The moment the gigantic golden eyes opened beyond the cracked heavens, the entire mortal world fell into silence.
Not metaphorically.
Literally.
Wind stopped moving.
Rain froze midair.
Even spiritual energy throughout the city became still, as if reality itself had paused under the gaze of something too ancient to comprehend.
Every hidden cultivator within thousands of miles felt their souls tremble violently.
Some collapsed unconscious instantly.
Others coughed blood without understanding why.
Inside underground cultivation sects, old monsters who had slept for decades suddenly opened their eyes in horror.
Because they all felt the same thing.
An existence beyond the mortal world…
Had looked down.
The Watcher remained kneeling on the shattered street, silver robes trembling under the pressure descending from above. Its emotionless face had finally cracked completely.
Fear.
Pure fear.
"…Why would the Ancient Court awaken…"
The old man's breathing became uneven beside Zhao Ren.
His face had gone pale.
"Those eyes shouldn't exist anymore…"
Zhao Ren looked upward with trembling pupils.
"What the hell are they?!"
The old man answered slowly, almost unwillingly.
"The rulers before the upper realms existed."
Silence.
Lin Yanyan's gaze immediately shifted toward Su Chen.
Because the moment those eyes appeared—
The pressure around him changed again.
The golden markings across his body pulsed slowly now, no longer violent or unstable. The ancient power inside him had calmed slightly, as if responding to the eyes above the heavens.
Like recognition.
Or acknowledgment.
The voice inside his mind echoed deeply.
Ancient Court authority detected.
Bloodline resonance increasing.
Primordial synchronization: 63%
More memories surged into Su Chen's mind.
An endless golden palace floating beyond stars.
Ancient beings kneeling beneath colossal thrones.
And at the very center—
A figure surrounded by countless golden chains staring directly toward him.
Toward his soul.
Then the memory vanished instantly.
Su Chen's eyes sharpened slightly.
The Watcher slowly raised its head despite the overwhelming pressure crushing it.
Its silver gaze locked onto Su Chen again.
"…What are you?"
The question felt different now.
Not arrogant.
Not judgmental.
Desperate.
Su Chen looked at the Watcher calmly.
"I was about to ask you the same thing."
The gigantic golden eyes above the heavens blinked once more.
BOOM.
The pressure descending onto the Watcher multiplied instantly.
Cracks spread across its silver robes as dark blood spilled from its mouth for the first time.
The old man inhaled sharply.
"The Ancient Court is rejecting it…"
Lin Yanyan's eyes narrowed.
"Rejecting?"
The old man nodded slowly.
"Watchers serve the upper realms."
A pause.
"But the Ancient Court existed before the upper realms."
That sentence alone carried terrifying implications.
Meaning the beings above the heavens now…
Were older than the powers controlling the current cultivation world.
The Watcher clearly understood that too.
Its body trembled slightly as it looked upward.
Then suddenly—
It moved.
Not toward Su Chen.
Toward the sky.
Silver light exploded from its body as countless law chains erupted upward violently, trying to reconnect with the shattered heavenly formation.
The old man's face changed instantly.
"It's trying to reopen the upper realm passage!"
Su Chen's golden eyes lifted slightly.
Then—
He raised his hand calmly.
The surrounding spiritual energy froze.
Not controlled.
Subjugated.
Every law chain erupting from the Watcher suddenly stopped midair.
The Watcher's pupils contracted violently.
"…Impossible."
Su Chen slowly closed his hand.
CRACK.
Every silver chain shattered instantly.
The backlash exploded through the district like thunder, forcing the Watcher backward again.
Dark blood spilled from its mouth onto the ruined street.
For the first time—
It looked weak.
Lin Yanyan stared silently at Su Chen.
This wasn't ordinary strength anymore.
This wasn't even cultivation anymore.
It felt like dominance written into existence itself.
The Watcher staggered slightly before stabilizing.
Its silver eyes remained fixed on Su Chen.
"…You're already inheriting authority."
"Authority?" Zhao Ren repeated blankly.
The old man answered quietly.
"In ancient times, true rulers didn't use spiritual pressure."
His gaze stayed on Su Chen.
"They used authority."
A pause.
"The right to command reality itself."
Silence followed immediately.
Because everyone present had already seen it happen.
Su Chen wasn't overpowering laws through force.
The laws themselves were bending around him.
The Watcher's voice became colder again despite its damaged state.
"If the Ancient Court truly notices you…"
It paused slightly.
"…Then the upper realms will descend completely."
The old man's expression darkened instantly.
"No…"
Lin Yanyan looked toward him sharply.
"What does that mean?"
The old man exhaled heavily.
"It means war."
The city trembled again.
Far above the cracked heavens, the gigantic golden eyes slowly began fading back into darkness.
But before disappearing completely—
One final pulse descended from above.
Golden light briefly enveloped Su Chen's body.
The ancient markings across his skin stabilized instantly.
Then the voice inside his mind echoed once more.
First bloodline seal partially released.
Primordial synchronization: 71%
Authority awakening complete.
The moment the voice ended—
Everything became quiet again.
The pressure vanished.
The frozen rain resumed falling.
Wind moved once more across the ruined streets.
But nothing felt normal anymore.
The heavens above the city slowly repaired themselves, the cracks disappearing little by little until only dark clouds remained.
Like none of it had ever happened.
Except for the destroyed district.
And the silence between everyone standing there.
The Watcher slowly straightened its body despite the injuries covering it now.
Its silver eyes no longer carried superiority.
Only cold caution.
"You are now marked."
Su Chen looked at it calmly.
"I figured."
"The upper realms will come."
"Then let them."
The Watcher stared at him for several long seconds.
Then—
For the first time—
It bowed its head slightly.
Not respect.
Acknowledgment.
"Your bloodline truly survived."
The old man's eyes widened slightly.
Because Watchers never bowed to mortals.
Never.
The Watcher's body then began dissolving slowly into silver particles.
Before disappearing completely, it spoke one final sentence.
"The next ones sent after you… will not hesitate like I did."
Then it vanished.
Silence returned to the ruined district.
Zhao Ren finally released a shaky breath and dropped onto the broken asphalt.
"…I think I'm losing my mind."
"No," the old man muttered quietly.
"We just witnessed history waking up again."
Lin Yanyan walked toward Su Chen slowly.
He still stood beneath the rain calmly, golden traces fading gradually beneath his skin.
But now—
Something about him felt untouchable.
Ancient.
Dangerous.
Yet when he looked at her—
His eyes softened slightly.
Still human.
At least for now.
Lin Yanyan stopped directly in front of him.
Rain slid quietly down her dark hair as she stared into his eyes.
Then she asked softly,
"…Are you still Su Chen?"
A brief silence followed.
Then Su Chen smiled faintly.
"Yes."
But deep inside his soul—
Something ancient had already begun opening its eyes completely.