Few years passed, like a wind flowing through the mountain peaks,
Inside the main hall, both Shen Yi and Zi Yan are standing near the balcony,
Zi Yan leaned her head against his chest, listening to the steady, strong rhythm of his heart, a rhythm that had become her anchor in this world of endless cultivation and power struggles.
The night air was cool and crisp, carrying the scent of the sea and distant mountain forests. From their vantage point, the entire Eastern Dragon Island glowed softly under the twin moons, a breathtaking view befitting an Emperor and Empress.
Zi Yan sighed contentedly, resting her head on his chest as they looked out over the magical landscape.
Shen Yi's voice, now holding a familiar undercurrent of immense, quiet power, broke the silence. "Look at it all, Yan'er. It is beautiful, and it is safe, for now."
He turned her to face him, his hands resting lightly on her shoulders. His gaze was deep and serious. "The next great trial is approaching. My ascension is near."
Zi Yan's violet eyes widened, though the knowledge wasn't new, hearing him say it now struck her with fresh impact.
"The time I bought is almost spent," he continued, a faint silver shimmer tracing the lightning embroidery on his robe. "I have already stepped into the Nine Star Supreme Realm. The barrier holding back the realms is weakening rapidly around me. Soon, the Ascension Portal will open."
He smiled, a mix of pride and regret. "You, too, have reached the Supreme Realm. But your path is different; your destiny is yet to unfold fully here. The portal for you will not open for some time."
He took both of her hands and kissed them softly. "When the gate opens for me, I must step through it, or the backlash from the heavens will destroy everything we hold dear."
"I know," Zi Yan whispered, squeezing his hands tightly, her eyes now shimmering with unshed tears. "I just... wish it wasn't so soon."
Shen Yi's smile softened. "Soon, you will follow me. And until then, you have the greatest empire on this continent to rule. I leave it in your capable hands, along with my other treasures."
Shred!!!
As if responding to his words, the sky above main Island tore open without a sound.
A crack, brighter and more vibrant than any lightning Shen Yi had ever summoned, ripped across the night dome. It wasn't a natural phenomenon; it was a doorway, a rent in the fabric of the cosmos, leading to realms unknown. The tear widened rapidly, forming a colossal, swirling gate of brilliant silver and gold light... the Ascension Portal.
…
At that exact moment, across the vast Dou Qi Continent, a profound tremor ran through the spiritual energy of the world.
In the Gu Clan's isolated territory, Gu Yuan, the powerful Patriarch, was sitting in silent cultivation. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, blazing with shock. The stubborn, immovable bottleneck of his Nine Star Dou Sheng peak, a wall he had faced for centuries, flexed. A sensation of loosening, a subtle giving way, washed over his soul.
"The Ascension Portal!" he roared, instantly understanding, "Shen Yi, the Thunder Emperor, has forced the gate open!"
The phenomenon was not isolated. In the secluded spiritual sanctuaries of the ancient clans, the Stone, Yan, Ling, and Yao families, and within the hidden fortresses of pavilions, every peak Nine Star Dou Sheng... those who stood just one step from the Supreme Realm... felt an immediate, unbelievable release.
An immense wave of pure, primordial energy, known as Origin Qi, leaked through the temporarily weakened barrier. This was the fundamental fuel of higher realms, an energy the Dou Qi Continent had been starved of for countless millennia. The small, stolen slip of power immediately began to saturate the air, causing the very vegetation to quicken and the spiritual springs to swell.
Back on Eastern Dragon Island,
Shen Yi immediately sensed the massive outflow of Origin Qi. His eyes narrowed, and a terrifying, focused gravitational pull emanated from his body, invisible to all but the highest-level experts. He was capturing the essence of the leak.
With a swift, silent motion, Shen Yi channeled the immense volume of captured Origin Qi into a condensed, swirling orb of violet and silver light. The energy was so dense it looked solid, vibrating with life. He gently placed this orb into the shocked, waiting hands of Zhu Kun, Zi Yan's father and the Void Dragon Patriarch.
"Patriarch Zhu Kun," Shen Yi's voice echoed with quiet, immense authority. "This is a gift. The Essence of the Origin Realm, captured from the slippage of the portal. It is enough to shatter your own bottleneck and allow you to break through to the Supreme Realm immediately."
Zhu Kun stared at the orb, completely speechless for the first time in centuries. The power he was seeking appeared within his grasp.
Shen Yi placed a hand on his shoulder. "Use what remains wisely. Distribute it to those you deem worthy, those who can truly defend the continent until Zi Yan and I are reunited."
He turned back to Zi Yan, whose cheeks were now wet with tears, yet she stood tall, a true Empress facing destiny.
"I will wait for you, Shen Yi," she spoke, her voice firm despite the sorrow hidden in her pupils,
Shen Yi smiled, a genuine, powerful, and loving expression. He gave her one last, lingering kiss... a kiss of power, promise, and deep affection.
Then, with a deep breath, the Thunder Emperor turned his back on the world he had conquered. Clad in his black and silver robes, he walked toward the colossal, swirling light of the Ascension Portal.
He stepped inside, the silver and gold light consumed his figure. The massive gate pulsed violently one last time, a farewell thunderclap that shook the island, and then, with the speed of a thought, the colossal portal snapped shut, leaving only the dark, starry night sky behind, as if nothing had ever happened.
A collective sigh of awe and profound loss swept through the hundreds of powerful guests gathered on four Islands around. They raised their hands in respectful farewell, wishing the new Supreme Emperor safe passage.
Zi Yan stood on the balcony, watching the empty sky, her expression one of deep, enduring sorrow, mixed with the quiet, formidable resolve of a ruler ready to protect her husband's legacy. She was now the sole Dragon Empress and the ultimate guardian of the Dou Qi Continent.
...
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