The Gate of Eternity Curse of Heaven

MIRROR LAKE

Zhao Lingyun and Lin Fengtian stood at the edge of Mirror Lake, gazing at its calm, glassy surface. Although its name was “lake”, its size was so vast that the opposite shore was barely visible to the naked eye. Even more amazing, the surface was so calm that it reflected the sky perfectly-creating the illusion that they were standing on the threshold of two worlds.

“This place...” Lin Fengtian whispered, “it's different from what I imagined. The energy is... complex.”

Zhao Lingyun nodded in agreement. He could feel the waves of energy flowing around the lake-not just pure light or shadow energy, but a mixture of both that moved in complex and harmonious patterns.

“If this is one of the Seven Star Formation points,” Zhao Lingyun said as he scanned his surroundings, ”there should be some sort of ancient altar or structure around here.”

Lin Fengtian closed his eyes, using the energy-tracking technique he'd developed during his years living in the shadow realm. “I sense... something... under the surface of the lake. An ancient structure buried at its bottom.”

“At the bottom of the lake?” Zhao Lingyun frowned. “How can we reach it?”

Before Lin Fengtian could answer, the lake's previously calm surface suddenly shook, as if something was moving underneath. Slowly, from the center of the lake, a small whirlpool appeared that grew bigger and bigger. The vortex formed a path, splitting the lake until it created a path to the center that was now beginning to rise to the surface.

“It seems like this lake is responding to our presence,” said Lin Fengtian while observing the strange phenomenon. “Or rather... responding to our blood.”

As the structure in the middle of the lake became clearer, the two realized that it was an ancient circular altar with seven pillars surrounding it. Three of the pillars glowed with different colors-golden, reddish, and purplish-while the other four remained dark.

“Three active pillars,” Zhao Lingyun muttered. “In accordance with what Wei Xuan said.”

Carefully, the two brothers stepped over the formed water path, making their way towards the altar in the center of the lake. The closer they got to the altar, the stronger the energy vibrations they felt.

Upon arriving at the altar, they found an intricate relief carved into its surface-depicting a story they had never heard before. The relief showed seven figures standing in a circular formation, surrounding a luminous entity that looked like it was being... split in two.

“This...” Lin Fengtian rubbed the relief slowly, “...this is not the history of realm separation as we know it. It depicts something different... something more... primordial.”

Zhao Lingyun observed the relief carefully. “These seven figures... they all have heterochrome eyes. Like you, Big Brother.”

Lin Fengtian was stunned. He looked in more detail and realized that Zhao Lingyun was right-the seven figures in the relief were depicted with different colored eyes: one golden, one red.

“And look at this,” Zhao Lingyun pointed at the part of the relief that depicted a split luminous entity. “This entity doesn't look like it's being forcibly separated... but rather like it's... metamorphosing. Splitting apart naturally.”

When Zhao Lingyun's finger touched that part of the relief, something unexpected happened. The three glowing pillars suddenly emitted stronger rays, forming a holographic projection on the altar. In the projection, they saw an image of an era that had never been recorded in any history-an era when light and shadow were still a single entity.

“In the beginning, there was only one energy,” an ancient voice rang out from the projection. “No light, no shadow-just perfect balance in unity. But then, the entity reached a stage of evolution where it needed to metamorphose, divide itself to develop further.”

The projection then shows the natural process of division taking place-light and shadow begin to separate, yet remain connected in beautiful harmony. They are different yet complementary, like yin and yang.

“We, the Seven Guardians,” the voice continued, ”are charged with overseeing this process of division, ensuring that balance is maintained despite the duality. But then, came those hungry for power-who believed that by completely separating light and shadow, they could control one without interference from the other.”

The projection changed, showing a great battle that had never been recorded in the history of the realm-a battle between the Seven Guardians and a group of entities whose faces were cloaked in black mist.

“The Fog Followers attacked us, creating the Seven Star Formation to force a complete separation between light and shadow. We fought back with all our might, but we were outnumbered. One by one, we fell... until there was one who managed to escape with the secret to reversing the formation.”

Lin Fengtian and Zhao Lingyun looked at each other, both starting to understand that the history they knew all along was just a manipulated version.

“The last guardian is hiding,” the voice continued, ”waiting for the right moment when a descendant with true mixed blood will be born-a descendant capable of reuniting what has been forcibly separated.”

The projection faded, leaving a heavy silence. The two brothers were silent, trying to digest what they had just witnessed.

