The Gate of Eternity Curse of Heaven

BORDER TOWER

“Follow your heart,” Zhao Lingyun replied, repeating the words their mother had often spoken. “We are the pure blood of the two clans, Lin-ge. We're the true key.”

Lin Fengtian nodded, his confidence in his younger brother not wavering despite the increasingly chaotic situation. All around them, crystal columns glowed with ever-changing colors, creating an aurora that danced wildly on the ceiling of the ritual room.

“On the count of three,” Zhao Lingyun instructed, his silver eyes sparkling in the darkness. “One... two... three!”

Simultaneously, the two brothers placed their hands on the still spinning badge. Their touches created dazzling flashes of light-silvery white from Zhao Lingyun, golden from Lin Fengtian.

The badge stopped spinning instantly. The black energy ball beneath it slowly changed color, from dusky purple to bright blue, then pure white. The room was filled with light so bright that everyone had to close their eyes.

“No way!” shouted Elder Zhang, his voice sounding panicked amidst the roar of energy. “They really did it! The Sky Portal opened the right way!”

The white light intensified, engulfing the entire room. For a few moments, no one could see anything but blinding whiteness. Waves of pure energy swept through the entire tower, making the structure tremble to its foundations.

Then, as quickly as it came, the light disappeared.

A sudden silence enveloped the ritual room. The energy ball and the badge had vanished. Where the two had been before, there was now a perfectly circular portal-transparent like glass, revealing an incredible view of a realm that no one in the room had ever seen.

Zhao Lingyun and Lin Fengtian stepped back from the altar, staring in awe at the portal before them. Through the portal, they could see a vast meadow covered in sparkling silver grass and colorful flowers that emitted a soft glow. The sky in the realm was golden in color, with three moons of different sizes floating low on the horizon.

“Sky Realm,” whispered Yingmei's now slowly fading figure. “A place long lost in legend.”

“Mother,” Zhao Lingyun extended his hand towards Yingmei's increasingly transparent figure, ”don't leave again...”

Yingmei smiled gently. “I must go, my son. My spiritual energy is almost gone. But remember, I will always live on in your blood, in our bond as family.”

“What should we do now?” asked Lin Fengtian, still holding his bleeding wound.

Yingmei turned to her eldest son. “This portal is a bridge between the three realms-Human, Demon, and Heaven. It must be guarded by true 'Border Guardians'. You two... are the guardians of this generation.”

Before Yingmei could finish her explanation, a spear shot through her transparent figure, straight towards Zhao Lingyun. Lin Fengtian, with reflexes sharpened by his instincts, pushed his younger brother away-making the spear scratch his arm instead of piercing Zhao Lingyun's heart.

“You guys aren't going to ruin my plans!” Zhao Liangyu stood up with a trembling body, his arms outstretched after throwing the spear. “I've waited too long!”

“What plan are you referring to?” Lin Fengtian hissed, enduring the pain from his new wound.

Zhao Liangyu laughed, his voice changing - deeper, darker, as if not his own. “The power of the Sky Realm of course. The power of the ancient gods! The Sky Realm isn't a holy land like you think, it's a prison!”

“Prison?” Zhao Lingyun repeated in confusion.

“Yes. A prison for the Forbidden Gods who were conquered in the Universe War thousands of years ago,” Yingmei's fading voice replied. “That's why the Sky Portal was sealed-not to keep us from them, but to keep them from us.”

Suddenly, Zhao Liangyu's expression changed. His previously brown eyes had now turned pitch black with no pupils. His voice echoed strangely as he spoke, “I've been imprisoned in this body for too long, waiting for this perfect moment.”

“He's possessed,” Zhao Lingyun whispered, backing away slowly. “That's not Zhao Liangyu anymore.”

“Exactly, my clever nephew,” the figure that used to be Zhao Liangyu replied. “I am Yao Huang, the Dark God who has waited thousands of years to return.”

