The city of Ankh-Morpork slumbered beneath a haze of golden twilight as Lin Feng stood at the edge of the newly restored Jade Horizon Gate—a massive portal of swirling energy and crystalline sigils embedded into the foundation of the palace's southern wall. Unlike the ancient and erratic rifts of chaos he had stabilized in the past, this gateway was crafted through the combined efforts of the Sect of Chaos, the Artificers of the Unseen University, and the Divine Smiths of the Mountain Kin. It shimmered with quiet potential, humming a song only those attuned to destiny could hear.
Lin Feng wore a new robe, embroidered with a pattern of rising lotuses and falling stars, a design symbolizing rebirth through adversity. By his side stood Xian Mei, still wrapped in the soft glow of the Festival of Remembrance, her calm gaze reflecting his own resolve.
"This new realm," Lin Feng began, "is said to be unreachable by normal means. Beyond it lies the Sea of Shattered Realms—a place where failed worlds drift and forgotten timelines crumble."
"And within it," said Elder Shen, who had joined them alongside Jiang Tian, "are secrets of the old cultivator pantheons—sects that vanished before even the Great Collapse. Some say one of them achieved 'True Reversal,' walking backward through fate itself."
Jiang Tian chuckled nervously, gripping his absurdly oversized hammer. "So… no pressure, right?"
As the gateway rippled open, Lin Feng turned to address the small expedition team—nine elite disciples from the Sect of Chaos, each with unique abilities and backstories yet to be fully revealed. Among them was:
Lan Yue, a silent swordmaster cursed with a second soul that often speaks on her behalf.
Baojin, a former bounty hunter from the Iron Sun Territories, clad in enchanted steel armor.
Chimei, a blind alchemist whose concoctions could turn grass into gold—or gods into snails.
Xu Nian, a dreamy youth who spoke in riddles and claimed to have seen Lin Feng's future death (multiple versions of it).
Each held a crystal talisman bound to Lin Feng's presence—should calamity strike, the talismans would shatter, calling him instantly across dimensions. Lin Feng had insisted. He'd lost too many people already.
With a final nod to Xian Mei and a light-hearted jab at Jiang Tian's tendency to snore during stealth missions, Lin Feng stepped through the Jade Horizon Gate.
---
The world on the other side was darkness—and then light. Not just any light, but a pearlescent glow filtered through drifting fragments of ruined palaces, shattered temples, and mountains that floated upside-down.
They had arrived in Mirage Ashar, the central realm of the Sea of Shattered Realms. The air was thick with unstable laws of reality. Gravity fluctuated. Time stuttered. The stars bled colors no mortal eye should perceive.
Suddenly, a howl tore through the sky—not of beast, but of memory.
Chimei turned pale. "This place is alive… It remembers the things that broke it."
The group pressed forward, navigating terrain that refused to stay constant. Lin Feng's celestial compass spun wildly, until a whisper—not external, but from the system within—cut through the confusion:
> "Detected: Legacy Domain—Remnants of the Ashen Tribunal."
> Mission: Uncover the Tribunal's Ruins. Caution: Reality-level threats expected.
> Reward: ??? (System Data Obscured).
Before they could react, a blinding light descended, forming a humanoid shape. It hovered, robed in tattered white, a mask of shattered glass covering its face. When it spoke, its voice echoed from a thousand different eras.
"I am Judicator Anshar of the Ashen Tribunal. Who dares tread on the lost verdicts of the multiverse?"
Lin Feng's eyes narrowed, one hand on the hilt of his void-forged saber. "A sect without chains. A leader without titles. We come not to conquer, but to understand."
The Judicator tilted its head. "Then be judged by what you are. Not what you claim."
A burst of energy exploded outward. Visions assaulted each disciple's mind—memories, fears, regrets. Baojin fell to his knees, reliving a forgotten betrayal. Lan Yue screamed as her soul struggled to dominate her own body.
Lin Feng held firm, pushing back with the power of unity. He focused on each of his companions, weaving their spirits together with strands of providence. "You are not alone. Stand with me, and we will not break!"
As the storm passed, the Judicator stepped back.
"…Curious. You still bear the spark of the First Flame."
Before Lin Feng could inquire further, the being faded, leaving behind a relic: a silver orb etched with names long lost to history.
> Item Acquired: Core of the Tribunal.
> Function: Unlocks Trial Sanctum in Sect of Chaos. Allows disciples to undergo legendary soul trials for rare rewards and accelerated growth.
> System Update: New Building Option—Sanctum of Echoes available.
They had only just arrived—and already, a door to greater power, and greater risk, had opened.
Lin Feng turned to the others, his heart swelling with pride, fear, and a strange sense of excitement.
"Prepare yourselves. This realm isn't just broken… It's waiting to be reborn."
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To be continued…