Journey to the Nether Realm · The False Fate Plot

While Qin Yu's mind was calming down in the Star Abyss Palace Hall, in another secluded hall deep within the Eternal Extreme Sacred Hall...

The place was as dark as night, with densely packed annihilation and restriction patterns carved all around, and faint blood energy swirling and billowing in the void. Chen Po stood in this grand hall called "Annihilation Prison Divine Platform", his expression gloomy and his eyes as sharp as needles.

Through the echoing images in the Fate Authority Mission Hall, he saw Qin Yu and Chi Ning return safely. Each of them held a complete Limitless Resonance Crystal, their mission points soaring by three thousand, causing a shockwave throughout the entire Eternal Extreme Sacred Hall. All of this became the deepest thorn in his side.

Chen Po's face was contorted, and he almost ground his teeth to powder.

"Damn it... Even the Mist Soul Severed Realm couldn't kill you... Are you really an unkillable cockroach?"

He slowly raised his hand, his fingertips pulsating with a chilling aura, a cold glint flashing deep within his eyes, as he spoke in a sinister voice:

"Since even the Heart of the Annihilation Origin Severed Realm can't do anything to you... then let my uncle personally come and have a go at you--"

His tone was gloomy and menacing. After he finished speaking, he suddenly clenched his fingers, and a strange "click" was heard.

A wisp of dark red, blood-like soul fire emerged from his fingertips. That soul fire exuded an extremely unusual aura, as if it came from an ancient source fire beyond the era of annihilation, containing some kind of forbidden spell or incantation from before the ancient times.

"Go... tell your uncle it's time to make a move."

Chen Po grinned maliciously and whispered, the wisp of soul consciousness between his fingers suddenly trembled, like a streak of blood flowing backwards into the abyss of the void!

At that moment, the entire Annihilation Prison Divine Platform trembled slightly, and all the inscriptions quietly went out, as if in fear of some being about to awaken.

Deep within the inner domain of the Eternal Extreme Sacred Hall, in an ancient, secluded palace nestled beneath nine layers of locked abyss, misty fog swirled around the walls, time seemed to stand still. Only a wisp of soul fire, having just broken through the air, streaked across the floating ring of restrictions and quietly entered the core of the divine altar.

A moment later.

"Pop."

Like the cracking of ice crystals, or the sudden, sharp sound of cause and effect being gently severed.

The soul fire swirled in the hall, then suddenly condensed into a blood-red curse mark, which quietly landed on the main seat—between the brows of a man sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed.

The next breath.

The man frowned slightly, slowly opened his eyes, and as his eyes opened and closed, an entire "observation rule light curtain" collapsed with a bang!

He was one of the inner sect elders of the Eternal Extreme Sacred Hall:

Chen Yan.

Cultivation level: Severed Observation Realm - Supreme.

He wore a long robe with a golden inner pattern, with the World Enforcement hanging on his shoulder and seven layers of inverted forbidden flags hanging behind him. His aura seemed to be restrained, but the moment he opened his eyes, it shook the entire Soul Domain.

At this moment, he gently twirled the still-burning soul fire between his fingertips, his soul consciousness fully recalling the scene of Qin Yu and Chi Ning annihilating the Heart of the Annihilation Origin Severed Realm in the Mist Soul Severed Realm.

"Oh..."

He chuckled softly, a laugh as sharp as a crack in ice.

"The Mist Soul Severed Realm... Mission number 4319... No one has returned in billions of years, yet you are the first inner disciple to return with a complete Limitless Resonance Crystal?"

Chen Yan slowly stood up. The surrounding air seemed to be compressed into a semi-solid state by his aura. Even the light was distorted and reversed several feet around him. Traces that looked like cracks in the causal structure gently bloomed around him and then disappeared.

"A disciple personally selected by the ancestor... Ha, what a great honor."

"But in my eyes, Chen Yan, he's nothing more than a lucky cub."

He slowly took a step forward, and the jade steps beneath his feet, imprinted with the divine runes of the Eternal Extreme, were shaken by his overwhelming power, leaving a slight crack.

Chen Yan stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes calm yet revealing a hint of coldness.

"Let's see how many moves you, Qin Yu, can withstand from me."

Having said that, he turned slightly and quietly disappeared behind the palace gate. A hidden passage of laws leading from the Fate Authority Divine Hall to the Star Abyss Palace Hall in the inner domain had quietly opened beneath his feet.

