The Heavenly Sword Palace had returned to its usual calm, but for Lin Feng, nothing was truly calm anymore. The moment he stepped through the grand gates, the air itself seemed to bend around him, resonating faintly with a power that whispered of ancient wars and forgotten sovereigns. His footsteps were light, almost imperceptible, yet every movement carried the weight of an entire world compressed into the body of a single cultivator. The azure glow around him, faint and serene to the untrained eye, hummed with the heartbeat of the sword world he now carried within him.
Disciples scattered at his approach, some bowing instinctively, others merely frozen in awe. The sensation was subtle yet undeniable: a celestial-level disturbance had formed around him, something that none of the ordinary cultivators could fully comprehend. Even within the Celestial Realm, Lin Feng's aura spoke of power beyond ordinary measurement. To them, it was a whisper of a force long thought lost—a song of the Azure Sovereign, echoing faintly through the veins of the world.
He walked through the central courtyard with measured steps, his gaze calm, yet observant. Every pillar, every statue of the great ancestors, seemed to react subtly to his presence. The Heavenly Sword Palace had always been a bastion of order, a fortress where the righteous wielded sword intent like breathing. And yet, in Lin Feng's wake, there was something entirely different. A new rhythm, a heartbeat that had never existed before. It was not loud or brash, but persistent, undeniable, and it demanded acknowledgment.
By the time Lin Feng reached the Hall of Elders, whispers had begun to spread like wildfire. Even behind closed doors, the sense of awe followed him, brushing against the minds of those who had cultivated for decades in the peak of the Celestial Realm. Elder Zhao, the patriarch of sword law and the most respected of all Heavenly Sword elders, was the first to rise. His gaze, sharp as a drawn blade, lingered on Lin Feng for a long moment. A strange sensation prickled his senses, as though a hidden force—faint but irrefutable—was watching, observing, evaluating.
"You've returned," Elder Zhao's voice was low, tinged with a mixture of caution and curiosity. "It has been some time. Your cultivation… it feels different."
Lin Feng inclined his head slightly, expression neutral. "I have been training. There is more to learn, and more to awaken. The world does not wait for those who linger."
It was a simple statement, but the elders felt the weight behind it. Something had changed within Lin Feng—not merely the power that radiated outward, but the way he carried himself, the subtle hum of authority that accompanied his every thought. He had returned not as a student of the sect, but as someone who carried the legacy of a power so ancient, so potent, that even the elders could only feel its faint echo.
Elder Zhao gestured for him to sit, though he hesitated. "Explain yourself, Lin Feng. The aura around you… it is not natural, even for a Celestial Realm master. What have you experienced? What have you cultivated in these past days?"
Lin Feng's gaze flicked slightly to the azure glow shimmering faintly at his hands—the resonance of the Azure Sword World. "I have touched a power beyond even the highest comprehension of the Celestial Realm. The sword is more than a weapon; it is a domain, a world that lives within it. And it speaks to me."
The room fell silent. The words alone were enough to ignite speculation among the elders, though none dared interrupt. Some felt fear, others anticipation, and a few quietly rejoiced, sensing that the prophecy whispered in ancient texts might finally be revealing itself.
Elder Zhao's brow furrowed. "A domain… you speak of it as though it is alive. You are certain this is not metaphor, Lin Feng?"
Lin Feng's eyes glinted, a storm of azure and gold reflecting the inner fires of his will. "I am certain. The domain responded to me. It is bound to my soul, yet it is also older than I can measure. I am merely its inheritor… and perhaps, its first true master."
Whispers rose again in the hall. Even the most stoic elders were now exchanging glances, uncertain whether to believe or to doubt. The aura around Lin Feng was subtle, yet it pressed against the edges of perception. Time itself seemed to hesitate when he moved, as though the world acknowledged his claim to a legacy long thought dormant.
Outside the hall, disciples murmured in small clusters. The courtyard was alive with the soft whispers of speculation. Some recognized the faint azure radiance as something extraordinary, a power far beyond even the pinnacle of the Celestial Realm. Yet none could define it; none could say with certainty what this meant for the Heavenly Sword Palace, nor how such a being could be part of their order and yet so… apart from it.
The elders deliberated quietly for a time. "If he is truly the inheritor…" one muttered, "then the Azure Sovereign's prophecy… it may be real." Another, more cautious, added, "We must observe him carefully. If the boy is what he claims, his arrival changes everything. But what does the sword demand of him? That is the question we dare not answer."
Lin Feng, aware of their silent debate, simply bowed his head slightly. He did not need to speak further; the aura of authority he radiated was proof enough. The sword's whisper was faint, almost secretive, brushing against his consciousness. "Patience, child of my will… the eyes of heaven and earth are upon you. They must see, but not yet fully."
That message was clear. He would not yet reveal the full extent of his inheritance. Even the faintest display could trigger envy, hostility, or outright war among sects in the higher realms. And yet, he had to prepare, to solidify his connection to the Azure Sword World, to awaken the remaining seals, and to understand the legacy he now carried. One misstep could bring catastrophe.
A sudden disturbance drew his attention. Outside the hall, the sky had shifted subtly, the clouds taking a strange, almost imperceptible hue of azure. A distant ripple, faint and trembling, hinted that something beyond the palace boundaries was stirring. Lin Feng's gaze narrowed. He did not need to hear more; he could feel the pulse of awakening energy—a new domain, perhaps, or a hidden relic, stirring somewhere in the higher realm. The world itself seemed to sense his presence, responding with a whisper of destiny.
"The Ruins… they awaken," Lin Feng muttered under his breath, a spark of anticipation igniting in his eyes.
The elders noticed the subtle change but could not understand it. Only a few among them, those who had long studied celestial relics, sensed the gravity behind his words. But Lin Feng, always one step ahead, merely left the hall after the meeting. His thoughts were already beyond the palace walls, reaching out across the higher realms, toward the unknown and the ancient. The whispers of the Azure Sword World stirred within him, urging him forward.
As he walked through the quiet courtyard, the Azure Sword pulsed faintly, sensing the disturbances that even the palace could not yet perceive. Its resonance was subtle, yet pregnant with power, and Lin Feng allowed himself a brief smile. He had returned, yes, but this was only the beginning. The higher realms were vast, and forces long buried were beginning to stir. His path would not be easy—but for the heir of the Azure Sovereign, it had never been meant to be.
The sky above the Heavenly Sword Palace deepened in color, a faint azure glow brushing the clouds as if acknowledging the rise of its true heir. Lin Feng paused, his gaze tracing the distant horizon. In the silence, the sword whispered once more: "Prepare, child of my will. The first step of the convergence is near. They shall see your power… but not yet your heart."
He inhaled deeply, the air vibrating around him with the faint hum of a power that dwarfed even the peak of the Celestial Realm. And for the first time in many days, Lin Feng allowed himself a small, controlled smile. The higher realms were beginning to shift. And he, the Azure Sovereign's heir, would shape them in ways no one yet imagined.