The Gate of Eternity Curse of Heaven

TWIN MOON TEMPLE

Purple Mist Mountain is no longer the same as it was eight hundred years ago. Back then, even the bravest residents of the nearest village wouldn't go near it when the full moon cast a purplish haze over its peak. Now, a magnificent temple stands there-the Twin Moon Temple, with two gleaming domes reflecting the moonlight, creating the illusion of two moons floating above the mountain peak. Back to Zhao Lingyun and Lin Fengtian and where the Mirror of Immortality was.

Zhao Lingyun's words echoed in the magnificent yet deserted temple room. Zhang Qingxuan looked at him with a gaze that was hard to interpret-between anger and astonishment. Wei Xuan, on the other hand, looked like he was seriously considering his disciple's words.

“Uncertainty...” muttered Wei Xuan slowly, ”is a dangerous concept, young man. The world runs on a foundation of certainty. The sun rises from the east. Water flows downward. The realms of light and shadow are separate. That's the indisputable law of nature.”

Lin Fengtian snorted, “Or maybe it's just an illusion you've created over the centuries, Elder Wei. A lie repeated over and over again until it sounds like the truth.”

Zhao Lingyun noticed how the mist in the elders' eyes moved faster when Lin Fengtian spoke-as if there was an automatic reaction to a challenge to the 'truth' they held.

“Enough of this nonsense,” Zhang Qingxuan stepped forward, his unnaturally golden glowing sword drawn. “Today we put an end to this little rebellion. The heavenly realm has lived in peace for five hundred years thanks to the system we maintain. We don't need chaos-mongers like you.”

But before Zhang Qingxuan could attack, something unexpected happened. Wei Xuan, the senior elder who had been known as the pillar of loyalty of the Sky Academy, suddenly stood between them.

“Hold on, Zhang Qingxuan,” he said in a calm yet authoritative tone. “I think it's good for us to listen.”

“What?” Zhang Qingxuan looked surprised. “Elder Wei, they are traitors! Forbidden offspring that should never have existed! How can you-”

“Because,” Wei Xuan cut in, ‘during the five hundred years we've been guarding this ’truth', I've never truly felt... at peace.” He turned to face Zhao Lingyun and Lin Fengtian. “Tell me, Li Tianshen's children, what exactly do you know about the origins of the Fog Guardians?”

Lin Fengtian and Zhao Lingyun exchanged glances. Despite having just met, they felt a bond that could only be explained by the blood flowing in their veins-the same blood, the 'forbidden' blood.

“What we know,” Lin Fengtian replied slowly, ”is that your misty eyes aren't due to proximity to the shadow realm as taught in history. Those eyes are a sign that you're not from any realm.” He paused for a moment, looking directly into Wei Xuan's misty eyes. “You are a bridge-just like us, only in a different form.”

Wei Xuan closed his eyes, and for a split second, the mist in his eyes seemed to thin out. “For centuries, I felt that something was missing from my memories. It was as if a part of me was deeply buried.”

Zhang Qingxuan gave Wei Xuan an incredulous look. “Don't tell me you fell for their hype, Elder Wei! They are just trying to divide us!”

“Or perhaps,” Xiao Yingmei's soft voice came back, ”they are instead trying to unite what should never be separated.”

The Mirror of Eternity suddenly emitted a brighter light than before. A strange wave of energy flowed from its surface, sweeping across the entire temple. And when that light hit the eyes of the elders, something shocking happened-the mist in their eyes began to move wildly, as if trying to fight something.

“Aaaargghh!” Zhang Qingxuan screamed, clutching his head. The other elders also began to show similar reactions, except for Wei Xuan who instead stood straight with his eyes closed, as if accepting whatever happened to him.

“What did you do to them?” asked Zhao Lingyun to his mother in a worried tone.

Xiao Yingmei smiled gently. “I didn't do anything, my son. It was the Mirror of Immortality that did the work. It's not just a portal between realms-it's a reflection of the truth. And the truth, no matter how much we deny it, has its own way of surfacing.”

Wei Xuan opened his eyes slowly. The mist that usually shrouded his eyes now swirled in a different pattern-more regular, more harmonious. “I... remember now,” he whispered. “Not everything, but enough to make me understand.”

Lin Fengtian looked at him probingly. “What do you remember, Elder Wei?”

“The Fog Guardians...” Wei Xuan started, his voice hoarse as if speaking after a long period of silence. “We are not from any realm. We are the guardians of balance-created when the realms of light and shadow first formed to ensure that the two are never completely separated.”

Zhao Lingyun listened intently, each word like a puzzle piece slowly forming a whole picture.

