The Blood Blade Divine Emperor looked somewhat surprised at his disciple, Dongbo Xueying, seated below him. Even if there was something important to report, it could surely wait until after the banquet. What could be so urgent that it couldn’t wait until the banquet was over? However, this disciple of his usually acted with great discretion. The Blood Blade Divine Emperor immediately sent a mental message, asking, “What is it?”
“Master, can the other Rulers around us eavesdrop on our mental communication?” Dongbo Xueying responded with another mental message. Though he was cautious, he knew too little about the methods of Rulers. The matter he was about to discuss was of utmost importance and must not be exposed.
“Eavesdrop?” The Blood Blade Divine Emperor’s expression turned serious. An invisible ripple emanated from his body, enveloping Dongbo Xueying nearby. “Now, no one can eavesdrop. Xueying, what is it that requires such caution?”
“Disciple has had some fortuitous encounters and can now detect the strength of a cultivator’s soul,” Dongbo Xueying transmitted.
“You can detect soul strength?” The Blood Blade Divine Emperor was startled.
His vision was far broader than Dongbo Xueying’s, and he knew much more. He understood clearly that the strength of one’s soul could fully reflect a cultivator’s true power level!
“Up to what level can you detect?” the Blood Blade Divine Emperor pressed.
“Since all ten Rulers are gathered at this grand banquet, I took the opportunity to secretly examine them—including you, Master. Please forgive my audacity,” Dongbo Xueying transmitted.
“You examined all ten of us?” The Blood Blade Divine Emperor’s heart stirred. “What did you find?”
“The results shocked me, and I could hardly believe them. Of course, you still rank first, Master. But the second strongest is the Hellfire Ruler! Third is Senior Brother Qing Jun, and fourth is the Primordial Origin Master. The fifth, which I never expected, is the Bloody Sin Ruler. The sixth is the Abyss Primogenitor! Among the three Rulers of the Dark Abyss, the Hellfire Ruler and the Bloody Sin Ruler both surpass the Abyss Primogenitor! After them come Pang Yi, the Master of the Ten Thousand God Palace, the Island Lord of Time and Space, and Lady Qianhe,” Dongbo Xueying reported.
“Oh?”
The Blood Blade Divine Emperor fell silent.
His disciple’s revelation had indeed struck a chord. Though he had sensed some of this himself, the clarity of the ranking based on the most fundamental soul strength—as determined by Dongbo Xueying—was unprecedented. Combined with the secrets he already knew, this ranking allowed him to deduce much more.
“They’ve hidden themselves quite deeply,” the Blood Blade Divine Emperor murmured, his eyes narrowing slightly as countless thoughts raced through his mind.
Below, Dongbo Xueying observed his master’s silence and slight change in expression.
“I’ve done all I can. If the sky falls, the tall will hold it up—and Master is the tallest. The rest is up to him,” Dongbo Xueying thought to himself. Even the Black Gourd’s artifact spirit had called the Blood Blade Divine Emperor the most terrifying Ruler it had ever encountered. For countless ages, his master had remained unchallenged at the top of the Cosmic Deity Ranking.
If anyone could safeguard the entire cultivator universe, it was undoubtedly his master.
“Xueying, what else do you know about the other Rulers?” the Blood Blade Divine Emperor transmitted.
“Nothing more,” Dongbo Xueying replied quickly. Without the Black Gourd’s artifact spirit, he wouldn’t even have been able to detect soul strength, let alone probe the secrets of Rulers.
“You’ve done well enough. Remember, you may share this information with the Primordial Origin Master and the Abyss Primogenitor. But keep it secret from the other Rulers—and absolutely hidden from ordinary cultivators,” the Blood Blade Divine Emperor warned.
“Understood, Master,” Dongbo Xueying obediently acknowledged.
