Meeting the Ancient Venerable of the Chaotic Abyss Again

Three days later.

In the Source of Epochless · Middle Layer, amidst the vast sea of clouds and mountains, the sky was oppressive, as if an invisible storm of cause and effect was churning in the distant depths. Qin Yu sat quietly cross-legged on an ancient cliff, surrounded by mountains eroded by time, with broken stone tablets half-buried in the soil, like the embers of an ancient battlefield.

His aura was extremely heavy, with unhealed bloodstains on his chest and shoulders. An aura of Annihilation flowed through his meridians, and each breath was accompanied by a tremor deep within his consciousness. His eyes were half-closed, and a faint Azure Ring light emanated from between his brows, emitting a light blue ripple that suppressed his injuries.

At this moment, he had completely left the eye of the storm. The Desolate Annihilation Secret Realm had long since closed, and no one outside could glimpse the truth within. Alone, concealing his true identity, he walked in a Source of Epochless · Middle Layer under the name "Mo Chen".

Azure Ring's voice softly echoed in his mind, tinged with solemnity and concern. "Qin Yu, although I have suppressed your injuries, the attack marks from those Dao Shadow Soldiers have not completely dissipated. You must not be careless. They are searching for your aura; any slight negligence could lead to an unbearable crisis."

Qin Yu slowly opened his eyes, his gaze deep and unfathomable, a chilling killing intent flashing across them. He murmured to himself:

"Chen Chao, Chen Po... and that so-called Phantom Demonic Spirit. This enmity is irreconcilable. If I do not utterly Annihilation you, I, Qin Yu, swear I will not be human!"

With this thought, he once again concealed his aura, as if his very existence had been swallowed up by the world, leaving only the mountain wind whistling past, carrying a desolate echo from the cliff.

Several days of silence were enough for the world to remember the name Mo Chen again.

Above the precipice, the ripples of the Azure Ring completely subsided, and the unstable aura of Annihilation on Qin Yu's body also completely dissipated. He slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air; the injuries within his body had healed, his meridians flowed like thunder, his sea of consciousness was vast and surging, and the Source-Extinguishing Divine Sword floated and sank deep within his sea of consciousness, its sword chant faintly appearing and disappearing.

Qin Yu slowly rose, his posture as straight as a sword, his gaze like an ancient, cold star, desolate yet resolute. He glanced at the surging sea of clouds in the distance and murmured softly, "Now that I've recovered, it's time to set off. How can I remain unscathed as long as the Phantom Demonic Spirit exists?"

With a light tap of his foot, the void cracked open, and he transformed into a streak of light that pierced the sky, disappearing into another area in the Source of Epochless · Middle Layer.

It was a vast, boundless Dark Abyss Plain. The sky hung low, nebulae swirled, and ancient cracks and black pillars of light covered the plain, as if the wounds of time and space had not yet healed. Occasionally, crimson lightning flashed between the cracks, deafeningly loud, and an eerie silence and murderous intent permeated the world.

Azure Ring's voice softly echoed in his mind, "Qin Yu, this area was once an ancient battlefield. Now, traces of Phantom Demonic Spirit are frequently appearing. If my senses are correct, there is a high possibility that a squad of Dao Shadow Soldier is lurking here."

Qin Yu's expression was cold and stern, his tone indifferent yet revealing murderous intent. "Very well, then let's continue from here. In the name of Mo Chen, we will wipe them out one by one."

As his voice fell, a burst of azure light erupted around him, like a thunderclap shattering the void. His figure vanished at the edge of the sky, leaving only a trail of desolate Annihilation, heading straight for the depths of the Dark Abyss Plain.

When Qin Yu stepped into the heart of the Dark Abyss Plain, the scene before him suddenly made his gaze grow even colder.

The entire land seemed to be repeatedly burned by raging flames and annihilation waves. The black soil was scorched and cracked, and golden-blue residual flames surged in the cracks—the embers left by the burning of the Phantom Demonic Spirit "Dao Flame".

Fragments of soul consciousness that had not completely dissipated floated between heaven and earth, turning into pale white streams of light, blown about by the wind. At Qin Yu's feet, mutilated corpses lay scattered across the wilderness. The cultivators from different temples and clans were no longer recognizable, their Fate Soul Crystal Core shattered like broken mirrors, and even the traces of their existence had been largely erased.

An eerie sense of oppression filled the air, as if even breathing was being forcibly suppressed by some invisible force. Azure Ring whispered a reminder in her mind, "These traces are extremely fresh... Qin Yu, they are not far away, there are at least five Dao Shadow Soldiers."

Before the words were finished, a deep, muffled groan came from afar, like an ancient Daoist chant echoing in the sea of blood. Immediately afterward, several cracks suddenly appeared in the sky, and five Dao Shadow Soldier slowly emerged from them.

