Chapter 569: Decapitation!

Dongbo Xueying and his nine world avatars were pouring their full strength into the siege. When he heard the Howling Fiend Cult Master shout, “You’re not a mighty figure from the Dark Abyss—you’re Dongbo Xueying!” his heart skipped a beat, but then he felt an odd sense of relief.

He had always been worried about being discovered, which was why he had been so cautious—avoiding his spear and using a staff instead. He hadn’t even dared to wield his blood-forged divine weapon, the *Crimson Cloud Spear*.

But now, the truth was out.

Exposed.

Since he was already exposed, regret was pointless. Instead, he felt strangely at peace.

*”So what if I’m exposed? At worst, I’ll just slaughter my way through the Dark Abyss.”* The killing intent in Dongbo Xueying’s eyes grew sharper. At the same time, the weapons in the hands of his nine world avatars transformed—from staves into spears. His true self also stowed away the staff and drew the *Crimson Cloud Spear*. Though using a staff to mimic spear techniques was somewhat similar, there were still significant differences, and the power he could unleash was noticeably weaker.

“Dongbo Xueying, spare me, and I swear I won’t reveal your identity!” The Howling Fiend Cult Master, now a writhing crimson shadow, frantically sent a mental message. Seeing Dongbo Xueying switch weapons, he knew things had taken a dire turn.

With his most familiar weapon in hand, Dongbo Xueying’s strength would undoubtedly surge.

If he were truly killed, all his time spent cultivating the *Bloodfiend Tome* would be wasted. He would have to gather rare materials and countless souls all over again, and the difficulty of cultivation would only increase. Worse still, the original copy of the *Bloodfiend Tome’s* first volume would fall into Dongbo Xueying’s hands. These were losses the Howling Fiend Cult Master could not bear. Though he had recognized Dongbo Xueying’s identity, the surrounding isolation prevented the Abyssal Will from detecting it. Clearly, the Cult Master wasn’t yet willing to burn all bridges.

“I truly have no intention of opposing you, Lord Dongbo,” the Howling Fiend Cult Master pleaded.

“Die.” Dongbo Xueying’s killing intent surged without mercy. If he didn’t kill the Howling Fiend Cult Master, how could he ever resurrect Chi Qiu Bai, who was bound in a symbiotic state with him?

“If you kill me, you’ll never escape the Dark Abyss!” the Howling Fiend Cult Master snarled, his voice tinged with madness.

**BOOM—!**

The ten spears became even more ferocious and deadly, especially the *Crimson Cloud Spear*, whose power was now a full tier above before. The Howling Fiend Cult Master was instantly grievously wounded once more. The relentless scorching of the *Ten Directions Annihilation Flames* worsened his injuries, pushing him ever closer to death.

*”Even with my spear and going all out, I couldn’t finish him in one strike.”* Dongbo Xueying frowned inwardly. *”My insights are still lacking. His body has turned into a shadow, almost intangible—my World Prison can’t restrain him, only the formless flames can burn him. Even so, with nine world avatars assisting, he’s still alive. This gap in comprehension… It seems I’ll only truly bridge it after reaching the Fourth Heaven God realm.”*

*”The Abyssal Will hasn’t discovered my true identity, but the Howling Fiend Cult Master is cunning enough to deduce my weakness in insights and thus my identity.”* These thoughts flashed through Dongbo Xueying’s mind, but his attacks never slowed. Wielding his familiar blood-forged weapon, his movements became even more fluid and unrestrained.

Just then—

*”Hm?”* Dongbo Xueying sensed a spatial ripple from trillions of miles away.

A dark-skinned demon, clad only in tattered black cloth, stood barefoot and barehanded. His appearance bore a striking resemblance to the ‘Lord Youlan’ Dongbo Xueying had once encountered in the Xia Clan’s world. The demon smiled faintly, his voice resonating directly in Dongbo Xueying’s mind through karmic transmission:

*”Esteemed Bloodblade Hall Master, as a favor to me, Emperor Jun, spare the Howling Fiend, won’t you? Killing him would only destroy a single avatar. Is it truly worth it?”*

The words echoed in Dongbo Xueying’s consciousness.

Meanwhile, Emperor Jun himself tore through space, rapidly closing the distance.

“Emperor Jun!” The Howling Fiend Cult Master, now a crimson shadow, cried out in desperate hope. “Save me! Save me!”

*”Emperor Jun?”* Dongbo Xueying knew of him.

Emperor Jun was a True God of the Dark Abyss, similar to the Howling Fiend Cult Master in that he too spread his influence through cults. Countless lives across five layers of the Abyss worshipped him.

**SWOOSH—!**

Dongbo Xueying’s true self and his nine avatars unleashed a second spear strike—this one even more devastating than the first. Space itself began to distort under the pressure.

