Nantian Fengyu's playful demeanor vanished completely. Her crimson eyes burned with rare intensity as she stared at Yun Qianxue.
"You let him go alone? Again?" Her voice carried an edge rarely heard. "The usually decisive Yun Qianxue, the Snow Fairy of Misty Cloud Sect—now so soft after becoming his wife?"
The words struck like blades.
Yun Qianxue didn't flinch. She met Nantian Fengyu's gaze steadily, her own frost-blue eyes unwavering.
"He made his choice."
A tense silence fell between them.
Tang Suyin, sensing the rising tension, intervened softly. "We don't have time for this. Ren Yuan is still—"
Nantian Fengyu cut her off with a sharp gesture.
"No." She stepped closer to Yun Qianxue, her petite frame radiating an almost oppressive aura. "You know better than anyone how dangerous Nian Shi is. Yet you let Yun Lintian walk straight into his trap?"
Yun Qianxue's fingers tightened slightly at her sides. "He isn't weak."
"That's not the point!" Nantian Fengyu snapped. "You should know that this isn't any trip he has taken in the past. This is the God of Time we're talking about."
The words hung heavily in the air.
Yun Qianxue exhaled slowly. "...You're right."
For the first time, a flicker of vulnerability crossed her usually icy expression. "But he wouldn't have listened even if I objected."
Nantian Fengyu studied her for a long moment before sighing. "Tch. That reckless idiot."
She turned abruptly, her red robes flaring. "Fine. We'll deal with this later. Right now—"
Her gaze sharpened as she looked toward the distant horizon, where the sky still pulsed with chaotic energy. "—Ren Yuan is at the endless abyss. If he gets his hands on the World Tree, everything is over."
After her Divine Phoenix Soul awakened fully, Nantian Fengyu learned a lot of things from the memory of the Divine Phoenix. She was aware of how important the World Tree was.
Without waiting for a response, she shot into the sky, a trail of phoenix flames blazing behind her.
Yun Qianxue watched her go, then turned to Tang Suyin. "Stay with Lingwei. I'll follow Fengyu."
Tang Suyin nodded. "Go."
With that, Yun Qianxue vanished in a flash of frost, leaving only drifting snowflakes in her wake.
The endless abyss trembled as Yao Xi and Ren Yuan clashed in a storm of golden light and divine flames. Each exchange sent shockwaves ripping through space, the very fabric of reality groaning under their power.
Yao Xi's movements were precise, relentless—every strike infused with centuries of pent-up hatred. Her crystal-clear eyes burned with cold fury, the kind that could freeze a man's soul.
Ren Yuan, in contrast, remained eerily calm. His golden eyes gleamed with amusement as he effortlessly parried her attacks, his white robes fluttering untouched amidst the chaos.
"You've improved," he remarked, blocking a blade of condensed sunlight with his bare hand. "The God of Light's power suits you."
Yao Xi didn't respond. She didn't need to.
Her hatred spoke for her.
With a roar, she unleashed the Divine Light of Judgement—countless orbs of searing light materializing around her before hurtling toward Ren Yuan like falling stars.
The explosions lit up the abyss, each impact strong enough to vaporize mountains. Yet when the smoke cleared—
Ren Yuan stood unharmed, a golden barrier shimmering around him.
He sighed. "If this were the past, I might not have been able to face you head-on ." His lips curled into a faint smile. "But now..."
A blinding golden radiance erupted from his body, flooding the entire endless abyss in an instant. The light wasn't just energy—it carried authority, the undeniable decree of a ruler.
"Here," Ren Yuan declared, his voice resonating with divine finality, "I am Heaven."
The moment those words fell—
Long Si. Long Wu. Even Chun Yue—all of them stiffened as if their bodies were no longer their own. Their eyes widened in horror as they realized—
Like puppets with their strings cut, they could only stand there, utterly at Ren Yuan's mercy.
Only Ning Yue, still meditating beneath the World Tree, remained unaffected—protected by the ancient tree's boundless vitality.
Yao Xi's breath hitched. She tried to lift her hand—but her muscles refused to obey.
Ren Yuan walked toward her, his steps unhurried. "The Heaven's Eye isn't just for control," he mused. "It's the right to redefine reality." He stopped before her, tilting his head. "In this domain, my word is law."
Ren Yuan's golden gaze swept past Yao Xi, landing instead on Long Si and Long Wu. The two Dragon God Ancestors stood frozen, their bodies locked under his divine decree, their eyes burning with fury.
"The Dragon Gods," Ren Yuan mused, walking toward them with slow, deliberate steps. "Always so arrogant. Your Primordial Azure Dragon Emperor was a fool—sacrificing himself for a temporary peace. How pathetic."
Long Si's veins bulged as he strained against Ren Yuan's control. "You dare insult our Emperor?!"
Long Wu roared, his draconic aura flaring weakly. "I'll tear you apart!"
Ren Yuan chuckled. "Oh? Then do it."
With a casual flick of his wrist—
Long Si's right arm twisted unnaturally, bones snapping like dry twigs.
Before the scream could fade, Ren Yuan clenched his fist—
Long Wu's left leg imploded, his knee shattering inward.
Yao Xi watched coldly, her fingers twitching—not in sympathy, but in frustration. She wanted to move, to strike Ren Yuan down herself, but his Heavenly Decree held her in place.
Ren Yuan circled the two Dragon Gods like a predator toying with prey. "Your kind always thought yourselves above others. But look at you now—broken, powerless."
He grabbed Long Si by the throat, lifting him effortlessly. "Tell me, how does it feel to be weak?"
Long Si spat blood in Ren Yuan's face. "Better... than being a scourge.. like you..."
Ren Yuan's smile didn't waver. "Brave words. Your emperor died for nothing. And now, his descendants will follow."
He tightened his grip—
The Gate of Beyond Heaven tore open.
A figure stepped through, clad in pristine white robes that rippled like untouched snow. Her presence was deep, not the vibrant vitality of life, but something far more profound—an abyss-like calm that swallowed Ren Yuan's golden light without resistance.
The moment she appeared, Ren Yuan's golden domain shuddered.
His control over the area weakened—just slightly, but enough for his eyes to narrow in surprise.
"You…" His voice held the first hint of genuine surprise…