The silence lasted less than a minute.
Then reality returned.
People began breathing again.
The trembling ground settled.
The crimson light vanished completely from the sky.
Blackstone City remained standing.
Barely.
Half the central district had collapsed into a massive abyss where the gate had emerged. Entire streets no longer existed. Buildings leaned at dangerous angles. Fires burned throughout the city.
But everyone knew one thing.
They were alive.
And that should have been impossible.
Lin Feng stood at the edge of the ruined rooftop, staring into the enormous crater below.
The gate was gone.
The pressure was gone.
The creature was gone.
Yet something still felt wrong.
As if the world itself hadn't fully recovered.
"Lin Feng."
The older man's voice broke the silence.
Lin Feng turned.
For the first time since meeting him, the powerful elder wasn't looking at him as a promising young cultivator.
He was looking at him as a mystery.
A dangerous one.
"You need to leave Blackstone City."
Lin Feng sighed.
"Everybody keeps saying that."
"This time I'm not giving advice."
The answer made him pause.
The older man stepped forward.
"Whatever happened tonight will not stay hidden."
A brief silence.
"The moment the gate appeared…"
"…certain people noticed."
Lin Feng narrowed his eyes.
"What people?"
The older man's expression hardened.
"The kind of people who make faction leaders look insignificant."
That got his attention.
Su Yao crossed her arms.
"How many?"
The elder looked toward the horizon.
"Too many."
The man from the shadows finally spoke again.
"The ancient sects."
"The hidden clans."
"The remaining guardians."
"And worse."
Lin Feng blinked.
"…There's a category called worse?"
"Unfortunately."
That wasn't reassuring.
Not even slightly.
A distant explosion echoed from another part of the city as damaged buildings finally gave way and collapsed.
The elder continued.
"They will come looking."
"For the Heir."
Lin Feng rubbed his forehead.
"I still don't know what that means."
Neither man answered immediately.
Which was becoming a very annoying habit.
Finally, the elder sighed.
"Because even we don't fully know."
That surprised everyone.
Even Su Yao looked shocked.
"You don't know?"
The elder shook his head.
"Only fragments remain."
"The truth was lost long ago."
A pause.
"Or hidden."
Lin Feng looked toward the abyss again.
The memory of the golden figure lingered in his mind.
Someone who once carried your name.
Those words refused to leave him.
Who was that?
Why did he look like him?
And why had the creature beyond the gate feared him?
Questions piled up faster than answers.
Then something unexpected happened.
A faint pulse came from Lin Feng's chest.
Once.
Then again.
Everyone felt it.
Immediately.
The elder's eyes narrowed.
"What was that?"
Lin Feng frowned.
"I don't know."
The pulse came again.
This time stronger.
A faint golden light briefly appeared beneath his shirt.
Then vanished.
The elder stepped closer instantly.
"Show me."
Lin Feng pulled aside part of his shirt.
Everyone froze.
Because a symbol had appeared over his chest.
A circular mark formed from intertwining golden and crimson lines.
Ancient.
Beautiful.
And unmistakably powerful.
The moment the elder saw it—
His expression changed completely.
"…Impossible."
The man from the shadows looked even worse.
His face had gone pale.
Su Yao looked between them.
"Someone explain."
Neither answered.
For several seconds.
Then the elder finally spoke.
"I thought it was a legend."
Lin Feng was getting tired of hearing that phrase.
"What is it?"
The elder stared directly at the mark.
"The Throne Seal."
Silence.
Lin Feng waited.
Nothing else came.
"…And?"
The elder looked at him.
"…And it shouldn't exist."
Helpful.
Very helpful.
Lin Feng sighed deeply.
Before anyone could continue—
A sudden streak of light shot across the distant horizon.
Everyone looked up.
Then another appeared.
And another.
Three separate lights moving toward Blackstone City at incredible speed.
The elder's expression immediately darkened.
"They're already here."
Lin Feng followed the lights.
Even from this distance, he could feel the pressure coming from them.
Strong.
Very strong.
Far stronger than any faction leader.
The lights grew larger.
Closer.
Until three figures became visible.
Flying.
Not falling.
Not jumping.
Flying.
Straight toward the ruined city.
Lin Feng's eyes widened slightly.
"…I want to learn that."
Su Yao looked at him.
"That's your first thought?"
"Obviously."
The elder looked like he wanted to argue.
Then decided it wasn't worth the effort.
The three figures stopped high above the city.
Watching.
Observing.
One wore silver robes.
One wore black.
One wore crimson.
None of them spoke immediately.
Then—
The one in crimson looked directly at Lin Feng.
Across an impossible distance.
And smiled.
Not kindly.
Not warmly.
Like someone who had finally found what they were searching for.
Lin Feng felt a chill run down his spine.
For the first time since the gate closed—
The feeling of being hunted returned.
Cliffhanger
The crimson-robed figure raised one hand.
And pointed directly at Lin Feng.
"Found him."
The words echoed across the ruined city.
Then the three figures began descending.
And none of them looked friendly.