The Quiet Forest's Fleeting Dream · Starlight Sleeps in Peace

It was an ancient forest that seemed to be slumbering in a dream of starlight.

Qin Yu walked alone deep into the Mist Soul Severed Realm, stepping into a pure land untouched by chaotic energy. The decaying leaves beneath his feet were soft and silent, and vines hung down like clouds all around him. Clusters of unknown silver-blue fluorescent flowers trembled slightly on the branches, as if the entire forest was breathing, immersed in some kind of silent spirituality.

Deep in the dense forest, a light mist lingers without wetting clothes, and moonlight-like rays pour through the branches, scattering like molten silver across the forest path. With each step, the ground ripples with a dreamy blue shimmering water. In the distance, the soft chirping of birds echoes, like a silent, serene melody.

Suddenly, a clear, spiritual pool appeared ahead. The water was as still as a mirror, yet it reflected a bottomless, starlight-blue light. On the other side of the pool, a serene and sacred figure sat amidst the dense flowers.

It was a white divine beast, resembling a spirit wolf but with dazzling antlers—antlers that were neither entirely crystalline nor entirely solid, adorned with dozens of glass beads and mithril flakes, inlaid with Dao patterns that shimmered with a faint light, reflecting a seven-colored radiance. Its fur was as white as snow, yet faintly shimmered with a cold, silvery-blue light, like moonlight spreading across its body; around its neck was an ancient and exquisite spirit jade necklace, seemingly a soul ornament worn by sacrificial beasts in the ancient realm.

It lay quietly among the flowers, its four hooves coiled beneath it, and the surrounding vines and shimmering light seemed to shine because of its presence. When it slowly opened its pair of heterochromatic blue and gold eyes, the world seemed to stand still for a moment, and even the wind slowed down.

Qin Yu stopped in his tracks, his gaze solemn, sensing a solemnity emanating from an ancient bloodline—this was no ordinary spirit beast, but a [Origin Spirit Sacred Beast] that dwelled on the edge of the boundary rift and rarely appeared in the world. Its aura was pure and noble, unlike a ferocious beast, but rather more like a guardian from the depths of the spirit realm.

He stared silently at the celestial deer, and the deer simply looked back at him quietly, its gaze containing no hostility, but full of scrutiny and insight, as if assessing whether the newcomer's soul and destiny fluctuations were permissible to approach.

A gentle breeze stirred, and the wisteria blossoms swayed lightly. Qin Yu's first fateful encounter upon entering this mysterious dream forest had quietly begun.

Qin Yu stood quietly in front of the spirit pool, his breathing almost imperceptible, the Annihilation Origin spiritual energy within his body quietly contained to its Ultimate.

The celestial deer remained motionless, seemingly unaware of his threat. However, Qin Yu knew that once such a divine beast became enraged, its power could destroy the entire forest. Its protective instincts and spatial perception had already given it complete control over the surrounding hundred feet.

After a moment of silence, Qin Yu's eyes narrowed, and with a flick of his finger, he retrieved the Book of Fate Law - The Realm Severing Origin Brush. However, instead of immediately writing down offensive techniques, he concealed it in his sleeve. Simultaneously, he stepped onto the stone platform at the edge of the path.

Suddenly, his figure leaped up, like a gentle breeze brushing leaves, without the slightest killing intent or disturbing the slightest aura, and his whole body slid out from the gap in the air!

In the next instant, Qin Yu's right arm suddenly flipped, and a faint golden light flashed in his palm. That was the [Extreme Breath Breaking Blade], a stealth technique he had specially honed to eliminate spiritual targets—silent, breathless, and without fluctuation, created for hunting down divine soul beasts.

"Break."

A single thought, like a silent light vibrating through the air, instantly sliced through the air with Extreme Breath Breaking Blade, erupting in a spiraling, severing trajectory just an inch from the Immortal Deer's brow.

As if the entire space had been swept into the Ultimate front line, the starlight in the immortal deer's eyes suddenly condensed, and the moment its consciousness triggered an instinctive reaction, its soul meridian was severed from its throat!

"Sha--"

Before any blood could splatter, it was already swallowed by the blade's intent and vanished into the Void Realm, leaving only a faint murmur that dissipated with the wind. The divine deer fell silently, its body lying Anran, even maintaining its original tranquil posture, as if it had simply fallen into a deep sleep.