“This changes everything,” Lin Fengtian said finally. “The Fog Guardians we've known so far... they're actually descendants of the Fog Followers who created that forced separation.”

“And the red clouds in the sky...” Zhao Lingyun added, “...aren't just the aftermath of the Great War, but a sign that the forced separation is starting to reach its limits-that the universe is trying to return to its natural state.”

Lin Fengtian stepped closer to one of the glowing pillars, observing it closely. “Three pillars are already active... Wonder what happens if all seven pillars activate?”

As if to answer his question, the altar reacted again. This time, its water surface displayed a shadow-a reflection of a possible future. In the shadows, they saw seven pillars emitting light in the full spectrum, forming a giant dome of energy that enveloped both realms. The dome didn't separate, but rather united-facilitating the harmonious reunification of light and shadow.

“It seems,” Zhao Lingyun whispered, ”the Seven Star Formation can not only be used to separate, but also to unite-depending on the intention and energy activating it.”

“And maybe that's what Zhang Qingxuan and the Purity Guard were afraid of,” Lin Fengtian added. “They fear that this formation will be activated to reverse what their ancestors have done.”

Suddenly, the surface of the previously calm lake started rippling. The perfect reflection of the sky was disturbed, and in the distance came the sound of heavy steps approaching.

“We're not alone,” Lin Fengtian warned, his hand poised on the hilt of his sword. “It looks like the Purity Guardians have tracked our whereabouts.”

Zhao Lingyun focused his gaze towards the lakeside. Sure enough, a group of cultivators in pristine white robes-the signature attire of the Purity Keepers-were moving closer to the lake. In front of them, stood a figure they were very familiar with: Zhang Qingxuan, with his unnaturally glowing golden sword.

“Back to the edge,” Lin Fengtian instructed. “We can't fight on this altar-it's too risky to damage it.”

The two brothers hurried back to the shore, but halfway there, the waterway that had formed suddenly vanished. They were stuck in the middle of the lake, with the Purity Guard now reaching the edge.

“Zhao Lingyun! Lin Fengtian!” Zhang Qingxuan's voice echoed above the surface of the lake. “You've gone too far! Get off that sacred altar right now, or face the consequences!”

Lin Fengtian snorted. “Holy, he said? An altar made to impose the will of a few over the balance of the universe?”

“Don't talk about things you don't understand, mixed blood!” Zhang Qingxuan released a blinding wave of light energy towards them. “You are mistakes in the history of the realm-anomalies that must be wiped out!”

Zhao Lingyun raised his hands, forming an energy shield capable of absorbing Zhang Qingxuan's attacks. Over the past four months, his abilities had improved greatly-no longer limited to light realm techniques, but also integrating the shadow realm elements that flowed in his blood.

“You're wrong, Zhang Qingxuan,” Zhao Lingyun said calmly yet confidently. “We are not a mistake. We are counter-corrections destined to correct the mistakes made by your predecessors.”

Zhao Lingyun's words seemed to ignite Zhang Qingxuan's anger. With a single command, he directed his troops to attack. Dozens of Purity Guard jumped onto the surface of the lake, walking on it with high-level cultivation techniques, moving quickly towards the altar.

Lin Fengtian took out his sword-a unique blade with sides of light and shadow that blended in perfect harmony. “Get ready, little brother, it's going to be a long battle.”

But before the real battle began, something unexpected happened. The lake's previously calm surface suddenly shook violently. From within the water, transparent figures emerged-projections of souls that had long been bound to this lake.

“Guardians of Purity,” an ancient voice echoed from the projections, ”you have been misled. What you think of as purity is merely an illusion-a rigidity that goes against the natural flow of the universe.”

Zhang Qingxuan looked shaken at the projections. “I-this is impossible! You guys should have perished long ago!”

“Souls never truly perish, Zhang Qingxuan,” one of the projections replied. “Especially souls bound with secrets of this magnitude.”

The projections then moved, forming a circular formation that surrounded the altar. From that position, they emitted energy that calmed the waves of the lake, creating an energy bridge that connected the altar with the shore-providing a path for Zhao Lingyun and Lin Fengtian to return.

“Go, Sons of Balance,” the projection said. “You still have a long way to go. The other four pillars are waiting to be activated, and time is running out. We'll keep them here.”

Lin Fengtian hesitated. “But... you guys...”

“We're long gone in physical form,” the projection replied. “All that remains is our essence bound to this lake. Use this opportunity, find the other four pillars before the Fog Guardians realize your true purpose.”

