Chapter 811: Ancient Cultivator

The Golden Needle Demon suddenly showed a slight change in expression. “Hmm? I didn’t even wound him? Not a single injury?”

Before he could unleash a stronger attack, Dongbo Xueying’s assault arrived. Three black-clothed Dongbo Xueyings materialized around the Golden Needle Demon, each wielding a long spear and executing their deadliest techniques. Each spear formed a terrifying vortex of energy, becoming the three dominant whirlpools within the entire Domain of Slaughter.

The three spears struck simultaneously.

The Golden Needle Demon’s face twisted into a snarl as he roared, “Scram!”

The black horn on his forehead suddenly shot out, sweeping through the surroundings with terrifying force, creating rippling waves that instantly clashed with the spears of all three avatars! Caught off guard by the speed of Dongbo Xueying’s avatars, the Golden Needle Demon unleashed his full power. His innate core horn executed the cosmic-level technique *Crescent Moon Sword Scroll*. A series of deafening explosions followed as all three avatars were sent staggering backward.

Though the avatars were physically fragile, their spear techniques were formidable—a fusion of the modified *First Sword of Annihilation* and the Dao of Ripples. Only the current top-ranked ‘Rain Sword Saint’ could rival Dongbo Xueying in this regard. Even with their fragile forms, each avatar’s combat prowess was enough to rank in the top dozen. The combined assault of three avatars indeed placed immense pressure on the Golden Needle Demon.

“Boom—!” In the distance, Dongbo Xueying’s true body erupted with power, completely disregarding the black streaks of light bombarding him—after all, they couldn’t harm him—as he charged relentlessly toward the Golden Needle Demon.

“This brat’s physical defense is absurd, and his spearplay is terrifying.” The Golden Needle Demon’s pupils contracted. He hadn’t expected mere avatars to pose such a threat.

“Die!!!” The Golden Needle Demon went berserk.

The hundred black streaks of light swiftly retracted, each now crackling with lightning, their power visibly amplified as they targeted Dongbo Xueying’s three avatars. Earlier, these streaks had merely brushed against Dongbo Xueying’s body, but now, enhanced by a chaos-level technique, they were more than sufficient to annihilate the avatars—though they still posed no threat to his true form.

This was the Golden Needle Demon’s full strength. He couldn’t afford to have all hundred streaks execute cosmic-level techniques.

A hundred streaks, all using cosmic-level techniques?

The strain on his soul would be unbearable!

Dongbo Xueying had only summoned three avatars precisely because his soul’s current capacity limited him to three at full power.

“Not good, they’re faster!” The three avatars were shocked. Despite their masterful spearplay, the accelerated black streaks pierced through their bodies in an instant, obliterating them completely.

“Hmph, avatars? Fifty needles are enough to protect me.” With a thought, the Golden Needle Demon recalled fifty black streaks to encircle his body.

The remaining fifty-plus streaks, along with the black horn, launched a frenzied assault on Dongbo Xueying’s true form. Undeterred, Dongbo Xueying unleashed his full might, his spear executing the ninth stance of the *Dao Wind Ripple Art*. A massive vortex of rippling energy formed around him, clashing violently with the incoming streaks.

“Boom! Boom! Boom—!”

Dongbo Xueying finally experienced the full force of the black horn firsthand. Executing the *Crescent Moon Sword Scroll*, a technique created by the Swordmaster, it was both eerie and blindingly fast. Fortunately, there was only one horn, and Dongbo Xueying’s spearplay barely managed to block it—though the sheer force sent him stumbling backward. Meanwhile, the other black streaks relentlessly hammered his body.

“Die, just die!” The Golden Needle Demon raged.

—

The Golden Needle Demon’s assault was overwhelming, a tempest of attacks that pinned Dongbo Xueying’s true form in place, completely surrounded. Even when he summoned avatars to counterattack, the fifty black streaks were too swift. They ignored the avatars’ spear techniques, focusing solely on overwhelming them with sheer numbers, effortlessly destroying all three.

“The Golden Needle Demon is indeed far stronger than the other Golden-Robed Disciples. His advantages are glaring.” Dongbo Xueying realized he couldn’t win this battle. “I can’t break through his encirclement. His innate core horn’s power is simply too overwhelming when executing the *Crescent Moon Sword Scroll*—it suppresses me completely.”

In terms of spearplay, Dongbo Xueying’s mastery surpassed the Golden Needle Demon’s rudimentary grasp of the *Crescent Moon Sword Scroll*. He was also at the 20th level of the Voidwalker’s cultivation. Yet, he was still suppressed.

