The Lock Seals Undone · The Transformed Pledge Their Hearts

The world Ji Ran. On the ancient bronze platform that stretched between the spatial rifts in the Heavenly Emanation Treasure Realm · Middle Layer, many shapeshifters held their breath and focused their attention on Qin Yu.

He slowly raised his right hand, and a blue ring, its Azure Ring gleaming like a mirror and engraved with the laws of destiny, quietly appeared in his palm.

The azure light was like water, like the Recognition Annihilation radiance of the universe at its birth, slowly flowing out in circular ripples, like the primordial radiance that had traveled through countless ages from the ancient sea of Fate Soul.

"Ready?" Qin Yu said in a deep voice.

Mighty Thunder Heaven-Suppressing Sword nodded slightly, standing directly in front of the Azure Ring. His body was filled with surging lightning, and his Heavenly Soul structure stood upright behind him like a giant sword. The Fate Soul Mark was suspended at the top of his Soul Meridian, like a curse seal sealing the foundation of his existence.

Right now--

Buzz!!!

Azure Ring was startled.

Billions of fine azure lights surged out from the Azure Ring like a rain of stars, layer upon layer, covering the sky and enveloping the entire Mighty Thunder Heaven-Suppressing Sword in a sea of azure seals!

The next instant--

"Fate Soul Recall - Imprint of Consciousness Annihilated!"

Suddenly, a thin, pure beam of azure light shot out from the core of the Azure Ring, piercing straight into the core of the Mighty Thunder Heaven-Suppressing Sword's soul vein curse seal. The curse seal seemed to be scorched, instantly tumbling and struggling, its soul fire fluctuating violently!

But—that light was not destruction, it was stripping away.

One sealing structure after another, one chain of Spiritual Sense after another, like fragments of a thousand-year-old curse, peeled away layer by layer in the blue light!

The visuals resemble high-dimensional special effects of "soul deconstruction" in a movie.

--The lingering shadows of past memories rippled within the soul core;

--The shadow of the thunder sword behind him was unlocked and reformed into a complete soul form;

--On the path of destiny, the "True Word Extremity Hall" mark, engraved like ink burning with light, spontaneously combusted, evaporated, and collapsed under the illumination of the Azure Ring!

A few breaths later, the world Ji Ran.

The next moment--

"Bang!!!"

With a sound like a thunderous explosion, the Mighty Thunder Heaven-Suppressing Sword trembled violently, raised its head sharply, and a golden lightning bolt pierced through its crown, transforming into a true thunder sword that hovered in the air, releasing the supreme pressure of its true soul consciousness!

His soul pressure level suddenly surged, causing even the surrounding space to tremble!

After a moment of silence, he murmured:

"This... this feeling is..."

Then, he suddenly threw his head back and laughed loudly!

"Good!--Good!--Good!"

After saying "good" three times, he suddenly knelt on one knee, cupped his hands, and kowtowed.

"Thank you, sir... not only did you remove the Fate Soul Lock Seal, giving me freedom, but you also allowed my physical soul power to break through the blockade, and my cultivation is rapidly increasing!"

"I will never forget this kindness; I will repay it with my life!"

This shocking scene was witnessed by the other dozen or so shapeshifters present.

A few breaths later--

"I am also willing to offer my soul to unlock the seal; please, Your Excellency, grant me the seal!"

"We are willing to submit to Your Excellency's rule, and we beg for your mercy in saving us!"

"Please, Your Excellency, grant me my freedom!"

Numerous voices rose up, pushing the ancient ruins into an unprecedented vortex like a raging storm.

Qin Yu remained silent, only nodding slightly. The Azure Ring rose again, its light surging like a tide. One person after another stepped into it, and time and again Fate Soul Lock Seal was completely erased.

Each erasure is like the unfolding of a high-dimensional scroll, with soul light blooming like flowers, and the remaining imprints evaporating in the void like black ink, dissipating into a Ji Ran mist.

After the seals were broken, each of the shapeshifters' auras became increasingly solid, their soul pressure surged, and their previously sealed soul tracks began to show complete rhythms.

Several hours later, the last trace of the lock vanished into thin air, and there were no more controlled souls around.

Qin Yu glanced around and solemnly spoke:

"Gentlemen."

