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

The headquarters of the Netherworld Abyss is located at the deepest part of the second level of the Origin of Myriad Paths. It is a black abyss that has split open from the ground, its edges barren of vegetation, and the air filled with stench and demonic energy. Qin Yuan submerged into the abyss and climbed down the cliff face. Countless pairs of red eyes stared at him in the darkness—the guardians of the Netherworld Abyss. He ignored them and continued downward. At the bottom of the abyss, the Netherworld Emperor sat on a bone chair, a seventh-level Chaos Heavenly Lord, his body surrounded by inky black demonic energy.

"A mere Chaos Heavenly Monarch at the sixth level dares to trespass into my Netherworld Abyss?" The Netherworld Emperor sneered, raising his hand, and demonic energy transformed into countless ghostly shadows that pounced on Qin Yuan. Five hundred patterns on Qin Yuan's bone blade lit up, burning his lifespan to fight the ghostly shadows. The bone blade swept across, shattering the ghostly shadows, but new ones continuously emerged from the demonic energy. The Netherworld Emperor personally intervened, striking down with a palm, unleashing a mountain of demonic energy. Qin Yuan took the blow head-on, being blasted away and crashing against the abyss wall, spitting blood. He fell into the Netherworld River at the bottom of the abyss. The river water was black, corroding his flesh; Qin Yuan's skin festered, exposing his bones. But he sensed a Heavenly Monarch's Token at the bottom of the river. He dived to the bottom, grabbed the token, and gripped it tightly. The Netherworld Emperor pursued, and Qin Yuan leaped out of the river, his bone blade piercing the Netherworld Emperor's chest. The Netherworld Emperor's eyes widened, and he collapsed. Qin Yuan seized the Heavenly Monarch's Token and escaped the abyss.

Mu Hongyi brought back a Heavenly Monarch Token from the Heavenly Fire Holy Sect, Yan Lingji brought back one from the Burning Heaven Pavilion, Jian Wushuang brought back one from the Heavenly Sword Sect, and Bingji brought back one from the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion. Su Yao seized one from the remnants of the Divine Emperor Palace, and Hongyue and Yueyao seized one from the Myriad Beast Ridge. Qin Yuan already had three, making a total of nine. The nine Heavenly Monarch Tokens floated above Myriad Paths City, resonating with each other and emitting nine-colored light, illuminating the entire city.

The Elder of Ten Thousand Paths said, "The seal can be broken now." Qin Yuan cast nine Heavenly Monarch Tokens into the light barrier above. The light barrier cracked open, the crack widening to reveal a golden passage. At the end of the passage, a colossal palace could be vaguely seen, suspended in the void, exuding an aura of ancient vicissitudes. The Heavenly Palace of Ten Thousand Paths, the entrance to the ninth level.

Qin Yuan and the seven women stepped into the passage. The old man of ten thousand paths watched them leave, his figure fading into the sunset.

The ninth level was a palace suspended in the void, its gates a hundred feet high, inscribed with the four large characters "Ten Thousand Paths Heavenly Palace" in vigorous strokes. Qin Yuan pushed open the door, revealing a vast, empty hall with countless rooms arranged on either side. Each room contained the inheritances and magical treasures of ancient powerhouses, but the Heavenly Palace was guarded by puppets of Chaos Heavenly Lords at levels seven to nine.

The first wave of guards surged out from the two passages, consisting of dozens of sword-wielding puppets, all at the seventh level of the Chaos Heavenly Monarch realm. Qin Yuan slashed them with his bone blade, while the seven women each displayed their unique abilities. Mu Hongyi's swordsmanship was fierce, Yan Lingji's flames burned, Jian Wushuang's sword energy crisscrossed, Bing Ji froze, Su Yao used palm techniques, the Red Moon Spear, and the Moon Jade Rapier. Guards fell wave after wave, and the group continued upwards, breaking through three levels in succession. Qin Yuan's cultivation showed faint signs of a breakthrough.

On the fourth level, a colossal puppet blocked their path. Ten zhang tall, wielding a giant sword, its entire body was black metal, and its eyes were red. It was at the eighth level of the Chaos Heavenly Monarch realm. The puppet slashed down, splitting the ground and unleashing a sweeping sword aura. Qin Yuan parried with his bone blade, but was sent flying, crashing into the wall. The seven women joined forces to form an array, trapping the puppet. Qin Yuan burned his lifespan, and six hundred patterns on his bone blade lit up. With a single strike, he severed the puppet's head. The puppet collapsed, turning into a pile of scrap metal. Qin Yuan gasped for breath, his cultivation breaking through to the seventh level of the Chaos Heavenly Monarch realm.

