Chapter Thirty-Five: He Is About to Awaken...

“Brother Son of Heaven…”
“You… you’ve finally arrived…”
As a melodious woman’s voice drifted across the heavens and earth, the body of the Dark Son of Heaven trembled suddenly.
When he slowly opened his eyes, a beautiful woman appeared before him.
Her brows were gracefully arched, and her eyes seemed to hold endless affection, evoking tenderness in all who saw her.
Clad in a long crimson robe that outlined her graceful figure, she appeared ethereal and enchanting.
Her lustrous black hair was swept up in a jade hairpin, and her skin glowed like flawless jade—she was like a fairy descended from the Ninth Heaven.
The long sword she carried lent her an air of chivalrous gentleness.
“Ling’er…”
Seeing the woman before him, the Dark Son of Heaven’s gaze flashed with complicated emotions. He murmured her name softly, about to speak, but the woman smiled sweetly, silently bidding him not to speak.
With lotus-like steps, she drew near and sat beside him, gently leaning into his embrace. Her voice, clear and melodious as heavenly music, drifted softly:
“Brother Son of Heaven… I suppose, by now, you know much of what has come to pass…”
“In the final battle, we will win… The Lord of the Divine Dynasty will not die, either…”
“The Sea of Buried Lives is the gateway to the universe…”
“To step into the endless cycle of reincarnation was something you foresaw long ago…”
Her voice was slow and measured, and as it fell upon his ears, her delicate hand smoothed his robe. Her eyes shimmered with reminiscence as she continued:
“The world only knows that you are peerless, suppressing all ages…”
“But they do not know, Brother Son of Heaven, how you have protected all beings through endless years…”
“What is our world truly like… From whom did the Lord of the Divine Dynasty receive his transcendence…”
“And even the existence of the Luo Immortals and their kin…”
At this, her voice faltered. After a long silence, sorrow slowly welled in her eyes, and her words were tinged with pain:
“You carry so much in your heart, Brother Son of Heaven…”
“King Chujiang and the others do not understand, nor do the Underworld’s deities, nor the countless sentient beings…”
“But Ling’er knows—your heart holds all living things. Even your iron-blooded severity is for the world’s peace…”
“After such a great upheaval, perhaps the Ten Yama Kings have come to understand a little, and surely your people are beginning to sense the weight you bear…”
As her words faded, Red Ling slowly closed her eyes. A gentle breeze caressed them, and their garments fluttered softly.
The Dark Son of Heaven said nothing. Red Ling truly was the one who understood him best in all the universe.
“Brother Son of Heaven…”
After a long while, Red Ling opened her eyes again, their depths shimmering as she softly called:
“He… is about to awaken…”
At this, the Dark Son of Heaven remained silent, but his gaze grew unfathomably deep. He paused, about to speak, but a slender finger pressed gently to his lips.
“Our time… is enough…”

Then, as her voice drifted forth, Red Ling rose and walked slowly into the endless sea of flowers and grass.
“Brother Son of Heaven…”
Before long, she paused and turned to look back, her eyes full of hope, lips parted delicately:
“This time, let Ling’er stand before you…”
“The Six Paths of Reincarnation—only when they shatter will new life arise… The universe must be set in order once more…”
“All is as you foresaw, Brother Son of Heaven…”
“Only… beware those from the Sea of the Returning Void…”
“Take care…”
With that, her figure slowly faded, leaving only a whispering breeze that swept through the endless fields of flowers and vanished among the distant green tombs…
“Is it all just a ruse to deceive others…”
As the last trace of that breeze faded and the endless grasslands dissolved into nothingness, a shadow of sorrow flickered in the Son of Heaven’s eyes.
For a long, long time…
When the last flowers and grass had vanished, and the green tombs disappeared, when the endless ruins faded away and starlight from beyond the Sea of Buried Lives shone down, only then did the Son of Heaven slowly rise to his feet.
Gazing up at the flawless, unsullied stars, a strange sense suddenly welled within him—that the Sea of Buried Lives had never truly existed.
His divine sense swept out; beneath the Heavenly Origin Immortal Domain, the Three Realms stood apart.
Around the Immortal Domain, six great secret realms stood tall, and of the seven star seas, only six remained…
The starry void in which he stood was empty and desolate…
Save for a scattering of lonely stars, there was nothing else.
“It cannot be found…”
Feeling the crystal-clear aura of this place, the Son of Heaven shook his head gently and slowly closed his eyes.
Red Ling was gone…
Her presence had vanished from the breadth of the universe…
“It is time to do something…”
After a long while, the Son of Heaven opened his eyes, calming his thoughts. With a soft murmur, he stepped into the void, heading toward the Heavenly Origin Immortal Domain.
Before long, he appeared above Longevity Valley. Spiritual energy surged around him as he spoke calmly:
“Qingli, Moxuan, come to me.”
His voice was even, yet, bolstered by the waters of Oblivion, it echoed through the entire Immortal Domain!
A sudden hum—
The void above Longevity Valley shuddered, and as a faint, illusory portal appeared, Qingli strode forth in military attire, dropping to one knee before the Son of Heaven, her right hand pressed to her chest as she announced with respect:
“The Northern Realm is pacified. Qingli, returning to report.”
“Great-Grandmaster!”
A moment later, Little Jin’er emerged from the ethereal portal, beaming sweetly at the Son of Heaven and calling out.

“Your servant pays respects to my lord!”
At the same moment, a young man clad in heavy armor strode out of the portal and knelt respectfully.
“Jin’er, instruct the envoys of the Cold Moon Kingdom to restore order in the Northern Realm. You shall oversee it.”
Sweeping his gaze over the three, the Son of Heaven’s expression betrayed nothing as he spoke coolly:
“The two of you will lead your troops and follow me into battle!”
“Qingli obeys!”
“Your servant obeys!”
At his command, both immediately bowed their heads and answered in unison.
“Coming here only to be sent away again—hmph…”
Little Jin’er pouted in protest, gave a soft humph, and slipped back through the portal.
“Your Majesty!”
At that moment, a thunderous shout erupted outside Longevity Valley.
The hundred thousand spectral soldiers the Son of Heaven had brought back had assembled in orderly ranks in a matter of breaths, standing at attention outside the valley, awaiting his command.
Meanwhile, thousands of masked, bloodthirsty spirits strode out of the illusory portal, assembling swiftly and with perfect discipline.
“Kneel before the Lord!”
Thousands of Asuras dropped to one knee, bowing reverently to the Son of Heaven.
“The Lord of the Immortal Cloud Realm has allied with the Divine Dynasty, bringing calamity upon the living—his crime is death!”
His gaze swept the gathered host, a profound light flashing in his eyes. As he formed hand seals, his voice rang out:
“All generals, hear my command!”
At once, every figure trembled, eyes flaring with boundless battle spirit. They saluted together, shouting as one:
“We await your decree, Son of Heaven!”
Sensing the fierce fighting spirit surging from the crowd, the Son of Heaven wasted no time. As his hands continued forming seals, a colossal illusory portal swiftly took shape within the valley’s spectral lake!
A terrifying force of transportation surged forth, and the carvings on either side of the portal came into view—
On one side, a grim inferno, with endless halls of the underworld!
On the other, a boundless Yellow Springs flowing across the land, with tens of thousands in worship!
Then, a cold, detached voice rang out:
“Demons arise, evil runs rampant…”
“Follow me—all, to purge our foes!”