Chapter 437: The Invitation

In the city of An Hai, the most expansive and luxurious structure is the palace of the An Hai Lord, also the residence of the Long Clan.

The ancestral stronghold of the Long Clan spans over a hundred million miles, with endless palaces stretching across the land. Countless legion soldiers patrol the skies in chariots, while rare divine creatures dwell within. The deeper one ventures into the heart of the stronghold, the more one sees solemn Realm Gods clad in armor, their vigilant gazes sweeping in all directions.

The An Hai Lord reigns supreme over the entire An Hai Domain. His legions far surpass the strength of the Starfield Patrol, with mid-to-high-ranking officers all being Realm Gods.

After all, as the lord of an entire domain…

With his own power, he could easily establish a vast empire! Yet he willingly serves under the Divine Emperor Bloodblade, who naturally rewards his loyalty generously.

“Roar~~~” Deep within a grand hall of the Long Clan lies a massive pit, where three divine creatures are chained. Each is a four-legged beast with crimson scales and a vertical blood-red eye on its head—these are the infamous **Blood-Eyed Shatterworld Beasts**, incredibly rare Realm God-level creatures!

Take, for example, Senior Xiwei of the Redstone Mountain, a powerful Realm God-level plant lifeform.

These Blood-Eyed Shatterworld Beasts are immensely valuable. If raised properly, they can rival a Second Heaven Realm God in strength.

Leaning against the railing of the pit is a noble youth clad in black robes, casually tossing precious fruits down to the three beasts below. The creatures leap and fight fiercely over the treats.

“Second Young Master, you summoned me?” A tall, lean elder approached.

“Yes.” The black-robed youth nodded lightly.

The An Hai Lord is not human but a rare variant of dragonkind. He has only two children, both renowned throughout the domain—the Eldest Young Master and the Second Young Master. The latter, though weaker, is still a First Heaven Realm God, and the lord dotes on him. The three Blood-Eyed Shatterworld Beasts were a gift from the lord to his son.

The Second Young Master adores them, meticulously caring for the beasts.

“The rankings for the Divine Court’s Ten Thousand Flowers Feast have been finalized. As usual,” the black-robed youth said, gazing down at the beasts, “invite the top ten to my estate for a banquet.”

“Understood,” the elder replied respectfully.

“Any noteworthy individuals among the top ten?” the youth asked casually.

“Three require special attention,” the elder said.

“The first is Dongbo, ranked first. According to our intelligence, he has cultivated for only 2,300 years yet claimed the top spot. He is also a Material World Lord,” the elder explained. “He warrants careful treatment.”

“A Material World Lord?” The youth nodded. “Interesting. And so young—barely over two millennia. He might even grasp a First Grade Divine Heart within ten thousand years.”

Achieving a First Grade Divine Heart in such a timeframe is second only to awakening a First Grade True Intent as a mortal. Those who do so are often taken as personal disciples by mighty figures!

“And the other two?” the youth asked.

“The ninth-ranked is the Seventh Plum Rain,” the elder continued. “According to the steward’s report from the lord, she is actually the seventh daughter of the Mo Xue Emperor.”

“The Mo Xue Emperor’s daughter? Impressive,” the youth remarked.

“The last is the second-ranked Drunken Lone Wanderer. He is the personal disciple of ‘Duke Yu,'” the elder said.

“Duke Yu?”

The youth turned, surprised. “Duke Yu is a mighty figure! That Drunken Lone Wanderer has trained for over twenty thousand years and still isn’t a Realm God, yet he’s Duke Yu’s personal disciple?”

“Indeed,” the elder confirmed. “This information was only revealed after he secured second place and the Divine Court disclosed it. Duke Yu seems fond of him, accepting him as a personal disciple.”

“Drunken Lone Wanderer?” The youth mused. “Clearly a title. A personal disciple of Duke Yu… intriguing.”

Disciples of mighty figures vary in status.

