The three pillars of black light continued piercing through the heavens like cracks spreading across reality itself.
Each pillar radiated ancient demonic pressure powerful enough to shake entire regions of the planet. The sky above them twisted unnaturally while violent spiritual storms spread outward endlessly from the sealed locations.
And the worst part—
The seals were still breaking.
Inside the Lin Corporation rooftop atmosphere, everyone's expressions had become heavy after hearing Yue Qingzhi's words.
The upper realms were releasing ancient monsters ahead of schedule.
That meant heaven no longer cared about hiding its intentions.
It wanted chaos.
Fear.
Destruction.
Because a broken mortal world would be easier to conquer.
Far below the skyline, ordinary humans had already begun noticing the black pillars appearing across different parts of the world. Social media exploded again while emergency broadcasts desperately tried calming civilians.
It failed completely.
Humanity had already crossed the point where normal explanations mattered.
Inside hidden cultivation circles, the panic was even worse.
Because unlike mortals—
Cultivators recognized those black pillars immediately.
Ancient prison seals.
The kind used only to imprison creatures too dangerous to kill.
Xu Mingshan stared toward the distant horizon grimly.
"If those seals fully collapse…"
He stopped speaking.
Because everyone already understood the outcome.
Millions would die.
Yue Qingzhi's silver eyes remained fixed on the distant black pillars calmly, but the coldness around her body deepened noticeably.
"The nearest seal is awakening beneath the northern mountain ranges."
Yan Ruoxue crossed her arms slowly.
"What exactly is sealed there?"
For the first time since arriving—
Yue Qingzhi hesitated slightly.
Then she answered quietly.
"A failed Sovereign."
Silence crashed across the rooftop instantly.
Even Zhao Ren felt his heartbeat skip.
Sovereign Realm.
A realm above Ascension.
Above King Realm.
An existence capable of destroying the mortal world itself.
Xu Mingshan's face turned pale.
"That thing should've died thousands of years ago."
"It almost did."
Yue Qingzhi's voice remained calm.
"But the upper realms preserved its soul instead."
A pause.
"They planned to use it one day against the mortal world if the Ancient Court ever returned."
Her silver gaze shifted toward Su Chen.
"Which means this was prepared for you from the beginning."
The wind above the rooftop became colder.
Su Chen looked toward the distant black pillar quietly while the synchronization voice echoed faintly inside his mind.
Ancient hostile entity detected.
Threat classification: Catastrophic.
Imperial seal resonance increasing.
Golden light flickered briefly beneath his skin again.
The closer danger approached—
The faster the Primordial Body awakened.
Yue Qingzhi noticed immediately.
Her silver eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Your synchronization rose again."
Xu Mingshan frowned.
"What synchronization?"
Su Chen remained silent.
But Yue Qingzhi answered instead.
"The Primordial Emperor's inheritance doesn't simply grant power."
Her voice became colder.
"It reconstructs its successor into something capable of ruling countless realms."
Yan Ruoxue smiled faintly.
"So basically…"
Her crimson eyes shifted toward Su Chen.
"…he's becoming less human."
No one denied it.
Because the changes surrounding Su Chen had become impossible to ignore.
His cultivation speed.
His authority.
The way heaven itself reacted to him.
None of it belonged to normal cultivators anymore.
Yet Lin Yanyan suddenly stepped beside Su Chen again.
Calmly.
Naturally.
As if none of those terrifying truths mattered.
"He's still my husband."
The rooftop became silent briefly.
Even Yue Qingzhi looked at her strangely after hearing that.
Because most people standing beside Su Chen now felt fear toward what he was becoming.
But Lin Yanyan…
Only cared about staying beside him.
Dangerous woman.
Yue Qingzhi thought silently.
Then suddenly—
BOOM.
The nearest black pillar erupted violently.
The entire city trembled.
A monstrous roar echoed from thousands of kilometers away, yet the sound still reached everyone clearly.
The roar didn't sound human.
It sounded ancient.
Like something imprisoned for too long finally tasting freedom again.
Every hidden cultivator across the planet felt their blood freeze.
The seal was breaking faster.
Xu Mingshan's expression darkened immediately.
"It's waking up."
Yue Qingzhi looked toward Su Chen.
"If that creature fully revives, entire countries will disappear before heaven even descends."
A pause.
"And ordinary Saint Realm cultivators won't survive against it."
The meaning behind her words was obvious.
Only Su Chen had a chance.
But before anyone could speak further—
The black ship above the city suddenly activated.
Silver runes across its surface lit up one after another while dark spiritual energy spread outward.
Then a voice echoed from within the ship itself.
"Saint Yue."
Yue Qingzhi's silver eyes shifted upward slightly.
The voice continued.
"The northern seal collapsed completely."
Silence.
Then—
BOOM.
The distant black pillar exploded.
The heavens darkened instantly.
A terrifying demonic aura spread across the mortal world like poison flooding the atmosphere.
Millions of humans collapsed unconscious.
Weak cultivators vomited blood instantly.
And in the far distance—
Something enormous slowly rose beyond the mountains.
Even from thousands of kilometers away, its silhouette could still be seen vaguely against the horizon.
Gigantic.
Humanoid.
Covered in black chains.
One crimson eye slowly opened within the darkness.
The moment that eye appeared—
Entire mountain ranges collapsed.
Zhao Ren's face turned white.
"What the hell is that thing…"
Xu Mingshan's breathing became uneven.
"That's only its upper body…"
The creature wasn't fully free yet.
Most of its body still remained buried beneath the earth.
Yet the pressure leaking from it already surpassed ordinary Saint Realm cultivators completely.
Then—
The monster looked toward the city.
Toward Su Chen.
And smiled.
A twisted smile filled with madness and hunger.
A voice echoed across the planet.
Deep.
Broken.
Ancient.
"…Primordial…"
The world trembled violently.
"…I finally found you."
BOOM.
The creature pulled one arm free from the mountains.
Countless black chains shattered instantly.
The synchronization voice inside Su Chen's mind suddenly became unstable.
Warning.
Ancient enemy recognizes imperial bloodline.
Hostile entity designated: Fallen Sovereign.
Probability of planetary destruction rising.
Golden light erupted briefly around Su Chen instinctively.
Meanwhile, the Fallen Sovereign slowly began standing up completely from beneath the earth.
Each movement shattered mountains.
Its body was enormous beyond comprehension, covered in ancient scars and broken chains thicker than skyscrapers themselves. Crimson cracks glowed beneath black flesh while demonic energy twisted around it endlessly.
And despite its monstrous appearance—
Its aura felt intelligent.
Ancient.
Evil beyond words.
Yue Qingzhi's silver eyes hardened.
"We don't have time anymore."
She looked directly at Su Chen.
"If it fully recovers its power…"
Even her calm voice carried seriousness now.
"…the mortal world ends before heaven arrives."
The monster suddenly laughed again.
A horrifying sound shaking the sky itself.
Then its crimson eye locked onto Su Chen once more.
"…Come…"
Its voice sounded filled with madness.
"…let me devour the throne."
The atmosphere froze.
Because everyone understood now.
The upper realms weren't merely sending armies.
They were releasing creatures specifically created to kill the successor of the Ancient Court.