Dongbo Xueying wandered the lands like an ascetic, casting illusions time and again. In truth, given the immense power of his soul and his lofty realm, traversing the world and weaving illusions required only a fraction of his attention—merely one percent of his focus sufficed. The majority of his mind remained devoted to cultivation. Each time he cast an illusion, billions of souls would be ensnared within it, and every individual would trigger unique transformations within the illusory realm. This, in turn, granted Dongbo Xueying fresh insights into the ‘Path of the Void Realm.’
To endure hardship was also a form of cultivation.
—
**Sevenstar Sea Sacred Realm, Moon Phoenix Kingdom.**
The Moon Phoenix Kingdom was a nation with a long history. Its previous ruler had been cruel and ruthless, earning no favor from the people. Many cultivators secretly harbored resentment, but in a world where strength reigned supreme, the cultivators within the kingdom could only endure. Then, the current ruler appeared. Driven by vengeance against the former king, he stormed the imperial palace, slew his predecessor, and was subsequently enthroned as the new sovereign.
Since then, life in the Moon Phoenix Kingdom had improved significantly.
First, the new king was far more powerful, rumored to possess strength at the peak of the fourth level of the Star Tower, enough to intimidate neighboring forces.
Second, his temperament was far gentler. Preferring cultivation above all else, he often secluded himself in meditation—a trait the citizens greatly appreciated.
**”Boom.”**
The door to the meditation chamber swung open.
The current Moon Phoenix King was tall and slender, with striking, almost fox-like features. Though male, there was an undeniable allure to his presence.
**”Your Majesty.”**
**”Your Majesty.”**
The palace maids bowed respectfully as he emerged.
The Moon Phoenix King smiled faintly and commanded, **”Prepare a bath for me.”**
**”As you wish.”**
The maids complied cheerfully, for the current king was indeed kind-hearted and treated them with warmth.
Alone, the Moon Phoenix King strolled to a high vantage point within the palace, leaning against the railing as he gazed at the waning moon in the sky. A faint smile touched his lips.
**”Whoosh.”**
In an instant, he shot into the sky and vanished.
—
Far from the Moon Phoenix Kingdom, in a remote and insignificant nation, a city sprawled across five million miles. Yet, the size of a city was no measure of its strength. Some nations ruled by Unity realm cultivators dared to construct cities spanning tens of millions of miles. But such vast territories were impossible to defend against demonic ambushes—Unity realm experts simply lacked the power to protect them fully.
Even the thirteen Chaos Cities under the command of the Tai Void Heavenly Palace each spanned only a hundred million miles. Despite their sacred origins, they dared not expand further. What use was a grand city if it could not be safeguarded?
For cultivators, constructing massive cities was no challenge. The true difficulty lay in ensuring their security.
**”Hmm?”**
The Moon Phoenix King appeared high above this distant kingdom, peering down at the land below.
Though the city spanned five million miles, its population was sparse—only a third of the Moon Phoenix Kingdom’s, yet still numbering in the billions.
**”It’s been too long since I last indulged in delicacies,”** the Moon Phoenix King murmured with a low chuckle.
An invisible ripple spread outward, instantly enveloping the entire kingdom below.
In that moment—
Every citizen within the kingdom found their strength sealed. None could speak, nor send messages beyond.
**”Come.”**
The Moon Phoenix King extended a hand.
**”Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!”**
Countless citizens were lifted into the air, drawn inexorably toward his sleeve. Soon, the kingdom below stood empty—a hollow shell devoid of life.
—
Half an hour later, the Moon Phoenix King returned to his palace, where the bathwater had long since been heated.
**”Leave me.”**
**”Yes.”**
The maids withdrew without hesitation.
Alone in the bath, the Moon Phoenix King reclined in contentment, a faint smile on his lips. **”Being a ruler in the world of cultivators is truly delightful. Ah, and now for my feast.”**
With a wave of his hand, countless tiny figures materialized in the air. He opened his mouth—
A terrifying suction force erupted, pulling the helpless figures toward him. Many wore expressions of sheer terror, their mouths open in silent screams.
**”Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.”**
The Moon Phoenix King chewed leisurely, savoring each bite with evident pleasure.
**”Though I have broken free from the control of the Destruction Desire, I remain a Destruction Demon at heart. Devouring cultivators… it’s simply too satisfying.”**
This was his way—occasionally venturing out to abduct an entire kingdom’s populace, indulging in them bit by bit until none remained, then repeating the cycle.
With his strength, he left no trace behind.
The cultivator factions could never determine whether such atrocities were the work of a Destruction Demon or some other devouring fiend.
After all, he was a ‘King’ among the Destruction Demons. To the small, remote kingdoms, he was an unstoppable force—so overwhelming that resistance was unthinkable.
**”That witch-cultivation tome is far too complex. Devouring-type cultivation is much simpler, but alas, it’s ill-suited for us Destruction Demons.”**
He shook his head slightly, pondering the ancient text he had studied during his seclusion. For beings like him, both the Rule-Oblivion system and witch-cultivation offered great benefits—even aiding in the evolution of their innate talents. Yet mastering them was no easy feat.
—
**Moon Phoenix Kingdom.**
Dongbo Xueying first arrived near the kingdom via ultra-long-range teleportation before closing the remaining distance with short-range spatial jumps. This was his method for every investigation—he dared not teleport directly to his destination, for if a Destruction Demon detected such a grand spatial fluctuation, it would flee immediately.
Short-range jumps, however, were far more inconspicuous.
**”Moon Phoenix Kingdom?”**
Dongbo Xueying gazed at the distant city, though he paid it little mind. After all, he had spent over two billion years searching without uncovering a single Destruction Demon. The world was vast, and the demons were few—finding them was no simple task. Even as he traveled, ninety-nine percent of his focus remained on cultivation.
**”Hum—”**
With a single step, Dongbo Xueying appeared high above the Moon Phoenix Kingdom. Instinctively, he unleashed a vast illusion, one that effortlessly enveloped the entire nation.
In that instant—
Every citizen within the kingdom, even the livestock, fell into the illusion. The Moon Phoenix Kingdom fell into eerie silence. Even the heavily guarded imperial palace was no exception—every guard and maid succumbed to the dreamscape.
Utter stillness.
Only the Moon Phoenix King remained unaffected. Moments ago, he had been lounging leisurely as maids fed him wine and fruit. Now, those same maids stood frozen in illusion. His expression darkened as he looked up, his gaze piercing through walls to lock onto the white-robed youth hovering in the sky.
At the same time—
Dongbo Xueying noticed him.
For he was the only one in the entire kingdom who had not fallen into the illusion.
**”Who is he? According to intelligence, the Moon Phoenix King is merely a Unity realm cultivator, not even at the fifth level of the Star Tower. How is he completely unaffected by my illusion?”**
A flicker of excitement crossed Dongbo Xueying’s face.
At last—he might have found a Destruction Demon.
**”Hahaha—”**
Laughter echoed through the air.
Above the Moon Phoenix Kingdom, a colossal, shadowy maw materialized—one so vast it dwarfed the entire city. Its gaping abyss swallowed both the kingdom and Dongbo Xueying whole.
**”So you’ve found me, cultivator? Congratulations.”** The mocking voice lingered in Dongbo Xueying’s ears.
**”Gulp!”**
Dongbo Xueying’s expression twisted in alarm as the monstrous maw above unleashed a terrifying suction force. The entire city below warped and shattered, countless lives obliterated in an instant. The same force seized Dongbo Xueying himself.
**”No—this is a Cosmic God!”**
Dread surged through him.
To think that the first Destruction Demon he had uncovered was none other than a Cosmic God!
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