The morning mist rolled thick over the Moon Lotus Sect as dawn's first light painted the snow-draped peaks in pale gold. The disciples gathered silently at the main square, their gazes drawn toward the lone figure standing before the great frost lotus gates.
Haotian wore his azure traveling robes, his long hair bound high, his bearing calm yet resolute. At his waist hung a sword, and on his back was a single travel pack—nothing else, as if the weight of the world itself was enough to carry.
Sect Master Yinxue stood at the front with Elder Ziyue and the other elders at her side. Though her expression was composed, her eyes lingered longer than usual on him. Ziyue's lips pressed together, as though she wished to speak, but she remained silent.
Haotian swept his gaze over the sea of female disciples, his voice steady and strong:
"The Sea Bridge Seal… in three years it will collapse. If I can reinforce it, then you all will have more time to grow. This is why I must go."
His words rang like a bell across the square.
"You have the Moon Lotus Codex. You have the Cry of the Ice Phoenixes formation. You have each other. In my absence, do not falter. Elevate yourselves to heights beyond what the world believes possible. When the demons come, the Moon Lotus Sect must stand as an unshakable pillar."
The disciples bowed deeply, their voices uniting in solemn cry:
"Yes, Senior Brother Haotian!"
Haotian turned once more to Yinxue. Their eyes met briefly, a silent exchange passing between them—of promises, of unspoken emotions, of the weight of what was to come.
Then, without further hesitation, Haotian's chi surged. His figure lifted into the air, robes billowing as he shot upward, cutting through the mist like a dragon breaking the sea's surface.
In the next breath, he was gone—flying eastward, toward the vast ocean and the ancient seal that awaited him.
After days of endless flight, the roar of the ocean swallowed the world. Haotian slowed, descending from the skies as a horizon of crashing waves stretched endlessly before him.
The Sea Bridge was unlike anything else on the continent—a colossal stretch of stone and jade that arched across the furious waters, weathered by time yet still exuding divine majesty. Its pillars were carved with runes so ancient that even Haotian's Eyes of the Universe struggled to decipher them fully.
At the center, where the bridge met the ocean's heart, the Seal stood.
It was vast—a monumental array of shifting light and golden chains that stretched from sea to sky, anchoring something beneath the raging waters. Cracks shimmered faintly along its surface, leaking wisps of black mist. The miasma twisted like smoke, carrying the faint, guttural roars of demons pressing against their prison.
The very air trembled with tension. The ocean itself seemed to resist the corruption, waves slamming violently against the bridge's foundation. Above, the sky dimmed unnaturally, storm clouds circling the Seal like vultures.
Haotian landed on the bridge, his boots echoing against the ancient stone. He inhaled deeply, the taste of salt and corruption mixing on his tongue. His chi stirred within, steadying his mind.
"So… three years at most," he muttered, studying the cracks. His expression hardened. "No. If left like this, it will collapse far sooner."
The golden chains groaned, as if answering him. From below came another echoing roar—deep, guttural, filled with hunger. The water surged upward, spraying the bridge.
Haotian did not flinch. He stood firm against the gale, his gaze fixed on the Seal.
"It seems my task will not be so simple."
His chi pulsed, his aura spreading across the bridge, ready to begin the work of reinforcement.
Haotian stepped closer to the shimmering Seal, his eyes narrowing. The golden chains that bound it pulsed weakly, as if drained from centuries of resisting the demonic tide. Every crack that spread across the translucent barrier leaked strands of corrosive black fog, which hissed like venom when it touched the sea air.
He exhaled slowly, raising his hands.
Eyes of the Universe—open.
Instantly, the Seal's surface changed in his sight. What had looked like faint cracks became rivers of fractured runes, each thread of divine inscription twisting under pressure. The array was grand beyond comprehension, spanning leagues into the ocean's depths, weaving through forgotten divine architectures.
"This is no mortal array…" Haotian whispered, awe flickering in his voice. "It was designed by beings who walked beyond Saint Realm—at least True Immortals."
His hands formed seals, threads of golden chi lancing from his fingertips into the fractured runes. The cracks shuddered, flickering faint light before stabilizing. But in the next instant, the demonic energy surged against him, black tendrils lashing out like claws.
Haotian's chi flared.
"Suppress."
The golden light of his yang chi burned the tendrils back, but the resistance was immense. Beads of sweat dotted his brow as he poured his strength into holding the balance. The Seal resisted not him, but the corruption eating away at its core.
Too vast, he realized, jaw tightening. Even with my chi, I can't repair it by brute force. I must create a supporting formation to patch these cracks.