Lin Fengtian drew his sword again, standing up to protect his younger brother even though his own body was starting to weaken from blood loss. “How is it possible that you're in Zhao Liangyu's body?”

“Simple,” Yao Huang replied through Zhao Liangyu's body. “When the Sky Portal last barely opened-hundreds of years ago-I managed to send a portion of my consciousness through a small dimensional rift. For decades I hid, moving from host to host, until I finally found Zhao Liangyu-a direct descendant of the Tiger Clan with a strategic position.”

Yingmei's figure, now almost completely transparent, looked at Yao Huang with great sadness. “So it was you who poisoned the minds of the clan Elders all this time, encouraging them to open the Sky Portal.”

“I don't need much influence,” Yao Huang smiled sarcastically. “The clan Elders were power-hungry from the start. I'm just providing a little... encouragement.”

Suddenly, Yao Huang raised his hands high. Black energy gathered in his palm, forming a rapidly spinning ball of pitch blackness.

“And now, thanks to you 'Children of the Border', I can return to complete my plan!” exclaimed Yao Huang, throwing the ball of darkness towards the portal.

“No!” Zhao Lingyun leapt forward, his hand raised instinctively. Silver light emanated from his palm, creating a thin shield that blocked the ball of darkness.

The two energies collided with a violent explosion, knocking everyone in various directions. Lin Fengtian crashed into one of the crystal columns, while Zhao Lingyun was thrown near the altar. Yao Huang himself staggered back, yet remained standing with a grin on his face.

“Interesting,” Yao Huang muttered, looking at Zhao Lingyun with interest. “The Blood of the Nine-Tailed Fox is indeed extraordinary, yet it's still not enough to stop me.”

With a swift movement, Yao Huang moved towards the portal. Elder Zhang, who had only been watching with a pale face, now stepped in front of him.

“What are you doing?” snapped Yao Huang.

“This wasn't part of our deal,” Elder Zhang replied, his voice trembling. “You promised strength to our clan, not complete destruction!”

Yao Huang laughed coldly. “You're really naive, Elder Zhang. Do you think a god imprisoned for thousands of years would keep a promise to a mortal like you?”

Without warning, Yao Huang plunged his hand into Elder Zhang's chest. Instead of piercing through flesh, the hand seemed to pierce through another dimension-pulling out something glowing bluish from Elder Zhang's body.

“Quite a powerful soul,” Yao Huang observed the glowing substance in his hand. “Will be a good energy boost for me.”

Elder Zhang's body collapsed to the floor, his eyes open but empty-a soulless shell. Yao Huang, with Elder Zhang's soul clasped in his hand, strode towards the portal.

Lin Fengtian, despite being severely injured, forced his body up. “We have to stop him, Xiao-Yun.”

Zhao Lingyun nodded, both of them moving towards Yao Huang despite their weakened state. In the middle of their steps, Yingmei's figure that had almost completely vanished hovered between them.

“My children,” her voice was almost inaudible. “There is one way to stop her.”

“How, mom?” asked Zhao Lingyun desperately.

“Ancestral Blood Seal,” whispered Yingmei. “A forbidden technique that can only be performed by pure bloods of both clans.”

“Tell me how,” Lin Fengtian requested, his eyes not leaving Yao Huang who was getting closer to the portal.

“You have to... put drops of your blood on the original badge...” Yingmei explained disjointedly, her energy almost depleted. “Then chant the Heaven Closing spell...”

“But the original badge is gone!” Zhao Lingyun pointed at the empty altar.

“No,” Lin Fengtian reached into his waist, taking out the bronze badge he had been carrying. “This is the original badge. The one on the altar was a fake, remember?”

Yingmei smiled weakly. “Exactly... The spell... is...”

With her last remaining energy, Yingmei whispered a string of ancient words into the ears of her two sons. After that, her figure glowed once more before finally vanishing completely.

“Mother!” called Zhao Lingyun, but there was no answer.

“We don't have time to be sad.” Lin Fengtian held his younger brother's shoulder. “We have to do it now.”

