Twenty Souls Awaken · The Lockbreaker's Word

Eternal Evolution Realm Hall, West Abyss Residence.

The night was still, the starlight was faint, and a wisp of Annihilation Wind swept across the blue stone path in front of the courtyard, gently lifting the lampshade under the eaves.

Qin Yu slowly landed, his footsteps as light as dust, and stood outside Wang Long's residence.

He had no intention of disturbing anyone, but he was just pondering things a little.

"Wang Long... he remains calm in the face of battle, his composure tempered with a sharp edge; he is indeed a capable man."

He originally intended to have a brief conversation with Wang Long, to share his plan with him, and to include it in the external cooperation for future operations.

However, at this moment, the entire courtyard was eerily quiet, with the doors tightly shut and no lights on.

Qin Yu sensed it briefly and frowned slightly.

"He's not here?"

Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly heard footsteps from his side and behind him. A night watchman dressed in a gray-blue robe arrived with a lantern and bowed from afar.

"This disciple greets Guard Qin!"

Qin Yu turned around and nodded slightly, "Do you know where Junior Brother Wang Long is now?"

The disciple immediately replied respectfully, "Reporting to Guardian Qin, Senior Brother Wang Long was summoned by Elder Fuyao three days ago and subsequently ordered to go to the Annihilation Eastern Region to carry out a reconnaissance mission."

"According to our duty logs, this mission originally required four guard disciples to complete, but Senior Brother Wang Long volunteered to go alone. He should still be on his way and is expected to return to the temple in two months."

Qin Yu said softly, "I see."

He didn't say much, only nodded calmly, "Thank you, go back to your post."

The night watchman bowed respectfully again, then turned and hurriedly left.

Qin Yu glanced at the courtyard one last time, then turned and left, his figure disappearing into the darkness of the night.

His steps never faltered, but his heart was quietly pondering:

"Elder Fuyao, Elder of the Eternal Evolution Realm Hall"

"If Wang Long's mission is truly just an ordinary dispatch, that would be for the best."

The following day, in the inner domain of the Nightmare God Temple, as the morning sun shone and a gentle breeze blew, two figures walked slowly across the stone bridge along the forest path outside the residence of the Bronze Token disciples.

One is Ning Hao, who just rebuilt his soul consciousness yesterday; the other is Pei Yuantu, one of the newly promoted bronze-level disciples of the Nightmare God Temple, known as the True Immortal Emperor with Heavenly Realm Twin Diagram True Soul. He comes from the God-Slaying Star System and is quite powerful and cautious.

At this moment, Ning Hao stepped forward and gave a slight bow:

"Senior Brother Pei Yuan, my name is Ning Hao, one of the bronze-level disciples who entered the hall this time. I have long admired your name, and I apologize for disturbing you today."

Pei Yuan turned around and saw that it was Ning Hao. He immediately smiled and returned the greeting.

"So it's Junior Brother Ning! I witnessed your attack during the assessment that shattered the illusionary soul lock and opened the Silent Wind Soul. I was there with my own eyes and was deeply impressed."

Ning Hao waved his hands repeatedly, "No, no, it was all by chance, how could I possibly be compared to my senior brother?"

The two exchanged a smile, and the atmosphere became natural.

After a moment, Ning Hao's eyes narrowed, and he spoke in a low voice, "Senior Brother, I have indeed asked you to come here today because there is something I need to tell you. It is of great importance. I wonder if you could spare a little time to discuss this in a quiet place?"

Seeing his solemn expression, Pei Yuantu didn't ask any further questions, but simply smiled and nodded.

"Since Junior Brother Ning has something to say, I, Pei, will certainly listen. Teahouse or Soul Abode?"

Teahouse.

So, the two of them walked one after the other through the temple corridors and finally arrived at a teahouse called "Serene Vast Immortal Studio" on the west side of the inner domain of the Nightmare God Temple.

This building was set up for the occasional meditation retreat of the Primordial Spirit level figures within the palace. The environment was quiet, the barrier was strict, and very few people went there.

Ning Hao was prepared. He took out a piece of Annihilation Jade and used it to envelop the soul fluctuations of the two people. The two sat down in a corner of the hidden pavilion on the rooftop, isolated from the mortal world.

Pei Yuan poured himself a cup of tea and smiled:

"Junior Brother Ning, now that we are alone and the tranquility of the pavilion has been activated, we can talk freely. Let's get straight to the point."

Ning Hao stared at the teacup in his hand, remaining silent for a long time before finally raising his head with a solemn expression:

"Senior Brother Pei... have you ever considered whether we, who came to the Nightmare God Temple, were truly 'accepted' rather than 'chosen'?"

Upon hearing this, Pei Yuantu frowned slightly and gently put down his teacup.

"What you mean by that is..."

