“Good thing I only need minor mastery, not major mastery, let alone perfection!” Dongbo Xueying thought to himself. This supreme technique was divided into three levels: minor mastery, major mastery, and perfection!
The Five-Phase Sealing Art had indeed consumed much of Dongbo Xueying’s focus. After creating the nine-layered techniques in the Void Illusion Realm, most of his attention had shifted to the Path of the Void.
His foundation was profound.
The ‘Heaven Phase’ was the path taken by the Void Ancestor in his previous life. The lineage of ‘Void Walkers’ were absolute darlings of the void. Even his master, Gu Qi, who hadn’t comprehended the ‘Boundary-Breaking Teleportation Art,’ could perform ultra-long-distance spatial shifts! Across unimaginable distances, he could forcibly manipulate vast stretches of the void, achieving an almost absurd level of control. The Heaven Phase represented this large-scale manipulation of the void.
The ‘Earth Phase,’ however, was a completely different path—one of materialization. Yet, during his trillion-year journey through the ‘Labyrinth Corridor,’ Dongbo Xueying had observed its structure, witnessing the void solidify into ancient void trees and even give birth to eggs from which the Destruction Demons emerged. With a trillion years of contemplation, his understanding of this aspect was deep, allowing him to master the Earth Phase relatively quickly.
The ‘Storm Phase’ shared many similarities with the Red Cloud Combat Art, following the same path. Dongbo Xueying’s Red Cloud Combat Art had already reached the pinnacle of the Chaos Realm, with no further room for advancement. Thus, mastering this phase came naturally.
The ‘Mist Phase’ was more troublesome, partially resembling the ‘Graceful as Painting’ technique from the Twelve Forms of the Southern Cloud Sage, which was why it had taken him until now to cultivate it.
The ‘True Phase’… was the only one he hadn’t mastered yet!
At Dongbo Xueying’s current level of cultivation, just a step away from becoming a Cosmic God, the Path of the Void could be divided into no more than a handful of directions. Thus, the Five Phases already encompassed the vast majority of paths within the void!
—
In the Firelight Nation, the Heavenly Sword Dao Hall occupied a vast area. Within one of its mansions…
“Gentlemen, our Heavenly Sword Dao has suffered significant losses—one of our Kings has fallen!” Thunder King ‘Mo Chao,’ clad in purple robes, sat cross-legged as his gaze swept over the two figures beside him. One had dark-red skin, curved horns, and was voraciously consuming various strange metals and stones—his preferred sustenance. The other was even more bizarre, shrouded entirely in a black robe filled with swirling dark mist, within which insects flitted about. His eyes were clusters of red insects.
These two were special envoys.
The one devouring metals and stones hailed from the Fan Clan of the Summerwind Ancient Nation—one of the three terrifying great clans of that nation, and the only one that paid attention to external affairs. The other two clans couldn’t be bothered.
The black-robed figure, meanwhile, came from the Myriad Realms Ancient Nation.
“We’ve seen that painting,” the black-robed figure rasped in a low voice. “Your Changsu King of the Heavenly Sword Nation has truly become a painting. Graceful as painting, indeed.”
Mo Chao, also a King of the Heavenly Sword Nation, couldn’t help but feel a surge of anger.
“‘Graceful as Painting’ couldn’t achieve this. It must be a soul technique or some unique treasure,” the dark-red-skinned expert said casually, crunching on his metallic meal. “If you ask me, your Heavenly Sword Nation should’ve sent a tenth-level Chaos Realm expert to test him. I refuse to believe a tenth-level expert wouldn’t uncover his secrets.”
Mo Chao ignored him.
Send a tenth-level expert?
Losing a ninth-level expert was one thing—the Heavenly Sword Dao could absorb that. But losing a tenth-level expert? The cost would be far too great.
“Given our Heavenly Sword Dao’s losses, it’s time for you two to act,” Mo Chao pressed.
“I’ll send some of my children to scout him first,” the black-robed figure said coolly.
“Exactly. We need to understand him before we can formulate a plan for a decisive victory,” the dark-red-skinned expert agreed between bites. “No need to rush. Given the Southern Cloud Monarch’s habits, he’s a schemer. He plays the long game, stacking small victories into major ones. This Ying Shan Xueying is too young. Being sent first, he’s likely just a vanguard.”
“True.”
Mo Chao and the black-robed figure nodded in agreement.
Infiltration into the Four Black Demon Nations was already difficult. They had prepared thoroughly, but they hadn’t expected the Southern Cloud Monarch’s ‘vanguard’ to be so formidable!
—
Dongbo Xueying’s cultivation in the Illusory Realm of the Void had hit a wall, with no further progress possible without a treasure. His Path of the Void’s ‘Five-Phase Sealing Art’ was missing just one phase, while ‘Void Transformation Perfection’ was even more challenging.
