Beneath the Fate Seal · A Heart's Pact First Formed

The night was deep, and traces of Star Mark Tide still lingered Star Court Realm Platform, the tides still rippling.

Just as Qin Yu and Qian Ruishan's soul images merged and their destinies intertwined, a faint icy light suddenly appeared from the edge of the star platform, followed by an ancient chill that spread outwards.

The Soul Prison Seal was quietly torn apart by the Star Mark Tide!

Something... is awakening.

Qian Ruishan suddenly turned her head, a deep chill appearing in her eyes.

In the next instant, a soul shadow broke free of the seal, as black as night, with two horns on its head, its entire body covered in ice crystals and black scales, and six bone snake-like tail blades trailing behind it.

[Heaven-Supporting Abyss Wheel-Devouring Beast].

The strange soul beasts that have long since disappeared from the Soul Records are extremely averse to cold, yet they are born with the ability to devour souls and break seals. Their appearance not only signifies the failure of the seal, but also foreshadows that someone deliberately broke the seal!

"Retreat!" Qian Ruishan's eyes narrowed, and before Qin Yu could react, she had already swung the Cold Stamen Ice Tassel, unleashing the first ice slash!

-- "Profound Cold Domain Lock"!

Qian Ruishan was already at the Realm Consciousness Realm First Stage Perfection (the ultimate stage of Spiritual Sense surging) [her true level far exceeded her outward appearance].

The triple ice domains overlapped instantly, temporarily Heaven-Supporting Abyss Wheel-Devouring Beast in place. Outside the ice domain barrier, snow swirled, and the world suddenly turned cold.

"This is..." Qin Yu murmured, seeing Qian Ruishan's true fighting state up close for the first time.

Like a sword spirit amidst the snow, she stood at the heart of the frigid realm, her wisp of extremely cold soul energy directly freezing part of the soul patterns on the Star Court Realm Platform!

"It's struggling to break free," Qian Ruishan whispered, a thin layer of sweat appearing on her forehead, clearly indicating that these triple Lock Domain were no easy feat.

However, the next moment, the Devouring Beast roared and its six tails swept out, instantly cracking the Lock Domain!

"I'll lure it in." Her figure flashed, her two fingers forming a hand seal, and the second move was unleashed with a thunderous roar!

--Shattered Spirit-Shattering Ice Lamp!

The cold lamp bloomed from the palm of his hand, like snowflakes falling from the sky. The aura of soul annihilation exploded in the sky, and the entire sky above the boundary platform was instantly as white as day!

Qin Yu's pupils contracted—this technique is a soul-destroying killing move, capable of destroying the enemy's soul, but it also places a heavy burden on the caster's own soul energy!

"You're pushing yourself too hard." He stepped forward.

"If I don't make a move, it will storm into the outer sect, and none of the sect's disciples can stop it."

Before the words were even finished, the Heaven-Supporting Abyss Wheel-Devouring Beast unleashed its third rampage!

Its soul was damaged by the impact of the Spirit-Shattering Ice Lamp, but it forcibly created a black soul vortex, tearing apart the power of the ice lantern, and then turned to rush straight at Qian Ruishan!

She hadn't had time to recover her momentum, and her defense was off balance!

"Step back," she said coldly, preparing for the final move—

-- "The Stamen Extremity Frost-Sealing Slash"!

The ultimate killing move of the initial stage of the Realm Artifact: Cold Stamen Ice Tassel unleashed their full power. Wherever the sword pointed, heaven and earth froze, and all soul energy solidified in an instant.

Pity...

A hidden crack had already appeared in her sea of consciousness; before she could unleash the attack, her soul was already wounded.

"Enough!" "You beast, if you dare hurt her, I will tear you to pieces!"

A voice rang out; it was Qin Yu.

He raised his right hand, his blood surging. He didn't use the Gray Ring or the blue breath, but only used the pure Fate Soul bond to awaken the "Soul Seal echo" that the two of them had previously reflected in the star mark.

He... forcibly accessed Qian Ruishan's soul domain!

**

Heaven and earth transformed into a vast, mirror-like surface.

The Illusionary Realm: Soul Bridge Space has appeared.

Qin Yu stepped into a snowy plain, where Qian Ruishan stood frozen in the distance, as if she had known he would come.

She asked softly:

"You know perfectly well that my soul is shattered and not yet healed, yet you're still willing to transfer a wisp of your Fate Soul to me. Are you gambling that I won't refuse you?"

