In the capital of the Xia Wind Ancient Nation, within the Fan Clan’s Demon Mountain.
Dongbo Xueying and the Sky-Rending Venerable enjoyed each other’s company as host and guest. The Sky-Rending Venerable stood up and said with a laugh, “Haha, Brother Feixue, you may cultivate here beneath the Heart-Searing Divine Tree and experience its wonders for yourself.”
“Thank you, Venerable,” Dongbo Xueying replied.
“Haha, it’s nothing,” the Sky-Rending Venerable chuckled before departing, taking his attendants with him.
Returning to his palace, the Sky-Rending Venerable seated himself upon his throne, gazing down from above.
“Venerable,” Sovereign Kuichen said respectfully. “King Salong has already been sent back. As for Guest Elder Feixue, shall I arrange his return to the Nanyun Nation?”
“He is cultivating beneath the Heart-Searing Divine Tree and will likely stay for a full year,” the Sky-Rending Venerable replied with a mysterious smile. He had mentioned a year or so, but in his estimation, once one experienced the tree’s wonders, they would inevitably linger for the full duration—perhaps even longer. However, when the time came, he would personally appear to see his guest off.
“The Heart-Searing Divine Tree?” Sovereign Kuichen was shocked. “This… to grant him access to it… this…”
“His origins are extraordinary. Back then, even when my master personally sought to take him as a disciple, he refused. At the time, I thought him too immature, but now it seems he had his reasons. To possess a Chaos Realm void-transformation technique of the highest order suggests he has access to powerful secret teachings. If his past life held a high enough status, some of these techniques could be shared!” The Sky-Rending Venerable laughed. “Once he tastes the benefits of the Heart-Searing Divine Tree, especially as a practitioner of the ‘Illusory Realm of the Void’ path, he will surely wish to cultivate here for an extended period. Hmph, the merits of a guest elder are not enough to earn time beneath the Heart-Searing Divine Tree! If he wants it, he must offer something that truly tempts our Fan Clan. Even if we gain nothing, it’s just a year or so—no great loss.”
Sovereign Kuichen understood.
The Sky-Rending Venerable, however, was confident. He was certain that this Ying Shan Xueying would covet the Heart-Searing Divine Tree!
“This time, I plan to enter the Source World Temple. I must prepare thoroughly to show my sincerity to Senior Brother Lutian,” the Sky-Rending Venerable said.
“Yes,” Sovereign Kuichen replied with a respectful nod.
—
The squat, thick Heart-Searing Divine Tree was carved from deep purple jade, its massive canopy casting shade below.
Beneath the tree, a white-robed youth sat cross-legged.
Dongbo Xueying was well aware of the Sky-Rending Venerable’s intentions. The Heart-Searing Divine Tree was a treasure that had greatly aided even Patriarch Fan in his cultivation. Normally, only the six Venerables of the Fan Clan took turns using it! He had never even heard of it before—likely, even his master, the Nanyun Nation’s ruler, was unaware of its existence. Of course, it was possible that his master, not being a practitioner of the soul path, had never been tempted by it.
The Sky-Rending Venerable had allowed him to cultivate here for a “year or so,” clearly confident in the tree’s allure.
“Let me see just how miraculous this Heart-Searing Divine Tree truly is,” Dongbo Xueying thought as he immersed himself in cultivation. He absorbed the tree’s aura to nourish his soul while simultaneously contemplating the mysteries of the ‘Illusory Realm of the Void.’ His golden-robed clone in the Nanyun capital did the same.
Though he sought to become a Cosmic God, he was in no rush. A year or so was but a fleeting moment for a powerful cultivator.
He had to seize this opportunity, devoting himself fully to cultivation and experiencing every nuance.
“Comfortable.”
His soul felt light, and he could sense it slowly strengthening. Though the progress was gradual, if this enhancement continued for a year, the cumulative effect would be astonishing!
Gradually, his mind settled.
The mysteries of the Illusory Realm of the Void surfaced in his thoughts, and he began to ponder them deeply.
“Hmm?”
After just a few breaths of contemplation, Dongbo Xueying sensed something extraordinary. As he focused, his soul, nourished by the tree’s aura, began to experience a ‘burning’ sensation. The more intensely he delved into his cultivation, the stronger the burning became. Yet, paradoxically, the burning elevated his mind to a state of transcendent clarity, and insights into the Illusory Realm of the Void flowed like a spring.