They were surrounded by translucent energy streams, with golden-blue Dao Flame burning on their heads, trailing radiance and phantoms behind them—the birth and death of stars, the destruction of rivers, the collapse of civilizations, each scene like a fragment of the universe playing out in a loop.

The leader of the Dao Shadow Soldier was taller than the other four, and held a "Origin-Returning Blade" in his hand. As the blade trembled, the surrounding space immediately shook, as if the chain of cause and effect had been severed.

Qin Yu stood silently in place, hands behind his back, his eyes as cold as an abyss, and uttered two words indifferently:

"Court death."

A glint of Azure Ring flashed between his brows, and the Source-Extinguishing Divine Sword resounded loudly in his sea of consciousness. Qin Yu's killing intent erupted completely, and the surrounding void suddenly roared. The Annihilation waves rolled up a thousand feet of black light, enveloping the world.

Just as Qin Yu unleashed his full power, preparing to confront the five Dao Shadow Soldiers, a vast and ancient sound suddenly resounded through the heavens and earth, like a great bell spanning billions of years, causing the void to collapse layer by layer.

Rumble--

A vortex tore open the distant sky, and a chaotic sea of mist surged forth. Countless shattered dimensional fragments flowed within the mist, as if the entire universe was being constantly dismantled and reassembled. As the sea of mist gradually contracted, a tall figure slowly stepped out.

It was Yuan Xuanzi— [Ancient Venerable of the Chaotic Abyss].

He stood with his hands behind his back, his aura like a bottomless abyss, his eyes seemingly burying the destruction and rebirth of the infinite universe. With each step he took, the void would instantly collapse, then slowly recover after his feet landed, as if time and space had lost their own rules around him and could only operate according to his will.

His very existence is a symbol of chaos. Undifferentiated between yin and yang, without fixed order, a unified whole, transcending the boundaries of existence and non-existence.

Yuan Xuanzi glanced at Qin Yu indifferently, his gaze lingering briefly on the faint Azure Ring light emanating from the center of Qin Yu's brow before turning to the five Dao Shadow Soldiers. His voice was deep and ancient, like a roar from the depths of the chaotic sea:

"Phantom Demonic Spirit... indeed, it has completely stepped into the Source of Epochless · Middle Layer from the Rift of the Chaotic Abyss."

The five Dao Shadow Soldier stopped simultaneously, their golden-blue Dao Flame flickering as if they sensed some kind of threat. The leading Dao Shadow Soldier, wielding the Origin-Returning Blade, let out a low growl, and the energy around him instantly condensed, forming a defensive array, as if facing a natural enemy far beyond the ordinary.

Qin Yu's eyes turned cold as he gripped the Source-Extinguishing Divine Sword, the Azure Ring's radiance flickering between his brows. The Azure Ring whispered in his mind, "Qin Yu, this person... his power is no weaker than what I could suppress in my semi-awake state. He is no ordinary person."

At this moment, Yuan Xuanzi lightly raised his palm, and billions of chaotic runes appeared in the void, evolving into a sea of stars that surrounded him. The pressure between heaven and earth suddenly increased exponentially, and even the distant mountains and rivers were crushed inch by inch at this moment.

His voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority:

"Young friend, this is not a place for you. You may leave these five to me."

Qin Yu stood tall, a faint Azure Ring shimmering between his brows. He already knew the newcomer was extraordinary, so he clasped his hands in a respectful gesture and spoke in a low voice:

"Junior Mo Chen greets Senior."

Yuan Xuanzi nodded slightly, his gaze as deep as an abyss, as if he could see through all the aura surrounding Qin Yu, but he said nothing more, only raising a palm and saying indifferently:

"Since you have also vowed to annihilate these Phantom Demonic Spirit, then join me in this battle."

-boom!

The five Dao Shadow Soldier roared in unison, raising their Origin-Returning Blade and burning their golden-blue Dao Flame to their Ultimate. In that instant, countless golden-blue light streaks cracked open in the void, as if thousands of Dao runes were forcibly written, and the air was filled with the deep chants of "cycle" and "origin."

Yuan Xuanzi took a step forward, and a boundless sea of chaotic light suddenly burst forth from his palm. Countless shattered dimensions and collapsing spacetime vortexes emerged from his palm, instantly transforming into a "giant palm of chaos" that covered the heavens and the earth, directly slamming the three Dao Shadow Soldier into the abyss of chaos.

At the same time, Qin Yu's Source-Extinguishing Divine Sword was unsheathed with a thunderous roar, tearing apart the entire world. Azure Ring suddenly emanated from his sea of consciousness, and he roared:

"Source-Extinguishing Divine Sword - Sever the Realm, Leaving No Name!"

The sword light swept across the sky, as if the names of countless worlds were erased in an instant. The golden-blue Dao Flame on the chests of the two Dao Shadow Soldier trembled violently, and their defensive array collapsed with a crash. The sword light pierced through their causal roots, completely severing their existence.

--Bang bang bang!

