185: A divine eye? A blind man? (Seventy)

RUMBLE.

At this moment, the entire land of the Five Domains violently trembled.

Above the sky, the River of Stars that spanned the Firmament completely solidified.

It was vast, ancient, its beginning unknown, and its end unseen.

It seemed like the spine of the Universe, supporting this heaven and earth.

All dao platforms simultaneously dissolved into a rain of light.

Central State, outside Tianjiao City.

Jun Yun was still sitting cross-legged on the now illusory dao platform, his eyes covered.

A brilliant Divine Guiding Light descended from the heavens, enveloping him.

An irresistible force slowly lifted his body.

He could feel himself breaking free from the shackles of this world's Law.

The ground beneath his feet rapidly grew smaller.

Tianjiao City, the mountains and rivers of Central State, and finally the outline of the entire continent, all shrank in his vision, turning into a massive ball of light.

This was an unprecedented experience.

It felt as if his Soul had left its shell, flying toward a vaster unknown.

Northern Plains, above the glacier.

You Chen stood calmly, allowing the Divine Guiding Light to wrap around him.

He lowered his head, taking one last look at the icy world where he had stirred up trouble.

His gaze was tranquil, devoid of lingering attachment.

His body ascended rapidly, and the biting cold wind whistled past his ears, yet he remained motionless.

He looked up toward the brilliant River of Stars.

That was his true battlefield.

Southern Border, on the miasma-filled dao platform.

Qing Yao's figure was also guided by the Divine Light, rising into the sky.

Reflected in her eyes were the rapidly receding Savage Jungles below.

Her expression did not change; she merely tightened her grip on the sword in her hand.

From God-Slaying Valley to God Burial Ruins, and then to this struggle for the dao platform.

Having walked this path, she understood the cruelty of the emperors road struggle better than anyone.

But this was only the beginning.

Eastern Domain, Western Desert... The final victors of the fifteen thousand dao platforms across the Five Domains were simultaneously carried away from their familiar world by the Divine Guiding Light.

They transformed into fifteen thousand streaks of light, piercing the Sky Dome from different corners of the five continents, flying toward that ancient road deep within the Universe.

Eventually, all the points of light converged in one place.

This was the boundless Universe.

Stars twinkled in the distance, tiny as dust motes.

A magnificent, Ancient Stone Gate quietly floated in this void.

It was entirely constructed of unknown gray rock, covered in traces of erosion from time and incomplete Great Dao Runes.

It seemed to have existed since the birth of the Universe.

Star Boundary Gate.

When the fifteen thousand Prodigies were teleported onto the massive platform in front of the gate, the magnificent sight caused all of them to lose themselves in awe.

After a brief period of shock, the atmosphere suddenly grew tense.

Fifteen thousand gazes instantly met.

Every single person was a top-tier expert who had fought their way out of Mountains of Corpses and Seas of Blood.

They were defiant and possessed powerful Qi.

Divine Light, Demonic Flame, Demonic Qi, Sword Intent... various powerful forms of Qi clashed and surged here, even warping the surrounding space.

Everyone knew that every person beside them was a relentless, life-or-death competitor on the emperors road.

You Chen's gaze quickly swept through the crowd.

Soon, he found that familiar figure.

Qing Yao.

She also noticed him.

The two crossed the crowd and walked toward each other.

Their eyes met, and after confirming the other was safe, they understood each other implicitly.

The ability to stand here already explained everything.

Just at this moment.

You Chen suddenly sensed a familiar yet complex aura.

He spun his head sharply.

On the other side of the crowd, a purple figure was also looking at him.

Zi Yuan.

She was still dressed in purple, her demeanor aloof and cold as snow.

Her eyes were icy, staring directly at You Chen without evasion.

But deep within that coldness, there was no longer Killing Intent.

Instead, it contained disappointment, determination, and a trace of pain that she herself hadn't noticed.

You Chen confronted her from afar, separated by the surging crowd.

The atmosphere between the two instantly became Tense and Hostile.

Some sharp-witted Prodigies nearby noticed this unusual atmosphere and cast inquiring glances.

In an inconspicuous corner of the crowd.

Jun Yun still maintained the appearance of a “Blind Swordsman,” leaning on his ordinary wooden stick, quietly “standing.”

His Minds Eye saw everything clearly.

He “saw” You Chen.

After Nirvana, You Chen's aura became increasingly restrained, making him somewhat inscrutable even to Jun Yun.

He “saw” Qing Yao standing shoulder-to-shoulder with You Chen, her Sword Intent purer and sharper than before.

He also “saw” the silent confrontation and sensed the complex and determined aura emanating from Zi Yuan.

At the same time, he was carefully searching through the crowd.

That Cloth-Robed Youth who had once made him feel extremely dangerous.

However, he searched the entire platform but found no trace of that person.

“Did he not come, or... can I not see through him?”

Jun Yun's expression became solemn.

Just at this moment.

An ancient, ruthless, and vast will, surpassing that of a Divine Emperor, descended above the Star Boundary Gate.

All the Prodigies held their breath under this will.

It was like Mortals looking up at Heavenly Might.

“The Ancient Starry Road is not a smooth path.”

That will sounded directly in everyone's mind.

“This path is connected by eighteen Trial Ancient Stars.”

“Each Ancient Star is a layer of trial. Only those who pass qualify to proceed to the next Ancient Star.”

“During the trial, life and death are disregarded. Elimination means death.”

“The end of the Ancient Road is the sole emperor seat.”

The will came quickly and departed just as fast.

When the rules were announced, the Oppressive Might vanished.

But the information it brought made the expressions of all the Prodigies present a little more serious.

Eighteen layers of trial, life and death disregarded.

This road was far more brutal than they had imagined.

BUZZ.

As the announcement of the rules concluded, the massive Star Boundary Gate was completely activated.

Inside the gate, there was no longer void, but a deep, stable Spatial Passage radiating endless starlight.

After a brief confrontation and vigilance.

Finally, someone moved.

A Prodigy whose Demonic Qi soared to the heavens was the first to transform into a streak of light and rush into the Star Gate.

With someone taking the lead, the rest no longer hesitated and set off one after another.

You Chen and Qing Yao walked side by side.

Zi Yuan led several Zi Clan Prodigies who had also qualified, entering from a different direction, maintaining a clear distance from You Chen.

Jun Yun blended into the unremarkable crowd, stepping into the Spatial Passage along with the flow of people.

The experience of traversing the passage was extremely strange.

It felt like being “stripped” from the Law of the original world and entering a higher-dimensional Space-Time Corridor.

After an unknown amount of time.

A patch of light appeared at the end of the passage.

Everyone was sucked into that patch of light.

The next moment.

When Jun Yun could “see” his surroundings again, he found himself located on an unfamiliar Ancient Star.

The heaven and earth Law here was completely different from that of the Five Domains.

The Spiritual Qi was extremely dense, seemingly within reach.

Above the sky hung two Suns of different colors: one crimson gold, one deep purple.

The ground was dark purple soil, and in the distance, the outlines of magnificent Ancient Architectural Ruins were visible, exuding a desolate ancient aura.

The place where they landed was a massive plaza paved with complete Bluestone.

However.

The expected emptiness and solitude did not materialize.

When all the Prodigies from the Five Domains arrived, they were stunned.

The plaza was already bustling with people.

The clamor rose and fell continuously.

The number of living beings present far exceeded their fifteen thousand.

A rough estimate put the number at no less than two hundred thousand.