Qi Yuan glanced at Chen Kangbao with utter disgust on his face.
If Chen Kangbao was supposed to be his servant, what did other people's slaves look like and wear? What kind of poise did they carry?
And what about his own?
Comparison really was the thief of joy.
"Sigh, at least I have my white moonlight."
Qi Yuan looked toward the distant corpse of the Saber Demon, a triumphant gleam surfacing in his eyes.
Under [God Descent], combined with Xiao Jia's Share the Same Robe, his combat prowess had reached a terrifying realm.
One could even say that to a certain extent, it surpassed Divine Descent in its prime.
Divine Descent's cultivation level had been higher than Qi Yuan's, but when it came to manipulating divine power, it naturally could not compare to Qi Yuan, who was capable of slaying Yang God Great Ultimate Principles.
"Level 150."
By slaying the Saber Demon, a God-rank weapon wielder, Qi Yuan's level dramatically surged to Level 150.
Converted to this world's standard, that meant he was now a God-rank weapon wielder.
Now, even without borrowing the power of Divine Descent, he was a god in his own right!
Moreover, on the Saber Demon's body, Qi Yuan made a fresh discovery.
"This is..."
Even across a great distance, Qi Yuan's eyes still caught an anomaly on the Saber Demon's body.
[Blood steeped in a dark light spirit. When tainted by this blood, a divine artifact is clouded; its efficacy is now less than one ten-thousandth.]
This information gave Qi Yuan food for thought.
"Was the Saber Demon's blood altered by someone in the past?"
Numerous thoughts welled up in Qi Yuan's mind. Looking at the Saber Demon's severed arm, his suspicion grew firmer.
In all likelihood, back then, in order to deal with Divine Descent, someone had steeped the Saber Demon's blood in a dark light spirit.
When Divine Descent faced the siege of the gods, it had wounded the Saber Demon.
From that moment on, the divine artifact was clouded, and Divine Descent's strength plummeted.
"Hey, you there?" Qi Yuan began consulting the Thorn Blood staff member again.
He took out the Divine Wood Token.
"First of all, my name isn't 'hey.' Second, get to the point if you have business—don't ask 'are you there?'"
"Have you ever heard of a dark light spirit?"
Since he was role-playing Divine Descent, he naturally had to get to the bottom of Divine Descent's cause of death.
"Never heard of it," the other party replied.
Qi Yuan felt a bit disappointed. It seemed he would have to steamroll the Rakshasa Country dungeon before finding out who else had made a move back then.
"However, if I pay a certain price, I might be able to find out what it is," the Thorn Blood staff member added.
"If you help me dig up information on it, I'll remember the favor. When you can no longer get by in the future, come join the Netherworld."
"Heh..."
On the other end, the Thorn Blood staff member sneered.
He pushed open his window and looked out at the hazy world, as though admiring fine scenery.
"Issue a mission: detailed information regarding the dark light spirit, reward 1 point."
As a senior Voidwalker, he possessed the authority to post missions.
Void Paradise's infiltration of this embryonic universe ran deep.
He was even able to read something like the *Qingshan Book*.
Information on other items could easily be obtained with a quick inquiry.
After a few breaths of time, his eyes lit up.
"Found the information on the dark light spirit."
"This item originates from the Radiant Society. Its greatest feature is that it can contaminate divine artifacts, diminishing their divine power..."
"Thanks."
Qi Yuan expressed his thanks as his thoughts whirred.
"The Radiant Society again."
Among the members of the Radiant Society, he had only ever met Fang Shisan, plus one corpse.
Yet along the way, the Radiant Society had been deeply entangled with him.
At the very beginning, when he was Qi Yuan the matrilocal son-in-law, Fang Shisan of the Radiant Society had tried to plot against him and even assassinate him.
Later, when Qi Yuan traveled to Shiwanshanjue, he had seen many corpses in the curious domain that had once forged shards of the curious treasure of light.
There, he had encountered people from the Radiant Society again.
Among them, the three hundred thousand implement masters who had ventured into the curious domain to forge shards of the curious treasure of light were also led by the Radiant Society.
Now, even the demise of Divine Descent seemed to involve the Radiant Society.
