Above the skies, were the celestials. Immortal beings that governed the mortals and the three realms. The demons refused to allow the immortals to keep ruling with detachment and unfairness.
Thus leading to a long age named, The Heavenly Battle.
500 years ago, the war of celestials and demons were constant. Day and night, only the stench of blood and spiritual energy filled the air.
Countless beings were killed without mercy and those that weren't a part of the war also suffered heavily.
Just as things were at a stalemate where neither the Celestials or the demons were willing to give up, a single person changed the war.
With one slash from his sword, he cut through the mountains, sky, and ocean. He separated the boundary of heaven and the underworld.
With this slash, he drew a line with only one sentence.
"Those that cross this line, die!"
Many beings laughed and sneered when this person wrote this line. Unbothered by this threat, demons and celestials alike took a step forward only to be met with an overwhelming force.
Before they knew it, their origin spirit exploded and their bodies turned to ash.
Since then, no one dared to step into his domain which was in between the three realms.
No one knows who this person is, but a voice had once spoke out:
"Li Xing!"
Not daring to call out his name, they instead referred to him as; The One King. One slash, one sentence, one step. With only one action, they ended the war.
Now 500 years later:
A young handsome man stood on top of a mountain alone as his black hair flowed with the wind. His blue eyes full of detachment and boredom as it stared out into the distance.
The mountains stretched out before him, their jagged peaks reaching toward the heavens, yet he seemed utterly indifferent to their majesty.
The sounds of the wind, the rustling of trees, the distant cries of birds, all of it passed by him without a second thought. He was like an island in a sea of solitude, untouched and unmoved by the forces around him.
From behind him, a noble elderly man with a white beard spoke, "Senior brother, what do you have on your mind?"
Li Xing turned to the old man, "Junior brother." Li Xing eyed his white beard.
Seeing this, the old man just laughed, "Senior brother, I quite like this beard. How about growing one too?"
Li Xing still remained emotionless and shook his head, "I don't like it."
The old man grumbled, "You don't like anything do you?"
However he became startled when his eyes met Li Xing. Li Xing was simply staring at him.
"Senior brother?"
Finally turning back to the rising sun, Li Xing spoke, "It's been 500 years, Junior brother."
The old man was about to something before letting out a sad sigh.
He pleaded, "Senior brother, can you not go?"
Li Xing replied bluntly, "500 years ago, I promised you that I would grant you one wish. Your wish was for me to stop the war between Celestials and Demons. Not only did I grant your wish, I stayed here for 500 years."
He looked towards the old man, "It's time for me to leave."
The old man looked troubled and almost heartbroken, "As your Junior brother, I know that I can't and shouldn't stop you." He held his head up high. "As a Celestial Officer, I should stop you for the good of the world."
Li Xing sighed to himself, "500 years ago, I asked you why you joined the Heavenly court. Can you tell me the same reason now?"
"...I know that you have no good memories with the heavenly court, but rules and order are needed for peace. I joined the heavenly court to save the innocent and guide the wrong."
Li Xing looked in pity and almost disappointment, "Forget it. I'll give you one last chance. I won't draw my sword."
The old man had an sorrowful look in his eye, but his heart was determined, "Thank you, senior brother."
The old man flicked his wrist and a majestic sliver sword–elegant and beautiful–appeared in his hand as he lunged towards Li Xing.
Its blade gleamed with a cold, ethereal light, as if forged from moonlight itself. The hilt was intricately designed, wrapped in leather that seemed to absorb the surrounding shadows, and the sword's elegant curve reflected a grace and precision that was rare to behold.
Spiritual energy flowed as it prepared a devastating thrust.
His body moved with the speed of a shadow, and the sword was an extension of his will, cutting through the air like a blade through silk.
Every movement, every shift in his posture, was a calculated strike meant to incapacitate, not merely to wound.
However to Li Xing, he simply shook his head with a sigh, "Junior brother–"
With a flick from his fingers, Li Xing cause the sword to be thrown out of the old mans hand.
