Under the cover of night, the Stele Forest Imperial City was ablaze with lights, the entire city resembling a dazzling jade plate inlaid in the void. Countless spiritual lights rose from the streets and alleys, weaving together to create a cultivation ground of Ultimate prosperity. Qin Yu and his companions stepped into the main street and saw in the distance a massive pavilion standing in the most bustling area of the city center—
The pavilion was named "Myriad Phenomena Returning Feast Pavilion".
The entire pavilion is nine stories high and is made of a kind of spiritual wood with a light golden luster and Xingyun crystal. At each of the four corners of the building hangs a huge floating lamp wheel. The lamp wheels rotate slowly and emit layers of light, illuminating the entire area as if it were daytime.
Above the main entrance of the pavilion, a horizontal plaque hangs in the air. The four large characters "Wanxiang Guiyan" are not carved, but composed of flowing light patterns. Each stroke changes slowly, sometimes like mountains and rivers unfolding, sometimes like a sea of stars surging. You can even faintly hear the deep Daoist sound echoing.
Outside the building, a large crowd surged in and out, with cultivators from all walks of life coming and going. There were disciples wearing sect robes, Rogue Cultivator with profound auras, and young prodigies from various Lineage. Laughter, discussions, and fluctuations of spiritual energy mingled together, filling the entire area with an Ultimate lively and bustling atmosphere.
Shen Qingchen couldn't help but laugh, "Brother Qin, this place is one of the most luxurious restaurants in the entire Stele Forest Imperial City. I usually can't bear to come here."
Su Qingyuan nodded slightly, a hint of anticipation in her eyes, "Today, I'm truly fortunate to have benefited from Young Master Qin's presence."
Qin Yu smiled faintly, "Since we're here, we should naturally enjoy ourselves to the fullest."
The three stepped inside, ascending the steps paved with spirit jade. As soon as they entered the building, a warm and rich Spiritual Qi enveloped them, accompanied by a faint aroma of spiritual food, instantly invigorating them. The interior space was far more spacious than it appeared from the outside.
The hall on the first floor was filled with round tables, where cultivators clinked glasses and drank wine, the clinking of which even stirred up faint ripples of the laws.
Seeing the three men's distinguished bearing, the waiter immediately stepped forward to lead them to a top-tier private room at the far end of the second floor.
Inside the private room, the space was separated into a small realm, with faint flowing water patterns on the surrounding walls. The noise from the outside world was completely isolated, leaving only soft light flowing slowly in the room. In the center was a round jade table with faint array patterns on its surface, which could automatically regulate the temperature of the spiritual food and the flow of Spiritual Qi.
The three sat down, Shen Qingchen, looking excited, slammed his hand on the table, "Come on, let's order the most expensive dish today!"
Su Qingyuan couldn't help but chuckle, "Don't you dare eat Young Master Qin out of house and home." Qin Yu waved his hand casually, "It's alright."
The waiter immediately presented a menu of light and shadow. As the menu unfolded, thousands of dishes appeared as phantom images, each radiating a realistic Spiritual Qi.
Shen Qingchen didn't stand on ceremony and directly ordered several signature dishes—"Nine Heavens Spirit Phoenix Flame Chicken Wings!"
"Chaotic Star Sea Spirit Fish Soup!" "Primordial Spirit Valley Myriad Dao Banquet!" "And that... Dragon Blood Jade Wine, three jars, please!"
Su Qingyuan added softly, "Adding another 'Azure Lotus Rejuvenation Dew' will stabilize the Fate Soul."
Qin Yu casually ordered a dish, "The 'Silent Origin Spirit Bone Stew' from the Myriad Phenomena Returning Feast Pavilion, I've heard it's quite good."
The waiter quickly noted it down, bowed slightly, and withdrew. A moment later, the array patterns on the table began to glow faintly, and streams of spiritual food condensed from the void.
The Nine Heavens Spirit Phoenix Flame Roasted Wings were adorned with tiny flames, each wisp carrying the lingering power of the Phoenix Clan. With a gentle tear, spiritual energy flowed freely through the meat. The Chaos Star Sea Spirit Fish Soup resembled a miniature star sea swirling in the bowl, the fish melting in the mouth and carrying a faint aura of chaos.
The Primordial Spirit Valley Banquet is an Anomalous Spirit food composed of ninety-nine kinds of spiritual grains, each grain shimmering with a different luster and containing a different Daoist charm.
The moment the Dragon Blood Jade Wine was activated, the aroma of the wine soared into the sky, and a faint dragon shadow flashed through the air, its fragrance rich and lingering.
The three exchanged a glance and burst into laughter. They clinked their cups together, the spirit wine flowing down their throats, its warmth slowly spreading through their bodies.
Outside the private rooms, the entire Myriad Phenomena Returning Feast Pavilion remained bustling with activity.
In the main hall on the first floor, cultivators came and went. Some talked loudly about the Bronze Gate, some exchanged information in hushed tones, and some debated the movements of the Lineage. Upstairs and downstairs, spiritual light intertwined, and waiters moved about like shadows, constantly delivering spiritual food to various private rooms. The air was always filled with a rich Spiritual Qi and the aroma of cooking.
