The sea of blood boiled over, and clusters of dark crimson clouds descended from the heavens, draping themselves like swaddling cloth over the five Bone Islands participating in the competition for supremacy.
The five islands—Despair, Destruction, Darkness, Corrosion, and Chaos—were enveloped by these clouds, forming a membrane of dark crimson that sealed them completely. This membrane rippled with intensely turbulent energy fluctuations, as if agitated by the roar emanating from the depths of the blood sea.
Shi Yan focused his gaze, a look of astonishment dawning in his eyes.
That dark crimson membrane, composed of some unknown material, seemed like a peculiar kind of barrier, yet subtly different; it felt substantial, not merely an aggregation of power.
“That is the membrane of the Black-Armored Horned Dragon. The membrane is infused with a special power, forming a defensive marvel. The Black-Armored Horned Dragon is a formidable creature of the ancient Celestial Demon Race. Their flesh membranes are incredibly tough and the most suitable material for engraving formations. Back when the Bloodthirsty lineage was at its apex, they collected the rarest materials in the universe; this particular Horned Dragon membrane was actually presented voluntarily by a member of the Celestial Demon Race.”
Seeing his curiosity, Xuan He smiled casually and explained the intricacies.
“Don’t underestimate this membrane. In those days, all eight of us, the Grandmasters, had our insights into the profound principles imprinted upon them. Those membranes originally formed a barrier outside the forbidden grounds to prevent attacks from the God Race. Unless one reaches the Second or Third Heaven of the Immortal Realm, tearing through this membrane is an impossible feat.”
The Second or Third Heaven of the Immortal Realm...
A strange light flickered in Shi Yan’s eyes. He looked deeply at Xuan He and inquired, “What is your current realm, and that of Philalet and Minghao? How many Immortals remain in the current Star River?”
The Immortal Realm was the known pinnacle of power for him. Achieving it meant reaching the apex. Across the vast and boundless Star Sea, those who broke through this threshold remained exceedingly rare. To date, he had only seen the Sacred Beast Azure Dragon and Xuan He himself ascend to Immortality.
As for the God Race’s Starfire, the Nether Emperor Clan’s Jilata, and the Celestial Water Palace’s Lena, they were all merely at the Great Perfection of the Prime God stage—pseudo-immortals.
“Philalet and I are at the Second Heaven of the Immortal Realm. As for Minghao... perhaps the Second Heaven, or maybe he has already reached the Third Heaven of the Immortal Realm. Minghao’s true body has been hidden for years, and even his soul rarely manifests. If not for the sudden changes in the forbidden grounds this time, his soul might not have descended. Without seeing his main body and primary soul, I cannot confirm his true cultivation realm.”
Xuan He looked downward, explaining earnestly.
“On the God Race side, the Divine Lord... was in the Third Heaven of the Immortal Realm back then. To utterly destroy the Master, he shattered his physical body and severely wounded his soul, even scattering the fused origin power. The Divine Lord has not appeared for many years, suggesting his grave injuries have not healed. It’s truly unclear what level he currently occupies, but the Four Heavenly Kings under the Divine Lord have always maintained a realm comparable to ours; they are currently also at the Second Heaven of the Immortal Realm.”
“The Celestial Demon Race’s Sacred Beast Azure Dragon is also only at the Second Heaven of the Immortal Realm, but since you obtained the Primal Fruit and brought about changes in the Divine Grace Continent, he might seize this opportunity to ascend to the Third Heaven.”
“As for the Nether Emperor Clan...”
As he spoke, the struggle for Grandmaster status below, across the five islands of Despair, Destruction, Darkness, Chaos, and Corrosion, officially commenced. To vie for the title, the inheritors of the eight Bloodthirsty lineages had already unleashed their Void Realms and Prime Realms, generating fields of profound intent.
