Returning to the Star Abyss Palace Hall, the shimmering starlight of the Annihilation Abyss shines silently, as still as ever.
Qin Yu stood alone on the floating star platform deep within the main hall, with layers of star curtains stretching out behind him, like an endless sea of stars falling between the palaces. The faint, Wuji radiance still flowed in the hall, like an inextinguishable spring of silent light, slowly overflowing from the hall's veins and pouring into every inch of its structure.
Just as he came to his senses, he suddenly felt a lightness on his shoulder.
A soft, ethereal light quietly materialized.
Azure Ring appeared.
However, unlike the semi-manifested form of the past, it is now truly materialized.
At this moment, she was only an inch tall, wearing a blue feather spirit dress that was neither feather nor light, standing on Qin Yu's shoulder, like a little blue elf from the Origin Framework world. Her figure was slender, and two "annihilation feathers" with flowing rainbow patterns slowly unfolded behind her. A gentle breeze stirred them, and they rustled softly like ripples.
As she stood, it was as if the glimmer of light from the entire Star Abyss Palace gently surged toward her and worshipped her.
"As expected, I can maintain my human form in the Source of Epochless · Middle Layer."
She put her hands on her hips, tilted her head slightly, and revealed a hint of smugness. "It's all thanks to you absorbing the Limitless Evolving True Flow that day."
Qin Yu glanced sideways and smiled, saying, "So... those 'exceeding limits' absorptions that day also satiated you?"
Azure Ring nodded gently, her tone unusually serious:
"The day you entered the hall, you absorbed tens of thousands of strands of the Limitless Evolving True Flow in an instant, and the original logic within your body was directly tainted by the Limitless Radiance and the extremely subtle Origin Void Substance... These do not belong solely to cultivators, but are the 'format materials' of the Source of Epochless —a dimension above the middle level."
"And I, as the anchor of your Fate Soul, resonate with the 'Silent Beginning Ring Master Soul Diagram,' and naturally, when you absorbed it, I was also infused with the power of these formats."
"My consciousness was thus temporarily freed from the limitations of the 'soul form' and was able to 'materialize' into this form."
As she spoke, she turned around, displaying her delicate and graceful wing-like skirt, which resembled condensed azure light.
"While it's far from being a complete human form, at least... I can stand on your shoulders now."
She stepped lightly, a light, airy movement that didn't feel like any weight was falling on Qin Yu's shoulder.
"However, this form is maintained by borrowing a sliver of the fading light of the Limitless Evolving True Flow; if it remains too long, I will dissipate."
Qin Yu sensed the flowing light emanating from her body and couldn't help but chuckle softly:
"So, you're currently considered to be in the 'initial form of Azure Feather'?"
Azure Ring raised an eyebrow. "Barely passing."
A gentle breeze blew by, and the Limitless True Flow within the hall echoed softly, like the whispers of the myriad worlds.
And Azure Ring, for the first time in this form as small yet clear as a spirit feather, truly accompanied Qin Yu, becoming his most unique—original resonance body—in this vast Source of Epochless.
Inside the Star Abyss Palace Hall, the silent light was like a mirror.
Qin Yu sat quietly on the star platform in the main hall, his posture upright, spiritual energy surging between his fingers, accompanied by a faint Wuji radiance flowing slowly. The air around him seemed to be folded by invisible ripples, and large swathes of star-like, quicksand-like Limitless Evolving True Flow rose and fell around him, seeping into his body along his meridians, transforming into the dimensional ascension logic at the bottom of his Fate Soul.
At this moment, he was like a spiritual anchor at the center of heaven and earth, guarding the balance point of this dimension.
The time it takes for an incense stick to burn to pass quietly in the hall. Qin Yu slowly opened his eyes, his aura as restrained as a deep abyss. With a slight flutter of his sleeves, clouds gathered and breathed.
He picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip of Star Essence Immortal Tea, and was about to ponder for a moment when a sound of surging spiritual energy suddenly came from outside the hall.
The palace doors slowly opened.
Chi Ning, Shen Yuzhi, Luo Huan, Mu Xun, Du Linglin, and Mo Zhiyan entered Star Abyss Palace almost simultaneously. Each of them landed steadily with a streak of light, and the moment they stepped into the hall, they were all startled.
"... This aura... is it from when he just finished absorbing it?"
Chi Ning stepped forward first, her steps light and graceful. She glanced at the lingering spiritual mist around her, then looked Qin Yu up and down, as if deep in thought, her eyes filled with a hint of surprise and uncertainty.
She stopped, crossed her arms, and sighed softly with a hint of mockery:
"Junior Brother Qin, Junior Brother Qin."
Qin Yu put down his teacup, calmly raised his eyes, and asked, "Senior Sister Chi, what's wrong?"
Chi Ning circled him once, as if examining a rare treasure, then made a thoughtful "hmm" gesture, her eyes revealing a hint of uncertain surprise:
"We just heard from the Mission Hall— "
"You have accepted a four-star, high-level gathering mission. The target location is 'Source of Epochless - Mid-level Fault Domain - Fate Severing Gorge'."
