Following closely.
*Riiip~~~*
From the void within the secluded chamber where Dongbo Xueying had been in closed-door cultivation, a figure emerged—none other than the Lord of Nanyun Kingdom, clad in black robes.
“Black robes? Is this my master’s avatar?” Dongbo Xueying speculated silently. As the creator of the avatar technique, the Lord of Nanyun naturally possessed unparalleled mastery over such methods.
“You’ve mastered the *Five-Phase Sealing Art*? Quickly, show me!” the Lord of Nanyun urged eagerly.
“Yes, Master.”
Dongbo Xueying nodded, and five radiant beams of light manifested above him, enveloping most of the chamber.
The Lord of Nanyun gazed upward at the luminous display, his eyes filled with fascination as he murmured, “Five-Phase Sealing… Five-Phase Sealing… To think it could truly be mastered at the Chaos Realm level.”
Though he knew his disciple wouldn’t lie, the news had been so astonishing that he’d doubted his own ears.
The *Five-Phase Sealing Art* was the most formidable combat secret art of the Void lineage in his possession. Among the Six Ancient Kingdoms, four held this secret art. While those kingdoms, with their vast collections, might not prize it too highly, the Nanyun Kingdom—merely a second-rate nation—treasured it immensely. Moreover, its cultivation was notoriously difficult.
“Reaching the pinnacle of a single path at the Chaos Realm is already arduous, let alone five distinct paths,” the Lord of Nanyun mused, his heart surging with emotion. He himself had only obtained the *Five-Phase Sealing Art* after reaching the peak of his power and had cultivated it to perfection.
He admitted that, had he been at the Chaos Realm, he likely wouldn’t have succeeded.
To his knowledge, only one peerless genius from the Motian Ancient Kingdom had ever mastered the *Five-Phase Sealing Art* at the Chaos Realm. Just one!
“Good, very good,” the Lord of Nanyun praised, his eyes brimming with approval as he regarded Dongbo Xueying.
“Here are the *Five-Phase Pearls*,” the Lord of Nanyun said, producing a bracelet adorned with five black beads, each faintly glowing with distinct auras. His expression turned nostalgic. “Shortly after obtaining the *Five-Phase Sealing Art*, I forged these pearls. I’ve long wished to bestow them upon a worthy successor, but I waited… and waited… until now. At last, the *Five-Phase Pearls* have found their master.”
The pearls floated toward Dongbo Xueying, who reached out and took them.
With a brief mental probe—
*Hum.*
Each pearl contained an inner world, corresponding to one of the five phases.
Sensing the profound mysteries within the pearls, Dongbo Xueying suddenly looked up in shock. “Master, this… this…”
He had assumed they were merely Chaos Realm Tenth Layer treasures, but upon inspection, he realized the *Five-Phase Pearls* surpassed that level entirely. Their value rivaled—if not exceeded—that of the *Crimson Cloud Divine Spear*. Each of the five pearls was equivalent to a powerful secret treasure in its own right.
Ordinary Chaos Realm Tenth Layer treasures typically ranged from 500 million to 1 billion cosmic crystals.
Cosmic God-level treasures usually cost between 5 billion and 10 billion cosmic crystals.
The *Five-Phase Pearls*, if merely Tenth Layer treasures, would have cost around 2 billion cosmic crystals in materials alone, given his master’s craftsmanship.
But Dongbo Xueying now realized these pearls were far beyond that tier—their true worth was likely tenfold.
“Hahaha…” The Lord of Nanyun laughed heartily. “I never imagined the first disciple under my tutelage to master the *Five-Phase Sealing Art* would be a Chaos Realm cultivator.”
Dongbo Xueying understood.
Mastering five paths simultaneously was likely easier for a Cosmic God.
“But these are far too precious,” Dongbo Xueying couldn’t help but protest.
“Take them. You are my disciple,” the Lord of Nanyun said with a smile. “Your strength is the strength of my Nanyun Sacred Sect. Moreover… with your mastery of five paths at such a level, your ascension to Cosmic God is all but assured.”
Dongbo Xueying nodded and accepted the gift.
“Additionally, now that you’ve mastered the *Five-Phase Sealing Art*, I entrust the matter of the Heavenly Sword Dao’s incursion into our Black Devil Four Kingdoms entirely to you,” the Lord of Nanyun said with a grin. “Act boldly. I stand behind you.”
“Yes, Master,” Dongbo Xueying acknowledged.
—
The next day.
