The awakening came gradually, then all at once. Liu Yun opened his eyes to a world fundamentally changed—not in its physical structure, but in how he perceived it. Time had become visible to him, flowing around objects and people like currents in a vast river. Each person trailed tendrils of probability—shadow images of actions they might take moments from now.
"The transformation has taken hold," Sana Khet observed. She stood nearby, her form more stable to his new perception than it had appeared yesterday. Now he could see that she wasn't flickering between states; rather, she existed in multiple temporal planes simultaneously, all perfectly aligned by centuries of practice.
Liu Yun rose from the crystalline bed where he had rested after the covenant bonding ceremony. His movements left persistent afterimages that faded slowly—evidence of his newfound temporal presence. "How much have I changed?"
"Enough to perceive beyond linear time," Sana replied. "Enough to understand what we face. The Timeshaped transformation affects each bloodline differently—Earth Vein cultivators typically develop chronological anchoring. You exist more firmly in the present than most, with tendrils extending into adjacent moments."
He found Lin Fei and Jiang Tao in the adjoining chamber, both similarly transformed. Lin Fei's movements flowed with liquid grace, occasionally splitting into multiple potential actions before resolving into a single choice. Jiang Tao appeared surrounded by scrolling text and symbols—his scholar's mind now capable of processing information across multiple temporal states simultaneously.
"It's overwhelming," Lin Fei admitted, watching her hand as it traced patterns through time as well as space. "I can see choices before I make them."
"You adapt remarkably well," Karim noted as he entered. "Most outsiders require weeks to stabilize their perceptions. Your existing bloodline connections have accelerated the process."
The Imperial Jade Seal hovered at the chamber's center, its surface now displaying four distinct bloodline symbols in harmonious arrangement. "Covenant integration complete. Four bloodlines synchronized. Temporal navigation protocols accessible."
"Temporal navigation?" Jiang Tao questioned.
"The covenant's architects built pathways between bloodline territories that exist partially outside conventional space-time," Karim explained. "What you experienced in the underground passages was merely a physical manifestation of a much more sophisticated network."
Sana gestured toward a map inscribed on the chamber wall—a representation of the world with seven convergence points highlighted. "With four bloodlines united, you can now access direct routes to the remaining three. The paths will respond to the seal's presence, allowing travel that bypasses Protocol-controlled territories."
"Which bloodline should we seek next?" Liu Yun asked, studying the map with his enhanced perception. He could see faint lines connecting the convergence points—temporal currents flowing between them.
"The seal's guidance suggests optimal sequence," Sana replied. "Though time grows short, proper progression remains vital for covenant stability."
As if responding to her words, the Imperial Jade Seal rose higher, projecting an image of a mountain range unlike the Western peaks Liu Yun had known from childhood. These mountains seemed to touch the very sky, their summits lost among the clouds.
"The Celestial Heights," Jiang Tao identified immediately. "Domain of the Sky Riders."
"Fifth bloodline in the covenant progression," the seal confirmed. "Temporal pathway accessible with current synchronization level."
Liu Yun felt the Earth Shattering Sword pulse against his back. The weapon had changed along with him, its blade now occasionally phasing into translucence before resolidifying. The seven blood-characters etched along its length glowed with steady purpose, resonating with both his Earth Vein heritage and his newly acquired temporal awareness.
"The Sky Riders have maintained the purest bloodline isolation," Sana warned. "Unlike the Timeshaped, who evolved through temporal manipulation, or the Water Weavers, who adapted to their marshland environment, the Sky Riders have deliberately preserved their ancient ways. They may resist covenant integration."
"Yet they must be convinced," Karim added. "All timestreams confirm that without seven-point convergence, the Sundering cannot be contained."
One of the older Timeshaped—a woman whose silver hair occasionally reverted to midnight black as her form shifted between younger and older states—approached with ceremonial garments. "These will help stabilize your temporal signatures during transition. The pathways between domains can be... disorienting for newly transformed consciousnesses."
As they prepared for departure, Liu Yun studied his companions. Their covenant journey had changed them all profoundly. From the Western Mountains to the Southern Marshlands and now the time-warped desert, each bloodline encounter had left its mark on them—both physically and metaphysically.
"Will these changes remain permanent?" Lin Fei asked Sana, examining her reflection in a polished crystal surface. Subtle markers of temporal perception showed in her eyes—faint rings of light that shifted with her focus.
"You cannot unperceive what has been revealed," Sana replied simply. "The covenant transforms its bearers according to necessity. Each bloodline integration adds another layer to your evolution."
"The Administrators feared this," Jiang Tao realized aloud. "Not just the covenant's power, but how it changes those who carry it. We're becoming something beyond their control mechanisms."
"Beyond, yet precisely as designed by the original architects," Sana corrected. "The covenant's purpose has always been transformation—preparing its bearers to stand against the Sundering."
The Imperial Jade Seal descended to hover before them. "Temporal pathway activation imminent. Destination: Celestial Heights. Covenant bearers must maintain proximity during transition."
Liu Yun, Lin Fei, and Jiang Tao gathered around the seal, their transformed perceptions allowing them to see the subtle distortion forming in reality—a pathway opening not through space alone, but through the fabric of time itself.
"The Sky Riders guard their domain jealously," Sana cautioned as final preparations were made. "Their connection to the covenant remains strong but dormant. You must awaken their understanding of the greater threat."
"And be wary," added Karim, "The Protocol will have sensed our covenant progression. Four bloodlines united creates ripples through reality that their technology can detect. They will move against the remaining territories with increased urgency."
Liu Yun nodded, gripping the Earth Shattering Sword. Its power had grown with each bloodline integration, just as his own abilities had evolved. "How long will the journey take?"
"Time flows differently along the pathways," Sana answered. "What might be days in conventional travel could be moments through temporal transition. But remember—perception and preparation matter more than duration. The Sky Riders will test not just your resolve, but your understanding of the covenant's true nature."
The pathway stabilized before them—a shimmering corridor that seemed to bend upward at an impossible angle, leading toward distant mountain peaks that couldn't possibly be visible from the desert.
"Four united, three remaining," Liu Yun said quietly. "The covenant continues."
With that, he stepped forward into the temporal pathway, his companions close behind. The desert citadel wavered and dissolved around them as they began their journey to the domain of the winds and the bloodline that had made the sky itself their home.