Reluctantly, Zhao Lingyun and Lin Fengtian stepped over the energy bridge, moving away from the altar while the ancient projections held back the Purity Guardians. Behind them, the sounds of energy battles began to sound-the tremendous booms that created giant ripples on the surface of the lake.

On reaching the opposite bank from where Zhang Qingxuan and his troops were, Lin Fengtian paused for a moment, staring back at the center of the lake where the spectral battle was taking place.

“They're giving us time,” he said quietly. “But for how long? And where should we go next? We don't know the location of the other four pillars.”

Zhao Lingyun took out a piece of paper from inside his robe-a copy of the map Wei Xuan had given him. “According to this map, the next closest pillar is in the Purple Mist Mountains, on the northern border of the realm.”

Lin Fengtian nodded. “The Purple Mist Mountains... a place famous for strange energy fluctuations. People who enter often come out with muddled memories, if they make it out at all.”

“Maybe it's not a coincidence,” Zhao Lingyun argued. “If the pillars there are capable of affecting memories, maybe that's how the Ancient Guardians protect their secrets-making sure that people who accidentally stumble upon them won't be able to tell what they saw.”

Lin Fengtian agreed with his younger brother's analysis. “We have to move quickly. Based on what we saw today, I believe Zhang Qingxuan is also looking for these pillars-either to activate them the wrong way, or to prevent us from activating them at all.”

With one last glance at the Mirror Lake, the two brothers began to step onto their new journey-a journey that would take them deeper into the mysteries of the origin of the realm and their own destiny as “Sons of Balance”.

The journey to the Purple Mist Mountains took a full week. Unlike the other regions that were beginning to show signs of fusion between the two realms, these mountains seemed like a standalone entity-shrouded in a thick, reddish-purple mist that never really dissipated.

“Strange,” Zhao Lingyun commented as they neared the foot of the mountain. “This mist... feels both familiar and unfamiliar.”

Lin Fengtian nodded. “I feel the same way. It's as if... this mist has its own consciousness. It's watching us.”

The more they climbed, the thicker the fog became. The once clear path began to blur, and their consciousness began to be affected. Flashes of unfamiliar memories began to appear in their minds-memories that did not belong to them, yet felt so real.

“High-level illusion technique,” Lin Fengtian warned, his voice sounding distant even though he was walking right beside Zhao Lingyun. “Don't let your memories get contaminated. Focus on your blood flow-on the essence of balance that flows in your veins.”

Zhao Lingyun tried to follow his brother's advice, focusing his awareness on the mixed blood flowing in his body. But the more he did that, the more clearly he felt a strange resonance-as if his blood was responding to the purple mist.

“Big brother,” Zhao Lingyun whispered, ”I think this mist... is made of the same essence as our blood.”

Lin Fengtian gasped in shock. “What do you mean?”

“A perfect mixture of light and shadow-not two separate entities forced together, but one entity that naturally possesses both qualities.” Zhao Lingyun extended his hand, letting the purple mist swirl around him. “This mist might be a remnant from the era before the forced separation-a primordial essence that still retains its original form.”

This realization changed their approach. Instead of resisting the influence of the mist, they began to open themselves up to it, allowing the essence to interact with their blood. The result was surprising: instead of confusing memories, the mist began to show them the way, creating a golden-purple path winding between steep cliffs.

“It's leading us,” Lin Fengtian muttered in amazement.

The misty path led them to a hidden alcove in the middle of the mountains-a small valley shrouded in a thicker but more lustrous mist. In the middle of the valley stood a ten-meter-high stone monolith, with ancient symbols carved into its surface.

“This is it,” Zhao Lingyun whispered. “The second pillar.”

Unlike the pillar in Mirror Lake that was submerged in water, this pillar stood upright in the open air, surrounded by mist that swirled in intricate patterns. As they approached the monolith, they began to feel increasingly strong energy vibrations-a resonance between their blood and the ancient essence contained within the stone.

Lin Fengtian touched the surface of the monolith carefully. Instantly, the carvings on its surface began to glow with a purplish color, creating complex patterns that moved like life.

“This isn't just a pillar,” Lin Fengtian muttered. “It's a... memory keeper.”

Sure enough, once the carvings were fully active, the mist around them moved to form a three-dimensional projection-displaying fragments of memories from a long-forgotten era. In the projection, they saw the Seven Ancient Guardians performing a ritual in a magnificent structure they had never seen before.

“That...” Zhao Lingyun pointed towards the structure in the projection, “The original Eternity Gate? It's much bigger than the one we opened.”

