The battle had ended, but the world was far from at peace.
The once-glorious sky, home to the celestial gods, was now torn apart, divine palaces reduced to dust, and golden rivers of celestial blood flowed endlessly. The heavens, once thought invincible, had suffered the unthinkable—defeat at the hands of a single man.
And that man stood amidst the ruins, unscathed.
Xiao Lan gazed at the remnants of the battlefield, his crimson and gold eyes reflecting the dying radiance of fallen gods. His Abyssal Demonbane Sword, still humming with untamed power, pulsed in anticipation—it was not yet satisfied.
But Xiao Lan?
He smirked.
"So, this is the power of the heavens?" His voice was calm, yet it carried an arrogance that pierced through the shattered skies. "Pathetic."
The few remaining Divine Lords trembled in fear, their so-called immortality now meaningless in the presence of the one who had surpassed all limits.
They had fought, they had unleashed the strongest divine techniques, but none of it mattered. Xiao Lan had ascended beyond comprehension.
And now, the Supreme Celestial Emperor would have no choice but to respond.
—
Far Beyond the Mortal Realm… The Celestial Throne Room
Within the Eternal Palace of the Celestial Emperor, an oppressive silence filled the grand hall. Twelve colossal pillars, each inscribed with the ancient laws of existence, stood tall. A floor of starlight and divine essence shimmered beneath an endless void.
Seated upon the Throne of the Supreme Dao, the Celestial Emperor remained motionless, his expression unreadable.
But his golden eyes burned with an emotion unseen for eons—rage.
Before him, a row of kneeling celestial messengers shivered, unable to lift their heads. Divine Lords had fallen, the very foundation of heaven had been shaken, and the heavens themselves were no longer supreme.
"Xiao Lan…"
His voice was soft, but it echoed through all realms.
The messengers flinched, feeling an immense pressure threaten to crush their very existence.
"This mortal… no, this aberration… has defied the heavens. He has slain my Divine Lords."
The space around the throne began to shatter as an unfathomable divine force surged forth. The Celestial Emperor clenched his fist, and the laws of reality bent to his will.
"He has declared war upon the heavens. And for that…"
"I shall descend."
—
Back on the Battlefield…
Xiao Lan suddenly felt a shift in reality itself.
The air grew heavy. The world dimmed, as if something beyond existence itself was approaching.
Then—
BOOM!
A pillar of pure golden light crashed down from the sky, splitting the heavens apart. The weight of infinity pressed down upon the mortal realm, making even the strongest beings feel like mere ants before a supreme force.
From within the divine radiance, a single figure emerged.
A man dressed in robes woven from the stars themselves, his crown radiating the laws of the cosmos, his very presence an embodiment of absolute authority.
The Supreme Celestial Emperor had arrived.
The world froze. Time itself seemed to halt.
Xiao Lan, however, only smirked. His grip on his sword tightened, and his aura flared even stronger.
"So, the king of the heavens finally decides to show himself?" His voice was filled with amusement. "Took you long enough."
The final battle between a mortal and a god beyond gods was about to begin.
To Be Continued…
—