This Radiant Society was just like stubborn psoriasis.
"Do you know anything about the Radiant Society?" Qi Yuan asked again like an inquisitive toddler.
The Thorn Blood staff member's gaze narrowed. "According to the *Qingshan Book*, the Qingshan Realm will soon be destroyed.
"This is not merely the fate of the Qingshan Realm; in truth, it is also the ultimate fate of your universe.
"No world, no living being, can escape the ending of destruction.
"Unless... they can achieve transcendence.
"I've said too much. Let's talk about the Radiant Society.
"The world you reside in—or rather, your universe—is about to face destruction.
"The people of the Radiant Society regard themselves as the saviors of this world. They have been constantly striving... to save this world."
"The good guys?" Qi Yuan was astonished.
The good guys had been constantly trying to kill him—did that make him the villain?
He was lawful good! He couldn't even bear to step on an ant; how could he possibly be a villain?
Still, remembering that self-righteous kindness was not true kindness, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"The Radiant Society isn't particularly strong; at most, they are a nuisance. But the one behind them..." At this thought, an expression of awe and terror crept onto the Thorn Blood staff member's face.
That magnificent entity was someone who struck terror into one's very soul at the mere thought of him.
If one uttered his name with malice, referring specifically to him rather than a namesake...
Before one condensed a Divine Domain, that being could wipe one out across an entire universe with a single thought.
Only by condensing a Divine Domain and deepening one's connection to the universe would that entity be unable to slay someone with a mere thought.
Yet if a single thought wasn't enough, wouldn't a single finger suffice?
"Who's behind them?" Qi Yuan felt he knew far too little about the game's lore.
"Dao Lord Yaoguang!" The Thorn Blood staff member trembled as he typed those words.
Dao Lord Yaoguang!
The Lord of a Great Dao!
"Who is he? What realm is he in? Is he strong?" Qi Yuan asked in surprise.
Hearing this, the Thorn Blood staff member became even more certain that Qi Yuan was a native of this world who had never even heard of a Dao Lord.
"Do you know that above God-rank weapon wielders, there is the True God rank, where one condenses a Divine Domain?
"Above True Gods, your world calls them Ancestral Gods.
"In our other universes, however, they are called Yang Gods.
"The Yang God realm has five tiers in total, and the gap between each tier is vaster than the heavens themselves.
"In our Zhou Universe, any Yang God can swallow an entire realm whole.
"With a single yawn, such a magnificent being could kill Divine Descent, the strongest entity in your Qingshan Realm.
"And that is merely the first tier of the Yang God realm.
"As for the experts of higher realms, their strength is even more terrifying.
"The founder of our Void Paradise is the number one powerhouse of the Zhou Universe: the Void Realm Lord!"
This time, the Thorn Blood staff member did not conceal his identity.
After communicating for so many days, as long as the other party wasn't a fool, he would certainly know that he was not merely an operative of Thorn Blood.
"What?! You're from another universe?" Ji Wuyun came online again, an expression of shock across his face.
The Thorn Blood staff member was rendered speechless. Ignoring him, he continued.
"The Void Realm Lord is an expert at the perfection of the third tier of the Yang God realm, the undisputed strongest in our Zhou Universe.
"The Void Realm Lord is capable of cleaving open heaven and earth, creating worlds like the Qingshan Realm, and even conjuring living beings out of nothingness.
"If he were to take action, no one in your embryonic universe could stand against him."
When mentioning the Void Realm Lord, his face brimmed with pride and reverence.
This was the emperor whom all cultivators in the Zhou Universe admired and worshiped.
"A bit strong," Qi Yuan evaluated earnestly.
At the very least, he currently couldn't create a world, nor could he create living beings.
Remodeling them was possible, though.
Having obtained the Void Paradise token last time, he was already privy to a great deal of information.
The third tier of the Yang God realm was divided into the Rule, Myriad Things, and Heaven-Opening Realms.
The Great Ultimate Principles in the Immortal Realm's Sixth Heaven who had comprehended Supreme Ultimate Principles were, in terms of combat power, roughly equivalent to a weak Rule Realm.
The Thorn Blood staff member was already accustomed to Qi Yuan's reactions.