"I have erased the Fate Soul Lock Seal from your bodies one by one."

I have only one request.

His voice was steady, yet carried an irresistible force of Fate-Cause:

"Next, I hope you can do one thing for me—"

My target is only one person.

"That is the one who inscribed your seals— the True Word Extremity Hall Mystic Emanation Nether Venerable, Liang Jichen."

The souls present were stunned, their faces turning solemn.

Qin Yu continued:

"But you have only gained liberation now. In other areas of this middle level, many more shapeshifters are suffering. They are being locked up, enslaved, and lured to their deaths."

"I need you to inform all the shapeshifters you trust to assemble here."

"I will unseal them all."

A moment of silence fell over everyone, Mighty Thunder Heaven-Suppressing Sword was the first to bow:

"I will obey Your Majesty's decree!"

The other shapeshifters bowed in unison:

"I will obey your command, sir, and vow to avert the calamity of the life seal for you!"

"I will now travel to various places to contact our old acquaintances!"

After speaking--

Strands of soul shadows pierced through the sky Heavenly Emanation Treasure Realm · Middle Layer, flying off in all directions like shooting stars.

On the platform, Qin Yu stood solemnly, his Azure Ring as serene as the moon. Behind him, Yan Yue, Wang Long, and Lin Yun stood silently. The tide of soul energy around him slowly subsided, foreshadowing the quiet unfolding of a "reversal of fortune for shapeshifters."

In the Heavenly Emanation Treasure Realm · Middle Layer, above the floating ruins where the void is ripped open, all spirits gather.

The distant void trembled, the sky seemed to be crashing down like a tidal wave, blue lightning rolled, and overlapping vortexes of light rippled through the spatial layers. From the Ten Directions Rending Domain, countless beams of light were rapidly breaking through the air.

Those were the Mighty Thunder Heaven-Suppressing Sword and dozens of other shapeshifters whose Fate Soul Lock Seal had just been released by Qin Yu. Behind each of them were hundreds or even thousands of shapeshifters of various divine artifacts, immortal herbs, magic treasures, ancient talismans, strange fires, and elixirs. They wore the original colors of their respective artifact spirits, some with golden armor and blazing flames, some with jade-like bones and elegant bearing, and some with crimson robes and ethereal butterflies. They trod on starlight or fiery clouds, like ancient gods from ten thousand sects gathering in the Spirit Abyss. For a moment, the entire Lost Domain was filled with divine radiance and heavenly breath, a magnificent and world-shaking scene.

Wang Long stared in shock at the numerous shapeshifters who were descending like a tide onto the platform where Azure Ring was, his gaze lingering on them for a long time.

"Wow..." he murmured, his eyes filled with disbelief, "So many... there must be tens of thousands of people, right? How many divine artifacts, magical treasures, immortal herbs, strange flames, ancient spirits, ancient pills... My god, this scene is simply like..."

Yan Yue stood beside Qin Yu, her eyes fixed on the spiritual tide below. A trace of worry entered his mind. "Yu, these shapeshifters... if we unseal them, will they turn against us? Are you really going to erase the souls of these tens of thousands of people one by one?"

At this moment, Qin Yu nodded gently and slowly replied, "Don't worry, Yue'er."

The next moment, Qin Yu recalled the scene in his and Azure Ring's sea of consciousness at the beginning.

--The divine tree still lies still, with countless soul flowers igniting like stars in the night sky; the Azure Ring hangs atop the divine tree, reflecting countless life patterns, like a dream.

Qin Yu stood in the air with his divine sense, looking directly at Azure Ring, his tone calm. "There are too many shapeshifters this time; I'm afraid there's a risk of things getting out of control."

The Azure Ring rotated slowly, responding unhurriedly, yet containing the ancient wisdom and will:

"Don't worry, Qin Yu."

"I can not only completely erase the Soul-Locking Seal for them, but also silently implant the 'Azure Radiance Mark'."

"The moment the seal is broken, the azure light will also be implanted into their soul consciousness—they will feel an unprecedented 'enhancement of spiritual energy' and 'increase in soul pressure,' which is a positive fluctuation of the azure light's power."

"But if the soul harbors evil thoughts and rebels in the future, Qingmang will emit the light of the 'Return to Silence Lock' within its consciousness—freezing its abilities and reverting it to its original state, but never destroying its soul."

