The void of the Skeleton Star Sea still lingered with the aftershocks of the recent battle. Shattered crystal walls floated like continents, and dark stardust flowed slowly among the endless debris. Ye Wuhen sheathed his sword and stood there, his gaze calmly sweeping over the hundred or so disciples behind him. His voice was deep yet powerful. "Alright, everyone, check the supplies, confirm the seal is intact, and then continue on your way."
The crowd quickly dispersed, and the storage seals, each gleaming with light, were re-verified. Layers of array patterns appeared in the void, and the goods were reinforced and sealed again.
Ye Wuhen then turned around and looked at Qin Yu. "Fellow Daoist, may I ask which region you are from?"
Qin Yu slightly cupped his hands, his tone respectful yet neither servile nor arrogant. "This junior is new to the upper levels. I am originally from the Void Obliteration Domain, and my name is Qin Yu."
"The Void Obliteration Domain..." A hint of understanding flashed in Ye Wuhen's eyes. "So you've come from the middle level. No problem, no problem."
His tone softened somewhat. "Fellow Daoist, you're new here. The upper levels aren't as peaceful as the middle levels. We're currently escorting a shipment of goods from the Chi Lineage to Returning Light Heavenly City. If you'd like, you can travel with us; it would be good to have someone to look after you."
Qin Yu's mind raced. Having just entered the upper echelons, the power structure was still unclear, Boundless Realm Divine Sect's trip was clearly related to the Chi Lineage. If he could glean some information from this, it would be entirely beneficial to him.
He nodded. "Then I'll have to trouble you, Senior Ye." Ye Wuhen laughed heartily, "Oh, no need to be so polite. Come, Brother Qin Yu."
The team set off again.
Deep within the Skeleton Star Sea, a void avenue paved with cosmic debris slowly unfolds. Huge fragments of crystal walls rotate on both sides, refracting the Ultimate brilliance of long-dead civilizations. The transport array of the Boundless Realm Divine Sect consists of dozens of black-gold flying boats, each engraved with transdimensional runes. When they travel, it is as if they are cutting through layers of space, and the sea of stars recedes like a tide.
Gu Linfeng and Qin Yu walked side by side. "Returning Light Heavenly City — the First City of the East."
His tone carried a hint of pride.
"The most prosperous trading hub in the Skeleton Star Sea, and one of the largest main cities in the Eternal Nonexistence Limitless Domain. Almost any treasure that has ever appeared in the Star Sea can be found in Returning Light Heavenly City."
He raised his hand and pointed into the distance. "This Eternal Nonexistence Limitless Domain comprises five multidimensional cosmic regions, and we are currently in the First Multidimensional Universe, the Skeleton Star Sea."
Qin Yu's gaze swept over the endless wreckage.
Gu Linfeng continued, "This is a graveyard of cosmic debris, formed from trillions of dead universes. Every grain of stardust may have once been a complete multiverse."
In the distance, a crystalline continent stretched across the void, its cracks shimmering with a dark golden afterglow.
"That's the Crystal Wall Graveyard. The shattered cosmic crystal walls float like continents, and from them one can read the Ultimate mysteries of vanished civilizations."
On the other side, the colossal corpse of an ancient god, spanning galaxies, floated silently, its bones giving rise to a bizarre ecosystem, and the primordial divine power remaining in its blood vessels transforming into a galaxy of flowing light.
That's the Giant Beast Cemetery.
The airship swept past the Last Light Mountain Range, a continuous mountain range formed from solidified light, shimmering with a blazing white light.
"Stepping into it will allow you to witness the most glorious moment of your life, after which your very essence will be drained."
Further into the distance lies a sea of threads, where timelines are solidified into billions of shimmering silver threads, intertwining to form an endless network.
"String Sea. Plucking even one string can recreate the entire process of a universe from its birth to its destruction."
Qin Yu's gaze sharpened slightly. Gu Linfeng continued:
"The Second Multidimensional Universe: The Destruction Labyrinth."