His cultivation had entered a bottleneck.
Leaving the Southern Cloud Sacred Hall, Dongbo Xueying wandered the capital of the Firelight Nation.
“Where are the most famous places for food and wine in the capital?” Before setting out, he had asked Marquis Qu Ming, who was well-informed and promptly provided him with a detailed list.
“Contact me if anything comes up.”
Thus, accompanied by his demonic dragon servant, he strolled leisurely through the city.
He visited eateries of all kinds—humble roadside taverns, grand and opulent restaurants, even bustling pleasure districts—so long as they served fine food and drink, Dongbo Xueying sampled them all.
“Fifth stop.” In high spirits from indulging in delicacies and wines, Dongbo Xueying arrived at a small tavern. The frustration of his bottleneck had long since dissipated, leaving him utterly relaxed and carefree.
“Delicious.”
“Excellent. I should buy more of this wine to take with me.” Dongbo Xueying savored every bite.
His demonic dragon servant, reluctantly seated beside him, was forced to join in the feast.
The tavern was modest, with only a single floor, yet business was booming. With his Southern Cloud Sacred Body perfected, Dongbo Xueying’s aura was as muted as a mortal’s. His servant, though also suppressing his aura, was less adept—Unity Realm experts could still sense his presence. The tavern’s manager, awed, seated them at the best spot inside.
Midway through their meal…
“Out!”
“Get out, all of you!”
“Our master has reserved this tavern. Everyone else, scram!”
A group of Unity Realm experts stormed in, shouting. The patrons, terrified, scrambled to leave.
“Unity Realm experts, and they’re just lackeys?”
“Their master must be someone important.”
Most patrons were ordinary cultivators, with few even at the Unity Realm. Survival in the Firelight capital demanded sharp instincts—knowing when to flee was key!
“You two, get out!” The Unity Realm experts pointed at Dongbo Xueying and his servant, who remained seated.
Dongbo Xueying frowned.
His servant rose abruptly, his aura erupting—a terrifying, savage force radiating outward. The surge of power, reaching the ninth level of the Chaos Realm, turned the Unity Realm experts pale. The burly, humanoid demonic dragon roared, “Scram!”
At that moment, an extravagant carriage descended from the sky.
“The master’s here.”
“We’re in trouble.”
The Unity Realm lackeys paled but hurried outside to bow in welcome. The carriage was surrounded by guards and attended by beauties. Seated within were two men: one, a strikingly handsome and eerie figure exuding Chaos Realm aura; the other, a resplendent youth in green robes, merely at the Unity Realm.
“What’s the matter?” the green-robed youth asked coolly.
“Your Highness, there are guests inside who refuse to leave. One is a Chaos Realm expert,” a servant hastily replied.
“A Chaos Realm expert? Daring to act arrogantly in the Firelight capital?” The green-robed youth sneered. As the seventh prince of the Firelight Nation, he held little regard for such figures—especially when hosting a personal disciple of the ‘Blood Demon Patriarch’ from the Black Demon Abyss, a ninth-level Chaos Realm expert.
But the handsome, eerie man beside him stiffened, his eyes locking onto the burly servant and the white-robed youth inside the tavern. His heart pounded.
“It’s him?” The man panicked.
Though the Southern Cloud Monarch and the three patriarchs of the Black Demon Abyss had reached compromises, their factions never ceased fighting. The Black Demon Abyss frequently launched attacks, even bloody massacres, while the Southern Cloud, Gou Xue, and Wo Feng Nations, led by the Summerwind Ancient Nation, retaliated in kind.
“Brother Xueying, my apologies for the disturbance,” the eerie man called out loudly, then urgently whispered to the prince, “We must leave. That’s Ying Shan Xueying.”
“What?”
The prince’s face drained of color.
As they prepared to depart, three multicolored insects materialized from the void, burrowing into three of the guards. The guards shuddered, then turned their gazes toward the white-robed youth calmly sipping wine inside.
Dongbo Xueying, who had been ignoring the commotion, now frowned and looked up at the three guards.
His void senses told him the strange insects had infiltrated the guards’ bodies—they were already dead. The poison had struck too swiftly for him to save them.
“You dare defy our master?”
“Scram!”
The three guards snarled as they marched into the tavern.
The prince and the eerie man on the carriage stared in shock.
“Fools! Get back here now!” the prince roared via mental transmission. The eerie man, however, sensed danger. “This is bad.”
“Disrespecting our master? You seek death?” The guards advanced rapidly, closing in on Dongbo Xueying in mere steps.
Dongbo Xueying set down his cup and met their gaze.
A ripple of invisible force erupted.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The three guards disintegrated instantly, vanishing into nothingness—revealing the three insects, unharmed, having withstood the crushing force of Dongbo Xueying’s Red Cloud Domain.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage