I gain ten years' worth of cultivation every day, and even geniuses will only see my doorstep!

After the matter in the Chaos Sacred Domain subsided, Qin Yuan originally planned to take Lin Qing'er back to the Xuan Yuan Sect. But on the very night they were about to set off, a pillar of light descended from the sky and landed in front of them.

There was a jade slip inside the pillar of light.

Qin Yuan picked up the jade slip and probed it with his divine sense. An aged voice resounded in his mind: "Young man, the fact that you have come this far means you are qualified to know the truth. The Origin Sacred Domain is not the end, but the beginning. The true pinnacle of all worlds lies in a place you have never imagined. If you are willing, come to the Origin Sacred Domain to find me. — Origin Saint Emperor"

Qin Yuan put away the jade slip and remained silent for a long time. Lin Qing'er asked, "Are we going up again?"

Qin Yuan nodded. "This might be the last time."

Lin Qing'er took his hand. "Let's go then."

The two flew towards the direction from which the pillar of light had come. Passing through the gray sky of the Chaos Sanctuary and through layer upon layer of light curtains, they arrived at a world they had never seen before.

The sky here isn't any single color, but a constantly shifting hue. Sometimes it's azure gold, sometimes eternal gold, sometimes a pristine white, and sometimes it transforms into an unfathomable darkness. It's as if the entire world is breathing, pulsating.

The Sacred Land of Origin.

Qin Yuan landed on a continent. The continent was vast, so vast that it stretched as far as the eye could see. On the continent stood a city, its walls inscribed with ancient runes, each rune radiating an aura surpassing that of the Origin Saint Emperor.

The City of Mist.

Qin Yuan led Lin Qing'er toward the city gate. There were no guards at the gate, only an old man sitting on a stone stool, smoking a pipe. The old man's eyes lit up when he saw Qin Yuan.

"You're here?"

Qin Yuan nodded. "They're here."

The old man stood up and dusted himself off. "Go into the city. The city lord has been waiting for you for a long time."

Qin Yuan asked, "Who is the city lord?"

The old man smiled. "You'll see when you see it."

The streets of the Misty City were narrow, and the buildings on both sides were old, as if they hadn't been repaired for millions of years. There were very few pedestrians on the streets, and the occasional one or two who passed by were all ancient monsters with unfathomable cultivation. When they saw Qin Yuan, some nodded in greeting, some ignored him, and some showed curious expressions.

Qin Yuan walked all the way to the center of the city. There stood an inconspicuous house with its gate ajar. He pushed the gate open and entered. In the courtyard stood an old locust tree, beneath which was a stone table, and a man sat beside it.

He was a middle-aged man, dressed in gray cloth, with an ordinary face but bright eyes. His aura was faint, as if he were one with the entire world.

Originating from the Holy Emperor.

"Sit down." He pointed to the stone bench opposite him.

Qin Yuan sat down, and Lin Qing'er stood behind him.

The Origin Saint Emperor poured him a cup of tea. The tea was very ordinary, just brewed from ordinary tea leaves, without even any spiritual energy. But Qin Yuan took a sip and found it to have an indescribable sweetness.

"Good tea," he said.

The Origin Saint Emperor smiled. "These are tea trees I planted myself, growing in this courtyard for three hundred million years. They don't have much spiritual energy, but they taste delicious."

Qin Yuan put down his teacup. "Senior, you didn't summon me here just for tea, did you?"

The Origin Saint Emperor nodded. "Do you know what else exists above all realms?"

Qin Yuan shook his head.

The Origin Saint Emperor stood up, walked to the old locust tree, and reached out to stroke its rough bark. "Above all the realms, there is another layer. That layer is called 'Nothingness.' Not the nothingness of the Sea of ​​Nothingness, but true nothingness. No rules, no power, no life. Nothing at all."

He turned to look at Qin Yuan. "But that is where the Dao originates."

Qin Yuan remained silent for a moment. "Senior has been there?"

The Origin Saint Emperor shook his head. "No. None of those who went there returned. But my master went, and when he came back, only a wisp of his soul remained. He told me that in the void, there is a door. Behind that door lies the true pinnacle of all realms."

He walked back to the stone table, took a gray token from his robes, and placed it on the table. "This is the key to the void. I'm giving it to you."

Qin Yuan didn't take it. "Why are you giving it to me?"

The Origin Saint Emperor looked at him, his eyes filled with weariness. "Because I'm afraid of death. I've lived for five hundred million years, seen countless landscapes, fought countless battles, and killed countless people. But I dare not go into the void. I'm afraid that if I go, I won't come back. You're different; you're never afraid."

Qin Yuan picked up the token. The token was very light, almost weightless. But holding it in his hand, he could feel a powerful force dormant within him.

"Senior, where is the void?"

The Origin Emperor pointed to the sky. "Above those ever-changing colors, pass through all the light curtains, and reach the end, and you will see it."

Qin Yuan stood up, clasped his hands in a respectful bow, and said, "Thank you, senior."

The Origin Saint Emperor waved his hand. "Go. It doesn't matter if you don't come back. Anyway, you've lived enough."

Qin Yuan laughed. "I haven't lived enough yet."

He took Lin Qing'er and left the mansion, heading towards the outskirts of the city.

Behind him, the Origin Saint Emperor sat under the old locust tree, pouring himself another cup of tea. He took a sip and murmured, "Youth is truly wonderful."

Qin Yuan did not leave the City of Mist immediately. The Origin Saint Emperor had told him that before entering the Void, he needed to complete a trial within the City of Mist.

"Trials?" Qin Yuan asked.

The Origin Saint Emperor nodded. "The City of Mist is itself a magical treasure. It has existed for a billion years, absorbing the Dao essence of countless powerful beings. What you need to do is find three things within the city: the Heart of Origin, the Eye of Eternity, and the Soul of Nothingness. Only by finding them will you be qualified to enter the Void."

Where are these three things?

The Origin Saint Emperor shook his head. "I don't know. Everyone who enters the City of Mist sees something different. You need to find it for yourself."

Qin Yuan didn't ask any more questions. He took Lin Qing'er and began searching the city.

The streets of the Misty City are intricate and complex, like a giant maze. Every street looks almost the same, and the buildings on both sides are identical. After walking for a while, it creates the illusion that you are going around in circles.

On the first day, they gained nothing.

The next day, they still found nothing.

On the third day, Qin Yuan stopped. He closed his eyes, no longer using his eyes to see, but using his heart to feel. The pulse of the city, the breath of the buildings, the texture of the streets—everything became clear in his perception.

He opened his eyes. "This way."

He led Lin Qing'er to the left, into an alley they had never been to before. At the end of the alley was a door. The door was made of wood, very old, and had a rusty lock on it.

Qin Yuan reached out and gently touched the lock, thus unlocking it.

Behind the door was an empty room. In the center of the room, a ball of cyan-gold light floated. Within the light, a fist-sized crystal slowly rotated.

The Heart of Origin.

Qin Yuan stepped forward and grasped the crystal. In an instant, countless images flooded his mind—the scene of the birth of the Origin Sacred Domain, the beginning of chaos, the birth of all things, the first ray of light illuminating the void. He saw the Origin Holy Emperor in his youth, the process of the Misty City from nothing to something, and the moments when countless powerful figures left their Daoist essence here.

He released his grip and put the Heart of Origin into his pocket.

"There are two more."