188: eve of chaos

The medicinal power of the Nine Revolutions Soul Restoration Pill was like a warm tide, repeatedly washing over Liu Qingtian's nearly collapsed demonic body and dao foundation. A Divine Pill refined by an Immortal King Peak expert, its effect was truly Heaven-Defying.

Broken bones reconnected and healed under the massive vitality, the twisted right arm returned to its original state, and fragments of the shattered demonic armor were slowly expelled and annihilated by the newly grown flesh.

The destructive energy remnants left behind by the “Chaos Returning Halberd” and the “Annihilation Reincarnation Seal” inside his body were also gradually forced out and purified by the gentle yet dominant power of the Medicinal Pill.

However, while physical and dao foundation injuries were easy to repair, what was truly difficult to calm was the psychological imprint left by that battle and the profound introspection on his own Dao Path.

Liu Qingtian sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, yet his mind was exceptionally clear. He did not rush to fully immerse himself in healing, but instead separated a wisp of Divine Thought to repeatedly “watch” every segment of his fight with Luo Jiuxuan.

Luo Jiuxuan's effortless demeanor, his terrifying control that allowed him to transform basic Kaishan Realm Divine Abilities with Realm progression to unleash world-destroying power, and the composure with which he naturally stepped into a higher level by shedding flesh and condensing Star Bones during his battlefield Breakthrough... all of this struck Liu Qingtian's heart like repeated heavy hammers.

“Crude... too crude...” He inwardly observed the surging Demonic Essence within him, which was a Fusion of the Origin of Ten Thousand Laws, and the Black Hole Core, which was initially stable but still carried a trace of savage wildness. A strong sense of unwillingness and urgency welled up in his heart.

His power level had indeed reached the Black Hole Level, but his method of application still carried the inherent plunder and savagery of the Demonic Path, lacking the finesse of Luo Jiuxuan, who could utilize every ounce of power to the extreme, even triggering resonance with the Law. Although his “Wither and Flourish Star Annihilation Domain” had a Fusion of many powerful True Meanings, giving it astonishing defense and corrosive power, it still appeared somewhat passive and rigid before Luo Jiuxuan's Divine Ability, which seemed capable of evolving the Annihilation of all things.

“The Fusion of Ten Thousand Laws into one body gave me a powerful Foundation and infinite possibilities, but it also brought complexity to my power system. If I cannot completely master it and refine my own 'Dao,' I will ultimately fall short.” Liu Qingtian pondered silently. “Luo Jiuxuan follows the path of deepening the Foundation to the extreme, deriving Ten Thousand Laws from one Dao. As for me, I plunder Ten Thousand Laws and melt them into one furnace, ultimately aiming for the path of 'Myriad Manifestations Returning to One.' The directions are different, neither superior nor inferior, but I am still far from the 'Returning to One' step.”

He recalled the Palace-Attired Woman's words—“Compared to him, your application of power is laughably crude.”

Although the words were harsh, they were the truth.

Time passed bit by bit. The Great Hall was silent, save for the low rumble of Demonic Essence circulating within Liu Qingtian and the subtle Dao Law ripples caused by the repair of his dao foundation. The Palace-Attired Woman's figure had long since vanished, having gone somewhere unknown, leaving only this quiet space for him to heal and reflect.

After an unknown period, Liu Qingtian suddenly opened his eyes. A sharp light flashed within his Demonic Pupils and instantly disappeared. Although his aura was still somewhat weak, the sense of near-death decay had completely vanished, replaced by an introverted sharpness and a firmness achieved through refinement.

He spread his palm, and the “Chaos Trial Token,” emanating the aura of Chaos, appeared in his hand. The token was cool to the touch, engraved with incomprehensible ancient patterns. Just holding it, he could feel the power fluctuations within, which were chaotic, primitive, yet full of infinite vitality.

“Ancient Chaos Secret Realm... Laws are chaotic, time and space are distorted, dangers lurk everywhere, but it also contains the Origin Power from the dawn of Chaos...” Liu Qingtian muttered, his eyes growing brighter. “That place might be the best destination for me right now.”

The chaotic Laws could temper the Laws of Time-Space Karma he had initially grasped, allowing him to better adapt to various extreme environments. The Chaos Origin Power was also excellent material for him to fuse the Ten Thousand Laws and advance the “Myriad Manifestations Returning to One” process. And the dangers within were the best trial ground for testing his current combat power and integrating his Divine Abilities.

“I can no longer rely solely on brute force swallowing and crushing as before. I must learn more exquisite control and more efficient utilization of every fraction of power. Otherwise, the Thousand Moves Pact...” Liu Qingtian clenched the token, his knuckles turning slightly white.

Next time, he absolutely could not be beaten by Luo Jiuxuan like a punching bag, unable to fight back. For a thousand moves, he must at least be able to truly contend with him for a thousand moves!

He stood up, stretching his fully recovered muscles and bones, producing a series of crisp cracking sounds. Feeling the Demonic Essence within him, which, although not fully recovered in quantity, seemed more condensed and refined in quality due to the process of destruction followed by rebirth, and the steadily rotating Black Hole Core emitting Deep Devouring Power, he took a deep breath.

It was time to depart.

He walked out of the Great Hall. With a slight movement of his Divine Thought, he sensed that the Palace-Attired Woman was standing atop a sea of clouds at the edge of the Training Ground, looking down upon the endless Star River below.

