Heaven does not panic.
It declares.
The sky darkened at noon.
Not with clouds.
With authority.
Every cultivator in Iron Lake City froze.
Not physically.
Existentially.
Their Qi stilled.
Their souls felt… observed.
A voice descended.
Not loud.
Not angry.
Absolute.
"By Mandate of the Heavenly Order—
Deviation Li Shen is hereby classified as a Heretical Variable."
The words etched themselves into reality.
Buildings groaned.
Stones cracked.
Weak cultivators collapsed, coughing blood.
Xueyi stepped in front of me.
Her sword half-drawn.
I gently pushed it back down.
"Not yet."
The voice continued.
"All sects within seven domains are authorized—
No. Obligated—
To suppress, capture, or eliminate the Variable."
Across the world, bells rang.
Sects stirred.
Old grudges paused.
New alliances formed in silence.
"Rewards shall be granted according to contribution."
Gold.
Techniques.
Ascension chances.
Heaven knew what mortals wanted.
Then—
The tone shifted.
Just slightly.
"Warning: Unauthorized comprehension of the Variable's methods
Shall be treated as contamination."
That was fear.
I looked up.
Smiled.
And spoke.
"Your mandate is inefficient."
The sky cracked.
Not split.
Flinched.
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Unbelieving.
Then the voice returned.
Colder.
"Variable—
Silence is advised."
I shrugged.
"Advice noted."
The decree faded.
The pressure lifted.
Iron Lake City breathed again.
Xueyi exhaled slowly.
"You just spoke back to Heaven."
"Corrected," I said.
"There's a difference."
Far away, Jian Mo paused mid-step.
He laughed softly.
"So it begins."
In the Original Register, ink spread.
Threat Level: Reclassification Pending
Containment Probability: Declining
And in the deepest layer of existence—
Something smiled.