The Return to Dawn Cloud First Hall · A Debt and a Vow Engraved on the Heart

The vow in Qin Yu's heart burned like a raging flame deep within his consciousness:

"I will never be devoured, and I will never let anyone be erased! Qian Ruishan, Mu Qingwan, Yan Yue... and everything I care about, I will not allow to be taken away. I must accelerate my cultivation, even if it means being shattered to pieces, I will hold on until the Black Gold Ring awakens."

His eyes were cold and sharp, as if a flame, which no one could extinguish, had been ignited in the deathly silence of this Desolate Annihilation Secret Realm.

Just then, Azure Ring's figure quietly appeared in his mind. She didn't immediately start teasing him as usual, but instead quietly looked at Qin Yu. After a moment, she chuckled softly, a laugh that carried a familiar playfulness, yet strangely solemn. "Silly boy, Qin Yu... you're finally starting to resemble me."

Qin Yu was taken aback, his gaze slightly moved.

Azure Ring's voice gradually lost its laughter, transforming into a gentle, solemn whisper like a clear spring, "Remember, you're not alone in this. I am Huan, you are me, we are one. If you're going to fight to the death, you have to take me with you. Even if the road ahead is Endless Abyss, I will fall with you."

As she spoke, a faint blue light emanated from her, falling into Qin Yu's heart like spring rain. The oppressive and cold silence was dispelled, replaced by a touch of warmth and a firm sense of support.

Qin Yu's eyes were deep, and he silently replied in his heart, "Okay, then let's do it together."

In the boundless silence of the Desolate Annihilation Secret Realm, this quiet sentiment, like the sharpest blade, silently etched an irreversible trajectory.

Qin Yu remained silent for a long time, his gaze deep and unfathomable, the vow in his heart burning silently. The azure light of the Azure Ring fell like a drizzle, seeping into the coldest, hardest part of his heart, adding a touch of warmth to that solitude.

He composed himself and turned around. His eyes were no longer cold and sharp, but rather warm with restraint. When his gaze fell on Hong Xiuxiang, the light in his eyes softened slightly.

"Let's go." Qin Yu said softly, his voice carrying a firmness that pierced through the fog, yet it lacked the sharpness of his voice on the battlefield, instead possessing a reassuring calmness and gentleness.

"We'll go out now and continue searching for even greater opportunities."

Hong Xiuxiang looked up, her slightly tired but still bright eyes seeming to find a glimmer of support in his words. The heavy weight of blood and fire still lingered in her heart, but Qin Yu's simple words were like a bonfire, pulling her back from the desolation.

She nodded gently, a slight smile playing on her lips, her voice low yet firm and Wenwan: "Okay."

The two figures stood side by side in the mist of the Desolate Annihilation Secret Realm. The distant sky still pressed down heavily, crisscrossed with cracks, as if Timelessness reminding them of the approaching danger. But in this deathly silent world, their backs as they turned and walked away appeared exceptionally clear.

It was as if they were declaring that even if there was Endless Abyss ahead, they would walk side by side.

Deep within the Desolate Annihilation Secret Realm, in a vast area where sand and black mist intertwine, the world ahead is shrouded in awe-inspiring clamor and heatwave. Qin Yu and Hong Xiuxiang walk side by side. As they quietly approach, they hear the low murmurs of countless cultivators and the booming of spiritual energy, as if the elite of the entire secret realm have gathered here. In the distance, hundreds of figures stand densely packed in the air or on the barren sand, golden light, black mist, blue fire, and red flames intertwining, like a massive torrent of cultivation converging here, its momentum so overwhelming that it makes one's breath catch in their throat.

All eyes were fixed on the magnificent palace towering between heaven and earth. Majestic as a mountain, its black walls were engraved with ancient annihilation runes, each stroke radiating an unbearable light of Cause Annihilation. The palace gates stood tens of thousands of feet high, their thick, black walls like an eternal stone wall suppressing an entire realm, with faint crimson-gold light emanating from between the cracks, as if endless opportunities slumbered within.

