The world was quiet after the sealing of the celestial eye—but not for long.
Above the fractured sky, somewhere beyond the veil of mortal perception, an ancient realm stirred.
A voice echoed across the void.
> "The First Mouth has been sealed. The balance is broken. We must intervene."
From the obsidian halls of the Eternal Court, figures in robes made of flowing time gathered. Their faces were hidden behind masks shaped like constellations. Each one held dominion over a fundamental law—Death, Time, Rebirth, Void, and Destruction.
They had remained silent for millennia, watching as the lower realms devoured themselves.
But now, the cultivators had done the unthinkable: they fought back. United.
A threat.
---
Meanwhile in the Mortal Realm…
Nie Li's body trembled as he examined Lin Feng's remains. Using a sacred talisman, he preserved the last of his soul essence.
"If I can reach the Ethereal Soul Pond, I may be able to bring him back," he murmured.
Shi Hao, still battered and blood-soaked, nodded silently.
Tang San folded his arms. "There's more going on than just the Devourer. The seal was ancient. Someone—something—was feeding it energy."
Fang Han knelt, his aura still unstable after burning his origin flame. "I felt it too. That presence during the battle. It wasn't just the Devourer watching. It was… an audience."
Nie Li looked up sharply. "Exactly. And I know where to find them."
---
The Forbidden Chronicle
That night, Nie Li unrolled a hidden scroll—taken from the Temple of Fate.
On it was drawn a diagram: The Grand Devouring Cycle. At its center sat the Eternal Court—not gods, but judges of reality. Overseers who maintained universal balance by triggering conflicts in lower realms to restore "order."
Shi Hao gritted his teeth. "So we were pawns."
Nie Li nodded. "Every war… every celestial calamity… has been a ritual. Energy harvested for them."
Fang Han rose, his voice low. "Then we burn their throne."
But Tang San raised a hand.
"We're not ready. Not yet."
He opened his palm, revealing a black lotus seed.
"They'll send proxies first—avatars, trials, temptations. And there's another issue… if we kill the wrong entity, the realms could collapse."
---
New Threat Emerges
At that moment, the clouds above cracked.
A Gate of Light and Ash tore open in the sky. From within, descended a figure cloaked in shadow, its body a patchwork of starlight and void.
The cultivators tensed. This was no ordinary enemy.
"Herald of Order," Tang San whispered.
The being's voice echoed like a storm in reverse.
> "Five of you broke the chain. Five of you shall be tested. Survive the Judgment Labyrinth, or your realms shall be purged."
With a wave of its hand, the world around them folded.
Mountains inverted. Rivers flowed into the sky. Time bent.
One by one, the cultivators were separated, each flung into a different domain.
---
Nie Li – Realm of Illusions
Nie Li opened his eyes and found himself surrounded by every person he had ever failed.
His past lives judged him.
"You could have saved me."
"You abandoned us."
"You weren't strong enough."
Nie Li fell to his knees, blood dripping from his mouth.
But a spark ignited within him.
He stood up, crushed the illusion runes with his bare hands, and roared:
> "I AM NOT WHO I WAS. I AM WHO I CHOSE TO BECOME."
The illusion shattered.
---
Shi Hao – Realm of Ancestors
Shi Hao faced spectral versions of his bloodline—ancestors that questioned his worth.
"You burn bright, but you burn wrong."
"I will burn my way forward," Shi Hao snarled, his halberd glowing with soulfire.
He slew the echoes, claiming a new divine brand in his soul: Flame of Rebellion.
---
Fang Han – Realm of Nothingness
Fang Han floated in an endless void. No sound. No feeling.
But the Void Flame within him spoke: "Embrace the silence, or be devoured."
He sat. Waited.
And then breathed.
The void welcomed him.
He rose, now half-fused with the primordial nothingness. A Void Monarch.
---
Tang San – Realm of Destiny
Chains wrapped around his limbs—each forged from his decisions.
To save Xiao Wu, to betray a kingdom, to abandon a god…
But Tang San, with a calm heart, reached into his chest and crushed his own spirit ring.
A new one emerged—Destinybreaker.
He stepped forward, unchained.
---
Aftermath
One by one, they emerged—scarred but transformed.
But they weren't alone.
The Herald of Order smiled. "You survived."
It pointed to the sky, where five celestial thrones blinked into view—each occupied by a cloaked figure.
> "Now... the Eternal Court invites you to ascend."