The rift above Mt. Kailas pulsed like a steady heartbeat now, its glow cutting the sky into two halves: Earth's familiar heavens, and the alien constellations shimmering beyond. With every passing hour, more detail bled through.
What had begun as faint shadows were now clear silhouettes. Entire fleets of warships—vast, black titans of iron and crystal—loomed in the otherworldly sky. Their runes blazed with crimson and violet light, like stars stitched into their hulls. Formations of young cultivators hovered before them, their robes gleaming, their auras radiant.
The world could no longer deny it. This was not illusion, not myth. Another realm had arrived at Earth's doorstep.
On the snowy plateau of Kailas, Elder Yuan's aura spread like a silent tide, anchoring the mountain in stillness even as the rift roared.
"Shields," he commanded.
At once, the Void Realm guards moved, their qi surging as spiritual formations unfolded across the snow. Runes lit beneath their boots, spinning into layered barriers of light. Each shimmered faintly, deflecting the oppressive pulse of the rift.
Su Chen stood apart, his arms folded, his golden core aura pressing outward like a storm desperate to break free. His eyes burned at the sight of the younger generation gathering on the far side.
"They mock us," he growled. "To send their youths first. Let me go, Elder Yuan. I will crush their pride before it infects this world."
His aura flared, and he took a single step toward the rift. The snow cracked beneath his heel, qi surging like fire—
—until a sharp, icy glance from Su Liana froze him mid-step.
Her voice was quiet, but edged like a blade. "Take one more step, brother, and I will beat you before both worlds."
Su Chen's jaw tightened. His aura dimmed reluctantly, though the fury still crackled in his golden eyes.
"Stand down," Yuan said, his voice calm but resonant. "Pride is not battle. They are not mocking us. They are measuring us."
Su Liana's gaze remained fixed on the rift. "Master… if they come, there will be bloodshed. Are we to simply watch?"
"Until Azure Edge Pavilion moves, we wait," Yuan replied. His expression did not change, but his thoughts burned: This is no mere probe. This is a test, and not of mortals. The weight I felt belongs to a Dao Domain Lord… one stronger than myself.
He glanced toward the horizon, where Su Xinyi had vanished hours before. The Pavilion must act. This storm is too great for the Su Clan alone.
Karma stood near the rear, pale but resolute, his fists trembling at his sides. The crushing weight of the rift pressed into his bones. He was only Qi Condensation. Here, he was nothing. And yet, in his heart, a single thought refused to be silenced: My sister is somewhere in this storm. If this world falls… so does she.
Mira hissed in his mind. Host—do not falter. Even Golden Core would shatter here. But remember this: resolve is a shield no realm can take from you.
The Mortal Eye
Around the world, the broadcast never ceased. Satellites fixed on Kailas streamed images of the widening rift.
Anchors spoke with trembling voices:
"—viewers can now clearly see structures resembling warships within the rift—""—analysts estimate dozens, perhaps hundreds of vessels—""—figures visible; experts suggest they may be humanoid… or something close—"
In Delhi, protests turned to stampedes as giant screens replayed the footage. Some cried "Apocalypse!" while others fell to their knees chanting Shiva's name.
In Beijing, temples overflowed, incense choking the streets, while armored convoys sealed entire neighborhoods. State media called it a "containment operation," but soldiers still whispered prayers when cameras turned away.
In Washington, generals huddled in bunkers, demanding preemptive strikes. Yet memories of annihilated fleets silenced even the boldest voices. Churches and mosques overflowed, pastors and imams alike declaring it the Day of Reckoning.
In Rome, the Vatican declared: "If heaven has opened, then it is not for man to fire missiles into its gates."
The entire planet oscillated between prayer and panic.
William's Desperation
In his marble estate, William gripped a glass of brandy with trembling hands, though his throat was too dry to drink. His private screen replayed the feed again and again: ships, cultivators, alien skies.
His phone vibrated with calls he dared not answer. Ministers, generals, CEOs—all demanding he "leverage his guests," demanding he "control them," demanding miracles he could not provide.
He downed the brandy in one shaking gulp and muttered, "Only Elder Yuan. Only Lady Liana. If they fight for Earth, I live. If they don't…" His hand tightened on the glass until it cracked. "…then the world will bury me."
For one brief, flickering moment, greed slithered through his fear. And if they win? If they truly suppress this threat? Then I, William, will stand as the man who sheltered them. There may be fortune even in apocalypse.
But the thought dissolved quickly, smothered by dread.
Karma's Friends
In Australia, a small group crowded around a television in the dimly lit backroom of a café. Karma's old colleagues from the Ritz—Irena, Sajid, Kiki, and a few others—watched the global broadcast in stunned silence.
On the screen, the rift shimmered, the alien warships so vivid they looked close enough to touch.
"Bloody hell…" Sajid muttered, his voice hoarse. "That's not… that can't be real, right?"
Irena hugged herself, her face pale. "They said it's live footage. From Kailas. God, they're saying it's the end of the world."
Kiki stared at the screen, her lips pressed tight. She remembered the strange VR cabin Karma had shown her, the impossible clarity of that world. She whispered, almost to herself, "I knew he was hiding something. I knew it."
Another friend laughed hollowly, his voice breaking. "Look at those ships! Look at those… people, whatever they are! We're ants, mate. Ants waiting for boots."
Sajid turned, fear twisting into frustration. "Where's Karma? Didn't he say he had connections? Rich backers? If he's tied to them, then… then what the hell is going on? Why can't we reach him anymore?"
Kiki didn't answer. She only stared, her heart pounding. For the first time, she feared not just for Earth—but for Karma himself.
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Back atop Kailas, the rift brightened suddenly, the glow sharpening until even mortals miles away shielded their eyes.
Yuan's aura expanded instantly, suppressing the crushing wave of qi. His expression hardened. It begins.
The Su guards fell into defensive stances, blades gleaming with spiritual light. Su Chen's aura flared like fire, his fists trembling with hunger for battle. Su Liana readied her talismans, her eyes fixed on the widening gate.
Karma swallowed hard, his throat dry. If even armies shattered like dust, what chance do I have? His nails dug into his palms, drawing blood. But I can't run. Not while she's out there.
Mira's voice coiled like steel in his mind. Host—focus. What emerges now will not test Earth's armies. It will test you.
The rift's surface rippled like water, then steadied into a clear window. The figures within sharpened.
Renji stood at their front, his golden eyes blazing like miniature suns. Behind him stretched a formation of prodigies: winged, scaled, veiled, each one radiant with youth and power. Warships drifted at their backs, runes glowing like watchful eyes.
Renji raised his hand, and the younger generation moved as one. Not yet stepping through, but preparing.
The intent bled across the veil, suffocating and undeniable.
They had chosen Earth as their proving ground.
And it was only a matter of time before the storm broke.