Regardless, the gains this time were considerable. Everyone acquired the cultivation techniques they desired, and Sheng Yuanyao additionally underwent a marrow cleansing and muscle tempering, possibly even gaining some characteristics of a Thunderbird.

They also encountered a female thief, who will likely play a significant role in future events.

However, the “archeology” that Lu Xingzhou sought was a bit of a failure…

The world beyond fate remained chaotic and unformed.

He walked through the void, his steps light yet firm. With each step, the emptiness beneath him trembled slightly, as if responding to his presence. The aura of chaos swirled around him, at times solid, at times ethereal, as if testing his will. He knew that this world had yet to be defined, waiting for someone to shape it. And he was the one willing to shoulder that responsibility.

“True freedom…” he murmured softly, his voice echoing in the chaos, as if awakening a slumbering will.

Suddenly, the heavens and earth trembled violently, and a dark fissure appeared from the depths of the chaos. Within the fissure, countless fragmented lights and shadows flowed, seemingly remnants from beyond fate, or forgotten pasts. His gaze sharpened, sensing a strange power within the fissure—not mere chaos, nor residual order, but an existence between the two, an unnamed will.

“You have come,” a voice slowly emerged from within the fissure, deep and ethereal, as if from endless void.

He did not reply, but slowly walked towards the fissure. As he approached, the fissure gradually expanded, as if making way for him. He stepped into it, and the world before his eyes instantly transformed.

This was a fragmented space, surrounded by countless broken runes and shattered fragments of laws. Each fragment contained a rule that once existed, but was now incomplete, like echoes forgotten beyond fate.

“Why have you come?” the voice asked again, this time with a hint of scrutiny.

He looked up to see a figure slowly coalescing in the void ahead. The figure was indistinct, as if pieced together from countless fragments, sometimes appearing human, sometimes beast-like, and sometimes dissolving into nothingness. It had no fixed form, as if it were the embodiment of the space itself.

“I have come to reshape this world,” he said calmly, but with undeniable firmness.

The figure was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke: “Reshape? Do you not know that this world has been shaped by countless wills, only to ultimately shatter? What ability do you possess?”

He smiled faintly, his gaze profound: “I have no intention of repeating past mistakes. What I seek is neither absolute order nor absolute chaos, but a new balance—order born from chaos, and chaos preserved within order.”

The figure trembled slightly, as if touched by these words. It remained silent for a long time, then slowly nodded: “If you can truly achieve this, perhaps there is hope for this world.”

Before the words faded, the figure slowly dissolved into countless fragments, merging into the surrounding void. In an instant, the entire space vibrated violently, and countless fragments of laws began to spin and merge, as if responding to his will.

He closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into this fragmented space. In that instant, he felt as if he had become one with this world, able to sense the pulse of every fragment of law, to hear their whispering echoes.

“Let me give you new meaning,” he murmured.

As his will spread, the broken fragments of laws began to slowly converge, intertwining to form a completely new shape. Order and chaos no longer repelled each other, but merged, creating an unprecedented balance. Mountains no longer stood still, but continuously changed with the pulse of heaven and earth; rivers were no longer singular, but constantly reshaped with the flow of spiritual energy; stars no longer remained static, but continuously transformed with the will of the world.

“This is… the new order,” he opened his eyes, a glimmer of understanding in his gaze.

He knew that he had taken a crucial step. And this world beyond fate would also change because of his will. He slowly stretched out his hand, and the faint light in his palm transformed into a stream of light, falling into the earth. In an instant, the entire heaven and earth began to tremble violently, the newly condensed mountains and rivers began to collapse, transforming back into chaotic energy, and then slowly re-condensing into new forms.

“This world needs new rules,” he murmured.

Meanwhile, in the ancient hall at the nexus of fate, Lin Yi and Lu Chen still floated on the line of fate, gazing at the void beyond the end of fate.

“He is trying to reshape chaos,” Lu Chen whispered.

Lin Yi nodded slightly: “The world beyond fate is inherently a place where chaos has yet to open. For him to establish order there means he must endure the backlash of chaos.”

“Can he succeed?” Lu Chen asked.

Lin Yi was silent for a moment, then slowly said: “No one knows. But precisely because of this, his choice is so precious.”

Lu Chen looked at the void, a strange tremor arising in his heart. He vaguely perceived that the fluctuations beyond fate seemed to be gradually spreading, affecting the entire heaven and earth.

“The third path of fate…” he muttered, “Perhaps it is not merely his choice, but a turning point for the entire world.”

Lin Yi did not reply, only gazing silently into the distance, as if awaiting some change to occur.

And at the other end of fate, the young cultivator still stood on the mountain peak, looking up at the sky. In his eyes, a steadfast light flickered.

“The third path of fate…” he murmured, “I, too, shall embark upon it.”

