Battle Through the Heavens: Beyond the Great Thousand

Xiao Yan's vision blurred as his body was drawn deeper into the void. Time no longer existed.

The pair of ancient eyes looked once again then faded as if it was observing him from afar.

Space around him twisted, a vast, infinite expanse folding and unfolding like a giant cosmic wave. His body felt weightless, yet his power felt limitless, stretching far beyond anything he had ever imagined.

The swirling darkness felt both alien and familiar, as though it was a place he had known all his life but had never truly seen.

Then in the distance, just beyond his reach, there was a light—a faint, brilliant glow that called to him like a distant star.

He instinctively knew that the light was not an end but a new beginning. The next step on his journey. Yet, as he drew closer, doubts began to creep into his mind.

What awaited him at the end of this path? Would it truly be the power he sought, or would it change him beyond recognition?

He had left everything behind—the world, his family, his responsibilities—but the thought of them still haunted him. The promise he had made to return lingered like a ghost, a beacon that guided him even as the vast unknown tried to swallow him whole.

"I have to become stronger. I have to return to protect them."

The words echoed in his mind, a mantra to anchor him in the midst of this endless sea of uncertainty. Yet, the further he traveled, the more his power surged. The flames within him flickered wildly, each flame a different color, a different force.

The Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame, the Bone Chilling Flame, the Nine Nether Green Flame—all of them were reaching new heights, each flame an embodiment of his will and his soul.

"More... I need more!"

Xiao Yan's voice reverberated through the void. His body cracked with energy, his power spiraling out of control as his understanding deepened. It was like trying to hold back a torrent, each step forward threatening to shatter him into a thousand pieces.

"I have to break through. I can't stop here."

Suddenly, the void around him trembled. A great force began to pull at his very being. A powerful entity—no, a force—was awakening, one that had slumbered for eons. The very fabric of this realm seemed to bend and twist as though it was alive, an ancient power recognizing his presence.

Xiao Yan's heart skipped a beat. He could feel it—something was coming, something vast and terrible, and it was staring directly at him. His power surged once more, but now, it wasn't from his own will. It was as though the realm itself was pushing him forward, forcing him to face what lay ahead.

"What is this? What am I facing?"

The power before him was not something that could be easily understood. It was beyond anything he had ever faced—a force that transcended his comprehension of the universe. His flames faltered slightly, the enormity of the power before him leaving him stunned for a moment.

But then, like a dam breaking, his mind expanded once more. The unknown entity, the force, did not feel threatening. It felt like a test—one that only those who truly transcended the limits of the world could pass.

And as Xiao Yan stepped forward, he understood.

This was no mere obstacle—it was an invitation.

His power roared to life, surging outward in every direction as the flames within him intertwined with the ancient force. The realm trembled as he collided with the essence of the unknown. His body, his soul, his very essence collided with the vast energies of the universe.

The pain was unbearable, yet it felt like the most natural thing in the world.

"I am ready," he whispered, his voice calm in the face of unimaginable power.

And in that moment, the light before him grew brighter, enveloping him completely.

His body was no longer a physical form but a vessel of pure energy, transcending the laws of the Great Thousand World. The darkness, the void, the swirling mass of energies around him—it all seemed to fade into a single point of clarity. His soul felt as if it had expanded beyond the limits of existence.

Xiao Yan could feel the flow of time, the movement of the stars, the rise and fall of entire civilizations, the birth and death of worlds. He understood it all in an instant, every force that governed the universe, every pattern that connected all things.

This was the true power of the cosmos. And he had only just begun to understand it.

And as he stood there, at the edge of this new realm, a new voice echoed in his mind—deep, ancient, and filled with both wisdom and sorrow.

"Do you truly wish to continue? To wield the power of the cosmos? To become one with the universe itself?"

Xiao Yan felt the weight of the question. This was not a simple decision. He was being offered something unimaginable—a power that could reshape reality itself, but it would come at a cost. A cost he could not yet understand fully.

But one thing was certain: He had come too far to turn back.

"I do," Xiao Yan replied, his voice steady, unwavering. "I will take the next step."

And with that, the light blazed brighter than ever, swallowing him whole.