Myth Beyond Heaven

Ning Yue hesitated for a moment, her expression conflicted. She lowered her gaze, her voice soft but filled with frustration. “No… I can’t fully control the World Tree yet. The power transfer to the World Tree sprout inside my body is incomplete. It will take a very long time before I can fully merge with it.”

Yue Yun’s eyes narrowed slightly as she absorbed this information. She remained silent for a moment, her mind racing through possibilities.

The battle with Yao Xi and Yao Huang had proven that their enemies were far stronger than anticipated, and time was not on their side. If Ning Yue couldn’t fully control the World Tree, their chances of victory against the Lord of Chaos and Fan Shen would diminish significantly.

After a moment of contemplation, Yue Yun spoke, her voice calm but firm. “There is a way to speed up the process.”

Ning Yue looked up, her eyes filled with a mix of hope and apprehension. “What way?”

Yue Yun’s gaze was steady as she replied, “Yun Lintian. He can accelerate the power transfer through the Tree of Life. His connection to the World Tree is far deeper than anyone else’s. If he intervenes, the process can be completed in a fraction of the time.”

Ning Yue’s expression shifted, her brows furrowing as she processed this suggestion. Her heart felt heavy, and she shook her head slightly. “No… I can’t trouble him with this. He already carries so much on his shoulders. I don’t want to be a burden to him. I want to share his burden, not add to it.”

Yue Yun’s gaze softened slightly, but her tone remained resolute. “This is the only way. If you can’t fully control the World Tree, we won’t be able to protect it-or ourselves. Yao Huang and the others won’t stop here. They will return, and next time, they will be even stronger. We need you at your full strength, and Yun Lintian is the only one who can make that happen.”

Ning Yue clenched her fists, her inner conflict evident. She wanted to argue, to find another way, but deep down, she knew Yue Yun was right. The stakes were too high, and time was running out. Still, the thought of troubling Yun Lintian weighed heavily on her heart.

After a long silence, Ning Yue finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. “Is it true… that you’re really his daughter?”

Yue Yun’s expression remained calm, but there was a flicker of something deeper in her eyes -something that hinted at a complicated past. She didn’t answer immediately, instead turning her gaze toward the distant horizon, where the faint glow of the World Tree could still be seen.

“It’s… complicated,” Yue Yun said after a moment, her voice tinged with a hint of melancholy. “I will explain everything later. But for now, we need to focus on what’s important. The World Tree must be protected, and you are the key to that. Whether you like it or not, Yun Lintian is the only one who can help you fully awaken its power.”

Ning Yue bit her lip, her mind still torn. She wanted to believe there was another way, but the reality was clear. The enemies they faced were too powerful, and the World Tree was too important to risk. If she couldn’t fully control its power, everything they had fought for could be lost.

Finally, she nodded, her voice trembling slightly. “Alright… I’ll do it. But I don’t want to trouble him more than necessary. If there’s any other way-“

“There isn’t,” Yue Yun interrupted, her tone firm but not unkind. “This is the only way. Trust me, Yun Lintian would want to help. He wouldn’t see you as a burden. He would see this as his responsibility, just as much as it is yours.”

Ning Yue took a deep breath, trying to steady her emotions. She knew Yue Yun was right, but it didn’t make the decision any easier.

“Alright,” she said again, her voice stronger this time.

“Good.” Yue Yun nodded slightly.

The two women stood in silence for a moment, the weight of their decision hanging heavily in the air.

Yue Yun turned to look at the four Dragon God Ancestors and said gently, “You don’t have to blame yourselves, Seniors. They are, after all, the inheritors of the Primordial Gods. It’s not something you can handle. Moreover, your powers have been declining over the years.” Long Er sighed heavily. “I feel ashamed.”

Long San and the others remained silent. This battle made them realize how weak they truly

were.

Yue Yun looked at them and said, “Senior Long Yi also made a mistake. He failed to protect the Azure World.”

“What!?” Ning Yue and the Dragon God Ancestors exclaimed in shock.

“The Azure World…?” Ning Yue asked tremblingly. She knew very well how important the Azure World was for Yun Lintian.

“Not yet,” Yue Yun shook her head. “They plan to use it against Yun Lintian… But they definitely miscalculated this one.”

Ning Yue breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. “It’s good. There’s still a chance.” “Hmm?” Yue Yun suddenly sensed something and turned to look at the void above. Her expression turned serious.

The air shimmered, and a figure slowly materialized in the void, seemingly stepping out from behind a veil of reality. It was a man dressed in black robes, his appearance unremarkable except for the aura of profound stillness that surrounded him. His eyes, dark and deep as the abyss itself, scanned the scene before him with a calm, almost detached curiosity.

Ning Yue and the Dragon God Ancestors tensed immediately, their auras flaring as they prepared for a fight. But Yue Yun raised her hand, signaling them to stand down. She recognized the man.

“Si Junyi,” Yue Yun said, her voice calm but laced with caution. “The inheritor of the God of Death. What brings you here?”

Si Junyi landed softly on the ground, his black robes billowing slightly in the breeze. He glanced at Yue Yun, his expression indifferent. “It’s quite strange to see Yun Lintian’s daughter,” he said, his voice calm and devoid of malice. “But I am not here to fight.”

Ning Yue’s eyes widened at his words, but she remained silent, her gaze flickering between Yue Yun and Si Junyi.

Yue Yun’s expression remained calm, but her eyes narrowed slightly. “If you’re not here to fight, then what is your purpose?”

Si Junyi didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he reached into his robes and pulled out a small, dark stone. The stone was smooth and polished, its surface shimmering with an eerie, otherworldly light. He tossed it to Yue Yun, who caught it effortlessly.

“This is the Netherworld River Stone,” Si Junyi said, his voice calm and indifferent. “It will help strengthen the World Tree.”