Chapter 350: Nine Years Later

The Material World, the Divine Realm, the Dark Abyss… nearly every realm is filled with Temples of Time and Space and Blood Blade Taverns!

The Temple of Time and Space allows one to purchase intelligence, request deliveries, or even have the temple transport oneself to a distant location!

The Blood Blade Tavern, on the other hand, specializes in assassination contracts. Its prices are exorbitant, and it has its own set of rules. However, one thing is certain: as long as the price is right, the Grand Tavern Master behind the Blood Blade Tavern—the mighty “Divine Emperor Blood Blade”—might even personally intervene. Even great beings of the Divine Realm are not beyond his willingness to strike down.

But the Blood Blade Tavern’s pricing… can be summed up in one word—steep!

Their operations span countless worlds.

The Great Demon God “Daerhao” is a Second Heaven Great Demon God residing in the Dark Abyss. Yet even within his vast domain, there stands a Temple of Time and Space. As for Blood Blade Taverns, they are numerous beyond count, densely scattered throughout his lands. One reason is simply the sheer size of the Great Demon God’s territory. Another is that the Blood Blade Tavern’s business practically caters to all living beings.

They even conduct business with mortals! Naturally, their numbers are staggering, allowing demons of the Dark Abyss to easily find the nearest Blood Blade Tavern.

The Temples of Time and Space generally cater to deities, so their numbers are relatively far fewer.

“I’ve asked,” said the Great Demon God’s severed head.

“And?” the golden-robed man asked eagerly.

“To inquire about the identity of the one who has become a god, it costs thirty thousand divine crystals. To learn about Dongbo Xueying’s strength, it costs one hundred thousand divine crystals,” the Great Demon God’s severed head replied. “Wu Shen, what do you think? Do you think it’s worth buying these two pieces of intelligence?”

“One hundred thousand divine crystals for Dongbo Xueying’s strength?” The golden-robed man frowned. If some prodigy from another mortal world’s strength was priced this high, he would certainly think it outrageous! Such a price would already make ordinary World Gods cringe. However, Dongbo Xueying is from the Xia Clan’s world. With Hongshi Mountain here, and war looming, Dongbo Xueying’s strength is extremely important—perhaps even a decisive factor. One hundred thousand divine crystals… it just doesn’t seem to fit the Temple of Time and Space’s usual nature.

The Temple of Time and Space is anything but merciful. Could it be that this time, they’ve shown some mercy?

“Could it be that Dongbo Xueying isn’t the one who became a god?” the golden-robed man frowned.

“This intelligence?” the Great Demon God’s severed head asked.

“Buy it! Both of them!” the golden-robed man declared. “Great Demon God, you can cover this small expense, right?”

“Of course,” the Great Demon God nodded.

Though the Great Demon God felt a slight twinge of regret over the cost, this was a critical moment in preparations for war. How could he be stingy with a little divine crystal?

Soon, both pieces of intelligence were obtained.

“I knew it—the Temple of Time and Space lowering their prices must have a reason,” the Great Demon God’s severed head growled angrily. “The Temple’s intelligence is from several years ago, detailing Dongbo Xueying’s strength when he displayed it at the Black and White Divine Mountains. As for what happened after… the Temple says Dongbo Xueying entered Hongshi Mountain and never emerged again. His current strength is unknown.”

“Then who became the god?” the golden-robed man asked urgently.

“A plant lifeform called the Bloodvine Flower!” the Great Demon God’s severed head replied.

“A plant lifeform becoming a god in the Xia Clan’s world?” the golden-robed man nodded slightly. “This plant lifeform is likely something Dongbo Xueying obtained and sent out from within Hongshi Mountain. As for Dongbo Xueying himself, he hasn’t appeared. Whether he is alive or dead remains unknown!”

“Mm.” The Great Demon God also looked troubled.

They didn’t care much about the Bloodvine Flower. After all, while the plant might have a powerful body, its understanding of the profound mysteries of the Dao would be limited. When the war broke out, in the face of their armies… a single Bloodvine Flower would be powerless to resist!

“What was Dongbo Xueying’s exact strength at the Black and White Divine Mountains?” the golden-robed man asked.

“According to the Temple of Time and Space’s intelligence,” the Great Demon God’s severed head projection spoke, “Dongbo Xueying mastered three second-tier true meanings—Void Projection, Starlight, and Extreme Point Penetration—and had reached the peak of the Second Heaven at that time.”

“He also mastered a secret technique! It was precisely because of this secret technique that he could match the Lord You Lan,” the Great Demon God’s severed head projection continued.

“Ah,” the golden-robed man nodded slightly, visibly relieved. “Good. Being able to comprehend a secret technique, Dongbo Xueying is indeed impressive as the most gifted transcendent in the Xia Clan’s history. However, his cultivation stage was only at the peak of the Second Heaven. Cultivation advancement must be achieved step by step, with no shortcuts. He entered Hongshi Mountain only four years ago. Now, he might not even have reached the Third Heaven yet, let alone becoming a god!”

