As he flipped through the book in his hand, the words and patterns on its pages transformed into illusory worlds. Dongbo Xueying stood before an ancient bookshelf, turning the pages one by one. With each turn, vast amounts of information flowed directly into his mind—these were the recorded insights of predecessors who had walked further along the Path of the Void.
Teaching the Dao was difficult.
The Dao itself was ethereal and elusive, making it incredibly challenging to articulate clearly. Thus, there was a vast difference between learning from a great master, a Venerable, or even a Sovereign. The higher one’s realm, the clearer their teachings could be, allowing juniors to comprehend more easily.
Some of these texts were written by ordinary Void Gods, reviewed and deemed worthy by the Myriad Phenomena Hall before being placed within. Others were left by Unity realm experts, Chaos realm masters, or even legendary figures like Ancestor Tianyu and the Sword Master, as well as other formidable experts from outside the Tai Xu Heavenly Palace faction.
The texts were arranged on different floors based on their rarity and value.
Dongbo Xueying remained patient and unhurried, reading meticulously while contemplating and absorbing the wisdom within.
—
Time flowed like water.
Dongbo Xueying, the golden-robed disciple hailing from a distant universe in the Chaos Void, had remained in the sacred land of Tai Xu Heavenly Palace since his arrival, immersing himself in the Myriad Phenomena Hall’s texts as if bewitched.
“That kid from the same universe as the Demon Ancestor and the Sword Master—Dongbo Xueying—has he really been in the Myriad Phenomena Hall this whole time?”
A man and woman conversed as they flew through the sky.
“Yes, the entire time! He probably hasn’t had much exposure to profound texts on the Dao before, so seeing the endless collection in the Myriad Phenomena Hall must have driven him mad with obsession. What, Senior Sister Fengyun, are you curious about him too? Haha, many of the True God disciples in Tai Xu Heavenly Palace have been talking about him lately.”
“Humph. I’d love to test his strength—see how much this so-called golden-robed disciple from the same universe as the Demon Ancestor and Sword Master is really worth!” The silver-eyed woman in violet robes snorted coldly.
“Senior Sister Fengyun, aside from the Demon Ancestor and Sword Master, that initial universe has produced no other outstanding talents worth mentioning. Rumor has it that the Demon Ancestor and Sword Master were born in the same cosmic era, competing and tempering each other to reach such heights. How could Dongbo Xueying possibly compare to them?”
“Arrange a duel for me. Find a way to make him agree,” the silver-eyed woman demanded.
“Senior Sister, don’t make things difficult for me! Over the past hundred thousand years, many disciples have tried to challenge him, but Dongbo Xueying has buried himself in those texts, refusing all challenges unless they meet his condition—twenty-five Source World Stones as a wager for the True God Disciple Tournament. He won’t accept any fights until then.”
“You can’t persuade him?”
“No, he’s incredibly stubborn.”
The silver-eyed woman nodded, though a trace of impatience flickered in her eyes.
Her last ranking had been fifteenth, granting her considerable status among True God disciples. Yet, she had been unlucky—never once breaking into the top ten.
“I must enter the top ten. Only then can I obtain the treasures and, more importantly, the universe-level supreme techniques.” The silver-eyed woman clenched her teeth. Those techniques were the pinnacle of the Dao’s mysteries, invaluable treasures representing the highest achievements of the Tai Xu Heavenly Palace!
“My current strength makes it too uncertain. I don’t have the confidence.”
“But if I could acquire Dongbo Xueying’s Void God weapon—worth twenty to thirty Source World Stones—I could exchange it for cultivation aids. Perhaps that would push my strength to the next level.” She gritted her teeth. “Damn it! Those golden-robed disciples all received the palace’s supreme techniques, while I have none. Winning is nearly impossible!”
This was the greatest obstacle for any True God disciple aiming for the top ten.
Golden-robed disciples were already prodigies, and with the palace’s supreme techniques, their advantage was overwhelming. For violet-robed disciples like her, lacking those techniques, defeating a golden-robed disciple and breaking into the top ten was an immense challenge. Yet, it was precisely this difficulty that made new golden-robed disciples shine so brightly.
Of course, there was another way—if an existing golden-robed disciple broke through to the Void God realm, their position would be vacated, making the path easier.
—
“Senior Brother Dongbo Xueying, I’ve heard of your formidable strength. Would you honor me with a duel? No wager necessary.” A voice reached his ears.
