Myth Beyond Heaven

Ren Yuan stared down at his hand, the Heavenly Desolate Orb nestled comfortably within his palm. Its warmth offered a fleeting solace, a constant echo of the path he'd forged.

Memories flickered across his mind, transporting him back to a time when he was a frail youth, his talent hovering at best in the realm of mediocrity. To survive that harsh reality, he adopted a ruthless pragmatism, deploying any means necessary without a flicker of moral hesitation.

One fateful day, while traversing the depths of the Heavenly Desolate Realm, Ren Yuan stumbled upon an ancient secret long buried. This revelation, the very legacy of the God of Heaven itself, bestowed upon him the unprecedented power to manipulate the fates of others.

From that transformative moment, a singular ambition took root within him: to ascend to the absolute zenith of the Primal Chaos.

The Beyond Heaven King served as his initial target for surpassing. Through a cunning, albeit dishonorable, strategy, Ren Yuan delivered a crippling blow that sent the Ruler of the Divine Realm hurtling towards his demise. Despite the disgraceful tactics employed, Ren Yuan had secured his objective.

His hand might look very clean right now, but it was stained crimson with the blood of countless innocents and held no weight upon his conscience.

The victor, in his unwavering belief, claimed absolute dominion. This was the law he lived by.

As he contemplated his experience, the platform beneath him shuddered. A blinding light erupted from the center, engulfing him in its brilliance. When the light faded, Ren Yuan found himself deposited back at the base of the monolith. The desolate landscape was bathed in the gentle luminescence of the celestial path.

He had no idea how much time had transpired, but the air vibrated with a renewed energy. The whispers that had once tormented him were absent, replaced by an unsettling silence. The monolith seemed to radiate a sense of satisfaction as if acknowledging his success.

Yet, the victory felt hollow. The entity's words resonated within his mind, a constant reminder of the darkness it alluded to residing within him.

A formidable enemy wouldn't have caused him such unease, but an unknown threat was a different beast entirely. He clutched the Heavenly Desolate Orb tighter, seeking solace in its comforting warmth.

Suddenly, a booming voice resonated from above, shaking the very foundations of the Heavenly Court. Infused with otherworldly power, the voice boomed, "Mortal, you have passed the trials. The Heavenly Guardian recognizes your strength and potential. Now, rise and claim your reward."

Ren Yuan looked up, his heart a frantic drum in his chest. A colossal figure materialized in the blood-red sky, its form shrouded in celestial light. The Heavenly Guardian itself.

He took a deep breath, the weight of the entity's words and the Guardian's pronouncement settling upon him like a crushing mantle. This was his moment of truth. The path ahead remained shrouded in uncertainty, but one thing was clear: he had successfully taken a significant step forward.

Ren Yuan steeled himself with newfound resolve and reached towards the celestial light emanating from the monolith. As his hand touched the shimmering surface, a surge of power coursed through him, awakening something ancient and dormant within his very being.

The world around him dissolved into a kaleidoscope of light and energy. When his vision finally cleared, he found himself standing in a magnificent chamber of the Heavenly Court, the air thrumming with divine energy.

The Heavenly Guardian loomed before him, its form now solidified, radiating an aura of immense power and wisdom. In its hand, it held a gleaming sword, its blade etched with intricate symbols that pulsed with an otherworldly light.

"This," the Heavenly Guardian boomed, its voice echoing through the chamber, "is the Heaven's Might, a weapon forged from the very essence of the Heavenly Court. Wield it wisely, Ren Yuan, for you are now ruler. The fate of the Primal Chaos rests upon your shoulders, and the darkness within you… that too, shall be tested."

A flicker of surprise crossed Ren Yuan's face... Ruler. The weight of the title settled on his shoulders, a heavier burden than the darkness he harbored. He grasped the hilt of Heaven's Might, the power coursing through him a potent temptation.

A smile appeared on his face. He had finally obtained the complete legacy of the God of Heaven!

Buzz—

A slow hum, barely perceptible at first, emanated from the heart of the Heavenly Court. It was a sound of awakening, a tremor that ran through the very foundation of the once-

shattered realm. The divine energy, stagnant for millennia, stirred sluggishly at first, then with increasing vigor.

Ren Yuan, newly crowned ruler and still cloaked in the afterglow of his trials, watched from a vantage point overlooking the ravaged landscape. The once-majestic structures, their facades marred by cracks and scars, stirred from their slumber. Jagged spires, reaching for a blood-red sky that was slowly regaining its lost vibrancy, pulsed with a faint luminescence.

Fractured jade tiles, scattered like fallen teeth across the celestial path, slowly mended. The intricate carvings adorned the path, depicting forgotten battles, shimmered back into existence. The air, heavy with the stench of decay, was gradually replaced by a sweet, ethereal fragrance, a harbinger of renewal.

Ethereal spirits, wispy figures that had cowered in the shadows for countless years, emerged tentatively from their hiding places. Their translucent forms, once dull and despondent, shimmered with renewed life force. They flitted amongst the ruins, their melodic voices weaving a tapestry of joyous hymns that echoed across the recovering realm.

From the depths of the Heavenly Palace, a colossal statue of the God of Heaven, its face weathered and its arm outstretched in a broken gesture of blessing, began to emit a soft, celestial light. The cracks that marred its surface began to knit themselves together, slowly revealing the god's once-

imposing majesty.

The change wasn't instantaneous. It was a slow, painstaking process, a testament to the deep wounds inflicted upon the Heavenly Court. Yet, with each passing moment, the hum grew louder, the divine energy surged stronger, and the once-

desolate realm bloomed with the budding promise of revival.

Ren Yuan, his gaze fixed upon the awakening giant, felt a surge of power course through him. It was the power of the Heavenly Court itself, a responsibility that weighed heavily upon him. He, the man who embraced the darkness within, was now tasked with leading this fractured realm back to its former glory.

A cruel smile played on his lips. It would be a challenge worthy of his ambition...