The Fate Ring's Acceptance · The Star Abyss Begins

The moment Qin Yu and his group of five passed through the Gate of Divine Runes, the scene before them felt as if they had stepped into the heart of another universe.

--This is the Fate-Trace Establishment Hall.

The height of the entire palace is beyond the measure of mortal standards. The dome seems to connect to the celestial Star Abyss, with trillions of stars slowly moving across it, while the inner walls are not made of ordinary stone. They are actually fragments of the Milky Way and the marrow of stars cut and condensed together. As the light flows, time and space resonate like ripples on water.

The ground is not paved with bricks and stones, but with the core crystalline traces of stars after their death. Walking on it, one can faintly hear the sound of countless Xing Ji falling silent with every step.

However, the most shocking thing was--

Ninety-nine divine pillars stand neatly arranged around the Fate-Trace Establishment Hall, like the pillars supporting the heavens of an entire era. Each pillar is hundreds of millions of feet tall, carved directly from the main vein of the Milky Way. Stars can still be seen moving within the pillars, as if sealing some ancient power. Each pillar is engraved with inscriptions and destiny symbols that do not belong to this world, as if they once sealed the spirits of gods and the soul of the final realm.

These divine pillars surround the central sky, where a magnificent starlight altar stands, like a place where fate is judged. Above the altar, there is a floating stele of shattered light, with countless life patterns faintly flashing.

Even more unexpectedly--

Surprisingly, the entire Dingdian Hall was not Emptiness.

At least thirty figures were scattered among the divine pillars, meditating, cultivating, comprehending, and contemplating. All of them were clad in starlight-infused robes, their auras unfathomable. They came from different worlds and different systems; some carried beast horns, some held talismans while seated in formations, and some had the embers of the Martian era burning in their eyes.

Without exception, all of these people remained outside the divine pillar; not one of them ascended the central altar.

When Qin Yu and the others stepped in, the solemn and silent atmosphere Fate-Trace Establishment Hall paused slightly. Several auras turned at the same time. Although they did not speak, their gazes revealed scrutiny, astonishment, inquiry, and even... vigilance.

As starlight surges, a higher-level convergence of destiny is about to unfold between the divine pillars.

The five masters of the Annihilation Abyss entered the Hall of Meditation. Their destinies would be rewritten.

As soon as Qin Yu and his group of five steadied themselves, an invisible pressure slowly spread out from the very center of the temple.

It wasn't targeted, but rather the pressure of a naturally flowing hierarchy, like the warning and gaze emanating from the Milky Way's own consciousness.

They looked up—

It was an existence beyond all imagination.

Above the central Starry Divine Altar, a throne woven from the threads of causality of the Milky Way hangs high in the air, like the seat of judges of the universe's destiny. Behind the throne, countless celestial phenomena and destinies transform into flowing runes, constructing walls of destiny and souls that reflect billions of time and space, as if with just a thought, one could deduce the rise and fall of any world.

Seated on the throne was a true being of the Epoch Origin Sovereign level.

He neither moved nor spoke.

But the battle suit he wore was actually formed from the main belt of the entire galaxy, wrapped with fragments of the Fate-Cause, and his armor flowed with brilliant firelight beyond time, faintly reflecting the dual nature of annihilation and birth.

His face was shrouded in starlight and soul light, and no one could see his true appearance. But with just one glance, Qin Yu and the others felt a sense of awe that "destiny and one's true self are all inferior to him."

This person--

He must be the true sovereign of the Immortal Source Lord Fate-Trace Establishment Hall.

Just then, a powerful figure standing beside him stepped forward.

This person was dressed in half-armored starlight battle armor, with nine star mirrors floating behind him, and a galactic battle halberd in his hand gleaming with a faint soul light. His face was cold and his posture was upright, like a guardian of the stars who had crossed the flames of war across eras.

His voice was deep and resonant, echoing throughout the palace like the beating of a drum in the Star Abyss.

"--Are you the ones who were introduced to the Fate Observation Judgement Platform by Shuangyang?"

Qin Yu and the others tensed up, all understanding the deeper meaning hidden in those words:

"The Fate Observation Judgement Platform" was not a place they knew, but rather a higher dimension, a place personally chosen by the Immortal Source Lord and guided into by the Key of Shuangyang for challengers of destiny. "And that knight just now was Shuangyang."

Yan Yue nodded gently and cupped her hands in reply, "If this is the source of the Dao, then it is precisely what we have inherited."

The halberd-wielder's eyes flickered slightly as he scanned the figures of the group. The next instant, his gaze fixed on Yunyi and Extinguished Light, his expression becoming complex and silent, as if some ancient legend had swept through his mind.

But he said nothing more, only slowly turned around and whispered to the central throne:

"The star field has just begun to open, and the observers of destiny have already arrived."

The powerful figure atop the Galactic Throne remained motionless, only slowly raising his hand. A divine rune passage formed from a sea of stars descended from beneath the throne, unfolding towards Qin Yu and the others.

A star inscription lit up in the center. "The person here does not ask about origins; since you are here, make the best of it."