He spread his palm, summoning hundreds of jade slips. Within them, fresh runic designs flared—the Cry of the Ice Phoenixes array, modified for suppression. He would weave his own array into the existing Seal as reinforcement, a temporary graft until the sects could prepare greater support.
"Hold just a little longer," he murmured, directing his chi into the first rune. "I'll buy us the time we need."
The Sea roared below as the Seal trembled, golden light and black mist colliding in furious struggle. Haotian stood at the center, his aura blazing like a sun against the storm.
Haotian's hands moved like lightning, each gesture carving shimmering symbols into the very air above the Sea Bridge. Golden runes floated outward, lines of pure yang chi threading together before sinking into the fractured inscriptions of the Seal.
Buzz…
The first rune embedded itself into a crack, fusing seamlessly with the ancient design. A surge of light spread across the fissure, stabilizing it. The oppressive hiss of demonic mist subsided at that point, as if the wound had been cauterized.
Haotian exhaled, his eyes flashing with determination. "Good. It accepts my reinforcement."
He raised both arms, dozens of runes streaming forth, each one etched with meticulous precision. They spread like starlight over the barrier, filling fracture after fracture. The Sea roared beneath him, waves smashing violently against the bridge, but the golden light pushed back, holding the corruption at bay.
Above him, faint cries echoed—phoenix-like notes of harmony. His Cry of the Ice Phoenixes array was resonating, grafting its suppressive patterns into the Seal's grand framework. Cold winds swept across the bridge, yin and yang fusing together in balance.
Runes locked into place.
Second rune complete.
Third rune complete.
Fourth rune complete.
With each success, the cracks dulled, the black mist retreating further. The once trembling Seal steadied, its chains glowing more vibrantly as if drinking strength from Haotian's work.
But even as he worked tirelessly, he could feel the enormity of the task. Each rune demanded perfect synchronization, any flaw risking collapse. His body was drenched in sweat, his chi constantly circulating in the most exacting refinement.
Still, his gaze was resolute.
If I can place all seventy-two runes of reinforcement, this Seal will hold another three years at least. Enough time for the sects to prepare.
One after another, his runes ignited the heavens above the Sea Bridge with radiant light, each flash pushing back the gloom. The cries of the imprisoned demons grew faint, muffled by the strengthening barrier.
Haotian finally stood straight, pausing only for a breath. Around him, dozens of golden runes already pulsed in harmony with the Seal, the first layer of his reinforcement complete.
"This will work," he murmured. His fists clenched, eyes burning with fierce determination. "No matter how vast this Seal is, I will not let it fall."
The air above the Sea Bridge thickened with power. Golden runes flickered like suns across the expanse, but the deeper Haotian went, the more complex the inscriptions became. These were not mere patches anymore—they were integrations, weaving his Cry of the Ice Phoenixes array into the grand Seal itself.
Haotian's fingers blurred, forming thousands of miniature hand seals in succession. Sweat streamed down his temples. His chest rose and fell heavily, but his aura only burned brighter.
The twentieth rune—a lattice of spirals within spirals—resisted him. Each attempt to settle it was met by violent backlash from the Seal. Black fog lashed outward, coiling like serpents, striking against his golden light.
Boom!
Haotian staggered half a step, blood rushing to his throat. He swallowed it back down, eyes narrowing. "So this is where you resist… then I'll push harder."
He spread his palms wide. Golden chi exploded outward from his dantian, a storm of yang fire tearing the serpents apart. The rune pulsed violently before finally fusing into the fractured barrier. A deafening hum followed—part defiance, part submission.
"Twentieth rune… complete."
But there were still over fifty to go.
The thirty-fifth rune required him to split his chi into nine streams, each thread weaving into separate cracks simultaneously. His entire body trembled from the strain, his meridians screaming under the pressure.
If I misalign even one, he thought grimly, the backlash will shred me apart.
He grit his teeth, enduring the tearing pain. For three breaths, nothing happened. Then all nine runes locked into place at once, their glow resonating in harmony like nine phoenixes singing in unison. The black mist shrieked and scattered, retreating deeper behind the Seal.
Haotian gasped for air, body drenched in sweat. His robes clung to his skin, muscles taut as iron. His hands shook slightly, but his eyes—sharp as blades—never wavered.
By the time he reached the fiftieth rune, his chi reserves had plummeted. His breathing was ragged, but he pushed on, drawing upon every refinement of the Undying Dragon Sutra to cycle energy at impossible speeds.
