Chapter 357: The War Draws Near

Dongbo Xueying looked at the detailed war plan and couldn’t help but nod in approval. His two senior brothers had prepared thoroughly and carefully for attack, defense, and retreat.

“Your preparations are quite sufficient, but that Great Demon God is a second-tier Demon God of the Divine Realm! And the Witch God is also a Lord of the Material World; their wealth likely rivals ours,” said the young man in the thick robe, Ge Bai. “Moreover, they can freely choose various war weapons from the Divine Realm. In this war, when we attack each other head-on, I can’t guarantee your victory. I can only say there is a possibility of winning.”

“I understand,” Dongbo Xueying nodded.

“If we can destroy the spatial portal, that would be best,” the young man in the thick robe said. “If we fail, immediately retreat to the Xinfuo World! With our arrangements, the Xinfuo World will be built to be extremely solid and unbreakable. They won’t be able to breach it! Your Xia Clan can then thrive within the Xinfuo World, while you return to Hongshi Mountain to cultivate, striving to reach the peak of the Divine Realm within your ten-thousand-year lifespan and to refine the Heart of the World.”

“If you fail to refine the Heart of the World, you’ll either remain in Hongshi Mountain forever or go to the Divine Realm. Either way, you won’t be able to return to the Xia Clan’s world anymore.”

“The Xia Clan’s world was fortunate to have produced a genius like you. In the future, living within the Xinfuo World, it’s unlikely they’ll ever produce another extraordinary genius, let alone achieve divinity again, as they’ll be forever trapped within the Xinfuo World,” the young man in the thick robe continued.

Dongbo Xueying nodded.

He understood.

If defeated, they could only be trapped and confined. The only remaining chance under such confinement would be to refine the Heart of the World.

“It is exceedingly arduous to refine the Heart of the World within ten millennia,” spoke the youth cloaked in crimson, He Feiyun. “One’s cultivation must ascend to the pinnacle of the Divine Realm, verging upon the dominion of a World Lord, to harbor even a sliver of hope in mastering the Heart of the World. Thus, the Lords of the Material Plane are but a rare few. Though your gifts are commendable, it remains uncertain whether you shall succeed in refining the Heart of the World within ten thousand years.”

“I understand, which is why it’s best if we can win this war directly and destroy that spatial portal,” Dongbo Xueying said with a faint smile, then couldn’t help but inquire, “I’ve already grasped the fundamentals of the ‘Great Chaos True Power.’ Even if I continue my cultivation, there won’t be significant improvement. Why wait for the Witch God and the Great Demon God to initiate the war? I can launch my assault right now.”

“Break through the Tree Sea World and destroy that fortress,” Dongbo Xueying said. “Senior brothers, do you think my idea is feasible?”

Inside the fortress of the Tree Sea World.

The spectral forms of the Witch God and the Archfiend’s Divine Incarnations would likely manifest! There might also be arcane apparatus for ephemeral planar gateways.

Once destroyed!

They would win!

“Stop dreaming,” the young man in the thick robe shook his head. “As long as the Xinfuo World is fortified, they won’t be able to breach it. By the same token… you won’t be able to breach the Tree Sea World either.”

The youth in the crimson cloak, He Feiyun, explained, “Because the entire Tree Sea Realm must have been completely refined by a spatial artifact, becoming one with the fortress. And the Tree Sea Realm is anchored to the Xia Clan’s world. If you assault the Tree Sea Realm, the artifact will disperse and weaken its power, even spreading the impact across the entire Xia Clan’s world. Unless you can directly shatter the artifact or annihilate a mortal realm, you won’t be able to shake that fortress at all.”

“Sigh,” Dongbo Xueying shook his head.

He knew it wouldn’t be that simple.

“Can our Xia Clan cultivate a Divine Avatar and have you two World Lords descend to help in the battle?” Dongbo Xueying couldn’t help but ask.

“If we could descend, we’d be quite willing, after all, we’ve been stuck here for too long,” the young man in the thick robe shook his head. “But cultivating a Divine Avatar suitable for me requires a gradual process within your Xia Clan. It must be a native physical form of your Xia Clan to be favored and blessed by the Heart of the World, allowing me to descend. Even the fastest cultivation would take a hundred years. I’m afraid it’ll be too late.”

Dongbo Xueying shook his head.

Attacking the Tree Sea World? No hope!

Cultivating a Divine Avatar on their side? Also too late.

“I heard there’s a technique for cultivating a clone?” Dongbo Xueying asked. “But during my time on the Hongchen Island, even as an inner disciple, I never found this clone cultivation technique…”

The clone technique was something the Temple of Time and Space had told him about.

“There is,” the young man in the thick robe nodded.

“Can I cultivate it? That way, in battle, I would have both my original body and a clone, increasing our strength,” Dongbo Xueying quickly asked.

