“Yet offering just a single Solar Star Core Stone, and the Sect Master’s reward was truly generous.” The Bamboo Sage smiled faintly as he flipped his hand, revealing an ancient piece of black metal inscribed with dense golden characters. “If I can obtain another Solar Star Core Stone from the Crimson Flame Patriarch, the Sect Master’s reward surely won’t be less than the last time!”
“I feel my accumulation growing ever more profound! With another reward, perhaps I can forge my own Dao.”
The Bamboo Sage gazed at the black metal in his hand, a smile playing at the corners of his lips.
“Crimson Flame Patriarch, you are truly my benefactor.”
“And you must have quite the reputation to have Dongbo Xueying gift you a Solar Star Core Stone.” The more the Bamboo Sage thought about it, the more pleased he became. If the Solar Star Core Stone were in Dongbo Xueying’s possession, he wouldn’t dare even consider it—after all, Dongbo Xueying’s strength was formidable. Even a Venerable would find it exceedingly difficult to kill him, and with even the slightest delay, allies like the Firebrand Venerable would surely arrive to aid him.
Thus, if the treasure were with Dongbo Xueying, he wouldn’t dare entertain the thought.
But the Crimson Flame Patriarch?
Far weaker!
…
Deep within the Solar Star.
Clad in black armor, Dongbo Xueying forced his way through the Solar Stone Layer, carving a path through the dense rock that sealed shut behind him as he advanced.
He pressed onward relentlessly.
The flames around him shimmered with golden sparks, growing increasingly intense, yet his Annihilation Extreme Armor held firm.
“The Solar Stone Layer is far too thick. Comparatively, the Solar Sea is much shallower,” Dongbo Xueying mused silently. With his current strength, even hindered by the Solar Stone Layer, he could traverse nearly a million miles per second. Yet after more than a day of travel, he remained within the confines of the Solar Stone Layer, the flames growing ever fiercer.
Finally—
After five days of traversing the Solar Stone Layer, deep within the Solar Star, Dongbo Xueying found himself surrounded by flickering tongues of flame, each shimmering with golden sparks. These flames could easily incinerate even a mighty figure, and only his Annihilation Extreme Armor allowed him to remain unscathed.
“Approaching the third layer?” Dongbo Xueying halted, sensing faint vibrations.
They were subtle, yet they emanated from the deepest reaches of the Solar Star.
Even his Annihilation Extreme Armor trembled slightly under their force.
“The Solar Wave Layer!” Dongbo Xueying understood—he had reached the boundary of the Solar Star’s third layer, the Solar Wave Layer. Normally, only a top-tier Venerable could endure its depths. Weaker Venerables would be unable to withstand the Solar Waves, their bodies disintegrating into nothingness! Only a select few, like the Firebrand Venerable or Qing Jun, could traverse the entire Solar Wave Layer and enter the Void Black Mud Layer.
As for the Void Black Mud Layer, Dongbo Xueying dared not even consider it.
After all, the Firebrand Venerable could venture there because he was the most flame-proficient among Venerables, walking the path of flames—naturally, it was far easier for him. As for Qing Jun, his combat prowess already rivaled that of a Sovereign. Others like the Bamboo Mountain Mansion Master, the North Profound Palace Master, or the Ascetic—despite their extraordinary abilities—could not enter the Void Black Mud Layer.
In terms of defense, Dongbo Xueying wouldn’t dare claim he could match the Ascetic or his peers.
“Hah.”
Dongbo Xueying pressed deeper.
The Solar Wave Layer was still filled with rock, but as he advanced, the power of the Solar Waves grew ever stronger.
“Buzzzz—” The deeper he went, the more intense the vibrations became, causing his armor to tremble incessantly. Yet, it still held firm.
“The rock is softening.”
Dongbo Xueying was surprised.
The rock of the Solar Star wasn’t true stone—it was solidified flame! Under the relentless assault of the Solar Waves, the deeper he went, the more the solid structure softened under the vibrations.
…
Relying on his Annihilation Extreme Armor, Dongbo Xueying journeyed onward, driven by curiosity about the Solar Star’s depths. However, gradually, tiny cracks began to form within his armor under the relentless Solar Wave bombardment. Dongbo Xueying immediately channeled his internal energy to repair the damage. As long as his repairs could keep pace with the damage, he could continue forward.
The surrounding rock grew ever softer, resembling mud.
“This mud is gradually transforming into Void Black Mud,” Dongbo Xueying observed. The mud was golden, flecked with traces of black. The flames rising from it were pure gold, shimmering with sparks—their power causing slight wear on his black armor. Still, the Solar Waves remained the greater threat.
“I’m nearing my repair limit,” Dongbo Xueying stopped, surrounded by flowing golden mud and flickering flames. The terrifying waves swept over him in vast pulses, each one cracking his armor further.
While repairing his armor, Dongbo Xueying also attuned himself to the Solar Star’s laws.
Closing his eyes.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!” The mysteries of flame unfolded—unyielding, all-consuming, leaving no room for mercy.
“Whoosh… Whoosh…” The secrets of the Solar Waves revealed themselves—omnipresent, each ripple subtly distinct. As Dongbo Xueying immersed himself in their rhythm, he felt as though he were standing on the shores of the Xia Clan’s world, watching ocean waves crash upon the beach. The Solar Waves were the same—each surge unique, yet their combined force grew ever more devastating.
The deeper one went, the more ripples intertwined, amplifying their power.
The farther out, the fewer the ripples, the weaker the force.
Dongbo Xueying even realized that the Solar Waves represented an entire Dao! Mastering this path would allow one to stand firm and unleash Solar Waves that could sweep across all directions—even a top-tier Venerable’s body would likely crumble to dust under their assault.
“This is a large-scale domain-type Dao, incredibly aggressive and offensive in nature.” Dongbo Xueying understood that once unleashed, Solar Waves would permeate all space and time—inescapable, leaving only two options: endure or perish.
Endure, and live.
Fail, and die.
“However, I shouldn’t focus too much on pursuing raw power right now. If I immerse myself in studying the Solar Waves and truly forge this path, it could become a problem.” Dongbo Xueying smiled faintly. Without achieving transcendence, one would remain forever trapped within the river of time. “First, transcendence. After that, I can study these mysteries to my heart’s content.”
After briefly contemplating the Solar Waves, Dongbo Xueying turned his full attention to the Solar Star’s operational laws.
The Solar Star was a self-contained system, a vast world unto itself.
By studying its structure, Dongbo Xueying refined his understanding of the world’s mysteries—after all, his own path aimed to encompass all rules within the framework of the world’s principles, forming the Heavenly Dao.
…
Deep within the Solar Star’s third layer, the Solar Wave Layer, Dongbo Xueying quietly meditated and comprehended.
In truth, Dongbo Xueying believed his insights into the world were already profound. Yet, synthesizing them into a complete Heavenly Dao still lacked that final spark of enlightenment.
Time flowed like water.
Thirteen thousand years passed in the blink of an eye.
“Moo—” A deep, resonant sound echoed faintly from the Solar Star’s depths, jolting Dongbo Xueying awake within the golden mud. His eyes snapped open, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. “The two Sovereign-level creatures of the Solar Abyss?”
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