Chapter 220: Farewell, Black Dragon

“You decide for yourself; I won’t force you,” Palace Master Chen nodded.

Dongbo Xueying hesitated slightly before saying, “Palace Master Chen, the divine war weapon I carry with me isn’t essential to me. Even without it, my own strength is enough to protect my life. May I temporarily lend this divine war weapon to my junior apprentice sister Jingqiu?”

“No, no need at all,” Palace Master Chen laughed heartily. “I don’t even know how to describe the two of you. If your junior apprentice Jingqiu becomes a demigod in the future, her strength might even rival yours! If you don’t work hard enough, she might even surpass you!”

“Oh?” Dongbo Xueying was surprised. “If I don’t work hard, she could surpass me? Jingqiu…”

He hadn’t noticed that.

Jingqiu, though gifted in cultivation, wasn’t considered exceptionally outstanding.

“She can wield our Xia Clan’s most powerful ancestral artifact once she becomes a demigod!” Palace Master Chen didn’t hide the truth. “At that time, her strength will surpass all demigods and rival that of a god!”

“The most powerful ancestral artifact? Senior Xue?” Dongbo Xueying was greatly astonished. He had previously read about this most powerful ancestral artifact in the secret records of the Xia Clan.

“Mm.” Palace Master Chen nodded. “That’s why one of the protective items I gave her is also a divine war weapon! Although Jingqiu herself doesn’t know it yet.”

Dongbo Xueying breathed a sigh of relief.

That’s great.

Same method—Palace Master Chen had once given him a disguised divine war weapon. Jingqiu had one too.

“Senior Xue?” Dongbo Xueying was amazed.

In the future, with his own true intent, he had the potential to sweep away all demigods and stand at the peak of the entire Xia Clan world! Even rivaling the power of common deities!

As for Jingqiu, she would rely on that most powerful ancestral artifact! With the terrifying might of that artifact… she would be able to dominate an entire era!

“So you’d better work hard, don’t let your woman surpass you, or you’ll lose face,” Palace Master Chen teased.

“No loss of face, no loss of face,” Dongbo Xueying was in a very good mood.

“You should also help her a bit, don’t hinder her cultivation! Although our Xia Clan has secretly provided her with many resources, it’s still extremely difficult to become a demigod,” Palace Master Chen said. “Without becoming a demigod, she won’t be able to use that most powerful ancestral artifact.”

“I understand.”

Dongbo Xueying was completely reassured now. With a divine war weapon secretly protecting Jingqiu, she would no longer be in danger while searching for demon traces outside!

“Palace Master Chen, I’d like to learn about the Black Wind Divine Palace and its master!” Dongbo Xueying suddenly said. Now that he felt his strength was high enough, he naturally wanted to explore this Black Wind Divine Palace.

“The Black Wind Divine Palace?” Palace Master Chen was momentarily taken aback before realizing and exclaimed, “Oh, the one near your Snowstone Castle? I remember that when you were at the Champion rank, you fell into the Black Wind Abyss!”

Dongbo Xueying nodded.

“No wonder you’re curious about it. Are you planning to challenge it?” Palace Master Chen asked.

“I’ll try. I’ve heard that no one has succeeded so far,” Dongbo Xueying said.

“Right,” Palace Master Chen said. “Many champions have tried, from the time the Black Wind Ancestor established the Divine Palace until now, over hundreds of thousands of years, yet no champion has ever succeeded!”

“He’s already dead, and the array he left behind still can’t be broken?” Dongbo Xueying, who hadn’t understood much back then, now realized the immense power of the Black Wind Palace Master! A deceased Xia Clan demigod sorcerer left behind a palace array that had left champions helpless for hundreds of thousands of years.

Palace Master Chen smiled: “It’s a bit shameful, but the Black Wind Ancestor was indeed an extremely powerful demigod sorcerer! If he were alive in this era, he could dominate an entire age, his strength far surpassing that of Mountain Master He. He was highly accomplished in many areas, including spells, arrays, and alchemical puppets. You’ll understand how difficult it is to breach that palace when you try.”

“I’ve seen the records of the Black Wind Ancestor. He only mastered third-tier true intent. How could he be so strong? I carefully read through the records, and some parts seemed to be glossed over?” Dongbo Xueying asked.

“For a sorcerer, even with the same true intent, the power of spells constructed from the subtleties of the rules can vary greatly. The Black Wind Ancestor was an extraordinary sorcerer! Some parts were glossed over because he had some extraordinary experiences. At one time, he reached the peak of power in the world, but couldn’t ascend to godhood. So he did something very reckless, which further enhanced his strength. However, some parts involved Xia Clan secrets, so they were omitted,” Palace Master Chen explained.

“Can’t you tell me?” Dongbo Xueying asked.

“I can’t,” Palace Master Chen replied.

Dongbo Xueying pouted.

He did something reckless?

What exactly was it? Even now, with his status, Palace Master Chen still wouldn’t tell him.

