Xingheng Guides Fate · The Purple Bamboo Opening

Fate-Trace Establishment Hall, the flowing light of the Milky Way slowly faded into silence.

The powerful figure on the throne said nothing, but slowly raised his hand and spread his five fingers.

"Boom--"

In an instant, the void at the very center of the temple trembled violently, and a cosmic galaxy teleportation array, woven from endless starlight, countless causes and effects, and time-traveling patterns, suddenly appeared. The teleportation array, like a reflection of the heavens, did not lead to a specific location, but rather seemed to connect the past and the future through a "deep chain of destiny."

The Milky Way spun, laws surged, and the shadow of nine Fate Ring appeared in the center of the light array, each ring deeper than the last. The very center ring was engraved with an unowned true seal, as if waiting for some kind of destiny master to step in personally.

"--Follow me."

The powerful figure on the throne spoke calmly, carrying an unquestionable authority.

Qin Yu and Yan Yue exchanged a glance, and Zi Xue, Yunyi, and Extinguished Light also looked solemn. The five of them stepped forward together and entered the Milky Way light array without hesitation.

At that moment, the thirty ancient figures of the Fate-Trace Establishment Hall slowly rose at the same time, all looking towards the teleportation array.

The Milky Way shone brightly, and the traces of destiny floated in the air. The teleportation array suddenly shone to its Ultimate, as if the entire era was about to sink into a sea of light.

Light and shadow intertwined, the boundaries of time and space receded beneath their feet, their footsteps seeming to tread upon the tides of an era. At that very moment—

The light barrier in front of them slowly cracked open.

Qin Yu and his group of five followed the throne-wielding powerhouse out of the light array and stepped into the threshold of another world.

The scene before them took their breath away in an instant.

It was a divine realm, utterly serene yet incredibly dreamlike.

The sky was devoid of blazing sun, stars, and moon; instead, a vast waterfall of purple-gold light cascaded down from the dome. The flow of the light waterfall resembled a reversed Milky Way, containing countless fragments of Fate-Cause, as if flowing from nine hundred million epochs, directly descending upon the hearts and souls of all beings.

Between heaven and earth, thousands of feet of purple bamboo are scattered everywhere. Each bamboo is wrapped with billions of divine patterns, and when it moves with the wind, it sounds like a low divine murmur. On the branches and leaves of the purple bamboo, there is not dew, but pure crystal fragments of law. When they drip, they sound like jade and splash up starlight of cause and effect.

Deep within the bamboo forest, floating islands appear and disappear, some entwined with star rings, some encircling the river of time, and others resembling floating fragments of a mirror world, appearing and disappearing above the forest sea, like a dream.

The ground was paved with sparkling star-shaped glass stones. With each step, tiny golden-white ripples appeared underfoot, as if one were walking on a spiritual lake formed by billions of starlight.

In the distance, white cranes carry light, divine birds soar, and ethereal butterflies flit through the forest; the air is filled with an indescribable fragrance, as if inhaling it would radiate brilliance to the soul and purify the mind.

This is not a fairyland. This is -- the Eternal Silence Spirit Domain above the Immortal Source.

Even Extinguished Light's gaze, which had already transcended countless ages, couldn't help but reveal a look of amazement at this moment, and he whispered:

"... I'm even reluctant to leave this place."

Yunyi exclaimed softly, "It's so beautiful... even more beautiful than the fairyland in my dreams."

Zi Xue closed her starry eyes slightly, as if absorbing the most primordial causal energy of heaven and earth.

Yan Yue didn't speak, but lowered her head and gently stroked the hem of her clothes. Xi Yan remained silent, as if she too had entered into that silent and eternally tranquil rhythm.

Qin Yu, however, gazed towards the deepest part of the Purple Bamboo Grove—

Amidst the deep bamboo shadows and swirling mist, a nine-tiered lotus flower faintly emerges.

All nine lotuses were forged from starlight, with layers of steps rising from the mist of the Milky Way. On each lotus petal, the true script of the Fate Realm was engraved, its radiance restrained, ancient and profound.

At the very top of the nine-layered star lotus, there sat a figure.

The man's robes trailed to the ground, his long hair cascading like a nebula, his entire being seemingly merging with the heavens and earth, still as if in Annihilation, as profound as the Primordial.

He made no movement or sound, yet it was as if he had been sitting there for countless ages.

The rules, laws, and energy of the entire Purple Bamboo Spirit Realm seemed to flow slowly around him. Even from a distance, the group felt layers of barriers that were "unapproachable" and "undeconstructable" appearing in their sea of consciousness.

The powerful figure on the throne spoke quietly, in a deep voice:

"That is the true Realm Master of the Source of Fate-Trace..."

"--Master of Fate."

Before the Nine-Layered Star Lotus, the powerful figure on the throne slowed his pace and led Qin Yu and the other four people forward at a leisurely pace.

Beneath our feet are light staircases woven from the veins of the Milky Way. With each step, a faint starlight surges, as if ascending a path through time and space, tracing back to the origin.

They finally arrived at the lotus platform.

