The sky itself split open.
A vast roar echoed through the valley as the Void Serpent Beast surged upward from the depths of the Starfall Abyss — its scales glowing like shattered constellations, its every breath distorting the fabric of space. The ground trembled beneath its pressure; the floating islands cracked apart, collapsing into the chasm below.
Wu Tian and the others barely managed to stabilize their footing, activating defensive arrays.
"It's… it's releasing spatial energy!" Wu Tian shouted over the roaring wind. "If we get caught in it, we'll be torn apart!"
Feng Hao gritted his teeth. "This is insane! A Celestial-ranked beast shouldn't even exist here — this region's laws can't sustain one!"
Lin Feng stood at the forefront, cloak fluttering violently. The serpent's gaze locked onto him, ancient and filled with primal recognition. Its eyes glowed azure — the same hue as the faint aura surrounding Lin Feng's sword.
Something deep within the beast stirred. And something deep within Lin Feng stirred in answer.
The Azure Sword trembled, its edge resonating in a low, mournful hum. Lin Feng felt the pulse of life inside the blade, echoing through his veins like liquid fire.
"The Azure Flame… awakens."
The voice from before — ancient, distant — whispered again in his mind.
Lin Feng's eyes narrowed. "So you remember me, don't you?"
The serpent's roar shattered the air, and it lunged.
A blur of blue light — faster than thunder — smashed toward him. Lin Feng met it head-on, his sword flashing with celestial brilliance. The impact shook the abyss; shockwaves rippled outward, erasing everything within a mile.
Wu Tian screamed, "Lin Feng!"
But the figure in the center of the explosion stood firm. Lin Feng slid backward a few meters, dust swirling around him, boots cutting trenches into the stone. His robe was torn at the shoulder, blood trickling down — but his stance remained unbroken.
> "It's strong," he muttered, eyes blazing. "But not invincible."
He vanished — reappearing above the serpent's head in a blur of sword intent.
The Azure Sword Art – Third Form: Dragon Reversal erupted.
A roaring azure dragon made of pure sword qi spiraled downward, crashing into the beast's skull. The serpent howled, scales shattering, black blood raining across the battlefield.
Feng Hao's jaw dropped. "That… that attack— it nearly cut through its divine hide!"
Wu Tian stared, awe flooding his eyes. "He's fighting a Celestial beast alone… and holding ground."
Lu Xiang, however, watched quietly, expression unreadable. A faint smirk curved his lips. "He's awakening something he doesn't yet understand."
The serpent retaliated — space itself twisting around its coils. Runes of void energy appeared in the air, forming spirals that began dragging Lin Feng inward.
The beast roared once more — and an explosion of void lightning engulfed him.
Wu Tian raised a shield talisman. "LIN FENG!"
The abyss turned blinding white — and then silent.
When the light faded, Lin Feng knelt amidst rubble, armor cracked, blood dripping from his mouth. The serpent loomed above him, one eye shattered, fury radiating in waves.
He coughed, forcing himself to stand. "So this… is the strength of the Celestial Realm?"
Every instinct told him to retreat. But something deeper — something primal — urged him to rise instead.
The Azure Sword pulsed violently, light spreading across his arm. The world blurred; his perception expanded. He could suddenly see the flow of energy — not just from the beast, but from the very abyss itself.
The ancient ruins below began to glow, lines of power connecting to his feet, surging up into his body.
"Azure Flame… Rebirth Form," Lin Feng whispered.
The world ignited in blue fire.
Flames burst from his body — not ordinary flames, but essence fire, burning through space itself. His hair floated weightlessly, eyes glowing a piercing sapphire.
The serpent hesitated — a flicker of fear passing through its celestial consciousness.
"You… bearer of the flame," it growled telepathically, voice trembling with ancient memory. "That power… shouldn't exist anymore."
Lin Feng raised his sword slowly. "Yet it does."
He swung once.
Just once.
The azure flame curved outward, tearing through the serpent's shoulder. The creature roared, spinning violently as half its body disintegrated into mist. The abyss quaked, collapsing islands falling into the void below.
Wu Tian and the others were thrown back by the sheer force of the impact.
Lin Feng floated in mid-air, surrounded by a ring of azure fire. His aura burned brighter than ever — stable, condensed, unstoppable. He could feel his bottleneck cracking, his spirit force surging toward an entirely new realm.
The Celestial Realm… so this is the next step.
He inhaled deeply — and the flames drew inward, merging into his core.
A deep rumble echoed through the void. The heavens above the abyss parted, and a storm of divine light poured down.
Feng Hao's eyes widened. "He's… breaking through? Here?!"
Wu Tian covered his eyes as the light intensified. "That's not possible! His body— it can't withstand celestial tribulation energy yet!"
But Lin Feng's body held. His sword intent devoured the storm, absorbing the lightning and divine flame into himself. His blood felt like molten stars; his bones sang with sword resonance.
And in that storm of chaos, the Azure Sword Flame within him completed its awakening.
The serpent, now half-destroyed, released one final, defiant roar — a roar filled with both fear and respect.
Lin Feng stepped forward through the storm, eyes glowing like twin suns.
"Return to rest," he said quietly, voice echoing across the abyss.
"Your watch is over."
He raised his sword.
The azure light flashed once — and the serpent dissolved into starlight, its immense form scattering into a thousand glowing fragments.
Silence fell.
Only the whisper of falling debris filled the air.
When the light finally faded, Lin Feng stood alone at the edge of the cliff. His aura was different now — deeper, purer, transcendent.
Wu Tian approached cautiously, disbelief written across his face. "You… broke through."
Lin Feng nodded slowly. His gaze turned upward, to the twin suns glowing faintly beyond the dissipating storm. "The abyss tried to bury me… but it only sharpened my blade."
Feng Hao exhaled shakily, sheathing his sword. "Remind me never to question you again."
Lu Xiang, however, only smiled faintly. "Congratulations, Lin Feng. You've touched the Celestial Realm… but every ascension casts a longer shadow."
His words hung in the air like a prophecy.
Far above them, in the heavens, a ripple of light spread outward — as if the higher powers had taken notice of Lin Feng's awakening.
A faint voice, unseen, whispered among the clouds:
"The Azure Flame stirs again… after ten thousand years."
And in that moment, fate shifted.
The world of the higher realm would never be the same again.