As the light of annihilation faded, the Epoch Origin Void Domain reopened.
The following morning, the Hall of the Void reappeared in the field of vision of billions of cultivators in the Source of Epochless. As the Annihilation Realm Array rotated, eight figures slowly stepped out from the Silent Light Crack in the center of the Ring Erosion Ruined Realm.
Qin Yu, Yunyi, Wang Long, Heng Yan, Luo Qingluan Gui Ming Luo Chu Linyou Ji Chen, and Ji Chen returned through the air. Although their figures bore traces of dust and old wounds, the calm aura that had settled from the battlefield silenced the observation layer of the Void Palace for a moment.
A moment later, cheers swept in like a tidal wave.
"It's them! Qin Yu and the others are back!"
"They... they really fought their way out of the Ring Erosion Ruined Realm alive!"
"All eight members returned? This is an unprecedented record!"
Disciples from all halls of the Source of Epochless, spectators, transdimensional transcendents, ancient True Immortal, contemporary emperors, and even the legendary Dao Ancestor all expressed their shock, admiration, or somber silence in their own ways.
In the sky, the starry sky shimmered, and dozens of observation arrays were activated in layers. The observer layer was rereading the ownership data of the three items: the "Key of Annihilation Judgment," the "Remnant Construct Soul Crystal," and the "Cause-Observing Mirror Wheel." The results caused a sensation throughout the entire region.
All three items were now in Qin Yu's camp. Those forces that had initially sneered at Qin Yu in the early stages of the competition could only grit their teeth in disbelief.
Some people spoke sarcastically, some looked livid, and some simply turned and left.
But the majority of the comments were heartfelt praise and respect.
"Qin Yu... the true protagonist of this year's Epoch Origin Martial Tournament."
"If he survives, he will be the one to write the Source of Epochless the future."
Meanwhile, Eternal Evolution Realm Hall.
Yan Yue quietly before the Observation Soul Mirror, her soul robes gleaming, her eyes slightly lowered.
Zi Xue, standing beside him, gazed silently at Qin Yu's figure, then chuckled softly, "Sister Yan Yue... did you see him?"
Yan Yue did not speak, but a faint light seemed to flicker in her eyes—the clear ripples after her Fate Soul had just awakened, and—the emotional ripples of "Qin Yu".
Shu Xunyan remained seated before the adjudicating table, his observation token twitching slightly. Looking at the conclusion "The Three Things Cause Annihilation to Return to One" that appeared above the hall, his gaze was calm, yet undeniably gratified. "He succeeded."
At this moment, above the Void Palace, on the Annihilation Realm Platform, a man wearing a seven-layered robe slowly appeared.
Epoch Origin Sequence Lord's Decree Executor, Liu Zhen.
His voice, imbued with authority, echoed throughout the entire Epoch Origin Void Domain:
"The second round of the 'Ring Erosion Ruined Realm' Annihilation Cause Item-Seizing Trial,' is now officially announced:"
First place went to Qin Yu's team.
"The three Cause Annihilation- level items: [Remnant Construct Soul Crystal - Construct Abyss Fragmented Page], [Origin Cause Root Seal - Silent Construct Cause Core], and [Cause-Observing Mirror Wheel],"
All items were collected by this faction.
"According to the Epoch Origin Law Codex —those who achieve this will immediately be eligible for promotion, have priority in the selection of Jiyuan Guards, and will be in the final battle—"
"He is known as the 'Source of Epochless - Current Epoch Chosen Executor'." In an instant, the entire Era Domain was shaken to its core.
Meanwhile, in another secluded Dark Domain Temple, isolated from the Epoch Origin Void Domain, two figures sat quietly before the Ash Construct Platform, gazing at the scene of Qin Yu eight companions returning in glory, projected into the air.
Feng Li's face Sha Qi murderous intent, her fingertips gripping the edge of the Soul Mirror in front of her so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
The moment the radiance of the Key of Annihilation Judgment reflected back onto Qin Yu in the mirror, Feng Li suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood mist, his sea of consciousness trembled violently, and even the soul chain on his back began to crack slightly.
"Useless... useless!! All the people I arranged—cultivation, Soul Arts, logical traps, Heavenly Net sealing chains... not a single one survived?!"