Qin Yu landed silently, his expression solemn. This battle, though silent, was extremely dangerous. If he were allowed to activate the Deer Antler Source Seal, even the space itself would likely be transformed into a mirror-shattered dream realm.

He wasted no time, immediately kneeling down and taking out the Source Blade and Disassembly Box he carried with him. With fluid movements, he peeled away the immortal deer's tendons, soul flesh, inner core, and blood and flesh one by one.

The spirit horn was sealed into the [Silent Melting Crystal Casket], and the heart was cut off and the source of pure blood was instantly sealed with the Annihilation Fire Seal; while the venison used for consumption was wrapped in the Silent Origin Fire Spirit and instantly roasted, and in an instant, a wisp of sweet and clear Spiritual Qi and a faint fishy sweetness filled the air.

A few breaths later, the deer bones and meat were sorted and categorized, with not even the finest marrow and tendons wasted. Qin Yu stood up with his hands behind his back, leaving only the faint afterglow of the spiritual spring behind him, as if the divine deer had never existed in this world.

His footsteps lightly trod out of the woods again, leaving only a faint whisper, almost inaudible:

"I'll lend you my blood and bones to quell the hunger of this world."

As night fell, the sky Mist Soul Severed Realm was shrouded in a deep blue, with scattered starlight like broken gold, casting a soft glow in the quiet forest valley.

When Qin Yu returned to the camp, Chi Ning was sitting cross-legged on a piece of green jade, tidying the Xiaotong's clothes. The child, however, had been waiting anxiously through the mist. When Qin Yu's figure emerged from the forest mist, carrying a warm spirit fire basket, the Xiaotong suddenly stood up, his eyes instantly lighting up.

"You're back!" Chi Ning chuckled softly, her expression slightly taken aback as her eyes swept over the object in Qin Yu's hand. "You... caught a celestial deer?"

Qin Yu nodded without saying much. He simply placed the Spirit Fire Basket on the ground, gently waving his palm. A cluster of warm, non-scorching Annihilation Spirit Flames rose up, condensing into an invisible fire curtain in the air, isolating the cold air and locking in the temperature.

Next, he took out the venison. The snow-white slices, cut evenly and with distinct textures, shimmered faintly in the light of the annihilating flames. As the first slice of venison landed on the crystal baking pan, a soft sizzle suddenly erupted, and instantly, a wave of aroma surged forth.

It wasn't the aroma of earthly meat, but rather the subtle fragrance of herbs and the sweet, refreshing scent of celestial birds.

As each drop of fat melts, it carries the moonlight power contained within the venison, bursting into sparks of blue light in the firelight—a special spiritual energy that can calm the mind and purify the Soul Sea.

As Chi Ning drew closer, she couldn't help but take a deep breath and exclaim softly, "... It smells so good."

The Xiaotong had already swallowed hard, his eyes fixed on the piece of meat turning over and oil splattering, his hands gripping his knees tightly, afraid that he might accidentally pounce on it.

"Wait a moment, let it roast for another breath."

Qin Yu sprinkled the prepared spirit salt powder onto the meat. The salt contained a slight fragrance of spirit plants, and once it touched the flames, the aroma of the meat became even more intense, almost penetrating to the bone marrow. It was a taste with a sweet, dewy fragrance, mixed with the richness of the beast meat itself, as if one could bite into a spring of spiritual light.

Before long, several slices of venison were golden red, with crispy edges and tender, snow-white flesh. Qin Yu picked up a slice and handed it to Chi Ning, another to the Xiaotong, and finally took a small bite of it himself.

Click--

The meat is crispy like a thin shell, "biting but not breaking" as soon as it enters the mouth, and the aroma explodes on the tip of the tongue. The meat core is like melting spiritual milk, tender and elastic, with a faint moonlight flowing around it. It melts in the mouth, but lingers between the lips and teeth for a long time, with a sweet aftertaste. It even has a warm power that makes the soul tremble slightly.

Chi Ning paused visibly for a moment after taking her first bite, then unconsciously closed her eyes and softly murmured, "So delicious..."

The Xiaotong had already taken three small bites, his mouth constantly moving, and he mumbled, "My sister's... doesn't smell as good as this!"