On the throne, the powerful figure clad in a galactic battle armor, whose divine might eclipsed the heavens, finally spoke.

His voice was like a starry sea falling, vast and carrying an indescribable ancient cosmic quality:

"Where do you come from? How have you managed to travel to my Immortal Source Domain?"

"This is no ordinary place; only those guided by destiny can enter the abyss of my Fate Abyss."

He did not move, but as soon as he finished speaking, it seemed as if all the stars in the Fate-Trace Establishment Hall patterns shimmered on the ninety-nine Milky Way Divine Pillars.

And at that very moment--

Around the temple, the thirty powerful figures who had been sitting quietly among the divine pillars slowly opened their eyes at this moment.

In their eyes, each one contained a cosmic-level power of world-building; some burned with annihilation fire patterns, some shimmered with the halo of destiny, and many more had their souls transcend the boundaries of the realm, no longer bound by common sense.

They are no ordinary people.

Rather, they are the true determiners, observers, and guardians of destiny within Immortal Source.

Faced with such a display, Yan Yue and Zi Xue Yan Yue unmoved; Yunyi's eyes gleamed slightly, Extinguished Light's expression was indifferent.

Qin Yu stepped forward slowly, his voice calm and steady. "The five of us come from— the Source of Epochless."

Upon hearing these five words, three of the thirty powerful figures in the hall experienced a tremor in their Soul Sea, and for a brief moment, a strong resonance of memories surfaced within them.

And at that very moment, the ruler sitting on the throne of the Milky Way slowly opened his eyes.

In his eyes, billions of galaxies were reflected upside down, and a barely perceptible look of shock flashed across the Star Abyss in his pupils.

The powerful figure on the throne slowly stood up.

The cosmic battle suit rippled across his body like a sea of stars, every ray of light reflecting the map of destiny across myriad worlds. He gazed at Qin Yu and the other four, his voice resounding throughout the entire Fate-Trace Establishment Hall:

"--The Source of Epochless."

"It truly is... that transdimensional realm."

His steps were slow, but with each step he took, a starlight halo shimmered throughout the palace, as if the heavens and earth themselves were making way for him.

His gaze seemed to pierce through the depths of the five people's souls, confirming whether that lineage was real and authentic.

Then, in a low voice, he spoke with a profound and awe-inspiring power:

"There, countless cultivators, including the True Immortal Emperor, Heavenly Emperor, Dao Ancestor, and Ruler, traverse the vast expanse in search of a realm of transcendence."

"I remember... billions of years ago, a being from the Source of Epochless descended upon my Immortal Source."

"He donned the ancient robes of the Fate Soul, shattered the reversed cycle of life force, ascended to this place, and left behind a resounding oath within this hall."

His voice paused for a moment, as if recalling that scene, the starry sky in his eyes reflecting distant memories:

"After that person left, we never saw the 'Visitor from the Source Realm' again. Unexpectedly... billions of years later, you five are the first to step into it again."

As soon as these words were spoken, the Fate-Trace Establishment Hall fell into complete silence.

The thirty experts of the Dao of Fate displayed a variety of expressions. Some were shocked, some were wary, and some even lowered their heads in deep thought, as if recalling the past of that "Source One".

Yan Yue was clad in Radiant Starfrost Robe, with the sun and moon seemingly rising and falling amidst the undulating flames; Zi Xue was surrounded by flowing starlight, her phoenix eyes reflecting the starry sky; Yunyi was surrounded by three black and gold dragon soul rings, her aura extremely gloomy Annihilation Abyss; Extinguished Light was like the ruler of silent light, even time and cause and effect seemed to stand still around her.

Qin Yu stood at the very front, Azure Ring was not visible, but it seemed that the main reason had been determined long ago.

At this moment, the entire Fate-Trace Establishment Hall seemed to be sinking into a long vortex of fate.

Facing the powerful figure who commanded respect across all realms atop the throne in the temple, Qin Yu remained calm and stepped forward.

Although Azure Ring did not appear in person, an invisible soul aura rose from his sea of consciousness, seemingly resonating with the starlight of the Fate-Trace Establishment Hall.

He said in a deep voice:

"The five of us do indeed come from the Source of Epochless."

"This trip was not intended to spy on anyone, nor was it hostile."

"We did not force our way into this place, but were accidentally brought here during a leap into the Origin Domain due to the power activated by the Annihilation Abyss Original Map."

"To be more precise, we... did not arrive here directly, but rather after experiencing layers of immense pressure, including the Annihilation Heaven Overarching Realm, the Reverse-Time Soul Abyss, the Starlight Church, and the Star Annihilation Fate Palace."

"Please forgive any offense. Here, we are merely seekers of opportunity, not Realm Breaking."

These words brought another brief silence to the Fate-Trace Establishment Hall.

The wielder of the Starshine Halberd frowned and looked at the Palace Master, but remained silent.

The powerful figure on the throne stared at Qin Yu for a long time, then suddenly revealed a smile that was neither a smile nor a frown. He slowly sat down, and the karmic flow around the throne resembled a destiny chart returning to its orbit.

