Overdraw the future and become a peerless martial god

Chapter 203 Pavilion Master's Golden Light
Having made up his mind, Chu Ning did not linger.

His gaze swept across the Locked Source Land, which bore witness to the three trials, his five fingers clenched loosely.

The purple-gold mark on his palm, representing the key to life, suddenly lit up, resonating with the steadily flowing five patterns of the Soul Lock.

"open!"

The low shout was not directed at an external object, but rather activated the power of his own Soul Lock core.

The space around him rippled violently, as if a boulder had been thrown into a calm lake.

Five ghostly golden soul patterns emanated from his body, not as an attack, but as if they were keys inserted into the void.

"Click——"

A crisp, yet earth-shattering sound rang out.

The stable landscape of the Locked Source Land before him shattered like a broken glass mirror, revealing a deep and twisted void passage behind it.

The violent spatial turbulence tore through, but was easily deflected by the stable five-patterned soul light surrounding Chu Ning.

At that moment, the five patterns of the Soul Lock merged into one, and Chu Ning's soul energy became as still as water.

However, the world did not fall silent as expected. Instead, an extremely faint soul cry rose from the depths of his sea of ​​consciousness, like a raging ember, causing ripples in the mirror realm.

He stood still with his eyes closed, then opened them after a moment.

The soul crystal steps of the Lock Source Main Hall beneath his feet silently swirled with vortexes of soul light, circling and rising around his feet.

Within the sea of ​​souls, the last remnants of the Primordial Soul Shadow slowly dissipated, leaving behind a single voice:
"The gate to the boundary has been opened, the soul lock has been formed—are you ready to wield the seal with your soul?"

Chu Ning did not answer, but slowly raised his hand. The five-patterned ghost gold soul lock in his palm vibrated gently, as if responding to something.

In the next instant, as if sensing the return of its master, the entire Locked Source Land suddenly split open in the sky, with a ridge of mirror domains stretching across the clouds from the top of the palace. A beam of soul light soared into the sky above Chu Ning's head, connecting the dome of the Heavenly Mirror Tower with the heart of the realm within the realm.

At the same time, at the top of the distant Heavenly Mirror, the "Master's Stele Pavilion" appeared in golden light, responding to the Lord of the Lower Realm Lock. The Soul Stele surged, and the beam of light pierced through layers of tower domains, converging into a single line.

Meanwhile, Chu Ning is gradually emerging from the Land of Locked Source.

The next moment, inside the core hall of the Tianjing Tower.

In the center of the originally empty and quiet palace, the space suddenly collapsed and rotated inward, forming a deep vortex.

An overwhelming and irresistible soul pressure, yet imbued with the sharpness of new life, descended upon them with a thunderous roar.

The low-ranking soul servants on duty inside the hall were horrified, forced to retreat repeatedly by the sudden pressure, almost suffocating.

At the center of the vortex, a tall figure materialized from the ethereal.

It was Chu Ning.

The light of the five Soul Lock patterns around him had not yet fully subsided; the dark gold flowed around him, appearing and disappearing on his body like a living thing, radiating a heart-palpitating power fluctuation.

The solid Thunder Moon Soul Mark between his brows became clear for a moment before disappearing.

His eyes were as sharp as ever, but after the storms of the Locked Source Land, they had gained a deeper, more refined quality and an unquestionable majesty.

All the brief fatigue and complex emotions were perfectly contained within this revitalized and powerful body.

Just as Chu Ning's figure solidified completely and his feet touched the ground—

The five Soul Lock patterns that were operating steadily within his body seemed to sense the opportunity to return to the main world, and instantly shone brightly.

Five beams of dark golden light, refined to their fullest extent, shot into the sky from his crown, shoulders, chest, and dantian.

"Om-"

A "humming" sound, far more distant and grander than the spatial shattering of the Locked Source Land, seemed to originate from the primordial will of the entire Realm Within a Realm. It exploded from the top of the Heavenly Mirror Tower and instantly swept across the entire Realm Within a Realm.

