“I actually succeeded? This is… truly an unexpected delight.” Dongbo Xueying’s heart swelled with excitement as he swiftly fled using his perfected Voidform technique, manipulating spatial distortions to distance himself. Once beyond the range of the spatial freeze, he teleported away, leaving the borders of Fuxi Kingdom far behind.
Having already captured the Annoying Fire Demon Lord, Dongbo Xueying saw no reason to linger in Fuxi Kingdom.
“Time to return.”
Activating the Boundary-Piercing Teleportation Art, he stepped into the twisting spatial vortex. When he reappeared, he had traversed most of the Heartland Continent, arriving at Feixue City in Nanyun Kingdom.
“I’m back.”
Walking through the newly expanded Divine Emperor’s Manor in Feixue City, Dongbo Xueying couldn’t help but smile. The manor had recently undergone massive renovations, and the entire city had expanded significantly—the original city now served as the inner district, while an outer district ten times its size had been constructed around it.
“Divine Emperor.”
“Divine Emperor.”
The rules within the manor had become stricter, and the maids greeted him with deep respect.
“My son rarely makes an appearance.” Yingshan Liehu, upon hearing of his son’s return, hurried out to meet him. His status within the manor was now exceedingly high, and he carried himself with great pride. The entire Yingshan Clan had subtly begun to regard Feixue City as their new center of power.
“Father,” Dongbo Xueying greeted.
“Haha, don’t spend all your time in seclusion. I’ve heard that the invincible beings of the Heartland Continent often travel far and wide,” Yingshan Liehu cautiously advised, unaware of the recent events at the Heartland Divine Palace. “By the way, I’ve just acquired some fine wine. Would you care to try it, Xueying?”
Yingshan Liehu was careful in his approach. His relationship with his son wasn’t particularly close—after all, he hadn’t paid much attention to Rong Xinglan in the past. But now that his son had risen to such prominence, he naturally sought to bridge the gap. Yet, given Dongbo Xueying’s overwhelming power—having single-handedly resolved the crisis of Huolie City shortly after emerging from seclusion—Yingshan Liehu found it difficult to connect. Rumor had it that even in the prestigious Xiafeng Ancient Kingdom, one of the Six Great Ancient Kingdoms, Dongbo Xueying was revered as a distinguished guest!
“Alright,” Dongbo Xueying nodded with a smile. “Let’s see what kind of exquisite wine it is.”
“Ah—” Yingshan Liehu had only extended the invitation casually and was pleasantly surprised by his son’s acceptance. “Come, come! Where shall we go? How about my newly built garden?”
Dongbo Xueying agreed, his mood exceptionally buoyant.
…
While Dongbo Xueying enjoyed a rare evening of wine with his father, news of his capture of the Annoying Fire Demon Lord in Fuxi Kingdom spread like wildfire. The Xiafeng Ancient Kingdom and its numerous vassal factions quickly learned of the feat.
In the capital of Xiafeng, within a tranquil wooden cottage in a secluded courtyard, a broad-robed man sat cross-legged on a meditation mat. Above his head hovered a luminous pearl, its surface swirling with golden runes that seemed to embody the profound mysteries of the Source World’s operation. This was the illustrious ‘Great Venerable Fuyi,’ a figure renowned across the Heartland Continent for his fearsome battles.
Though the Xia Clan boasted nine Great Venerables, Fuyi stood apart. When the Xia Clan waged war, it was Fuyi who led the charge. While figures like the Nanyun Monarch and the Fuxi Ancestor were peerless overlords in their own right, their strength lay primarily in their unparalleled survivability. Fuyi, however, was not only unkillable but also terrifyingly powerful in direct combat.
Once, after his disciple suffered a grievous injury, Fuyi single-handedly stormed the Motian Ancient Kingdom. Unleashing all nine of his avatars, he carved a bloody path through Motian’s legions of experts, leaving them in disarray. Even the invincible ‘Motian Monarch’ himself could only barely gain the upper hand when he finally intervened.
Fuyi’s reputation was unquestionably forged in blood.
The ‘Xia Emperor’ held this mightiest of generals in the highest regard, bestowing upon him three supreme treasures. This might seem excessive, but Fuyi was a monster who had mastered both the Void Path and the Light Path to the peak of the second-tier Cosmic God realm. Combining these two paths, each of his avatars was a force to be reckoned with. With the three treasures and rumored gains from the Heartland Divine Palace, his nine avatars working in unison could likely overpower even an ordinary third-tier Cosmic God. The Motian Monarch had only managed to hold a slight advantage against him.
