Chapter 866: Doodles

The black-robed man hunched slightly and casually tossed a talisman token to Dongbo Xueying with a wave of his hand. “Refine this token. It can only be used by you alone. The day you slay enough high-ranking members of the Ancient Sacred Cult within the bounds of the Nineclouds Continent, you can activate the token and be directly transported to this palace to claim treasures of corresponding value from me.”

Dongbo Xueying caught it and immediately began refining it.

“Follow me,” the black-robed man said, turning and leading the way deeper into the palace along the corridor, with Dongbo Xueying trailing behind.

They arrived at a hidden staircase within the palace, descending until they finally entered a secluded cultivation chamber.

“This was my master’s cultivation chamber.”

The black-robed man stepped inside, and Dongbo Xueying followed.

At a glance, the chamber was vast, comparable in size to the Myriad Phenomena Hall of the Taixu Sky Palace. At the far end stood rows of bookshelves laden with numerous original texts of ancient tomes, occupying roughly thirty percent of the chamber’s space.

The rear, however, was empty.

Only a single meditation mat lay on the ground.

“These bookshelves hold the tomes my master collected and those he created himself,” the black-robed man said, pointing to the mat. “This is where he usually meditated and contemplated the Dao.”

“You may study any of the texts here. Once mastered, you are free to teach them to others as well,” the black-robed man continued. “This is a privilege granted to every ‘ally.’ When you’re ready to leave after your studies, simply inform me, and I will escort you out.” With that, he turned and walked out of the chamber.

“Wherever you are in this palace, I will hear you if you speak,” the black-robed man added before exiting, leaving Dongbo Xueying alone in the chamber.

Without hesitation, Dongbo Xueying strode toward the bookshelves and began perusing the texts. These were the crystallized wisdom of past cultivators, and none collected by the Nineclouds Divine Emperor could possibly be ordinary.

“Hmm?” Dongbo Xueying murmured as he examined the first text he picked up.

It was a tome on the Ancient Cultivation path, titled *Eyes of Annihilation*.

If an Ancient Cultivator awakened an innate talent related to the eyes—particularly offensive abilities—they could pursue cultivation in the *Eyes of Annihilation* lineage. Some Ancient Cultivators relied purely on luck in their awakening, while those with powerful legacies could deliberately guide their evolution. The innate talents one was born with were crucial, but so was the guidance and nurturing of those talents in later stages.

This *Eyes of Annihilation* was a lineage that led directly to the level of a Cosmic God.

The Annihilation Light emitted from the eyes could disintegrate an entire universe with a single glance. Even a Cosmic God would not dare to withstand it with their physical body.

Dongbo Xueying studied it intently.

Nearly half of the texts here were related to the Ancient Cultivation path, with most capable of guiding one to the Chaos Realm, and some even to the Cosmic God level. In terms of strength, innate talents were vital, but cultivation in later stages was equally important. Only when both were perfected could one achieve greatness. The Sacred Master was the strongest of all Ancient Cultivators.

“Perhaps I could also cultivate the Ancient path?” The thought arose unbidden in Dongbo Xueying’s mind after reading so many Ancient Cultivation texts.

For powerful beings, cultivating multiple systems was common practice.

For instance, the Bloodline Cultivation system peaked at the Chaos Realm, so one would inevitably need to branch into other systems. Typically, cultivators chose complementary systems to shore up their weaknesses.

Dongbo Xueying had never considered it before, but now, with so many Ancient Cultivation methods at his disposal—and the possibility of awakening a high-tier talent—it was worth investing time and effort.

“No rush.”

“Once I’ve settled matters concerning Jing Qiu and the others, and have ample time and energy, I can attempt cultivation then,” Dongbo Xueying mused. The Taixu Sky Palace also had many who dabbled in the Ancient path. Among the True God disciples, it was common, and even among Chaos Realm experts—like the Hall Master of the Inquiry Hall—some practiced it. That was how he could effortlessly probe events across the vast cosmos and transport Dongbo Xueying to the Nineclouds Continent with ease.

This was an auxiliary-type talent among Ancient Cultivators, yet it was incredibly overpowered. Given the sheer vastness of the Chaos Void, even Cosmic Gods found it troublesome to traverse from the Seven Star Sea Sacred Realm to the Nineclouds Continent. Yet the Hall Master of the Inquiry Hall could send others there effortlessly.

The methods of Ancient Cultivators were indeed enviable at times.

…

After half a year, Dongbo Xueying had finished perusing all the texts. Only a handful proved useful to his current cultivation level, as finding guidance for someone at his stage was exceedingly rare. Still, they broadened his horizons and even gave him insight into why he had been unable to execute the second form of his Dark World technique, *Blade of Divine Retribution*.

“Perhaps it’s related to the state of my heart and mind,” Dongbo Xueying speculated silently.

One of the supreme techniques he had studied contained a similar description: *The third layer: Nirvana Flame. If one has not reached the third realm of the heart and mind, even if all principles are comprehended, the Nirvana Flame cannot be manifested. To attain the third realm, one must deeply contemplate the essence of nirvana—only then may enlightenment dawn.*

This technique shared a similar condition: without the right state of mind, comprehension alone was insufficient.

It was akin to a mortal painter—without the right mindset, no amount of skill could produce a masterpiece of the highest caliber.

“But to reach the third realm of the heart and mind…” Dongbo Xueying pondered, even reflecting on the “essence of nirvana” described in that technique.

According to the text, one must possess great compassion and selflessness, willing to sacrifice for all living beings without a trace of selfish thought. Only then could one grasp the essence of nirvana—the cycle of death and rebirth—which was the prerequisite for wielding the Nirvana Flame.

After meditating for a long while without success, Dongbo Xueying shook his head. Breakthroughs in the heart and mind could not be forced.

“It’s time to leave.”

Dongbo Xueying rose to his feet.

Having studied all the texts, there was no reason to linger.

He cast a final glance around the chamber, scrutinizing every detail. His gaze lingered on the faint sketches and markings on the walls—many of which were incomplete, abandoned mid-drawing. Not a single finished piece remained.

“These must be traces of the Nineclouds Divine Emperor’s contemplations,” Dongbo Xueying surmised. It was common for powerful beings to leave such casual markings in their cultivation spaces.

“The completed techniques were likely transcribed into texts. These unfinished ones were simply left on the walls.”

“Before I go, I should examine these markings. Perhaps there’s something to be gained.”

Dongbo Xueying studied them carefully.

As he did, his brow furrowed—these were incredibly profound. Even the Nineclouds Divine Emperor had left them unfinished, a testament to their complexity.

Occasionally, he gleaned fragments of understanding, but only the barest surface-level insights.

Walking along the walls, he eventually reached a corner where four consecutive sketches caught his eye. The first three were complete, while the fourth was fragmented—another abandoned technique.

Dongbo Xueying stared at the four images.

*Hum—*

Countless threads of energy manifested before him, faintly outlining a complex three-dimensional array. Clearly, he had already begun deciphering it.

At first, he remained calm, but as his analysis deepened, his expression shifted to one of astonishment.

“This… this is…”

With a beckoning gesture, the distant meditation mat flew to him. He sat cross-legged and immersed himself fully in contemplation. “This seems… related to my Voidwalker lineage?”