The two remaining disciples of the Severed Observation Realm exchanged a glance, their eyes blazing with a desperate, all-or-nothing light. In the next instant, they simultaneously pushed their "Nonexistence Form" to its Limit, their figures flickering between reality and nothingness, transforming into two unobservable black-gold streaks that instantly approached the otherworldly being.
The first disciple at the Severed Observation Realm suddenly summoned the "Logic Decomposition Dark Matter Core." The pitch-black sphere, as deep as the cosmic abyss, slowly unfolded in his palm, its surface covered with mysterious geometric patterns, as if compressing countless rules into a single, illogical singularity. As the core operated at full power, the surrounding space began to peel away layer by layer, as if being cut by invisible blades, ripping away the solidified, abyss-like protective concept of the Annihilation Abyss beings.
The second disciple of the Severed Observation Realm seized the opportunity to unleash his Ultimate technique – "Observation Domain Reversal: Rifting Image Silent Flow". His soul consciousness transformed into billions of platinum causal threads, pouring out like a tide, forcibly invading the defensive logic of the alien creature, rewriting its "starting point" and "result" at the same time, causing spiderweb-like cracks to appear in the protective shell of annihilation.
The otherworldly being's chest trembled, emitting a low roar that pierced the Soul Rend's sea, but the cracks were already spreading uncontrollably throughout its body.
Qin Yu's pupils suddenly narrowed. Taking advantage of this only opening, he suddenly drew the Source-Extinguishing Divine Sword. The sword's edge was like a burning, Annihilation galaxy, pointing directly at the core of the enemy's soul. Within his sea of consciousness, the Azure Ring quietly appeared—at that moment, the colors of heaven and earth were instantly drained, and all things fell into a silent gray-white.
[Azure Ring - Annihilate the Soul and Draw the Dawn] -- The True Soul is projected, and the Azure Ring Rift Realm opens with a roar, like an obsidian ring that devours all worlds, reflecting the light of countless death images. The soul of that otherworldly being is forcibly drawn in and dragged into the abyss of the Realm Splitting, and the protective Annihilation Abyss Armor collapses into countless fragments of time and space amidst the tearing sound.
Inside the Realm Splitting, countless beams of annihilation crashed down from all directions, utterly shattering its cause and effect, rules, and foundation of existence—leaving only a fragment of consciousness frozen in place before vanishing into nothingness. The next instant, a roar like the collapse of the universe resounded throughout the world, and the alien being was completely erased from reality, leaving not a trace behind.
However, this destructive and backlashing force surged like a storm. Qin Yu felt a tightness in his chest, blood mist welled up in his throat, and he half-knelt on the ground, his sword trembling. The remaining two disciples of the Severed Observation Realm were also pale, their breathing disordered, and what oozed from their wounds was not blood, but wisps of dissipating primordial light. Hong Xiuxiang and Wang Yuan were also covered in wounds, their breaths swaying, and they could only barely stand by supporting each other.
This area of the Desolate Annihilation Secret Realm was deathly silent. Apart from the five people's rapid and heavy breathing, there was no other sound.
The cracks in space were slowly closing, and the air still carried the scorching smell of the annihilation power, as if even breathing could swallow a piece of dead ashes. The ground beneath their feet had become unfamiliar—the entire landscape had been rewritten by the aftershocks of the battle, the original mountains had been flattened, and the rivers were hanging upside down in the air, like shattered star rivers suspended in mid-air, yet flowing slowly and silently.
The five stood in a semi-circle, back to back, maintaining a defensive posture, as if they would be swallowed up by this desolate wasteland if they relaxed their guard. Qin Yu still gripped the Source-Extinguishing Divine Sword in both hands, the annihilation radiance swirling around the blade gradually dimming, cold sweat mixed with blood sliding down his cheeks. His chest heaved like thunder, each breath aggravating the churning injuries within him, the stench of blood and the aura of Annihilation intertwining within him, bringing a tearing pain.
A gruesome wound split open on Wang Yuan's shoulder, its depths shrouded in a void-like darkness, as if the slightest touch would draw him into an abyss. He pressed the wound tightly against his shoulder, remaining silent, his eyes as cold as ever.
Hong Xiuxiang sword with one hand and placed the other on her waist, her fingertips trembling slightly. Her white clothes were stained with large patches of crimson, and although the light in her eyes was still clear, it carried a heavy weight of having escaped death.
