A gentle mist drifted through the fairy garden, where four people sat around a white jade pavilion, the aroma of tea shimmering like light, and the snacks resembling fragments of starlight.
Palace Master Yun Yanwan, Feng Xizhi, and Tao Luojing all set aside their previous arrogance, their conversation filled with admiration for Qin Yu and a heavy sense of unease about the future situation, yet also with a firm conviction that they had "grasped the backbone."
Qin Yu discussed the strangeness of the Saint Transformation Divine Domain;
Feng Xizhi spoke of the Deep Root Lower Layers changes;
Tao Luojing supplemented the migration of the demonic tide on the outer edge of the Void Obliteration Domain;
Yun Yanwan further analyzed from a strategic perspective how the Three Halls Alliance should respond in the future.
The four of them sipped tea and chatted amidst the ethereal mist that enveloped the fairy garden.
Starlight poured down from the starry sky above, landing on the shoulders of the four people in the pavilion, making each of them feel as if they were being gently covered by the Milky Way.
This period was unusual, peaceful yet profoundly meaningful.
As the immortal tea was finished and the radiance gradually faded, Yun Yanwan and chuckled softly:
"After today's fruitful discussion, we finally have a clearer understanding of the future direction. Fellow Palace Masters, it is truly an honor for our Chaos First Palace to have met Guest Elder Qin."
Feng Xizhi and Tao Luojing also stood up one after another, and the two palace masters took their leave.
Qin Yu bowed to the three, the starlight in the Immortal Pavilion faded, and he turned to return to his own Qi Primordial Chaos Hall.
--Just then.
Outside the Fairy Garden, at the end of the covered bridge, two familiar and elegant figures stood quietly.
Lotus Immortal Hall -- Ning Qingyao, Luo Shuangyue.
The two women stood gracefully, their robes fluttering like lotus blossoms in a gentle breeze.
Ning Qingyao chuckled first, "Young Master Qin, it's been a long time."
Luo Shuangyue's voice was clear and cold, yet sincere:
"When we parted ways at the Ancient Cultivation God Tower, I knew you wouldn't stay long. Seeing you again today, you are indeed no longer the same naive person you once were."
Qin Yu was slightly taken aback, but didn't find it abrupt. He stepped forward and returned the greeting with a smile:
"Both young ladies are as radiant as ever today. Qingyao is as lively as when we first met, while Shuangyue remains as radiant as a snow lotus, inspiring awe in all who behold her."
Ning Qingyao covered her mouth and chuckled, "Young Master Qin is still as eloquent as ever."
Luo Shuangyue gently shook her head. "It's not that you're eloquent, but that you have keen insight. We two... are indeed pleased with Young Master Qin's growth."
Ning Qingyao added:
"We've heard many rumors about you during this time. The Battle of the Ancient Tower, the forbidden zone of the Void Obliteration Domain, the anomalies Deep Root Lower Layers... What you've experienced far exceeds our imagination."
Qin Yu said calmly, "Everyone is working tirelessly amidst this crisis; I'm merely doing my part."
Luo Shuangyue looked at him earnestly. "Young Master Qin, you possess a... reassuring power. It's not your cultivation level, but your will."
Ning Qingyao nodded. "Yes, he's different from many people we've met."
Qin Yu smiled faintly, "You two are too kind."
Ning Qingyao suddenly sighed softly:
"Speaking of which, the three of us have unexpectedly met again in the Void Obliteration Domain. But this time, it's not the opportunity within the tower, but rather... the eve of a storm brewing throughout the Void Obliteration Domain."
Luo Shuangyue's eyes were calm:
"Yes, after today we will all be heading to our respective mission areas. Clearing out the demon tide, sealing off restricted areas, protecting the people and the land... we will do our best."
Qin Yu cupped his hands in greeting. "If you two need anything, please feel free to send a message."
Ning Qingyao smiled gently, "I've remembered what Young Master Qin said."
Luo Shuangyue nodded slightly. "If you encounter any difficulties, we will lend you a hand."
The two women exchanged a glance, then bowed to Qin Yu.
Ning Qingyao said, "It's getting late; we should return to the palace to prepare for tomorrow's affairs."
Luo Shuangyue added, "Young Master Qin, please be careful."
The starlight flickered, and the two women took a step simultaneously, their spiritual energy transforming into light as they vanished into the void.
In her final moments before disappearing, Ning Qingyao's soft voice echoed, "I hope that when we meet again, both of us will be safe and sound."
