In the deepest part of the Ancient Soul-Annihilating Forest, within the Epoch Origin Ash Ruins Secret Realm, the scars of battle have vanished, and all traces of life have returned to silence.
Countless battles have taken place here, annihilation, slaughter, sealing, stripping away, and soul-severing—all vanished in silence.
Now, all has returned to silence.
Qin Yu stood quietly atop the ancient tree of the Broken Boundary, overlooking this gray land. The ruins that once teemed with murderous intent had long since transformed into a silent valley of souls.
"... It's time to end this."
He sighed softly, his figure vanishing into the void, slowly heading towards the last patrol area of Epoch Origin Ash Ruins — Sealed Abyss Ridge.
At Sealed Abyss Ridge, figures stood in neat rows.
This place is the terminal assembly point set up by the Eternal Evolution Divine Hall in the Gray Ruins Secret Realm. All temple guard disciples who have completed their patrol missions must report, register, and assemble here to await the return of the divine light to the temple.
Nearly a hundred guards had already arrived, clad in armor, their expressions varied—some weary, some joyful, some silent, some confident.
And at the very front--
Luo Guifeng and Lu Feng stood side by side, facing the distance, as if they had been waiting for someone to return.
A figure in black robes stepped out from the void, his aura extremely concealed, yet it still drew the attention of many guards and disciples.
It was him.
Qin Yu.
"Senior Brother Qin Yu!"
Luo Guifeng was delighted and quickly went to greet him, "You've come at the right time. We're all ready and waiting for you to join us."
Lu Feng smiled and nodded.
"Although this patrol did not encounter any major chaos, I imagine you must have experienced quite a lot on your end."
Qin Yu smiled and nodded:
"All Anran, and the patrol is proceeding without incident."
The three exchanged glances, their understanding unspoken.
--No words are needed at this moment; we simply await the final verdict.
And it was at this moment.
Suddenly, a layer of pale golden-purple radiance slowly emerged in the sky above the Epoch Origin Ash Ruins Secret Realm.
The light was not dazzling, but profound as the heart of the realm, descending from the vast sky like a halo bestowed by the main realm.
"That is... the light of the temple's return!"
Someone exclaimed.
One after another, beams of purple-gold divine light descended from the sky, landing precisely on all the temple's guards and disciples present.
Each ray of divine light is a soul source guide matching their identity, instinctively leading them back to the Eternal Evolution Realm Hall without needing commands or interpretation.
Like a temple-like "welcoming ceremony," it was also the highest recognition of their patrol route.
The first batch of disciples gradually ascended into the sky, their figures enveloped in divine light, and slowly disappeared into the passageway in the heavens.
Luo Guifeng gazed at the sky and said softly:
"Finally... the patrol is over."
Lu Feng nodded, glancing sideways at Qin Yu:
Let's go home.
Qin Yu didn't speak, but just smiled gently before stepping into the purple-gold divine light that belonged to him.
Everything proceeded as agreed.
No disaster, No Tribulation.
Divine light shone once more, and his figure slowly disappeared into the last gust of wind from the ruins of Epoch Origin.
And this ancient and silent Gray Domain will eventually usher in a brief period of true tranquility.
Eternal Evolution Realm Hall, Heavenly Radiance Main Domain, Central Plaza of the Temple
The magnificent plaza, with the sun embedded in the dome, Heavenly Emanation the three celestial pillars standing tall in the center, while numerous temple runes float in the sky, swirling endlessly around the purple-gold divine light.
A series of sounds of space twisting and turning rang out.
--That was the sound of returning.
Guided by the purple-gold divine light, figures landed steadily on the teleportation platform in the center of the square.
They returned covered in dust and grime, their soul armor still intact, bearing the lingering traces of the Epoch Origin Ash Ruins Secret Realm.
Qin Yu, Luo Guifeng, Lu Feng, and over a hundred other temple guards who had completed their patrol mission all returned to their positions.
There was no commotion, nor any shouting.
These souls, returned from the ruins, stood silently, awaiting the final roll call and command.
After a brief silence.
At the end of the square, a dignified and majestic pillar of self-reliance emerged from behind.
Yao Guangxun – One of the rulers of the Eternal Evolution Realm Hall and the Heavenly Radiance Eastern Region, the temple master in charge of the overall patrol of the Epoch Origin Ash Ruins Secret Realm.
He wore the Annihilation Radiance Robe, his features were sharp and chiseled, and his aura was extremely restrained, yet all the guards and disciples present naturally fell silent and stood at attention.
Yao Guangxun slowly walked forward, stood on the main steps, looked towards the center of the plaza, and spoke:
"This patrol mission through the Epoch Origin Ash Ruins Secret Realm has now successfully concluded."
A total of 113 temple guard disciples participated.
"Of them... eight perished."
He paused.
Ripples spread across the field.
Yao Guangxun's voice was steady but carried a hint of solemnity:
"One of them, Mirror Abyss Yu, a newly recruited guard, was confirmed dead during a patrol."
"The other seven who perished have passed away peacefully, and their soul tablets have been recorded."