Thus, his participation in the competition for the slots had shocked both Dongbo Xueying and the Nanyun Monarch.
“Great Venerable,” a young voice called respectfully outside the cottage. “The clan reports that the Feixue Divine Emperor of Nanyun has captured the Annoying Fire Demon Lord of Fuxi Kingdom.”
“Oh? Captured?” Fuyi’s narrow eyes flickered open.
“Yes. It’s said the Annoying Fire Demon Lord was first ambushed by the Nine Venoms Sect Master. After a fierce battle, the demon lord fled severely wounded. During his escape, the Feixue Divine Emperor approached in perfected Voidform and sealed him away with the Five-Phase Sealing Art. It’s speculated he also employed Illusory Dream techniques. The wounded demon lord couldn’t break free and was imprisoned within the Five-Phase Pearl.”
“Interesting,” Fuyi murmured with a slight nod. “This competition just got more entertaining.”
He had no concerns about securing a slot for himself. In terms of treasures, he rivaled even some invincible beings. A single rare artifact from his collection could fulfill the ‘Treasure Task’ and earn him massive merit. Compared to him, figures like the Flame Demon Sovereign and the Nine Venoms Sect Master were paupers.
…
“What? That brat from Nanyun captured the Annoying Fire Demon Lord? How fortunate!” The towering figure of the Flame Demon Sovereign sat atop a small peak in the Black Demon Swamp, his massive form dwarfing the mountain beneath him. In the Swamp, he rampaged without fear—nothing could intimidate him.
“The Annoying Fire Demon Lord was worth twelve thousand merits. With Fuyi undoubtedly taking one slot, and the three great clans’ Cosmic Gods unlikely to yield easily, now this Nanyun upstart appears.” The Flame Demon Sovereign’s eyes burned with malice.
Participation didn’t equate to absolute determination. The Nine Venoms Sect Master, for instance, had joined merely to try his luck—success would be nice, but failure was no tragedy. He could always wait for the next opportunity.
But the Flame Demon Sovereign was dead set on securing a slot this time. To ensure a top-four position—or even second place, given his pride (he’d only concede first to Fuyi)—he needed to amass at least thirty thousand merits.
“Twelve thousand for him… I’ll need thirty thousand to be safe.” The Flame Demon Sovereign frowned. Earning merits was no easy task.
…
“Yingshan Xueying of Nanyun?”
A disheveled man in meditation, a divine sword resting on his knees, smirked upon receiving the news. “Impressive.”
…
As the news spread, it unsettled the competing Cosmic Gods while deepening the Heartland Continent’s understanding of Nanyun’s Feixue Divine Emperor. To snatch prey from the jaws of the Nine Venoms Sect Master in Fuxi Kingdom and capture a second-tier Cosmic God alive—this Feixue Divine Emperor was indeed formidable.
In the Nanyun capital’s palace:
“Nanyun, your disciple is quite remarkable—capturing a second-tier Cosmic God.” A handsome youth in resplendent golden robes and a crown sat upon the throne, an aura of death and destruction faintly emanating from him. Though subdued, it weighed heavily on the Nanyun Monarch, who sat in attendance.
“My disciple’s strength stems from his reincarnation. He’s still far beneath me—nothing noteworthy,” the Nanyun Monarch hurriedly replied, eager to divert his ‘master’s’ attention from Yingshan Xueying.
He held no affection for this so-called master—only fear.
“You fear me?” The golden-robed youth, his long black hair cascading freely, smiled at the Nanyun Monarch.
“When you dominated the Heartland Continent, Master, I was but a newly ascended Cosmic God. How could I not revere you?” the Nanyun Monarch replied obsequiously.
“Though this is our first meeting, time will reveal my temperament. Having been away from the Heartland for so long, I’ve few subordinates left—you’re among the most useful.” The youth sighed softly. “Time is merciless. Many old friends are gone. By the way, prepare several dozen ‘Sunpine Fruits’ for me. I plan to visit the Broken Tooth Mountain Range.”
“At once, Master. They’ll be ready within three days.”
“No rush. I’ve plenty of time now.” The youth smiled. “Remember—keep my return a secret. Very few know of it.”
“Understood.” The Nanyun Monarch bowed deeply.
…
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