The two disciples at the Severed Observation Realm were ashen-faced. Their vital energy had been overdrawn in the counterattack, and their very presence had become blurred, as if they could be blown away by the wind at any moment. Their auras were so weak that they were almost imperceptible, yet they still subconsciously spread their senses, vigilant for any possible threat.
In the midst of this deathly silence, a deep, resounding rumble suddenly echoed from the earth, so low it seemed to emanate from billions of feet underground, yet it resounded simultaneously in everyone's consciousness. Beyond the horizon of the Desolate Annihilation Secret Realm, several enormous shadows appeared. They did not resemble any known creatures, but rather seemed to be beings born from the realm itself. With each step they took, the light of the entire world dimmed.
He said in a deep voice, "We have to leave here immediately; this place won't give us a second chance."
The five exchanged glances, all understanding that even though the battle at the Lie Que had left them battered and bruised, the true crisis in the Desolate Annihilation Secret Realm... had only just begun.
In the next instant, five figures simultaneously swept into the void passage, transforming into streaks of light and speeding away.
The five of them sped through the air, traversing several broken mountain ranges and upside-down ravines, until they stopped before a deep valley surrounded by nine jagged black rocks. The valley entrance was narrow, as if cut by a knife, but inside lay a hidden world—a secret realm seemingly forgotten by time. Here, there was no aura of annihilation permeating the Desolate Annihilation Secret Realm; instead, there was an Ultimate stillness, where even the sound of the wind seemed to be blocked out, with only the faint echoes of footsteps on the moss-covered stone surfaces.
At the bottom of the valley, a clear spring flows quietly, reflecting the cracked dome above. Starlight filters through the gaps, but condenses into fragments in the air, never falling. Ancient trees around it have intertwined roots and leaves that are so deep green they are almost black, as if they have absorbed the sediment of countless years.
Qin Yu slightly raised his head and said in a low voice, "We can rest here for now."
Just as everyone slowly sat down to regulate their breathing, the void trembled slightly, and a beam of azure light, like moonlight, quietly emanated from between Qin Yu's brows— the Azure Ring manifested. Her figure slowly took shape in the dim light, her eyes carrying an unusual gentleness. With a gentle flick of her slender fingers, countless fine azure rays transformed into raindrops, cascading down from the depths of the sky.
The Rain of Azure Radiance is no ordinary rain of light. Each raindrop is as if woven from billions of tiny azure runes, and when it falls, it carries extremely light pulsating ripples, like fingers caressing the soul, seeping into the depths of the marrow. Every drop that touches the skin will turn into a warm and cool sensation, seeping from the surface into the meridians and sea of consciousness, gradually smoothing out the remaining sharpness of the annihilating power.
Hong Xiuxiang's complexion gradually regained its color in the azure rain, the weariness lingering in the corners of her eyes was washed away by the radiance, and her breathing became even. As the azure rain seeped into Wang Yuan's shoulder, the void black mark seemed to be slowly smoothed out by an invisible hand, the dark ripples at the edge of the wound were gradually dispelled, revealing new skin texture.
The previously vague presence of the two disciples at the Severed Observation Realm was also infused with this azure light, their auras becoming solid again, as if they were being pulled back to reality little by little from the edge of nothingness. Their eyes revealed undisguised shock—it was not a simple healing, but a power that reshaped their souls and causal chains from the root.
The entire valley floor was enveloped in a soft Rain of Azure Radiance. The reflections of the spring water and the rain of light intertwined to create ripples, as if severing this world from the cruelty of the Desolate Annihilation Secret Realm, leaving behind a moment of tranquility and revival that belonged only to them.
Azure Ring's voice rang out softly, like spring water flowing through the heart. "This rain can only protect you for a while. Don't forget—outside, danger still lurks everywhere."
About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the Rain of Azure Radiance at the bottom of the valley gradually receded into wisps of light, returning to Qin Yu's brow. The five people's auras had completely stabilized, and the cracks on their bodies and the wounds to their souls had all been healed, as if the fierce battle with the alien beings from the Annihilation Dawn Realm was just an illusion.
Qin Yu remained calm, but a dark glint flashed in his eyes. He slightly turned his head, using his divine soul to isolate himself from the outside world, and transmitted his message to Hong Xiuxiang's mind. "Miss Hong, I have obtained the third fragment of the map."