"The Void Realm Lord's realm is something people like us can only gaze up at for our entire lives.
"Yet Dao Lord Yaoguang... is a being of the fifth tier of the Yang God realm! Two tiers higher than the Void Realm Lord, and revered as a Dao Lord!
"A Dao Lord is the master of an entire Dao—the unique, the eternal, the absolute!
"Once one becomes a Dao Lord, one achieves true transcendence. Even if the universe is destroyed, one's body remains intact; even if the universe perishes, one's spirit endures. One can roam the long river of time, traversing the past and the future."
An ancestor in his clan was a Yang God and also a Voidwalker, which was why he knew so many secrets.
Furthermore, to Yang Gods, these matters were hardly secrets at all.
"A Dao Lord is the Lord of a Great Dao.
"There are countless cultivation systems in this world: the Martial Dao, the Shaman Dao, the Poison Spirit Dao, the Demonic Cultivation Dao, and so on.
"When any system reaches its true culmination, advancing until there is nowhere further to go, one can be called a Dao Lord.
"The moment one becomes a Dao Lord, that entire system falls under their dominion, and the universe they inhabit becomes their territory.
"All cultivation done by future cultivators merely weaves a bridal gown for them, and... it is forever impossible to surpass them.
"On every Great Dao, there can be only one Dao Lord!
"Every universe can likewise support the existence of only a single Dao Lord!"
The Thorn Blood staff member shared everything he knew with Qi Yuan.
Of course, his cultivation realm was meager, so his knowledge was neither comprehensive nor without errors.
Nonetheless, most of the core concepts were accurate.
"That really is strong," Qi Yuan remarked.
Back at the Moon Goddess Palace, he had also learned that beings of the fifth tier of the Yang God realm could gather and consolidate all timelines.
Now, he knew even more.
Not only did they consolidate timelines, but they were also the masters of an entire Dao.
Such as the Martial Dao, or the Immortal Dao.
This meant that if a cultivator of the fifth tier of the Yang God realm emerged among immortal cultivators, they would be the one and only fifth-tier Yang God immortal cultivator—the Lord of the Immortal Dao.
In the world of immortal cultivation, no second fifth-tier Yang God immortal cultivator could ever appear.
The life and death of all other immortal cultivators would rest entirely in the hands of this Dao Lord.
He would become both the end and the source of the Immortal Dao.
At this moment, Qi Yuan suddenly remembered that the future of the Immortal Realm's Sixth Heaven had been severed.
Could it be... that some cultivator had glimpsed such a future and severed the Immortal Realm's future with a single sword strike?
The Immortal Realm was vast, likely no smaller than a universe.
To sever the Immortal Realm's future with a single sword strike, that person was probably at least an expert of the Heaven-Opening Realm.
"It's fine to offend the Radiant Society, but do not offend Dao Lord Yaoguang behind them.
"Then again... you probably won't ever have the chance to offend Dao Lord Yaoguang anyway," the Thorn Blood staff member said smugly.
He was gloating, as if saying: *Well, country bumpkin, frog in a well, do you realize how vast the world outside truly is now?*
Yet immediately after, a hint of disappointment washed over him.
Before stepping into the Yang God realm, these people looking at Dao Lord Yaoguang were like frogs in a well looking at the moon in the sky. But once one stepped into the Yang God realm, looking at Dao Lord Yaoguang was like a mayfly looking upon the vast azure heavens.
Without reaching the Yang God realm, one couldn't even begin to imagine how powerful a Dao Lord was.
"I have a question," Qi Yuan asked curiously. "The third tier of the Yang God realm is Realm Lord, and the fifth tier is Dao Lord. What about the fourth tier?"
Dao Lord Yaoguang was strong, countless times stronger than the one from Taihuang Palace, but so what if he was strong?
As long as he had a health bar, Qi Yuan could slowly hack him to death!
"This..." The Thorn Blood staff member froze, not expecting Qi Yuan to ask such a thing. "Regarding the fourth tier of the Yang God realm, it is a taboo. Even in our Zhou Universe, very few people know what kind of existence the fourth tier actually is.
"According to ancient records, ordinary third-tier Yang Gods do not know what kind of existence the fourth tier is either.
