Chapter 470: A Thousand Years

“Dongbo Xueying.”

Not long after Senior Brother Huiming left, a World God guard arrived at Dongbo Xueying’s cave abode. “I come by the Divine Emperor’s command. Prepare yourself quickly, gather your subordinates, and relocate to the ‘Yin Stone Villa.'”

“We’ve been ready for some time now and can depart at any moment,” Dongbo Xueying rose to his feet. Yu Jingqiu and the other deities of the Xia Clan were also prepared, their belongings already stored within spatial treasures. They had been waiting for this moment—after all, the residence of an inner disciple was entirely different from the lodgings provided for participants of the Ten Thousand Flowers Feast.

“Follow me, then,” the World God guard nodded and led the way.

Whoosh.

Guided by the guard, an invisible force enveloped the group as they swiftly traversed the vast expanse of Bloodblade Divine Court.

Though the Divine Court was only slightly larger than Anhai Prefecture City, it still took over an hour of flight before they arrived at a secluded and tranquil villa. Above its grand entrance were inscribed the divine characters ‘Yin Stone,’ which seemed to bind the villa into a seamless whole with the immense Bloodblade Divine Court, exuding an aura of profound solidity.

Passing through the main gate, they soon entered a modest cave abode spanning roughly ten miles in area.

“Dongbo Xueying, this will be your cave abode from now on. You and your subordinates shall reside here,” the World God guard announced. “The villa’s detailed rules will be explained by its attendants. My task is complete—I take my leave now.”

“Thank you for your trouble,” Dongbo Xueying stood to see him off. This World God guard was a third-tier World God, likely one of the Divine Emperor’s personal attendants.

“Stay here for now. The Divine Emperor will likely summon you soon,” the guard chuckled before turning to depart.

—

The cave abode was already furnished with servants and maids, from whom Dongbo Xueying learned many of the villa’s regulations.

The ‘Yin Stone Villa’ was a place frequently visited by Bloodblade Divine Emperor, where his disciples resided. The rules here were strict—the permitted areas for nominal disciples, inner disciples, and personal disciples differed greatly. For Dongbo Xueying, many places were forbidden zones, strictly off-limits. As for Yu Jingqiu, Yunhai, Longshan Great Emperor, and the others, their permitted range was even narrower, restricted to a single corridor for movement and only allowed to enter or exit through the rear gate.

“An inner disciple is entitled to a hundred personal guards, ranked at the fifteenth tier,” Longshan Great Emperor mused while flipping through a golden tome. “Our numbers don’t even reach a hundred. Does that mean we can easily obtain official ranks?”

“Whether we receive ranks or not hardly matters,” Purple Thunder Monarch interjected. “The Bloodblade Divine Court enforces strict rules. As long as we avoid trespassing into forbidden zones, we can move freely in most places, and no one would dare cause trouble. Right now, Xueying’s guards only hold the lowest fifteenth-tier rank. But once he achieves mastery in his cultivation and graduates, he will surely receive an official position. By then, his guards’ ranks will be much higher.”

Dongbo Xueying smiled faintly.

Ensuring a better life for the deities of the Xia Clan was the least he could do.

“Junior Brother Dongbo, the Master summons you,” a slightly cold female voice called from outside.

“I’ll be right there,” Dongbo Xueying quickly rose and stepped out.

Outside the cave abode, he saw a plainly dressed woman in gray robes. Though her appearance was unremarkable, her unrestrained aura revealed her as a third-tier World God.

“Junior Brother Dongbo, I am also an inner disciple under the Master’s tutelage. My name is Gong Feng. You may address me as Senior Sister Gong Feng,” the woman said.

“Senior Sister Gong Feng,” Dongbo Xueying acknowledged.

As they walked through the villa, Gong Feng spoke casually, “The Master rarely accepts disciples during the Ten Thousand Flowers Feast. Most of his disciples are chosen during his travels. For you to be selected under the gaze of so many mighty figures, the Master must hold you in high regard. Among the inner disciples here, I am the eldest, so the Master often entrusts me with various tasks. If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to seek me out.”

“Thank you, Senior Sister,” Dongbo Xueying replied.

“It’s nothing,” Gong Feng smiled before leading him into a garden.

Within the garden lay a tranquil lake, its waters adorned with swaying aquatic plants.

