Myth Beyond Heaven

"However," Shan Que shook his head, "it's still not enough, I'm afraid."

"I've done my best to guide him. Now, it all depends on him," Tian He said in a deep voice.

Shan Que remained silent.

"By the way," Tian He asked, "what were the previous Yun Tian's flaws?"

"They were the consequences of his insane experiment," Shan Que answered. "He attempted to extract the power and duplicate it."

Tian He's pupils shrank. He was genuinely shocked. "Insane indeed... No wonder."

"But it was partially successful," Shan Que said, looking at Yun Lintian's abdomen where his Divine Core was located.

Tian He immediately understood. "So, that explains it. I always thought Yun Lintian was born with a natural talent."

"You're not wrong," Shan Que said gently. "This wouldn't work on others. This young man can still be considered the most talented one across the past and present even without this power. You should understand that well."

Tian He nodded slowly. His time with Yun Lintian had revealed a depth of comprehension that far surpassed even his wildest expectations. The boy was a prodigy, a potential master of anything given enough time.

"He will be fine for now. His condition isn't suitable for removing the power of time." Shan Que said, retracting his hand. "How much time does he have?"

"No more than a hundred years," Tian He replied.

"A hundred years, huh?" Shan Que pondered for a moment and asked, "What about you? Are you planning to join the fun?"

Tian He chuckled, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. "No, old friend. It's time for me to rest. This place… the clear river, the verdant mountains… it suits me well."

Shan Que offered a knowing smile. "I can only imagine the shock on some faces if they heard that from you. Jiang He, the man who painted landscapes with blood… now content in retirement."

"And you weren't exactly a paragon of virtue yourself," Tian He countered with a playful glint. "Who knew the gentle doctor had such a… macabre past? Speaking of which, what became of your… collection?"

The villagers, of course, had no idea the kind doctor in their midst once reveled in dissecting humans and keeping their organs as trophies.

Shan Que threw his head back and laughed. "Old Jiang, Old Jiang, always the cynic. A peaceful soul like me? Why, I disposed of them, of course!"

"You expect me to believe that?" Tian He scoffed, his gaze fixed on the seemingly kind old man.

Shan Que chuckled, turning his attention to Yue Yun. "This young lady… Moon energy. Could there be a connection to the Moon God?"

"We can only wait for her to wake up and explain," Tian He admitted. The God Tomb housed many enigmatic entities, and it was beyond his knowledge to identify everyone.

Shan Que hovered a hand over Yue Yun, his brow furrowing in concentration as he probed her condition.

"Hmm?" A flicker of surprise crossed his face. "Something unexpected."

Tian He's curiosity piqued. "What is it?"

Shan Que withdrew his hand, a thoughtful silence settling over him before he finally spoke. "Old Jiang, perhaps we truly are past our prime. It seems my knowledge has significant gaps."

Tian He raised an eyebrow, scrutinizing Yue Yun but finding nothing out of the ordinary.

Shan Que let out a humorless chuckle. "Astonishing, truly. It unfolds like a meticulously crafted artwork. A master of fate is at play here."

"Don't keep it to yourself," Tian He urged.

Shan Que met his gaze and transmitted a message directly into Tian He's mind.

Tian He's eyes widened in disbelief. "Can this be true?"

"Without a doubt," Shan Que confirmed, his voice steady.

Tian He sank into a nearby chair, muttering to himself, "Unbelievable."

"Indeed," Shan Que agreed with a wry smile. "We've been blind fools all this time."

A heavy silence descended upon them before Tian He finally spoke. "Are we pawns in this game as well?"

Shan Que took a slow sip of tea. "Need you even ask? We've witnessed it firsthand."

Tian He inhaled deeply. "Then it seems retirement is out of the question."

Shan Que sighed, his gaze lingering on the peaceful landscape outside. He had built a life here for millennia, and the thought of leaving was unwelcome. But fate, it seemed, had other plans.

"I'm sorry," Tian He said with a hint of regret. "Perhaps bringing him here was a mistake."

Shan Que turned to his old friend, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Do you truly believe that would have made a difference? In all the Primal Chaos, I am the only one equipped to handle the power of time you know."

Tian He exhaled a long, weary sigh. "Defeated players, we thought ourselves. Yet, the truth mocks us. We are pawns, all along, on a board unseen."

Shan Que cradled his teacup, the tranquil scene before them marred by the weight of revelation. No longer mere observers, they were caught in the intricate dance of a puppeteer, a master of fate. To remain silent, to watch the strings pull them further, was no longer an option.

"Ugh…"

A tense silence hung heavy in the air, broken only by the ragged gasps escaping Yun Lintian's lips. His once serene expression had morphed into a grimace of pure pain.

Black veins pulsed beneath his skin, spreading like a spiderweb from his Divine Core outwards.

Tian He and Shan Que watched with growing alarm. The power of time, previously simmering within Yun Lintian, had erupted into a chaotic storm.

Suddenly, Yun Lintian's body lurched violently. A blinding light erupted from his chest, momentarily drowning out the hut. Time began to slow down.

Tian He reacted with lightning speed. He launched himself towards Yun Lintian, his hand outstretched to reach for the boy's chest, the source of the raging power. But before his touch could make contact, a wave of temporal energy pushed him back with an invisible force.

He slammed against the ground, coughing up a spray of blood.

Shan Que's brow furrowed in concern. "His body won't hold. The power's too much for him to manage."

As the words left his lips, a surge of emerald light erupted from Shan Que himself, clashing with the torrent of power threatening to consume Yun Lintian.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl, Shan Que's every movement deliberate and unwavering like a mountain resisting a storm.

Just as he was about to reach the young man, the temporal energy swirling around Yun Lintian abruptly reversed course, retracting with a violent yank back into Yun Lintian's body…