Above the sky, the wind and clouds change color.

Five enormous phantom soul patterns were clearly imprinted in the sky, like the emblems of ancient gods, shining brightly.

They slowly rotated and approached, and finally, under the watchful eyes of countless astonished gazes, they perfectly merged into one, transforming into an incomparably condensed golden stream of light, like a celestial river flowing backwards, and crashing into the core of the realm within a realm—the location of the realm's heart.

The ancient soul artifacts at the top of the three core tower domains—Soul Diagram Pavilion, Soul Mirror Pavilion, and Soul Shape Pavilion—trembled violently at the same time, emitting a long resonance.

The light of the Heavenly Mirror was no longer gentle and all-encompassing, but became incomparably intense, penetrating through layers of boundary barriers and illuminating the entire realm within a realm as if it were daytime.

At the summit of the Soul Lord's Hall, the Stele Pavilion, sealed for decades and covered in the dust of time, suddenly opened amidst this resonance that shook the entire realm.

A pure, majestic golden beam of light shot out from the pavilion, ignoring spatial distance and precisely and irresistibly locking onto Chu Ning in the center of the hall.

"My God! What is that light?"

"The Stele Pavilion for Registering Lords! The Stele Pavilion for Registering Lords has opened!!"

"Five patterns piercing the sky, the master has returned to his position?! This... how is this possible?!"

"It's Chu Ye! The beam of light is locked onto the direction of the Heavenly Mirror Tower... It's Chu Ye!!"

Throughout the entire realm within a realm, countless souls, no matter where they were, felt it in their hearts. They all looked up at the golden pillar of light that pierced through the heavens and the five-patterned mark in the sky that had not yet completely dissipated. Shocked, shocked, and incredulous discussions erupted everywhere like a tsunami.

Ancient prophecies and long-dormant authority were suddenly awakened at this moment.

Almost at the same moment the light of the Lord locked onto Chu Ning, several incomparably powerful auras tore through space and descended into the high sky outside the Heavenly Mirror Tower's main hall.

The figure of Li Jing'an, the master of the Soul Mirror Pavilion, appeared first, still standing with his hands behind his back at the highest point in the void.

His expression appeared calm, but a sharp glint flashed deep within his eyes. His divine sense had already enveloped the entire area, taking in every subtle fluctuation.

He knew that from this moment on, the heavens of the realm within a realm were about to change.

Following closely behind, Yu Xingshui, the chief councilor of the Soul Map Pavilion, gracefully stepped through the air, holding a warm jade tablet. His expression was calm and composed, but deep within his eyes seemed to be countless soul maps being deduced and calculated.

Her gaze swept over Chu Ning, who was enveloped by the golden pillar, and then glanced at Li Jing'an, her thoughts unfathomable.

Lu Chaoguan, the second elder of the Soul Form Pavilion, arrived with an undisguised expression of anger, his soul power surging, revealing his extreme dissatisfaction.
"Outrageous! The appointment of the Pavilion Master concerns the survival of the Realm Within a Realm. How can he make such a decision on his own? The three of us have not yet reached a decision. How can we allow him to overstep his bounds!"

His voice, like rolling thunder, amplified by his soul power, resounded in all directions, causing an even greater uproar among the many soul practitioners who had gathered below.

Several powerful elders of the Soul Mirror Pavilion also appeared one after another. They did not speak, but their positions were subtly centered on Li Jing'an and Chu Ning, and their attitude was self-evident.

Faced with Lu Chaoguan's questioning, Li Jing'an's voice was not loud, but it clearly overwhelmed all the noise, his words like a drawn sword, pointing straight to the core:
"The five patterns of the Soul Imprint have appeared in the world, and the Stele of the Master of the Realm has been opened. This is an ironclad rule of the realm, clearly recorded in the first volume of the 'Records of the Origin of the Realm': 'The return of the Master of the Imprint shall not be obstructed.' Elder Lu, do you intend to lead the way in defying this fundamental rule of the realm?" His gaze swept over Lu Chaoguan like lightning, and an invisible pressure spread out.