The person remained seated with their back to the crowd, quietly sitting cross-legged atop the Starry Nine Lotus.

He did not move, nor did he emit any spiritual energy, yet the invisible pressure caused everyone present to stop in their tracks, even Extinguished Light and Yunyi showed unprecedented concentration.

The powerful figure on the throne showed reverence, bowed respectfully, and lowered his voice considerably.

"Master of Fate--"

"These individuals are those who have crossed dimensions from the Source of Epochless, carrying the Annihilation Abyss Original Map, and have arrived at the Immortal Source Origin's traces. Their destiny has brought them here."

The person on the lotus platform did not raise their head.

--It was just a slight tremor in her body.

However, this tremor was like the Milky Way rippling and an era turning back. The entire Purple Bamboo Grove was instantly filled with countless clear and rhythmic sounds, as if billions of stars were whispering, and countless layers of time and space resonated in response.

Immediately, a heavenly voice resounded simultaneously from all parts of the forest, as if it had resonated from the depths of one's heart, gentle yet irresistible:

"You may leave."

The sound faded, and the forest fell silent.

Upon hearing this, the powerful figure on the throne dared not say another word, bowed deeply, and turned to leave.

Only Qin Yu and a few others remained, standing quietly beneath the nine-tiered lotus platform, facing the unmoving figure of their destined master. The surrounding bamboo was utterly silent, and even time and space seemed to hold their breath.

--This is the deepest lord within the realm of realms,

--The true master of the Source of Fate-Trace.

They finally stood before the gates of the very source of their destiny.

Above the Nine Star Lotus, the wind was silent, the bamboo was still, and even the light seemed to be frozen.

Suddenly, the "Master of Fate," who had been sitting still, slowly raised a snow-white finger and turned around very slowly.

This turn was not a physical movement, but rather the entire lotus platform rotated according to her will. The nine star lotuses suddenly began to rotate in reverse, like the Milky Way overturning and flowing back, just to lift her figure and change direction.

In the blink of an eye, Qin Yu and the others witnessed a scene of Ultimate for their divine senses to bear.

She was, in fact, a woman.

--But she can no longer be described as a "woman".

Her figure was like a galaxy collapsing and solidifying, every inch of her skin constructed from the radiance of stars. What flowed around her was not blood, but "starlight of destiny" woven from countless fragments of cause and effect.

Her appearance was like the "original true face" etched by the heavens in the beginning, beyond description and indescribable.

The moment she opened her eyes, what appeared to be pupils were two "destiny turbines" resembling the abyss of the universe, within which billions of stars slowly swirled, reflecting the initial trajectory of all worlds: fate, cause and effect, reincarnation, destruction, reconstruction...

Her smile seemed to bring spring back to the world;

A single strand of her hair seemed to be able to influence the course of the cosmos.

The lotus platform she sat on, each petal folded from the "operational logic" of a complete galaxy, was now gently swaying with her breath, as if the universe was rising and falling for her.

This moment-

For the first time, even Qin Yu felt a strange sense of awe and reverence, a feeling that "heaven and earth should kneel in worship."

That was not oppression, nor was it power.

Rather, her very existence transcends the concepts of "gender," "life race," and "cultivator identity."

It is -- the cause of the world constructed by destiny, the original Lord of truth.

Yan Yue, Zi Xue, Yunyi, and even Extinguished Light all subconsciously held their breath, their souls trembling slightly.

But she simply spoke quietly, her voice Kong Ling and carrying a cool, otherworldly clarity:

"... So, you... finally arrived."

She gazed at Qin Yu and the other four, her eyes gentle yet seemingly piercing through countless epochs, seeing all possibilities and destinies.

At that moment, the entire Immortal Source Purple Bamboo Grove seemed to be whispering, the Milky Way swirled beneath her, and the traces of destiny began to flow.

Beneath that lotus constellation, the subject sat serenely in the center of a lotus platform formed by the convergence of billions of logical galaxies. Her clothes remained motionless, her hair unfurled, yet it was as if the entire universe revolved around her aura.

Under her gaze, none of Qin Yu and his companions dared to make a move.

Almost instinctively, they all bowed in reverence, as if they were being examined by a deity.

Qin Yu took a slow step forward, bowed slightly, cupped his hands, and spoke in a solemn voice:

"Junior Qin Yu, beside me are my dearest relatives Yan Yue Yunyi Zi Xue, and Extinguished Light."

"Master of Fate... did you already know that we would step into this place?"

His question was not intended as a test, but rather prompted by an instinctive intuition—because her gaze, from the moment they entered the Purple Bamboo Grove, seemed to be waiting.

The person destined for this fate simply smiled faintly, their gentle voice flowing out with a warmth that seemed to pierce through the depths of their destiny and turn the pages of countless books.

"You are the blade that writes destiny."

The moment the words fell, the Azure Ring in Qin Yu's sea of consciousness, formed by Fate-Cause and inherited from the Silent Origin, trembled slightly, as if sensing some extremely ancient and genuine recognition.

