The Gate of Eternity Curse of Heaven

ENDLESS CORRIDOR

“You mean the tower changed... metaphysically?” Zhao Lingyun tried to understand, still feeling weak in his wheelchair.

Yingshu nodded slowly, her slender hand gently touching the map. “The Border Tower is now in an in-between state-not fully in the Human Realm, nor in the Demon Realm. It's like... floating in a dimensional gap.”

“Our observers report strange phenomena,” the Tiger Clan Chief added, his golden eyes flashing sharply. “The tower sometimes disappears from view for a few hours, then reappears. The temperature around it fluctuates drastically, and time runs differently inside.”

Zhao Lingyun pondered, recalling the strange sensation he felt in the tower before losing consciousness-a feeling of floating, as if gravity had lost its power.

“Has anyone tried to enter the tower since that incident?” he asked.

Yingshu's expression darkened. “Yes. Three exploration teams were sent out-one from the Fox Clan, one from the Tiger Clan, and one combined. None of them returned.”

An eerie silence fell over the room. Zhao Lingyun felt his goosebumps bristle.

“However,” Yingshu continued, ”we received a short spiritual message from the third team, two days ago.”

He gestured, and a young man brought out a pale purple teardrop-shaped crystal. Yingshu placed it in the center of the table, flowing spiritual energy into it. The crystal glowed, then projected a distorted hoarse voice:

“...internal structures changing...moving passages...endless staircases...time running backwards...BEWARE BEHIND-”

The message was cut off with an ear-piercing screeching sound. Yingshu quickly turned off the crystal, her face pale.

“That was the last message from General Wei,” she explained quietly. “There's been no more news since then.”

Zhao Lingyun digested this information, his brain working even though his body was still weak. “The tower has turned into some sort of... living labyrinth?”

“It seems so,” the Tiger Clan Chief sighed. “And more worryingly, the energy emanating from the tower is getting stronger every day. Our diviners predict that if left unchecked, within a month, its energy radiation will reach the second capital of the realm.”

“With unpredictable consequences,” Yingshu added grimly.

Zhao Lingyun closed his eyes for a moment, feeling a new weight fall on his still fragile shoulders. “What do I need to do?”

Yingshu and the Tiger Clan Chief exchanged glances. “We believe that you and your brother-as the 'Sons of the Border' and the key to the sealing ritual-have a special connection to the tower,” Yingshu replied carefully. “You may be the only ones who can conquer the tower now.”

“But Lin-ge is still unconscious,” Zhao Lingyun reminded, feeling deep concern for his brother.

“We don't have the luxury of time to wait,” the Tiger Clan Chief said firmly, though there was a touch of concern in his eyes. “The ancient prophecy states 'pure blood must seal what pure blood has opened'. You alone might have the key to stopping this chaos.”

Zhao Lingyun looked at the clan leaders, feeling the weight of destiny on his shoulders. “When should I depart?”

“As soon as your condition allows,” Yingshu replied, glancing at Bai Yuehua who stood behind Zhao Lingyun's wheelchair.

The Master Physician sighed. “With intensive therapy and special herbs, maybe three more days.”

“Too long,” cut in the Tiger Clan Chief. “We don't have-”

“Tomorrow,” Zhao Lingyun cut in, his voice stronger than he expected. “I'll be leaving tomorrow afternoon.”

“Young Master Zhao,” Bai Yuehua protested, ”your body hasn't-”

“I'll use the Silver Moon Healing Technique tonight,” Zhao Lingyun insisted. “That'll be enough to get me up.”

Yingshu observed his nephew with an appraising look, before finally nodding. “Very well. A support team will be prepared, and you'll be given the best equipment we can provide.”

“No,” Zhao Lingyun refused, surprising everyone. “I have to go alone.”

“That's too dangerous!” exclaimed several advisors at once.

Zhao Lingyun shook his head lightly. “The message mentioned 'moving passages, endless stairs'. The tower has become a shifting dimensional maze. A large team will only complicate movement and coordination.”

“But-” Yingshu was about to argue.

“And if it's true that only 'pure blood' can repair this damage,” Zhao Lingyun continued, ”then the presence of others will only endanger them for no apparent purpose.”

The room was silent, all weighing Zhao Lingyun's words. Finally, the Tiger Clan Chief nodded slowly.

“This young man is right,” he said calculatingly. “But you can't go without any preparation at all.”

“Of course,” Zhao Lingyun agreed. “I'll bring the necessary supplies and tools. And...”

He looked at the bronze badge on the table. “I need to bring that badge.”

“Of course,” Yingshu nodded. “That badge belongs to you and your brother now-the true legacy of the Children of the Frontier.”

The meeting concluded with various detailed preparations. Afterward, Bai Yuehua pushed Zhao Lingyun's wheelchair back to the Healing Pavilion, her face clearly showing disapproval.

