Chapter 580: Refining the Flying Dagger

Dongbo Xueying was wholly devoted to mastering the fourth layer of *Annihilation Extreme Profound Body*. Yet, as he delved deeper into his studies, he encountered one challenge after another. The ‘Material Divine Heart’ was manageable—given his current level of comprehension, grasping this divine heart through analogical reasoning and exhaustive deduction wasn’t overly difficult. However, the fourth layer of *Annihilation Extreme Profound Body* was far more than just the Material Divine Heart…

It pursued the absolute pinnacle of materiality, demanding an extraordinarily high mastery of material laws. Moreover, the fundamental composition of matter required an internal world, and the strength of this inner world greatly influenced the overall resilience of the armor.

The black armor covering his body appeared to be mere plating, but in truth, it was composed of countless worlds forming the toughest substance imaginable.

*”I must thoroughly contemplate the laws of matter, and elevate my understanding of the world’s mysteries,”* Dongbo Xueying mused. To refine his grasp of material laws, he had no choice but to immerse himself in repeated contemplation. Yet, for enhancing his comprehension of the ‘world’s mysteries,’ there was another method—refining the True God artifact, the flying dagger.

—

Within the Xia Clan’s world, inside the cave-heaven treasure, Red Stone Mountain.

Dressed in white robes, Dongbo Xueying sat cross-legged beneath a towering tree in the courtyard. Before him hovered the sheathed flying dagger, his consciousness probing deep into its essence.

Within the True God artifact lay a space governed by its own laws, akin to the ‘World Heart’ space of the Xia Clan’s world.

A realm of darkness unfolded—both real and eerily illusory.

*”A Void World, capable of evolving into a real world,”* Dongbo Xueying thought to himself. *”Its manipulation of reality surpasses the natural laws of heaven and earth. Refining this dagger will significantly elevate my mastery over ‘worldly laws.'”*

The Void World was originally just a reflection of the real world, a shadow where one could manipulate reality at will. Yet, the Void World within this True God artifact encompassed all the laws of a complete world—worldly fissures, shadow realms, the material plane—all contained within. Moreover, it retained the illusory quality unique to the Void, shrouding the entire dark world in an inexplicable haze that left Dongbo Xueying awestruck.

*”A world can contain a grain of sand, and within that grain, another world may reside,”* he reflected. *”They say the Lord of the Spacetime Island is peerless in spacetime manipulation, while my master excels in ‘Shadows,’ making him the most feared assassin across the Divine Realm and the Abyss. Shadows, originally a second-tier Divine Heart, have been elevated by him beyond the constraints of natural laws.”*

Having acquired the supreme techniques *Taihao* and *Annihilation Extreme Profound Body*, Dongbo Xueying understood well.

Mastering the complete laws of heaven and earth merely made one an ordinary True God!

Only by forging one’s own path—transcending and surpassing the natural order—could one become a Venerable. Most fourth-level Heaven’s Wills might not grasp the uniqueness of Venerables, but Dongbo Xueying had gleaned insights from the descriptions within the supreme techniques.

*”One step at a time. I haven’t even mastered the complete laws of heaven and earth yet—no point dreaming of forging my own path.”* He focused intently on his perception.

The dark, illusory world.

Neither wholly real nor entirely false.

Suddenly—

A glimmer of light flashed from the distance, streaking past Dongbo Xueying’s consciousness in an instant.

*”Slaughter.”* He understood.

The flying dagger existed solely to kill. Within this True God artifact, aside from the unique Void laws, lay an equally terrifying Slaughter law—one that also defied the natural order.

It was precisely these two aspects that endowed the dagger with its formidable power.

Of course, while refining the True God artifact, Dongbo Xueying devoted ninety-nine percent of his focus to the ‘world’s mysteries.’ Only occasionally, to refresh his mind, would he ponder the Slaughter law contained within that fleeting glimmer.

—

Time was merciless.

Under the hundredfold acceleration of time, Dongbo Xueying gradually grew accustomed to this near-eternal passage of years. His mind was wholly absorbed in the countless mysteries of the laws. Even without deliberate cultivation, his comprehension expanded by analogy, and his mastery of the world’s principles deepened. His vision broadened, and he began to feel as though he could command the very heavens and earth.

