After retreating into the Golden Fiery Cloud Ship, the golden-robed “Sheng Punishment Enforcer” and the other two enforcers finally let out a sigh of relief. The mysterious “Flying Snow Consultant” had exerted an overwhelming pressure on them.
“What’s the background of this Flying Snow Consultant?” the golden-robed Sheng Punishment Enforcer frowned. “How can he be so strong?”
“Indeed,” the other two blood-robed enforcers also found it hard to believe, as if the events they had just experienced were a nightmare. “According to intelligence, he was just a low-profile Fourth Heaven Realm God. But in my opinion, he must be some ancient monster who’s been cultivating in seclusion within the Chong Clan. His strength is terrifying—only the two Palace Masters of our Heavenly Fire Palace would have the confidence to kill him.”
The three of them peered down through the Golden Fiery Cloud Ship, feeling deeply aggrieved by their defeat.
They had prepared thoroughly, and the Chong Clan truly couldn’t have resisted them.
But then this Flying Snow Consultant appeared out of nowhere?
—
High in the sky.
Dongbo Xueying sheathed his sword, while the Grand Elder swiftly flew over, followed closely by the Chong Clan Patriarch. Both were extremely enthusiastic.
They weren’t fools.
By now, they understood that this “Flying Snow Consultant,” who had come to their Chong Clan as a guest, was a terrifying existence—one that even their entire clan couldn’t hope to match! In this world, only the three great sacred lands could possibly deal with such an ancient monster.
“Flying Snow…” The Chong Clan Patriarch hesitated slightly over how to address him.
“Just call me Flying Snow Consultant,” Dongbo Xueying said.
“Flying Snow Consultant.” The Chong Clan Patriarch’s smile widened, and the Grand Elder beside him chuckled warmly. Though the losses this time were significant, the Second and Third Elders who had fallen in battle were merely avatars and could be restored through cultivation. The clan’s foundation remained intact, and the damage was far less severe than they had feared.
“We truly owe our survival to you, Flying Snow Consultant. Without you, our Chong Clan would have faced unimaginable devastation. Who would have thought the Heavenly Fire Palace would be so ruthless? They didn’t just attack—they even deployed their Golden Fiery Cloud Ship, their most prized treasure!” The Chong Clan Patriarch couldn’t hide his anger.
“Indeed. If not for Flying Snow Consultant’s intervention, we would have been doomed,” the Grand Elder chimed in, his tone unusually flattering. In the past, he had carried himself with pride, but now he was nothing but deferential.
Such was the way of the cultivator world—strength commanded respect.
After all, Dongbo Xueying’s power was such that he could effortlessly annihilate the entire Chong Clan.
“I am Xiao Qi’s master. It was only natural for me to step forward,” Dongbo Xueying said with a smile.
“Of course, of course.” The Chong Clan Patriarch nodded eagerly. “Yan’er’s master.”
What a stroke of fortune.
He was immensely grateful that his son had managed to become the disciple of such a formidable figure, granting the Chong Clan a powerful ally.
Just then, a voice boomed from the Golden Fiery Cloud Ship in the sky:
“Old Ghost Chong, don’t think that just because you have the Flying Snow Consultant backing you, you can defy the Heavenly Fire Palace. I advise you to hand over the treasure obediently… Otherwise, the Flying Snow Consultant may have saved you once, but he won’t be able to do it a second time! This world belongs to the three great sacred lands—no single Flying Snow Consultant can overturn that.”
Dongbo Xueying looked up at the ship.
“Flying Snow Consultant,” the cold voice continued, “you’ve slain enforcers of the Heavenly Fire Palace. You’d best surrender yourself and plead for mercy. Otherwise… no matter how strong you are, you will meet your end.”
“Big words. Pity your courage doesn’t match them—hiding inside that ship, too afraid to come out,” Dongbo Xueying mocked. Though the ship’s defenses were formidable, preventing direct entry under normal circumstances, he could easily infiltrate it using his mastery of the “Void World.” He could annihilate them all in an instant. But revealing his trump card for these insignificant figures wasn’t worth it.
“Hmph. Then just wait and see.”
With a cold laugh, the Golden Fiery Cloud Ship transformed into a streak of light and sped away into the distance.