*Roar~~~*
A pitch-black scaled demonic dragon let out a thunderous cry as it coiled majestically above the Nanyun Sacred Hall. Upon its colossal back stood a white-robed youth.
“Let’s go. To the Heavenly Sword Dao Hall,” Dongbo Xueying commanded.
*Whoosh.*
The dragon slithered through the void with astonishing speed.
Soon.
Above another part of the capital of the Huozhao Kingdom, the Heavenly Sword Dao Hall, the massive serpentine dragon emerged from the void, hovering ominously in the sky. The white-robed youth stood atop it, gazing down imperiously.
“Still under construction?” Dongbo Xueying’s sharp eyes took in the seemingly intact hall below. Yet, he spotted numerous cultivators scattered about, inscribing formation runes. As a sacred hall in the capital, its formations had to withstand attacks from Tenth Layer Chaos Realm experts—comparable in might to his own *Flying Snow City*.
Flying Snow City had taken nearly 100 million years to build, primarily due to its formations.
The Heavenly Sword Dao Hall’s physical structure was easy to erect; a Chaos Realm expert could complete it overnight. But the formations required vast resources and meticulous inscription.
“Who’s that?”
“Daring to hover above the Heavenly Sword Dao Hall?”
“What do you know? That demonic dragon alone is worth over a billion cosmic crystals. That white-robed youth is none other than the Nanyun Sacred Sect’s peerless expert—Yingshan Xueying!”
Dongbo Xueying’s appearance quickly drew the attention of countless onlookers. Distant carriages halted mid-air, their occupants watching keenly—thankfully, cultivators’ vision was sharp.
*Boom~~~*
Standing atop the gargantuan dragon, Dongbo Xueying seemed minuscule, yet his voice thundered across millions of miles: “I, Yingshan Xueying, challenge the experts of the Heavenly Sword Dao. For your safety, I advise all to refrain from entering or exiting the hall during this time, lest you be caught in the crossfire.”
As he spoke, surging spatial fluctuations enveloped the entire perimeter of the Heavenly Sword Dao Hall.
The roiling void tides were so fierce that even an ordinary Eighth Layer Chaos Realm expert would be shredded by the *Crimson Cloud Domain*.
Though framed as a precaution, this was effectively a blockade.
Simple.
Defeat me, or cease your recruitment and teaching. Under such terrifying void tides, none would dare interfere. Dongbo Xueying was being merciful—unlike Changsu King, who hadn’t deployed a domain but instead slain disciples attempting to enter the Nanyun Sacred Hall, claiming innocent lives among the sect’s outer disciples.
“Wow!”
“He’s blockading them!”
“Yingshan Xueying is blockading the Heavenly Sword Dao Hall! How domineering!”
“Come quick!”
“Yingshan Xueying rode a demonic dragon to blockade the Heavenly Sword Dao Hall!”
Countless distant cultivators immediately spread the news, summoning friends and allies. In no time, swarms of experts converged, including scions of royal and noble families arriving in luxurious carriages, all eager to witness the spectacle.
Changsu King’s blockade had been mere provocation—after all, he was only a Ninth Layer expert.
But Dongbo Xueying’s blockade? This was a true clash of titans.
—
Outside, the scene was electric, with countless powerful figures gathering to witness the confrontation between the Heavenly Sword Dao and the Nanyun Sacred Sect—two of the Ten Great Sects of the Heart Realm Continent. This was an open challenge between sects, where face was at stake. Both sides would deploy their strongest, for defeat meant not personal shame, but the disgrace of their entire sect.
“How dare he? How dare he do this?” A purple-robed man—Thunderbolt King Mo Chao—glared furiously at the sky. “So what if he’s learned the *Crimson Cloud Combat Art*?”
*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.*
Figures materialized beside him: Prince Zhifeng, Raindust Wanderer, a black-clad expert, Hundred Battles War God Fan Chuhu, the Fire-Water Envoys, and others. All gazed upward.
“What should we do?” Thunderbolt King Mo Chao asked his companions.
“Don’t ask us,” Prince Zhifeng chuckled lightly. “We’re not disciples of the Heavenly Sword Dao. He’s challenging their experts—we can’t intervene.”
“We can’t act either. If a Fan Clan expert stepped in, what would that look like?” Fan Chuhu shook his head.
“Same for us,” the Fire-Water Envoys said. Though they served under the Heavenly Sword Monarch, they didn’t practice the Heavenly Sword Dao’s lineage.
This was a sect conflict.
