The Might of the Ring Spear · The Heart of a Youth

Qin Yu sheathed the Black Bone War Spear and with a gentle flick, the corpse of the last demonic beast crashed to the ground, its bloody aura dissipating into a misty haze in the desolate forest. The gray wind whipped through the withered trees, rustling and whispering, as if playing a lament for this battlefield of carnage.

His cold gaze swept across his surroundings. The corpses of demonic beasts lying around him had already piled up into mountains, and he had collected their cores one by one. Twenty days of fighting had seemingly swept through the depths of the Realm Soul Annihilation Forest by him alone. Qin Yu's breathing remained steady as ever, with only a cold glint in the depths of his eyes recording this mad journey of blood and fire.

"Twenty days..." he murmured softly, looking up at the distant sky, his voice revealing a hint of determination and relief, "It's time to go back."

As his words fell, his figure trembled slightly, his black battle robe billowed, and the Spiritual Qi behind him transformed into a stream of light, piercing the oppressive sky of the silent forest and speeding towards the White Cloud Sect. The lingering aura of demonic beasts in the forest was swept away by the wind, leaving only a solitary rainbow of light between heaven and earth, swift and cold, carrying the chilling killing intent after slaughter and an unwavering determination to return home.

Qin Yu sped through the sky, his spiritual light trailing like a ribbon across the heavens. The aura of the Realm Soul Annihilation Forest was gradually left behind, and the atmosphere between heaven and earth opened up, no longer the gloomy and deathly aura, but gradually revealing the magnificence and vastness of the true Spiritual Qi of the Great Yan Continent.

The border spiritual veins of the White Cloud Sect were already bustling with activity. Countless outer sect disciples were returning one after another, some in groups of three or five, others alone, but all bearing wounds and spoils of war. Spirit boats hovered, firelight illuminating the land, and disciples from various sects stopped to exchange their battle experiences. Some held up bloodied demon beast heads, laughing loudly; others pulled out demon cores, their eyes filled with pride and fervor. The air was thick with the scents of blood, spiritual herbs, and excitement.

In stark contrast to this commotion was Qin Yu's return.

He traversed the void alone, his black figure stretching across the sky like a bolt of lightning cleaving through the heavens. His aloofness and murderous intent caused many disciples to instinctively stop what they were doing, their gazes fixed on him. Someone exclaimed in a low voice, "It's Qin Yu!" Another immediately echoed in a low voice, "He entered the Realm Soul Annihilation Forest alone for over twenty days, and now he's emerged unscathed..."

When Qin Yu landed on the bluestone plaza of the border spiritual vein, dust billowed, and his aura was as calm and unwavering as an abyss. Unlike the fatigue on the faces of the surrounding disciples, his aura was restrained and heavy, like a killing god returning from the battlefield, causing the air to suddenly quiet down for a moment.

Some disciples couldn't help but lean closer and whisper, "I heard he brought back a mountain of demon cores... He'll probably be among the top in this competition." Others looked on with envy, "Hmph, it's just luck..." But they quickly fell silent under Qin Yu's calm and composed gaze.

At this moment, on the other side of the square, the elders of the White Cloud Sect were on patrol. When they saw Qin Yu return, their gazes lingered for a long time. One of the elders showed a hint of surprise and appreciation in his eyes and nodded to himself.

Amidst the lively atmosphere and eager anticipation of returning home, Qin Yu quietly returned, carrying with him a wealth of gains and secrets far greater than anyone else's.

Qin Yu traversed the outer area of the White Cloud Sect until he returned to his private palace. Pushing open the palace door, a calm and peaceful Spiritual Qi rushed towards him, creating a stark contrast to the bloody stench of the Realm Soul Annihilation Forest. He took a deep breath, finally relaxing from the tension of the past few days. He then set up several defensive arrays to completely block any outside prying eyes.

Candles were lit inside the hall, casting flickering light. Qin Yu sat cross-legged, raised his hand, and three storage rings simultaneously floated in mid-air. As he poured his Spiritual Sense into them, they instantly shone brightly, and countless treasures poured out, like a torrent breaking through some kind of constraint.

The demon cores were piled up like mountains, shimmering with spiritual light and surging with energy, illuminating the entire palace like a dazzling galaxy. Qin Yu examined them one by one, secretly weighing their significance in his mind:

Major Accomplishment of the Yuan Transformation Realm Demon Core: 1,300 pieces.

Nine hundred demon cores at the Middle Stage of the Yuan Transformation Realm.

Initial Entry into the Soul Foundation Realm Demon Cores: 89.

In addition, he casually put hundreds of low-level Qi Condensation and Yuan Transformation demon cores into a jade box for future use.

The quantity of spirit stones was astonishing. Each top-grade spirit stone was like a crystal star, its light restrained yet containing terrifying energy. He counted them lightly and found there were more than three thousand of them. Adding to the three top-grade spirit stones he hadn't used before, his wealth was now unimaginable.

