99. The Gateway to the Forgotten Realm

The massive rift in the sky pulsed with chaotic energy, its swirling void devouring the very fabric of reality. The oppressive aura pressing down on the battlefield was unlike anything Ling Tian had felt before—ancient, unfathomable, and laced with an eerie familiarity.

Xu Qing'er's breath hitched as she instinctively stepped closer to Ling Tian. "This… This is no ordinary gateway."

Ling Tian didn't respond immediately. His eyes, like twin suns of gold and azure, flickered with deep contemplation. The Forgotten Realm wasn't just a place—it was an existence outside of conventional reality. A prison. A tomb. A realm that should never be touched by the mortal world.

And yet, it called to him.

The void trembled, and from within its depths, an ominous whisper slithered through the cracks in space.

"You who bears the Vanquished Throne's mark… you cannot escape fate."

Xu Qing'er's eyes widened. "That voice…"

Ling Tian clenched his fist. The weight of destiny pressed against his very soul, but he did not falter. "I was never one to run from fate." His gaze sharpened as he took a step forward.

The void rumbled. Shadows coalesced within the rift, taking the form of twisted figures—guardians of the Forgotten Realm. Their eyes glowed with malice, their jagged forms writhing like cursed spirits bound in eternal suffering.

Xu Qing'er's voice was firm. "They won't let us through easily."

Ling Tian smirked. "Let them try."

With a flick of his sleeve, his dual-colored aura erupted, forming a golden-azure sword of condensed intent. The sheer force of his will distorted the air around him, making the void creatures hesitate.

Then, they attacked.

A hundred twisted shadows surged forth like a tidal wave of despair. Their shrieks echoed through the battlefield, shattering the very ground beneath them.

But Ling Tian was faster.

His figure blurred.

One slash—five creatures disintegrated.

Another strike—a dozen fell, their essence vanishing into the void.

His sword intent raged like a divine tempest, carving through the tide of darkness with merciless precision.

Xu Qing'er joined him, her silver eyes burning with determination. Her delicate fingers weaved complex seals, summoning radiant moonlight that descended like a celestial judgment. The shrieks of the void creatures turned into wails of agony as they were purified by her attacks.

The battle was swift, but the energy surrounding the rift only grew more intense. The very fabric of space twisted unnaturally.

Ling Tian's grip on his sword tightened. "We don't have much time."

Xu Qing'er nodded. "Then let's go."

Without hesitation, the two stepped forward, their figures swallowed by the abyss.

And the world shifted.

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