Chapter 36 – The Antithesis Realm
The journey westward took seven days and seven nights.Beyond the misty borders of Qinghe, the skies grew darker, and the golden-silver light that once followed Ren Yu began to wane. By the time they reached the foothills of the Western Peaks, even the birds refused to sing. The air itself tasted of ash and memory.
Ren Yu led the group in silence. Each step forward felt heavier, as though the land resisted their presence. His twin auras — once radiant — flickered uneasily, like lanterns struggling in the wind.
Lira Han glanced at him. "The closer we get, the weaker the light becomes."
He nodded grimly. "The Antithesis Realm is leeching it away. It feeds on harmony."
Kairen Liu snorted, though his hand never left the hilt of his blade. "Then it'll choke on mine."
Lin Yuyan, walking behind them, murmured softly, "Do not underestimate shadow, child. It does not fight with strength — it fights with what you refuse to face."
Ren Yu's gaze lingered on her, then turned ahead. "Then we'll face it all."
The Veil of Echoes
At the peak of the mountain stood an ancient gate — carved of obsidian, etched with spiraling sigils that pulsed like veins. The structure radiated cold energy, and from its arch flowed a black mist that seemed alive.When Ren Yu approached, the gate responded — the runes glowing faintly gold and silver for an instant before fading again.
He placed a hand upon it. The metal felt like ice and memory combined. "This is it. The threshold between realms."
Lira stepped beside him, her expression calm but tense. "And once we cross?"
Ren Yu's voice was low. "We won't be fighting monsters. We'll be fighting the parts of ourselves that the light left behind."
He turned to his companions. "No one moves alone once we enter. Stay within each other's presence, no matter what you see."
Kairen gave a grim nod. "Understood."
Ren Yu exhaled, channeling qi into his palms. The gate shuddered, runes igniting in a whirl of gold and silver light — before collapsing inward, revealing a swirling vortex of darkness.
Without another word, he stepped through.
The Mirror World
Silence.Then — a pulse, like a heartbeat.
Ren Yu emerged into a landscape of broken reflections. The sky was black glass, the ground cracked and rippling with mirrored water that reflected nothing. Mountains floated in the distance, inverted, their peaks pointing toward a shadowed ocean hanging above the horizon.
The others appeared behind him, each momentary flicker leaving trails of distorted light.Kairen looked around warily. "I've seen nightmares that looked friendlier."
Lira's eyes narrowed. "This place… it feels alive."
Ren Yu crouched, pressing his palm to the surface beneath him. The reflection rippled — showing not his face, but that of a younger Ren Yu: eyes filled with anger and despair.
He stood slowly. "This realm isn't alive. It's us. Everything we suppressed — every shadow we denied — it's all here."
Suddenly, the ground rippled like disturbed water. Figures began to rise from the mirrored surface — humanoid shapes made of shifting black mist. And at their center stood a version of Ren Yu himself, but cloaked entirely in shadow. His eyes gleamed violet, his smile twisted.
"Finally," the dark Ren Yu said, voice calm and mocking. "You came to meet me."
The Shadow Self
Ren Yu's companions drew their weapons instantly, but he raised a hand. "No. This one's mine."
The shadow laughed, tilting his head. "Always the noble leader. Always taking burdens that aren't yours. Tell me, Ren Yu — when you restored the world, was it for balance… or for your own guilt?"
Ren Yu's fists clenched. "I don't owe guilt to the heavens."
The shadow's grin widened. "But you owe it to yourself. You can't save everyone. Not your father, not the realm, not even those who follow you. You're terrified of losing control again — so you built a path where both light and darkness serve you."
He spread his arms. "But what happens when that balance fails?"
A tremor ran through the realm. The others stumbled as the mirrored ground fractured, waves of energy spiraling outward.
Lira shouted, "He's destabilizing the reflection!"
Ren Yu took a deep breath, eyes glowing with twin lights. "Enough."
He stepped forward, his aura flaring. "You're not my opposite. You're my reminder."
The shadow sneered. "Then remember this."
Their fists met — one of light, one of void — and the impact shattered the world around them. Waves of gold and black energy collided, sending ripples through the entire realm. Every clash was a memory resurfaced — every blow a truth denied.
The shadow hissed, "You can't destroy me. I am you!"
Ren Yu's eyes blazed with both suns. "Then I'll accept you!"
He thrust both palms forward. "Path of Two Suns — Convergence of the Horizon!"
Golden flame and silver wind swirled together, enveloping the shadow. Instead of resisting, the dark version laughed — then stepped willingly into the light.
When the storm cleared, Ren Yu stood alone again — breathing heavily, but calm. His aura now held a faint trace of black along its edges.
Lira approached, cautious. "Are you…?"
He nodded slowly. "Whole. For the first time."
The Darkness Beyond
But even as he said the words, the horizon rippled again — and something vast stirred within the Antithesis Realm.A colossal eye opened in the inverted sky, veins of black lightning webbing across its surface. The voice that spoke shook every soul present.
"Balance cannot exist without boundary. You broke that law, child of two suns. Now face the cost."
Ren Yu looked upward, his voice steady. "Then I'll rewrite the law."
The eye blinked once — and the world began to collapse inward.
Ren Yu turned to his allies. "Run is no longer an option. We face this together."
Kairen grinned despite the chaos. "Wouldn't have it any other way."
Lira lifted her blade, divine light cutting through the encroaching dark. "Then let's remind the heavens what balance truly means."
The ground cracked beneath them. The sky began to fall.
And as the storm of shadow consumed everything, Ren Yu's voice echoed through the void:
"If light births darkness… then let both bow before harmony!"