Ethereal Rebirth: Path of the Void Sovereign

Chapter 11: Summit of Heaven’s End

“The Void Flame burns not to destroy, but to reclaim. The heavens stole it from us—now we rise to take it back.”
— Inscription on the Void Sovereign’s Throne, First Cycle

Part 1: Into the Divine Sky

They ascended at dawn, leaving the sanctuary behind.

Jiang Chen stood at the bow of their spirit ship, cloak swirling gently in winds untouched by mortal breath. Beside him stood Ruyan, blade glowing softly, and Xia Yue, calm yet powerful.

Ahead lay the divine peak—the Celestial Summit, a place few mortals ever glimpsed and none returned from.

Clouds parted as they approached, as if reality itself knew better than to bar their path.

Divine Court Assembled

At the summit stood a great marble pavilion, ringed by towering pillars etched with golden script.

Waiting were hundreds of divine beings—thrones, judges, elders—all masked, watching silently as Jiang Chen landed gracefully before them.

In their center, upon a throne of pure sunlight, sat the Supreme Divine Judge, a figure older than recorded existence itself.

“Void Sovereign,” the Judge intoned coldly, “you stand accused of defying divine order, harboring forbidden power, and corrupting creation.”

Jiang Chen raised his head proudly.

“I accuse you of stealing the Void Flame—of erasing truths you could not control.”

A murmur rippled through the divine crowd.

The Judge stood slowly.

“Very well. Let the judgment begin.”

First Trial: Judgment of Memories

A mirror formed from divine crystal descended before Jiang Chen. The Judge’s voice echoed again:

“Show us the truth of your past—and we will judge if your claim holds merit.”

Jiang Chen placed his hand upon the crystal. It lit instantly—displaying not fragments, but a single, perfect image:

Himself and Xia Yue’s mother upon a throne, peaceful rulers guarding creation, holding the original Void Lotus—a scene erased by divine command.

The gods gasped.

The Judge’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

“Impossible…”

The Revelation

Xia Yue stepped forward calmly, facing the Judge.

“You stole us. You broke us. But we remember now—and so will all creation.”

The Judge clenched his fists.

“Then prepare yourselves, mortals. For we do not surrender lightly.”

Jiang Chen smiled faintly, power humming softly around him.

“Neither do we.”

Part 2: Clash Against the Divine

The Celestial Summit erupted into chaos.

Divine beings surged forward—immortals, demigods, each wielding ancient techniques, determined to silence the truth Jiang Chen had revealed.

But Jiang Chen stood unshaken, eyes serene, as the Void Lotus behind him flared wide. Its petals spun, and from its heart surged the Void Flame Origin.

[Void Lotus Sovereign Art: Realm of Forgotten Stars]

Instantly, reality twisted. The summit turned dark, stars blossomed into existence—each star a memory erased by divine decree, now surging back into existence.

Divine warriors paused, confused, their attacks faltering.

Xia Yue’s Ascension

In that moment, Xia Yue stepped forward, eyes glowing silver.

She raised her tiny hand, voice gentle yet unyielding.

“Hear me, stars forgotten—remember.”

Her voice resonated through the celestial summit. The stars exploded into brilliant flame—filling the gods with memories they themselves had stolen.

They staggered back, screaming, overwhelmed by the weight of forgotten truths.

The Judge watched in disbelief.

“This child… she commands lost time itself.”

Jiang Chen vs. The Supreme Judge

The Judge rose from his throne, fury and fear twisting his features.

“No mortal can claim dominion here!”

Jiang Chen stepped calmly toward him, the Void Lotus crown burning brightly above his head.

“I am not mortal. I am the Void Sovereign—and you stand in the seat you stole from me.”

The Judge attacked instantly, unleashing a storm of divine lightning, powerful enough to obliterate entire realms.

Jiang Chen raised his hand calmly, palm open, meeting the attack head-on.

[Void Flame Origin: Sovereign’s Edict]

The lightning vanished, devoured entirely by silent black flame.

The Judge staggered back, terrified.

“What… what are you?”

Jiang Chen’s voice echoed, powerful and calm.

“I am the truth you erased—and I have come home.”

Part 3: Throne of Void and Stars

The celestial summit shook violently as Jiang Chen approached the throne, steps echoing like heartbeats of forgotten worlds.

The Judge stumbled backward, desperation in his eyes.

“You… you cannot claim it! The balance—”

“You destroyed the balance when you stole from me,” Jiang Chen said calmly. “I am here to restore it.”

He reached out and touched the throne. Instantly, divine chains shattered, cosmic runes dissolved—and the throne transformed, shifting from blinding gold to a profound black-silver etched with lotus petals.

The gods gasped collectively, dropping to their knees, unable to resist the immense, gentle pressure.

Ruyan and Xia Yue Ascend

Ruyan stepped to Jiang Chen’s side, hand gently clasped in his, her Moonlotus aura resonating beautifully with the Void Lotus, strengthening both.

Xia Yue joined them, standing proud and calm, eyes wise beyond her years.

The trio’s combined aura flared outward, reshaping reality around them.

Jiang Chen sat upon the throne, Ruyan and Xia Yue beside him—family reunited across stolen lifetimes.

A New Order Emerges

The Judge knelt slowly, defeated, eyes lowered.

“What… will you do now, Sovereign?”

Jiang Chen regarded him gently.

“Restore balance. Restore truth. Those who stand with me will be forgiven; those who resist will be returned to nothingness.”

The gods trembled, but none dared rise in defiance.

One by one, they bowed in submission.

Destiny Rewritten

Xia Yue stepped forward, voice resonating across realms:

“Let all creation know—no longer shall truth be hidden, nor memory erased. We are the guardians of forgotten stars.”

Jiang Chen nodded, calm, powerful.

“Together, we rebuild.”

The heavens shifted. Reality itself realigned.

The Void Lotus bloomed fully, its petals stretching across eternity.