"E Zhen, Heng Nian, Lü Tan, Lan Guilian, Yuan Zhi... all wiped out! All wiped out?!!!!"
He was consumed by rage and nearly broke free of the shackles of his consciousness. A powerful wave of annihilation surged from his body. If it weren't for the simultaneous vibration of the Eightfold Soul-Sealing Diagram behind him, Feng Li's soul would likely have exploded into ashes at that moment.
His expression was twisted, like a ferocious beast Soul Annihilation of its fangs, enraged to the extreme, yet unable to find a target to retaliate against.
However--
Yu Yuance, on the other side, remained quietly seated throughout.
His eyes sank into darkness, as if he were pondering, or perhaps waiting for a more distant deduction. He remained silent, only slightly turning his head to glance indifferently at the projected phantom image as Feng Li roared in fury.
That was Qin Yu's figure standing in the void, backlit, his gaze as steady as an abyss.
Yu Yuance slightly curled his lips and said softly:
"... I did underestimate you."
"But—this was just a test. You won the small round, but they lost, not me."
Having said that, he said no more. He simply and gently put a black fragment of destiny into his sleeve, on which were faintly engraved several names that had already been obliterated. He was waiting for the next round.
Just as the heated discussion and cheers from the audience had not yet subsided, [Sequence Lord's Decree Executor Liu Zhen], the highest Adjudicator of the Epoch Origin Martial Tournament, suddenly changed his expression slightly.
A dark blue, cryptic pattern appeared in his eyes, as if an unspeakable force was issuing a command from beyond the Soul Realm. He rose solemnly, raised his right hand, and his voice boomed like a resounding bell:
"Quiet--!"
The scene fell Ji Ran.
Liu Zhen's gaze swept across the entire room, finally settling on Qin Yu, his tone solemn:
"By order of the Origin Venerable Judge, Qin Yu, immediately follow me into the inner hall."
"All other successful participants and contestants are forbidden from leaving the cultivation zone for seven days. After seven days, the Epoch Origin War - Final Chapter will officially begin!"
The words had barely left his lips when the entire hall trembled. Everyone understood the meaning behind the telepathic message, "The Origin Venerable Judge."
It represents the supreme will of judgment in the entire Observation Sequence of the Source of Epochless!
That was Tong Ning, the [Observation Sovereign] who even beings in the Annihilation Lord Realm and the Only Book Realm had to bow down to.
For a time, countless observers, True Immortal, Heavenly Emperor, and Dao Ancestor were discussing it endlessly. No one understood why Tong Ning, who was said to never directly interfere with the competition process, would take the initiative to name Qin Yu after the second round ended.
"Could it be for that earth-shattering strike... 'No Perception, Myriad Extinctions'?"
"Or is it because he obtained three artifacts?"
"Even... related to that 'Key of Annihilation Judgment'?"
Everyone's hearts were churning, but Qin Yu merely raised his chin slightly, glanced at Yunyi and Wang Long and the others, nodded lightly, and then strode into the void with Liu Zhen, disappearing from everyone's sight.
At this moment, the curtain of the entire battle was quietly drawn back.
The moment Qin Yu stepped into the void passage, the world suddenly changed.
He arrived at the highest level of the Judgment Realm of the Source of Epochless: the Abyss Abyss-Observing Judgment Domain.
This place is the only hall in the entire Source of Epochless constructed entirely by the "Will of the Observer."
It is the source of all technical trials, logical final judgments, and the right to Existence Denial.
This is not a grand hall in the ordinary sense.
It does not exist entirely in three-dimensional spacetime.
Instead, it spans the four realms of reconstruction: the summit of the Abyss of Souls, the Mirror of Causes, the Ring of Judgment, and the Undefined Realm of Time.
The entire palace is approximately 30,000 ji lun (a unit of length, approximately 10,000 hectares) high, with its dome seemingly endless and its foundation invisible.
It's as if the trunk of thought has grown from the "deep sea of observational concepts".
The outer walls of the palace were not made of bricks, stones, crystals, or divine gold, but rather of strips:
"The chain of cause and effect that has been judged"
Formed by intertwining, layering, and crisscrossing, every inch of the wall resonates with billions of futures that have already been denied.