The number of elixirs, spiritual herbs, and immortal materials is countless. Many rare treasures that are difficult to find in the outside world are now lying quietly before our eyes. In particular, several ancient herbs containing rich spiritual energy can be felt even through the jade bottle.

Qin Yu pondered for a long time, a surge of emotion welling up within him. "This trip to the Realm Soul Annihilation Forest has truly been a fruitful one."

However, he did not relax at all. His eyes were slightly narrowed, and his mind was heavy. In ten days, it would be the grand competition for the outer sect to advance to the inner sect of the White Cloud Sect. Although he had already broken through to the Initial Entry into the Soul Foundation Realm, if he could not make further progress in the face of those hidden geniuses, he would probably still find it difficult to remain undefeated.

"Within ten days, I must forcefully break through to the Middle Stage of the Soul Foundation Realm!" Qin Yu muttered to himself, his eyes sharp as blades.

He reached out and retrieved a wisp of essence remaining from the Myriad-Colored Lotus, which, along with several Soul Foundation Realm demon cores, floated before him. The intertwined spiritual light illuminated the entire palace. The Spiritual Qi in the air surged, and even a low rumble could be heard. Qin Yu's heartbeat gradually quickened. He knew that the upcoming seclusion would be a true test of life and death.

The palace doors were tightly shut, and the wind gradually subsided. Qin Yu's assault had quietly begun.

As night deepened, Qin Yu sat alone cross-legged deep within the outer palace of the White Cloud Sect. There was not a breath of wind in the palace, yet it felt as if invisible waves were surging through it, even suppressing the candlelight to burn low.

He slowly raised his hand, and the power of his sea of consciousness instantly spread out, causing a vast ocean of demonic cores to suddenly appear throughout the entire hall.

All I saw was:

Thirteen hundred Major Accomplishment of the Yuan Transformation Realm demon cores at the Transformation Realm floated in mid-air like countless stars, each one emitting intense spiritual light, as if countless shooting stars were burning. The light converged into a Star River Waterfall, crashing down from the top of the palace.

Nine hundred demon cores at the Middle Stage of the Yuan Transformation Realm emanated heavy Yuan Power fluctuations, like burning volcanoes spewing lava-like spiritual energy into the void. The entire space was scorched and distorted, and the spiritual pressure was so heavy that the stone walls creaked.

Eighty-nine Initial Entry into the Soul Foundation Realm the Demon Core stage. Each one was like a shrunken black sun, its vortex-like soul power tearing through the air and producing a sharp, piercing shriek. The spiritual patterns in the main hall flickered, as if they were about to explode at any moment.

The three forces intertwined, like three terrifying dragons, entwining, roaring, and colliding in the void, transforming into a storm powerful enough to destroy everything.

Qin Yu's body trembled violently under this pressure, and the spiritual sea in his dantian surged instantly, with his Yuan power turning into a monstrous wave that seemed poised to break through his meridians and tear him apart at any moment.

--boom!!!

The moment the first Spiritual Qi entered Qin Yu's sea of consciousness, it was as if his mind had been struck by lightning, and countless gray bolts of lightning exploded in his sea of consciousness. His meridians expanded to their Limit in an instant, as if they were about to burst, and blood spilled from the corners of his mouth, staining his clothes red.

"Ah--!" Qin Yu roared, his eyes bloodshot, gritting his teeth as he forcefully suppressed the power of the demon core into his meridians. A huge gray spiritual light shield appeared around his body, with ancient runes constantly appearing on the light screen, but then it twisted and shattered violently in the next moment, as if it would explode at any moment and pulverize his entire body.

The air roared! The void shattered!

The power of the demon core was like a series of ferocious beasts, frantically attacking his dantian and sea of consciousness. Qin Yu's internal organs trembled violently, and every inch of his meridians was burned, as if they were being cut apart by thousands of swords at the same time.

At this moment, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi outside the hall suddenly became chaotic!

The stars dimmed, the moonlight swayed, and a strange phenomenon of heaven and earth, enough to startle all the outer disciples of the White Cloud Sect, quietly emerged.

In the void, a vortex appeared, from which gray spiritual light poured down, as if the heavens and earth were watching Qin Yu's breakthrough.

Just as Qin Yu was about to give up, a force surged back—

--boom!!!

His sea of consciousness suddenly tore apart, and the soul power of a demon core exploded, turning into countless black fragments that fiercely impacted Qin Yu's Fate Soul Primordium! His vision went black instantly, and the gray mist in his sea of consciousness churned, as if it would engulf him entirely.

"We cannot fall... We absolutely cannot fall!!!"

