The Gate of Eternity Curse of Heaven

WHISPER FOREST

Shadows moved wildly among the old trees of the Whisper Forest. Zhao Lingyun ducked behind a thick bush when he heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Lin Fengtian was a few meters in front of him, his body almost merging with the darkness that enveloped the forest. For three days they had been avoiding the increasingly intense Purity Guard patrols.

“There are more and more of them,” Lin Fengtian whispered as the white-robed troops passed by. “Zhang Qingxuan must have mobilized almost his entire army to search for us.”

Zhao Lingyun observed his badge which was now flashing faster. “We're approaching the third pillar. That's probably the reason why the guard is tighter.”

The Forest of Whispers was a region avoided even by the inhabitants of both realms. Giant trees thousands of years old created a natural dome that was almost impenetrable to sunlight. Even more terrifying, whispers could be heard from all directions-whispers that were said to come from spirits lost between the two realms.

“Listen,” Lin Fengtian suddenly stopped, raising his hand. “The whispers are different.”

Zhao Lingyun focused his hearing. Sure enough, the whispers weren't random babbling or wailing like the legends told. The whispers were structured, like a mantra repeated in an ancient, almost forgotten language.

“Primordial language,” Lin Fengtian recognized. “A language from the era before the realm split.”

Carefully, they followed the direction of the increasingly clear whispers. The trees around them were slowly changing-the trunks were no longer just ordinary wood, but began to reveal layers of crystals that glowed softly with a bluish-green color.

“These trees...” Zhao Lingyun touched one of the glowing trunks, “they are mediums. Storing memories and primordial energy.”

The deeper they went into the heart of the forest, the more crystal trees they encountered. The whispers grew clearer, until they finally arrived at a field surrounded by seven giant crystal trees. In the center of the field, there stood a small altar with bluish-green pillars emitting gentle energy.

“The third pillar,” Lin Fengtian muttered in admiration.

But their excitement didn't last long. As they stepped closer to the altar, they realized that the field was not empty. Dozens-no, hundreds-of transparent silhouettes were moving around the pillar, guarding it. The figures were not fully visible, only faint shadows that occasionally revealed their full forms: ancient cultivators in clothes that were no longer recognized in the history of the two realms.

“Ancient Guardians,” Zhao Lingyun whispered in awe. “Or at least, their remaining essence.”

Lin Fengtian observed with his heterochrome eyes. “They're bound to this pillar, protecting it. But from what I've seen, they're not aggressive towards us.”

Slowly, the two stepped onto the clearing. Instantly, the whispers stopped, replaced by an eerie silence. The hundreds of transparent silhouettes turned to face them, watching with blank eyes that somehow still radiated consciousness.

“Sons of Balance,” a collective voice sounded in the minds of the two. “You have found the path to the truth.”

Lin Fengtian bowed respectfully. “We are looking for a way to restore the balance that has been broken.”

“The balance was never really broken,” replied the voice. “Only hidden, silenced, forced apart. But its essence remains, waiting to be reconnected.”

Zhao Lingyun took out his badge. “We've activated the previous two pillars. We want to activate this one as well.”

The silhouettes moved, forming a tighter circle around the pillar. “This pillar is different,” the collective voice explained. “Unlike the previous two pillars that stored memories and energy, this pillar is a key that opens the gates to the Seven Star Formation's deepest secrets.”

Lin Fengtian furrowed his brow. “Key? Gate? What does that mean?”

“To activate this pillar, you must face a test,” continued the voice. “A test that will reveal the truth about yourselves-and the truth about the betrayal that changed the history of the realm.”

Before the two could ask any further questions, a bluish-green mist enveloped the field. As the mist faded, the scenery around them had changed completely. They were now standing in a vast courtyard with ancient architecture like they had never seen before-grandiose buildings with crystal pillars and domes of energy floating in the air.

“Where is this?” Zhao Lingyun asked, surveying his surroundings in amazement.

“Primordial City,” replied the voice that now came from the old man that appeared before them. “The capital of a single realm, before the forced separation occurred. Or rather, the memories of it.”

The old man had heterochrome eyes exactly like Lin Fengtian's-one golden and one red. His clothes were simple yet exuded an undeniable aura of strength. Behind him, six other figures appeared, each with similar heterochrome eyes.