Eternal Extreme Sacred Hall, Star Abyss Palace Hall.

This place is serene and vast, with its nine-tiered eaves shrouded in the Limitless Evolving True Flow, resembling a dream. Strands of starlight cascade down the eaves of the palace, and the palace gates stand silently on the golden bridge in the void, accessible only with the permission of the palace master.

And at this very moment—

A wisp of aura, devoid of killing intent yet as heavy as a mountain, slowly approached.

His steps were light, yet they seemed to tread upon the Realm Master the universe, his composure carrying an invisible force that pressed down on the soul. He was an old man, his robes a dark gold, the sleeves adorned with patterns like hidden stars, his demeanor gentle yet dignified. A line of time ran across his brows, as if time itself had been too reluctant to etch its marks upon him. His white hair, as white as snow, was tied back in a sash of blue and gold ribbon, his expression serene, his gaze unfathomable.

He stood before the palace gate, hands behind his back, and spoke in a clear voice, his tone quite polite:

"Excuse me, is Qin Yu's disciple here?"

Inside the hall, Qin Yu was meditating cross-legged on the Origin Seat when he heard the sound and slowly opened his eyes. He flashed out of the inner hall, pushed open the door, and saw the old man standing in front of the door. There was no wind around him, yet all things avoided him, clearly indicating that he was an extremely high-level being.

Qin Yu bowed slightly and spoke respectfully:

"Reporting to Senior, my name is Qin Yu. May I ask what brings you here?"

The old man smiled and spoke gently:

"Oh? So you are Qin Yu, the inner disciple personally chosen by the Ancestor. Indeed extraordinary, handsome and composed, you don't seem like a young man who has just entered the middle level."

Qin Yu remained humble, bowing slightly. "Thank you for the compliment, senior. Qin Yu dare not accept it."

The old man nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping across the palace, before he said:

"My name is Zhang Song, and I am currently one of the inner sect stewards of the Eternal Extreme Sacred Hall, responsible for the allocation and scheduling of inner sect tasks. My visit today is a routine matter."

"According to the temple's regulations, each inner disciple must complete a task assigned by the steward every month. With your cultivation level and strength, you should not be afraid of difficulties, and this task should not be too difficult for you."

Qin Yu replied solemnly, "Senior, please give your instructions; this disciple will certainly comply."

Zhang Song stroked his long beard, his eyes narrowing slightly:

"This mission is to travel to the 'Annihilation Forest Nether Realm' outside the northern border of the Holy Temple. Recently, a group of remnants of the Nether Realm have been repeatedly descending the mountain to harass mortal villages, plundering living beings and disrupting order on the edge of the realm."

"This hall has decided to dispatch three inner disciples to carry out the extermination. In addition to you, two others will accompany you, both possessing the Ultimate cultivation of the Logic Realm Realm. They received their orders at Chenshi today and are currently awaiting assembly at Eastern Abyss Spirit Valley."

"The three of you will work together on this mission—to eliminate those evildoers and leave them no chance to cause trouble."

After speaking, Zhang Song took out a golden and red intertwined talisman, gently flicked it out, and it landed in Qin Yu's hand. The talisman contained a map of the Annihilation Spirits, enemy information, and path sealing, all custom-made for Qin Yu.

Zhang Song added as a final note, "The mission doesn't need to start immediately. You can head to Eastern Abyss Spirit Valley this afternoon and meet up with them."

After saying this, the old man smiled and glanced at Qin Yu, as if he were secretly observing him, or perhaps he had a deeper meaning in his eyes. Then, he gently flicked his sleeve, turning into a streak of golden light and disappearing into the void in front of the Star Abyss Palace.

Inside the Star Abyss Palace Hall, Qin Yu tucked the steward's token into his sleeve, gently closed his eyes, and tidied his inner energy. Although he felt a slight unease, he knew that the number of stewards and elders in the inner sect of the Holy Temple was vast, and their responsibilities were complex, which no single disciple could possibly remember. Since it was a task assignment, he didn't want to be suspicious. He quickly packed his things and was about to set off.

Just as he stepped out of the palace gates and reached the foot of the Star Abyss Steps, a familiar female voice echoed from the void:

"Huh? Junior Brother Qin, where are you going?"

It's Chi Ning.