Qin Yu gritted his teeth, his eyes flashing with a frenzied light. He forcefully activated the Mystic Origin Wind-Wielding Art, and countless wind elemental laws exploded in his sea of consciousness, transforming into a vortex storm that forcibly tore apart the backlash!

A fierce wind suddenly howled inside the hall, the stone walls were scarred by the wind blades, and the runes on the roof flickered erratically, as if it might collapse at any moment.

As the final backlash was torn apart, a sudden roar erupted from the depths of Qin Yu's dantian, and an unprecedented surge of soul power burst forth, directly rushing into his sea of consciousness.

The sea of consciousness exploded with a thunderous roar, and gray light and storm intertwined to form a colossal pillar that soared into the sky.

The heavens and earth shook violently!

Gray lightning danced wildly in the sky above the White Cloud Sect, as if divine punishment had descended, its deafening roar causing countless outer disciples to look up in terror.

Deep within Qin Yu's sea of consciousness, the Fate Soul Primordium finally solidified completely, his Soul Foundation stabilized, his Spiritual Sense expanded, and his soul power surged like a tidal wave!

Qin Yu has successfully entered the Middle Stage of the Soul Foundation Realm!

His body hovered in mid-air, the gray light, storm and elemental energy intertwined, reflecting a scene comparable to the apocalypse.

This was the most perilous breakthrough of his life; even the slightest mistake would have resulted in his immediate annihilation!

Under the cover of night, the Qin Yu Palace of the White Cloud Sect was filled with a dazzling spiritual light.

He sat cross-legged, his aura from just breaking through to the Middle Stage of the Soul Foundation Realm not yet fully subsided. The spiritual sea within his body surged like a raging tide, overflowing to the point that his blood vessels and meridians were almost bursting.

At that very moment--

--Buzz!!!

Deep within the sea of consciousness, the suspended Gray Ring suddenly trembled, as if activated by some invisible call. Countless gray light patterns burst forth from the surface of the Gray Ring, like an endless galaxy collapsing, or like the initial crack of chaos, piercing the entire sea of consciousness and causing it to tremble.

At the same time, the Black Bone War Spear standing silently at the corner of the palace suddenly emitted a piercing low hum! The spear's body was as black as ink and as cold as bone, but at this moment it was enveloped by gray light inch by inch. The gray light seeped into the spear's body, like thousands of gray lightning bolts exploding between the bones, igniting the entire Black Bone War Spear into a destructive brilliance.

--boom!!!

An unprecedented resonance erupted!

The Gray Ring and the Black Bone War Spear deep within his sea of consciousness intertwined to form a gray vortex, where gray mist, bone flames, and soul power merged. The air suddenly solidified, the colors of heaven and earth dimmed in an instant, and all the runes in the hall shattered, as if a terrifying scene of the apocalypse had been recreated.

As the resonance reached its Ultimate, three unprecedented skill imprints suddenly appeared in Qin Yu's sea of consciousness.

I. Ring Spear - Realm Splitting - One Spear Rends the Void

As the skill imprint appeared, a post-apocalyptic scene seemed to unfold before Qin Yu's eyes:

The jet-black spear slowly thrust forward, and the space before its tip instantly collapsed, light and shadow mercilessly compressed into a thin line. Then—it exploded! Space shattered like glass, and from countless cracks erupted a torrent of destruction, swallowing up the earth, mountains, and laws. Even a magnificent city was torn apart into nothingness in the blink of an eye!

As the spear flashed, it seemed as if an unhealable wound had been forcibly cleaved into the heavens and earth, its destructive roar echoing for a long time.

II. Ring Spear - Prison Realm - Heaven-Devouring Slaughter Spear

The moment the second brand appeared, Qin Yu felt as if he had been dragged into an abyss of boundless hellfire.

He saw the spear ignite with blackish-gray flames, from which came the screams of countless living beings. The spearhead resembled the fangs of a colossal beast that devoured the heavens. With a single swing of the spear, the world was transformed into a boundless sea of fire, mountains and rivers collapsed, all living beings wailed, and an area spanning dozens of miles was reduced to ashes.

The infernal flames not only incinerate the physical body, but also scorch cause and effect and destiny! Wherever the spear tip swept, the traces of the enemy's existence, along with the causal threads, were burned away, as if they had never existed.

This is a spear that burns the world, a flame that devours life!

III. Ring Spear - Spirit Rift - Zero Tribulation Soul Severance

As the third mark solidified, the entire sea of consciousness suddenly fell into an eerie silence.

Qin Yu saw the spear slowly rise, a gray light condensing at its tip. Within that gray light, time stopped, space collapsed, and cause and effect were severed. As soon as the spear light appeared, it was as if the world had been marked with a "zero" stamp.

The "Zero Calamity" has arrived--

All souls and spirits were reduced to countless tiny particles of nothingness by this spear, utterly obliterated. It was an Annihilation beyond destruction, leaving no trace, no reincarnation, only emptiness and nothingness.

