The second stage of the King’s Body Realm is all about the Five Orifice Divine Techniques. Once you step into it, you gain Thousand-Mile Eye and Downwind Ear.

This stage doesn’t have high requirements for comprehending the world or the workings of a Domain.

But the third stage was much more difficult.

According to the information Gu Zheng had learned from Xu Jianzhu, the third stage of the King’s Body Realm was called "Seeking Truth."

Seeking Truth, Seeking Truth—seeking one’s True Body!

How to seek it, how to achieve it—there was no pre-existing path. One had to rely on their own enlightenment.

Breaking through from the second stage to the third also required enlightenment.

Mindless contemplation, of course, wouldn’t work.

According to Xu Jianzhu, one had to use treasures that contained the Rules of Heaven and Earth. By studying them, you could sort out and forge your own path.

For this reason, the Marvels that were born from the Power of Rules after a Domain was created were of immense help for the later stages of the King’s Body Realm.

The only problem was that, after so many years, the rule structures of most Marvels had long since been fully deciphered.

You had to both find a direction and build up your own foundation.

This made stepping into the third stage of the King’s Body Realm even more difficult.

For Gu Zheng, however, it was a bit simpler. He only needed to find the right direction.

The five hundred thousand Demon Points would just take a little more time to accumulate.

...

He regulated his breathing and brought his amplified senses under control.

A moment later, Gu Zheng had easily sorted through the chaotic jumble of sounds, auras, and energy signatures.

Just then, a telepathic message resounded in his mind.

The message was from his Seal Slave, Xiao Dongxuan.

The Xiao Family’s King’s Body expert had died of old age.

The Xiao Family was now facing assaults and tests from the other Noble Families.

Gu Zheng thought for a moment, then sent a reply.

He then stood up, recalling his Death God Mantis, Blood River Insect, and his false body.

His figure flickered, and he soared into the air, heading straight south.

...

South of Jing Country and north of Yue Country.

At the border between the two countries lay a small mountain range.

On the western side of this range was a towering, thousand-zhang peak that pierced the clouds. Its summit was pitch-black, barren of any vegetation, let alone any birds or beasts.

The Xiao Family’s Ancestral Land was situated on this very summit.

At that moment, inside the Xiao Family’s Ancestral Land, two groups of people faced off on an open, grassy field, less than ten meters apart.

"Xiao Dongxuan, have you made up your mind?"

Xie Manshan’s face was cold as he barked, "Our patience is limited. Will you submit or not? It’s a simple yes or no. If you keep dragging this out, don’t blame us for not giving you a chance."

"As if we need a chance from you," Xiao Dutian sneered.

"Silence, junior!"

Xie Manshui’s gaze was piercingly cold as he glanced at Xiao Dutian. The latter’s vision immediately went black, and he staggered, about to fall backward.

Hmph!

His face pale and lips bloodless, Xiao Duguang let out a low grunt. His Spiritual Power erupted, intercepting Xie Manshui’s assault on Xiao Dutian.

"Xiao Duguang! We let you escape last time. What, still not satisfied? You want to go another round with us?" Xie Manshan’s grim gaze swept over Xiao Duguang.

Just yesterday in Yue Country, the two of them had ganged up on Xiao Duguang, yet in the end, they had still let him get away.

Xie Manshan was still fuming about it.

"Enough."

Xiao Dongxuan’s voice was grave. "Xie Manshan, Xie Manshui, Xie Manxing, and Senior Xie Tianzuo... your Xie Family has brought a large contingent into our Xiao Family’s Ancestral Land today. You’re here for profit, not mutual destruction!"

At his words, the expressions of Xie Manshan, Xie Manshui, and the others grew even colder.

In the next instant, the eyes of both groups shifted almost simultaneously, turning to look at a hundred-zhang-high mountaintop a kilometer away.

On that summit, a long spear wreathed in electric arcs floated in mid-air, occasionally unleashing bursts of Thunder Power.

Opposite the spear stood a middle-aged man with fiery red hair, a gaunt face, and thick, curved eyebrows. His hands were clasped behind his back as he sized up the weapon with great interest.

This spear was none other than the Xiao Family’s Divine Weapon, the Thunder Shock Spear.

The middle-aged man was the Xie Family’s King’s Body expert, Xie Tianyin.

The Thunder Shock Spear was intact and possessed an Artifact Spirit.

An Artifact Spirit controlling a Divine Weapon was generally powerful enough to contend with a first-stage King’s Body expert.

Divine Weapon Power and Domain Power could clash head-on.

But against a second-stage King’s Body expert, a Divine Weapon controlled solely by its Artifact Spirit was no match.

However, the Artifact Spirit could make the Divine Weapon self-destruct!

If a second-stage King’s Body expert were to withstand the blast from a Divine Weapon’s self-destruction, they would be grievously wounded, if not killed outright.

Anyone below the King’s Body Realm would be dead beyond a doubt.

The "mutual destruction" Xiao Dongxuan had mentioned was a direct reference to the Divine Weapon’s self-destruction.

Even though Xie Manshan, Xie Manshui, and the others were clearly stronger, they hadn’t made a move. Instead, they were resorting to verbal pressure, precisely because they were wary of the Divine Weapon self-destructing!

...

"Fine."

Xie Manshan’s expression softened slightly. "It seems you’ve been stalling for time because you called for backup," he said in a low voice. "So, tell us. Who did you call?"

’Backup?’

Xiao Dutian, Xiao Duguang, and the other members of the Xiao family were all stunned. Their gazes shifted to land on Xiao Dongxuan.

’Did he really call for backup?’

Though no one spoke, their eyes conveyed the question.

Xiao Dongxuan remained calm and composed. "In a few more minutes," he said calmly, "you’ll see for yourself."

’Huh?’

’He really called for backup?’

Xiao Dutian, Xiao Duguang, and the rest of the Xiao family were both shocked and overjoyed.

’If it’s backup, they have to be at the King’s Body Realm.’

’Xie Tianyin is over there in a standoff with the Thunder Shock Spear.’

’Anyone less than a King’s Body expert would be useless here.’

"Heh."

Xie Manshui’s gaze was chilling. "So that’s where you get your confidence from, Xiao Dongxuan. Turns out you’ve already sold yourself out. I’m just curious, do the other members of the Xiao Family know they’ve been sold out along with you?"

"That’s right, Xiao Duguang! Be careful the backup you called for at a time like this doesn’t turn from a supporter into a new master who suppresses you all!" Xie Manxing chimed in.

"That’s none of your Xie Family’s business."

Xiao Duguang shot back coldly, "Still trying to sow discord at a time like this? Do you think the members of the Xiao family are all like you?"