Swallowed Star 2: Origin Continent-Chapter 286 : Emperor Qing’s Complicated Feelings

Chapter 286: Emperor Qing’s Complicated Feelings

Luo Feng looked at the Infinite Space Treasury, where even more information about various treasures was displayed.

“I don’t have absolute confidence. I’m still only at the God Emperor Realm, yet my mental will has already leapt beyond the cage,” Luo Feng thought. “So the more than 250,000 Reward Points might very well be all the Reward Points I will ever have.”

“I must reserve enough Reward Points so that when I reach the Half-Primordial Level in the future, I can use them then.”

Luo Feng pondered carefully.

Right now, his realm was still relatively low. He did not yet know exactly what he would need most in order to break out of the Caged World. When he eventually reached the Half-Primordial Level, exchanging treasures then would be most appropriate.

“I’ll just buy one relatively cheap item.”

With a sweep of his gaze across the cheaper treasures, Luo Feng instantly locked onto a target.

“Exchange for the secret treasure ‘Heart of Immortality’.”

Luo Feng immediately completed the exchange.

The secret treasure Heart of Immortality could not be damaged, possessed endless vitality, and could enhance the physical body. It could also condense an additional powerful battle body. It was suitable for cultivation of the Origin Path of Life and the Origin Path of Destruction.

Price: 43,000 Reward Points.

Among all secret treasures costing under 100,000 Reward Points, this was the only one suitable for both the Life and Destruction paths.

The secret treasure weapons sold in Rainlan City were generally forged by God Emperors. Even if they were Complete God Emperor–level treasures, once Luo Feng himself reached the Half-Primordial Level, his realm might surpass that of their creators. At that point, such treasures would provide negligible assistance.

But the secret treasures in the Infinite Space Treasury, judging by their characteristics, were all forged by existences who had already broken out of the cage.

After the exchange, Luo Feng’s Reward Points in Infinite Space dropped to 211,093.03 points. According to Luo Feng’s cultivation plan, he intended to wait until reaching the Half-Primordial Level before making further exchanges.

---

On the Origin Continent, inside the City Lord’s Mansion of Huyang City, within a quiet chamber, inside the Star Tower.

The ancestors of the two ancient kingdoms would usually construct special secluded cultivation sites. Luo Feng, however, had no need—because the interior of the Star Tower was already the safest place.

“Heart of Immortality.”

Luo Feng sat cross-legged, looking at the cyan pearl in his hand.

The Eye of Life and Death at his forehead opened. Immediately, he saw the endless mysterious secret patterns contained within the cyan pearl. They were vast and profound, no less than those of special lifeform remnants. