Chapter 694: Intimidation

Dongbo Xueying stood atop the main palace hall, his robes fluttering in the wind, exuding an air of effortless ease.

Watching the ‘Flying Snow Realm God’ carry himself with such confidence and poise, the five Venerables—each harboring their own schemes—felt a tremor in their hearts, their unease deepening.

“Flying Snow Realm God, have you obtained the Black Gourd?” Venerable Xu Huang asked. The Crimson Fire Palace Master, the Golden Flame Palace Master, and the others all fixed their gazes on Dongbo Xueying.

“Yes, it’s already in my hands. You’re too late,” Dongbo Xueying replied with a faint smile.

*Whoosh.*

The Shadow Demon Mansion Master, cloaked in black robes with only a pair of violet eyes visible, teleported instantly to the threshold of the ancient temple in the distance. He swiftly darted inside, passing through the already-opened stone gate. From there, he could easily see the highest step of the inner temple’s layered staircase—where the Black Gourd should have been. But it was gone!

*Huff.*

The Shadow Demon Mansion Master quickly retreated, teleporting back outside the temple and rejoining his four companions.

The other four Venerables looked at him expectantly. The Shadow Demon Mansion Master gave a slight nod, though his gaze remained fixed on Dongbo Xueying. “The Black Gourd is indeed in the hands of the Flying Snow Realm God.”

“What?!”

“He… he really obtained it?”

“This…”

Their hearts were filled with shock, tension, and dread.

Since the birth of this world and the descent of the ancient temple, the legend had persisted: whoever obtained the Black Gourd could rule the entire world and even leave to enter the vaster cosmos beyond. Yet, throughout the long ages, though some had lifted the stone gate, none had ever succeeded in claiming the Black Gourd. Never in history!

Now, that history had been rewritten. A mysterious Realm God—’Flying Snow Realm God’—had taken the Black Gourd.

*What kind of power does the Black Gourd truly possess? Has the Flying Snow Realm God’s strength already surged?* Each of the five Venerables harbored countless thoughts.

After all, the legend stated that obtaining the Black Gourd meant dominion over the entire world!

Without power, how could one rule?

They believed the Black Gourd must possess overwhelming might—and now, the Flying Snow Realm God wielded it. Perhaps he could already command the entire world.

“Flying Snow Realm God,” the black-haired Golden Flame Palace Master spoke up. “It is said that obtaining the Black Gourd allows one to leave this world and enter the vast cosmos beyond. Is this true?”

“It is,” Dongbo Xueying nodded, not bothering to conceal the truth.

Indeed, it was true.

If he failed the trial, he would be expelled from this world into the boundless universe of the Divine Realm and the Abyss.

If he succeeded, he could freely enter and exit this world at will.

“The cosmos beyond?” The Golden Flame Palace Master, the Crimson Fire Palace Master, and the others all held their breaths. Having lived their entire lives in this world, they yearned for the wider universe.

“Can you take me there? If you bring me along, I won’t stand in your way,” the Golden Flame Palace Master said.

“Can you take *us* into the outer cosmos?” the Shadow Demon Mansion Master also pressed.

Other Venerables were about to speak as well.

“No,” Dongbo Xueying shook his head.

His answer was firm because the artifact spirit had directly transmitted to him: *”If you master the technique within five years, you can barely control the Black Gourd and use its power to leave this world. If you fail, you will be forcibly expelled. In either case, you are forbidden from taking any living being with you—not even a beast.”*

*”Of course, if you become a new Voidwalker, exceptions can be made.”*

…

“I cannot take any of you. With the Black Gourd’s power, only I can leave,” Dongbo Xueying stated.

The five Venerables fell silent.

Unable to hold back, Venerable Sword Emperor asked, “Flying Snow Realm God, is the Black Gourd’s power truly so immense? Enough to rule the entire world?”

“Yes. It is overwhelmingly powerful. Ruling this world would be effortless. Its might surpasses your imagination,” Dongbo Xueying replied, his voice tinged with awe.

Indeed, the fireball contained within it was comparable to a sun. If he could unleash even a fraction of its true power, it would likely be enough to slay a Paragon.

But mastering it would be exceedingly difficult. Even comprehending the technique would only grant him preliminary control.

“Surpasses our imagination?” The five Venerables burned with curiosity. *Just how terrifying is this power?*

“The Black Gourd may be formidable, but if he had truly mastered it, he wouldn’t need to speak so much with us,” Venerable Xu Huang countered. “If we join forces and kill him now, the Black Gourd will be ours.”

