Swallowed Star 2: Origin Continent-Chapter 275 : Rainlan City

Chapter 275: Rainlan City

Inside the main hall of the flying boat.

“The space of the Jiugang Holy Realm is really stable. With my comprehension of the Space Path, I can hardly even fly here.” Di Fu barely managed to stabilize his physical body and had already begun to feel the unique qualities of the Jiugang Holy Realm.

Emperor Qing smiled. “Countless low-rank Primordial Lifeforms live in the Jiugang Holy Realm, along with powerful beings from billions of worlds. When they fight, the power unleashed is unimaginable. Of course, the Jiugang Holy Realm must be extremely stable—otherwise, it couldn’t withstand such battles.”

Luo Feng nodded.

Even the Source World had to impose power restrictions to preserve its stability.

“The nine rivers that encircle this realm like chains must also serve to reinforce the world’s stability,” Luo Feng thought, beginning to understand the deeper meaning of the nine rivers.

“Yes,” Emperor Qing said with a smile, “the world is so stable that even if one’s mastery of the Space Path reaches the Half-Primordial Level, one can only perform extremely short-distance teleportation. This flying boat of mine can only move steadily.”

“It’s already quite fast,” Luo Feng praised.

Among his five avatars, each had different talents—some were adept at traveling—but even his fastest one could only reach about thirty to forty percent of Emperor Qing’s flying speed.

An eye opened at Luo Feng’s brow—it was the secret technique Bionic Eye of Life and Death. On the Origin Continent, he had long studied the Star Tower and frequently used the Eye of Life and Death, gaining deep insight into both.

Most of Luo Feng’s secret arts were created based on the profound secret patterns of the Star Tower. As for secret arts derived from the Eye of Life and Death, he had only one—this Bionic Eye of Life and Death—and it continued to evolve over time.

Buzz—

With the Bionic Eye of Life and Death at his brow, Luo Feng’s perception ability wasn’t strong enough to transcend confinement, but it was still top-tier among God Emperors.

“Hm?” Luo Feng caught sight of something far away—a faint cyan, translucent creature blended into the void, hidden in the distance. The illusory creature was staring at the approaching flying boat with hostility.

“Brother Di Qing, be careful. There’s a low-rank Primordial Lifeform lying in ambush ahead,” Luo Feng warned.

Emperor Qing looked at Luo Feng in surprise, then smiled. “Brother Luo He, your detection ability is impressive. I walk the Space Path and, with the help of my treasure, barely detected that faraway low-rank Primordial Lifeform—the ‘Qingyan Beast’.”

The flying boat, though moving at a steady speed, suddenly accelerated by more than fifty percent when nearing the Qingyan Beast, quickly leaving it behind. The creature couldn’t even react in time.

“Not many low-rank Primordial Lifeforms can match the speed of this flying boat,” Emperor Qing said. “But this early stage of our journey is the easy part. The middle stretch—when we cross over the rivers—will be much more dangerous.”

——

Two days later.

The flying boat had fully merged with the void, becoming part of it, as it glided over an unimaginably vast river.

Even viewed from the endless Primordial Space, the nine rivers appeared immense, sealing the entire world. Their true width was staggering—it took half a day to fly across, even at the flying boat’s speed.

Luo Feng observed using his Bionic Eye of Life and Death.

“Brother Luo He, how many low-rank Primordial Lifeforms can you spot?” Emperor Qing asked from the side.

“Three,” Luo Feng replied, a simple regional map appearing before him. “Far up in the sky, there’s a flying creature hidden in the wind. Another one is disguised as a cloud cluster. And there—just above the water—another lifeform is coiled.”

“Impressive.”

Emperor Qing was astonished. “I only found two, yet you discovered three. Your detection method surpasses mine.”

Luo Feng sighed inwardly. If he had brought the Eye of Life and Death, his perception ability would have increased a thousandfold. But that treasure was forbidden to leave the Infinite Space Treasury—bringing it outside the Source World might attract something truly terrifying.

Whoosh.

The flying boat moved cautiously, remaining hidden in the void while maintaining a safe distance from the low-rank Primordial Lifeforms.

“Low-rank Primordial Lifeforms mainly live within the Nine Rivers—only there is enough energy to sustain them. Even when they leave the rivers, they never stray far, so they can return quickly,” Emperor Qing said calmly as he watched outside. “Those that linger in the skies above the rivers are usually just taking chances, hoping to encounter cultivators.”

