Fate-Inquiring Floating Realm the air currents gradually returned to tranquility, the radiance flowing across the monument dissipated completely.
Beneath the Innate Inquiry Platform, the minds of countless onlookers were still immersed in the lingering resonance of the Daoist rhyme that had just reverberated from the defining inscription. Within the crowd, several Fate Soul auras quietly shifted and moved. Before the crowd could recover, a figure of a black-clad youth slowly stepped forward. The youth appeared to be about seventeen or eighteen years old, his expression as calm as a mountain. His black robes were tightly bound, revealing no trace of outward arrogance. Only his eyes were like a vast, dark sea, concealing an unfathomable depth of Fate Soul power within.
He walked to within three zhang of Qin Yu, curtsied respectfully, and showed no disrespect despite Qin Yu only displaying the externalized aura of the Fate Beginning Realm. His voice was calm and gentle.
"My name is Cang Li, greetings, fellow Daoist."
"I suppose you, fellow Daoist, have also come here for the Questioning Derivation Eternal Palace?"
As soon as he finished speaking, four more souls broke free from the sea of people.
A fiery red soul beam suddenly swept in from the left. A young cultivator in red robes, with sharp features and fluttering robes, his steps swirling with intense soul fire, raised his hand and slammed it heavily on Cang Li's shoulder, letting out a loud laugh:
"You're always so cautious and prudent in your actions!"
He turned to look at Qin Yu, his expression cheerful and open:
"My name is Yuchi Liuyan, the Fire Soul Life Root, and also Realm Breaking. Just now, the moment you left your fingertip with the inscription, even my life force was almost disrupted. When the assessment comes, how about we have a soul pressure duel to see who is superior?"
Following closely behind, a young woman in a light blue dress walked gracefully in. Her features were serene and elegant, her skin as white as morning snow, and her eyes held a ethereal light that seemed to intertwine the past and the future. She offered no elaborate pleasantries, simply standing a step to Qin Yu's side, her voice soft and gentle as a breeze rustling through jade:
Ning Yao.
She gazed at Qin Yu for a long time, a faint hesitation appearing between her brows. "I have glimpsed a similar afterimage of your soul waves within my own illusory sea of destiny."
The fourth person did not approach, but stood a few steps away. His white robes were spotless, and he lightly held a Fate Brush in his hand. His face was refined and otherworldly, and his expression was indifferent and aloof.
"Xi He," he spoke slowly, "The five of us are all candidates for the outer sect assessment of the Eternal Palace. If you are not here for the assessment, then we would be being presumptuous. If we are all on this path..."
He paused briefly, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.
"Then you are probably the most unbelievable person among our batch of candidates."
The last person arrived slowly, exuding a chilling aura that overwhelmed the myriad souls floating around him. The man was dressed in a long, dark gray robe, his figure slender and aloof, with a reverse line between his brows etched like a cold blade. He stopped and remained silent when he was three zhang away from Qin Yu.
All eyes fell on him, Xi He smiled faintly as he explained, "This is Yan Guici, who cultivates the Great Dao of Counter-Fate and is proficient in the Counter-Fate Theory and the reversal of cause and effect. He is naturally taciturn, so fellow Daoist need not take offense."
Yan Guici raised his eyes, his cold gaze sweeping over Qin Yu, his voice as frosty as the falling moon. "What you said just now on stage was not the tone a cultivator at the Fate Beginning Realm should have."
Qin Yu Anran as he met his gaze. "But I have already said it."
After hearing this, Yan Guici said nothing more, but the corners of his lips curled up slightly, as if he had silently accepted the reply.
The five people stood in a semi-circle, surrounding Qin Yu in the center. There was no hostility between them, only the Fate Soul Cultivators to perceive and assess, and an invisible Daoist aura slowly flowed among them.
Cang Li spoke again, "We are heading to the Eternal Questioning Corner Domain of the Abyss-Questioning Floating Realm, which is one of the examination venues for the Eternal Palace assessment. There is still a section of the journey ahead where the Fate Soul Core. If you also wish to participate in the assessment, you might as well travel with us."
