Chapter 639: Soaring Advancement

In a quiet chamber on Red Dust Island.

The ceiling of the chamber was embedded with a full eighty-one fiery-red spheres, forming an array that bathed the entire room in a faint crimson glow. The floor, however, was paved with wood as dark as ink, which shimmered with a faint purple hue when viewed from certain angles. On this wooden floor lay two translucent silver-thread meditation cushions.

The black-clad Dongbo Xueying and the white-clad Dongbo Xueying each sat on one of the cushions.

Since his true self was in long-term seclusion here, Dongbo Xueying had spared no expense in gathering treasures to furnish this chamber after being granted the fiefdom of “Black Mist Sea.”

“Swish.”

The Blood Serpent Spear hovered before the white-clad Dongbo Xueying, as strands of his consciousness continuously seeped into it, attempting to refine and comprehend its mysteries.

Meanwhile, the black-clad Dongbo Xueying silently meditated on the two supreme techniques, *Taihao* and *Annihilation Profound Body*. Having now grasped the rules of heaven and earth and opened the “Void Path,” his realm was already that of a Venerable. The fifth chapter of *Taihao* and the fifth layer of *Annihilation Profound Body* were naturally much easier for him, though they still required careful study.

Fifteen years passed in real time, though his cultivation had been under a hundredfold time acceleration all along.

The black-clad Dongbo Xueying sat cross-legged on the silver-thread cushion, surrounded by floating gray fruits, a fist-sized red stone, and deep-red wooden chips.

“Almost there,” he murmured, reaching out to grab the red stone. He took a bite, crunching it into powder before swallowing. One by one, he consumed all eighteen gray fruits and chewed the thirty vibrant wooden chips.

“Eating fruits is one thing, but stones and wood?” Dongbo Xueying muttered to himself. “Who knows how the master of Lakeheart Island came up with this method.”

Closing his eyes, he began circulating the fifth layer of *Annihilation Profound Body*.

His body had long been tempered to the fifth layer, but the black armor covering his skin required external materials to condense. The exotic treasures he had ingested were not absorbed by his body; instead, they fused with his existing black armor under the influence of energy, evolving it from the fourth to the fifth layer.

Finally, a new layer of black armor emerged on his skin, its surface shimmering with a faint dark light.

“*Taihao*’s fifth chapter, fourth revolution, and *Annihilation Profound Body*’s fifth layer—both mastered.” Dongbo Xueying felt the immense power surging within him, far surpassing his previous strength.

In truth, achieving the fourth revolution of *Taihao*’s fifth chapter was nearly impossible for ordinary True Gods. Typically, one had to transcend the shackles of heaven and earth and open their own path to reach this stage.

Similarly, *Annihilation Profound Body*’s fifth layer also guided one to break free from the constraints of heaven and earth and forge their own path.

Though labeled as the fifth layer, both techniques required the opening of one’s own path to master. Otherwise, *Taihao* could only reach the third revolution of the fifth chapter.

As for what came next?

“It doesn’t align with my path,” Dongbo Xueying shook his head slightly.

In the early stages of cultivation, everyone followed the same path—comprehending the rules of heaven and earth, becoming ordinary True Gods wielding the same cosmic laws. Thus, the supreme techniques were universally applicable.

But at the Venerable realm, things changed. Each individual’s opened “path” was unique.

The sixth chapter of *Taihao* embodied the blazing, indomitable light of the sun, capable of annihilating all.

The sixth layer of *Annihilation Profound Body* pursued the ultimate in material form.

“I need to find what suits me best,” Dongbo Xueying mused. “Either a supreme technique aligned with the ‘Void Path’ or one I create myself.”

Why was the Silent Emperor so formidable? Because he had created a supreme technique perfectly tailored to himself, rivaling even Lord Qing.

“Fortunately, I prepared all the rare materials in advance,” Dongbo Xueying smiled. During his 700,000 years of cultivation, he had also gathered the materials needed for the higher layers of *Annihilation Profound Body* and *Taihao*, preparing for his transcendence. Unexpectedly, he hadn’t transcended but had instead reached the Venerable realm, mastering the supreme techniques with ease.

The convergence of energy and matter.

…

Mastering the supreme techniques was quick, but refining the true divine artifact, the Blood Serpent Spear, was painstakingly slow—taking a full three hundred years, even under constant hundredfold time acceleration.

Thankfully, his realm was high enough. For ordinary True Gods, even with talent, it might take billions of years, and those less gifted might never succeed. After all, this was the Slaughter Path of the Dominator realm! Its refinement difficulty far surpassed that of the previous flying daggers.

“Excellent.”

Holding the Blood Serpent Spear, he felt as though it were an extension of himself, its terrifying aura of the Slaughter Path resonating within him.

“Time to leave.” The black-clad Dongbo Xueying vanished from the chamber, departing the Xia Clan world for the divine realm’s Black Mist Sea.

…

Temporal Island.

“Master, Dongbo Xueying’s avatar has returned to the divine realm,” a deep voice echoed through the fragrant hall.

Inside, a black-robed, black-haired man sat cross-legged on a straw mat. He opened his eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Oh? This Dongbo Xueying managed to vanish without a trace during the Ancestral God Cult’s ambush, even severing his karma. Now he’s finally back. I suppose Bloodblade will summon his disciple immediately.”

“To disappear into thin air and conceal his karma… What treasure did he obtain?” The black-robed man pondered, intrigued.

When Dongbo Xueying’s karma vanished, the Temporal Temple, which monitored the cosmos, quickly noticed. Given the involvement of the Ancestral God Cult, the Temporal Island Lord personally investigated. With his mastery over time and space, he deduced that Dongbo Xueying had escaped on his own rather than being slain. This naturally piqued the Island Lord’s curiosity—and even stirred a hint of greed.

Yet he knew full well that with Dongbo Xueying’s escape methods, even if he intervened, the young man would likely slip away. Moreover, he feared Bloodblade the God Emperor more.

“What exactly is it?”

…

Black Mist Sea.

No sooner had the black-clad Dongbo Xueying returned and reunited with his wife, Jing Qiu, than he received a message.

“Xueying, come to me.” The voice of Bloodblade the God Emperor.

“Master summons me. I must go,” Dongbo Xueying said, rising.

Yu Jing Qiu smiled. “The God Emperor finally calls for you.”

“Yes.” Dongbo Xueying nodded.

Over the years, many friends had inquired about him. His avatar’s vanished karma had led many mighty beings to assume it had been destroyed—a significant event, given Dongbo Xueying’s ability to slay the “Bamboo Sage” in direct combat. At the time, he had brushed off the questions with claims of being “killed by a mysterious expert.”

Only to close allies like Fire Devil Venerable and the Bamboo Mountain Prefecture Lord did he reveal the truth: “It’s related to the Mother Goddess Cult.” He offered no further details, as they were already aware of the cult.

So many had asked—yet his master, Bloodblade the God Emperor, had remained silent.

…

Leaving Black Mist Sea, Dongbo Xueying traveled to Bloodblade’s Divine Court.

Within the humble wooden courtyard:

“Master.” Dongbo Xueying bowed upon entering.

“Xueying, sit.” Bloodblade the God Emperor smiled.

Dongbo Xueying took his seat.

“I ask you: when the Mother Goddess Cult attacked, you vanished without a trace, your karma severed. What fortune did you encounter?” Bloodblade inquired. “If you wish not to speak of it, that is also fine.”

Dongbo Xueying saw no reason to hide it. “By chance, I obtained a token granting access to the Primordial Land.”

There was no need for secrecy. His disappearance and severed karma were already known to the Mother Goddess Cult—why hide it from his master? Besides, the Primordial Land token couldn’t be stolen; killing him would only cause it to vanish.

“The Primordial Land?” Bloodblade nodded, smiling. “No wonder. I noticed your body’s aura has grown far stronger than even Luo the Demon Lord’s, though you haven’t transcended. I was puzzled, but now it makes sense. The Primordial Land holds cultivation methods from other universes—strengthening your body would be trivial.”

Dongbo Xueying hesitated, then admitted, “Master, my enhanced aura isn’t due to other cultivation methods.”

“It isn’t?” Bloodblade frowned.

“I… I’ve opened my own path,” Dongbo Xueying confessed.

Bloodblade the God Emperor was stunned.

(End of Chapter)