She paused, raised an eyebrow, and stared at Qin Yu:
"Fate Severing Gorge, Junior Brother Qin, do you know what Fate Severing Gorge means? Life-Severing Gorge is a gorge where people die after going there."
The others in the hall also gathered around, their expressions showing shock.
Du Linglin's tone revealed a complex admiration. "I remember that this mission was last taken on by Dan Guijun, a peak inner disciple, and he didn't return for a full nine days."
Mu Xun frowned and said, "And that time, he brought two assistants with him."
Shen Yuzhi stared at Qin Yu, her eyes somewhat serious. "You... did you do this all by yourself?"
"And it only took three days."
Luo Huan gave a wry smile and murmured softly, "Truly impressive... Junior Brother Qin."
Mo Zhiyan remained silent, but gave Qin Yu a deep look, his eyes brimming with a quiet fighting spirit and admiration.
Faced with their praise, Qin Yu simply nodded slightly, his tone calm:
"The mission is complete, but that Fate Severing Gorge is indeed not suitable for ordinary people to venture into."
The crowd exchanged glances, all sensing the composure and formidable strength behind Qin Yu's words.
Chi Ning finally sat down on the jade chair opposite him, lightly tapping the immortal tea on the table with her finger, and said:
"To be able to complete that kind of task in three days, Junior Brother Qin, it seems your time in the inner sect... will be much more than just that of a 'new disciple'."
Qin Yu smiled gently, his gaze as calm as a lake, and returned a cup of tea without saying another word.
Meanwhile, in the Star Abyss Palace, the aroma of tea wafted through the air, and spiritual light caressed the face, subtly warming the atmosphere.
At this moment, everyone vaguely sensed that this newly arrived Golden Core disciple of the Eternal Extreme Sacred Hall was destined to stir up an unavoidable storm of cause and effect in the middle level of the Source of Epochless.
Just as the aroma of tea lingered in the air, Chi Ning suddenly looked up, blinked, and said with a smile:
"Junior Brother Qin, if you have some free time today, would you like to come with us to explore the largest main city in the Source of Epochless · Middle Layer? It's a must-see place since you're new here!"
Qin Yu was slightly surprised and was about to answer when Luo Huan interrupted with a smile:
"Yes, the main city is the core trading and resource center for hundreds of millions of races in the entire middle-level region. Almost all news, rare items, treasure lands, and secret realm missions are gathered here. Junior Brother Qin, you haven't been here long. Wouldn't it be a waste of your trip if you didn't go and take a look?"
Du Linglin smiled faintly, "It's rare that we're all free today, so I'll show you around the main city's layout. Don't be fooled by the fact that the Eternal Extreme Sacred Hall itself is already enormous; the main city is millions of times larger."
Shen Yuzhi nodded. "Many predecessors have purchased magical and rare items there, and some with exceptional luck have even obtained unidentified God Clan treasures."
Seeing the sincere expressions on their faces, Qin Yu smiled slightly and said softly, "Well then, I'll trouble you senior brothers and sisters to lead the way."
Just then, Mo Zhiyan, who had been leaning against the pillar without saying a word, suddenly grinned:
"Don't be so polite, Junior Brother Qin."
From this day forward, we will be referred to as—
He paused, adopting a mysterious and enigmatic posture:
"The Eternal Extreme Seven Heroes! Hahahaha--"
"... You really know how to come up with names." Mu Xun smiled helplessly.
Everyone was amused by the unexpected joke, and a burst of inspiration flowed through their laughter.
Outside the Star Abyss Palace Hall, seven streaks of light suddenly shot into the sky, piercing through the air and drawing seven brilliant arcs across the sky above the slowly flowing Limitless Evolving True Flow, heading towards the largest main city in the middle layer of the Source of Epochless.
A golden ray streaked across the sky, shaking the clouds.
In the vast void, a platinum capital city spanning a star field slowly emerged before everyone's eyes.
That magnificent holy city floated between the sea of clouds and the stars, with clouds and mist swirling upwards like divine veils, reflecting a dazzling golden light. The entire city was constructed from hundreds of millions of layers of steps, starting from the lowest cloud platform and rising layer by layer to the highest holy domain, which resembled a throne of stars. The giant steps cascaded like the Milky Way, and the city roads flowed like the sun. Each path led to various holy districts and temples, layer upon layer, magnificent and boundless.
Above the sky, a giant Golden Radiance sphere slowly rotated, its myriad golden rays pouring down like a galaxy, flowing over the city and forming arcs of light that converged into the "Radiant Sovereign Extreme Hall" at the city's center, a structure resembling the palace of a god-king. The palace's dome was a vibrant, golden-blue glaze, each inch inlaid with rare divine crystals that released superdimensional fluctuations, keeping the entire city within a stable, logically solidified domain, impervious to any structural disturbances.
