Myth Beyond Heaven

The world lurched back into existence, a disorienting rush. Gone were the screams of battle and the oppressive aura of death. Time itself seemed to stand still.

The expressions of Huang Yiming, Yin Sikong, and the other True Gods morphed in shock. They recognized the power – the power of only one being: the Primordial God!

Before they could even react, a wave of the Great Law of Death swept across the space with horrifying speed.

True Gods and Asura Gods in the far distance instantly became skeletons as the aura washed over them.

"The God of Death?" Huang Yiming uttered, confusion lacing his voice.

"My lord!" With a roar, Li Shan unleashed his full power and charged towards Huang Yiming. Without hesitation, he shoved Huang Yiming away with all his might.

As he successfully sent his master flying to the tower, Li Shan was consumed by the deathly aura, turning into a skeleton that crumbled to the ground.

"Hahaha! You're finished, Huang Yiming!" Yin Sikong cackled wildly. Though bewildered by his master's sudden intervention, he didn't dwell on it – perhaps his master was simply venting his anger.

Yin Sikong's laughter died in his throat as his own body began to decay.

"No! Master?!" he shrieked in disbelief, attempting to react, but it was too late. In a heartbeat, he too was reduced to a skeleton.

The Grip of Death itself withered and dissipated into nothingness as the aura swept past it.

Huang Yiming floated above the tower, a silent observer of the unfolding scene. He knew his demise was imminent.

Turning to Yun Lintian, he muttered under his breath, "Some things… cannot be changed. At least, not here… I see—"

His voice was abruptly cut short as the aura washed over him, transforming him into a skeleton. It toppled onto the tower's roof, lying there peacefully.

Utterly stunned, Yun Lintian had never witnessed such power before. Was this the true strength of the Great Law of Death?

"Be careful!" Nantian Yu appeared before Yun Lintian in a flash, her phoenix flames erupting outwards to form a barrier around them.

Yun Lintian snapped back to his senses and unleashed everything he had. The crown materialized on his head, resonating with the power of the Great Law of Life. A vibrant green barrier instantly materialized around them.

The aura of the Great Law of Death slammed into the barrier with a bone-jarring impact.

"Ugh!" Yun Lintian coughed up a mouthful of blood, his face draining of color. He could feel his energy depleted by more than eighty percent. There was no way he could withstand the deadly power of the Primordial God.

Linlin and Qingqing tried their best to help, but their efforts were futile. They were rendered powerless with a single blow.

Nantian Yu reached out and touched Yun Lintian's chest. A serene smile graced her face as she met his gaze. Perhaps it was the inevitability of death that brought her such calmness.

"Do you remember telling you that I felt like I'd known you for a long time?" Nantian Yu spoke softly. "I think I understand why now."

Screech!

A phoenix's cry pierced the air, followed by the emergence of a fiery Divine Phoenix Soul.

At the same moment, Yun Lintian felt a resonance within his own soul, more precisely, with the Divine Phoenix Soul residing within him.

Suddenly, another Divine Phoenix Soul erupted from Yun Lintian's body, its cry echoing in response to Nantian Yu's.

"I knew it," Nantian Yu smiled. "You truly possess the Divine Phoenix Soul."

"What are you trying to do...?" Confusion clouded Yun Lintian's voice. However, he noticed the position Nantian Yu assumed – a perfect mirror of the skeleton he'd seen before.

Before he could react, Nantian Yu spoke again, her voice filled with resolve. "In the past, you protected me with your life. Now, it's my turn... You must live on, my Feng."

Nantian Yu's Divine Phoenix Soul quickly enveloped Yun Lintian's, seemingly bidding farewell before soaring skyward. The phoenix flames surrounding it burned with renewed vigor. In a burst of brilliance, the Divine Phoenix Soul exploded into a sea of flames.

The flames illuminated the darkness like a celestial firework before descending upon Yun Lintian, forming a powerful fiery barrier that somehow managed to ward off the aura of the Great Law of Death.

"You..." Yun Lintian was speechless, a wave of shock washing over him.

Nantian Yu smiled as her body rapidly decayed. In a matter of moments, her arms, legs, and waist all turned into bone, leaving behind a skeleton that mirrored the one from his vision.

With a thud, Nantian Yu's skeleton crumpled to the ground in the exact position he had witnessed before.

Yun Lintian's mind reeled. He stared blankly at the skeleton, his thoughts utterly numbed.

Screech—

The Divine Phoenix Soul above let out a mournful cry that echoed through the devastated city, a lament that pierced the veil of death.

"Legend speaks of twin phoenixes: Feng and Yu..."

"...Feng and Yu faced a formidable foe, and Feng sacrificed itself to protect Yu..."

Yan Jingru's voice echoed in Yun Lintian's mind.

"Why...?" Yun Lintian mumbled in a daze.

Enveloped in darkness, the phoenix flames burned fiercely around Yun Lintian, a testament to Nantian Yu's unwavering will to protect him.

Time seemed to lose its meaning. When Yun Lintian finally regained his senses, the darkness receded, revealing a bizarre sight. Time itself seemed fast-forwarded. Everything around him – the inn, the once-prosperous city – was rapidly eroded by the relentless march of time.

As the scene unfolded, Yun Lintian glimpsed figures vaguely appearing in the city, their faces obscured by time.

When the scene stopped abruptly, Yun Lintian found himself back in the inn. Nantian Yu's skeleton and the phoenix flames were gone.

With a whoosh, Lin Yitong and the others materialized around him.

"Are you okay?" Long Qingxuan asked with concern.

Lin Yitong glanced at the empty space in front of Yun Lintian and then at Nantian Fengyu. Recalling Nantian Fengyu's story, though unbelievable, it must be...true.

Nantian Fengyu approached Yun Lintian and wrapped her arms gently around him. "It's alright."

Yun Lintian subconsciously hugged her back tightly, his voice a murmur. "Will you disappear too, Fifth Sister?"

Nantian Fengyu closed her eyes, pressing her face against his chest. "No, I won't."

Yun Lintian clung to her even tighter, a primal fear gripping him – the fear of losing her.

Yun Yi, Zhang Yu, and Long Qingxuan watched silently, their words lost in the face of such raw emotion…