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Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: Shadows in Silence

The moon hung high above the Celestial Sect, casting a silvery glow over the mountaintops. All seemed quiet within the mountain-encased sect, yet beneath this tranquil veneer, fate stirred, and ancient powers watched.

As the sect slept, Elder Yun Yi sat alone in a hidden chamber deep beneath the formation hall—a place untouched by time, concealed behind labyrinths of runes and barriers. The ancient elder's eyes, clouded by age but gleaming with wisdom, remained closed. Yet within, visions of the past danced.

He remembered it all: the rise of the Celestial Sect, once a beacon of power in the universe, ruled by beings of celestial origin—untouched by time, creators of galaxies, and guardians of realms. The first sect leader, a luminous figure whose radiance could dissolve armies and whose mind shaped worlds. But with greatness had come betrayal. That being vanished at the height of their power, leaving only questions and whispers among the stars.

Elder Yun Yi had walked among gods, among celestial bodies. He had seen stars fall and empires crumble. But his loyalty to the sect remained unbroken. Now, in the silence of the deep, he foresaw another turning point.

Above, in the quiet courtyard of his residence, Lin Hai—still unaware of Yun Yi's true identity and the weight of the legacy surrounding him—tossed and turned in restless sleep. He had trained relentlessly, every day etched with sweat, blood, and silent hope. Despite reaching the Ninth Stage of the Duke Realm, he could not breach the threshold into the King Realm.

That barrier loomed, a wall not of energy but of fate. He felt caged.

And as he wrestled with his limits, far away in the fire-ridden chambers of the Heavenly Fire Pavilion, a darker flame stirred.

Sect Leader Huo Liang sat on his obsidian throne, his eyes glowing with cruel certainty. Before him stood his son Wai Jun—no longer the bumbling fool he had once been, but now driven by revenge and jealousy. Around them, ten thousand elite warriors readied themselves, cloaked in fire-breathing armor. The air vibrated with the low hum of killing intent.

But that was not all.

In the deepest shadow of that gathering stood a figure veiled in heavy robes. His aura was stifling, warped, and cold. A Half-God from the Sky Serpent Palace. His presence should have shaken the surrounding space, but oddly, it did not penetrate beyond the walls of the Celestial Sect.

"Why do we need so many to crush a mid-tier sect?" the Half-God scoffed. His voice was disdainful, venomous with arrogance. "Is not there Sect Leader Yuan Xian the only true cultivator worth fearing?"

Fang Zhu, one of the spies planted in a lower division of the Celestial Sect, bowed. "Yes, Lord. Aside from Yuan Xian, no other elder shows any sign of transcendent power. They are fragmented, focused on internal matters. Their disciples are strong, but still growing. This is the perfect time to strike."

The Half-God sneered. "Then let us crush them beneath our heel. I shall leave no stone of their sect unburnt. When the Sky Serpent Palace gives a decree, all should kneel."

None contradicted him. Even Sect Leader Huo Liang, though powerful, remained silent. The Half-God's confidence infected them all.

But arrogance is the veil that blinds gods.

Back in the Celestial Sect, Elder Yun Yi opened his eyes. A breeze flowed through his chamber though no door was open. Runes flickered and glowed with ancient light.

He murmured into the silence, "You come, drunk with pride... blind to the stars that watch... and the pulse beneath this mountain."

Above, Lin Hai, unaware of the looming threat or the legacy he was born into, opened his eyes from uneasy sleep. The stars above flickered unnaturally, as if blinking in rhythm.

His journey had only begun, and the storm had not yet touched the mountain... but its shadow now loomed at the gates.

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