Far above the mortal world, beyond clouds and stars, the Heavenly Realm floated in eternal radiance.
Countless divine palaces drifted across an ocean of golden light, each belonging to an immortal sect or celestial lord who had ruled for millennia.
But today, that eternal calm cracked.
A single ripple spread across the sky — faint, yet heavy enough to make every immortal shudder.
The Heavenly Mirror, a vast orb that observed all realms, flickered violently.
Its surface showed an image the gods could not understand: a mortal boy, sitting in meditation, surrounded by the breath of creation itself.
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The Hall of Celestial Law
Within the central palace, thirteen Heavenly Lords gathered.
Each radiated an aura strong enough to erase continents, yet even they exchanged uneasy glances.
> "This fluctuation came from the lower realm?" one asked, his voice echoing like thunder.
"Impossible. The energy signature… it's ancient."
"Ancient?" another whispered. "It matches the Old World's Will."
A silence followed that could suffocate galaxies.
Finally, the one seated on the highest throne — a figure cloaked in silver robes, his eyes like molten suns — spoke.
> "The Will of the Old World was erased during the First Collapse. If it has awakened…"
His gaze turned toward the image in the mirror — the boy in the mountain cave.
> "…then the Cycle of Heaven is in danger."
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The Forbidden Name
An elder stepped forward, his expression grim.
> "This mortal's Qi is different. It carries the pattern of self-creation — not granted by Heaven, not inherited from any Dao."
"He forges from nothing," another said in disbelief. "A path without divine sanction… such a thing should not exist."
The silver-robed figure raised his hand. The hall dimmed.
> "In the old ages, the creators of Heaven were destroyed for daring to surpass it. If this child walks that path…"
"…then he is the Heavenbane Seed — the one fated to break the Cycle."
The words struck like a blade. Even the celestial attendants trembled.
> "What are your orders, Lord Sovereign?"
The silver-robed man stood. His aura pressed down like the weight of a universe.
> "Send the Seekers of Purity. Find this mortal. Erase him before his Dao matures."
"Yes, Lord Sovereign!"
But as the immortals dispersed, the silver-robed lord turned toward the mirror once more. For the first time in countless eras, his expression faltered.
> "A mortal who defies Heaven…"
"I wonder… will he fail as we once did?"
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The Whisper Across Realms
Back in the mortal world, Xuan Tian was unaware of the storm his existence had stirred.
He sat upon a cliff's edge, his blade resting across his knees, the dawn wind brushing his hair.
Yet somewhere deep within his soul, he felt it — a faint chill, like distant eyes watching from beyond the stars.
> "So… the heavens have noticed."
He smiled faintly.
> "Then let them watch."
"The next time they look down, it will be at the world I create."
The sky rumbled in answer, though whether in warning or respect, even the heavens could not tell.
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