The chamber of forgotten souls faded behind them as the elder led Jiang Feng and Li Xue through a winding corridor, deeper into the temple. The air was heavy with the scent of incense, and their footsteps echoed against the ancient stone walls.
Jiang Feng kept his hand on his sword. His instincts screamed that they were walking into something dangerous, something that couldn't be undone.
Li Xue, on the other hand, walked with calm confidence.
"Tell me," she said to the elder. "What does it mean to surpass the ones who came before me?"
The elder's voice was quiet, but firm. "It means you must do what they could not."
Jiang Feng exhaled sharply. "Which is?"
The elder stopped before a towering set of jade doors. The carvings depicted celestial beings locked in battle—divine figures wielding swords of light, their enemies engulfed in shadow.
"To wield the full power of the heavens without losing yourself."
Jiang Feng frowned. "Losing yourself?"
The elder placed a hand on the doors, and they shuddered before slowly beginning to open. A gust of warm air rushed out, carrying with it the scent of ancient wood and something electric, like a coming storm.
The doors revealed a vast hall, its ceiling so high it vanished into darkness. At the center stood a massive golden lotus throne, floating above a pool of mist. It radiated an aura that sent a shiver down Jiang Feng's spine.
And above the throne, inscribed in ancient celestial script, were the words:
"The heavens bless. The heavens destroy."
Jiang Feng muttered under his breath. "That's not ominous at all."
Li Xue stepped forward, studying the throne. "This is where I'm supposed to learn?"
The elder nodded. "The throne carries the knowledge of the celestial maidens before you. Sit upon it, and you will gain what they left behind."
Jiang Feng's grip on his sword tightened. "And what's the catch?"
The elder met his gaze. "You must endure."
Jiang Feng didn't like that answer.
But before he could say anything, Li Xue was already stepping toward the throne.
—
The moment Li Xue sat down, the world cracked apart.
Jiang Feng barely had time to react before the floor beneath them vanished. He lunged forward, reaching for her, but an unseen force threw him back.
He hit the ground hard, rolling to his feet just in time to see the golden throne sink into the mist—taking Li Xue with it.
"Li Xue!" Jiang Feng ran forward, but the elder grabbed his shoulder, holding him back.
"She must face this alone," the elder said.
Jiang Feng shoved him off. "Like hell she does!"
He was about to charge in when the mist shifted.
A golden light burst from within, swirling like a storm, and suddenly—
He was no longer in the temple.
—
Jiang Feng stood in an endless field of white lotus flowers. The sky above was neither day nor night, but a vast expanse of swirling gold and black, clashing like two warring forces.
At the center of it all, Li Xue stood, her back to him.
But something was wrong.
Her robes, once white, were now streaked with black veins, pulsing with an eerie glow. Her long hair flowed around her, defying gravity. And when she turned—
Her eyes were no longer human.
Jiang Feng's heart pounded. "Li Xue?"
Her lips parted. Her voice was both hers and something else's.
"You shouldn't have come here."
Jiang Feng gritted his teeth. "Like I was just going to stand by and watch."
He reached for his sword, but the moment he did, the world shifted.
The lotus field withered.
The sky cracked, revealing glimpses of something beyond—something vast and watching.
And Li Xue… changed.
Her figure fractured, flickering between herself and something divine. Her hands were wreathed in golden fire, but within the flames, shadows curled and writhed.
Jiang Feng felt it then—the sheer weight of her presence. It pressed down on him like an unseen force, making it hard to breathe.
He had felt power before. He had fought cultivators who could tear mountains apart.
But this was different.
This was something beyond mortal understanding.
And for the first time, Jiang Feng felt true fear.
Li Xue took a step toward him, her gaze unreadable.
"If you stay, you'll be consumed."
Jiang Feng tightened his grip on his sword. "Then I guess I'll just have to endure."
Li Xue's expression flickered—just for a second.
And then—
The world collapsed.
Jiang Feng felt himself ripped away, the golden throne vanishing, the mist pulling him back into reality—
And when his vision cleared—
Li Xue was still seated on the throne.
But her body was floating above it, surrounded by swirling gold and black flames.
And when her eyes snapped open—
They were no longer hers.