Fated to Rule, Destined to Love: The Martial Emperor’s Curse

The ancient temple remained silent. The golden fragments of the shattered vision slowly faded into the air, leaving Ling Tian and Xu Qing'er standing alone before the mysterious figure.

Ling Tian's mind was still reeling. The Ling Clan's fate was not just a tragedy—it was a deliberate act. A conspiracy woven into the very fabric of history.

Xu Qing'er turned to him, her gaze unreadable. "Now that you've seen it… what will you do?"

Ling Tian exhaled slowly. The rage simmering beneath his calm expression did not explode outward, but rather condensed into an unshakable will.

"I will uncover everything."

The figure before them nodded, his twilight-like robes shifting as he observed Ling Tian.

"Then you have taken the first step," he murmured. "But be warned. Some truths do not wish to be known. The deeper you search, the more 'they' will notice you."

Ling Tian narrowed his eyes. "They?"

The figure did not answer directly. Instead, he raised his hand, and the space around them twisted once more.

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The Path of the Vanquished

A golden river manifested in the air before them, flowing against time itself. Images flickered within the water—glimpses of forgotten battles, whispered oaths, and shattered thrones.

Ling Tian's eyes sharpened as he saw warriors clad in the Ling Clan's sigil, standing against an overwhelming tide of unseen enemies.

The Vanquished Throne… was not just a title.

It was a curse.

A punishment placed upon those who dared to challenge the natural order of the Myriad Worlds.

And somewhere, within the depths of that forgotten war, the answer to his lineage was waiting.

Xu Qing'er's grip on his sleeve tightened. "Ling Tian… this path is dangerous."

Ling Tian met her gaze, his expression unwavering. "Then I will walk it alone if I must."

But Xu Qing'er shook her head. "No. You won't."

The silent declaration between them needed no further words.

The mysterious figure exhaled, the golden river dissolving into motes of light. "Then go, Sovereign of Two Fates. But know this—your destiny is already in motion. Whether you embrace it or not… the end will come."

With that, the space around them fractured, and in the next instant—

They were back in the Forsaken Realm.

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Back in the Forsaken Realm

Ling Tian's boots pressed into the cold stone of the ruined battlefield. The temple behind them had vanished, as if it had never existed in the first place.

The night sky above burned with streaks of silver light—omens of fate shifting.

Xu Qing'er glanced at him. "Where to next?"

Ling Tian's answer was immediate. "To the next piece of the puzzle. If the Ling Clan's erasure was orchestrated, then there must be remnants left behind—witnesses, artifacts, anything."

His azure-golden aura surged around him, reflecting his resolve. "And if the ones who erased them are still watching… then let them see. I am coming."

Far above, unseen eyes stirred in the darkness.

The Sovereign of Two Fates had begun his march toward destiny.

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