Black smoke poured from the ravine as a monstrous silhouette slowly rose within it. The Executioner—the weapon forged to slay immortals—had survived Lin Tian's Celestial Reversal. Its frame was cracked, its armor shattered… yet its aura was more violent than before.
Up above, Lin Tian steadied himself against a tree, still recovering from the Second Gate's backlash. The Crimson Watcher stood beside him, breathing heavily, wounds regenerating slowly.
A deep rumble echoed from the ravine.
The Watcher stiffened.
"It's not retreating… it's evolving."
Lin Tian's expression darkened.
"They infused it with adaptive abyssal essence."
The Executioner climbed upward, each step trembling the earth. Black tendrils coiled around its limbs, reshaping the broken armor. Its empty eyes blazed with hateful intelligence.
For the first time, the beast… spoke clearly.
"SECOND GATE… IDENTIFIED.
ADAPTING."
Lin Tian cursed under his breath.
The Watcher growled, "We cannot face it again. Not like this."
"But if we leave it unchecked," Lin Tian replied, "it will reach the city."
Before they could decide, a sudden flash of silver tore across the sky.
A blade of moonlight struck the ravine—severing one of the Executioner's arms clean off.
The monster roared in fury.
Lin Tian turned sharply.
"That technique—!"
A figure descended from the clouds, landing gracefully atop a boulder.
A woman, clad in flowing silver battle-robes embroidered with moon patterns. Her hair long, shimmering like starlight. Her eyes sharp enough to cut through illusions.
The Crimson Watcher gasped.
"Moon Pavilion…?!"
Lin Tian exhaled in surprise and relief.
"No… not just Moon Pavilion."
The woman stepped forward, giving Lin Tian a calm, familiar nod.
"Long time no see, Lin Tian."
Lin Tian whispered her name:
"Yue Shuang.
Moon Goddess of the Ninth Star Palace."
One of the most powerful immortals from the Celestial Realm.
One of the few he trusted.
But her presence meant something far greater—
The heavens were no longer ignoring Earth.
The Executioner lunged toward her with murderous speed.
Yue Shuang flicked her wrist.
A crescent moon slash erupted from her sleeve—
SHIIIIIIING!
The monster was knocked backward, carving a trench across the ravine. Its body regenerated instantly, and it charged again.
Lin Tian stepped forward.
"You can't fight it alone."
She smiled faintly.
"I didn't come to watch you die. I came to help."
Together, their combined auras surged—gold and silver intertwining like twin celestial rivers.
The Executioner collided with them.
BOOOOM!
The shockwave split the clouds, lightning crackling across the sky as if the heavens themselves watched in fear.
Lin Tian unleashed a blazing punch infused with remnants of the Second Gate. Yue Shuang followed with a rain of moonblades.
This time, the Executioner stumbled.
This time, its regeneration slowed.
This time… it bled.
But the beast roared, absorbing abyssal energy from the ravine itself, swelling further.
"We must seal it," Yue Shuang said, her voice urgent.
"If it evolves any further, even the Celestial Kings won't kill it."
The Crimson Watcher limped closer, raising his massive claw.
"I will assist. My lineage can suppress abyssal essence temporarily."
Lin Tian looked between them.
A plan formed.
"Then we do this together.
I'll open the Second Gate one last time—only for a moment."
Yue Shuang's eyes widened.
"That could destroy your cultivation foundation."
Lin Tian tightened his grip.
"If I don't… this entire world will fall."
The Executioner charged again, black flames spiraling around its fists.
Lin Tian inhaled deeply.
The Nexus responded.
His aura surged—painful, unstable—yet brilliant.
Divine light spiraled around him as the Second Gate flickered open.
He roared:
"NEXUS—SECOND GATE: STARLOCK FORMATION!"
Golden chains of celestial energy erupted from the ground, wrapping around the Executioner.
The Crimson Watcher drove his claws into the earth, summoning crimson pillars that reinforced the chains.
Yue Shuang raised her hand—
A moon sigil appeared above them.
She struck.
MOON SEAL—FALLING STAR CAGE!
A silver prison of moonlight descended, merging with Lin Tian's golden chains.
The Executioner thrashed violently, screaming with a thousand voices.
The world trembled.
The seal tightened.
The monster's body cracked—
Black energy spilled out—
Reality bent—
And then—
BOOOOOOOOM!
Everything went white.
Silence swallowed the forest.
When the dust settled, the ravine was sealed under a massive slab of silver and gold crystal—glowing faintly, pulsing with suppressed rage from within.
The Executioner was imprisoned.
For now.
Lin Tian collapsed. Yue Shuang caught him before he hit the ground.
"You fool," she whispered. "You'll burn yourself out."
Lin Tian coughed weakly.
"I kept my promise. I won't let Earth fall."
Yue Shuang's gaze softened.
"You may not have a choice. The Celestial Realm… sent me with a message."
Lin Tian looked up, struggling to stay conscious.
"What message?"
She hesitated.
Then spoke three words:
"The Heavenly Tribunal… has decreed your arrest."
The forest fell silent.
Lin Tian's eyes widened.
Betrayed… by heaven itself.