Deep within the Eternal Evolution Realm Hall, on the seventh level of the Epoch Core.
This is one of the regions with the most stable flow of time in the entire known structure of the Source of Epochless. The palace walls are like floating walls of broken boundaries, engraved with the logic of countless ages. The light has no source, yet it reflects the soul consciousness sequence behind every thought. Qin Yu and Yan Yue were placed in the quiet area on the south side of the "Source Observation Hall". Their residence was not large, but it was constructed by "adaptive construct stones" that could automatically shape according to the fluctuations of soul consciousness to form the most suitable spacetime structure.
At this moment, there was no wind in the hall, and a ray of sunlight, captured by the sliver of sunlight, quietly spread across the altar, as if the unfinished will of the past was still watching.
Fuyao approached slowly.
He was still draped in a cloak, the time flowing in layers beneath it. His eyes were pupil-less, yet a subtle light shimmered within them. He brought no one with him, nor did he make a sound. He simply stood before the hall, looking at Qin Yu and Yan Yue, and nodded gently.
"The investiture is complete, and the mandate is established. From this moment forward, you are officially members of the Eternal Evolution Realm Hall."
His voice was extremely calm, without a trace of ceremony, as if he were saying acquiescence to fate.
Qin Yu and Yan Yue did not respond, but simply sat at the table, slightly raising their eyes, waiting for him to speak.
Fuyao stared at them for a long time before continuing:
"Your path is unorthodox. But precisely because of this, you must understand—in this temple, no rule will protect you."
He waved his hand, and a layer of patterns appeared in the void, filled with intersecting diagrams of fate paths and permission lines.
"The Eternal Evolution Realm Hall, though named a 'realm,' is in reality the 'Unique Structural Order Field of the Epoch Origin.' This is not a sect, not Lineage, not a lineage—it is a grand hall transcending all dimensions of existence."
"We don't train disciples; we train 'discipline enforcers'—those capable of enacting rules, controlling time, and reshaping destinies."
"Now that you have passed the inquiry, the observation, and the sealing of the record, everything that follows is no longer under my control."
Fuyao's gaze slowly swept over the two of them, his expression becoming slightly serious for the first time:
"Struggle is permitted here."
"All those within the cycle are attempting to ascend to the 'Ever-Evolving Authority Hierarchy' to gain higher authority and more control over their time. You will receive missions, and you will also be targeted by traps. Some will join forces with you, while others will try to secretly tear apart the components of your destiny, just to remove the 'Chains of the Cycle' from your hands."
"Your names will be recorded in the annals; your future will become a prelude to others' destinies. Some will study the composition of your souls, while others will disguise themselves as your allies, all to frame, tamper with, and erase your plans when you are at your weakest."
Fuyao spoke very slowly, as if drawing lessons from a thousand-year-old sea of time.
"But if you can survive. If you can tear apart the designs of others, crush the gaps in the rules, and rip open the tracks outside the propositions within this great hall—then you will not be disciples, but—the future 'Reformers of the Era'."
His gaze, like a sleight of hand under a gnomon, fell upon the two of them.
"This is how the Eternal Evolution Realm Hall survives."
He glanced at Qin Yu one last time, paused for a few breaths, then looked at Yan Yue: "In this hall, apart from the hall gate mission, everything else is up for grabs. If anyone challenges your status, even if you kill them, you don't need to explain to anyone."
"Of course," he changed the subject, adding calmly, "If you make a single mistake, and someone severs your chains or tampers with your soul source... no one will come to your rescue."
"Ji Ge is unworthy of being saved."
Having finished speaking, Fuyao flicked his sleeve and slowly withdrew from the Source Observation Hall, fading away like the wind outside the door, gently dispersed by time itself. Only silence remained in the hall, the light unmoved, the orbit unaltered, but deep within the orbit of destiny, infused with the Seal of the Era, a truly cruel trial within the era had quietly begun.
After Fuyao left, Source Observation Hall fell silent once again.
The palace doors closed softly, without a sound, even the lingering traces of time in the air slowly dissipating. The entire residence seemed to have been emptied, leaving only two clear silhouettes standing in the hall: Yan Yue silent, and Qin Yu was equally still. Neither of them had underestimated this opportunity to observe and learn, but now, they saw the true outline of this Eternal Evolution Realm Hall—
It's not a grand hall, but a book of discipline waiting to be filled in by others.
Their existence is merely a "variable" that is still under development and not yet finalized.
Qin Yu turned slightly to the side, glanced at Yan Yue, and spoke softly:
"This isn't outside."
Yan Yue gently, her fingers slowly tracing the Annihilation Dawn Wheel Seal at her waist. Her gaze fell on the lingering traces of Ji Guang floating in the corner of the palace, her voice calm and clear:
"In the Spirit Firmament Annihilation Abyss, power determines life and death; but here, even the very concept can be manipulated and destroyed."
Qin Yu looked at the fragment of a palace notice that had appeared on the table. It was a permission notification left by Fuyao before he left, and one line of text was flashing softly:
[The New Era Begins: The Battle of the New Warriors - Three days from now - Officially to be held at the "Shiyu Demonstration Arena"]
He chuckled softly, a laugh devoid of sarcasm, yet utterly devoid of any ease:
"They wanted to embarrass us, so they went to great lengths to set us up."