Qin Yu watched them leave in silence. The night breeze was gentle, and the shadows of the flowers in the fairy garden swayed in the wind.
He turned and stepped onto the covered bridge. And he walked toward his palace.
Qin Yu stood on the high platform of the Qi Primordial Chaos Hall, gently stroking the wanted poster with its pale gold creases between his fingers. The image on the paper, almost identical to his own, swayed gently in the breeze, as if mocking him.
He chuckled softly, a laugh devoid of anger, yet like a ripple before an abyss gently closes—
"Nine Alliances Gang... you guys are really persistent. The Void Obliteration Domain is in such a chaotic state now, and instead of thinking about protecting yourselves, you keep targeting me?"
He raised his finger and lightly tapped the wanted poster; the image was gently wiped away by the power of Annihilation Origin, turning into light dust.
"However, I cannot allow the disciples of the Three Palaces to be implicated because of me. Even if I can protect myself, they may not be able to escape the retaliation from the Asura Immortal Hall and the Nine Alliances Gang... It seems I need to change my approach slightly."
With a soft thud, he spun his palm, and the light patterns of the Book of Fate Law flashed between his brows, gently revealing a "Profiling of Existence"—Qin Yu's appearance shifted slightly and precisely in an instant: his features became more austere, his aura more restrained, and his whole being seemed like a ray of light drawn from the vast galaxy, no longer overlapping with the image on the wanted poster.
With a flick of his finger, Qin Yu caused the pale golden patterns of the Book of Fate Law to gently bloom between his brows, like a thin line silently piercing the darkness. In the next instant, his features subtly reconstructed in the light—not as a deliberate disguise, but as a slow shift in his "existence profile" toward another unwritten possibility.
As the light faded, he looked up, and a completely new face was reflected in the mirror-like fragments of space.
It was an extremely aloof and handsome face, yet it possessed a sharp, unapproachable quality.
His eyebrows and eyes were sharply defined, with lines so smooth they seemed to have been sculpted with a photolithography tool.
His eyes were long and narrow, with a calm yet sharp light in their pale amber hue, like a silent abyss that could captivate anyone who looked into them.
His nose was straight, and his lips were thin and naturally cool, as if he had never been truly gentle.
Her long, silver-black hair cascaded down her shoulders, the ends of which were gently lifted by the wind, shimmering with a cold light, like a cold spring flowing under the moon.
His long robe, adorned with interwoven white and gold patterns, swayed gently with his movements, the fabric remaining perfectly intact. The gold embroidery shimmered in the light, yet it did not appear extravagant, but rather exuded a forbidden nobility.
He appeared sharper and more aloof than Qin Yu had been in the past.
Like a silent, gleaming blade, it can send chills down your spine even before it is drawn.
He looked down at his new appearance, his fingertips brushing against the stray hairs at his temples, a hint of nonchalant amusement in his eyes.
He then patted his clothes, his expression nonchalant, yet exuding a deep and sharp aura that made people dare not approach him.
"Alright, that's enough to live up to my status as a guest elder of the Chaos First Palace... Let's go for a walk. It's been a long time since I've seen the other major cities of the Void Obliteration Domain."
The space seemed to open up as if pushed open by still water; he stepped in, and his figure vanished.
He patted his clothes, his expression nonchalant yet sharp.
The next instant, space shattered like a mirror, and Qin Yu stepped inside, his figure disappearing from the hall.
The Void Obliteration Domain - Southern Main City: Enxi's Shadow
As Qin Yu stepped out of the void rift, the scene before him unfolded like a vast scroll painted with billions of particles of light.
The entire main city floats above a deep blue sea, the surface of which is like a mirror, reflecting every golden pattern of the city as if a galaxy were hanging upside down. The main city is surrounded by an incredibly huge defensive array, its scale comparable to a star field ring, its radiance like molten gold at sunset, stretching for hundreds of miles.
The city wall is not made of stone or iron, but is a "logical barrier" constructed from layers of rules, with thousands of runes flowing on it, constantly in a state of birth and death.
Before each city gate stood hundreds of guards at the Void Emanation Realm Supreme —their divine senses, like a cold wind, swept across the city without ceasing.
After all, the Deep Root Lower Layers collapsed, and countless demonic beasts rushed out; the traces of the Calamity Nine-Headed Beast terrified the entire upper echelons of the Void Obliteration Domain.
The city of "Eunhee's Shadow" is currently under the highest level of martial law, yet it remains as bustling as ever.
