Dongbo Xueying instantly dashed forward, his divine sword transforming into a dazzling streak of light as it thrust toward the Valley Master of Flames.
The Valley Master’s expression darkened instantly. Cultivators lived long lives precisely because most were cautious and prudent. Without absolute certainty, they would never recklessly interfere in battles unrelated to them. Otherwise, a single misstep in a life-or-death struggle could cost them everything—no amount of treasures would matter then!
“You won’t live to enjoy those treasures even if you take them!” the Valley Master roared, repelling the Mountain Master of Tianjian with a single punch before flipping his palm to unleash his most ferocious killing technique.
**BOOM—!**
Dongbo Xueying’s vision was instantly flooded with blinding flames, within which countless fist shadows surged forth with relentless, crushing force. A hundred weaker Unity realm cultivators would have been pulverized instantly by this strike. Startled, Dongbo Xueying swiftly arced his sword light to intercept the terrifying barrage of fists.
The collision sent him flying backward, his body crashing into a distant mountain peak. **CRACK—!** Half the peak shattered and collapsed under the impact. Blood sprayed from Dongbo Xueying’s lips as he coughed violently.
“This is bad,” muttered the three Peak Masters observing from the sidelines. “This expert seems slightly weaker than the Valley Master.”
“You think you can interfere with my plans? Then pay with your life!” The Valley Master’s aura surged like a raging inferno.
Meanwhile, the Mountain Master of Tianjian, who had been trying to suppress the *Silver Thread Soul-Toxin* within him, grew anxious. He hurriedly sent a mental message: *”Be careful! The Valley Master’s attacks are overwhelmingly fierce, but his movement techniques and finesse are lacking. Don’t engage him head-on!”*
The Mountain Master himself was immovable as a mountain, relying on his formidable defensive swordsmanship to withstand the onslaught. To an outsider, their clash might not reveal just how devastating the Valley Master’s strikes truly were.
*”Let’s join forces and eliminate him first,”* the Mountain Master suggested, realizing that this mysterious expert would struggle to win alone. Gritting his teeth, he prepared to endure further.
*”Agreed.”*
Dongbo Xueying responded calmly.
He was deliberately concealing his true strength. His persona was that of a swordsman specializing in domains and movement techniques, with power equivalent to the fourth level of the Star Tower. Such experts were not uncommon in the Nineclouds Continent. If he revealed fifth-level strength, the Mountain Master and others would likely spread the news, drawing attention from the three Sacred Worlds and two Sects.
Any fifth-level expert appearing out of nowhere would raise suspicions—unless they were a known local cultivator with a traceable history. Otherwise, the major factions would not ignore such an anomaly.
*”I was merely testing his strength earlier,”* Dongbo Xueying thought as he lunged forward again. This time, an invisible ripple rapidly enveloped the Valley Master, slowing his movements drastically. Even this was a restrained display—Dongbo Xueying was only utilizing a tenth of the *Panbo Diagram’s* true power.
**SWOOSH—!**
The Mountain Master struck, his sword light descending like a crushing mountain range.
The Valley Master, now heavily restrained, could only raise a sluggish palm to block. The overwhelming sword force sent him flying, blood spraying from a gash across his chest.
*”Huh?”* The Mountain Master was stunned to find himself gaining the upper hand. But then, dizziness struck him. Clenching his teeth, he pressed on.
Meanwhile, Dongbo Xueying blurred through space, closing in on the Valley Master.
*”Such a powerful domain! Is it this mysterious expert?”* The Valley Master panicked. Distracted by the Mountain Master’s renewed assault, he barely managed to raise a hand to block Dongbo Xueying’s slash—but the blade still cleaved through half his body, annihilating it. His fiery form rapidly regenerated, but the damage was evident.
*”This is dire!”* The Valley Master’s face paled.
*”Now’s our chance to finish him!”* The Mountain Master urged excitedly.
*”Understood.”* Dongbo Xueying’s killing intent flared.
