Although the *Crimson Cloud Combat Art* was considered by Dongbo Xueying to be the easiest to refine, with the *Crimson Cloud Domain* being swiftly perfected right after mastering the first strike of the *Hunyuan Seven Strikes*, the entire combat art consisted of five moves, some of which were far more challenging to improve—especially the *Combined Strike Technique*, the most difficult among them. Of course, compared to techniques like *Beautiful as a Painting* or *Hunyuan’s Inquiry*, it was still much simpler.
Now, he was close to completing it.
—
The Tenth Tribulation arrived as expected.
This trial was far more difficult, but the strength of the Demon Sword Venerable was truly terrifying. When combined with the domain of the Pusu Great Venerable, it was a perfect match! Though Dongbo Xueying suffered several attacks, his spear blocked them all, allowing him to pass this tribulation with relative ease.
The Hunter, the Black Monarch, and the Bonehowl Great Sovereign all expended considerable effort, with the Bonehowl Great Sovereign sustaining even heavier injuries.
“Damn it, damn it!”
Only the Bonehowl Great Sovereign’s head remained, floating in the air as dark-red mist slowly regenerated jade-like bones beneath it.
His crimson eyes, cold and eerie, flicked toward Dongbo Xueying. His injuries were worse this time, and he had a premonition—he might not survive the Eleventh Tribulation! Meanwhile, this “Flying Snow Divine Emperor,” who didn’t even possess a peak-level treasure, had made it this far effortlessly.
“Just a little more, just a little more…” Dongbo Xueying sat cross-legged in meditation, wholly absorbed in his insights, seizing every moment.
Finally, before the next tribulation descended—
“Done.”
Dongbo Xueying, seated in the corner of the hall, opened his eyes, a restrained joy flickering within them. Even his avatar back in his home Chaos Void began practicing immediately.
By assimilating the profound techniques of manipulating Hunyuan Force from the first strike of the *Hunyuan Seven Strikes*, he had completely transformed the *Crimson Cloud Combat Art*!
A true expert knew how to learn from predecessors. For instance, after obtaining the peak-level treasure *Two Realms Blade*, the Lord of the Southern Cloud Nation meticulously studied it, eventually developing his own killing techniques—even deriving *Beautiful as a Painting* and *Shattering the Firmament* from them. He even created the *Southern Cloud Sacred Body*, which allowed him to wield those techniques.
Take the *Fuyi Great Venerable*—though merely a Venerable-level expert, his combat prowess surpassed even some perfected-stage Cosmic Gods, rivaling invincible existences. This was the result of relentless refinement, accumulation, and the creation of ever-stronger techniques built upon the foundations of his predecessors.
The *Hunyuan Seven Strikes* had merely opened a door for Dongbo Xueying.
How much of this supreme legacy he could absorb depended entirely on his own comprehension.
“Continue.” Dongbo Xueying delved deeper into refining even stronger techniques.
—
Another thousand years passed.
The Eleventh Tribulation descended!
Pusu Great Venerable, the Demon Sword Venerable, Dongbo Xueying, the Bonehowl Great Sovereign, the Black Monarch, and the Hunter—all stood solemnly, aware that even the slightest misstep at this stage could lead to their deaths and expulsion. Though “death” within the Heart Palace of the Realm merely meant being teleported out at the last moment.
The scene before them twisted.
Dongbo Xueying felt his body grow heavy as he appeared above a dark, boundless ocean.
“The suppression here is immense.”
The six of them hovered midair, gazing down at the vast sea below. The spatial pressure here was unimaginably greater than that of the Heart Realm Continent—so oppressive that even newly ascended Cosmic Gods would struggle to endure.
*Hum.*
Instinctively, Dongbo Xueying activated his Void Body technique, yet it only managed to halve the suppression.
“This place feels… unnatural.” Pusu Great Venerable, who had unleashed his Temporal Domain, frowned and transmitted to Dongbo Xueying and the Demon Sword Venerable, “Even my domain is being affected.”
“Hmm?”
Dongbo Xueying’s pupils contracted as dark shadows surged rapidly from the depths of the ocean.
*Splash!*
A colossal aquatic beast emerged, its back carrying an elder wielding a scepter. The elder’s hair was unnaturally long—upon closer inspection, each strand was a tiny, writhing serpent.
“Cosmic Gods daring to trespass the Sea of Annihilation? You seek death.” The scepter-wielding elder sneered. “Children, devour them.”
*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*
Countless crimson fish shot forth, exuding an aura that sent chills down their spines—an aura of *ending*. Life ended here. Time ended here. Everything ended here. Tens of thousands of crimson fish erupted from the sea, swarming toward the six of them.
“Kill them! Kill them all!” The elder cackled madly. “No matter how strong you are, in the Sea of Annihilation, you *will* perish.”
The crimson fish moved like lightning, streaking through the void toward them.
