The wind above the Heavenly Grave Plateau had never howled so loud.
Dark clouds churned like ink in the sky, and bolts of violet lightning split the heavens. Every cultivator within a thousand miles stopped what they were doing. Even the beasts went silent.
Because he had arrived.
Not Shen Li—the Immortal Emperor reborn.
But the one who once stood shoulder to shoulder with gods. The man who defied the Celestial Palace. The man whose fury once tore apart a moon.
And now?
He was climbing Heaven's Steps again.
Each step was carved from black jade, infused with celestial seals. Only saints, chosen by the realm itself, could tread upon them. The last one to succeed... was Shen Li himself, five hundred years ago.
The difference?
Back then, he was human.
Now, he was something else.
As he walked, the seals lit up one by one—but not in acceptance. In warning. The very realm seemed to tremble with resistance.
The sky cracked open above him. Eyes—massive, golden, divine—stared down from the clouds.
Heaven was watching.
"You dare climb again, traitor?" a voice thundered from beyond reality.
Shen Li did not stop.
"Was I a traitor when I bled for this world?" he said quietly. "Was I a traitor when I saved the Celestial Throne from collapse?"
"You sought power beyond the limits. You broke the balance."
"And yet, I lived. You killed me, sealed me, erased my name—"
Lightning struck.
He caught it with his bare hand.
The onlookers below—cultivators from a hundred sects—fell to their knees. Some began to weep. Others kowtowed in terror.
"This is not a man," one whispered. "This is a calamity."
From the 88th step, Shen Li turned his head. The woman in silver robes stood far below, arms crossed, watching.
He spoke again.
"You called me a traitor once. Now… I call myself judge."
The sky split apart completely. A rift appeared. From within, a figure emerged—armored in divine gold, wielding a spear of heavenly will.
A true Celestial.
"SHEN LI!" the god roared. "You have one chance. Turn back… or be erased again."
Shen Li smiled.
"I've already died once."
He leapt.
And with that leap, the battle between a fallen emperor and the heavens began.
End of Chapter 12