What truly silenced everyone and made them stare in awe were the two super guardian spirits standing before the palace gates.

The first was a soul shadow formed from a giant sword. The sword's edge was pierced into the earth, its hilt soaring into the clouds, and its blade was as broad and thick as a mountain ridge, its surface covered with burning cracks, as if countless crimson magma flowed within it. Above the sword shadow was a huge phantom wearing ancient iron armor, its hands tightly gripping the hilt, like an eternal warrior who would never retreat. Its aura pressed down like a mountain, and the world seemed to be split in two.

The second was a colossal soul beast formed from countless black and gray clouds. Its massive size blotted out the sky, its arms reaching down like mountains, its fists resembling two falling stars. Its body constantly rolled, collapsed, and reformed, as if the sea of clouds were roaring, and with each breath, the entire earth trembled. Its eyes burned with dark red flames, as if it wanted to incinerate anyone who approached it into nothingness.

The two guardian spirits stood blocking the palace gates, like the dual embodiment of hell and judgment. Countless cultivators hesitated to approach, and the air was filled with a chilling oppressive atmosphere.

Qin Yu and Hong Xiuxiang stopped at a distance, watching this scene, both feeling a strange heaviness in their hearts. This place... was no ordinary opportunity, but a forbidden area capable of changing one's destiny.

Qin Yu and Hong Xiuxiang stood at the edge of the crowd, their gazes piercing through the layers of cultivators, fixed on the majestic palace and the two guardian spirits.

There were simply too many people gathered here; looking around, there were at least a hundred teams scattered in formation. Each team carried a distinct aura: some had auras as sharp as swords, belonging to the elite disciples of the Star Abyss Clan; some had ancient spirit runes on their backs, belonging to the powerful inheritors of the Spirit Clan; and there were also dark cultivators from the Ming Yuan Ghost Palace and the Silent Shadow Asura Clan, their bodies exuding a chilling, tomb-like killing intent. They were originally incompatible forces, but now they were all focused and waiting, their eyes locked on the palace gates.

The air was filled with low murmurs of discussion:

"Is that the [Annihilation Ancient Divine Palace] in the center of the Desolate Annihilation Secret Realm? Legend has it that it seals ancient treasures, and even an Emperor-level weapon of Annihilation has appeared here..."

"But those two guardian spirits are too terrifying! One is a phantom sword spirit, and the other is a cloud beast illusion... Their mere pressure is enough to shatter our sea of consciousness. If we rashly go forward, we will surely die."

"I've heard that a senior at the Annihilation Dawn Realm once tried to force his way in, but was annihilated in the first strike, leaving not even a trace of his bones behind."

"Heh, with so many people gathered here, if someone were to make a charge first, perhaps they could clear a path for us."

As one of them spoke, his eyes turned cold, a hint of calculation and greed flickering within them.

Hong Xiuxiang's expression was solemn, and her voice reached Qin Yu's ears in a low voice. "Senior Brother Qin, can you feel it? These people are not waiting, but testing each other... They are all waiting for the first fool to go and die."

Qin Yu nodded, his gaze deep. He knew very well that this palace opportunity was not about who was stronger, but about who could survive to the end amidst countless killings and schemes.

At this moment, a member of the Silent Shadow Asura Clan not far away sneered, his gaze fixed on another Spirit Clan team. "Hmph, since your Spirit Clan prides itself on holiness, then go and test the power of this Temple Guardian Soul!"

The leader of the Spirit Clan, a powerful expert at the Annihilation Source Realm, frowned and was about to retort when an elder beside him raised his hand to stop him. He merely glanced coldly at the Asura Clan without uttering a word. The atmosphere grew even heavier, with killing intent swirling in the shadows.

Qin Yu's gaze swept across the crowd, sensing a tension that could ignite at any moment.

The two guardian spirits remained motionless, as if waiting for the first tester of fate.

