In the Divine Realm, within the courtyard where the corpse of the Bamboo Sage lay, his elder brother, the Leaf Sage, stood by with a furrowed brow. “How exactly did he die? Who killed him? Surely it couldn’t have been suicide.”
A Fourth Heaven World God might experience the collapse of their divine heart, but even then, they would choose reincarnation before complete dissolution. How could his brother, a mighty figure, have died so silently and without warning?
“Whoosh.”
Suddenly, a figure appeared beside him.
The Leaf Sage was startled—his abode was heavily fortified with arrays, yet an outsider had arrived unnoticed. But when he recognized the cold, black-robed, black-haired man, he immediately bowed in reverence. “Greetings, Island Master of Time and Space.” The visitor was none other than the Island Master of Time and Space. Given his mastery over the fabric of reality, his silent arrival was hardly surprising.
“Did the artifact spirit of the Divine Hall inform you?” the Island Master asked indifferently.
“Yes,” the Leaf Sage replied hastily.
“And you detected no disturbances or traces?” the Island Master pressed.
“None!” the Leaf Sage affirmed. “My cultivation grounds are layered with arrays. Only a handful in the Divine Realm or the Abyss could enter undetected—and those of such status would never stoop to such an act.”
The Island Master nodded slightly. If they wished to kill an ordinary True God, they had countless means at their disposal, regardless of the commotion. After all, offending a Sovereign was punishable by death. But to stealthily assassinate a mere Great Power? That would be beneath their dignity.
The Island Master’s gaze swept over the corpse lying there, eyes wide with shock. In an instant, he had thoroughly examined the body. After several scrutinizing passes, he frowned slightly.
“Whoosh.”
Then, he vanished without a trace.
The Leaf Sage stood dumbfounded. That was it? No further instructions? Should the body be preserved or disposed of?
“Leaf Sage, my master has completed his investigation. Handle the remains as you see fit,” the voice of the Divine Hall’s artifact spirit echoed.
—
In the wooden courtyard of Bloodblade Divine Court, the Abyssal Progenitor and Bloodblade Divine Emperor were chatting over wine when a figure swiftly approached the gate.
“Him?” The Abyssal Progenitor glanced outside in surprise.
The gate creaked open, and the cold-faced, black-robed Island Master of Time and Space strode in.
“How rare for you to visit me,” Bloodblade remarked with a faint smirk. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll destroy this avatar of yours?”
“This concerns the Mother Ancestor Cult,” the Island Master stated flatly.
“The Mother Ancestor Cult?” Both Bloodblade and the Abyssal Progenitor tensed, their expressions turning grave.
“What happened? What have you discovered?” Bloodblade demanded.
“My Divine Hall’s artifact spirit detected the Bamboo Sage’s death—under suspicious circumstances. Upon investigation, it bore the hallmarks of the Mother Ancestor Cult’s silencing methods.”
“Silencing?” Bloodblade frowned.
“The Bamboo Sage died in his brother’s cultivation grounds—no signs of struggle, no traces of battle. His divine heart collapsed without warning, and even his brother noticed nothing. Few in the Divine Realm or the Abyss could achieve this. Most tellingly, he died with a look of terror, unable to even send a message to his brother. This marks the third such incident. The odds are overwhelming—it’s the Mother Ancestor Cult.”
Bloodblade pressed, “Were there any items left on him?”
Victims of silencing often knew secrets. Their belongings might hold clues.
“I’ve checked. Aside from a slightly unusual communication artifact, nothing suspicious remained,” the Island Master replied. “From what I gather, Dongbo Xueying slew the Bamboo Sage’s true form over ten days ago, seizing his treasures. Since he’s your disciple, I came to you.”
“Xueying?” Bloodblade was momentarily taken aback. “Very well. I’ll summon him at once.”
—
Beneath the Blackmist Sea, in an underground hall, Dongbo Xueying was engrossed in the countless inscriptions on a dark metal slab—records of profound insights into the laws of the universe.
“Whoever left these must have been extraordinary, with a unique perspective,” Xueying mused, finding the knowledge immensely beneficial.
Suddenly—
“Dongbo, did you know the Bamboo Sage is dead?” came a message from Fireblade the Venerable.
“Dead?” Xueying froze. He immediately reached out through karma, but the Bamboo Sage’s presence was utterly gone—his true form and avatars both eradicated.
“Wasn’t it your doing? Isn’t assassination Bloodblade Tavern’s specialty?” Fireblade pressed.
“Of course not! He was under his brother’s protection. Killing him there would’ve been near impossible,” Xueying replied hastily.
Then, messages flooded in.
“Lord Dongbo, the Bamboo Sage is dead. Are you aware?”—this from the Lord of Anhai Prefecture.
“Does Xueying have anything to do with the Bamboo Sage’s death?”—this from Yu Jingqiu.
One after another, inquiries poured in. The death of a Great Power shook the entire Divine Realm and Abyss. While losing an avatar was common—whether in battles or perilous ruins—total annihilation was exceedingly rare. Any powerful cultivator would safeguard at least one body with utmost caution.
The Bamboo Sage had been near-Venerable in strength. His complete demise naturally drew widespread attention. Given that Dongbo Xueying had stormed his lair and slain his true form just days prior, suspicions inevitably arose.
“Xueying, come to me,” a voice resonated in his ear.
“Master?” Xueying was stunned. Even his master suspected him?
With a heavy heart, Xueying wasted no time. He departed Blackmist Sea at once, speeding toward Bloodblade Divine Court.
—
In the wooden courtyard of Bloodblade Divine Court, Xueying pushed open the gate and immediately spotted three figures: two seated and one standing coldly to the side.
The seated pair were unmistakably his master and the Abyssal Progenitor—enough to make his heart skip. But the black-robed, black-haired man standing with an icy demeanor sent a chill down his spine—the Island Master of Time and Space.
Truth be told, Xueying harbored both wariness and disdain for the Island Master. The man’s “Time-Space Divine Hall” abducted countless lives, forcing them into deadly missions, their souls bound under his control. Such manipulation of countless beings as mere puppets was something Xueying could never condone. The more he learned of the Island Master’s deeds in the Divine Realm, the more his aversion grew.
Among the Sovereigns, Xueying disliked him the most.
“Greetings, Master, Abyssal Progenitor, Island Master of Time and Space,” Xueying bowed respectfully.
The Abyssal Progenitor nodded with a faint smile, exuding amiability.
The Island Master cast a cold glance at Xueying before turning away, clearly uninterested in engaging. His disdain was mutual.
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