The Hidden City, buried beneath layers of ancient magic, had always been a refuge for those who didn't belong—exiled gods, wandering spirits, forgotten warriors. It was here that Yun Qianyu found shelter after awakening her long-suppressed celestial power.
But peace never lingered long where fate stirred.
Fenghua stood at the edge of a silver pool, its surface still rippling with residual starlight from Qianyu's awakening. "They've felt you," he murmured. "The Heavens know you're alive—and changed."
She turned away from the water's reflection. Her eyes held memories too old to name. "I never meant to stir the Heavens. I only wanted to breathe."
"But now," he said, "you've become something more. Not demon. Not deity. And that frightens them."
That night, sleep was no sanctuary. Qianyu dreamed of fire and chains, of a crown that once sat on her brow, then shattered in her hands. Voices followed her into sleep—unforgiving, cold.
"Your rebellion echoes still, Yun Qianyu. You defied the stars."
She awoke drenched in sweat. On the floor near her bed, a celestial sigil glowed faintly—the same that had been used in her trial long ago. It hadn't been placed. It had appeared.
Morning came with frost in the air. Rong Xianzhi entered without knocking, his demon aura crackling with unease. He looked at the glowing mark, then at her. "They've sent a herald, haven't they?"
She nodded.
"I should've killed him before he crossed the veil," Xianzhi muttered, his voice low. But she knew his anger wasn't just at the Heavens—it was at himself, for not being able to stop what was coming.
By dusk, the sky broke open.
A blinding crack tore through the protective enchantments of the Hidden City. From within the rupture descended a figure cloaked in robes of flame and starlight, his feet never touching earth. His eyes were veiled, his voice like a bell rung in judgment.
"Yun Qianyu," he declared, "by decree of the Celestial Tribunal, you are hereby summoned to return and face divine judgment."
Fenghua stepped in front of her, calm and unshaken. "She is not yours to command."
The envoy didn't blink. "Her crimes transcend mortal borders. She tampered with forbidden power. She broke the seal placed upon her soul."
Qianyu stepped forward then, voice clear. "I didn't ask for this power. I buried it because I wanted to live in peace. But you chased me out. You threw me into the dark and expected me to disappear."
"I was cast down. But now—I rise on my own."
Behind her, Rong Xianzhi moved to her side, his dark aura swirling with fury. "She belongs to no realm now. If you want to take her, you'll have to go through me."
The envoy's eyes narrowed slightly. "Then let the Heavens know: the traitor walks among protectors."
Above them, the sky cracked again—this time not with light, but with silence. Something darker stirred beyond.
Fenghua turned to Qianyu. "This… is only the beginning."