"-you've stagnated."
The old man had to try his best, even though he knew that he wouldn't be able to win. He could only accept the fact that he wasn't able to stop Li Xing from leaving.
With his hands clasped in front of him, he bowed.
However, half way through, he felt a force stop him. He looked towards Li Xing, only to find that he was no longer there.
Li Xing's voice echoed through his ears. "Take care, Mu Heng."
Mu Heng, hearing this once again clasped his hands in front of him; however this time, his hands were trembling.
He bowed in respect and regret, "Take care....Li Xing."
At this moment, the mountain peak with the arrogant sentence, "Those that cross this line, die!" Broke down into shards of rock.
The slash that had been embedded in the three realms, slowly faded as if it was never there in the first place.
Everyone from the heaven realm and the underworld realm; whether it be good or for evil intentions, were awakened to the news of Li Xing's leave.
Some saw his leaving as a sign of an impending shift in the cosmic balance, a potential upheaval in the eternal order.
Others, driven by envy or fear, saw it as an opportunity to seize power, to fill the void left by his absence.
The demons, the spirits, and the shadowy figures who thrived on chaos and discord looked to one another with a mix of anticipation and greed.
In the Heavenly realm at the moment, Mu Heng bowed before the Celestial Emperor and the Celestial empress as he reported about Li Xing.
Celestial officers and warriors looked to each other and began talking in fear. The Celestial Emperor, ruler of the Heaven Realm, sat upon his grand throne, a majestic seat carved from ancient stone that glowed with an ethereal light.
His presence was commanding, a quiet yet unshakable force that demanded reverence from all who stood before him.
Though he looked much younger and nobler than the rest of his officers, his eyes had countless eons of experience and wisdom.
Upon hearing the news of Li Xing's departure, a flicker of uncertainty crossed the Celestial Emperor's stoic demeanor, but it was gone before anyone could perceive it.
The emperor's gaze moved slowly over the assembled council of gods and celestial beings, his silence more powerful than any command.
They stood before him, waiting for a response, their faces a mixture of curiosity and concern. Some of them had long respected Li Xing as a force for balance.
If Li Xing was there, peace was guranteed. With him gone...
Though no one dared to voice these thoughts, deep inside they had come to acknowledge and respect him for ending one of the worst, if not the worst wars in history.
"Li Xing's departure..." the Celestial Emperor began, his voice deep and resonant, echoing through the hall like a distant thunderclap. "It is no trivial matter. His absence will disrupt the delicate balance we have long maintained. Yet, we must not be swayed by fear or temptation. We must act with caution."
A divine general, Jin Wei stepped forward, bowing low. "Your Majesty, should we prepare for the worst? The Underworld Realm may seek to exploit this moment. We know their nature."
The Celestial Emperor's eyes darkened slightly, a subtle indication of his awareness of the danger that loomed. "Yes," he said, his tone grave. "The Underworld will stir. But we must be patient. The tides of fate are not so easily redirected. We will monitor the realms closely and prepare for what is to come. Li Xing may have left, but his legacy will not fade so easily."
In other parts of the universe, the Underworld was in a impasse.
The Underworld court was split in half.
"We have to take this chance and attack! We the devils, are the rightful rulers of the 3 realms!"
"Are you crazy? Do you not remember the heavenly battle? How many demons, spirits, and even our demon kings had died in that war!?"
Just like that, with constant battering no decisions could be made.
Atop the throne of black skeletons, was a young devilish handsome man. His purple eyes allured those that peer into them and his smile made anyone open their hearts to him.
His voice echoed to his servants.
"Enough. I've heard enough."
With only one sentence, everyone in that hall became quiet.
"500 years, access to the mortal realm, and the heavenly realm were blocked. Before we decide on a decision, I want to know what the Heavenly court is planning and whether it would be more beneficial to eradicate them, or befriend them?"
They all looked at each other and bowed towards the devil emperor, Zi Hao.