The silver petals beneath their feet disintegrated into light as Xuantian and his companions emerged from the celestial bridge, returning to the mortal plane. The skies were painted in hues of twilight—lavender and indigo blending with golden streaks, an otherworldly sign that something ancient had shifted. The trees around them bowed slightly, their leaves rustling with whispers. Nature, too, acknowledged the breaking of the Lotus Heart.
But peace did not follow.
It never truly did.
For the heavens above had already stirred.
---
The Return
Ruyue sat in silence beneath a waterfall, letting the cool spray wash over her face. Her robes were still torn, her spiritual energy depleted, but it wasn't exhaustion that weighed on her—it was uncertainty. Purifying Shenyue had been a victory, yes. But it came with too many unanswered questions.
"Do you feel it?" asked Yunlong, appearing beside her.
She nodded. "The laws are… thinner. Like something's watching."
"It's not just something," Yunlong murmured. "It's them."
He pointed toward the sky. High above, faint yet distinct, nine golden thrones had appeared within a ring of clouds—semi-transparent, divine, and impossibly far away. Upon each throne sat a figure cloaked in celestial armor, faces hidden, but presence undeniable.
"The Divine Court," Ruyue whispered.
Xuantian joined them moments later, his expression unreadable. Shenyue walked beside him quietly, her presence now mortal—her divine energy completely sealed. And yet, the Court's eyes were locked not on her… but on him.
The Heavenbreaker.
---
An Invitation Draped in Threat
From the sky descended a scroll made of ethereal parchment, carried by a dove of starlight. It landed in Xuantian's hands and unfurled itself with a soft hum.
"To Xuantian, Breaker of the Lotus Heart,
You have disrupted the Divine Equilibrium.
You are hereby summoned to the Celestial Hall of Judgement within seven days.
Failure to appear will result in divine intervention.
— Signed, The Court of Nine Thrones."
The message burned into golden flame upon finishing.
Jing Hao whistled from a nearby rock. "Well, that's not ominous at all."
"They want to judge me?" Xuantian said, voice flat. "After all they did to her?"
Shenyue looked away, guilt flickering in her eyes. "The Court doesn't care about justice, only balance. And to them, you've tipped the scales too far."
"Then I'll tip it further," he muttered, fists clenched.
Yunlong placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "No. If we defy the summons, they'll retaliate with full divine force. Entire realms could be wiped out."
Xuantian exhaled slowly. "Then we go. But on our terms."
---
Preparations for the Ascent
The seven days passed like mist in the wind.
During that time, Xuantian and his alliance made preparations not for war—but for diplomacy wrapped in steel. They were entering divine territory, where words mattered as much as strength. Allies were summoned. Oaths were reforged.
The Crimson Sect of the Western Wastes sent envoys. The Beast Kings of Ten Thousand Valleys offered sacred relics. Even the reclusive Shadow Pavilion pledged their spies for intelligence.
More shocking still, messages of support arrived from old rivals.
The world had seen the purification of the Lotus Heart. It had felt the ripple. The cultivators of the new age were awakening—and they saw in Xuantian not just a warrior, but a beacon.
The oppressive sky that had hung over the cultivation world for millennia was beginning to crack.
And that frightened the gods.
---
The Celestial Ascension
On the seventh day, Xuantian and five companions—Ruyue, Yunlong, Jing Hao, Shenyue, and the old beast-sage Bai Zhen—stood at the altar of ascension. The Divine Court's gate opened above them, revealing a spiral staircase made of stars and law-fragments.
One step forward and reality twisted.
They were no longer bound to gravity or time.
Each step they climbed through the spiral brought memories to life. On the 108th step, Xuantian saw himself in the mirror—alone, abandoned, cultivating in a cave. On the 365th, he saw his sect burning, brothers dead, and the gods above laughing. By the 999th step, he no longer walked with feet, but with will.
And then, at the 1000th step…
They arrived.
---
The Celestial Hall of Judgement
The Divine Court was nothing like the mortal world.
The ground was made of law crystals. The sky held no stars, only the swirling face of time itself. The thrones loomed like planets, each member of the court larger than mountains, cloaked in armor that reflected no light. Nine voices echoed as one.
"You who have broken the Lotus Heart… speak."
Xuantian stepped forward. "I freed an innocent soul from torment."
"You defied divine architecture," boomed one.
"You disrupted sealed order," spoke another.
"You risked triggering the End Awakening," said a third.
He raised his head. "And you tortured a child for centuries. You made her a core. You buried your shame and called it balance."
A murmur rippled across the thrones.
One of the figures leaned forward. "Do you seek ascension?"
"No."
"What then?"
"I seek to destroy the foundation upon which your tyranny rests."
Silence fell like a blade.
Ruyue gasped. Even Shenyue flinched.
But Xuantian's voice rang clearly.
"You have ruled through fear, sacrifice, and silence. The cultivators of the mortal world are not your cattle. They deserve to rise without chains. And I will be the blade that severs those chains."
The thrones shook.
Lighting arced across the divine sky.
One of the thrones exploded into flame, its occupant rising.
The First God.
Titan of Law.
He raised his palm. "Then be judged."
---
The Duel of Declarations
A divine arena formed.
At its center stood the Titan and Xuantian.
No weapons. No allies. Only essence.
The Court allowed one truth: If a mortal could last a thousand strikes from a god, the Court would recognize their claim.
Strike One—shattered space.
Strike Two—bent time.
Strike Fifty—crushed stars into dust.
By Strike One Hundred, Xuantian was bleeding from every pore.
By Strike Five Hundred, his bones were cracking.
At Strike Nine Hundred, he laughed. "Is this all you gods have?"
At Strike Nine Hundred Ninety Nine, he stood tall.
And then…
Strike One Thousand.
He caught the Titan's blow.
And with the last of his energy, he spoke:
"Your era ends here."
The Titan staggered.
And the thrones trembled.
---
Judgement Suspended
The court was silent.
For the first time in eons, a mortal had endured.
And so, the decree was made:
"The Heavenbreaker shall not be judged, but watched.
Let his path unfold, and the world choose its ruler.
Let the realms prepare…
for the age of mortals has begun."
---
As Xuantian and his allies descended the divine staircase, the skies across the realms thundered. From hidden sects to buried temples, cultivators awakened. Forbidden legacies stirred. And far beyond the stars…
A god long thought dead opened his eyes.
---