The Chong Clan Patriarch and the Grand Elder watched with growing unease. They both knew the Heavenly Fire Palace wouldn’t let this go.
“Clan Leader, what do we do?” the Grand Elder transmitted mentally. “Should we surrender the True Divine Artifact?”
“That artifact is our hope of forging our own path. We cannot give it up. The Chong Clan is our creation—as long as we live, we can rebuild it. But the True Divine Artifact must remain with us,” the Patriarch replied firmly. “Fortunately, we have the Flying Snow Consultant, and the Left Palace Master of the Heavenly Fire Palace has always been on good terms with us. This attack was orchestrated by the Right Palace Master alone. The Heavenly Fire Palace won’t mobilize its full strength against us. We can hold out for now. If the worst comes to pass, we’ll abandon this place.”
“Agreed,” the Grand Elder assented.
Having aligned their thoughts, they turned their attention back to Dongbo Xueying, showering him with gratitude.
“Flying Snow Consultant, let us descend,” the Chong Clan Patriarch urged.
“Very well.” Dongbo Xueying nodded.
Below, countless clansmen, guards, and attendants of the Chong Clan were gazing upward in awe. Among them, the Seventh Prince, Chong Yan, stared slack-jawed, rubbing his eyes in disbelief. His father, the Patriarch, and the Grand Elder—the two most revered figures in the clan—were now standing deferentially on either side of his master.
“My master… is this powerful?” Chong Yan murmured, stunned.
“Seventh Prince.” A figure appeared beside him—the clan’s steward. The old man sighed, transmitting mentally, “When you insisted on becoming the Flying Snow Consultant’s disciple, I thought you were being reckless. But now, it seems your choice was the wisest of all. I misjudged him. The Flying Snow Consultant’s strength is truly unfathomable.”
—
The Chong Clan estate buzzed with excitement. Guards, attendants, and clansmen whispered among themselves—some even resorting to mental transmissions—about the Flying Snow Consultant, careful not to offend him with careless words.
In the grand reception hall, the Chong Clan Patriarch hosted a lavish banquet in Dongbo Xueying’s honor. The Seventh Prince, Chong Yan, was granted a rare seat at the table. Even the Second and Third Elders, who were billions of miles away, manifested avatars through karma to attend.
The banquet revolved around Dongbo Xueying, with even the Patriarch humbling himself in his presence.
When the feast concluded, only the Patriarch and the three elders remained with Dongbo Xueying.
“Flying Snow Consultant, given the gravity of this incident, the Heavenly Fire Palace will not let it slide,” the Patriarch said with a sigh. “We are deeply troubled.”
“The Heavenly Fire Palace is indeed formidable,” Dongbo Xueying remarked. “The three great sacred lands are all unfathomable.”
“Yes.”
The Patriarch and the elders felt an invisible weight pressing upon them.
The three sacred lands’ dominance was deeply entrenched. Could they truly protect the True Divine Artifact? Yet, after countless eons of cultivation, this artifact represented their only hope of forging their own path. How could they simply relinquish it?
*This Flying Snow Consultant hasn’t explicitly stated whether he’ll help us against the Heavenly Fire Palace,* the Patriarch thought inwardly. *Will the “Six Slaying Sword Forms” be enough to satisfy him?*
After exchanging glances with the elders, the Patriarch spoke again:
“Flying Snow Consultant, your intervention has saved our Chong Clan. Such a debt is beyond repayment. We’ve heard you seek the *Six Slaying Sword Forms*?”
“Indeed. I have a passion for studying sword techniques,” Dongbo Xueying replied.
It was a lie, of course.
What he truly sought was the highest application of the “Dao” within this supreme killing technique. After all, swordplay, spear arts, and blade techniques were merely external manifestations.
“Then please follow me,” the Patriarch said with a smile.
Dongbo Xueying nodded and accompanied him to the clan’s forbidden grounds.
Past layers of protective formations, deep within the restricted area, they arrived at a quiet chamber.
From a bookshelf, the Patriarch retrieved a piece of gray silk and handed it to Dongbo Xueying.
“This is the original *Six Slaying Sword Forms*. Please examine it.”
Dongbo Xueying accepted the silk and immediately saw the six sword techniques depicted upon it.
With a mere glance, golden light shimmered across the illustrations, and a flood of information surged into his mind.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage