Nine Bridges of the Annihilation Abyss · Moonlight upon Rainbow Radiance
The spiritual pressure roared and surged deep within the earth's veins. Each pulse of the Rainbow Bridge would shatter the surrounding light mist, rising and falling like the breath of all things. A low-frequency resonance, audible even to the soul, permeated the air, as if the entire world was being drawn by the heartbeat of those nine light bridges.
Qin Yu landed slowly from mid-air. The moment his toes touched the ground, the light mist on the ground swirled. It was not dust, but spiritual energy condensed to its Ultimate, rippling outwards beneath his feet.
His gaze shifted forward, and there he saw nine rainbow bridges spanning the heavens and earth, suspended in the void, arranged in a ring, connected end to end, radiating a soft yet deadly light. Each bridge corresponded to a completely different spiritual aura: the first bridge was gentle and pure, like the nascent beginning of life; the second bridge was cold and dark, like a soul-devouring abyss; the third bridge was churning with golden flames, burning fragments of time; the fourth bridge was silent, yet it shook the very soul; the fifth bridge flowed with starlight; the sixth bridge was like a tide of blood; the seventh bridge was a tapestry of light and shadow; the eighth bridge was ethereal particles of light; and the ninth bridge was like Does Not Exist itself.
Before those nine bridges, cultivators from all corners of the Void Obliteration Domain had already gathered.
At the forefront stood a solemn group clad in dark silver armor, each bearing an ancient emblem on their chest—a moon gleaming with stars, shimmering with a silvery-blue light. They were disciples of the "Starfall Sect," whose leader was the True Person Xingyuan, a master of the Annihilation Dawn Realm · Supreme, renowned for his ability to manipulate celestial orbits with a single breath. His disciples mostly cultivated Star Soul-based techniques, specializing in observing the star patterns of their life source, their aura surging like the tides of the moon.
To the right of the Starfall Sect stood a group of cultivators clad in greyish-white robes, sitting cross-legged, their bodies enveloped in wisps of spiritual smoke. This smoke was not actual smoke, but a visual illusion formed by the resonance of souls. These were cultivators from the "Soul Inquiry Hall," who cultivated the Soul Sense Contemplation Dao and were skilled at using "Question the Heart and Break the Mirror" to probe their true selves. The Soul Inquiry Hall primarily cultivated the Dao of Annihilation Origin Spiritual Sense and was one of the most mysterious forces in the Void Obliteration Domain.
To the left, streaks of golden light danced like flames, their formation resembling a burning sword. These were cultivators from the "Profound Flame Palace." The Profound Flame Palace was founded on the "Refining Fire and Breaking the Dao," and it was rumored that its founder could refine the bones of ten thousand spirits and fuse with the sun and fire stars. At this moment, their battle robes fluttered in the wind, their aura as intense as the blazing sun burning the sky.
On the other side, a little further away, a group of warriors clad in bronze armor and carrying ancient-style giant shields stood in neat formation. They came from the "Hengyue Battle Sect," a sect renowned for its defense and physical cultivation. The sect leader, Yue Juechen, was an Annihilation Dawn Realm · High Stage, and his disciples were all famous for Realm Breaking and shattering mountains with their physical techniques.
In addition, cultivators from seven major forces, including the Nine Stars Pavilion, the Silent Flow Sect, the Jade Balance Hall, and the Ancient Waves Heavenly Terrace, filled the entire land. Some were adjusting their breathing, some were deduce, and some were exchanging whispers with each other.
Qin Yu at the back of the crowd, his eyes calm. The Silent Origin Stainless Sword hung behind him, its blade silent and lightless. Yet, any cultivator who approached him would feel their soul tremble slightly, as if an indescribable force was watching from the shadows.
The nine bridges ahead shimmered with light, their energy rhythms constantly rising. The intense spiritual pressure had already turned many cultivators pale, forcing them to use protective techniques to resist the energy flow escaping from the bridges.
"Nine bridges shining brightly... It seems the seal of Annihilation Abyss has truly been loosened," a silver-haired cultivator from the Starfall Sect murmured.
