The Kingdom of Nanyun was about to crown a new king.
This was a grand event for the entire kingdom. Many noble families sent their high-ranking members to the capital, with marquises and kings either attending in person or dispatching avatars.
On the eve of the coronation…
“Let us go meet the King,” said Yingshan Matriarch as she and Dongbo Xueying sat in a magnificent carriage drawn by nine black demonic dragons. Each of these dragons was a demonic servant capable of unleashing combat power at the ninth level of the Chaos Realm—far more valuable than the demonic servant Zibai! Only the King of Nanyun could command such extravagance, using nine demonic dragons to pull a single carriage.
After all, even a single demonic dragon would cost a king like Yingshan Matriarch her entire fortune.
In terms of wealth, the King of Nanyun ranked among the very top across the entire Heart Realm Continent—a testament to his immense resources.
—
The King had personally dispatched the carriage to fetch them, and soon, Dongbo Xueying and Yingshan Matriarch arrived at the royal palace, entering the secluded grounds where the King usually meditated.
Major affairs were typically handled in the grand halls, but for private matters, the King of Nanyun preferred to receive guests in his meditation grounds. This gesture alone showed that he regarded Dongbo Xueying as one of his own.
“ROAR—”
The nine demonic dragons bellowed as they descended, slowing to a graceful halt.
Dongbo Xueying and Yingshan Matriarch stepped out, and the carriage vanished instantly. The nine dragons slithered away, disappearing into the distant mountains shrouded in white frost behind the King.
“Your Majesty.”
Both Dongbo Xueying and Yingshan Matriarch bowed respectfully.
This was Dongbo Xueying’s first time seeing the King of Nanyun. The King wore resplendent golden robes, his small frame seated cross-legged on black grass. Despite his diminutive stature, he seemed to merge seamlessly with the surrounding void, exuding an aura that compelled reverence and submission.
“A true legend among overlords,” Dongbo Xueying mused.
This was a man who, without the secret teachings of the Six Great Ancient Kingdoms, had relied solely on a supreme treasure to cultivate to such heights. He had founded a sect that ranked among the Ten Great Sects, and his wealth was renowned throughout the Heart Realm Continent. Even the ancient patriarchs of the Six Great Kingdoms coveted his riches and had attempted to seize them—yet none had succeeded.
Of the Ten Great Sects, eight originated from the Six Great Ancient Kingdoms.
The remaining two were the Nanyun Sacred Sect and the Heavenly Sword Dao, founded by the King of Heavenly Sword.
The King of Heavenly Sword was also a peerless overlord, but unlike the King of Nanyun, he lacked the same unyielding resolve. He funneled vast amounts of cosmic crystals as tribute to the Xiafeng Ancient Kingdom and the Myriad Realms Ancient Kingdom, allowing the Heavenly Sword Dao to spread freely—even surpassing the Nanyun Sacred Sect in influence. Yet, in doing so, he remained under the thumb of the two great kingdoms, his wealth paling in comparison to the King of Nanyun.
The King of Nanyun had withstood countless assassination attempts, solidifying his position over the eons. His true strength remained an enigma, hidden beneath a veneer of humility and alliances.
—
“I am curious,” the King of Nanyun said with a faint smile. “Why did you choose me as your master instead of Patriarch Fan?”
Beside him stood his five other disciples, all watching Dongbo Xueying with keen interest. They, too, wondered—why would anyone refuse an offer from Patriarch Fan?
“I wish to learn the *Doppelganger Art* as soon as possible,” Dongbo Xueying answered bluntly.
“The *Doppelganger Art*?”
The King nodded slightly, while his disciples exchanged glances, their thoughts swirling.
*”The Doppelganger Art is one of the most supreme survival techniques in the Heart Realm Continent. It’s incredibly difficult to obtain. Yet, our master grants it directly to his disciples.”*
*”He must be cautious by nature.”*
*”Is he afraid of death? Hmph. Probably worried he’d die before reaching Cosmic God status in the Fan Clan, never learning the technique.”*
The King, however, was merely curious. Unlike Patriarch Fan, who chose disciples on a whim, the King of Nanyun sought powerful allies to stabilize his kingdom and expand his sect’s influence.
“Very well,” the King said. “Kneel.”
“Dongbo Xueying pays respects to Master.”
Dongbo Xueying knelt in formal obeisance. In the path of cultivation, the wise took precedence. Given that the King of Nanyun was among the very few in the Heart Realm Continent who could rival him in the Dao of Void, he was more than qualified to be his master.
The King smiled. “My rules are few, but one is absolute: never betray the sect. As an initiate, you only learned the *Twelve Forms of Nanyun Sacred Arts*. That knowledge alone would not bind you to any faction. But now, as my personal disciple, betrayal will be met with my full wrath—no matter the cost.”
“Understood, Master.”
If the King of Nanyun wished someone dead, even if he could not strike the blow himself, his wealth could hire even an invincible existence like Patriarch Fan to do the deed.
“Good.”
The King flipped his hand, revealing two translucent tomes shimmering with golden light.
“As my disciple, you shall first learn the *Doppelganger Art* and the *World-Piercing Teleportation*—two supreme survival techniques.”
The books floated toward Dongbo Xueying.
*”The *World-Piercing Teleportation* is my own creation. As for the *Doppelganger Art*, I developed its foundation before the ‘Wanderer,’ one of the Five Patriarchs of the Myriad Realms Ancient Kingdom, perfected it.”*
Dongbo Xueying accepted the tomes.
**”Boom.”**
With a mere thought, streams of radiant light surged from the pages, flooding into his mind.
Given his soul’s strength, he memorized both techniques instantly.
“Hmm?”
He was slightly surprised.
The *World-Piercing Teleportation* was familiar—his past self had mastered long-distance teleportation, which was essentially the same principle. Though the method differed slightly between source worlds, the essence remained unchanged. He grasped it immediately.
But the *Doppelganger Art* was different from what he had expected.
To master it, one first had to perfect *”Piercing the Heavens,”* one of the two secret forms within the *Twelve Forms of Nanyun Sacred Arts*—a technique requiring tenth-level Chaos Realm strength. Only by shattering the fabric of the source world’s void and touching the higher realms beyond could one absorb external energies to refine the soul, enabling the creation of a doppelganger.
*”This must differ from Red-Eyebrows’ method,”* Dongbo Xueying mused.
Red-Eyebrows had possessed a doppelganger despite only being at the ninth level of the Chaos Realm. Clearly, their techniques were not the same.
*”Different paths, same result. Impressive.”*
“In the Heart Realm Continent, only a handful possess the *Doppelganger Art*,” the King said. “Even Cosmic Gods covet it but find no path to learn it. Even within the Fan Clan, it is among the most supreme techniques.”
Pride laced his words.
“These are the rare materials needed to cultivate the *Nanyun Sacred Body* to its tenth-level perfection.”
The King tossed a storage bracelet—a standard gift for all disciples.
“With your talent, mastering the two secret forms should not take long. And… this demonic dragon shall serve as your mount.”
With a wave of his hand—
**”ROAR—”**
From the depths of the frost-veiled mountains, a black demonic dragon soared forth, landing obediently before Dongbo Xueying.
A blood-red crystal sphere followed—the core to control the dragon. Unlike Zibai, who had been loaned by Yingshan Matriarch, this dragon was truly his.
“A demonic dragon?”
Among the five disciples, three could not hide their shock.
The previous gifts were expected.
But a demonic dragon?
None of them had received one upon becoming disciples! This was an *extra* reward—a loyal servant capable of ninth-level Chaos Realm combat power, worth a staggering *1.5 billion cosmic crystals*!
How could they remain calm?
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