In the Feixue City, within a garden of the Prince’s residence, fine delicacies and exquisite wines were served as Dongbo Xueying and Fan Tianchong conversed merrily.
“I came here with another piece of good news to share with you, my friend,” Fan Tianchong said with a smile, casting a glance at the group of beautiful maidservants attending them.
“All of you, withdraw,” Dongbo Xueying immediately commanded.
“As you wish, Your Highness.”
The maidservants obediently complied, filing out one after another until only Dongbo Xueying and Fan Tianchong remained in the garden.
Fan Tianchong straightened his tall, burly frame and lowered his voice. “Brother Xueying, my Fan Clan has a matter that requires your participation. Rest assured, you will only be one among many, and there is no life-threatening danger involved. For this task, we can offer you a reward of one billion universe crystals. Hahaha… Not only is there no risk, but it won’t take much time either—certainly no more than a thousand years. For someone like you, that shouldn’t be a problem, right?”
“Oh?” Dongbo Xueying raised an eyebrow.
Had his master not warned him beforehand, he might have been tempted. A mission with no danger, minimal time investment, and a staggering reward of one billion universe crystals—coupled with the fact that the Fan Clan was asking for his help, and given his existing friendship with Fan Tianchong—he truly would have had no reason to refuse.
“Could you elaborate? What exactly is this operation?” Dongbo Xueying inquired.
“I can’t disclose the details unless you agree to participate,” Fan Tianchong chuckled. “For you, this mission will serve as a form of training. Hah, truth be told, I’d love to join as well, but alas, my clan doesn’t deem me worthy. You, on the other hand, have mastered the Five-Phase Sealing Art, which is why they’ve chosen you. Once you agree and arrive at the Xiafeng Ancient Kingdom, you’ll learn everything soon enough. Don’t worry—we won’t ask you to act against the Nanyun Kingdom or put you in any difficult position.”
His words were smooth and reassuring.
Yet, Dongbo Xueying had no choice but to decline.
“I can agree, but I must set a condition,” Dongbo Xueying stated.
“Go ahead,” Fan Tianchong said with a grin. Given the importance of the matter, his clan had granted him considerable bargaining power.
“I demand to be appointed as a ‘High Guest Elder’ of the Fan Clan, along with ten thousand major merits upon the mission’s completion,” Dongbo Xueying declared.
Fan Tianchong froze, his eyes widening in shock.
This was an outrageous demand!
So outrageous that Fan Tianchong was momentarily stunned.
“Brother Xueying, do you even understand what a High Guest Elder entails? Do you realize the significance of ten thousand major merits?” Fan Tianchong couldn’t help but exclaim. “The rulers of the Huozhao Kingdom and the Wofeng Kingdom are merely High Guest Elders of our Fan Clan! Even your senior brother, the Greedy Peng Emperor, is only a Guest Elder. And you’re asking for High Guest Elder status? Are you serious?”
The Fan Clan’s hierarchy of Guest Elders came with varying degrees of benefits.
High Guest Elder was not a title just anyone could claim.
“Correct,” Dongbo Xueying nodded. “I’m fully aware.”
“Impossible. Absolutely impossible,” Fan Tianchong shook his head. “Let me be clear—my clan would never agree to such an absurd condition. As the one overseeing affairs in the Nanyun Kingdom, I’ll have to deal with you frequently in the future, so I won’t deceive you. The most I can offer is Guest Elder status and two thousand major merits. That’s the absolute limit.”
“High Guest Elder. Ten thousand major merits,” Dongbo Xueying repeated firmly.
“Ah, you’re truly…” Fan Tianchong sighed in exasperation.
“Brother Tianchong, I’ve stated my terms. Why not consult your clan? They might just agree,” Dongbo Xueying said with a faint smile.
“Fine, fine,” Fan Tianchong relented, shaking his head. “I’ll relay your request, though I must say, it’s utterly unreasonable.”
Meanwhile, Dongbo Xueying secretly contacted his master, the Nanyun Monarch.
His master had instructed him to notify him immediately once negotiations with Fan Tianchong began, as he would assist in securing the deal.
“Master, I’ve presented my terms to Fan Tianchong. He claims his clan will never agree,” Dongbo Xueying transmitted.
“Good. Now that you’ve made your demands, leave the rest to me. By the way, have you mastered the Illusory Realm treasure? Can you unleash its tenth-level power?” the Nanyun Monarch pressed.
“I’ve mastered it,” Dongbo Xueying confirmed.
His original creation had been an illusory world.
Thus, among the two techniques within the Demon Heart Bell, he had naturally elevated the world-based technique to the tenth level. As for the ‘Confusion’ aspect, despite being a peerless genius in illusory realms and having some prior insights, he had only recently grasped an eighth-level technique. Even with the Demon Heart Bell’s amplification, it barely reached the ninth level.
“Excellent. Had you not mastered it, I would have had to arrange time-accelerated treasures to expedite your training,” the Nanyun Monarch said, pleased. “Rest assured, with your tenth-level illusory realm technique, the Fan Clan will undoubtedly agree.”
—
Fan Tianchong relayed the request to his master, the Tearing Heaven Great Venerable.