Yan Yue turned to look at him and said calmly, "We'll give them a chance."
The light in her eyes shifted gently, sharp as a blade, like a mirror.
"However... this time, who will be exposed in the midst of the scheme may not be determined by them."
Qin Yu remained silent, only raising his hand to point, and the seal of knowledge slowly emerged in his palm, its light like scales, moving like chains beneath his skin.
Then he withdrew his palm and said calmly:
"Survival within this era isn't about cultivation level. It's about who sees whose 'deleted page of the future' first."
The two looked at each other, neither saying a word.
The next moment, the light of dawn flickered, the Annihilation Abyss, and the sealing runes around the Source Observation Hall automatically closed. Their soul instincts had begun to make the earliest arrangements for the battle three days later—no, for the "Clash of the Chains" three days later.
Meanwhile, on a distant level of the palace gates, Feng Li received a sundial token from Yu Yuance, a smile playing on her lips. Talents, soul skills, destiny trajectories, weaknesses... they were confident they knew everything about the two of them.
But they never realized that those two people were never written about by anyone; rather, they were primal forces beyond the scope of any proposition.
In the stillness of the Eternal Evolution Realm Hall, for the first time, Jige began to tremble quietly.
The path that belongs to Qin Yu and Yan Yue will no longer be hidden.
Three days later, the sundial reached the end of the ninth ring as scheduled, and the gate to the Shiyu Demonstration Arena slowly opened on the sixth level of the Eternal Evolution Realm Hall.
This is the most stable, fair, and calm battleground within the era. Legend has it that on the day the Epoch Core was first written, the first clash of destinies took place here. Now, the arena reopens, not for the era's established battles, but because of two "outsider builders" who have not been assigned their destinies, drawing the attention of the entire Eternal Evolution Realm Hall.
Within the Shiyu Demonstration Arena, nine layers of light steps float, and in the center of the arena is a rotating epoch stone plate, on which are engraved the "Epochal Structure" and the "Life Chain Law Seal". Whenever the competition begins, this plate will automatically read the existence logic, permission remnants and skill composition of the participants, and record the generation of every skill and the destruction of every soul consciousness for the entire arena.
Qin Yu and Yan Yue entered quietly.
They came side by side, without any companions, without speaking.
Around the arena, on the floating platform, disciples from over a hundred eras had gathered, all of them of various ranks within the Eternal Evolution Realm Hall, some observing, some mocking, some indifferent, some doubtful. Feng Li had already been waiting on the "fourth level of the Observation Rank," a "Logic Verification Mirror Ring" hanging beside him, a smile hidden at the corner of his mouth, his eyes like a snake. He whispered, "Let's see if their first step can allow them to step onto the Epoch Plate."
Yu Yuance did not appear, but he had already uploaded the "Destiny Track Delay Seal", "Technical Legality Comparison Book", and "Ji Dou Component Feedback Order" to the backstage system of the performance venue in advance. Now, he only needs to wait for the two to release the first move, and then he can launch an attack according to the rules.
Of the two, Qin Yu's steps remained unchanged, his eyes cold. The remnants of the "Fate Cause Master Seal" seal behind him slowly sank into his body, as if everything was prepared, just waiting for the battle to begin on the front lines. He did not show any signs of gathering strength, but with each step he took, the field beneath his feet trembled slightly.
Yan Yue calm, and Dawn Wheel did not appear. However, as her long hair fluttered, an unresolved light vein appeared in the void, as if it was trying to probe into the depths of the epochal structure.
In her mind's eye, lines of "embedded components," "restrictive structures," and "component reflection lines" were appearing one by one. She knew that Yu Yuance had already taken action.
But she neither moved, nor refused, nor retreated.
Without uttering a single word, he stepped into Jipan and rectified his mind.
At that moment, the entire performance venue's Time Vessel Floating Light suddenly vibrated, and a self-discipline progress bar rose from beneath their feet:
[Observer trajectory integration complete]
[Logic tracing synchronized; Soul Chain stable; Technique annotation rights temporarily activated]
The crowd outside the arena paled – they had thought the two would fail the track chain verification, but to their surprise – Epoch Core actually admitted their existence!
Feng Li frowned. "This shouldn't be... Our first chain is clearly..."
Before he could finish speaking, Qin Yu slowly raised his eyes from his heart, his gaze devoid of sorrow or joy, as if looking at an empty city.
He spoke softly, but his first words were like the cracking of a metal plate:
"Now that the performance is on, who wants to try first?"
As the voice faded, He Huilin stepped out from the opposite platform, holding a seal that read "Prison-Sealing Epoch Seal," and carrying chains on his back, as if the Supervisor himself had arrived.
Meanwhile, on the other side, the mirror image appeared, and a woman in white slowly emerged, her eyes reflecting only Yan Yue. The Soul Sea Mirror had already silently opened.
