The following morning, before dawn, the entire Star Abyss Palace was still shrouded in a faint mist of shimmering silver light.
Throughout the palace, the few who had drunk together the previous night were all fast asleep on their spiritual beds, their breathing steady and their Fate Soul flowing gently, seemingly resonating with the life force within the palace. But one person had already quietly left his seat and entered the Limitless Stargazing Platform behind the Star Abyss Palace.
This place is the core high platform of the entire Star Abyss Palace Hall, specially granted by the Annihilation Star Hall and open only to the Star Abyss Lord.
On the Star Platform, Qin Yu sat quietly within the stone lotus, his gaze lowered, his Fate Soul still, yet his divine consciousness, like ten thousand rivers flowing into the sea, sank into the deep rhythms of the universe.
His robes fell loose, ripples of life energy emanating from them. Within a three-zhang radius around him, a deep, ethereal golden star mist swirled like water, faintly condensing into a miniature true flow vortex.
That was the Limitless Evolving True Flow —the only superdimensional energy flow that cultivators could absorb above the Source of Epochless · Middle Layer. At this moment, it seemed to be attracted to Qin Yu, automatically swirling around him, like fragments of the Milky Way surrounding a star core, slowly flowing.
Within those misty, silky rays of light, there were both the "Limitless Radiance" flowing with iridescent colors and the extremely difficult-to-detect "Dark Evolving Undercurrent." In the deepest part of the annihilating gold mist, there were shimmering silver ripples like the fissures of an abyss, as if they were the remnants of a crack between some dimension.
Qin Yu watched quietly, his fingers slightly parted, and he gently wiped them—
As his fingertips brushed against that flowing stream of truth, a torrent of information, causal structures, energy logic, and dark energy resonance, like billions of particles, instantly washed over his sea of consciousness.
In an instant, he knew this was no ordinary power.
Azure Ring's voice appeared in her mind:
"The most dangerous part is the Dark Evolving Undercurrent."
"It connects the manifest and latent universes, serving as a 'hidden bridge' of causality between dimensions, and is also the culprit behind the loss and demise of many advanced cultivators."
Qin Yu slowly withdrew his fingertips, his expression solemn, yet without the slightest hint of greed.
"Although I can absorb the true flow indefinitely..."
"But if I get lost in the 'multidimensional causal resonance zone' of the Dark Evolving Undercurrent, I don't even know what kind of being I would become."
He murmured softly, his voice masked by the gentle breeze above the star platform.
This wind is not a natural wind, but a Soul Annihilation wind, a "wind of consciousness echoing" caused by the floating of destiny and consciousness above the starry sky.
He continued to sit cross-legged, his five fingers slightly spread, but he no longer absorbed anything. Instead, he used his divine sense to gently stroke the outer fluctuations of the Limitless Evolving True Flow, guiding them into a kind of "soul reflection" to observe the changes in his own Fate Soul and discern the trend of his martial soul awakening.
At this moment, Azure Ring sighed softly:
"You did the right thing."
"It's not that you can't absorb it, but that you choose to—restrain yourself."
Qin Yu did not answer, but simply opened his eyes slightly.
His eyes reflected the afterglow of the Milky Way before the sky had risen, the silent true current flowing above the Star Abyss Palace, and a thought in his heart that he had never voiced.
That is the first thing a true enforcer must understand.
It's not about how much power you possess, but about when you choose not to use it.
Starlight sways gently, shimmering like silver ripples.
Qin Yu sat quietly on the Star Platform, the Dark Extreme True Flow still swirling and flowing in his palm. But in the morning light, his gaze quietly sank into the abyss of memories.
--That battle, the battle of the Annihilation Abyss Epoch, that black-robed old man from the unknown core region.
Qin Yu frowned.
"Then..."
"I sealed its thought process with the Blue Ring - Sever Thought and Extinguish Consciousness, and annihilated its Fate Soul's trajectory with the Azure Ring - Final Form - Silent Wheel Final Abyss..."
"Yet it was not completely Annihilation."
The old man was clearly enveloped by "the dual annihilation of life and consciousness," and his Fate Soul should have been completely removed from the world's components. However, he forcibly tore a wisp of light from the abyss of Annihilation and escaped to the other side of chaos.
That cannot be achieved simply through cultivation, nor can it be accomplished through martial spirit techniques.
Qin Yu recalled the radiance that had enveloped the black-robed elder at that moment—deep black like an abyss, surging with rainbows, interwoven with light patterns, and trembling with cause and effect.
Yes, that is...
The Limitless Evolving True Flow.
No, it is—"the Limitless Evolving True Flow of the superthreshold state," which is even several times more concentrated and pure than what he had absorbed before.
"That ray of light is not the kind of intensity a mid-level cultivator should possess," he muttered to himself.
