His Highness Jiao Yunliu was clad in an opulent golden robe. As he arrived, the nearby Evil Minister Sovereign greeted him courteously, “Your Highness.” Though his strength surpassed that of the Third Highness, now that the latter had stepped into the Sovereign realm and had the backing of Emperor Jiao Yun, he could no longer be treated as an ordinary Sovereign.
His Highness Jiao Yunliu nodded with a faint smile, his gaze intently fixed on the battle. He exclaimed in surprise, “The Snow God Venerable has transformed into a statue—does she intend to endure the attacks head-on?”
“It appears so,” the Evil Minister Sovereign replied with a grin, though his aged visage made the smile rather unsettling. “The Snow God Venerable has trained in the Ancestral Demon Mountain for some time, and her power has grown. Now, fully transformed into a statue, she is exerting her utmost to survive. Inflicting harm upon her is exceedingly difficult. If Dongbo Xueying cannot break through, he may very well lose.”
On the battle stage, Dongbo Xueying was already unleashing his spear techniques, relentlessly assaulting the statue.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The statue was sent flying wildly, crashing onto the stage and colliding against the surrounding black formations. Yet, the crystalline statue remained utterly unscathed, each twelve-sided ice facet on its surface still gleaming with reflected light.
“Likely to lose? You are mistaken,” Jiao Yunliu remarked, shaking his head as he observed. “You did not witness the battle between Brother Dongbo and the Red Fiend Divine Emperor. Though it is widely known that Brother Dongbo defeated him, very few know the exact details of that fight.”
“Oh?” The Evil Minister Sovereign looked at Jiao Yunliu with surprise.
“Back then, the Red Fiend Divine Emperor also employed an immensely powerful defensive technique. And yet, what happened in the end?” Jiao Yunliu chuckled, recalling it vividly. After the Red Fiend Divine Emperor unleashed his ultimate move, his strength surged, and his body became encased in frost armor, rendering his defense nearly impenetrable. “In the end, Brother Dongbo struck him down with a single spear thrust! His attacks are truly terrifying.”
“Is that so?” The Evil Minister Sovereign found it hard to believe. To him, the Snow God Venerable’s current defense seemed formidable enough.
What he did not know was that the Red Fiend Divine Emperor’s survival skills were even stronger.
“Here it comes,” Jiao Yunliu murmured, his eyes gleaming as he spotted a layer of black radiance enveloping Dongbo Xueying’s spear. It was this very radiance that had once grievously wounded the Red Fiend Divine Emperor.
“Swish!”
The spearhead thrust forward, its trajectory tracing a peculiar arc. Around its tip swirled a ring of bloody ripples—clearly, Dongbo Xueying had not only infused it with Weapon Aura but also integrated the Dao of Slaughter and the Dao of Ripples into his technique. Since comprehending the “Domain of Slaughter,” he had devised numerous ways to merge these two Daos.
Pfft— The spear pierced through the crystalline statue. The Weapon Aura swirling on its surface drastically amplified its sharpness, allowing it to penetrate the statue’s defenses. Once inside, a terrifying surge of bloody ripples erupted violently.
Boom! The statue shattered completely. Countless fragments disintegrated mid-air, though a few remnants coalesced back into the white-haired woman—the Snow God Venerable. Her gaze at Dongbo Xueying was one of disbelief and resignation. As he lunged toward her again, she transmitted her voice across the void: “I concede!”
There was no time for lengthy words—only by manipulating the void with her internal energy could she respond swiftly enough.
“Whoosh.”
Dongbo Xueying’s spear halted abruptly, though the violent currents of air it generated sliced past the Snow God Venerable’s body like blades. An ordinary Four-Heaven World God would have been obliterated instantly, but the Snow God Venerable was a being capable of rivaling Sovereigns. While she could not withstand Dongbo Xueying’s full-powered strike infused with Weapon Aura, mere air currents could not harm her in the slightest.
“Impressive. I never imagined you could break through my Indestructible Saint Statue,” the Snow God Venerable said coldly. “Your strength may even be enough to threaten that monster, Lie Yang. I wonder what a battle between you two would look like.”
With that, she transformed into a streak of light and swiftly departed.
Having been defeated, she was no longer qualified to remain in the Ancestral Demon Mountain. Dongbo Xueying would now take her place as the new Third Venerable.
“Hahaha, Brother Dongbo, congratulations!” Jiao Yunliu laughed. “I haven’t even entered the Ancestral Demon Mountain yet, and you’ve already beaten me to it.”
