Dongbo Xueying examined the talisman in his hands. The ancient patterns on it were far beyond his current level of comprehension, making it impossible for him to decipher.
“Is this talisman a blessing or a curse?” Dongbo Xueying frowned.
Back at the Three-Headed Divine Mountain, he had obtained another fragment of the talisman. When the two pieces merged, a message had been transmitted to him from within.
The message was brief, yet it carried an invisible weight that pressed upon him.
It was a single passage—a farewell note from an ancient cultivator.
“This universe is so enchanting—every blade of grass, every drop of dew, every ray of sunlight—it all captivates me. Yet, in the end, I must leave this universe behind.”
“Before my departure, I have left behind three talismans.”
“Once a talisman recognizes its master, activating it will transport the wielder—no matter where they are in this universe, whether imprisoned, sealed away, or trapped in an ancient ruin—to the place where I once resided. I have named it the ‘Land of Beginnings.'”
“There, I have left gifts for the beings of this universe. But with gifts come peril.”
“Each trial is a life-or-death gamble. Should you perish, the talisman will scatter once more across the vast cosmos, awaiting the next worthy cultivator. If you succeed, you shall receive my gifts, and you may instantly teleport from the Land of Beginnings to any location in this boundless universe.”
“However, the number of entries is limited.”
“One entry at the World Deity realm, one at the Heaven-Earth realm, one at the Path-Opening realm, and one at the Sovereign realm.”
Dongbo Xueying pondered deeply.
Though the message was short, it contained many hidden implications. First, there were only three such talismans in existence. The other two might already have masters, or they might still be scattered somewhere in the universe.
Second, the ‘Land of Beginnings’ was created by an ancient cultivator who had already departed from this universe.
“Left this universe?” Dongbo Xueying murmured to himself. “And even True God Sovereigns can enter, yet the dangers are still life-threatening? The one who left behind the Land of Beginnings must be far beyond the level of a True God Sovereign.”
“Moreover, activating the talisman from anywhere can instantly transport one to the Land of Beginnings, and from there, one can teleport to any location in the universe?” Dongbo Xueying was astonished. The spatial teleportation ability of the talisman alone surpassed even the methods of the Island Master of Time and Space. Places like the Heartlake Island and other ancient ruins were usually under powerful formations that suppressed spatial movement, forcing travelers to fly slowly.
Yet this talisman could bypass all such restrictions!
That was simply too overpowering.
“Could he be stronger than the Heartlake Island Master?”
“No, the Heartlake Island Master is the strongest across countless cosmic epochs, as my master has said. My master’s judgment is far superior to mine—if he holds the Heartlake Island Master in such high regard, there must be a reason. Perhaps the creator of the Land of Beginnings is simply unparalleled in spatial teleportation?” Dongbo Xueying mused.
Just like the rankings of the Cosmic Deity-Demon List—
Bloodblade Divine Emperor held the top spot.
But in terms of spacetime teleportation? The Island Master of Time and Space was unmatched.
Each had their own strengths.
Perhaps the creator of the Land of Beginnings was on the same level as the Heartlake Island Master—one of the most terrifying beings across countless cosmic epochs, merely specializing in spatial teleportation?
“Enough, no more speculation.”
Dongbo Xueying quickly dismissed the thought. Whoever the creator of the Land of Beginnings was, the fact that the talisman could forcibly teleport one out of any ancient ruin meant they were at least comparable to the Heartlake Island Master.
Though the dangers were immense, Dongbo Xueying recognized this as an opportunity. Used wisely, the talisman could be a lifesaver in critical moments. However, he only had one chance at the World Deity realm.
The World Deity realm was self-explanatory.
The Heaven-Earth realm referred to mastering the complete laws of heaven and earth.
The Path-Opening realm meant forging one’s own Dao.
And the Sovereign realm—well, that was self-evident.
“I only have one chance at the World Deity realm. I must not waste it unless absolutely necessary. And since the message warns of life-threatening trials, this must be a test left by the ancient cultivator for his successors. The stronger one is, the greater the chance of survival.” Dongbo Xueying thought to himself. “I must enter only when I am at my strongest and most complete.”
“I just hope I don’t die on my first attempt.”
Suddenly—
“Divine Emperor, His Highness Yu has been brought back.” It was Xi Wei’s voice, transmitted directly to him.
“Yu’er is back?” Dongbo Xueying’s face lit up with joy. He immediately stored the talisman and left the underground chamber.
—
The willow branches swayed gently in the breeze.
