With the Badge of the Brave pinned to his chest, Ye Tianxie crouched down and began using "Gathering" on the corpse of the Amethyst War Tiger.

  Ding... You have obtained an Amethyst Tiger Pelt.

  Ding... You have obtained seven portions of Amethyst Tiger Meat.

  Ding... You have obtained a special item: ‘Fragment of the Amethyst Stone.’

  "Oh?" Ye Tianxie pinched a tiny, sand-grain-sized stone between his thumb and index finger. Despite its minuscule size, it gleamed with a blinding purple light. A faint current of electricity crackled across his fingertips, causing a slight numbing sensation. Wisps of electric arcs danced on the surface of the stone, releasing a soft but distinct sizzling sound.

  Fragment of the Amethyst Stone:

  Originally a jade stone that had existed for thousands of years, it was struck by the energy unleashed during the battle between the Twelve Sages of the Lost Continent and the Eight Demon Kings, becoming infused with an immense concentration of lightning energy. The Tiger King inadvertently swallowed this stone, evolving into the Level 20 Lord-class Amethyst War Tiger, gaining the power of lightning. However, as it had not fully absorbed the stone's energy, this final fragment remained within its body.

  Effect: Upon consumption, Lightning Resistance permanently increases by 5%, and Lightning Magic damage is increased by 1%.

  Without hesitation, Ye Tianxie swallowed the Fragment of the Amethyst Stone. Items that could permanently enhance a character's attributes were extremely rare, their value immeasurable—a true priceless treasure.

  Ding... You have used ‘Fragment of the Amethyst Stone.’ Your Lightning Resistance has permanently increased by 5%. Lightning Magic damage is increased by 1%.

  The fully harvested corpse of the Amethyst War Tiger vanished from the ground. Ye Tianxie stood up and gazed ahead. In the distance, the once-sealed stone gate was now wide open. A satisfied smirk appeared on his face as he stepped inside.

  The moment he crossed the threshold, a soft chime echoed in his ears. His vision was instantly flooded with blinding white light, and the surrounding environment shifted rapidly.

  In the blink of an eye, he found himself back outside the Beginner Village. Holding the Proof of Abyssal Trial Completion, he strode into the village, heading directly toward the village chief.

  "Village Chief, I’m back," Ye Tianxie greeted warmly.

  Upon seeing him, the village chief’s eyes lit up, just like before. However, instead of speaking immediately, he scrutinized Ye Tianxie from head to toe before nodding. "Not bad... You took much longer than I expected... Heh heh, now you should understand—it's absolutely impossible to clear the Abyssal Trial, right? But don’t worry, just lasting as long as you did already proves you’re an impressive—"

  The chief’s words suddenly halted. His old eyes widened in shock, staring fixedly at Ye Tianxie’s chest. He remained frozen for a long while before stammering, "B-Brave... the Badge of the Brave... You… You actually cleared the Abyssal Trial? T-This... this this..."

  NPCs in the world of "Destiny" cannot hear system notifications, so the village chief had no idea that Ye Tianxie had actually cleared the Abyssal Trial—he had never even considered it as a possibility.

  No one understood the sheer difficulty of the Abyssal Trial better than the village chief. He knew every detail, including the final boss, the invincible Amethyst War Tiger. Given the strength limitations within Beginner Village, even a full party of twelve players—or even dozens or hundreds—stood zero chance of defeating it.

  And yet, Ye Tianxie—a single player—had somehow succeeded.

  Though the village chief had encouraged Ye Tianxie and even provided him with some assistance, it was only because he admired him—he never actually believed he could pass the trial.

  After all, only by clearing the Abyssal Trial could one obtain the Badge of the Brave!

  "Yes, and I must thank you, Village Chief," Ye Tianxie replied with a smile. "Without your help, I wouldn’t have stood a chance."

  Indeed, if not for the 20 special recovery potions the village chief had given him, and the special item recommended by Yuan Que, he might have cleared the earlier trials, but there was no way he could have defeated the Amethyst War Tiger.

  The village chief stared at him blankly for a long time, his shocked expression finally easing back into normalcy. He shook his head solemnly, saying, "No... I know exactly what Yuan Lao had in his possession. Even if you took everything, without exceptional ability, there’s absolutely no way you could have defeated the Abyssal Trial’s powerful foes."