The distant void resembled a three-dimensional labyrinth, its collapse frozen eternally. Flames transformed into ice crystals, and spatial cracks solidified like glass.
Third: The Annihilation Continent.
A silvery-gray river traverses the void, the tombstone plateau stretches endlessly, and the abyss of nothingness swallows the light.
Fourth: The Void Dharma Realm.
There is no matter, only dead logic and concepts sedimented into the terrain. The swamp of paradox surges, and the turbulent currents of cause and effect reverse.
Fifth: The Primordial Grave.
Gu Linfeng unconsciously softened his tone.
"The legendary Limitless Origin. At its deepest point lies a flame that burns eternally yet remains eternally cold. Within that flame... there is a figure. It is the Tomb Keeper."
Qin Yu remained silent, but his gaze deepened slightly. The five multidimensional universes were not arranged linearly, but rather nested and intertwined.
The Skeleton Star Sea is just the surface. The real secret lies deeper.
The airship weaved through the wreckage, its movements a blur of light and shadow.
Gu Linfeng then laughed and said, "As for our Boundless Realm Divine Sect..."
"The sect leader is at the Realm Breaking Realm High Stage. The three supreme elders within the sect are all at the Realm Breaking Realm Pinnacle. Although they cannot compare to the Ten Great Lineage, they are still considered a major sect in the Skeleton Star Sea."
Qin Yu nodded. "Brother Gu, I wonder where the Chi Lineage is located?"
Before he could finish speaking, a magnificent light screen suddenly appeared in the distant void.
It was a city, spanning billions of ruins, seemingly forged from the radiance of the Last Light Mountain Range.
At the edge of the Skeleton Star Sea, the void suddenly brightened. The dark star sea, which had previously been filled with countless fragments of shattered space, was now separated by a magnificent curtain of light.
That light curtain, like a chasm spanning multiple dimensions, divided the desolate and the bustling into two worlds.
The airship array slowly approached. Qin Yu stood at the bow, gazing into the distance.
That wasn't just a city. It was an entire civilization miracle forged by the "reflection of light."
Countless towering golden pagodas rose from the void, their bodies as white as divine stone, their tops covered by gilded domes that shimmered with starlight, layer upon layer, piercing the heavens. Above the sky was not a single dome, but a series of overlapping domains of light, with surging clouds and cascading sunset glow pouring down from the sky, sprinkling the entire city, as if the afterglow of the heavens had gathered here.
In the center of the city, a celestial river, dozens of miles wide, runs through it. The river water is no ordinary water, but a liquid of light condensed from the Last Light Mountain Range. As it flows, it reflects the images of countless civilizations. Arch bridges span the river, each bridge resembling a star or crescent moon. The bridges are teeming with people, the aura of cultivators is palpable, and spirit boats travel among them.
Higher in the sky, floating platforms are layered upon each other, like an inverted city, intertwining with the city on the ground to form a multi-dimensional structure. Bridges extend suspended in the air, and streets constructed of light patterns swirl in mid-air. The entire Returning Light Heavenly City is not a single plane, but a three-dimensional nested structure—upper city, lower city, floating streets, and circular palaces are interwoven with each other.
Deep within the sea of clouds, a halo with a diameter of ten thousand miles slowly rotated, like the eye of the heavens, enveloping the entire city. That was the "Afterglow Wheel," a core element of the Returning Light Heavenly City's domain laws, condensed from the essence of reflection.
Qin Yu's eyes narrowed slightly. The order here was far more rigorous than that of any sect in the Skeleton Star Sea.
The airship array began to slow down.
A massive multidimensional portal appeared in the void ahead, towering a thousand feet high. Its frame was forged from fragments of crystal walls, engraved with countless array patterns. Before the portal, hundreds of city guards clad in silver-white armor stood on either side, their auras all above the Severed Thought Realm, with the leader being none other than Realm Breaking Realm Initial Stage.