When the spear light faded, the whole world seemed to be emptied, and the only sound in the silence was the wind.

Qin Yu suddenly opened his eyes, breathing rapidly, his forehead covered in cold sweat.

The power of these three skills, even just contemplated for a moment, nearly shattered his Fate Soul. They were not techniques that could be withstood by those at the Yuan Transformation Realm or even the Soul Foundation Realm; rather, they were some kind of forbidden power that transcended the mortal realm.

"This... is the resonance between the Gray Ring and the Black Bone War Spear... it has given rise to such a terrifying technique..."

He gripped the spear tightly, the low hum still echoing from it, as if to prove that it was not an illusion.

Qin Yu's throat tightened, and a tidal wave of emotions surged within him:

"If even the first move, [Nether Blade], can instantly kill Mystic Understanding Realm, then these three Ring Spear techniques... I'm afraid they could annihilate anyone at the Mystic Understanding Realm or higher with a single spear strike!"

But the more frightened he became, the more his passion and heroic spirit burned within him.

The Black Bone War Spear and the Gray Ring are his sharpest fangs in the future!

Qin Yu stood in the night for a long time, the moonlight casting a long shadow of his Black Bone War Spear. He had thought it through clearly: if he really encountered Luo Chuan in the grand competition, he would not give the opponent any chance to maneuver—he would use the most decisive strike to completely sever that hatred.

But his eyes held a calmer edge than anger. It wasn't about revenge, but about protecting his fellow disciples and those who had been bullied. He had made a rule in his heart: if he could suppress them with strength or win with strategy, he would not lightly activate the Gray Light; if all else failed, he would end it all with that spear, leaving no future trouble.

He sheathed his spear, straightened his clothes, and returned to his room as usual. A cold breeze blew through the pine trees outside the window, and the candlelight in the hall was dim, but enough to illuminate the outline of his determination. Tomorrow he would train even harder, honing his skills and willpower, so that when that day came, he would possess both strength and composure.

So he got up and walked towards the training ground—his steps were steady, and his eyes held a silent determination.

Qin Yu sat cross-legged in the hall, calming himself to consolidate his newly broken-through cultivation. Suddenly, a sense of unease arose in his heart, and his brows furrowed.

"Why haven't they returned yet..." he murmured to himself, his gaze passing through the palace gates as he looked towards the night sky outside the White Cloud Sect.

Zhao Xinyu and Yang Zheng have been gone for more than twenty days. Logically speaking, even if they are training in the Netherworld Valley, news should have come back by now. With only nine days left until the outer sect competition, there has been no further news, and an ominous premonition cannot help but arise in my heart.

The flickering candlelight cast dappled shadows of his figure, seemingly reflecting the longing and worry in his heart. He slowly rose, pushed open the palace door, and the night wind howled in, making his long robes flutter loudly.

"Xinyu, Yang Zheng... please don't let anything happen to you." Qin Yu secretly vowed that if there were any unusual movements, he would risk going to the Netherworld Valley to find them.

But at this moment, he also knew that the competition was imminent, and if he left rashly, he might be taken advantage of by Luo Chuan and others. Caught in a dilemma, he could only gaze at the night sky, his worries following him like a shadow, and he could not shake them off for a long time.

A solitary moon hung in the sky, and an unseen silence permeated the world. Qin Yu clenched his fist, his Spiritual Sense spreading outwards, trying to detect the slightest fluctuation in the distance, but to no avail.

With only nine days until the grand competition, time is of the essence, and no unforeseen events can be tolerated.

Time passed day by day... Night fell, and outside the White Cloud Sect, the mountain wind howled.

Qin Yu stood silently in front of the palace for a long time, his unease turning into determination. He glanced at the celestial phenomena; only three days remained until the sect's outer sect competition, yet Zhao Xinyu and Yang Zheng were still nowhere to be found.

"We can't wait any longer," he thought coldly, a sharp glint in his eyes.

He was not a reckless person; he knew that if he left the sect now and others found out, he might be secretly used by people like Luo Chuan. But compared to that, the two people whose fates were unknown made him even more uneasy.

"Xinyu, Yang Zheng... since you have sworn brotherhood with me, how can I, Qin Yu, sit in the sect and wait alone?"

He turned and returned to the hall, summoning the Black Bone War Spear. A gray light flashed briefly, but he forcibly suppressed it back into his sea of consciousness. Qin Yu knew that the secret of the Gray Ring and the spear must never be exposed in the White Cloud Sect.

After quickly tidying up, Qin Yu stood at the palace gate, gazing at the night sky, his long hair fluttering in the wind.

"Even if it's the Netherworld Valley..." He took a deep breath, his resolve unwavering, "I will still venture there."

With a flash, he transformed into a gray shadow, soaring through the air and speeding towards the Northwest Netherworld Valley.

