Chapter 1176: The First Within the Illusory Realm

The Lord of the Demonic Sword sat there, his gaze sweeping across the gathering below, exchanging brief glances and even telepathic conversations with familiar faces.

He also looked toward Dongbo Xueying, smiling faintly as he transmitted, *”Brother Feixue, do you remember when we ventured through the Eighteen Calamity Passes in the Heart Palace of the Realm? If I had reached the Ultimate realm back then, I might have been able to help you escape.”*

Dongbo Xueying was surprised by the warmth and goodwill in the other’s words and quickly replied telepathically, *”Brother Demonic Sword, you already did everything you could for me back then. I am deeply grateful.”*

At that time, the Lord of the Demonic Sword had been merely a Sovereign, yet he had stepped forward to intervene. Had it not been for Ancestor Yongye’s reluctance to provoke an outright conflict with the Xiafeng Ancient Nation, the Lord of the Demonic Sword would have been obliterated in an instant.

The Lord of the Demonic Sword chuckled and exchanged a few more telepathic words with other close friends.

Meanwhile—

The Cang Emperor presided over the grand ceremony, as the one ascending to the Ultimate realm was a descendant of his Cang Clan.

…

The Xia Emperor and his allies were clearly in high spirits, making the ceremony a grand and lively affair. Many of the performances left Dongbo Xueying awestruck. The celebration lasted nine full days before concluding.

*”Lord Nanyun, it’s been a long time since we last met. I’ve arranged a small gathering tonight in Cangdi City—would you care to join? Brother Tiangu will also be there. Ah, and Emperor Feixue, you should come along as well.”*

*”Brother Nanyun.”*

*”Nanyun…”*

With so many Cosmic Gods gathered for the ceremony, rare reunions led to numerous invitations for smaller, more intimate gatherings after the main banquet dispersed.

While the grand ceremony had been lively, it was also somewhat formal. These smaller gatherings allowed for greater ease and familiarity.

Lord Nanyun, as the wealthiest Sovereign and the founder of the Nanyun Sacred Sect—one of the Ten Great Sects—was naturally a highly sought-after guest. Many extended their invitations to him, and out of courtesy, some also included ‘Emperor Feixue.’ However, as a mere second-level Cosmic God, Dongbo Xueying was rather unremarkable among the assembled deities.

*”Brother Feixue, don’t rush off just yet,”* the Lord of the Demonic Sword said, stepping forward and pulling Dongbo Xueying along. *”I’m hosting a small gathering for close friends. Given that we’ve faced life and death together, you mustn’t refuse.”*

Unable to decline, Dongbo Xueying had no choice but to accompany him.

This left the surrounding Cosmic Gods stunned.

*”The Lord of the Demonic Sword is this close to Emperor Feixue?”*

*”I heard they once ventured through the Heart Palace’s Eighteen Calamity Passes together.”*

*”Just because they explored the Heart Palace? Their bond runs this deep?”*

Many Cosmic Gods watched with envy.

At the Ultimate realm, the Lord of the Demonic Sword acted as he pleased. He invited whomever he wished, unafraid of offending others. After all, an Ultimate realm expert who turned to darkness would instantly become an unstoppable demon—one even the Invincible Ones would struggle to suppress. Moreover, the Lord of the Demonic Sword had cultivated for a relatively short time, held the potential to obtain a Supreme treasure, and had the unwavering support of the Xia Emperor, the Cang Emperor, and Patriarch Fan as staunch allies.

Thus, the Lord of the Demonic Sword invited only a dozen or so of his closest friends—not even Lord Nanyun made the list.

That night’s gathering served as an introduction for Dongbo Xueying to the Lord of the Demonic Sword’s inner circle, ensuring they knew Emperor Feixue was his sworn brother. Overnight, across the Heart Realm, many Cosmic Gods began treating Dongbo Xueying with newfound respect—not only did he have a master in Lord Nanyun, but he also counted the formidable Lord of the Demonic Sword as a life-and-death ally.

If he ever needed assistance, securing it would now be far easier.

Yet, Dongbo Xueying remained wholly focused on his cultivation, only occasionally manifesting as the Tianxin Daoist to eliminate a few malevolent figures.

…

Mount Fan, the Demon Mountain.

Beneath the sprawling, deep-purple canopy of the squat and sturdy Heartburning Divine Tree, a white-robed youth sat cross-legged.

Time flowed like the wind, occasionally carrying down leaves carved like dark violet jade.

Ever since acquiring the Illusory Realm scriptures, Dongbo Xueying had maintained a clone cultivating beneath this tree. As per the agreement, he was entitled to meditate here for a trillion years—though only three hundred billion had passed thus far.

A mere ten thousand years after the Lord of the Demonic Sword reached the Ultimate realm—

Dongbo Xueying suddenly opened his eyes, their depths swirling with an abyssal darkness, as if harboring unfathomable destruction.

A blink later, his gaze returned to normal.

*”The fusion of four paths… is complete.”*

A faint smile touched his lips. *”Unconsciously, I’ve achieved four-path fusion in the Illusory Realm Dao of the Heart. Only one step remains to reach the Ultimate.”*

In the Void Dao, he had long been a single step away from the Ultimate.

Now, the same was true for the Illusory Realm Dao of the Heart.

Yet the significance of the two could not be compared.

The Illusory Realm Dao of the Heart, as a soul-based path, was inherently far more challenging. Across the entire Heart Realm, those who had become Cosmic Gods through soul-based paths were exceedingly rare. Even fewer had reached the second level—fewer, in fact, than those who had attained the Ultimate in other Daos.

