The bells continued to ring.
Their sound rolled across the planet in enormous waves, passing through mountains, forests, villages, and the territories of every major clan.
One bell.
Then another.
Then another.
Ao Longtian stood before the ancient city without moving.
Millions of ordinary people remained kneeling.
Farmers.
Merchants.
Craftsmen.
Scholars.
Children.
Soldiers wearing simple armor.
People who should have been dead for countless generations.
Yet they were breathing.
Watching.
Waiting.
Longtian's eyes narrowed.
"This isn't possible."
Lady Yue stood several steps behind him.
"No."
Longtian glanced at her.
"You've seen this city before?"
"I've seen its records."
"That's not what I asked."
Lady Yue was silent.
Longtian's expression sharpened.
"You've been here."
She looked toward the city.
"Once."
Ao Lian immediately stepped closer.
"When?"
Lady Yue's voice became quiet.
"Before your grandfather was born."
Ao Lian frowned.
"That's impossible."
"I know."
Longtian looked toward the ancient gates.
"Then why are you still alive?"
Lady Yue didn't answer.
Longtian smiled faintly.
"Interesting."
A figure walked through the crowd.
An old man.
His clothes were simple.
A gray robe.
Wooden sandals.
No weapon.
No armor.
No visible cultivation.
Yet every person in the city moved aside for him.
He stopped before Longtian.
Then bowed.
"Welcome, Sovereign."
Longtian stared at him.
"I'm not your sovereign."
The old man smiled.
"Not yet."
Longtian looked behind him.
"Who are you?"
"My name is Wei Shuren."
"And what are you?"
The old man laughed.
"An old man."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only answer that matters."
Longtian studied him carefully.
There was something strange about Wei Shuren.
He couldn't sense cultivation.
He couldn't sense demonic Qi.
He couldn't even sense a soul fluctuation.
It was as if the man simply existed outside the normal rules.
Longtian looked toward Lady Yue.
"Do you know him?"
She shook her head.
"No."
Wei Shuren smiled.
"She should."
Lady Yue's expression changed.
"What did you say?"
The old man looked at her.
"You've forgotten."
Lady Yue's hand immediately went to her sword.
"Forgotten what?"
"Your first death."
Silence.
Longtian's eyes narrowed.
Lady Yue's fingers tightened around her sword.
"I have never died."
Wei Shuren smiled.
"That's what you remember."
Longtian stepped between them.
"Enough."
He looked at the old man.
"You said I was the successor."
"Yes."
"Successor to what?"
Wei Shuren turned toward the city.
"That depends on what you choose to become."
Longtian followed his gaze.
The empty throne waited beyond the gates.
"I don't want a throne."
Wei Shuren laughed.
"Good."
Longtian frowned.
"Why?"
"People who want thrones rarely deserve them."
Longtian entered the city.
Ao Lian followed.
Shen Yao came behind them.
Gu Ren remained close.
Lady Yue hesitated.
Then entered as well.
The moment Longtian crossed the threshold, the city changed.
The streets were suddenly filled with activity.
Markets opened.
Blacksmiths began working.
Children ran through alleys.
Merchants shouted prices.
Doctors carried baskets of herbs.
Farmers brought vegetables into the markets.
People argued.
People laughed.
People lived.
It wasn't a dead city.
It was alive.
Longtian stopped.
"What is this?"
Wei Shuren walked beside him.
"A civilization."
"I can see that."
"No."
The old man smiled.
"You see a city."
Longtian looked around.
"What do you see?"
"Our mistake."
Longtian turned toward him.
Wei Shuren continued.
"We believed a civilization could survive forever if its systems were strong enough."
"And?"
"We were wrong."
"Why?"
"Because systems become cages when people stop questioning them."
Longtian looked toward the twelve enormous towers visible above the city.
"The twelve branches."
Wei Shuren nodded.
"The first attempt."
Longtian stopped.
"The first?"
Wei Shuren looked at him.
"You thought you were the first person to understand the twelve paths?"
Longtian's expression hardened.
"How many?"
"Many."
"How many succeeded?"
Wei Shuren smiled.
"None."
Longtian stared at him.
"Then why am I here?"
"Because you're the first who doesn't belong to any of them."
Longtian's eyes narrowed.
"The Mortal path."
Wei Shuren nodded.
"Exactly."
They reached the center of the city.
A massive plaza surrounded a black stone throne.
Twelve roads led toward it.
Each road had a different symbol carved into its surface.
Longtian approached the throne.
The moment his hand touched it—
the world disappeared.
He found himself standing in darkness.
A child stood across from him.
The child looked familiar.
Longtian froze.
It was his son.
The same child whose demon blood had caused his transformation.
The child looked exactly as he remembered.
Small.
Confused.
Silent.
Longtian's expression softened.
"You're not real."
The child smiled.
"No."
Longtian clenched his fists.
"What are you?"
The child walked closer.
"What's left."
Longtian's breathing stopped.
"You."
The child nodded.
"Not all of me."
Longtian looked away.
"I thought your spirit was destroyed."
"It was."
"Then how?"
The child placed a hand against Longtian's chest.
"I'm part of you now."
Longtian looked down.
A faint red glow appeared beneath his skin.
The child's image began fading.
"Don't forget me."
Longtian closed his eyes.
"I won't."
The child smiled.
Then whispered:
"Neither will they."
Longtian opened his eyes.
The child was gone.
The darkness disappeared.
Longtian returned to the plaza.
Only a few seconds had passed.
