Myth Beyond Heaven

Chapter 2583:  Guilty

n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Mo Liang's laughter echoed through the void. "Exactly. While you were busy fighting us here, Mo Xie was busy sealing the Azure World. Yun Lintian's precious home is now hidden away, cut off from the rest of the universe. And there's nothing you can do about it."

Hongyue's crimson eyes burned with fury, but she forced herself to remain calm. "You think this changes anything?" she said, her voice cold.

Mo Liang's smile turned into a sneer. "We'll see about that. But for now, our work here is done. There's no need to waste any more energy on this pointless battle."

With a wave of his hand, Mo Liang signaled to his forces. "Retreat!" he commanded, his voice echoing through the void.

The invading forces, who had been locked in fierce battles with the God Emperors, immediately began to pull back.

Erlang Shen and the other Heavenly Court cultivators hesitated for a moment, clearly puzzled by the sudden order to retreat. But they had no choice but to follow Mo Liang's command.

Hongyue watched as the enemy forces retreated, her crimson eyes burning with a mixture of anger and frustration. She wanted to pursue them, to make them pay for their treachery, but she knew it would be pointless. The damage had already been done.

"You won't be able to get away for long." She said coldly.

Mo Liang chuckled, his dark eyes gleaming with amusement. "We'll see."

With that, Mo Liang turned and vanished into the void, his dark energy dissipating as he retreated with his forces. The battlefield, once filled with chaos and destruction, fell into an eerie silence.

Hongyue stood alone in the void, her crimson robes fluttering in the wind. The crimson moon above her pulsed with energy, casting an ominous red glow over the battlefield. She knew that Yun Lintian would be devastated when he learned what had happened.

As the invading forces retreated, the God Emperors regrouped, their expressions grim. They had fought valiantly, but the sudden retreat of the enemy had left them puzzled and uneasy.

"What just happened?" Li Shan demanded, his silver spear crackling with lightning. "Why did they retreat?"

Hongyue turned to face the other God Emperors, her crimson eyes burning with determination. "It was a distraction," she said, her voice cold. "While we were busy fighting here, someone sealed the Azure World."

The God Emperors' expressions darkened as they processed the news. They knew what the Azure World meant to Yun Lintian, and they knew that this was a blow that would not be easily undone.

"What do we do now?" Lan Qinghe asked, her voice calm but filled with concern.

Hongyue's lips curled into a cold smile. "We prepare. Yun Lintian will come for them, and when he does, we'll be ready. This isn't over. Not by a long shot."

If those who knew Hongyue since the day when she was a remnant spirit in the Land of Beyond Heaven, they would be shocked to hear this. It seemed Hongyue's confidence in Yun Lintian had reached an unbelievable height.

Just as the group began to discuss their next steps, a ripple of energy passed through the void. The space around them twisted and warped, and a figure emerged from the distortion.

It was Long Yi. His silver hair and beard flowed gently, but his expression was one of deep shame and regret.

"I have failed," Long Yi said, his voice heavy with guilt. He lowered his head, unable to meet the eyes of the God Emperors. "I failed to protect the Azure World. Mo Xie… he sealed it away. I couldn't stop him."

Hongyue's crimson eyes flickered with anger as she turned to face Long Yi. Her grip on her sword tightened, and for a moment, it seemed as though she might lash out at him. But then, she took a deep breath and forced herself to remain calm.

She knew that getting angry at Long Yi would solve nothing. He had done his best, and even his immense power had not been enough to stop Mo Xie.

"It's not your fault," Hongyue said, her voice cold but not unkind. Long Yi shook his head, his expression still filled with shame. "I should have been stronger. I should have done more. The Azure World… it was under my protection, and now it's gone."

Before Hongyue could respond, a soft, melodic voice interrupted the conversation. It was Yue Hua. Her cloudy eyes, which seemed to pierce through the river of time, glowed with an otherworldly light as she stepped forward.

"Senior Long," Yue Hua said, her voice calm and soothing, "you must not blame yourself. What has happened was not within your control. It was destiny."

Long Yi looked up, his golden eyes meeting Yue Hua's cloudy gaze. "Destiny?" he repeated, his voice filled with doubt.

Yue Hua nodded. "Yes. The Azure World's sealing was always meant to happen. It is a part of a greater plan, one that even we cannot fully comprehend. But know this—our enemies have underestimated Yun Lintian. They may have sealed the Azure World, but they have no idea what level he has already reached."

Hongyue's lips curled into a cold smile as she listened to Yue Hua's words. "She's right," Hongyue said, her voice filled with confidence. "Yun Lintian is not the same person he was when he first left the Primal Chaos. He has grown stronger, far beyond what anyone could have imagined. When he returns, he will undo Mo Xie's seal and make them regret ever crossing him."

She had witnessed Yun Lintian's current strength firsthand during the previous trip. It could be said that none of the invaders earlier could be his match.

Long Yi's expression softened slightly, but the shame in his eyes remained. "I hope you're right," he said quietly. "But I cannot help but feel that I have failed him."

Yue Hua stepped closer to Long Yi, her cloudy eyes filled with compassion. "You have not failed him, Senior Long. You fought with everything you had, and that is all anyone could ask of you. The Azure World's sealing was not your fault. It was a part of the greater tapestry of fate, one that even the strongest among us cannot change."

Long Yi sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Perhaps you are right," he said, his voice heavy with resignation.

Yue Hua looked at the broken barrier and said, "Let's seal this place first."

Everyone nodded in agreement and got into action.