Hong Xiuxiang was recovering from her meditation when her eyes suddenly widened at those words. Although she didn't show it on her face, she quickly responded in her mind, "Really? Senior Brother Qin..." Her tone was filled with barely suppressed surprise and probing.
Qin Yu calmly replied, "Yes, that's right. Actually, back there, your first fragment of the map and my third fragment of the map had a very strong connection, and at that time I knew you were in danger."
Having said that, his brow twitched slightly, and a profound chain of logic quietly emerged in his sea of consciousness. This was not an ordinary message, but a secret technique of "Logic Alignment," which briefly aligned the causal chains of the two ancient diagrams, making them manifest in Hong Xiuxiang's sea of consciousness.
In that dim light, the third fragment slowly unfolded—the mottled ancient patterns seemed to span billions of years, connecting an unknown territory with a certain Desolate Annihilation Secret Realm. An indescribable aura of boundary construction flowed between the patterns, as if every line was whispering ancient secrets.
Hong Xiuxiang watched this scene intently, her eyes flashing with complex emotions. She knew that this transmission of information was not simply "seeing," but rather Qin Yu's logical understanding directly connecting with her sea of consciousness. The entire process was silent and completely closed off—at this moment, no one else could detect it except for her and Qin Yu.
Hong Xiuxiang let out a soft breath, her voice echoing deep within her mind. "Senior Brother Qin... it seems we're only one piece away from the complete map."
Qin Yu simply nodded slightly, his expression calm and composed, as if their exchange had never happened.
When the patterns of the third fragment briefly aligned with those of the first fragment in Hong Xiuxiang's sea of consciousness, a very subtle tremor swept through the depths of the void, as if it had triggered some ancient restriction.
The tremor was silent and invisible, yet it was like an invisible fingertip gently tapping down at the bottom of the vast Desolate Annihilation Secret Realm. The next instant, in the deepest darkness of the secret realm, a pair of Ultimate cold eyes slowly opened. Those eyes seemed not to belong to any living being, but were formed from the concept of "Nonexistence Form" itself, cold, empty, yet carrying a gaze that made one's soul tremble.
The surrounding space seemed stripped of its color under those gazes, turning into pure gray and deathly silence. It didn't rush to attack, but simply watched silently, as if confirming that the aura of the incomplete map had indeed reappeared.
At the same time, the Rain of Azure Radiance at the bottom of the valley completely dissipated, leaving only wisps of dew-like spiritual light in the air. Qin Yu calmly withdrew his divine soul, as if nothing had happened, and to others it was merely a brief respite.
Hong Xiuxiang took a deep breath, but a hidden sense of unease crept into her heart—she knew that the perfect match of this incomplete map might have already alerted something that shouldn't have been alerted.
Qin Yu slowly stood up and calmly gazed into the distance. "Let's go, it's time to go deeper."
As the five stepped out of their hiding place, the void seemed to be torn apart by an invisible veil, revealing a deep, dark crack. Outside the crack was a ruin that seemed to have been abandoned by time—there was no wind, no sound, and even the light seemed to be frozen in the air.
The ground beneath my feet was an unnatural, pitch-black color, like the soil of a deep abyss formed from the ashes and blood of millions of souls over millions of years. Walking on it, I could even feel a faint heartbeat coming from the depths of the earth.
The surrounding mountain walls soar into the clouds, but they are not ordinary rocks; they are made up of layers upon layers of "fragmented spatial sections." Each section reflects a different scene of time and space. Some flash the ancient and primordial battlefield, some show the moment when countless lives were destroyed, and some even show a strange future that should not exist.
The sky was even more bizarre—there were no sun, moon, or stars, but instead, huge rings of cracks slowly rotating, each crack surging with an Ultimate dense, eerie green mist, like pupils spanning time and space, silently watching the intruders below.
Qin Yu paused slightly, the mark between his brows trembling for a moment, as if sensing some deep-seated call. Hong Xiuxiang also subconsciously tightened her grip on the Spirit Brocade Book Realm, her gaze fixed ahead—at the end of the ruins, a narrow bone bridge spanned the abyss, its end faintly radiating a dim light, but that light was mixed with an oppressive feeling that made the soul instinctively resist, as if once stepped onto it, there would be no turning back.
Wang Yuan said in a low voice, "This place... doesn't seem to be the natural landscape of a secret realm; it's more like it was deliberately sculpted by some kind of force."
Qin Yu remained calm, but a sharp glint flashed in his eyes. "No matter who shaped this path... we are determined to walk it."