*Hum~~~*
Dongbo Xueying unleashed his Illusory Realm technique, but its effect on the fish was minimal. Pusu Great Venerable’s Temporal Domain caused some confusion among the swarm, yet the domain itself trembled violently under their assault. Despite the interference, the fish still locked onto the true bodies of Pusu, the Demon Sword Venerable, and Dongbo Xueying.
“Their resistance to temporal shifts—past, present, future—is this low?” Pusu’s expression darkened.
These crimson fish lacked intricate combat techniques, yet their very existence seemed to embody a certain law of annihilation.
*Boom—*
A dazzling sword light erupted.
Beneath his wild hair, the Demon Sword Venerable’s eyes were eerily calm. His blade danced, piercing through some fish and repelling others. With a single sword, he defended himself while shielding Pusu and Dongbo Xueying. The sheer terror of his swordsmanship left the others awestruck.
“The Demon Sword Venerable… the youngest Great Venerable of the Cang Clan in the Summerwind Ancient Nation. His rise was meteoric, shrouded in mystery. Who knew his swordplay was this monstrous, this flawless?” The Black Monarch’s pupils shrank.
“Incredible swordsmanship.” The Hunter, whose form flickered between solid and dispersed, also took note.
Meanwhile, the Bonehowl Great Sovereign flailed desperately as over a dozen crimson fish bit into him, his body already showing signs of disintegration.
“No wonder the Demon Sword is favored by Emperor Cang and the Summer Emperor.” Pusu marveled inwardly. Until now, his Temporal Domain had borne the brunt of the assault. Only now was the Demon Sword Venerable beginning to reveal his true strength.
But…
The crimson fish numbered in the tens of thousands, blotting out the sky.
Each fish was unnaturally resilient, their vitality immense. Even when pierced, they regenerated swiftly. As their numbers swarmed Dongbo Xueying’s group, Pusu had no choice but to join the fray.
“Damn it! Damn it all!” The Bonehowl Great Sovereign’s bones began to burn, fueling his desperate struggle. He was already in dire straits.
“I won’t make it.” He realized grimly. The endless swarm of fish not only countered their every move with their annihilating power but were also absurdly tenacious. Killing even one was a challenge. Having already expended a third of his vitality, he knew survival was impossible.
“That Ying Shan Xueying… this time, even Pusu and the Demon Sword can’t save him.” If he was doomed to fail, he at least wanted to see others fall with him.
Indeed.
As the swarm intensified, the Demon Sword Venerable displayed his terrifying prowess—his swordsmanship rivaled even the Heaven-Rending and Heaven-Slaying Great Venerables in lethality, his defense impeccable. Pusu, as always, was formidable, yet even he began to falter under the onslaught.
Gradually, neither could spare any effort to aid Dongbo Xueying.
*Bang!* A sword flash sent a dozen fish flying.
“Flying Snow Divine Emperor, I can’t assist you further. Be careful.” The Demon Sword Venerable warned.
“No need. I’ll handle it myself.” Dongbo Xueying replied.
Clad in his Demon Emperor Robe, gripping the *Crimson Cloud Spear*, he stood calmly as a crimson fish lunged at him.
*Thud!*
A sweep of his spear sent the fish tumbling away.
“What? He repelled it?”
“That easily?”
The other five Venerables were stunned—even the Demon Sword Venerable was taken aback.
They knew full well how fearsome these fish, embodiments of annihilation, were. The Demon Sword Venerable’s strikes, though seemingly effortless, were at the pinnacle of perfected-stage Cosmic God might—his swordplay specialized in close combat, allowing him to repel a dozen fish at once. Yet even he could only wound or scatter them, needing significant effort to kill even one.
“Such power.” Dongbo Xueying felt the tremendous impact reverberate through his spear. “They’re tough. Good thing I had those millennia to refine the *Crimson Cloud Combat Art*.”
Without assistance, he might have been expelled before completing the refinements.
But now?
*Swish! Swish! Swish!*
His spear danced.
Fish after fish were sent flying, some even grievously wounded—yet more and more swarmed in.
“Kill them! Kill them all!” The scepter-wielding elder roared from his beast’s back. The crimson fish surged, forming six massive swarms around each Cosmic God, attacking relentlessly.
At the peak of the assault, Pusu could barely defend himself, while only the Demon Sword Venerable could spare some strength to aid others. The Bonehowl Great Sovereign’s condition deteriorated rapidly.
“I’m done. I’m done.” His body reduced to a floating head once more, his dark-red mist lashed out with whip-like shadows, but the endless fish broke through, biting into his skull.
His gaze lingered on the other five.
All were struggling—even the white-robed youth, the “Flying Snow Divine Emperor,” was holding his ground with his spear, not a single drop of blood on him.
“Does he… have a peak-level treasure? Is he a Great Venerable too?” The Bonehowl Great Sovereign’s thoughts were cut short as an invisible force enveloped him.
*Whoosh.*
On the brink of death, he was teleported out of the Heart Palace of the Realm. His journey had ended—the first of their group to be expelled.
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