Chapter 28:The Shadow Beyond the Heavens

A suffocating silence fell over the battlefield.

The cloaked figure hovered in the air, their presence warping the very space around them. Their aura was neither fully demonic nor divine—but something far more ancient, far more terrifying.

Tianming's grip on his sword tightened. His body was still surging with celestial power, but against this unknown force, he felt a chilling uncertainty.

The sect elders stirred in alarm.

One of them, Elder Bai, stepped forward, his voice cold. "Who dares disrupt the Storm Horizon Sect's Tournament? State your name and purpose!"

The figure chuckled, their voice echoing like a whisper from the void.

"My name…?"

Slowly, they lifted their hood.

The crowd gasped.

A face was revealed—half-covered in intricate black markings, ancient and unreadable. Their eyes shimmered with silver light, devoid of human warmth.

"I am the harbinger of the Forgotten Path," they said, their voice laced with power. "And I have come… for Li Tianming."

---

Tianming's heart pounded.

The Forgotten Path. He had never heard of it before—but deep inside, something responded to those words.

The Celestial Jade of Primordial Chaos within him pulsed violently.

Suddenly—

Visions.

Blurry fragments of a past he did not remember—of battles waged in the stars, of a being clad in golden flames, standing against the abyss itself.

Then—

A name.

A whisper, like a memory buried deep within his soul.

The Sovereign's Trial.

Tianming's eyes snapped open. His breath was ragged, his body trembling.

What… was that?

The cloaked figure watched him carefully.

"So… you truly are the one."

Without warning, they raised a single hand.

A massive force erupted—

BOOM!

The entire arena shook as a wave of black energy surged toward Tianming.

He barely reacted in time.

Golden light exploded from his body, forming a barrier—

CRACK!

The two forces clashed violently, sending shockwaves through the arena. Disciples were thrown backward. Even the elders struggled to maintain their footing.

Jiang Chen shouted, "Tianming! Get back!"

But Tianming wasn't moving.

His entire body burned with celestial energy, his golden dragons roaring in defiance.

He took a single step forward—

And then vanished.

The next moment—Tianming was right in front of the cloaked figure.

His sword, now fully infused with celestial power, slashed down—

CLANG!

The cloaked figure raised their arm, blocking the strike with nothing but sheer force.

Tianming's eyes widened.

Even Qian Zhen at full power had struggled to withstand his attack.

But this person—had stopped it with their bare hand.

The figure smirked. "You're strong. But not strong enough."

They twisted their palm—

And Tianming felt his body being pulled.

BANG!

Before he could react, an invisible force struck his chest, sending him flying across the battlefield. He crashed into the ground, skidding across the stone.

Pain shot through his body. But before he could rise—

The figure was already there.

Their fingers curled—

And suddenly, Tianming felt as if the entire sky was pressing down on him.

A crushing pressure forced him to his knees.

The crowd gasped.

Jiang Chen started moving, but an elder held him back. "No! That's not an opponent you can face!"

Tianming gritted his teeth, his muscles screaming in protest. He could feel his bones straining under the force.

But he refused to kneel.

With a roar—

His celestial power exploded outward.

The pressure shattered.

And Tianming stood once more.

The cloaked figure's silver eyes gleamed with interest. "Oh? Not bad."

But Tianming wasn't listening.

His sword shone brighter than ever.

His golden dragons howled in unison.

And his celestial energy—

Began to evolve once more.

---

Far above the arena, hidden among the clouds, an unseen presence watched.

A deep voice whispered, "The Sovereign's Trial… has begun."

And in the distant heavens, an ancient seal trembled—

Cracking open for the first time in millennia.

Tianming's journey was far from over.

It was only just beginning.

---

What Comes Next in Chapter 29:

The battle between Tianming and the cloaked figure reaches its climax.

The truth behind the Forgotten Path is revealed.

Tianming's celestial power takes on a new form.

A shocking revelation changes the fate of the entire sect.