In the middle level of the Source of Epochless, countless temples, clans, and gangs held secret meetings after the anomalies in the Desolate Annihilation Secret Realm. The fluctuations of cause and effect and the unusual movements of the Annihilation Abyss fragments had already alarmed countless supreme beings, who sensed that terrifying aura that could not be categorized.
Soon, a shocking piece of news spread throughout the region:
"Phantom Demonic Spirit!"
This is the unified name given to Dao Shadow Soldier by various forces. Because this kind of existence is neither a living being nor a logical entity, it is as strange as an illusion, yet it can sweep away all soul consciousness and rules with Annihilation Dawn Realm · Supreme.
The elder of the Annihilation Dream Sacred Hall said coldly:
"These Demonic Spirit were not born naturally; their origins must be connected to ancient taboos. If we do not eradicate them as soon as possible, once they have fully formed an army, my Source of Epochless will surely fall."
The ruler of the Ming Yuan Ghost Palace issued a harsh order from within the dark mist:
"A bounty is offered for the capture of the Phantom Demonic Spirit. Any temple, guild, or Rogue Cultivator may accept this task. Annihilation the Phantom Demon Spirit will reward you with one Limitless Resonance Crystal; severing its Source Chain will grant you the position of Temple Elder!"
The elders of the Dawn Cloud First Hall wore solemn expressions, while the thousands of female disciples behind them all gleamed with cold light in their eyes. Although they were renowned for their mastery of emotions and the Codex of Souls, they too felt an unprecedented threat at this moment:
"As the Phantom Demonic Spirit moves, it is accompanied by the collapse of cause and effect and the dissipation of destiny, leaving no trace of its very existence. This is not a single threat, but a sign of World Extinguisher."
Further afield, countless other races, including the Vast Abyss Sea Clan, the Crimson Annihilation Divine Gate, the Profound Frost Sacred Hall, and the Eternal Night Observatory Pavilion, also responded. Numerous powerful figures jointly issued an unprecedented "All-Domain Bounty Order":
Target: Phantom Demonic Spirit (suspected to be Supreme or above the Annihilation Dawn Realm - Supreme level).
Task: Whether Annihilation, sealing, or weakening, it all counts as merit.
Reward:
Anyone who provides concrete clues will be rewarded with one million Annihilation Starlight Crystal.
A phantom Phantom Demonic Spirit Annihilation, while the Limitless Resonance Crystal is admired.
Whoever can trace its origins and ascertain its true origins will be crowned "Domain Lord" by the combined efforts of all the major temples.
In just a few days, the entire Source of Epochless · Middle Layer was engulfed in a bloodbath, with countless powerful individuals forming teams to enter various areas and secret realms within the Source of Epochless · Middle Layer in an attempt to hunt down the Phantom Demonic Spirit.
Only Qin Yu and Azure Ring truly knew the true nature of the Phantom Demonic Spirit.
They knew perfectly well that these so-called Phantom Demonic Spirit were actually soldiers of the Source Dao Supreme Return Emperor's legion, the Dao Shadow Soldier!
Other forces, though relentlessly pursuing them, are completely unable to comprehend their terrifying origins.
Above the magnificent main hall of the Eternal Extreme Sacred Hall, which resembled a galaxy, divine light swirled, and the Annihilation River and the Limitless Evolving True Flow flowed around the temple. At this moment, three elders at the Annihilation Dawn Realm · Supreme led the remaining core disciples down slowly, their expressions all carrying a hint of killing intent and exhaustion.
The plaza was already filled with inner and outer disciples. Chi Ning, Shen Yuzhi, Luo Huan, Mu Xun, Du Linglin, Mo Zhiyan and others who had been waiting for a long time hurriedly came forward to greet them.
However, when their eyes swept across the group, they couldn't find that familiar figure anywhere. What made their hearts sink even more was that Wang Yuan wasn't there either.
Chi Ning stepped forward, her voice trembling slightly. "Elder... where is Senior Brother Qin? And Senior Brother Wang Yuan? Why didn't they return together?"
Shen Yuzhi's heart tightened, her face turning deathly pale. She murmured, "Impossible... With Senior Brother Qin's strength, it's impossible for him to be like this..."
Luo Huan shuddered, clenching his fists tightly, his throat dry. "Elder, has something happened to Senior Brother Qin?!"
Mu Xun's eyes burned with anxious fire, and he could hardly contain himself as he approached the elder directly. "Please speak plainly, Elder! We need an answer!"
Du Linglin calmed down slightly, but her voice remained deep and resolute. "If Senior Brother Qin truly failed to return, we should at least know the truth. Could it be... that he and Senior Brother Wang Yuan are truly forever trapped in the secret realm?"