His vision blurred, but within that blur he saw the grand Seal responding—light strengthening, fractures healing, chains pulling tighter.
Still, doubt flickered for a moment. Can I endure all seventy-two?
He clenched his fists and roared into the storm.
"I must endure! Even if I shatter myself here, this Seal will hold!"
Golden light surged once more, his aura blazing like a second sun over the endless sea.
The sky above the Sea Bridge had turned into a battlefield of light and shadow. Golden runes stretched across the heavens, shimmering like stars, while black mist writhed in defiance, pressing against the weakened Seal. Each clash sent thunder rolling across the ocean, waves crashing violently against the bridge's ancient stones.
Haotian stood at the center, robes drenched, skin glistening with sweat. His breath came in ragged bursts, but his eyes burned with relentless fire. Seventy-one runes glowed behind him, each one a fragment of his will, each one carved with his chi and blood.
Now only one remained. The seventy-second rune—the keystone that would bind his entire formation to the Seal. Without it, all his work would collapse.
He lifted his trembling hands. The rune took shape in his mind: a sphere of interlocking spirals, thousands of inscriptions nested within each other. Its complexity eclipsed everything he had laid so far. His chi surged into it, but the backlash was immediate.
BOOM!
Blood sprayed from his lips. His knees buckled, cracks tearing across his skin as his meridians screamed in agony. The rune dissolved halfway, unable to stabilize. The Seal itself shuddered, black fog surging forward like an ocean breaking a dam.
Haotian clenched his fists, eyes blazing.
Not enough. Not at this level…
Then, his chest trembled. His Heart Core burst open, flooding his body with golden fire. His vision burned as he unlocked the Sea of Consciousness Core, his mind expanding, perception flooding the runes with clarity he had never touched before.
Finally, his dantian roared as his cultivation surged— Dao Comprehension Realm shattered—Saint Realm ignited.
A divine storm erupted around him. Golden dragons coiled within his aura, his three cores resonating in unison. His chi exploded outward, shaking the sea and sky alike. For one instant, he had stepped into the Peak of Saint Realm.
With his newfound might, Haotian thrust his palms forward.
"Seventy-second rune—FUSE!"
The rune roared into being, shining like a newborn sun. It embedded itself into the Seal, chains of golden light spreading instantly, binding every fracture, crushing every wisp of demonic fog.
BOOOOOOM!
A tidal wave of divine power swept across the Sea Bridge. The Seal pulsed once, twice—then stabilized. The cracks shrank, the black fog screamed as it was forced back into nothingness. The Seal shone with golden brilliance, stronger than it had in centuries.
Haotian staggered, his three cores still blazing, his body trembling on the edge of collapse. But he stood tall, eyes locked on the renewed Seal.
"It will hold… for now."
The ocean winds carried his words into the distance. For the first time in countless years, the Sea Bridge Seal burned like the dawn of a new age.
The last echo of power faded into the horizon. Golden chains of runes pulsed steadily across the Sea Bridge, each one harmonizing with the ancient Seal. The black fog had been forced into silence, leaving only the sound of waves lapping against stone.
Haotian exhaled, steady and calm. Slowly, one by one, he withdrew his cores. The Heart Core, the Sea of Consciousness Core, and finally his dantian returned to their natural flow. No strain. No backlash. His body was whole, as though the storm of power had never existed.
His gaze sharpened."Eyes of the Universe—open."
The world shifted. Golden light threaded through his vision, tracing every rune, every fracture, every subtle flow of chi. He searched for instabilities, for hidden cracks, for the faintest weakness in his work.
There were none.
The Seal gleamed in perfection, flawless beneath his sight. A rare smile crossed his lips."As it should be."
With a quiet step, Haotian sat cross-legged upon the Sea Bridge. His aura dimmed, withdrawing entirely into himself. He did not intend to leave—not yet.
"I'll stay here for a while," he murmured to the sea breeze. "This Seal… I must study it. There may be truths within its runes that can sharpen my own path. Perhaps even new ways to strengthen my formations."
His gaze lingered on the golden chains he had inscribed. They pulsed rhythmically, steady and eternal. Already, his mind was spinning with theories. How to reinforce further. How to weave the Seal's ancient runes into his own art. How to turn this knowledge into weapons for the war to come.
The night fell, stars reflecting on the endless waters. Alone upon the bridge, Haotian sat in meditation. His senses traced the living rhythm of the Seal. He was both guardian and student, his silhouette framed against the horizon like an immovable mountain.
