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

Zhao Huo suddenly moved. Not to help Qin Yuan, but to thrust his sword at Qin Yuan's back. The sword tip pierced the air, carrying killing intent. Yan Lingji slapped Zhao Huo's sword away with her palm, angrily shouting, "What are you doing?" Zhao Huo sneered, "Saintess Mu said she'd use you to eliminate the demon race, and incidentally, eliminate you as well." The troll seized the opportunity to pounce on Qin Yuan, but Qin Yuan dodged to the side, his bone blade piercing the troll's chest, shattering its heart. The troll fell to the ground, its corpse crashing to the earth, dust billowing. Qin Yuan pulled out the bone blade and turned to face Zhao Huo. Zhao Huo's expression changed slightly; he tried to escape. Qin Yuan caught up and severed his right arm with a single strike. Zhao Huo screamed in agony and knelt on the ground.

Qin Yuan held a bone blade to Zhao Huo's neck. "Mu Hongyi ordered you to kill us?" Zhao Huo nodded, his face deathly pale. "Why...why?" Qin Yuan asked. Zhao Huo said, "Because of your bone blade...Saintess Mu wants it." Qin Yuan killed Zhao Huo with a single strike and sheathed his sword. Yan Lingji said, "Mu Hongyi won't let this go." Qin Yuan said, "Then let her come."

Qin Yuan removed the troll's head and returned to the teleportation array. Mu Hongyi's expression changed when she saw Zhao Huo hadn't returned. "Where's Zhao Huo?" Qin Yuan said, "Dead." Mu Hongyi was furious and drew her sword. "You killed a disciple of my Heavenly Fire Holy Sect! You're courting death!" Qin Yuan pointed his bone blade at her. "He attacked first. You sent him to monitor us, and then used him to kill us. How do you intend to settle this score?" Behind Mu Hongyi, more than a dozen Heavenly Fire Holy Sect disciples drew their swords. The atmosphere became extremely tense.

Mu Hongyi remained silent for a moment. She looked into Qin Yuan's eyes, then glanced at the giant demon's head on the ground, and sheathed her sword. "Zhao Huo acted on his own initiative; it has nothing to do with me." She waved for her disciples to leave and opened the teleportation array for free. "Go up," Yan Lingji said. "Do you believe her?" Qin Yuan said, "No. But we can't defeat her right now."

The seven stepped into the teleportation array. A flash of white light, and the scene before them changed. The second level of the Origin of Myriad Paths was twice as dense as the first level, and the oppressive feeling in the air was also twice as strong. In the distance was a city, and cultivators were fighting fiercely at the city gate, their blood staining the earth, and the sounds of clashing swords could be heard from miles away.

"This place is even more chaotic than the first level," Qin Yuan said. Jian Wushuang replied, "Chaos creates opportunity."

The second layer comprises three major forces: the Heavenly Sword Sect branch, the Burning Heaven Pavilion branch, and the Netherworld Abyss branch. Jian Wushuang locates the Heavenly Sword Sect's stronghold and learns that the sect leader, "Sword Venerable," a fifth-level Chaos Heavenly Lord, is currently at war with the Netherworld Abyss. Jian Wushuang says, "I'll go help the sect." Qin Yuan says, "We'll go with you." Yan Lingji also says, "The Burning Heaven Pavilion is over there too."

The group headed to the battlefield. On the battlefield, the allied forces of the Heavenly Sword Sect and the Burning Heaven Pavilion were engaged in fierce combat with the Netherworld Abyss army. Sword energy crisscrossed, flames soared into the sky, and Netherworld demonic energy permeated the air. Both sides suffered heavy casualties, with corpses piling up like mountains. Qin Yuan charged into the battlefield, his bone blade flashing. One strike, and three Netherworld Abyss disciples fell to the ground. Two strikes, and five were cut in half at the waist. Three strikes, and ten heads flew off. Flame Spirit Princess's flames ignited, greatly boosting the morale of the Burning Heaven Pavilion disciples. Sword Warrior's sword energy pierced the air, followed closely by Heavenly Sword Sect disciples. Ice Princess froze a thousand miles, blocking the enemy's retreat. Su Yao's palm strikes were fierce, shattering a head with a single blow. Red Moon's spear swept across, her eyes bloodshot with killing intent. Moon Yao's slender sword moved like a snake, specifically targeting throats. Qin Yuan killed a fourth-level Chaos Heavenly Monarch elder of the Netherworld Abyss, severing his head with a single strike and hanging it at his waist. Both sides noticed him.