From high above, Dongbo Xueying and Yu Jingqiu spotted the white-robed, handsome figure of Dongbo Yu and the green-haired Xi Wei walking along the stone path.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The two descended swiftly, landing gracefully on the path.
“Your son greets Father and Mother.” Dongbo Yu bowed respectfully, a faint smile tugging at his lips upon seeing his parents.
“Hahaha, Yu’er, even when I summoned you back for the construction of our estate, you refused to return. In the end, Xi Wei had to fetch you personally.” Dongbo Xueying chuckled as he regarded his son. His prolonged seclusion—even his true self in the Redstone Mountain World of the Xia Clan had been in deep cultivation—had kept him away from his children for far too long. He could sense a slight stiffness in Dongbo Yu’s demeanor.
“It was my fault,” Dongbo Yu quickly replied.
Yu Jingqiu immediately stepped forward, taking her son’s hand. “Nonsense. Come, let’s talk as a family. Your sister will be here soon.”
“Yes.” Dongbo Yu’s eyes reddened slightly.
Family—they were the most important part of his life.
Dongbo Xueying frowned slightly.
Yu Jingqiu had also noticed something amiss. At first, Dongbo Xueying had assumed it was merely due to their long separation, but now, seeing his son’s emotional display—unusual for a peak-tier deity—he realized something was wrong. Yu Jingqiu, who had seen their son more frequently, had sensed it immediately and reached out to comfort him.
“Xueying, it seems Yu’er has been through something,” Yu Jingqiu transmitted.
“I’ll ask Xi Wei.” Dongbo Xueying turned to Xi Wei. “Xi Wei, what happened to Yu’er?”
“Reporting to the Divine Emperor and Madam,” Xi Wei replied via mental transmission. “I do not know the full details, but when I arrived to bring His Highness back as ordered, I found him drowning himself in alcohol. Upon inquiry, I learned he had been drinking heavily for the past thirty years, his spirits greatly diminished.”
Dongbo Xueying and Yu Jingqiu exchanged glances.
“Jingqiu, I’ll investigate.” Dongbo Xueying immediately accessed the Bloodblade Tavern’s intelligence network to gather detailed information about his son’s recent experiences.
While the Temple of Time and Space specialized in selling intelligence, the Bloodblade Tavern—primarily an assassination organization—also maintained an extensive information network, albeit slightly inferior. Still, given Dongbo Xueying’s status, the Tavern would spare no effort in assisting him.
The search would take time.
For now, Dongbo Xueying and Yu Jingqiu spent time with their son and daughter. At first, Dongbo Yu seemed cheerful, but gradually, his mood darkened.
“Father, Mother, I should retire to my quarters. May I have a servant show me the way?” Dongbo Yu said, excusing himself early.
“No need. Qingyao, take your brother,” Dongbo Xueying instructed.
“There’s no need to trouble Sister,” Dongbo Yu protested.
“Trouble? Nonsense! Come!” Dongbo Qingyao, as a World Deity, effortlessly grabbed her brother like an eagle snatching a chick and dragged him away. Though Dongbo Yu couldn’t resist, the playful roughhousing brought a flicker of joy to his heart.
Soon, the siblings departed.
Dongbo Xueying and Yu Jingqiu strolled leisurely through the estate.
“I’ve got it,” Dongbo Xueying said.
“You found out?” Yu Jingqiu asked eagerly. What parent wouldn’t worry about their child?
“Just as I suspected,” Dongbo Xueying chuckled. “It’s a matter of the heart.”
Even for deities—even for Sovereigns—love could drastically alter one’s temperament.
“Tell me,” Yu Jingqiu urged.
“It happened about ten thousand years ago,” Dongbo Xueying explained. “Yu’er was adventuring and arrived at a place called ‘Whitehawk Star.’ Its ruler, the Whitehawk World Deity, is a female Second Heaven World Deity and the undisputed overlord of that starfield. While there, Yu’er met a woman from her clan—an ordinary deity. Over time, their feelings deepened. But thirty years ago, she ended things with him.”
“Breakups happen, but this was Yu’er’s first love. He couldn’t handle it and spent the last thirty years drowning his sorrows in drink.”
Yu Jingqiu smiled.
Dongbo Xueying’s expression softened as well.
They weren’t worried—in fact, they were relieved.
On the long path of cultivation, emotional turmoil was nothing unusual. What pleased them was that their son, after hundreds of thousands of years of cultivation, had finally experienced love.
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