The moment Lin Feng saw the broken crown—
Pain exploded through his chest.
"Ugh!"
He staggered backward.
The mark beneath his shirt burned like molten metal.
Golden light erupted from the symbol.
Everyone immediately turned toward him.
The giant guardian moved first.
Its enormous body shifted protectively.
Positioning itself between Lin Feng and the approaching army.
The black-robed elder's eyes narrowed.
"It reacted."
The crimson-robed man looked grim.
"To the crown."
The approaching army continued advancing.
Slow.
Relentless.
Thousands of figures marched across the distant plains.
Not living soldiers.
Something else.
Ancient armor.
Broken weapons.
Eyes glowing crimson.
Every single warrior carried the same aura of death.
The same ancient pressure.
The same impossible age.
Lin Feng stared.
"…Those aren't normal soldiers."
"No."
For once, the answer came immediately.
The black-robed elder's expression darkened.
"They're remnants."
The word carried weight.
Enough weight that nobody asked what it meant.
Except Lin Feng.
"What are remnants?"
The crimson-robed man sighed.
"Warriors who should have died."
A pause.
"But didn't."
That wasn't reassuring.
Not even a little.
The giant guardian took another step forward.
The city trembled beneath its weight.
Its burning eyes remained fixed on the approaching army.
"Marauders."
The word came out like a curse.
As if it hated them.
As if it remembered them.
The army stopped several miles outside Blackstone City.
Then—
The warrior at its front raised one hand.
Instantly.
The entire army halted.
Perfectly synchronized.
The silence that followed felt unnatural.
Heavy.
Waiting.
The rider slowly lifted his head.
Crimson eyes scanned the ruined city.
Passed over the guardian.
Passed over the elders.
Passed over the throne floating above the abyss.
Then stopped.
On Lin Feng.
The mark on Lin Feng's chest flared again.
Harder.
The rider froze.
Completely.
For several long seconds—
Nothing happened.
Then—
The warrior climbed down from his mount.
Slowly.
Almost uncertainly.
His cracked armor shifted with every movement.
Ancient dust fell from its surface.
The broken crown hanging from his belt swayed gently.
And then—
To everyone's shock—
The warrior dropped to one knee.
Dead silence.
Again.
Because apparently ancient beings kneeling before Lin Feng had become a regular occurrence.
The rider lowered his head.
And spoke.
"My king."
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Lin Feng stared.
"…What?"
The rider remained kneeling.
"My king."
The giant guardian suddenly dropped to one knee as well.
The ground shook violently.
"Your Majesty."
Lin Feng looked left.
Then right.
Then pointed at himself.
"Why does this keep happening?"
Su Yao actually laughed.
For the first time since all this started.
A short laugh.
Then she stopped.
Because honestly—
Nobody had an answer.
The black-robed elder looked deeply disturbed.
The crimson-robed man looked equally troubled.
The silver-robed woman appeared lost in thought.
Meanwhile—
The rider finally raised his head.
His crimson eyes met Lin Feng's.
And for the first time—
Something changed.
The crimson glow flickered.
Just slightly.
Almost like recognition.
Almost like hope.
Then—
The rider spoke again.
"We searched."
His voice sounded ancient.
Broken.
"Twelve thousand years."
The city fell silent once more.
"We searched every realm."
A pause.
"Every ruin."
Another pause.
"Every battlefield."
His hand slowly clenched.
"But we failed."
The broken crown at his side glowed faintly.
Until now.
The rider looked directly at Lin Feng.
And for the first time—
Emotion appeared in his eyes.
Relief.
Genuine relief.
"We found you."
Before anyone could react—
The sky darkened.
Instantly.
The sunlight vanished.
The temperature dropped.
Every powerful cultivator present looked upward.
And their expressions changed.
Fear.
Real fear.
Lin Feng followed their gaze.
At first—
He saw nothing.
Then—
A crack appeared in the sky.
Not a cloud.
Not a storm.
A crack.
Reality itself splitting apart.
The giant guardian stood instantly.
Its voice thundered across the city.
"THEY HAVE ARRIVED."
The rider's expression hardened.
The relief vanished immediately.
Replaced by battle readiness.
The broken crown began glowing.
The ancient army behind him drew their weapons as one.
Thousands of blades.
Thousands of spears.
Thousands of warriors.
Preparing for war.
The black-robed elder looked horrified.
"No."
A second crack appeared in the sky.
Then a third.
Then dozens.
The heavens shattered like glass.
And from beyond those cracks—
Something began looking back.
A gigantic golden eye opened beyond the broken sky.
Then another.
Then hundreds.
Watching Blackstone City.
Watching the throne.
Watching Lin Feng.
And a voice echoed from beyond reality itself.
"At last."
"The Final Heir has been found."