Chapter 189: Undercurrent

Dongbo Xueying stood suspended in midair.

A sphere of a hundred meters in radius formed around him, within which everything twisted and blurred. Faintly visible on his body were layers of laws and mysteries coalescing into a protective barrier. He seemed like the sovereign of this space, with everything revolving around him.

“It’s truly unexpected,” Dongbo Xueying mused inwardly, “that by using the earth to bear water, fire, and wind, I ultimately grasped the ‘Primordial Form of Star Essence.'”

The “Pinnacle Penetration Essence” was not recorded among the Nine Ranks of Essences passed down in the Divine Realm. However, the “Star Essence” was indeed documented.

Ranked among the Nine Ranks of Essences in the Divine Realm, the “Star Essence” was listed as a second-rank essence.

As a second-rank essence, it was also a legendary one, its power and mysteries unfathomable. A master of the “Star Essence” was terrifyingly formidable, as if transformed into a living star. The essence-based defense on their body was as unshakable as a star and its surrounding land. Every movement they made was like hurling a star itself. Truly possessing immense strength.

Moreover, their body, like a star, would generate a powerful gravitational pull around them. Thus, in battle, within the gravitational field surrounding a master of the “Star Essence,” any ordinary Saint-level Transcendent daring to intrude would likely have their body collapse instantly under the force, their bones shattering and dying on the spot.

It was a very balanced second-rank essence.

In contrast, the “Pinnacle Penetration” was extremely extreme, with devastating attacks. Currently, Dongbo Xueying had only mastered a primitive form, so its effects weren’t yet obvious.

In reality, the “Spatial Essence” was also a balanced second-rank essence, equally balanced in offense, defense, and domain.

A master who fully grasped the “Spatial Essence” could effortlessly move between normal space, shadow space, and spatial layers, teleporting with ease. They could even manipulate opponents and even slay them effortlessly by controlling space itself.

The “Star Essence” was similar.

It was extremely balanced.

Their body resembled a star and land, with defenses that were difficult to shake. Their attacks were also immensely powerful, and they were surrounded by a gravitational domain that suppressed opponents.

In battle, they were like a star, Overwhelming everything in their path.

Though not particularly strange or bizarre, such direct overwhelming power would still be a great headache for enemies.

“Second-rank essence,” Dongbo Xueying pondered. “Pinnacle Penetration is second-rank, and Star Essence is also second-rank. Now I have mastered two primordial forms of second-rank essences.”

Having grasped the primordial forms, as long as he continued to refine them, it wouldn’t take long before he fully mastered the complete essences.

Two second-rank essences…

It was incredibly extraordinary.

“My spear techniques have also made up for many shortcomings,” Dongbo Xueying thought, attempting to display his spear techniques. The long spear danced, each movement brimming with surging power, excelling in both offensive might and defense.

“Pity it’s not a first-rank essence,” Dongbo Xueying smiled slightly.

He had indeed harbored a faint hope.

With earth, water, fire, and wind, he thought he might be able to form a perfect first-rank essence! But what was a first-rank essence? It was a legend among legends, representing truly the most supreme and perfect essence. In every aspect—whether real or illusory, whether strength or speed, whether domain or soul, whether life or death—a first-rank essence was perfect. Even if it wasn’t particularly skilled in a certain aspect, it still had the ability to protect itself.

For example, the terrifying existence who mastered the “Pinnacle Essence”… even if they couldn’t manipulate time, encountering someone who could manipulate time would pose a greatly reduced threat. Because their body was like a singularity, time acceleration or time freezing had greatly diminished effects on such a point.

Therefore, every master of a first-rank essence was incredibly terrifying.

And as the essence improved, it would become increasingly mysterious and unfathomable.

The “Star Essence” had defense-defying power, strength-defying power, and an innate gravitational domain… yet it was still only considered a second-rank essence. Of course, it was already a legendary essence.

The mysteries weren’t necessarily better the more they were combined. Sometimes, too many would result in the effect of “gilding the lily”! To make up for the three elements of water, fire, and wind, Dongbo Xueying had spent a long time in cultivation. It was only after witnessing the awe-inspiring scene of the northern snow-covered land and being deeply moved that he decisively chose the earth.

“A first-rank essence… it’s not that easy to achieve,” Dongbo Xueying wasn’t disappointed but rather quite pleased.

A first-rank essence…

It was a dream!