Qin Yu simply chewed quietly, watching the two people in front of him enjoy their food, and his mind relaxed along with the faint aroma.

A night breeze blew in the distance, casting slanting shadows of trees. The spiritual fire illuminated the aura between the three, softening the originally cold Mist Soul Severed Realm with a long-lost warmth and tranquility.

The aroma of venison had not yet completely dissipated, a small fire was lit, and starlight filtered through the treetops, dappling the ground. The three sat on the ground, enjoying a rare moment of tranquility.

Chi Ning leaned against the soft grass, seemingly still immersed in the unforgettable venison feast, while the Xiaotong sat beside Qin Yu, rubbing his round belly with a contented expression. The night breeze rustled the leaves, and the flickering firelight illuminated the three faces with a gentle and clear glow.

Qin Yu gazed at the flames and suddenly whispered, "Xiaotong, have you... ever seen the Heart of the Annihilation Origin Severed Realm before?"

Upon hearing this, Chi Ning turned her head, her eyes showing a hint of surprise and curiosity.

The Xiaotong suddenly straightened up, his expression as if he had been ignited, and patted his stomach, his voice clear and loud. "Hmph, no one in the world knows more about the 'Heart of the Annihilation Origin Severed Realm' than me!"

He paused, his tone revealing a childlike earnestness and pride. "I not only saw it... but I also hid near it for many years. That thing was incredibly beautiful."

He gestured with his small hand, a glint in his eyes. "It's not a stone, nor a crystal, and it certainly doesn't resemble those pretentious spirit cores in temples."

"It... resembles a translucent heart, suspended in a cloud of mist. The heart glows with a dark blue light, somewhat like... like a star about to go out in the night sky, but when it beats, all the mist resonates with it, as if it is breathing."

The Xiaotong spoke with increasing seriousness, his voice lowering as he continued, "The space around it is full of fault lines, inaccessible to the soul and invisible to the eye, but as soon as you get close, you can hear a 'thump, thump' pulsating sound... like... not the heartbeat of a body, but the rhythm of some... very ancient realm itself."

"As soon as that sound is heard, wisps of fragmented energy drift out, as light as mist, but each one... can sever a person's sea of consciousness."

Chi Ning's expression turned serious as she listened, and she said softly, "So you've been avoiding it?"

"No." The Xiaotong pouted. "I'm not afraid of it, I just... know it's not something you can approach casually. My sister said it's the deepest core of the Annihilation Origin, and even many powerful experts at the Annihilation Source Realm don't dare to truly get close."

Qin Yu pondered for a moment, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

The Heart of the Annihilation Origin Severed Realm... As the name suggests, this object is not only the origin node of a certain realm, but may also hold the true core secret of the "Mist Soul Severed Realm".

He gazed into the depths of the flames, remaining silent.

This item is probably their Ultimate goal in entering this broken realm.

At this moment, Chi Ning yawned softly, her body leaning slightly against the soft grass, and her voice came softly, "So sleepy... Xiaotong, are you sleepy?"

The Xiaotong rubbed her eyes, her eyelids almost too heavy to keep open. "Um... I'm so sleepy too... I went to so many places today, my legs are so weak..."

His voice was drowsy and childlike, and before he could finish speaking, his little head had already slumped onto his knees, emitting even, soft breaths.

Qin Yu had been sitting quietly, watching the flames leap, but a weariness that surged from the depths of his soul had already washed over his consciousness like a tide. He closed his eyes, letting fragments of a dream gently sway in his mind, and finally, he silently leaned against the tree trunk behind him and fell into a deep sleep.

The night was clear, starlight shone around the three of them, the firelight dimmed, but warmth remained.

The three of them slept peacefully in that temporary haven of tranquility in the Mist Soul Severed Realm.

The moonlight was as clear as water, a deep, dreamlike blue. Petals fell from the trees in the wind, swirling and floating around the fire, like night fairies dancing lightly.

In the distance, a dark mist moved silently, but did not approach, appearing and disappearing only at the edge of the still night, as if isolated by some invisible force.

That night, the three slept soundly, perhaps because they were too tired, or perhaps because the brief warmth made them feel dependent on each other.

I wonder what I'll be greeted when I wake up next time...