Chapter 1143: Imprisoned Lives

A vast, desolate land stretched endlessly, devoid of any vegetation, barren and lifeless.

Dongbo Xueying appeared upon this earth.

“The Fire Prison Tri-World Cauldron—its interior is truly divided into three layers of worlds.” Dongbo Xueying’s sensitivity to the void was unparalleled. The immense world within the Fire Prison Tri-World Cauldron resembled a colossal sphere, with three layers nested within one another. He now stood in the outermost layer. Among the three layers, the outer and inner worlds seemed devoid of life, while the core world exuded an aura of terrifying power.

“Terrifying.” Dongbo Xueying’s expression shifted slightly.

That overwhelming presence, entrenched in the core world of the Fire Prison Tri-World Cauldron, sent shivers down his spine even from a distance.

“Even with my current strength, I feel oppressed?” Dongbo Xueying mused as he walked forward.

“Hmph.”

A cold snort echoed from the deepest core world, its voice low and resonant, as if emerging from an abyss. It pierced through the layered worlds, reaching the outer layer. An ordinary Cosmic God would likely be shattered to dust by the mere sound.

“Interesting.” Dongbo Xueying remained unafraid. There were few things left in existence that could instill fear in him now.

He continued his leisurely stride.

“Boom—”

A terrifying ripple surged from the core world, sweeping through the inner world before crashing into the outer layer.

The heavens darkened as a cataclysmic storm engulfed the entire outer world, striking Dongbo Xueying. Dark mist coiled around his body, twisting and distorting under the storm’s assault—yet it remained unbroken.

“This storm carries the might of a third-tier Cosmic God,” Dongbo Xueying mused, his curiosity growing. “No wonder the Sacred Master desires this cauldron. He must know some of its secrets.”

Though he himself did not, he could uncover them in time.

Whoosh.

With a single step, he traversed the world’s membrane and entered the inner world.

The inner world was even more fearsome. Fiery red currents surged like dragons and serpents, crisscrossing the skies. Suddenly, some of these currents coalesced into a humanoid figure clad in crimson armor, its face covered in red scales. Cold, eerie eyes gazed down at the white-robed youth before it.

“Did Yuan send you here?” the armored being rumbled, its voice resonating across the heavens. “A lowly lifeform like you is only fit to be my prey.”

“Lowly lifeform?” Dongbo Xueying raised an eyebrow.

“Tch.”

The crimson-armored figure blurred, appearing before Dongbo Xueying in an instant.

“Hahaha…” Dongbo Xueying chuckled. “And who are you? What is your connection to Yuan?”

His voice lingered as thousands of illusory paintings materialized in the void. His figure flickered between them, always one step ahead, still smiling and speaking.

“You dare question me?” The armored being slashed with its claws, tearing through the paintings one by one. Yet, Dongbo Xueying remained untouchable, shifting effortlessly between dimensions.

“Why are you trapped in this cauldron? Were you captured? By Yuan?” Dongbo Xueying’s voice echoed through the world.

“Insolent!”

The crimson-armored being seethed with rage.

Whoosh—

The fiery currents in the sky writhed, condensing into hundreds of identical armored figures, all brimming with fury. Dongbo Xueying’s expression darkened. “Impossible.”

He had already sensed that this being surpassed even the Sacred Master in raw power, though its techniques were crude. Only his self-created *Flying Snow Combat Art* allowed him to toy with it so effortlessly.

Now, whether it was the *Crimson Cloud Combat Art*, the techniques within *Hunyuan Inquiry*, or even the *Five-Phase Sealing Technique*, all seemed rudimentary at his current level. He had refined them, integrating the essence of various combat methods with the Hunyuan Force manipulation of the *Seven Strikes of Hunyuan*, forging a complete system of his own.

Of course, this system was still evolving, growing alongside his own enlightenment.

“Die!”

“Wretched lowborn!”

“How dare you mock me!”

