The forest was quiet—too quiet. Only the crunch of dried leaves beneath boots and the occasional chirp of a hidden bird broke the silence. Morning mist still clung to the undergrowth, curling around the ankles of the seven figures walking together. Mo Tianzun, disguised as always, led the front, flanked by Longxuan and the Liu Twins, while Fenglie, Shuiyun, and Huayin followed close behind.
They had just left the now-liberated Mirror Village, the laughter of grateful villagers still echoing faintly in their memories. But there was no time to rest. Another trail had emerged—one that hinted the strange occurrences across the realm were connected by more than misfortune.
"That makes the third village where the fabric between realms felt... thin," Shuiyun murmured, looking around warily.
"More like torn," Zhenhai replied, scratching the back of his head. "Like something—or someone—is punching holes in the mortal world."
Fenglan waved a hand as if brushing away a bad smell. "I still think it's Shengjie. That bastard probably wants to open a gate so he can throw himself a coronation in the heavens."
Mo Tianzun's jaw tensed slightly, but he said nothing. The truth in Fenglan's words gnawed at him. The System—silent since its last burst of error—seemed like it too was being suppressed. And he could feel his body fraying at the edges. The glow in his dantian pulsed too quickly, and his hair—he had noticed the strands of pure white returning. A regression.
But he wouldn't worry Longxuan.
He couldn't.
Longxuan, cheerful as ever, bumped his shoulder into Tianzun's, laughing. "You always look like you're brooding over a hundred years of taxes. Relax. We're walking in a pretty forest."
Mo Tianzun raised a brow. "A pretty forest with enough yin energy to suffocate a dragon."
"Sounds romantic."
"You would think that."
Behind them, Shuiyun and Huayin were discussing the last village's enchanted mirrors, still side by side like old lovers reunited after lifetimes. Fenglie was arguing with Fenglan about whether or not a flaming bird he'd seen was a phoenix or just a particularly ugly chicken.
Then—the sound came.
A roar. The forest seemed to bend and recoil from the vibration.
They stopped in unison.
"That wasn't a beast," Fenglie said, already drawing his sword.
A ripple of energy passed over them like a storm wave. It crackled through the trees, snapping branches and setting leaves ablaze in golden fire.
Mo Tianzun's eyes widened. "Deity Qi."
"Above!" shouted Zhenhai.
They looked up.
Descending from the clouds, wreathed in the colors of a golden harvest—crimson, amber, and gold—was a towering figure cloaked in divine radiance. His long white robes flowed like grain in the wind, his eyes gleaming like the autumn sun.
"Deity of Nature," Longxuan murmured. "Why would a deity like him come to the mortal realm?"
The deity floated down, his gaze scanning them with an expression between curiosity and suspicion. "You carry the scent of distortion," he spoke slowly. "Someone among you has stirred the fabric of heaven."
Mo Tianzun stood calmly, hiding the pulse in his chest.
The others exchanged glances. Even Huayin's fox tails bristled slightly. Fenglan looked like he was about to curse until Zhenhai elbowed him hard.
"What business do you have here, Deity Nature?" Longxuan asked respectfully, stepping forward. "We're investigating disruptions in the realm. If you have any knowledge—"
"It is not knowledge I bring," the deity said. "It is a warning."
The sky above them darkened briefly.
"A being thought destroyed walks again. One whose soul twists fate itself. Gods are being summoned. Alliances are breaking. And the one who was once Demon Lord... breathes once more."
Mo Tianzun's heart stopped.
The others turned toward him slowly.
But Deity Nature gave no time to respond. His figure began to fade into glowing mist, his voice echoing like the wind:
"The Game of Heaven has begun. And the Devil's Hand plays once more."
Then he vanished.
Silence.
Huayin broke it first. "Well. That wasn't ominous at all."
Fenglan looked at Tianzun. "You... didn't even say anything. Are you going to pretend he wasn't talking about you?"
Mo Tianzun turned and began walking again, his voice low. "If Heaven wants to play a game, then I'll show them how the Devil plays."
Longxuan laughed, relieved at the spark in his tone. "That's my man."
"I'm not yours."
"Yet you keep sharing my bed."
The forest was still again—but this time, it echoed with footfalls, banter, and a plan forming. Whatever Deity Nature meant, they would find the truth. five village, five clue, one laugh at a time.