Residing near the Qingpeng Sect, although Dongbo Xueying was shielded from the prying eyes of the Black Emperor by the treasures bestowed by Ancestor Tianyu, the Black Emperor could still pinpoint his location and gauge his progress in the “Vermilion Nightmare Inheritance” due to its unique nature.
“The lineage of the Realm Ancestor may be weaker in overall strength, but it excels in ease of cultivation,” the Black Emperor mused silently. “My lineage, on the other hand, is immensely powerful but exceedingly difficult to master.”
He and the Realm Ancestor were brothers in arms, having grown from humble beginnings together.
Even during their Chaos Realm days, they were fierce rivals.
But later…
The Black Emperor remained stuck at the Chaos Realm, while the Realm Ancestor ascended to the ultimate existence, ranking among the top three in that realm. The Devouring System was considered the simplest cultivation path, widely spread, allowing even those with low talent—or even void creatures—to progress by indiscriminately consuming resources.
Yet the Black Emperor held some disdain for it.
Devouring cultivators were generally the weakest at the Nascent Realm and remained so at the Unity Realm. Most Unity Realm devourers only reached the first or second level of the Star Tower. In contrast, practitioners of the Rule Mysteries System or the Sorcery Path could typically reach the third level, with elites ascending to the fourth and prodigies even touching the fifth.
But the Black Emperor’s Ancient Cultivation Inheritance was even more astonishing.
A single inheritance could elevate a Unity Realm cultivator to the fifth level of the Star Tower. Combining all four inheritances… a Unity Realm practitioner could wield the combat power of the seventh level!
Thus,
The Black Emperor and the Realm Ancestor, due to their divergent paths, achieved vastly different outcomes.
“My path is incredibly arduous. To master the Vermilion Nightmare Inheritance to its Unity Realm pinnacle is already a rare feat,” the Black Emperor thought to himself. “I’ll observe him closely. If he proves worthy, I might impart one or two more inheritances.”
He would never reveal all four at once.
Even when he had shared them in the past, he had withheld the ultimate techniques—proof of his cautious nature.
“Still, given how highly the Taixu Heaven Palace values him, it’s unlikely I can take him as a disciple,” the Black Emperor mused. Apart from Dongbo Xueying, his lineage had only two other descendants: one whose status made him ineligible, and the other—his sole true disciple.
The rest were merely nominal disciples.
—
After residing near the Qingpeng Sect for just over a million years, the Black Emperor suddenly looked up in astonishment toward the back mountains of the sect.
A resounding cry echoed throughout the Qingpeng Sect.
To others, it was just a sound, but the Black Emperor, through his inheritance, sensed that the “Vermilion Nightmare” in the back mountains had undergone a metamorphosis, growing vastly stronger—likely by an entire tier.
“He actually elevated the Vermilion Nightmare Inheritance to the sixth level of the Star Tower? And so quickly?” The Black Emperor was stunned.
The other two descendants of his lineage had only reached the fifth level before advancing to the Chaos Realm, where they pursued deeper mastery.
The Black Emperor was different.
From the beginning, he had cultivated all four inheritances simultaneously, an endeavor that consumed endless effort. At the Unity Realm, each inheritance alone granted him fifth-level power, but combined, they synergized to unleash seventh-level might. He had never considered altering the core of the Vermilion Nightmare Inheritance, as modifying one would require adjusting the other three to maintain perfect harmony—a task he dared not even contemplate.
Yet Dongbo Xueying, having only one inheritance, had actively refined it to the sixth level.
“The other two only received one inheritance each, yet neither achieved this,” the Black Emperor marveled. “And he did it so swiftly.”
Such talent left him in awe.
“Dongbo’s potential surpasses the other two—perhaps even rivals my own.” The Black Emperor remained confident, believing his lack of modifications was due to mastering all four inheritances.
—
In the secluded chamber of the Qingpeng Sect’s back mountain, within the Supreme Elder’s cave abode,
As the transformed Vermilion Nightmare let out its cry, Dongbo Xueying opened his eyes. Behind him, the colossal Vermilion Nightmare spread its wings, flames of crimson energy swirling around it.
“The Void Path and the Vermilion Nightmare Inheritance are indeed a perfect match. After just over a million years, I’ve succeeded, and my strength has surged!” Dongbo Xueying smiled. Over the years, he had repeatedly refined the core illusory world of the Vermilion Nightmare, each iteration yielding minor improvements. But this time…
The Vermilion Nightmare had undergone a fundamental evolution.
Even his soul had been enhanced. The restructuring of the illusory world had catalyzed a metamorphosis in both the Vermilion Nightmare and his own soul, amplifying its strength to over four times its pre-Ancient Cultivation state.
“Whoosh.”
With a mere thought,
Tiny illusory worlds manifested around him—fifteen in total—each brewing a sliver of lethal intent. Yet it was all illusory, dissipating as quickly as it appeared.
“Fifteen Heavenly Punishment Blades.” Dongbo Xueying’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “With this power, perhaps I can challenge the seventh level of the Star Tower.”
Three Heavenly Punishment Blades represented the sixth level.
Now, with fifteen…
He might qualify to attempt it. But only a trial within the Star Tower could confirm it.
In the history of the Six Sacred Grounds, only two had ever reached the seventh level—a testament to its difficulty. Dongbo Xueying merely felt he had grown significantly stronger since first reaching the sixth level and might now have a chance, though certainty eluded him.
“My current strength is partly due to the Ancient Cultivation’s aid,” Dongbo Xueying reflected. “But to advance further in the Vermilion Nightmare Inheritance, I must step into the Chaos Realm.”
His progress in the Vermilion Nightmare Inheritance had been fueled by his Void Path insights.
Now that the Void Path had touched the threshold of the Chaos Realm, further breakthroughs would be far harder.
Upon reflection, improving his strength even slightly seemed daunting. The Void Path had reached its limit, the Voidwalker System had plateaued at the fortieth layer, and the Slaughter Path—even if refined—would only yield sixth-level power with the Sixth Sword of Annihilation.
The Heavenly Punishment Blades were already the pinnacle of offense. Mastering the Sixth Sword wouldn’t enhance his combat prowess further.
Only the Ripple Path, as a domain-based enhancement, could provide tangible benefits if improved—suppressing foes before striking with the Heavenly Punishment Blades.
“Progress in the Ripple Path will take time, but I should indeed devote some effort to it now.” Dongbo Xueying understood this well.
Touching the Chaos Realm in one path was one thing.
Touching it in multiple paths…
The more paths one grasped, the deeper their understanding of the Chaos Realm, vastly increasing their chances of breaking through. This was why many sixth-level Star Tower cultivators never ascended, while all seventh-level ones inevitably did—they had mastered multiple paths.
“I, too, shall cultivate multiple paths and charge toward the Chaos Realm. Combined, my chances will rise significantly.” Dongbo Xueying’s resolve was firm. At his level, the Chaos Realm was the only goal.
—
With his wife already transcending mortality, Dongbo Xueying had no distractions, dedicating himself wholly to cultivation. He alternated between studying the “Voidwalker’s Secret Treasury” and the Void Path—both of which had touched the Chaos Realm—and delving into the Ripple Path whenever he hit a bottleneck.
Years passed.
Then, one day,
A figure in purple robes appeared in the skies above the Qingpeng Sect, his gaze icy as he surveyed the sect below.
“Dongbo Xueying, since you protect the Qingpeng Sect, you’ll surely come if I attack it,” murmured the Wraithdark Sage, though this was merely an avatar, its appearance and aura carefully disguised.
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