This was no illusion, but a genuine sensation. His grasp of the natural laws was indeed advancing rapidly. At his current pace, it wouldn’t be long before he comprehended every nuance of the laws. Yet, understanding every component of a skyscraper didn’t equate to building one. Similarly, mastering all the principles didn’t mean fully commanding the laws of heaven and earth—this was the chasm that prodigies like Dongbo Xueying, who had attained first-tier True Intent, needed to cross to achieve transcendence.

Many first-tier True Intent prodigies could effortlessly advance to the fourth-level Heaven’s Will. But transcendence remained elusive.

For those fourth-level Heaven’s Wills burdened by karma from absorbing vast amounts of faith, comprehending the Karmic Divine Heart was a monumental challenge. Bound by countless karmic threads, mastering the complete laws of heaven and earth became even more arduous.

*”Successfully refined.”*

Eight thousand years after becoming a fourth-level Heaven’s Will, Dongbo Xueying finally refined the True God artifact—the flying dagger.

Refinement was relatively straightforward. One only needed a rudimentary understanding of the artifact’s internal laws—not full mastery, but just enough to harness a sliver of its power.

*”True God artifact.”*

Clad in white, Dongbo Xueying stood amidst the clouds, drawing the dagger from its sheath. The hilt was pitch-black, the blade gleaming silver.

A seemingly ordinary flying dagger.

Yet it was a True God artifact embodying two ‘Paths’ that transcended the natural order.

*”Swoosh.”*

With a flick of his right hand, the dagger vanished into thin air.

*”Gone? Master, I can’t sense its presence at all,”* the artifact spirit, Red Stone, immediately transmitted.

*Flash!*

In the distance, a speck of light flickered.

Then, just as abruptly, it disappeared. Dongbo Xueying glanced down—the dagger had returned to its sheath at his waist.

*”Silent, unseen slaughter. My current mastery is still superficial. In the hands of its creator, its power would be far greater.”* Now he understood why mighty beings coveted True God artifacts. Beyond enhancing their strength, such artifacts allowed them to constantly study ‘Paths’ that surpassed the natural order.

They spoke of forging one’s own path, yet this dagger contained two.

For those mighty beings groping blindly in the dark, unsure how to break through, how could they not yearn for such treasures? It was no wonder figures like the Nine Suns Palace Master were desperate to obtain one. Yet the cosmos operated under its own unseen principles. Palace Master Moxue, indifferent to life and death, ventured into perilous realms and was thus the first to discover the True God artifact—a natural outcome.

His sacrifice paved the way for Yu Jingqiu’s acquisition.

Dongbo Xueying, too, had to endure the trials of the Destruction Corps to earn his own True God artifact.

—

Though he had refined the True God artifact, his mastery of the world’s mysteries remained incomplete, and his comprehension of material laws was still evolving. It wasn’t until 110,000 years after becoming a fourth-level Heaven’s Will that a breakthrough came.

Within the cave-heaven treasure of the Three-Headed Divine Mountain’s Qishui World.

Seated cross-legged on a vast grassland, Dongbo Xueying made another attempt to cultivate *Annihilation Extreme Profound Body*. Each time he gained new insights, he would test his progress.

*”BOOM!!!”*

A terrifying aura erupted from Dongbo Xueying, sweeping outward in all directions. The surrounding grassland was obliterated in an instant, distant mountains reduced to dust. Yet the shockwave was contained within a million-mile radius, sealed off by the artifact spirit. This forbidden zone, devoid of other life, was reserved solely for Dongbo Xueying’s cultivation.

His exposed skin—fingers, bones, muscles—quivered faintly, as if undergoing a cosmic upheaval. Within each particle, boundless energy churned, radiating an aura of sheer dread.

*”Success. At last.”* Joy surged through him. His body had begun its evolution, transforming from the most fundamental level. Every particle within him now housed a chaotic world, each containing seven swirling black holes in perfect, eerie equilibrium. Their mutual gravitational pull maintained an astonishing density and stability.

These black holes varied in size, their interactions creating a structure of unparalleled resilience.

Every particle in Dongbo Xueying’s body now held immeasurable power. His hair, muscles, skin—all composed of these particles—were extraordinary beyond measure.

His physique underwent rapid metamorphosis. At his current level, a mere snap of his fingers could reduce a stretch of stars to ruins—no exaggeration. Thanks to *Annihilation Extreme Profound Body*, even without his armor, his raw defensive prowess rivaled the ninth layer of *Myriad Calamities Indestructible Body*.