“Other than travelers like us, few dare to cross above the rivers,” he added with a laugh. “You can rest assured—those low-rank Primordial Lifeforms waiting in the skies are relatively weak.”

“The truly powerful ones don’t move often,” Emperor Qing continued. “But once they do, they usually infiltrate regions where cultivators dwell—that’s where the real hunting happens.”

“What about their strength?” Emperor Ming asked from the side.

“Even though we call them ‘low-rank Primordial Lifeforms,’ they are still Primordial Lifeforms,” Emperor Qing explained. “They are born beyond the confines of the Caged World. Their weakness lies only in their failure to unlock their full potential.”

“Their strength typically lies within the God Emperor realm,” he said, glancing at Emperor Ming. “Even the weakest among them is somewhat stronger than you. Though not very intelligent, their vitality and physical resilience are terrifying… To kill even the weakest of them, one must at least be an early-stage God Emperor Seeker.” 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Among cultivators with Primordial Bloodlines, one had to reach mid-stage God Emperor strength to match an early-stage Seeker.

“In the Jiugang Holy Realm, that early-stage God Emperor Seeker level is the basic threshold for joining any hunting teams,” Emperor Qing said. “Without that, no team will take you.”

Emperor Ming and Di Fu exchanged uneasy glances.

Luo Feng also felt some pressure. His fusion technique of the Eight Branches of Life and Death only barely met that threshold. The Ultimate Realm techniques of the Path of Life and Death were what defined a true early-stage God Emperor Seeker.

And true early-stage Seekers could unleash power equivalent to mid-stage God Emperors with a single move.

“Fortunately, I have five avatars, each a lifeform of early-stage God Emperor level with unique talents. If all five coordinate properly… I might be able to match an early-stage Seeker.”

“I’m still too weak. I might not even qualify to join a hunting team,” Luo Feng thought, feeling a bit hollow inside.

Without the Eye of Life and Death or the Star Tower, his strength had indeed fallen drastically.

Whoosh.

Over the vast river expanse, the flying boat continued forward, hidden in the void, keeping its distance from the Primordial Lifeforms. Only once did one of them glimpse its form, but the flying boat quickly escaped with superior speed.

——

The Sacred Mountain lay at the center of the Jiugang Holy Realm, so traveling from there to Rainlan City required crossing two rivers.

During that journey, Luo Feng witnessed Emperor Qing’s true power. His mastery of the Space Path, as he piloted the flying boat, far surpassed Luo Feng’s Ultimate Realm mastery of the Path of Life and Death.

“Brother Di Qing, have you reached mid-stage God Emperor?” Luo Feng asked telepathically. Since they were about to become partners, he naturally wanted to gauge his companion’s strength.

If the gap was too large, there’d be no point in joining forces.

“Mid-stage God Emperor Seeker? That’s not so easy,” Emperor Qing replied telepathically. “I became an early-stage God Emperor back on the Origin Continent. After coming to the Jiugang Holy Realm, I’ve had many opportunities and made progress—but I’ve only half-stepped into the mid-stage. I’ve grasped a few mid-stage secret techniques, but it’ll still take time to truly reach that realm.”

Luo Feng understood.

Emperor Qing had comprehended a few mid-stage God Emperor secret arts, and with the help of treasures, his actual combat power was even higher.

As for Luo Feng, his strength was still far behind.

“When we reach Rainlan City, we won’t rush into hunting,” Emperor Qing said with a smile. “We’ll first strengthen ourselves using the city’s resources—purchase the right materials and treasures. Only when we’re fully prepared will we start.”

The two conversed telepathically, keeping Emperor Ming and Di Fu unaware.

“We’re almost there,” Emperor Qing said, gazing ahead. “Rainlan City!”

As soon as his words fell—

The flying boat flashed through the air, and in the distance, a massive fortress-like city came into view.

Luo Feng, Emperor Ming, and Di Fu all looked carefully.

It was a colossal city resembling a fortress, its skies protected by layers upon layers of colorful formation arrays, firmly shielding Rainlan City.

“What a terrifying formation,” Luo Feng said from afar, sensing the immense, unshakable pressure.

“The thirty-five cities of the Jiugang Holy Realm were all built at great cost. Each city’s defensive methods represent different cultivation systems. Multiple systems work together to guard this city,” Emperor Qing explained, shaking his head slightly. “But low-rank Primordial Lifeforms are beings beyond confinement—their talents are too strange. Even with numerous systems of defense, it’s impossible to block every kind.”

