Chapter 549: The Final Trial

Tired.

So tired.

Dongbo Xueying’s Redcloud Spear had long since become a blur of motion—sweeping left and right, thrusting forward, lashing out in fury, or striking with pinpoint precision. Under the onslaught of eighteen black figures, he struggled to hold his ground.

The enemies on the battlefield grew in number, their strength escalating with each wave. By now, Dongbo Xueying had already pushed his physical power to its absolute limit, his spear techniques honed to perfection. Yet, the black figures had become so formidable that he could no longer slay them. When six of them attacked him simultaneously, he felt certain he was about to fall.

But he refused to surrender.

He refused to give in so easily.

And so, even as the number of black figures continued to rise, despite believing he might collapse at any moment, he somehow endured—through sheer will and desperation.

*Huff.*

At the far edge of the battlefield, the dark runes within the glowing barrier coalesced once more, forming three new black figures.

“Again?” Dongbo Xueying barely had time to react.

Weapons flew at him from all directions.

Space and time twisted, attacks striking from the shadows.

Some strikes came faster than thought itself.

…

Against this relentless assault, Dongbo Xueying fought with everything he had. When evasion was impossible, he endured the non-lethal blows with his own body. Wounds accumulated, blood staining his form.

Twenty-one black figures.

Twenty-five.

Thirty.

Thirty-six.

When the battlefield finally swarmed with thirty-six black figures, each wielding different weapons and employing distinct combat techniques, Dongbo Xueying was overwhelmed. Only sheer stubbornness kept him fighting on instinct.

*Boom!*

He slammed backward into one of the black figures, his spear rippling outward like a tidal wave. A thousand vibrations pulsed through the air in an instant, sending eight enemies flying. But more surged forward to take their place.

Then—

*Whoosh!*

All at once, the black figures froze.

They retreated—some dissolving into the battlefield’s runes upon touching the ground, others melting into the barrier’s dark inscriptions. In moments, all thirty-six vanished without a trace.

Dongbo Xueying stood dumbfounded, Redcloud Spear in hand, staring at the eight black-armored soldiers, three golden-captains, and the Commander beyond the battlefield.

They all smiled at him.

“What are you gawking at? You won!” the monkey bellowed.

The Commander regarded him with quiet approval. “Congratulations. You have passed the second trial—the easier one.”

“Easier?” Dongbo Xueying blinked, then exhaled in relief, feeling as though he had just clawed his way back from death’s door. “Wasn’t this supposed to test physical strength? I pushed myself to the absolute limit, yet the enemies kept coming. I never imagined I could last this long.”

The Commander’s voice was calm. “You *thought* you had reached your limit. True combat reveals untapped potential. The second trial tests your fighting spirit. A true warrior does not yield easily. The pressure here escalates gradually—more psychological than physical. To surrender is to admit a lack of resolve.”

Dongbo Xueying felt a surge of gratitude.

He remembered the torment of the Ghost Six Curses poison—the agony he endured daily for years, resisting relief until the last possible moment. That suffering had tempered him, shaping his spirit in ways that still lingered.

“The first trial tested your comprehension. The second, your will. Neither was truly difficult.” The Commander smirked. “The third trial is where most fail. Even the finest True Gods have fallen there—save for Pang Yi.”

“What is the final trial?” Dongbo Xueying pressed.

Only one challenge remained.

Success meant joining the Annihilation Legion, gaining access to its ancient resources—a boon for his cultivation.

*Heh heh heh…*

The black-armored soldiers and golden-captains chuckled ominously.

“The last one…”

“Far harder than in our day…”

Their eerie grins sent a chill down Dongbo Xueying’s spine.

What kind of trial could bar even the mightiest True Gods of the Divine Realm and Abyss—with Pang Yi as the sole exception?

“Simple.” The Commander’s smile was serene. “I have already sealed your True Godheart. Within ten thousand years, you must break the seal—using nothing but your willpower. Succeed, and you pass.”

*What?!*

Dongbo Xueying’s eyes widened. “Commander, you can’t be serious?”

“No outside assistance. Only your own will can shatter the seal.”

Dongbo Xueying stood frozen.

This was unheard of!

With his True Godheart sealed, he could no longer wield Divine Power or Taihao Force—only his physical strength remained. And brute force was useless here. His sole option was sheer willpower.

*No wonder even True Gods failed.*

Yet Pang Yi had succeeded.

“The seal’s strength scales with your power. True Gods face a far greater challenge. Even a Four Heavens World God would endure a harsher trial than yours. As a Three Heavens World God, yours is manageable.” The Commander paused. “But your True Godheart is young, untempered by time. Your will has not been honed through long trials.”

“Remember.”

“You have ten thousand years. Break the seal, and the Annihilation Legion welcomes you. Fail, and you will be expelled.”

Dongbo Xueying nodded slowly.

There was no other path.

As for willpower—during the Ten Thousand Flowers Feast, his strength had been too meager to gauge the wills of figures like the Three Ancestors or Bloodblade Divine Emperor. But in his travels, the most formidable will he had encountered belonged to the deceased *Skycloud Emperor*—whose indomitable spirit lingered in his corpse and the very void itself, even after eons.

—

**Divine Realm, Bloodblade Divine Court.**

Outside an ancient wooden hut, the Bloodblade Divine Emperor received a guest—one of the few powerful enough to warrant a personal audience.

“We’ll discuss the details later.”

“Agreed.”

After a brief exchange with an Abyssal Overlord wreathed in sanguine aura, the towering figure dissipated into nothingness.

*Cackle cackle!* “Another war, Bloodblade?” The black bird perched on the Divine Emperor’s shoulder squawked.

“I’ll send an avatar. This matter cannot be refused—he aided me in the past.” The Divine Emperor’s tone was indifferent. Then, abruptly, he asked, “How fares Xueying?”

Disciples like Pang Yi and Qing Jun required little oversight—their progress was glacial at their level. But Dongbo Xueying was still in his meteoric rise, warranting closer attention.

The black bird flapped its wings. “Word is he entered the Heartlake Island ruins and rescued Monarch Snowmist. Now, mighty beings like the Nine Suns Palace Master hunt him—though he’s vanished for now.”

“Vanished?”

The Divine Emperor turned, his gaze deepening.

Within his eyes, universes swirled, laws of existence flickering like stars. His vision pierced through the Heartlake Island’s barriers, following the threads of karma straight into the Annihilation Cavern.

“That reckless brat. Barely a Three Heavens World God, yet he abandons his duties as an Inspector to play the hero.” A faint smirk touched the Divine Emperor’s lips. “And now he dares attempt joining the Annihilation Legion.”

“The Annihilation Legion?” The black bird’s feathers ruffled in surprise. “In all the Divine Realm and Abyss, only Pang Yi succeeded.”

“Indeed. The trials are brutal.” The Divine Emperor nodded. “But should he pass and attain the power of a mighty figure, I’ll promote him—grant him real authority. Clearly, idleness breeds mischief. If he’s bold enough to delve into ruins even *I* hesitate to tread, he deserves more responsibilities.”