The master of destiny paused, his gaze slowly sweeping over Yan Yue, Zi Xue, Yunyi, and Extinguished Light. His tone remained light, yet carried a solemn air of defining one's destiny:

"And they... are all the most important parts of your life."

--That instant.

Yan Yue's eyes trembled slightly, a strand of hair glistening against her eyelashes;

Zi Xue bit her lip lightly, her eyes filled with disbelief;

Yunyi chuckled, a hint of pride and playfulness in her eyes;

Extinguished Light blinked lightly, a glint of light flickering deep within his eyes, yet unable to conceal his shock.

Qin Yu felt as if his consciousness had been frozen in place, and even his thoughts paused for a moment.

He never imagined that the cause and effect between him and them was not accidental, but had long been seen through by this destiny master—the "Master of the Pages" who had guarded the root of the logic of the Immortal Source for countless eons.

The line, "You are the Blade of Fate, and they are the most important stroke in your life," seems to describe more than just their current gathering; it foreshadows a true future narrative.

Together, they will write the final chapter of all destiny in the post-era.

Deep within the Purple Bamboo Grove, nine lotus flowers swirl gently.

The woman slowly rose from her lotus throne, starlight swirling around her robes as if the Milky Way itself had been awakened. Her long hair cascaded down like a waterfall, with strands of dawn light entwined within, resembling ancient star trails falling from the sky, each strand whispering the primordial cause and effect of the universe.

The garment she wore was called "Clear Radiance Flowing Gauze," woven from the original Milky Way's life silk from the Immortal Source. The collar fluttered lightly like clouds and the moon, while the sleeves spread out like stars and sea mist. Countless faint magical patterns floated on the garment, which were the flowing lines of billions of life paths, sometimes appearing and sometimes disappearing in the gauze, as if she herself were the weaver of destiny.

She moved with light, lotus-like steps, without touching the ground, yet starlight and shimmering light arose beneath her feet, like lotus waves in a celestial realm moving at her will.

She smiled slightly, looked at Qin Yu and the others, and spoke in a gentle voice:

You no longer need to call me Lord of Fate.

She turned and slowly walked into the depths of the Purple Bamboo Grove, her voice like heavenly music entering everyone's minds:

"My name is Mingxi Xingheng. If you wish to be closer, you may call me 'Xingheng'."

As the Milky Way rippled, the purple bamboo behind her emitted subtle echoes, as if paying homage to this true master of destiny.

Qin Yu bowed slightly and respectfully replied:

"Okay... Senior Xingheng."

Yan Yue, Zi Xue, Yunyi, and Extinguished Light also bowed in greeting. At that moment, the starry river stood still, and the flowing light of destiny seemed to freeze, as if thousands of realms were watching this scene: Source of Epochless five formally stepped into front of their destiny master Xingheng.

Led by Xingheng, Qin Yu and the others slowly stepped into the deeper part of the Purple Bamboo Grove.

At that moment, the world was silent, except for the starlight that fell from the forest, dappling their shoulders. It was as if time itself had been deliberately slowed down amidst the scattering of fragments of the Milky Way, existing solely for this moment of serene beauty.

The purple bamboo trembled slightly, like the wind whispering a star's melody. Each stalk of purple bamboo was no ordinary thing, but rather transformed from a star core with life patterns. The bamboo's body was covered with radiant trails, as if the Milky Way's destiny trajectory was etched upon it. Between the swaying bamboo leaves, it seemed as if billions of destiny symbols were whispering in one's ear, ancient and profound. Only those with true destiny who had stepped into the Fate-Trace Establishment Hall could hear the "echoes of destiny" within.

Xingheng's steps were extremely slow, yet with each step she took, she drew upon the life force of the entire bamboo forest. Ripples of starlight patterns rose beneath her feet, reflecting her supreme authority as the source of life.

Yunyi was momentarily lost in thought, and whispered, "She... really is like the Mother of the Stars."

Yan Yue's gaze was calm, yet her heart was turbulent. She knew that the existence that could make the sound of destiny's trajectory be murmured was far beyond the reach of ordinary Dao Lords.

Zi Xue pursed her lips slightly and followed along slowly, unconsciously placing her hand on Qin Yu's sleeve—she understood that only he, who had brought everyone here, could be accepted in this way.

After Extinguished Light form, he quietly walked at the back of the group, looking up at the starry illusion created by the interwoven bamboo leaves. Suddenly, he said in a daze, "If I could stay in a place like this a little longer, my Annihilation Logic... might be able to leap forward again."

Qin Yu remained silent. He simply gazed at the figure moving forward in the starlight ahead, his mind filled with thoughts of the unwritten pages of the Fate Book —how many uncertain destinies still lay ahead?

Xingheng slowly turned her head, looked at everyone with gentle eyes, and said:

"Your destinies have been marked with the 'Source' seal. From this moment forward, this Purple Bamboo Grove will be the stage for your first true journey of destiny."

The Milky Way's light floated silently, and the world among the purple bamboo seemed to tremble in response.

They were no longer guests, but rather those personally guided by their "destiny master."

The Source of Epochless, the seal of the five souls, officially marks the beginning of entering the Fate Book.