“Occasionally, one sneaks into Rainlan City and kills cultivators inside,” he added.

Di Fu and Emperor Ming’s faces grew solemn.

“Such cases are one in a million,” Emperor Qing said. “Only the rarest kinds can infiltrate Rainlan City.”

As he spoke, the flying boat approached a towering city gate.

Buzz!

When it neared, a wave of energy descended upon the vessel.

Inside the boat, a projection appeared—a bearded man in blue robes. He looked at Luo Feng and his two companions before smiling at Emperor Qing. “Di Qing, you’ve brought three companions this time? And several dozen new cultivators as well?”

Emperor Qing nodded with a smile.

“The same rules apply in all thirty-five cities of the Jiugang Holy Realm,” the blue-robed man said with a friendly smile. “First, upon entering the city, one must rent a cave dwelling within three days, or be expelled. Second, every cultivator must pay a fee of one Primordial Crystal per era to maintain the city’s protection. Failure to pay for one era means expulsion as well. Third, within the city, private killing among cultivators is forbidden—violators will be executed.”

“For first-time entrants, we’ll need to record your identities.” The blue-robed man looked at the three.

“My name is Luo Feng,” Luo Feng said with a smile.

Emperor Qing and the others already knew that Luo Feng had multiple names—“Galaxy,” “Luo He,” and “Luo Feng.”

“My name is Emperor Ming.”

“My name is Di Fu.”

At the same time, the blue-robed man sent out his thoughts, registering the information of the cultivators in the back of the ship.

“They’ll stay in my cave dwelling,” Emperor Qing said with a smile. “I’ll pay their residence fees in advance for one hundred eras.” He handed over three hundred Primordial Crystals as he spoke.

The blue-robed man nodded. “Very well. Luo Feng, Emperor Ming, Di Fu—your address will be at Emperor Qing’s cave dwelling.”

Soon, all the procedures were completed, and Emperor Qing temporarily stowed away the flying boat.

Whoosh.

Leading Luo Feng and the others, he flew through the city.

“So many cultivators,” Luo Feng murmured in awe. Everywhere he looked, countless cave dwellings filled the city, and cultivators frequently took to the air—millions of them. Their appearances and auras were all different, clearly belonging to numerous cultivation systems.

“I’m already among the weakest here,” Di Fu said, feeling conflicted. He finally understood why so many Monarchs and Emperors preferred to stay in their fading home realms—they knew that out here, they were at the very bottom.

In the Dark Holy Realm, even the Ancestors of the Two Kingdoms were considered unremarkable.

“The so-called three rules—especially the last one, ‘no private killing’—don’t trust it too much,” Emperor Qing said coldly as he looked down at the sprawling city below. “Rainlan City is self-governed by cultivators. To punish someone, you must first have undeniable proof.”

“And among so many cultivation systems, some killing methods are extremely mysterious. It’s impossible to find the true culprit,” he continued.

Luo Feng nodded.

He himself could easily send an avatar in disguise to strike down an enemy without leaving a trace.

“If the culprit can’t be identified, the case naturally ends unresolved,” Emperor Qing said, turning to Di Fu and Emperor Ming. “The safest way for the weak in Rainlan City… is to appear as poor as possible.”

“Poor?” Emperor Ming and Di Fu looked at each other in thought.

“The rules are there—but without temptation, no one will risk breaking them,” Emperor Qing said. “If you show off treasures while being weak, your death is near. But if you look poor enough, you’ll be safe. Get used to it quickly.”

They nodded quietly.

While they spoke, Emperor Qing, Luo Feng, Emperor Ming, and Di Fu arrived in the city’s inner district.

“Up ahead is my cave dwelling,” Emperor Qing said calmly. “I’ll allocate a bit of its energy access to the two of you—enough for slow cultivation. The rest will be split evenly between Luo He and me.”

Emperor Ming and Di Fu obediently agreed—it was generous enough that they were allowed to stay and receive even a small portion of the energy.

“Brother Luo He,” Emperor Qing looked at Luo Feng, “this cave dwelling costs one hundred Primordial Crystals per era. I’ll cover the first thousand eras. After that, we’ll split it evenly. Of course, you may choose to rent your own cave dwelling if you wish.”