Yu Xingshui's eyes flickered slightly, and the jade tablet in her hand shimmered with light. A phantom of a council tablet, radiating soft white light and covered with complex soul patterns, appeared in front of her.

Her voice was clear and melodious, carrying a businesslike rationality:
"Elder Li's words about the boundary rules are true." "However, there is also a provision in the same volume: 'If the appointment of a new master is not approved by the three pavilions of the Soul Council, the master may temporarily exercise authority in the form of 'the seal master acting as a custodian,' with the authority sealed in the central hub of the Soul Chart. Once the decision is passed, the master will be officially appointed and granted full authority.' This is a prudent method that respects the ancient rules and is also appropriate for the times."

"Chu Ye has just obtained the Soul Lock, and his foundation is not yet stable. It is appropriate for him to become familiar with his responsibilities as a 'temporary manager'. It will not be too late to officially appoint him after our three pavilions have discussed his merits and demerits and verified his soul source."

Her words were impeccable, both invoking the rules and highlighting the key points of "unstable foundation" and "unverified source of power," thus concealing the "power grab" under the guise of "acting prudently."

Upon hearing this, Lu Chaoguan sneered, his criticism directed directly at Chu Ning:
"Merits and demerits? Examining the soul source? Jade Master speaks so lightly."

"Since this child was burdened with the Soul Lock, he has stirred up a storm and repeatedly triggered the forbidden karma remaining in the sealed land. His power is wild and his source is mysterious."

"If it weren't for the Primordial Ancient Decree above, based solely on the fact that it triggered the residual cause, our three pavilions should have initiated the 'Removal of Locks and Deliberation' to thoroughly investigate its soul, remove the locks, and secure the realm!"

He deliberately exaggerated the harmfulness of "inducing residual causes" in an attempt to gain more support.

"Removal of chains and trial?"

"Remnants of the sealed boundary?! Has that thing not completely dissipated yet?"

"Chu Ye triggered that? This..."

Upon hearing this, the crowd of soul cultivators below erupted in an even greater uproar and astonishment. Clearly, "the remnant of the sealed realm" was a taboo and fearful term for many veteran soul cultivators.

Surrounded by the golden pillar of light, Chu Ning's gaze swept over the aggressive Lu Chaoguan and the seemingly fair but actually calculating Yu Xingshui with a cold, lightning-like intensity.

He didn't rush to explain, but a cold yet powerful telepathic message clearly resonated in the hearts of Lu Chaoguan, Yu Xingshui, and all the martial artists present with sufficient cultivation to perceive it:
"The soul lock is set, the souls are etched into your bones. You—"

"You still want to peel it back?"

The simple rhetorical question, imbued with absolute confidence and a hint of cold mockery, struck the hearts of the opponents like a heavy hammer.

Meanwhile, far away at Jingyunzhai.

Lei Jingjing closed her eyes and meditated in the quiet room, trying to calm the newly formed soul thread in the soul lamp that was closely connected with Chu Ning.

This mark is extremely faint, like a warm scar branded deep within the soul, impossible to remove, and something one doesn't want to remove.

Suddenly, her soul trembled violently.

It didn't originate from itself, but through that wisp of soul thread, it clearly sensed the towering wave on the other end—an unimaginably powerful burst of soul pressure.

It is a majestic light that pierces through heaven and earth.

It is a torrent of thoughts filled with complex emotions such as shock, doubt, hostility, and support.

"Ugh!" she groaned, forced to wake from her meditation, her face slightly pale.

Outside the window, even across the vast distance and the barrier of Jingyunzhai, one could almost feel the earth-shaking pressure and golden light emanating from the center of the barrier.

She subconsciously raised her hand, her fingertips gathering soul power, and gently pinched the strand of soul that was trembling violently in her soul consciousness due to intense resonance.

Guilt? He carried an even heavier burden of cause and effect and the storm of this moment for himself.

