Huo Xingyuan felt suffocated.

Although his title, “A Renowned General Who Expanded Territory for a Hundred Li,” was somewhat exaggerated, he was indeed a seasoned veteran of many battles, at least meeting the passing grade. He clearly understood that rushing to their aid in this manner carried a high probability of being attacked while providing support. His Majesty likely understood this too, but His Majesty had other plans, and he…

After Lin Yi and Lu Chen left the ruins, their journey of destiny continued. Following the direction indicated by the elder, they stepped into a void realm at the end of the River of Destiny, a place forgotten by time.

There were no sun, moon, stars, mountains, or rivers, only endless void and floating fragments of destiny. Each fragment shimmered with a different light, as if carrying the memory and future of some world.

“Is this the end of the River of Destiny?” Lin Yi looked around, his voice low and reverent.

Lu Chen nodded, his gaze deep. “The source of destiny is hidden within this void.”

They walked slowly, the void beneath their feet subtly undulating as if alive. Suddenly, a faint speck of light appeared ahead, then transformed into a human figure.

It was a woman in a long gray robe, her face indistinct, as if merged with the River of Destiny.

“You have finally arrived,” the woman’s voice was like a whisper of destiny, carrying endless vicissitudes.

Lin Yi and Lu Chen exchanged glances, both seeing vigilance in the other’s eyes.

“Who are you?” Lin Yi asked in a deep voice.

The woman slowly raised her head, revealing a pair of hollow yet profound eyes. “I am the echo of destiny, and also the last lingering will of the Lord of Destiny.”

“The will of the Lord of Destiny?” Lin Yi’s heart trembled.

The woman nodded and slowly extended her hand. In her palm, a dark purple crystal appeared, within which countless threads of destiny seemed to intertwine and flow.

“This is the Core of Destiny,” the woman said softly. “It carries the entire will of the Lord of Destiny, and it is also the foundation that sustains the River of Destiny from perishing.”

Lin Yi stepped forward, his gaze fixed on the crystal. “How can we control it?”

The woman smiled slightly. “The Core of Destiny cannot be controlled; it can only be understood. Only those who truly understand destiny can become its witnesses.”

“Witnesses?” Lu Chen frowned.

The woman nodded slowly. “The existence of the Core of Destiny is to witness the choices of all beings, not to manipulate destiny. The Lord of Destiny once said that true destiny should not be decided by one person, but should be written together by all beings.”

Lin Yi was silent for a moment, then slowly extended his hand, the golden Mark of Destiny in his palm shimmering slightly.

“I am willing to become a witness of destiny,” Lin Yi said in a low voice.

The woman nodded gently, and the Core of Destiny in her hand slowly floated up and settled into Lin Yi’s palm.

In an instant, a vast power surged into Lin Yi’s body, his consciousness seemingly pulled into the depths of the River of Destiny. Countless images flashed before his eyes—the destinies of countless worlds, the choices of countless beings, the confluence points of countless times.

He saw how worlds were born and how they perished; he saw how all beings struggled, how they chose, and how they sought their own direction in the torrent of destiny.

“So… destiny is not predetermined, but the result of choices,” Lin Yi murmured to himself.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself still standing in the void, and the woman’s figure had gradually faded.

“The witness of destiny has been born,” the woman’s voice echoed in the void, then completely dissipated.

Lu Chen stood nearby, quietly watching Lin Yi, a flicker of complexity in his eyes.

“Did you… truly understand destiny?” Lu Chen asked in a low voice.

Lin Yi nodded slowly, the Core of Destiny in his palm shimmering slightly. “Destiny is not unchangeable, nor is it some irresistible force. It is merely the collection of choices made by all beings, the result of countless wills intertwining.”

Lu Chen was silent for a moment, then sighed softly. “Then, what do you plan to do next?”

Lin Yi looked up into the distance, the River of Destiny still flowing slowly, as if it had never stopped.

“I want to return to the very beginning,” Lin Yi said slowly. “I want to tell those who are still struggling that destiny is not unchangeable. As long as they are willing to make choices, they can change their future.”

Lu Chen looked at him, a glimmer in his eyes. “Are you planning to… reshape destiny?”

“No,” Lin Yi shook his head. “I just want people to understand that destiny never belongs to one person, but to everyone.”

Lu Chen was silent for a long time, finally nodding gently. “Then, I will accompany you.”

They stood side by side, the Core of Destiny slowly rotating in Lin Yi’s palm, emitting a soft glow.

Suddenly, a ripple came from the depths of the River of Destiny, and a figure slowly emerged.

It was Ye Wuchen.

He was still clad in white robes, his brows exuding an otherworldly aura. The Mark of Destiny shimmered in his palm, resonating with the Core of Destiny.

“You finally found it,” Ye Wuchen said to Lin Yi, his tone calm.

Lin Yi nodded. “Have you also completed your trial?”

Ye Wuchen smiled faintly. “The will of destiny has merged with me, but I understand that true destiny does not belong to any single person.”

He looked at the Core of Destiny in Lin Yi’s palm, a flicker of complexity in his eyes. “You have become a witness of destiny.”

Lin Yi nodded. “Yes.”

Ye Wuchen slowly extended his hand, and a thread of destiny emerged from his palm, gently intertwining around the Core of Destiny.

“If that’s the case, then let us together protect this destiny,” Ye Wuchen said softly.

Lin Yi and Lu Chen exchanged glances, both seeing determination in the other’s eyes.

“Good,” Lin Yi softly agreed.

The River of Destiny flowed slowly beneath their feet, and the light from the Core of Destiny illuminated the entire void.

At this moment, the witness of destiny was born, the River of Destiny was no longer solitary, and the journey of destiny had truly begun.

