The Black and White Divine Mountain was the most formidable force among the Xia Clan’s extraordinary factions, especially known for having the largest number of ‘Mages’ and being the most powerful in mage-related studies. While officially governing six provinces in the central region, it had also attracted extraordinary mages from other provinces.
Master Heshan was indeed the most powerful mage in the world today.
“Whoosh!”
Within the Void Realm, Dongbo Xueying was rapidly approaching the Black and White Divine Mountain and soon enveloped it entirely.
“I found it,” Dongbo Xueying immediately detected Master Heshan.
Master Heshan was seated in meditation alone on one of the peaks of the Black and White Divine Mountain. Beside him floated two crescent moons of peculiar black and white hues. Countless runes emerged from the moons, forming dense, intricate three-dimensional patterns around them, so complex that merely looking at them caused headaches.
These two crescent moons of black and white were the most powerful divine artifact of the Black and White Divine Mountain—the Black and White Moon Disc! Although it wasn’t ranked first among all divine artifacts within the Xia Clan, in the hands of Master Heshan, its power surpassed that of all other demigods.
Master Heshan slightly furrowed his brow and turned his gaze toward the distance, directly toward Dongbo Xueying’s direction.
“Detected me?” Dongbo Xueying was startled—it was clear he had been discovered!
Master Heshan’s gaze seemed to pierce through the void.
Staring directly in his direction.
“But Heshan’s expression seems puzzled, so he probably doesn’t know it’s me. I’ll leave now,” Dongbo Xueying confirmed his Void Realm Essence and swiftly departed. Regarding the matter of searching for the demon general and his Void Realm techniques, he had no intention of revealing them to anyone for now. Eventually, he would only inform Palace Master Chen first, for only Palace Master Chen was absolutely trustworthy.
As for other extraordinary beings?
Master Heshan and others were also trustworthy. Their power was formidable, and the Xia Clan did its best to supply them with resources, so there was no reason for them to betray and join the Demon God Cult. Thus, figures like Master Heshan and Sikong Yang were involved in many secret matters.
But since there was no need, Dongbo Xueying decided not to inform them.
“Who was that?” Master Heshan frowned in confusion. “A moment ago, there seemed to be a hidden presence hundreds of miles away? What an exquisite technique—is it magic? Or did someone use a divine artifact to conceal themselves? I could barely sense it!”
There were many possibilities for hidden surveillance.
Master Heshan could only vaguely perceive it.
“Was it the demon general’s technique? Or perhaps the Demon God Cult or Witch Temple? Or maybe that outsider from another realm? That outsider has been quite obedient in our world, so there’s no need for them to spy on me,” Master Heshan’s mind raced with possibilities.
…
After leaving, Dongbo Xueying pondered deeply.
“In our Xia Clan, there are two demigods who have forged their Divine Hearts—Master Sikong Yang and Master Heshan. Of the two, Master Sikong didn’t detect me, but Master Heshan did,” Dongbo Xueying mused inwardly. “Perhaps it’s related to the nature of their Divine Hearts. Master Sikong’s seems to be a fierce, aggressive fire-based technique, while Master Heshan leans more toward domain-type magical techniques.”
“One more aggressive, the other more inclined toward domains.”
“Perhaps that’s why Master Heshan was able to sense me,” Dongbo Xueying concluded. “If it can have such an effect, then my method of investigation is viable!”
…
Early in the morning, Dongbo Xueying visited both the Water Source Temple and the Black and White Divine Mountain. Upon returning, he joined his family for breakfast.
“I’m going into retreat for cultivation,” Dongbo Xueying directly announced at the dining table. “No one must reveal that I am in retreat.”
“Okay.”
“Fine.”
Everyone at the table nodded. To them, it was nothing unusual for an extraordinary being to do anything.
“Xueying, how long will you be in retreat?” his mother, Mo Yangyu, asked.
“About ten years. I’ll emerge once every year,” Dongbo Xueying replied.
“That long? You must take care and not push yourself too hard,” Mo Yangyu advised.
“Don’t nag so much—you’re not even a titled mage, yet you’re advising your son on cultivation?” Dongbo Lie, sitting beside her, chuckled.
“How dare you! Why not advise him?” Mo Yangyu glared, and Dongbo Lie immediately shrank back.
Dongbo Xueying smiled as he watched. As his parents aged, their temperaments had become more cheerful. Both were already over a hundred years old.
Beside him, You Lan quietly gazed at Dongbo Xueying. She didn’t believe the retreat excuse at all. Ten years of retreat? Previously, Dongbo Xueying had never stayed in retreat for more than ten days or half a month. Even for extended cultivation, was it necessary to come out only once a year?
“Master Xueying, what exactly are you planning to do?” You Lan, smiling, sent her voice through the power of heaven and earth.
