Dongbo Xueying quickly said, “No rush, no rush. Big brother, I’ve already planned how to deal with Venomous Ying. The reason I’m not in a hurry to act is that the timing isn’t quite ripe yet. After thousands of years, I can certainly be patient for a few more months.”
Seeing this, the City Lord of Baisha stroked his upturned beard and chuckled, “Since you’ve already made your plans, that’s good. If you need me to step in, just give the word. Others might fear offending that Ying Guliang, but I certainly don’t.”
“A mere personal guard—if he behaves, fine. But if he dares to stir up trouble, I’ll shamelessly take it straight to our master,” Dongbo Xueying said.
“Ruthless,” the City Lord of Baisha immediately praised.
What made the various factions revere Dongbo Xueying were two things: his immense potential and the fact that he was the Divine Emperor’s personal disciple. The Divine Emperor placed great importance on his disciples, and if Dongbo Xueying truly went to complain, the consequences would be terrifying.
Of course…
Dongbo Xueying was just speaking offhand. He would only resort to such measures if he truly couldn’t handle things himself.
“By the way, Dongbo,” the City Lord of Baisha grinned, “there’s something I should mention to you in advance.”
“Go ahead, big brother,” Dongbo Xueying replied.
“You should know… sigh, I was foolish back then and was expelled from our master’s tutelage,” the City Lord of Baisha said hurriedly. “I’ve been thinking about when I might be able to return to his grace.”
“This…” Dongbo Xueying hesitated.
Back then, the City Lord of Baisha had been expelled for stealing and eating their master’s precious World Sandheart Fruit. Their master had been furious, and reversing such a decision would be extremely difficult.
“I’m not asking you to help me now. You’ve only just become our master’s disciple, so speaking up for me would likely be useless,” the City Lord of Baisha added quickly. “I know our master was deeply angered at the time. Returning to his tutelage will be hard, but I’ve lived long enough that most of my lifespan is behind me. There’s only one thing I wish for—to return to his side before my divine heart collapses.”
“Big brother…” Dongbo Xueying said earnestly, “don’t worry. Once my strength grows and the timing is right, I’ll definitely bring this up with our master.”
The City Lord of Baisha grinned broadly, his joy evident. “Good. With your word, I’m reassured.”
Just then, two streaks of light flew toward them from afar.
It was Ge Bai and an unfamiliar dark-skinned man. They landed nearby.
“Hurry and pay your respects to His Highness,” Ge Bai immediately urged.
“Bai Lishang greets Your Highness,” the dark-skinned man said respectfully, bowing.
Dongbo Xueying observed him. This Bai Lishang had an extraordinary aura—he was a Second Heaven Godking. It seemed he had come to pledge allegiance. Since the public recruitment began, Bai Lishang was the third Second Heaven Godking to join him.
“Brother Bai, where do you hail from?” Dongbo Xueying asked.
The dark-skinned man replied promptly, “Your Highness, I have wandered the Divine Realm, adventuring and tempering myself. But after over two billion years of cultivation… I’ve found it difficult to progress further. I’ve grown weary of constant wandering and seek a stable place to cultivate in peace. Thus, I’ve come to pledge myself to Your Highness.”
Dongbo Xueying nodded lightly. “Very well. Senior Brother Ge Bai, please take Brother Bai Lishang to rest for now.”
Soon, Ge Bai and the dark-skinned man vanished into the distance as two fleeting shadows.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. I visit you and immediately witness a Second Heaven Godking pledging allegiance?” the City Lord of Baisha marveled. “Tell me, how many have you recruited so far?”
“Not many—just three,” Dongbo Xueying replied.
“Not many? You’ve only just begun recruiting!” the City Lord of Baisha sighed. “If you keep this up, it wouldn’t be surprising if you surpass ten in time. I’ve lived for hundreds of millions of years, and under my command, there are only eight Second Heaven Godkings—most of whom gradually rose from weaker subordinates. For someone of established strength to pledge allegiance? That’s rare! They see you as the Divine Emperor’s disciple, destined for greatness, so they’re joining early. Ah, I’m envious.”
Dongbo Xueying laughed heartily.
…
“Brother Bai, if you need anything, don’t hesitate to seek me out,” Ge Bai said warmly. “For now, you’ll reside in this cave abode. As for the position of guard captain… there’s no rush. His Highness will decide when the time comes. With your strength, even if you’re not the captain, you’ll at least be a deputy.”
“Thank you, Brother Ge Bai,” Bai Lishang replied cheerfully.
Ge Bai nodded. “I won’t disturb you further. Rest well, and feel free to explore the estate. The maidservants will inform you of which areas are accessible and which are restricted.”
With that, Ge Bai departed.
Bai Lishang turned around. This wasn’t a guest abode, and as a Second Heaven Godking, his residence spanned thousands of miles—after all, Godkings needed ample space for training.
“Do not disturb me unless it’s urgent,” Bai Lishang instructed before swiftly retreating to a quiet chamber at the rear of his hall.
Inside the chamber, Bai Lishang glanced around and waved his hand. Dark divine power surged outward, swiftly enveloping the entire room and forming intricate arrays to block all detection. He then retrieved a pendant from his storage ring and placed it around his neck. The pendant emitted waves that further obscured his surroundings.
Assassins and high-ranking individuals often carried artifacts to distort space-time and conceal their presence.
“Phew.”
Bai Lishang exhaled, his eyes alight with barely contained excitement. With a flick of his wrist, he produced an ordinary wooden box.
He placed the box before him with reverence and slowly opened it.
Inside lay a black sphere, its surface covered in uneven, intricate patterns.
“I’ve got it!” Bai Lishang murmured, his voice trembling with excitement. “The Lord of Cang Yong was willing to sacrifice everything for this treasure, sending us into that death trap of a ruin. Hmph! And yet, it’s fallen into my hands.”
He reached out and touched the black sphere, channeling his divine power into it.
Hum!
The sphere gradually brightened, its uneven patterns glowing and projecting an inscrutable, complex diagram into the air. Bai Lishang stared at the projection, utterly entranced. Since obtaining the treasure, he had glimpsed it a few times during his escape. Even those brief glimpses had profoundly impacted his understanding of the heavenly laws.
“That ruin was vast and treacherous—even Fourth Heaven Godkings could perish there. For the Lord of Cang Yong to be so desperate, this treasure must be extraordinary.” Bai Lishang studied it intently. He had been forcibly conscripted as cannon fodder, and the Lord of Cang Yong had set up an inescapable net around the ruins. By all logic, no one should have escaped.
But when the black sphere was retrieved, the ruins collapsed, and the Lord’s formations shattered. Amidst the chaos of distorted space-time, many of the conscripted Godkings fled in all directions.
And Bai Lishang—he was the luckiest of them all, the one who had seized the ruin’s greatest treasure.
“I fled silently, evading detection… traveling from the borderlands, through the territories of the Spacetime Island, all the way to the Bloodblade Divine Court’s domain. And now, I’ve quietly joined Dongbo Xueying’s ranks.” Bai Lishang smirked. “Dongbo Xueying can offer me protection, and the Lord of Cang Yong will never find me here.”
With that, he immersed himself in deciphering the black sphere’s secrets, eager to uncover the full extent of its power.
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