Before the first light of dawn pierced the sky, three figures were already traversing the mountain ranges. Xiao Chen, Yan Yao, and Lei Hao had crossed glaciers and snowfields, scaled the shadowy Nether Mountains, and finally arrived at the entrance to the legendary "Void Domain"—an ancient stone formation perpetually shrouded in thick mist.
The wind here wailed eerily, like ten thousand ghosts crying through the night, and even the air seemed to press down with a timeless weight. Lei Hao stepped forward, pressing his right hand on a dark red stone slab at the center of the formation, murmuring an ancient forbidden incantation.
"This array is called the Realm Lock. Without mastery of the Thunder Domain's forbidden arts, it cannot be activated," Lei Hao said solemnly.
A bolt of lightning shot from his fingertips and struck the slab. The entire formation began to slowly rotate, and a deep rumble surged from underground, as if an ancient beast were waking from a thousand-year slumber. Moments later, a yawning chasm opened at the center of the array, from which a deep blue light shone—like a portal to another world.
"Once inside, there's no turning back," Lei Hao looked at Xiao Chen. "Are you ready?"
Xiao Chen's gaze was resolute. "No matter what lies ahead, I must go."
He stepped into the rift. Yan Yao followed closely behind, with Lei Hao entering last. In an instant, all three figures were swallowed by the light and vanished.
The Void Domain
When they opened their eyes again, they found themselves in a world unlike any they had known.
It was a vast, boundless space of gray and white. There was no sun or moon above, and the ground seemed made of shadows, yet it felt solid underfoot. Countless glowing fragments drifted through the air like crystallized memories, suspended silently in the space around them.
"What is this place…" Yan Yao whispered.
Lei Hao's expression was grim. "This is the Void Domain, where time and reality intertwine. Be on guard—anything that seems calm may conceal a deadly trap."
Xiao Chen closed his eyes and extended his spiritual senses to detect the spatial fluctuations. But the moment he did, an invisible backlash struck him. His spiritual sea churned violently, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
"Xiao Chen!" Yan Yao rushed to support him, brows furrowed. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Xiao Chen wiped the blood from his lips and gave a bitter smile. "The laws here are nothing like what we know."
Lei Hao gave a cold snort. "The Void Domain not only seals spiritual senses but devours mental energy. This is truly a graveyard of gods and demons—many have perished here for a reason."
As the trio continued forward, the landscape grew more twisted. Broken stone bridges floated mid-air, wrapped in red vines seemingly woven from souls. Wisps of soul shadows hovered nearby, whispering as if aware of their presence.
"The key to the Source of Destiny lies in the deepest part of the Soul Tower," Lei Hao said, eyes locked on a distant silhouette of a towering spire reaching into the clouds. "We must pass through these soul realms to reach it."
Trial of the Soul Bridge
When they approached the first soul bridge, a shimmering figure appeared before them—an indistinct old man wreathed in ghostly fire, clearly not of the living.
"To cross the soul bridge," the figure spoke, its voice echoing directly in their minds, "you must endure your deepest fears. Fail, and you will remain here forever."
Before they could react, the scene around them changed in an instant—
Xiao Chen saw the night his parents were slaughtered, their bodies in flames, blood everywhere. Yan Yao found herself once again abandoned by her clan, trapped alone in the demonic realm. Lei Hao relived the moment he had killed his closest friend with his own hands...
The visions surged like a tidal wave, threatening to drown them.
"This isn't an illusion—it's a heart-wrought nightmare!" Xiao Chen roared through the pain in his chest. "We must overcome it ourselves!"
He charged into the memory, reliving the fire and blood of that fateful night. But this time, he didn't just watch—he ran into the flames, trying to save his parents.
Just as he reached for them, the two familiar figures turned to him and smiled gently.
"Chen'er," they said, "you're strong enough now. Don't blame yourself for the past."
At that moment, the illusion shattered. Xiao Chen collapsed onto the bridge, drenched in sweat.
When he rose and looked back, he saw that Yan Yao and Lei Hao had also broken free of their nightmares.
"We… we did it," Yan Yao exhaled shakily.
Lei Hao frowned. "This was only the first bridge. What lies ahead may be even worse."
The three pressed forward, onto the next soul bridge. They knew each bridge would test their very souls—and to reach the Soul Tower, they would have to confront the rawest truths within themselves.
In the distance, the tower's silhouette grew clearer—a structure that seemed to pierce the heavens, its summit radiating a pulsing golden glow. It was the legendary Key to the Source of Destiny.
But far away, in another corner of the Void Domain, a dark figure slowly opened its eyes. A cruel smile tugged at the corner of its lips.
"So you've finally come… Xiao Chen. We meet again."