Outer disciples or guardian disciples? Too common, barely worth mentioning—some never even receive a single lesson from their master.

Inner disciples? Better, at least they receive guidance.

But personal disciples—these are the ones truly cherished, nurtured like children. Mighty figures are exceedingly cautious in selecting them. In the brutal conflicts of the Divine Realm, outer and inner disciples die all the time—such is the nature of battle. But no one dares casually kill a personal disciple, for doing so would provoke a mighty figure’s wrath!

Personal disciples are exceedingly rare; a mighty figure might only accept a handful in their lifetime.

“Interesting. An Hai Domain is bound to become livelier,” the black-robed youth said with a smile.

“Indeed. The Seventh Plum Rain will likely return to the Mo Xue Empire, but Dongbo and the Drunken Lone Wanderer, once they grow stronger, will likely be assigned by the Divine Court to serve in their home regions—probably in high positions within our domain,” the elder noted.

“Both have immense potential. It’d be best if they align with us. Arrange their invitations promptly,” the youth commanded.

“At once.”

The youth returned his gaze to the three beasts in the pit. “An Hai Domain… grows ever more fascinating.”

Though the An Hai Lord’s power is absolute, commanding universal respect, even he cannot act with complete impunity. This is the territory of the Bloodblade Divine Court, the Emperor’s domain—no one truly has free rein.

Even a low-ranking legion soldier cannot be slain without consequence.

No matter how powerful the An Hai Lord is, he cannot kill indiscriminately. Other powerful figures share authority, and while the lord may not care for political struggles, the Second Young Master—a mere First Heaven Realm God—cares deeply. The greater his influence, the freer and more indulgent his life.

—

**Dongbo Xueying’s Abode**

Since the revelation that he had cultivated for only 2,300 years, the number of Realm Gods visiting Dongbo Xueying had skyrocketed. Previously, his top ranking suggested he would likely become a First Heaven Realm God with ease, possibly a Second Heaven Realm God in time—impressive, but not enough to warrant such attention.

But now…

Everyone realized his youth meant his future achievements might far exceed expectations. He would likely hold a high position in An Hai Domain, and many Realm Gods would one day answer to him. Naturally, they sought to curry favor now, while he was still relatively weak, knowing gifts would mean little once he ascended to true power.

“Tsk, tsk. Not only are Realm Gods visiting, but even the Second Young Master of An Hai has sent an invitation,” remarked Emperor Zi Lei admiringly.

Dongbo Xueying examined the black invitation in his hand, its divine script forming the characters “Long Clan.”

“I heard the Second Young Master invites the top ten of the Ten Thousand Flowers Feast every time,” Dongbo Xueying said with a smile. “The Realm God who delivered this mentioned I can bring up to two guests. Who wants to come?”

The gathered Xia Clan ancestors all shook their heads.

“No, no.”

“Only two spots? Not worth the trouble.”

“Take Jingqiu. We’ll sit this one out.”

Dongbo Xueying chuckled and turned to his wife. “Jingqiu, will you go?”

“Of course,” Yu Jingqiu replied softly. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

—

The next day, a lavish black chariot pulled by nine multi-legged beasts descended before Dongbo Xueying’s abode. Ten armored legion soldiers stood guard, while a green-robed driver stepped forward and announced respectfully, “Lord Dongbo, we are here to escort you to the banquet.”

The gates opened, revealing Dongbo Xueying and Yu Jingqiu side by side.

Dongbo Xueying marveled at the chariot—each beast was far more valuable than a Molou Beast, and the chariot itself surpassed even the Flying Cloud Lake Young Master’s in opulence. And this was merely a transport for guests. The Second Young Master’s extravagance was indeed extraordinary.

“Thank you for your trouble. Let’s go.”

With that, Dongbo Xueying and Yu Jingqiu boarded the chariot. The ten soldiers flanked them as the driver urged the beasts forward, and the chariot soared into the sky.