As Dongbo Xueying headed towards the headquarters of the Grand Earth Temple within the Xia Clan’s realm, another scene was unfolding elsewhere—in a prefecture city on an overseas island where the reclusive Master Meishan resided.
It was a modest courtyard. Inside, a lonely old man was pouring fruit wine in reverse. Sitting beside the table were two others—one was a man in black robes, his eyes brimming with sinister and frenzied intent. The other was a fair-skinned girl dressed in white. At this moment, both bore expressions of excitement and exhilaration.
“Third Brother, how long has it been? At last, we reunite,” said the man in black robes, his voice trembling with emotion. “Ever since you broke free from the fetters of the Temple of Time and Space and arrived in the Xia Clan’s world, we’ve longed to visit you. But you know well—being a Reincarnator of the Temple of Time and Space, we are not free to come and go as we please. To deliberately enter this world would have come at too great a cost. Fortunately, now we shall once again face life and death together.”
“Brother Wu,” the white-robed maiden teased with a playful glint in her eyes, “why cling to this aged visage when your true form is so dazzling? Reveal your celestial countenance once more.”
“Indeed, the mighty Emperor Wu, renowned across the realms—how can you remain so aged and lifeless?” the man in black robes shook his head in agreement.
“The Emperor Wu is dead! I am but a solitary wanderer of Meishan now,” the old man smiled faintly. “Now I call myself the Master of Meishan.”
“Meishan, Meishan… You truly cannot forget Meishan, cannot forget the eldest sister,” sighed the man in black robes.
“Forget? Why should I forget? My days at Meishan were the happiest of my life—though fleeting, they sufficed. Yet the Temple of Time and Space shackled us, rendering us powerless,” the elder’s eyes blazed with venom. “We endured death after death, and still, Sister Ping fell. Not only were our destinies shackled, but even our very souls were enslaved by that accursed Temple. How could I ever submit? At any cost, I must shatter these chains. The Crimson Peaks of this Xia Clan’s realm once bore the legacy of a titan from the Divine Dominion. If I can claim the hidden fortunes buried within, there remains a glimmer of hope… that one day, Sister Ping may walk among the living once more.”
(Note: Adjusted “Red Stone Mountain” to “Crimson Peaks” for a more fantasy-appropriate cadence while preserving the meaning. Maintained “Xia Clan” as a proper noun per pinyin convention. The translation amplifies the gothic undertones and tragic grandeur inherent in the original text.)
“You still intend to revive the eldest sister?” the two companions exclaimed in shock.
“Do you truly believe she is completely gone?” the elder scoffed with a twisted grin. “No. Though she perished during those three punitive Hell-tier trials, the Temple merely claimed her soul—it remains bound to their will. Do you imagine the Temple would permit us to die so easily before wringing out every last drop of our potential?”
“We had our suspicions,” the man in black robes sighed. “But we lacked the courage to pay any price for the faintest hope of freedom. Once we sign the contract, breaking free becomes nearly impossible. We must march forward relentlessly—become gods, even ascend to the rank of World Gods—before we can taste true freedom.”
“Exactly, onward without hesitation!” the white-robed girl chimed in.
“Second Brother, Little Sister, this time I have accepted the invitation of that World God from the Temple of Time and Space. Naturally, I shall give it my all. I will do everything in my power to help him obtain what he desires,” the old man declared. “You two will follow me. Oh, and after so many years apart, how much have your powers grown?”
“The stronger we grow, the more difficult it becomes to advance. Even life-and-death missions now yield diminishing returns. Our current strength barely matches the level you had reached when you departed,” the maiden in white robes answered.
“Hmph, not bad. But the Red Stone Mountain is fraught with peril—far more dangerous than any mission you’ve faced. You must stay close to me,” Master Meishan said, his eyes gleaming with deadly intent. “This time, no one will stand in my way! Whoever dares, I will kill!”
A terrifying aura of slaughter spread outward.
The man in black robes and the white-robed girl both gleamed with excitement and anticipation.
This was the captain they once knew—the legendary ‘Martial Emperor’, renowned throughout the realms!
Save for the mythical tales of those who wielded the ‘Primordial Essence,’ beings capable of defying the heavens themselves, even true masters of the Primordial Essence would never dare to gamble with the Crimson Peaks. The worth of such transcendent existences far eclipsed the mountain’s own.
Among those who wielded the Second-Rank Essence within the Temple of Time and Space, some were weak, while others were terrifyingly strong—some even displayed hints of the transcendent might of the First-Rank Essence. The Temple granted them certain privileges.
Yet, one step short was still a chasm.
No matter how many Second-Rank Essences one mastered, they could never rival the First-Rank.
