The spatial rift slowly closed, and the last wisp of the primordial aura of the Layered Realm Void completely dissipated. Qin Yu and Qian Wenwan once again stood before the ancient altar.
The entire altar had long since been restored to its original state. The ancient patterns on the ground gradually lost their luster, and the crisscrossing Dao patterns slowly sank into the stone wall, as if everything that had spanned millions of years was nothing more than an old dream that had long been sealed away.
Silence returned to the surroundings; there was no anger, no desire, no struggle of the seven emotions, only a gentle breeze blowing by.
Qian Wenwan slowly turned around, her gentle, watery eyes looking at Qin Yu with a sincere smile in them. She gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her voice still soft and gentle.
"Young Master Qin." "Thank you for your companionship this time. Without you, I wouldn't have been able to obtain the Compassionate Joy Divine Sword, much less break through to the Wuji Realm."
As she spoke, her gaze lowered slightly, and she smiled softly. "Wenwan will forever remember this Wenwan." Qin Yu, upon hearing this, also smiled faintly and waved his hand gently. "Shopkeeper Qian, you flatter me." "This journey has been fruitful for both of us." "Whether it's the Compassionate Joy Divine Sword, the Myriad Dao Source Root, or the Wordless Heavenly Book, they have all far exceeded our expectations."
At this point, his gaze darkened slightly. "Only..." "Fellow Daoist Yuan." The air was silent for a moment. Qian Wenwan sighed softly, a hint of regret appearing in her eyes. She did not continue the topic, but slowly raised her right hand, her palm shimmering with light.
An ancient yet exquisite token slowly emerged.
The token is about the size of a palm and is carved from an extremely rare silver-gold divine jade. It feels warm to the touch and emits a faint fluctuation of the Great Dao. The edges of the token are carved with intricate celestial patterns, and golden streams of light flow slowly along the patterns, like a galaxy revolving within them.
On the front of the token are three powerful characters engraved in ancient gilded seal script: Deputy Manager.
The three characters are written in a bold and elegant style, each stroke carrying a strong imprint of identity. A mere sweep of one's divine sense is enough to sense the majesty of the Heavenly Secrets Dao Pavilion.
On the back of the token was carved a magnificent ancient pavilion, high in the sky, surrounded by countless stars. Below it were four ancient characters, clearly visible: Heavenly Secrets Dao Pavilion. Qian Wenwan held the token with both hands and solemnly presented it to Qin Yu. "Young Master Qin." "This is what I promised you." "From this day forward, you will be the Deputy Manager of my Heavenly Secrets Dao Pavilion."
Qin Yu was slightly taken aback, and Qian Wenwan continued gently, "The deputy manager has almost the same authority as me, able to freely mobilize resources within the pavilion, and also enter all the treasure pavilions, cultivation technique pavilions, and myriad treasure towers." "In addition," she continued, "You will receive a share of the Heavenly Secrets Dao Pavilion's annual profits."
She smiled gently. "While it's not a huge amount," she said, "It's about ten million God-Level Resonance Crystal and several million Supreme Transformation Source Crystal each year." Qin Yu took the token, sensing the profound aura of the Great Dao within it, and couldn't help but shake his head with a smile. "Shopkeeper Qian," he said, "I'll accept this identity."
"Just the dividends are fine." "I rarely use these resources anyway." "If I need to buy treasures from the pavilion in the future, I hope Shopkeeper Qian will offer me some discounts." Upon hearing this, Qian Wenwan shook her head slightly, a helpless yet earnest smile on her face.
"No." "Young Master Qin." "A deputy manager is a deputy manager." "Not a single penny less in profit sharing." "As for all the treasures in the pavilion..." She blinked, a faint smile playing on her lips. "They'll all be given to you at the original price." "The Heavenly Secrets Dao Pavilion won't make a single profit off you."
Upon hearing this, Qin Yu couldn't help but chuckle. He gently put away the token and solemnly clasped his hands in a fist salute. "Since that's the case," he said, "Then I, Qin, will accept this token of my appreciation." Qian Wenwan nodded in satisfaction, then looked into the distance and softly asked, "Young Master Qin, where are you planning to go next?" "Would you like to come back to the Heavenly Secrets Dao Pavilion with me for a visit?" "Now that you're the deputy manager, you should familiarize yourself with the place."