Dongbo Xueying, seated cross-legged in a corner with a wine flask beside him, glanced up. Before him stood a fair-skinned youth with a red horn on his forehead and crimson pupils. The youth smiled politely. “No stakes—just a friendly spar.”
“If you wish to fight, wait for the True God Disciple Tournament,” Dongbo Xueying replied. “I have no time now.”
With that, he lowered his head and resumed reading, occasionally taking a sip from his flask.
The youth lingered awkwardly for a moment before retreating in defeat.
—
The number of Void Gods in Tai Xu Heavenly Palace was exceedingly small, and those who proved too weak were exiled to the outer Chaos Cities.
In contrast, True God disciples were numerous. Despite the rigorous selection process, the sacred realm was vast, and the potential of True God disciples—who could one day become Sovereigns—made the palace willing to accept more and subject them to fierce competition.
Now, the True God Disciple Tournament was approaching.
“Even without a wager, they likely want to gauge my strength,” Dongbo Xueying mused. Knowing one’s opponent was a tremendous advantage in battle. Though most believed he couldn’t rival the true top-ten golden-robed disciples, they still expected his strength to improve after studying the Myriad Phenomena Hall’s texts—perhaps enough to break into the top twenty or thirty.
That alone made him a formidable opponent, hence the attempts to probe his abilities through weaker challengers.
“Unfortunately for them…”
“My goal isn’t the top twenty or thirty—it’s the top ten!” Dongbo Xueying thought resolutely. “The Soulheart Fruit is mine!”
To secure victory, he wasn’t foolish enough to reveal his combat techniques prematurely, giving his opponents time to devise countermeasures. He would unveil his full strength during the tournament itself, leaving the prodigies little time to adapt.
Among the highest ranks, aside from a few exceptional geniuses, the gaps between disciples were often narrow. A well-matched technique or a slight advantage could decide victory.
—
Dongbo Xueying didn’t return to his abode, nor did he socialize. He remained wholly devoted to the Myriad Phenomena Hall, absorbing its countless texts.
His focus was on those related to the Path of the Void, the Path of Slaughter, and the Path of Oscillation.
At times, he smiled in delight, sipping wine.
At others, he frowned in confusion, lost in deep thought.
And sometimes, enlightenment dawned upon him.
His understanding of the Dao expanded at a staggering pace.
Indeed, those from ordinary universes like his had limited exposure to the Dao’s profundities. Most cosmic eras lacked Void Gods, let alone Unity realm experts, Chaos realm masters, or Cosmic Deities to guide them. In his home universe, the most formidable figure had been Bloodblade the Undying, who specialized in the Path of the Bloodblade, the Path of Shadows, and the Path of Destruction—none of which aligned with Dongbo Xueying’s own path.
Thus, while early-stage cultivation as a Deity had some guidance, advancing to higher realms meant groping blindly through the fog.
Stagnating at the ordinary True God level for billions or even trillions of years was common.
Reaching the Sovereign or Dominator realm? Many were forever trapped, unable to progress further.
They had only themselves to rely on.
Yet, precisely because they were forced to rely solely on their own insights, their foundations were solid. The Sword Master, for instance, had reached the Chaos realm while still in his home universe—an unimaginable feat. Upon arriving at Tai Xu Heavenly Palace and studying its texts, the puzzles that had stumped him during his solitary cultivation unraveled one by one. Sparks of inspiration led to breakthroughs, culminating in his ascension to the ultimate realm.
The Demon Ancestor, too, had reached the peak of the Unity realm before arriving at Tai Xu Heavenly Palace, where he later advanced to the Chaos realm.
Of course, most cultivators relying solely on themselves never progressed beyond True God, Sovereign, or Dominator.
—
“It’s time to stop.”
One day, Dongbo Xueying closed the book in his hands and returned it to the ancient shelf. His mind was brimming with insights on the Path of the Void, the Path of Slaughter, and the Path of Oscillation—some gleaned from predecessors, others conflicting or contradictory.
“I need to organize these realizations, truly absorb them, and integrate them into my own Dao.” Though he hadn’t finished all the texts, he had enough for now.
Picking up his wine flask, he strode out of the Myriad Phenomena Hall.
Three hundred and twenty-three thousand years had passed since his arrival at Tai Xu Heavenly Palace—and this was only for a portion of the texts suited to him.
“To the Timeflow Palace.” Dongbo Xueying knew it was the ideal place for his cultivation.
Whoosh.
Transforming into a streak of light, he soared out of the Myriad Phenomena Hall and toward the Timeflow Palace.
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