Liu Qingtian's figure flashed, appearing not far behind her.

“Your injuries are no longer serious?” The woman did not turn her head, her clear, cold voice carried by the wind.

“Thanks to the Medicinal Pill, I have recovered eighty percent,” Liu Qingtian replied. “I plan to head to the Chaos Secret Realm immediately.”

The woman slightly turned her head and glanced at him, her gaze seeming to linger for a moment on his more composed aura. “It seems this battle gave you a considerable harvest.”

“I nearly perished and had my Dao extinguished. If I gained nothing, wouldn't this experience have been a waste?” Liu Qingtian's tone was flat, yet held a hint of self-mockery. “It's just that the cost of this harvest was perhaps too great.”

“There is never an easy road leading to the Peak. The greater the cost, the greater the potential harvest,” the woman turned back, continuing to gaze at the sea of clouds. “Luo Jiuxuan sees you as a whetstone; why can't you see him as your Calamity and Opportunity? Overcome it, and it is rebirth; fail to overcome it... and it is Fate.”

Liu Qingtian was silent for a moment, then nodded. “I understand.” He raised the Chaos Trial Token in his hand. “Where is the Secret Realm Entrance? Is there anything I need to pay special attention to?”

“Inject your Demonic Essence, and the token will guide your direction. The Entrance is located deep within a Star Domain that has already fallen silent. The time-space structure there is inherently fragile, and influenced by the Secret Realm's power, it has formed a natural barrier,” the woman explained. “As for what to pay attention to... remember two words: ‘Imperfection’ (Wuchang).”

“Imperfection (Wuchang)?”

“Laws are Imperfect, time and space are Imperfect, Opportunity is Imperfect, and life and death... are also Imperfect.” The woman's voice was ethereal. “There are no fixed rules there. One second it might be the Primal Spring of Chaos, nurturing vitality, and the next it might turn into an Annihilation Storm that destroys everything. Everything is possible, and nothing is certain. Trust your instinct more than your cognition.”

Liu Qingtian solemnly took these words to heart. If even an Immortal King Peak expert described it this way, the danger of that place likely far exceeded any Deadly Ground he had previously experienced.

“Oh, right,” the woman seemed to recall something and added, “Inside the Secret Realm, the Time Flow Rate differs greatly from the outside world, and it is also in a state of ‘Imperfection.’ You might experience a century inside, while only an instant passes outside; or perhaps a thousand years pass outside while you feel only a moment has gone by. Be mentally prepared.”

Liu Qingtian's heart tightened. The unstable Time Flow Rate undoubtedly added immense Uncertainty. But instead of retreating, his resolve grew firmer. The more dangerous and unknown the place, the more likely he was to find the Turning Point for rapid advancement.

“I have noted it,” he said solemnly.

The woman said no more, merely waving her hand lightly.

Liu Qingtian understood and wasted no time. He took a deep breath, and massive Demonic Essence surged into the Chaos Trial Token in his hand.

Buzz—!

The token suddenly erupted with intense Chaos light, and the ancient patterns on it seemed to come alive, twisting and spiraling. A stream of Chaos Qi shot out from the token, outlining a constantly twisting and changing Light Gate in the Void Realm before him. The inside of the Light Gate was a blur, obscuring any view, with only chaotic, primitive, and heart-palpitating Qi rushing toward him.

Liu Qingtian took one last look at the Palace-Attired Woman's back, then sensed the faint Karma connection within him that belonged to No Return, existing in a distant location. Immediately, his eyes sharpened, and without hesitation, he stepped forward, his figure completely disappearing into the Light Gate of Chaos.

After he entered, the Light Gate fluctuated violently a few times, then dissipated into the Void Realm like a bubble, as if it had never appeared.

Atop the sea of clouds, the Palace-Attired Woman stood still, gazing in the direction where Liu Qingtian had vanished, her eyes deep and inscrutable.

“Fusing the Ten Thousand Laws, taking the Black Hole as Foundation, Refining the Heart in Chaos... Liu Qingtian, can your path of 'Myriad Manifestations Returning to One' find that thread of 'Constancy' within 'Imperfection'? The Path of Life and Death that Luo Jiuxuan paved for you, how far... can you walk it?” Her whisper dissipated with the wind, unheard by anyone.

At this moment, Liu Qingtian, having stepped into the Light Gate of Chaos, felt dizzy and disoriented, as if he had been thrown into a massive Vortex with no discernible Laws. Rushing toward him from all directions was no longer the familiar Spiritual Qi or Devilish Qi, but violent, chaotic Chaos Qi Stream that seemed capable of assimilating everything.

He immediately deployed the “Wither and Flourish Star Annihilation Domain,” attempting to stabilize his body, but found that his Domain was severely suppressed here. Its range shrank several times, and it fluctuated violently, as if it could be assimilated and torn apart by the Chaos at any moment.

“As expected... a place of Imperfection.” Liu Qingtian's Demonic Pupils were sharp as he adapted to the extreme environment, but fierce Fighting Spirit ignited in his heart.

A new Journey had begun. In this expanse of Chaos, he had to find his own path, integrate his power, comprehend his own Dao, and then... armed with greater strength, face the Thousand Moves Pact and shatter that predetermined Fate!

His figure completely vanished into the depths of the endless Chaos Turbulence.