The whole nation: You're put to survive on a desolate planet, you'll be running an alien b

Darkness, like a viscous void, instantly engulfed Li Haotian.

This was not merely visual deprivation, but a complete, soul-destroying absorption. That black shadow was the most primal power of the Li family bloodline—the "shadow" symbolizing end, annihilation, and return. It wasn't attacking Li Haotian, but attempting to assimilate him, to turn him back into an insignificant part of this vast shadow.

A bone-chilling cold penetrated to the very depths of his soul. The sounds echoed in his ears: the shrieks and whispers of countless souls stripped of all hope. Before his eyes appeared countless terrifying futures: the world collapsing, stars extinguished, all those he cherished—Su Wan, Liu Hu, Lin Mo—turned to dust in his indifference, while he, the master of this darkness, sat upon the throne of the universe, reveling in eternal solitude.

"Give up, child."

The gatekeeper's will was like the gentlest lullaby in hell, patiently and subtly penetrating every inch of Li Haotian's collapsing consciousness.

"You've seen it, this is the ultimate truth. So-called protection, so-called emotions, are nothing but the fleeting fireflies of fragile lives in the darkness. Embrace me, and you will embrace the truth. You will become a new god, transcending time, shaping the order you desire. Everything you have lost, I can give you back double. Resurrect that girl, even... bring your comrades back. All this, if you simply nod."

Temptation, like the most potent poison, numbed Li Haotian's senses. His consciousness gradually sank into boundless pain and emptiness, that tiny glimmer of resilience seeming ready to be extinguished at any moment. Yes… if only he could see Lin Mo again, if only he could drink with Liu Hu again, if only…

His hand loosened almost imperceptibly.

"No……"

A faint yet incredibly firm thought struggled to emerge from the deepest recesses of his soul.

"That's not her...and it's not him either."

That wasn't the real Lin Mo, not the girl who was willing to sacrifice herself for the world, transforming into a golden heart. Nor was that the real Liu Hu, not the older brother who would pat him on the shoulder and scold him as a "little rascal" yet incredibly reliable. To exchange a false illusion for the truly departed is the greatest desecration of their choices.

"Haotian...it...is quiet now."

Lin Mo's last gentle words struck him like a thunderclap, exploding in his chaotic consciousness.

Why should she be quiet? Why should she bear all of this alone?

"Don't even think about it!"

Li Haotian suddenly opened his eyes, and what shot out in those eyes was no longer blood-red, but a pure rage that burned everything! He gripped the bronze dagger that he had never let go of from beginning to end. This dagger was the symbol of his reserve as the "Gatekeeper", and also the other side of his bloodline - the "light" abandoned by the "Shadow"!

"The Sealed Flame?!" For the first time, the gatekeeper's will fluctuated violently, his voice filled with disbelief, astonishment, and rage. "You clearly completed the awakening of 'Shadow,' so how can you still wield this power that my race has long abandoned?!"

Abandonment? No, it's not abandonment, it's fear!

At this moment, Li Haotian had a complete realization. The "shadow" represented by the gatekeeper is pure devouring and ending; it fears creation and new life. The power he inherited was exactly the opposite! It was the power of the "Sealer," the "light" that establishes order, protects life, and purifies all things!

hum-

Completely ignited by Li Haotian's will, the bronze dagger was no longer an inanimate object. Raging golden flames erupted from the dagger's patterns, instantly engulfing Li Haotian's entire body. The flames made no explosions, but burned quietly and unstoppably. Wherever the flames reached, the thick, inky darkness seemed to have met its nemesis, emitting a mournful howl and dissipating.

A warm, sacred, and life-rhythmic golden light illuminated the only indomitable star in this endless void.

"This is my true power." Li Haotian hovered in the center of the darkness, golden flames unfurling behind him like wings of light. He held a flaming gold dagger, resembling a god of judgment stepping out of mythology. "This is not something you gave me, nor something I inherited."

He raised his head, his golden eyes staring directly at the enormous shadow that kept rolling and trying to devour him again.

"This is my choice! To protect, I choose to become light!"

"Foolish shortsighted fool!" The gatekeeper's will was utterly ignited. The enormous shadow surged wildly, transforming into a gigantic, sky-covering claw that slammed down towards Li Haotian. "Do you think this meager glimmer of light can contend against eternal darkness?! You and I are one! Father and son, light and shadow, why do you choose to be my enemy?!"

boom!

The black claws collided violently with the golden flames.

There was no earth-shattering roar, only a teeth-grinding sound, as if space itself was being forcibly torn apart. At the boundary between gold and black, the entire structure of space began to twist and collapse. Countless tiny spatial cracks spread out like a spider web, their depths revealing chaotic and disordered void energy.

Li Haotian felt a force like a landslide or tsunami surging towards him, but he was firmly rooted to the ground, as stable as Mount Tai. The golden flames behind him suddenly contracted, converging entirely onto the small dagger.

"You are the source of my bloodline, I acknowledge that." Li Haotian's voice was steady and clear, piercing through the chaotic roars. "But Father, you are not always right. When you chose to devour everything, you ceased to be my 'father,' and merely... a 'shadow' I must eradicate!"

His arm muscles bulged as he raised the flaming gold dagger high. The golden light shone brightly in the endless darkness, like the first spark at the beginning of the universe.

"And you forgot," he said, emphasizing each word, a sharp smile curving his lips, "that light can always illuminate shadows!"

The moment he finished speaking, he swung his sword.

A golden crescent moon, composed of pure purifying fire, detached from the dagger and, with a seemingly slow yet unpredictable trajectory, gracefully and resolutely met the dark giant claw capable of devouring stars.