Zhao Lingyun nodded, swallowing his pain. The two of them rushed to near the portal, where Yao Huang had almost entered it.

“Stop!” shouted Lin Fengtian, raising his bronze badge high.

Yao Huang turned around, looking at them with a dismissive gaze. “You guys think you can stop me? Even your ancestors weren't able to defeat me back then!”

“We don't need to defeat you,” Zhao Lingyun replied calmly. “We just need to lock you back up.”

Before Yao Huang could react, Lin Fengtian scratched his palm with the tip of his sword, then dripped his blood onto the surface of the badge. Zhao Lingyun did the same, using the crystal shards on the floor to wound his palm.

The bronze badge began to glow as it was dripped with the blood of both of them, the light emanating in intricate patterns-displaying ancient carvings that were previously unseen.

“No!” Yao Huang realized what they were doing. He threw away Elder Zhang's soul and rushed towards the two brothers, black energy gathering in both his hands.

Lin Fengtian and Zhao Lingyun, with their hands still touching the bloody badge, started chanting the mantra Yingmei had taught them:

“Tian Di Xuan Huang, Wu Xing Lun Hui. Xian Zu Xue Mài, Feng Yin Tian Men!”

The badge floated between their hands, its light growing brighter until it formed a white pillar that rose to the ceiling. From the badge, nine tails of light emerged that shot towards the portal, forming intricate symbols all around.

Yao Huang, who had almost reached them, was suddenly stopped by an invisible barrier. He slammed his black energy into the barrier, but was unable to penetrate it.

“No! NO!” he shouted angrily. “I'm not going back to that prison!”

The portal began to tremble, its edges twitching like the surface of disturbed water. The view of the Celestial Realm beyond began to blur, replaced by pitch blackness.

Zhao Lingyun felt his strength drained drastically by the ritual, yet he persisted, his hands trembling to maintain contact with the badge. Next to him, Lin Fengtian also looked increasingly pale, his wound still oozing blood.

“Just a little more, Lin-ge,” Zhao Lingyun whispered, looking at his brother with misty eyes. “We almost made it.”

Lin Fengtian nodded weakly, focusing his remaining strength on the badge. “For mom... for both realms...”

The Sky Portal grew smaller and smaller, sucking Yao Huang's black energy back into it. Zhao Liangyu's body that was his vessel began to tremble violently, black energy coming out of his mouth and eyes like dense smoke.

“You will pay for this!” shouted Yao Huang, her voice echoing strangely as her energy was sucked further into the narrowing portal. “I'll be back! There's always a crack in the seal!”

With a final deafening scream, the black energy was completely sucked into the portal. Zhao Liangyu's body collapsed to the floor, motionless. The Sky Portal shrank to the size of a marble, then vanished with a weak burst of light.

The bronze badge between Lin Fengtian and Zhao Lingyun's hands stopped glowing, returning to being an ordinary artifact-though now its surface was decorated with new, faintly glowing engravings.

“We... did it...” muttered Lin Fengtian before collapsing to the floor, exhausted.

“Lin-ge!” Zhao Lingyun caught his brother's body before it hit the floor, but he himself also nearly lost consciousness. His vision blurred, the sounds around him sounded muffled as if from a distance.

The last thing Zhao Lingyun saw before the darkness swallowed him was the silhouettes of several people entering the ritual room in a hurry - white-robed figures he didn't recognize, but carrying the Fox Clan crest on their chests.

Zhao Lingyun opened his eyes slowly, dazzled by the morning light coming in through the tall windows. He blinked a few times, getting his eyes used to the bright light. The ceiling above him was unfamiliar - intricate wood carvings patterned with peonies and phoenixes.

“You're awake,” a soft voice greeted him.

Zhao Lingyun turned his head, finding a young woman in white robes sitting beside his bed. Her face was serene with delicate features, her jet-black hair pulled up into a high bun with a silver headpin.

“Where is this?” asked Zhao Lingyun, his voice hoarse. “And who are you?”

