Myth Beyond Heaven

Yun Lintian's eyes narrowed a fraction. "I see..." he began, then paused. "Did you encounter a statue resembling yourself on your way here?"

The woman offered a gentle nod. "Yes, it did look remarkably similar to me."

Silence returned, thick with unspoken questions. Yun Lintian's mind raced. This woman undoubtedly belonged to the Divine Moon Clan, but how could she have awakened? He distinctly remembered no life force within her before.

The woman's gaze drifted to the paintings lining the wall, a sense of familiarity blooming in her eyes. These figures, she was certain, were not strangers.

Compelled by an unknown force, she stepped forward, drawn towards the murals. Yun Lintian, sensing her purpose, stepped aside silently.

Reaching the paintings, the woman fixated on Yue Hong and Yue Lan, her hand instinctively resting on her chest. A pang of unexplainable sorrow struck her as she gazed upon their faces.

Yun Lintian observed her intently, a flicker of recognition sparking within him. There was an undeniable resemblance between this woman and Hongyue, though her raven hair set them apart. Who was she?

Buzz—

Suddenly, a buzz pierced the air. The Soul Scepter fragment within Yun Lintian erupted, streaking towards the woman.

Before he could react, it nestled comfortably in her hand. The way she cradled it, as if reacquainting herself with a long-lost friend, convinced Yun Lintian she wasn't unfamiliar with the artifact.

Moon Scepter... Soul Scepter... Could they be one and the same? Yun Lintian's mind reeled, desperately seeking answers to the unfolding mystery.

"Moon Scepter..." The woman murmured, the fragment cradled gently in her hand. A surge of moon energy erupted from within her, forcing her eyelids shut.

Yun Lintian watched intently, the connection between the Soul Scepter and Moon Scepter now undeniable.

A moment passed before the woman's eyes fluttered open, a veil of confusion lingering within them. Turning to Yun Lintian, she spoke, "My name... I seem to remember it now. It is Yue Yun."

Yun Lintian's surprise was evident. "Yue Yun?"

Yue Yun offered a small nod. "There can be no mistake. Though... that is all that surfaces for now."

A sudden realization struck Yun Lintian. "There are more fragments like this," he declared. "Perhaps gathering them all could restore your memories."

His expression turned grave as he continued. "However, it's an incredibly dangerous undertaking. These fragments, it seems, are held by True Gods. And I have no idea how many such beings exist."

Yue Yun's surprise was evident. "You seem quite knowledgeable about them," she remarked, a hint of curiosity in her voice. "But… your cultivation level…"

She trailed off, not wanting to appear condescending. Yet, Yun Lintian's aura clearly indicated a cultivator of the Lower God Realm. The gulf between that and the True God Realm was vast, a chasm nearly impossible to bridge.

"Indeed," Yun Lintian admitted openly, "they're far beyond my capabilities."

Yue Yun offered a soft reassurance. "Don't fret, you should be safe here."

"Oh?" Yun Lintian immediately perked up. "Do you recall anything else? Any details about this place?"

Yue Yun shook her head solemnly. "Only that the barrier outside holds immense power. No one could breach it..."

"Really?" The words barely left her lips when a booming male voice resonated from the entrance.

Yun Lintian and Yue Yun's expressions shifted dramatically. They whipped around to face the entrance, where a tall, imposing figure with a flowing beard strode in.

This person was none other than Zhan You!

"How did you breach the barrier?" Yue Yun's voice turned icy.

Zhan You cast her a dismissive glance before fixing his gaze on Yun Lintian. "It's taken far too long to locate you. You should obediently come with me."

"The Primordial God Tribe?" Recognition dawned on Yun Lintian. This imposing figure reeked of power, undoubtedly a member of the Primordial God Tribe.

Compared to Dian Lei, this man was on a completely different level. Yun Lintian felt like he was staring into a bottomless chasm, a void capable of consuming everything whole.

"Zhan You," Zhan You spoke calmly. "We failed to capture Yun Tian many times. But you and him are not the same. You have no chance to escape here."

Before Yun Lintian could voice a response, Zhan You spoke again, a cruel edge creeping into his voice. "Ah, you could attempt to flee to the Land of Beyond Heaven. Perhaps that would be preferable. Allows me to cleanse your entire faction in one swift motion."

Yun Lintian's heart plummeted. He harbored no doubts about Zhan You's capabilities. The chilling threat hung heavy in the air, a testament to the immense power radiating from the newcomer.

Yue Yun, her voice laced with ice, stepped forward. "Leave him alone."

Zhan You finally deigned to give her his full attention. "And you are...?" A flicker of surprise crossed his features. "Hmm? Moon energy?"

His gaze then drifted inadvertently to the paintings adorning the wall. His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Yue Hongyue?"

Unlike Yun Lintian and Yue Yun, Zhan You had materialized outside the city, bypassing the Moon Graveyard entirely. He had entered through a different gate, never encountering the statues that mirrored Yue Yun and Hongyue.

"Leave," Yue Yun repeated, her voice dropping to an arctic chill.

Zhan You stroked his beard, an intriguing smile playing on his lips. "Ah, it seems there's more to this than meets the eye."

Boom!

A sudden surge of power erupted from Yue Yun. Her form bathed in an ethereal moonlit aura.

Across from her, Zhan You's amusement vanished. A frown creased his brow as he raised a hand, a ball of crackling crimson fire forming above his palm.

"So," he rumbled, his voice like the eruption of a volcano, "it's been a long time since I fought against the Moon God's underlings. Let's see how strong you are."

The air itself seemed to warp under the heat radiating from the fireball. Yun Lintian furrowed his brow, raising his protection. The oppressive power made him feel like a gnat caught in a hurricane.

Yue Yun, however, remained unfazed. With a flick of her wrist, the moon energy coalesced into a shimmering shield before her. It met Zhan You's fireball head-on. There was no deafening explosion, no earth-shattering tremor. Instead, a silent struggle unfolded.

The fireball, a miniature sun, writhed and pulsed against the moonlit shield, trying to consume it. But the moon energy held firm, its cool luminescence pushing back the inferno inch by agonizing inch.

"Hmm?" Zhan You's frown deepened. He raised his other hand, another fireball crackling into existence. This time, he hurled both of them at the shield, their combined heat pushing the shimmering barrier back towards Yue Yun…