The wondrous barrier formed by the Black-Armored Horned Dragon membrane had been subtly manipulated by the three of them, enveloping each island. This trapped the martial artists competing within, allowing them to exit but not re-enter; leaving meant forfeiting. The last one remaining on the island would be the ultimate victor, the new Grandmaster.
“What’s the situation with the Nether Emperor Clan?” Shi Yan raised an eyebrow, surprised.
Xuan He stopped abruptly when mentioning the Nether Emperor Clan, his face turning awkward as he spoke evasively.
“The current matriarch of the Nether Emperor Clan is a female named Adela. She is Minghao’s full sister. Back then, that woman and I... had some complications. Audrey is her daughter, born later with someone else—a mere ordinary noble within the Nether Emperor Clan, not worth mentioning. However, Adela’s cultivation is not weak; she is at the Second Heaven of the Immortal Realm. Within the clan, there should be two others at the First Heaven of the Immortal Realm. Including Minghao, the Nether Emperor Clan is not to be underestimated.” Xuan He hesitated, explaining with a dry chuckle.
Shi Yan’s expression suddenly became peculiar.
Though Xuan He stammered, Shi Yan could discern from his demeanor that there must have been a significant history between him and Adela.
It was clear that Xuan He had abandoned his feelings for Adela, leading her to resentfully unite with another ordinary Nether Emperor noble. Perhaps the conflict between Xuan He and Minghao was also tied to this matter; Xuan He’s hesitation revealed his guilt.
He looked deeply at Xuan He and secretly nodded, smiling faintly, “Senior must have been quite the rake in his youth.”
Xuan He’s appearance was eccentric, his aura elegantly sinister; he must have been highly attractive to women in his youth. Coupled with his early success as the Grandmaster of Death, his life must have been spectacular, never lacking beautiful companions. Adela, as a princess of the Nether Emperor Clan, would naturally have been proud and high-spirited. After Xuan He stirred her heart and they shared a period of deep, tender intimacy, she would hardly tolerate his continued dalliances, likely wishing for his singular devotion. Yet, Xuan He, being naturally unrestrained and a habitual philanderer, perhaps couldn't bear Adela’s restraint, choosing instead to discard the exquisite flower that was Adela and embrace the entire garden...
A thought flashed through his mind, and Shi Yan’s gaze seemed to pierce through the river of time, catching a glimpse of the truth. His smile grew even more strange.
Xuan He coughed lightly and chuckled sheepishly, “In those days, I truly was... quite dissolute. This earned me enemies everywhere. If the Master hadn't passed the Death Profound Principle to me, I probably would have been chased to death long ago.”
“Senior is formidable,” Shi Yan praised sincerely.
“You’re not bad either,” Xuan He said with a dashing smile. “I’ve observed you secretly for years; your conduct in these matters bears a strong resemblance to my younger self. However, you possess sentimentality and cannot remain untouched by any beauty, so your realm is naturally inferior to mine. Back then, I was never short of stunning women, and they were never permanent. The name Xuan He held a unique significance in the hearts of women across various races during that era, hehe.”
He grinned shamelessly, reminiscing about those years with an air of pride.
“Senior is indeed formidable; nearly perishing after being hunted because of his romantic entanglements. This junior truly admires that,” Shi Yan remarked, his eyes showing a bizarre light.
“Ahem, ahem.” Xuan He’s old face flushed crimson. He waved a hand dismissively, “Let’s drop that topic and return to the previous one. Besides us, the God Race, Celestial Demon Race, and Nether Emperor Clan, the current leaders of the Myriad Illusions Sect, Shattered Hall, and Celestial Water Palace have also attained Immortality. However, they broke through in the last ten thousand years, so their realms are slightly lower, only the First Heaven of the Immortal Realm. Beyond them is the President of the Vast Current Merchant Guild. This fellow’s origins are mysterious and deeply hidden; he must be an Immortal, but I cannot confirm the specific level.”
Xuan He frowned deeply. “That sums it up. In the vast Star Sea, those who manage to break through to Immortality are all first-rate powerhouses.”
