Golden light surrounded Yue Ning's body as Heaven's portal continued pulling her upward. The entire realm trembled beneath its power. Floating land fragments shook slightly above the endless mirror-like lake while countless white spiritual flowers drifted wildly through the air. Tears slowly formed in Yue Ning's eyes as she felt her fingers slipping away from his. Panic overtook her face. "Shou Heng!!" Her voice echoed throughout the entire realm.
Everyone assumed it was over. Even the Heaven members relaxed slightly, believing Heaven had already won. Then suddenly, Shou Heng moved. Without hesitation, he lunged forward through the golden light and grabbed her hand once more. His grip was firm despite Heaven's force desperately trying to separate them. Spiritual energy exploded around their joined hands, causing white petals to scatter everywhere. He slowly lifted his gaze toward Li Cang, his expression colder than anyone had ever seen before. "I said… I'm not letting her go." Yue Ning turned toward him, her eyes widening as more tears escaped. "Shou Heng… don't…" Li Cang frowned deeply. "Release her." Shou Heng didn't even look away from Yue Ning. "No." Mu Qing stepped forward, his voice becoming stern. "You dare oppose Heaven?"
Shou Heng looked at him. His golden eyes darkened immediately. "I oppose anyone who tries to take her away." Yue Ning looked at him, her entire chest tightening painfully. "Shou Heng…" He turned back toward her instantly, the coldness in his eyes disappearing the moment he saw her face. His hand slowly tightened around hers. "I'm here." Yue Ning shook her head desperately. "No… don't do this…" He smiled softly at her. "Why?" Her lips trembled. "Because this is Heaven." He laughed quietly, but there was sadness hidden within it. "And?" Tears rolled down her cheeks. "You'll get hurt." Shou Heng gently lifted their joined hands between them and looked at her. "Yue Ning… if letting you go means protecting myself…" He shook his head slowly. "Then I don't want that kind of protection."Her breathing became uneven. "You're being stubborn again." He smiled faintly. "I've always been stubborn." She let out a weak laugh through her tears. "Yes… you really have."
He stepped closer despite the overwhelming force pressing against him from every direction. White flowers swirled around both of them. "Do you remember the first day we met?" Yue Ning stared at him for a moment before nodding slowly. "I do." His smile softened. "You weren't afraid of me." She laughed softly despite herself. "You looked lonely." He blinked once before smiling sadly. "You always saw through me." More tears gathered in her eyes. "And you always waited for me."
He looked at her quietly for a moment. Then he said softly, "I would wait a thousand years if it meant seeing you again." The tears she had been holding back fell. "Shou Heng…" He reached up with his free hand and gently wiped her tears away with his thumb. "Don't cry." She laughed weakly through her tears. "How can I not cry right now?" He smiled at her. "Because your smile is prettier." She looked away. "You're saying things like that at a time like this?" He chuckled softly. "When else should I say them?" She shook her head while laughing and crying at the same time. "You're impossible." His expression softened. "And yet… you still chose me." She froze instantly. Her eyes slowly lifted back toward him.
Yue Ning's lips trembled slightly. "I did." He nodded once. "Then let me choose you too." Even Mu qing looked away for a brief moment and Li Cang's expression hardened. "Enough. This ends now." Golden chains suddenly appeared around Yue Ning, pulling her harder toward the portal. She gasped as her body was dragged upward. "Ah!" Shou Heng instantly stepped forward again, refusing to release her hand.
Veins appeared across his arm as he resisted Heaven itself. Mu Qing frowned. "Stop this madness." But Shou Heng didn't even spare him a glance. His eyes remained fixed entirely on Yue Ning. She looked terrified now. "Please stop… please…" He smiled softly at her again."Why are you afraid?"More tears fell from her eyes."Because I don't want you to get hurt because of me."
His expression softened even more. He slowly shook his head. "Listen carefully, Yue Ning." She stared at him. His voice dropped lower, "Loving you was never something I regretted." Her breath caught instantly. He smiled sadly. "Even if Heaven punishes me." Another tear escaped her eye. "Even if the entire world stands against me." He stepped closer again. "Even if fate separates us." His eyes never left hers. "I would still choose you all over again." Yue Ning completely broke down. Her shoulders trembled as she cried openly now. She squeezed his hand as tightly as she could. "Shou Heng…" He slowly pressed his forehead against hers despite Heaven's overwhelming force trying to separate them. Then he whispered quietly, "I don't care about Heaven." She stared at him through blurred vision. He smiled softly. "The person important to me is here." His fingers intertwined with hers completely. "That's all that matters."