Upon hearing this, Qin Yu slowly gazed at the vast starry sky in the distance, his eyes gradually hardening. "No." "The grand competition of the Lineage should begin in a month." "I have already agreed to serve as their external aid in this competition for the Chi Lineage." "For the next month, I plan to go into seclusion to thoroughly integrate what I have gained this time, and solidify my current cultivation and understanding of the Great Dao."
Upon hearing this, Qian Wenwan's beautiful eyes widened slightly, a look of surprise on her face. "The Chi Lineage?" "They actually invited Young Master Qin to be an external ally in this Four Great Lineage Grand Competition?" She then smiled gently, her eyes full of admiration. "It seems the Chi Lineage has truly struck gold this time." "With Young Master Qin's strength," "this Four Great Lineage Grand Competition will definitely shake the entire Source of Epochless · Middle Layer." "I believe that day isn't too far off."
Qin Yu smiled slightly. "Good wishes, sir." He said, Shopkeeper Qian in a gesture of respect. "Then we shall part ways here." "After the competition, I will visit the Heavenly Secrets Dao Pavilion again." Qian Wenwan returned the greeting with equal solemnity and a gentle smile. "Alright." "Wenwan will wait for Young Master Qin's triumphant return in the pavilion." She waved her hand gently as she finished speaking.
With a soft hiss, a gentle silver rift slowly opened in the space ahead. Qian Wenwan glanced at Qin Yu one last time, nodded gently, and said, "Farewell." She then stepped into the rift in the void. As the space slowly closed, her figure completely disappeared from the world, and tranquility returned before the altar.
Qin Yu slowly put away the deputy manager's token, his gaze fixed on the distance, a faint smile playing on his lips. "The Four Great Lineage Grand Competition..." "It's time to begin preparations." With that, he took a step forward, his figure transforming into a streak of light, speeding towards the distant horizon.
After leaving the ancient altar, Qin Yu's figure traversed the vast and boundless world of the Source of Epochless. About half an hour later, he slowly stopped and stood in mid-air on a world that no one had ever set foot in before.
This place is like a pristine land lost to time. As far as the eye can see, the mountains stretch endlessly, with snow-white peaks reaching into the clouds. Clouds and mist swirl around the mountaintops, and the sunset glows in all directions. In the distance, waterfalls cascade down from the heavens, transforming into countless starlight flowing between heaven and earth. The crystal-clear lakes reflect the colorful sunset, and countless sacred trees with a soft glow grow along their shores. Seas of flowers sway gently in the breeze, and a delicate fragrance permeates the air.
A gentle breeze swept through the quiet world, where only the soft rustling of leaves could be heard. Qin Yu slowly closed his eyes, and the Silent Beginning Ring Master Soul Diagram began to circulate slowly within his sea of consciousness. Strands of vast divine sense spread out in all directions like a tide, a thousand miles... three thousand miles... five thousand miles... until the entire world stretched for ten thousand miles, with all the mountains, rivers, birds, beasts, and the aura of cultivators reflected within his divine sense.
A moment later, Qin Yu slowly opened his eyes. "After everyone noticed this place," he said, slowly raising his right hand and gently pointing his palm forward. Buzz—transparent ripples spread through the void before him, and an extremely hidden boundary slowly emerged. Qin Yu gently clenched his fist. Crack—
A spatial rift about ten feet in size slowly cracked open in the entire boundary wall, and a unique aura of the Great World Origin belonging to the Annihilation Abyss Epoch slowly flowed out. Qin Yu did not stop at all and stepped into it. The next moment, his figure had already appeared outside the Annihilation Abyss Epoch, and the familiar Great World Origin was coming towards him.
The entire Annihilation Abyss Epoch remained vast and boundless, with billions of star fields slowly rotating, countless continents floating between the stars, and countless streams of light from the Great Dao intertwining, creating a scene of prosperity and flourishing.
Qin Yu's divine sense stirred slightly, and a telepathic message instantly traversed countless territories. "Yingling." In just a few breaths, a streak of light streaked across the starry sky and arrived at lightning speed. When the light dissipated, Yingling was already standing respectfully before Qin Yu, her hands clasped in a fist salute, bowing slightly. "Welcome, Your Excellency." Qin Yu looked at Yingling, who had been guarding the Annihilation Abyss Epoch for him, and a faint smile appeared on his face.
