Though the Lord of the Spacetime Island stood aloof and indifferent, Dongbo Xueying maintained a faint smile. The lofty ruler, the Lord of the Spacetime Island, could afford to show him disdain, but he still had to uphold the most basic respect. Of course, deep down, he still disliked this Lord of the Spacetime Island.
“Xueying.” The Bloodblade Divine Emperor set down his wine cup and said, “I summoned you here because of Sage Bamboo’s death. His demise was… peculiar.”
“Master surely doesn’t suspect me, does he? I lack the strength for such a feat,” Dongbo Xueying quickly replied.
Rumors were swirling outside, and quite a few were secretly speculating that he was responsible.
“Of course not you,” the Bloodblade Divine Emperor chuckled.
“Kid Dongbo, if you could pull that off, you’d be a Ruler already,” the Abyssal Ancestor beside him laughed heartily.
Dongbo Xueying froze.
A Ruler?
Could the one behind this be a Ruler? There were only a handful of Rulers across the entire Divine Realm and Abyss, and their status was incomparably lofty. Why would one stoop to deal with Sage Bamboo? A mere command would have been enough to make Sage Bamboo surrender willingly—no need for a covert assassination.
“You were summoned because the treasures he accumulated recently fell into your hands,” the Bloodblade Divine Emperor explained. “We have suspicions about Sage Bamboo’s identity and wish to examine his remaining possessions.”
“I happen to have them with me,” Dongbo Xueying promptly responded.
“Bring them out. Let us take a look,” the Bloodblade Divine Emperor ordered.
Without hesitation, Dongbo Xueying waved his hand, summoning all the items he had obtained from Sage Bamboo—divine crystals, faith stones, rare materials, weapons, robes, and more. Naturally, he excluded what he had already given to Patriarch Redflame, but those items rightfully belonged to him anyway, so it shouldn’t matter.
“Hmm?” The Bloodblade Divine Emperor, the Abyssal Ancestor, and the Lord of the Spacetime Island all focused their gazes on the displayed items.
The cold and stern Lord of the Spacetime Island, clad in black robes with dark hair, suddenly noticed the black metal plates. With a beckoning motion, one of them flew into his hand. He glanced at it casually and sneered, “These fools from the Mother Goddess Cult… they do have some insight. To think they’ve grasped our universe’s cultivation system to such an extent. Their perspective is bizarre, but the one who inscribed this plate must have reached the ‘World Creation’ realm.”
The Bloodblade Divine Emperor and the Abyssal Ancestor each picked up a black metal plate to examine.
“Indeed. Though the Mother Goddess Cult members are rather dim, their strength is undeniable. It’s only natural they’ve managed to study our cultivation system to this degree,” the Bloodblade Divine Emperor remarked.
“These creatures lurk in the shadows, secretly learning our cultivation methods. Their power grows, and they may become a calamity in the future,” the Abyssal Ancestor voiced his concern.
“Those fools are hardly worth worrying about,” the Lord of the Spacetime Island dismissed with disdain.
The Bloodblade Divine Emperor beckoned, and the bronze lamp flew into his grasp. He examined it coldly and said, “They’ve even begun spreading their faith here.”
Dongbo Xueying listened quietly, his mind racing with thoughts.
The Mother Goddess Cult?
Our universe’s cultivation system?
“Xueying, I’ll be taking this lamp. Keeping it with you would do you no good,” the Bloodblade Divine Emperor declared. “The rest you may keep. The Mother Goddess Cult’s understanding of the laws of the world is rather unique—an alternative perspective that might still aid your cultivation.”
“As you command.” Dongbo Xueying waved his hand, storing everything away.
The Lord of the Spacetime Island and the Abyssal Ancestor also withdrew their attention. They had learned what they needed—the most peculiar and sinister item, the lamp, had already been taken by the Divine Emperor. The rest were mundane.
“Very well, you may leave now. But remember, be cautious if you encounter the Mother Goddess Cult in the future. After this incident, they may target you,” the Bloodblade Divine Emperor warned. “These creatures are like locusts, hoarding rare materials from our universe. Sage Bamboo spent eons gathering oddities, likely for them. Now that they’re in your possession, you may indeed draw their attention.”
The Divine Emperor spoke casually.
His disciple was a Material World Sovereign, after all, with no fundamental threat to his life.
“Target me?” Dongbo Xueying couldn’t help but ask, “Master, what exactly is the origin of the Mother Goddess Cult?”
“They are the mysterious experts I once mentioned—those without karma threads,” the Bloodblade Divine Emperor replied.
