In exactly 15 minutes, five celestials stepped out of Tianque Inn. Four celestials, dressed in unblemished white robes, each carried an aura of calm, scholarly wisdom. The fifth, clearly their leader, was the tallest of the group, wearing a dark green common celestial robe. Though simple in design, the robe seemed to accentuate his cold, righteous, and dangerous presence—an aura that made others wary of approaching, which was exactly the effect he wanted.
This celestial was none other than Xuan Tian. Standing a head taller than the rest of his group, he moved with confidence, leading them toward the Tianmen Gate.
Arriving at the Gate, Xuan Tian swiftly handed the celestial soldiers the travel papers and his personal token. The soldier's eyes widened at the sight of the token. As he lifted his hands to salute, Xuan Tian stopped him with a firm gesture. "No need. I'm traveling incognito. Just do your job," he commanded in a low voice.
The soldier quickly adjusted his posture, scanning the papers and asking, "How many people?"
Xuan Tian, appreciating the soldier's competence, replied, "Five people, Sir."
"Your papers are in order. Have you crossed the barrier before?" The soldier continued in his usual indifferent manner.
"Yes, Sir. We all have," Xuan Tian answered, the rest of the group nodding behind him.
"Excellent. You may proceed. Be safe out there," the soldier said before adding in a quieter tone, "Good luck, General."
As they approached the Tianwei Barrier, the air grew thick, heavy with a palpable energy, like a distant hum vibrating beneath the surface. Xuan Tian had crossed the barrier countless times before, but today it felt different. There was an unusual pressure weighing down on his chest, an invisible force that made the air seem thicker with each step closer to the barrier.
The process of sealing 90% of a Celestial's powers when crossing was ingrained in their culture, yet no matter how many times Xuan Tian had gone through it, the feeling of vulnerability never became easier to endure.
As they neared the forbidden space near the barrier, the dense, ethereal energy of the Celestial Realm seemed to fade, replaced by something colder—something more... human. It wasn't just the air that changed. The very fabric of the world seemed to dull, as if everything around him had been muted, filtered through a haze.
He felt it immediately—a prickling sensation beneath his skin, as though invisible threads were tugging at him. The stronger the Celestial, the more intense the sensation of power being sealed. Xuan Tian's body burned with the effort, as if his strength was being siphoned away, piece by piece. He closed his purple eyes, clenched his jaw, fighting against the instinct to resist the process.
His power, honed over centuries, was being drawn inward, folding itself into the core of his being. It wasn't painless. It felt as though his very essence was being bound, tightened by invisible chains. The roar of his power in his ears faded to a distant hum, echoing from far away.
Beside him, Lei Wen and the others visibly tensed, though they were more accustomed to the sensation. Even so, the process left its mark on even the most disciplined Celestial. Lei Wen, usually the calmest, gritted his teeth as his own strength was suppressed.
"We're almost through," Lei Wen muttered, his voice strained.
Xuan Tian didn't respond, his focus consumed by the sensation of his power slowly retreating. He had done this countless times before, but it never got easier.
When they finally crossed the barrier's threshold, it felt like a door had closed behind him, cutting him off from his true self, locking away the power he had once felt so connected to. The world on the other side was now a distant place, sealed off by the barrier. But the relief was fleeting.
The barrier didn't just rob them of their power—it made the world feel smaller, more fragile. The air seemed thinner. The sunlight harsher. The scent of the earth, closer and more immediate than ever before. The grandeur of the Celestial Realm, the heavy, flowing rivers of power—gone.
It was then that Xuan Tian realized just how much the Celestial Realm had shaped him, and how little he truly understood of the world beyond the barrier. Then, his now dark brown eyes caught something unexpected.
Sweat.
Sweat beaded on Lei Wen's forehead, and he wiped it away with his sleeve. A minor thing, yet it struck Xuan Tian sharply. Of course. Here, they will sweat like humans. He had forgotten what it was like to feel the body's limitations, to experience something so mundane as fatigue.
It was a stark reminder: even Celestials could be made to feel weak.
"We need to keep moving," Xuan Tian said firmly, snapping his focus back to the task at hand. "Baishan City is not far. We must enter before dark."
He glanced at the distant horizon. According to the scroll he had received from the Emperor, as the plague worsened, the city gates would be locked after nightfall. No one could enter or leave without the Imperial Seal. While Xuan Tian could forge one if necessary, it would waste precious energy—something he'd rather avoid. It wasn't a matter of skill, but of conserving his dwindling strength for more dire circumstances.
They moved swiftly, traveling in silence. Within the hour, human temporary settlements began to appear in the distance. Soon, scattered travelers turned into crowds, and the path to Baishan City became choked with people.
They slowed as the mass of bodies thickened. Before long, they could go no further.
"What's going on?" Li Qian frowned, trying to see past the sea of people.
A man nearby scoffed at her question. "What does it look like? We're lining up to enter the city."
Xuan Tian's gaze hardened. They weren't the only ones desperate to enter before nightfall. As he scanned the crowd, his brows furrowed—something was wrong. The people lining up weren't simply plague victims; they looked more like starved travelers, drained and weary from a long journey. Some could barely stand, others clutched their stomachs, their bodies weak from days—maybe weeks—without food.
They weren't sick.
They were hungry & desperate.
Xu Yun must have sensed the same thing. She stepped forward and questioned a nearby man, "Why are these people insisting on entering the city? Are they not afraid of the plague?"
The man gave her a strange look. "Plague? What plague? There is no plague."
Xu Yun blinked. "Huh? No plague, but—"
Before she could finish, the man scoffed. "If there's really a plague, why are you here? Aren't you afraid of it?"
Another man chimed in, voice sharp with suspicion. "She must be here for the same thing we are. Don't let her appearance deceive you." He turned to Xu Yun, his eyes burning with hostility. "I'm right, aren't I? You're here for the same thing! You lied about the plague because you want us gone! You want it all for yourself!"
The first man added fuel to the fire. "Judging by her clothes, she must be rich! Leave the money and go!"
A wave of voices followed. "Leave the money and go!"
The crowd surged forward, voices rising, anger turning to action. Stones flew. Xu Yun barely had time to flinch before— Xuan Tian moved.
Without hesitation, he stepped in front of her, absorbing the brunt of the attack. Three breaths. That's all he gave them. If they continued, he would disperse them with his Spirit Energy—gently, but firmly.
Then—
"STOP!"