Moved? His unwavering determination on the thorny path, transmitted through the threads of his soul, stirred her heart.

But more than anything, there was a persistent, lingering unease.

This unease stems not only from his own personal entanglements, but also from the turbulent situation and latent hostility conveyed by the soul threads at this moment.

"What...is he going through?" She looked in the direction from which the golden light came, her beautiful eyes filled with deep worry.

My emotions were in turmoil.

Guilt, anger, unease, gratitude, and even an indescribable...escape.

"This overwhelming karma caused by him, this heavy bond that connects my life to his... can I really bear it?"

Unconsciously, his fingertips caressed the wisp of soul, feeling the unwavering will that belonged to Chu Ning emanating from it.

She knew that if that lamp hadn't been lit back then, she would have perished long ago; but now, his soul was bound, while she was still protecting herself in the quiet room, having yet to repay anything.

She closed her eyes, her fingertips trembling slightly, but a barely perceptible bitterness appeared on her lips.

She ultimately did not choose to sever it. Instead, she subconsciously and carefully transferred a wisp of pure lamp spirit power across it, like a tiny buoy thrown into a raging storm, conveying silent support.

Deep within the Soul Map Pavilion, Yu Xing Shui stood alone facing a massive Heavenly Mirror scroll, which reflected the real-time scene of the confrontation between the Heavenly Mirror Towers.

She looked at Chu Ning's figure in the golden light, and at the council tablet that Yu Xingshui had offered, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on the corner of her mouth.

“The five runes have returned to their places… It really is you.” She murmured to herself, her fingertip lightly touching the fifth soul rune of Chu Ning’s image on the scroll. It seemed to have an indescribable depth that connected to an unknown place, unlike the other four runes.

“The key has appeared, the three locks seal the boundary… there will eventually be a chance to open it. But…” Her eyes turned cold, “the one who controls the key cannot escape control.”

With a thought, she instantly issued an encrypted soul command, officially initiating the "Seal Master's Appointment" agenda, targeting the Soul Diagram's central hub and intending to freeze the Seal Master's authority.

“Chu Ye, you’ve moved very fast,” she said, looking at the pages as if speaking to someone across time and space, “but the road to the heart of power is fraught with thorns and fog. Until the very end, it remains to be seen who will emerge victorious.”

The Stargazing Platform on the Top Floor of the Soul Mirror Pavilion.

Li Jing'an stood alone before the enormous Soul Mirror, the mirror reflecting the same scene of the Heavenly Mirror Tower facing off.

The moment Yu Xingshui presented the council document, his eyes suddenly turned cold.

"As expected... they're going to implement a blockade." He snorted coldly, his sleeves fluttering even without wind. An invisible divine thought had already been sent out.

Deep within the Soul Mirror Pavilion, three figures clad in grey Soul Law robes, their auras deep and unfathomable, quietly vanished into the shadows.

They wore a distinctive badge on their chests, resembling a broken shackle.

"Proceed according to Plan A-3." Li Jing'an's command was cold and clear. "The moment its 'Sealing Order' runes manifest in the Soul Diagram's central core will be the time for you to activate the 'Boundary Breaking Law.' Objective—Dismantle its sealing node!"

His gaze was sharp as a sword, piercing through the Soul Mirror and locking onto the direction of the Stele Pavilion.

“Jade Star Water… If the Soul Map Pavilion insists on sealing the boundary lock authority…” He had made up his mind, “Then don’t blame me for breaking this ‘seal’!”

Under the golden pillar of light projected from the Stele Pavilion in front of the Tianjing Tower.

The five-patterned light emanating from Chu Ning mingled with the golden light of the book master, and the main body of the stele pavilion slowly emerged before him. Ancient and profound runes flowed across its surface, and a clear soul map imprint was condensing and taking shape on the stele's surface.

——“The first seal of the boundary lock was established”.

An overwhelming aura of authority spread out, symbolizing the imminent bestowal of power upon him.

(End of this chapter)