The Lord of the Spacetime Island scoffed, “Bloodblade, the absence of karma threads doesn’t necessarily mean they’re from the Mother Goddess Cult.”
The Bloodblade Divine Emperor chuckled and nodded. “True. Ninety-nine percent of those without karma threads belong to the Mother Goddess Cult, but there’s an infinitesimal chance they hail from other universes.”
“Other universes?” Dongbo Xueying was even more bewildered.
The Bloodblade Divine Emperor saw no reason to conceal this, as he believed Dongbo Xueying’s strength warranted such knowledge. “Indeed. The Mother Goddess Cult originates from another universe, with a cultivation system entirely different from ours. They neither cultivate inner worlds nor comprehend the mysteries of laws. They worship something called the ‘Mother Goddess,’ and through this, they develop unfathomably powerful physiques. Their bodies are vastly superior to ours, though their grasp of laws and mysteries is pitiful. Manipulating them is effortless.”
“Without cultivating inner worlds or comprehending laws, they can still become incredibly powerful?” Dongbo Xueying was baffled. After all his years of cultivation, he had always believed that enlightenment of laws, transcendence, and forging one’s own path were fundamental. Yet the Mother Goddess Cult from another universe seemed to defy this entirely.
“You’re still young and inexperienced,” the Bloodblade Divine Emperor said with a smile. “As you grow stronger and witness more, such things will no longer surprise you. Different universes operate on entirely different principles. Take your Fifth Martial Uncle, for example—I brought him back from a universe I once stumbled upon. That’s why you’ll notice he, too, lacks karma threads.”
“Fifth Martial Uncle?” Dongbo Xueying glanced at the black bird.
He had always found his Fifth Martial Uncle enigmatic.
A single feather from him had left Dongbo Xueying awestruck. Yet the bird always followed his master and lacked karma threads, leading Dongbo Xueying to suspect it might not even be a living being.
Now he understood—it hailed from another universe.
“Hmph. After my master perished, I was lonely, so Bloodblade lured me here,” the black bird muttered.
“You were just greedy,” the Bloodblade Divine Emperor teased.
“Enough. Go now and focus on your cultivation. Strive for transcendence first,” the Bloodblade Divine Emperor urged.
“Yes.” Dongbo Xueying nodded.
The Mother Goddess Cult, his Fifth Martial Uncle, or visitors from other universes—these were distractions he couldn’t afford. For now, he would concentrate on comprehending the mysteries of laws and achieving transcendence.
After bowing respectfully, Dongbo Xueying departed.
—
Watching Dongbo Xueying leave, the Lord of the Spacetime Island sneered, “Bloodblade, you’re quite concerned about your disciple. Revealing so much to a mere Four Heavens cultivator?”
“Do you doubt his ability to transcend?” the Bloodblade Divine Emperor replied calmly, his confidence in his disciple unwavering.
The Lord of the Spacetime Island said no more.
Even he had to admit that Dongbo Xueying’s rapid progress and profound accumulation made transcendence a near certainty.
“Abyssal Ancestor,” the Lord of the Spacetime Island turned to the other figure, “your disciple has remarkable luck. Those two Divine Realm creatures actually transformed into an Initial Land Token.”
“Hahaha!” The Abyssal Ancestor laughed heartily. “Good fortune smiles upon him—what can I say?”
His disciple had tamed two Divine Realm beasts, and when they encountered each other, they fused into a brilliant radiance, condensing into a singular token. With numerous formidable figures witnessing the event, it was impossible to keep hidden. Most cultivators—even those at the Venerable level—might not comprehend the token’s true significance, merely perceiving it as an extraordinary treasure. But the Rulers understood—it was a key to the Primordial Land.
Initial Land Tokens could manifest in countless forms when fragmented—two tattered scrolls, two genuine Divine Realm creatures, or even disparate rare materials.
Yet once the fragments converged, they would fuse into a single token.
Once claimed, the token could not be seized. Even if the bearer were slain, the token would vanish into the void.
Obtaining one required not just strength, but also luck.
“Still, tell him to be careful. He might perish on his first venture inside,” the Lord of the Spacetime Island added.
The Bloodblade Divine Emperor chuckled, “As I recall, you once obtained an Initial Land Token yourself. Pity your clone perished within during your World Creation phase, causing the token to vanish and barring you from re-entry.”
“Hmph. At least I’ve been there. You never even got the chance,” the Lord of the Spacetime Island retorted before turning and vanishing into the void.
The Bloodblade Divine Emperor watched him leave and murmured softly, “I never entered, yet I surpassed you long ago.”
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