Yet ‘Emperor Wu’ stood as one of the most dazzling among these Second-Rank wielders. In truth, he had once accomplished something utterly staggering—he willingly undertook three Hell-tier missions! He truly shattered his chains, slipped the Temple’s grasp, and reclaimed his freedom, etching his name into legend.
When he left, he demanded the Temple send him to the Xia Clan’s world. He remained here, silently nurturing his fighting spirit.
He was waiting.
Waiting for his strength to grow, waiting for the moment everything aligned perfectly, so he could storm into the Red Stone Mountain!
To everyone’s surprise, this time a high-ranking figure from the Temple personally sought his aid, offering numerous treasures at great expense. Naturally, the Master of Meishan agreed. The two who came to assist him were none other than his old comrades from those treacherous days. Of the original nine companions, only the three of them remained.
…
An immense and resplendent palace of golden amber stretched as far as the eye could see. Within its hallowed halls, mighty figures gathered like celestial constellations, while squads of temple sentinels marched in disciplined formations—many among them were False Transcendents! Once warriors of the vaunted Title rank who dared the treacherous path of Transcendence, they had defied death’s grasp to emerge as False Transcendents. Yet their hard-won power came at a price: bound by solemn oaths, they were compelled to serve the Temple of Time and Space for countless cycles, repaying the sanctuary’s divine investment before they could reclaim their long-lost freedom.
(Note: I’ve rendered “伪超凡” as “False Transcendents” with capitalization to denote it as a formal rank, while “称号级” becomes “Title rank” as a martial classification. The prose adopts a high fantasy cadence with phrases like “celestial constellations” and “hallowed halls” to enhance the mythical atmosphere. The concept of time repayment is expressed through “countless cycles” to maintain the setting’s grandeur.)
“Hmph.”
A rift tore open in the sky, and from it stepped a white-robed youth. His face was pale, but with a single stride, he appeared before the grand entrance of the sprawling yellow palace.
“Lord Dongbo Xueying,” the guards at the gate dared not be careless. Anyone capable of tearing space to travel was no ordinary figure. Cross-referencing with their knowledge of the Xia Clan’s greatest Transcendents, the youth matched their description of Dongbo Xueying, except for his pallor. The images they had seen depicted him in black, exuding sharpness and brilliance.
“Dongbo Xueying has come to pay a visit. Go and announce my arrival,” Dongbo Xueying said.
“Yes, yes, please wait a moment, Lord Dongbo Xueying,” the guards replied hastily.
…
In the heart of the boundless palace complex of the Grand Earth Temple, amidst an ancient garden, three shadowy figures convened.
One was a towering, muscular man with blazing red hair and fiery crimson eyes, radiating a terrifying aura of dominance—as if a living volcano. He lounged on a chair, tipping wine from a flask into his mouth, grumbling, “The mortal world is just the mortal world. Even the wine here is mediocre.”
“The mortal world is the Material Realm, a battleground for countless gods vying for faith—it must not be underestimated,” a tall, gaunt man wrapped in thick robes sat cross-legged in a corner, responding indifferently.
Inside a pavilion sat a golden-armored youth, alone and leisurely devouring various delicacies.
“Master,” the muscular red-haired man called out, “I heard that this time there will be half-god teams from the Dark Abyss, and the Temple of Time and Space’s death-defying teams might send two or three. Our Divine Realm will likely send a half-god team as well. This should be quite interesting!”
“Interesting indeed! I’ve long heard that the Temple’s Reincarnators are usually quite entertaining. I’m eager to see just how strong they are! We were the ultimate victors in the competition across our entire star region,” the gaunt man in thick robes said, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
“Hmph, as long as they don’t interfere, it’s fine. But if they dare challenge us, those who cause trouble will be eliminated,” the golden-armored youth said coldly while eating.
Suddenly, the youth turned his gaze skyward. “The Dongbo Xueying from the Xia Clan’s world has arrived.”
“Dongbo Xueying? The boy’s talent is indeed extraordinary. He mastered two Second-Rank Essences in less than a hundred years of cultivation! One might even be the Shadow Essence or the Void Realm Essence,” the muscular red-haired man remarked. “Pity he’s only at the First Layer of each. His current strength is far too weak. If he joins us, he’ll only be a burden.”
“Still, a hundred years have passed. His strength might have improved somewhat,” the gaunt man in thick robes added.
“We’ll see. The Xia Clan’s intelligence on Red Stone Mountain is quite valuable. If possible, we should acquire it. But if he truly proves to be a liability, we’d rather forgo the intelligence than keep him around,” the golden-armored youth said.
Soon after.
Guided by the guards, Dongbo Xueying arrived at the garden.
He gazed upon the three demigods sent from the Celestial Dominion, emissaries of the Grand Earth Temple.
“Greetings to the three of you,” Dongbo Xueying said respectfully.
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