Swallowed Star 2: Land of Origin

Under the gaze of the onlookers on the walls of Yulan City and guards at the East City Gate, the black-haired man Luo Feng took only a few steps before he entered the East City Gate and met up with Emperor Qing who was already there.

"Brother Luo Feng, you won, you overwhelmingly won!" Emperor Qing was even more excited than Luo Feng, "In the presence of numerous cultivators, your direct power completely suppressed Elder Tian He! This battle, I believe, will spread throughout the entire Yulan City within a day."

Luo Feng simply smiled.

If it was a clash in the wilderness, intelligence organizations might still need to confirm the authenticity of the encounter.

But this time, the clash occurred outside the East City Gate, watched by hundreds of thousands—the authenticity of this battle is unquestionable!

"It seems I've stepped on Elder Tian He to make my name known throughout Yulan City," Luo Feng thought, which was also part of his plan. Already possessing Elder Level strength, yet still painstakingly hunting for resources, would be too pitiful.

Moreover, the Elder Hunting Area is uncontrollable in terms of risk! Without further breakthroughs in strength, Luo Feng had no intention of continuing to hunt.

"Let's go, let's deal with the spoils of war."

Controlling the Void Netherworld Pupil Ship, Luo Feng and Emperor Qing quickly left the East City Gate, heading directly for the Primordial Hall in the Inner City.

The scene of the Void Netherworld Pupil Ship flying away was also under the watch of hundreds of thousands of onlookers.

"Impressive."

"That giant fluffy claw must be a formidable secret treasure. With this secret treasure, Elder Tian He was completely defeated!"

"Relying on the power of the secret treasure alone, in terms of realm accumulation, he is probably not as good as Elder Tian He."

"Elder Tian He's 'Eternal Night Nightingale Body', I heard, requires exchanging a high-level Primordial Life Bloodline, which is worth much more than many secret treasures. Without the Eternal Night Nightingale Body, Elder Tian He wouldn't qualify to make Luo Feng Divine Emperor use that secret treasure claw."

"Divine Emperor Luo Feng faced his enemy empty-handed all along, only using the secret treasure claw in the end."

"Elder Tian He did not show all his strength; his avatar in the Dark Sacred Realm is where his strongest power lies."

There were also debates among cultivators.

Elder Level beings, already on the top echelons in Yulan City, are subjects of admiration for many weaker cultivators; their battles are meticulously studied by many cultivators over long years.

...

A cave mansion in the Inner City.

Kumo's master 'Yu Yong' resides here.

"Elder Tian He lost to Luo Feng Divine Emperor in a battle?" Living in the Inner City, Yu Yong couldn't get to the East City Gate in time to watch the battle, so he had to purchase the detailed battle scene from the intelligence organization.

Given the sheer number of onlookers, the information was sold very cheaply.

"This giant claw defeated Elder Tian He in one move?" After watching the entire battle, Yu Yong's heart trembled a bit, "If it had been me facing Luo Feng back then, I probably would have been torn apart by that claw immediately."

He neither had an avatar, nor did he have a foundation as deep as Elder Tian He.

Elder Tian He managed to escape from Luo Feng's hands; he, however, would not have had that capacity.

"The path of cultivation is tremendously dangerous."

"One wrong move can lose the whole game!"

Yu Yong was very cautious.

After arriving at the Nine Rivers Sacred Realm, he preferred to be slower and more cautious, not willing to take too many risks. But Kumo joined the Deceit Workshop, constantly plundered, and used the workshop's resources to reach the mid-stage Divine Emperor level, almost catching up to his master Yu Yong.

"Haste makes waste; taking it slowly might let one go further." Yu Yong felt a sensation of perfection in the vast bloodline within him at that moment, "My Primordial Bloodline is inferior to Elder Tian He's. But after being continuously sculpted and tapping into the potential over long years, I finally reached the Half Primordial Level."

He reached the Half Primordial Level in just a few decades.