The Tearing Heaven Great Venerable held an exalted position within the Fan Clan, second only to the Fan Ancestor himself. Among the Great Venerables, he was unparalleled in transforming subordinates—such as converting ninety-nine experts into the Hundred Warfiend Demons. Whether in personal strength, crafting fiendish servants, or nurturing followers, he was peerless. For instance, he could elevate an ordinary Chaos Realm cultivator to the tenth level—a feat no other supreme Cosmic Deity could accomplish. The Hundred Warfiend Demons were proof of his prowess.
Thus, his influence and authority within the Fan Clan were immense.
“Tearing Heaven Great Venerable.”
“Haha, Brother Nanyun.”
Their consciousnesses bridged the vast distance between them, colliding across the endless void.
Even under the pressure of invincible powerhouses, both were supreme overlords of the Heartland Continent. The Nanyun Monarch, as a super-expert in the Void lineage, was not only formidable in strength but also possessed countless avatars, making him nigh unkillable. Some of his avatars had even ventured to other source worlds via the Great Boundary Transcendence Art. This was why he could monopolize the benefits of the Nanyun Sacred Sect, while the Heavenly Sword Monarch was exploited by the Xiafeng Ancient Kingdom and the Myriad Realms Ancient Kingdom.
“Planning to compete with the Xia and Cang Clans again?” the Nanyun Monarch transmitted. “From what I hear, you’ve lost five times in a row. Another defeat would make it six—a record even your Fan Clan has never suffered.”
“So you think your disciple can demand such exorbitant terms based on that?” the Tearing Heaven Great Venerable retorted through their mental link. “I see your game. You want him to accumulate enough merits to exchange for powerful secret arts and treasures from my Fan Clan in the future. Am I wrong?”
“Precisely.”
The Nanyun Monarch chuckled. “And I believe you’ll agree.”
“Wrong. My Fan Clan has no shortage of tenth-level Chaos Realm experts—many of whom are exceptionally strong. Some specialize in other paths, and I can even forge them ‘Warfiend Bodies’ to further enhance their power. Moreover, among the external kingdoms, there are several prodigies who, with proper nurturing, could rival your disciple,” the Tearing Heaven Great Venerable countered.
“Ah, I forgot to mention—Xueying has obtained an Illusory Realm treasure and can now unleash tenth-level illusory techniques,” the Nanyun Monarch transmitted.
The Tearing Heaven Great Venerable paused.
His consciousness fell silent for a moment.
Tenth-level illusory techniques? Targeting the soul? Regardless of whether the power came from a treasure, Chaos Realm cultivators were still limited to the ninth level without external aids. Against a tenth-level illusory treasure, which directly assailed the soul, resistance was nearly impossible—save for the rare few with extraordinary soul defenses.
But!
If Dongbo Xueying only possessed tenth-level illusory techniques, he would merely be near-invincible among Chaos Realm experts.
Yet, paired with the overwhelmingly powerful ‘Five-Phase Sealing Art’ in direct combat, he would be truly unstoppable.
Perhaps, in history, there had been prodigies who could rival the current Dongbo Xueying—but such freaks had long since ascended to Cosmic Deity status. Even Dongbo Xueying himself wouldn’t remain a Chaos Realm cultivator for much longer. As of now, among those who hadn’t yet broken through, the Tearing Heaven Great Venerable doubted anyone could oppose him.
“An absolute guarantee of victory.” The Tearing Heaven Great Venerable was genuinely tempted. “What a Ying Shan Xueying—not only mastering the near-invincible ‘Five-Phase Sealing Art’ but also attaining tenth-level illusory techniques. With such talent, he’s certain to become a Cosmic Deity. Once he does, his foundation will rival that of the Huozhao Kingdom’s ruler. Hmph, granting him High Guest Elder status in advance is no issue. Since victory is assured, ten thousand major merits is a small price.”
To the Fan Clan, ten thousand major merits were insignificant.
But even a wealthy clan couldn’t afford waste—every decision underwent rigorous evaluation to determine its worth.
Previously, Ying Shan Xueying, with only the Five-Phase Sealing Art, hadn’t been worth it. Now, he was.
“Brother Nanyun, you’ve been hiding this secret. Very well, I accept,” the Tearing Heaven Great Venerable declared. Currently, he was the one managing the Fan Clan’s affairs—for while strength didn’t equate to administrative skill, among the Great Venerables, he was uniquely suited for leadership.
—
Back in the garden of the Prince’s residence in Feixue City, Fan Tianchong and Dongbo Xueying continued their conversation over food and wine.
“Brother Xueying, as your friend, I advise you to be reasonable. The Fan Clan isn’t known for patience. Push too hard, and they might revoke even the original offer and seek another expert. The Heartland Continent isn’t lacking in suitable candidates,” Fan Tianchong cautioned. Suddenly, his expression froze.
He had received a transmission from his master: “Agree to his terms. Bring him to the capital.”
Fan Tianchong stared at Dongbo Xueying in disbelief.
“What is it?” Dongbo Xueying asked.
“They… agreed?” Fan Tianchong muttered, utterly baffled. “How?”
Dongbo Xueying smiled.
“So this was your plan all along—with the Nanyun Monarch pulling strings behind the scenes,” Fan Tianchong stood up. “I won’t pry into whatever deal he struck with my master. Since they’ve consented, I’ll take you to the Xiafeng capital. If you’re ready, we can depart now.”
“Very well,” Dongbo Xueying nodded. “Let’s go.”
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