Why?

Because the Golden Needle Demon’s innate horn—the core of his Ancient Cultivator heritage—was simply too potent. This was the terror of Ancient Cultivators. While most possessed bizarre but mediocre abilities, among their countless numbers emerged beings so monstrous they surpassed all other cultivation systems in sheer absurdity!

Thus, the ‘Sacred Master’ of the Sacred World was universally acknowledged as the strongest among all Supreme Existences. If the ‘Mother Ancestor’ had many enemies, the Sacred Master had nearly every Supreme Being as his foe—yet he still ruled the Sacred World unchallenged.

“The *Crescent Moon Sword Scroll*—this cosmic-level technique created by the Swordmaster is truly formidable.” Dongbo Xueying relished the battle, absorbing every bit of experience.

Time flowed on.

The Golden Needle Demon raged, his attacks completely suppressing Dongbo Xueying, who in turn refined his insights from the struggle.

“Boom—!”

An invisible force descended. The black horn and streaks of light froze mid-flight, revealing the latter to be enormous golden needles, each etched with dark, intricate patterns. These weren’t forged weapons but innate auxiliary arms of the Golden Needle Demon’s Ancient Cultivator heritage.

After all, for an Ancient Cultivator, the core was sacred—rarely would they risk it in combat.

The battle was halted.

The Golden Needle Demon’s green eyes burned with lingering madness as he glared at Dongbo Xueying, who calmly sheathed his spear, golden robes fluttering.

“Golden Needle Demon, victory,” announced the voice of the Netherworld Arena’s formation spirit.

“Well fought,” Dongbo Xueying said with a smile.

“Kid, train harder! With skills like these, don’t get too cocky,” the Golden Needle Demon sneered.

Dongbo Xueying blinked, then sighed inwardly.

It was just a spar.

Was this necessary?

True God Masters were still fledglings in the vast expanse of the Five Sacred Worlds and the Chaos Void. For fellow disciples to act so arrogantly in a friendly match was pointless. And in terms of actual comprehension, the Golden Needle Demon likely ranked outside the top ten—only his absurd Ancient Cultivator abilities pushed him to second place.

—

Above, the Inner Hall Elders and even the Pavilion Masters could see that Dongbo Xueying’s comprehension far surpassed the Golden Needle Demon’s—perhaps only the top-ranked ‘Rain Sword Saint’ could compare. It was merely the Ancient Cultivator’s innate advantages that denied Dongbo Xueying victory.

“What a fool,” the Demon Ancestor scoffed from his vantage. “Ancient Cultivator tricks only work against juniors. Dongbo Xueying’s potential dwarfs his. The gap will widen swiftly. And the Dao of Rules and Insights only grows more formidable at higher levels. His meager Ancient Cultivator talent is only good for bullying the weak.”

The Demon Ancestor knew well that in the distant Sacred World, the true gathering place of Ancient Cultivators, talents far surpassing the Golden Needle Demon thrived under the Sacred Master. Yet many refused to serve him—the price of allegiance was a burden most would rather die than bear.

—

Below, after his defeat, Dongbo Xueying turned to the third-ranked Golden-Robed Disciple, a portly figure. “Senior Brother Blood Minister, your turn.”

“Haha, I knew you’d challenge me next—that fool Golden Needle just cut in line,” the golden-robed fatty chuckled as he floated forward.

“Blood Minister!” The Golden Needle Demon, still on his pillar, seethed.

“Ignore him. And don’t be polite.”

The fatty grinned at Dongbo Xueying. “He’s just a madman. The nicer you are, the more he’ll bully you.”

Dongbo Xueying laughed. “Wise words!”

The Golden Needle Demon’s fury spiked, but he was powerless. In the Netherworld Arena, battles required mutual consent. Even if he challenged Blood Minister later, the latter could simply forfeit. Outside, disciples of the Grand Void Temple were strictly forbidden from infighting.

So, despite the insults, the Golden Needle Demon could only fume.

“Tch…”

“Pfft—”

A few onlookers couldn’t suppress their laughter.

The Golden Needle Demon’s glare swept over them, but those daring to mock him were the ones unafraid of his wrath. Most disciples remained reserved—the path of cultivation was long, and the Golden Needle Demon’s potential was considerable. Offending a future powerhouse was unwise. But figures like ‘Blood Minister’ and Dongbo Xueying couldn’t care less.