Suddenly, a massive explosion shook the Heavenly Gu Palace.
The deafening sound thundered like a storm, shaking the ground beneath everyone's feet. Dust swept across the hall, walls crumbled, and chaos broke loose as everyone ran in panic and confusion.
All believed that the Gu Eternal Clan had come under attack by an external enemy. Four of the clan's elders rushed out, fully alert, and the twelve guardians also prepared to respond to any threat.
But no one knew what had truly happened. Confusion reigned, the cause of the explosion unclear, and the source unknown. Dust still clouded their vision as questions filled the air.
As the clan tried to regain balance, Gu Ting, the clan leader, appeared, activating his spiritual shield to protect himself and his wife, Gu Feng, who still lay on the birthing bed. Around them, spiritual energies surged with increased intensity.
Amid the chaos, all were stunned when they noticed that Gu Liu, the newborn child, was floating in the air, surrounded by overwhelming energy. Something unnatural was happening, but no one yet realized that the explosion was related to him.
"What is going on?!" one elder exclaimed in shock.
"Is this an outside attack? Who dares strike the Eternal Clan?" said another.
The noise was deafening, and a radiant light in the sky hinted at something mysterious—yet no one could comprehend what was unfolding.
Then suddenly, a golden light erupted from the Ancestral Pit, stretching to the sky as if the heavens themselves had split. The aura that emerged was indescribable, as if a gateway to another world was opening.
From the light, a barefoot man appeared, his brilliant orange hair flowing in the wind. His aura distorted the space around him, and in his hand he carried an enormous, ornately carved sword glowing with inexplicable colors.
"Who is that? What's happening?" murmured the crowd in awe.
"He's returned... The Eighteenth Ancestor..." whispered one of the elders in fear, and all fell into respectful silence.
Gu Ting felt the unfamiliar aura and raised his head to salute:
"Greetings to the Eighteenth Ancestor, Gu Xing Tian."
Shock and disbelief filled the hall. Gu Xing Tian, missing for a hundred thousand years, had returned.
Raising his hand, Gu Xing Tian spoke in a calm yet powerful tone:
"Fools. This energy isn't an attack. It's a heavenly phenomenon soon to unfold."
Then, his eyes locked onto Gu Liu, still floating mid-air, and in a majestic voice he declared:
"These energies herald something great. Let the child walk his path. Do not interfere."
He then withdrew his celestial pressure, releasing the heavy oppression that had gripped everyone. All stepped back in reverence, overwhelmed by the terrifying might they had just felt.
Afterward, Gu Xing Tian said:
"Let the child live his fate. This is the beginning of something extraordinary."
He then stood silently, watching the celestial phenomena unfolding in the sky. It was as if he were waiting for the decisive moment—as though the entire clan stood at the brink of great change.
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