Ning Hao slowly took out a bronze-grade token from his sleeve, his fingertips lightly touching it, his divine sense flashing like lightning—

Soul Seal - Awakening

Buzz--

Between him and Pei Yuan, a barely perceptible chain of soul resonance quietly extended into the token in Pei Yuan's hand.

The next moment, Pei Yuan felt the token vibrate, and an extremely complex chain pattern appeared before his eyes, which was engraved with densely packed forbidden patterns such as "sacrifice", "soul absorption" and "logical exploitation".

Those things never appeared in any public notices of the Nightmare God Temple.

Pei Yuan's expression changed instantly, his composure turning into shock:

"This... how is this possible... what is this?"

Ning Hao took a deep breath, slowly raised his eyes, and looked directly at Pei Yuan:

"It is the karmic lock deep within our souls, the Soul-Seal of the Three Souls, Soul-Capturing Array- trapping array laid down by the Nightmare God Clan."

"And we are the twenty sacrificial vessels they carefully selected for the 'Soul-Offering Main Sacrifice'."

The Serene Vast Immortal Studio hidden within a secluded pavilion.

The air seemed to freeze for a moment.

The rings of Soul-Locking Seal on the bronze token in Pei Yuantu's hand had lost their concealment, and the core sacrificial inscriptions "Soul Seal," "Knowledge Lock," and "Sacrifice Logic" on it slowly flashed.

These inscriptions are not directly driven by murderous intent, but they lay a chain called "destiny" deep within the soul.

He looked at the token, then at Ning Hao, his expression extremely solemn:

"Junior Brother Ning, this... this level of Soul Seal far exceeds the limits that even True Immortal Emperor can comprehend."

"Both of us come from different dimensions. No matter how strong our inheritance or how stable our souls, it is absolutely impossible for us to see through this high- Epoch Origin logic sealing array."

His gaze was sharp, and his voice was deep, yet there was absolutely no hostility in it.

How exactly did you find out?

Ning Hao remained silent for a long time before finally exhaling slowly and putting the token away again.

He looked at Pei Yuan, his tone calm and sincere:

To be honest...

"Seven days ago, I had a chance encounter with a senior figure somewhere in Nightmare Main City."

"That senior is a native cultivator of Epoch Origin, with a cultivation level of... Primordial Void Realm."

Pei Yuan was taken aback, then raised an eyebrow. "The Primordial Void Realm?"

Ning Hao nodded slightly, but his eyes held a rare sense of awe.

"It is precisely because of their Primordial Void Realm cultivation that even True Immortal, Golden Immortal, and Saints like us are utterly powerless to retaliate."

"He never forced me to do anything; he simply gave me some pointers and taught me the method of the Soul Seal, allowing me to see everything before me clearly."

"The logic behind this token was revealed to me little by little. Non-Self had the ability to see through it, but that someone was willing to let me live."

Pei Yuan's expression was complicated. He gripped his teacup tightly and murmured, "Primordial Void Realm expert... to come in person just to save us chosen ones?"

Did he... identify himself?

Ning Hao remained expressionless, his eyes calm as still water, but a thought was swirling in his mind:

"Senior Qin Yu... I, Ning Hao, will never reveal your identity, even if it means having my soul stripped and my consciousness scattered."

So he just smiled faintly:

"The senior's identity is extremely secretive, and he instructed me not to reveal a single word before parting. If Senior Brother Pei has any doubts, you can use the Soul Seal method I taught you to test whether the tokens of the other disciples also possess this lock."

"If the same is true, then my statement naturally falls apart."

Pei Yuan pondered for a long time, then finally nodded slightly, his voice low and somber:

"... good."

"Junior Brother Ning, I believe you about this matter."

He looked up, his eyes now filled with a deep, chilling intensity, a stark contrast to his previous expression.

"This Source of Epochless... is more cruel than I imagined."

Ning Hao gently set down his teacup, a weary yet determined smile appearing on his lips:

"Therefore, Senior Brother Pei Yuantu, from this moment on, we are no longer just fellow disciples."

"Instead—prisoners who share life and death."

Within the Serene Vast Immortal Studio Abode, the aroma of immortal tea wafted, and the soul patterns still lingered.

Pei Yuantu slowly rose, clutching the bronze-grade token that emitted a faint glow in his hand. His expression was calm, but deep within his soul, turbulent waves surged.

He finally realized that he had not "luckily passed the selection," but had been "chosen as a sacrifice."

As a True Immortal Emperor who was above all God-Slaying Star Domain and had swept across countless eras, he couldn't help but murmur at this moment:

"My Fate Soul is trapped, my consciousness is locked. If it weren't for Junior Brother Ning and that mysterious senior, I might have died without even realizing it."

At this moment, Ning Hao calmly transmitted a wisp of divine consciousness into his ear:

"Senior Brother Pei Yuan, we only have two days left. If we want to awaken the other eighteen, we must split up and do so as soon as possible."