Golden light continued dragging her upward, yet Shou Heng still refused to let go of her hand. For a moment, he stood between Heaven's force and her fragile figure like a barrier that would not break. His gaze sharpened when he felt Mu Qing's killing intent fully lock onto him. Slowly, he shifted his stance and gently pushed Yue Ning behind him, his voice low but firm, "Stay behind me." Yue Ning grabbed his sleeve immediately, panic flashing across her face, "Shou Heng, don't fight them please!" He didn't look back, only replied softly, "I already decided."
Mu Qing's expression darkened as golden energy gathered around his palm, forming dozens of sharp celestial swords that hovered in the air like judgment itself. "A mere demon cannot challenge Heaven." With a single motion, the swords shot forward like a storm of light tearing through space. Shou Heng exhaled slowly, and the ground beneath him responded instantly countless flower vines erupted from the shattered land, twisting upward like living guardians. The vines collided with the golden swords mid-air, causing violent bursts of light and shockwaves that shattered nearby floating petals. He moved forward without hesitation, his body slipping between attacks with unnatural grace, avoiding each strike as if he already knew where it would land. Mu Qing narrowed his eyes, "You rely on nature's tricks. It won't save you."
Shou Heng's expression remained calm as he raised his hand slightly, and giant spiritual flowers bloomed instantly from the ground, their petals thick enough to block incoming strikes, absorbing and redirecting celestial energy. "Then stop underestimating me." he said coldly. Mu Qing's aura flared violently, and in the next moment, he descended directly into the battlefield, his hand igniting with pure heavenly lightning that cracked the sky itself. "Know your place!" he shouted as the lightning struck downward.
The explosion shook the entire realm, cracks spreading across floating land fragments and shaking the mirror-like lake below. Shou Heng barely moved in time, twisting his body as the lightning tore past him, burning the ground behind. He countered immediately, vines shooting upward to bind Mu Qing's movement, but Mu Qing shattered them instantly with a burst of divine force.Yue Ning struggled behind Shou Heng, tears in her eyes as she screamed again, "Stop! Both of you, please stop!"Li Cang raised his hand, his expression unreadable as more heavenly seals began forming in the sky. "Enough!" he said calmly.
Shou Heng looked up briefly at the sealing formation, then back at Yue Ning for a split second. His voice softened only for her, "Close your eyes." Yue Ning shook her head desperately, "No...don't do this!" But he already turned away. The moment he faced Heaven again, the gentleness in his eyes disappeared.Mu Qing's lightning surged once more, Li Cang's seals descended, and Shou Heng stood alone in the center of the storm, vines and flowers rising around him.
The battlefield trembled as the heavenly pressure intensified further, as if Heaven itself had decided to end the conflict completely. More golden seals appeared in the sky, forming layered formations that rotated slowly like divine wheels of judgment. Four celestial attendants descended from the clouds, their expressions cold and detached, immediately surrounding Shou Heng from all directions. Without hesitation, chains of golden energy shot toward him, aiming to bind his limbs and suppress his spiritual core.
Shou Heng moved instantly, twisting his body and snapping several chains apart with raw force, but the moment he destroyed one, two more replaced it, tightening the encirclement. Hua Lin, standing at the edge of the battlefield, took a step forward with visible unease, her voice tense, "Stop this… it will only get worse." Shou Heng didn't even look at her, his voice low and sharp as he deflected another chain, "Then tell Heaven to stop." Li Cang's gaze darkened, his tone absolute, "Heaven's orders are absolute." Shou Heng paused,slowly turning his head toward him.His eyes narrowed slightly. "Then Heaven is wrong."
The crimson storm of petals continued swirling around him then the heaven attendants reacted first, their expressions shifting from shock to outrage. One of them stepped forward sharply, his voice cutting through the heavy air, "How dare a lower realm being question Heaven's decree!" Another attendant raised his hand, golden chains forming again as he snarled, "Erase him immediately! This creature has lost all sense of order!" Mu Qing's grip tightened on his weapon as he glanced toward Li Cang, his voice tense, "He has crossed the line… there is no returning from this." Li Cang's gaze remained fixed on Shou Heng, unreadable for a long moment, before he spoke coldly, "Heaven does not tolerate deviation." A fourth attendant's voice trembled slightly as he looked at the overwhelming energy surrounding Shou Heng, "This power… it's unstable… it's devouring the laws themselves…"
Yue Ning, still standing behind Shou Heng, stepped forward with shaking breath, her voice breaking as she shouted, "Stop! Please stop all of you!" And one of them said sharply, "If you continue to interfere, you will be judged alongside him!" Mu Qing narrowed his eyes, his tone lower now but filled with warning, "Shou Heng, surrender now. Even this form cannot defy Heaven forever." But Shou Heng did not move. His red-gold eyes slowly shifted across them,"I am not defying Heaven." he said quietly. The petals around him sharpened further. "I am correcting it."