—
The reason he had reported this mid-banquet was his concern over Senior Brother Qing Jun’s drastic personality change and immense power. With all the mighty ones gathered, he feared something unexpected might happen. Naturally, he had to inform his master immediately.
But reality proved his worries unfounded.
The banquet proceeded smoothly, lasting three days. Each Ruler took turns imparting their teachings, and the attending cultivators listened with rapt attention. Once it concluded, the Rulers departed one by one. After bidding farewell to friends, Dongbo Xueying set off with his wife and children for home.
Meanwhile, the Blood Blade Divine Emperor secretly arranged a private meeting with the Primordial Origin Master and the Abyss Primogenitor.
—
Dark undercurrents had long been stirring across the cosmos. The Blood Blade Divine Emperor wielded the terrifying “Void Polar Array,” sweeping through regions one after another, while the Ancestral Mother Cult lurked in the shadows, preparing to strike.
But these matters were known only to the Rulers.
Dongbo Xueying remained largely unaware—he didn’t even know his master was manipulating the Void Polar Array. In a true conflict, even Supremes would struggle to intervene; the battle would be fought among the Rulers. The gap between Supremes and Rulers was vast—the Blood Blade Divine Emperor could suppress all Supremes with a single avatar.
Thus, Supremes joining the fight would be meaningless.
Figures like the Sorcerer Wurm Emperor or the Water Demon King could barely survive against a Ruler, let alone counterattack. Only Pang Yi and Qing Jun had once possessed such capability—and both were now Rulers themselves.
“Whoosh.”
A streak of light cut through the heavens—Dongbo Xueying, traveling alone.
He journeyed across the Divine Realm and the Abyss, exploring ancient ruins while striving to refine the Black Gourd.
“The Black Gourd is a treasure for safeguarding the Dao, containing a fireball comparable to a Solar Star—its power is immense. Refining it is the final trial left by the Voidwalker. Success would grant me an ultimate killing technique.” Though Dongbo Xueying knew little, he sensed the growing tension in the cosmos.
In such times, strength was paramount.
“But how exactly do I refine it?”
“The Voidwalker said even Rulers cannot control the Black Gourd,” Dongbo Xueying mused as he flew through the void, frowning. “A treasure like this, entrusted to a mere Supreme like me? Of course, since the Voidwalker set this trial, success must be possible.”
“Compared to a Ruler, what advantage do I have? Why can I refine it? First, I possess the control technique, allowing me to perceive the Void Formation inside the Black Gourd. Second, as one of the Voidwalker’s chosen, he must have left me a viable path.”
“There are only two ways to refine a treasure.”
“First, brute force—overwhelming power to forcibly refine it.” Dongbo Xueying shook his head. While he could forcibly refine even claimed treasures like realm artifacts, that required absolute superiority in strength. “Trying that with the Black Gourd? Impossible.”
“Second, comprehend the formation within the treasure and refine it gradually.”
This was equally frustrating.
The Void Formation inside the Black Gourd could suppress a Solar Star—how could he possibly refine something so profound?
“But the Voidwalker likely set a threshold for later challengers. If I reach a certain level of comprehension, I might meet the requirement to refine it.” Dongbo Xueying reasoned that a treasure’s creator could set conditions—whether limiting refinement to a specific individual or requiring mastery of the formation to a certain degree.
The creator’s will was absolute.
If the creator wished, even a weakling could command sentient treasures.
“That must be the only way.”
“It can’t demand I reach an impossibly high level of comprehension—neither I nor even Rulers could achieve that.” Dongbo Xueying was certain. If the standard were truly that high, failure would be inevitable. “There must be a threshold. Once I reach it, refinement becomes possible.”
The Black Gourd’s formation was too complex.
Locking himself away in seclusion might not guarantee success. Thus, while his true self meditated in Red Rock Mountain, this avatar traveled to ancient ruins, seeking inspiration. Those who left such ruins were extraordinary figures from past epochs—perhaps their legacies could provide the insight he needed.
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