"You and I can each take turns going north and south, and persuade nine disciples. Please try to avoid drawing attention to yourself and avoid attracting the attention of the Nightmare God Clan's investigators."

Pei Yuantu solemnly cupped his hands in greeting. "Rest assured, this matter concerns the overall situation; I will certainly not fail in my mission."

He paused, then lowered his voice and asked:

"Junior Brother Ning, that senior... has there been any follow-up arrangements? If all nineteen of us realize the truth, what should we do? Should we join forces?"

Ning Hao shook his head, his expression unchanged:

"The senior didn't elaborate, only leaving behind the words, 'When the token breaks the lock, the sacrificial seal will collapse,' and then instructed us—"

"On the third day, when entering the palace, you must still assemble as usual, and under no circumstances should you reveal your strength beforehand."

"As for the rest, he will handle it himself."

Pei Yuantu nodded upon hearing this, though he still had doubts, he had completely trusted him.

The two walked hand in hand out of the teahouse.

Amidst the flowing light of immortals, Ning Hao turned left, heading towards the North Hall of the Nightmare God Temple, while Pei Yuantu's figure flickered and disappeared into the Soul Extremity Mountain Path, heading straight towards the South Altar.

Meanwhile, the Nightmare God Temple continued to operate as usual—bronze-level disciples were undergoing trials on the Soul Refining Platform, enforcers were patrolling the main hall, and the altar furnace was slowly accumulating energy.

No one could have predicted that among the twenty True Immortal Emperor chosen as "sacrificial furnaces," two had already quietly begun to lay the net of destiny to break the deadlock.

Just then--

Deep within the core of a certain Nightmare God Temple array, a faint soul aura swept over Ning Hao's remaining presence.

A half-step Annihilation Origin expert, clad in a gray-black Soul-Holding Robe, frowned slightly:

"... Why did a wisp of the sacrificial rune suddenly and briefly fall off?"

"Is it just a shift in the soul chain? Or... did the priest notice?"

The next moment, that wisp of soul energy subsided again, as if nothing had ever happened.

Nightmare God Temple, Bronze-level Disciple Area, North and South Wings of Soul Seal Tower.

In just one day, Ning Hao and Pei Yuantu acted separately, traversing the caves, immortal chambers, and cultivation platforms of the nineteen bronze-level disciples, repeatedly delivering the truth that was "enough to defy fate and change one's soul" to their ears in the most discreet way possible.

At first, most of the disciples were full of doubts.

Among them, some came from the Ninefold God Palace of the extremely ancient era, some had Dimensional Severance and Annihilation the Immortal Antiquity, and some were Great Luo Golden Immortal or Nine Nether Divine Marquises, as proud as the unmoving Milky Way.

But whenever Ning Hao or Pei Yuantu said in a deep voice:

"Please take out the token and use this wisp of Soul Seal to penetrate its core."

Without exception, they all fell silent in the end, and then...

His pupils dilated sharply.

--At that moment, they all saw it.

The soul chains intertwined, the sacrificial inscriptions locked like a prison, and a chain called the Cause of the Sacrificial Furnace was clearly engraved deep within his token!

Those chains had actually become connected to their "soul foundation".

They thought they had been given an opportunity, unaware that they had already been seen as "potential candidates."

Especially those two--

The Sage Cangyou and the Golden Immortal Xuanluo.

Their initial reaction was a cold laugh.

Golden Immortal Xuanluo raised his hand and cast a soul-protecting barrier, whispering:

"Ning Hao, I know you've also come from another dimension, but if you dare to hinder my cultivation, don't blame me for being ruthless."

But when the bronze-grade token was slowly pierced through its core by the Soul Seal granted by Ning Hao, the logic of the restriction emerged, and Xuanluo's Eyes suddenly contracted, with a chill surging from the Soul Sea to the limbs.

The Sage Cangyou also focused his mind instantly, and softly recited the sacrificial incantation:

"Soul-locking and life-sustaining, divine consciousness as the guide, sacrifice as the cause..."

For three full breaths, the two remained silent.

Then, Golden Immortal Xuanluo slowly rose and bowed deeply.

"Fellow Daoist Ning, I am deeply grateful and cannot express my thanks."

"If it weren't for your words today, I, Xuan Luo, would probably have become kindling for someone else's Dao Path."

The Sage Cangyou also said in a solemn voice:

"If there truly is a divine intervention, please convey this message to that senior..."

"I, Cang You, swear on my Fate Soul that I will never betray the grace of those who saved my life!"

That concludes the discussion.

Nineteen people – all awakened.

Although they did not meet in person, they all knew what was going on:

--The three-day agreement, the Soul-Executing Altar, the moment the bronze-level token breaks the lock, will mark the beginning of breaking the deadlock!

The sky was not yet broken, and the altar was not yet opened.

But the subtle echoes of fate have begun to shake the entire Nightmare God Clan's Soul-Capturing Sacrificial Array!