Chapter 67: The Heavenly Shackles Sever the Body (Part Two)

(ps: Thanks to the reader Shugen for the support, though truly, it's unnecessary. All I need is to know you are reading—your encouragement and suggestions are more than enough for me. In any case, thank you.)

"You have finally... returned once more?!"

A thunderous voice boomed incessantly in Li Ren's ears, a tide of shouts gathered into a wave powerful enough to shake mountains and tremble the earth!

Though there was nothing around him, nothing but the ground beneath his feet and a sea of bleached bones.

Li Ren stood among them, like a god of war returning to the battlefield, surrounded by the roars, cries, and cheers of his soldiers. Was it for the battle to come? For his own return? Or for the heroic souls of fallen comrades?

He listened, dazed, as this voice that could swallow rivers and mountains thundered in his ears, his eyes once again slowly shrouded by a dark mist.

"You shall return! You shall return!"

"You shall return! You shall return!"

The voices gradually diminished, until darkness covered everything once more.

"Did you see it?"

"Yes."

"What did you see?"

"I saw piles of bones."

"And what else?"

"Mountains of remains, war banners fluttering."

"And what else?"

"Nothing more."

"You... did well."

A deathly silence followed. Li Ren didn't know what to say, or perhaps he never even thought to speak, or perhaps he didn't even realize he was speaking, or what he was saying.

"Remember everything from today! You will return."

The voice rang out again. Li Ren felt the deep darkness receding, and panic rose within him, as if the only driftwood for a drowning man had been pulled away.

"Don't go! Wait!"

"It seems you've been sealed away for too long. Let me help you one last time."

"Remember, your character is not as useless as you think, or rather, let me show you who you truly are!"

Heavenly Domain.

Shadow Li Ren, who was just about to step out the door, suddenly froze.

He stood stock-still, not moving an inch. A bead of sweat appeared strangely on his forehead, traced down a lock of hair by his temple, slid across his cheek, and finally hung suspended in mid-air. Within the sparkling drop was reflected a strange scene.

Behind him, where Li Ren had originally stood.

A torrent of demonic energy erupted from his body, darkness so pure it ignored all barriers, shattering the illusory room like a mirror in an instant, revealing the true Heavenly Domain.

That overwhelming aura surged skyward, making the leaden clouds above tremble and bow, piercing straight through them, to places unknown.

In the Tower of Realms, everyone—Lantis, the Shadow, the three-headed python, and even the water, wood, metal, sky, earth, and man they had yet to meet—all things, everything, fell silent.

From afar, all that remained in their eyes was profound awe, the aura of a supreme being, leaving them not even the slightest chance to resist.

Lantis bit her lip hard, staring stubbornly at the sky, though all she saw was leaden clouds. The Shadow could only kneel under the immense pressure, his expression full of respect and reverence.

At last, Lantis lowered her proud head, but there was no unwillingness in her gaze—only joy.

She had finally waited for this moment, and it was finally confirmed. She knew from now on she would likely walk a truly irreversible path. Yet at this moment, she felt no reluctance or regret.

"Heavenly Domain." Li Ren had reverted to his skeletal form, his white jade bones gleaming like exquisite works of art.

He did not look back, but softly spoke two words.

At that moment, Shadow Li Ren remained as before, but sweat poured from his brow.

"Heavenly Domain?"

"I am here, I am here!"

Shadow Li Ren finally turned, his face plastered with a hurried, ingratiating smile, answering at once.

"Hmph, after all these millennia, you haven’t changed at all."

"I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare," Heavenly Domain replied with a fawning grin, trailing after Li Ren but not daring to step closer, his body bent nearly double as cold sweat streamed down.

"Why are you so nervous? Am I that terrifying?"

"How could that be? You are the most merciful and kind being in all the world. How could I fear you?"

"Hahaha! To think that such titles as 'merciful' and 'kind' would ever be applied to me. Hmph, it seems you've been idle for too many centuries—perhaps it's time to loosen up your bones a bit."

With a thud, Heavenly Domain fell to his knees, hardly daring to breathe, not even daring to plead for himself, only kneeling with cold sweat pouring down.

"You should be grateful—you know what I mean."

"Yes, great one."

"Hand over what you have guarded and leave of your own accord."

Without another word, Heavenly Domain respectfully placed a ring-shaped object in his palm and raised it above his head.

"My lord, I—" Heavenly Domain stammered, as if wanting to speak but fearing to continue.

"Enough. Now is not the time for you to follow me. Your chance will come."

Heavenly Domain breathed a sigh of relief, his face beaming with joy as he respectfully withdrew.

"Now, I believe you must have gained some understanding," Li Ren murmured to himself, then added, "Somewhat, yes."

The earth-shaking aura suddenly vanished. Li Ren looked down at the seemingly ordinary bronze ring in his hand and slipped it onto his pure white finger bone.

He turned calmly and walked away toward the swirling vortex.

He would never forget that final scene beneath that curtain of darkness!

A hazy, ethereal skeleton, clutching a great blade, violet flames flickering in his eyes, suddenly let out a thunderous roar: "Heavenly Chains!"

With a clatter, chains appeared out of nowhere in the sky, binding him completely. Countless iron chains pierced every bone, locking him tightly in midair.

Within the expressionless violet flames in his eyes, a look of utter resolve emerged: "Sever—the body!"

With a sudden motion, the giant blade stood upright, descending from top to bottom in a single, decisive stroke—cleaving him in two!

After that strike, the blade shattered, scattering into countless fragments.

"Hahaha! So you have chosen this path as well! Good!" The skeleton burst into wild laughter.

A crack ran from the top of his skull down to his feet, splitting him neatly in half. Yet, because of the Heavenly Chains, his form remained whole.

"From here on, it is up to you!"

He gazed toward Li Ren, who was being dragged away at tremendous speed.

"Why? Tell me why!" Li Ren screamed desperately.

"Because you are to become the legacy—the cursed inheritor across millennia! You will inherit everything, though I know, perhaps to you, it is utterly meaningless."

The voice faded into the distance, and Li Ren returned to his own body. Heavenly Chains, sever the body?

"You are right, all of this means nothing to me. But I will find my own meaning for existing, won’t I?"

"Since it is severed, let it be severed completely!"

In the land where all things slumber, only a single sigh remained...