Chapter 2136: The Soul That Refused
The skies above the God Realm shimmered like they were under strain.
Yun Che felt it in his blood. Jasmine felt it in her pulse.
But Caizhi… she felt it in her name.
> "Every step I take," she whispered, "the world forgets me more."
She could barely walk through a marketplace without fading from the vendor's gaze. Her own sword no longer responded to her will. Ancient divine beasts looked past her.
Even her old constellation in the heavens—the Wolf Star—was gone.
But something guided her.
Not a map.
A pull.
From the south. Across space. Across lives.
---
A Quiet Village in the Mortal Realm
It was nothing: A cluster of homes, rice fields, and one weathered shrine to long-forgotten spirits.
Caizhi stepped through the gates unnoticed.
Until—
A child stared.
A girl. Maybe ten. Holding a wooden charm in her hand, eyes wide and shining.
> "You're the sword lady," the girl said softly.
Caizhi froze.
The world stilled.
> "You… see me?"
The girl nodded, eyes filled with tears she didn't understand. "I dreamed about you. Every night. You were sad."
Caizhi fell to her knees.
> "What's your name?" she asked.
> "My mom says I don't have one yet. They're waiting until I turn eleven."
The girl offered the charm.
Carved roughly into the surface… was a wolf.
A simple shape—but real.
Burned with memory.
> "I call you Caizhi," she whispered.
> "Because you look like the stars."
The moment the name was spoken—reality screamed.
A ring of pressure burst outward.
In that moment, the world remembered.
Her constellation sparked once in the sky.
Her sword flared with divine light in the distance.
Even the beasts paused. Names rushed back into the wind.
But not completely.
Because someone had noticed.
---
Elsewhere: The Throne's Domain
The Throne of Unbinding stirred.
And for the first time… it felt resistance.
Not just from Caizhi.
But from a human child.
It watched her, curious.
And then angry.
> "The Forgotten has tethered. This is not acceptable."
Its fingers reached through space—
Toward the child.
---
Back in the Village
The girl collapsed. Her charm shattered.
Caizhi screamed. Her power surged with instinct—not rage, not vengeance…
But protection.
Sky howled.
Stars bled.
And Yun Che arrived—through teleportation he hadn't known he could use.
> "Back away from her!" he shouted to the empty space.
But the space twisted.
And the Throne began to manifest—
Not fully.
Just enough.
Just a mouth.
Whispering:
> "Yun Che. Do not stand between us."
He stepped forward.
> "I already did."
And drew his power—not from the Sky Poison Pearl…
But from something deeper.
Something older.
The Throne paused.
And for the first time…
> It stepped back.