Qin Yu nodded slightly. "Okay."
"Then let's set off." Yuchi Liuyan smiled broadly. "Rumor has it that there's a 'Propositional Array' within the Corner Domain, where you must write down the answers to thirty soul-searching questions within half a day. If you fail, you'll be directly expelled by the torrent of logic."
"It's just a rumor." Xi He shook his head slightly. "The rules for each assessment change every year. The one circulating this time is an open-ended competition, and a soul-pressure betting battle might even happen."
Ning Yao's voice was soft yet solemn. "In previous sessions, many examinees suffered the collapse of their soul source and the complete destruction of their Dao foundation here."
The five of them exchanged words that revealed the great importance they placed on this Eternal Palace selection. They came here not only to seek acceptance into the sect, but also to embark on their own unique Dao Path of Fate Soul cultivation.
Qin Yu walked silently among the crowd, and no one knew that the true question in his heart never needed to be verified by an examination.
Rather, it is this vast world that will ultimately prove its existence.
North of the Wenyan Main City and the Extreme Central Soul Domain, the light of the sky falls in three folds, and the nine paths of destiny stretch across the void.
A vast river of souls, spanning ten thousand soul domains, surged forth from the crisscrossing land of the Nine Abysses, spreading and rising along the spatial laws of heaven and earth, converging upon countless layers of destiny, and condensing into a magnificent Soul Hall that stretches across the universe.
That is -- Questioning Derivation Eternal Palace.
It is not constructed of earth, wood, bricks, and tiles, but is forged from pure logic. It is the supreme core of the entire Questioning Derivation Floating Island's Fate Soul system.
This place has no walls or doors, yet three thousand star ropes bearing destiny texts hang down, like celestial books suspended upside down, descending from the outer layer of floating logical clouds to the Soul Platform in the lower realm. Each star rope carries the will and obsession of countless questioners, serving as both the root of Fate Soul trials and the long road of self-examination that countless seekers yearn for.
The Eternal Palace itself comprises nine pavilions across three realms, suspended on distinct logical coordinates. Each pavilion possesses a unique form, spontaneously arising from the Daoist themes and rhythms within. Some resemble unfurled scrolls, others interwoven like a boundless web of souls, some as clear as a mirror-like lake, and still others transform into endless swirling vortices. This scene perfectly reflects the very foundation upon which the Eternal Palace was founded:
"No fixed formulas are applied, no techniques are taught; only the logic of propositions is used to convey the true heart of the soul's inquiry."
On the lower level of the Eternal Palace, above the Soul Sea Void Platform Eternal Questioning Corner Domain, thousands of figures were already gathered. Countless cultivators floated in the air, layer upon layer, each soul breath reaching the Limit of the Fate Seed Realm, all being peerless soul seedlings selected from various floating realms.
The once-in-a-century Questioning Derivation Eternal Palace disciples begins here.
The scene was filled with all sorts of beings: nobles of the domain clans, dressed in ancient attire; Fate-Constructing Spirit Race, their souls partially translucent; creatures of the Devouring Path, burdened with remnants of their lives and parasitic inhabitants; and silent cultivators, their life uttered in uncertain words, their eyes empty and bewildered. In everyone's heart, there was a thought: to leave their own traces of their souls at the Question of the Eternal Palace, and to establish their own proposition.
In the very center of the Eternal Questioning Corner Domain stands a magnificent platform, seemingly forged from crystal, named [Logic Abyss Platform]. This is the first level of the assessment. Only by stepping onto this platform can one enter the Fundamental Question Beginning Domain and undergo the Fate Soul- matching trial set up by the Eternal Palace Elder.
Amidst the vast sea of people, Qin Yu, along with Cang Li, Xi He, Yuchi Liuyan, Ning Yao, Yan Guici, walked slowly to the front edge of the Guangtai Terrace.