Ao Lian grabbed his arm.
"What happened?"
"Nothing."
She stared at him.
"You don't look like nothing happened."
Longtian looked toward the throne.
"I saw my son."
Ao Lian became silent.
Longtian didn't elaborate.
He didn't need to.
Some wounds didn't need words.
Lady Yue watched him from across the plaza.
Her expression was unreadable.
Shen Yao noticed.
"You knew that would happen."
She shook her head.
"No."
"Then why aren't you surprised?"
Lady Yue looked at Longtian.
"Because I've seen something similar."
"Your brother?"
She nodded.
"What did he see?"
Lady Yue looked at him.
"His mother."
Shen Yao's face changed.
"Lady Yue…"
"Don't."
She turned away.
Longtian heard them.
He said nothing.
A horn sounded.
The entire city became silent.
Wei Shuren looked toward the northern wall.
"We have visitors."
Longtian turned.
Several figures stood beyond the city gates.
Not heavenly soldiers.
Not cultivators.
Mortals.
At their center stood a young man wearing luxurious blue robes.
His hair was tied with a jade crown.
He carried a folding fan.
Longtian stared at him.
The man smiled.
"Interesting."
Wei Shuren sighed.
"Not him."
Longtian looked at the old man.
"Who?"
"Young Master Wang."
Longtian smiled.
"That sounds familiar."
The young man entered the city.
Behind him came several guards.
He stopped before Longtian.
"You."
Longtian raised an eyebrow.
"Me?"
The young man opened his fan.
"You humiliated my brother."
Longtian thought for a moment.
"Ah."
He smiled.
"That Wang Clan."
The young man's expression darkened.
"My name is Wang Zhen."
Longtian nodded.
"Congratulations."
Wang Zhen's eyes narrowed.
"You killed my brother."
"Not yet."
Wang Zhen froze.
Longtian smiled.
"But if he's planning to attack me, perhaps I should."
The guards immediately drew their weapons.
Ao Lian sighed.
"Here we go."
Wang Zhen's expression became furious.
"You dare?"
Longtian looked at the weapons.
"Do you people rehearse this?"
"What?"
"The dramatic entrance."
Longtian pointed at the guards.
"Seven guards."
He pointed toward Wang Zhen.
"One arrogant noble."
Then toward the city.
"And absolutely no understanding of where you are."
Wang Zhen's face turned red.
"You think I'm afraid of you?"
"No."
Longtian smiled.
"I think you're stupid."
The plaza became silent.
Wang Zhen raised his fan.
"Kill him."
The guards attacked.
Longtian didn't move.
The first guard swung his sword.
Ao Lian stepped forward.
One strike.
The guard flew backward.
The second charged.
Gu Ren intercepted him.
The third was stopped by Shen Yao.
Longtian watched.
The remaining guards hesitated.
He looked at Wang Zhen.
"You came here expecting to intimidate me."
Wang Zhen's hand trembled.
Longtian walked toward him.
"You didn't even ask where you were."
Wang Zhen stepped backward.
"What is this place?"
Longtian smiled.
"That's the right question."
He pointed toward the twelve towers.
"This city existed before your clan."
Wang Zhen swallowed.
"So?"
"So you brought your guards into a city belonging to an ancient civilization."
Longtian leaned closer.
"And then attacked its chosen successor."
Wang Zhen's expression changed.
"The chosen successor?"
Longtian smiled.
"You heard correctly."
The ancient bells rang again.
This time, every citizen turned toward Wang Zhen.
Millions of eyes.
Wang Zhen's confidence vanished.
Wei Shuren raised his hand.
The entire city responded.
Every door opened.
Every street filled.
No weapons.
No armor.
Just people.
Millions of people standing together.
Wang Zhen looked around.
"What are you?"
Wei Shuren answered.
"We are the reason your ancestors were never allowed to find this place."
Longtian looked at him.
"Why?"
Wei Shuren smiled.
"Because some secrets should remain buried."
The ground began shaking.
A deep rumble came from beneath the city.
Longtian turned.
"What now?"
Wei Shuren's expression changed.
"The city has recognized another presence."
Lady Yue suddenly drew her sword.
"Everyone back."
Longtian looked toward her.
"What?"
She pointed toward the eastern gate.
A black mist was spreading across the streets.
Something was walking through it.
Slowly.
One step at a time.
Longtian's demonic bloodline reacted violently.
His chest burned.
The twelve stars on his skin appeared.
Lady Yue's face went pale.
"No."
Longtian looked at her.
"What?"
She whispered:
"That's impossible."
The figure emerged from the mist.
It was wearing ancient black armor.
Its face was hidden.
But the voice was unmistakable.
"Ao Longtian."
Longtian stared.
The figure raised its head.
"You took something that belongs to me."
Longtian's eyes narrowed.
"What?"
The figure pointed toward his chest.
"The inheritance."
Longtian's expression became cold.
"You'll have to be more specific."
The figure laughed.
The sound echoed through the ancient city.
"The demon blood."
Longtian went completely still.
Lady Yue's grip tightened around her sword.
Shen Yao whispered:
"Longtian…"
Longtian didn't answer.
The figure removed its helmet.
An ancient face appeared.
A face Longtian had never seen.
Yet something inside his soul recognized it.
The voice spoke again.
"I am the one who gave your child the blood."
Longtian's crimson eyes ignited.
For the first time since entering the ancient city—
he stopped smiling.
The figure raised one hand.
The entire city trembled.
"And I've come to collect what is mine."