Myth Beyond Heaven

Yun Lintian staggered back as if struck. His knees nearly buckled under the weight of the revelation.

The last one.

All others… gone.

The young disciple version of himself looked down, fists clenched. The grieving son let out a shaky breath. Even the old ruler’s hardened expression flickered with pain.

“How?” Yun Lintian forced the word out.

The old ruler exhaled slowly.

“Some fell in battle against Nian Shi’s forces. Some were corrupted by the Chaos. Some…” His gaze grew distant. “…made the same choice I did. Sacrificed everything to buy time for the next version.”

He met Yun Lintian’s eyes.

“You’ve seen my ending. Now imagine hundreds—thousands—of similar tragedies. Different battles. Same result.”

Yun Lintian’s hands trembled. The implications were staggering.

Every breakthrough he’d made.

Every enemy he’d defeated.

Every life he’d saved.

Countless versions of himself had walked those paths before—and failed.

“Why am I different?” Yun Lintian whispered.

The old ruler’s lips twitched. “Do you think you are?”

The words were a blade to the heart.

But before Yun Lintian could respond, the old ruler continued.

“Of course, you might think so. You have the Seed of Time now. That’s something none of us had at this stage.” His eyes gleamed. “But it’s not enough. Not yet.”

Yun Lintian frowned. “What else do I need?”

The old ruler didn’t answer directly. Instead, he raised a hand—and the wasteland around them shifted.

The ruins of a grand palace materialized. Shattered pillars. A broken throne. And above it all, a massive mural depicting a colossal tree spanning countless worlds.

“The World Tree,” the old ruler said. “Its fragments are scattered across time. The Seed you hold is just one piece.”

He pointed to the mural, where seven glowing fruits hung from the tree’s branches.

“Seven Seeds. Seven Authorities over time itself.”

Yun Lintian’s eyes widened. “You’re saying I need to collect them all?”

The old ruler nodded. “To face Nian Shi? To win? Yes.”

A beat of silence.

Then—

The young disciple suddenly spoke up. “But even if he collects them… won’t it just happen again?” His voice was quiet. “Another battle. Another sacrifice. Another… failure.”

The old ruler’s expression darkened.

The grieving son added, “If we’re all the same… what makes him different?”

Yun Lintian clenched his fists.

That was the real question, wasn’t it?

Why would he succeed where thousands of versions had failed?

The old ruler studied him for a long moment. Then—

“Because you’re awake.”

Yun Lintian frowned. “What?”

“The others,” the old ruler said slowly, “never realized the truth until it was too late. They fought their battles thinking they were alone. That their timeline was the only one.”

He stepped forward, his aged eyes burning with intensity.

“But you know now. You see the full picture. And that…” His lips curled. “…changes everything.”

The old ruler’s gaze turned piercing. “Do you know how many versions of us have tried to master time?”

Yun Lintian shook his head.

“Countless,” the old ruler spat. “All failed. Because they lacked the iron will to bear its weight.” He pointed at Yun Lintian. “You’re the first to even glimpse its true power.”

Yun Lintian’s mind raced. “But in the vision… you defeated Nian Shi.”

The old ruler laughed bitterly. “Defeat? That was no victory. At best, I sealed him away—just as the Creator sealed the Chasm of Uncreation.”

Yun Lintian quickly asked. “Right. What happened to the Chasm in your timeline?”

“It remains sealed,” the old ruler said grimly. “There is only one Chasm of Uncreation, just as there is only one Creator. It exists beyond fractured timelines.”

A realization struck Yun Lintian like lightning.

Then that means…

The young disciple’s eyes widened. “Don’t tell me…?”

The old ruler’s expression darkened. He studied Yun Lintian sharply. “The Chasm… is unsealed in your timeline?”

Yun Lintian nodded slowly. “Ren Yuan—the inheritor of the God of Heaven—broke its seals.”

Silence.

Then—

“Idiot!” the young disciple exploded, his face twisting in rage. “How could you let that happen?”

The grieving son’s hands trembled. “All our sacrifices… for nothing?”

Yun Lintian had no defense. This was his failure. His oversight in underestimating Ren Yuan’s madness.

The old ruler’s voice cut through the tension like a blade. “Enough.”

He stepped forward, his aged eyes burning. “What’s done is done. The question is—what will you do now?”

Yun Lintian met the old ruler’s gaze. “I’ll fix it.”

The young disciple scoffed. “How? By dying like the rest of us?”

“No.” Yun Lintian’s voice was steel. “By succeeding where you failed.”

The old ruler’s lips twitched. “Bold words. But do you have the strength to back them?”

Yun Lintian met their gazes and spoke calmly. “I think I know why I am different now.”

“Oh?” the old ruler looked at Yun Lintian with interest. “Why don’t you tell us then?”

Yun Lintian’s voice rang clear across the wasteland.

“It’s not just about seeing the bigger picture.” His gaze swept across his three other selves. “It’s about the resolve to see it through—no matter the cost.”

To his surprise, none of them scoffed.

The young disciple’s angry expression softened. The grieving son’s clenched fists relaxed. Even the old ruler’s stern face broke into a knowing smile.

“You finally understand,” the old ruler said quietly.

Yun Lintian continued, “All of you—all the other versions of me—wanted to protect your loved ones. But when faced with impossible choices…”

“You faltered,” the old ruler finished for him. His aged eyes grew distant. “The weight of sacrifice crushed us. We compromised. We hesitated.” He pointed at Yun Lintian. “But you—you would burn the heavens themselves if it meant saving even one of them.”

The young disciple let out a bitter chuckle. “I thought I was strong enough… until I had to choose between saving Father or the clan.”

The grieving son’s voice cracked. “And I… I couldn’t bear watching Mother die a second time.”

Yun Lintian understood now. These weren’t just echoes of his past—they were warnings. Manifestations of every weakness he might have had.

The old ruler stepped forward. “Do you know what true strength is, Yun Lintian?”

Yun Lintian met his gaze.

“Not power. Not talent.” The old ruler tapped his chest. “The will to stand back up after fate has crushed you. Again. and again. and again… Although you have been running away from your enemy many times, you have never given up. This is your good point.”

A gust of wind swept through the wasteland, carrying with it the faint echoes of countless battles.

The old ruler’s form began to glow. “You now have the chance to end the cycle. Not because you’re stronger than us or you have the unshakeable will…”

The young disciple and grieving son stepped forward, their bodies dissolving into light.

“…But because you’re willing to do everything even it means to sacrifice yourself.”