Within the Broken Fang Mountain Range.
On a floating island, Dongbo Xueying advanced cautiously alone, his Void Illusory Realm enveloping the surroundings as he remained vigilant.
A member of the Deathblight Clan observed this weak cultivator from afar. Since cultivators were repelled by the aura of the floating islands, no matter how skilled they were at concealment, the Deathblight Clan could easily sense them at close range.
“Roar.”
While the auras of beings like the Insect Ancestor or the Swordmaster still carried intimidation, Dongbo Xueying, merely a second-level Cosmic God, held no such deterrence. The Deathblight creature before him was filled with greed, eager to devour this “delicious prey.” In an instant, it teleported beside Dongbo Xueying. But the moment it appeared and prepared to swallow the cultivator whole, its consciousness trembled—and then it knew nothing more.
*Thud!*
It collapsed to the ground.
Dongbo Xueying glanced at the fallen Deathblight creature beside him. After its soul was annihilated, its body dissipated like mist, vanishing into the world. He shook his head inwardly. *Ordinary Deathblight creatures are practically beasts, yet they possess such formidable power. The natural order truly is strange.*
According to intelligence from the Xiawind Ancient Nation, there were theories that the native inhabitants of this world carried traces of Primordial Bloodline, while the Deathblight Clan was suspected to have emerged from the corpses of deceased Primordial beings. Their intelligence was far lower than that of the natives, with most behaving like wild animals.
*Whoosh.* Dongbo Xueying pressed onward. This was his first solo expedition into a floating island, and luck seemed to be on his side—he had advanced silently without stirring major disturbances, finally reaching the core of the island.
However, as he passed through the outer barrier of the Deathblight Clan’s territory, the guards were inevitably alerted.
“An intruder!”
“An outsider!”
The entire territory erupted into chaos.
The ‘King’-level beings within immediately led their subordinates to intercept. When they saw the white-robed youth flying toward them, the elite Deathblight warriors were both surprised and disdainful. Those who resided in the territory were no weaklings and generally possessed higher intelligence.
“Such a feeble cultivator actually made it here by sheer luck? How did none of the Deathblight creatures on the island notice him?” The elites paid Dongbo Xueying little heed. Historically, even Sovereign-level cultivators had occasionally sent avatars to test their luck without carrying supreme treasures.
There had even been cases where some stumbled deep into the floating islands by sheer fortune.
But those who made it all the way to the clan’s territory were exceedingly rare!
“Devour him.” The Deathblight warriors showed no mercy. Though the resources cultivators sought were usually of no value to them, the Deathblight Clan still forbade outsiders from taking anything—they would kill and consume intruders without hesitation.
*Hum.*
The moment the group of Deathblight warriors reached Dongbo Xueying, they suddenly collapsed like puppets with their strings cut—even the leading ‘King’ fell in terror! To remain conscious under Dongbo Xueying’s illusionary realm, one typically needed to be among the top-tier Kings. Clearly, this ‘King’ lacked such willpower.
This time, however, Dongbo Xueying did not slaughter them. He merely trapped them in illusions without annihilating their souls.
*Whoosh.* The unconscious Deathblight warriors floated in the air, suspended around Dongbo Xueying as he continued forward.
“What’s happening?”
“How… how is this possible?”
The territory was not vast, and Dongbo Xueying’s illusionary realm was expansive enough to envelop nearby elites. In moments, dozens of Deathblight warriors were asleep, floating around him.
“Cultivator! You seek death!” A furious roar erupted. Such an anomaly naturally roused the ‘Emperor’ of the territory.
But Dongbo Xueying had already spotted a rushing crimson river in the distance, encircling a peculiar fruit tree. At its apex rested a gray eye.
*Whoosh whoosh whoosh.*
With a thought, Dongbo Xueying released numerous clones, scattering them in all directions.
“Emperor of the Deathblight Clan, I come with no ill intent,” Dongbo Xueying declared. “These warriors are merely temporarily trapped—I have not slain them.” Even as he spoke, he was swiftly memorizing the illusory structure within the gray eye.
“No ill intent?” The Deathblight Emperor resembled a bloated spider with a human head, its gaze fixed on Dongbo Xueying.
“I seek only materials that hold no value to your kind,” Dongbo Xueying explained. “Emperor, rest assured—I will not touch anything your clan treasures. Once I gather what I need, I shall depart immediately.”
