Veil of the Shattered Heavens

The atmosphere was heavy, the tension almost palpable. The figures of the Ten Thousand Sword Empress, Emperor Flame, High-Tier Thunder, and the Divine Dragon loomed in the sky, their majestic forms radiating immense power. The empress's figure, surrounded by ethereal swords, pointed her weapon directly at Xuan Li. The other three followed her lead, their auras surging as if preparing to crush their adversary with divine might.

On the other side, Xuan Li stood motionless, a faint smile tugging at his lips. His blue starry cosmic aura swirled subtly around him.

"Mei Xue, you know my motto," Xuan Li said, his voice calm but carrying an undertone of steely determination. He stood tall amidst the chaos, his cosmic aura shimmering faintly around him like the stars themselves had descended to shield him.

Mei Xue, standing behind him, her heart pounding from the sheer intensity of the moment, asked hesitantly, "What are you talking about, Xuan Li?"

He turned his head slightly, his cold gaze fixed forward, and said, "Heaven's are not qualified to stand in front of me."

The remark, simple but seething with audacity, sent ripples through the figures in the sky. The Ten Thousand Sword Empress's form flickered slightly as her aura flared in fury.

"You dare!" her voice thundered across the heavens. The other three figures followed suit, their energies surging as the sky trembled. The ground beneath Xuan Li and Mei Xue quaked violently. The world seemed to groan under the weight of the converging powers.

Xuan Li closed his eyes, letting the cosmic energy around him settle. In the depths of his being, he felt it—his connection to the cosmos, vast and infinite, flowing through him. His eyes snapped open, glowing with the starlight of countless galaxies.

The four figures attacked simultaneously, their combined might forming an apocalyptic onslaught. A blade of light descended with the sharpness to cleave mountains; a searing wave of flames followed, devouring all in its path. Thunder cracked, condensing into a bolt capable of annihilating anything it touched, while the Divine Dragon unleashed a breath imbued with ancient majesty, ripping through the air like a hurricane.

Mei Xue gasped. "Xuan Li!" she screamed. The attacks barreled toward him, unstoppable and catastrophic.

But Xuan Li didn't flinch. He stood still, his cosmic aura shimmering faintly as the attacks closed in. Then, as the chaos seemed inevitable, a sound echoed across the world—deep, resonant, and galactic. It wasn't a sound meant for mortal ears; it was a vibration of existence itself, freezing time in its tracks.

The attacks halted mid-air, the energy quivering as though bound by an unseen force.

"What is happening?" the Ten Thousand Sword Empress's voice rang out, her tone laced with disbelief.

Her answer came in the form of a celestial phenomenon. Above, the clouds shattered, revealing a galaxy manifesting in the sky. It radiated infinite majesty and power, as though the cosmos itself had descended upon the world. The light of stars, nebulae, and galaxies spiraled in the heavens, dwarfing the auras of the divine figures.

The empress's form trembled. "What is this power? How can anyone wield such might? You... you are—" Her voice faltered as another galactic hum resounded, sending shockwaves across the land.

Before her words could finish, her figure began to disintegrate, fading into nothingness along with the other three figures. The energy dissipated as though erased by the galaxy's sheer presence.

The entire world fell silent. The people of the Heavenly Edge Sect, including Sect Master Jian Tian and Ling Yuna, along with the masters and disciples of the Shen Wu Sect, Blazing Sun Sect, and Dragon Dive Sect, stared in stunned disbelief.

Ling Yuna, her heart pounding, gazed at the radiant galaxy above. "It's... so beautiful and majestic," she whispered. Her thoughts raced. If I were to choose someone to stand by me... it would have to be someone like this. Someone possessing such immeasurable power. I don't know who this is, but compared to him, someone like Xuan Li... She scoffed silently. A mere insect.

The common people knelt, awestruck, clasping their hands in prayer. "Please bless us, heavenly incarnator," they murmured, their voices trembling with reverence.

On the mountain, Mei Xue collapsed to the ground, her legs unable to hold her. Xuan Li's earlier words echoed in her mind: "Heaven's are not qualified to stand in front of me."

Her thoughts churned in turmoil. So this is Xuan Li's power. I thought I wanted to know him, to understand his depths. But the more I try, the farther he feels, like a being from another world entirely.

Xuan Li turned to see Mei Xue's expression of awe and disbelief. He smiled faintly, thinking, She's probably shocked to her very core.

Stretching out his hand, he said gently, "Hey, come on, get up—"

His words were cut off abruptly as a sharp sensation shot through his body. His face contorted in pain, and he collapsed to the ground.

"Damn it... I almost forgot about this," he muttered through gritted teeth.

The aftermath of his breakthrough was always accompanied by an agonizing transformation. His genes, bones, and muscles underwent a profound evolution, tearing apart and rebuilding themselves stronger than before. Every cell in his body burned with excruciating pain.

Xuan Li clenched his fists, but he was unaware that his inner world was expanding. His Primordial Core pulsed with renewed strength, radiating cosmic energy that began reshaping his foundation.

"Xuan Li!" Mei Xue cried out, rushing to his side. "What's happening to you?"

Through labored breaths, Xuan Li muttered, "It's... alright..." before his consciousness slipped away.

Above them, the galaxy's manifestation began to fade, its light dimming until the night sky returned to its normal state. On the mountain, silence reigned once more, save for the faint sound of Xuan Li's heavy breathing and the rustle of Mei Xue's movements.

In the locket, Veldris smiled faintly, his expression tinged with both pride and concern. "This disciple of mine is truly something else," he muttered to himself. He sighed deeply, his gaze distant as if peering into an unseen future. "But the road ahead will only grow more arduous... and the trials more relentless."