“Ancestor Demon, this Dongbo Xueying comes from the same universe as you, doesn’t he? This young one is quite impressive. He hasn’t been in the Taixu Temple for long, yet he’s already broken into the top ten among the True God disciples here.”
“With the Sword Master having reached the Ultimate level and you, Ancestor Demon, having long attained the Chaos Realm, it makes one wonder how far this young fellow from your shared universe will go in the future.”
The surrounding Pavilion Masters also voiced their praises.
Though approval gleamed in Ancestor Demon’s eyes, his words remained measured: “He’s still just a True God Sovereign—far too early to tell. Who knows if he’ll even become an Inner Hall Elder in the future?”
“Inner Hall Elder?”
The other Pavilion Masters chuckled but didn’t press further.
What a joke!
Becoming an Inner Hall Elder was an immensely difficult feat.
According to the hierarchy of the Taixu Temple, after the Palace Master and Pavilion Masters came the Inner Hall Elders, followed by the Outer Hall Elders.
Even among Golden-Robed disciples who broke through to become Void Gods, most only became Outer Hall Elders. Ascending to Inner Hall Elder was exceedingly rare. An ‘Inner Hall Elder of the Taixu Temple’ was a title weighty enough to command respect across the cosmos—even Chaos Realm powerhouses would treat them with deference.
…
Seated at the highest vantage point, Ancestor Tianyu and the Sword Master, though visibly approving, remained inwardly composed. At their level, very few things could stir their emotions.
In the Shadowrealm Arena, battles continued one after another.
After securing the seventh rank, Dongbo Xueying returned to his stone pillar, sitting cross-legged in quiet observation of each duel. Unlike the other True God disciples, he watched every fight with meticulous focus, analyzing the intricacies of his opponents’ techniques. Even when facing junior disciples weaker than himself, he often found flashes of brilliance in their application of the Dao’s mysteries.
The deeper his understanding grew, the more insights he occasionally gleaned into the second stance of the *Thirteen Swords of Annihilation*.
For other disciples, the ranking battles determined their status.
For Dongbo Xueying, they were a wellspring of experience—his exposure to real combat applications of the Dao’s mysteries had been limited. Battles between Chaos Realm powerhouses were beyond his comprehension, making these ranking duels the perfect learning ground.
…
Years passed.
Over seven hundred disciples clashed in fierce battles—some near-death struggles, others ending in surrender. If a fight reached a stalemate, the Shadowrealm Arena’s spirit would intervene to declare a victor. For instance, if one side relied solely on evasion while the other pursued relentlessly, the evading party would be deemed the loser.
Similarly, if a disciple stubbornly endured attacks without countering, they too would be judged defeated.
The battles were intense.
Yet Dongbo Xueying refrained from issuing challenges, wholly absorbed in spectating. On the few occasions others challenged him, he emerged victorious each time, solidifying his reputation.
“Eight years have passed since this ranking war began,” Dongbo Xueying mused, rising to his feet. “It’s time to act. I have three chances to lose—best not waste them.”
The ranking battles served two purposes:
First, to break into the top ten and claim treasures—a goal already achieved. His seventh rank was relatively secure; even if those above him fell, he’d only drop one spot.
Second, to accumulate experience and grow stronger.
To aid his wife Jing Qiu and son Yu’er, he needed power—the more, the better. Only with strength could he secure the rarest of resources.
Observing countless battles had helped.
But actual combat helped even more.
“Whoosh.”
Dongbo Xueying suddenly shot forward.
“It’s Dongbo Xueying!”
“He’s stepping out again.”
The disciples perked up—Golden-Robed level battles were far more captivating.
“Brother Jiaolong, shall we?” Dongbo Xueying raised his spear, addressing a Golden-Robed disciple ranked eighth—a formidable figure with a scaled, bestial head, his true form as an exotic beast. Though capable of human form, he preferred his natural visage.
“Challenge me?” Jiaolong’s voice boomed with laughter. “Senior Brother Dongbo Xueying, you’re ranked seventh. Defeating me won’t raise your standing, but losing would drop you to eighth. There’s no gain for you here—unless you seek a wager? I won’t oblige!”
