Within the borders of Anhai Prefecture, in the Eastern Domain City.
Inside a luxurious tavern, a figure in a green robe and another in a gray robe sat casually eating and drinking, their gazes fixed outside the window. With their divine vision as World Gods, though the distance was considerable, they could still clearly see the grand entrance of the most prominent residence—the Inspector’s Mansion—far in the distance.
“My lord, that ‘Shang Yi,’ under the alias Baili Shang and with altered appearance, has sought refuge under Dongbo Xueying’s banner. It has now been confirmed. What should we do? Should we seize an opportunity to eliminate him directly?” the gray-robed man asked. As they conversed, their surroundings were shielded from all forms of detection, ensuring no eavesdroppers.
The green-robed man frowned as he gazed into the distance. “When the ruins collapsed, countless World Gods scattered in all directions. That supreme treasure—who knows which of them ended up with it? Moreover, those World Gods were thoroughly frightened at the time, each acting with extreme caution. Despite the kingdom lord exhausting all means, only a few were found. Eventually, he resorted to tracing them through karma at great cost… Though we’ve gradually located them one by one, out of the 395 World Gods found so far, none possess the treasure. Even though we’ve identified another, who can say whether this ‘Shang Yi’ has it?”
After so many failures, even the Lord of Cang Yong Kingdom began to doubt whether the ruins had ever contained a supreme treasure. Yet, the vast trove of other artifacts and evidence he had acquired pointed to one undeniable truth—there was indeed a paramount treasure within the ruins. This was why the Lord of Cang Yong Kingdom spared no effort or expense in tracking down each and every World God.
“If he were hiding alone, we could simply capture him,” the green-robed man shook his head. “But now he’s under Dongbo Xueying’s protection—one of his earliest followers, no less, serving as a commander of the personal guard. To seize a commander of the personal guard—how could Dongbo Xueying ever permit such an act?”
“Would the kingdom lord truly fear Dongbo Xueying?” the gray-robed man couldn’t help but interject.
“Hmph, of course the kingdom lord doesn’t fear Dongbo Xueying, but there’s no need to provoke unnecessary enmity,” the green-robed man shot a glance at his companion. “Dongbo Xueying is no easy foe. He is a direct disciple of the Bloodblade Divine Emperor, trained in legendary techniques. I might not even be his match. And in the future, he will become a terrifying existence even the kingdom lord would hesitate to antagonize. If he ascends to the Fourth Heaven World God realm, he will undoubtedly dominate among his peers.”
The gray-robed man nodded. “Then what should we do?”
“After all, he is a commander of the personal guard. If he were merely a loose retainer, Dongbo Xueying might not intervene so fiercely. But for a commander, he will undoubtedly protect him.” The green-robed man pondered, his voice turning icy. “However, the kingdom lord has already paid an immeasurable price for the treasures of those ruins. No matter what, every single World God who escaped must be thoroughly investigated—not a single one can be overlooked!”
“Understood.” The gray-robed man suddenly exclaimed, “Look! Shang Yi is returning to the Inspector’s Mansion.”
Commander Baili Shang was flying back from the distance with a contingent of soldiers, entering the Inspector’s Mansion with an air of ease and contentment. As one of Dongbo Xueying’s personal guard commanders, his life was one of comfort and prestige—no one dared to provoke him.
“Shang Yi was once quite handsome. Now he’s made himself so ordinary, even dark-skinned,” the green-robed man remarked with a sigh. “Truly cautious.”
Every World God who escaped that day had acted with extreme caution, making the Lord of Cang Yong Kingdom’s search arduous. Eventually, he resorted to tracing them through karma—despite not having mastered the Karma Heart himself. Those entangled in the karma of absorbing faith were often hindered in mastering it. Thus, tracking these World Gods across the vast divine realm through their karmic connections came at great cost and took considerable time.
—
“Alright, dismissed. I’ll be in seclusion for a while. Handle any minor matters yourselves,” Baili Shang instructed casually upon returning to his private quarters.