It was purely a goal and aspiration to pursue. It was normal not to achieve it. Because in the Divine Realm, in countless mortal worlds, in the Abyss… it was all legend!

Achieving it would be a tremendous surprise!

This time, mastering the “Primordial Form of Star Essence” already satisfied Dongbo Xueying. Because the “Pinnacle Penetration” was ultimately too extreme. Perhaps after fully mastering the complete essence in the future, the attack would be extremely terrifying. However, other aspects were seriously lacking, making it easy for enemies to specifically counter him. With the “Star Essence,” his other weaknesses were now compensated for, and he no longer had obvious vulnerabilities.

“Hu.” He retracted all his power, and the spherical void within a hundred meters around Dongbo Xueying automatically dissipated.

Snowflakes still danced in the air.

Only the cliff where he had been practicing his spear techniques had vanished into nothingness. Dongbo Xueying walked through the air toward the distant Yu Jingqiu, who had been watching.

“Master Xueying, you seem to be in a good mood. Did you gain something?” Yu Jingqiu was excited.

“Mm.” Dongbo Xueying smiled and nodded.

“Judging from that spherical void earlier, it seemed terrifying. I feel like if I had stepped inside, I would have lost my life.” Yu Jingqiu marveled.

“I’m still far from it. It’s only a primordial form of essence.” Dongbo Xueying said.

When the primordial form of essence was still young, it was fragile.

The gravitational domain was small, only about a hundred meters around himself! The power was also weak. A Sky-level peak Transcendent within the domain should die instantly! The gravity acted directly on every part of the body, including the internal organs and even the brain. Thus, the head of a Sky-level peak Transcendent would twist directly under the gravitational pull, turning into a pulp and dying on the spot.

To directly kill a Saint-level peak Transcendent, one must fully master the complete essence.

“Let’s go, we’ll head back.” Dongbo Xueying looked at the sky. “I estimate it will soon be time for dinner.”

“At noon, Qing Shi came to call you. I told him not to wait, and fortunately, he didn’t. If he had waited, he would have waited until dusk.” Yu Jingqiu laughed.

“Stone…” Dongbo Xueying shook his head inwardly.

Qing Shi, he had been too indulgent when he was young.

Although when he had fallen into the Black Wind Abyss, his younger brother began to strive. However, the temperament formed since childhood was difficult to completely change. In Dongbo Xueying’s view, although his younger brother could be considered ‘diligent,’ and was quite excellent among mortals, according to his own cultivation experience, his brother lacked a kind of ‘focus’—abandoning all worldly trivialities and concentrating all his mental strength solely on cultivation.

“Forget it, although I’ve told him many times, in the end, others can’t help with cultivation. I made his youth too comfortable.” Dongbo Xueying mused. If he could do it again, he probably still wouldn’t have the heart to be too harsh on his younger brother.

Dongbo Xueying and Yu Jingqiu walked side by side toward the Snowstone Castle.

Their footprints stretched endlessly across the snow-covered ground.

This day seemed ordinary.

In reality, on this day, the first Transcendent in the Xia Clan’s history to master two ‘Primordial Forms of Second-Rank Essence’ was born.

…

Days passed one after another.

The Xia Clan’s Transcendents searched in all directions, hoping to find traces of demons and slay them.

But the demons all hid themselves, resulting in an unusual calm in the Xia Clan’s world.

November, Year 9665.

Waves crashed against the shore repeatedly. On one of the solitary hills by the coast stood a secluded castle, filled with numerous guards patrolling. This was a retreat where one of the Xia Clan’s powerful Half-Gods often secluded himself for cultivation.

Before the demon invasion, Half-Gods mostly focused on cultivation, pursuing godhood. Therefore, they usually chose secluded places for cultivation, so cultivating by the seaside was quite common.

“Chi chi chi~~~”

Inside the castle, in a hidden hall, two large black oil lamps emitted a hissing sound. The oil inside the lamps was dark red, and the flames burning from it were a pale blue. A faint, strange fragrance filled the entire hall.

A figure stood there, completely shrouded in black mist, making it difficult to see their appearance clearly.

Directly in front of him, a crystal orb floated in midair.

Above the orb, five different scenes simultaneously appeared, each showing a terrifying demon with a different appearance. There was a tall demon with icy-blue skin, a thin demon clad in purple armor, a seductive female demon covered in crimson scales, a towering demon…

“Five Generals.” The figure in the black mist spoke.