The Heavenly Sword Sect Master, Sword Venerable, was a middle-aged man with a scar on his face and eyes as sharp as swords. His gaze fell on Qin Yuan's bone blade, his pupils contracting slightly. "Your blade carries the aura of a Chaos Heavenly Monarch," Qin Yuan nodded. Sword Venerable said, "You helped me kill the Deputy Lord of the Netherworld Abyss, and I'll send you to the third level." Qin Yuan asked, "Where is the Netherworld Abyss?" Sword Venerable pointed to a distant black mountain peak. "His lair."

Qin Yuan led Yan Lingji, Jian Wushuang, and Bingji to the black mountain peak. Su Yao, Hongyue, and Yueyao remained on the battlefield to continue assisting the Heavenly Sword Sect. On the black mountain peak stood a black palace, filled with demonic energy. Mingyuan sat on the throne, a fifth-level Chaos Heavenly Lord, surrounded by Netherworld demonic energy, his aura causing the palace to tremble.

Qin Yuan and his three companions charged in. Ming Yuan sneered, "A few Chaos Heavenly Monarchs at the first or second level, dare to come and die?" He raised his hand, and demonic energy transformed into a black dragon that pounced. Qin Yuan's bone blade shattered the black dragon, but he was forced back several steps, spitting out blood. Yan Lingji's flames burned away the demonic energy, Jian Wushuang's sword energy pierced through the black mist, and Bing Ji froze the ground to restrict Ming Yuan's movement. The four of them cooperated and fought fiercely against Ming Yuan. Ming Yuan's cultivation suppressed them, and Qin Yuan and the others were in grave danger. Qin Yuan suffered several wounds, his left arm was corroded by demonic energy, and his skin turned black; Yan Lingji's flames were extinguished by the demonic energy, and blood spilled from the corner of her mouth; Jian Wushuang's sword was knocked away, and his tiger's mouth split open; Bing Ji's ice armor shattered, and she was struck by a palm in her left shoulder.

Qin Yuan burned 50,000 years of his lifespan, and 180 patterns lit up on his bone blade. He desperately rushed to Ming Yuan and plunged the blade into Ming Yuan's chest. Ming Yuan's eyes widened as he looked down at the bone blade in his chest, blood gushing from his mouth. Yan Lingji shattered Ming Yuan's skull with a single palm strike. Qin Yuan retrieved the head.

Back on the battlefield, Qin Yuan handed over Ming Yuan's head to Sword Master. Sword Master kept his promise and activated the teleportation array to the third level. Jian Wushuang stayed behind, saying, "I need to cultivate at the sect for a while." Qin Yuan nodded. "Take care." Jian Wushuang looked at him, hesitated, and finally turned and left.

Qin Yuan, Yan Lingji, Bingji, Su Yao, Hongyue, and Yueyao entered the third level. The Daoist aura of the third level was so dense that it condensed into mist, and the ground beneath their feet was semi-transparent, revealing the flowing light of laws from beneath the earth. There was only one giant city here—Wandao City. The lowest level of cultivators in the city was the third level of Chaos Heavenly Monarch, and powerful figures at the fourth or fifth level of Chaos Heavenly Monarch could be seen everywhere.

As soon as Qin Yuan and his group of six entered the city, they encountered an acquaintance. Mu Hongyi stood at the city gate, her red robes fluttering in the wind, without any attendants. She too had reached the third level.

"We meet again," Mu Hongyi said. Qin Yuan said, "You've been following me?" Mu Hongyi said, "The path to the Source of All Paths is not yours." She didn't step aside, nor did she draw her sword. "I know you obtained the head of the Netherworld Abyss, and I also know your performance in the ruins. Your bone blade can suppress the Netherworld Demonic Qi. I need you to do me a favor." Qin Yuan asked what favor. Mu Hongyi said, "The Heavenly Monarch's Ruins. Beneath the City of Ten Thousand Paths lies the inheritance of a ninth-level Chaos Heavenly Monarch. I can't enter alone; I need your bone blade."

Yan Lingji objected. "She's untrustworthy," Mu Hongyi said. "You can come along." Yan Lingji snorted. Qin Yuan was silent for a moment. "A team is fine. No backstabbing allowed," Mu Hongyi nodded. "Deal."

The seven set off. The entrance to the Heavenly Monarch's Ruins was beneath the city of Ten Thousand Paths, a massive black hole filled with ghostly demonic energy, so dark that one could not see their own hand in front of their face. Mu Hongyi said, "The ruins are divided into nine levels, each with a guardian. The guardians are Chaos Heavenly Monarchs at the fifth to ninth level." Qin Yuan walked at the front, the patterns on his bone blade illuminating the darkness.