*”This expert’s direct attacks are weaker, but his domain is formidable, and his swordsmanship is profound!”* The Valley Master realized his peril.
*”Friend, isn’t this about treasures? The Mountain Master is already heavily poisoned. Join me, and we’ll kill him easily. All his treasures will be yours, and I’ll add eighty Source World Stones!”* he hastily offered.
The Mountain Master’s heart clenched.
The three Peak Masters tensed. This mysterious expert was clearly greedy—willing to risk his life for riches. If he sided with the Valley Master, the battle’s outcome would be inevitable.
*”You underestimate me,”* Dongbo Xueying’s voice boomed as his sword never faltered.
*”A hundred Source World Stones! That’s everything I have!”* the Valley Master cried.
The Mountain Master’s brief relief vanished. His own wealth couldn’t match such an offer!
**SLASH—!**
Another coordinated strike with the Mountain Master left the Valley Master’s body half-destroyed, his regeneration slowing significantly.
*”Retreat! All forces, withdraw!”* the Valley Master bellowed in frustration. Seizing the momentum from the Mountain Master’s attack, he blasted backward, escaping the domain’s range before teleporting away.
*”Fleeing?”* Dongbo Xueying immediately pursued through the void.
As a Voidwalker, his spatial traversal was unrivaled among Unity realm experts—on par with many Chaos realm overlords.
Meanwhile, the Mountain Master landed heavily on a peak, sitting cross-legged to suppress his soul toxin. He couldn’t afford to chase; his injuries were too severe. If he lost consciousness now, the toxin would consume him entirely.
*”Guard me,”* he ordered the Peak Masters.
Across Tianjian Mountain, disciples who had been barely holding their ground gaped as the enemy forces retreated en masse, teleporting away with their Unity realm leaders.
*”They’re… running?”*
The impending doom had suddenly reversed.
—
*”I hate this… I HATE THIS!”*
The Valley Master seethed as he fled through the void.
He had spent centuries preparing for this day—avenging his master’s death at the Mountain Master’s hands. Only after matching his foe’s strength had he returned to rebuild the Valley of Flames. He had painstakingly acquired the *Silver Thread Soul-Toxin*, infiltrated Tianjian Mountain with disguised followers, and orchestrated this ambush.
All for revenge.
All for annihilating Tianjian Mountain.
And now, because of one meddler, everything was ruined.
**BOOM—!**
Space trembled violently.
*”No!”* The Valley Master was forcibly ejected from the void, face-to-face with a silver-masked man in white.
*”His spatial traversal surpasses mine this much?”* he thought in shock.
*”Die.”*
Dongbo Xueying suppressed him with the *Panbo Diagram* and closed in for the kill.
Slowed and bound, the Valley Master was swiftly struck again.
*”So his true strength surpasses mine. That initial clash was a feint.”* Desperation set in.
*”Take all my treasures! Spare me!”* he pleaded, banking on the other’s greed.
Dongbo Xueying remained merciless.
**SLASH—!**
Another sword light shattered the Valley Master’s defenses, obliterating his body. Yet, with exquisite control, Dongbo Xueying isolated his soul.
*”Seal.”*
The Valley Master’s physical form was gone—only his imprisoned soul remained. Dongbo Xueying collected his treasures with a wave.
*”Mercy! Spare me!”* the soul begged.
Dongbo Xueying coldly activated a detection art.
A glowing green mark surfaced on the soul.
*”You—you’re—!”* The Valley Master finally understood. This was no rogue expert, but an agent of the three Sacred Worlds, enemy to the Ancestral Mother Religion and the Sacred Ruins Sect.
*”A believer of the Ancestral Mother, as suspected.”*
Dongbo Xueying’s detection had to be swift—the target might alert his superiors. But with his soul sealed and treasures confiscated, the Valley Master was helpless.
With a final wave, Dongbo Xueying extinguished the soul entirely.
Silence reclaimed the void.
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