He looked down toward the Island of Despair, focusing on Yang Qingdi, his eyes gleaming brightly. “Your great-grandfather possesses immense potential to reach Immortality. He should rightfully claim the title of Grandmaster of Despair. In certain aspects, he is strikingly similar to Senluo, as if carved from the same mold.”
At this point, Xuan He paused, letting out a soft sigh. “Where did you find Senluo’s remains?”
Shi Yan knew he had guessed it long ago and did not conceal the truth. “In the turbulent void flow.”
“As expected.” Xuan He nodded. “He insisted on venturing into the void fissures to find the Master’s remains, and he never returned. I suspected he might have perished within. Even though his profound principles were powerful and exquisite, he did not cultivate the principles of Space. Alas...”
Xuan He suddenly fell silent.
Shi Yan lowered his head, gazing deeply at the Island of Despair below. At this moment, the other three individuals who had reached the Third Heaven of the Void God Realm, having failed to gain any advantage against Baku, had successively departed the Island of Despair.
Yang Qingdi had not engaged in battle, remaining still in a corner, squinting as he surveyed the distance. He was waiting for someone to approach him actively. However, those three cultivators at the peak of the Void God Realm had initially targeted Baku. They had also sensed the strange fluctuations around him earlier and avoided provoking him.
Now that the three had left, only he and Baku remained on the island.
He sat motionless. Baku, wielding the sharp artifact that had just forced the three peak Void Gods away, had the Prime Realm above his head transforming into a dark, ashen cloud, moving directly towards Yang Qingdi.
Within that murky gray cloud resided a desolate and cold resonance of withered despair. Deep within the ash, it seemed a cold, silent Heart of Despair was circulating, allowing no perception of hope or tenacity for survival—only the desire to rapidly plummet into endless misery.
The artistic intent churned and surged within the Prime Realm, rolling forward to engulf Yang Qingdi.
Shi Yan’s gaze sharpened. He looked deeply below, his eyes showing astonishment.
Within the surging gray clouds, Yang Qingdi’s eyes burst forth with crimson blood-light. The light, like a dazzling rainbow, pierced through layers of the ash. It was also the Profound Principle of Despair, but within Yang Qingdi’s domain of artistic intent, Despair was tempered with a thread of the hope for survival.
That hope, persisting unextinguished within the despair, acted like an endless karmic fire, actually incinerating the ash cloud surging from Baku, transforming it into drifting mist that dissipated into the air.
The fire of surviving hope shooting forth from Yang Qingdi’s despair was not overwhelmingly fierce, yet it contained infinite strength, seeming as if it could never be extinguished, continually burning and leaping.
Brilliant light flashed in Xuan He’s eyes. He secretly nodded, genuinely praising, “The Despair Profound Principle your great-grandfather comprehends is the true one. Baku’s Despair Profound Principle only embodies hopelessness, desolation, and barrenness. This endless despair is not the true meaning of the principle. The most subtle and terrifying aspect of the Despair Profound Principle is the undying sliver of hope within the hopelessness. That single thread of hope is the most terrifying and potent core of the Despair Profound Principle, the reason it can challenge opponents of higher ranks. Baku has strayed onto a crooked path in the pursuit of the Despair Profound Principle; he is no match for your great-grandfather.”
“Yes, I see it. Baku harbors no hope in his heart, only despair; he cannot truly express the subtlety of the principle. Even though his divine power is purer and more robust, because they cultivate the same fundamental realm, he is vastly inferior on the level of profound principles and is certain to lose,” Shi Yan concluded definitively.
He could sense that Yang Qingdi’s Despair Profound Principle and strength were constantly ascending due to the infusion of Senluo’s essence.
In the battle with Baku, both Yang Qingdi’s principles and power were being forged as if by a hammer; his realm was clearly undergoing transformation. Unless Baku could instantly kill him, if the fight dragged on, Baku would inevitably be defeated.