Chapter 69 – Into the Abyss of Celestial Truths

The Abyss was no place for mortals. It was a realm beyond realms, a dark and endless chasm, where time and space existed as fragmented echoes, flickering in and out of alignment. It was the birthplace of all things—the point at which the cosmos had first taken form and where it would one day return to nothingness. The air, if it could be called air, was thick with the weight of forgotten truths, the echo of creation's first breath. It was a void, yet it was not empty. It was a place of pure potential, where the very fabric of reality unraveled and rewove itself with every passing moment.

Rin stood on the edge of the Abyss, the void stretching out before him like a dark sea. The swirling currents of energy pulsed around him, and he could feel the weight of everything that had ever existed pressing upon him. Here, there were no gods, no immortals, and no illusions—only the raw truth of the universe. He had come to find it, to learn the deepest secret behind immortality, and to uncover the truth that had been hidden from him for so long.

The Celestial Mirror lay at the center of the Abyss, suspended in midair. It was a vast, circular pool of liquid light, its surface rippling with an energy that was older than the stars themselves. The Mirror was not just an object; it was a reflection of the universe's deepest truths, a conduit through which one could peer into the very heart of existence. As Rin approached it, he felt the weight of countless eyes upon him—eyes that had seen the beginning of time and would witness its end.

The Celestial Truths would not reveal themselves easily. They never did.

Rin stepped forward, his steps slow but steady, as if the very air was attempting to pull him into the depths of the Abyss. As his feet touched the surface of the Mirror, it rippled, and the world around him began to distort. Reality itself seemed to bend and twist, as if the boundaries of existence were nothing more than a fragile illusion.

And then, he saw it.

The Celestial Truths.

A being, neither fully male nor female, neither light nor dark, appeared before him. Its form was an amalgamation of shifting energies, its body constantly changing, never quite solid, yet undeniably present. Its eyes, two orbs of swirling galaxies, gazed into his soul, seeing him as no mortal ever could.

"You seek the truth, Rin Xie," the being spoke, its voice a thousand whispers echoing in unison. "But are you truly ready to bear it? The truth of immortality is not a gift—it is a burden, a cycle that binds all things to the wheel of creation and destruction. It is a truth that cannot be unlearned once seen."

Rin's heart raced, but his resolve remained unshaken. "I have already rejected the false heavens. I have come here not to gain immortality, but to understand the true nature of death—and with it, to break free from the chains that bind us all."

The being's gaze softened, and the swirling galaxies within its eyes seemed to shift, revealing flashes of forgotten ages—of mortals and immortals alike, all caught in the unrelenting tide of life and death. "The heavens have lied to you," the being said. "They have hidden the truth from you, from all mortals. The origin of death is not what you have been told. It is not a curse, nor a punishment. Death is the balance of all things. It is the force that shapes the cosmos, the cycle that gives birth to everything and consumes it in turn."

The Mirror before Rin rippled again, and the world around him began to shift, showing him the great cycle of creation and destruction. He saw stars being born in the vast emptiness of space, their energy coalescing into planets, life springing forth from the barren soil. But he also saw the reverse: entire worlds being devoured by black holes, civilizations falling into decay, the very fabric of existence being unraveled, piece by piece.

"This," the being said, its voice both sorrowful and triumphant, "is the true nature of reality. Everything that is born must one day die. It is the law of the universe, the force that governs all things. The heavens, the gods, the immortals—they have long hidden this truth, for to know it is to understand that their power is fleeting, that they, too, are bound by the cycle they seek to control."

Rin watched in silence as the visions continued to unfold before him. He saw the rise of ancient empires, the flourishing of cultures and races, and their inevitable fall. He saw gods who had once ruled with divine authority, their kingdoms crumbling into dust as the passage of time wore them away. He saw immortals, cursed to walk the earth forever, their once-glorious forms rotting from the inside out, consumed by the very power they had sought to control.

And then, he saw the truth of his own existence.

He saw his past lives, each one a fleeting moment in the endless cycle of death and rebirth. He saw the faces of those who had shaped his journey—his old sect, his family, those he had once called friends. And he saw himself, standing in the center of it all, a single thread woven into the grand tapestry of the universe.

"You are not the first to seek the truth, nor will you be the last," the being said, its voice a somber murmur. "But you are different. You have seen through the illusion. You have transcended the lies of the heavens, and now you stand on the precipice of true power. The Abyssal Truths are yours to claim, should you wish it."

Rin's mind raced as the weight of these revelations settled upon him. The heavens, the gods, the immortals—they were all part of the same cycle, trapped within the fabric of existence, bound by the laws they had long sought to control. They were nothing more than prisoners of the universe's design. But Rin... he was something else. He had shattered his chains. He had transcended death, and now he had the power to reshape reality itself.

"The Abyssal Truths are the key to unraveling the universe," the being continued, its form shifting once more. "They are the force that binds all things—the source of creation, destruction, and rebirth. With this power, you could tear apart the very fabric of existence, reshape the heavens, and free all beings from the cycle of life and death."

Rin's heart stirred with a mix of awe and determination. This was the power he had sought—this was the key to breaking the cycle, to bringing an end to the false gods, to the immortal rulers who held the universe in their grip. But at what cost? The Abyssal Truths were not a gift. They were a weapon, a force of unimaginable power, and wielding them would come with consequences.

"Will you claim the Abyssal Truths?" the being asked, its voice filled with an ancient wisdom. "Will you become the force that unravels the cycle of creation and destruction?"

Rin stood in silence for a long moment, his gaze fixed on the swirling abyss before him. The visions of the universe's birth, growth, decay, and death all swirled together in a chaotic dance. He saw the endless cycles of life, the countless souls that had come and gone, and the infinite number of worlds that had risen and fallen.

In that moment, Rin understood the true nature of the universe. It was a never-ending cycle, a wheel that turned without end. But that did not mean it could not be broken.

"I will claim the Abyssal Truths," Rin said, his voice steady, his resolve unshakable. "And I will use them to break the cycle. The heavens, the gods, the immortals—they will no longer have dominion over life and death. I will reshape the universe as I see fit."

The being nodded, its form fading as the Abyss itself seemed to shift and warp around Rin. The truth was now his. The Abyssal Truths, the knowledge of creation and destruction, were woven into the very core of his being.

And with that, Rin knew—he had transcended the boundaries of existence. He had become a force unto himself, one that could reshape the universe, tear apart the heavens, and bring an end to the illusion of immortality.

The final pieces had fallen into place.

To be continued…