Lin Fengtian nodded. “And it seems that they're not sealing it, but keeping it open-keeping the energy flow balanced.”

The projection then changed, showing a violent battle taking place around the gate. The Ancient Guardians were fighting against a black-robed army with misty eyes-the ancestors of the modern Mist Guardians. The battle seemed unequal, with the Ancient Guardians outnumbered yet defending with cultivation techniques they had never seen before.

“Look at the way they fight,” Zhao Lingyun muttered in amazement. “They don't separate light and shadow techniques-they use them simultaneously, creating a perfect harmony.”

Lin Fengtian watched intently. “And that's what makes them so strong, despite being outnumbered. Perfect harmonization is always stronger than extreme specialization.”

The projection continued to change, showing how one by one the Ancient Guardians fell-not because they lost in direct combat, but because of betrayal from within. Someone they trusted had opened a gap in their defenses, allowing the Followers of the Mist to attack from blind spots.

“Betrayal...” Lin Fengtian muttered. “There's always betrayal in every great change of history.”

The final projection showed the last remaining Ancient Guardian-a man with heterochrome eyes that closely resembled Lin Fengtian-standing in front of the closing Gate of Eternity. With one determined movement, he created seven small energy balls from his own essence, sending them to the seven corners of the universe before finally falling down.

“He split his essence,” Zhao Lingyun realized. “Creating seven scattered fragments... to be reunited in the future.”

“And that's what we're doing now,” Lin Fengtian continued. “Reuniting the seven fragments, to reopen the true Eternity Gate.”

As the projection faded, they realized that the monolith was now shining with a steady purplish light-signaling that the second pillar had fully activated. With this activation, they could sense waves of energy that traveled far, creating resonance with the other pillars scattered throughout the realm.

“Two active, five remaining,” Lin Fengtian calculated. “And we now have a better understanding of what we're actually dealing with.”

Zhao Lingyun nodded in agreement, yet his expression showed concern. “But there's something that bothers me about that projection. That betrayal... what if history repeats itself? What if among our current allies, there are traitors working for the Guardians of the Mist?”

Zhao Lingyun's question hung in the air, creating a heavy silence. Lin Fengtian seemed to think about the possibility seriously.

“We have to be vigilant,” he finally said. “But we also can't let the fear of betrayal stop our mission. All we can do is trust our instincts-the blood flowing in our veins will show us the way.”

As they prepared to leave the hidden valley, Zhao Lingyun felt a strange vibration inside his robe. He took out the mysterious badge he'd been carrying for so long-the badge that used to display the different names of his mother. Now, the badge trembled and shone with the same purplish light as the monolith.

“This badge...” Zhao Lingyun muttered in surprise. “It reacts to the activation of the pillar.”

Lin Fengtian picked up the badge, observing it carefully. “This isn't just an ordinary identity badge. Look at the pattern on the edges-this is a map.”

Sure enough, when they took a closer look, the rim of the badge featured delicate engravings that formed a map of the realm-with seven dots marking the locations of the seven pillars. Two of the dots were now glowing brightly, while the third began to flicker, as if calling out to them.

“Mirror Lake and the Purple Mist Mountains have activated,” Lin Fengtian pointed at the two glowing dots. “And it looks like the third pillar is responding... in.... Forest of Whispers.”

Zhao Lingyun frowned. “The Forest of Whispers? Isn't that the neutral region between the realm of light and shadow? A place where spirits from both realms are said to gather?”

“Exactly,” Lin Fengtian nodded. “And if this pattern continues, I'm starting to see the logic behind the placement of these seven pillars. They weren't placed randomly, but rather in locations where the boundary between light and shadow is thinnest-places where the natural resonance between the two essences still persists even after the forced separation.”

With this new understanding, the two brothers stepped out of the valley, leaving the now fully active pillar behind. The purple mist that had been misleading was now shielding them, creating a veil that hid their presence from the prying eyes of any Fog Guardians who might be watching.

But they didn't realize that from a distance, a pair of heterochrome eyes different from Lin Fengtian's were watching them intently-eyes with one golden and one pitch-black iris. The owner of those eyes smiled faintly, whispering to himself:

“Two on... five to go... the game has just begun, Sons of Balance.”

The journey to the Forest of Whispers was far more dangerous than before. Since the activation of the first two pillars, the Purity Guard had intensified their patrols, and rumors about the “mixed-blood traitors” had spread throughout the realm. Lin Fengtian and Zhao Lingyun's faces were now plastered on billboards, with huge rewards for anyone who caught them-alive or dead.