“You're torturing yourself, Young Master,” she said as they walked through the garden. “Your condition is still very weak.”

“I know,” Zhao Lingyun smiled weakly. “But every day that passes, the situation gets worse. And I can't leave Lin-ge in an unconscious state for too long.”

Bai Yuehua snorted. “Your brother will chop me alive if he finds out I let you leave in this condition.”

“Then don't tell him,” Zhao Lingyun chuckled.

The physician shook his head resignedly. “Alright. But tonight you must follow all my instructions for the Silver Moon Healing ritual. It's not a ritual that can be done carelessly.”

Zhao Lingyun nodded obediently, knowing that the ancient ritual was indeed high-risk-using the moon's energy to speed up the body's natural healing, but with the consequence of shortening the user's lifespan if performed imperfectly.

Arriving at the treatment room, Zhao Lingyun asked to see his brother first. Bai Yuehua ushered him into the next room, where Lin Fengtian was lying unconscious. His face was pale yet calm, chest rising and falling with a regular rhythm.

“Lin-ge...” Zhao Lingyun grasped his brother's cold hand. “I'll fix all this. Wait for me to come back.”

He spent a few minutes by his brother's side, whispering softly about his plan. Although Lin Fengtian didn't show any response, Zhao Lingyun felt that his brother could hear him.

That night, under the full moonlight streaming through the crescent-shaped window, Zhao Lingyun followed Bai Yuehua's instructions to perform the Silver Moon Healing ritual. She sat cross-legged in the center of a complex diagram drawn in silver ink, nine blue crystal candles surrounding her. A special potion that tasted bitter and cold flowed down her throat, while Bai Yuehua recited ancient incantations.

Pain pierced every cell of his body as the moon's energy seeped in, speeding up regeneration, burning away toxins, strengthening weak muscles. Zhao Lingyun bit his lip until it bled, stifling a scream. Cold sweat soaked his entire body, while silvery light emanated from every pore of his skin.

The ritual lasted a full three hours-three hours of torture that brought Zhao Lingyun close to fainting several times. But as the moon reached its highest point in the sky, the silver light reached its maximum intensity, before slowly fading away and being fully absorbed into his body.

“Finished,” Bai Yuehua announced, exhaustion clearly visible on her face. “Rest now. Your body will continue to adjust until dawn.”

Zhao Lingyun lay limp, his body feeling like it was on fire yet simultaneously frozen. But beneath the pain, he could feel new power flowing in his blood-the pure energy of the Fox Clan that had been sleeping was now awakened by the touch of the moon's energy.

He fell asleep in a deep but dreamless exhaustion, while his body changed and healed itself.

The next dawn, Zhao Lingyun woke up to an entirely different sensation. His body felt light yet strong, his senses sharper than before. He could hear faint conversations from the far corridor, smell medicinal herbs from the back garden, and see details of the ceiling carvings that had previously escaped his attention.

He rose slowly, amazed to realize that the pain that had previously ruled his every joint had vanished. Zhao Lingyun stood up, stepping to the window, feeling the power in his every step.

“Impressive,” Bai Yuehua commented from the doorway. “Your response to the ritual far exceeded my expectations.”

Zhao Lingyun turned around, smiling. “Thanks to your skill, Physician Bai.”

The healer shook his head. “No, it's not. It's because your pure blood-the blood of the Nine-Tailed Fox flowing in your veins-responded to the ritual in a way I've never seen before.”

Zhao Lingyun looked down, observing his hands that were now faintly glowing with silver light as he channeled his spiritual energy. “Mom always said that Lin-ge and I were the 'keys'... maybe this is part of what she meant.”

“Perhaps,” Bai Yuehua nodded, then handed over a carved wooden box. “These are combat clothes and some equipment you'll need. Your aunt prepared them early in the morning.”

Zhao Lingyun received the box respectfully. Inside was a dark blue combat suit with silver accents, leather gloves with protective engravings, light yet sturdy boots, and a headband with a delicate Fox Clan symbol. All items were crafted with the highest quality, each infused with protective and reinforcing talismans.

“And this,” Bai Yuehua took out a small pouch from the sleeve of his robe. “Essential herbs-healers, energy boosters, poison neutralizers, and...” he lowered his voice, ”...a dose of Eternal Dawn Dew.”

Zhao Lingyun widened his eyes. “Immortal Dawn Dew? But that's-”

“Very rare and forbidden to use carelessly, I know,” Bai Yuehua cut in quickly. “Only use it in life-and-death situations. One sip will give you the strength of a Core Formation stage cultivator for ten minutes-enough to escape fatal danger.”

Zhao Lingyun nodded solemnly, storing the bag of herbs carefully. “Thank you, Physician Bai. I won't waste this gift.”

