The rift above Mt. Kailas no longer shimmered faintly. It blazed like a mirror of living light, its surface so clear that even mortals across the globe could now see the figures gathering within.
Cameras zoomed in, broadcasts filled every screen, satellites locked onto the impossible.
And the world saw them.
From the rift poured brilliance. Not yet flesh, not yet step—but presence. The prodigies of the Dao Realm unfurled their auras like banners before battle.
Renji stood at their front, his golden eyes burning with the molten pride of Tianxu's bloodline. His robes rippled with qi, each thread gleaming faintly like woven starlight, an image of perfect, radiant cruelty.
Beside him hovered Seraphine's heir, wings of silver flame outstretched, casting hawk-like shadows upon the veil. A beastkin youth with crimson fur snarled, his claws gleaming like obsidian blades. A veiled girl radiated a mist that visibly corroded the rift's edges, warping light where it touched.
Dozens more hovered behind them—each young, each radiant, each forged to prove themselves upon Earth.
The mortals gasped as one.
In Delhi, worshippers screamed that gods had descended. Families clutched one another, torn between awe and despair. In Beijing, incense choked the streets outside temples as people wept openly, their voices rising in desperate chants. In Washington, a soldier in a bunker clutched a photo of his children, whispering a prayer he had never said aloud before. On global screens, news anchors shouted over each other, their voices cracking as the alien faces filled the world.
On the snow-blanketed plateau of Kailas, Elder Yuan's expression remained unreadable. His aura tightened, folding inward like an ocean holding its tide. He did not move, yet his silence pressed upon the entire Su entourage.
"Do not flinch," Yuan commanded.
The Void Realm guards locked formation, their blades humming faintly with spiritual light. Su Liana's gaze sharpened, talismans glowing at her side.
But Su Chen could no longer contain himself. His aura burst outward like a storm, golden core pressure rattling the air, snow exploding outward from his feet. Steam hissed as the ground cracked beneath him.
"They dare parade before us," he spat, his voice a low growl. "Children playing at war. If they think they can step into this world unchallenged, I'll tear their arrogance apart myself."
Su Liana's warning glance snapped toward him, a blade of pure frost. His chest heaved with fury, but the sharpness of her gaze stayed his hand. With visible strain, he forced his aura inward, though golden sparks still danced angrily around him.
The guards glanced nervously at Elder Yuan. His calm expression never shifted, but his silence held them all in check. They understood: only his will kept the world from shattering here and now.
From the rift, the prodigies finally slowed. They did not cross—yet. Instead, Renji raised a single hand.
The gesture rippled outward, crossing the veil. Every mortal watching across the world felt it—not pressure, not qi, but dismissal. The weight of being judged beneath notice. As though Earth was nothing more than an ant hill beneath their boot.
Karma staggered under it, his lungs tightening. He tasted blood at the back of his throat. This isn't an army. It's a hunting party. And we're the prey.
Mira's voice hissed in his skull. This is only the wind before the storm. Do not bow. Even ants can survive in storms if they cling to stone.
Renji's voice carried through the rift, impossibly clear, translated by power that made every mortal hear his words in their own tongue.
"This world…" he said, his tone calm but edged with disdain, "is fragile. Your retaliation proved that. You are primitive."
Gasps rippled across Earth. Translations ran in every language, captions flooding live feeds. His words were heard in Delhi, Beijing, New York, Sydney—all at once.
"This land is untempered, its mortals brittle. Yet it holds a gate to us. That alone makes it worthy… as a training ground for the coming generation."
"If you surrender your control, your resources, and hand over this world, we will spare your lives. I swear upon my name, Renji of the Tianxu blood."
A roar of outrage and terror shook the mortal world. In Delhi, protesters hurled stones at screens. In London, churches overflowed with screaming prayers. In New York, crowds surged toward military bases, begging for protection.
But atop Kailas, Su Chen's fury burst like thunder.
"Training ground?" he roared, his voice carrying with qi across the rift. "You dare speak of Earth as a sandbox for your pride? You dare mock us before we've even crossed blades?"
His aura surged higher, golden fire flaring into the sky. The barrier formations groaned, runes flickering as if they might shatter under his rage. Snow evaporated in waves.
The prodigies on the far side shifted. Some laughed openly, others sneered.
The beastkin youth bared his fangs. "This is your champion? A barking dog pretending to roar."
The winged heir tilted her head, smirking. "Golden Core… amusing. Did your elders hide behind you, or are you truly the best this world can offer?"
Even the veiled girl's mist rippled with mocking laughter.
But Renji did not laugh. He stepped forward, his golden eyes locking on Su Chen like twin suns.
"Pride is not strength," he said evenly. "If you believe otherwise, then stand. When the gate opens, prove your words with blood."
Su Chen's hand tightened around the hilt of his blade, his entire body trembling with suppressed fury. The urge to leap forward burned in him like wildfire—
—but Su Liana's voice cut through, cold as a blade of ice.
"Brother. Hold."
The words struck harder than any strike. For a heartbeat, his pride wrestled with her command. His aura raged like a storm locked in chains. Then, with a snarl, he forced it inward, though golden sparks still flickered like caged lightning around him.
The silence that followed was heavier than battle.
Mortals across Earth trembled, convinced this was already war. But the cultivators of Kailas knew the truth: not a single sword had yet been drawn.
The line had only been marked. And when it broke, the storm would devour both worlds.