The first guardian

Silence.

An endless silence stretched beneath the silver tree.

Li Yue stood motionless, her golden eyes fixed on the small white fox kneeling before her.

The creature's snow-white fur shimmered beneath the starlight. Nine elegant tails rested quietly behind it, each one flowing like moonlight over fresh snow. It wasn't merely beautiful—it carried an ancient dignity that made the vast world around it seem insignificant.

Yet the fox remained kneeling.

Its forehead pressed against the crystal-like ground.

Not daring to rise.

Not daring to meet her eyes.

The breeze stirred the leaves of the colossal silver tree above them.

Thousands of glowing leaves drifted down through the air like tiny stars. Instead of falling to the ground, they dissolved into sparkling motes of light before reaching the earth, becoming pure spiritual energy that spread throughout the Realm.

Li Yue looked around.

Everything felt... endless.

The sky was unlike anything she had ever seen.

There was no sun.

No moon.

Instead, countless rivers of stars flowed across the heavens, weaving together like living galaxies. Floating islands drifted lazily through the sky, connected by bridges of light. Mountains stretched beyond the horizon, wrapped in silver mist, while distant waterfalls poured upward into the heavens instead of down.

She had traveled across countless worlds in her previous life.

She had walked through immortal realms and forbidden lands.

Yet none of them compared to this place.

"This..."

She whispered almost unconsciously.

"...What kind of world is this?"

The fox slowly lifted its head.

Its sapphire eyes were filled with emotions too deep to understand.

"It is home."

Li Yue frowned.

"Home?"

"Yes."

The fox's voice was calm.

"The place where your soul has always belonged."

Her expression remained unchanged.

She had heard many lies before.

Beautiful lies.

Comforting lies.

Dangerous lies.

Trusting words had once cost her everything.

"So."

She folded her arms.

"You expect me to believe that?"

The fox lowered its ears.

"I expect nothing."

"I merely answer the question you asked."

For the first time...

Li Yue was slightly surprised.

The fox wasn't trying to persuade her.

Nor was it offended.

It simply stated the truth as it knew it.

She remained silent.

A gentle wind passed between them.

Finally she spoke again.

"Who are you?"

The fox smiled faintly.

"My name is Bai."

"I am the First Guardian of the Eternal Origin Realm."

"And... your servant."

Li Yue's gaze sharpened.

"I don't need servants."

Bai shook his head.

"You misunderstand."

"I was not assigned to serve your status."

"I exist to protect your soul."

She narrowed her eyes.

"Who created you?"

Silence.

Bai closed his eyes.

"I cannot answer."

"Why?"

"I am forbidden."

"By whom?"

"I cannot answer that either."

Li Yue's expression darkened.

In her previous life, no one had dared to hide answers from her.

Yet now...

A tiny fox had calmly rejected her questions.

She took a step closer.

A pressure that had once made entire sects kneel instinctively spread from her body.

Although this new body possessed no cultivation...

The will of her soul had not weakened.

The air became heavy.

Even the stars above seemed to pause.

Bai remained kneeling.

Completely unmoved.

"I know what you're trying to do," he said softly.

"You're testing whether I fear you."

Li Yue said nothing.

"I do fear you."

He smiled.

"But not because you're powerful."

"I fear the loneliness you've carried for so long."

Those words struck far deeper than any blade.

Her heartbeat faltered.

Just once.

Then her expression became cold again.

"You know nothing about me."

"I know only fragments."

"I witnessed your final battle."

"I witnessed your betrayal."

"I waited."

"For ten million years."

She stared at him.

"...Impossible."

"The last battle happened only moments ago."

"In your perception."

Bai nodded gently.

"But time does not flow equally everywhere."

Li Yue fell silent.

She remembered the explosion.

The Eternal Origin Heart.

The light.

The darkness.

Then waking inside Li Yue's body.

How much time had truly passed?

She could not tell.

Bai stood for the first time.

He was no taller than her knee.

Despite his small size, the entire Realm seemed to acknowledge his movement.

The stars brightened.

The silver tree rustled.

The ground pulsed softly beneath their feet.

"Master."

"I have a request."

"I don't accept requests from strangers."

He laughed quietly.

"I expected that answer."

Without waiting for permission, Bai turned and began walking toward the giant silver tree.

After several steps, he stopped.

"If you wish to know the truth..."

"Follow me."

"If not..."

"You may leave the Realm immediately."

Li Yue watched his small figure disappear among the enormous roots.

She could have left.

She could have ignored everything.

After all...

Trust had destroyed her once before.

But curiosity...

Curiosity had always been stronger than fear.

She took one step.

Then another.

The roots of the colossal tree twisted into a natural pathway leading deep beneath the trunk.

The deeper she walked, the quieter the Realm became.

Until finally...

They reached a pair of enormous stone doors.

Each door stood over a hundred meters tall.

Ancient golden runes covered every inch of the surface.

Most of them were cracked.

Some had completely faded.

Others flickered weakly, as though they had not been touched for countless ages.

At the center of the doors was a single handprint.

It was exactly the size of Li Yue's hand.

Bai stopped walking.

"This..."

He said quietly.

"...is the First Seal."

Li Yue stared at it.

"What's behind it?"

The little fox lowered his head.

"I do not know."

She looked at him sharply.

"You don't know?"

"I have guarded this place for ten million years."

"But only the Master..."

"...can open the First Seal."

The wind suddenly stopped.

The ancient doors trembled.

A faint golden light began to seep through the cracks.

Somewhere beyond them...

Something had awakened.

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