  He paused, then sighed with deep emotion. "I always believed you would become an outstanding warrior... but I still underestimated you. You are only the second person in all these years to obtain the Badge of the Brave. Witnessing this miracle with my own eyes... I am truly overjoyed."

  The village chief's expression turned serious as he continued, "Now, my greatest wish is to see you one day obtain the legendary Hero’s Badge and Warlord’s Badge, then set foot upon the Tower of Destiny."

  "Hero’s Badge… Warlord’s Badge… Tower of Destiny?" Ye Tianxie echoed, his gaze filled with curiosity.

  The village chief lifted his head slightly, lost in thought for a brief moment, before speaking.

  "Since you have earned the Badge of the Brave, you are now qualified to know this information."

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  He let out a sigh before continuing.

  "Years ago, when the Eight Demon Kings wreaked havoc across the Lost Continent, the Twelve Sages managed to seal them within the Tower of Destiny using the power of the Eternal Clock of Fate. The Tower of Destiny has 111 floors, each one imprisoning countless creatures—every single one of them a ferocious beast or monstrous demon. The higher the floor, the stronger the seal, and the more terrifying the creatures within."

  "The Tower of Destiny stands at the very center of the Lost Continent. It is sustained and powered by the core of this land’s energy—the Eternal Clock of Fate."

  "However, three years ago, the Eternal Clock of Fate suddenly vanished from the tower’s peak. Its disappearance weakened the tower’s seals day by day. Eventually, a massive surge of demonic energy erupted from the tower's summit—the unmistakable aura of the Eight Demon Kings. Before long, they all escaped... and vanished without a trace."

  The village chief sighed again before continuing.

  "During the battle against the Eight Demon Kings, five of the Twelve Sages perished. The remaining seven disappeared afterward, their whereabouts unknown. Without the energy core, the Lost Continent is now drowning in growing demonic energy, and natural disasters have become more frequent. Countless people have sought the Eternal Clock of Fate, hoping to uncover what transpired within the Tower of Destiny."

  "Thus, countless warriors ventured inside… but none ever returned. Eventually, the Tower of Destiny was completely sealed off—ordinary people are now forbidden from stepping inside. It has become a true forbidden zone."

  Ye Tianxie: "..."

  "To enter the Tower of Destiny, one must possess the Badge of the Brave, the Hero’s Badge, and the Warlord’s Badge. Without all three, entering is nothing but suicide."

  "Finally, one warrior—after enduring a trial akin to hell itself—gathered all three badges and entered the Tower of Destiny."

  "However... he still failed to reach the tower’s peak. At the 80th floor, he nearly perished and was forced to retreat."

  "That man is the current strongest warrior of the Lost Continent, a fighter whose power rivals that of the Twelve Sages themselves—Nameless."

  The Tower of Fate is a terrifying place. Although the Eight Demon Kings are no longer there, countless demonic beasts and wicked entities have been sealed within for millennia, growing stronger with each ascending level. Only true warriors can enter. You have already experienced how difficult it is to obtain the Badge of the Brave, but acquiring the Hero’s Badge and the War God’s Badge is an even greater challenge. The trials are so grueling that they can easily drive one to despair. Yet, only those who can overcome such despairing trials can be called true champions.”

  Ye Tianxie listened quietly, gradually forming a picture of the Tower of Fate in his mind. The village chief could never have imagined that the missing Eternal Fate Mark was in his possession—no, that it had even become his weapon. Beneath his calm exterior, his heart pounded wildly once again. The core of this world's power, the key that sealed countless demons, why had it appeared on him? And in the real world, no less…

  It was left behind by her.

  Why!?

  “Oh la! I heard it… the Tower of Fate, the Tower of Fate… Master, Master, you have to go to the Tower of Fate!”

  Guoguo’s voice suddenly rang in his ears. First came her voice, then her tiny body slowly materialized, sitting cross-legged on Ye Tianxie’s shoulder in a most unladylike manner. She yawned, stretched, and looked half-asleep.

  “Why?” Ye Tianxie asked in a low voice.

  “Because… as soon as I heard about the Tower of Fate, I suddenly remembered—the Purple Fate Core of the Eternal Fate Mark is still at the top of the tower… Huh? That’s weird, why do I know that…? Why?” Guoguo bit her finger, puffed out her cheeks, and blinked as she tried hard to think of an answer.