He finally understood that the old man's survival and escape were due to the extremely high concentration of true energy fused within his Fate Soul, making him... no longer a "single-dimensional being."
Just as his gaze narrowed and his consciousness sank into the Causal Retracing—
A soft yawn broke the silence of the star station.
"Oh my god~~ How much did we drink last night?"
"Junior Brother Qin's wine is truly a wonderful thing that can intoxicate the soul..."
A lazy voice, tinged with a hint of amusement, came from the other side of the stairs.
Chi Ning wore a light blue embroidered cloud-patterned gauze dress, her long hair loose and slightly disheveled, with a few strands of black hair falling across her forehead. She seemed to still be enveloped in the slightly tipsy haze of last night's fine wine. Yawning and rubbing her eyes, she slowly walked up to the star platform.
Qin Yu turned around upon hearing the sound and chuckled:
"Senior Sister Chi is awake."
Chi Ning stretched his body, waved his hand slightly, and smiled:
"Hmm... I'm awake, but my head is still spinning."
"Last night, your 'Return-to-Abyss Pour,' was probably mixed with three jars of Star Dew, wasn't it? That's not something an ordinary person can drink."
She took a few steps closer and saw Qin Yu sitting alone on the star platform, looking slightly lost in thought. She tilted her head and glanced at him.
"What's wrong? Why are you just standing here in a daze so early in the morning? Didn't we agree last night that Star Abyss Palace was in good condition and you should take a rest?"
Qin Yu snapped out of his reverie, the thoughtful look in his eyes fading, leaving only a calm smile:
"It's nothing. I'm just a little uncomfortable since I just Source of Epochless · Middle Layer."
"This flow, though magnificent, is also far too heavy."
Chi Ning looked at him as if she understood but didn't ask any further questions.
She knew that although Qin Yu was a newcomer, he was no ordinary person. On that day, in the first battle of the Floating Mirror Sect, he won with a single move, making everyone understand that this so-called "inner disciple appointed by the founder" was not just lucky.
At that moment, footsteps came from behind the palace.
Du Linglin, Shen Yuzhi, Luo Huan, Mu Xun, Mo Zhiyan and others also walked out of the Star Abyss Main Hall one after another. Some yawned, some rubbed their foreheads to sober up, and some had their usual cold faces, but they all had a sense of "belonging" and composure.
Chi Ning glanced at everyone and said with a smile:
"It seems our drinking session truly revealed a 'Fate Soul connection'."
Mo Zhiyan held a teacup, smiled and shook his head:
"The brew from the Star Abyss Palace intoxicates the wine, but sobers the heart."
And at that moment when no one was aware—
Qin Yu quietly gathered the wisp of Limitless Evolving True Flow from his palm into his sleeve.
A faint glimmer of starlight appeared in his eyes.
"The man in black robes..."
"You... exactly which level of the Source of Epochless do you come from?"
Just as everyone was joking and stretching, Shen Yuzhi gently gathered her disheveled robes, looked up at Qin Yu who was still on the star platform, and her eyes showed more tranquility and understanding.
Her voice Wanqing, yet carried a hint of composure:
"We should head back too."
"Senior Sister Chi Ning, let's not disturb Junior Brother Qin Yu any longer. Let him rest and recuperate, and take advantage of the power of the Star Abyss to comprehend it properly."
Chi Ning turned to look at Qin Yu, her smile still there, but her tone had softened considerably:
"Yes, that night was truly relaxing."
"Junior Brother Qin, we'll be taking our leave now. If you'd like some peace and quiet, please sit a little longer. If you have any questions, feel free to ask us."
Qin Yu rose to see him off, bowing respectfully.
"Thank you so much for your care, fellow disciples. I will always remember your kindness."
Mu Xun nodded and smiled.
"You need not stand on ceremony. Since we are Fate Soul the same temple, we should naturally cultivate and progress together."
Luo Huan patted his shoulder, his voice brief but firm:
"The Star Abyss Palace won't be lonely for long."
Mo Zhiyan a slight smile, turned his long robe around, and stepped off the stage.
Du Linglin remained silent, his gaze sweeping lightly between Qin Yu and Xingtai before he flicked his sleeve, transforming into a streak of light that dissipated with the wind.
Chi Ning glanced at him one last time, her expression warm and wistful, and said softly:
"Make good use of this Star Abyss Platform."
"Perhaps, next time, you'll be unrecognizable to the entire inner sect."
As soon as she finished speaking, she stepped into the air and, together with the other six, entered the Floating Dream Clouds, disappearing into the other side of the void.
The sky was bright, and the sunlight shone down from the Star Abyss dome of the heavens.
Only Qin Yu remained, standing alone in the wind.
His spirit remained clear as a mirror, while within his sea of consciousness, the Limitless True Flow was quietly rising, with wisps of undulating ripples seemingly foreshadowing some unknown "Fate Soul transformation"—quietly brewing.
A gentle morning breeze stirs, and the shimmering light above the starry sky lingers.
Just a moment after everyone had left, a clear, azure arc of light gently rippled out from the depths of Qin Yu's consciousness, as if echoing through countless logical patterns and dimensions, and finally condensed into a phantom above his right shoulder.
Azure Ring appeared.
She wore a light blue robe, ethereal and dreamlike, her bare feet treading on the void, appearing incredibly small. Her gaze seemed to reflect countless logics and causes. She hovered on Qin Yu's shoulder, leaning lightly against Huan Ying, smiling as she surveyed the afterglow of the setting sun over Star Abyss Palace below.
"I didn't expect that these little guys... would be so nice to you."
Her tone was languid yet tinged with satisfaction, seemingly unconcerned about the etiquette of this mid-level holy domain, but quite pleased with the attitude of those people towards Qin Yu.
Qin Yu smiled faintly, his gaze still fixed on the slowly shifting ripples of the Limitless Evolving True Flow on the horizon.
"It's a rare moment of peace and sincerity here."
He paused, turned to look at Azure Ring, and said slowly:
"Azure Ring, the resources of this Eternal Extreme Sacred Hall truly far exceed what I've seen before."
"Cultivation techniques, formations, secret scriptures, divine runes, divine artifacts... all are profound and vast; if it were anyone else, they would have long been captivated and unable to extricate themselves."
Azure Ring's lips curled into a smile, her expression growing increasingly playful:
"Oh? So you're not tempted?"
Qin Yu shook his head:
"Being moved doesn't necessarily mean being in love. Those so-called secret scriptures and laws, no matter how high one cultivates them, are nothing more than another kind of logic limited by the framework of destiny."
"What you taught me is the very essence of reversing the world's origins. Even the most powerful array formations and techniques cannot compare to the [Silent Principle Void Annihilation Scripture], [Fate Cause Master Seal], and [Silent Ring Return to the Abyss Diagram] that you bestowed upon me."
Azure Ring smiled slightly upon hearing this and nodded in approval.
"At least you have some awareness."
She Empty Grasp in her hand, her fingertips tracing a circular star-shaped mark:
"But you're not entirely without goals—you haven't finished what you were saying yet."
Where are you planning to go?
Qin Yu raised his head, his gaze now clear again:
Two places.
"First, there's the Mission Hall."
"I must grasp the actual situation in the Source of Epochless · Middle Layer as soon as possible. Only through missions can I truly access the underlying logic and mutated life flow of this middle level."
"Secondly, it's the Weapon Pavilion." Qin Yu's voice deepened for a moment, his eyes sharpening like knives.
"My Source-Extinguishing Divine Sword, I feel it's about to break through again."
"I can sense that its sixth form, [Primordial Beginning - Sole Silent Name], is on the verge of awakening. If we can find a suitable boundary weapon to sacrifice, or a weapon source anchor with Wuji core material, we can completely draw out the true source meaning of 'severing boundaries and erasing names'."
Azure Ring's eyes flickered slightly, and she said softly:
"You're really impatient."
"The Weapon Pavilion is no more docile than the Mission Hall; it's a place even inner disciples dare not venture into lightly—every soul weapon possesses a remnant of soul consciousness and echoes of realm intent. Without sufficient mental fortitude, it could very well backfire and devour the user."
Qin Yu nodded slightly and responded calmly:
*"I know."
"But if I don't awaken the [Primordial Era - The Sole Silent Name] Awakening, I'm afraid I won't be able to deal with the 'Logical Undercurrents' that truly lurk beneath this middle layer."
Azure Ring was silent for a moment, then gently waved her sleeve. A ripple of azure light appeared in the air, revealing a spirit crystal engraved with the seal of the Annihilation Star Hall: the golden inner sect crystal core bestowed by the Ancestor.
"Then so be it."
"This token of yours can help you directly enter the core levels of the Mission Hall and the Weapon Pavilion. If you encounter any obstacles, show this token, and Elder Annihilation Star will not stop you."
She looked at him with a half-smile:
"After all, you are a disciple 'personally bestowed by the Ancestor,' so it's not a bad thing to appropriately reveal your identity."
Qin Yu solemnly accepted it, the spiritual light in his palm burning like fire.
He looked up, and starlight pierced through the Star Abyss dome, seemingly merging with an Annihilation Abyss in his sea of consciousness at the same moment.
He knew that this step would unleash even more untold undercurrents of Fate Soul.
--And he was no longer the Qin Yu had fled during the Annihilation Abyss Epoch.
He was chosen by the Ring of Seals, a rebel outside the orbit of destiny.