She descended slowly from the sky in a light blue gauze dress, her eyes filled with doubt, clearly having come to visit on a whim.

Qin Yu stopped, looked up and smiled, "Senior Sister Chi, I just received an inner sect mission. It was arranged by Steward Zhang Song, ordering me and two other Logic Realm Realm to go to the Northern Territory to wipe out the remnants of the Demonic Sect. We are now on our way to Eastern Abyss Spirit Valley to meet up with them."

"Zhang Song?" Chi Ning frowned slightly, seemingly lost in thought. "This name... why does it sound so unfamiliar?"

She pondered for a moment, a thoughtful look flashing in her eyes. "We do have quite a few stewards in our inner sect, but Zhang Song... I don't recognize him at all. But it's hard to say. The Eternal Extreme Sacred Hall has been operating for billions of years, and the stewards and elders have changed frequently. There are some people who cultivate in seclusion that we might not even recognize."

After saying that, she glanced at Qin Yu again, smiled, and waved her hand, "Oh, never mind. You have a mission to complete, so I won't delay you any longer. We'll have a proper chat when you get back."

Qin Yu nodded slightly and bowed respectfully, "Take care, Senior Sister. After I complete my mission, we will drink together again."

"Mm." Chi Ning nodded.

Before Qin Yu could finish speaking, his figure transformed into a streak of blue light, merging into the layers of void and disappearing into the distant Eastern Abyss Spirit Valley.

Chi Ning stood still, watching the streak of light fade into the distance, her gaze slightly narrowed.

She murmured to herself, "Zhang Song... who exactly is Zhang Song? Why does something feel off..."

After a moment of contemplation, she suddenly looked up. "No, I have to go ask my master!"

With a single thought, Chi Ning raised her slender hand, stepped on the azure waves, and instantly flew away, heading towards the direction of the Holy Temple Elder Peak.

The Eastern Abyss Spirit Valley is shrouded in misty greenery, with continuous peaks and cascading vines. Occasionally, spirit birds sing among the branches, carrying a sense of ethereal Kong Ling and aloofness. This place is one of the gathering points for the inner sect 'Eastern Region missions in the "Eternal Extreme Sacred Hall". The mountains are stable, but the points where the boundary forces converge tremble faintly, as if many secret patterns are quietly moving in the void.

A streak of light rushed in from the horizon, parting the spiritual mist like waves. When the light settled, it was none other than Qin Yu.

He stepped lightly onto the stone platform at the bottom of the valley, his gaze sweeping across the distance, where two figures had been waiting for a long time.

They were two men, both at the Ultimate of the Logic Realm Realm. Although they didn't deliberately release their auras, they swirled like undercurrents, displaying a composure that could not be underestimated. However— Qin Yu's eyes narrowed slightly; the inner disciple robes they wore were different from his own.

Although both are in the style of gold-patterned rings, their patterns appear slightly outdated, and the accessories are not in the current uniform style. The inner gate mark embroidered on the left shoulder has a slight deviation in the stitching, suggesting that it has been modified.

However, the two of them acted naturally, walked in the same way, and showed no flaws in their expressions, as if they were already used to the ways of the inner sect.

Upon seeing Qin Yu land, one of them smiled, stepped forward, clasped his hands in a respectful greeting, and said:

"You must be Junior Brother Qin Yu? Truly a young hero, with extraordinary bearing. We are ordered to wait here for you on this mission."

Another person said with a hint of admiration, "I heard that you and Senior Sister Chi Ning completed the Annihilation Ranking mission together, severing the Heart of the Annihilation Origin Severed Realm. I admire you greatly."

Although Qin Yu was wary, he remained composed and returned the greeting with a slight bow, saying, "You two senior brothers are too kind. I am indeed Qin Yu. I have come to Eastern Abyss Spirit Valley today on a mission assigned by you, senior. I hope you will take good care of me."

The leading man chuckled and nodded, "Not at all, not at all. Now that Junior Brother Qin has arrived, we will not say any more. Our destination today is the 'Annihilation Forest Nether Realm,' where those remnants of the Demonic Sect are causing trouble."

Let's set off.

As soon as he finished speaking, three streaks of light, sharp as blades, pierced through the mist and forest, speeding towards the forbidden, secluded forest to the north. The Annihilation Forest Nether Realm, a mysterious place sealed and imprisoned by an ancient seal, was now unleashing a shadow that could devour everything.