The moment Lin Feng opened his eyes—
The world changed.
Not dramatically.
Not violently.
Absolutely.
The battlefield froze for a fraction of a second.
Then—
Every being present felt it.
An ancient authority.
A pressure older than kingdoms.
Older than Heaven.
Older than the war itself.
The throne behind Lin Feng shone with endless golden light.
Its runes awakened completely.
Stars appeared around it.
Galaxies rotated behind it.
Entire constellations formed and dissolved within its aura.
And then—
The impossible happened.
The Warden dropped to one knee.
The leader of the Celestial Watchers.
The being powerful enough to shake worlds.
Kneeled.
Not willingly.
Against his will.
His expression twisted in shock.
"No."
Golden energy exploded from his body as he struggled to stand.
For a moment—
He almost succeeded.
Then the throne pulsed once.
BOOM!
The Warden's second knee hit the ground.
The entire battlefield went silent.
Because if the Warden could not resist—
Nobody could.
Across the sky—
Thousands of celestial warriors crashed to their knees.
The ancient rider remained standing.
The giant guardian remained standing.
Su Yao remained standing.
Lin Feng remained standing.
Everyone else?
Kneeling.
The black-robed elder stared.
His face pale.
"…True authority."
The crimson-robed man swallowed hard.
"I thought it was a myth."
The silver-robed woman whispered softly.
"So did I."
Meanwhile—
Lin Feng stood there trying to process what had happened.
The crown rested comfortably on his head.
The mark on his chest glowed steadily.
And for the first time since everything began—
His thoughts felt clear.
Not because he suddenly knew everything.
Because he finally understood one thing.
The throne wasn't controlling him.
It was responding to him.
The difference mattered.
A lot.
The Warden slowly lifted his head.
Hatred burned in his eyes.
Raw.
Ancient.
"You should not exist."
Lin Feng looked at him.
Then shrugged.
"People keep saying that."
The ancient rider laughed loudly.
Even several members of the old army chuckled.
The Warden's face darkened further.
"You think this is a joke?"
Lin Feng considered it.
Then answered honestly.
"No."
A pause.
"But I think you're angry because your plan isn't working."
Silence.
The Warden's expression changed.
Only slightly.
But enough.
The rider immediately noticed.
And laughed even harder.
"He guessed correctly!"
The celestial warriors looked furious.
The Warden looked murderous.
Lin Feng looked confused.
"Wait."
He blinked.
"I actually guessed?"
The rider nodded.
"Perfectly."
The Warden slowly rose.
Not fully.
Just enough to prove he still could.
Golden cracks appeared around him as he fought against the throne's authority.
His power surged.
The sky trembled.
Reality bent around him.
Yet he still couldn't stand completely.
The throne refused.
The Warden's voice became colder.
"The First Heir should have disappeared forever."
Lin Feng frowned.
"He did."
Silence.
The Warden froze.
Everyone froze.
Even Lin Feng was surprised he said it.
Because somehow—
He knew it was true.
The First Heir was gone.
He wasn't sitting on the throne.
He wasn't speaking through him.
He wasn't controlling him.
The choice was his.
Always had been.
The Warden stared.
Then something unexpected happened.
He laughed.
Quietly.
Dangerously.
"You truly don't remember."
Lin Feng's eyes narrowed.
"Remember what?"
The Warden's smile widened.
"The final battle."
The battlefield became silent once more.
Even the ancient rider's smile disappeared.
The guardian became still.
The black-robed elder looked uneasy.
The Warden continued.
"Twelve thousand years ago."
"The day Heaven nearly died."
The sky darkened.
The throne pulsed.
As if reacting to the memory.
The Warden slowly pointed toward Lin Feng.
"You believe the First Heir sealed himself because he feared becoming a monster."
A pause.
"That was only half the truth."
Lin Feng felt something tighten in his chest.
Because suddenly—
The calm certainty he felt began cracking.
The Warden's smile grew.
"He didn't leave because he failed."
Another pause.
"He left because he won."
The words hit the battlefield like lightning.
The ancient rider's eyes widened.
The guardian's spear tightened.
The elders exchanged alarmed looks.
And Lin Feng felt the throne vibrate beneath him.
As if it recognized the statement.
As if part of it remembered.
The Warden's voice dropped lower.
"Ask yourself something, Heir."
The sky trembled.
"If Heaven won…"
His smile became cold.
"Then why are we still afraid of him?"
Silence.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Because nobody had an answer.
Not even Lin Feng.
Then—
A scream echoed from above.
Everyone looked up.
One of the celestial warriors had suddenly grabbed his head.
Then another.
Then dozens.
Their bodies began shaking violently.
Golden light erupted from their eyes.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
The Warden immediately turned.
For the first time—
Concern appeared on his face.
"No."
A celestial warrior looked toward the throne.
Then toward Lin Feng.
And smiled.
A terrifying smile.
Not his own.
Something else was looking through him.
Something ancient.
Something sealed.
Something that should not have awakened.
Cliffhanger
One by one—
Hundreds of celestial warriors lifted their heads.
Their eyes turned crimson.
And a single voice spoke through all of them simultaneously.
A voice Lin Feng recognized instantly.
The same voice from beyond the gate.
The same voice that had called him home.
"Found you."