“Yes, Commander.”
The soldiers dispersed with laughter and chatter.
With Dongbo Xueying’s influence growing ever stronger, the various factions in the Eastern Domain of Anhai Prefecture had become exceedingly compliant. Even those with powerful connections who had previously skimped on faith offerings now dared not withhold too much. As they put it: “Dongbo Xueying’s cultivation speed is astonishing. It won’t be long before he grows even stronger, and His Majesty the Divine Emperor will likely promote him. Best not to provoke him while he’s still the Inspector.”
Thus, whether it was the personal guard or the inspectorate forces, life was truly leisurely.
“These days are indeed comfortable,” Baili Shang mused as he soon entered his meditation chamber. There, he manipulated space-time to obscure detection before retrieving a wooden box. Inside lay a black sphere covered in intricate, uneven patterns.
Baili Shang gently stroked the black sphere.
Slowly, it began to glow, its patterns radiating light that projected a complex, three-dimensional image into the surrounding air—an image so profound and inscrutable that it surpassed anything Baili Shang had ever seen. Even the grandest formations in the city paled in comparison.
“The Lord of Cang Yong Kingdom risked everything, sacrificed so much, sent so many World Gods to their deaths—all for you!” Baili Shang muttered, his fingers tracing the sphere, his eyes burning with frustration. “But what is your secret? What are you? A supreme technique? A peerless treasure?”
For over thirty thousand years, he had tried every method imaginable—refining techniques, sensory probes, even brute force in moments of desperation. Yet the black sphere remained utterly unmoved, unbreakable, unrefinable.
Apart from projecting this unfathomable three-dimensional pattern when infused with World God energy, it served no other purpose.
“I can sense something… something not right,” Baili Shang muttered anxiously. “What is it? What is your secret?”
To hold a treasure yet be unable to unlock its mysteries—it was a torment.
—
In the Inspector’s Mansion, only the front areas housed the quarters of the personal guard. The vast rear section was reserved for Dongbo Xueying’s family and his own cultivation grounds.
Deep beneath the mansion, in a sealed, shadowy hall, Dongbo Xueying sat alone in meditation.
“Rumble—”
Countless scenes unfolded around him: worlds collapsing, black holes imploding, the faint emergence of singularities. There were visions of withering flowers, aging beasts turning to bones, forests reduced to ashes in roaring flames…
An endless array of destruction played out, each scene exuding an aura of annihilation.
World, black hole, singularity—these were the three stages of the Great Destruction within the cosmic laws. Dongbo Xueying sought to perfect his deadliest technique, the spear art “Annihilation,” while also striving to comprehend the Heart of the Singularity.
The singularity…
In his youth, Dongbo Xueying had first grasped the “True Meaning of Singularity Penetration.” Now, having mastered the Heart of the World and the Heart of the Black Hole, the Heart of the Singularity eluded him the longest.
This was because “Singularity Penetration” and the “Heart of the Singularity” were fundamentally different—polar opposites, in fact.
Singularity Penetration was about extremity.
The Heart of the Singularity, however, represented absolute unity, absolute balance—the origin and end of all things. Dongbo Xueying had long understood this truth. Yet, to grasp that profound “One,” the origin and end of all cosmic laws, was no simple feat. After years of refining his spear art “Annihilation” and building upon his deep foundation in singularity principles, he had brushed against that elusive veil.
A single layer separated him, yet it remained just out of reach.
“I can feel myself drawing closer,” Dongbo Xueying smiled faintly as the scenes of destruction around him dissipated. “No rush. All things will come in due time.”
Rising to his feet, he exited the underground hall, ascending the stairs until he emerged into the open. This hall was his private sanctum for cultivation and training—none could enter without his permission. Only his wife and children had ever been allowed inside, where he occasionally guided them through their own cultivation struggles.
As he stepped out, an attendant bowed respectfully. “Your Highness, a guest has arrived and has been waiting for two days.”
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