This path was arduous.

Even its scriptures were incomparably precious.

*”Four-path fusion,”* Dongbo Xueying mused. *”As I suspected, my talent in the Illusory Realm surpasses even that in the Void Dao.”*

Indeed.

In the Void Dao, countless predecessors had paved the way, granting him abundant opportunities. The scales of General Megu, the four supreme techniques of Emperor Jiuyun, the Void Ancestor’s *Traveler’s Secret Treasury*… Not to mention the various treasures he had acquired in the Heart Realm—the *Red Cloud Combat Arts*, the *Twelve Forms of Nanyun Sacred*, and *Hunyuan’s Inquiry*. Even the nine World Flowers bestowed by City Lord Luo and the Supreme inheritance he had obtained in the Heart Palace of the Realm, courtesy of Yuan.

With such vast opportunities and his own talent, he had reached this point.

In contrast, external opportunities for the Illusory Realm Dao of the Heart had been scarce.

In his home Chaos Void, he had been the first to reach the Chaos realm in this Dao—forging his own path.

Even in the Heart Realm, it had taken great effort to obtain Patriarch Fan’s *Heart Realm*. Soon after, he had surpassed even Patriarch Fan himself—so much so that the patriarch sought to study the scriptures *he* had created. Now, with four-path fusion… in the entire Heart Realm, Dongbo Xueying stood alone in this achievement.

He was, without question, the foremost master of the Illusory Realm Dao of the Heart in the Heart Realm.

…

In a distant corner of the higher-dimensional space—

An elderly man and City Lord Luo sat facing each other, sipping tea.

*”Hmm?”*

The old man suddenly turned his gaze toward a faraway direction.

*”Brother Yuan, what is it?”* City Lord Luo asked.

*”Dongbo Xueying has achieved four-path fusion in the Illusory Realm Dao of the Heart,”* Yuan said, his voice filled with awe. The Heart Realm was his creation, and Dongbo Xueying was one of his most closely watched figures across countless source worlds. Otherwise, he would not have devised a simplified method for crafting Hunyuan weapons or bestowed the heart’s blood of the Ten-Thousand-Touch Dragon Mother.

*”Four-path fusion—that’s just one step from the Ultimate, isn’t it?”* City Lord Luo exclaimed. *”In your Heart Realm, he’s the only one in a soul-based Dao this close to the Ultimate, correct?”*

*”Yes, the only one!”* Yuan agreed, equally amazed.

Progress in soul-based paths was notoriously difficult.

Dongbo Xueying believed himself the foremost in the Illusory Realm Dao of the Heart within the Heart Realm. What he did not know was that he was, in fact, the foremost in *all* soul-based Daos.

*”Most source worlds pale in comparison to the Heart Realm in terms of powerful cultivators,”* Yuan mused. *”Even accounting for the vast numbers across the multiverse and the unique regions of Hunyuan Space… there are barely over a hundred individuals in soul-based Daos who are one step from the Ultimate. Yet none have advanced as swiftly as Dongbo Xueying.”*

*”Indeed,”* City Lord Luo nodded.

To their knowledge—

Never…

*Never* had a soul-based Dao practitioner reached the Ultimate. Not a single one. Thus, Yuan had been unable to provide scriptures for this path in the Heart Realm. Though they were mighty among Hunyuan lifeforms, neither he nor City Lord Luo specialized in soul-based Daos.

The furthest any known practitioner had reached was one step from the Ultimate.

*”His cultivation speed is unprecedented,”* City Lord Luo remarked. *”Including the time spent in his home source world and the Heart Realm, he hasn’t even reached two trillion years. To advance the Illusory Realm Dao of the Heart this far in such a short time… It’s astounding. His talent in this Dao is truly extraordinary.”*

*”Mm.”* Yuan’s eyes gleamed. *”I have a premonition—if he reaches the Ultimate in the Illusory Realm Dao of the Heart, ascending to Hunyuan lifeform will be within his grasp. Hah! And since he achieved this in my Heart Realm, given his temperament—more compassionate toward the weak than even you or I, deeply sentimental and grateful—he’ll likely join our side without hesitation.”*

*”True,”* City Lord Luo smiled. *”I did gift him those nine World Flowers. But all of this hinges on him reaching the Ultimate in the Illusory Realm. The final step to the Ultimate is excruciatingly difficult in any Dao—for a soul-based path, it must be even harder. Across all source worlds, those hundred-odd experts one step away have all been stuck there, unable to take that last step.”*

Yuan nodded softly. *”I’ve already given him a drop of the Ten-Thousand-Touch Dragon Mother’s heart’s blood. For a Cosmic God still confined to the cage of mortality, that represents the pinnacle of soul enhancement. We can do no more. In the Illusory Realm Dao of the Heart, he stands at the very peak. The rest… is up to him.”*

*”His cultivation speed is unparalleled, his talent far exceeding all others we know of,”* City Lord Luo agreed. *”Though the final step is daunting, if anyone has hope, it’s him.”*

*”We shall see,”* Yuan smiled faintly. *”They say my creation of the Heart Realm was a waste of time. But they fail to understand—only with sufficient time and patience can true powerhouses emerge.”*

After this brief observation, the two turned their attention elsewhere. They knew well that Dongbo Xueying’s final step to the Ultimate in the Illusory Realm would be anything but easy.