The next morning, just as dawn was breaking.
Suddenly, the heavens and earth trembled beneath the southeastern sky of the Eternal Evolution Realm Hall. A vast, sea-like flame of light rose up, as if breaking through the cycle of time and space, spreading from the distant sky to the entire palace domain and reaching the heavens.
The once tranquil Radiant Palace Eastern Region was now enveloped by countless layers of radiant light and the light lock of the Annihilation Abyss, as if a divine realm at the beginning of Epoch Origin was being reshaped from its cocoon.
"That means... someone has broken through a cultivation level?"
"His aura is so profound and vast... he's definitely not just an ordinary Primordial Void advancement!"
The disciples and elders of the temple all turned their heads to look, and even some of the temple guards stationed in the distance were alarmed, their eyes turning toward the place where the light surged.
Above that area, a magnificent ancient palace slowly emerged, its roof radiating three shimmering starlight rings, symbolizing the simultaneous surge of the power of the Abyss of Annihilation Abyss, the Path of Fate, and Cause and Effect, faintly resonating with the halo of the Eternal Palace.
The next moment--
"Hiss... That's the direction of the Eastern Region's Hall of Initial-Level Disciples!"
"Could it be that another beginner disciple has stumbled upon a Source Treasure and is now breaking through?"
"Who on earth could trigger such a massive breakthrough phenomenon?"
Amidst the celestial halo, a soul-shaking breakthrough resounded, and the entire Eternal Evolution Realm Hall pulsed with spiritual energy. A peerless powerhouse on the rise seemed to be stepping out from the edge of reincarnation and the end of destiny.
⸻
The heavens and earth continued to roar, and the light tide in the Radiant Palace Eastern Region gradually subsided.
At this moment, Qin Yu, Yan Yue, Zi Xue, Yunyi, and Extinguished Light were standing in front of the main hall platform, gazing at the ever-rolling sea of light.
"That aura..." Zi Xue's phoenix eyes flickered slightly, "... it doesn't seem like an ordinary advancement."
"Indeed." Yunyi nodded slowly, a trace of dragon soul patterns reflected in her eyes, "But there's no fluctuation of soul beast energy; it's purely a breakthrough in personal cultivation."
"It looks like... Wang Long." Yan Yue spoke, her voice as clear as ever, yet revealing a rare certainty.
The next moment, before the words had even finished, a cyan figure appeared amidst the radiance, traversing the vast abyss of light like a shooting star riding the waves, trailing a trail of raging wind and thunder behind it, step by step crossing the endless height difference between the sky and the platform.
Boom--
The figure finally landed in front of Qin Yu and his group of five.
"Wang Long!" Extinguished Light exclaimed in surprise.
The visitor was none other than Wang Long!
His face still wore the same smile as always, but at this moment, his whole person had undergone earth-shattering changes. His body was upright, his aura was restrained like an abyss, his robes fluttered in the wind, and a faint wheel mark appeared behind him, with a wisp of air as calm Primordial Void vibrating endlessly within his body.
--The Primordial Void Realm · The Supreme!
At this moment, not only Qin Yu and his group, but even the guards who were watching from a distance, had their pupils shrink slightly.
"The Primordial Void Supreme? He actually broke through too?"
"How long has he been in seclusion... this is completely illogical..."
Wang Long had already stood still.
He smiled slightly, his eyes revealing undisguised pride and excitement, and bowed with his hands clasped in a gesture of respect.
"Brother Yu, I'm back."
"You're still the strongest; you've even become a temple guard now."
Hahahaha--
Laughter filled the air, and Wang Long's aura resonated with the desolate Kong Ling of the Radiant Palace Eastern Region, as if the entire space was trembling in celebration of his return.
Qin Yu's expression was calm, but his eyes held a smile as he gently patted Wang Long's shoulder:
"To break through to the Primordial Void Supreme is your own destiny."
"However, you've come back at just the right time."
Wang Long chuckled and glanced at everyone:
"I just came out of seclusion, and I could hear the deafening noise from far away. So you've all been promoted to temple guards."
"Yan Yue, Zi Xue, Extinguished Light... Tsk tsk tsk, they really are the chosen ones of our year."
"Miss Yunyi is here too, and she still exudes such a powerful aura."
"Don't leave me behind! I, Wang Long, will definitely catch up with you this time."
He smiled, his tone half-serious and half-joking, but he couldn't hide the burning ambition within him.
