Myth Beyond Heaven

Chapter 2984: Deception

Somewhere in a realm of floating jade islands suspended in a sea of stars. Here, time itself seemed to warp and twist, its flow unstable.

A woman in white robes stood atop the highest island, her long black hair cascading like a waterfall of night. Her pristine black eyes gleamed with flecks of emerald—Yun Wushuang, the God of Life, Yun Lintian’s mother.

Before her, space distorted as a figure materialized—Nian Shi, the God of Time in this timeline. His form flickered like a mirage, his presence warping the fabric of reality around him.

“Ah, Yun Wushuang,” Nian Shi chuckled, his voice layered with echoes from countless timelines. “I bring news about your precious son.”

Yun Wushuang’s expression remained cold, but a flicker of fury burned in her emerald-specked eyes.

Nian Shi grinned. “All his women are gone now. Wiped from existence. And your dear Lintian? He’s become quite the slaughterer. Another God of Death has fallen. Soon, he’ll hunt down every Primordial God across all timelines.” He tilted his head mockingly. “Just as planned.”

Yun Wushuang’s sleeves fluttered as her killing intent spiked. “You monster.”

Nian Shi laughed. “Monster? Me? I’m merely guiding him to his destiny.” His eyes glinted with malice. “And no matter what you do, you can’t stop me from taking his body.”

Yun Wushuang’s fingers curled into fists. “You will fail.”

“Oh?” Nian Shi’s grin widened. “Still pretending?”

A beat of silence.

Then—

“I saw through your little game long ago,” Nian Shi sneered. “Using Yun Tian as a decoy? Having him pretend to be the Seed of Fate while hiding Yun Lintian’s existence?” He scoffed. “The moment I realized Yun Tian couldn’t wield the vein properly, I knew.”

Yun Wushuang’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Nian Shi stepped closer, his presence oppressive. “You and Yun Wuhan sacrificed everything to forge that vein specifically for Yun Lintian. You knew I’d come for it eventually.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “But here’s what you didn’t account for—I don’t need to wield it. I just need the vessel that can.”

Yun Wushuang’s lips thinned.

Nian Shi chuckled. “Let me guess—you’re hoping Lintian will reach the Creator’s realm before I can take him down?” He shook his head. “How foolish. The more power he absorbs, the more irresistible his body becomes. And when he’s at his peak…” His fingers twitched greedily. “I’ll be waiting.”

Suddenly, Yun Wushuang smiled—a cold, knowing curve of her lips.

“You’re right about one thing,” she said softly. “This was always the plan.”

Nian Shi’s amusement faltered.

Yun Wushuang continued, her voice like frozen steel. “But you assume too much, Nian Shi. You think you’re the hunter?” Her emerald flecks blazed. “No. You are a prey.”

Before Nian Shi could react, she raised a hand—and the entire realm shattered like glass.

BANG!

Nian Shi’s smirk froze as the floating jade islands around them suddenly dissolved into nothingness. The sea of stars warped violently, twisting into a strange, confined space that pulsed with an unfamiliar energy.

He immediately raised his hand, attempting to rewind time—but nothing happened.

For the first time in countless eons, the God of Time found his power ineffective.

Yun Wushuang watched his reaction with cold amusement. “Surprised?”

Nian Shi’s eyes narrowed. He tried again to manipulate time, but the space around him remained stubbornly unchanged. His usual composure cracked slightly as he glared at her. “What is this place?”

“A prison,” Yun Wushuang said simply. “One specifically designed for you.”

Nian Shi’s expression darkened. He quickly assessed his situation, his mind racing through countless possibilities. Then, realization dawned.

“You… knew all of this.”

Yun Wushuang smiled faintly. “That you planned to recall all your other selves from every timeline and merge into your true form?” She tilted her head. “Yes. I knew.”

Nian Shi’s pupils contracted slightly.

For a brief moment, the ever-smug God of Time looked genuinely shaken. His voice lowered to a dangerous whisper. “You couldn’t have predicted that. Not even you.”

Yun Wushuang didn’t respond immediately. Her silence was answer enough.

Nian Shi’s mind raced. Then—his eyes widened.

“Yun Tianming.”

The name slipped from his lips like a curse.

Pah! Pah! Pah!

A slow clap echoed through the confined space as Nian Shi suddenly burst into laughter. “Marvelous! Truly marvelous!” His laughter carried a mix of admiration and fury. “How could I forget my old friend, the God of Fate?”

He shook his head, grinning despite himself. “Of course. It wasn’t you who saw through my plans—it was him.” His gaze sharpened. “He predicted everything, didn’t he? Not just my moves… but Yun Lintian’s as well.”

A rare flicker of frustration crossed Nian Shi’s face. “That woman made a big mistake creating Yun Tianming.”

Yun Wushuang didn’t deny it. “The God of Fate told me every possible path you might take,” she said calmly. “This was one of them.”

Her lips curled slightly. “He also told me how to stop you.”

Nian Shi’s amusement faded.

“By trapping one of your selves,” Yun Wushuang continued, “you’ll never be able to fully merge all timelines. Even if you try, there will always be two—because the Nian Shi of this timeline is now… unavailable.”

For the first time, genuine anger flashed in Nian Shi’s eyes.

“You think this changes anything?” he spat. “Even divided, I am still—”

Yun Wushuang raised a hand, cutting him off. “Irrelevant.”

The confined space pulsed, its walls shimmering with strands of emerald energy—the power of life itself, woven into an inescapable cage.

Nian Shi’s expression turned deadly calm. “You understand what this means, don’t you?”

Yun Wushuang met his gaze evenly.

“If I’m trapped here,” Nian Shi said slowly, “then the other ’me’ in the main timeline will grow desperate.” A cruel smile spread across his face. “He’ll accelerate his plans for Yun Lintian. Your son will suffer more than you can imagine.”

Yun Wushuang remained calm. “Lintian is stronger than you think.”

Nian Shi laughed—a hollow, mocking sound. “We’ll see.”

His form began to flicker violently as he tested the boundaries of his prison. “This isn’t over, Wushuang. The moment I escape—”

“You won’t.”

The finality in her tone made Nian Shi pause.

Yun Wushuang turned away, her white robes fluttering as she prepared to leave. “Goodbye, Nian Shi. Enjoy eternity.”

With that, she vanished—leaving the God of Time trapped in a cage outside of time itself.

Nian Shi stared at the empty space where Yun Wushuang disappeared with a genuine fury.

“Good… Very good… Yun Tianming… and you, Yun Wushuang. I will definitely drink your blood well.” His voice brimmed with hatred.

It was probably the first time in eons that he had displayed such a violent reaction…