After preparing and having a breakfast full of spiritual nutrients, Zhao Lingyun visited his brother once more. Lin Fengtian still didn't move, but the color had returned to his face-a sign that the healing process was going well.

“I'll be back, Lin-ge,” Zhao Lingyun promised, taking his brother's hand. “Wait for me.”

Just as he was about to move, Lin Fengtian's fingers moved weakly. Zhao Lingyun froze, unsure if it was just his imagination. But then, Lin Fengtian's eyes moved behind closed lids, and his lips opened slightly.

“Xiao...Yun...” Lin Fengtian whispered so quietly that it was barely audible.

“Lin-ge!” Zhao Lingyun leaned in, his heart pounding. “Can you hear me?”

Lin Fengtian didn't open his eyes, but his lips moved again. “Heart...heart...with...shadow...”

“Shadow? What shadow, Lin-ge?” asked Zhao Lingyun, but it was too late-his brother had already returned to his unconscious state, his hands drooping limply.

Zhao Lingyun called Bai Yuehua, who immediately checked Lin Fengtian's condition. “It's normal,” he assured after a thorough examination. “His consciousness is starting to return, but it still takes time. Maybe he's on the verge between the dream world and the real world.”

“But his warning about the 'shadow'...” Zhao Lingyun muttered, feeling uneasy.

“Maybe a snippet of a dream, maybe a premonition,” Bai Yuehua shrugged. “Your brother always had a keen sixth sense for danger.”

Zhao Lingyun nodded seriously, keeping the warning in his mind.

As the sun leaned west, all the preparations were complete. Zhao Lingyun stood in the main courtyard of the Fox Clan Residence, dressed in his battle attire, a bronze badge hanging from his waist. Before him, Yingshu and several clan elders gave their blessings and final instructions.

“Remember,” Yingshu said, handing over a small compass with a bluish glowing needle, ”this spiritual compass will indicate the direction of the densest energy within the tower. Follow it carefully-it may signal the center of dimensional distortion.”

Zhao Lingyun received the compass respectfully. “I'll be back as soon as possible, Auntie.”

“And this,” an old elder with a long beard handed over a small silk scroll. “Return to Origin Spell-if the situation is truly unsalvageable, use this to send yourself back to the starting point.”

“Back to square one? Doesn't that mean getting out of the tower?” Zhao Lingyun asked.

The elder shook his head. “No, young man. It will send you to the first place you entered the tower. This scroll only contains one use, so choose the right time.”

After various advice and blessings, it was finally time to set off. Zhao Lingyun climbed onto the prepared white horse-a special spiritual horse with incredible stamina and speed.

“May the Nine-Tailed Fox Ancestor protect you,” Yingshu said his parting words.

With a final nod, Zhao Lingyun spurred his horse on, crossing the gates of the Fox Clan Residence, heading towards the Border Tower that was on the border of the Human Realm and the Demon Realm.

The journey lasted for three hours, the sun slowly sinking in the western horizon. As dusk fell, Zhao Lingyun had entered the border region-the land that belonged to neither the Human Realm nor the Demon Realm. The vegetation changed, from forests of bamboo and pine trees to strange plants with purplish leaves and glowing stems.

The sky was different here too-a mix of the orange color of the human sky with the green tinge of the Demon Realm. A few miles away, Zhao Lingyun could see the Border Tower looming in the distance-a magnificent two-hundred-meter-high structure made of black obsidian and white crystal.

But something was different. The tower... blinked.

Zhao Lingyun stopped his horse, observing the strange phenomenon. The Border Tower seemed to tremble in existence-sometimes solid and clear, the next second transparent like a ghost, then solid again. The surroundings were shrouded in a thin purplish-colored mist that swirled slowly.

“It really has changed...” he muttered, feeling a strange sensation in his chest-like a faint tug coming from the bronze badge on his waist.

He dismounted, patting the beast's neck. “Return to the Fox Clan House,” he commanded, releasing the reins. The spiritual horse whinnied softly, as if reluctant to leave its master, but finally turned and bolted away after Zhao Lingyun's gentle nudge.

With steady but wary steps, Zhao Lingyun approached the tower. The closer he got, the more he felt the imbalance of the surrounding energy-gravity felt heavier in some spots, lighter in others. Strange sounds could be heard faintly-echoes of conversations, muffled shouts, even children's laughter, all mixed in a soft kakophony that appeared and disappeared.

The tower's main door-a massive gate of wrought iron and hardwood-was half open, as if inviting... or trapping. Zhao Lingyun stopped a few steps from the door, taking out a bronze badge. The badge now shook softly in his hand, its new engravings glowing with a silvery light.

“Alright.” Zhao Lingyun whispered to himself. “Let's see your secret.”

