Myth Beyond Heaven

Chapter 2985: Trump Cards (1)

In an endless void where time and space intertwined, the True Nian Shi lounged upon a throne of crystallized temporal energy. Before him, countless floating displays shimmered—each showing a different timeline, each featuring Yun Lintian slaughtering Primordial Gods with ruthless efficiency.

Nian Shi swirled a goblet of crimson wine, his lips curling into a faint smile.

“Although the timing isn’t perfect…” he mused to himself, “everything is still proceeding according to plan.”

He took a slow sip, savoring the taste.

His gaze flickered across the displays until it landed on one particular scene—Yun Wushuang, the God of Life, battling fiercely against other Primordial Gods.

Nian Shi’s smile faltered.

Strange.

One of his other selves should have restrained her by now. Why was she still free?

With a thought, he reached out across the timelines, connecting his consciousness to his countless other incarnations.

“Report,” he commanded mentally.

One by one, his alternate selves responded—all accounted for except…

“One is missing,” a version of himself from Timeline #4728 noted coldly.

Nian Shi’s fingers tightened around his goblet.

Missing?

That was impossible. Even if one of his selves were destroyed, he would have sensed it immediately. For one to simply vanish without a trace…

His eyes narrowed.

Yin.

It had to be. The Chasm of Uncreation was the only force capable of erasing a Primordial God so thoroughly that not even the God of Time could detect it.

“Investigate,” he ordered his other selves.

As his incarnations scattered across timelines to search for answers, the True Nian Shi leaned back in his throne, deep in thought.

Yun Wushuang’s sudden freedom was concerning, but not catastrophic. The main plan remained intact. Yun Lintian was still absorbing god after god, inching closer to the Creator’s realm with each kill.

Soon, the vessel would be ready.

And then…

Nian Shi’s smile returned, darker this time.

***

**

*

The Netherworld remained deathly silent after Gui Xuan’s revelation. The weight of Nian Shi’s scheme—to possess Yun Lintian’s body—hung heavy in the air.

Long Qingxuan’s hands trembled. Linlin’s claws dug into her palms. Even the usually unshakable Yun Xia had a rare flicker of unease in her silver eyes.

Then—

“Impossible.”

Nantian Fengyu’s voice cut through the silence like a blade. All eyes turned to her.

She stood tall, her frost energy swirling around her. “Nian Shi can’t possess Yun Lintian. Not truly.”

“Why?” Long Niu asked curiously.

Nantian Fengyu’s gaze swept across the group. “Yun Lintian carries the Primordial Souls of the Eight Divine Beasts within him—the Azure Dragon, the Divine Phoenix, the Golden Crow, the Vermilion Bird, the Black Turtle, the Golden Qilin, the White Tiger, and the Ice Phoenix.”

Her voice grew firmer. “Each of these souls is a sovereign existence. To fully take over Yun Lintian’s body, Nian Shi would need to erase them all—something even the God of Time cannot do.”

A spark of hope lit in Long Qingxuan’s eyes.

Long Xi, the Dragon Queen, nodded slowly. “She’s right. The Dragon God Soul alone makes any form of soul possession impossible. And Yun Lintian doesn’t just have one—he has eight.”

Long Niu’s eyes widened as realization struck. “Then… that’s why they gave him their Primordial Souls?”

Zhang Yu made a small sound of agreement. “The Divine Beasts foresaw this. They weren’t just granting him power—they were safeguarding him.”

The pieces fell into place.

The Azure Dragon God, the Divine Phoenix, the others—they hadn’t merely blessed Yun Lintian. They had armored his soul against Nian Shi’s schemes.

Yun Xia exhaled softly. “So Nian Shi’s plan has a flaw.”

“But,” Long Niu interjected cautiously, “what if he finds a way around it? He is the God of Time.”

Nantian Fengyu shook her head. “Even time has limits. The Primordial Souls are eternal—they exist beyond its flow.”

The Netherworld remained heavy with silence after Nantian Fengyu’s words. The River of Forgetfulness’s dark waters reflected the somber expressions of those gathered.

Then—

“With all respect…”

A deep, resonant voice echoed through the void.

The lead Yama King stepped forward, his black jade crown glinting under the dim Netherworld light. His skeletal face was solemn as he bowed slightly toward Gui Xuan.

“Lord Gui,” he began, his voice grave, “though I do not fully understand why that man slaughtered our Lord Mingyu, from your conversation, I can piece together some truth.”

His hollow eye sockets seemed to burn with dark fire as he continued. “This Nian Shi—the God of Time—seeks to use Yun Lintian as a vessel, yes? To raise him to the Creator’s realm, then steal his body?”

Gui Xuan, still perched on Zhang Yu’s arm, nodded slightly. “That should be his plan.”

The Yama King’s bone fingers clenched around his Judge’s Pen. “Then allow me to voice a concern everyone seems to have overlooked.”

He swept his gaze across the group.

“You speak of Yun Lintian’s Primordial Souls making him immune to possession. This may be true against Nian Shi alone… but have you forgotten about Yin?”

A chill ran through the Netherworld at the name.

Nantian Fengyu immediately countered, “Yin would never help Nian Shi take over Yun Lintian’s body!”

The Yama King shook his skull-like head. “He doesn’t need Yin’s help.”

Long Qingxuan’s draconic eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

The Yama King’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Lord Mingyu once told me something… disturbing.”

He paused, as if weighing his words.

“The Primordial Gods wield powers granted by the Creator. But Lord Mingyu believed… they could also wield the power of the Chasm.”

Silence.

Then—

“That’s impossible!” Long Niu snapped, her draconic aura flaring. “The Creator and the Chasm are opposites!”

The Yama King remained calm. “Opposite sides of the same existence, Miss. As light cannot exist without shadow, so too does the Creator’s power contain traces of the Chasm’s nature.”

Gui Xuan’s tiny face darkened. “He’s right.”

All eyes turned to the Black Turtle God.

“The Creator and Yin are two faces of one coin,” Gui Xuan said slowly. “It’s theoretically possible for a Primordial God to harness traces of the Chasm’s power… especially one as ancient as Nian Shi.”

The implications hung in the air like a executioner’s blade.

The Yama King said further. “He doesn’t need to ask for Yin’s power. After all, he has been hiding in the dark for eons. He should have collected enough of Yin’s scattered power over the years.”

He paused for a moment and continued. “Enough to bypass the Primordial Souls’ protection.”