Qin Yu smiled faintly, "Then let's see if you're qualified to become the next batch of temple guards."
Upon hearing this, Wang Long nodded solemnly, "Alright, then show us your true skills."
The sky was clear at this moment, Wang Long stood among the five people in the temple, as if he was destined to step into the torrent of fate once again.
Five people sat around the central obsidian corridor, surrounded by Golden Radiance lamps that burned silently, illuminating the entire hall as if it were daytime. Radiant springs flowed through the pillars, Annihilation Abyss crystal jade was inlaid in the eaves. Everything inside the hall was magnificent yet serene.
Wang Long leaned back in a carved cloud chair, holding a cup of "Lingxu Dan Tea" that Qin Yu had poured for him. The aroma was wonderful; it was a legendary beverage that could nourish the soul and calm the mind.
"Tsk tsk, Brother Yu, even the tea here is different." He blinked, downed the tea in one gulp, and tilted his head back in admiration, "This is the life of a temple guard!"
Zi Xue sat opposite him and smiled gently, "If you had broken through earlier, perhaps this tea would have been your daily routine."
"Haha, it's not like I could possibly live in this Phoenix Radiance Star Terrace." Wang Long shook his head helplessly. "I've seen your temple; it's like an entire sea of stars hanging in the air. My legs would feel weak just stepping inside."
Zi Xue smiled, her beautiful eyes crinkling. "That's the Phoenix Radiance Star Terrace, not a dwelling for mortals."
Yunyi blinked and replied playfully, "Then why don't you come and take a look at my Gold Radiance Dragon Pendant's Lair? Our Illusion Dragon Soul's palace is divided into three dimensions, you know~"
Upon hearing this, Wang Long waved his hand dismissively. "Forget it, forget it. As a pure human soul cultivator, I'd better not challenge the aesthetics and spatial awareness of you high-dimensional soul beings."
The group burst into laughter.
Yan Yue simply sat quietly beside Qin Yu without saying a word, but a gentle look appeared in her eyes.
Qin Yu looked down at the slightly swirling liquid in his glass, his tone softening. "It hasn't been easy for us to get this far from the Abyss of Fate Sequence."
"Wang Long, now that you've returned, we'll stand shoulder to shoulder, truly on the same level."
Wang Long paused for a moment, then suddenly became serious. He looked at the familiar face, then at Yan Yue, Zi Xue, Yunyi, and Extinguished Light, his eyes shining brightly.
"Brother Yu, I understand." He nodded, his tone firm. "This time, I will not fall behind."
"The cycle of destiny begins anew; even if I traverse Nineteen Divine Halls, I will not lag behind."
The atmosphere suddenly became quiet.
Zi Xue said softly, "Then we all need to work hard."
Yunyi stretched and lay back down on the plush cushion with a smile, "Hmm, but tonight I'll try my best to finish this bowl of spirit fruit soup~ It's so delicious."
Extinguished Light sat by the edge of the hall, turning her head to look at the night sky outside. The annihilating star sea flowed quietly. She spoke softly, "No matter what, at least we... are still together."
Everyone was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.
The night was deep, and the sunlight was faint.
The laughter and conversation in the hall gradually subsided, like a glimmer of light in the Annihilation Abyss, dark abyss—not dazzling, but warm and comforting.
The lights inside the hall flickered obliquely, their glow serene and still.
Wang Long was about to pour himself another cup of tea when he suddenly heard Qin Yu's tone turn serious as he softly said:
"Although you didn't accompany me throughout the entire 'Annihilation Abyss Epoch,' there's something I must tell you now."
He put down his teacup, looked at Wang Long, and then swept his gaze over Yan Yue, Zi Xue, Yunyi, and Extinguished Light. His eyes gradually filled with a deep sense of vigilance and solemnity.
"On my way back after the World-Covering crisis of the Annihilation Abyss Epoch, I fought with an old man in black robes in the Silent Nether Heaven-Rending Realm."
"The power that person wielded did not belong to this era... yet it was able to precisely analyze the 'Abyss Ring' power I used in the Annihilation Abyss Epoch."
Wang Long was taken aback. "What do you mean? That person can read the Annihilation Abyss techniques you've used?"
Qin Yu nodded. "Not only that, he also derived a 'Nether Chain Severing Construct' based on the 'Unbroken Line' of the Annihilation Abyss Epoch, which can replace the activation path of my Fate Soul."
"That kind of technology... could never be constructed by anyone other than those from the True Word Extremity Hall."