And its outermost surrounding,
This is the triple indestructible judgment law --
The first ring: the barrier of Sever Thought all subjective deductions.
The second ring: the Contemplating the Realm Chain Wheel, which records the causal origins of all construction techniques.
The third ring: the mirror of Ji Lü, once projected, can bring all phenomena back to zero for examination.
Qin Yu stepped into the inner domain, but the "ground" beneath his feet was not solid.
Instead, it is formed by the unfolding of Soul Transformation- element diagrams.
As you walk on it, with each step you take, the "logic patterns" of the skills you have used will appear under your feet, as if your past life is being replayed.
The entire inner hall is arranged in a stepped, tiered fashion, composed of numerous floating platforms, observation mirrors, rubbings of inscriptions, and deductive corridors.
At the very top of countless steps, a towering "Soul Mirror of Judgment," hundreds of billions of feet tall, was slowly rotating.
With each rotation, a layer of logical fog is peeled away from the entire Source of Epochless.
Before that mirror, in the Thought Stillness —a figure stood in the center of the illusory light.
Her aura seemed to be an integral part of the entire palace itself; she possessed no imposing power, yet the heavens and earth dared not utter a sound.
She is [Origin Venerable Judge - Tong Ning].
At this moment, Qin Yu's steps finally stopped at a silent domain of life patterns, where light, causality, and future lines were all locked in.
Above the void observation platform of [Abyss-Observing Judgment Domain],
As soon as the judicial whirlwind ended, Liu Zhen stood behind Qin Yu, bowing respectfully.
In that instant, the three layers of the dome's barrier of Sever Thought slowly closed.
A deep yet unyielding voice descended from the summit of the Soul Mirror:
"Liu Zhen, step back."
The sound seemed to come from beyond time and space.
It lacks any dramatic ups and downs, yet carries an Ultimate tone of "fate has already been decided."
Liu Zhen dared not say more, only replying softly, "I will obey your wishes."
The next moment, his figure merged into the chains of law, disappearing Wuhen.
At this moment, only the two of them were facing each other in the main hall.
⸻
Qin Yu looked up, and the woman hovering beneath the "Mirror of Soul Contemplating the Realm" finally slowly turned around—
Her appearance cannot be described as simply "beautiful".
She was like a fragment of judgment emerging from the depths of logical Annihilation.
Every facial contour is perfectly formed, as if it were a kind of perfect yet incomprehensible "structural framework."
Her skin was like a mirror, yet without luster, resembling "Mirror Crystal" refined from the realm of aesthetics.
Her hair was a blend of dark gray and silver-white, falling to her waist, each strand wrapped with a faint observation chain.
And her eyes—were the true heart of the entire hall.
In his right eye, the nine-layered chain imprint resembled a legal judgment loop, blocking all future deductions;
His left eye, however, was an endless abyss of consciousness, capable of seeing through any false constructs and true thoughts.
These eyes are the true manifestation of the [Triple Chain-Severing Pupil].
Anyone who is gazed upon by her will have their soul consciousness automatically generate flaws and paradoxes without her having to lift a finger.
She just stood there, quietly watching Qin Yu.
It's as if you're examining an unknown universe.
She was tall and slender with clean lines, wearing a grey and gold robe.
The two characters "Guanyuan" embroidered on it cannot be held in the eye for long; a brief glance at them will cause a sense of cognitive dissonance.
What's even more terrifying is that she looks to be only around twenty-eight years old, with a serene face and cold lips.
Yet it possesses an inherent divine logic that "tramples all those who make predictions underfoot."
That was the Orthodox God originating from the ultimate realm of Supreme Silent Mystery Realm.
The ultimate judge's will that transcends technique, Fate Soul, causality, and time.
Before her, Does Not Exist "enemy," "friend," "good," or "evil," only whether or not one is "worthy of existence."
For the first time, Qin Yu felt an oppressive force that he could not overcome through fighting or words.
He knew that the Origin Venerable Judge before him, named "Tong Ning," was a judge.
Even if she does nothing, as long as she gives the order, any existence in the Source of Epochless can be deleted in the next breath.
Even he himself was no exception. The air was so still it was as if logic itself had been frozen.
The next moment, Tong Ning slowly spoke.