“You're at the Fox Clan Healing Pavilion,” the woman replied, pouring tea into a small cup. “My name is Bai Yuehua, the clan's Master Physician.”

Suddenly, memories of the incident at the Border Tower flooded Zhao Lingyun's mind. He tried to get up suddenly, but the pain in his entire body forced him to lie back down.

“Lin-ge! Where's my brother?” he asked anxiously.

Bai Yuehua smiled soothingly. “Your brother is fine. He's in the next room, still recovering. His injuries were worse than yours, but they're stable now.”

Zhao Lingyun breathed a sigh of relief, before another question popped into his mind. “How did we get here? Last time I remember, we were at the Border Tower.”

“The Fox Clan Guards found you guys,” Bai Yuehua explained as she handed over a teacup. “Drink up, it'll help restore your spiritual energy.”

Zhao Lingyun accepted the cup with trembling hands, inhaling the soothing aroma of the tea-a rare blend of herbs with a touch of plum blossoms.

“How did the Fox Clan troops know we were there?” asked Zhao Lingyun after taking a sip of his tea.

Bai Yuehua smiled mysteriously. “Your mother told us.”

“Mom?” Zhao Lingyun almost choked. “But mom already...”

“Yes, Venerable Yingmei has left the mortal world,” Bai Yuehua nodded sadly. “But before sacrificing herself, she sent a message through the Soul Communication Net to the Fox Clan Chief.”

Zhao Lingyun fell silent, his eyes teary remembering his mother's sacrifice. “So mom had it all planned out...”

“Her Highness Yingmei has always been one step ahead of her enemies,” Bai Yuehua sighed respectfully. “She knew the risks of opening the Moon Bridge, and she made sure there was help ready if anything happened to you.”

Zhao Lingyun gripped his teacup tightly, soaking in the warmth that spread through his fingers. “How long have we been unconscious?”

“Seven days,” Bai Yuehua replied. “Your spiritual energy was drained almost completely by the sealing ritual. Especially your brother-the severe blood loss coupled with spiritual exhaustion made him barely survivable.”

“Seven days...” Zhao Lingyun muttered, surprised at the length of time that had passed. “Then what about Zhao Liangyu? And the priests in the tower?”

Bai Yuehua's expression turned grim. “Zhao Liangyu is still alive, but in a coma. His soul was severely damaged from being possessed for so long. As for Elder Zhang...” he shook his head softly, ”there's nothing left of him but an empty shell.”

“And the other priests?”

“Some survived, others died in battle or from energy blasts during the sealing ritual,” Bai Yuehua explained. “Those who survived are now being held for interrogation.”

Zhao Lingyun nodded slowly, trying to digest all the information. “The Nine-Tailed Fox Badge? Is it safe?”

“Yes,” Bai Yuehua pointed to a small table on the other side of the room. “The badge was found still clutched in your and your brother's hands when you were found. It is now closely guarded by the Clan Chief's personal bodyguards.”

Zhao Lingyun turned his head, seeing the bronze badge placed on a red silk pillow. Even from this distance, he could see the new engravings that now adorned the surface of the badge - ancient symbols that glowed silvery in the sunlight.

“The badge has changed,” Bai Yuehua commented, following the direction of Zhao Lingyun's gaze. “The ancient scribes are still studying the new engravings. It seems that the ritual you guys performed has awakened the hidden power within the badge.”

Before Zhao Lingyun could ask further, the door to the room opened. A young man in dark blue robes entered with hurried steps.

“Sorry to interrupt, Physician Bai,” the man bowed respectfully. “But the Clan Chief requests your and Young Master Zhao's immediate presence in the Hall of Nine Tails. There's a... new development.”

Bai Yuehua frowned. “Young Master Zhao has just regained consciousness. He's not strong enough to-”

“I can,” Zhao Lingyun cut in, forcing his body to sit up despite the pain attacking every joint. “If this concerns what happened at the Border Tower, I must be present.”

