Chapter 960: Swaying Blossoms

“How could this be?” The gathered cosmic deities of the cultivator faction were overwhelmed with complex emotions. Though they had harbored vague suspicions, now it was confirmed—the enemy had already escaped during their last assault! The ‘Spatial Barrier’ had utterly failed to contain them, a bitter pill to swallow, for they had believed the barrier to be flawless.

“Dongbo, you’ve done well this time,” the Witch Ancestor said, turning to Dongbo Xueying. “You’ve confirmed that there are indeed Destruction Demon cosmic deities lurking among us, and that the Spatial Barrier has vulnerabilities. Have you made any other discoveries?”

“None,” Dongbo Xueying shook his head. “I dared not linger and fled immediately.”

“Good. To achieve so much in such a short time is commendable. Continue your investigation,” the Witch Ancestor instructed.

Dongbo Xueying understood that the cosmic deities would now deliberate on how to mend the barrier and counter the Destruction Demon ‘Monarchs’—matters beyond his current capabilities. At his current level, encountering a Monarch meant only one option: escape. These beings, born solely for destruction, were terrifying in their might. In terms of sheer destructive power, their Monarchs surpassed even ordinary cosmic deities. At least he had the means to flee.

Others at the Nine-Layered Star Tower level might not be so fortunate. His mastery of ultra-long-distance teleportation was precisely why he had been chosen for this mission.

“Whoosh.”

Space twisted beside Dongbo Xueying as he stepped forward and vanished.

Meanwhile, within the grand hall, the assembled cosmic deity avatars began strategizing.

…

For ancient cultivators, even a billion years was but a fleeting moment. Secluded cultivation sessions spanning tens of billions of years were commonplace—after all, destroying an entire universe was no great feat for them.

Dongbo Xueying continued his travels, employing the most ‘rudimentary’ method: casting illusionary realms over one location after another to probe for traces.

The number of infiltrating Destruction Demons was exceedingly small.

Apart from two generals with ‘Shadowless Talent,’ the only ones capable of slipping in were either lofty cosmic deities or elite Golden-Armored Destruction Demons at the peak of the Eighth Layer or the Nine-Layered Star Tower level—individuals with formidable willpower and techniques. Those with weaker minds would inevitably succumb to the urge to kill and destroy.

Excessive slaughter would expose them, and weaker wills made the ascent to ‘Monarch’ nearly impossible. Thus, those chosen to infiltrate the cultivators’ world were the absolute elite, most deemed to have the potential to break through as ‘Monarchs.’

Few in number.

Utterly cautious.

Naturally, Dongbo Xueying’s task of finding them was arduous.

…

In the blink of an eye, over two hundred billion years passed.

A vast sect sprawled across the land, teeming with disciples and led by a master at the Five-Layered Star Tower level.

One morning, as the rising sun cast its glow and a thin mist enveloped the sect, a colossal black flower bud materialized above it. Layer upon layer of countless petals formed this structure—thirty-eight Destruction Flowers woven together. Such a feat was possible only due to Dongbo Xueying’s formidable soul and elevated realm.

“Trying to flee?” Clad in white, Dongbo Xueying hovered mid-air, watching as a Golden-Armored Demon, now revealed in its true form, struggled within the layered black flower bud.

“Break! Break! Break!” The demon brandished a blade, slashing furiously at the petals, managing to cleave through a dozen or so. Yet, as soon as it did, new Destruction Flowers bloomed, maintaining the total at thirty-eight.

“Boom!”

A streak of dark-red light pierced through the layered petals, striking at the core—another Golden-Armored Demon, its body wreathed in crimson radiance. With a wave of its hand, it retrieved its companion.

Then—

“Whoosh!”

Its body transformed into a weapon of dark-red light, tearing through the Destruction Flowers with brute force. Though Dongbo Xueying swiftly conjured more, the demon’s destruction was too rapid. In an instant, it breached all barriers and escaped. Once at a distance, its form scattered into countless golden beams, streaking in all directions.

Dongbo Xueying hesitated, unsure which to pursue. By the time he reacted, the golden beams had already vanished through spatial teleportation.

“They got away.”

Frustration gnawed at him.

Below, the entire sect remained ensnared in his illusion. Though the battle had stirred some commotion, Dongbo Xueying had kept everything under control, sparing the innocent from harm.

“This time, I encountered two Golden-Armored Demons—one likely at the Nine-Layered level, the other weaker, perhaps peak Eighth Layer,” Dongbo Xueying mused. “The Nine-Layered one was beyond me from the start, so I focused on capturing the weaker one. Yet, it still managed to rescue its comrade.”

“Alas…”

“My Destruction Flowers still lack sufficient power.”

He sighed.

Though his soul had grown stronger and his realm higher, allowing him to manifest thirty-eight Destruction Flowers at once, their potency remained limited. If nineteen flowers barely grazed the Nine-Layered threshold, then thirty-eight only just qualified as a Nine-Layered technique—and that was in terms of offensive might. In terms of restraint, they were utterly inadequate against a Nine-Layered Golden-Armored Demon.

“To this day, I still haven’t perfected the third form of the Destruction Flowers,” Dongbo Xueying muttered, his voice tinged with regret. Over two hundred billion years had passed since leaving Void Fortress, and much of that time had been devoted to this very pursuit. Success would have granted him a true Nine-Layered technique, rendering him no longer helpless against such foes.

Yet, it remained elusive.

“Enough.”

He cast a final glance at the sect below, bathed in morning mist. Its inhabitants, still trapped in his illusion, would soon awaken none the wiser—save for a few who might notice two missing disciples.

With a thought, he dispelled the illusion and vanished.

…

The years that followed grew increasingly bleak.

A ‘Monarch’ was discovered, along with two more Golden-Armored Demons—all exposed by Dongbo Xueying’s illusions. The Destruction Demons were no fools; they quickly deduced that this cultivator, capable of both illusions and ultra-long-distance escape, was hunting them. Naturally, the highest-ranking ‘Monarchs’ issued orders to the infiltrators.

As a result…

Dongbo Xueying’s efforts yielded nothing for an interminable stretch of time. Not a single trace of the hidden demons could be found.

…

Time flowed endlessly.

Dongbo Xueying traversed the Three Holy Worlds and the Chaotic Void, finding no further signs of the Destruction Demons. Yet, the long years deepened his cultivation insights. One day, arriving at a chaotic land, he effortlessly vanquished a great fiend plaguing the region. As he indulged in the land’s unique delicacies, savoring each bite with relish, he absentmindedly waved a hand.

Beside him, in a faintly visible illusory realm, a nine-petaled flower took shape. Over the years, he had often experimented with fleeting inspirations, attempting countless variations. But this time, as he executed the technique, a shiver ran through his soul—a sensation of sublime beauty, akin to the moment he first conceived the Destruction Flowers’ initial form during the Unity Realm.

Even before looking, he knew—success.

Turning his gaze, he beheld the nine-petaled flower swaying gracefully within the illusory world, flawless and perfect beyond reproach.