“But then,” Wei Xuan continued, ”something happened that changed everything. That Great War that produced the red cloud... wasn't a war between the realms of light and shadow as told in history. It was a war between those who wanted to maintain the natural balance and those who wanted absolute separation.”

Zhang Qingxuan, who had now stopped screaming but was still visibly in pain, shot Wei Xuan an angry look. “Traitor! You broke our oath!”

“An oath based on lies is not an oath worth keeping, Zhang Qingxuan,” Wei Xuan replied calmly. He then turned to the two brothers. “Li Tianshen, your father, is the leader of the balance army. He fought to maintain the natural bond between light and shadow. But the group that wanted separation was too strong. They used the Seal of Boundaries-an ancient technique capable of forcibly separating the essence of light and shadow.”

“And the result?” asked Zhao Lingyun, though he could already guess the answer.

“The result was the realms we know today-the 'pure' light realm and the 'pure' shadow realm. But this separation is never perfect. There are still traces of shadows in the light, and vice versa. That's why the Mist Guardians were created-to watch over and suppress those traces, ensuring that the separation is maintained.”

Lin Fengtian laughed bitterly. “And when our moms and dads dare to cross that line, you see them as a threat.”

“Yes,” Wei Xuan nodded, ”because the offspring of the fusion of light and shadow has the potential to reawaken the natural balance that should exist. And that, in the view of the proponents of separation, is the greatest catastrophe.”

Zhao Lingyun looked down at his own hands, realizing that all this time the strange powers he had felt-his ability to see in the dark, his unnatural speed, his keen intuition-were all manifestations of the mixed blood flowing in his body.

“So,” he said softly, ”this is the real reason why my fighting techniques have always been different. Not only have I inherited light realm techniques, but also... shadow realm?”

“Exactly,” Xiao Yingmei confirmed. “You and your brother are living bridges between the two realms. In your blood flows the potential to heal the old wounds created by that forced separation.”

Suddenly, the temple floor shook violently. From the Mirror of Eternity, the once golden light began to mix with dark purple-colored energy. The mirror's surface rippled like disturbed water, and from within, emerged a figure that made everyone in the room gasp.

Li Tianshen, not just a projection like before, but a real figure with cracked golden armor and a legendary sword-known in history as the “Cloud Splitter”-stepped out of the mirror.

“Father...” Lin Fengtian was the first to react, his voice full of suppressed emotion.

Li Tianshen looked at his two sons with a look that was hard to describe-a mixture of pride, sadness, and urgency. “I don't have much time,” he said. “The balance between realms is increasingly shaky. The red clouds covering the sky are no ordinary natural phenomenon-they are a warning that the forced separation of five hundred years ago is beginning to reach its limits.”

“What do you mean?” asked Zhao Lingyun.

“The realms of light and shadow were never meant to be separate, my son. They are two sides of the same coin. And now, after centuries of being forced apart, they're starting to react-trying to return to their natural state. That red cloud is a manifestation of the growing pressure between the two realms.”

Zhang Qingxuan, who seemed to have recovered from his pain, laughed mockingly. “Nonsense! The realms of light and shadow are separate because that's the way it should be! Mixing them will only bring destruction!”

Li Tianshen gave Zhang Qingxuan a deep look. “You're wrong, Qingxuan. Mixing them is not destruction-it is this forced separation that is slowly destroying the universe. Just look at the sky of the heavenly realm. Those red clouds not only appear here, but also in the shadow realm. It's a sign that the two realms are starting to react to each other, trying to return to a natural balance.”

“If that's true,” Zhao Lingyun said quietly, ”what should we do, Father?”

Li Tianshen turned his gaze on the Mirror of Immortality. “This mirror is the key to reopening the Eternity Gate-the true portal between realms that was deliberately sealed five hundred years ago. If the gate can be reopened, the natural flow of energy between light and shadow can be slowly restored, preventing the pressure from growing and eventually exploding in total destruction.”

“And how would the gate be opened?” asked Lin Fengtian.

“With your blood,” replied Li Tianshen. “The true mixed blood flowing in your veins is the key to breaking that seal.”

Zhang Qingxuan suddenly lunged forward, his sword pointed at Li Tianshen. “I won't let you destroy the peace we've built for five hundred years!”

But before the sword could touch Li Tianshen, Wei Xuan blocked it. “Stop it, Qingxuan. We've lived too long in lies. It's time to face the truth.”

A fight was inevitable. Zhang Qingxuan, aided by some elders who were still loyal to him, faced Wei Xuan who now stood on the side of the Li family. Light and shadow energy clashed within the ancient temple, creating shock waves that shook the structure.