Mo Zhiyan's eyes trembled, her lips were tightly pressed together, and her voice was almost hoarse. "No... Senior Brother Qin won't be in trouble... He won't."
The three elders exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with an indescribable solemnity. The elder Annihilation Dawn Realm · Supreme, spoke slowly, his voice heavy with suppressed emotion:
"You must understand that the changes in the Desolate Annihilation Secret Realm far exceeded all our expectations. The chaos caused by the Phantom Demonic Spirit came suddenly, and there are unpredictable dark factors deep within the realm. Even we almost couldn't bring you back alive. As for Qin Yu and Wang Yuan... they were indeed not among those who returned to the team."
These words struck Chi Ning and the others like a heavy hammer blow.
Chi Ning swayed violently, almost falling, but Shen Yuzhi quickly caught her. Her eyes were red, and her voice trembled. "No... he can't! Senior Brother Qin must still be alive! I can feel it!"
Shen Yuzhi gritted her teeth, holding her tightly, tears welling in her eyes, but she tried her best to hold on. "Yes... Qin Yu will be alright... He absolutely won't."
Luo Huan's anger surged, and he slammed his fist heavily on the ground, causing huge cracks to spread across the plaza. "No matter what, I will find out for myself! Even if it means venturing into the Desolate Annihilation Secret Realm, I will find him!"
Mu Xun, Du Linglin, Mo Zhiyan, and the others all had unwavering gazes, and the fear and unease in their hearts gradually transformed into a burning determination.
The entire plaza of the Eternal Extreme Sacred Hall was filled with an extremely oppressive atmosphere.
In their hearts, they had secretly made a vow: if Qin Yu and Wang Yuan were truly trapped, they would spare no effort to find them.
Just as Chi Ning and the others were about to completely lose control of their emotions, the three elders at the Annihilation Dawn Realm · Supreme exchanged glances. The oldest among them, with white hair and beard, slowly stepped out of the ranks, slightly bent one knee, and bowed to the Vice Hall Master Zhang Qiang at the head of the table to report:
"Vice Hall Master... without Qin Yu, we probably wouldn't have made it out of this secret realm."
The sound echoed in the magnificent hall, startling all the disciples and elders.
The elder continued in a deep voice:
"At that time, we were trapped in the misty array of the secret realm, our Fate Soul and sea of consciousness almost completely locked, and we were on the verge of total annihilation. It was Qin Yu who broke through the restriction with his own strength and rescued us. Afterwards, he did not stop, but led several core disciples and resolutely went to the deeper part of the secret realm... to rescue Wang Yuan who was trapped there."
Upon hearing this, the entire square fell silent instantly.
Everyone's eyes trembled simultaneously, and Chi Ning and Shen Yuzhi's lips turned white, their breathing becoming rapid. Luo Huan and the others' anger and worry instantly combined.
Zhang Qiang's gaze sharpened slightly, a faint, strange light flashing deep within his eyes. He stood with his hands behind his back, his voice deep and authoritative:
"So, the reason Qin Yu hasn't returned yet is because he's still deep within the secret realm, fighting against that unknown power?"
"Indeed." The elder nodded emphatically, his expression grave. "But now, the Phantom Demonic Spirit are rampant within the secret realm, and the realm itself is frequently thrown into chaos by the ancient beings... Whether Qin Yu and the others can return, we... dare not speak rashly."
The last sentence struck the hearts of all the disciples with the weight of a hammer blow.
Chi Ning took a sudden step forward, her hands clenched tightly, her voice trembling but incredibly firm. "I don't believe it! Senior Brother Qin will definitely come back! He's not the kind of person who will fall so easily!"
Shen Yuzhi's eyes were brimming with tears, but she gritted her teeth and nodded. "That's right... He will definitely bring Senior Brother Wang Yuan back with him."
Amidst the disciples' excited emotions, Zhang Qiang simply stared quietly into the void, his gaze unfathomable, as if deep in thought.
Zhang Qiang stood with his hands behind his back, his figure as immovable as a mountain, his majestic and cold aura filling the entire square. Just as Chi Ning and the others were filled with excitement, his voice slowly rang out, yet it struck everyone's mind like a thunderclap:
"This trip to the Desolate Annihilation Secret Realm not only resulted in heavy losses for my Eternal Extreme Sacred Hall, but also for all the major temples and clans in the Source of Epochless · Middle Layer, which were all corrupted by that unknown force and suffered countless casualties."
His gaze swept over each disciple present, and he said in a deep voice:
"Now, those strange creatures have been named by many temples as Phantom Demonic Spirit. Their existence exists outside of any logical system; they are neither propositions nor logicians, and are beyond the observation of all cultivation systems. They have become the greatest threat to the entire middle level."
In the square, tens of thousands of disciples held their breath and focused intently, with only the sound of the wind rustling through the corners of the hall.
