“To think the fragment would be summoned at such a time,” Dongbo Xueying mused inwardly, shaking his head. “What unfortunate timing! Right now, my top priority is survival. If I don’t make it, everything on me—including the first volume of the *Blood Demon Codex*—will be taken.”
The dark-red, razor-sharp fragment tugged at his attention, but Xueying immediately dismissed it. He knew exactly what needed to be done.
At this very moment, numerous Abyssal Monarchs were entering the Three-Headed Divine Mountain. Some were even stronger than him—beings who could obliterate him with a mere flick of their hands. Thinking about treasure hunting now would be nothing short of suicidal.
*Whoosh!*
He transformed into a streak of light, pushing his speed to the absolute limit as he fled.
*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*
The Abyssal Monarchs entering through the demon skull’s nostrils, mouth, ears, and other orifices immediately locked onto Xueying’s approximate location via karmic resonance. Their pursuit of him had already forged a faint thread of causality.
“His surroundings are shrouded in a chaotic blur spanning millions of miles—he must possess an artifact that blocks all rule-based detection. But at least we can confirm he’s within that obscured region.” Each Abyssal Monarch pursued with unshakable confidence, knowing that as time passed, their numbers would only grow.
Beyond the first fifty layers, even stronger entities from the deeper abyss would likely intervene. Even beings at the Venerable level might join the hunt.
Once their ranks swelled, Dongbo Xueying’s current struggle would be nothing more than a desperate last stand.
—
News of Dongbo Xueying obtaining the first volume of the *Blood Demon Codex* and being hunted in the Dark Abyss spread like wildfire through the Divine Realm. Initially, only top-tier figures like the Bloodblade Divine Emperor and Venerable Huo Chuan were aware. But soon, even the mighty powers and Fourth Heaven Gods of the Divine Realm caught wind of it. After all, the scale of this pursuit was unprecedented—countless Abyssal Monarchs had joined, making it a rare spectacle in the Dark Abyss.
“Xueying.” In a secluded corner of an elegant tavern within the inner world of Red Rock Mountain in the Xia Clan’s world, Yu Jingqiu sat beside the white-robed Dongbo Xueying, savoring the establishment’s signature delicacies.
She looked at him with concern. “You’re being hunted?”
“Mn.” The white-robed Xueying nodded with a faint smile.
“I heard countless Abyssal Monarchs are heading to the Three-Headed Divine Mountain. Rumor has it even the Annihilation Emperor has set out,” Jingqiu said worriedly. “His strength is unfathomable.”
Xueying lifted his wine cup and chuckled softly. “Jingqiu, you’re quite well-informed.”
“My father told me. He and his old friends have been discussing it. Your situation has spread not just through the Dark Abyss but also among the mighty powers and Fourth Heaven Gods of the Divine Realm.”
“Impressive, isn’t it? One trip to the Dark Abyss, and I’ve stirred up such a storm,” Xueying teased with a grin.
“And you can still laugh!” Jingqiu sighed helplessly, her heart filled with anxiety.
“Why not? At worst, I’ll lose a clone. I can always cultivate another. The only pity would be the Crimson Cloud Spear—Master personally forged it for me.”
“What about the first volume of the *Blood Demon Codex*?” Jingqiu pressed.
“Just the first volume, not the complete text. And after sensing it, I found it far too bloody and sinister—likely unsuitable for me.” Xueying shook his head. Without desire, one stood firm. He already possessed the complete legacies of *Taihao* and *Annihilation Extreme Profound Body*, so he wasn’t as desperate as the Fourth Heaven Gods or mighty powers.
This was also why Venerables remained so composed—most already had their own legacies. The *Blood Demon Codex*, especially just its first volume, held minimal allure. Only the fact that it was the original, with its inherent transmission properties, made it slightly noteworthy to them.
Seeing Xueying so at ease, Jingqiu relaxed a little but still asked, “Do you have a chance to escape?”
“A chance? Hahaha…” Xueying laughed wryly. “Trapped in the Three-Headed Divine Mountain, with endless Abyssal Monarchs hunting me—who dares claim certainty of survival? But I’ll fight with everything I’ve got. A fierce battle is reward enough.”
Jingqiu nodded softly.
As they spoke, the other patrons in the tavern remained oblivious to their conversation. None could have guessed that one was a Fourth Heaven God, while the other wielded the power of a mighty being—the master of this very Red Rock Mountain world.