Amidst the fervent excitement of the crowd, suddenly, a clear yet authoritative voice rang out from afar, like a long, resounding cry piercing through the chaos:

"Xiuxiang-- "

The sound, like the tolling of a bell, echoed across the vast dome of the Desolate Annihilation Secret Realm, drowning out the discussions and whispered killing intent of all the cultivators.

Qin Yu and Hong Xiuxiang reacted to the sound and looked in the direction of the voice. They saw a figure slowly approaching from outside the crowd. It was a core elder of the temple, whose aura was as calm as the sea. His whole body was shrouded in a crimson mist, as if he had condensed boundless flames into a tranquil glow.

This person's cultivation was unfathomable. With each step she took, the void trembled slightly, and countless crimson Dao light seemed to flow beneath her feet. She wore a dark red robe embroidered with annihilation Dao patterns, the lines resembling ancient, burning stars. A palace-patterned jade pendant, symbolizing her status, hung on her chest, shining brightly.

Her eyes shone like the sun, piercing through the crowd and landing precisely on the figure of Hong Xiuxiang.

"Xiuxiang, is it really you?"

Her voice was steady, yet tinged with a hint of relief and surprise, as if she had finally found solace in a fellow disciple amidst the chaos and despair.

Hong Xiuxiang trembled slightly, and when she looked up, a look of shock and complex emotions flashed in her eyes. She hadn't expected to encounter a core elder from her own temple in the center of this Desolate Annihilation Secret Realm.

The surrounding crowd was drawn to the sudden shout, casting curious and surprised glances. Someone murmured:

"That's... an elder of the Dawn Cloud First Hall? What's he doing here?"

"Hong Xiuxiang? Could that woman be Hong Xiuxiang, their most renowned core disciple?"

An invisible storm was quietly rising in the arena.

Hong Xiuxiang gently bit her lip, slowly turning her head to look at Qin Yu, her eyes filled with a hint of questioning and hesitation.

Hong Xiuxiang lowered her eyes slightly, exhaled softly, and then raised her voice to reply:

"Senior Brother Qin, this is Elder Liu Mei of our Dawn Cloud First Hall."

Her voice trembled slightly, but it carried more of a long-suppressed respect and composure.

Upon hearing this, Elder Liu Mei's gaze softened and fell upon Hong Xiuxiang, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. It was as if seeing her disciple Anran in this Desolate Annihilation Secret Realm was already a great comfort.

Hong Xiuxiang took a deep breath, her voice gradually lowering, a sorrowful light shining in her eyes, and slowly recounted her experiences along the way:

"Elder... Along the way, we disciples of the Dawn Cloud First Hall should have supported each other in this secret realm, but instead, we encountered one terrifying beast after another. They were shrouded in soul-devouring mist and possessed extraordinary power. Even though my junior sisters fought with all their might, they were Annihilation one after another... In the end, only I survived."

As she spoke, her voice choked slightly, and tears seemed to well up in her eyes, but she tried her best to suppress them, not wanting to reveal too much of her vulnerability.

"If Senior Brother Qin hadn't appeared at the crucial moment and single-handedly fought off the strange beast to save me... I'm afraid I would have already Return to Dust with my junior sisters."

Hong Xiuxiang slowly raised her eyes, looked at Qin Yu, and her voice became firm:

"From that moment on, I traveled with Senior Brother Qin, traversing perilous places, and finally arrived here."

Her words were heavy and truthful, bearing the marks of blood and fire, like a sharp brand, deeply engraved in Elder Liu Mei's heart.

After hearing this, Elder Liu Mei remained silent for a long time. The blazing light around her body trembled slightly. Her eyes first flashed with regret and anger, then slowly suppressed, finally settling into a solemn and complex gaze that fell deeply on Qin Yu.

Upon hearing Hong Xiuxiang's account, the surrounding crowd erupted in even more enthusiastic discussion:

"So that young man actually saved a core disciple of the Dawn Cloud First Hall?"

"To survive amidst hordes of strange beasts... this Qin Yu is probably no ordinary person."

"The fact that Hong Xiuxiang publicly acknowledged him shows that this person truly possesses extraordinary abilities..."

