That ascended Divine Emperor, Dongbo Xueying, was the first to be ruled out. The man was quite low-key and wholly devoted to cultivation. Dongbo Xueying greatly admired such cultivators and would never harm them without cause or enmity.
As for the ‘Golden Wing City Lord’ and the ‘Little Tower Master of Cloud Tower,’ Dongbo Xueying had no qualms about targeting them!
The Golden Wing City Lord was a ruthless figure—killing for treasures, engaging in endless battles, selfish and merciless, eliminating threats by uprooting them entirely. For his own strength, he would resort to schemes, plots, and slaughter without hesitation. He was an absolute tyrant. Though not officially labeled a ‘great demon,’ Dongbo Xueying would not hesitate to strike him down.
The Little Tower Master of Cloud Tower, however, was the opposite of the Golden Wing City Lord! He had no taste for slaughter, yet countless families had fallen due to his influence. The sheer number of lives lost under his indirect rule could easily classify him as a ‘demon.’ Many of these atrocities were committed by his subordinates, wielding his authority.
“But this Little Tower Master of Cloud Tower is not innocent either!” Dongbo Xueying mused. “As a mid-level Divine Emperor, how could he not know what his subordinates were doing? He simply turned a blind eye because they pleased him.”
“Very well.”
“Him it is—the Little Tower Master of Cloud Tower.”
Dongbo Xueying made his decision.
Though the top-ranked Divine Emperor, the Cloud Phoenix City Lord, was immensely intimidating, Dongbo Xueying was confident in his ability to escape using the Great Void Shift technique if necessary. While she was the strongest in the Divine Realm, she lacked the ability for ultra-long-distance traversal. In fact, apart from ascended beings, those capable of such feats in the Divine Realm relied on bloodline abilities.
The Cloud Phoenix City Lord’s ancestral divine bloodline clearly did not specialize in long-distance travel—her strength lay in her terrifying combat prowess.
“Time to go.”
Dongbo Xueying paid for his meal, left Lingfeng City, and quietly made his way toward Cloud Phoenix City.
—
Cloud Phoenix City was vast, spanning nearly a million miles. At its heart stood a towering mountain range, stretching tens of thousands of miles high, its peaks piercing the clouds. Nestled atop this range was an expansive palace complex known as the ‘Cloud Phoenix Estate.’
“Cloud Phoenix Estate.”
Dongbo Xueying gazed up at the sprawling mountains, his vision piercing through the mist to the grand manor atop the summit. “The strongest in the Divine Realm resides there.”
Above her stood only the three Primordial Chaos Ancestors who had created this world.
“Fortunately, the Little Tower Master of Cloud Tower doesn’t stay in the Cloud Phoenix Estate all the time.” Dongbo Xueying smirked. The indulgent young master had built his own pleasure palace—the ‘Fan Cloud Tower’—where he spent most of his days reveling in extravagance. Occasionally, he ventured elsewhere in the city for amusement.
Leaving the city? That was a far more conspicuous affair. Typically, three late-stage Divine Emperors would accompany him for protection. After all, with the Cloud Phoenix City Lord’s immense power, over twenty late-stage Divine Emperors had sworn allegiance to her.
However, late-stage Divine Emperors also prioritized cultivation. Only one was permanently assigned to guard the Little Tower Master within the city.
“The Cloud Phoenix City Lord’s only grandson.” Dongbo Xueying sighed inwardly. “Rumor has it she once had two children, but during her imprisonment by a great enemy, both perished, leaving only this sole descendant.”
Her rise to power had been paved with countless trials.
“Fan Cloud Tower—here we are.”
Following the threads of karma, Dongbo Xueying strolled through the city until he arrived before an imposing tower. The structure stretched into the clouds, its vast grounds making it the premier pleasure den in all of Cloud Phoenix City.
“He’s up there.” Dongbo Xueying looked up.
—
Fan Cloud Tower.
“Tower Master.” A black-robed youth grinned, his fox-like eyes gleaming. Behind him stood six maidens, each breathtaking in beauty and grace—though their eyes betrayed hidden resentment. They had no choice; too many of their kin’s lives rested in his hands.
“Enter.” A voice called from within.
The black-robed youth carefully pushed the door open.
Inside the hall, an enormously obese man sat feasting, attended by a violet-robed maid. This was the Cloud Phoenix City Lord’s only grandson—the Little Tower Master of Cloud Tower.
“Oh?” The Tower Master glanced up, his gaze lingering on the six maidens. Their varied charms blended seamlessly, a living masterpiece.
“These are the ‘Six Sisters’ I painstakingly acquired for you,” the black-robed youth fawned. “Their… qualities, you’ll understand once you experience them.”
“Good, good.” The Tower Master chuckled. “Very well, Chen Fu, you may leave.”
He was well aware some subordinates abused his name, but as long as they pleased him, he cared little. This black-robed youth—Chen Fu, the Divine Emperor—was among his three most favored underlings, specializing in ‘training’ women.
With a bow, Chen Fu retreated, sealing the door behind him.
Only the Tower Master, his violet-robed maid, and the six maidens remained.
“Come here.” The Tower Master beckoned with a pudgy hand.
The maidens obeyed.
The violet-robed attendant watched impassively. Utterly devoted, she was his most trusted confidante—family, even. Men like Chen Fu? Mere dogs.
Suddenly—
The Tower Master’s vision swam.
“Where… is this?”
He found himself in a grim dungeon, bound to a pillar, his powers sealed. Nearby, his three most favored subordinates were similarly restrained.
“Tower Master! Call the City Lord! Save us!” they wailed.
“I—I can’t transmit!” Panic set in.
The door creaked open.
A white-robed youth strode in, a divine sword on his back. His icy gaze settled on the Tower Master.
“Little Tower Master of Cloud Tower. Your sins are innumerable. Today, you die.” He drew his blade.
“No! It wasn’t me! It was them!” The Tower Master pointed frantically at his underlings.
The three froze, too terrified to deflect blame.
“Don’t worry. They’ll die too.”
The sword flashed—once, twice, thrice.
Three piles of ash.
The youth advanced.
“Spare me! My grandmother is the Cloud Phoenix City Lord! Name your price!”
“Too late.”
The blade fell.
—
“No! NO—!”
The Tower Master jolted awake, back in the hall. The maidens and his attendant stirred, dazed.
“I’m alive!” He patted himself down in relief.
Then horror struck.
“My treasures—gone!”
A voice boomed in his soul: *”This was a warning. Continue down this path, and next time, death will be real.”*
The Tower Master paled.
Someone had invaded his mind effortlessly. Killing him would’ve been just as easy.
Dongbo Xueying had spared him for two reasons: First, his grandmother’s wrath would disrupt Dongbo’s peaceful life. Second, the Tower Master wasn’t truly a demon—just willfully blind.
The door burst open.
A stern elder rushed in. “Tower Master! Chen Fu and the others—they’re dead!”
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