Chapter 827: Crushing Defeat

The six-armed woman and the frost-covered man both wore grim expressions, casting angry glances at the black-robed man.

“Our outpost is of utmost importance. There are only ninety such outposts across the entire Sevenstar Sea Sacred Realm, serving as the core of our missionary work,” the frost-covered man transmitted solemnly. “Now, an Inner Hall Elder of the Voidsky Palace has arrived right outside our outpost. This location is already compromised. The only thing we can do now is minimize our losses.”

The black-robed man gritted his teeth and transmitted in a low voice, “This has nothing to do with me!”

He was quick to shirk responsibility.

The six-armed woman and the frost-covered man exchanged glances but said nothing more. The final judgment—and punishment—would be decided fairly by the higher-ups of the Ancient Sacred Cult! The black-robed ‘Chiyun Saint Envoy’ had been spreading their teachings in the Golden Wing Kingdom but ended up drawing the attention of Dongbo Xueying, an Inner Hall Elder of the Voidsky Palace. Now, after fleeing all the way back to the outpost, Dongbo Xueying had followed right behind him!

Anyone with half a brain could guess that Dongbo Xueying must have been secretly tailing him, perhaps even planting some sort of tracking mark on the Chiyun Saint Envoy.

“You two, lead the other Saint Envoys to the underground sanctum immediately,” the frost-covered man ordered urgently. “Evacuate the Sacred Lord’s statue as quickly as possible. Once it’s relocated, teleport away without delay.”

“Yes,” the six-armed woman and the black-robed Chiyun Saint Envoy responded in unison.

Why were there only ninety outposts across the vast expanse of the Sevenstar Sea Sacred Realm?

Because each outpost required a ‘Sacred Lord’s statue.’ Whether it was maintaining contact with the distant Ancient Sacred Realm or controlling countless cultivators, all of it relied on the power of the Sacred Lord’s statue.

In places like the Golden Wing Kingdom, the methods used to control cultivators were rudimentary at best—only the weaker ones could be subdued. Many True God Dominators could resist, with only a few whose mental cultivation was lacking succumbing.

But once they stood before the Sacred Lord’s statue…

With its power, even the strongest among True God Dominators, those with formidable mental resilience—or even newly ascended Void Gods and weaker Unity realm experts—could be forcibly branded. Their souls would be marked, binding them in absolute loyalty to the Sacred Lord.

“Dongbo Xueying may have come here, but he likely can’t be entirely certain that this is one of our Ancient Sacred Cult’s vital outposts,” the frost-covered man said. “I’ll deal with him and buy as much time as possible.”

“If you can kill him, that would be a great merit,” the black-robed Chiyun Saint Envoy remarked.

“Kill an Inner Hall Elder? Their survival techniques are notoriously formidable,” the frost-covered man thought bitterly. Even if they successfully relocated the Sacred Lord’s statue, this outpost would still have to be abandoned, and the Ancient Sacred Cult would undoubtedly mete out some punishment. But if they failed to secure the statue… the consequences would be catastrophic.

*Whoosh!*

The frost-covered man shot out of the dimly lit hall.

Meanwhile, the six-armed woman and the black-robed Chiyun Saint Envoy sprang into action, summoning the other Saint Envoys to the underground sanctum. They had to move the Sacred Lord’s statue—fast.

—

High above, the white-robed Dongbo Xueying hovered, gazing at the black city below. He activated the *Panbo Diagram*, sending invisible ripples probing outward—but the city’s defensive formations resisted his intrusion.

“Who dares trespass upon Black Mountain City?” A figure soared into the sky—the frost-covered man, his aura vast and chilling, snowflakes swirling around him. He frowned and demanded, “Who are you?”

Dongbo Xueying had no time for delays.

He knew all too well that the most critical element of an Ancient Sacred Cult outpost was the Sacred Lord’s statue. Relocating it wouldn’t take long, but every second counted.

*Boom!*

With a flick of his right hand, a token materialized—the insignia of an Inner Hall Elder. It radiated an overwhelming presence, and behind Dongbo Xueying, the illusory form of a towering, resplendent palace manifested. The sheer oppressive force of this projection matched that of a Chaos realm expert.

This was the phantom of the Voidsky Palace—impossible to counterfeit.

