slowly tilted his head, the silver mask reflecting the faint moonlight filtering through the broken ceiling. "He sent you?" he asked calmly. Shen Yuchen stood with both hands behind his back,his expression remaining composed and respectful despite the heavy pressure filling the cavern. "The Grand Elder has one question " he replied. The masked figure let out a soft laugh. "Only one?" he said quietly. "He must be growing merciful in his old age."
Shen Yuchen paid no attention to the remark. His gaze remained fixed on the man before him as his voice gradually turned colder. "Whose side are you on?" The entire chamber fell silent once again. The masked figure said nothing. He simply stared at Shen Yuchen for several long moments before he laughed again. "Neither." One of the countless chains floating around him slowly drifted into his hand. His gloved fingers gently wrapped around the metal."I serve only the promise I couldn't keep." His voice was calm, but the quiet regret hidden beneath those words echoed throughout the underground shrine. Shen Yuchen narrowed his eyes slightly. "A promise?" he repeated. "After all these centuries...you still refuse to let it go?"
The masked figure lowered his head slightly, his fingers tightening around the chain. "Some promises..." he answered softly. "...aren't meant to be forgotten." Shen Yuchen's expression became more serious. "That promise has already brought suffering to countless people." The masked figure slowly raised his head again. "No." His voice remained steady. "It wasn't the promise that destroyed them." He paused briefly before continuing. "It was the people who feared the truth behind it."
Shen Yuchen remained silent, and studying every word. After a long pause, he spoke again. "The Grand Elder believes you're interfering with Heaven's plan." And mask figure laughed again."Heaven..." the masked figure murmured. "has been following the same plan for hundreds of years." He slowly released the chain from his hand and watched it drift back into the darkness. "Tell me, Shen Yuchen..." His voice became unusually calm. "...has that plan brought peace?" Shen Yuchen did not answer. The masked figure continued speaking before he could respond. "Has it saved this world Or has it simply buried one truth after another?"
Shen Yuchen replied,"Whether it brought peace or not...that isn't for me to judge." He slowly folded his hands behind his back. "My duty is to obey the Heavenly Court." The masked figure let out a quiet chuckle."Duty..." he repeated softly. "That word has become a convenient excuse." He slowly turned away, looking toward the narrow beam of moonlight falling through the cracked ceiling. "When people stop questioning their orders..." he said quietly, "they also stop questioning whether those orders are right."
Shen Yuchen's expression hardened slightly. "You're trying to make me doubt Heaven." The masked figure gently shook his head. "No." His voice remained calm. "I'm asking you to doubt the people who speak in Heaven's name." He paused for second and looked at where Xu yang was heading and said, "Grand Elder Tian Xuan already knows Xu Yang will reach the Shrine of Origin." The masked figure gave no visible reaction. Shen Yuchen continued, "He also knows the seal will break." The masked figure slowly closed his eyes behind the silver mask. "Of course he does."
Shen Yuchen frowned. "Yet you still continue guiding Xu Yang." His voice became more serious. "Do you truly believe he'll survive after the shrine opens?" The masked figure remained quiet for several seconds before answering. "I don't know." He lowered his head slightly. "But he deserves the chance to choose." His hand slowly tightened around another black chain. "Something none of us were ever given."
Shen Yuchen's brows drew together. "If the truth is revealed..." he said carefully, "...the entire world may fall into chaos." The masked figure looked back at him. "Then perhaps..." he replied softly, "...the world was never as stable as you believed." He took one slow step forward, his chains dragging across the ancient stone with a long scraping sound. "Lies can keep a kingdom standing for a while." His voice grew quieter. "But they can never become its foundation."
Shen Yuchen quietly watched the masked figure, searching for even the slightest hesitation behind the mask, but there was none. Only an unwavering calm remained. At last, Shen Yuchen let out a slow breath and turned toward the ripple of light that had begun forming behind him. Just before stepping into it, he stopped. Without looking back,he spoke in a cold voice," If you continue interfering...Heaven will erase you completely."
For a brief moment, nothing happened. Then Mask figure laughed and he lowered his head slightly. Although his face remained hidden beneath the silver mask, the amusement in his voice was unmistakable. "Erase me?" he repeated softly. He slowly raised one arm. The countless black chains wrapped around it suddenly tightened with a deafening metallic clang, pulling firmly against his sleeve.He calmly looked at the chains before speaking again. "It already tried once." His voice remained steady and without fear. "I'm still here."
Shen Yuchen's expression changed imperceptibly and faint crease appeared between his brows as he silently stared at the masked figure.After a long silence, Shen Yuchen spoke again. "Then perhaps..." he said quietly, "...the next time Heaven won't fail." The masked figure let out another soft laugh. "Perhaps," he answered calmly. "Or perhaps Heaven has already failed without realizing it." Shen Yuchen remained silent. He knew continuing this conversation would change nothing. Slowly, he gave a respectful nod before stepping into the ripple of light. The space behind him distorted gently before sealing itself shut. In an instant, he was gone.
Only the masked figure remained standing beneath the beam of moonlight filtering through the cracked ceiling. He stood there without moving for a long time. Then he slowly turned his head toward the distant mountains where Xu Yang continued walking deeper into fate. His hidden gaze softened ever so slightly. "Xu Yang..." he whispered quietly. A faint sigh escaped from behind the silver mask. "Hurry..." His voice became almost inaudible. "Before Heaven reaches the Shrine first." His gloved hand slowly closed into a fist beneath the folds of his robe. "They won't stop." Another brief silence followed. "They never do."
He slowly closed his eyes. "I won't let history repeat itself." The moment those words left his lips, every chain inside the cavern began glowing one after another.And Deep crimson light spread across the underground chamber as the countless chains trembled violently, filling the cavern with an endless chorus of metallic echoes.