The forest barely breathed as dawn's golden light fractured across moss-covered roots. Mist curled in lazy spirals, yet the air vibrated with tension—the subtle hum of the protective formation intensified, a warning and a pulse of power that even the oldest trees seemed to heed.
Yuan Liuyue's amber-green eyes narrowed. She felt it—a presence suffused with deadly intent, a Demonic Sovereign Stage cultivator who dared approach the sanctum of her son. Her fingers tightened around Xuan Mo's tiny body, instinctively shielding him, though the living formation surrounding the cradle throbbed with impenetrable energy, amplifying every ounce of her aura.
A shadow detached itself from the forest's edge, moving like liquid darkness. The air seemed to recoil from him. Shen Moji, a cultivator whose name had once haunted Yuan Liuyue, had come. His aura, suffused with the Demonic Sovereign Stage, twisted the surrounding air, flames of void energy licking the edges of the clearing.
"I see you've hidden well, Yuan Liuyue," he hissed. "But the child… he cannot escape the shadows of his father."
Yuan Liuyue's lips pressed into a thin line. She did not hesitate. He was familiar. Dangerous. But irrelevant.
She placed Xuan Mo into the cradle at the center of the formation. Instantly, the lattice of golden energy flared, glyphs lighting up in perfect unison, roots writhing, mist coiling, and the air shimmering as though the forest itself were a living being ready to act.
Then Yuan Liuyue stepped forward, fully revealing her cultivation realm: World-Tree Sovereign Stage, a mastery that blended elemental, spiritual, and hybrid lineage forces into a near-divine power. The aura radiating from her was absolute, so vast and encompassing that even Shen Moji faltered for a fraction of a heartbeat.
Shen Moji struck first, summoning Void Shadow Chains that lashed toward her like black serpents, and Demonfire of the Ninth Seal, molten inferno capable of erasing life and spirit alike. He attempted to tear through the formation and strike Yuan Liuyue simultaneously.
Yuan Liuyue's expression never changed. She raised her hand, and the air around her solidified into a cage of light, roots, and wind, absorbing and reflecting every strike before it could reach her. Her technique, Celestial Roots Wrath, erupted. Roots of golden energy coiled and struck with unerring precision, binding, lifting, and deflecting Shen Moji's attacks. Mist spiraled into towering serpents of defense, slashing at him with elemental precision.
She moved like a tempest incarnate. Every step created a shockwave that bent the forest to her will: branches twisted, roots leapt, sunlight fractured into swords of pure energy, and wind tore at Shen Moji like an unstoppable current. Even the void flames he commanded could not touch her—they dissipated before they reached her, corroded by her aura and the living barrier of the forest.
Shen Moji attempted Black Abyss Cataclysm, a forbidden technique designed to shatter defenses. He unleashed his full Demonic Sovereign Stage power, black lightning and shadow fire colliding with the forest's barrier—but Yuan Liuyue moved with perfect control. She twisted her fingers, and the lattice absorbed every strike, deflecting energy back as harmless waves, leaving him staggering under the impossibility of her mastery.
She advanced. Elemental Sovereign Slash, a blend of wind, fire, and earth, tore toward him in a spiral of golden light. Roots lashed, mist solidified into blades, sunlight pierced in shards, and Shen Moji was sent tumbling, his every counter blocked, every strike neutralized, every movement predicted. He had unleashed everything at once, yet Yuan Liuyue advanced unscathed, her invincibility absolute.
"You are powerless," she said softly, voice carrying across the clearing like a death sentence. "This forest, this child, and I… are untouchable."
Shen Moji's aura flickered in shock and fear. Every technique he possessed, every ounce of his Demonic Sovereign mastery, was meaningless against her perfection. Even the formation, now subtly reinforced by Xuan Mo's latent hybrid aura, pulsed in harmony with her, a perfect synergy of defense and offense.
With a flick of her hand, she sent Shen Moji crashing back through the forest, roots and mist pushing him out like a leaf in a storm. He landed at the edge of the clearing, panting, sweat and fear on his face. "Impossible… This… cannot be…"
Yuan Liuyue returned to the cradle, gently brushing Xuan Mo's forehead. His tiny aura flickered faintly, as though recognizing the power of his mother and the unshakable barrier around them.
"You are safe," she whispered, amber-green eyes glowing. "But the world outside will not leave you be. Enemies will come again. And I… I will prepare you, Xuan Mo, so that no force, no shadow, can ever touch you."
The forest settled once more. Mist curled gently, roots sank into the earth, and golden sunlight fractured into perfect beams across the clearing. Even at the edge, shadows lingered—but none could breach the invincible mother, the sacred formation, or the child at its heart.