Chen Tian's figure stood in the sky, gazing upwards. This mission was of utmost importance for him; his ability to improve hinged on its success. Though the mission was astounding, with a calculated success rate of seventy percent, it involved reviving the Heavenly Dao, a deceased entity. This was not the Heavenly Dao that had previously harbored animosity towards humanity, but rather the one that sealed the Wen Clan thousands of years ago. Chen Tian initially believed this task impossible until the system itself revealed the method, emboldening him to accept it.
"Then, let us proceed to the Heavenly Dao Ruins," Chen Tian murmured, his figure shooting towards the heavens, transforming into a streak of light. The Heavenly Dao Ruins were a place where the residual will of the deceased or dissipated Heavenly Dao lingered, retaining its final vestiges of consciousness. Here, the Heavenly Dao was imprisoned, for the existence of the ruins signified its defeat, preventing its departure. However, Chen Tian possessed his own means to release it. The challenge lay in entering the ruins, which required continuous ascent towards the sky.
Upon nearing the apex of the sky, he needed to strike a weak point in space with his most potent force. Chen Tian pressed onward, but the sky seemed to extend indefinitely. The further he traveled, the more he ascended, yet no apex was in sight. Looking up, Chen Tian inwardly inquired, "System, are you certain this sky has a limit?"
"Ding, this system is absolutely certain. The sky of any world's Heavenly Dao has a boundary. For the host to reach this boundary, great patience is required, for it is the dwelling place of the Heavenly Dao."
The system's response, though concise, dispelled Chen Tian's doubts. He trusted the system would not deceive him. Since a boundary and an apex were mentioned, he chose to believe. Chen Tian, feeling an inseparable bond with the system, accelerated his pace. After a prolonged period, he finally reached the apex of the sky. The view was unlike anything he had imagined. The surrounding sky was vast and radiant, yet behind this brilliance lay a pitch-black night. Despite the darkness, there was a faint light. Chen Tian arrived at the apex, took a deep breath, and channeled all his strength into his fists, as the system had instructed.
To enter the Heavenly Dao Ruins, one needed to unleash destructive force at the apex. This punch was the most powerful Chen Tian had ever thrown, condensing all his usable abilities and energy. He struck the air before him, and to his surprise, cracks appeared, spreading outwards. A vortex rapidly formed, and a terrifying suction pulled Chen Tian in.
As he was drawn into the vortex, Chen Tian cursed, "System, I...!"
The system had neglected to mention this. Chen Tian's body was absorbed by the vortex, which then slowly closed, the air repairing itself. Chen Tian found himself within the Heavenly Dao Ruins, a path appearing before him within the vortex.
Walking along this path, Chen Tian witnessed a cascade of images on either side, some of which were familiar. "System, where is this place?" he asked.
"Host, this is the memory channel of the world. At the central location of the Heavenly Dao, a memory channel is stored. The host is currently traversing this channel, which leads to the Heavenly Dao Ruins. However, a warning: this memory channel is not ordinary, and the host may face some difficulty in passing through."
Chen Tian didn't quite grasp the system's meaning. He continued along the memory channel, eventually arriving before a sealed gate. A long sword was plunged into the ground before the gate, which emanated a powerful Heavenly Dao aura. Chen Tian approached the gate, and beneath the sword, he found an inscription in a script he recognized, having had dealings with the Heavenly Dao in the Divine Realm and often sparring with it, though usually drawing.
Reading the inscription, Chen Tian understood its meaning: "Only those of the Heavenly Dao may draw the sword, and only then can the Gate of the Heavenly Dao be opened."
Chen Tian rejoiced, believing himself to be the chosen spokesperson of the Heavenly Dao. With both hands, he grasped the sword. The moment he touched it, the surrounding channel began to tremble, as if in fear of the Heavenly Dao power emanating from him. The sword vibrated, and in the next instant, Chen Tian was flung backward.
The gate slowly opened, and a figure emerged, immediately attacking Chen Tian. Caught off guard, Chen Tian could only defend himself. His fists met the incoming blow, creating a shockwave that dispersed the surrounding channel. Chen Tian found himself in a peculiar space, distinct from the void. He looked at the figure before him: a colossal, imposing being clad in silver armor, standing seventy to eighty meters tall, wielding a greatsword. The light from its helmeted eyes fixed on Chen Tian, and a chilling voice declared, "Forbidden one, leave this place. Your existence brings disaster to the world. Neither you nor your world should exist."
"I have no ill intentions. I am merely seeking something. Please grant me passage," Chen Tian replied calmly, internally calling out to the system, which remained unresponsive, as if shut down. He was frustrated by its absence at such a critical moment. Chen Tian's Divine Eyes could not discern any information about the being before him, and without the system's response, the creature's words baffled him. Did the Divine Realm differ from other worlds, not being part of the myriad realms? Otherwise, why would it speak in such a manner?
"Impossible. Leave immediately. As the guardian of the Gate of the Heavenly Dao, if you were not the spokesperson of the Heavenly Dao, if you were not a forbidden one, I would have already ended you with my sword. Depart at once."
A colossal aura erupted, sending Chen Tian flying backward, his figure disappearing from the space in a streak of light.
As Chen Tian departed, the imposing figure transformed into a massive portal; it was the gate itself. Meanwhile, in the sky above the Star Brilliance World's Heavenly Dao, a vortex opened, and a figure flew out.
This figure was Chen Tian. He was bewildered as to how this scenario would lead to the resurrection of the Heavenly Dao, understanding now why the system had mentioned the difficulty of entering the Heavenly Dao Ruins. The colossal being was far beyond his ability to contend with; it was, after all, the guardian of the Gate of the Heavenly Dao.
"System, system, where were you?" Chen Tian grumbled.
The system's voice responded, "Ding, you cannot blame this system. This system is still weak. If the host's strength were greater, this system could have communicated with you. This kind of being requires this system to level up before it can be unafraid."
"System, what was that thing?" Chen Tian asked, perplexed. The system replied, "It is the guardian of the Heavenly Dao Ruins, or, you could say, the embodiment of the Gate of the Heavenly Dao. The gate is him, and he is the gate."