At the Ten Thousand Flowers Banquet, the mighty figures clinked cups and chatted while watching the Divine Court Battle.
“This kid named Dongbo has only cultivated for a little over 2,300 years and already possesses such strength. With a bit more guidance from me, achieving a first-grade Divine Heart within ten thousand years is a certainty. And look at how many second-grade Divine Hearts he’s mastered—even a fool could see his potential. He could be guided to master the four first-grade Divine Hearts: World, Chaos Hole, Singularity, and Space-Time,” said a towering, large-headed mighty figure, his excitement evident. “And according to the reports, his growth in his homeland, the Xia Clan’s world, shows he’s deeply loyal and righteous. This old ancestor loves disciples like that! Where else can I find such a good disciple? I must find a way to get him—I absolutely must!”
This mighty figure was named ‘Ba Xiong,’ commonly revered as ‘Ancestor Ba Xiong.’ His origins were extraordinary, and his foundation far surpassed that of Ancestor Chihuo or the Red Dust Sage.
Ancestor Ba Xiong was a creature of the Divine Realm, and thus ranked among the Five Fiends of the Divine Realm!
It must be noted that the leader of the Five Fiends was none other than ‘Pang Yi,’ one of the Three Ancestors. The Five Fiends always looked out for one another.
Moreover!
Ancestor Ba Xiong was rumored to be the least talented among the Five Fiends. When he was still a Fourth Heaven Realm God, he was captured by ‘Bamboo Mountain Prefecture Master,’ one of the Three Ancestors, and forced to serve as a mount! The Bamboo Mountain Prefecture Master also imparted secret techniques to him and guided his cultivation. Under his tutelage, Ancestor Ba Xiong eventually ascended to become a mighty figure!
Thus… Ancestor Ba Xiong’s backing was formidable—he was both one of the Five Fiends and a former mount of the Bamboo Mountain Prefecture Master.
What Ancestor Ba Xiong was most infamous for was his ‘overprotectiveness.’ Most mighty figures allowed their disciples to fight and struggle on their own, accepting death as a consequence of inferior skill. But Ancestor Ba Xiong was excessively protective, to the point where others dared not provoke his personal disciples, knowing he would shamelessly intervene on their behalf.
Yet precisely because of this overprotectiveness, despite having five personal disciples, none had advanced beyond the Third Heaven Realm God—not a single one reached the Fourth Heaven.
His reputation was well-known…
Those with lesser talent, Ancestor Ba Xiong disdained.
Those with exceptional talent usually sought other mighty figures as mentors, rarely choosing Ancestor Ba Xiong. Rumors circulated: “Ancestor Ba Xiong is terrible at teaching disciples—he hasn’t produced a single Fourth Heaven Realm God! He only became a mighty figure because of the Bamboo Mountain Prefecture Master’s guidance. Otherwise, it would’ve been nearly impossible.”
“Such a loyal and righteous disciple—I must have him!” Ancestor Ba Xiong had his eyes set on Dongbo Xueying.
But he wasn’t the only one.
Several other mighty figures had also taken notice of Dongbo Xueying. Their discerning eyes recognized his potential—this was a disciple who, with minimal nurturing, could reach the Third Heaven Realm God, and even had the promise of the Fourth Heaven.
“Prefecture Master, Prefecture Master,” Ancestor Ba Xiong turned to the man beside him.
This man wore resplendent purple robes, exuding handsomeness. His eyes were narrow and sharp as blades, and a faint golden light shimmered from a crack-like mark at the center of his brow. He glanced at Ancestor Ba Xiong. “Ba Xiong, what is it?”
“Hehehe, Prefecture Master,” Ancestor Ba Xiong grinned obsequiously. “Do you plan to take a disciple during this Divine Court Battle?”
“No such intention,” the Bamboo Mountain Prefecture Master replied coolly. “To me, taking disciples is meaningless. If I take that final step, I can rival the Divine Emperor. If not, I remain as I am. Disciples serve no purpose.”
Ancestor Ba Xiong nodded eagerly.
Having once served as the Prefecture Master’s mount, he knew well how aloof and domineering the man was. Teaching disciples held little interest for him—unless one truly caught his eye.
“Since you’re not taking disciples, I plan to. There’s a young one I’ve taken a liking to—I really want him as my disciple. I believe I can guide him to the Fourth Heaven Realm God,” Ancestor Ba Xiong pressed.
