Veil of the Shattered Heavens

The mountain was serene, the chaotic energy from earlier absorbed into silence. Mei Xue stood a short distance away, her gaze fixed on Xuan Li. His figure radiated an aura of tranquility, yet there was something stirring—a shift in the balance of nature itself. Suddenly, ripples began forming around him, distorting the air. The soft hum of energy turned into a steady roar, signaling the start of something immense. Mei Xue's eyes widened. 

"He's breaking through," she whispered, her heartbeat quickening. Sensing the mounting intensity, she stepped back instinctively, retreating to a safer distance. 

As the moments passed, the ripples around Xuan Li grew fiercer, morphing into a cyclone of air and energy. The mountain trembled under the pressure, rocks dislodging and cascading down its slopes. Above, the four luminous figures in the sky—manifestations from the Heavenly Edge Sect, Shen Wu Sect, Blazing Sun Sect, and Dragon Dive Sect—still glowed from the earlier celebrations. 

The sect masters, their disciples, and the common people below, oblivious to what was unfolding, celebrated the blessings of the heavens. They prayed fervently, their voices resonating across the lands. None could predict the force about to shake their world. 

On the peak, Xuan Li's body emitted waves of cosmic energy, the blue starry aura erupting like a geyser. The energy spiraled around him, rising higher and higher until it pierced the heavens. The sky above the mountain split as the cosmic energy surged upward, forming a blinding pillar of light that seemed to connect earth and sky. Twinkling star-like particles shimmered within the pillar, their beauty masking the terrifying power they held. 

A hum, otherworldly and deafening, resonated throughout the world. It wasn't just a sound; it was a declaration—a roar that seemed to challenge the heavens themselves. 

In the Heavenly Edge Sect, the celebrations halted abruptly. A disciple, trembling and pale, pointed toward the horizon. His voice was hoarse and shaky as he exclaimed, "Lo… look… there… what is that?!" 

Ling Yuna and Jian Tian turned to where he was pointing, their gazes locking onto the colossal energy pillar rising from the distant mountain. Their faces turned ashen with shock. 

"That…" Ling Yuna muttered, her voice barely audible. 

Jian Tian's heart pounded in his chest. His thoughts raced, trying to comprehend the sheer magnitude of the power he was sensing. 

In the Shen Wu Sect, Sect Master Tian Wu stood frozen. Sweat beaded on his brow as he stared at the spectacle. His throat dry, he muttered, "What… what terrifying energy. Who in this world could wield such power? Could this be the descendant of a transcendent one?" 

The same scene repeated in the Blazing Sun Sect and Dragon Dive Sect. The sect masters, their disciples, and the people across Yuanfeng were united in shock and awe. 

Suddenly, a shockwave erupted from the pillar of cosmic energy surrounding Xuan Li. The wave traveled with unimaginable speed, crossing the lands in an instant. It struck the sects like a tidal wave. 

In the Heavenly Edge Sect, Ling Yuna felt the force hit her like a boulder. She staggered back, her knees buckling as she fell to the ground. Her fingers dug into the dirt as she gasped, "This power… I thought my ability, the Ten Thousand Sword Empress, was superior. But this… this is something I can't even fathom." 

The figures in the sky—the Ten Thousand Sword Empress, the dragon from the Dragon Dive Sect, the emperor flame from the Blazing Sun Sect, and the high-tier thunder from the Shen Wu Sect—all began glowing brighter in response. Their energy pulsed, struggling to resist the overwhelming presence of the cosmic energy pillar. 

Ling Yuna clenched her fists and stood up, her eyes blazing with renewed determination. "No. I won't let myself be overshadowed. My ability is extraordinary. I was just caught off guard… but I'll rise above this." 

Back on the mountain peak, Xuan Li sat at the center of the cosmic pillar. His eyes slowly opened, glowing with an ethereal light. The starlit aura around him seemed alive, pulsating in harmony with the cosmos. He stood, his gaze lifting to meet the four figures in the sky. 

Mei Xue, trembling, approached cautiously. Her heart ached at the sight of his bloodied form, yet his calm presence reassured her. "Xuan Li…" she whispered. 

Xuan Li turned to her, a faint smile on his lips. "Don't worry, Mei Xue. Everything is alright." 

But the world had other plans. Above them, the atmosphere shifted. The four figures—manifestations of the sects' strongest abilities—glowed intensely. A vortex formed in the sky, its swirling thunderclouds radiating menace. 

A cold, majestic voice resounded across the heavens, carrying authority that made the world itself tremble. "You are a threat to the heavens. You must be eliminated." 

Ling Yuna's heart skipped a beat. Her eyes widened as she recognized the voice. "This… this is the voice of the Ten Thousand Sword Empress… she's come to eliminate the threat." 

On the mountain peak, Xuan Li remained unmoving, his cosmic aura flaring in defiance. The Ten Thousand Sword Empress pointed her ethereal blade at him, accompanied by the thunderous roar of the ten-thousand-foot dragon. The emperor flame blazed with fury, and the high-tier thunder crackled with deadly intent. 

The four celestial figures stared down at the lone figure standing amidst the starlit pillar. 

Xuan Li's gaze was calm but unyielding. His aura shimmered, the very embodiment of defiance against the heavens. On one side, the wrath of the heavens bore down, their four champions ready to strike. On the other, Xuan Li stood as a lone warrior, surrounded by the vast, unrelenting energy of the cosmos. 

Suddenly, Xuan Li felt an inexplicable presence descend upon the world, something unreal yet undeniably majestic. It was as if the very fabric of reality trembled to accommodate this overwhelming force. A surge of inner shock rippled through him, his senses heightened to an edge he'd never experienced before. Though he couldn't grasp the source of this feeling, a faint, unshakable certainty stirred within him—a sense that the events unfolding were about to become far more intriguing, far more extraordinary than anything he had faced before.