Amidst the chaos, Li Tianshen brought his two sons to the front of the Mirror of Immortality. “Listen to me carefully,” he said over the sounds of the increasingly fierce battle. “Opening the Gate of Eternity is not without risk. When the two realms begin to reconnect, there will be temporary instability. Destruction will occur before a new balance is established.”

“Destruction?” Zhao Lingyun looked anxiously at his father. “What do you mean?”

“Buildings constructed based on the 'pure' energy of the realm will collapse. Social systems formed on the basis of separation will falter. There will be a period of chaos before a new balance is established.” Li Tianshen looked at his two sons seriously. “That's the choice you guys have to make: maintain a false peace built on lies, or face temporary chaos for the sake of true balance.”

Lin Fengtian and Zhao Lingyun exchanged glances. Despite having just met, both of them felt a deep connection-as if they had known each other their entire lives.

“I think,” Zhao Lingyun said slowly, ”we actually have no choice. If that red cloud is a sign that the two realms are trying to return to their natural balance, then sooner or later, the separation will collapse-with or without our help. All we can do is ensure that the process happens in a controlled manner, not in a sudden collapse.”

Lin Fengtian nodded in agreement. “It's better for us to control the process than to wait until it's too late.”

Li Tianshen smiled proudly. “You really are my sons.” He then grasped the hands of his two sons. “But there's one more thing you need to know. To fully open the gate, a sacrifice is required... the sacrifice of someone who has a strong connection with both realms.”

There was a moment of silence, before Xiao Yingmei stepped forward. “And that's why I'm here.”

“Mom, no!” Lin Fengtian exclaimed, realizing the implications of his mother's words.

Xiao Yingmei smiled gently. “This is my duty, my son. A circle that I must close. Five hundred years ago, your father and I failed to stop the separation. Now, through you, we have a second chance to right the wrongs of the past.”

Before anyone could stop her, Xiao Yingmei stepped in front of the Mirror of Immortality. In one swift motion, she scraped her finger with a small knife she took from her belt. Golden-colored blood with a purple tinge dripped onto the mirror's surface.

“With my blood, I open the way,” he said in an ancient incantation. “With my soul, I pay the price.”

The Mirror of Eternity began to vibrate violently. Light and shadow swirled on its surface, accelerating until it formed an astonishing vortex of energy. From the center of the vortex, an ever-expanding portal emerged-the long-sealed Gate of Eternity was now beginning to open.

But the process was not yet complete. Xiao Yingmei turned to look at her two sons. “Now, it's your turn. True mixed blood is the final key.”

With trembling hands, Zhao Lingyun and Lin Fengtian stepped forward. They stared at each other for a moment, both knowing that there was no turning back after this. After nodding firmly, the two extended their hands towards the portal.

Their blood-the perfect mixture of light and shadow-dripped into the vortex of energy. Instantly, an explosion of light filled the room, blinding everyone for a moment. And when the light faded, the Gate of Eternity had opened completely.

From within the gate, the energies of light and shadow began to flow harmoniously, creating complex patterns that no one present had ever seen before. But along with that, the floor of the shrine began to crack. The majestic pillars that supported the building's structure began to tremble, signaling the beginning of the period of instability that had been warned about.

“You must leave,” Li Tianshen said amidst the rumbling of the collapsing building. “This gate will remain open, but its effects will soon be felt throughout the realm. You must be outside to guide the people through these changes.”

“But what about Mom and Dad?” asked Zhao Lingyun, reluctant to leave the parents he had just met.

Li Tianshen looked at Xiao Yingmei who was now standing beside him, their bodies slowly becoming transparent. “Our task is done, my son. We will be part of this gate, ensuring that the energy flow remains stable during the transition period.”

Tears rolled down Lin Fengtian's cheeks, something that was rare for his normally stoic self. “Must it always end in separation?”

“It's not a breakup, my son.” Xiao Yingmei smiled gently. “It is the beginning of a greater union. And someday, when the balance has been fully restored, we will meet again-not as separate entities, but as part of the same whole. “Just then, Wei Xuan ran up to them. “You must leave immediately! The entire temple will collapse in a matter of minutes!”

With heavy hearts, Zhao Lingyun and Lin Fengtian left the Twin Moon Temple-leaving behind their parents who had now become part of the Gate of Eternity. As they ran out, in the sky of the heavenly realm, the red clouds began to change shape, forming new patterns that were both amazing and terrifying.

A new era had begun. An era of balance that must be fought for.