"I've heard that this is the front courtyard of the 'Annihilation Abyss Reverse Realm,' where each bridge represents a frequency band of an interface. If one can cross the three bridges, one can glimpse the true form of the Void Obliteration Realm's structure." A female cultivator from the Soul Inquiry Hall spoke softly, yet her voice carried a faint echo of Spiritual Sense.
"Those who can cross the three bridges are rare, but if someone can truly ascend the ninth bridge... that would be to directly confront the 'Realm-Creating Will' of the Source of Epochless." The cultivator from the Profound Flame Palace spoke with a fervent desire.
Qin Yu listened, his gaze slightly lowered, but his divine sense was secretly spreading. He had already sensed that the nine bridges were not pure energy, but dimensional channels constructed by nine layers of destiny and existence definitions. Each bridge was "rewriting" a layer of world logic.
He murmured softly, "If I'm not mistaken... the end of those nine bridges is the true entrance to the 'Annihilation Abyss Return Realm'."
The wind howled, and the nine bridges trembled. The sky darkened abruptly, and light streamed up again above the sea of clouds, with nine rainbows intertwining to form a giant ring. The entire world fell into an unprecedented silence.
Qin Yu concealed his aura and slowly moved forward. At this moment, he had not yet stepped onto the colorful bridge, but was quietly observing the energy flow and opening sequence of each bridge.
But before he knew it, one of the bridge lights on the Nine Bridges seemed to tremble slightly—in that instant, the rhythm of all spiritual pressure was in sync with Qin Yu's heartbeat.
The world fell silent for a moment.
The cultivators in the distance were unaware, except for an old man from the Soul Inquiry Hall who gently raised his head with a surprised expression.
"Strange... whose soul frequency is resonating with the Nine Bridges...?"
Beneath the interplay of the nine bridges, countless cultivators gathered, and Qin Yu stood alone at the edge of the light and shadow. Wind, light, and spiritual energy swirled quietly around him. The flowing light of the nine bridges shifted slightly at this moment, and an imperceptible vein of light extended from the end of the bridge, quietly connecting towards his direction.
The first bridge suddenly shone brightly, and a cultivator clad in azure-gold battle robe stepped onto it. Rainbow light burst forth from beneath his feet, rippling outwards in all directions. His figure was enveloped in the rainbow light, and in an instant, his spiritual pressure merged with the energy flow of the rainbow bridge. The colorful light surged like a storm, drawing the energy flow of heaven and earth, and all eyes followed him.
The second bridge followed, bursting with light. A female cultivator dressed in a white feathered Daoist robe slowly rose up, and a phantom lotus Dharma image appeared behind her. The lotus light illuminated the bridge surface, and the moment she lightly stepped onto it, the entire rainbow bridge seemed to soften because of her aura, its radiance as smooth as water.
The third and fourth bridges lit up one after another, and the top experts of the Void Obliteration Domain leaped onto them. The cultivator on the third bridge was the vice sect master of the Starfall Sect Annihilation Dawn Realm · Peak cultivator. Star patterns flickered beneath his feet, and each step was accompanied by the strange phenomenon of the Milky Way flowing backward. On the fourth bridge, a gray-robed cultivator from the Soul Inquiry Hall condensed countless soul shadows, as if a thousand souls were walking together. With each step, ancient soul symbols appeared on the bridge.
By now, four of the nine rainbow bridges had been successfully traversed, creating a breathtaking scene. The surrounding cultivators held their breath, and even the energy flow of heaven and earth seemed to slow down at this moment, all to witness the battle for the fifth bridge.
The fifth bridge's flames were at their most intense at this moment, with rainbow light swirling in mid-air, seemingly awaiting its "qualified" one. Just as everyone held their breath, a cultivator dressed in purple slowly stepped forward, his aura restrained yet concealing the power of a raging storm. He was a mid-stage cultivator of the Severed Observation Realm, from the "Hengyue Battle Sect." His eyes were resolute, his steps steady, and as soon as he approached the end of the bridge, the entire rainbow bridge resonated with a low hum.