Beside the lake, seated cross-legged on the ground, was Bloodblade Divine Emperor, clad in dark red robes that pooled around him like spilled ink. His eyes were half-lidded, and his presence alone suffused the garden with an oppressive silence. Perched on his shoulder was a peculiar black bird, its feathers appearing pitch-black at first glance but revealing faint, translucent hues upon closer inspection, shimmering with subtle iridescence.

“Master,” Gong Feng bowed deeply. “Junior Brother Dongbo has arrived.”

“Greetings, Master,” Dongbo Xueying also bowed respectfully, standing to the side.

Bloodblade Divine Emperor’s visage was indistinct, as though veiled by an endless shroud of darkness and destruction. Even seated, he exuded an overwhelming pressure, making Dongbo Xueying feel like an insignificant ant gazing up at a colossal dragon spanning countless miles.

Whoosh.

Bloodblade Divine Emperor’s drooping eyelids suddenly lifted, and two beams of light shot from his eyes, piercing directly into Dongbo Xueying’s own.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A torrent of information flooded his mind.

“The World God Heart lies in containment, like the ocean embracing all rivers…” A voice as vast as the heavens reverberated in Dongbo Xueying’s consciousness. The influx of knowledge was immense—countless battle sequences, scenes of a blurred figure wielding a spear in combat, accompanied by words and sounds.

The deluge lasted nearly half the time it took to drink a cup of tea before Dongbo Xueying finally regained clarity. Overjoyed, he realized this was an incredibly detailed guidance, divided into two parts: one concerning the ‘World God Heart’ and the other the ‘Chaotic God Heart.’

“Thank you, Master,” Dongbo Xueying said hastily.

“You show promise in mastering the World God Heart and the Chaotic God Heart. Train diligently—do not squander your potential,” Bloodblade Divine Emperor intoned emotionlessly before flicking his wrist. Two black tokens flew toward Dongbo Xueying.

Catching them, Dongbo Xueying examined the inscriptions: ‘Three Hundred Fifty-One’ and ‘Ninety-Five.’

“These are tokens for the Lockworld Tower,” Bloodblade Divine Emperor stated. “With these, you may enter the Ninety-Fifth Layer and the Three Hundred Fifty-First Layer to cultivate. These worlds will greatly aid your comprehension of the World God Heart and the Chaotic God Heart. You may leave now.”

“Yes,” Dongbo Xueying responded, slightly puzzled. The entire meeting had been brief, with barely any words exchanged before he was dismissed. The Divine Emperor’s domineering demeanor was unmistakable.

Bowing once more, Dongbo Xueying retreated from the garden.

“Two Lockworld Tower tokens?”

He was elated. From his lengthy discussions with Senior Brother Huiming, he knew inner disciples typically received only one token. Obtaining two right away was indeed exceptional.

Moreover, the wealth of knowledge now embedded in his mind brought immediate enlightenment. Bloodblade Divine Emperor’s guidance far surpassed that of Monarch Mo Xue.

—

Within the garden, Bloodblade Divine Emperor remained seated, his eyes half-closed once more.

“Bloodblade,” the black bird on his shoulder suddenly cawed. “Kekeke, how rare—giving an inner disciple two Lockworld Tower tokens right off the bat? You must think highly of him.”

“Hmm,” Bloodblade Divine Emperor acknowledged indifferently.

“How long do you think it’ll take him to grasp a first-grade God Heart?” the bird asked.

“Within a millennium. With my guidance, the Lockworld Tower’s aid, and his innate comprehension, he should grasp the World God Heart first, followed by the Chaotic God Heart,” the Divine Emperor replied coolly. His gaze shifted slightly toward the waiting Gong Feng. “Gong Feng.”

“Your disciple is here,” the gray-robed woman answered respectfully.

“Deliver a portion of Nine Fruits to him every year for the next thousand years,” Bloodblade Divine Emperor commanded. “Go.”

Gong Feng was visibly startled.

Nine Fruits? This was a privilege reserved only for the Divine Emperor’s most favored disciples—a combination of eight rare spirit fruits and a unique fruit wine, each portion exceedingly precious.

“As you will,” she assented before departing.

“Kekeke, Bloodblade, if he fails to comprehend anything within a thousand years despite receiving Nine Fruits annually, wouldn’t that be embarrassing?” the black bird teased.

“I am never wrong,” Bloodblade Divine Emperor stated flatly.

Overhearing the exchange, Gong Feng couldn’t help but marvel inwardly—her Master truly held high expectations for this new disciple.