54. Secrets of the Vanquished Throne

The glow of the Vanquished Throne filled the ancient ruins, casting an ethereal radiance over the shattered remains of the Guardian. Ling Tian stood before it, his breathing steady but his mind racing.

This was it.

The moment he had been waiting for.

The truth hidden within the depths of this forgotten place was finally within his grasp.

Behind him, Bai Xue and Xu Qing'er remained silent. They knew this moment was not theirs to interfere with.

Ling Tian reached out—his fingertips barely grazing the throne's cold surface when—

RUMBLE!

A powerful force erupted from the throne, dragging him into a vortex of light.

Before Bai Xue or Xu Qing'er could react, he had already vanished.

The next moment, Ling Tian found himself standing in a void of endless stars.

---

The Throne's Forgotten Memories

The space around him was silent, yet filled with whispers.

It was not a place of the living—but of memories.

Suddenly, a voice echoed.

"At last, you have come."

Ling Tian turned sharply, his gaze locking onto a towering figure that had materialized before him.

It was a man clad in silver robes, his eyes burning with celestial light. His presence was both regal and sorrowful.

"Who are you?" Ling Tian demanded.

The figure smiled faintly. "I am… the first Sovereign of the Vanquished Throne."

Ling Tian's pupils contracted.

This man was the very first Sovereign? The one who had once ruled over the forgotten era?

"The Vanquished Throne is not just a title, nor a simple power," the man continued. "It is a burden, a fate that binds those who carry it."

Ling Tian narrowed his eyes. "Why did my father entrust me with this path?"

The first Sovereign sighed. "Because the Ling Clan's fate… is intertwined with the Vanquished Throne."

Ling Tian's heart pounded.

"What happened to my clan?"

The first Sovereign lifted a hand, and suddenly—

Visions of the past unraveled before Ling Tian's eyes.

---

The Fall of the Ling Clan

A magnificent city appeared—the Ling Clan's ancestral land. It was a realm untouched by time, its people thriving under the guidance of powerful ancestors.

Yet, in the blink of an eye—

Darkness descended.

A monstrous force, veiled in shadows, descended upon the Ling Clan without warning. Their strongest warriors fought back, but they were powerless before the unknown enemy.

Ling Tian watched, his fists clenching, as his father stood at the center of it all, leading the final defense.

And then—

A forbidden technique was used.

A seal, forged from the essence of the Myriad Worlds, was placed upon the Ling Clan, tearing them away from existence.

"A sacrifice to protect the truth."

Ling Tian staggered.

His clan hadn't been destroyed.

They had been sealed away.

Somewhere in the Myriad Worlds, they still existed.

Waiting for him.

---

A Path of No Return

Ling Tian's gaze darkened.

"Where are they now?" he asked coldly.

The first Sovereign shook his head. "Their location is beyond your reach… for now. But the key to their return lies in your hands, Sovereign of Two Fates."

Ling Tian's grip tightened.

He had already lost too much.

He would not lose them too.

"What must I do?"

The first Sovereign extended a hand, and suddenly—a divine sigil burned itself into Ling Tian's palm.

"Seek the fragments of the Vanquished Throne."

"Reforge what was broken."

"Only then will the path to your clan reveal itself."

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