In the distance, the night was as dark as ink, and the mountains and rivers were cold and desolate, as if hinting at unimaginable dangers lurking in that valley.

Three days later, he will return to his sect to face the grand competition.

But before that, he must risk everything to find his companions.

The night grew deeper, and the world was deathly silent.

Qin Yu sped along, finally arriving at the outer edge of the Netherworld Valley. From afar, the entire valley seemed shrouded in a thick black mist, so dark that even moonlight could not penetrate it. The valley entrance was covered with grayish-white dead trees, their branches twisted and gnarled, resembling fierce ghosts baring their fangs and claws. Every gust of mountain wind blew by, and the dead branches rubbed together, making a "crackling" sound, like countless withered fingers tapping at the soul.

The air was thick with a pungent, rotten stench and an oppressive, deathly stillness. The moment Qin Yu stepped inside, he felt as if something was pressing down on his chest, making his breathing heavy. He spread out his Spiritual Sense, but it felt as if he had touched an invisible net, which quickly rebounded and stung his sea of consciousness.

"Such a dense aura of death... several times more terrifying than the Northern Dark Abyss Valley." Qin Yu's heart sank.

The ground ahead was pitch black, with wisps of purplish-black liquid seeping from the soil. Where it flowed, nothing grew, except for occasional half-buried skeletons, their stark white bone fragments reflecting a sinister luster. Some of the skeletons were even still wriggling slightly, as if their lingering souls had not yet departed.

Qin Yu held his breath, setting up a Spirit Protection Screen around himself, gripping the Black Bone War Spear tightly in his hand, his eyes sharp.

Suddenly, a low, mournful wail came from the depths of the valley, like the wailing of countless wronged souls. The sound didn't enter through his ears, but rather tore at his Fate Soul, making Qin Yu's heart tighten and cold sweat break out on his back.

"This place... is even more terrifying than the rumors say." He gripped the Black Bone War Spear tightly, his anxiety growing even stronger.

Are Zhao Xinyu, Yang Zheng... really in this Valley of Hell?

Qin Yu took a deep breath, a gray light flashing in his eyes, and his whole body, like a blur, slowly sank into the depths of the Netherworld Valley.

A deathly aura surged around him, as if countless unseen eyes were watching him intently from the darkness.

Deep within the pitch-black Netherworld Valley, the deathly aura was so dense it almost solidified, constantly conjuring up bizarre faces that whispered menacing and malevolent words.

Suddenly, a group of Demonic Spirit burst forth from the mist. Their bodies were withered, their eye sockets burning with chilling, ghostly flames, and their figures twisted, as if drifting between reality and illusion. Black chains coiled around their bodies, and the sound of them striking each other was like a death knell, shattering one's mind and spirit.

Qin Yu's expression was cold and stern. He stomped his foot, and the Black Bone War Spear and the Gray Ring in his sea of consciousness roared simultaneously.

"Ring Spear - Realm Splitting - One Spear Rends the Void!"

As the low roar subsided, the spearhead suddenly erupted with a terrifying gray light, as if tearing the entire world apart. The void instantly collapsed, and a pitch-black spatial rift swept out. The thunderous sound reverberated through the heavens, and a large number of Demonic Spirit were sucked into the rift before they could even let out a scream. Their bodies and souls turned into dust in the void storm, leaving not even a trace.

As the dust settled, the valley instantly returned to its deathly silence.

Qin Yu sheathed his spear and stood still, a heavy look appearing in his eyes. He thought to himself:

"These are just outer Demonic Spirit, yet they're so powerful... Oh no! If we go any deeper, Qingwan and the others... no... no, right now it's Xinyu and Yang Zheng! They might have already encountered the Demonic Spirit King or its commander."

A thought flashed through Qin Yu's mind, and his expression changed drastically, his gaze turning icy. Without further hesitation, he formed hand seals and his divine sense suddenly spread out.

Instantly, the deathly aura within a radius of dozens of miles was shaken, as if a gray storm had been unleashed. Countless remnant souls screamed as they were swept into the torrent of consciousness probing.

Amidst the endless deathly aura and howls, Qin Yu's divine sense swiftly penetrated, capturing a faint, familiar aura in the distance—it was Zhao Xinyu and Yang Zheng!

However, the energy was extremely chaotic, as if it might be extinguished at any moment.

Qin Yu's heart tightened suddenly, his eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he roared in a low voice:

"Xinyu, Yang Zheng... you must hold on, I'm coming right away!"

Having said that, his figure transformed into a streak of gray light, heading straight for the deeper parts of the Netherworld Valley.

The deathly aura surged even more violently, as if in response to his probing of divine consciousness; an even more powerful being seemed to be awakening, slowly stirring...