Above the Shiyu Demonstration Arena, in the center of the nine-ringed platform, the light of the Epoch Core slowly rose, and nine "Source Core Seats" appeared from the top of the arena. These were the true central will of the Eternal Evolution Realm Hall, and only those who held the rank of Elder or above could attend to them.
Several streaks of light from the Time Domain appeared in the air, followed by six figures with different clothing patterns, auras, and life trajectory fluctuations, who descended upon the summit of Guanhuan by stepping on the sundial.
The six elders of the Eternal Evolution Realm Hall are all at least at the Annihilation Lord Realm, and at least three of them have the authority to temporarily mobilize the "Epoch Core for revision." Their every move and word is enough to shake the order of the sealed era.
As soon as they appeared, all the disciples in the arena bowed their heads and stood at attention, and the seals on their seals vibrated automatically to show their respect.
The elders took their seats, saying little, but each began to observe and interpret. Some were indifferent, some were wary, and some had unfathomable eyes, as if they were examining variables they could not define.
Qiu Zhanzhen
Eternal Evolution Realm Hall, Fifth Law Judge Elder, Annihilation Lord Realm, Mid-Tier
Dressed in a black fur coat, his gaze unfocused, his voice barely audible, as jarring as the last page's footnote in a legal text:
"To have the power to impose disciplinary sanctions without a complete and binding proposition... regardless of who approved it, has already crossed the bottom line of the original law."
"I observed Qin Yu; his steps were steady, but his Soul Seal was incompatible. If it weren't for the component, it should have been deleted."
His gaze was like iron engraving pages, his tone as cold as the Terminator of Logic, clearly filled with disdain for the two of them.
Di Xuanyan]
The Eighth Elder of the Eternal Evolution Realm Hall, the First Stage of the Primordial Void Realm
Clad in a greyish-black robe, his eyes reflecting both the light of dawn and the abyss of Annihilation Abyss, he was a Grand Historian who had witnessed the trajectory of the "Annihilation Abyss First Light." He lightly tapped the floating platform before him with two fingers, looking into Yan Yue's undisguised gaze, and chuckled softly:
"That woman... her eyes were clear, her soul fearless, and before her mind even stirred, she could revive the dawn."
"If she truly comes from beyond this realm, then our 'Cause Chain Judgment System' will likely need to be rebuilt very soon."
He showed no hostility; on the contrary, he seemed to have an inexplicable appreciation, even pity, for Yan Yue.
Ying Duo
Eternal Evolution Realm Hall - Temple Guardian - Annihilation Lord Realm - Ultimate
He was the highest-ranking protector of the entire hall, with flowing white hair, carrying the "Sequence-Sealing Annihilation Pattern Shield" on his back. He had guarded the "Causal Lattice Core" for many years, always devoid of joy or anger, focusing solely on the structure of the formation. At this moment, he slightly parted his thin lips, his voice as sharp as tearing paper:
"Yu Yuance is meticulously planned, with nine intricate steps. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the odds of victory are 80%."
"But if that boy truly has no cracks as he appeared when he was instructed... this battle may collapse from the very beginning."
He respects the methods used, remaining impartial to both sides, but he has already noticed the logical flaws.
Shulunzi
Eternal Evolution Realm Hall - First Elder of the Observational Tracing - Annihilation Source Realm - Initial Stage
The only one who didn't directly observe the battlefield, instead focused intently on examining Qin Yu's life trajectory. He muttered to himself, as if studying a proposition:
"The Cause Annihilation is unknown, the trajectory is unknowable, yet it was able to traverse the blockade imposed by the authorities..."
"This is no longer a matter of Fate Soul, but a reversal of the original cause. If it has no irregular components, it can only be classified as—outside the cycle."
He wasn't interested in winning or losing, but rather in Qin Yu's "existence itself."
Ling Ye
One of the Temple Rulers of the Eternal Evolution Realm Hall, Primordial Void Realm
Her eyes were deep purple, her voice soft yet cold. Her fingertips flipped through the battle rehearsal diagrams that appeared on the screen, but she didn't look at the arena, only coldly saying:
"If they win, Yu Yuance will propose a restructuring of the system, and that's what we really need to consider."
"Winning or losing is acceptable, but we cannot allow 'the unstable Ji Yin' to gain a reputation in the palace."
Her attitude was that "it must be graded," regardless of victory or defeat.
The Silent One
Unknown name, observed only through silence, suggesting an extremely high status.
This person remained silent, his back to the battlefield. His life seal revealed a "double-layered epochal reversal rune," suggesting he was one of the "Epoch Core assessors." His presence made Feng Li, even on the seventh level of the observation stage, dare not utter a sound.
He didn't speak, but he was there.
Six elders, each with their own will, like six eyes of judgment, watched over this "logical strangulation," which was no ordinary contest.
The upper echelons of the audience are deathly silent, while the lower echelons of the stage gradually unfold the life-or-death situation.
At this moment, Qin Yu slowly raised his hand and drew out a wisp of his soul consciousness from his palm.
Yan Yue also took a step forward lightly, and a "Dawn Orbit Star Wheel" appeared beneath her feet.
They have no way out.
There is never a way out.
This battle is not about victory or defeat—it's about their right to exist in the Source of Epochless.