Yue Ning's eyes widened in shock behind him, her voice breaking, "Shou Heng…" But before she could reach him, the entire battlefield reacted violently. Every flower across the shattered realm bloomed at once, as if responding to a forbidden command.
The sky above them slowly darkened into a deep, unnatural red, and red lightning began streaking across the heavens like tearing wounds in reality itself. The wind turned violent, spiraling around Shou Heng as countless petals lifted into the air, orbiting him like a storm awakening. His body stood still at the center of it all, yet something about him was changing. His long black hair began to extend further, flowing behind him like a living shadow. Crimson flower markings spread across his neck and climbed toward his jawline, glowing faintly with unnatural energy. His eyes shifted, becoming a piercing mix of red and gold that carried both warmth and destruction. Vine-like patterns wrapped themselves around his arms, pulsing with power. Above his head, a crown formed not of metal, but of blooming red flowers that seemed alive, constantly shifting and opening like they were breathing. His robes transformed entirely, becoming layered garments of black and crimson, with petals floating endlessly around him.
Yue Ning stared at him in disbelief, her voice trembling, "Shou Heng…" Mu Qing's expression cracked, his eyes widening in realization. "Flower Demon King form…" he whispered. Li Cang's calm demeanor broke, his voice low with shock, "Impossible." Shou Heng slowly raised his hand, and the entire battlefield responded. Thousands upon thousands of petals gathered behind him in a swirling mass of crimson light, then each one sharpened, transforming into countless glowing petals shaped like arrows, hovering in the air like an army awaiting command. The pressure they emitted alone was enough to shake the celestial gates. Shou Heng's voice echoed through the storm,"Leave… now."
One of the Heaven attendants gritted his teeth, forcing himself forward through the crushing aura. "You think a threat like this will make Heaven retreat?"Another attendant raised both hands, golden seals forming rapidly as he barked, "All units prepare eradicate the corrupted entity immediately!" Mu Qing stepped forward, his expression cold but focused, "He's no longer negotiating. He's declaring war." Yue Ning's breath shook as she looked at Shou Heng's back, her voice breaking, "Shou Heng… stop… please…" but he didn't turn. His attention remained locked entirely on the Heaven forces ahead, as if nothing else existed in that moment. Li Cang moved his hand slightly, and the massive heavenly formation above them rotated with a deep, rumbling sound. "Heaven does not retreat," he said calmly, though his eyes sharpened, "it purifies."
The sky darkened further and celestial seals descended a fraction lower, their weight distorting space itself. Shou Heng exhaled slowly, and in that instant, every petal-arrow behind him tilted forward in perfect synchronization, aiming directly at Heaven's formation. His voice lowered even further, quiet now, "Then you chose your answer." Shou Heng's eyes narrowed slightly. "Don't say I didn't warn you."The moment Shou Heng's warning faded into the storm, the battlefield snapped into full collapse. The sky split with a roar as red lightning descended from above, clashing directly with the golden lightning of Heaven's judgment.
The impact sent shockwaves across the floating land fragments, cracking ancient stone and shaking the mirror-like lake below into chaotic waves of light. At the same instant, the petal-arrows behind Shou Heng launched forward like an unleashed army, tearing through the air with a sound like endless rain of blades. Golden barriers rose instantly in response, forming layered defensive walls in front of the Heaven attendants, but the petals struck without hesitation, piercing through the barriers one after another, shattering them into fragments of light.
The attendants were forced backward, their robes whipping as they struggled to maintain formation. "Defensive formation!!" Mu Qing shouted sharply, stepping forward with both hands raised. "Yes!!" the attendants responded in unison, quickly reinforcing their shields as more golden layers stacked together in front of them. But Shou Heng didn't wait. His expression remained calm, almost terrifyingly composed, as he lifted one hand slightly. In that instant, the sky above him responded. "Ten thousand flower arrows!" he said quietly. And they fell. *BOOM...BOOM...BOOM.* The sound of impact echoed endlessly as the entire battlefield trembled under the rain of crimson destruction. Li Cang stepped forward his expression fully serious now as he formed massive celestial seals in the air, each one spinning with divine authority. "Suppress him!" he commanded.