"The Annihilation Abyss Original Map... Ha, such an object has been lost for countless eons, yet it still manages to reappear in the world?"

"So, you and your group are 'uncertain causes' outside the orbit of fate."

His eyes held a slightly deep gleam, but his voice softened considerably.

"Within this Immortal Source, we have long since eliminated countless those who harbored ambitions and sought to pry into our territory."

"And those who seek opportunity—even those from the Source of Epochless —if you can truly traverse the Path of the Fate-Trace Establishment Hall... should not be rejected."

He raised a finger and pointed it at a rotating Fate Ring beneath the Star Throne. Instantly, a ring of myriad stars lit up the entire dome of the temple.

"Next, it will be up to 'Fate Ring Inquiry' to decide whether you are truly welcome here."

"Don't worry, this time... there won't be any more trials."

The thirty experts of the Dao of Fate slowly closed their eyes, and the pillar of light of the Milky Way flickered slightly, as everything was about to enter a higher level of fusion of Fate Traces.

The galactic map slowly rotated, and the myriad stars shone brightly on the ninety-nine divine pillars, as if the entire cosmic galaxy had condensed in that instant.

The powerful figure on the throne, seemingly the master of destiny, lightly touched the ground with his fingers.

Above the temple's dome, a semi-circular ring of starlight slowly emerged, as if carved from the very heart of the Immortal Source Galaxy. That was the "Fate Ring."

This is not any kind of test, but rather a primal response from the depths of the Immortal Source to whether the Fate-Cause an outsider is acceptable.

On the throne, the powerful figure who commanded respect across all realms spoke calmly:

"This ring is called the Fate Ring Source Seal. It is only to confirm whether your Fate-Cause is within the 'fixed genealogy' that the Immortal Source can contain."

"You only need to stand in the ring for a moment, without exerting any effort or undergoing any trial, and you will naturally settle into your coordinates. If you feel any resistance, you may turn around and leave; there will be no coercion."

Qin Yu and his group exchanged glances, their eyes showing no fear.

Yan Yue took the lead and stepped gently into the center of the Fate Ring.

In an instant, the entire temple fell silent, as if even the faint light of the fragments of the Milky Way had stopped flowing.

But in the next instant--

A purplish-black Annihilation Star slowly emerged from within the Fate Ring, followed by four beams of Fate-Cause Light:

Azure Abyss Radiance: Circulating Destiny Chart, Setting Orbits Realm Breaking.

Star Soul Dawn: The soul feathers never perish, reflecting the origin.

Annihilation Abyss: The Severed Dawn Sealing Wheel, Annihilation Never to Return.

The final radiance fades: illuminating the ultimate fate, a single thought severing the boundary.

These four rays of Fate-Cause light actively surrounded Yan Yue, Qin Yu, Zi Xue, Yunyi, and Extinguished Light, their starlight intertwining without any repulsion!

The previously impassive expression of the powerful figure on the throne finally revealed a hint of undisguised surprise:

"This... your Fate-Cause can actually cause your Fate Ring to self-order?! Such acceptance is something even those with Immortal Source Origin Blood have never experienced!"

The man wielding the Starshine Halberd murmured in disbelief:

"They... do not seem to be 'outsiders,' but rather—the inheritors of destiny."

The Milky Way Divine Pillar trembled, and the entire Fate-Trace Establishment Hall shone brightly into the sky.

On the throne of the Milky Way, the powerful figure finally rose from his seat, his gaze blazing like a thousand stars, and slowly bowed to Qin Yu and his companions:

"A traveler from the Source of Epochless..."

"Now that you have received the Fate Ring, then—come with me to see the True Lord of Immortal Source."

As soon as he finished speaking, the hall fell silent.

Qin Yu, Yan Yue, Zi Xue, Yunyi, Extinguished Light were all taken aback.

The powerful figure on the throne possessed an aura as vast as Star Abyss, his robes flowing like a silver river, and even his words echoed with the power of cause and effect. Everyone had assumed he was the True Lord of Immortal Source —but the words he uttered at that moment shattered their understanding:

He is not the true ruler.

Yan Yue's gaze narrowed slightly, Zi Xue slowly raised her eyes, Yunyi bit her lip lightly, a wisp of Extinguished Light flashed in her eyes, while Qin Yu narrowed his eyes slightly, the Azure Ring vibrating quietly in his sea of consciousness.

The man on the throne slowly rose, his gaze sweeping over the entire Fate-Trace Establishment Hall, and sighed, his words carrying a profound meaning:

"I am merely Acting Lord of Immortal Source, and the power to determine destiny is only borrowed... The true 'He' has never shown himself, nor can he be spoken of."

"And your arrival... may well trigger the moment when He truly awakens."

The thirty powerful figures in the hall, who had kept their eyes closed, simultaneously opened them. Their eyes seemed to reflect the collapse of Star Abyss, and countless Fate Ring trembled slightly. A previously unactivated Starry King's Path slowly emerged at the end of the temple.