Chapter 22: The Threat Beyond the World

The weight of Daoist Iron Cloud's words hung over the grand hall like an unshakable storm. An intruder beyond their world's limits. A cultivator whose mere existence defied the very laws that bound the Sealed Plane.

Wu Tian stood unmoving, his mind racing. Someone from the outside world had entered? How? The space around the Sealed Plane was unstable—only those who grasped the Dao of Space could hope to leave, much less enter.

One of the elders stepped forward, his voice grave. "Sect Master, do we know where this intruder came from?"

Daoist Iron Cloud's gaze sharpened. "Unknown. The intruder was first sighted near the Broken Star Valley. Three of our elite Pseudo-Core disciples attempted to stop him."

He paused, his expression darkening. "They were slaughtered in a single breath."

Gasps rippled through the hall. Pseudo-Core cultivators were the strongest within this plane. If they were nothing before this intruder…

"What realm is this person at?" Wu Tian asked, his voice steady.

The Sect Master's expression did not change. "We do not know for certain. But we believe they have reached—Spirit Awakening Realm or beyond."

The hall fell into a stunned silence.

Spirit Awakening Realm. A level no one in the Sealed World could reach. It was the next step beyond Pseudo-Core, the threshold to true cultivation in the greater Mortal Realm.

For someone at that level to enter this world… it meant the laws were breaking.

A Dangerous Mission

Daoist Iron Cloud's gaze swept over the gathered disciples and elders before settling once more on Wu Tian.

"This is why I have summoned you," the Sect Master said. "You are different from the rest of us. Your body does not rely on Qi. Your strength surpasses the limits of our cultivation methods."

The meaning was clear. Wu Tian might be the only one who could face this intruder without being crushed instantly.

Wu Tian exhaled slowly. "What are my orders?"

A flicker of approval flashed in Daoist Iron Cloud's eyes. "You, along with Yan Xue and an elite squad, will be sent to investigate Broken Star Valley."

Wu Tian's gaze flickered toward Yan Xue, who stood among the core disciples. She nodded slightly, already prepared for battle.

"We do not expect you to defeat this intruder," Daoist Iron Cloud continued. "Your objective is simple—survive, gather information, and return. If you can uncover how this person entered our world, we may find a way to restore the Sealed Plane's barriers."

Wu Tian nodded. "When do we leave?"

"Immediately."

Journey to Broken Star Valley

Within the hour, Wu Tian and Yan Xue stood at the sect's teleportation array, flanked by four elite disciples—each one at the peak of Pseudo-Core Realm. Their faces were grim, their weapons ready.

"This could be a trap," one of the elite disciples murmured. "For all we know, this intruder is baiting us into an ambush."

Yan Xue adjusted the blade at her waist. "That's why we move cautiously."

The array flared, and in an instant, they were transported across the continent, reappearing at the jagged entrance of Broken Star Valley.

The moment they arrived, Wu Tian felt it.

The air was different.

The Qi within the valley was chaotic, unstable, as if the world itself was rejecting something. The ground was scorched, deep craters marking the battlefield where the three slain disciples had made their last stand.

Then he saw it.

A lone figure stood at the valley's center, clad in dark robes that flickered like shadows against the fractured sky.

Wu Tian's blood burned. This was no ordinary cultivator.

Yan Xue's voice was low. "This is him."

The intruder turned, his expression unreadable. But as his gaze landed on them, Wu Tian felt it—the sheer disparity in power.

The man smiled slightly. "So, they finally sent someone interesting."

The First Exchange

Without warning, the air split apart.

The intruder moved, and the space around them cracked like glass.

Wu Tian barely reacted in time, instinctively shifting his stance. His Draconic Veins surged to life, his blood vibrating with unrestrained power.

A single flick of the intruder's finger sent one of the elite disciples flying, his body slamming into the canyon wall with a sickening crack. The man didn't even scream—he was unconscious before he hit the ground.

The other disciples paled, gripping their weapons tightly.

Yan Xue vanished, appearing above the intruder in a flash, her sword gleaming with Qi as she struck down.

The intruder lifted a single hand.

Her sword stopped mid-air. As if time itself had frozen.

Yan Xue's pupils shrank. Impossible.

Wu Tian moved.

Golden light erupted from his body as his fifth gate unleashed its full power. He lunged, aiming a strike at the intruder's exposed side.

The impact shook the valley.

The intruder staggered.

For the first time, surprise flickered across his face. He turned to Wu Tian, eyes narrowing. "You're not like the others."

Wu Tian's breath came hard and fast, but he grinned. "And you're not untouchable."

The intruder chuckled. "Very well. Let's see how long you last."

He vanished.

Wu Tian's instincts screamed. This was a battle unlike any he had ever faced.

And it had only just begun.