Deep within the Netherworld Valley, the sky seemed to be crushed by a thick, deathly fog, leaving only darkness and despair between heaven and earth. Blood-red moonlight shone through the gaps, illuminating a battlefield.

Zhao Xinyu and Yang Zheng were almost at their Limit. Her plain clothes were soaked with blood, and the Moon-Congealing Frost Sword in her hand was dim. Every swing was accompanied by a tremor of soul power, but she still gritted her teeth and shattered the charging Demonic Spirit. The sword light turned into a ripple of frost, which exploded in the dark valley, shining like a dying meteor.

Yang Zheng swayed, a horrific wound splitting open on his chest, blood gushing forth. He gripped the Thunderfire Longsword tightly with both hands. Lightning and fire intertwined on the blade, barely managing to cleave through several attacking Demonic Spirit amidst a roar. His breathing was so rapid it seemed it might break at any moment, but his eyes burned with an undying will to protect—he stood in front of Zhao Xinyu, unwilling to retreat even a single step.

Around them stood dozens of Demonic Spirit, their figures grotesque and eerie, their twisted limbs trailing a trail of dark death energy, their eerie blue flames flickering as if mocking the two human cultivators on the verge of death.

Even more terrifying was that—in the center of the Demonic Spirit horde, a Demonic Spirit King slowly emerged.

Its body was three zhang tall, its limbs twisted, flesh and bones intertwined, and black bone wings trailed behind it, dripping putrid blood from the wingtips, which instantly corroded the rocks into black holes. Its eye sockets were sunken, and eerie blue flames burned fiercely, as if trying to see through the souls and Fate Soul of the two people.

The Demonic Spirit King slowly opened his massive maw, his voice like a roar from the depths of hell:

"Hehehe... Weak humans, struggle and wail... Your souls will become my feast!"

As the voice faded, dozens of Demonic Spirit roared in unison, their deathly aura surging like a tsunami, instantly engulfing Zhao Xinyu and Yang Zheng completely.

Zhao Xinyu's eyes reddened, and she bit her lip tightly. Even though her arm trembled so much that she couldn't lift the sword, she still shielded Yang Zheng with her body and shouted angrily in a delicate voice:

Even if it means death, I will not back down!

Yang Zheng's chest heaved violently, blood dripping from his longsword, yet his gaze remained unwavering, and thunder and fire roared once more amidst his screams.

"Xinyu! If I'm still alive, I'll never let anything happen to you!"

Their figures in the Demonic Spirit tide resembled two lonely lamps about to be extinguished, threatening to vanish completely at any moment...

This scene was clearly captured by Qin Yu, who had rushed over from afar, using his divine sense.

Above the Netherworld Valley, deathly mist rolled, and the roars of Demonic Spirit shook the mountains and rivers. Just as Zhao Xinyu and Yang Zheng were about to be completely engulfed, the void suddenly trembled violently, and a familiar and resolute voice suddenly pierced through the oppressive deathly aura, as if crashing down from the heavens.

"Yang Zheng! Xinyu! I, Qin Yu, have arrived--!"

This roar, carrying a fierce surge of soul power and an unwavering conviction, sent countless Demonic Spirit staggering backward. Zhao Xinyu and Yang Zheng's eyes instantly welled up with tears, their despair transforming into overwhelming hope, as tears slid down their blood-stained cheeks.

The next moment, Qin Yu's figure plummeted from the peak of the dead fog like a gray meteor, his Black Bone War Spear erupting with a deafening roar. The spear tip resonated simultaneously with the Gray Ring in his sea of consciousness, the gray light and the pitch-black hellfire intertwining to form a picture of destruction.

He roared, and his hands suddenly clenched:

"Ring Spear - Realm Splitting - One Spear Rends the Void!"

Boom!!!

The spearhead ripped through the sky, and space itself collapsed, twisted, and shattered like glass before its tip! Countless fissures tore open in all directions like black lightning, instantly creating a void black hole in the entire Netherworld Valley. Dozens of Demonic Spirit didn't even have time to howl before being instantly pulverized by the fissures, turning into nothingness and dust!

Before the dust had even settled, Qin Yu stepped into the void, his body charging forward once more, his spear thrusting across the heavens and earth, accompanied by a furious roar:

"Ring Spear - Prison Realm - Heaven-Devouring Slaughter Spear!"

Boom--!

The Black Bone War Spear suddenly transformed into a colossal beast, its tip spewing forth endless infernal flames. The flames poured out like a hellish inferno, instantly engulfing the entire valley floor. A radius of dozens of miles instantly turned into a blazing storm of infernal flames. The Demonic Spirit let out shrill screams as their bodies, souls, and Fate Soul were all burned to ashes, even the traces of their karma were completely erased!

In an instant, the army of hundreds of Demonic Spirit that had been surrounding them was annihilated by Qin Yu's two attacks, with more than half of them Annihilation!

