The towering figure of the Cang Yong Monarch stood there, causing the surrounding heavens and earth to tremble. He gazed down at the Can Tu World God below and bellowed, “Scram!”
“Yes, this subordinate takes his leave.”
The Can Tu World God, his heart pounding with fear, hastily retreated. Normally, as the monarch’s right-hand man, he was usually treated with great importance. Yet now, the monarch had outright told him to “scram”—clearly, the Cang Yong Monarch was furious beyond measure. The Can Tu World God wasn’t the least bit surprised, for he knew all too well how much the monarch had sacrificed for this: “The relic treasure has fallen into Dongbo Xueying’s hands, but he likely won’t be able to hold onto it for long! The monarch will stop at nothing to reclaim it.”
Empires, subordinates, power—all were mere externalities.
For the sake of strength, everything could be discarded!
In the dimly lit void, the Cang Yong Monarch slowly seated himself upon his throne, letting out a low, chilling laugh.
“Hahaha…”
“Though there have been some twists and troubles, at least the relic treasure has been discovered! I had even begun to doubt its existence.” His eyes burned with excitement and anticipation. “Hunting down those fleeing World Gods was merely my unwillingness to let any slip through the cracks. Who would have thought that Shang Yi World God would be the one to carry away the relic treasure? Hmph, these fools—they have no idea of its true worth. Even if they held it, they wouldn’t know how to use it!”
“If I obtain this treasure…”
“My strength will soar! Among Fourth Heaven World Gods, I will rise to the very pinnacle—perhaps even rivaling a true Paragon.” The Cang Yong Monarch’s eyes gleamed with fervor.
To fight beyond one’s tier was no easy feat.
Fourth Heaven World Gods, having begun to grasp multiple First-Class Divine Hearts, stood closer to Paragons than any other realm. This granted them the hope of contending with such beings. Yet, though many boasted of their might, claiming to be “near-Paragon,” the gap remained.
Only those who had faced a Paragon in battle and remained unbroken could truly be said to possess Paragon-level combat power.
Among Fourth Heaven World Gods, perhaps one in ten achieved this.
Old monsters like the Mo Xue Monarch had done so, while other prodigious overlords—even the famed Senior Brother Hui Ming, ranked among the foremost of Fourth Heaven World Gods—were merely labeled as “near-Paragon.” For none had truly fought a Paragon and emerged unscathed.
Paragons, after all, had lived through eons of time. None were to be trifled with.
Even the strongest Fourth Heaven World Gods could, at best, barely escape with their lives when facing one. To stand toe-to-toe without faltering? Nearly impossible.
…
“With this treasure, not only will my power grow, but I can also delve deeper into its mysteries, increasing my chances of transcending the River of Time. And once my strength surges, I can venture into even deadlier realms in search of further breakthroughs.” The Cang Yong Monarch’s thoughts burned with resolve. “This relic treasure is my greatest opportunity! I must seize it!”
“Whoever stands in my way—I will kill them!”
His eyes radiated icy ruthlessness.
Transcendence…
It was the dream of every Fourth Heaven World God. Having lived for billions of years, they would do anything to achieve it.
“Dongbo Xueying?” The Cang Yong Monarch sneered. “Though he is the Divine Emperor’s personal disciple, in normal combat, the emperor would never intervene.”
The temperament of Bloodblade Divine Emperor was well-known across the Divine Realm and Abyss.
“Even if I slay this incarnation of Dongbo Xueying, as a Material World Lord, his true self remains unharmed within his homeworld. It wouldn’t truly count as death. The Divine Emperor would have even less reason to act.” The monarch mused. “Still, there’s no need to push too hard. Dongbo Xueying will one day become a ruler in his own right. This time, I’ll spare his life—out of courtesy. I’ll simply capture him, seal his Divine Heart, and take his treasures. The rest I can leave behind; the relic treasure alone is enough.”
The Cang Yong Monarch had already planned it all.
By showing restraint, he could leave room for reconciliation later.
If he were to slay Dongbo Xueying’s avatar now, the enmity would be irreparable.
“I’m being merciful. But if he insists on resisting… Hmph, once the relic treasure is mine, what do I have to fear from him?” By then, he would be confident enough to challenge a Paragon.
“Prepare.”
“I must strike swiftly.”
“And set up a formation to seal off trillions of miles. Even if the An Hai Prefecture Master comes to aid, I can delay him.” The Cang Yong Monarch calculated. In truth, he believed a single move would suffice to deal with Dongbo Xueying. But when it came to the relic treasure, no caution was excessive. He could not afford to lose. At any cost, the treasure must be reclaimed.
…
Within the Inspector’s Manor of Eastpeak City, An Hai Prefecture.
“Your Highness.”
A group of subordinates hurried in—chiefly the personal guard captain and several Second Heaven World God retainers.
Dongbo Xueying shook his head. “I was a step too late. Captain Baili was assassinated by the Can Tu World God, though I did destroy one of his avatars in return.”
“The Can Tu World God?” The captains and retainers exchanged shocked glances. This was a notorious Third Heaven expert, skilled in assassination, stealth, and escape—yet he had been slain by His Highness without even fleeing?
“All of you, withdraw.” Dongbo Xueying waved them off, his mood grim.
Though he had destroyed an avatar, his personal guard captain had truly perished.
“As you command.” They swiftly departed.
Even Dongbo Yu and Dongbo Qingyao were quietly ushered out by their mother, Yu Jingqiu.
Only Yu Jingqiu remained by Dongbo Xueying’s side. “Xueying, for the Cang Yong Monarch to send an assassin into our manor to kill your guard captain… His malice runs deep?”
“There’s little we can do against the Cang Yong Monarch,” Dongbo Xueying replied. “Destroying one of his subordinate’s avatars is vengeance enough. In truth, we’ve suffered the greater loss—our captain is truly dead. I suspect this matter ends here.”
“Mm.” Yu Jingqiu nodded.
By their reckoning,
Baili Shang was dead, and the Can Tu World God had only lost an avatar.
The affair should conclude.
Yet they could not have foreseen that, with the death of Can Tu’s avatar, an artifact of immense importance had fallen into Dongbo Xueying’s hands—ensuring the Cang Yong Monarch would never let this rest.
As they walked and spoke, Dongbo Xueying distractedly scanned the treasures looted from the slain Can Tu World God. At first, he did so casually; having inherited the Red Rock Mountain’s wealth, the possessions of a mere Third Heaven World God meant little to him.
But then—
“What is this?” His probing senses immediately locked onto a black sphere housed within a wooden box. Its surface was etched with countless intricate, uneven patterns, exuding an aura so profound it felt like gazing into the vast cosmos. In an instant, Dongbo Xueying knew—this was no ordinary artifact.
After briefly informing his wife, he secluded himself to investigate further.
In an underground chamber,
Dongbo Xueying placed the wooden box on the ground and opened it, revealing the black sphere.
“Undoubtedly a rare treasure. But… what is its purpose?” He frowned, unable to discern its function despite his vast knowledge.
…
Beyond Eastpeak City, a Starfield Ark tore through the void.
Atop it stood a cold-faced man with a bald head and bony spines protruding from his neck. His gaze fixed upon the distant city as an invisible pressure unfurled.
In an instant,
the entire Eastpeak City was engulfed within his World God Domain.
“My treasure… I’ve come for you.” The Cang Yong Monarch’s eyes blazed with fanaticism. He had waited far too long for this day.
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