"His name, his path, his soul will be forever recorded in the annals of the Radiant Palace."
All the guards and disciples stood solemnly. Many were surprised to learn that Mirror Abyss Yu had perished, but said nothing.
Yao Guangxun then skipped over the details and did not elaborate further.
He looked at the crowd:
"All other participants have returned successfully, the mission was accomplished without failure. You may all return to your positions to rest."
"This matter ends here; no further words are needed. Dismissed."
A divine light subtly swirled, and the command was given.
All the disciples bowed their heads to receive the order and slowly dispersed.
This battle has ended. But some destinies have already quietly diverged... in silence.
Eternal Evolution Realm Hall, Radiant Palace Eastern Region, Conradiance Halls Court
This is a semi-quiet, Seal Domain after the temple guards were reorganized. Each guard with independent patrol qualifications has a residence in this temple. The morning sun shines through the windows, and the flower forests on both sides of the temple gate are lush. The Annihilation Wind ripples, but does not disturb the shadows of the branches.
As soon as Qin Yu stepped into the front courtyard of the palace, before his aura had fully subsided, he felt several familiar soul fluctuations rushing towards him.
The next moment--
A pleasant voice, tinged with a light laugh, rang out first:
"Oh my, oh my... my Brother Yu has finally decided to come back."
Before the words were finished, a graceful figure flew in from the side eaves; it was none other than Yunyi, the master of the Illusory Dragon Abyss.
She landed lightly, put her hands behind her back, and smiled playfully:
"I thought you'd been bewitched by some beautiful girl and forgotten that your group of girlfriends were waiting for you."
Qin Yu smiled slightly, "You're back late."
At this moment, two streaks of light flew into the hall one after the other. They were the Lord of Extinguished Light, and Zi Xue, whose phoenix feathers shone with starlight.
Extinguished Light didn't laugh, but spoke first:
"I thought you'd be back sooner. Judging from your aura... hmm, you must have killed quite a few people, right?"
Zi Xue gracefully bowed, her phoenix feathers scattering light.
"Are you alright? This patrol of the secret realm was far more dangerous than I imagined."
Qin Yu nodded slightly and calmly replied, "The whole process was safe and sound. If something unexpected had happened, I wouldn't be standing here."
The three of them smiled slightly.
Just as Qin Yu was about to step into the courtyard, a slightly flustered sound of footsteps quietly rang out from the inner hall.
Yan Yue.
Her figure was not as composed and calm as usual. Instead, she walked to the front of the hall with slight hesitation and stopped three zhang away from Qin Yu.
Her expression was calm, and the corners of her lips even slightly upturned, as if she had simply come to greet him casually.
But only she knew how fast her heart was beating at that moment.
Deep within her Fate Soul, her three Fate Soul consciousnesses trembled silently:
The Final Origin Annihilation Breath, deep within her sea of consciousness, faintly emitted layers of pale blue light, as if summoning some kind of power back to its rightful place;
The soul core that had been dormant in the Annihilation Abyss First Light briefly pulsed, as if sensing the return of the "Original Source Master";
The Recognition Annihilation Final Realm: The Severed Dawn Sealing Wheel quietly opened half of its consciousness lock, creating a strange resonance with the Origin Destroyer logic on Qin Yu's body.
She couldn't explain any of this.
All she knew was that from the very first moment she saw Qin Yu step through that door—
My own Fate Soul has never so intensely "yearned to be close".
She lowered her eyes and whispered softly, "... It's good that you're back safe and sound."
She wasn't reporting on a mission or summarizing a patrol when she said this.
It was just a sentence that I had been pondering in my heart for many days, a sentence I finally had to say.
Qin Yu looked at Yan Yue's lowered eyebrows, paused slightly, and then said softly:
"Yes, I'm back."
In the courtyard, light and shadow interplay.
Yunyi was playful, Extinguished Light was aloof, Zi Xue Wenwan, and Yan Yue was reserved. Each of them greeted Qin Yu's return with their own unique emotions, and the courtyard seemed to be more lively than before.
Just as the atmosphere eased slightly, before things had completely settled down—
A hurried yet cheerful voice came from outside the courtyard:
"Hey, I heard that Senior Brother Qin Yu is back, why didn't anyone call me?"
Before the words were finished, a somewhat burly figure strode into the courtyard.
It was Wang Long, another initial-stage disciple of the temple in the Radiant Palace Eastern Region.
He was still wearing his radiant battle robe, exuding an imposing aura, but the moment he entered the courtyard, his face was full of excitement. He first patted Qin Yu on the shoulder, his eyebrows rising with a smile:
"Senior Brother Qin Yu, congratulations on your triumphant return from patrol!"
"This secret realm is no ordinary place; very few people can return unscathed."
"We've missed you so much!"
As he spoke, he pulled a gourd of fermented wine from his sleeve and slammed it onto the stone table.
"Today, no matter what, we're not leaving until we 'Bugui!"
"Let us hear it all! How many soul beasts have you slain, and how many life chains have you severed along the way!"