“Jingqiu,” Dongbo Xueying sent back telepathically, “it’s indeed hard to hide anything from you. Well, I wasn’t planning to hide much from you anyway. It’s a very important matter—something like eliminating a demon nest!”
“Is it dangerous?” You Lan’s heart tightened.
“Don’t worry. My task is only reconnaissance,” Dongbo Xueying replied telepathically. “Anyway, you’ll find out soon enough. I estimate it might not even take ten years!”
…
Ten years was the theoretical maximum required.
Dongbo Xueying needed to search the entire mortal world for the demon general. There was only one method—brute-force, thorough searching!
He planned to first search the entire continent. If he couldn’t locate all five demon generals on land, he would then search the entire oceanic expanse.
According to his estimate—
Flying at high speed while scanning, Dongbo Xueying’s speed was terrifying. Excluding rest time, he could traverse the Xia Clan’s continent five or six times in a single day! However, each time he could only scan a thousand-mile radius, so he would need to make countless passes to completely survey the entire continent—likely taking two or three years.
Flying for five hours daily, resting for one. The rest was necessary due to mental fatigue and the need to consume source stones.
After all, meticulously scanning every inch of terrain continuously for five hours was extremely tiring. Moreover, Dongbo Xueying currently had over three million jin of source stones, and naturally wanted to quickly elevate his body to the ‘Saint-level Mid-Stage of Extraordinary Being’. This required consuming and absorbing two million jin of source stones. His physical body was strong and absorbed them much faster than his core energy sea, yet he could only absorb around a thousand jin daily, which required half an hour. At this rate, it would take about five years to finish.
“Let’s begin!”
Dongbo Xueying had no hesitation.
Of the seven divine war soldiers from the god realm, he assigned the black rat to protect his younger brother, Qing Shi. Having witnessed many friends perish, Dongbo Xueying was deeply afraid—afraid that one day he would receive the tragic news of his younger brother’s death, which would be devastating for both him and his parents. Therefore, among the seven divine war soldiers, the black rat, the most skilled in defense, was assigned to protect his younger brother.
The white mist ape ‘Zi Lei,’ and the second, third, fourth, and fifth members of the Five Shadows, were stationed at Snowstone Castle. With them present, the castle was impregnable! Even if his parents traveled the world, the second and third would secretly follow.
As for Jingqiu, there was no need for him to worry—she had the finest divine war soldier provided by the Xia Clan, protective treasures, and was herself an extraordinary mage.
As for Dongbo Xueying himself, he took the eldest of the Five Shadows and the Azure Armor Guard! This was a precaution in case any demon general proved too powerful and could attack him even within the Void Realm, allowing him to engage in battle. Among the Five Shadows, ‘Jin Mo’ was particularly strong in offense.
…
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh~~~~
Flying nonstop at a depth of three hundred miles underground, naturally within the Void Realm, with no obstacles.
The Xia Clan’s world, as a mortal world and part of the material realm, had increasing resistance the deeper underground one went. Typically, a thick layer of rock existed a hundred miles below the surface, followed by a magma layer, then invisible resistance. At three hundred miles deep, invisible rule-based resistance began to appear, and the entire earth seemed to act as a unified whole, rejecting intrusions.
Thus, the artifact ‘Redstone Mountain’ could penetrate the outermost barrier of the material realm, pierce through the membrane of the mortal world, and then enter deep underground, finally stopping at a depth of ten thousand miles.
Its power must have been formidable to penetrate ten thousand miles in one go.
“At three hundred miles down, rule-based resistance begins. It’s unlikely that the demon generals’ warships would be deeper than that,” Dongbo Xueying reasoned, hence choosing to fly and investigate at a depth of three hundred miles underground.
He scanned a thousand-mile radius, flying and investigating continuously, his mind never relaxing. He would only rest for an hour at night, during which he would consume some source stones and take a break to eat and drink.
Day after day passed…
Three months had already passed.
At noon on this day.
Within the Void Realm, Dongbo Xueying was still flying close to the ground at high speed, as swift as lightning, covering a hundred miles in the blink of an eye—only with such speed could he dare to speak of thoroughly scanning the entire Xia Clan world!
“Hmm?” Dongbo Xueying suddenly stopped, his expression one of shock.
The Void Realm reflected reality…
Directly above and to his left was a colossal structure hidden deep within a mountain’s belly, floating above a lake of magma. This structure was even larger than the Black Wind Divine Palace.
According to his scanning, within one of the torture chambers of this massive structure, a man was bound in chains, his skin inscribed with runes, seemingly unconscious.
“Puyang Bo?” Dongbo Xueying’s eyes widened in disbelief. The bound and imprisoned man was none other than Puyang Bo, who the Xia Clan believed had perished in battle!
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