“Flying Snow Realm God,” the Shadow Demon Mansion Master said darkly, “if you share the Black Gourd’s power with us, we won’t resort to violence.”

“Impossible.”

Dongbo Xueying shook his head.

“Then we fight.”

“Kill him.”

“Kill!”

Though the five Venerables had their own misgivings, Dongbo Xueying refused to cooperate, share, or assist them in entering the greater cosmos. They had no choice but to attack together.

*Whoosh.*

Dongbo Xueying, standing atop the distant rooftop, vanished into thin air.

“Huh?” The five Venerables, poised to unleash their killing moves, froze in surprise.

“He does possess a technique similar to my Shadow Demon World,” the Shadow Demon Mansion Master transmitted mentally.

They had suspected as much—after all, Dongbo Xueying had traveled from the Chong Clan’s territory to Xu Huang’s nation in an impossibly short time. Normal flight was out of the question; it had to be teleportation. They had assumed it was due to some special treasure.

Now, it seemed he wielded an ability akin to the Shadow Demon Mansion Master’s.

*Thrust! Thrust! Thrust! Thrust! Thrust!*

Five spear shadows materialized from the void, striking all five Venerables simultaneously with shocking abruptness.

At Dongbo Xueying’s level, his spear thrusts were blindingly fast—five strikes launched at once.

Attacks from the Void World were too sudden. Though Venerable Sword Emperor and the Crimson Fire Palace Master sensed them at the last moment, they had no time to defend. The black spear, adorned with dark-red patterns, pierced through their chests.

This was the *Blood Serpent Spear*—a True Divinity artifact of the Eternal Slaughter Path. In this world, even weaker True Divinity artifacts were rare, let alone one aligned with the Eternal Slaughter Path.

When the Voidwalker left this world behind, techniques and legacies were easy to reproduce. But forging divine weapons required materials and effort—something even a Voidwalker would not expend lightly.

Thus, True Divinity artifacts in this world were exceedingly scarce.

The *Blood Serpent Spear* was the first Eternal Path True Divinity artifact to appear here.

Combined with Dongbo Xueying’s mastery of the Slaughter Path and his newly forged *Blood Serpent Spear*, his lethality reached unprecedented heights. Having long mastered the *Six Severing Sword Techniques*, he now seamlessly adapted their principles into his spearplay.

…

The Golden Flame Palace Master’s body transformed into blazing golden flames. Though the spear passed through him, his form remained intact—yet his expression twisted in alarm. “There’s poison!”

Venerable Xu Huang’s body was enveloped in countless threads, barely deflecting the spear’s strike. Though the impact still sent him coughing blood, his injuries were relatively light.

The Shadow Demon Mansion Master instantly retreated into the Shadow Demon World, evading the attack entirely.

But—

Venerable Sword Emperor and the Crimson Fire Palace Master were not so fortunate.

This assault was Dongbo Xueying’s full-powered strike—his *Ten Thousand Demons True Body* unleashed, the *Blood Serpent Spear* in hand. Venerable Sword Emperor’s body shattered into nothingness instantly. The Crimson Fire Palace Master’s form crumbled, and what little vitality remained was swiftly extinguished by the spear’s residual force and the venom.

…

Dongbo Xueying reappeared, gripping the black spear, his gaze sweeping over the remaining three Venerables.

They stood frozen in disbelief.

In a single exchange—

Two Venerables had fallen?

“He completely overwhelms us,” Venerable Xu Huang and the Golden Flame Palace Master exchanged glances. The Shadow Demon Mansion Master felt a surge of relief—had he not escaped into the Shadow Demon World, he too might have perished.

Dongbo Xueying remained calm. His mastery of the Void Path made him a terrifying assassin—his attacks struck without warning, leaving enemies scrambling to defend. Against an unguarded body, few Venerables could withstand his full-powered strikes.

Thus, this outcome was inevitable.

“Do you still wish to contend for the Black Gourd?” Dongbo Xueying’s voice echoed across the heavens as he regarded the three remaining Venerables.

Staring at the black-clad youth hovering in the distance, Venerable Xu Huang and the others felt a deep sense of powerlessness.

At this moment—

Dongbo Xueying was secretly tense.

He was bluffing. He wasn’t afraid of them seizing the Black Gourd—but he *was* afraid they would disrupt his cultivation. The next five years were critical; he could not afford interruptions. Based on his understanding of this world’s techniques, even if he hid in the Void World, they could still harass him through causal tracking and esoteric arts.

“You have no hope—none whatsoever—of obtaining the Black Gourd. If this fight continues, all three Sacred Grounds will be annihilated,” Dongbo Xueying pressed, his tone laced with intimidation.