The protagonist, severely weakened, witnesses the brutal downfall of the Rakshasa Broodmother amidst a relentless poison rain. Allied forces, including the Suns and cultivators, fight valiantly to eliminate the remaining Rakshasa. After the battle concludes, the protagonist is abruptly transported back to a grand chamber where an ancient entity acknowledges their crucial role in the victory.
"I am not the Heavens, I am merely an Enforcer."
The correction was delivered with calm yet undeniable authority. Absence of anger made its pronouncement feel even more absolute.
"Oh, my apologies. My mind was somewhat... jumbled."
While worse descriptions for self-inflicted poisoning of the brain existed, understatement had become a deeply ingrained survival instinct.
"You nearly encountered us..."
"I fail to grasp, aren't we... presently in a meeting?"
The entity let out a snort. "We are, indeed, but you were on the verge of encountering us in death, not in life. Without further delay, let us proceed to the crux of the matter."
That statement sent a chill through me, colder than it ought to have. Meeting the heavens as a corpse was not a concept I wished to have elaborated upon.
"Please."
The enforcer rose, his colossal form diminishing until he matched my height. The transformation appeared utterly effortless, as if the very fabric of dimensions yielded to his will. One moment, he was immeasurably vast; the next, he stood beside me at a mortal scale, yet his immensity seemed undiminished. Moving without a sound, he gestured towards the crimson carpet.
"Witness for yourself the changes you have wrought."
Instantly, the scenery shifted, and the realm of Solarous materialized before us. It was more than a mere vision; it felt like observing from above existence itself. Yet, elements unseen before, or perhaps intentionally hidden, were now apparent.
Cracks and fissures snaked across the very space surrounding Solarous. Not through land or sky, but through the essence of its being, as if the world were encased in shattered glass. Jagged lines intersected fundamental laws. However, even as I watched, these breaks began to mend, slowly and with deliberate intent.
"Do you comprehend what you are observing?" the entity inquired.
"If I were to venture a guess... I would say that is the heavenly law, rectifying itself."
"Indeed, you possess considerable intellect."
"Thank you."
The word escaped my lips unintentionally. Perhaps not the most fitting response to cosmic revelations, but evidently, sarcasm endured even near-death.
"The demise of the Broodmother, which had usurped the heavenly Dao, resulted in its liberation. It is now reintegrating with the world, and such entities shall never manifest again. We granted freedom to those who defied the heavens and ascended, yet they squandered it..."
"I suppose pilfering the heavenly Dao is a rather significant transgression."
"It is not merely..." the enforcer shook his head. "It is permissible for cultivators to act as they deem fit; seizing and utilizing it is acceptable. Corrupting and altering it, however, is prohibited. The royal's actions fell into the latter category. He stole, manipulated, abused, and transformed the Dao, merging it with a creature that should never have existed. Furthermore, he granted it autonomy from the heavens, enabling it to summon tribulations."
There was an ancient weariness woven into that explanation, akin to a judge recounting a crime that had recurred countless times throughout history.
"I presume now that order has been restored..."
"The heavenly tribulations that will soon afflict your mentors and companions are potent enough to annihilate Solarous... they must experience the weight of that world."
A knot tightened in my chest. Even in this ethereal place, hearing those words, the peril felt alarmingly imminent.
"Presumably, the heavenly Dao in the Beyond is incomplete, for them to break through here rather than there..."
"The Beyond, as you term it, constitutes but a minuscule portion of the vast tapestry of existence that we oversee. Not even these lands, nor this universe, represents the entirety of reality..."
That single statement nearly shattered my train of thought. Not even this universe. Uttered so casually, as if infinity itself possessed layers.
"In your current state, you are far too frail to perceive the true nature of this reality. Despite glimpsing fragments, you have not grasped the actuality of such realms..."
"I fear I cannot comprehend."
Admitting my lack of understanding seemed the wiser course than feigning comprehension.
"I have a task for you, should you prove capable of accomplishing it. The heavens themselves shall bestow a generous reward upon you."
That sounded precisely like the kind of offer that leads to one's demise.
"That... sounds exceedingly perilous."
"Indeed, it is prudent to recognize the danger before the reward. However, we are constrained; our hands are tied, just as they were in that world."
"Someone else absconded with the heavenly Dao, I take it?"
"Worse..." the heavenly enforcer stated. "They are attempting to forge a new one. Nevertheless, you cannot concern yourself with such matters at present. Their power surpasses any comprehension you might possess."
The words landed with a profound and ominous weight. Forge a new Dao.
Somewhere, in some unfathomable corner of existence, madmen were endeavoring to manufacture cosmic law.
Truly wonderful.
"More powerful than... this Yang stage? The Confederation posits it as the pinnacle of cultivation."
"And what is your belief? Do you concur?"
"You have a point. After all, I witnessed your power... What is your stage, relative to mortals?"
"The heavens forbid me to speak of it... but know this, when compared to the Yang stage, it is the same as comparing you to those you let live in Solarous..."
The meaning struck me with the force to empty my thoughts.
Mortals in my eyes.
Yang stage in his eyes.
'Damn it.'
'Absurd' didn't even begin to describe it.
"Remember, Shen Bao, I can peer into your mind."
Right.
"Yeah, it's like I'm thinking out loud, so I guess I can't assist you with this task at the moment..."
"No, but you have some adversaries here that require your attention. You've heard rumors of planets perishing. Investigate this. You will uncover matters far more intriguing than initially apparent."
Planets perishing.
He uttered it with such casualness.
As if discussing mere local gossip.
Suddenly, my reality crumbled, and I awoke.
A realm of pure white.
A sterile chamber, and within the pagoda of the Lord of Lords.
I spun around, instinctively seeking my caregiver, anticipating Master Rain, Liang Yu, or any familiar face.
No one was there.
Only the white void and the sound of my own breath.
Just as I turned to see who was tending to me, I realized I was utterly alone. The silence felt profoundly unnatural, too absolute, the kind that precedes calamities.
Then, abruptly, the world tore asunder and collapsed.