“Something’s wrong!” The Howling Fiend Cult Master’s expression twisted in horror. He could sense Dongbo Xueying’s spear techniques growing more profound.

“Die.”

The true self and the avatars struck a third time.

**BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!**

The ten spears transformed into ten blinding *suns*, their speed and ferocity far surpassing anything before. Dongbo Xueying, already terrifying in strength and speed, now unleashed a force that filled the Howling Fiend Cult Master with utter despair.

This was *Annihilation*—the most destructive of Dongbo Xueying’s three secret techniques. It was this very move that had allowed him to pass the most basic trial of the Bloodfire Gate and become a guest of Heartlake Island.

Years trapped in the Annihilation Cave had honed his understanding of the *Ten Directions Annihilation Flames* and refined his techniques. Now, *Annihilation* had reached a level of power that rivaled even seasoned Fourth Heaven Gods.

**CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!**

The world around them shattered into oblivion.

The Howling Fiend Cult Master, already on the brink of death, could endure no more. Under the overwhelming brilliance of the ten suns, his crimson shadow disintegrated into nothingness.

“**STOP!**” Emperor Jun’s furious voice finally reached them as he entered his own domain.

**BOOM!**

Millions of dark-skinned demons, all clad in tattered black cloth, appeared simultaneously, filling the sky and earth. Below, a vast forest had been reduced to ruins, leaving behind a crater spanning hundreds of thousands of miles. Dongbo Xueying stood calmly above it.

“You’re too late,” Dongbo Xueying said coolly.

Though it seemed slow in narration, the battle between Dongbo Xueying and the Howling Fiend Cult Master had unfolded in mere instants—thousands of exchanges in the blink of an eye. The three spear strikes of *Annihilation* had been executed in rapid succession. By the time Dongbo Xueying slew the Howling Fiend and collected his treasures, Emperor Jun had only just arrived.

The Howling Fiend was, after all, a top-tier Fourth Heaven God. His treasures were worth claiming—especially since resurrecting Chi Qiu Bai from the River of Time would require a hefty price.

“Why bother? It was just an avatar,” Emperor Jun sighed as his countless duplicates faded, leaving only his true form.

Dongbo Xueying had already boarded his Starry Sky Ship, standing at its prow. “A mission is a mission,” he replied indifferently. “Unless Emperor Jun intends to stop me?” His gaze flicked toward the True God.

Emperor Jun chuckled.

To oppose a Bloodblade Hall Master over a dead Howling Fiend—who had only lost an avatar? That would be sheer folly.

Moreover, since he had failed to save the Howling Fiend, any promised rewards from the Cult Master would never materialize. There was no reason left to interfere.

Most importantly—Emperor Jun was only an ordinary True God. Even he would need time to kill the Howling Fiend. The final spear technique Dongbo Xueying had used to finish the Cult Master had been witnessed by Emperor Jun himself. In terms of sheer destructive force, it surpassed even his own. Only in finesse was it slightly lacking.

Fighting this Bloodblade Hall Master might not even guarantee victory. There was simply no need to escalate things.

**WHOOSH!**

Under Emperor Jun’s watchful gaze, Dongbo Xueying’s Starry Sky Ship tore open a spatial tunnel and vanished.

—

Meanwhile, deep within the Three-Headed Divine Mountain—

It was here that the Howling Fiend Cult Master had once been fortunate enough to obtain the first volume of the *Bloodfiend Tome*, which was why one of his avatars had remained hidden within.

Inside a dimly lit cavern, the Howling Fiend Cult Master sat cross-legged. His true form and avatar shared the same appearance.

“Damn you, Dongbo Xueying!” The Cult Master’s heart bled with fury. His true form had been annihilated, forcing him to restart his cultivation of the *Bloodfiend Tome* from scratch—with even lower odds of success. Worse, the original *Bloodfiend Tome* was now lost. He had no illusions that Dongbo Xueying would return it. Even if Dongbo Xueying were killed, the tome would likely fall into the hands of another Abyssal powerhouse—none of whom would return it to him.

Thus, the priceless treasure was forever beyond his reach.

“You won’t escape the Dark Abyss. You won’t escape me!” The Howling Fiend Cult Master’s heart burned with hatred and murderous intent. He raised his head and roared, “**O Great Abyssal Will! The one who slew my true form—the so-called Bloodblade Hall Master—is none other than Dongbo Xueying of the Divine Realm! He is an outsider, not of the Dark Abyss!**”

His voice echoed through the cavern.

He then withdrew the artifact that had been blocking detection, allowing the Abyssal Will to perceive everything. Though the Abyssal Will operated on primal instinct alone, it would act upon this revelation in accordance with its ancient nature.

Immediately after, the Howling Fiend Cult Master sent a mental pulse into his communication treasure.