Time drags on.
A black Flying Boat has already commenced its return journey, flying towards Yulan City.
In the front hall of the Flying Boat, Emperor Qing steers the vessel, observing and sensing everything in all directions. Luo Feng sits beside him, the Biomimetic Eye of Destruction on his brow open, surveying the vast expanse surrounding them, while also feeling somewhat wistful.
“It’s been over seven centuries since I arrived at Yulan City, and this is the third hunting expedition with Emperor Qing. Yet my ‘Life and Death Dao’ has still not broken through to the early stages of Divine Emperor,” Luo Feng sighs inwardly.
Seven centuries—a truly long time.
On the Land of Origin, it took Luo Feng just five centuries to grow from an eternal true god capable of killing Di Yuan.
“In the paths of Life and Destruction, I made small efforts in Cultivation and managed to reach the early stages of True God. But to merge the two… proves far more difficult.” Luo Feng shakes his head gently. Despite consuming some Cultivation aiding treasures, studying vast amounts of low-level Primordial Life materials with the Eye of Life and Death, and with the assistance of treasures like the Undying Heart, the Eye of Life and Death, and the Star Tower, his Cultivation could be described as advancing by leaps and bounds.
Yet the Life and Death Dao is too vast.
“Brother Luo Feng, I originally thought that by the third hunting expedition, after my breakthrough to the middle stages of Divine Emperor, my strength would be comparable to yours,” Emperor Qing says from aside, his emotions still quite stirred, remarking, “Who would have thought that in this short time, your strength has taken yet another significant stride!”
“It’s merely the creation of a Physical Body Method,” says Luo Feng.
“That Physical Body Method of yours is truly terrifying,” exclaims Emperor Qing. “Having just reached the middle stages of the Divine Emperor, I thought by joining forces with you, I could never have imagined, we would be able to kill a low-level Primordial Life at the middle stage of Divine Emperor.”
Luo Feng smiles.
Indeed.
During the third hunting expedition, they killed seven low-level Primordial Lives at the early stages of Divine Emperor, and one at the middle stage of Divine Emperor.
“Using your Physical Body, you faced the Flame Monster Beast in battle and gained overwhelming advantage. I merely assisted you from formation, and you forcefully killed that middle-stage Divine Emperor-level Flame Monster Beast,” Emperor Qing vividly recalls that scene.
Luo Feng, displaying the powerful Physical Body Method, was cloaked in a layer of blood-colored scales, which granted him terrifying defensive capabilities. The Flame Monster Beast’s ferocious attacks merely caused minor cracks on the surface scales of Luo Feng’s body, which quickly healed.
Yet with each of Luo Feng’s strikes, the Flame Monster Beast would sustain massive injuries. With one hand dragging, the other furiously attacking, coupled with sweeping Blood Waves, the Flame Monster Beast couldn’t even escape.
Emperor Qing merely added to the assault with supportive strikes from his Sword Array, delivering a few fierce final blows to the Flame Monster Beast, which Luo Feng then completely vanquished.
“My Physical Body is only comparable to that of a mid-stage Divine Emperor-level low-level Primordial Life,” Luo Feng says with a smile.
Indeed, just comparable.
It’s because Luo Feng’s methods of killing and self-defense are more mysterious, and with the assistance of two great Secret Treasures, that he could fully suppress that Flame Monster Beast.
“Having a Physical Body that’s nearly the equal of a mid-stage Divine Emperor-level low-level Primordial Life is terrifying enough,” laments Emperor Qing. “Their advantage lies in their Physical Bodies, ours in our realms of power. With your realm, to bring forth such a Physical Body… you could even hunt down a mid-stage Divine Emperor-level low-level Primordial Life on your own.”
“An average middle-stage Divine Emperor-level Hunting Team would at least consist of three cooperative and experienced Divine Emperors in the middle stages along with an Enlightened one, or as many as six or seven,” explains Emperor Qing. “Your current strength is considered very formidable among those at the middle stage of Divine Emperor.”
Emperor Qing’s praise comes with mixed emotions.
