The night over the Ao Clan was unnaturally still.
No insects sang.
No wind moved through the trees.
Even the clouds seemed reluctant to cross the moon.
Ao Longtian stood in the center of the courtyard, staring upward.
The golden symbol on his forehead had disappeared.
Yet he could still feel it.
Not physically.
Somewhere deeper.
It was like a brand burned directly into his fate.
Ao Lian stood several steps behind him.
"Longtian."
He didn't turn.
"What?"
"You've been staring at the sky for five minutes."
"I'm thinking."
"That's usually when you become dangerous."
Longtian smiled.
"You're learning."
Ao Lian folded her arms.
"You said you understood why they tried to kill you."
"I do."
"Then tell me."
Longtian finally looked at her.
"Because someone was afraid of what I'd become."
Ao Lian's expression hardened.
"Who?"
Longtian pointed upward.
"The people who are currently running away."
Ao Lian looked toward the stars.
"Those heavenly guards?"
"Yes."
"And you're certain?"
"I watched them."
"You were unconscious."
"I can still see things."
Ao Lian frowned.
"That doesn't explain anything."
"It doesn't need to."
Longtian turned toward the main hall.
"Bring everyone important together."
"Why?"
"We're leaving."
Ao Lian blinked.
"Leaving?"
"The clan."
"Where?"
"Somewhere they can't watch us."
Ao Lian stared at him.
"Longtian, this is the Ao Clan."
"I know."
"Our ancestors have lived here for generations."
"I know."
"You can't just decide we're leaving."
Longtian smiled.
"I just did."
Ao Lian glared at him.
"You are unbelievably annoying."
"And yet you followed me."
She sighed.
"Unfortunately."
The meeting began before dawn.
The clan's elders gathered in the main hall.
Some were confused.
Some were angry.
Others were frightened.
At the head of the room sat Ao Longtian.
Ao Lian stood beside him.
Shen Yao remained near the entrance.
Gu Ren stood behind Longtian with his arms folded.
The oldest elder slammed his staff against the floor.
"This is madness."
Longtian looked at him.
"Explain."
"We cannot abandon the clan's ancestral land because you had a strange vision."
"It wasn't a vision."
"Then what was it?"
Longtian leaned back.
"A warning."
The elder snorted.
"From whom?"
Longtian smiled.
"That is precisely what I intend to find out."
Another elder stood.
"Our enemies are within the kingdom, not the heavens."
Longtian looked at him.
"You're wrong."
"How can you know?"
"Because the people who wanted me dead have stopped trying to hide."
The hall fell silent.
Longtian stood.
"Someone above this world has been watching me."
A few elders exchanged nervous glances.
"They allowed me to survive."
Longtian's voice became colder.
"Then they tried to kill me."
He paused.
"And now they're afraid."
The elder shook his head.
"This is speculation."
Longtian looked at him.
"Then let's test it."
He raised one hand.
A faint strand of demonic Qi emerged from his palm.
The entire hall trembled.
Several elders immediately stood.
"That's impossible."
"His cultivation is gone."
"Where is that power coming from?"
Longtian closed his hand.
The Qi vanished.
"My cultivation is gone."
He smiled.
"But I never said my power was."
Far above the planet—
Lady Yue descended.
She moved through the atmosphere without creating a sound.
Her silver hair streamed behind her.
The black armor covering her body reflected the light of the moon.
She landed outside the Ao Clan gates.
The guards immediately surrounded her.
"Identify yourself!"
Lady Yue looked at them.
"I am here for Ao Longtian."
One guard raised his spear.
"You are trespassing on Ao Clan territory."
Lady Yue sighed.
"I was hoping you would say something more interesting."
The guard attacked.
She moved once.
The spear shattered.
The guard flew backward.
The others froze.
Lady Yue walked forward.
"I don't want to hurt any of you."
One guard swallowed.
"Then leave."
Lady Yue smiled.
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because if I return without him, my superiors will become very unpleasant."
The gates opened.
Ao Longtian walked out.
The courtyard behind him was filled with clan members.
He looked at Lady Yue.
She looked at him.
Neither spoke.
Then Lady Yue smiled.
"So."
She examined him.
"This is what the treasure chose."
Longtian studied her armor.
"You aren't a guard."
"No."
"You're their commander?"
"Not quite."
"Then why did they leave you behind?"
Lady Yue smiled.
"Because I volunteered."
Longtian's eyes narrowed.
"Why?"
"Curiosity."
"That's a poor reason to fight someone."
"I'm not here to fight."
She rested a hand on her sword.
"I'm here to determine whether you're worth killing."
Longtian laughed.
"Better."
Lady Yue raised an eyebrow.
"Better?"
"I prefer honest people."
She smiled.
"You might regret saying that."
"Probably."
The tension between them thickened.
Neither moved.
Then Shen Yao stepped forward.
"Lady Yue."
She turned.
"You know my name."
"I know your teacher."
Her expression changed.
"You shouldn't."
Shen Yao swallowed.
"He told me never to speak your name."
Lady Yue's eyes narrowed.
