Chapter 1048: A Painting

“Master, will the Heavenly Sword Sect send a Universe God?” Dongbo Xueying asked.

“Don’t worry,” the Lord of Nanyun Country smiled. “Sect rivalries are about reputation. Among Chaos Realm experts, our Nanyun Sacred Sect is stronger, naturally making countless cultivators believe it’s more suitable to join us. In such conflicts, if a Universe God bullies a Chaos Realm cultivator, even if they win, it doesn’t prove their sect’s superiority. And if they lose? That’s even more humiliating.”

Dongbo Xueying understood.

For a sect’s spread, reputation was crucial, which was why powerful overseers were essential.

Though Nanyun Sacred Sect had many experts—not just from their own country but also from other nations—the Heartworld Continent was vast. Assigning overseers required careful prioritization.

“The Black Fiend Four Nations have always been our primary territory for propagation. Though the Heavenly Sword Sect had some presence here before, they never made much noise or sent truly formidable experts. That’s why, until now, our Nanyun Sacred Sect’s experts were mainly stationed elsewhere to expand our influence,” the Lord of Nanyun Country explained. “Who would’ve thought they’d suddenly invade the Huozhao Nation of the Black Fiend Four Nations? Hmph. Since they dare to come, we must teach them a harsh lesson.”

“Can we kill them?” Dongbo Xueying asked.

“Go all out,” the Lord of Nanyun Country said. “But be cautious. On the surface, those who challenge you will be Heavenly Sword Sect experts. However, behind the scenes, there might be hidden attacks from experts of the Ancient Nations, even the Xiafeng Ancient Nation. Of course… no Universe God will appear. If they do, they’ll be breaking the rules, and I’ll intervene directly.”

“Understood.” Dongbo Xueying felt reassured.

What status did his master hold?

A legend among the great powers of the entire Heartworld Continent. As a sect master, he couldn’t act casually—it would be beneath his dignity! If a mere Chaos Realm cultivator provoked them and the sect master had to step in, countless cultivators would see it as proof that Nanyun Sacred Sect had no capable experts, that its Chaos Realm cultivators were too weak.

But if a Universe God dared to intervene, the Lord of Nanyun Country would be fully justified in striking back.

“Marquis Qu Ming will handle the details. All you need to do is act at the critical moment,” the Lord of Nanyun Country said, glancing at the tall, thin middle-aged man beside him. “Qu Ming, you can brief Xueying on the minor matters during the journey.”

“Yes,” Marquis Qu Ming replied respectfully.

“Xueying, now that your avatar is complete, have it temporarily reside in the capital. The safest place in all of Nanyun Country is here. No matter who attacks, I can guarantee your survival,” the Lord of Nanyun Country said with confidence. Elsewhere, against invincible beings like Patriarch Fan, he could only flee. But in the capital, which he had fortified over countless ages with endless treasures, he feared no one in a one-on-one fight.

“Understood.” Dongbo Xueying nodded.

The safety of Feixue City wasn’t a concern.

As a major city, even the Black Fiend Great Marsh’s blood sacrifices wouldn’t dare target it—the Lord of Nanyun Country would never allow it. Anyone foolish enough to try would face his immediate wrath. Though he had compromised with the Black Fiend Great Marsh, it was only for minor cities, and even then, such incidents were rare.

—

Dongbo Xueying set off with his servant, the Demon Dragon, and Marquis Qu Ming. Using Void Transference, they arrived directly in the wilderness outside Huozhao Nation’s capital.

“Though Huozhao Nation is chaotic and weak, this is still its capital. Using Void Transference to enter directly would alert them immediately and cause unnecessary trouble,” Marquis Qu Ming explained.

Dongbo Xueying nodded.

Even in the weaker formations of the Chaos Void, his former sect, the Voidsky Palace, could detect Void Transference. Huozhao Nation was no exception.

The two flew toward the city gates, the Demon Dragon obediently following.

“Marquis Qu Ming, just let me know what you need me to do. I’m not well-versed in sect propagation,” Dongbo Xueying said.

“Haha, don’t worry. If there’s anything I need Brother Feixue to handle, I’ll arrange it in advance. As for the rest? Act freely. Anything that boosts Nanyun Sacred Sect’s reputation is good. Even displaying terrifying power that intimidates countless cultivators is beneficial—they’ll be more eager to join us,” Marquis Qu Ming said.

Dongbo Xueying understood.

As long as he didn’t disgrace Nanyun Sacred Sect, it was fine. Boosting their reputation was even better.

Simple enough.

Side by side, they entered Huozhao Nation’s capital.

“Hmm?” The moment Dongbo Xueying stepped inside, his spatial senses detected lingering traces of bloodshed and slaughter.

“Huozhao Nation is, in truth, the weakest. Many fiends from the Black Fiend Great Marsh reside here,” Marquis Qu Ming explained. “Even in the capital, killings happen frequently. If you escape quickly and avoid immediate detection by the army, you’ll be fine. Those with significant backing can kill without consequence—even if the army finds out, they won’t pursue it. Of course, since many Black Fiend fiends live here, they don’t want complete chaos, so they restrain their subordinates. Overall, it’s relatively stable… for Huozhao Nation, at least.”

“But precisely because it’s chaotic, countless cultivators here crave strength even more,” Marquis Qu Ming added with a smile.

Dongbo Xueying nodded.

Just as his body contained traces of powerful bloodlines, the Heartworld Continent teemed with experts. Over endless ages, even descendants of Universe Gods could become ordinary citizens if they were weak. Through generations of intermarriage, nearly every commoner carried some trace of formidable bloodlines—though extremely diluted.

They could cultivate through bloodlines, the Void Path, or other common methods.