Under the blood-red sky, Zhao Xinyu and Yang Zheng stared blankly at the scene, tears streaming down their faces uncontrollably.

"Senior Brother Qin...!"

Their cries, trembling with the relief of surviving a disaster, were hoarse yet filled with deep affection.

The spear in Qin Yu's hand was still burning with remnants of hellfire. He turned to look at the two of them, his gaze as firm as iron, yet his eyes were full of tenderness and heartache.

"With me here... no one can touch you!"

Between heaven and earth, the deathly mist churned, yet at this moment it seemed to part ways to pave an absolute path to survival for his spear thrust.

Deep within the Netherworld Valley, demonic mist surged, and waves of blood and death energy swept in all directions.

Qin Yu gripped the Black Bone War Spear in one hand, and with the other, he took out two crystal-clear pills from his robes. The pills emitted a faint spiritual light and a refreshing fragrance. Without hesitation, he placed the pills into the mouths of Zhao Xinyu and Yang Zheng, his voice steady and firm:

"Alright, swallow it. Leave the rest to me."

Zhao Xinyu's eyes were still wet with tears, her throat hoarse from crying. She stared intently at Qin Yu, her eyes filled with worry and longing. Her voice trembled slightly, yet remained firm and resolute:

"Senior Brother Qin... this Demonic Spirit King's aura is not weak; he has already reached the Greater Completion of the Soul Foundation Realm! You must be careful..."

Yang Zheng also propped himself up to stand up, his face pale, but he roared with all his might:

"Brother Yu! We'll fight to the death alongside you this time, so please don't try to carry the burden alone!"

Boom--!

Just then, the Demonic Spirit King let out a deafening roar. In its empty eye sockets, the eerie blue flames suddenly surged, tearing through the void like hellfire and illuminating half of the Netherworld Valley. Countless undead and demonic energy gathered around it, condensing into a monstrous demonic tide, transforming into a hideous black shadow throne.

With each step it took, the earth cracked inch by inch, and the valley floor, under its oppressive force, resembled a collapsing world, with dust, rocks, and deathly energy churning into the sky.

Qin Yu's eyes narrowed, a flash of gray light appeared, and he slowly pushed Zhao Xinyu and Yang Zheng behind him. The Black Bone War Spear flew through the air, its shaft igniting with a resonance between the rings and the gray light.

He spoke in a low voice, his tone carrying an unshakeable domineering air:

"Don't be afraid, I'm here."

In that instant, the deathly silence and demonic flames between heaven and earth seemed to tremble because of the spear in Qin Yu's hand.

In an instant, the winds and clouds reversed in the Netherworld Valley.

Seeing Qin Yu remain calm and composed, the Demonic Spirit King's rage flared as its spear swept across the sky. A dark blue flame surged within its empty eyes, burning into a vortex that blotted out the sky. Its enormous bone wings suddenly unfurled, unleashing a massive demonic tide. With a deep roar, the earth shattered completely, deathly energy surged like a tsunami, and mountains instantly turned to dust.

Boom--!

Its arms suddenly spread open, covering the entire world with deathly energy, and the void transformed into an endless dark prison. Then, it suddenly raised its hand, condensing its most terrifying Ultimate skill—a "Black Heart of Destruction" that seemed to be piled up from billions of dead souls, blooming in its palm!

With each beat of this black heart, the heavens and earth trembled. Each beat released hundreds and thousands of black deathly spears, like falling meteors, instantly covering the entire Netherworld Valley! Mountains collapsed, the air scorched, and the howls of the undead exploded in our ears. The entire world was compressed, stretched, and torn apart, as if destruction was imminent.

Zhao Xinyu and Yang Zheng looked at each other with despair and fear in their eyes.

However, Qin Yu remained completely calm.

His steps were steady, Black Bone War Spear slowly rose. The Spiritual Qi and Fate Soul within his body surged out, along with the wisp of gray light in his sea of consciousness, vibrating and resonating with the spear.

The next moment, a gray ring suddenly condensed in front of the spearhead, carrying an indescribable sense of oppression.

"Ring Spear - Spirit Rift - Zero Tribulation Soul Severance--"

With a low shout from Qin Yu, the spearhead erupted with gray light, roaring like thunder!

The spear tip pierced through, and the void trembled suddenly.

Moment--

The entire world fell into a deathly silence.

It was as if an invisible hand had pressed "pause." The wind stopped, the deathly aura solidified, and even the Demonic Spirit King's terrifying Ultimate black heart froze in mid-air, unable to beat any longer. Time, space, cause and effect—all were drawn by the spearhead, returning to zero.

The next moment, a blinding gray-white light burst forth from the spear tip, shooting straight into the sky!

Boom boom boom boom--!

The light exploded, turning the entire Netherworld Valley into a gray-white world. Space shattered like glass, cracks spreading to the sky; the earth was lifted up, turning into dust that flowed into nothingness.