He slowly closed his eyes, beginning to try and sense the existence of that path. He vaguely felt a strange fluctuation, as if calling to him, guiding him towards an unknown direction.

“The journey of fate never truly ends,” he opened his eyes, his gaze firm as iron, “And I, too, shall embark on my own path.”

He took a step, as if stepping into the unknown land beyond fate.

The journey of fate never truly ends. It merely awaits the next choice. And this time, the third path of fate has just begun.

The world beyond fate, chaos initially opened, order initially appeared.

He stood at the edge of the new world, feeling the pulse of heaven and earth. This world was already different from before; it was no longer bound by fate, nor defined by order. It was a free territory, holding infinite possibilities.

“A new world needs new rules.” He slowly raised his hand, a faint light appearing in his palm. The faint light slowly spread, transforming into countless streams of light, falling between heaven and earth. In an instant, the earth began to slowly condense, mountains, rivers, forests, and lakes appeared one by one, as if this world finally had its own form.

“This is the world I have created,” he murmured, his gaze profound.

However, at this moment, a deep rumble suddenly echoed through the heavens and earth, as if some dormant power was awakening. He frowned slightly, sensing an unfamiliar aura emerging from the depths of the void. That aura belonged neither to chaos nor to order, but was an unprecedented existence.

“Who are you?” he asked softly, his gaze fixed on the void.

In the void, a blurred figure slowly emerged. The figure was tall and illusory, as if pieced together from countless fragments of laws, each fragment shimmering with a different light. It had no facial features, yet it seemed capable of discerning everything.

“You created this world,” the figure slowly spoke, its voice deep and ethereal, “But have you ever considered whether it is willing to accept your will?”

He paused for a moment, then revealed a faint, calm smile: “The world has no will of its own; I give it meaning.”

The figure was silent for a moment, then slowly said: “You are mistaken. The world has never truly been without will; it merely awaits someone who can understand it.”

He frowned slightly: “You mean…”

The figure slowly raised its hand, pointing to the earth beneath his feet: “You gave it order, but you deprived it of its own will. You created it, but you never asked if it was willing to accept your rules.”

He fell silent. He had never considered whether this world truly wished to accept his will. He had always believed he was giving it meaning, bringing it new possibilities. But now, he began to doubt whether he truly understood this world.

“Then, what do you believe I should do?” he asked.

The figure slowly said: “You must listen to its voice, understand its will. Only then can you truly merge with it, rather than shaping it as a dominator.”

He slowly closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking between heaven and earth. In an instant, he seemed to hear the whispers of the earth, the echoes of the mountains, the pulse of the rivers. He finally understood that this world was not without will, but existed in a way he had not comprehended.

“I understand,” he opened his eyes, a touch of gentleness in his gaze, “I should not shape it as a dominator, but coexist with it.”

He slowly stretched out his hand, and the faint light in his palm reappeared, but this time, he did not forcefully shape the world, but integrated his will into it, allowing it to evolve on its own. In an instant, a deep resonance echoed through heaven and earth, as if the entire world was responding to his decision.

Mountains no longer stood still, but changed with the pulse of heaven and earth; rivers were no longer singular, but reshaped with the flow of spiritual energy; stars no longer remained static, but transformed with the will of the world.

“This is true order,” he murmured, a glimmer of understanding in his gaze.

Meanwhile, in the ancient hall at the nexus of fate, Lin Yi and Lu Chen still floated on the line of fate, gazing at the void beyond the end of fate.

“He finally understood,” Lin Yi said softly, a hint of relief in his gaze.

Lu Chen looked at the void, slowly nodding: “He no longer tries to control the world, but has learned to coexist with it.”

Lin Yi smiled faintly: “This is true freedom.”

Lu Chen pondered for a moment, then suddenly spoke: “Does the third path of fate also mean that we, too, can choose different paths?”

Lin Yi did not answer directly, but slowly closed his eyes, as if listening to a distant echo. After a moment, he opened his eyes, his gaze profound: “The third path of fate has never been a fixed path, but a choice. Anyone can walk it, as long as they are willing to bear the cost.”

Lu Chen fell silent. He looked into the distance, as if contemplating something.

And at the other end of fate, the young cultivator still stood on the mountain peak, looking up at the sky. In his eyes, a steadfast light flickered.

“The third path of fate…” he murmured, “I, too, shall embark upon it.”

He slowly closed his eyes, beginning to try and sense the existence of that path. He vaguely felt a strange fluctuation, as if calling to him, guiding him towards an unknown direction.

“The journey of fate never truly ends,” he opened his eyes, his gaze firm as iron, “And I, too, shall embark on my own path.”

He took a step, as if stepping into the unknown land beyond fate.

The journey of fate never truly ends. It merely awaits the next choice. And this time, the third path of fate has just begun.