Always researching various secret techniques to exploit bloodline talents. But upon hearing about the battle between Luo Feng and Elder Tian He, Yu Yong suddenly had the idea to head to the Dark Sacred Realm.

"Reached the Half Primordial Level, want to break out of the cage? Opportunities in the Dark Sacred Realm are the most abundant."

"Such dazzling talents like Luo Feng are many, and it's difficult for them to break out of the cage. I'm much weaker in talent; if I don't strive hard now, then I'll have even less hope."

Deep longing shone in Yu Yong's eyes.

Before the chance to break out of the cage, he was willing to risk everything. Because on the path to growth, he had far too many regrets.

"Sigh."

On the day Luo Feng's name spread throughout Yulan City, Yu Yong, a Half Primordial Level Bloodline Cultivator, quietly piloted the Flying Boat alone away from Yulan City, preparing to go through the Holy Mountain teleport to the Dark Sacred Realm.

******

Yu Yong piloted the Flying Boat away from the Inner City.

Luo Feng and Emperor Qing, however, piloted the Void Netherworld Pupil Ship, came to the Inner City, heading straight for Primordial Hall.

"Hmm?"

When Luo Feng and Emperor Qing arrived at the first floor of the Primordial Hall, they found that the heads of all thirteen shops there had unexpectedly all gathered, eagerly welcoming Luo Feng.

"We've seen Divine Emperor Luo Feng."

"We have all heard the news that Divine Emperor Luo Feng defeated Elder Tian He." These heads were all very enthusiastic. If they previously interacted with Luo Feng as peers, now they showed a few more bits of respect.

They all worked for major powers and naturally showed more respect to beings at the Elder Level.

Luo Feng looked at the thirteen heads before him and said with a smile, "Everyone is quite well-informed."

These thirteen powers monopolizing the business of buying low-level Primordial Life corpses at Primordial Hall, in terms of background and capabilities, are certainly not inferior to forces like the Insect Nest, Shadow Tower, or other plundering powers.

After all, in terms of 'earning resources,' theft and plunder can never compete with monopolizing the trade of Primordial Life Materials.

"Luo Feng Divine Emperor has returned from this hunt, I presume there are some Spoils of War?" asked his old friend Bu You with a smile.

"Indeed, there are some." Luo Feng nodded, "Let's see, what price can you offer?"

As he spoke, Luo Feng displayed the Spoils of War.

A Late Stage Divine Emperor Blood Demon Elysi, fifteen Frost Soul Watchers, and several Early Stage Divine Emperor prey. Luo Feng also displayed the potent venom of the Blood Demon Elysi.

"A Late Stage Divine Emperor Blood Demon Elysi? What a treasure!" one manager after another exclaimed with fiery eyes.

For Cultivators who use poison, the corpse of Blood Demon Elysi is treasure all around.

"For the corpse of the Blood Demon Elysi plus the Merit Points and that potent venom, I can give one hundred and sixty million Primordial Crystals," his old friend Bu You immediately quoted a very sincere price.

"One hundred and sixty-five million Primordial Crystals." A higher bid came instantly.

"I am willing to offer one hundred and eighty million Primordial Crystals!" A rock giantess bid, shocking the other managers around, as this price would not only yield no profit but also incur some losses.

The rock giantess smiled at Luo Feng: "My 'Elder Xingyi' sends his regards to Luo Feng Divine Emperor."

"Elder Xingyi?" Luo Feng understood, acknowledging the friendly gesture from the other party.

Elder Xingyi.

Proficient in life healing and also skilled in various potent poisons! A fearsome Elder within the top twenty ranks of Yulan City, whose strength and position are comparable to the master of Deceit Workshop.

A Late Stage Divine Emperor Blood Demon Elysi, in the hands of Elder Xingyi, a supremely skilled poison user, one hundred and eighty million Primordial Crystals is not at a loss.

These Elders, ranking within the top twenty, are all unfathomably deep, almost approaching the level of the three Hall Masters.

