Myth Beyond Heaven

The tendril of darkness churned and swarmed towards Yun Qianxue.

"Qianxue, run!" Yun Lintian shouted anxiously. He wanted to rush forward, but his body wouldn't obey him. It felt as if chains wrapped around him.

Yun Qianxue turned her head to look at her beloved. With a sad smile, she said, "You must live on."

Her aura exploded, and the white light around her shone brilliantly. In the next moment, she charged headlong into the oncoming tendril of darkness.

"NO!" Yun Lintian screamed in despair.

BOOM!

The white and black lights collided, producing a massive explosion.

Soon, the blinding light faded, revealing a scene of utter devastation. The Land of Beyond Heaven, once a vibrant haven, was now a cratered wasteland. The laughter and joy that once filled the air were replaced by an unsettling silence, broken only by Yun Lintian's ragged gasps for breath.

Grief, a suffocating weight, settled on his chest. His nightmare, a cruel reflection of reality, had shattered the last vestiges of hope clinging to him.

Yun Qianxue, his radiant sun, was extinguished. His friends and family, the vibrant tapestry of his life, were gone, leaving him a lone thread in a world suddenly devoid of color.

He slumped to his knees, his body a hollow shell echoing the emptiness within. Tears, hot and angry, streamed down his face, carving trails through the grime that coated him. No amount of wailing could express the depth of his loss, the crushing despair that threatened to consume him whole.

Suddenly, a voice, soft but insistent, pierced through his haze of sorrow. "Wake up, Yun Lintian."

He jerked his head up, eyes darting around the desolate clearing, searching for the source of the voice. But there was nothing, only the scorched earth stretching out endlessly.

"Who's there?" His voice was hoarse, barely a whisper.

The voice resounded. "The path ahead is fraught with peril, but you are not alone."

Yun Lintian, couldn't overcome his grief, lowered his head and muttered. "Everyone is gone. What's the point of living?"

Despair threatened to engulf him again, a chilling tide pulling him down into the abyss. But then, a flicker of defiance sparked within him. Yun Qianxue's smile, etched in his memory, became an anchor in the storm.

The voice, now tinged with warmth, resonated within him. "Remember, everyone wouldn't want you to surrender to despair. Remember the love you shared, the strength you found in each other. Use that strength now."

"Rise, Yun Lintian. Let the fire of your grief be tempered into the steel of your resolve. The power you possess, the echo of pure light, is a weapon against the encroaching darkness."

The words struck a chord deep within him. Yun Qianxue's smile, etched in his memory, became an anchor in the storm. He couldn't overcome his grief, not entirely, but a spark of defiance ignited within him. He wouldn't let her sacrifice be in vain. He wouldn't let despair win.

With a ragged breath, Yun Lintian pushed himself to his feet. His legs trembled, his body ached, but a new resolve hardened his gaze. He didn't know where this voice came from, but its words resonated with a truth he desperately needed to cling to.

"Who are you?" he asked, his voice gaining strength, a flicker of hope rekindled within him.

The voice, now tinged with a hint of warmth, replied, "That, Yun Lintian, is a story for you to discover. But first, you have to wake up from this nightmare."

"Wake up?" Yun Lintian was stunned for a moment and came back to his senses. Everything he had witnessed here was obviously a dream.

"Yes, wake up." The voice echoed.

"How do I…?" Yun Lintian was confused. However, his vision suddenly turned dark and he fell unconscious.

A moment later, Yun Lintian jolted awake, his breaths ragged and shallow. Sweat drenched his body, clinging to his clothes like a second skin. The horrific scene from his nightmare replayed in his mind, vivid and terrifying.

He gasped, scrambling to his feet, disoriented and lost. The familiar tunnel greeted him, its cool, damp air barely registering against the heat radiating from his own fear.

He looked around quickly but didn't see anyone here. It made him wonder where Dian Lei was.

Yun Lintian heaved a sigh of relief. At least, he was still alive. He reached out towards the Heaven Piercing Sword and used his divine energy to pull it over.

Clang!

The Heaven Piercing Sword hummed weakly, indicating its rejoicing to see Yun Lintian was fine.

Yun Lintian caressed the blade and said gently. "Sorry. I hurt you."

The Heaven Piercing Sword shook slightly, telling Yun Lintian it was fine.

"Take a good rest." He said softly.

The Heaven Piercing Sword immediately morphed into a small pendant and wrapped around Yun Lintian's neck.

Taking a deep breath, Yun Lintian focused on the internal landscape within him. He envisioned a mighty Tree of Life, its roots digging deep into the earth, drawing strength and stability.

Its trunk, a pillar of resilience, rose toward the unseen light above. Each branch, representing different aspects of himself – his physical well-being, his emotional core, his spiritual connection – bore the marks of his ordeal. Some branches were wilted, others cracked, all in need of healing.

He channeled his remaining energy, meager as it felt, towards the roots of the tree. He visualized a gentle, golden light emanating from the earth, infusing the roots with renewed life. As the roots grew stronger, the light began to climb the trunk, slowly repairing the damaged branches…

***

Outside the dark vortex, Lin Xinyao and the others waited calmly for Yun Lintian. A week had passed since Yun Lintian entered, and there had been no sign or word from him.

"Hmm?" Suddenly, Lan Qinghe opened her eyes, turning to look at the far distance behind her.

Her action immediately attracted everyone's attention.

At this moment, two figures slowly came into everyone's vision. They were a man and a woman.

Li Shan merely glanced at them, continuing to enjoy his tea. He could see they posed no threat to his group.

"Their aura..." Lin Xinyao raised an eyebrow slightly.

"It's the Netherworld aura," Yun Meilan stated calmly.

As the two figures approached the group, everyone could clearly see they seemed to have recently reconstructed their physical bodies.

The man stopped his advance and looked curiously at Lin Xinyao's group. When his gaze fell upon Lan Qinghe and Li Shan, he immediately cupped his fists and said politely, "Greetings, everyone. My name is Xiao Shou."