With one deep breath, he stepped over the threshold of the Border Tower.

The first sensation Zhao Lingyun felt was total disorientation. The moment he stepped inside, the room spun rapidly around him, the floor seeming to disappear for a moment before returning solid under his feet. He staggered, propping himself up against the nearest wall, breathing rapidly against the sudden onset of nausea.

After a while, the sensation subsided. Zhao Lingyun blinked, surveying his surroundings. He was in a spacious entrance hall-but it was very different from what he remembered from the last time he was here with Lin Fengtian.

Back then, this hall had four huge carved pillars and a black-and-white marble floor that formed a Yin-Yang formation. Now, the hall looked like an old abandoned library-tall bookshelves lined up in a maze, a few stacks of parchment scattered on the creaking wooden floor. There were no windows, only blue torches burning with cold flames, creating strange shadows that seemed to move with a life of their own.

“The entrance hall has changed completely,” Zhao Lingyun whispered, taking out the spiritual compass Yingshu had given him.

The compass needle spun wildly for a while before finally stopping, pointing towards a narrow corridor between two tall bookshelves. Zhao Lingyun followed the compass' lead, stepping carefully down the narrowing corridor. He passed shelves of strange books-some looked very ancient with cracked leather covers, others looked new but were written in languages he didn't recognize.

The corridor took a sharp turn to the left, then to the right, before finally leading him to a small wooden door with a carved fox and tiger facing each other. Zhao Lingyun recognized the carving-a symbol of the centuries-old cooperation between the two clans.

He pushed the door slowly, which opened with a long creaking sound. Behind it was not a room but a long corridor that seemed endless. The walls of the corridor were made of pure white stone that gave off a soft glow. There were no torches, windows, or decorations of any kind-just a pure white hallway that stretched as far as the eye could see.

Zhao Lingyun checked the compass once more. The needle pointed straight ahead, into that endless corridor. With a sense of trepidation, he began to step forward.

Every step felt strange-sometimes too light as if he was floating, sometimes heavy as if he was pulling a weight. Time also felt inconsistent. Sometimes he felt he had been walking for hours, but when he looked back, the entrance was still not far behind him. Other times, he had only taken a few steps but the entrance had disappeared completely from sight.

“Distortion of space and time,” Zhao Lingyun muttered, trying to maintain composure.

He continued walking for who knows how long. The white corridor seemed endless, monotonous without any change. Zhao Lingyun almost thought about turning around when he finally saw something in the distance-a black dot that contrasted with the whiteness of the corridor.

He quickened his pace, and the dot grew bigger and bigger, until he could finally see that it was the figure of a person standing with his back to him. The figure was wearing a long black robe, black hair flowing down to his waist.

“Excuse me,” Zhao Lingyun called out when they were only a few meters away.

The figure didn't move, keeping its back to him. Zhao Lingyun felt his guard rise, his hand poised on the sword sheath at his waist. He stepped closer, now only a few steps away from the figure.

“Who are you?” he asked in a firmer voice.

The figure slowly turned around. Zhao Lingyun gasped, taking a step back with his hands half raised. The face staring back at him was a familiar one-the face of his mother, Yingmei. But it wasn't the Yingmei he knew. It was as pale as a corpse, with dark black eyes without pupils, and a cold smile that he had never seen on his mother's face in life.

“Xiao-Yun,” the figure whispered in a voice that sounded like it came from a distance. “My son...”

“You're not my mother,” Zhao Lingyun replied firmly, grasping the bronze badge with his left hand, feeling its warmth spread to his fingers.

The figure tilted his head with an unnatural movement. “Of course I'm your mother. Do you not recognize your own flesh and blood?”

“My mother has returned to the Spiritual Realm,” Zhao Lingyun replied, pouring spiritual energy into the now brightly glowing badge. “Whoever-or whatever-you are, show me your true form.”

The Yingmei-like figure laughed-a distorted, echoing laugh in the empty corridor. Slowly, his face began to change, melting like wax under fire, before reshaping into another face that Zhao Lingyun recognized-the face of Zhao Liangyu.

“What about this face?” the figure asked in Zhao Liangyu's voice. “Is this more convincing?”

“What do you want?” Zhao Lingyun asked, increasing the flow of energy to the badge until the light grew brighter.

The figure smiled widely-too widely for a normal human face. “I am the Tester. And you, Zhao Lingyun of the Fox Clan, are undergoing your first test.”

“Exam?” Zhao Lingyun frowned. “I didn't come to be tested. I came to fix the dimensional instability of this tower.”

“Of course,” The examiner nodded, his face changing again-this time into Lin Fengtian's face. “But to reach the center of the tower, you'll have to pass the tests that have been prepared.”

“Who prepared them?” Zhao Lingyun demanded.

“The tower itself,” the Tester replied with his brother's face.