Wind rose, clouds surged, and the mountains and rivers remained.

And destiny would ultimately be written by all beings together.

Lin Yi slowly withdrew the Core of Destiny into his palm, feeling the vast will it contained. The will of the Lord of Destiny had not completely dissipated, but had transformed into a more profound existence—it no longer dominated destiny, but witnessed its flow.

“Destiny is not unchangeable,” Lin Yi said softly, his gaze firm. “But it also doesn’t come from nothing. It is formed by the choices of all beings, and we are merely guiding it toward a new direction.”

Lu Chen stood beside him, looking at the dark purple crystal, a flicker of contemplation in his eyes. “The existence of the Core of Destiny means that the River of Destiny continues. But how should we face it? After all, it is not a power we can freely control.”

Lin Yi nodded, slowly putting away the Core of Destiny, and said, “The Lord of Destiny has fallen, but he left this will. We are not to control destiny, but to understand it, respect it, and let destiny truly belong to all beings.”

Ye Wuchen smiled faintly, his gaze profound. “The witness of destiny truly suits no one but you.”

Lin Yi looked at him, smiling slightly. “You have also completed the trial of destiny and merged with the will of destiny. What do you plan to do next?”

Ye Wuchen pondered for a moment and said, “Although the will of destiny has merged with me, I deeply know that true destiny should not be decided by one person. I want to go to the end of the River of Destiny, to search for those forgotten worlds, to listen to those neglected voices.”

A hint of approval flashed in Lin Yi’s eyes. “I am not the only witness of destiny.”

Ye Wuchen nodded, turned, and departed, his figure gradually dissipating at the end of the River of Destiny.

Lu Chen watched his receding back and said softly, “The journey of destiny has just begun.”

Lin Yi took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the distance. The Core of Destiny in his palm shimmered slightly, as if responding to his will.

“Let’s go,” Lin Yi said softly. “We still have many things to do.”

Lu Chen nodded, and they walked side by side, stepping into the depths of the River of Destiny.

The River of Destiny flowed endlessly, as if without end. They followed the trajectory of destiny, traversing countless shattered worlds, witnessing the struggles and choices of all beings.

They arrived at a world abandoned by destiny, where people had long become accustomed to despair, no longer believing that destiny could change. Lin Yi stood on the city wall, gazing at the desolate land, and said softly, “Destiny is not unchangeable; rather, it needs someone to awaken it.”

He stretched out his hand, and a golden thread of destiny appeared in his palm, gently intertwining around the city wall. That thread of destiny, like spring rain, seeped into the earth, awakening long-dormant hope.

People looked up, gazing at the golden light, their eyes shimmering with a long-lost radiance.

“Can destiny… truly change?” a child asked softly.

Lin Yi knelt down, gently stroked the child’s head, and said, “As long as you are willing to make a choice, destiny will respond to you.”

At that moment, the entire world seemed to awaken.

They continued their journey, arriving at a world bound by threads of destiny. The beings there were trapped by the shackles of destiny, unable to break free. Lin Yi and Lu Chen worked together, using the power of the Core of Destiny, to unlock those shackles, allowing destiny to flow anew.

They came to a world on the verge of collapse, where the Tree of Destiny had withered, and the world was about to return to nothingness. Lin Yi gently placed the Core of Destiny on the tree trunk, and golden light slowly seeped in. The withered trunk gradually regained vitality, the threads of destiny re-intertwined, and the world was sustained.

Each world was a journey of destiny.

They traveled through countless worlds, witnessing the joys and sorrows of all beings, and also witnessing the flow and reshaping of destiny.

Finally, at the end of the River of Destiny, they arrived at a world never before recorded—there were no threads of destiny, no Tree of Destiny, only a pure expanse of heaven and earth.

“Is this… the source of destiny?” Lu Chen asked softly.

Lin Yi slowly nodded, the Core of Destiny in his palm trembling slightly, as if responding to something.

“The Lord of Destiny once said that true destiny should not be decided by one person,” Lin Yi said softly. “And here, perhaps, is destiny’s original form—without binds, without shackles, only pure choice.”

Lu Chen gazed at the heaven and earth, a flash of realization in his eyes. “The journey of destiny, after all, belongs to all beings.”

Lin Yi smiled, gently tossing the Core of Destiny into the air. The Core of Destiny slowly rotated, emitting a soft glow, and that light sprinkled across the heaven and earth, as if awakening long-dormant memories.

Suddenly, a voice echoed from between heaven and earth, low and distant: “Witness of destiny, you have understood the true meaning of destiny. So, are you willing to become the guardian of destiny?”

Lin Yi looked up, his gaze firm. “I am willing.”

The voice was silent for a moment, then slowly said, “The guardian of destiny has been born.”

In an instant, the Core of Destiny transformed into a golden stream of light, merging into Lin Yi’s body. His consciousness was seemingly pulled into the deepest part of destiny, where there was no time, no space, only endless choices and possibilities.

He saw the future of countless worlds, saw the struggles and hopes of all beings. He understood that true destiny is not decided, but is written together by all beings.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself still standing between that heaven and earth, and the Core of Destiny had completely merged into his soul.

“You… have become the guardian of destiny?” Lu Chen asked softly.

Lin Yi nodded, his gaze calm and profound. “The journey of destiny has just begun.”

Lu Chen looked at him, a slight smile on his lips. “Then, where should we go next?”

Lin Yi looked into the distance, the River of Destiny still flowing slowly. He said softly, “To those worlds yet untouched by destiny, to awaken slumbering hope, to listen to the voices of all beings.”

Lu Chen nodded, and walked beside him, embarking on a new journey.

The River of Destiny continued to flow, and they would become its true guardians.