Shou Heng turned his hand slightly, and the seals shattered mid-formation as if they were nothing more than fragile glass. From the ground beneath him, enormous flower vines erupted, rising hundreds of feet into the sky like living pillars. They twisted, slamming into Heaven's attacks and tearing through their formations, disrupting their energy flow completely. Wind howled across the battlefield, carrying screams of breaking space and collapsing power.
Yue Ning stood behind him, her entire body trembling as she watched the destruction unfold, her voice breaking completely, "Please stop fighting!! Please...both of you...stop!!" But no one listened.Suddenly, multiple attacks broke through the chaos. One golden strike hit Shou Heng's shoulder with brutal force. Another pierced his chest, forcing him back half a step. A third slashed across his back, tearing through his robes and drawing blood instantly. His body staggered and his blood fell from his lips, mixing with the floating petals around him, staining them a darker. Yue Ning's eyes widened in horror. "Shou Heng!!" she screamed, her voice cracking as she tried to run forward, but the pressure pinned her in place.
For a moment, Shou Heng lowered his head slightly, breathing heavily as blood dripped down his chin. His aura flickered,yet even then… he did not fall. Slowly, he raised his head again, eyes still burning red-gold with unbroken resolve. The petals around him trembled, reacting to his will even in his weakened state. He looked directly at Yue Ning for a brief second, then back at heaven's forces, and spoke through clenched breath, "I won't let… anyone take you away."
She tried to step forward again even though the pressure of Heaven pinned her in place. "Stop…" she whispered, voice shaking, tears spilling down her face, "please… Shou Heng, you're already hurt…don't do this anymore..." Shou Heng didn't turn back, but his fingers tightened slightly as pain passed through his body. Blood still dripped from the corner of his lips, yet his voice remained steady when he spoke, softer this time, only for her, "If I stop now… they take you away."
Yue Ning's eyes widened, her voice rising in desperation, "Then let them!! I don't want you to die for me!"Mu Qing saw the opening and stepped forward, golden energy condensing again as he shouted, "He's weakening! Finish him before he stabilizes again!" The attendants moved instantly, raising their weapons, but Li Cang lifted his hand slightly, stopping them for a brief moment as his gaze remained locked on Shou Heng. "Why?!" Li Cang said coldly, "do you insist on resisting what cannot be changed?"
Shou Heng laughed softly under his breath, though it came out broken, "Cannot be changed?" He slowly straightened, even as blood fell onto the petals below him, "You call it fate when it benefits you." His eyes lifted, sharper now despite his injuries, "But when someone refuses it… you call it corruption." Yue Ning shook her head desperately, tears falling faster, "Shou Heng, please… I don't care about fate… I care about you!"He looked at her over his shoulder. "That's why I can't stop!" he said quietly. "Because if I do… you'll disappear from me again."
Mu Qing gritted his teeth, raising his weapon again, "Enough emotional nonsense!! This is Heaven's judgment, not a tragedy!" He lunged forward with a massive golden strike aimed directly at Shou Heng's heart. Yue Ning screamed, "NO!!" Shou Heng turned instantly, vines erupting from the ground to intercept the attack, but the force still pushed through, reopening his wounds and forcing him to his knees for a split second. Blood splattered onto the petals beneath him, staining them deep crimson.
Yue Ning's voice cracked completely, "Shou Heng!! You're going to die!! Stop!! Please stop!!" Shou Heng's hand pressed against the ground, trembling slightly now, but he still forced himself up again. His breathing was uneven, yet his eyes never left the Heaven forces ahead. "Even if I die…" he said quietly, voice rough but unshaken, "I'll stand here until I can't anymore." Yue Ning froze, her lips trembling as she whispered, "Why… why are you so stubborn…" Shou Heng's gaze softened again,"Because you waited for me!" he said. A pause. "So I will not let the world take you from me again."
For a moment, even Mu Qing hesitated, his expression flickering as something uncomfortable stirred in his chest, but Li Cang's voice cut through, "Then Heaven will erase both of you." The sky responded instantly, lightning gathering again.