The Hall of Vigilance had not been this full in decades.
Stone pillars lined the circular chamber, their surfaces worn smooth by time and countless gatherings long past. Banners bearing different sigils hung from the upper ring—sects, clans, and cultivation families that still endured in this declining world.
They had come because they could not afford not to.
At the center of the hall stood the long council table. Master Gu, Sect Master of the Guardian Sect, occupied the central seat. To his right sat Vice Sect Master Shen, posture straight, expression severe. Elders of the Guardian Sect lined the inner arc, while representatives from other factions filled the outer seats.
Some wore sect robes faded by years of reuse.
Others bore clan insignias stitched carefully onto simple garments.
All of them carried the same thing in their eyes.
Unease.
The low murmur of conversation died as Master Gu rose.
"This council is convened," he said calmly. "Not for ceremony—but for survival."
No one objected.
Everyone here understood the weight of those words.
Master Gu gestured slightly.
Vice Sect Master Shen stood.
He did not waste time.
"What we will discuss today," Shen said, his voice carrying clearly through the hall, "concerns the phenomenon above the eastern sky—and the being who emerged from it."
A ripple moved through the chamber.
Some leaned forward.
Others stiffened.
Shen continued, "The envoy's name is Qingshi. He claims to represent the Lord of the Immortal Realm, known as the Heaven of Resting Peaks."
At the mention of the name, several elders inhaled sharply.
An elder from the Yun River Clan spoke up. "Immortal Realm? Such words belong to legends. Did you confirm this claim?"
Shen's gaze turned toward him.
"I did not confirm it," he said. "I experienced it."
The hall quieted further.
"The envoy appeared directly from the fracture in the sky," Shen continued. "He stood upon empty air. Not by artifact. Not by formation."
A low voice muttered, "Impossible…"
Shen did not raise his voice. "When Sect Master Gu questioned him, Qingshi stated that only cultivators of Foundation Establishment were capable of true flight."
That sentence struck the hall like thunder.
Silence followed—heavy, disbelieving silence.
Foundation Establishment.
A realm that had not appeared in this world for centuries.
An elder from the Crimson Leaf Sect stood abruptly. "That is impossible. Foundation Establishment is a myth. Even Qi Level Eight is barely sustainable now!"
"Exactly," Shen replied evenly. "Which is why his presence alone confirms one thing."
He paused.
"Our understanding of cultivation is incomplete."
Murmurs broke out.
Some faces hardened with fear.
Others with reluctant hope.
An elderly clan head spoke next, voice shaking slightly. "What does this Immortal Realm want from us?"
Shen answered without hesitation. "Integration."
The word settled uneasily among them.
"He claims our world is a fragment," Shen said. "Incomplete. Declining. And nearing exhaustion."
A sharp laugh came from the rear. "Convenient words. How do we know this isn't conquest?"
Shen turned toward the speaker. "Because no force was applied."
That drew attention.
"No threats," he continued. "No suppression. No pressure. The portal has remained stable. The envoy departed after stating one thing clearly."
Shen looked around the hall.
"If we refuse, the decline continues. Until there is nothing left."
The room grew tense.
An elder of the Iron Peak Family slammed his palm on the table. "This could be a trap! If we merge our world into another realm, who holds authority?"
Master Gu spoke for the first time since Shen began.
"The Lord of that realm," he said calmly.
That answer unsettled many.
"And yet," Master Gu continued, "consider this."
He slowly scanned the hall.
"Our spiritual veins are failing. Qi density has dropped year by year. Elders cannot advance. Disciples struggle to even begin. In a few decades—perhaps less—cultivation here will end."
No one contradicted him.
They all knew it was true.
A woman from the Mist Valley Sect spoke softly. "What about mortals?"
Shen answered. "The envoy stated clearly—mortals remain. Time continues. Life proceeds. Only the framework of the world changes."
"And if we do nothing?" another asked.
Master Gu closed his eyes briefly.
"Then our world will die quietly," he said.
The hall fell into heavy silence.
This was not a choice between good and bad.
It was a choice between fear and inevitability.
At last, an elder from a minor sect stood and bowed. "The Guardian Sect has protected this world since the fall of the great sects. If you believe this is our only path… then we will follow."
One by one, others rose.
Some reluctantly.
Some with clenched fists.
Some with relief barely concealed.
Even those who objected fell silent in the end.
The Guardian Sect was the strongest remaining pillar.
And pillars, when they moved, carried everything with them.
Master Gu nodded once.
"Envoys will be sent to the portal," he said. "We will declare our decision."
Vice Sect Master Shen added quietly, "Prepare the sects. Calm the mortals. Do not spread panic."
As the council adjourned, tension lingered in the air.
Above them, unseen through stone and cloud, the fracture in the sky remained.
Waiting.
And somewhere beyond it, an Immortal Realm listened.
End of Chapter 18