Lian Yu stared at the hooded figure, his mind sharp despite the uncertainty surrounding him. This man had been waiting. But for how long? And more importantly—why?
"You survived."
Those were his first words, spoken not with surprise, but with certainty.
Lian Yu took a step closer. His power, still unfamiliar yet undeniably potent, flickered beneath his skin. He would not be caught off guard.
"And you knew I would," Lian Yu replied, his voice steady. A statement, not a question.
The hooded figure remained silent for a moment before letting out a soft chuckle.
"Perhaps. Or perhaps I was simply hoping."
Lian Yu narrowed his eyes. This man was dangerous—not because of strength, but because of knowledge.
"You speak as if you know me."
"Know you? No. But I know of you." The man finally lifted his head slightly, allowing Lian Yu to glimpse part of his face—old, yet untouched by time. Eyes deep, carrying secrets not meant for the ordinary.
"You are the first to ever defy Heaven's will and remain."
Lian Yu's fingers twitched slightly, but he showed no reaction.
"Who are you?"
The man smiled, though there was no warmth in it.
"Someone who has watched for a long time. Someone who understands what you have lost."
Lian Yu's mind raced. This man… had he known about Heaven's judgment? Had he been there, hidden in the shadows, watching as Lian Yu was erased from existence?
"What do you want?" Lian Yu asked.
"Want?" The man let out another chuckle. "It is not about what I want. It is about what you will do next."
Lian Yu's expression darkened.
"And why would that concern you?"
The man took a step forward, and for the first time, Lian Yu felt it.
A presence—one that did not belong. It was not divine, nor was it demonic. It was something outside the world's natural order.
"Because, Lian Yu, the moment Heaven failed to erase you… you became something even it does not understand."
Silence fell between them.
Lian Yu exhaled slowly, his gaze sharp.
"Then it will learn."
The man smiled. "Good. Then the game truly begins."