"This seal serves both to protect you from future troubles and as a covenant of trust."

Qin Yu slowly returned to reality.

At this moment, Qin Yu looked towards the Myriad Spirits Sea Tide, his voice as deep and resonant as a mighty abyss and a towering mountain, echoing across the land:

"Gentlemen--"

I know you were all forced into this situation.

"Now I am willing to use my own body and the power of the Azure Ring to completely erase the Fate Soul Lock Seal for you!"

"Please, everyone, restrain your divine power and gather your spiritual consciousness. I will break these chains one by one and restore the freedom of your Fate Soul!"

In an instant--

Tens of thousands of shapeshifters knelt down simultaneously, responding loudly:

"I will obey your command, sir!"

"The soul's consciousness is settled; please, Your Excellency, perform the seal!"

The next moment.

Boom!!!!!!!!

Azure Ring hung high in the sky, its blue light stretching for thousands of miles. The ring, which was originally as calm as a mirror, suddenly released billions of streams of spiritual light. That was the reconstruction of the light sequence of "Myriad Radiance Returning Seal", ring after ring, like the reverse flow of star trails and the return of all worlds.

Qin Yu in the center of the high platform, slowly extending his right hand, his index finger pointing to the sky.

"Fate Soul Silence Seal - Purification of All Spirits, Severing of the Ring of Light!"

Buzz--!!!

The entire Heavenly Emanation Ruins trembled violently, and ten thousand phantom chains appeared on the sky, which were the manifestations of the "Fate Soul Lock Seal" engraved by Liang Jichen deep in the souls of all the shapeshifters.

They intertwined like a spider web, each strand bearing the mark of "truth" and the incantation of annihilation.

At this moment, the Azure Ring accelerated its rotation, and the azure light transformed into ring-shaped ripples that emanated from beneath Qin Yu's feet, like a divine altar opening the gate to the Silent Realm, with the ring's light covering all the transformed beings!

Around each shapeshifter, the core totem of their Fate Soul Lock Seal appeared, such as a broken spell seal, a shattered spirit chain jade, and a sleeping soul weapon prison. They all closed their eyes, waiting for their Fate Soul to be reborn.

The next moment!

The Azure Ring fixes the light - ten thousand seals are split together!

Like a cascading galaxy, Azure Ring suddenly unleashed tens of millions of azure soul lightning bolts, each one precisely striking its target soul core, detonating, collapsing chains, and annihilating seals in an instant!

The fragments of the lock scattered like feathers in the void, and at the moment of their shattering, a faint blue light appeared in the soul of each transformed being—like a blue butterfly sneaking into the deepest part of their soul, silently completing the blue light imprint!

The entire process proceeded flawlessly, without a single failure, error, or backlash!

Tens of thousands of people—under this round of purification—all opened their eyes at once!

Some roared, some wept, some closed their eyes and looked up at the sky...

"I'm free..."

"The lock... it's really gone... it's really gone!!!"

"I... I've regained my original aura!"

"My Dao Soul is finally complete!!!"

In an instant, thunder roared across the heavens and earth, and all living beings trembled and howled!

The Mighty Thunder Heaven-Suppressing Sword, the Netherfire Nine-Transformation Lotus, the Flowing Rainbow Immortal Feather Talisman, the Crimson Gold Cloud Thunder Pill... countless divine artifacts and rare treasures, all transformed, knelt on one knee, their myriad souls bowing in worship:

"Thank you for your kindness, sir!"

"I solemnly swear to serve under Your Excellency, unto death, without regret, and to fight without complaint!"

The heavens roared, and all spirits returned to their hearts.

At that moment, it seemed as if the entire Heavenly Emanation Treasure Realm · Middle Layer fell silent.

Qin Yu's eyes remained unchanged, and he calmly uttered a sentence:

"Next--"

"It's time for— Mystic Emanation Nether Venerable Liang Jichen."

Slowly rising into the air, looking down from above the ruins:

All spirits stand in a circle, the blue light still remains, but the seal of silence has been broken.

In the Heavenly Emanation Treasure Realm · Middle Layer, above the Spirit Abyss Broken Domain, the myriad forms stood still as mountains, bathed in the heavenly light as if ten thousand souls were paying homage.