“True,” the Great Demon God’s severed head projection nodded.

Although there are time-acceleration zones within Hongshi Mountain,

They were well aware that when it came to comprehending the Dao of Heaven and Earth, time-acceleration zones actually had a negative effect. Only in areas with normal time flow could one perceive the Dao naturally and clearly.

Only four years?

What kind of progress could he have made?

“Although we spent some divine crystals this time, it’s still good to have clarified the situation,” the golden-robed man smiled slightly.

“Shall we ask the Temple of Time and Space to investigate the Xia Clan’s full strength?” the Great Demon God’s severed head asked.

“No! If we are to purchase this intelligence, we’ll do so only at the last moment before the war breaks out,” the golden-robed man shook his head. “Moreover, I estimate that this intelligence will be extremely, extremely expensive. We might not even be able to afford it.”

If one could know the enemy’s every hidden strength before the war,

It would make things much easier.

The Temple of Time and Space would surely charge an exorbitant price for such information.

“Never mind. The fact that Dongbo Xueying hasn’t become a god is already the best news,” the golden-robed man said. “Based on his cultivation level four years ago, he’s still far from becoming a god. We can proceed step by step, in an orderly fashion. When the time comes, we will crush them with overwhelming might.”

The Great Demon God’s severed head projection also agreed: “Proceed step by step, as planned.”

“It won’t be long now before the war begins,” the golden-robed man said eagerly.

There were very few who could make them feel uneasy.

The one from the Earth Temple was one. Dongbo Xueying was another.

As for the others? Even if the Xia Clan were to produce a divine being, it would only be a minor obstacle for them.

…

Time passed.

The Xia Clan continued its great migration, preparing for the impending war.

Nine years passed in the blink of an eye.

…

Hongshi Mountain.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Chen Jiu and the green-haired woman, Xi Wei, flew side by side, piercing through the world’s membrane and entering a higher space. Then they continued upward.

Through soil and earth, through empty void, through layers of clouds and mist, they finally arrived at the Hongchen Isle.

On Hongchen Isle,

“Chen Jiu,” the Master of Meishan beamed with joy.

“Brother Meishan,” Chen Jiu smiled as well.

“Congratulations! You’ve also successfully made it here,” the Master of Meishan said sincerely. After all, it had been difficult for them. Originally, among the five team leaders who came this time, having even one succeed would have been considered lucky. Having two would have been extraordinary. But with Dongbo Xueying, the Xia Clan’s native transcendent, they had three!

“It was only through madness and desperation that I managed to breakthrough the final bottleneck and grasp the ‘Divine Heart of Solitude’,” Chen Jiu said.

“Solitude?” the Master of Meishan nodded. “Your mastery of the Solitude True Meaning has always surpassed mine. After all, you were the one who developed the Eight-Arm technique. Your understanding of the Solitude True Meaning is already extremely profound. Grasping the Divine Heart of Solitude is no surprise.”

Chen Jiu smiled as well.

Success had truly allowed him to soar to the heavens!

“By the way, where is Dongbo?” Chen Jiu asked eagerly. He and Dongbo Xueying had the closest relationship among all the top newcomers who had entered.

“Just now, I saw him on the Path of Heart Inquiry,” the Master of Meishan replied.

“I’ll take you there,” Xi Wei smiled beside them.

Soon, they arrived at the side of the Path of Heart Inquiry.

On the Path of Heart Inquiry,

Dongbo Xueying, clad in white, was walking step by step with great difficulty. However, he had already walked very far, his figure becoming small in the distance. Yet each step became increasingly arduous.

“Dongbo is truly remarkable. He has already conquered the first trial and is now advancing through the second,” praised the Master of Meishan. “Having broken free from the Voodoo curse, coupled with the superior cultivation environment of Hongshi Mountain far beyond the mortal realm, and tempered by the Ten-Thousand Calamity Primordial Body to nourish his soul, his progress has been astonishingly swift. Though my own cultivation has soared in recent years, every duel with him ends the same—utterly overwhelmed, swept aside without resistance.”

Just as he finished speaking,

Whoosh!

Far away on the stone steps, Dongbo Xueying fell, tumbling down and crashing onto the lake’s surface below. With a loud splash, he plunged into the water. Moments later, he burst forth from the lake, soaring into the air. As he flew upward, he caught sight of Chen Jiu, the Master of Meishan, Xi Wei, and the others.

“Hahahaha!” Dongbo Xueying laughed heartily. Leaving behind an afterimage in midair, he had already arrived beside Chen Jiu and the others.

“Dongbo,” Chen Jiu’s face lit up with a bright smile.

“Brother Chen Jiu, congratulations,” Dongbo Xueying was genuinely happy to see his friend. He knew exactly what burdens Chen Jiu carried. Becoming a Guardian Disciple meant that both the Flying Sword Manor and Chen Jiu himself would finally see the end of hardship and the beginning of reward.