Chapter 32: Stepping Into the Unknown

Wu Tian's body flickered as he pushed through the dense forest, moving with purpose toward the unstable rift. The Sealed World's boundary had been a mystery to its inhabitants, but now, he had no choice but to find the truth hidden within.

The night sky above crackled with instability, faint distortions rippling like the breath of a dying beast. Somewhere beyond this world lay the Mortal Realm.

He tightened his grip on the jade talisman Elder Rong had given him. There was no turning back.

The Rift

When Wu Tian reached the coordinates outlined in the ancient scroll, his breath slowed. A jagged tear in space hovered above a ruined altar, shimmering with unstable energy.

The ground trembled beneath his feet. The rift was unpredictable, its energy lashing out violently. One misstep, and he'd be swallowed into the void.

A familiar voice called out behind him. "You're really doing this."

He turned to find Yan Xue standing a few paces away, arms crossed. Her expression was unreadable, but there was an edge of something in her gaze—concern, perhaps?

Wu Tian smirked. "You already knew I was."

She hesitated before nodding. "You're different from the rest of us." A pause. "No one else has dared to dream beyond this world."

Wu Tian chuckled. "I was never meant to stay here."

Yan Xue exhaled. "Then I won't waste time trying to convince you otherwise." She unsheathed a small dagger and tossed it to him. "Take this. It's forged from the Black Celestial Ore. The moment you step into the Mortal Realm, you won't have the resources of a sect protecting you."

Wu Tian caught the dagger, his grip firm. "Appreciated."

She stepped back, watching him. "Survive, Wu Tian."

He grinned. "That's the plan."

Without hesitation, he leaped into the rift.

Between Worlds

As soon as he entered, his body was crushed from all sides.

Space twisted violently, the unstable currents pulling him in different directions. The Dao of Space raged against him, testing whether he was worthy to leave this world.

His mind screamed, but Wu Tian gritted his teeth. This was just another trial.

His Heavenly Stride activated instinctively, stabilizing his movements. He did not resist the flow—instead, he moved with it.

The pressure increased.

His bones groaned, his flesh tore, but he did not stop.

Then, he saw it.

A pinprick of light in the endless dark.

The other side.

Summoning every ounce of strength, Wu Tian propelled himself forward.

Arrival in the Mortal Realm

The pressure vanished.

Wu Tian's feet landed on solid ground.

The air was different—heavier, richer, filled with an energy far beyond what the Sealed World had ever provided.

He took a slow breath. This was the Mortal Realm.

The sky above was a deep indigo, dotted with stars more vivid than any he had seen before. Towering mountains loomed in the distance, their peaks piercing the heavens.

A new world.

A new battlefield.

But before he could take in more, his instincts screamed.

A blade whistled through the air—

Wu Tian dodged, barely avoiding the strike aimed at his throat. His feet slid against the dirt, eyes locking onto a group of cultivators in dark robes.

One of them sneered. "A rat crawled out of the void?"

Wu Tian exhaled, rolling his shoulders. Not even a moment to breathe, huh?

He cracked his knuckles, a smirk forming.

"Let's see what this world has to offer."