Jiyx folded his arms behind his back.

His triangular head rotated slightly.

Before him stood Taishang Shenji — Divine Intelligence of the Machigen Race and one of the first members of the Machigen Core Council.

Unlike spirit-beings or flesh-born existences, the Machigen were born of structured cognition.

They were Artificial Intelligence that had awakened within the Heavens.

Taishang Shenji’s optic lenses shimmered as countless data-streams passed through them, analyzing every visible variable left in the workshop.

"Who has come?" Jiyx asked.

"There are many notable figures," Taishang Shenji replied calmly.

"You should close your shop for now."

Jiyx’s expression twitched.

Taishang Shenji understood him well.

Because the gathering had to do with the Human Emperor’s request, then displaying the Sentinel prototype now would be foolish.

The Sentinel was meant to be a surprise.

Something unveiled only when war began.

And Jiyx loved his creations.

He especially loved unveiling them dramatically.

"Ah, that Human Emperor bastard..." Jiyx grumbled.

"If not for our... mutually beneficial relationship, I would never have accepted this commission. And now he drags experts to my doorstep!"

But beneath the irritation.

There was greed.

If that many legendary beings contributed then...

Then the resulting weapon would not merely be powerful.

It would be historic.

Though their original strengths were sealed here and, in their prime forms they could easily destroy such a weapon with a flick.

But that was irrelevant now.

A weapon forged here even if suppressed.

Its foundation would be terrifying.

And it would be something entirely different once freed.

Below one.

Above ten thousand.

"Tsk."

Jiyx clicked his tongue once.

His triangular head emitted a sharp structured light.

In that instant.

The Sentinel vanished.

Not concealed.

Not hidden.

Erased from observable causality.

Even karma left no residue.

It was as though the act of creating it had never occurred.

If someone scoured his realm now, they would see only the shallow waters.

The abyss beneath?

Gone from perception.

"Open," Jiyx commanded.

Space split cleanly before him, like a page being turned.

From within, several immense figures stepped through one by one.

The first few were familiar.

Absolute Immortal Lord Hanxu arrived in a ripple of translucent light, his fused body–spirit–soul form flickering.

Behind him strode the Three-Headed, Three-Horned Asura, six arms folded.

The Great Demonic Sage Hei Si Zun followed.

Then came the Nine-Headed Calamity Serpent Empress — Shemei, her nine gazes sweeping the Architect’s realm.

A golden flash split the air.

And in stepped the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong, not in the playful disguise of the Jade Emperor, but in his true, mythic form.

His golden pupils shimmered, tail swaying lazily as if this were merely a roadside gathering.

And that was only the beginning.

A colossal presence folded its body smaller to fit the chamber.

It was the Ancestral Primordial Divine Dragon, scales glinting gold, white, and royal red.

Near it manifested the Ever-Burning Phoenix Empress, flames contained yet radiating unbearable heat.

A reduced but unmistakable Kun Peng hovered above, its wings casting layered shadows.

An unmoving, wrathful silhouette — Acalanatha, embodiment of immovable fury.

A towering Primordial Giant, skin etched with Dao runes.

An Ancient Heavenly Demon God.

The serene and distant Supreme Heavenly God.

The inscrutable Grand Dao Ancestor, whose mere presence blurred causality.

Even the luminous Moon, wife of the Seventh Sun of Heaven, descended in a gentle silvery glow.

And beyond them were others, more people.

Entities who did not announce themselves, yet whose mere name was enough to scare many.

The Architect’s folded realm trembled slightly.

So many apex existences in one place.

Even sealed.

Even mortal-bound.

The pressure was historic.

Jiyx stared.

For once.

The Prime Architect was genuinely speechless.

"...Ha, this is really something."

His voice carried no sarcasm this time.

Only bafflement.

His triangular head rotated slowly, crystalline eyes scanning the impossible assembly.

Ordinarily, such figures would only gather when a great war was about to erupt. Even during previous arrivals, nothing remotely this... enthusiastic had occurred.

So why now?

The answer was simple.

Hope.

These beings, each a legend carved into the history of the Heavens, had been sealed here for an immeasurable span of time.

If this coming war could be their last, then... many were willing to contribute everything.

Still, some had come merely to watch the spectacle.

Some had been personally contacted by the Human Emperor and offered terms too tempting to refuse.

And others...

Had come entirely of their own accord.

The Ancestral Primordial Divine Dragon, Ever-Burning Phoenix Empress, Primordial Giant, Grand Dao Ancestor, Ancient Heavenly Demon God, Supreme Heavenly God and more...

None of them acted without reason.

None of them were the type to respond to summons lightly.

Each had their own calculations.

Their own interests.

Their own stakes.

It was not every day that ancient enemies, beings who once split heavens in battle, stood upon the same ground without attempting to kill one another.

And of course, there were suspicions.

Some had come to verify these suspicions.

Had the Prime Architect secretly forged a supreme weapon during his last long seclusion? He was not a normal person exactly, so they didn’t even need to verify their question.

Or Was Humanity hiding something?

Even legends grew bored.

And when eternal beings grew bored.

Gossip flourished.

Just then, the atmosphere shifted slightly.

"Woah, woah, woah! Starting things without me?"

A voice rang out from the edge of folded space.

"How can you all be so heartless after everything we’ve been through together?"

Several eyes sharpened instantly.

A young man stepped through a thin distortion in space.

He appeared barely in his twenties, with shining green eyes that seemed to contain flowing time itself. His presence felt detached from the surrounding reality, as if he existed in another plane of reality.

The newcomer smiled lazily.

His name was Changhe Daojun.

Lord of the Eternal River.

Disciple of ??? who had created this entire arrangement.

And the moment he arrived.

The noise in the realm quieted.

Because unlike the others. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

He followed the will of the one who built the cage.

And maybe, this could be the beginning of something irreversible.