“Everything on this island belongs to the Deathblight Clan. You have no right to take anything.”
“It’s useless to you.”
“No. You have no right.” The Emperor snarled, “Release them and leave, and I may spare your life.”
Dongbo Xueying feigned anger. “Not even a single material?”
“Not one. That I spare you at all is mercy.”
“Fine. I’ll go.” Dongbo Xueying gritted his teeth, pretending to be aggrieved. “But you swear not to pursue me? Will your kin obey your command?”
“Rest assured. None dare defy me. Now leave.” The Emperor’s voice was icy.
Only then did Dongbo Xueying wave his hand, recalling all his distant clones. The process took a brief moment.
*Got it all.* He exhaled inwardly.
His prolonged negotiation had been a stalling tactic—now that he had memorized the gray eye’s illusory structure, his mission was complete.
*Thud thud thud…*
The floating Deathblight warriors collapsed to the ground.
Dongbo Xueying swiftly retreated. “I trust you will honor your word, Emperor.”
The Emperor watched coldly.
At his level, intelligence was considerable—but the innate nature of the Deathblight Clan filled them with boundless killing intent. That he had restrained himself to spare Dongbo Xueying was already his limit. To allow the taking of even a single resource? That would be an insult to an Emperor’s dignity.
—
Another floating island.
“They’re not dead.” Dongbo Xueying floated amidst slumbering Deathblight warriors while distant elites watched in fear, not daring to approach.
“I only seek materials useless to your kind,” he continued explaining.
Before he could finish—
“Intruders die!” A colossal palm tore through the void, blotting out the sky as it descended.
“Madmen.” With a thought, Dongbo Xueying annihilated one of the floating Deathblight warriors—sparing the rest.
*Boom.*
The clone was obliterated.
Upon entering the territory, he had already dispersed numerous clones. One of them had been intently studying a distant golden eye.
“A single thought from me can slay your kin, Emperor. Do not push me.” His hundred clones spoke in unison, their voices thunderous as unconscious warriors still floated around him.
“Die.”
The towering Emperor was unmoved.
To him, the deaths of all other Deathblight creatures on the island meant nothing. The clan was known for cannibalizing its own. Some Emperors cared for their subordinates—others did not. And this one, despite his intelligence and will, was of the latter kind.
As for the Kings? They cared even less.
—
“Absolute lunatics. I merely sought negotiation, and they wouldn’t even entertain it? I hadn’t even finished memorizing that eye’s structure.” Dongbo Xueying sighed. He knew that once an Emperor awoke, it would not return to slumber soon. That island was no longer viable.
—
Time passed.
Dongbo Xueying ventured into island after island. Sometimes he succeeded; other times, all his clones perished. But with thousands of clones, recovery was swift.
Valuable treasures for cultivators could be found deep within the islands—especially in the clan territories, where they were almost guaranteed.
Before long, he had explored over three hundred islands.
Only fifty-five expeditions ended with a safe retreat. The rest resulted in total annihilation. His demands were minimal, yet even so, few Emperors spared him. In none of those fifty-five instances was he permitted to take materials—he had to settle for resources found outside the territories. Combined, they were worth about two supreme treasures.
It couldn’t be helped.
When the Swordmaster had accompanied him, they could confront Emperors directly. Now, alone, Dongbo Xueying stood no chance. Any Emperor resistant to his illusions could obliterate him effortlessly.
Still…
Though many expeditions ended in annihilation, the time bought during the clashes allowed him to memorize the illusory structures of many mysterious eyes.
Of the three hundred islands, he had fully recorded the structures of 102 eyes—33 gray and 53 golden. Combined with earlier findings, he now had data on 135 eyes. He had explored most of the islands mentioned in the Bloodflame Clan’s intelligence.
And then, he stopped.
—
At the Fan Clan’s Demon Mountain.
Beneath the low-hanging Heartburn Divine Tree, the white-robed youth sat cross-legged.
Dongbo Xueying had withdrawn nearly all his clones, dedicating his full focus to comprehension. The reason for halting his expeditions? He had entered a state of enlightenment.
The structures of 135 illusory realms—82 gray eyes, 53 golden—had overwhelmed him with insight.
Unfazed by the outside world, he immersed himself in contemplation.
And within his mind, a unique illusory realm began to take shape…
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