Dongbo Xueying stepped off the battle stage and smiled at Jiao Yunliu. “Your Highness, you jest. You are already a Sovereign, while I am merely a Venerable. Crossing that threshold is no easy feat.”
“For others, perhaps. But not for you,” Jiao Yunliu replied.
—
After chatting with Jiao Yunliu for a while, Dongbo Xueying was led into the Ancestral Demon Mountain by an elderly puppet servant. Jiao Yunliu, for now, could not enter.
“The Ancestral Demon Mountain…”
Dongbo Xueying walked along the ancient demonic peak, its slopes shrouded in black mist. For some reason, traversing this mountain made his body feel lighter, his bones tingling with an indescribable comfort. He couldn’t help but smile—undoubtedly, this was the mountain’s doing. At his level, external environments rarely affected him so easily.
The puppet servant guided him ahead, pointing toward a faintly visible cave dwelling at the end of a rugged path. “Master, your dwelling lies ahead.”
“That is my cave?” Dongbo Xueying nodded.
“Indeed. None may enter without your permission. Moreover, the dwelling is built upon the foundational formation of the Ancestral Demon Mountain. Cultivating there will bring great benefits,” the puppet servant explained. “You will understand once you enter.”
“Mm.”
Soon, they arrived before the cave.
The ancient dwelling was modest in appearance, yet it spanned several miles—after all, this was a Venerable’s cultivation site. For beings of their stature, even a trillion-mile continent as a personal garden was nothing extraordinary.
Pushing open the wooden door—its dark, unidentifiable material creaking—Dongbo Xueying stepped inside.
Immediately, a visible emerald mist surged toward him. With a single breath, his entire body cooled, his mind clearing instantly. His comprehension and thought speed skyrocketed, as if he had ingested rare treasures. Such a cultivation haven was coveted even by Sovereigns, let alone Venerables. The greater one’s potential, the faster they would progress in such an environment.
“Excellent,” Dongbo Xueying praised. In all his time in the cultivator’s universe, he had never encountered such a wondrous place.
“The Ancestral Demon Mountain also houses precious cultivation scriptures,” the puppet servant added. “Left behind by the Ancestor, they are invaluable. You may study them, but they cannot be taken from the mountain.”
“Oh?” Dongbo Xueying was intrigued.
“Master may explore the dwelling’s benefits at leisure,” the servant said. “If there is nothing else, this old servant shall take his leave.”
Dongbo Xueying asked, “Are the inner and core layers of the Ancestral Demon Mountain even more remarkable?”
“They are realms of entirely different marvels,” the servant replied. “The inner layer far surpasses the outer, and the core is beyond imagination.”
Dongbo Xueying nodded. “One more thing—I wish to challenge the First Venerable.”
“Challenge the First Venerable?” The servant paused. “Understood. Please wait a moment, Master. I shall relay your request.”
The puppet servant departed swiftly.
Meanwhile, Dongbo Xueying began inspecting the cave dwelling in detail. He soon discovered its wonders—different areas within emitted distinct auras, each suited for practitioners of different systems. He located zones ideal for the Dao of Slaughter, the Dao of Ripples, and the Dao of Illusory Realm. The Voidwalker Path, however, had no particular environmental requirements.
A short while later, the puppet servant returned.
“Master,” he said respectfully.
“Has the time been set?” Dongbo Xueying asked.
“The First Venerable, Lie Yang, is currently in seclusion and cannot accept the challenge,” the servant reported.
Dongbo Xueying was taken aback. “In seclusion? Does that mean I cannot challenge him until he emerges?”
“The difference between the inner and outer layers of the Ancestral Demon Mountain is vast. When you enter the inner layer in the future, you will understand. Seclusion there is a unique form of cultivation—one cannot be interrupted. However, once Lie Yang Venerable concludes his retreat, he cannot refuse your challenge.”
“How long will that take?”
“Rumors say Lie Yang Venerable has been in seclusion for over five hundred thousand years. He may emerge at any moment, or it could take up to ten million years.”
“That long?” Dongbo Xueying sighed.
He would have to wait.
Time in the Demon Mountain Universe flowed faster than in his homeland. Even ten million years here would equate to mere millennia back home. The war was unlikely to escalate so quickly, and this period would allow him to cultivate in earnest.
“You may leave,” Dongbo Xueying instructed.
“As you command. Summon me anytime, Master.” The puppet servant exited the cave.
The door creaked shut behind him, and Dongbo Xueying began his secluded cultivation within the Ancestral Demon Mountain.
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