The silver-haired woman in a green robe waited silently outside the door. After a short while, the patrolling Realm God guard quickly returned and called out from afar, “The Divine Emperor summons you. Follow me at once.”
Taking a deep breath, the silver-haired woman in green followed him into the Divine Emperor’s estate.
They flew through the estate and arrived at a garden specifically designated for receiving guests.
“Divine Emperor, the guest has been brought,” the Realm God guard announced respectfully.
The silver-haired woman in green saw a black-robed man standing in the distance, his back turned as he gazed at the flowers and plants beyond. When he turned to look at her, his sharply defined features and gentle eyes belied the overwhelming aura that sent an instinctive shiver down her spine. The sheer presence of Dongbo Xueying was too overpowering for her.
“Your humble servant, Chun Yu, pays respects to the Divine Emperor,” the silver-haired woman in green said with a deep bow.
Dongbo Xueying first glanced at the Realm God guard, who immediately bowed and withdrew.
“You claim to possess the rare materials I seek?” Dongbo Xueying asked.
“Yes,” the woman replied. “I recently heard that Your Majesty seeks the roots of the Jadeheart Grass and the Seven-Leaf Stone Fruit, so I came at once.”
Dongbo Xueying sighed inwardly. It had been sixteen thousand years since he had spread the word, and this Second Heaven Realm God had only just heard of it. Clearly, news traveled slowly among lower-ranked Realm Gods, likely due to her weaker cultivation. More powerful Fourth Heaven Realm Gods had probably known long ago.
“Which of the materials do you possess?” he asked.
“The roots of the Jadeheart Grass,” she answered, extending her hand. A plant glowing with emerald light appeared in her palm, its long, sinuous roots twisting like dragons and serpents, with phantom jade dragons coiling and slithering along them.
Dongbo Xueying smiled. Excellent. With the Jadeheart Grass roots, only one of the twelve rare materials remained.
“Name your price,” he said. “Divine Crystals? Treasures? Or something else?”
The silver-haired woman looked up at him, her eyes burning with longing. “I ask that Your Majesty slay an enemy for me.”
“An enemy?” Dongbo Xueying was momentarily taken aback.
“I desire nothing else. Only this vengeance. Once my enemy is dead, the Jadeheart Grass roots shall be yours,” she said, confident that someone of Dongbo Xueying’s stature would never stoop to outright theft.
“Tell me of this enemy—their identity, strength, and all relevant details,” Dongbo Xueying commanded.
The woman’s voice grew somber. “I come from a remote land beyond the Bloodblade Divine Court’s borders. My enemy is a Realm God named Mo Ba, originally a demon from the Abyss of Darkness who later settled in the Divine Realm. He possesses the strength of a Third Heaven Realm God, ranking among the elite of his tier. He is bloodthirsty, cruel, and unpredictable, having slaughtered countless lives. My family and entire clan were annihilated by him. Only by sheer luck, being away on my travels, did I survive. I beg Your Majesty to end him.”
“A Third Heaven Realm God?” Dongbo Xueying nodded slightly.
Though well-versed in the affairs of Realm Gods, he had no prior knowledge of this Mo Ba.
“The reason this demon has been able to establish himself in the Divine Realm is because he serves under the Demon Dragon King,” the woman explained. “The Demon Dragon King is a mighty overlord, and Mo Ba is one of his fiercest generals, highly favored by him.”
“Ah, that Demon Dragon’s subordinate?” Dongbo Xueying mused. “That explains it. That dragon has always reveled in slaughter—no wonder he took in a demon.”
The Abyss of Darkness was hostile to Divine Realm cultivators. Entering it would draw the attention of the Abyss’s will, leading to relentless assaults. The Divine Realm, however, was inclusive. No matter their origins, outsiders faced no such persecution. Thus, it wasn’t uncommon to encounter denizens of the Abyss within the Divine Realm—just as Abyssal forces had joined the hunt for the Snowpeak Monarch.
“Understood,” Dongbo Xueying said.
The silver-haired woman blinked in confusion.
What did that mean? Was he agreeing to kill Mo Ba? Or refusing? Or worse—did he intend to seize the roots by force? As a direct disciple of the Divine Emperor, surely his reputation wouldn’t allow such underhanded tactics?
“First, I must investigate and verify the details. Then I shall give you my answer,” Dongbo Xueying said with a faint smile. “Come, let us share some tea.”
A nearby attendant stepped forward to pour tea as Dongbo Xueying took a seat, lifting a cup to his lips. Simultaneously, he accessed the Bloodblade Tavern’s intelligence network to gather more information.
Soon, the details emerged:
The Demon Dragon King resided in the Demon Dragon Ridge. Legend spoke of a mighty legion under his command, and among its generals was Mo Ba. As a demon, Mo Ba was exceptionally savage and warlike, earning the Demon Dragon King’s favor.
“One of his avatars permanently resides in the Demon Dragon Ridge?” Dongbo Xueying frowned slightly.
That complicated matters.
To truly kill someone, both their true body and avatars had to be eradicated.
From the intelligence, Mo Ba certainly deserved death. But with an avatar stationed in the Demon Dragon King’s lair…
“Demon Dragon King,” Dongbo Xueying murmured softly.
Though his voice was quiet, the silver-haired woman glanced at him nervously over her teacup.
…
*Hum!*
The moment Dongbo Xueying uttered the name, an imperceptible thread of karma formed between him and the Demon Dragon King.
Following this thread, Dongbo Xueying’s consciousness traversed spatial barriers, arriving at a desolate star system in a remote corner of the Divine Realm. There, spanning trillions of miles, lay the Demon Dragon Ridge—a mountain range where the Demon Dragon King had entrenched himself over countless eons. Few overlords dared trespass here.
“Hmm?” The colossal form of the Demon Dragon King, coiled atop a mountain peak, paused mid-bite from a platter of delicacies. Even as an overlord, his love for fine cuisine remained unchanged.
Suddenly, he lifted his head, sensing something.
*Hum!*
A blurred figure materialized in the air before him, solidifying into a black-robed man standing calmly in the void.
“Dongbo Xueying?” the Demon Dragon King recognized him instantly. This was the illustrious Dongbo Xueying, whose name resounded across the cosmos. Though the Demon Dragon King was weaker—ranked ninety-fifth on the Cosmic Deities Ranking—he was well aware of the Divine Emperor Dongbo, who stood at fifty-second.
“To what do I owe the honor, Divine Emperor Dongbo?” the Demon Dragon King rumbled, his gaze flickering to the sides. His attendants, bearing trays of food, hastily retreated, not daring to intrude.
Now, only the two of them remained atop the peak.
Dongbo Xueying’s presence here was merely a karmic projection—akin to how even ordinary deities could manifest avatars across vast distances via spatial imprints. Though the physical distance between them was great, both were within the Divine Realm, making such a projection effortless.
“I’ve come to discuss a matter,” Dongbo Xueying stated.
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