“An elevation of the mind?” Dongbo Xueying felt as though he were omnipotent in this state, gaining profound understanding of his own psyche.
His mind had reached a state of transcendent perfection.
With this heightened awareness of his own soul, the ‘Illusory Realm of the Void’—a path intrinsically tied to the soul and mind—naturally advanced toward greater completion.
“Truly miraculous.”
“Incredible.” Dongbo Xueying was awestruck.
The sensation was intoxicating.
He had once believed that the third level of mental cultivation, ‘My Heart as the Heart of Heaven,’ was the pinnacle—and indeed, in ordinary cultivation, even in the Heart Realm Continent, it was considered the highest. Yet, with the aid of the Heart-Searing Divine Tree, his mind seemed to ascend to an even loftier realm. Detached, beyond joy or sorrow, he observed his own soul from a higher perspective, dissecting it to refine his understanding of the Illusory Realm of the Void.
Of course, such cultivation still required the foundation of past accumulation.
Moreover, the benefits were greatest for the soul. While this mental state could aid in other areas of cultivation, the effects were not as dramatic. Only in matters of the soul was the enhancement so profound.
“My Illusory Realm of the Void has so many shortcomings,” Dongbo Xueying mused. Having mastered the Demon Heart Bell, he knew the path to the tenth layer of the illusory world and his ultimate goal. Yet, breaking through had always felt daunting. Now, however, inspiration flowed endlessly, revealing countless areas where immediate improvement was possible.
—
“My junior brother is truly a rising star! Impressive, impressive.” Emperor Greedy Roc and Emperor Chunyu walked side by side, traversing space with just a few teleportations before arriving outside the Feixue Villa.
The guards at the villa’s entrance, recognizing the visitors, immediately bowed in reverence. “Greetings, Your Excellencies!”
The Feixue Villa occasionally received guests, and Emperor Greedy Roc had visited before. The guards recognized him, and they had all been provided with intelligence on notable figures.
“Where is my junior brother?” Emperor Greedy Roc asked.
“His Highness is in seclusion and has given orders not to be disturbed unless the matter is urgent,” one guard replied respectfully. “Shall I relay your presence, Your Excellencies?”
To the guard, though the Flying Snow King ‘Ying Shan Xueying’ held high status, the visitors were two Cosmic Gods. Surely, even in seclusion, he would make an exception.
“Do not disturb him,” Emperor Greedy Roc commanded sternly.
“Yes!” The guard stiffened in alarm.
“Let’s go,” Emperor Greedy Roc said to Emperor Chunyu with a smile. “It seems that once my junior brother emerges, he will no longer be a king—but an emperor.”
Emperor Chunyu nodded in agreement. Their conversation was naturally shielded from eavesdropping.
—
In the Fan Clan’s Demon Mountain, beneath the squat, thick, deep-purple Heart-Searing Divine Tree, the white-robed youth remained seated in meditation. Nine months had passed in the blink of an eye! The nourishment and enhancement of his soul had ceased after nearly seven months, resulting in a roughly twenty percent improvement. Achieving the same through Hunyuan Essence would have cost billions of cosmic crystals.
Rustle, rustle…
Occasionally, a breeze sent deep-purple leaves drifting down.
Suddenly—
“Boom.”
The white-robed youth opened his eyes. Within them flickered the birth and evolution of all things, as if entire universes were unfolding in his gaze.
A blink later, his eyes returned to normal.
“I originally intended to break through to Cosmic God in the Void Path. Given the rarity of cultivating beneath the Heart-Searing Divine Tree, I focused on the Illusory Realm of the Void. Who would have thought… I’d actually break through in the Illusory Realm first?” Dongbo Xueying was both surprised and delighted. Though he had taken that final step in understanding the principles, he had not yet fully ascended.
Becoming a Cosmic God required a vast influx of cosmic energy and would create significant disturbances. The Heart-Searing Divine Tree was not the place for such a breakthrough.
“Whoosh.”
Dongbo Xueying rose and strode away.
“Guest Elder Feixue, are you leaving already?” A nearby attendant stood up in surprise. The Sky-Rending Venerable had mentioned a year—hadn’t even nine months passed?
“I shall return to my residence,” Dongbo Xueying replied with a smile. As a guest elder, he naturally had an estate within the Fan Clan’s Demon Mountain. There, he would complete his ascension to Cosmic God!
With that, he soared into the sky, vanishing into the distance.
The day he became a Cosmic God—he had waited far too long!
(End of Chapter)
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