Five years had passed since the sudden eruption of the War of All Heavens.
Zhou Yuan, through relentless perseverance and overcoming countless obstacles, emerged as the ultimate victor, vanquishing Jia Tu.
He decimated half of the Sacred Race team before they managed to escape through Jia Tu's formidable means.
Despite this victory, Zhou Yuan felt a profound solemnity.
The immense loss of life during this expedition weighed heavily on him. He couldn't shake the feeling that he bore some responsibility for these deaths.
Yet, none of his comrades blamed him; all the brave and talented individuals who perished in this massacre had been willing to lay down their lives for the Five Heavens.
Well, all except for a few...
…
Deep within the core of Guyuan Heaven, countless chains bound a single individual.
As the battles across the layers drew to a close, these chains began to shatter, one by one, as the power that sustained them was drained.
The individual's eyes twitched, signaling an imminent awakening.
Finally, the last chain broke.
Malevolent energy surged through the space, and his crimson eyes snapped open.
He growled, his sharp teeth grinding against each other.
With a roar that reverberated through the void, he unleashed a series of terrifying attacks, each potent enough to obliterate Jia Tu in seconds.
Then, he stopped.
His cold, feral gaze fixed on a specific point in space.
Slowly, the ferocity in his eyes gave way to a chilling resolve.
"You..."
His voice was a low, menacing growl. "I'll kill you."
In a burst of raw power, he tore through the fabric of space, heading directly for the first layer of Guyuan Heaven.
…
Zhou Yuan was about to leave the space where he and Jia Tu had fought when a crack appeared in the fabric of reality, a mile away.
"What the—?"
His first thought was of the Sacred Race, but he dismissed it quickly.
He had already dealt with them.
A figure emerged from the portal—a man with long, tousled hair and a destroyed top, glaring at Zhou Yuan with unmistakable animosity.
"Who are you?" Zhou Yuan demanded, his voice steady.
He was not afraid.
The recent battle with Jia Tu had left him with unexpected benefits.
Though he was only at the 7 Clawed Heavenly Sun Stage, he now possessed the True Saint Glass Body.
No Heavenly Sun stage expert could seriously harm him, and encountering a Nascent Soul expert in this layer was unlikely.
He was, in essence, the strongest under the Nascent Soul stage.
Not even the formidable Jia Tu could pose a threat to him.
But what happened next defied his expectations.
The man's face...
"It's—it's me...?"
Confusion gripped Zhou Yuan as he stared at the individual, who looked like an older version of himself, growing more ferocious by the second.
The resemblance was uncanny, the same features but marred by rage and something else—something darker.
"How is this possible?" Zhou Yuan muttered under his breath.
His mind raced, searching for an explanation. Could this be an illusion? A trick of the Sacred Race?
The man took a step forward, and the ground beneath him cracked under the pressure of his aura.
Zhou Yuan instinctively braced himself, feeling the weight of the man's power.
It was formidable, perhaps even surpassing his own despite having the Saint Glass Body.
"Who sent you?" Zhou Yuan demanded, his voice rising.
"What do you want?"
The older version of himself snarled, his eyes narrowing.
"You," he hissed, voice dripping with venom.
"I've come for you."
Zhou Yuan felt a chill down his spine as a massive hand constructed from Genesis Qi formed in the air, crafted by the older version of himself.
The sheer power emanating from it was overwhelming, a tangible force that seemed to distort the very space around them.
Despite the chill running down his spine, Zhou Yuan remained confident.
With a deep breath, he activated "Promotion" and the "Earth Saint Rune."
Instantly, his Genesis Qi surged, achieving the might of 5 billion Genesis Qi stars once again.
Power radiated from his body, and he felt an unshakable resolve.
"Let's see if you can handle this," Zhou Yuan said, his voice steady and eyes blazing with determination.
A domineering rainbow sword light appeared at the tip of Zhou Yuan's fingers as he prepared to launch his formidable attack.
"Rainbow Sky Severing Gourd!" he called out, his voice echoing through the void.
"Go!"
A streak of rainbow light flew through the air with astonishing speed, intending to shatter the giant hand constructed by the older version of himself.
The two powers clashed with a blinding flash, the air crackling with intense energy.
The two attacks collided with a deafening explosion, sending shockwaves rippling through the battlefield.
The rainbow sword light and the massive Genesis Qi hand shattered, fragments of their power scattering in all directions.
Zhou Yuan felt the intense pressure bearing down on him.
He had used a Saint technique, a powerful and revered skill, yet this... illusion of himself had matched it using only raw Genesis Qi power.
The realization sent a wave of unease through him.
His opponent's sheer strength was daunting.
If this was just the beginning, Zhou Yuan knew he had to dig deep and unleash everything he had to stand a chance against this formidable foe.
Before Zhou Yuan could unleash his full power, he felt a sudden force pulling him away, wrenching him from the intense battlefield.
With a disorienting sensation, he found himself abruptly teleported outside of the chaotic space.
As he regained his bearings, he caught a fleeting glimpse of his illusion's face, twisted with burning hatred before it faded into the ether, leaving him unsettled by the intensity of the emotions mirrored in his own image.
Blinking in surprise, Zhou Yuan steadied himself as he realized he was back in familiar surroundings. Su Youwei, Wu Yao, and Bai Xiaolu approached him cautiously, concern etched on their faces.
"Zhou Yuan, are you okay?" Su Youwei asked anxiously, reaching out to steady him.
Wu Yao scanned him critically, his eyes narrowing.
"What happened in there? We saw the screen Jia Tu put up suddenly vanish."
Bai Xiaolu remained silent but observant, her expression grave as she studied Zhou Yuan for any signs of injury or distress.
Zhou Yuan took a moment to collect himself, the remnants of the intense battle still echoing in his mind.
"I'm fine," he assured them, though his voice carried a hint of lingering disbelief at the abrupt end to the confrontation.
'Just what was that...'