Elder Xingyi, who practices dual paths, just like the master of Deceit Workshop, has also reached Late Stage Divine Emperor in both paths, and they have even developed powerful combined Secret Techniques! This brings their strength close to the three Hall Masters.

Because these Elders are almost all strong figures of the Source World with Avatars, they mostly rely on mutual interest and cannot be coerced.

Even the three great Hall Masters cannot coerce individuals like the master of Deceit Workshop or Elder Xingyi.

"Elder Xingyi is quite courteous towards me," thought Luo Feng.

"Please thank Elder Xingyi for me," Luo Feng said with a smile.

Finally, after fervent bidding from thirteen managers, the price of these Spoils of War turned out to be much higher than expected, selling for 395 million Primordial Crystals.

Luo Feng and Emperor Qing then left the Primordial Hall together.

"Who does business like this, willingly incurring losses to make a purchase?" Emperor Qing couldn't believe it. The prices for Low Level Primordial Life Corpses are quite transparent, and variance shouldn't be this large; yet this time it was several million higher than estimated.

Not only investing the profit but even incurring losses.

"Just this once," Luo Feng said, "It's the Elders behind them trying to make nice, which is why they're willing not to make a profit. Next time I hunt... that will be a normal transaction."

"Here's your share," Luo Feng handed a bag of Primordial Crystals to Emperor Qing.

Emperor Qing glanced at it. It contained a whopping 39.5 million Primordial Crystals.

This made Emperor Qing somewhat emotional; partnering with a formidable being and merely getting a tenth share amounted to a high sum.

He, a Mid-stage Divine Emperor Cultivator, typically had to team up with several peers on his level to stand a chance of killing a 'Mid-stage Divine Emperor Low Level Primordial Life'. During this process, various dangers could also arise.

A failure, with the Avatar dying in battle, could even result in loss of carried treasures. Hunting was a gamble with potential gains and losses.

Accumulating 39.5 million Primordial Crystals was not easy.

"This is our last time teaming up," said Emperor Qing, holding the bag of Primordial Crystals with a smile, "and it allowed me to earn a tidy sum. For a long time, I won't need to worry about resources."

In order to make a breakthrough to Mid-stage Divine Emperor, he had exhausted his savings. This time, however, he managed to regain a significant amount.

"I won't be hunting for a while either. Next time I go hunting, shall I take you along to see the sights?" Luo Feng smiled, indicating a fundamental breakthrough in his strength was anticipated in his next hunt.

"No, no, that wouldn't be necessary. I'd only hold you back. I'd rather not go," Emperor Qing immediately declined.

"Haha..." Luo Feng laughed, "I'll go check out other merchants first."

"All right," Emperor Qing nodded, then asked, "By the way, are you changing your Cave mansion? With your strength, Brother Luo Feng, staying in mines doesn't quite fit."

That was the Cave mansion Emperor Qing rented during his Early Stage Divine Emperor, Luo Feng's strength still residing there, even sharing it! Indeed, it no longer matched his status.

Luo Feng nodded: "I do plan to change to a different cave mansion."

The energy supply in Emperor Qing's mansion was insufficient; Luo Feng's absorption of energy was already inadequate. Moving forward as his power advanced further, the demand for energy would only increase.

Emperor Qing nodded.

They would inevitably part ways eventually.

"When the time comes, I will reserve a section of my mansion for you, Emperor Ming, and Di Fu. Would you like to live together?" Luo Feng offered.

Emperor Qing smiled: "Of course! Who would refuse to live with an Elder?"

Luo Feng nodded and then flew away.

Emperor Qing watched his departing figure.

"Such is the path of Cultivation," thought Emperor Qing, "There are gatherings and partings!"

Different talents tread different paths.

Perhaps they become companions for a phase of the journey, but ultimately, paths diverge.

"At least Brother Luo Feng and I were once companions, walking a segment of the Cultivation path together." Emperor Qing smiled, turned, and also left.