Inside the treasure cave.
Dozens of cages held cultivators—more than half were True God Sovereigns, while the rest were Void Gods. These were individuals the black-robed Chiyun Saint Envoy had encountered during his missionary work outside, deemed too talented to be controlled by mere cages. Thus, he had brought them along, intending to deliver them to the outpost for control through the underground sacred hall.
However, this time, he fled back to the outpost in disarray, only for Dongbo Xueying to launch an attack soon after! In the end, the black-robed Chiyun Saint Envoy perished…
Initially preoccupied with relocating the Sacred Master’s statue and later despairing in the face of death, he had forgotten about the imprisoned cultivators in the treasure cave. To him, they were mere ants, only brought along to earn merit for their high talent.
“Fortunately, they’re still alive.” After refining the treasure cave and extending his consciousness into it, Dongbo Xueying let out a sigh of relief.
“Qing Ruo is alive too.”
Due to the burly man Lei Chen, Dongbo Xueying had deliberately gathered information about his wife, Qing Ruo. Recognizing her appearance, he immediately spotted her among the prisoners.
*Crack! Crack! Crack!* With a surge of Dongbo Xueying’s power, the cages were opened one by one, and the soul-sealed cultivators were freed from their restraints.
“What’s happening?”
“Why are we being released?”
The cultivators were bewildered.
The Ancient Sacred Sect was meticulous—they would never lift soul seals, as doing so risked the prisoners committing suicide. The sudden release hinted at a possible rescue.
“Shortly, I will take you to Tianshui City, where you will regain your freedom,” Dongbo Xueying’s voice echoed majestically through the treasure cave.
“We’re saved!”
“Tianshui City? It must be an envoy from there!”
“Hahaha…”
Joy and excitement erupted among them.
These cultivators, long aware of the horrors of the Ancient Sacred Sect and the Mother Goddess Sect, knew that once controlled, they would lose all autonomy. As True God Sovereigns and Void Gods who had cultivated to this level, they had stubbornly resisted, unwilling to surrender their identities.
Now, they were finally free!
*Whoosh.* Amid the fervor, Qing Ruo vanished, teleported away.
—
Qing Ruo felt her surroundings shift abruptly, finding herself in a dark, dilapidated city.
Beside her stood a white-robed youth.
“Who is he?” she wondered.
Dongbo Xueying, clad in white, waved his hand, releasing Lei Chen.
The burly Lei Chen had been fraught with tension—fearing that Elder Dongbo of the Tai Xuan Heavenly Palace might fail to breach the outpost, or worse, that his wife might perish in the crossfire. But when Dongbo Xueying released him and he saw the green-robed woman before him, his soul trembled.
“Qing Ruo!” Lei Chen rushed forward in excitement.
“Ah Chen!” Qing Ruo responded with equal fervor.
From their humble beginnings, they had journeyed together, facing countless trials and sharing fortunes. Each had become the most vital existence in the other’s life—more precious than life itself.
Overcome with emotion, they embraced tightly.
Nearby, Dongbo Xueying watched with a faint smile.
Though the city’s sacred disciples had been obliterated, he had at least saved some lives, including this couple. Their reunion reminded him of his own wife, far away in their home universe.
“Jing Qiu, Yu’er, Qing Yao… I hope you’re all well. Rest assured, I will return with the finest cultivation aids,” Dongbo Xueying murmured silently. Now an Inner Hall Elder, he was more confident than ever about the future.
This path of cultivation—
He would grow stronger, unstoppable by anyone.
Only with power could he secure the treasures needed to return to his wife.
Dongbo Xueying retrieved a communication token and sent a message: “Ancestor Mo, this is Dongbo Xueying.”
“What is it?” Ancestor Mo replied.
“I’ve destroyed a major Ancient Sacred Sect outpost,” Dongbo Xueying responded, transmitting the coordinates.
“A major outpost in the Sacred Realm? One with a Sacred Master statue, or just a minor stronghold?” Ancestor Mo inquired. The Seven Star Sea Sacred Realm had only ninety major outposts. Could Dongbo Xueying have taken down one? Given the formidable defensive arrays, he suspected it might be a lesser site.