They do not belong to the Chi Lineage, nor to the Ten Great Lineage.
They belonged to the Returning Light Heavenly City itself. A voice echoed in the void, "Halt, you who come!"
Ye Wuhen leaped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "The Boundless Realm Divine Sect is escorting goods into the city."
The city guard leader's gaze remained calm. "He handed over the official seal."
Ye Wuhen raised his hand, and a jade token engraved with the emblem of the Boundless Realm Divine Sect flew out. The jade token touched the light screen of the portal and instantly turned into a stream of light, which was absorbed by the Afterglow Wheel.
The light wheel trembled slightly. The next moment, a huge light-reflecting array appeared above the city gate.
The array patterns unfolded, like a rotating galaxy. "Routine entry inspection."
As the sound faded, a beam of light descended from above the portal, enveloping the entire convoy.
Qin Yu felt an extremely subtle law sweep over him. It wasn't just a simple probe of his cultivation level.
That is a test of the causal trajectory.
Countless tiny runes emerged from the pillar of light, flowing along the life trajectory of each cultivator. If a cultivator was carrying unregistered forbidden items, was wanted by the city, or possessed an aura of catastrophic destruction, the pillar of light would immediately issue a red warning.
Gu Linfeng whispered to Qin Yu:
"The Returning Light Heavenly City has a three-tiered entry ceremony."
"The first layer of causal verification."
"Second Law: Order Correction."
"The oath to the third city-level domain has been confirmed."
Sure enough, after the first beam of light ended, a huge ring appeared below the portal.
The runes inside the ring rotated. All the flying boats passed through in turn.
As the airship passes through, the ring vibrates slightly, correcting the energy fluctuations within each person that conflict with the laws of the outside world, thus preventing multidimensional chaos within the city.
Finally, the city guard leader raised his hand, and a pale golden light seal descended from the Afterglow Wheel.
Those entering the city must abide by the city's regulations.
The light imprint in the void transformed into a vow. "No fighting is permitted within the city. No destruction of the city's core is allowed. Violators will be punished by the Afterglow Wheel."
The members of the Boundless Realm Divine Sect responded with their divine thoughts.
Qin Yu also uttered a soft thought. The light flashed across his forehead and then dissipated.
The city guard leader nodded. "Let them through." The gate slowly opened, and the true prosperity of Returning Light Heavenly City rushed in.
On the streets, spirit boats shuttled like shooting stars; between bridges, cultivators discussed the Dao; in the distance, the dome of the auction house shone with purple-gold light; on the floating island in the sky, array demonstrations attracted crowds; below, in the market, rare treasures from the five multidimensional universes were piled up like mountains.
Qin Yu's gaze slowly swept across the city area.
This is not a battlefield. It is order. It is power. It is trade. It is ambition. The airship slowly entered the city gate.
The deathly silence of the Skeleton Star Sea behind him was completely cut off. And ahead lay the true stage of the Eternal Nonexistence Limitless Domain.
The main avenue of Returning Light Heavenly City is as wide as a river. Instead of stone bricks, it is paved with a whole layer of crystal jade that has been tempered by the laws. When you step on it, it will ripple with light, spreading out like water, but returning to calm in an instant.
High-altitude floating bridges crisscross the city, and spirit boats shuttle back and forth like shooting stars across the clouds. Palaces and pavilions stand on both sides of the streets, and golden domes reflect a soft yet solemn light between the sunlight and the clouds. The entire city seems to be enveloped by some ancient and stable order, bustling but not chaotic, noisy but not lacking in layers.
Ye Wuhen stopped and turned to look at Qin Yu, his tone amiable. "Brother Qin, you can wander around the city freely for now. We need to go to Wugui Datong Bank to deliver the goods. You can come along, but the delivery process is rather complicated and will probably take some time. It's up to you."
As he spoke, he flicked his wrist, tossing a bronze token toward Qin Yu. The token felt slightly heavy in his hand, engraved with the four characters "Boundless Realm Divine Sect," the characters sharp as if carved by a knife, faintly exuding the aura of a sect.
