Chapter 229: Journey to the Void

The surviving prodigies stood frozen, their expressions of disbelief mirroring one another. None of them could comprehend what had just transpired.

The Abyssal Queen… had fled

She had been defeated by Qin Xian?

Silence engulfed the battlefield as they exchanged looks, their minds unable to process this staggering reality. Though Qin Xian’s initial display of power had been overwhelming—stripping away 60% of the Abyssal Queen’s health within moments—none of them had ever truly believed he could win.

After all, the Abyssal Queen was a Demon Progenitor, an entity classified by the Divine Revelation System as at least an 89+ rated existence. Even Chu Sitian, one of the Empire’s Five Titans, had only managed to suppress the Abyssal Queen using a golden-ranked Legendary weapon and the power of Changheng’s defensive network.

By comparison, Qin Xian, though undoubtedly a once-in-a-millennium genius, was only Level 42. The level disparity alone was staggering—nearly double!

No matter how bold one’s imagination, it was inconceivable to picture Qin Xian defeating the Abyssal Queen. At best, they had assumed he might be able to stall her for a short while. If he had managed to escape alive, it would have already cemented his status as humanity’s greatest prodigy.

Yet, reality had exceeded all expectations.

Qin Xian had not only fought the Abyssal Queen head-on, but he had forced her to retreat.

A chill ran down their spines as they turned to stare at him, their previous pain and exhaustion momentarily forgotten. This man… was only Level 42.

The Divine Revelation System had introduced humanity to the most advanced evolutionary pathway in the universe. But at the same time, it had also eliminated the possibility of low-rank beings overcoming those of higher ranks. Level suppression was an absolute rule.

In the system’s logic, level was the primary determinant of combat power—the higher one’s level, the greater their attribute points, the better their equipment, and the stronger their abilities. Even if one possessed a higher-grade class, it meant little when faced with an insurmountable level gap.

For instance, a Level 50 A-rank class could easily crush a Level 30 S-rank class, purely because of level suppression. And the gap only widened beyond Level 60, where each level became a monumental leap in power.

Yet here stood Qin Xian, shattering that universal rule before their eyes. Many of them couldn’t control the flicker of greed and curiosity in their gazes. Qin Xian was hiding a secret.

Something had allowed him to overcome the level gap and defeat an entity vastly stronger than himself. A secret that, if exposed, could change the very fabric of human evolution.

Ordinarily, such a revelation would place Qin Xian in extreme danger. If he had been a nobody, an unknown talent without backing, someone would have already targeted him to extract his secrets.

But no one dared harbor such thoughts because this was Qin Xian. Because behind him stood the Qin Family—one of the Empire’s greatest forces. And so, despite their racing thoughts, no one acted.

Regardless, Qin Xian’s name would soon spread across the entire human world, sending shockwaves through every major power.

Standing with his hands clasped behind his back, expressionless, Qin Xian watched as the Abyssal Queen fled into the distance.

“Did I force her to retreat?” He mused to himself, amusement flashing in his gaze.

Technically… he had.

Within the Cycle of Despair, he and the Abyssal Queen had clashed—though, in truth, it had been far more than just a battle. The Abyssal Queen had tasted something… unique.

After all, his “conquest” had been of a Primordial Demon Progenitor.

Yet, her submission was not without cause. The moment she had received his favor, the truth became evident—her evolutionary level had increased yet again. Just once had equaled a hundred years of her previous evolution.

Qin Xian’s gaze darkened.

Through their interaction, he had uncovered a crucial piece of information. Chu Sitian had indeed been corrupted by Abyssal energy.

But he was not controlled by the Abyss.

Moreover, the only reason the Abyssal Queen had been able to bypass Changheng’s defenses was because a portion of the Divine Revelation Runes had mysteriously failed.

That was no accident.

There was a conspiracy at play—perhaps even tied to Chu Sitian himself. However, Qin Xian felt no interest in these schemes.

The reason was simple.

The Qin Family had no stakes in this region. There was no reason for him to waste his efforts deciphering Chu Sitian’s motives. In the end, as long as the Qin Family obtained control over Divine Revelation, the Chu Family would no longer be relevant.

Besides, now that the Abyssal Queen had returned, she would undoubtedly use the power of the Abyss to counterbalance the Chu Family.

With no further reason to linger, Qin Xian and Qin Li swiftly departed, making their way toward West County City.

There, Qin Xian would embark on his next journey—to the Void Frontlines and beyond, into the heart of the Void itself.

Qin Li, however, would return to the Imperial Capital to continue her training. Though she had passed the first trial, her level was still too low. Fortunately, with the Qin Family’s vast resources, her growth would be swift.

News of the Abyssal uprising spread like wildfire, shaking the entire human world.

This invasion was unprecedented in scale. The Demon Race had mobilized nearly all its forces, and the once impenetrable Changheng defensive line was now on the brink of collapse.

Within just a single day, the Changheng military district had suffered catastrophic losses. Over a hundred powerhouses above Level 40 had perished, while countless lower-ranked warriors had been slaughtered.

Entire battalions had been wiped out—barely lasting four hours before being completely exterminated. According to estimates, the average survival time of a soldier in Changheng was now less than ten minutes.

Some units had been obliterated, reformed, and obliterated again in an endless cycle of carnage.

The severity of the Changheng crisis sent shockwaves through the Empire, prompting an emergency military conference. Reinforcements were immediately dispatched to bolster the failing defenses.

Yet, none of this concerned Qin Xian.

By the time these events unfolded, he had already stepped through the teleportation array, leaving Longxi Province behind.

His destination was now set.

The Void Frontlines awaited.