Yan Yue frowned slightly. "Then you suspect..."
Qin Yu slowly uttered a name:
"Mystic Emanation Nether Venerable - Liang Jichen".
"I have noticed its 'remnants of the book' at several crucial junctures—it's not present, but it leaves behind traces of a broken chain of techniques."
Zi Xue's expression also turned slightly serious. "But you haven't directly confronted him before, right? Could it be because of the Flower of Stars incident?"
"That's right, but I once sensed a very unique 'Only Book Realm - Soul Judgment Imprint' in the remnants of the sealed realm at the bottom of the Annihilation Abyss Epoch. That imprint can only be written in the 'Annihilation's End Chapter'."
Extinguished Light said in a low voice, "... He once held the power of the True Record: Annihilation's End Chapter."
Yunyi sat up from the couch, her phoenix eyes flashing, her voice lowering slightly. "I remember that person wrote the final chapter of the destruction of the twelve realms in the era before the annihilation. If he really was behind this..."
"Then we won't just be facing internal competition within the Source Hall."
Qin Yu nodded, his tone extremely cold. "Instead, we face the threat of the Sole Book's split and the root-and-root instigation of the entire Annihilation Origin System."
Wang Long finally realized the gravity of the situation and whispered, "So... the black-clad man from the Annihilation Abyss Epoch, and the black-robed elder who blocked our way on the return journey, had already set up this whole scheme even before we entered the Abyss of Fate Sequence?"
Qin Yu calmly replied:
His pen... had already written it before we arrived.
Everyone fell silent.
At this moment, although the temple lights were bright, an indescribable silence seemed to envelop the surroundings.
Yan Yue said slowly, "If it really is him, then he would never act so easily. After all, he represents the Ultimate hostility towards the 'right to rewrite history'."
Qin Yu said calmly, "If he picks up a pen, I will take it from him."
"This time, since he dared to write, I am destined to erase his right to 'write in the annals'."
As soon as he finished speaking, the temple lights flickered slightly, and several radiant marks gently swept across Qin Yu's palm. They did not take shape, but they were already imprinted into the void like the "First Mark of Annihilation".
That was the will to fight.
It is a vow to completely seal away the existence of the enemy.
Qin Yu stared at the group and said, word by word:
"Although we have successfully advanced to the rank of Temple Guardians, don't think the real storm is over."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over Yan Yue, Zi Xue, Yunyi, Extinguished Light, and Wang Long, his tone gradually turning cold:
"What we are facing now is not just Yu Yuance —but the profound influence of the entire Yu Fate Clan behind him."
"At the same time, there is an even more troublesome enemy... the eldest disciple of the True Word Extremity Hall, Mystic Emanation Nether Venerable Liang Jichen."
Yunyi frowned slightly, a cold glint appearing in her phoenix eyes. "This person not only possesses the 'True Records: Annihilation's End Chapter,' but can also alter history... He is ten times more terrifying than Yu Yuance."
Qin Yu nodded. "He's never one to act on the surface; he's writing a chapter in history that we haven't yet realized."
Extinguished Light calmly replied, "His battle is not on the battlefield, but in the 'pen Unborn.'"
Zi Xue said softly, "And the most troublesome thing is... he has never actually appeared on stage."
Qin Yu exhaled slowly, turning his gaze to the clouds outside the window, his tone solemn:
"I am certain that Mirror Abyss Yu will one day be drawn into his scheme."
"He is his fellow disciple... and he is the vanguard of the younger generation that the entire True Word Extremity Hall has publicly promoted in this era."
Yan Yue also said softly at this moment:
"Although Mirror Abyss Yu has not shown any hostility, but... if one day he wields the pen for 'Liang Jichen,' I will personally cut off that pen."
Wang Long grinned, somewhat annoyed, and said, "But aren't fighting forbidden now? The temple guards aren't allowed to fight amongst themselves; Commander Yao Guangxun was very strict about it."
Qin Yu's gaze narrowed slightly, but his tone remained cold:
"They are not allowed to make a move inside the temple, and I will not either."
"But once we leave the protective barrier of the temple—"
"Even if they haven't finished writing a single word, I will personally crush their pens."
All five remained silent, yet they all stood up straight without prior arrangement, their demeanor solemn.
They knew the storm had begun.
The contest in the Abyss of Fate Sequence is merely the surface; the true battle of the Annihilation Abyss has only just begun.