“The Master has long established the rule that disciples of Hongshi Mountain are forbidden from cultivating the clone technique until they have attained the first level of true intent or become a World Lord,” the young man in the thick robe said.

“What?” Dongbo Xueying was taken aback. “Why?”

“Because the clone technique requires splitting your soul into two parts,” the youth in the crimson cloak beside him explained. “The essence of the soul is of utmost importance. Even a minor loss of essence is unbearable, yet the clone technique instantly halves your soul’s essence! This will lead to a comprehensive decline in your cultivation potential and innate talent. You’ll distinctly feel your cultivation progress becoming significantly slower than before. Your current aptitude is already exceptional, and within ten thousand years, you stand a considerable chance of refining the Heart of the World. But once your soul is divided, though your combat prowess may increase, your cultivation speed will drastically diminish, and the likelihood of refining the Heart of the World will plummet.”

Dongbo Xueying was instantly helpless.

The methods he thought might increase their chances of winning all turned out to be impossible, which is why the two senior brothers hadn’t mentioned them before.

…

In the following years.

Dongbo Xueying continued to cultivate on Hongchen Island, striving to improve his realm and hoping to reach the level of Divine Mind! At the same time, he was also pondering secret techniques.

His wife, Yu Jingqiu, journeyed to Crimsonstone Mountain annually with her arcane doppelganger to replenish her mystical energies. Upon the clone’s return, it bore vast troves of enchanted treasures to fortify the Xinfuo Realm! Their mission was to weave the very fabric of Xinfuo into an impregnable bastion, ensuring neither the Witch God nor the Great Demon Lord could ever breach its defenses. For should the tides of war turn against them, the Xia Clan would make their final stand within the sanctified borders of Xinfuo.

…

Year after year passed.

Fifteen years had already passed since Dongbo Xueying arrived on Hongchen Island.

On Hongchen Island.

Dongbo Xueying and his wife Jingqiu Yu were seeing off Master Meishan and Chen Jiu.

“Two decades are about to pass, and the Witch God and the Great Demon God may unleash their war at any moment. We must depart now,” Chen Jiu gazed at Dongbo Xueying. “I have no more concerns, Dongbo. But your Xia Clan’s crisis looms near. You must remain vigilant! If the situation truly turns dire, prioritize preserving your life—even if it means ascending to godhood and entering the Divine Realm! Once you become a mighty entity in that realm, even the deceased can be resurrected from the River of Time. So no matter what befalls you, never surrender. You must survive.”

“I understand, thank you,” Dongbo Xueying smiled. “Don’t worry, our Xia Clan will surely win in the end.”

“By the way, my Flying Sword Villa is located in the territory ruled by the Blood Blade Divine Court, under the governance of Tianxing Prefecture, in the Chishen Star of the Heshui Star Region. You can come find me if you have the chance,” Chen Jiu smiled.

“Definitely!” Dongbo Xueying nodded.

“I’ve heard that among the Divine Realm, the Blood Blade Divine Court, the Ten Thousand Divine Temple, and the Island of Time and Space, the Blood Blade Divine Court is the most powerful. I think I might also have the opportunity to enter the territory of the Blood Blade Divine Court,” Master Meishan laughed. “Dongbo Xueying, we’ll part ways here. I hope your Xia Clan can win. However, no matter what, don’t give up easily. As long as you’re alive, there’s a chance.”

“You two, don’t say such negative things. Don’t worry, our Xia Clan will definitely win,” Dongbo Xueying laughed heartily.

“Little sister-in-law, take good care of Dongbo. We’ll meet again in the Divine Realm,” Chen Jiu also said to Jingqiu Yu.

“Yes, Brother Chen, don’t worry,” Jingqiu Yu replied.

“Senior Hongshi, please send us away,” Master Meishan and Chen Jiu exchanged a glance and then spoke in unison.

Buzz!

A wave of energy enveloped the two of them, and they both smiled at Dongbo Xueying and his wife.

Swish.

The two disappeared.

Dongbo Xueying gazed as they departed. Nearly two decades had passed since Chen Jiu and the others arrived, and the Witch God and the Great Demon God were on the verge of war. The conflict could erupt within the next three to five months.

“Xueying, don’t worry. The Xinfuo World is now much more stable than before. No matter what, holding our ground in the Xinfuo World won’t be a problem. You’ve already made a great contribution to the Xia Clan,” Jingqiu Yu sensed Dongbo Xueying’s thoughts and tried to comfort him.

Dongbo Xueying gazed at his wife with a gentle smile, his heart whispering a silent prayer: *”May time stretch longer still. Perhaps I might ascend to the realm of Divine Mind, and the Bloodvine Blossom’s potency could grow yet more formidable. Thus shall our Xia Clan’s hope of triumph burn brighter.”* Each passing moment was a boon to their cause—yet the Witchgod and the Great Demon Lord too would dread the chaos of delay. Once their preparations were complete, the drums of war would thunder without hesitation.