"He... is he really going to cross the Fifth Bridge?" someone in the crowd exclaimed in a low voice.
Just as everyone's attention was focused, a chilling voice, tinged with contemptuous laughter, came from the other side of the crowd—
"Ha, Mid-stage of the Severed Observation Realm? You dare to tread upon the Nine Rainbows of the Annihilation Abyss?"
The sound was accompanied by intense spiritual energy fluctuations, and a tall figure slowly walked out. He wore a black and gold robe, a vertical line between his brows was faintly visible, and his body exuded an aura that seemed capable of crushing space. It was Severed Observation Realm, a powerful expert at the Supreme Realm, from the "Yan Youmo Profound Flame Palace".
He coldly looked down at the cultivator about to cross the bridge, a cruel smile playing on his lips, "The Nine Bridges and Nine Seats of the Annihilation Abyss Return Realm are a battleground for the strongest warriors of the Void Obliteration Domain, not a testing ground for some nobody. If you fail to cross, not even your bones will remain."
Before he could finish speaking, Yan Youmo's aura suddenly erupted.
The air was distorted by spiritual pressure, the ground cracked instantly, and the surrounding cultivators were thrown back several steps by the shockwave.
The purple-robed cultivator's expression hardened, and he immediately raised both palms, his soul power surging forth and condensing into a silver shield. But just as he completed the defense—
"Flames Descend upon Myriad Tribulations!"
Yan Youmo raised his hand and waved it, and countless streams of dark golden flames instantly ignited in the entire sky. These were not ordinary fires, but flames of destruction fueled by "concepts". The flames intertwined in mid-air to form a giant palm print, with annihilation wheels flashing between the five fingers.
The palm print landed, and the heavens and earth roared!
The purple-robed cultivator's defense shattered instantly; the annihilation silver shield broke like a mirror, turning into countless fragments of light that fell to the ground.
"Ah--!"
A scream echoed as his figure was engulfed by golden flames, his spirit instantly incinerated into nothingness, leaving only faint ashes drifting in the wind. At that moment, the sea of light before the bridge dimmed for a split second, as if mourning his annihilation.
Yan Youmo stepped forward slowly, his long robes fluttering without wind, surrounded by flames, his aura like that of an emperor descending to the heavens.
"This kind of trash dares to covet the Nine Rainbows of the Annihilation Abyss?" He sneered, took a step, and stepped onto the fifth bridge.
Boom--!
The fifth bridge instantly illuminated the sky, its rainbow piercing the clouds, and the resonant hum of its structure echoed throughout the entire plain. The minds of all the cultivators were shaken by this oppressive force, as if their souls were being scorched by flames.
Yan Youmo stood at the end of the bridge, turning back to coldly glare at the crowd, his tone chilling. "If any of you lack the strength, do not presume to enter this realm. The Gate of the Annihilation Abyss does not welcome the weak."
He turned around, his back silhouetted like a black flame devouring light, and stepped onto the Fifth Bridge.
This scene was like the arrival of Gods and Devils.
Qin Yu at the back of the crowd, his expression calm, but a barely perceptible hint of coldness flashed in his eyes.
The wind brushed past his hair, Silent Origin Stainless Sword trembled slightly behind him, as if responding to the mocking aura emanating from the Fifth Bridge.
A gentle breeze rustled, and the spiritual energy flowing between the nine bridges grew increasingly clear, as if the pulse of heaven and earth were slowly accelerating. Qin Yu stood amidst the crowd, his eyes slightly narrowed. He felt the oppressive aura emanating from each rainbow bridge, almost tearing the space apart. Those standing on the five bridges at this moment possessed at least the highest cultivation level of the Severed Observation Realm Supreme. Their individual auras intertwined to form a strange spiritual domain, forcing anyone who tried to approach to retreat under that oppressive force.
"With my current cultivation level, trying to force my way in... would be like throwing an egg against a rock." Qin Yu pondered to himself, his hand gently stroking the hilt of the Silent Origin Stainless Sword, the light of Annihilation deep within the sword seemed to be breathing softly as well.
