“Xiao-Yun,” her mother's voice echoed in her mind, feeling both near and far. “You've grown so much.”“Mom?” Zhao Lingyun whispered, tears starting to pool at the corners of his eyes. “Is this really... you?”“Yes and no,” his father's voice now joined in. “We are still us, but also more than that. We've seen the truth behind all truths.”Lin Fengtian stepped forward, his sword still pointed at the Architect. “Zhao Lingyun, don't let this illusion blind you. They might be using your parents' memories, but-”“It's not an illusion, Lin Fengtian,” Original Bridge suddenly said, his voice heavy with understanding. “I can feel it too. They... really have reached a different level of existence.”Zhao Lingyun felt another pull in his consciousness-this time stronger, more urgent. And with that tug came an understanding that left him reeling.“You guys...” he stared at the Architect with widened eyes, ”you guys didn't manipulate my parents into doing that research. You... helped them achieve

“For every choice...” Zhao Lingyun whispered, his eyes fixed on the glowing crystal in his uncle's hand, “there must be an equal consequence.”That was the basic principle he had used when creating the Bridge of Choice. But now, looking at the Watchers who were starting to show signs of restlessness, he realized that the principle might have a much deeper meaning.“Exactly,” Zhao Liwei nodded, his eyes flashing with pride. “And what are the equivalent consequences for an entity that has existed since before the concept of consequences itself was created?”Before Zhao Lingyun could answer, the floor of the Hall of Nine Tails shook violently. The red circles on the floor began to spin, creating increasingly complex patterns with each spin.“Stop this!” the leader of the Watchers drew something that looked like a sword made of pure golden light. “You don't know what you're doing, Zhao Liwei! Giving us a 'choice' could shake the very foundation of reality itself!”“Oh?” Zhao Liwei raised

Time seemed to freeze in the Hall of Nine Tails. Lin Fengtian stood tall facing the waves of dark figures that kept popping up from the cracks in the floor, while the eight balls of light spun more and more wildly above them. Zhao Lingyun could feel such heavy spiritual pressure-it was as if the entire history of the cultivation world was trying to crush him all at once.“Xiao yun,” Lin Fengtian said without taking his eyes off the enemy before them, ”do you remember what I said about the Bridge of Choice?”“Yes, but...” Zhao Lingyun tightly grasped the crystal that still remained from the previous transformation ritual, “I'm not sure how to use it in this situation.”“The Bridge of Choice isn't just a transformation tool,” Lin Fengtian's voice changed-for a moment it sounded like a chorus of thousands of voices, before returning to normal. “It is a manifestation of the concept of choice itself. And in this situation... we need a choice that even the Watchers don't realize they have.”

The giant eyes in the sky blinked again, this time with a different rhythm. Zhao Lingyun felt something vibrate within him-not qi or spiritual essence, but something more fundamental... as if his own existence was resonating with something unspeakable.“My real name?” he stared at the mysterious boy, trying to understand the implications of his words. “What do you mean?”The boy-who now looked like a mirror reflecting time itself-held out his hand. In his small palm, an ancient symbol began to form. A symbol that made even the Emptiness Priestess hold her breath.“That symbol...” The priest whispered, “...it can't be. It is...”“The mark of the Forgotten One,” the boy finished his sentence. “It was not the First One who created the concept of 'separation', nor did I create the concept of 'creation'. There was one who preceded us all-who chose to... forget.”Lin Fengtian, who was still kneeling, suddenly felt a change in the flow of world qi. “But why?” he asked. “Why forget?”“Because

The First looked at Lin Fengtian with a gaze that could almost be said to be... amused? “Young cultivator,” he remarked, “you speak of conceptual revolution before the guardians of the primordial balance. Your courage is only surpassed by your stupidity-or perhaps, by your acumen.”The sky above the Hall of Nine Tails shook again, the cracks widening to reveal a cosmic panorama never seen by human eyes-galaxies swirling like dust in the endless passage of time. The light from that phenomenon shone on Lin Fengtian's face, highlighting his undaunted expression.“Maybe so,” Lin Fengtian admitted, but his eyes remained firmly fixed on the First. “But isn't that what makes me human? The ability to imagine possibilities beyond what already exists-even if they sound impossible or dangerous.”Zhao Lingyun felt an unexpected surge of feeling seeing Lin Fengtian standing tall facing an entity that was even older than creation. Something inside him vibrated-not qi, not spiritual essence, but som