chapter 11: the heart of creation

The moment Shen Tian's fist collided with the dragon's heart, the very fabric of the arena shattered. The infinite lights and cosmic dust spiraled around him, slowly coalescing into a singular force. He could feel it—the heartbeat of Creation itself. The pulse of existence, echoing through every fiber of his being.

He had transcended.

Or so he thought.

As the light dimmed and the cosmic dust settled, Shen Tian found himself standing on a new plane—vast, infinite, and impossibly beautiful.

The sky above was not just sky—it was a living canvas, constantly shifting with colors that defied description. The ground beneath his feet wasn't earth, but an everchanging tapestry of elemental forces, constantly rearranging themselves, like the very building blocks of existence.

This was no longer the void. This was the Heart of Creation.

The Dragon Sovereign's voice echoed in his mind once more:

"Welcome, Shen Tian… you have transcended the trial of existence. But, there is one final step to reach the pinnacle."

Shen Tian glanced around, trying to gauge the situation.

"I've reached the Heart of Creation, but what is this final step?"

From the swirling cosmic energies around him, a figure began to take shape—a being with a humanoid form, but its body was made entirely of light and darkness, an amalgamation of everything that had ever existed.

It was the Essence of Creation itself.

"To transcend Creation," the figure spoke, its voice both thunderous and gentle, "you must face the truth of your existence and your desires."

Shen Tian stood tall, a smirk on his face. "I already know what I seek. I seek to surpass everything, to redefine the limits of existence. Nothing less."

The Essence of Creation studied him with its infinite gaze.

"Then you must face the Trial of the Soul—the final trial that separates the worthy from the unworthy."

Shen Tian's heart stirred. A trial of the soul was never a simple thing. It wasn't just about power; it was about understanding oneself at the deepest, most elemental level.

Without hesitation, Shen Tian stepped forward. "I'm ready."

The Essence of Creation nodded, its body flickering like a dying star. "Very well, Shen Tian. Prepare yourself."

Suddenly, the world around Shen Tian collapsed into a singular point, and his surroundings vanished. He was plunged into darkness—complete, overwhelming darkness. There was no light, no sound, no form. Only his mind, his thoughts, and the unrelenting pressure of his soul.

He stood alone in a void.

A voice broke the silence.

"Who are you?"

Shen Tian frowned, but the question echoed within him like a thousand whispers.

"Who are you?" the voice repeated.

"I am Shen Tian," he replied, his voice unwavering. "The one who will transcend all that exists."

"Are you?" The voice was calm, yet filled with an ancient sorrow. "Then why do you cling to the same desires as those who came before you?"

A vision flickered before his eyes—visions of the past.

He saw himself as a child, alone and struggling. He saw the countless people he had left behind in his journey—those he had loved, those he had sacrificed. His eyes grew heavy with memories, the weight of his decisions, the lives he had touched.

But there was also something darker—

A hunger, a need to push beyond it all, to become something that could never be bound by time, space, or even death.

"Are you truly ready to bear the cost of transcending?" the voice asked, its tone shifting from sorrow to challenge.

Shen Tian's chest tightened.

He had never feared anything in his journey—never feared the power, never feared the isolation, never feared the price. But now…

Now, it felt as though he was standing on the edge of something insurmountable.

"I am ready," Shen Tian said, his voice more certain than ever. "No matter the cost."

The darkness around him began to shift, and before his eyes, the figure of the Dragon Sovereign materialized once more.

"You are not just a man, Shen Tian," the Dragon Sovereign spoke, his voice now calm. "You are the will of the universe itself—your existence has already shaped the flow of reality. But the question remains—what will you do once you stand at the peak? What will happen to the countless lives you've touched, the worlds you've shaped?"

Shen Tian's heart wavered, but only for a moment.

He knew the answer.

"I will reshape everything. I will create a world where no one is bound by the limits of existence, a place where all will be free to transcend. A world where everyone can reach the peak."

The Dragon Sovereign smiled, a look of both pride and sadness in his eyes. "Then you are truly ready. Step forward, Shen Tian, and transcend all that is."

And so, Shen Tian walked.

With each step, the world around him began to melt, the very concept of time and space bending to his will. He could feel the essence of existence itself flowing through him, filling him with infinite power. He could feel the weight of creation in his very soul.

And finally, at the center of the Heart of Creation, Shen Tian transcended.

End of Chapter 11