The surrounding noise was like a vast ocean, and they were as if they were in the eye of a storm. Even though they were just a few seekers of the Fate Beginning Realm, starting from here, they were about to embark on a long path of Fate Soul that was enough to shake the entire Logic Main Realm.
In the center of the Logic Abyss Platform, within the crystalline domain surrounded by countless soul lights, the sound of footsteps slowly rose, piercing through the cacophony of the air.
The radiant light slowly faded, and all sounds returned to Ji Ran.
A middle-aged man dressed in a long robe with black and white stripes walked slowly out from the depths of the soul light, his feet stepping on the illusory patterns of the Questioning Style. His eyes were sharp as a blade, yet there was not a trace of agitation or pressure around him. The soul-shaking energy did not leak out, but tens of thousands of cultivators on and off the stage involuntarily became solemn and lowered their heads slightly.
His voice did not resonate in the void, but instead fell directly into the depths of the consciousness of each examinee:
"My name Ling Dao, and I am the chief examiner for this year's Eternal Palace disciple assessment."
"You who stand here today on the Logic Abyss Platform are all Fate Soul selected from various floating realms. However, whether you can truly step into the Questioning Derivation Eternal Palace has nothing to do with your origins, your lineage, or your status."
"The only proof is whether you are qualified to write your own proposition in this world."
His gaze swept across the entire arena, and he raised his hand to point to the three vast soul domain rifts behind the Logic Abyss Platform, which were the entrances to the Triple Trial Domain.
"The assessment is divided into three stages; only by passing all three stages can one gain entry to the Eternal Palace."
"The first stage: a duel-style soul battle. You will enter the Logic Abyss Construct Domain to engage in a contest of Fate Soul pressure. This battle is not merely a contest of physical combat, but a clash between the inner logic of your soul source and the cognition of others."
"The second stage is propositional reasoning. Within the Fate Speech Floating Realm, write down a proposition that is unique to yourself, and use a complete logical system to prove its validity. Once the proposition is set, it cannot be changed; if the deduction fails, it will be directly eliminated."
"The third ring, the Soul Structure. This concretizes one's own proposition, condensing it into a functional Soul Structure. It can be weapons, battle formations, Daoist principles, or mental states of mind. As long as it possesses readability and the power to bear the proposition, it is considered qualified."
"Those who succeed in all three trials will be granted a novice disciple's life scroll and will enter the Initial Law Soul Domain the Eternal Palace to officially begin their cultivation of the Great Dao of Life Source. Anyone who fails in even one stage will be barred from entering the Eternal Palace."
He paused slightly, his gaze lowered, carrying a hint of cold solemnity:
"This is not an ordinary selection process for spiritual practice; it is a selection determined by destiny."
"The Annihilation Epoch Realm does not nurture the wasted lives, nor does it accept the false souls. Whether or not you should exist in this world is a decision for you to make."
As soon as he finished speaking, he stood up and flicked his sleeves. On the Logic Abyss Platform, three transparent portals of destiny slowly emerged, and soul bridges rose from the bottom of the void, guiding all beings to the first ring [Logic Construct Combat Soul Domain].
The souls of countless examinees trembled, and murmurs of discussion rose and fell. Qin Yu and the five new acquaintances stood at the boundary of the first trial, about to face their first real confrontation upon entering the Eternal Palace.
The moment Qin Yu and the five examinees stepped into the first trial arena along with the flow of fate, the Logic Abyss Platform beneath their feet suddenly shattered, transforming into thousands of life bridges that sent each examinee into their own independent soul battle domains.
The life bridge beneath Qin Yu's feet shattered inch by inch, and with a sway, he fell into a desolate world that resembled a broken abyss.
The sky here was a hazy gray, with heavy, low-hanging clouds obscuring the sun and moon, and no lanterns illuminating the surrounding area. The void was filled with the scars of ancient battles between dead souls, sealed at the edge of the sea of consciousness by a faint causal stigma.
This is the [Fate Source Rending Pressure Field] that Eternal Palace specifically created for the duel trial.