  But as for how she knew… not even the gods could answer that.

  “Master… do you have any more apples?” Unable to figure it out, Guoguo instantly switched her focus, floating in front of Ye Tianxie and clutching the hem of his clothes, looking pitifully at him. She was just about ready to burst into tears if he didn’t give her one.

  Ye Tianxie had experienced firsthand just how deadly this little girl’s tearful assault could be. He had no desire to go through it again. Sighing in defeat, he pulled an apple from his inventory and shoved it into her hands.

  Guoguo let out a delighted squeal, hugged the apple, and floated back onto his shoulder, happily munching away.

  The village chief sighed deeply. “Young warrior… Perhaps… No, I believe that one day, you will be worthy of setting foot in the Tower of Fate. Now that you have obtained proof of passing the Abyss Trial, do you wish to be transported immediately to the mysterious Lost Continent? Only there will your journey in this world truly begin. It is a vast, beautiful, bountiful, and mysterious land, yet filled with dangers at every turn. You will first arrive at Tianchen City, one of the five great cities of the Lost Continent. That will be the true starting point for all outsiders like yourself. Have you made your decision? Once you leave… you will never be able to return.”

  “Never?” Ye Tianxie frowned. “Not even if I drop below level ten?”

  “No.” The village chief shook his head firmly. “Once you leave, you can never return. Even if your level drops to zero, you still cannot return. The Lost Continent is vast enough for you to spend a lifetime exploring. You may walk every inch of its land, you may even venture beyond it into unknown territories, but you will never return to this starting point. This is the law of this world, a rule that cannot be broken… unless you gain the power to shatter such rules.”

  Never return…?

  A thought flashed through Ye Tianxie’s mind—an odd hidden quest he had stumbled upon in the blacksmith’s shop. And that old woman, whose legs were sealed, had tasked him with collecting ten thousand wolf eyes. Although the rewards for the previous parts of her quest had been so abysmal that they made him want to slice her in half, his gut told him that the system wouldn’t design a completely meaningless, trap-like quest. Without seeing it through to the end, no one could say what awaited at its conclusion.

  But if he could never return to the beginner village, then this quest would truly become impossible to complete.

  “Village chief, is there any way to expand my inventory?” Ye Tianxie asked after some thought.

  “Tianchen City will have what you’re looking for. But here… no.” The chief shook his head.

  Ye Tianxie hesitated, then sighed. “Then, I won’t go to Tianchen City just yet. There are still some things I need to take care of.”

  The chief nodded approvingly. “That’s wise. Once you leave, you can never return. Think carefully about anything you may have overlooked. Oh, and…” His eyes suddenly lit up. “You should go see Yuan Que. If he sees that Badge of the Brave… he might just have a big surprise for you.”

  Yuan Que… that strange old man.

  “Alright, I’ll go now.” Ye Tianxie nodded and made his way toward the apothecary.

  “Yuan Que… I’m here. The village chief told me to come see you.” Ye Tianxie got straight to the point as he entered, deliberately puffing out his chest to make the Badge of the Brave clearly visible.

  Now, he finally understood—this badge was far more than just its surface attributes. Its hidden potential was already beginning to excite and astound him.

  “You brat…” Yuan Que cracked open one eye, but the moment he saw the badge, he abruptly shot up like a spring-loaded puppet. “The Badge of the Brave… You actually—”

  Ye Tianxie casually tapped the badge on his chest. “Eh, just casually passed some trial and ended up with this. Then the village chief told me to come chat with you.”

  Yuan Que’s reaction was even more exaggerated than the village chief’s, but he recovered just as quickly. Slumping back into his seat, he rubbed his nose and finally looked up, speaking words that made Ye Tianxie want to cough up blood:

  “You see, kid… I’m actually a master.”

  Ye Tianxie barely resisted the urge to spit in his face. He held back, waiting for him to continue.

  “Sigh… The village chief knows me too well. Truth is, I’ve been waiting for someone like you—someone worthy of obtaining the Badge of the Brave.”

  He paused for dramatic effect, then added in a grave tone, his expression heavy and his gaze distant, his voice slow and full of depth—

  “I am… truly a master.”