They emerged from the mountain to find the world itself shaking.
The seal had broken partially. Void Resonance began seeping into the world like water through a cracked dam. It wasn't a catastrophic flood, but a slow, steady release of power that would reshape cultivation forever.
They stood at the base of the mountain and watched as the peak glowed with residual power.
"Is he dead?" Seraph asked quietly.
"No," Liriel said. She could sense it through her connection to the Void. Kessian was still out there, somewhere, in some form. He had severed his connection to Void Resonance completely.
He was powerless now. Ordinary. Alone.
That was his punishment and his salvation simultaneously.
"What do we do now?" Kael asked.
"Now," Liriel said, "we rebuild. We teach. We show the world that Void Resonance doesn't have to be destructive. That power can coexist with mercy. That growth doesn't require sacrificing your humanity."
They walked down the mountain together. As they walked, Liriel could feel the Void Resonance spreading through the world. It would take generations for the full implications to become clear.
But the possibility existed. That was what mattered.