“Seven Ancient Guardians,” Lin Fengtian recognized. “You guys...”

“Just a projection of memories,” cut in the old man. “Our true essence has long since vanished, except for the fragments scattered across the seven pillars. What you see here is a reconstruction of the collective memories stored in the Forest of Whispers.”

Zhao Lingyun stepped forward. “You mentioned trials and betrayals. What trials do we have to face?”

The old man smiled faintly. “First, you must witness what really happened during the Forced Separation-the truth that has been buried for thousands of years. Be prepared, for what you are about to see may change everything you have ever believed.”

The old man spread his hands, and the scene around them changed again. They now stood in a giant ritual hall, with the actual Gate of Eternity at its center-a magnificent structure in the shape of a perfect circle that radiated multicolor energy.

Around the gate, seven people with heterochrome eyes-the Ancient Guardians-were performing complex rituals, keeping the flow of energy steady. Meanwhile, outside the room, the sounds of a fierce battle could be heard.

“The Day of Separation,” explained the old man still standing beside them. “We were performing the Annual Harmonization ritual, balancing the flow of energy between all dimensions. But then, they came-the Fog Followers who believe that by separating the energies, they can gain greater power.”

The door to the ritual room opened violently. Dozens of black-robed cultivators stormed in, each emitting a gripping aura of black mist. In front of them, stood a man in even grander robes, his face shrouded in thick fog until it was invisible.

“Hongzi,” the old man whispered, his voice full of hatred. “Leader of the Fog Followers.”

A fierce battle ensued. The Ancient Guardians attempted to defend their rituals while fighting off the attackers. High-level cultivation techniques that Zhao Lingyun and Lin Fengtian had never seen were unleashed from both sides, creating waves of energy that shook the entire structure of the room.

“We defended,” the old man continued, ”but they were too many. And then... the betrayal happened.”

In the chaos of the battle, they saw one of the Seven Guards suddenly turn around, drawing his sword towards the Guard beside him-creating a gap in the formation that allowed Hongzi to break through.

“Yuwen Zhao,” the old man said the traitor's name. “He has long been poisoned by Hongzi's promises of unlimited power through energy splitting.”

When the Seven Guardians' formation was broken, the Gate of Eternity began to churn uncontrollably. The once stable multicolor energy was now spinning wildly, forming a destructive vortex that threatened to destroy the entire city.

“We have no choice,” the old man continued in a trembling voice. “To prevent total destruction, we must accept a controlled separation-letting the energy split into light and shadow, but with safeguards in place so that it can one day be reunited.”

They watched as the six remaining Guardians formed a new formation, directing the separation of energy into two great currents-light and shadow-that then flowed in two different directions, creating two separate realms.

“But Hongzi was not satisfied with a controlled separation,” the old man continued. “He wanted total separation, with no possibility of reunification. To that end, he used Yuwen Zhao-who has deep knowledge of our formation-to create a fake Seven Star Formation that forced the separation to be permanent.”

The scene changed again. Now they saw Hongzi and Yuwen Zhao standing in the center of seven altars scattered in various locations, performing a black ritual that shattered the balance of the universe. In the sky, red cracks appeared-the forerunner of the red clouds that now decorated the skies of both realms.

“We tried to stop them,” the old man said, ”but one by one, we fell. Until there was only one of me-Xuanyuan Zi, the Chief Guardian.”

They watched as the other five Guardians died in battle against Hongzi's vastly outnumbered army. Only Xuanyuan Zi managed to escape, taking with him the secret to reversing the fake Seven Star Formation.

“Before disappearing, I divided my essence into seven fragments,” the old man continued-Xuanyuan Zi. “Each one I hid in seven pillars scattered throughout the realm. I knew that one day, a descendant with the right blood-the blood that flows in your veins-would be able to reunite what had been forcibly separated.”

The scenery changed again. They now saw how Hongzi and his followers formed the group that came to be known as the Guardians of the Mist. While Yuwen Zhao, after betraying his comrades, created a group claiming to be the Purity Guard-hiding the fact of his betrayal and manipulating history.

“He lied to everyone,” Zhao Lingyun muttered incredulously. “Claiming to be the protector of purity, when he's the true traitor.”

