031 : The War of the Cosmos.
The death of a Celestial Sovereign had never happened before.
The moment Lin Tian devoured his fallen foe, the very fabric of the Higher Universe reacted violently. Stars flickered, galaxies trembled, and the celestial pathways that connected the divine realms fractured.
The Sovereigns, beings who had ruled for countless eons, had believed themselves untouchable. Eternal. Absolute.
And yet—one of them had fallen.
Not to another Sovereign.
Not to a universal calamity.
But to an outsider.
BOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Across the Higher Universe, the decree was issued—
"Lin Tian, the Devourer, is an enemy of the Celestial Dominion!"
The Sovereigns did not wait.
They did not negotiate.
They came for him.
Far above, in the Celestial Dominion, the thrones of the Sovereigns pulsed with divine power. The greatest beings of this universe—rulers of cosmic cycles, guardians of existence itself—gathered for war.
The Sovereign of Starlight stood first, his presence like a burning sun. "He has consumed one of our own. If we allow this, he will consume us all."
The Sovereign of the Abyss followed, his voice like a whisper from the void. "His power grows with every battle. We cannot delay."
The Sovereign of Eternal Order, the embodiment of universal balance, turned to the one who ruled above them all. "Supreme Sovereign, what is your command?"
The Supreme Sovereign did not speak immediately.
Unlike the others, he did not radiate anger. He did not need to. His existence alone carried an authority greater than all things. He was the one who had created the current balance of the universe, the one who had never known defeat.
And now, for the first time—he had been challenged.
He finally spoke, his voice echoing across all realms.
"Summon the Sovereign Legions."
"Summon the Celestial Lords."
His gaze turned toward the lower dominions, where Lin Tian stood.
"Summon all who serve the divine will."
And then, in a voice that carried across the cosmos—
"The Devourer must fall."
Lin Tian felt their approach before he saw them.
He stood upon a shattered floating continent, the last remnants of his battlefield, his golden-black aura pulsing steadily. Around him, the very laws of the universe were shifting.
He had begun as an intruder.
Now, he was something else entirely.
This world had tried to reject him.
Now—it feared him.
And then—
They arrived.
BOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The first wave of the Celestial Army descended from the heavens, thousands upon thousands of divine warriors, their weapons burning with the energy of the cosmos. These were not simple cultivators—they were Celestial Lords, each one powerful enough to destroy an entire star system.
Behind them, riding upon great celestial beasts, were the Sovereign Generals, beings who had fought in the wars of gods, each one carrying enough power to bend the laws of reality itself.
Above them all, standing at the forefront of the divine host, was the Sovereign of Starlight, his eyes locked onto Lin Tian.
"You have crossed the line, outsider," he declared.
Lin Tian smirked. "That's funny. I don't remember there ever being a line to begin with."
The Sovereign's expression darkened. "You will not leave this battlefield alive."
Lin Tian chuckled. "Let's find out."
And with that—
The war began.
The moment the Sovereign gave the command, the heavens shook.
The Celestial Lords moved first, their formations precise, their divine techniques weaving together into a single, unstoppable force. Their combined energy was like a tidal wave, a storm of celestial destruction meant to overwhelm any being in existence.
Lin Tian stepped forward.
And then—he attacked.
BOOOOOOOOOOOM!
His golden-black aura exploded outward, a pulse of energy so vast that the first wave of Celestial Lords was instantly erased. They did not die. They did not bleed.
They ceased to exist.
The remaining warriors staggered.
The Sovereign of Starlight's eyes widened. "What…?"
Lin Tian smiled. "You came here expecting a battle. You should have brought something stronger."
The second wave launched forward, dozens of Celestial Lords and Sovereign Generals, their divine weapons crashing down toward Lin Tian at once.
He did not dodge.
Instead—he devoured.
The instant their attacks connected, his Devourer Core pulsed, and in a single heartbeat—their power became his.
Their weapons shattered.
Their divine auras collapsed.
Their bodies vanished.
And Lin Tian—only grew stronger.
The Sovereign of Starlight clenched his fists. "Enough!"
He raised his hand—and the stars obeyed.
From above, an entire constellation descended, a burning mass of cosmic destruction aimed directly at Lin Tian. This was not a simple attack. This was a celestial judgment.
Lin Tian gazed up at the falling star.
And then—
He grinned.
"Not bad."
He raised his own hand.
And for the first time in history—
A Sovereign's attack was devoured.
The burning star, a force capable of erasing entire civilizations, collapsed inward, pulled into Lin Tian's outstretched palm. Its energy, its laws, its very essence—became his own.
The battlefield fell silent.
The Celestial Lords staggered in horror.
The Sovereign of Starlight took a step back.
"This is… impossible."
Lin Tian exhaled, his golden-black eyes burning brighter than ever.
"No," he said.
"This is just the beginning."
The Higher Universe shuddered.
The Celestial Lords, the Sovereign Generals—they were nothing to Lin Tian. He had crushed them as if they were mere insects, their divine power useless before his existence.
Far above, in the Celestial Dominion, the remaining Sovereigns watched in silence.
The Supreme Sovereign rose from his throne.
"Enough."
The moment the word was spoken—
The remaining eight Sovereigns descended.
They did not arrive as warriors.
They did not arrive as cultivators.
They arrived as gods.
Their combined presence warped reality itself, their power reshaping the battlefield into something beyond mortal comprehension.
The stars bent before them.
The laws of existence trembled.
And Lin Tian?
He laughed.
He cracked his knuckles, stepping forward. "Finally."
He grinned, his golden-black aura burning wildly.
"A real fight."
And with that—
The battle between Lin Tian and the Celestial Sovereigns truly began.
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