The dawn came softly over Mount Qingshan, yet the world no longer felt the same.
The air itself shimmered with divine resonance — the aftereffect of Lin Tian's union with his past self.
He stood silently at the mountain's edge, wind brushing through his hair, his aura serene but immeasurable.
Around him, the flow of the world seemed to obey his will. The whisper of the river, the rustle of trees, the pulse of the sky — everything existed in harmony with him.
Yet deep inside, he knew peace was an illusion.
The Celestial System still pulsed within his mind, silent but vigilant, waiting for the next command.
Suddenly, the world trembled.
A beam of golden light descended from the heavens, forming a glowing symbol before him — a circular gate, its surface carved with divine runes that no mortal could comprehend.
Ding!
[New Directive: Enter the Realm of Origin]
[Warning: No return possible until trial completion.]
Lin Tian gazed at the gate, eyes calm.
"The Realm of Origin… so that's where the truth lies."
Without hesitation, he stepped forward. The gate flared, swallowing him whole.
He awoke to a silence deeper than any he had known.
The world around him was vast — endless plains of shimmering crystal and rivers of light flowing through the sky. Mountains floated in midair, their peaks wreathed in eternal flame. The stars here did not shine — they breathed, alive with divine intent.
This was no ordinary realm. This was the birthplace of laws — the source of all creation.
"So this is the Realm of Origin…" Lin Tian whispered, his voice echoing through the void.
From the horizon, a colossal temple emerged, suspended upon pillars of energy that stretched beyond sight. Its gates bore a single symbol — the Nexus Sigil — glowing faintly in answer to the mark on Lin Tian's palm.
He began his ascent. With every step toward the temple, visions flickered before him — flashes of ancient wars between gods, titans, and beings who shaped existence itself. He saw the creation of the Nexus — a sphere of infinite light forged to balance chaos and order across realms.
And then, a voice spoke.
Not from outside, but from within his soul.
"Lin Tian… you've come far. But you are not the first."
The sky darkened. A shape materialized before him — a figure cloaked in pure energy, its form unstable yet commanding. Its face was hidden, but Lin Tian could feel its gaze pierce him completely.
"Who are you?" Lin Tian demanded.
The being extended its hand, and behind it appeared countless echoes — shadows of warriors, immortals, and cultivators from different eras.
"I am the First Nexus Guardian — the one who failed to protect the balance. Those who came before you also sought to wield the Nexus… and perished."
Lin Tian narrowed his eyes.
"Then this realm is a graveyard of those who couldn't endure its truth."
The Guardian nodded slowly.
"And soon, it may be yours."
The ground split apart. From the cracks rose spectral warriors — embodiments of chaos, their bodies woven from broken laws of creation. Their eyes burned with mindless hatred.
"Your trial," said the Guardian, "is to restore the balance within this realm — or be consumed by it."
Lin Tian's aura surged. Golden light enveloped him as the Celestial Duality flared to life — one side pure as the sun, the other shadowed like midnight.
"Then let the heavens bear witness — I, Lin Tian, shall bring harmony even to the chaos of origin!"
The spectral army charged.
Lin Tian moved like a storm.
Each strike of his palm shattered the laws of matter. Each breath invoked the rhythm of the Nexus. Waves of light and shadow intertwined, erasing foes in perfect balance — destruction and creation in one motion.
But as he fought, he felt something strange — every enemy he destroyed left behind fragments of memory, seeping into him. Memories not his own.
He saw glimpses — of an immortal woman with silver eyes, of a throne made of starlight, of a promise to "unite the heavens once more."
Pain lanced through his mind. The world flickered.
"What are these visions?" he shouted.
The Guardian's voice boomed:
"They are the truth buried within the Nexus. Each bearer inherits the will of those before. To control it, you must bear their sorrow!"
Lin Tian fell to his knees as thousands of memories invaded him — lifetimes of triumph, regret, and destruction.
He screamed, his body trembling, his aura unstable.
But then, through the chaos, he remembered his mortal self — the life on Earth, the people he swore to protect, and the compassion that anchored his soul.
His heart steadied.
He stood again, his energy stabilizing. The two halves of his power — divine and human — merged completely.
The world shone in response.
"I carry not just their pain," he said, "but their hope."
A massive burst of golden light erupted from his body, cleansing the corrupted realm. The spectral warriors dissolved into mist, and the Guardian stepped back, its form trembling.
"You… balanced the realm without destroying it. No one has ever done that."
The Nexus mark on Lin Tian's hand blazed brighter than ever before.
Ding!
[Trial Complete: Realm of Origin Stabilized]
[Nexus Authority Expanded: 72%.]
[Memory Fragment Unlocked: The Celestial Queen's Oath.]
Lin Tian looked up, the temple doors before him opening silently.
Inside lay a throne — not of gold, but of pure energy. Upon it rested a crown of stars.
A whisper drifted from the light beyond:
"Welcome, Nexus Chosen. The Queen awaits."
Lin Tian stepped forward, his eyes calm but burning with resolve.
"Then the next chapter of my destiny begins here — in the heart of creation itself."
The gates closed behind him, sealing the Realm of Origin in divine silence.