Xuanyuan Zi nodded. “And his descendants-the leaders of the Purity Guard, including Zhang Qingxuan-continue to preserve that lie, ensuring that the truth remains buried. While the Guardians of the Mist, although their intentions were wrong, at least did not hide their intentions to rule the realm through shadow domination.”

Lin Fengtian clenched his hands into fists. “So we've been played all along? The light realm and the shadow realm are both based on lies?”

“Not entirely,” Xuanyuan Zi replied. “Many people in both realms live sincerely, unaware of the manipulation that goes on at the highest levels of power. And this is the real test for you.”

“Test?” asked Zhao Lingyun.

“After knowing this truth, what will you do?” Xuanyuan Zi looked at the two sharply. “Will you choose revenge against the traitorous descendants? Or will you focus on reuniting the two realms, restoring the balance that has been broken?”

The question hung in the air, creating a heavy silence. Lin Fengtian and Zhao Lingyun looked at each other, communicating wordlessly through their blood bond.

“We chose balance,” Lin Fengtian replied finally. “Revenge will only perpetuate the cycle of hatred. What we want is a world where people from both realms can live in harmony, as they should.”

Zhao Lingyun nodded in agreement. “The truth needs to be revealed, but not to create new divisions. It's to heal old wounds and build a better future.”

Xuanyuan Zi smiled with satisfaction. “You have passed the test well, Sons of Balance. You understand that the true goal is not domination of one element over another, but rather harmony between the two.”

Slowly, the scenery of the Primordial City faded away, returning them to the clearing in the Forest of Whispers. The bluish-green pillar at the center of the altar now shone brightly, radiating a calming energy throughout the forest. Around them, the silhouettes of the Ancient Guardians returned to view, now bowing in respect.

“The third pillar has activated,” the collective voice came back. “Three active, four remaining.”

Lin Fengtian observed his badge which now showed three bright shining dots. “Where to next?”

“The Valley of Ice Mirrors,” replied the voice. “A place where light and shadow are caught in eternal ice, creating reflections that penetrate dimensions.”

Zhao Lingyun frowned. “Valley of Ice Mirrors? Isn't that the most dangerous region in the shadow realm? A place where time and space are distorted?”

“Exactly,” confirmed the voice. “And it is there that you will find your toughest test to date. Not just a test of courage, but also a test of identity. Are you ready to face the true reflection of yourselves?”

Before the two could answer, a rustling sound was heard from outside the field. The Ancient Guardians instantly went on alert, their silhouettes moving faster around the pillars.

“You are not alone,” the voice warned. “The Purity Guardians have discovered this location. You must leave now.”

“But what about this pillar?” asked Lin Fengtian. “Won't they try to damage it?”

“Don't worry,” replied the voice. “Once active, the pillar can't be tampered with just like that. And we, the guards, have enough strength to defend it. Go on. Find the other pillars before it's too late.”

Reluctantly, Lin Fengtian and Zhao Lingyun hurriedly left the clearing, moving quickly through the trees of the Forest of Whispers that now seemed to open up a path for them. Behind, there were sounds of fighting between the Ancient Guardians and the Purity Guardians who had started to enter the clearing.

However, as they ran, Lin Fengtian couldn't shake the feeling that there was something odd about all of this. The truth they had just received, although shocking, felt... incomplete. As if there was still another layer of mystery hidden behind it.

“Big brother,” Zhao Lingyun whispered as they finally reached the border of the forest, ”did you feel that too? That feeling that we haven't gotten the full truth?”

Lin Fengtian nodded slowly. “Yeah. It was too... neat from the start. Too black-and-white. The holy Ancient Guardians against the evil Fog Followers. An obvious betrayal. I feel like there's something deeper... something that even the Ancient Guardians aren't revealing to us.”

“Or perhaps,” Zhao Lingyun added in a low voice, ”something even they themselves don't know.”

The moment they stepped out of the Forest of Whispers, the sky had changed. The red clouds that usually only decorated the sky near the realm's borders had now expanded, covering almost half of the sky above them. And in the distance, they saw a sparkle of light from the direction of the Ice Mirror Valley-an unnatural sparkle, as if something big was happening there.

“We should hurry,” Lin Fengtian decided. “Whatever mysteries remain, the answer might be in the next pillar.”

With renewed determination, the two moved towards the next challenge, while in the sky above them, red clouds moved slowly to form a strange pattern-a pattern similar to seven stars connected in an ancient formation.