He thought he had made a breakthrough, having become a middle-stage Divine Emperor himself. He assumed that this time, he would be entitled to an even split of the Spoils of War.
“About the distribution of the Spoils of War this time, let’s do a seventy-thirty split,” suggests Emperor Qing.
“Weren’t we agreed on fifty-fifty?” asks Luo Feng, looking at him.
That was the agreement when they set out.
At that time, Luo Feng had even borrowed some Primordial Crystals from Emperor Qing to purchase a Secret Treasure Array Map, which was also used to assist this Physical Body.
“I hadn’t expected that you could single-handedly slay a mid-stage Divine Emperor-level low-level Primordial Life,” says Emperor Qing. “I took advantage the last time we divided the spoils, this time no! A seventy-thirty split is enough.”
If it were an eighty-twenty split considering Merit Points, Emperor Qing wouldn’t necessarily be limited to one-fifth.
A thirty percent share feels sufficient to Emperor Qing.
Looking into Emperor Qing’s eyes and understanding his thoughts, Luo Feng nods smilingly, “Fine, then let it be seventy-thirty.”
Having been in Yulan City for over seven centuries, although the Life and Death Dao has never become ‘early-stage Divine Emperor’, Luo Feng has accumulated increasingly deep expertise throughout the Cultivation process, also creating some Secret Techniques for Life and Death integration.
Of which the strongest is based on the Star Tower Blood-colored Scale as a template, further drawing on the profound mysteries of the combat-oriented Undying Heart, and culminating in the creation of this Physical Body Method.
It’s called the ‘Undying Blood Sea Body’! This method stands as the present pinnacle of Luo Feng’s Cultivation path.
Purely with the Physical Body, he is comparable to a mid-stage Divine Emperor-level low-level Primordial Life!
“With just a glimpse into the mysteries of the Star Tower Blood-colored Scale and the Undying Heart, I’ve managed to forge such a method,” Luo Feng is well aware. “Once I make further progress in my realm, this Physical Body Method can continue to be perfected.”
Previous Physical Body Methods relied on the support of the Formless and Intangible transformation.
Now, the cultivation of the Physical Body must be realized through self-enlightenment! The Life Path has always been a subject of thorough study, and Luo Feng’s comprehension proceeds smoothly.
“The speed of Luo Feng’s growth is indeed frightening,” Emperor Qing, as Luo Feng’s teammate, acutely senses his pace of development, “Having been in Yulan City for just seven brief centuries, from initially slightly lagging behind me in strength. Now, amongst the middle-stage Divine Emperor Enlightened Ones, he is considered extremely formidable. If he progresses further, wouldn’t he reach the level of a late-stage Divine Emperor Enlightened One?”
That’s the realm of strength possessed by the Ancestors of the two nations.
“Is this the pinnacle of talent among countless worlds?” Emperor Qing sighs inwardly, shining brilliantly in the Land of Origin, but when compared to the numerous strong beings across countless Source Worlds, he, too, can only be considered ‘one in ten thousand’.
Within a single Reincarnation Era of the Source World, Emperor Qing became a middle-stage Divine Emperor Enlightened One, a feat not to be dismissed lightly. In Yulan City, the number boasting such strength amounts to not more than tens of thousands, among them many old creatures who have cultivated for endless eons.
“In the Nine Rivers Sacred Realm, I am considered one in ten thousand. But this Luo Feng, he is at least one in a hundred million,” ponders Emperor Qing.
…
The black Flying Boat continued its flight.
Emperor Qing, after reaching the Middle Stage of Divine Emperor on the Space Great Dao, also greatly enhanced his ability to perceive the Void.
“Hmm?” Emperor Qing carefully sensed his surroundings, everything seemed normal, with clouds rolling in the distance and dust swirling on the ground.
“We have fallen into a Formation,” Emperor Qing voice transmitted to Luo Feng.
Luo Feng’s expression remained unchanged on the surface, but inside, he grew vigilant.
“I haven’t detected any danger,” Luo Feng’s Biomimetic Eye of Destruction was also observing.