For three days, Haotian remained seated upon the Sea Bridge, unmoving as though carved into the horizon itself. His Eyes of the Universe scanned every pulse of the reinforced Seal. Where others would see only golden chains of runes binding the abyss, he discerned oceans of structure—layered arrays upon arrays, overlapping divine inscriptions that spanned realms of understanding far beyond mortal design.
At times, the Seal shuddered faintly, as if testing its new strength. Each time, Haotian sent a thread of chi to trace the disturbance. No flaw appeared. His reinforcement held.
"This Seal… it is alive," he whispered one night as moonlight spilled across the water. The golden runes pulsed like a heartbeat, and in that moment, Haotian realized he was not merely repairing stone and symbols. He was tending to a living construct, a barrier infused with divine will from an age when gods walked the world.
He bowed his head slightly."Then I will learn from you."
And so he continued his silent vigil—guardian and student—while the tides of the world shifted elsewhere.
Far away, the banners of the Moon Lotus Sect fluttered under the morning sun. For the first time in centuries, the entire sect had mobilized for a grand event. Hundreds of female disciples, each one radiating the aura of Soul Transformation Realm, marched in ordered ranks. Their steps shook the ground. Their snow-white robes gleamed like a tide of frost and lotus blossoms.
At their head walked Sect Master Yinxue, her aura serene yet sharp, faint traces of her Dao Comprehension Realm leaking despite her restraint. Beside her, Elder Ziyue and Elder Shuyue kept pace, both refined and elegant in their bearing, though whispers flickered between the disciples behind them.
The gates of the Heavenly Jade Sect, hosts of this year's tournament, loomed in the distance. The city surrounding it bustled with life, cultivators and merchants filling the streets, all eager to witness the gathering of the nine sects. But when the Moon Lotus Sect arrived, the noise faltered.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"Every disciple… Soul Transformation Realm?"
"Impossible… are they monsters?"
"No, look! Even the youngest ones are radiating Nascent-to-Soul Transformation transitions…!"
The other sects had gathered already, their contingents proud and confident. Yet now their faces paled, eyes wide with disbelief. Where their strongest disciples were only in late Nascent or Soul Transformation, here was a tide of women—all shining with power.
The Moon Lotus Sect had arrived like a storm, and the city itself seemed to shiver beneath their presence.
The massive square of the Heavenly Jade Sect bustled with the colors of banners and the aura of gathered cultivators. Eight sects were already registered, their disciples standing in proud formations, their sect masters watching from elevated pavilions overlooking the grounds.
Then the ninth sect arrived.
A hush fell over the square as the Moon Lotus Sect approached. Row upon row of women in snow-white robes marched in perfect harmony, their hair adorned with lotus pins, their aura a tide of cold brilliance. Hundreds of Soul Transformation Realm cultivators moved as one, their footsteps steady, their expressions serene. The ground itself trembled as if acknowledging their strength.
At the front, Sect Master Yinxue stepped forward. Her face was calm, her beauty ethereal, but the faint pressure of her Dao Comprehension Realm cultivation caused even the elders of other sects to avert their gaze. Flanking her, Elder Ziyue's sharp eyes swept the assembly while Elder Shuyue kept her expression carefully neutral, her heart pounding beneath her composed facade.
Gasps and murmurs broke out among the other sects.
"This… this is impossible…"
"Every single one of them… Soul Transformation Realm?"
"Even we don't have this many in our entire sect!""
Then what realm is their Sect Master at?!"
The scribes of the Heavenly Jade Sect, who were handling registrations, froze mid-quill. One of them stammered as Yinxue approached the jade table.
"M-Moon Lotus Sect… h-how many participants are entering…?"
Yinxue's voice was clear, melodic, and unyielding.
"All."
The scribe nearly dropped his brush. "A-all…? Sect Master, are you certain—?"
Ziyue's lips curved slightly in amusement. "Do you doubt the rules? The Nine Sect Tournament allows all disciples beneath the Dao Comprehension Realm to participate. Or is the Heavenly Jade Sect creating exceptions today?"
The scribe turned pale and shook his head rapidly. "N-no, Elder! Forgive my hesitation!" He quickly etched the names and numbers into the jade slips, his hand trembling.
When the slip lit up, signaling their registration was complete, the announcement was made.
"Moon Lotus Sect… registered. Participants: three hundred and ninety-seven."
A collective gasp surged through the square. The other sect masters leaned forward in their pavilions, eyes sharp, expressions unreadable. Jealousy, awe, and dread mingled in their gazes.
The Moon Lotus Sect had entered not as competitors, but as conquerors.