“I’ve secured the Sacred Master statue,” Dongbo Xueying stated.
“Good. I’m on my way.”
Ancestor Mo no longer doubted—the statue was irrefutable proof.
Dongbo Xueying stored the token.
The black city lay silent, the eastern horizon tinged with the first light of dawn.
*Rumble—*
A terrifying will descended upon the distant sky, violently manipulating the surrounding world energy. The surging power formed a colossal vortex, its sheer magnitude startling Lei Chen and Qing Ruo, who looked up in awe.
“Elder Dongbo,” Lei Chen hurriedly approached with his wife, bowing in gratitude. “Thank you for saving us both. We will never forget this debt.”
“Thank you, Elder Dongbo,” Qing Ruo added.
Dongbo Xueying smiled. “It was a small effort. In fact, I should thank Lei Chen for leading me here.”
The Ancient Sacred Sect was notoriously cautious.
Locating an outpost was nearly impossible. Fortunately, Lei Chen and his wife shared a mystical soul resonance—something the Chiyun Saint Envoy had overlooked—allowing Dongbo Xueying to track them covertly.
“That is…” Lei Chen and Qing Ruo stared at the distant vortex but dared not ask further.
Dongbo Xueying gazed upward.
The vortex condensed rapidly, forming a cold, imposing figure clad in ornate black robes, his crimson hair flowing. His gaze alone made Lei Chen and Qing Ruo tremble, unable to meet his eyes.
Dongbo Xueying soared into the sky to meet him.
“Ancestor Mo,” he greeted.
Within the Tai Xuan Heavenly Palace’s domain, Chaos Realm overlords could manifest avatars by manipulating world energy—though the process was time-consuming and conspicuous. This was why every Chaos City maintained a stationed avatar of such a figure.
Only then could they respond instantly to threats.
Long-distance manifestations required time to gather energy—time a true adversary would exploit to strike and flee.
Thus, as an Inner Hall Elder, Dongbo Xueying’s identity token doubled as a life-saving talisman: first, ensure survival; then, summon reinforcements.
Even Heaven’s Fool Patriarch and the Swordmaster could manifest avatars, their arrivals swifter.
This was why the Ancient Sacred Sect lurked in shadows, never daring to act openly within the Tai Xuan Heavenly Palace’s territory.
“Impressive,” Ancestor Mo remarked, his lips quirking. “You took down a major Ancient Sacred Sect outpost?”
“Luck,” Dongbo Xueying replied, producing the Sacred Master statue.
“This statue is notoriously hard to destroy,” he noted.
Ancestor Mo observed the dent in the statue’s chest, eyeing Dongbo Xueying with newfound respect. His young compatriot clearly harbored hidden capabilities to breach an outpost and damage the statue.
“Selling this to the Sacred Realm would fetch a fortune, but alas, we cannot,” Ancestor Mo mused. “It must be destroyed. Its resilience rivals mid-grade Void Divine Weapons—my avatar alone cannot handle it.”
Noticing Lei Chen and Qing Ruo below, he added, “Bring them here. I’ll annihilate this city.”
Dongbo Xueying nodded.
He flew down and asked, “Lei Chen, do you wish to return to Jinyi Nation or proceed to Tianshui City?” Owing to Lei Chen’s role in this success, he was willing to accommodate their choice.
After a glance at each other, Lei Chen answered firmly, “Elder Dongbo, we’ll go to Tianshui City.”
They had long planned to relocate there.
Having endured such trials, the small, perilous Jinyi Nation paled in comparison. The chance to reach Tianshui City—with free transport—was irresistible.
“Very well. Stay in the treasure cave for now.” Dongbo Xueying stored them inside and returned to Ancestor Mo.
Ancestor Mo extended his right hand over the city.
*Rumble—*
Endless cold energy surged from the void, freezing the entire black city. Under his will, the structure cracked and crumbled, collapsing into nothingness within moments. The underground sacred hall and even the surrounding earth were obliterated, leaving a gaping crater.
“Let’s go.” Ancestor Mo tore open a spatial passage, and they vanished within.
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