The Lords of Nine Stiffness Mansion and Heavenly River Mansion were the first two Four Heavens Realm Gods to visit. After seeing them off, over the next month, other Four Heavens Realm Gods came one after another. If it were an ordinary person or someone of weaker strength, they would likely be eager to receive such precious gifts! But the stronger one is, the less likely they are to accept favors lightly.
Most of these visiting Four Heavens Realm Gods brought Ashen Demon Bones—something usually impossible to buy. Yet these overlords of the Divine Realm, if they truly desired something, could often produce it, given their long lifespans and deep reserves.
Dongbo Xueying had only one response: “I can’t accept gifts for free, but I’m willing to buy. At fifty million divine crystals per jin of Ashen Demon Bone, I only need five jin.”
Although the fourth chapter of *Taihao* required more rare treasures, including a greater quantity of Ashen Demon Bones, Dongbo Xueying had limited divine crystals on hand—unless he traded treasures from Red Rock Mountain. Moreover, there was no rush, as cultivating the fourth chapter of *Taihao* would only be necessary after becoming a Four Heavens Realm God. He could accumulate more divine crystals and purchase what he needed gradually.
“This…”
“Fifty million divine crystals per jin? Ten million would suffice.”
The Four Heavens Realm Gods even thought Dongbo Xueying was overpaying.
“Fifty million per jin, and I only need five jin,” Dongbo Xueying insisted. This price wasn’t a bargain, nor did it create any karmic debt. It was merely a gesture of goodwill.
In the end, he bought one jin each from the first five Four Heavens Realm Gods who arrived, establishing a basic acquaintance with them.
“Sigh.”
“Forming karmic ties with Dongbo Xueying isn’t easy.”
“His Highness Dongbo is a personal disciple of His Majesty. He’s no fool—how could he casually accept gifts?”
In just over a month, thirty-five Four Heavens Realm Gods visited. Some sought karmic ties, while others simply wanted to establish familiarity. Many came from distant corners of the Divine Realm. However, none of the mighty ones paid a visit—only the familiar Crimsonflame Patriarch sent distant congratulations. After all, mighty ones had already transcended; they weren’t as desperate as Four Heavens Realm Gods.
—
**The Solar Star**
One of the two most mysterious and powerful celestial bodies, the Solar Star, along with the Lunar Star, resided at the two poles of the Divine Realm, eternally illuminating the Divine Realm, the Material World, and the Dark Abyss. Yet, no matter how one flew, it could never be reached conventionally.
“Boom—”
The Solar Star was an unimaginably massive sphere of fire, its surface flames so dense they appeared liquid, like an ocean of fire. These flames flowed endlessly, radiating terrifying heat. Its power extended across the entire Material World, the Abyss, and the Dark Abyss—a testament to its might. Its laws were infinitely more complex than the natural order, rivaling even the rules of the Material World and the Dark Abyss.
Many mighty ones frequented the Solar Star.
“Ahahaha!”
On the surface of the Solar Star stood a small house with a courtyard barely over ten meters wide. Beyond the courtyard lay endless solar flames.
Inside, a white-haired, youthful-faced elder laughed heartily. “My luck is truly splendid! Helping that Dongbo lad back then has borne unexpected fruit. He may even surpass me one day. Haha, the karmic debt he owes me is no small matter.”
Saving Yu Jingqiu had been trivial for the Crimsonflame Patriarch.
But for Dongbo Xueying at the time, it was worth his very life! He had pleaded with the Spacetime Temple, only to be dismissed—they deemed him unworthy of the cost. Saving Yu Jingqiu required either a soul-reforging treasure or the intervention of a mighty one, both exorbitantly expensive. Dongbo Xueying had been utterly desperate, with nowhere to turn.
Yet the Crimsonflame Patriarch, a mighty one, had stepped in.
This karmic debt… for Dongbo Xueying, it was worth shattering his body to repay.
“Dongbo lad, your future is boundless. When this old man asks for your help someday, don’t refuse me,” the Crimsonflame Patriarch had added in his congratulatory message.
“Patriarch, you need only command me. I would stake my life to aid you,” Dongbo Xueying replied without hesitation.
“No rush, no rush. At the very least, wait until you become a mighty one. Then I’ll call upon you,” the Patriarch said.
Dongbo Xueying was grateful.
By stating this, the Crimsonflame Patriarch implied the debt could be repaid after Dongbo Xueying ascended to mightiness. Thus, the karmic burden during his transition from Four Heavens to mighty one would be minimal.
—
**Three months after Dongbo Xueying became a Three Heavens Realm God…**
At the border between the Divine Realm and the Dark Abyss…
A colossal black hand tore through the void, covering a trillion-mile radius. Space within that vast region froze solid. The fleeing Venomous Ying Realm God stared in terror at the descending hand, shrieking, “Divine Emperor! Spare me! Spare me!” Her other body had just been captured, and now this one was trapped as well.
“Spare you? Hahaha! I intend to gift you to Dongbo Xueying!” The monstrous black hand clenched. Venomous Ying struggled desperately, but the space around her was locked—escape was impossible.
Despair filled her heart.
The moment she heard Dongbo Xueying had become a Three Heavens Realm God, she knew her time was up. With no hope left, she fled immediately. Yet before Dongbo Xueying even acted, an ancient Four Heavens Realm God—one who had lived for untold ages—struck. The old monster had spent three months meticulously tracking her two bodies before seizing them both simultaneously.
Truly, when such beings moved, there was no escape.
—
**Meanwhile, in East Dominion City…**
The Lord of Cang Yong finally came to visit Dongbo Xueying.
“Lord Cang Yong!”
The guards and maids of the Inspector’s Manor watched curiously. Three months ago, this very lord had clashed with Dongbo Xueying above the city. Now he dared to return? Moreover, the assassin who targeted Commander Baili Shang had been one of his subordinates. There was clear enmity between them.
“Lord, this way.” A Realm God guard escorted him.
After hosting so many Four Heavens Realm Gods, the guards were unfazed.
Soon, Cang Yong was led into the hall.
Inside, Dongbo Xueying sat alone. He gestured to the opposite seat. “Lord Cang Yong, please.”
The lord took his seat, facing Dongbo Xueying. “Your Highness Dongbo, I must apologize for my previous offense. I hope you won’t hold it against me.”
Dongbo Xueying smiled. “Let’s skip the formalities. I may be confident, but I don’t believe a Four Heavens Realm God would bow to me unprompted. I only destroyed one of your subordinate’s avatars, yet you came for me personally. Now you’re here to apologize. You must want something—and it’s no small matter.”
“Impressive,” Cang Yong praised.
“Speak. What is it?” Dongbo Xueying asked, curious. Was it about the black orb?
Over the past three months, he had studied the orb extensively. His true self in Red Rock Mountain, under a hundredfold time acceleration, had scrutinized the reflected formation diagram—yet its secrets remained elusive. One thing was certain: the complexity of that diagram marked the orb as an extraordinary treasure.
Cang Yong glanced at the hall’s entrance.
With a wave, Dongbo Xueying shut the doors.
“I’ll be direct. You’ve likely guessed already.” Cang Yong summoned a phantom of the black orb. “This is what I seek.”
Dongbo Xueying nodded. “As I thought. Can you tell me what it is? What secrets does it hold?”
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