Chapter 1122: The Second Layer of Cosmic Divinity

Feather-like snowflakes drifted down.

Beneath the lakeside pavilion, steam rose from a cup of warm wine as Dongbo Xueying, clad in pristine white robes, sat cross-legged, leisurely sipping from the cup.

With numerous avatars at his disposal, most were immersed in deep cultivation, while one wandered idly outside.

His progress in the Void Path had temporarily stalled at a bottleneck—the final fusion of ‘Heavenly Phase’ and ‘Earthly Phase’ still bore a faint disharmony, just a hair’s breadth away from true perfection.

The world was silent, with no attendants daring to approach and disturb him. Only a massive demonic dragon lay obediently beside him, exhaling scorching breaths from its nostrils.

“The universe is boundless. If I had the luxury of leisure, I could take Jing Qiu with me, traverse countless source worlds through Great Void Shattering, witness myriad civilizations, and behold diverse landscapes. Alas, I have yet to master Great Void Shattering, and the calamity threatening my homeland looms ever closer,” Dongbo Xueying murmured to himself.

“One sky, one earth—that is the world as I perceive it.”

“In my days as a Transcendent Deity, the greatest expanse I knew was a single cosmos.”

“Later, I learned that countless such universes exist, mere fragments within a source world.”

“Now, I understand that in higher realms, source worlds themselves are numerous. The true face of existence is likely known only to beings like ‘Meta.'”

“The universe seems finite, yet infinite.”

A faint smile curled Dongbo Xueying’s lips.

**Boom—**

The surrounding void trembled, the lake before him rippling violently as countless fish leapt in panic. Unfazed, Dongbo Xueying poured himself another cup of wine.

At that very moment, he had broken through the bottleneck of Heavenly and Earthly Phase fusion, ascending to the second tier of Cosmic Deity!

…

Over ten billion years had passed since he first became a Cosmic Deity.

With his profound foundation in the Void Path—having mastered all nine branches to the Cosmic Deity level—his breakthrough to the second tier was inevitable, a natural culmination of his accumulated strength. Yet, the timing was serendipitous, occurring just before his entry into the Heartworld Palace. This advancement marked a fundamental leap in his combat prowess.

His avatar back in the Chaos Void of his homeland had also ascended from the first to the second tier of Cosmic Deity, manifesting a clear surge in power.

Here in the Heartworld Continent, Dongbo Xueying could now wield his master, the Sacred Lord of Southern Cloud’s techniques to their utmost perfection. First, he refined the *Southern Cloud Sacred Body* to its twelfth and final layer. Empowered by this, he could fully unleash the might of *Piercing the Firmament* and *Grace Like Painting*. Even the *Crimson Cloud Divine Spear* could now be wielded with the same mastery as its original creator, the Crimson Cloud Sovereign.

“Hahaha!”

In the meditation chamber, Dongbo Xueying brandished the Crimson Cloud Divine Spear, its intricate runes resonating flawlessly under his command. The spear’s tip conjured a swirling vortex of darkness—proof of his newfound mastery.

“With the exception of peak-tier treasures, I can now wield any Void-type artifact to its fullest potential,” he mused. He now possessed the confidence to face Sovereign-level opponents head-on.

Previously, though he could hold his own in brief exchanges, he had been utterly suppressed, forced to flee. Now, he could trade blows for hundreds of rounds without faltering. His perfect synergy with his artifacts was one factor; the other was his mastery of the *Avatar Technique*, now elevated to its zenith.

“Avatar Technique!”

Dongbo Xueying threw a single punch, his skin shimmering with latent radiance. The surrounding space collapsed inward, forming a pitch-black void half a man’s height, from which torrents of Hunyuan energy surged forth. Even distant regions of the source world seemed to contribute to this deluge.

Such density, such magnitude—this was the pinnacle of *Piercing the Firmament*! A single strike, unrivaled in its ferocity!

At this stage, *Piercing the Firmament*, *Grace Like Painting*, and *Five-Phase Sealing Art* stood on equal footing. During his Chaos Realm days, the *Five-Phase Sealing Art* had overshadowed the other two techniques by virtue of its five-branched fusion.

Yet now, the perfected *Piercing the Firmament* also fused five branches, while *Grace Like Painting* combined four. Dongbo Xueying, having only merged two branches thus far, relied on the twelfth-layer Southern Cloud Sacred Body to unleash these techniques—rendering their power comparable to the perfected *Five-Phase Sealing Art*.

As one nears the apex, the distinctions between techniques blur, differing only in their applications.

For instance, the *Crimson Cloud Domain* excels in area control.

*Piercing the Firmament* specializes in frontal assault.

*Five-Phase Sealing* focuses on confinement.

And *Great Void Shattering* enables travel between source worlds—though Dongbo Xueying remained unable to perform it, as it required the fusion of six branches and lacked a corresponding artifact to aid him.