"In all likelihood, only peak Heaven-Opening experts like the Void Realm Lord and fifth-tier Yang Gods like Dao Lord Yaoguang know about the fourth tier."
"The fourth tier of the Yang God realm is that mysterious?" Qi Yuan was astonished.
People knew about the fifth tier, yet nobody knew about the fourth tier. That was truly bizarre.
"According to some great beings, the fourth tier of the Yang God realm cannot be spoken of, cannot be named, and cannot be perceived. Otherwise, a tremendous catastrophe will descend."
"Thank you, docent," Qi Yuan thanked him earnestly.
Not only did he now know more of the game's lore, but he also had a clearer understanding of the cultivation hierarchy.
*The Immortal Dao probably doesn't have a Dao Lord. Otherwise, if he yawned... wouldn't I just drop dead?*
*Wait, am I even practicing the Immortal Dao?*
*Right, what I cultivate is Schrödinger's immortal!*
If there was a Dao Lord, then he was cultivating a fake immortal path.
If there wasn't a Dao Lord, then he was cultivating the true Immortal Dao, and he would work hard to become its Dao Lord.
*Why am I, a Purple Mansion cultivator and a God-rank weapon wielder, pondering all this?*
*I'd better slaughter these two-bit white moonlights here first!*
Yes, after hearing the grand title of Dao Lord, Qi Yuan felt more and more that the God-rank weapon wielders of Rakshasa Country were mere two-bit punks.
In the eyes of existences like Dao Lords, Divine Descent's revival and his current antics probably appeared comical and trivial.
They didn't count for anything at all!
Even so, Qi Yuan remained true to his original intent.
As an actor, he had to uphold professional ethics.
...
The Royal Capital.
Inside the grand palace hall, Prince Dingyuan stood rooted to the spot, unmoving as a mountain, yet his expression was exceedingly tense.
"The Saber Demon is dead... The Saber Demon actually died, slain by a single sword strike!"
Upon learning this news, he was terrified, but also immensely relieved.
Fortunately, he hadn't let curiosity drive him to Linhai City to investigate whether Divine Descent had truly revived.
Otherwise, the one dead would have been him.
Currently, there were four people in the grand hall, all of them God-rank weapon wielders. At this moment, every one of them wore an unsightly expression.
"The Saber Demon was slain by a single sword strike. It seems... It has returned," an old man rasped in a hoarse voice.
His face was shockingly pale—paler than someone who had been dead for over ten days.
"It has actually revived, and... its strength is nearly comparable to its prime!" another God-rank weapon wielder said with a grave expression.
Thoughts of retreat rose in his mind; he desperately wanted to flee.
Yet he also understood that fleeing alone would only get him killed faster. Staying together with the other God-rank weapon wielders offered safety in numbers.
"Even if we join forces, I fear we still won't be its match," Prince Dingyuan said, full of worry. "It was clearly dead, shattered into pieces! How could it possibly revive?!"
He was genuinely terrified!
After all, back then, if Divine Descent had hardened its heart and decided to do something more after wiping out the Blood Cloud Bandits, he might very well have perished.
He also marveled at his own recklessness for having lingered in Dingbo Province for so long.
"Now is not the time to debate how It revived. We should consider... how to eliminate It!
"If we cannot kill It, all of us will die.
"The everlasting, immortal empire we built with our own hands will also be buried by Its hand!" the pale-faced old man spat unwillingly.
Right at that moment, a majestic voice echoed from behind the beaded curtain.
"A hundred years ago, Our failure to cross blades with It was truly a great regret in Our heart.
"This time, We shall suppress and slay him with Our own hands!"
Hearing this voice, the God-rank weapon wielders present showed varying expressions.
His Majesty... was actually going to make a move personally?
...
Where on earth did he get such confidence and courage?
These people knew this emperor best of all. A hundred years ago, let alone fighting Divine Descent, he hadn't even dared to watch the battle, terrified of becoming collateral damage.
Over the years, although he had grown stronger and was even praised as having become infinitely close to Divine Descent in its prime...
Even so, given his timid and suspicious nature, he shouldn't dare to strike against Divine Descent so casually!
That was Divine Descent!
Chapter 532