The Demonic Spirit King's body twisted violently as its true spirit was forcibly dragged out. Its screams echoed through the heavens and earth, but it completely dissipated in the gray light, turning into countless ethereal particles that vanished without a trace.

At the same time, none of the remaining dozens of Demonic Spirit escaped unscathed. They roared and struggled, their bodies turning into streaks of black shadows, but they collapsed the moment the gray light touched them. Their Fate Soul and true spirits completely dissipated, their existence erased, as if they had never been born in this world.

One spear— Annihilation of all spirits!

A few breaths later, the Netherworld Valley returned to silence. There was no dust, no corpses, not even any energy fluctuations. Within a radius of a hundred miles, everything was completely blank, as if the world had been erased from memory.

Zhao Xinyu and Yang Zheng stood frozen in place, forgetting to breathe, their eyes filled with shock and fear. They even doubted whether what they had just seen was reality, or some incomprehensible illusion.

Only Qin Yu slowly retracted the Black Bone War Spear in his hand, the last trace of gray light remaining on the spear tip before disappearing with the wind.

His gaze was cold and resolute, and he murmured to himself:

"This is... the true power of the Ring Spear."

As the gray light dissipated, the world returned to deathly silence. Within a hundred miles of the Netherworld Valley, everything seemed to have been erased, leaving only an eerie gray-white aftertaste lingering in the air.

Zhao Xinyu and Yang Zheng stood unsteadily at a distance, staring blankly at Qin Yu ahead, their breathing rapid.

What they saw was no longer the boy who had come from the Cloud-Leveling Hall with them and fought alongside them against demonic beasts, but rather—

A being akin to a demon god.

He stood in the void, the Black Bone War Spear hanging at his side, its tip still gleaming with gray light. Heaven and earth fell silent for him, all living beings were still for him, as if all rules and causality in the world had vanished into nothingness under that single spear thrust.

Zhao Xinyu's throat tightened, her heart pounded, and she felt an invisible pressure crushing her chest, making it almost impossible to breathe. She knew it wasn't an illusion, but the lingering pressure from Qin Yu's skill.

"Is this still the Senior Brother Qin we know...?"

She murmured softly, her voice trembling, her eyes filled with profound shock.

Yang Zheng's fingers trembled slightly as he gripped his weapon, feeling like an ordinary mortal, utterly unable to look directly at the divine power emanating from Qin Yu. Cold sweat streamed down his back as he gritted his teeth to suppress the trembling in his body, but he couldn't calm the fear in his heart.

Awe, shock, fear--

Three complex emotions intertwined in their eyes.

But amidst this unbearable sense of oppression, another emotion quietly arose.

Dependence. Trust.

Because they all knew that if it weren't for Qin Yu, they would have already died at the hands of the Demonic Spirit King.

Tears welled in Zhao Xinyu's eyes as she silently murmured to herself, "Even if Senior Brother Qin truly becomes the most terrifying being in this world... I am willing to follow him."

Yang Zheng took a deep breath, his gaze finally calming as he looked at Qin Yu's retreating figure, uttering a hoarse sentence:

"Brother Yu... indeed, you are no ordinary person."

Qin Yu did not turn around. He stood there quietly, like a proud and aloof demon god who had emerged from ancient times. His spear was untouched, yet he had already suppressed all spirits.

Qin Yu slowly retracted the Black Bone War Spear. The remaining gray light on the spearhead gradually faded, and the suffocating sense of oppression in the world also dissipated.

He stood tall, his figure appearing and disappearing in the gray mist, seemingly still carrying the lingering aura of a demon god. But the moment he turned around, the murderous glint in his eyes vanished, leaving only a familiar gentleness and determination.

Zhao Xinyu and Yang Zheng felt a jolt in their hearts and almost instinctively took a half step back, but when Qin Yu spoke gently, their fear was instantly dispelled.

"Alright, let's head back to the sect immediately. We can discuss the rest when we get back."

The voice was calm, yet carried an irresistible power, like the most comforting light under the night sky.

Zhao Xinyu gently, tears welling in her eyes, her throat choked with emotion, wanting to say something, but in the end she just followed closely behind Qin Yu. Yang Zheng took a deep breath, as if a huge boulder had been lifted from his chest, and a feeling of relief and unspoken trust welled up in his heart.

The three stood side by side, with Qin Yu at the front, and Zhao Xinyu and Yang Zheng on either side.

Their figures transformed into three streaks of light above the desolate and broken Netherworld Valley, speeding towards the direction of the White Cloud Sect. The remaining gray mist in the world was swept away by the wind, as if making way for them, carrying a solemn and dignified meaning.

At this moment, the three figures no longer seemed to be merely outer disciples, but rather carried a destiny that would soon intertwine with the entire Great Yan Continent.