For three days, heaven remained silent.
The world above the imperial palace of Tianxun Sect basked in artificial harmony. Courtiers whispered in corners, sect elders murmured prayers, and cultivators walked the halls without daring to lift their eyes. Word had spread—the Crown Prince and his group had vanished.
Vanished... under suspicion.
Vanished... under Liu Shengjie's gaze.
And Liu Shengjie did not take failure kindly.
From the towering halls of the Divine Tribunal to the imperial bedchambers Mu Shuirou kept in icy splendor, her fury was whispered of like a storm cloud circling the sun.
But none dared speak when she passed.
On the fourth day, a messenger from the divine patrol knelt before him, panting.
"We found traces," the man reported. "A distorted tear in space, faint qi lingering on a withered hill near the northern woods. Your Grace, the group has crossed deep into forbidden territory."
Liu Shengjie raised his hand. "Silence."
The man froze, head bowed.
Shengjie turned, slowly. "Have my elites prepare. I will go myself."
The man trembled. "Yes, my lord."
As the messenger fled, Liu Shengjie stood alone in the throne room—sunlight bleeding through the stained crystal windows, casting him in hues of divine gold.
But behind his eyes, only shadows stirred.
"Finally," he murmured.
He vanished in a flash of light.
.
.
.
.
Far to the north, amidst ancient woods and frozen winds, Longxuan stood before the portal gate.
The stone arch was massive—easily twice the height of a temple gate—and carved with lost sigils, forgotten by even the highest sects. Cold mist oozed from its edges, spiraling like silent whispers. The zither Longxuan found now floated in front of it, humming softly.
The melody guided him here.
Longxuan stood quietly, his hand resting over the zither's glowing surface. Behind him, the Liu Twins and Jiang Fenglie watched in silent. Shuiyun leaned against a frost-touched tree, while Huayin flicked his fox tail with caution.
"This is the gate," Longxuan whispered. "I can feel him."
"Mo Tianzun…?" Fenglan asked. His voice was barely audible.
Longxuan nodded once. "He's beyond this gate. I don't know how I know, but… he's waiting."
But as he stepped forward, a crackling sound tore through the air.
A blade of divine light split the clouds.
A figure landed behind them with force, the very earth trembling.
"Impressive, Crown Prince," said a cold voice. "You've finally grown into someone worth chasing."
They turned.
There stood Liu Shengjie.
Clad in white and gold, a divine war god in full regalia, he radiated celestial might. His smile, however, was thin—too thin. Eyes gleaming with amusement and malice.
The group immediately drew weapons—except Longxuan, who placed himself between Shengjie and the portal gate.
"You won't stop us," Longxuan said.
"Stop you?" Liu Shengjie laughed softly. "Oh no. Quite the opposite."
He turned his eyes to the gate. "To think… the old gate to the Forbidden Island still exists."
Fenglie stepped forward. "Forbidden Island?"
Zhenhai narrowed his eyes. "That place isn't on any map."
"Of course not," Shengjie said smoothly. "It's where the old monsters were hidden. A realm between realms. Where divine beasts sleep and ancient weapons rot. A place even the Heavens pretend does not exist."
His eyes glinted.
"And now I know it houses your little demon prince."
Longxuan's heart pounded.
"You planned this," he said slowly. "You wanted everyone to think Tianzun kidnapped me. You want to paint him as a threat so you can—"
"Kill him," Shengjie finished. "This time for good. No more reincarnation. No more romantic delusions. I am a god now. And he…" he smiled cruelly, "...is just a man clinging to borrowed time."
He raised a hand, light beginning to gather in his palm.
Longxuan readied his blade.
But before either moved, a sharp blast of yin energy erupted from Ling Xi, who stepped forward, her twin-colored eyes glowing.
"You won't harm him," she said, her voice calm, coming out from a three revealing her self. "Not while we still breathe."
"wow, you are actually there the whole time, Xi-meimei?" Fenglan, voice in amusement
Shengjie tilted his head. "Ah… the girl. You've bloomed nicely. But you're a candle trying to burn down the sun."
Longxuan's grip tightened on his sword. "Then we'll burn you together."
The gate behind him began to glow brighter, reacting to the energy in the air.
Shengjie watched it, calculating.
Then… he turned.
Without a word, he vanished once more into light, leaving behind the scent of cold wind and the sound of distant war drums.
—————
Back at the gate, silence fell.
Then Longxuan looked to the others, firm.
"We need to go now. Before he returns with the Celestial Army."
Ling Xi stepped forward. "But only one can pass through at a time. The gate will collapse if too much power flows through at once."
Longxuan looked down at the zither. At the trembling portal.
And then—he made a choice.
He turned to Fenglan, Zhenhai, Fenglie, Shuiyun, Huayin, and Lin Xi. "Hold them off as long as you can."
"What—?" Fenglie started.
But Longxuan had already summoned a teleportation seal.
He stood at the threshold, blade in one hand, the glowing zither slung behind him.
"If I don't go now, Tianzun will be alone when they come."
"You might never return!" Fenglan shouted.
Longxuan smiled.
"That's alright. Because this time, I'll be the one who saves him."
And with that—he stepped into the portal.
The gate flared—then snapped shut behind him with a roar like thunder.