Directly ahead, a tall figure slowly materialized. It was a Soul Warrior covered in crimson armor, with soul flames burning fiercely within his eyes. Intricate and intertwined destiny diagrams coiled around his soul body. He had been immersed in the peak of the Fate Beginning Realm for a long time, and his soul source was profound and deep, far beyond that of ordinary cultivators.
In the void, a deep, resonant soul echoed:
The fateful showdown has been sealed.
"The two teams facing off are Qin Yu and Luo Qizhan."
"The victor will be granted entry into the Second Soul Inquiry Ring of the Eternal Palace. The loser will be stripped of their Soul Inquiry Register and expelled from the Abyss Platform."
As the soul echo dissipated, the life pressure seal instantly spread out, isolating the two within this independent domain of pressure confrontation.
Luo Qizhan let out a cold laugh, his gaze sharp as a knife. "I've heard you're the one who recklessly inscribed your name on the Fate -Fate-Inquiring Platform. Today I'll let you know that not just anyone can leave their mark on the Questioning Derivation Eternal Palace."
Before he finished speaking, his hands moved rapidly, forming hand seals, and his soul source exploded within him.
"Soul Skill: Nine Consecutive Blood Rends - Fifth Form!"
A crimson giant claw tore through the void and roared in, folding and twisting space layer by layer, heading straight for Qin Yu's heart, intending to crush his opponent's soul into ashes.
Qin Yu stood rooted to the spot, without moving an inch.
He slowly raised his right hand, and a simple, ancient ring-shaped soul pattern slowly appeared in his palm, his fingertip gently pointing outwards.
"Silent Ring, Return to the Abyss Diagram, First Form - Soul Suppression."
An invisible ripple of ethereal light spread outwards, instantly enveloping the entire trajectory of that soul skill. The previously ferocious Blood Claw, upon reaching three inches in front of Qin Yu, collided with an irresistible force of soul anchor, abruptly freezing before collapsing layer by layer and annihilating.
Qin Yu remained silent, and the Silent Ring in his palm began to rotate once more.
"Second Form: Reflecting Gate Tower."
The surrounding void folded into a boundless mirror, reflecting Luo Qizhan's entire soul body. Qin Yu used the mirror to reflect the soul, penetrating all of the opponent's life trajectory and seeing through the soul skill at a glance. He realized that this soul skill was merely a later imitation and incomplete version, and that the true soul core origin had not been mastered.
The mirror trembled slightly, and the imbalance in Luo Qizhan soul source suddenly caused numerous rifts to erupt.
"Pfft--!" Luo Qizhan spat out a mouthful of blood and staggered backward.
"What kind of magic is this?!"
Qin Yu said calmly, "The techniques you've cultivated are insufficient to challenge me."
"Third Form: Ring Descent."
The entire cracked pressure field collapsed inward, and the void transformed into an endless vortex abyss. Luo Qizhan's soul was locked within the logical core, sinking uncontrollably downward, his life chart violently fluctuating, and all the Dao order around him spiraling out of control.
In an instant, his soul collapsed, his destiny chart completely crumbled, and he was forcibly thrown out of this battlefield of logic, thus being stripped of all his qualifications for the assessment.
The echoing of the void resounded once more, reverberating throughout this desolate abyss:
"The duel is over." "Qin Yu wins." "The Abyss Platform Logic Approval Seal is hereby awarded."
A semi-transparent Soul Seal naturally condensed from the void's laws and gently landed on the surface of Qin Yu's soul consciousness, transforming into a faint quasi-imprint ring.
From Qin Yu's perspective, she never activated the Source Power of her natal Fate Soul. She suppressed her opponent's sea of consciousness and shattered his destiny chart with just the Three Forms of Silent Ring.
He immediately turned around and strode towards the entrance to the next level of the test. The shattered Soul Rend behind him slowly closed, as if the battle of Fate Soul that had just taken place had never happened. Ahead lay the second ring: the Logic Questioning Floating Realm.