Myth Beyond Heaven

The Dark Yun Lintian wasn't finished. It conjured illusions—visions of loved ones lost, battles barely won, opportunities squandered. Each illusion was a potent weapon, a reminder of his perceived failures. Yet, with each blow, Yun Lintian countered. He channeled memories of love and support, hard-won victories, and lessons learned. He used the fire of his ambition to dispel the illusions, the earth of his resolve to stand his ground.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The battle raged on, a mental and physical crucible. Slowly, a shift began to occur. As Yun Lintian confronted his inner demons, acknowledging and overcoming them, the Dark Yun Lintian began to falter. Its attacks lost their bite, the malice in its voice waning.

With a final, desperate attack, the Dark Yun Lintian lunged. Yun Lintian met the attack head-on, channeling all his power. This wasn't about destruction but about integration. He wasn't just fighting the darkness but embracing the light within.

BOOM—

As the energies collided, a blinding light engulfed the wasteland. When it subsided, Yun Lintian stood alone. But he was changed. He wasn't just stronger; he was more complete. The lessons of the tower, the acceptance of his flaws, all coalesced into a powerful aura.

A booming voice reverberated, not malicious but serene. "You have conquered your inner demons, Yun Lintian. You are worthy."

The desolate wasteland began to transform, the chaotic energy dissipating to reveal a verdant plain bathed in golden light. A shimmering portal materialized before him, beckoning him forward.

Yun Lintian didn't rush forward this time. He took a few deep breaths to compose himself and ponder the situation. From the very beginning, something had felt amiss. Even now, he couldn't pinpoint a reason for the trial's placement here.

Buzz—

Suddenly, with a buzzing sound, the portal expanded, engulfing the entire space. Before Yun Lintian could react, blinding light overwhelmed him.

A moment later, he found himself standing in the center of a magnificent hall. Its walls were adorned with murals depicting scenes of past battles and glorious victories. Ten figures, presumably the previous gods, surrounded the place.

Yun Lintian raised his chin and addressed the ten gods. "Why this charade? Why the pretense of trials and guardians?"

The Scholar God, his face still adorned with that unsettling smile, stepped forward. "Astute observation, Yun Lintian. Indeed, the trials were not what they seemed."

A ripple of tension ran through the hall. The other deities, previously statuesque, shifted subtly, curiosity flickering in their eyes.

"The true purpose," the Scholar God continued, his voice echoing in the vast chamber, "was to discern your ability to see through the veil. Strength is valuable, but without clarity of perception, it is a double-edged sword."

Yun Lintian's gaze swept across the ten figures. They weren't illusions, not entirely. There was a faint echo of power, a residual essence that hinted at their former glory. "Then what of you? What became of the previous guardians?"

The Scholar God's smile faltered for a fleeting moment, a flicker of sadness replacing it. "We," he said, his voice tinged with regret, "became victims of our own strength. We failed to see the illusion for what it was, mistaking it for the true test. Now, we are bound to this place, forever reliving our failures."

A heavy silence descended upon the hall. The weight of the Scholar God's words hung in the air. Yun Lintian felt a pang of empathy for these fallen guardians. However, he still felt there was something beyond that.

"And what becomes of me?" he asked, his voice steady despite the revelation.

The Scholar God straightened, a glimmer of hope returning to his eyes. "That is for you to decide, Yun Lintian. You can choose to leave, take your knowledge and power with you. Or..." he paused, letting the silence build, "you can become the guardian you were meant to be."

Yun Lintian furrowed his brow. Naturally, the second choice wasn't an option for him. Thankfully, he had chosen to come here personally instead of letting Yun Huanxin and the others try it.

"Let's not talk about it for now," Yun Lintian spoke. "There's one question that continues to gnaw at me. Why was the final trial set within the God Tomb itself? It seems rather strange."

The Scholar God's smile faltered slightly, a flicker of something akin to hesitation crossing his features. He sighed and said, "Since you are the first person to conquer this trial, we shall be transparent with you."

"The Tower of Limits was jointly created by us," the Scholar God continued, his voice low and heavy. "Our purpose was to cultivate and test potential guardians, those with the strength, wisdom, and unwavering spirit to protect the gateway within this realm."

Yun Lintian's brows furrowed, a cold realization creeping down his spine. "Gateway? Protect it from what?"

The Scholar God gestured towards the murals on the walls, their once vibrant colors now tinged with a sense of foreboding. "These murals depict not just our victories but a threat we failed to contain. A being of immense power, an entity from beyond the known realms, sought to exploit the gateway within the God Tomb."

A collective shiver ran through the ten figures, their once stoic demeanor replaced by a flicker of terror. One of the deities, a hulking figure clad in shimmering armor, spoke in a voice rough with suppressed rage. "It called itself the Devourer, a creature of pure entropy, consuming everything in its path."

Yun Lintian's mind reeled. He had come to the God Tomb to stop Si Junyi but now he found himself facing a threat he barely understood. "And how did you… fail?"

The Scholar God hung his head, shame etched on his face. "We were arrogant. We believed our combined power was enough. But the Devourer was unlike anything we had ever faced. It manipulated our very essence, turning our strengths against us. One by one, we fell, our divine power drained, our spirits broken."

Yun Lintian scanned the desolate expressions of the former guardians, a newfound respect welling up within him. These weren't just powerful beings; they were fallen heroes.

"And you've been trapped here ever since?"

The Scholar God nodded grimly. "We are bound to this place, forever reliving our failures. The only solace we have is the hope that one day, a worthy successor will emerge, someone like you, Yun Lintian, capable of wielding the power and the wisdom to prevent the Devourer's return."