—
Among those willing to risk their lives for Dongbo Xueying—and possessing the strength to do so—aside from Venerable Huo Chuan, trapped in the ancient ruins, there was one other: the ‘Bamboo Mountain Manor Lord,’ one of the Three Ancestors.
**Purple Bamboo Sea.**
The formations around the bamboo hut had long been activated, making it nearly impossible for outsiders to approach. The Manor Lord sat cross-legged on the open ground before the hut, where a few scattered bamboo shoots grew.
While his clone ventured through the ancient ruins, his true self remained here, fully immersed in deduction to assist his other half.
“Hm?” The Manor Lord’s eyes snapped open, his narrow pupils flickering with doubt. “Dongbo Xueying is in trouble? The *Blood Demon Codex*’s first volume? For a mere Fourth Heaven God to stumble upon it by chance… Is this the so-called fortune of a peerless genius, the universe’s favor?”
A faint sneer curled his lips.
He held no reverence for such “favor.”
Because…
He had once walked the same path. Though his cultivation speed had been slightly slower than Xueying’s, his brilliance had been no less dazzling—his ability to transcend tiers in combat had been even greater.
“This is not just favor—it’s tribulation. Given the choice, I’d have preferred mediocrity.” The Manor Lord’s thoughts were somber. The universe’s favor came at a steep price. Yet every being who ultimately stood at the pinnacle had endured countless such trials. He, however, remained stuck before the final bottleneck, unable to transcend.
“Dongbo Xueying.” The Manor Lord sent a karmic message. “This is Bamboo Mountain.”
—
*Pah!*
Spitting blood, a battered Dongbo Xueying fled desperately.
“Your Highness Dongbo, is running all you’re capable of?” A bizarre, octopus-like creature pursued him, but Xueying’s speed was formidable. The *Taihao* force and *Annihilation Extreme Profound Body* both excelled in power and velocity, granting him terrifying strength and astonishing swiftness.
Within the Three-Headed Divine Mountain, an invisible suppression rendered all mighty beings unable to deploy domains or manipulate world energy—forcing them to rely solely on flight.
In pure speed, Xueying held a clear advantage. That was why he still harbored hope of escape.
“Qi Hai Huang’s frontal assaults are terrifyingly strong, and his insights are profound. Even my *Annihilation Extreme Profound Body*’s black armor can’t fully block them.” Xueying suppressed the boiling blood within him, fleeing with everything he had. Qi Hai Huang was fast—faster than most mighty beings—but still a hair slower than Xueying.
“If he catches me, it’s over.” Xueying knew all too well the devastating power of those tentacles.
“Dongbo Xueying. This is Bamboo Mountain.” A karmic voice reached him.
“Manor Lord Bamboo Mountain.” Xueying responded immediately.
“I know you’re trapped in the Three-Headed Divine Mountain. Do you require my aid?” The Manor Lord’s voice was calm. Though his clone was in the ancient ruins and his true self preoccupied with deduction, he owed Xueying a great debt. If needed, he wouldn’t hesitate.
Xueying replied swiftly, “Manor Lord, given my current predicament, even your intervention might not guarantee my survival.”
“True. From what I know, two Venerables—White Monarch and Demon Kite—have already arrived at the mountain. Though it’s unconfirmed whether the Annihilation Emperor has come, he’s undoubtedly watching. I can handle White Monarch alone. If Demon Kite joins, I might still fight through their combined assault to save you. But if the Annihilation Emperor strikes… all hope is lost.” The Manor Lord’s tone was matter-of-fact.
Xueying wasn’t surprised.
As one of the Three Ancestors, the Bamboo Mountain Manor Lord was a peerless powerhouse, fully capable of matching the battle-hardened White Monarch. He even surpassed Demon Kite, whose combat prowess was slightly lacking. But the Annihilation Emperor? He stood as the strongest among the Dark Abyss’s Venerables, the closest to becoming a Paramount.
“If you intervene, Manor Lord, the other Abyssal Venerables might see it as an insult to the entire Dark Abyss. Another Venerable could step in.” Xueying chuckled. “Thank you, but I’ll treat this as a trial. At worst, I lose a clone.”
“Very well.” The Manor Lord severed the karmic link.
Xueying tasted the blood in his mouth, feeling his injuries slowly mend. Despite his confident words to his wife and the Manor Lord, he knew the situation was growing increasingly dire.
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