The three Dao Shadow Soldiers, slammed into the Chaos Palm by Yuan Xuanzi, struggled painfully within the vortex, their runes and light streams constantly shattering, yet they remained unable to escape. Then, Yuan Xuanzi coldly shouted:

"The Chaotic Abyss Order Sealing!"

The chaos in his palm solidified directly into a boundary wall resembling a black-gold stone tablet. The three Dao Shadow Soldier twisted and disintegrated silently, eventually turning into three Ember of the Ruins of Return drifted in the wind.

After Qin Yu's sword light swept across, he then seamlessly connected with the power of the Azure Ring:

"Azure Ring - Annihilate the Soul and Draw the Dawn!"

The Annihilation azure light transformed into a phantom of Realm Splitting, instantly dragging the two remaining Dao Shadow Soldier Souls into the Azure Ring Rift Realm. In the endless storm of Annihilation, they vanished into nothingness, their death reflecting the heavens and earth.

The heavens and earth trembled, and the five Dao Shadow Soldier Annihilation simultaneously, leaving only five dark [Ember of the Ruins of Return] in the void, circling in mid-air and emitting a low Daoist chant, as if mourning their fate.

Qin Yu let out a long breath, his face slightly pale, but his eyes remained firm. Yuan Xuanzi stood with his hands behind his back, a hint of surprise and approval flashing in his eyes, and said in a low voice:

"Not bad... To be able to join forces with my Annihilation Phantom Demonic Spirit with the power of a Logic Realm Realm · Initial Stage cultivator, young man, you are far from ordinary."

Yuan Xuanzi stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze piercing through the void as he stared at the few wisps of energy that were dissipating. His voice was deep and resonant.

"Young friend... do you know that you are the only person I have taken a liking to in the Source of Epochless · Middle Layer?"

Qin Yu was slightly taken aback, then clasped his hands in a fist salute, his tone still respectful. "Senior, you flatter me."

Yuan Xuanzi chuckled softly, a faint, chaotic light shimmering among his hair and beard, his aura majestic and vast. "My name is Yuan Xuanzi. You should still remember... the day I gifted you the 'Causal Abyss Order-Locking Talisman,' precisely because of your extraordinary aura and your heart's desire to protect heaven and earth. Now, seeing you again, with the power of the Logic Realm Realm, you were able to join forces with me to slay five Phantom Demonic Spirit. This potential surpasses mine back then."

At this point, his expression turned serious, and his voice was deep and thunderous. "Young friend, would you be willing to join me? We may not know the origins of the Phantom Demonic Spirit, nor can we fathom their true purpose, but one thing is clear—if they are not eradicated, the Source of Epochless · Middle Layer will inevitably face utter annihilation. If we join forces, we can surely kill as many as we can, at least slowing their advance."

Yuan Xuanzi's gaze fell on Qin Yu, his eyes burning with a sincere invitation and a test.

Qin Yu remained silent, the Azure Ring between his brows subtly shimmering. From the depths of his consciousness, the Azure Ring's voice resounded, its tone unusually solemn. "Qin Yu... he is Chaos Realm · Supreme. If you refuse now, his suspicions will only deepen, and you may very well be annihilated on the spot. Agreeing to go with him is a temporary measure. If anything unexpected happens, I will help you break free."

Qin Yu sighed inwardly. He was well aware of the terrifying power of Yuan Xuanzi and knew that now was not the time for a direct confrontation. He slowly raised his head, his gaze calm yet respectful, and clasped his hands in greeting:

"Senior's kindness is beyond my ability to refuse. Since it is for the purpose of slaying the Phantom Demonic Spirit and protecting this world, I, Mo Chen, am willing to accompany you."

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Yuan Xuanzi's eyes. He stroked his beard and chuckled softly, "Excellent! You truly deserve to be called a genius capable of single-handedly slaying three Phantom Demonic Spirit. With you by my side, we will surely be invincible."

Immediately, a Chaos Mark appeared in his hand and he threw it into the void. Instantly, the space within a radius of ten thousand miles was shrouded in a layer of chaotic light, as if no one in the world could penetrate this domain.

"Mo Chen, please come with me. I am heading to another gathering place of Phantom Demonic Spirit. There... there is at least one ruler-level being there."

Upon hearing this, Qin Yu's heart tightened, but his expression remained unchanged, and he replied in a deep voice, "I will obey your orders, Senior."

He was secretly gathering his resolve—if it was truly Phantom Demonic Spirit of the Commander level, it would be no ordinary battle; a slight misstep could completely expose him.

Within his sea of consciousness, Azure Ring's deep voice resounded. "Qin Yu, calm down. What you need to do is not refuse, not run away, but use this opportunity to discern the true attitude of Chaos Supreme. If necessary, I will intervene."

Above the void, Qin Yu and Yuan Xuanzi, one after the other, transformed into two streams of light, breaking through the endless chaos and heading towards the other side of the abyss.

An even more thrilling showdown is quietly approaching.