Bai Yuehua looked like she wanted to protest, but finally let out a sigh of surrender. “Alright. But you must use a wheelchair, and I will accompany you.”

Zhao Lingyun nodded in agreement, not having the energy to argue. In no time, he was already seated in the wheelchair, being pushed by Bai Yuehua down the corridors of the Healing Pavilion decorated with ancient paintings and rare medicinal plants in jade pots.

“Will Lin-ge be at this meeting too?” asked Zhao Lingyun as they passed through an inner garden with a fox-shaped fountain.

“Your brother hasn't regained consciousness yet,” Bai Yuehua replied. “His condition is stable, but his body needs more time to recover.”

They finally arrived in front of a grand building with red pillars and a curved roof decorated with carvings of golden foxes-the Hall of Nine Tails, the administrative center of the Fox Clan. As soon as the double doors opened, Zhao Lingyun immediately felt the tense atmosphere that enveloped the room.

Inside, about two dozen people sat around a large round table. Some wore the official robes of the Fox Clan, others in the formal attire of the Tiger Clan. At the far end of the table, sat a middle-aged woman with facial features that reminded Zhao Lingyun of his mother-high cheekbones, sharp eyes, and three small star-shaped birthmarks on the right cheek.

“Zhao Lingyun,” the woman cooed, her tone formal yet warm. “Welcome back to the world of the living, my nephew.”

“Aunt Yingshu,” Zhao Lingyun nodded respectfully to the Fox Clan Chief, his mother's older sister.

“Bring him over,” Yingshu instructed Bai Yuehua. “We have something important to discuss.”

Bai Yuehua pushed Zhao Lingyun's wheelchair to an empty spot at the round table. From where he was now, Zhao Lingyun could see a large map spread out in the center of the table-a detailed map of the Demon Realm, Human Realm, and an unfamiliar region that he guessed was the Sky Realm.

“The situation is precarious,” Yingshu got straight to the point. “Although the Sky Portal has been closed and Yao Huang resealed, the impact of its momentary opening has created dimensional instability in some locations.”

Zhao Lingyun scrutinized the map carefully. Several points on the map were marked with glowing red crystals-most of which were concentrated around the boundaries of the Demon Realm and Human Realm.

“What's happening at these points?” asked Zhao Lingyun.

“Dimensional rifts,” replied an old man with a long beard and a small golden crown-which Zhao Lingyun recognized as the Tiger Clan Chief. “A place where the boundaries between realms thin out, allowing entities from one realm to pass into another.”

“Like a leak?” Zhao Lingyun tried to understand.

“Exactly,” Yingshu nodded. “The sealing ritual you performed successfully closed the main Sky Portal, but the energy released during the ritual created tiny cracks in the dimensional structure.”

“And the thing is,” the Tiger Clan Chief continued, ”some of Yao Huang's dark energy managed to escape before the sealing was complete.”

The room was silent for a moment, the weight of the implications of that statement heavy on everyone's shoulders.

“But there's no way Yao Huang himself escaped, right?” asked Zhao Lingyun anxiously. “We saw her get sucked back into the portal.”

“Right,” Yingshu assured. “All that escaped were tiny fragments of her energy-not enough to form a full consciousness, but still dangerous if it falls into the wrong hands.”

“Or into the body of a vulnerable host,” the Tiger Clan Chief added grimly.

Zhao Lingyun wrinkled his forehead. “Like what happened to Zhao Liangyu...”

“Exactly,” Yingshu nodded. “That's why we must act quickly. A joint team from both clans has been dispatched to seal these dimensional rifts and track down Yao Huang's scattered energy shards.”

“But there's another more pressing matter,” the Tiger Clan Chief added, his expression growing more serious. “The Border Tower.”

“What's with the tower?” asked Zhao Lingyun.

Yingshu shifted the map to show a detailed picture of the Border Tower. “After the sealing ritual, the tower's structure underwent fundamental changes. The physical foundation remained the same, but the dimensional properties changed.”