The floating city unfolds layer by layer in the air, with spirit boats shuttling between them, shimmering with colorful light.
The pavilions soar high, their eaves adorned with silver cloud patterns; the waterfall cascades down from the void, its source unknown, yet it is held aloft by a gentle curtain of light before hitting the ground, like a stream of light suspended in the world.
The main hall complex at the very center seems to have fallen from a celestial book.
The upper golden palace towered high and shone brightly, like a divine kingdom emerging;
The middle-level palaces span the sea and connect with the Golden Bridge, resembling a ladder to heaven that transcends eternity;
The lowest level of the palace islands is scattered on the deep blue sea, where spirit fish dart through the water like stars, making the sea surface look like a sky studded with shattered stars.
Qin Yu sighed softly, "As expected... the further south Void Obliteration Domain, the more prosperous it becomes. The population here is probably more than a few hundred million."
He stepped into the crowd, but no one noticed him, since his appearance and demeanor were completely different from those described in the wanted poster.
He walked along, looking around, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.
"Nine Alliances Gang, Asura Immortal Hall... the closer you pursue me, the more I want to see what you're so anxious about."
As Qin Yu stepped into the main street of Enxi Shadow, a cacophony of voices surged forth like a tide. The city lights remained bright even in the daytime, and cloud bridges, suspended towers, and floating markets intertwined, exuding the most prosperous atmosphere of the Void Obliteration Domain. However, the instant he stepped into the city's central area, a faint ripple, almost like breathing, slowly spread from the depths of the earth, as if an invisible hand gently brushed against his ankle.
Qin Yu's brow twitched. He sensed a very subtle "qi scan" within the fluctuation. It wasn't an attack, nor was it spying on the aura of human cultivators; rather, it was a logical investigation of "transformed demonic beasts." The entire city's floor tiles, lampposts, the dark patterns on the eaves of buildings, and the mist under the bridges were all silently echoing the pulse of a massive formation.
--Qi Cause Probing Formation.
The name alone reveals that this is a concealed formation set up to screen out the group of demonic beasts that have infiltrated human form.
A faint, almost imperceptible golden pattern rose from the depths of the street's stone cracks, brushing against Qin Yu's instep like morning mist. Without pausing his steps, he gently pressed down on his fundamental logic, his entire being merging into the mortal realm as if breathing with the dust. The array slid past him without stirring the slightest ripple.
Like a gust of wind that can't be caught.
However, at the very depths of this street, high above the layered clouds, an almost invisible figure slowly raised its eyes.
He stood atop the heavens, his robes billowing silently in the wind, his entire being merging with the sky. His cultivation was unfathomable, his aura seemingly folded within countless layers of space, leaving only a faint trace, as if a mere glance would cause him to dissolve into the vast universe, or as if a casual movement could silence the entire main city.
His gaze was indifferent, constant, and unconcerned with the plight of the lower classes.
But the moment Qin Yu passed through the Qi Cause Probing Formation unnoticed, and the array patterns beneath his feet gently dissipated as if "naturally accepted"—the figure high in the sky paused slightly in his gaze.
A barely perceptible hint of interest flashed across his eyes.
It's not vigilance. It's not hostility.
Rather, it is a gentle radiance that one feels when seeing one's own kind, or when seeing "someone with whom one will inevitably stand shoulder to shoulder in the future."
He stared at Qin Yu, muttering to himself, the words echoing softly like wind passing through the sky. "Oh? Interesting... Why does this person seem so familiar?..."
His voice seemed to carry the lingering warmth of memories spanning millennia, or as if confirming that a destiny he had long awaited had finally come into view.
Qin Yu was completely unaware of this, only feeling that he had been watched by some unknown gaze for a moment, but the feeling was gentle and calm, without any malice, so he just frowned slightly and then continued to walk into the crowd.
The mysterious being in the sky did not look away.
He watched Qin Yu disappear into the bustling city, as if he were watching a star, unnoticed by anyone, being quietly lit up. He knew perfectly well that it was not the right time to meet, yet he still raised his hand and lightly traced lines in the air, leaving a barely perceptible trail of light where his fingertips passed.
The streak of light did not fall; it merely transformed into the wind and dispersed with the crowd.
A slight smile played at the corners of his lips, as if he were laughing silently, "... Interesting. It seems the real encounter... is not far off."
The sky slowly closed, and his figure quietly disappeared amidst the folds of light and clouds.