Chapter 1041: Heart’s Desire

“The Black Demon Swamp’s blood sacrifice failed this time, and they slunk away in disgrace. How satisfying!” Emperor Chunyu also laughed heartily.

Beside him, Emperor Tanpeng smiled slyly. “Dongbo Xueying has been in seclusion all this time and hasn’t gathered enough rare materials. According to what Master said earlier, Dongbo Xueying’s Nanyun Sacred Body is only at the eighth level. Yet he can execute ‘Shattering the Void,’ clearly mastering a ninth-level technique without relying on the Nanyun Sacred Body’s power. He truly comprehended this move. It seems that with his realm, once his Nanyun Sacred Body reaches the tenth level of perfection, mastering the two secret techniques is also within reach.”

“Hmm.”

“Indeed.”

Everyone present nodded in agreement.

With the Nanyun Sacred Body, mastering techniques of the same level becomes ten times easier, which is why this supreme art is so widely disseminated.

The Nanyun Monarch, with his discerning eye, immediately judged that Dongbo Xueying’s Nanyun Sacred Body was only at the eighth level.

“To master ‘Shattering the Void’ and ‘Heartblade of the Realm’ without relying on the Sacred Body,” the Nanyun Monarch said with a trace of satisfaction in his deep eyes, “and the void domain he unleashed must have been comprehended from that secret treasure spear. It has already reached tenth-level combat power. The Nanyun Twelve Styles provide detailed guidance, making it even easier for him. Once his Sacred Body reaches perfection, mastering the two secret techniques should be swift.”

“Congratulations, Master,” Emperor Tanpeng quickly added. “I’ll soon have a formidable junior brother.”

The other emperors and kings present couldn’t help but silently remark on how quick Emperor Tanpeng was to react.

“Dongbo Xueying is a peerless genius of the void lineage. If he becomes the Monarch’s disciple, he might even have a chance to become a Cosmic God.”

“In terms of the void lineage, there are only a handful in the entire Heart Realm Continent who can compare to the Monarch. For Dongbo Xueying to become his disciple would be a great fortune.”

“Congratulations, Monarch.”

One after another, they voiced their praise.

Even the Ying Mountain Matriarch offered her congratulations. They could all see the Nanyun Monarch’s beaming smile, clearly pleased with the prospect.

The Nanyun Monarch chuckled lightly. “Haha, a master chooses his disciple, but a disciple also chooses his master. Even if I am willing, it depends on Dongbo Xueying’s thoughts! After this battle, neighboring nations will surely hear of it, and even the Xia Wind Ancient Kingdom will take notice. There might be others vying to take him as a disciple.”

The Ying Mountain Matriarch understood immediately. “Monarch, I will go ask Xueying about his intentions.”

“Do not force him,” the Nanyun Monarch added.

Fifteen billion years of cultivation, and now at the tenth level of Chaos Realm combat power—such a peerless genius could immediately join the core ranks of any of the Six Ancient Kingdoms’ greatest factions.

—

The Black Demon Swamp’s blood sacrifice was of utmost concern to the four Black Demon nations.

The Huozhao Kingdom, Wofeng Kingdom, and Gouxue Kingdom had long been observing from afar through the Heaven-Mirror.

“Hmph, the Nanyun Monarch is too lucky. Why doesn’t my Gouxue Kingdom produce such a genius? With proper nurturing, the chances of becoming a Cosmic God are high. Then we’d have another powerful ally,” the Gouxue Monarch muttered, seated cross-legged on a jade bed. In the center of the hall was a massive pit filled with venomous snakes and insects tearing at each other.

Occasionally, the Gouxue Monarch tossed in rare treasures, inciting even greater frenzy among the creatures.

—

“How can such a genius emerge from a small place like the Nanyun Kingdom? Reaching the tenth level of the Chaos Realm in just fifteen billion years?” In the Xia Wind Ancient Kingdom, aside from the three supreme clans, there were many other families, many of which were backed by the three clans. Some of these families were no weaker than the entire Nanyun Kingdom, and naturally looked down upon it.

Few earned their respect—only those like the Ying Mountain Matriarch, who had reached the tenth level of the Chaos Realm, commanded their regard. As for the Nanyun Monarch? He was the leader of one of the Heart Realm Continent’s top ten sects, revered even within the Six Ancient Kingdoms.

Dongbo Xueying’s sudden rise naturally drew much attention. His cultivation speed ranked among the top twenty in the Xia Wind Ancient Kingdom’s history.