Even if he could, it held little significance. His true goal was to transport other living beings across source worlds—a feat only achievable at the Cosmic Deity’s Supreme Realm.

“These supreme techniques are the legacy of predecessors who forged different paths. I stand upon their shoulders to grasp them swiftly,” Dongbo Xueying reflected.

Understanding and execution were separate realms.

With comprehension came the need to create—or learn—techniques.

Why did the Xiawind Ancient Kingdom guard the *Crimson Cloud Combat Art* so jealously? Because its advanced stages rendered practitioners formidable adversaries.

The *Five-Phase Sealing Art* was equally prized—as evidenced by how effortlessly Dongbo Xueying had trapped the Blazefiend Demon Monarch.

Against peers, slaying one another was nigh impossible.

But the *Five-Phase Sealing Art* could turn the tide, sealing foes within the Five-Phase Pearl—a fate worse than death.

…

**Whoosh—**

The surging Hunyuan energy catalyzed another metamorphosis in Dongbo Xueying’s soul, weakening the constraints of the Supreme Laws. Beams of hazy light emerged from each of his avatars, coalescing into new bodies. As they formed, his soul regenerated and strengthened in tandem.

The meditation chamber soon overflowed with his seated duplicates—hundreds, then thousands, until no space remained.

“To cultivate the *Avatar Technique* to this extent… slaying me would be a Herculean task,” Dongbo Xueying mused.

As long as a single avatar survived, he would endure.

Yet this was far from invincibility. Without the protection of the Southern Cloud Monarch, beings like the ‘Infinite City Lord’ could obliterate every one of his avatars in the Heartworld Continent with a mere thought. Even the Southern Cloud Monarch’s safeguard had its limits—figures like the Infinite City Lord and the Xia Emperor could annihilate all life within the Southern Cloud Nation, save the monarch himself.

Fortunately, the Southern Cloud Monarch was aligned with the Fan Clan of the Xiawind Ancient Kingdom, deterring the Xia Emperor from rash action. The Infinite City Lord, meanwhile, was the most amicable among the invincible existences.

Regardless, mastering *Great Void Shattering* and dispersing avatars across multiple source worlds would elevate Dongbo Xueying to the ranks of history’s most formidable figures.

“10,081 avatars,” he declared, having spent two days refining them all.

Though countless in number, maintaining peak soul and mental acuity limited him to nine active avatars. Still, this granted him not only heightened combat prowess but accelerated cultivation as well.

…

**Homeland—Chaos Void, Labyrinth Corridor.**

“Elder.”

The foremost Destroyer Fiend of this era, ‘Jun Emperor,’ bowed respectfully before a towering figure clad in silver-white scales. Twelve jagged horns crowned its head, and a sinuous tail flicked behind it. Though its aura suggested only Chaos Realm strength, Jun Emperor’s reverence was genuine.

During his covert travels across sacred realms, upon reaching the second tier of Cosmic Deity, Jun Emperor had often encountered this elder in dreamlike visions. It was under this being’s guidance that his cultivation had soared.

“You’ve reached the limits of the second tier,” the silver-scaled figure intoned. “Now, you must break through to the Supreme Realm. Once there, seize the opportunity to… destroy. As a Destroyer Fiend, the more you annihilate, the greater the source world’s blessings. This era alone grants you such privilege—the next will offer no such boon.”

“Understood,” Jun Emperor replied, bowing low.

Destroyer Fiends were born to obliterate, instruments of the source world’s will.

Destruction begat reward—but only in this epoch.

“First, attain the Supreme Realm. Then, wreak havoc and claim your due. Only then will your foundation suffice to shatter the shackles of mortality in eras to come,” the elder said, conjuring a pitch-black flower before Jun Emperor.

“This treasure will aid your cultivation. Do not disappoint me by failing to reach the Supreme Realm.”

“I shall not,” Jun Emperor vowed.

“Go.” The elder suddenly stiffened, sensing another presence. With a dismissive wave, Jun Emperor withdrew.

Across the corridor, a man in deep blue robes materialized.

“Lord Luo,” the silver-scaled elder greeted with a smirk. “Long time no see. Do you object to my mentoring of this Destroyer Fiend?”

“Brother Jin,” the blue-robed Luo sighed. “Must you rush these young ones? Why not grant them more time?”

“If even one peer emerges, what matter the cost? Jun Emperor is a Destroyer Fiend—destruction is his purpose. The more he ravages, the greater his gains. This era alone grants him the mandate of the Supreme Laws. Miss it, and it’s lost forever,” the elder countered. “I merely guide my kin, breaching no accords. Now, I’ve freshly brewed some wine—care to join me?”

Luo nodded. “Very well.”

“You’re too merciful. Life and death are eternal cycles—why cling so tightly?” the elder chuckled.