“I am an Inner Hall Elder of the Voidsky Palace,” Dongbo Xueying declared. “Dismantle your city’s formations at once. Any resistance will be treated as defiance against the Voidsky Palace, and all within shall be deemed followers of the Ancient Sacred Cult—executed without mercy!”

“An Inner Hall Elder of the Voidsky Palace?!” The frost-covered man paled, feigning panic as he bowed deeply. “Esteemed Elder, I am but a recluse here, cultivating in seclusion. How could—”

“Enough.”

Dongbo Xueying’s brows furrowed like twin blades, cutting off the man’s stalling. “Dismantle the formations. Now.”

“I am in the midst of forging a priceless treasure, the culmination of countless years of effort. I cannot—”

“Then die.”

A cold glint flashed in Dongbo Xueying’s eyes.

He wasn’t entirely certain this black city was an Ancient Sacred Cult outpost—but he was seventy to eighty percent sure. And given that the black-robed man had entered earlier, and now they refused to allow an inspection… something was definitely amiss.

*Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!*

With a furious shout, three hundred deep violet fish surged from Dongbo Xueying’s body, streaking toward the frost-covered man. At the same time, countless translucent threads of energy coiled around the man, entangling him.

“Elder, my avatar is currently tending to the forge! Any disruption would ruin everything!” the frost-covered man cried out, even as he summoned an icy sword and conjured crystalline armor over his body.

Though slowed by the energy threads, he still managed to swing his blade.

*Crack!*

Space itself froze, forming restraints that hindered the threads and the incoming weaponized energy. Many of the violet fish slowed drastically, while the man’s radiant swordlight met the swarm head-on.

The three hundred fish converged like a school, clashing with the icy blade. Though many were destroyed by the swordlight, four of them suddenly flared with terrifying power.

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

Like four divine dragons, they tore through the sky. The frost-covered man, still ensnared, swung his sword desperately, parrying the four enhanced strikes—each embodying the *Third Sword of Annihilation*.

This was why Dongbo Xueying had only summoned three hundred fish—any more would strain his mental focus, making it impossible to execute the Third Sword with precision.

*Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!*

The frost-covered man’s swordplay was bizarrely fluid, deflecting all four strikes simultaneously. Though the other fish harried him, none could breach his icy armor. They merely slowed him further, allowing the occasional Third Sword to land—leaving gaping wounds in his body.

Then, abruptly, the swarm vanished.

Only the four dragon-like strikes remained, pressing the assault. And in that moment, Dongbo Xueying disappeared.

*Flash!*

He reappeared beside the frost-covered man, thrusting his spear with lethal intent.

“Teleportation?” The man sneered inwardly. Freed from the swarm’s interference, he pivoted, his sword intercepting the spear even as he fended off the four remaining strikes.

*Boom!*

The instant their weapons clashed—

A second spear materialized from the void, stabbing at point-blank range.

Too sudden. Too close.

The frost-covered man had no time to react. But he remained calm—after all, he’d withstood the Third Sword’s energy strikes before. His body could endure.

*Boom!*

The spear pierced his torso—and his expression twisted in horror.

He was wrong.

Dead wrong.

This spear was a top-grade Void God weapon, its tip sheathed in weaponized energy. And the power of the *Twenty-Eighth Layer of the Walker’s Secret Art* was channeled fully into this single thrust—a *Third Sword of Annihilation* amplified beyond measure.

His body was torn apart instantly, annihilation force ravaging him from within.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

As his form disintegrated, the spear unleashed a storm of violet fish, shredding what remained. Dongbo Xueying struck three more times in rapid succession.

By the third strike, the frost-covered man’s body was reduced to nothingness—his final moments filled with disbelief and despair.

He couldn’t accept it.

How could he, a seasoned expert, fall to a mere newly ascended Void God? Even if this was a Voidsky Palace Inner Hall Elder… he was still just a beginner!

“Hmph.” Dongbo Xueying watched coldly. Even without the *Panbo Diagram*, he’d cleared the third level of the Star Tower. Now, with its binding power suppressing his foe’s strength, this outcome was inevitable.

—

Though the battle seemed drawn out, it had lasted less than a breath—first a barrage, then close combat, ending in swift execution.

“Disaster!” The six-armed woman in the underground sanctum paled. Through the alert formations, she’d *seen* the frost-covered man’s demise.