In an open challenge, only disciples of the sect could respond. Outsiders stepping in would only invite ridicule that the sect lacked capable members.
“His defenses are formidable, and his movement techniques are exceptional. I can’t defeat him,” Thunderbolt King Mo Chao frowned. As one of the Heavenly Sword Dao’s two Guardian Disciples—a renowned Tenth Layer expert who’d even become a nominal disciple of an Ancient Kingdom’s patriarch—his pride demanded victory if he acted.
But with the *Crimson Cloud Combat Art*, Dongbo Xueying’s elusive movements made him virtually untouchable. Engaging him would only result in humiliation.
“Monarch,” Mo Chao contacted the Heavenly Sword Monarch via transmission.
“If he’s blockading, we have no choice but to respond. Go. Even if you can’t win, make the battle appear dignified. Don’t disgrace us,” the monarch replied.
“Understood.”
Mo Chao steeled himself.
There was no alternative.
Like the Nanyun Sacred Sect, the Heavenly Sword Dao had only a handful of Tenth Layer disciples—perhaps ten, including those from external kingdoms. Among them, none could truly defeat Yingshan Xueying. The *Crimson Cloud Combat Art* was a Fan Clan secret art for a reason.
—
The colossal demonic dragon coiled menacingly above, surrounded by churning void tides. Standing atop it, the white-robed Dongbo Xueying glared downward and bellowed, “Is the Heavenly Sword Dao so lacking in courage that none dare face me?” His voice boomed across the heavens.
Silence fell below.
“Yingshan Xueying, your arrogance knows no bounds!” A furious voice finally rang out.
A purple-robed man soared into the sky, his expression icy as he hovered opposite the white-robed youth.
“It’s happening!”
“They’re about to fight!”
“It’s Thunderbolt King Mo Chao!”
“Mo Chao—one of the Heavenly Sword Dao’s two Guardian Disciples! He once defeated the ‘Jade Demon Monarch’ and even crossed the ‘Ten Tribulation Bridge’ in the Ancient Kingdom, gaining great fortune!”
Whispers erupted everywhere.
As the leader of the Heavenly Sword Dao’s incursion into the Black Devil Four Kingdoms, Thunderbolt King Mo Chao was renowned. Even Prince Zhifeng and others accorded him respect.
“So you’re Mo Chao?” Dongbo Xueying said.
“You dare blockade our hall? Such audacity! Enough talk—face me!” Mo Chao roared, his body transforming into a surging torrent of lightning and water, his sword gleaming like liquid as he lunged at Dongbo Xueying.
“Overestimating yourself.” Dongbo Xueying’s voice rumbled as he flipped his hand.
His palm expanded monstrously, five radiant auras swirling around his fingers as a colossal hand descended upon Mo Chao!
The lightning-water form of Mo Chao shuddered, attempting to flee.
But the gigantic hand enveloped him effortlessly.
*Five-Phase Sealing!*
Space—sealed!
No teleportation or escape art could breach it. The radiant hand clenched Mo Chao tightly.
“No! NO—!” Mo Chao struggled desperately, lightning and sword flashes erupting between the fingers.
“BREAK FREE!”
Blinding sword light and thunderbolts flared, but the *Five-Phase Sealing Art* left no gaps. Five Tenth Layer techniques combined flawlessly, rendering resistance futile. In all the Heart Realm Continent, few Chaos Realm experts could counter this—and Mo Chao was far from their league.
*Whoosh.*
To the stunned silence of countless spectators, Dongbo Xueying retracted his hand. The *Five-Phase Pearls* on his wrist glowed faintly as a fist-sized space—containing a thrashing, sword-wielding figure—was sucked into one of the pearls.
Each pearl housed a void world, perfect for imprisoning foes.
Dongbo Xueying deemed capture more beneficial than killing.
“This… this…”
Across the land, nobles in their carriages and countless onlookers stood dumbfounded. Many were powerful or high-ranking, well aware of Thunderbolt King Mo Chao’s might.
The vanquisher of the Jade Demon Monarch, conqueror of the Ten Tribulation Bridge, one of the Heavenly Sword Dao’s two Guardian Disciples—
Captured in a single palm?
“The *Five-Phase Sealing Art*?” Prince Zhifeng’s face paled within the hall. “The *Five-Phase Sealing Art*? How is that possible?”
“He actually mastered it? A Chaos Realm cultivator mastering the *Five-Phase Sealing Art*?” Hundred Battles War God Fan Chuhu stared upward. The last time he’d seen this art was during the Second Ancient Kingdom War.
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