Palace Master Chen smiled: “If you’re going to try, you must be careful! Although the Black Wind Ancestor’s methods were designed not to kill our Xia Clan champions, sometimes the power is too great, and accidental involvement could still cost your life.”

“I know,” Dongbo Xueying was very relaxed.

First, the Black Wind Ancestor had no murderous intent towards the Xia Clan champions. Second, he had his ‘Illusory Realm’! He didn’t believe that the remnants of a deceased demigod sorcerer could harm him within the Illusory Realm!

“If you succeed and discover any treasures that could greatly benefit our Xia Clan…” Palace Master Chen hesitated for a moment before solemnly saying, “If they aren’t of much use to you personally, you could exchange them with the Xia Clan.”

“Treasures that could greatly benefit the Xia Clan?” Dongbo Xueying was puzzled.

“You’ve mastered second-tier true intent. Even if you don’t succeed this time, you still have a good chance in the future as your cultivation level increases further,” Palace Master Chen said. “Once you break through the Black Wind Divine Palace, you’ll understand. According to what I know, the treasures within the Black Wind Divine Palace must be extraordinary! If it weren’t for the possible self-destructive measures that might be triggered by forceful acquisition, the previous two Emperors would have already taken them.”

“Mm.” Dongbo Xueying became even more curious.

Palace Master Chen was being vague.

What exactly was in the Black Wind Divine Palace?

…

After parting with Palace Master Chen, Dongbo Xueying went to the Water Source Hermitage and purchased various miscellaneous treasures worth nearly twenty thousand contribution points, preparing them for his parents, younger brother, Uncle Zong, Uncle Tong, and other younger generations of the family.

As for weapons and battle armor?

Semi-divine artifacts were of little help to Dongbo Xueying’s strength; the difference between mid-tier and top-tier semi-divine artifacts was negligible to him. Moreover, the ‘Starstone Cloudfire Spear’ was a weapon particularly suited to him because it was a weapon without magical runes. Why were other top-tier semi-divine artifacts so powerful? Because they contained many runes that could produce various special effects.

But the Starstone Cloudfire Spear had no magical runes at all! Its power came purely from its material! Thus, it was classified as a mid-tier semi-divine artifact. In the eyes of the Xia Clan, this was considered a very wasteful and extravagant thing. It was said to be left behind by a traveler from another world who had perished here.

Relying solely on its material to be this strong, its composition was more valuable and rare than even top-tier semi-divine artifacts.

‘Ultimate Piercing’, the repulsion of matter, the Starstone Cloudfire Spear was the most suitable! Piercing through those semi-divine artifacts, it could create a hole with every thrust!

…

After the New Year.

Early spring, still very cold, at least in Yishui City, the ground was still covered with snow.

A young couple was flying side by side high in the sky.

“I was once pursued by Xiang Pangyun, fleeing all the way. Of course, the one fleeing was me,” Dongbo Xueying flew with Yu Jingqiu along the route of their previous chase. “Back then, it was really close. If I had fought head-on at Snowstone Mountain, I probably would have died at Xiang Pangyun’s hands. After all, his true identity was a rare beast-type monster.”

“Look, that’s Black Wind Cliff,” Dongbo Xueying and Yu Jingqiu flew toward Black Wind Cliff.

“I know, Senior Brother Xueying, you fell down from Black Wind Cliff,” Yu Jingqiu also flew above the Black Wind Abyss, carefully observing. The massive vortex of black winds was several kilometers wide. And this was merely the uppermost and outermost part of the entire Black Wind vortex. The deeper down, the more powerful it became.

“It was also a matter of luck back then,” Dongbo Xueying also looked at the vortex, recalling the life-and-death trial he had experienced here.

It was truly a matter of luck.

If there hadn’t been a crack at the bottom of the valley allowing him to enter the underground hall, he would have starved to death!

“Still, luck alone isn’t enough without strength,” Yu Jingqiu, wearing a thick white robe, said with some concern. “Senior Brother Xueying, be careful this time.”

“Don’t worry, I have a divine war weapon,” Dongbo Xueying laughed. “If you don’t believe in me, at least believe in the divine war weapon.”

“I believe in you,” Yu Jingqiu nodded. “But it’s always better to be cautious.”

As the two conversed,

“You two little ones, chattering above me, why don’t you move away?” Suddenly, a mighty presence approached from below. Within the black winds, a massive figure gradually became visible. Then a huge black dragon’s head emerged, its pair of enormous golden eyes glaring with slight annoyance at the two figures hovering above the vortex.

In the black dragon’s eyes, these were just two ordinary champions.

“Long time no see,” Dongbo Xueying smiled.

“Who are you?” The golden eyes in the dragon’s head were filled with confusion; he couldn’t recall who this young man in black was.

“Do you remember the human youth who fell into the Black Wind Abyss from here fifty years ago?” Dongbo Xueying smiled. Back then, this black dragon had made him feel suffocating fear, but now, with one glance, he could tell this was a powerful alchemical creature at the demigod level.