At this moment, Qin Yu stood atop the central Azure Ring altar, with Yan Yue, Wang Long, and Lin Yun positioned on the four sides, their spiritual energy spreading like a domain. The Azure Ring hovered above it, its azure light still flowing in the dim light, silently suppressing the aftershocks.

Qin Yu spoke slowly, his voice low and his tone steady, yet it was like a command from the depths of the Annihilation Sea, penetrating the very souls of all beings:

"Gentlemen--"

"I have completely erased the Fate Soul Lock Seal that Liang Jichen carved for you."

"Furthermore, the power of the Azure Ring is used for 'Silent Seal Cleansing,' which will not leave any trace of abnormality in his Soul Seal observation."

In other words, your souls are still in a 'locked' state in his eyes.

"This is our biggest weapon for the next step."

As soon as he finished speaking, the tens of thousands of shapeshifters in the arena were shocked. They whispered among themselves but no one spoke. Everyone was impressed by the miracle of "removing the Silent Seal" and had developed unconditional obedience to Qin Yu's command.

Qin Yu looked around and continued:

"I will only say this once."

"Liang Jichen set up this trap to imprison you, not to control you, much less to use you to take my life."

"His true purpose is to use the power of your souls as a guide to open up the closed logical pathway between the 'middle layer' and 'inner layer' of the Heavenly Emanation Treasure Realm!"

"Each of your locks is actually a key he has been nurturing—when the number of Soul Lockers reaches hundreds of thousands, he will activate the 'Recognition Annihilation Tier-Passage Ritual' through the top-level seal of the 'True Record: Annihilation's End Chapter'!"

"At that time, he will use you as stepping stones to cross the boundary and enter the inner layer—and the souls of all of you will be devoured by him in one fell swoop."

Before the words were even finished, the crowd erupted in commotion! This would thoroughly weaken the power of the inner layer's "Supreme Origin Destruction Thought."

"Impossible...!"

"Damn it! He's planning to sacrifice all of us?"

"We are the keys?! We are his sacrifices to access the inner layers?!"

Qin Yu raised his hand to suppress the commotion, his voice as deep as a mountain:

"That's right—this is the real theme he planted from the very beginning."

"But now, I have rescued you from the abyss, and the marks on your bodies have been completely removed."

"He's still completely in the dark."

"Therefore, it is now the other way around—you should confine him in this middle layer and send him into true Annihilation!"

"I will set up the 'Silent Ring Myriad Locks Formation.' Among you, all those above the artifact spirit level will form chains of ten, subtly adjusting your True Soul will to a false seal state, pretending that you are still under control."

"When he personally comes to reap the rewards and confirm his control over the Fate Soul— "

"I will activate the 'Fate Cause Master Seal,' combining the power of the Azure Ring to unleash a simultaneous burst of azure light, locking him... within you all!"

"This formation is called -- Ring Seal Breaking the Palace: Reverse Locking Annihilation Soul Diagram!"

Upon hearing this—

The first to step forward was Mighty Thunder Heaven-Suppressing Sword, kneeling on one knee with the back of its blade planted in the ground, its divine aura surging.

"I, Jun Thunder, am willing to be the vanguard in breaking the formation, and to be one of the Soul Annihilation Master Locks!"

Many other shapeshifters also stepped forward—

"I, the Crimson Lotus Pill King, am willing to be the catalyst for the burning soul within these chains!"

"I, the Soul Jade Ancient Talisman, am willing to offer a page of the Soul Book!"

"I, the Three Luminaries Burning Fire, willing to burn the heavens and sever all consciousness!"

Qin Yu's gaze softened slightly as he looked at the many people with unwavering resolve. Yan Yue:

"They... believe you, Yu."

"We now truly possess an army of spirit artifacts capable of defying fate."

At last--

Qin Yu slowly raised his hand, his five fingers spread, and a "Fate Cause Master Seal" appeared in his palm, which responded with an Azure Ring.

"This battle is not one where we are being hunted."

"This battle is—a rebellion against fate, a prelude to the Annihilation of the Liang Jichen!"

In the Heavenly Emanation Treasure Realm · Middle Layer, tens of thousands of shapeshifters quietly dispersed, breaking into chains and re-infiltrating various places according to Qin Yu's plan.