Hundreds of crimson-armored beings, identical in their fury, launched a frenzied assault. The world around them shattered under the onslaught. Dongbo Xueying employed every technique at his disposal, but their sheer brute force overwhelmed his defenses.

“Whoosh—”

A dark vortex formed, trapping Dongbo Xueying at its center. With no escape, he braced for direct confrontation.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

The hundreds of armored figures swarmed him. In an instant, his protective dark mist was shredded. Though he occasionally dispersed one with a punch, the scattered currents simply reformed—truly indestructible.

Under the relentless assault, Dongbo Xueying was sent flying—now buried deep in the earth, now hurled into the sky, his form flickering like a mirage.

There was no helping it.

Hundreds of beings, each stronger than the Sacred Master, even with their crude techniques, utterly overwhelmed him.

Yet, despite the brutal beating, not a single scratch marred his skin.

He had long since mastered the second layer of *Hunyuan Body Refinement*, refining it further to surpass even the original *Hunyuan Inquiry*. His physique now rivaled that of a newly ascended Cosmic God of the Body Refinement Path’s ultimate stage.

Such beings were nigh invincible—even an invincible existence could only wound them, never kill. A single thought, and they could vanish, their presence erased from causality. The Stone Sage was one such being.

Though Dongbo Xueying lacked some of their unique abilities—formless dispersion, complete concealment of karma—he was a master of the Void Path. With techniques like *Extreme Intangibility* and *Great Destruction Teleportation*, combined with the Hunyuan Force tempering his body and soul, tracing his karma was nearly impossible. His avatar in the Heart Realm Continent had even fused with a drop of the *Mother of Ten Thousand Tentacles’* heartblood, making him utterly untraceable.

Of course—

These crimson-scaled beings couldn’t harm him anyway.

“Fascinating. These creatures seem to be extensions of the same entity—that monstrous presence in the core world.” Dongbo Xueying’s eyes gleamed. “Let’s take a closer look.”

Confident in his abilities, he acted boldly.

Flicker.

A black rift flashed beside him as he vanished, teleporting directly into the core world via *Great Destruction Teleportation*.

—

**Core World of the Fire Prison Tri-World Cauldron**

The moment Dongbo Xueying arrived, an unbearable heat assaulted him—far more intense than even the primordial sun.

Dark mist swirled around him as his gaze locked onto the sole inhabitant of this world—

A gargantuan crimson monstrosity, its countless massive tentacles sprawling across the void. At a glance, there were thousands. At its center loomed a colossal head, a single enormous eye fixed upon him.

“What… is this creature?” Dongbo Xueying was mesmerized.

The skin of each tentacle shimmered with countless flowing patterns, each brimming with profound mysteries. Given time, he could decipher countless techniques from them. The eye at its center emitted golden light, its gaze carrying tangible pressure, though his body withstood it effortlessly.

“This being… it’s as if it’s the embodiment of the laws themselves.” Excitement surged within him.

“Lowly life, trapped in a cage.” The monstrosity lashed out with a single tentacle.

Whoosh!

As it moved, the patterns on its surface shifted endlessly, tempting Dongbo Xueying to study them. But there was no time—the tentacle tore through space, arriving before him in an instant. He retaliated with a palm strike, radiant light erupting as layered spatial barriers formed within his hand.

“Boom!”

The impact shattered the barriers one after another. Despite his *Ten Thousand Laws Untouched* technique, he barely managed to divert five layers of force before the overwhelming power sent him flying.

“That strike rivals the full might of the Eternal Night Primogenitor!” Dongbo Xueying’s heart pounded.

And that was merely a casual attack from this creature.

“Bam!”

Though his defenses and intangibility mitigated the damage, a deep wound split his body—only to heal instantly.

“Hmm? Still alive?” The monstrosity seemed surprised. A being that hadn’t transcended the cage had survived its strike.

“You’re imprisoned here by Yuan, aren’t you?” Dongbo Xueying called out urgently, his voice echoing across the world. He needed to buy time—prolonged combat would be unsustainable.