The rift above Mt. Kailas no longer howled like a wound in the heavens. It shimmered now—stable, sharpened, a blade of light suspended in the sky.
Across the world, panic had not ceased.
In the Himalayan foothills, pilgrims still pressed forward, chanting mantras even as soldiers held them back at gunpoint. Some wept, some screamed, others sang hymns, convinced this was judgment day.
In Delhi, barricades burned as riots spiraled, prayers turning to chaos. In Beijing, armored convoys patrolled empty streets, temples overflowing with desperate worshippers. In Washington, the stock market collapsed to record lows while churches and shelters overflowed with crowds begging salvation.
Newsrooms broadcast around the clock:
"—the portal at Kailas remains open—""—global leaders call for restraint after devastating retaliatory strikes—""—satellite visuals confirm unidentified figures gathering on the far side—"
Humanity's greatest powers had frozen. No nation dared another strike. The skies above Kailas belonged to silence—and the cultivators standing at its peak.
Back at the Rift
The warship of the Su Clan hovered above the sacred mountain like a floating continent, its runes casting ghostly silver across the snow. Below it, Elder Yuan and his entourage faced the rift.
The Void Realm guards held formation, their hands tight on their weapons. Su Chen's aura coiled and snapped like a caged storm, his fury barely restrained. Su Liana's gaze was sharp, her lips drawn thin. Karma stood near the rear, pale but resolute, his mortal body trembling at the sheer force that pulsed from the rift.
The rift itself no longer flickered erratically. It pulsed steadily, like a heart beating between worlds.
And within it, shadows moved.
Elder Yuan's eyes narrowed. His ancient will stretched toward the rift, brushing against the power beyond.
Dao Domain Lord realm…
The realization settled cold in his chest. His face remained calm, but his thoughts burned. That gaze—the golden eyes that had pressed down upon them—was not some fledgling cultivator. It belonged to a true master of the Dao Domain Lord Realm. A realm equal to his own.
And yet stronger. Far stronger.
The pressure he had felt was not just will, but the weight of centuries refined to near-perfection. Yuan had fought many battles in his life. He had stood against sect masters, beast lords, and rival domains. But this… this was no ordinary rival.
Even in Astral Vein, few reach this height. To sense such a will here, through a mortal world… it means Earth is not merely a bridge. It is a prize worth sects warring over.
His mind moved swiftly. The Su Clan cannot handle this. This is beyond their strength. Even I cannot guarantee victory. Only Azure Edge Pavilion can bear this weight.
He raised his hand, his aura unfurling like an ocean tide. The Su guards straightened at once, their hearts steadying under the calm strength of his presence.
"Prepare yourselves," Yuan said, his voice low but resonant. "This gate will not remain idle much longer. What steps through will test not only your strength but your resolve."
Su Liana bowed, her expression tight but composed. "Master… what are your orders?"
Yuan's gaze flicked toward the gathered elders. His eyes landed on Su Xinyi, an elder of steady bearing, her aura calm but fierce.
"You will leave," Yuan said. "Return to Azure Edge Pavilion. Deliver this truth to the sect: the rift connects not to a hidden realm, but to another world. One ruled by cultivators as strong as Dao Domain Lords."
The air grew heavy at his words. The guards exchanged uneasy glances. Even Su Chen's arrogance faltered, his aura dimming slightly.
Yuan's tone hardened. "Tell the Pavilion Master this. If Azure Edge does not act, Earth will drown beneath the otherworldly tide. But if our Pavilion moves, if our sect descends…" His voice dropped into quiet steel. "Then we will suppress that realm entire. This mortal world is of no consequence—but the gateway it anchors cannot be lost. If Earth falls, the path to the other world falls with it."
Su Xinyi bowed deeply, her qi surging as she prepared to depart. With a streak of light, she vanished into the horizon, leaving a silver trail in the sky.
For a moment, only the wind howled over Kailas. Karma clenched his fists, trying to mask the fear gnawing at his chest. He whispered inwardly, If even Yuan looks grim… then what chance do we mortals have?
Mira's voice stirred in his mind, taut and sharp. Host, listen well. Even Yuan would bleed facing that gaze. If Earth is caught between their worlds, it will shatter like glass beneath giants.
Her uncharacteristic edge sent a fresh chill down Karma's spine.
Su Chen broke the silence, his voice a low growl. "Let them come. If they think they can match me, I'll slaughter them one by one."
Su Liana shot him a cold glare. "Fool. Do not mistake a wave for the ocean. Even you will drown if you underestimate this foe."
Their words hung brittle in the air. The guards shifted uneasily, looking to Yuan. But he said nothing more. His gaze never left the rift.
The Other Side Moves
The rift pulsed again. Its surface, once a blur, became clear as glass.
And through it—figures emerged.
Dozens of them. Young, proud, radiant with power. They stood in formation, their auras fierce, their robes gleaming with the insignias of their clans. Wings shimmered. Scales gleamed. Veils floated like mist. Beastkin growls echoed faintly. They were the finest of the Dao Realm's younger generation, gathered together.
At their head stood Renji. His golden eyes blazed, molten and unyielding. He rested a hand on the hilt of his blade, his expression calm but filled with the fire of youth.
The portal now stable, his presence could be felt clearly, spilling across the boundary. He did not yet step through, but his intent was undeniable.
He is coming.
The younger generation had chosen Earth as their battleground.
And as Yuan's gaze tightened, his final thought rippled like thunder through the silence:
"They send their young first. To probe. To measure us. This is not mercy… it is appetite."