"And yet you did."
Shen Yao looked toward Longtian.
"I thought he should know."
Lady Yue laughed softly.
"Your teacher hasn't changed."
Longtian looked between them.
"Someone want to explain?"
Shen Yao hesitated.
Lady Yue answered instead.
"His teacher and I once belonged to the same heavenly order."
Longtian smiled.
"Once?"
"We disagreed."
"About?"
"Whether mortals should be allowed to know the truth."
Longtian looked at her.
"And what did you believe?"
Lady Yue's expression became cold.
"That they weren't ready."
Longtian laughed.
"That's the oldest excuse in existence."
"It happens to be true."
"No."
His eyes turned crimson.
"People aren't weak because they lack information."
Lady Yue stared at him.
"They're weak because those with power keep information from them."
For the first time, Lady Yue's smile disappeared.
"You sound like him."
"Who?"
She didn't answer.
Longtian took a step forward.
"Who?"
Lady Yue looked toward the sky.
"My brother."
Silence.
Ao Lian's eyes narrowed.
"You have a brother?"
Lady Yue nodded.
"Had."
Longtian noticed the slight change in her voice.
"What happened?"
Lady Yue looked at him.
"He opened the wrong door."
Longtian's expression became serious.
"The final gate."
She didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
Suddenly—
the sky split.
A massive crack appeared above the planet.
Everyone looked upward.
Something enormous was approaching.
Lady Yue's face changed.
"Impossible."
Longtian looked at her.
"What?"
She stepped backward.
"The heavenly formation."
"What about it?"
"It wasn't retreating."
Longtian's eyes narrowed.
"Then what was it doing?"
Lady Yue looked upward.
"It was evacuating."
A tremendous pressure descended.
Every cultivator in the Ao Clan collapsed to one knee.
The ground cracked.
Trees bent.
Mountains in the distance shook.
Longtian remained standing.
His demonic Qi surged instinctively.
Lady Yue looked at him.
"Interesting."
Longtian looked upward.
"How many?"
"Too many."
"Give me a number."
"Three thousand."
Longtian smiled.
"That's manageable."
Lady Yue stared.
"You don't understand."
"Then explain."
"They aren't soldiers."
She drew her sword.
"They're executioners."
The heavens opened.
Thousands of figures descended.
White armor.
Silver weapons.
Cold expressions.
At their center floated a gigantic golden seal.
Longtian recognized it immediately.
The same twelve-star symbol.
But this one was broken.
Shen Yao's face became pale.
"The Broken Mandate."
Longtian looked at him.
"What is that?"
Shen Yao whispered:
"A weapon used by heaven to erase entire bloodlines."
Longtian smiled.
"Then I suppose today is going to be educational."
The golden seal began descending.
Lady Yue looked at him.
"You cannot defeat that."
"Probably not."
"Then why are you smiling?"
Longtian's eyes glowed red.
"Because you're forgetting something."
"What?"
Longtian lifted his hand.
The air around him began twisting.
"I don't need to defeat heaven."
His demonic Qi expanded.
"I only need to survive it."
The golden seal fired.
A pillar of heavenly light descended.
Longtian pushed both hands forward.
The impact shook the entire planet.
The Ao Clan's protective formation shattered instantly.
Longtian was driven backward.
His feet carved trenches through the stone.
Blood ran from his mouth.
Lady Yue watched.
Then her eyes widened.
Because Longtian was smiling.
"Found you."
The golden light suddenly changed direction.
It bent around Longtian.
Then—
it flowed into him.
Lady Yue's expression became one of pure disbelief.
"What are you doing?"
Longtian closed his eyes.
"I'm testing something."
The heavenly energy entered his body.
His veins lit up.
His demonic Qi reacted violently.
A tattoo appeared across his chest.
A golden circle surrounded by twelve stars.
The same symbol.
The same inheritance.
The same fate.
Longtian opened his eyes.
The ancient presence beneath his skin awakened completely.
For one brief moment—
another voice spoke through his mouth.
"You finally came."
The heavenly army froze.
Lady Yue's sword slipped from her fingers.
She stared at Longtian.
"No."
Longtian's voice returned.
"What?"
Lady Yue took a step backward.
"That wasn't you."
Longtian looked at her.
"What wasn't?"
Her face had gone pale.
"The voice."
She stared at the symbol on his chest.
"My brother heard that voice."
Longtian's smile vanished.
"What happened to him?"
Lady Yue looked upward.
"He was erased."
"By whom?"
She whispered:
"By the thing inside you."
The battlefield became silent.
Longtian looked down at his chest.
The ancient symbol pulsed once.
Then twice.
And somewhere deep within his soul—
a second heartbeat answered.
Longtian slowly smiled.
"Now that's interesting."
Above him, the Broken Mandate began to crack.
Lady Yue looked horrified.
"Longtian."
He looked up.
"Yes?"
"Whatever you're becoming…"
She tightened her grip on her sword.
"…heaven is terrified of it."
The golden seal shattered.
And every heavenly executioner drew their weapon at once.