At that point, it all came down to a sect’s appeal.

—

Nanyun Sacred Sect’s temple in Huozhao Nation’s capital was the grandest in the entire nation.

After all, the capital was the largest city, housing nearly half the nation’s population. The temple was vast and imposing. Yet now—

“Hahaha, Nanyun Sacred Sect, are you all just hiding inside?”

“Too scared to face our Heavenly Sword Sect?”

“Pathetic.”

Outside the temple, over a dozen cultivators jeered, their voices booming across the surroundings.

The Nanyun Sacred Temple had activated its formations, layers of defensive barriers shielding it as its members stubbornly refused to emerge.

“Why is the Nanyun Sacred Temple closed? I wanted to seek guidance from my master,” a young cultivator muttered in confusion. The crowd around him was large, and an elder nearby quickly warned, “Don’t go. Any Nanyun Sacred Sect disciple who tries to enter for training is executed on the spot by these Heavenly Sword Sect members.”

“What? Executed?” The young man was shocked.

“Several have already died. At first, some disciples didn’t know and tried to enter for training. The Heavenly Sword Sect experts killed them all,” the elder said.

“Is Nanyun Sacred Sect just going to take this?”

“What can they do? Look—the entire temple is sealed, formations activated, completely locked down,” the elder scoffed.

“This is too cowardly,” the young man grumbled. “Getting bullied by the Heavenly Sword Sect in the Black Fiend Four Nations… Is Nanyun Sacred Sect failing? I paid cosmic crystals to train here.”

With branches across the Heartworld Continent, these disciples were merely outer sect members.

Joining for training and then defecting to another sect was common. Outer sect disciples… were only retained through active recruitment by the sects.

“The Heavenly Sword Sect experts are formidable. Maybe I should check them out. Training there might make me stronger.”

Whispers spread through the crowd.

Huozhao Nation was lawless—survival of the fittest.

Seeing Nanyun Sacred Sect humiliated, forced to hide behind formations, made them seem weak.

If this lasted, the damage to their reputation would only worsen.

“Hmm?”

In the distance, Dongbo Xueying, accompanied by the Demon Dragon and Marquis Qu Ming, approached. They seemed to move casually, yet in a flash, they were already nearby.

“Who’s that?”

Among the Heavenly Sword Sect experts—all at the Unity Realm except for their leader, a ninth-level Chaos Realm expert named Changsu Wang—the latter immediately recognized the white-robed youth.

“That’s Ying Shan Xueying?”

Though startled, Changsu Wang wasn’t afraid.

The Heavenly Sword Sect’s propagation relied on their supreme “Heavenly Sword Indestructible Body,” which he had mastered to the tenth level. Even a Universe God would struggle to kill him, let alone this Ying Shan Xueying.

“Are you Ying Shan Xueying, the personal disciple of the Lord of Nanyun Country?” Changsu Wang called out loudly. The Heavenly Sword Sect Unity Realm experts quickly gathered behind him.

“Ying Shan Xueying?”

“The Lord of Nanyun Country’s personal disciple?”

“The one who reached the tenth level of the Chaos Realm in just 1.5 billion years? The one who fought the White Cloud Demon Lord to a standstill?”

Discussions erupted in the distance. Ying Shan Xueying’s reputation in the Black Fiend Four Nations was considerable.

“Listen well. Nanyun Sacred Sect should withdraw from Huozhao Nation quietly. Otherwise, what happened to those ordinary disciples will be just the beginning,” Changsu Wang declared, his voice resounding. “Let’s go.”

With that, he turned to leave.

He knew he was no match for Ying Shan Xueying, but escaping was well within his capabilities.

“Leaving?”

Dongbo Xueying let out a cold snort.

The sound reverberated in Changsu Wang’s mind, instantly dragging him into an illusion.

Though a ninth-level Chaos Realm expert, Changsu Wang’s true soul strength was only at the eighth level in the Chaos Void. Against Dongbo Xueying’s illusion technique, he had no resistance. In that defenseless state, a mere thought from Dongbo Xueying shattered his soul, killing him instantly.

The illusion technique made its debut—stunningly effective!

Of course, this only worked against experts like Changsu Wang, who relied on external means to reach the ninth level. Against true tenth-level Chaos Realm experts, his illusions would fall short.

—

Though it seemed slow, it happened in an instant.

Changsu Wang had just shouted, “Let’s go,” and his group of Heavenly Sword Sect Unity Realm experts prepared to follow.

Then, Dongbo Xueying’s illusion crushed Changsu Wang’s soul. In the same moment, he waved his hand.

Whoosh!

His palm glowed faintly, crystalline like white jade. The space before him was torn open—Changsu Wang and his dozen subordinates were flattened, the entire area transforming into… a painting.

A scroll flew into Dongbo Xueying’s hand, depicting Changsu Wang and his men frozen in lifeless stupor. Had Changsu Wang’s soul been intact, his Heavenly Sword Indestructible Body would’ve allowed him to resist or even break free.

But he was already dead before being sealed.

The painting also expelled several treasures, which Dongbo Xueying collected.

“Hang this on the outer wall of Nanyun Sacred Temple,” he said, handing the scroll to the stunned Marquis Qu Ming.

“Y-Yes.” Marquis Qu Ming nodded rapidly, eyes wide as he stared at the painting. This was terrifyingly powerful.

“Remember, reinforce it with formations. Let it hang there forever. This is the fate of those who dare provoke Nanyun Sacred Sect,” Dongbo Xueying declared. With formations protecting it, not even a tenth-level Chaos Realm expert could damage or remove the painting. It would remain on display indefinitely.

Illusion techniques.

Plus the Nanyun Sacred Twelve Styles secret art—”Beautiful as a Painting.”