“No wager. I simply itch to cross blades with a fellow practitioner of the *Thirteen Swords of Annihilation*,” Dongbo Xueying replied.
“Well said!” Jiaolong roared, delighted by such pure intent.
For him, this was a no-risk duel—Dongbo Xueying sought only to test their shared art.
“Whoosh.”
Jiaolong streaked across the sky, his crescent blade tracing a mesmerizing, violet arc—beautiful yet lethally venomous.
Like Dongbo Xueying, he had adapted the *Thirteen Swords of Annihilation* into his own expertise—blade techniques focused on the Dao of Slaughter.
“Boom! Boom! Boom—”
The void trembled under their collisions.
Both combatants lost themselves in the frenzy, Jiaolong eventually reverting to his true form while Dongbo Xueying unleashed his Voidwalker physique. Finally, bloodied but exhilarated, Jiaolong conceded: “Hahaha! Enough! I yield!”
Turning, Dongbo Xueying locked eyes with the sixth-ranked Golden-Robed disciple: “Senior Sister Qian Que, your move.”
“He’s continuing?”
Murmurs of surprise rippled through the spectators.
Clad in resplendent golden robes, her cold gaze unwavering, Qian Que wordlessly summoned an ancient zither.
…
By leveraging his Slaughter Domain to neutralize her oppressive aura and his Illusory Dao to enhance survivability, Dongbo Xueying barely overcame the sixth-ranked Qian Que.
…
Next, he challenged the fifth-ranked Golden-Robed disciple—unleashing his Slaughter Domain and doppelganger techniques in a desperate clash to eke out victory.
…
Then came the fourth.
“Senior Brother Zhe Qu Yong, shall we?” Dongbo Xueying’s voice echoed across the Shadowrealm Arena.
All other battles ceased as every True God disciple fixed their attention on him. Even the Outer and Inner Hall Elders, Pavilion Masters, and the two supreme figures—Ancestor Tianyu and the Sword Master—paused their discussions, intrigued. Dongbo Xueying was systematically challenging Golden-Robed elites!
“He’s targeting fourth-ranked Zhe Qu Yong now.”
“Senior Brother Zhe Qu Yong is formidable. Beating him won’t be easy.”
Though the gaps between Golden-Robed disciples were narrow, the fourth rank held a clear edge over the eighth or ninth.
“Boom—”
The battle commenced.
Zhe Qu Yong reverted to his true form—a rare void-dwelling creature resembling a cocooned entity with a disproportionately small head and countless writhing limbs. Streaking through the air, he pursued Dongbo Xueying relentlessly. Despite the Slaughter Domain’s entangling restraints, his myriad limbs shredded through the oppressive energy, barely slowing his advance.
Suddenly, he plunged headfirst into the void—colliding with a spear tip materializing from nothingness.
“Boom—”
The impact carried the profundities of the cosmos-level art *Worldshield*.
“Pfft—” Dongbo Xueying materialized, blood spraying from his lips.
“Senior Brother Zhe Qu Yong lives up to his reputation. Try this!” Sensing he’d gleaned enough from this rare void creature’s innate prowess fused with cosmic arts, Dongbo Xueying thrust his spear forward.
The weapon spiraled like an endless vortex, churning the Slaughter Domain’s energies into a maelstrom. Every ripple of the domain converged upon the spear, layering it with terrifying, accumulating force.
Even Dongbo Xueying felt the weapon grow heavier, its might swelling uncontrollably.
During his first seclusion in the Time Palace, he’d successfully merged the first stance of *Annihilation* with the Dao of Ripples. Over time, as his comprehension of the second stance deepened, he repeatedly refined this fusion. Yet even now, he sensed imperfections—his mastery of Ripples still lagged far behind *Annihilation’s* first stance, demanding endless adjustments.
“Hmm?”
Ancestor Tianyu, the Sword Master, and the assembled Pavilion Masters abruptly focused, their interest piqued by the spear technique unfolding below.
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