The entire restaurant is like a spiritual world that brings together all things.
The private room was softly lit, with Spiritual Qi flowing gently like a light rain. The spiritual food on the table was still warm, and the Dragon Blood Jade Wine rippled with pale golden waves in the jade cup. The three raised their cups to each other, the atmosphere having long since shifted from initial restraint to relaxed ease. Shen Qingchen tore off a piece of Spirit Phoenix Flame Wing.
As he looked at Qin Yu, he suddenly grinned. "Brother Qin, to be honest, from the first time I saw you, I felt you were extraordinary." He said, his eyes filled with undisguised admiration. "I can't quite describe the feeling, but... you're definitely not an ordinary person."
Su Qingyuan put down her wine glass, nodded gently, a hint of reminiscence in her eyes, "Me too." She smiled slightly, "Back in the Endless Abyss, I vaguely sensed a very special aura about Young Master Qin." She looked at Qin Yu, "Not cultivation level, but a kind of... very powerful foundation."
Qin Yu listened to their words, simply smiled, picked up his wine glass, and slowly took a sip. "You two, stop teasing me." His tone was calm, yet tinged with self-deprecation. "I've only climbed up from the middle ranks." He glanced at the two men. "You two are the true locals at the top."
Shen Qingchen was taken aback, then burst into laughter, "Alright, alright, then let's pretend the three of us are extraordinary today!" Su Qingyuan couldn't help but laugh out loud as well.
The three clinked glasses, the spirit wine entered their mouths, and the warmth slowly spread through their bodies, even their Fate Soul relaxed slightly. Laughter echoed in the private room, as if everything was temporarily isolated from the killing and intrigue outside.
Time passed slowly, and after several rounds of drinks, the dishes were all gone.
When the three of them walked out of the Myriad Phenomena Returning Feast Pavilion, it was already late at night, but the lights of the Stele Forest Imperial City were still as bright as day, and the crowds on the streets had not yet dispersed, but there was an added sense of hidden danger compared to the daytime.
Qin Yu escorted Shen Qingchen and Su Qingyuan back to the Chi Lineage.
The outer array of the Chi Lineage slowly activated, drawing the two inside. Before parting, Shen Qingchen patted Qin Yu on the shoulder, "Brother Qin, next time we meet, remember not to disappear for so long again."
Su Qingyuan said softly, "Young Master Qin... please be careful." Qin Yu nodded without saying anything more.
After the two had fully entered the formation, he didn't linger. He turned around and left the Chi Lineage area. With a stomp of his foot, he transformed into a silent streak and sped off towards the Salt Desert.
In the night sky, the stars are silent.
He traversed the city and crossed mountains, soon entering a region of undulating black mountains. The mountains were rugged, the space was distorted, and there was no Spiritual Qi around him, only the faint sound of the wind echoing in the void.
The moment he stepped into the depths of the mountains, Qin Yu suddenly stopped, and the surrounding space instantly became deathly silent.
He didn't turn around, but spoke softly, his voice low yet clearly carrying through every inch of the surrounding void, "Come out." His tone was calm, "Haven't you gotten tired of following me for so long?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the air trembled slightly, and the space behind him was forcibly torn open, revealing five figures.
Each aura was as heavy as a mountain, clearly belonging to the Mystic Void Realm · Middle Stage.
One of them stepped forward, his gaze icy. "Good lad." His voice carried a hint of sneer. "You discovered us a long time ago?"
Qin Yu finally turned around, a faint smile on his face, but his eyes were devoid of warmth. "From the moment you locked onto me with your divine sense outside the restaurant," he said calmly, "Your presence was far too obvious."
The five people's expressions changed slightly. Qin Yu's gaze swept over them and landed directly on them. "Let me guess." He chuckled softly, "You... were sent by Hua Jingmeng, weren't you?"
The leader snorted coldly, not denying it. "Since you know, that saves us trouble." His tone was icy. "Lady Hua Jingmeng has already offered a price: ten thousand God-Level Resonance Crystal." He stared at Qin Yu. "To buy your life."
Upon hearing this, Qin Yu suddenly laughed. His laughter was exceptionally clear in the night sky.
"Hahaha..." He shook his head slightly, "Back at the auction, he was still pretending to be poor." A cold glint flashed in his eyes, "Now he's willing to spend."
He looked up at the five people. "It seems... he truly hates me to the core." The atmosphere suddenly froze.
The five people released their auras simultaneously, and space began to distort.
The leader stepped forward, his voice turning utterly cold, "Enough with the nonsense." He condensed his primal divine power, his killing intent undisguised, "Today—this is your burial ground."
Within the mountains, the wind suddenly ceased, and the aura of heaven and earth collapsed wildly inward in an instant, while the pressure of five Mystic Void Realm · Middle Stage experts simultaneously spread out with a roar.