Zhang Qiang's voice suddenly rose, carrying an undeniable authority:
"Therefore, from this moment forward, all members of the Eternal Extreme Sacred Hall —whether core disciples, inner disciples, or outer disciples—must obey orders and join the ranks of 'Extermining Demons and Destroying Spirits'! With the might of our Holy Temple, we will unite with the various temples and clans to completely eradicate the Phantom Demonic Spirit!"
The sound fell like thunder from the heavens, echoing throughout the entire square.
The disciples looked at each other, shocked and bewildered, but even more so by the oppressive and fearful feeling that arose from the words "Phantom Demonic Spirit".
Zhang Qiang paused slightly, a cold glint flashing in the depths of his eyes, before continuing:
As for Qin Yu and Wang Yuan...
He paused for a moment, surveyed the entire room, and spoke in a tone as cold as a knife:
Whether they can return in time depends on their own fate. If they return, it will be a blessing for the temple; if they perish in the secret realm... that is their destiny.
These words caused another uproar in the square.
Chi Ning, Shen Yuzhi, and the others turned deathly pale instantly, almost blurting out their words, but were stopped by the elders. They gritted their teeth, their hearts filled with anger and resentment, but dared not defy the Vice Hall Master's authority in public.
With Zhang Qiang's cold and aloof figure standing there, the atmosphere in the entire temple became extremely tense.
In the deep, secluded hall of the Eternal Extreme Sacred Hall, shrouded in a thick black mist, several figures slowly knelt in the hall. They were cloaked figures who had returned from the Desolate Annihilation Secret Realm.
"Reporting to the Grand Elder," the leader said in a deep voice, as if carved from iron, "Everything has proceeded according to plan. Wang Yuan has been completely Annihilation within the secret realm. The logical causal particles we planted beforehand detonated, causing him to explode on the spot, leaving not even a remnant soul behind."
Chen Po, listening from the side, had his eyes gleaming and a ruthless smile curling at the corner of his mouth, "Haha! It really worked! Qin Yu watched Wang Yuan explode right before his eyes; he must be completely thrown into chaos!"
The cloaked figure nodded and continued, "Indeed. We used the Wang Yuan as bait and successfully lured Qin Yu here. Although we failed to kill him on the spot, he is now trapped in the secret realm, and surviving will be no easy task."
Chen Chao sat upright in the head seat, his gaze as cold as an icy pool. He slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a chilling breath. "Very good. Wang Yuan was Qin Yu's closest friend. His death before Qin Yu's eyes was the sharpest blow. As for Qin Yu..."
His voice suddenly lowered, carrying a chilling murderous intent. "Being trapped in the secret realm is the best possible outcome. If he dies there, it suits my purposes perfectly; if he manages to survive, I have my own ways of making him a 'traitor' despised by everyone."
Chen Po sneered, "At that time, not only will you, Master, be in complete control of the Eternal Extreme Sacred Hall, but my Chen Clan will also completely dominate it. Qin Yu will be nothing more than a stepping stone for us to dominate the middle level!"
Chen Chao nodded slightly, his eyes dark and unfathomable, as if he were looking down into Qin Yu's struggle through the void. "The show has only just begun."
Deep within the void, a dark rift slowly closed, and as the last spatial ripple dissipated, a figure stepped out from the rift.
That person was Qin Yu.
But now, he was no longer the same person he once was. His once black hair had been dyed silver-white with spiritual energy, and the sharpness between his brows had been concealed by illusory power, becoming cold and indifferent lines. His golden pupils had turned into deep, abyssal gray pupils, as if they were endless and deathly still. His robes were no longer the golden robes of the disciples of the Eternal Extreme Sacred Hall, but a battle suit of sandstorm color, with several fake clan marks engraved on it, giving people a strange and murderous feeling.
Qin Yu slowly lowered his head, his gaze falling on his palm, where the swirling spiritual light twisted slightly, completely burying his aura.
At this moment, even if he stood face to face with Chen Chao, he would never be recognized.
"Chen Chao, you schemed against me, causing Wang Yuan's death... If I were to return openly like this, I would only be met with slander and judgment." Qin Yu thought coldly, a murderous glint flashing in his eyes. "In that case, I will conceal my true nature and act under a different identity. On that day, I will personally tear apart your hypocritical facade and make Chen Po, and your entire Chen Clan, pay the price with their blood and souls."
In the distance, the sky Source of Epochless · Middle Layer was vast and magnificent, with the aura of temples and clans spreading like rivers and seas. Yet, in Qin Yu's eyes at this moment, only a layer of indifference and alienation remained.
He slowly raised his head, his figure flashed, and he disappeared into the crowd, vanishing like a wisp of gray wind.