The group was already eagerly awaiting Qin Yu's return, and Wang Long's arrival further eased the slightly tense atmosphere.
Yunyi laughed heartily and immediately waved her hand to summon the wine cup and soul vessel. Extinguished Light but also silently sat down. Zi Xue chuckled and sat in the marble chair, Yan Yue lowered her eyes but quietly looked down at Qin Yu.
Qin Yu gazed at the familiar surroundings, finally exhaling softly and whispering:
"Alright, I'll have a drink with you all. Let's drink until we're completely drunk."
In the distance, six core disciples of the Radiant Palace sat around a stone table, their laughter and conversation mingling, their cups reflecting each other's reflections.
The faint glow in the wine is a long-lost tranquility after the devastation of war.
A gentle surge within the soul—a brief moment of Anran before the turning of the page in one's destiny.
The camera slowly pulls back.
Conradiance Halls, the radiant light of the Annihilation Radiance seemed to silently guard this moment.
A peaceful curtain falls on an era.
It's late at night.
The soul lamps in the courtyard of the Conradiance Halls had been extinguished in the night wind. The celestial starlight fell on the eaves of the palace, and a crescent moon hung obliquely in the starry sky, making the tranquility of the palace seem like a dream.
The cups and saucers on the stone table were already in disarray, and the six people at the table had all dispersed.
Wang Long was laughing loudly as Yunyi forcibly dragged him away;
After seeing Wang Long, Yunyi wobbled back to her room, occasionally letting out a long burp.
Zi Xue's eyes were slightly intoxicated; she silently saw him off, her Extinguished Light.
The two returned to their rooms one after the other, leaving only the stillness of the night.
In the courtyard, only Yan Yue, sitting alone in silence.
She didn't drink much, but her heart was more intoxicated than anyone else's.
At this moment, Qin Yu was leaning back on the stone chair, slightly asleep, his expression calm and his breathing even.
However, Yan Yue sensed was more than that.
Her three Innate Martial Soul resonated intensely at this moment—
The Final Origin Annihilation Breath trembled and shook the soul, as if whispering;
The Annihilation Abyss First Light surged back into her sea of consciousness like a tide, as if beckoning her;
The Recognition Annihilation Final Realm: The Severed Dawn Sealing Wheel even automatically appeared outside its body, reflecting the Annihilation Blue Sealing Diagram Wheel.
She could barely stand.
The resonance... could no longer be suppressed.
She knows why.
This is not drunkenness, nor is it a hallucination.
Rather, it was the thread of Fate Soul, dormant deep within her soul since birth, that finally ignited after a long period of shared cultivation, companionship, and life-or-death battles with Qin Yu—
To unite as one.
Yan Yue her lip, slowly walked to Qin Yu's side, bent down, and whispered:
"... Qin Yu, you're drunk."
She gently placed his arm on her shoulder and helped him step by step into her room.
The bright moonlight shone on their overlapping shadows, making them appear quiet and real.
The door closed slightly, and she gently placed Qin Yu on the bed. Just as she was about to get up and leave, she suddenly—
Boom--!
The three great martial spirits suddenly appeared!
The core of Final Origin Annihilation Breath was reflected above her head, the Annihilation Abyss First Light abyss swirled around her waist, and the Severed Dawn Sealing Wheel pierced through the Consciousness Realm behind her, as if the trajectory of her destiny had been fully activated!
Meanwhile--
At this moment Silent Origin Heart-Annihilating Key within Qin Yu's body spontaneously surfaced in his sea of consciousness, emitting a barely audible tremor of Silent Wheel!
Yan Yue's heart trembled, as if she were enveloped in annihilating blue flames, and every meridian in her body was ignited.
She finally understood:
"... This moment has finally arrived."
She sighed softly, slowly removing her Radiant Starfrost Robe, entrusting her most authentic soul essence to the resonance of her Fate Soul.
That night, the Annihilation Blue Ring Realm quietly closed.
Their souls intertwined, and not a word was spoken.
Heaven and earth were not disturbed; only destiny could be remembered.
The next day.
Before dawn, the morning light had not yet risen over the Heavenly Radiance Eastern Hall.
Qin Yu slowly woke up, and the moment he opened his eyes, he saw—
Yan Yue lay quietly beside him, her brows like still frost, her lips like the first glow of dawn.
She did not wake up, but her expression was peaceful.
Qin Yu did not move.
He gazed at her for a moment, then gently raised his hand to cover her shoulders with the quilt that had slipped slightly, his gaze tender and his lips curved into a slight smile.
He got out of bed and put on his robe.
Just as he finished getting ready and was about to leave—
Suddenly, a ring-shaped life wheel of azure blue emerged from the depths of his consciousness!
Clearly emerging on this wheel of fate:
Annihilation· Soul Seal Light Wheel
Among them, the Ring Master was not his own.
It is the name of Yan Yue!
He was slightly taken aback.
His gaze deepened, and he murmured to himself:
So... fate had already been written.
"But... only now has it been willing to reveal itself."