The city walls are tens of thousands of feet high and are made entirely of Myriad Origin Crystals, making them indestructible. Every window frame, every divine tower, and every palace pillar is engraved with the Source Realm patterns and flowing inscriptions, as if the entire city itself is a living divine object.
Above the core Heavenly Steps of the Radiant Heaven Imperial Capital, cultivators from all races and powerful figures from other worlds gathered, including merchants from various major mid-level domains, representatives of sects, and even a very small number of travelers from the upper worlds. Everywhere they went, there was a magnificent scene. Floating boats carrying elixirs, palaces for warriors, rows of light boats, illusory marketplaces... The entire Imperial Capital was like a living creation of the world, woven from countless logics, and constantly in operation.
This place is none other than the supreme main city of the middle level of the Source of Epochless — the Radiant Heaven Imperial Capital.
A single city controls information, resources, technology exchange, Soul Seal trading, and life chain circulation across all domains. It is a god-level main domain that countless cultivators dream of, and it is also the core hub for the Eternal Extreme Sacred Hall to govern external affairs.
Amidst a celestial river of flowing golden light, seven streaks of light slowly descended, revealing Qin Yu and his group of seven, who had entered the void. Upon arriving in the Radiant Heaven Imperial Capital, everyone was excited. Chi Ning, with a hint of pride in her eyes, softly said:
"This is the divine capital of the Source of Epochless · Middle Layer — the Radiant Heaven Imperial Capital."
As soon as the seven figures stepped into the lower domain of the main level of the Radiant Heaven Imperial Capital, they heard the sounds of bustling crowds and surging techniques. Under their feet was a "Divine Radiance Star Street" that seemed to be forged from Xingyun crystals. Every inch of the floor tiles had its own miniature floating array logic. The pedestrians walked lightly and silently, but they could feel a stable spiritual energy flow enveloping their whole body, as if they were in a spacetime protective flow.
The surrounding streets were as wide as confluences of clouds and rivers, with rows of high-level buildings suspended in the air and connected by light cables. Commercial buildings and towers stood side by side, and spirit boats were like a tapestry on the celestial steps, with thousands of cultivators constantly moving about.
Along the street, floating kiosks, constructed of divine metal, Daoist essence, and radiant crystal, emanate colorful energy, and the voices of vendors rise and fall.
"Nine Nirvana Life Patterns from the Radiant Extreme Star Domain! Just three hundred Luo Stones for a scroll, and you'll instantly advance half a rank upon inscribing it into your Soul Seal!"
"Brand new technical node model! Hand-drawn manuscript of the mid-level main hall, buy one get one free!"
"The Annihilation Origin Refining Weapon increases the stability of fusion with the Fate Soul by 30%! If you miss this opportunity, you'll have to wait another five hundred years!"
Various clans, merchant groups, organizations, and temples have set up stations here. Some sell rare resources, some specialize in logic repair and life chain forging, and some even have Soul Seal exchanges that gather the imprinting classics of all races. Waves of Recognition Annihilation emanate from here, causing people's souls to tremble.
A giant "Logic Realm Ring Market" constructed entirely of Golden Radiance Celestial Crystal floated in the air ahead. Thousands of construction technicians, logic forgers, and life chain sorcerers exchanged, calculated, and tested their skills on its platform. Some geniuses even demonstrated their construction techniques on the spot. Golden light soared into the sky, and spiritual arrays appeared, attracting hundreds of onlookers in an instant.
On the other side of the main street, three giant pillars with reliefs of life chains stood, connecting to the "Life Authority Information General Association." As Qin Yu and his group approached, they were immediately guided by Spiritual Sense—
[Radiant Heaven Imperial Capital - Daily Update Ranking of Life Chain Circulation]
Today's top seller: Soul Annihilation Chain - Dust Whisperer (94,311 transactions total)
Second item of the day: Fate Abyss Reverse Order Scroll with White Clerical Script Seal (112,832 transactions)
Third on the list today: Star-Splitting Pulse Chain - Mysterious Night Flowing Light (252,219 transactions)
Shen Yuzhi looked up and sighed softly, "This really is the place where the information about the Fate Chain is most concentrated. Even the forbidden seals of mysterious clans can be traded on the spot..."
Further inside are the Soul Seal Hundred-Step Pavilion, the Annihilation Origin Technique Demonstration Hall, the Construct Technique Floating Disk Workshop, the Market God Tower, the Soul Pact Auction Platform... Each place is an independent logical trading holy land, and every resident comes from the major domains of the Source of Epochless, with a cultivation level of at least the Primordial Void Realm.
People of all races, sects, and factions gather here. Regardless of identity, race, or origin, as long as you possess construct skills, resources, Soul Seal, or life chains, you can exchange them for anything you desire within the Radiant Heaven Imperial Capital.
Lively, magnificent, with stars flowing and logic intertwined, it seemed as if even the very origin of the universe was experiencing a slight tremor within this main city.
At this moment, Qin Yu finally realized that this city was the supreme holy capital where all things converged in the Source of Epochless.