However, the fighting spirit in his eyes did not dissipate. Missing the opening of the Nine Bridges would mean the complete closure of the passage to the Annihilation Abyss Return Realm. It was a gate of heavenly secrets that even the Void Obliteration Domain only saw once every thousand years. If he avoided it, he might be safe; if he stepped onto the bridge, he would be fighting against heaven and earth for his life.
He slightly raised his head, looking at the shadowy bridges leading to the Annihilation Abyss, his breathing gradually becoming steady. Just then, a cold, sharp voice suddenly came from the sky, tearing through the air like the clash of metal.
"Hahaha! People from Yan Youmo, Starfall Sect, and Soul Inquiry Hall have all crossed the bridge, how could I— Aoshi Tianyue— be left out!"
Before the sound had even faded, a figure plummeted from the sky, its light trailing a long tail like a comet, instantly illuminating the entire canyon.
The person wore a platinum robe embroidered with nine moon patterns, and rode on a spirit wheel. Behind him, a halo spun, like nine bright moons opening simultaneously. With just one landing, the surrounding space was shaken into ripples by spiritual energy.
"Aoshi Tianyue? The vice Dao Master of the Profound Moon Dao Sect?" someone exclaimed in surprise, their tone filled with awe.
Aoshi Tianyue Yue slowly surveyed his surroundings, his eyes filled with confidence and a sharp edge. A smirk played on his lips. "How can you old fogies monopolize the nine bridges and nine seats of the Annihilation Abyss Return Realm? I, Aoshi Tianyue, also want a share of the heavenly secrets."
His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable air of authority.
Yan Youmo of the Fifth Bridge merely glanced at him coldly, gave a slight hum, and remained silent—although the two had old grudges, neither dared to act rashly in front of the Nine Bridges of the Annihilation Abyss.
Aoshi Tianyue ignored everyone's gaze and slowly stepped towards the rainbow end of the sixth bridge.
As his toes touched the rainbow light, the entire Sixth Bridge suddenly shone brightly, like the dawn breaking through the heavens. Countless streams of spiritual energy rose from beneath the bridge, swirling around him and transforming into an invisible vortex of moonlight. With each step, he left a clear trace of moonlight, as if walking outside of time.
Boom--!
The sixth bridge is now fully open.
Countless cultivators were blinded by the light, which seemed to contain a gigantic, illusory wheel spinning in the void, reflecting countless shattered interfaces. It was as if the bridge beneath their feet was not a physical passage, but a "conceptual path" that transcended definitions.
The storm spread across the sky in an instant. Qin Yu raised his hand to shield his eyes, feeling a subtle tremor of spiritual energy at his fingertips.
"The Aoshi Tianyue... the controller of the sixth bridge of the Annihilation Abyss?" he murmured.
Strangely, the moment the sixth bridge was fully activated, the energy flow of the nine bridges seemed to resonate subtly. The direction of the light pulse flow deflected, and an extremely thin but clear silver ray slowly flowed out from the bottom of the sixth bridge, as if searching for a resonance target, winding its way towards the ground.
No one in the crowd noticed, but Qin Yu was slightly shaken.
The silver light was passing beneath everyone's feet, steadily extending to his location.
The blade of the Silent Origin Stainless Sword suddenly trembled, and a ray of rainbow light emerged from the sword, perfectly resonating with the frequency of the spiritual flow from the Sixth Bridge.
Qin Yu's brow twitched, and a strange feeling arose in his heart—the feeling of being summoned.
He slowly raised his head and looked at the high-hanging sixth bridge. He saw a rainbow light flicker gently at the end of the bridge, as if it were extending a silent invitation to him.
"The Bridge to Annihilation Abyss... has chosen me?"
As the light and mist swirled, the surrounding cultivators were still awestruck by the magnificent sight of Aoshi Tianyue's bridge, but no one noticed that the swirling light veins beneath Qin Yu's feet were growing ever brighter.
A gust of wind swept by, and the spiritual pressure of heaven and earth trembled slightly.
Qin Yu remained calm, but in that instant, a cold light flickered deep within his eyes. It was a sign that his Fate Soul was resonating with the Annihilation Abyss.