“It’s a very powerful Void technique. The transition through the Void is unnaturally natural, and I only realized it after falling into the Formation. I am turning around now and will flee with all my might,” transmitted Emperor Qing.
The enemy was not rushing to make a move, they were patiently waiting for them to venture deeper into the Formation.
But once turned around and fleeing, the enemy would likely strike immediately.
“Whizz!”
The black Flying Boat suddenly turned around, fleeing rapidly at immense speed.
“Hum.” A vast Formation Diagram phantom appeared around the Flying Boat, covering its surface with a layer of sword light! Wrapped in the sword light, the Flying Boat’s escape speed increased significantly.
“Have they discovered us?”
“They are quite sharp.”
A vast painting emerged from the Void, encompassing an extremely wide area; their black Flying Boat was but a small dot within the enormous painting.
“Enter my Secret Treasure and you still wish to escape?” A cold sneer spread from the Void all around.
“Rip.”
Above the black Flying Boat, suddenly, a pair of hands condensed into form.
The gigantic pair of hands burst forth with the mystery of Life and Death, forcibly tearing a slit in the vast painting, and the black Flying Boat immediately whooshed out of the painting through the gap.
“Hmm?” Five figures stood in different positions, watching the escaping black Flying Boat.
“So it is a few friends from the Deceit Workshop.”
The black Flying Boat disappeared, and Luo Feng and Emperor Qing appeared, quite courteously.
Luo Feng also observed the five silhouettes occupying positions in the distance. Three great raider forces had already attempted to steal his treasures — it was the Insect Nest the first time, and the last encounter was with the Shadow Tower. This time, they met the Deceit Workshop.
He had dealt with all three great raider forces.
“The leader of the Deceit Workshop practices very special cultivation methods, calling himself ‘Deceit Realm Master,’ and his methods are extremely vicious. His subordinates are mostly the same,” Luo Feng had naturally understood some basic information about the Deceit Workshop.
“Emperor Qing, your Sword Array, and the giant hand that just now escaped the painting of the Secret Treasure… It seems that both of you have reached the Middle Stage of Divine Emperor,” observed the five silhouettes looking at Luo Feng and Emperor Qing.
“Gentlemen, shall we do this by the book?” Emperor Qing spoke.
Having escaped the ambush was already proof of their strength.
According to the rules, they would pay a fee as a tribute for the raiders’ efforts.
“Dealing with these two isn’t easy,” a tall figure voice transmitted, “Take a fee and let them go.”
“Emperor Qing and Luo Feng, in the intelligence reports, had always been at the Early Stage of Divine Emperor. Even if they have broken through to the Middle Stage of Divine Emperor, it hasn’t been long since their breakthrough, so their foundation isn’t deep,” a cold man with a blood-colored vertical mark between his eyebrows voice transmitted, “We five, at the Middle Stage of Divine Emperor, have long been coordinated and experienced. Joining hands against them… we have a great chance.”
“The two of them are from the Source World, and even if we eliminate them, they may still have Avatars.”
“Those who come out from the Source World sometimes have some very special treasures. If we can scoop up one, we’ll make a fortune,” the cold man voice transmitted.
At this, the other four were tempted.
Indeed.
Compared to the billions of worlds being farmed, the strong from the Source World received more resources, like Special Life Remnants, Innate Secret Treasures, and even treasures exchanged in the Infinite Space were all very enviable for the strong from the billions of worlds.
Luo Feng and Emperor Qing were extremely vigilant.
“The rules?”
“Outside Yulan City, there are no rules!” The cold man sneered, “Today, both of you must die!”
As the voice dropped.
Black rain appeared, covering a boundlessly vast area around them. Within this vast area, the enormous painting appeared once again, looming over Luo Feng and Emperor Qing once more.
“They want to kill us!” Emperor Qing’s face changed drastically, his eyes also filled with madness.
With raiders, not everyone followed the rules.
And once the rules were disregarded, it was the naked law of the jungle!
“Emperor Qing, I’ll take on four, you take on one!” Luo Feng’s eyes were filled with a cold killing intent.