All eyes of the crowd converged on Qin Yu, burning with a mixture of curiosity, jealousy, awe, and bewilderment, as if under the scorching sun.

Elder Liu Mei slowly raised her hand, and a soft golden-blue light curtain rose in the void, like a veil of Daoist energy, enveloping Hong Xiuxiang within it. Her eyes were filled with boundless love and pity as she spoke softly:

"Xiang'er, you've suffered so much. It's the greatest blessing that you're back alive."

As soon as she finished speaking, she took a step forward. With a flick of her sleeves, a vast yet gentle Source Power lifted Hong Xiuxiang's figure. The power was not the imposing sharpness of battle, but rather a protective and tranquil force that held her disciple in the palm of its hand.

Hong Xiuxiang paused slightly, turned her head gently, and glanced at Qin Yu. In that instant, a complex emotion flashed in her eyes—gratitude, reluctance, and a word yet to be spoken, which ultimately turned into a soft breath and sank into the depths of her heart.

Elder Liu Mei noticed her gaze, a hint of understanding flashing in her eyes, but she didn't speak. She simply smiled faintly and gave Qin Yu a meaningful look. Then, she lightly raised her sleeve, and Hong Xiuxiang's figure was slowly drawn into her spiritual energy protection, Anran landing in the Dawn Cloud First Hall's group.

In that instant, many disciples of the Dawn Cloud First Hall rushed forward, their eyes filled with shock and excitement:

"Senior Sister Hong! You're still alive!"

"That's great... we thought you had already..."

"Senior sister, I'm so glad you're alright!"

Hong Xiuxiang was surrounded by people, and although she still carried the cruel aura of the battles she had fought all the way, under the gaze of her fellow disciples, she seemed to have found a sense of belonging again. However, her expression did not completely relax because of the reunion. She knew that she was able to return alive entirely because of Qin Yu's support.

But her heart remained with Qin Yu, fixed on that solitary figure.

At this moment, Qin Yu stood quietly outside the crowd, his figure appearing even more solitary and aloof against the backdrop of the two enormous guardian spirits before the palace. Countless gazes converged around him, yet none could shake the serenity between his brows.

Before Elder Liu Mei gently sent Hong Xiuxiang into the Dawn Cloud First Hall group, she suddenly withdrew her control over spiritual energy, turned around, and her gaze fell on Qin Yu. In that instant, many disciples of the temple in front of the square also looked in the direction of her gaze, as if the brilliance of the world made way for her.

She gazed silently at Qin Yu, her eyes gleaming with an ever-flowing, Supreme Dao radiance. Her voice, though not loud, resonated clearly throughout the entire area like the clear sound of a morning bell.

"Qin Yu, disciple of the Eternal Extreme Sacred Hall... if it weren't for your intervention, Xiang'er would probably have perished by now. This kindness and gratitude will be forever etched in the memory of the Dawn Cloud First Hall. If needed in the future, I, Liu Mei, will repay this kindness with my own life and in the name of the Dawn Cloud First Hall."

After she finished speaking, she nodded slightly, her solemnity and reverence causing countless disciples present to tremble.

For a moment, the disciples of the Dawn Cloud First Hall all cast complex glances at them—a mixture of gratitude, astonishment, and, above all, an undisguised shock:

"So it was him who saved Senior Sister Hong..."

"To actually protect Senior Sister Hong in the Desolate Annihilation Secret Realm? What kind of skills must that be?"

"This Senior Brother Qin from the Eternal Extreme Sacred Hall is probably truly extraordinary..."

At that moment, Hong Xiuxiang gently bit her lip, her eyes brimming with tears, and finally whispered, "Senior Brother Qin... take care."

Elder Liu Mei waved her sleeve again, and a light screen slowly pulled Hong Xiuxiang back into their group. Thus, Hong Xiuxiang finally returned to the Dawn Cloud First Hall, while Qin Yu's figure, amidst countless gazes and discussions, appeared even more aloof and extraordinary.