“You want a disciple, yet you come to me?” The Bamboo Mountain Prefecture Master arched a brow. “Speak plainly.”
Ancestor Ba Xiong chuckled. “As expected of the Prefecture Master. You know my reputation as a mentor isn’t the best… I’ve yet to produce a single Fourth Heaven Realm God. Many will surely vie for Dongbo Xueying. Even if I offer to take him, he might choose another. So I seek your help… If he becomes my personal disciple, he’d be your disciple’s disciple, no? I ask that you allow him to train in your ‘Purple Bamboo Sea.'”
The Bamboo Mountain Prefecture Master studied him.
Ancestor Ba Xiong grinned innocently.
“For a mighty figure, you truly lack shame,” the Prefecture Master sighed. Despite being one of the Five Fiends, known for his savagery, Ancestor Ba Xiong was far more amiable than most mighty figures.
“Prefecture Master, it’s rare for me to find such a good disciple,” Ancestor Ba Xiong pleaded.
“Fine. I’ll agree,” the Bamboo Mountain Prefecture Master conceded.
“Haha! Thank you, Prefecture Master! With your word, I’m confident I’ll secure this disciple!” Ancestor Ba Xiong was overjoyed.
The Prefecture Master added, “If His Majesty, the Destruction Monarch, or Pang Yi intervene, you’ll lose him all the same.”
“If they speak up, I’ll have no choice,” Ancestor Ba Xiong admitted. “But His Majesty wouldn’t bother, even for a once-in-an-era genius like this. As for Elder Brother Pang Yi—getting him to teach? He once took in 108 disciples in one go, and in the eons since, only two more. The Destruction Monarch hasn’t taken a disciple in ages either…”
The Bamboo Mountain Prefecture Master nodded.
The Three Ancestors prioritized their own cultivation.
The stronger one became, the less they cared for disciples—they were their own foundation. Only when encountering a particularly favored junior would they offer guidance, or on rare whims, like Pang Yi, who once took 108 disciples while researching a secret art, teaching them earnestly.
Under normal circumstances, their interest in disciples was minimal. It was the lesser mighty figures who actively sought them.
—
From afar, the mighty figures watched as the Divine Court Battle raged on.
The descent of the ‘Bloodslayer Arms’ intensified the conflict. Duels between divine experts now carried the risk of instant death—a single touch from a Bloodslayer Arm meant certain doom.
150…
120…
100…
80…
Amid the endless mountain ranges, the number of surviving divine experts dwindled rapidly.
The decline was due to both fierce combat and the accelerating emergence of venomous insects. These creatures were formidable, and slaying even one was no easy feat. Those without Bloodslayer Arms, besieged by two or three insects, often met swift ends.
But those wielding Bloodslayer Arms thrived—the more insects spawned, the faster they slaughtered them. A single strike sufficed.
Among the participants, aside from the seven who wielded first-grade Divine Hearts, a few others shone brightly—Dongbo Xueying among them. His ‘Illusory World Secret Art,’ which manifested three illusory bodies, was nothing short of miraculous. Though primarily a support technique, it compensated for his previous shortcomings in offense, where he had lagged behind even Zui Guke.
Now, armed with a Bloodslayer Arm, his offensive weakness was rectified.
His illusory bodies were indestructible…
Paired with the Bloodslayer Arm, they were a match made in heaven. Three illusory forms, each wielding a crimson spear, left enemies struggling to discern reality.
“Only seventy-five remain in the mountain ranges, and my current rank is eleventh,” Dongbo Xueying mused calmly. “Meaning… I’m guaranteed a spot in the top hundred.”
Suddenly, his expression shifted. Three figures emerged simultaneously from the mountain edges, each bearing a Bloodslayer Arm.
“Them?” Dongbo Xueying recognized them—ranked ninth, fifteenth, and eighteenth. Any one of them matched him in direct combat.
Logically, all three were shoo-ins for the top hundred. Why gang up on him?
Among them, an ugly-faced man gripping a crimson curved blade spoke coldly, “Dongbo of Anhai Prefecture. For someone who’s only cultivated for two millennia, your strength is impressive. But I’ll show you how far you still lag in direct combat. You have two choices: flee and face our combined assault, or duel me one-on-one. My companions won’t interfere—for now. Choose.”
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