"Is everything alright at home?" Yingling nodded respectfully, her expression calm and composed. "Reporting to you, Venerable One." "Everything is well in the Annihilation Abyss Epoch." "The entire Great Realm is more prosperous than before." "All regions are Anran, harmonious, and stable, with free flow between different Great Dao Domains, and cultivation resources have increased several times over."
"The major sects, holy lands, and divine dynasties coexist harmoniously, and no major wars have occurred." "The Realm Patrol Army patrols the entire Annihilation Abyss Epoch daily and has not yet detected any external invasions or abnormal spatial rifts." "The Spiritual Qi in the major ancient life domains is abundant, the Dao veins are stable, and the primordial power continues to grow." "More and more young cultivators are beginning to show their talent, and many prodigies have already stepped into new levels of cultivation." "The entire Annihilation Abyss Epoch is now a golden age."
Qin Yu nodded in satisfaction. "Very good." Then, he asked softly, "How are Ruishan and Yunyi?" Yingling smiled as well. "They're both doing well." "They're both currently in seclusion, cultivating. Their cultivation levels are steadily improving. Everyone has been eagerly awaiting your return. Especially recently, they've repeatedly asked me when you could return to the Annihilation Abyss Epoch."
Upon hearing this, Qin Yu's eyes softened. "Hmm." "Then I'm relieved." He finished speaking, a slow smile playing on his lips. "However," he continued, "I summoned you here because there's even better news." Yingling's expression immediately turned serious. Qin Yu gently waved his right hand, and the storage crystal core slowly opened. The next moment...
A tiny ancient tree, no bigger than the palm of your hand, slowly floated out. Though small, it seemed to bear the source of all paths.
The tree trunk is a chaotic gray, with countless Dao patterns flowing slowly within it; the branches and leaves are crystal clear, each leaf reflecting a different Dao essence; between the roots, Dao patterns intertwine, and one can vaguely see countless Daos such as time, space, life and death, and destiny constantly evolving.
The moment it appeared, the Great Dao Laws of the entire Annihilation Abyss Epoch began to resonate on their own, Yingling's eyes widened in shock. She could clearly sense that the level of the Great Dao contained in this ancient tree far surpassed all the current treasures of the Annihilation Abyss Epoch.
Qin Yu gently cradled the Myriad Dao Source Root and slowly said, "This tree is called the Myriad Dao Source Root."
"It contains chaos, primordial chaos, true meaning, the Great Dao, all things, origin, end, destiny, reincarnation, yin and yang, the five elements, time and space, life and death, laws, origin, the Primordial, the Ultimate, Return to One, the Void Origin, rules, logic, symbolic language, power ideology, primordial history..."
"It encompasses almost the entirety of the Dao and the source of all principles." "Bring it back." "Plant it at the center of the Annihilation Abyss Epoch." "Give all cultivators in the Annihilation Abyss Epoch the opportunity to comprehend the origin of all Daos."
Upon hearing this, Yingling's body trembled slightly. He solemnly extended both hands and carefully received the Myriad Dao Source Root, his expression filled with respect. "Your subordinate obeys." "Your subordinate will personally plant the Myriad Dao Source Root in the core origin land of the Annihilation Abyss Epoch, and there will be absolutely no mistakes."
Qin Yu nodded slightly. "With it in charge," the foundation of the Great Dao in the entire Annihilation Abyss Epoch will truly be stabilized. Then, he slowly turned around and looked towards the vast starry sky beyond the boundary wall. "Alright." "Go." "If anything Annihilation Abyss Epoch," "Notify me immediately." Yingling respectfully clasped her hands and bowed deeply again. "Your subordinate obeys."
As soon as he finished speaking, he held up the Myriad Dao Source Root with both hands, transforming into a dazzling stream of light, and flew straight towards the center of the Annihilation Abyss Epoch. Qin Yu watched Yingling's figure gradually disappear into the distance, a relieved smile appearing on his face. Then he took a step forward, and his figure once again passed through the boundary wall, returning to the Source of Epochless.
As the boundary slowly closed, the world returned to calm, leaving only the vast world quietly operating, waiting for the Myriad Dao Source Root to truly take root, and for the grand age of myriad Daos that would belong to the entire Annihilation Abyss Epoch to come.