This is no longer an ordinary outward manifestation of divine power, but an existential shock that forcibly compresses "nothingness" itself into reality.
The boundaries of space began to blur and melt away, and the outlines of distant mountains were gradually swallowed up and disappeared, as if the entire world was being slowly dragged into a deeper and more unknowable forbidden realm.
The leader stepped forward, his gaze icy, and slowly raised his palm. The void in his hand began to twist and contract. His voice was low and ruthless, "Since you are so confident, then let's see—whether you can withstand the power of the Mystic Void."
He suddenly clenched his five fingers—"Divine Power— Xuanji: Boundless Realm Collapse."
With the power of Mystic Void, the "spatial definition" of the target area is completely stripped away, causing it to lose its "boundary of existence" and thus collapse into an indescribable zero-dimensional point. Those caught in the process are not crushed, but rather deprived of the right to "extend," becoming beings that cannot unfold.
It is specifically designed to counter all techniques that rely on spatial movement, spatial defense, and dimensional leaps; it has an extremely strong suppressive effect on cultivators who possess multidimensional existence or clones.
The space in front of his palm suddenly collapsed, and a visible "void" unfolded in the void. The void was not darkness, but a distorted area that could not even be described by the word "emptiness". The rocks were compressed into a thin line the moment they touched the edge and then disappeared. The entire area began to collapse inward, and even the light was stretched into a curved trajectory.
At the same time, the second person sneered, his hands slowly forming a seal in front of his chest. A wisp of pale silver light appeared between his fingertips. The light had no temperature, yet it caused all senses around him to become disordered. He whispered, "If you can still think, then you are fortunate."
"Mind Domain - Thoughts Return to Void Stillness." Invading the target's sea of consciousness with the thought of Mystic Void, breaking down all their thought structures into "unformed thoughts," leaving consciousness in a state of "about to be born Unborn," unable to form complete thoughts.
It suppresses all supernatural powers and combat methods that rely on divine sense, thoughts, and willpower; it has a devastating effect on multiple consciousnesses and the art of splitting the mind.
His pupils instantly turned blank, and countless tiny mental images appeared in the air as his gaze fell upon them. These mental images collapsed as soon as they took shape, as if all thoughts had been prematurely terminated. An invisible wave pressed directly onto Qin Yu's sea of consciousness, and even the thought of "wanting to resist" was erased the moment it arose.
The third person has already made a move.
He took a step into thin air, his entire being seemingly merging into nothingness, his figure appearing and disappearing in an instant. The next moment, he was above Qin Yu, his palm slowly pressing down. "Escape?" His voice was low and deep. "You won't even have a direction anymore."
"Undirected Zeroing Maze." Deprives the target of its perception of "direction," "position," and "distance," causing it to become completely lost in a disordered space, unable to determine its own coordinates.
It counters speed-based cultivators, spatial leaping abilities, and combat systems that rely on a sense of direction.
As his palm fell, the space of the entire mountain range began to flip, upside down, and out of place. The mountains seemed to be rearranged, the sky fell at his feet, and the earth hung above his head. Space no longer followed any logic. The place where Qin Yu stood seemed to be cut into countless fragments, each pointing in a different direction.
The fourth and fifth people made their moves almost simultaneously.
One of them spread his arms, and a very thin, grayish-white line appeared between his palms. The line stretched endlessly, piercing through heaven and earth. He spoke coldly, "I have seen everything about you."
"Original Knowledge: An Analysis of Its Essence."
By using Mystic Void divination to directly examine the target's fundamental structure, its power system, weaknesses, and causal chains are fully analyzed and exposed.
It counters all combat styles that rely on concealment, unpredictability, and explosive attacks, and is particularly effective against those with complex supernatural abilities.
The gray-white line pierced through Qin Yu's body without causing any harm, but it reflected countless light and shadow within him. These light and shadow revealed the flow of his power, the operation of his supernatural abilities, and even the fluctuations of his Fate Soul. Analytical images appeared in the void.
The last man stomped his foot, the entire mountain range rumbling beneath him. His fists clenched, his aura freezing instantly. "Since you've seen through it all, then—it's over."
"Mysterious Annihilation - Final Stillness Suppression Domain"
Using the power of Mystic Void, all existence is compressed, forcing the target and its surrounding space into the "final silence layer," rendering it incapable of any activity.
It applies pressure to the physical body, soul, and laws simultaneously, making it a comprehensive suppression-type supernatural power.
The world suddenly became extremely heavy, the air was like solidified molten iron, the space around Qin Yu was compressed layer by layer, the ground beneath his feet collapsed, the mountain was shattered, and an invisible force squeezed in from all directions, as if the whole world was closing in and crushing him completely.
The five great supernatural powers descended simultaneously, causing space to collapse, minds to crumble, directions to be lost, the origin to be analyzed, and Final Stillness Suppression Domain.
In an instant, the entire mountain range region was completely transformed into an "unknowable realm." Qin Yu within it, simultaneously locked in place by the power of five layers of profound Mystic Void, rendering the world silent.