Qin Yu replied, "I don't gamble. I just believe."

"What if I refuse to share your seal, and instead sever your Soul Seal?"

"It's just a heart-wrenching experience, it's worth it."

Qian Ruishan looked at him for a long time, and finally smiled softly.

She stepped forward and said, "If you are sincere, then... I will borrow your Soul Seal for a while."

Qin Yu nodded.

The next moment, the Realm Mirror trembled slightly, and an imprint appeared between the two.

[Fate Soul Seal - Initial Bond Established]

It wasn't a complete soul-binding oath, but it was enough to prove that their Fate Soul were now bound together and could not be easily severed.

Once this seal was formed, Qin Yu's sea of consciousness returned, forcibly stabilizing Qian Ruishan's shattered soul. Outside the ice domain, the Heaven-Supporting Abyss Wheel-Devouring Beast suddenly stopped, suppressed by the cold breath once again!

**

In the real world, the wind and snow have stopped.

The elders' pressure descended, and the Abyssal Beast was resealed. All that could be seen was Qian Ruishan standing beside Qin Yu, her two souls stable, and her sword sheathed.

No one knew about the Soul Seal fusion and Soul Realm resonance they had just experienced.

Only she herself knew the truth.

As someone with Twin Souls and Aberrant Bones, once I share my seal with someone else, I cannot switch back.

And she has made her decision tonight.

She gazed calmly at Qin Yu: "Only you can break this Fate Soul seal."

Qin Yu glanced at her, his expression calm yet resolute. "I won't break off."

The Star Mark Tide has finally dissipated.

They left side by side without saying another word, but everyone understood that from that moment on—

She was the unbreakable thread in his Soul Pact;

He was the only half-seal that she could inherit in her Fate Soul.

The Star Mark Tide completely dissipated, the wind and snow subsided, and the edge of the boundary platform was so quiet it seemed deserted.

Qian Ruishan had already planned to leave, but Qin Yu stopped her by taking a jade bottle out of his bosom.

The jade bottle was pale gold in color, without a single refining pattern on its surface, yet it had rings of light of rules slowly flowing around it, as if the laws of heaven were sealed within it.

"Dan?" Qian Ruishan frowned slightly, took the glass without any apparent problem, but the next moment, when she subtly probed its contents, her hand trembled instantly.

The jade bottle was gently opened, and a wisp of fragrance escaped—

The heavens and earth trembled slightly, the soul realm fell silent, and the ice lines in the snowfield rotated automatically, as if paying homage to that wisp of elixir fragrance.

Qian Ruishan's pupils contracted, and she murmured in disbelief, "This... is impossible..."

It was a pill that appeared to be half real and half illusory, as if it had condensed the two poles of the soul and the origin. It burned without fire and rested without seals. Inside, it contained a "Realm Wheel" that was reversed in black and white. With each rotation, invisible threads of cause and effect were pulled out from her body.

She was momentarily lost in thought.

After a long silence, she finally spoke, her voice trembling slightly, a rare occurrence:

"This is not a pill... this is the 'Self-Derived Fruit of the World Soul,' an existence that theoretically only exists in transcendent mythology..."

Qin Yu replied calmly, "I call it the [Silent Abyss Realm-Birth Pill]."

"Its effectiveness...?"

"It can grant those at the Realm Consciousness Ninth Stage the initial touch of the 'Silent Origin' for a single breath; it can refine the Fate Soul and reforge the origin; it can sever all hidden soul calamities and karmic entanglements. You don't need it now, but you might need it in the future."

Qian Ruishan remained silent for a long time.

After a long while, she gently put away the elixir bottle, and for the first time, a deep gaze appeared in her snow-white eyes:

"If the Pill Master of the Thousand Realms Sect saw this pill, he would probably be so ashamed that he would burn his scriptures in flames."

"And why... did you give it to me?"

Qin Yu did not answer immediately, but lowered his gaze slightly and said, "Because I promised... if you leave your Fate Soul to me, I will also protect your path to life."

At that moment, Qian Ruishan remained silent, simply standing there quietly.

Even after he left, she remained standing in the snow, motionless for a long time.

The wind leaves traces of ice, snow falls like soul-stirring flowers.

The elixir bottle in her hand was still warm.

She knew that her life was destined to be intertwined with his, and she could never sever ties with him again.