The fifth floor was the scripture pavilion, with bookshelves stretching from the floor to the ceiling, filled with cultivation manuals and secret techniques. Qin Yuan had no time to examine them closely, letting the seven women choose what was useful. The sixth floor was the pill room, with several "Celestial Venerable Pills" on the shelves, their fragrance filling the air, capable of helping a Chaos Heavenly Monarch break through to the Celestial Venerable realm. Qin Yuan accepted them.

At the entrance to the seventh level, a terrifying aura pressed down. It wasn't a puppet, but a living, ninth-level Chaos Heavenly Monarch elder. With white hair and beard, dressed in a white Daoist robe, he sat cross-legged at the entrance, his eyes closed. He opened his eyes, his gaze like lightning.

"I am the Palace Guardian, left by the Heavenly Palace Master to protect the legacy. You have made it this far, qualified to face the test. Defeat me, and the Heavenly Palace's core will be yours." Qin Yuan drew his bone blade and engaged the Palace Guardian in fierce combat. The Palace Guardian's cultivation was overwhelming, sending Qin Yuan flying with a single palm strike, Qin Yuan spitting blood. Seven women rushed to his aid, eight of them surrounding the Palace Guardian, yet still no match for him. The Palace Guardian sent Yan Lingji flying with a single palm strike and repelled Jian Wushuang with a single punch. Qin Yuan burned ten thousand years of his lifespan, eight hundred patterns on his bone blade lighting up, and with a desperate stab, he plunged the blade into the Palace Guardian's chest. The Palace Guardian looked down at the bone blade in his chest and smiled. "You have passed." His body transformed into specks of light and dissipated.

After the palace guardians dissipated, the core of the Heavenly Palace was revealed. It was a skeleton sitting cross-legged, dressed in a golden Daoist robe, its bones as clear as jade. Floating before the skeleton was a golden source crystal, the size of a fist, with galaxies flowing within it. This was the remains of the Heavenly Palace's master, the "Chaos Heavenly Venerable," a peak ninth-level Chaos Heavenly Monarch, a half-step Heavenly Venerable. The golden source crystal was the "Heavenly Venerable Source Core," which, after being refined, could allow one to break through to the Chaos Heavenly Venerable realm.

Qin Yuan sat cross-legged and began refining the Source Core. The seven women protected him. Sensing the Source Core being refined, the puppets in the Heavenly Palace surged in from all directions. The seven women fought desperately to resist. Mu Hongyi killed a puppet with a single sword strike, Yan Lingji incinerated a group with flames, Jian Wushuang swept across the area with his sword energy, Bing Ji sealed the passage with ice, Su Yao unleashed a series of palm strikes, Hong Yue's spear pierced through, and Yue Yao's slender sword pierced through the puppet's core. For seven days and seven nights, the seven women were covered in wounds, but they never allowed a single puppet to get close to Qin Yuan.

On the seventh day, Qin Yuan opened his eyes. Golden light shot from them, piercing through the walls of the Heavenly Palace. His cultivation had broken through to the first level of the Chaos Heavenly Venerable. A thousand golden patterns lit up on his bone blade, their light dazzling.

He stood up, and the seven women looked at him. Su Yao smiled. Qin Yuan said, "It's time to go up."

Leaving the Heavenly Palace, I arrived at the very top of the Source of All Paths. Here, there was no sky, no earth, only endless white void. Floating in the void was a white door, inscribed with two words—"Return to the Void." Behind the door lay the legendary end of the Dao.

Qin Yuan pushed open the Gate of Return to Nothingness. Behind the gate was a chaotic light, within which a figure was vaguely visible. The figure's face was indistinct, only an outline, but it exuded an aura that made the entire universe tremble. The figure spoke, its voice ancient and calm, as if it came from the very beginning of time.

"You've finally come. I've waited for you for countless years."

Qin Yuan asked, "Who are you?"

"I am the Tao itself, the source of all worlds, and also the end of all worlds. You may call me 'Tao Ancestor'."

The Dao Ancestor emerged from the light, appearing as a white-haired old man with a blurred face but clear, infant-like eyes. He looked at Qin Yuan, then at the seven women behind Qin Yuan, before finally returning his gaze to Qin Yuan.

"Defeat me, and you will become the new Dao Ancestor. All realms will be under your control."