"Brother Qin, if anyone gives you trouble, just show this token," Ye Wuhen said with a smile. "After we're done sightseeing, wait for us at the Taotie· Myriad Worlds Remains Hall Restaurant; we'll have dinner together."
Qin Yu took the token and nodded slightly. "Okay, then I'll take a look around first."
Ye Wuhen laughed heartily and led the Boundless Realm Divine Sect members to another floating bridge road, where the group gradually disappeared into the crowd in the sky.
Qin Yu walked slowly alone. The main city streets were teeming with people.
Cultivators from five multidimensional universes traversed among them. Some wore robes embroidered with exotic runes, some were clad in ancient beast scales, some carried giant magical artifacts, and some concealed their auras, appearing as ordinary mortals.
Vendors lined the street, selling bizarre and fantastical items: fragments of crystal walls, remnants of ancient gods, time strings sealed in glass bottles, tombstone fragments from the Annihilation Continent, and even miniature worlds sealed within palm-sized magical artifacts.
High above, the massive dome of the suspended auction house slowly rotated, and a projection screen unfolded in mid-air, displaying the rare items to be auctioned today. In the distance, the taverns were brightly lit, and the Huiguang Canal flowed along the city, with small boats coming and going on the river, where cultivators drank and discussed the Dao.
This is a true "city where all worlds converge." Qin Yu calmly observed all of this.
Just then, a blue streak of light gently appeared from his shoulder. Blue Ring - Xiao Yue.
She was petite, only about sixteen centimeters tall, like a delicate star and moon fairy. Her long hair was a gradient star blue, flowing down from the top of her head, the strands smooth and light, with a soft starlight glow.
A crescent-shaped silver ornament adorned her forehead, with delicate chains extending from either side of the crescent and gently cascading down to her temples, like a chain of stars hanging in the night sky. Her eyes were clear and bright, a pure sapphire blue, with tiny stars seemingly slowly rotating within them.
She wore a deep blue star-studded dress, its surface covered with star patterns and circular designs, like a miniature cosmic disk gently glowing. A square star core badge floated on her chest, its interior swirling with pale blue light.
A delicate chain of light swirled around her arms and wrists, slowly rotating and emanating a gentle aura of law. She wore starlight boots, the surface of which was engraved with time patterns, and her steps stirred up fine stardust.
The entire human form Kong Ling and mysterious, as if it were a manifestation of the laws of the stars and moon.
"Wow, Little Qinzi-- " She looked around, the light Azure Ring in her pupils slowly rotating.
"This city is even more bustling than the eight major cities of the Void Obliteration Domain."
She put her hands on her hips, looking excited.
"Look over there, what's that stall selling? It looks like a wine jug made from half of an ancient god's rib!"
"And that guy over there, he's actually selling 'Residual Light Crystals' from the 'Last Light Mountain Range'!"
"Tsk tsk tsk, this place is interesting." Qin Yu smiled faintly.
The sounds of vendors hawking their wares rose and fell throughout the streets.
"The String Sea! Capable of Recreating a Complete Era of History."
"Unclaimed tombstones on the Annihilation Continent! Refining them can grant one the right to inherit world authority."
"Fragments of the Paradox of the Void Dharma Realm! Comprehending them can break through a bottleneck in one's cultivation level."
Among the crowd, cultivators at the Realm Breaking Realm stopped to haggle, while cultivators at the Severed Thought Realm came and went in an endless stream, just like ordinary people in a mortal city.
Here, the Severed Thought Realm is merely the entry threshold.
Blue Ring leaned close to Qin Yu's ear and whispered, "Little Qinzi, this place is very dangerous. You've just arrived, so you need to be careful."
Qin Yu's gaze remained calm. "Naturally." He continued walking slowly. In the crowd, a faint gaze seemed to sweep over him, only to quickly disappear.