—

In Huolie City.

Within the Marquis’s estate, though there had been recent slaughter and casualties, the lineage had thrived for hundreds of millions of years, with countless descendants. The losses were but a fraction. Only the relatives and friends of the deceased grieved, while the estate buzzed with excitement over Dongbo Xueying’s stunning display of power.

“I heard Young Master Xueying is to be enfeoffed as a king.”

“A king? I thought it was a marquis?”

“Passing the ninth level of the Divine Soul Palace guarantees kingship. Young Master Xueying will surely be enfeoffed as a king. Do you know who his opponent was? A Demon Lord from the Black Demon Swamp!”

“A Demon Lord?”

“A Demon Lord from the Black Demon Swamp?”

Whispers and gasps spread everywhere.

In any of the four Black Demon nations, those with even a modicum of knowledge knew the terror of a Demon Lord. Each could slaughter a city with ease and wreak havoc. Many marquises would be crushed effortlessly before them. Yet Young Master Xueying fought one to a standstill?

Unbelievable!

“I always aimed to surpass Young Master Xueying, but now the goal is too high.” Many scions of noble families in Huolie City had once scoffed at Dongbo Xueying’s birthright, thinking talent at birth meant little. Now, they harbored no such thoughts.

When the gap grew insurmountable, envy faded, replaced by awe.

To rival a Demon Lord?

Demon Lords could battle Cosmic Gods. For Young Master Xueying to achieve this? Inconceivable!

—

Amid the outside clamor, Dongbo Xueying first dined with his parents and sister, chatting leisurely, then retreated alone to a lakeside pavilion to meditate.

Seated beneath the pavilion, a long spear resting across his knees, Dongbo Xueying closed his eyes, reflecting on the battle.

Outside, the world buzzed with activity. Many came bearing gifts, even families from the Nanyun Kingdom, congratulating him on his impending enfeoffment as a king—though not yet official, it was a foregone conclusion.

Yet Dongbo Xueying received none personally.

His strength and status permitted such aloofness.

His reluctance stemmed from a somber mood. The battle had exacted a heavy toll on the Marquis’s estate and Huolie City’s populace. Though a mere fraction of the city’s total population, the numbers were staggering. Each Unity Realm demon had slaughtered multitudes.

Dongbo Xueying had wished to slay those demon hordes, but doing so might have provoked the White Cloud Demon Lord into indiscriminate slaughter.

“Hmm?” Dongbo Xueying suddenly sensed something and turned.

A figure materialized in mid-air—the Ying Mountain Matriarch.

“Xueying,” she greeted warmly. Once she had called him “little one,” but now, acknowledging his strength, she dropped the diminutive.

“Ancestor.” Dongbo Xueying rose promptly, his respect for her undiminished.

“You gave me quite the scare,” the Ying Mountain Matriarch said with a smile. “The Monarch, the three emperors, and the other kings watched the events in Huolie City through the Heaven-Mirror. We wanted to intervene but couldn’t, forced to watch helplessly. Then you acted—and startled me anew.”

“I owe it to you for procuring the spearhead,” Dongbo Xueying replied. “Otherwise, I would have stood no chance against the White Cloud Demon Lord.”

Without the spearhead, the spear’s shaft, though bearing ninety percent of the inscriptions, would have been incomplete, making comprehension vastly harder. He would never have elevated the Crimson Cloud Domain to such potency—a technique mastered only shortly before emerging from seclusion.

“Worth it, utterly worth it,” the Ying Mountain Matriarch said. “That spear of yours—was it the Cloudsoar Sovereign’s weapon?”

“Yes,” Dongbo Xueying confirmed. “The shaft lacked only the spearhead. When I visited the capital’s treasure market, I sensed it and found the missing piece.”

“No wonder,” the Ying Mountain Matriarch murmured in realization. Then she added, “The Monarch has decreed your official enfeoffment in three days.”

Dongbo Xueying nodded. Expected.

“Also, the Monarch wishes to take you as his disciple,” the Ying Mountain Matriarch revealed the crux. “A personal disciple. To date, he has only five. You would be the sixth. A personal disciple is different—immediate rewards follow.”

Dongbo Xueying’s heart stirred.

The Nanyun Monarch as his master?

Rumor had it that disciples received the supreme life-preserving art, the “Doppelganger Technique,” surpassing even the complete “Crimson Cloud Combat Art.”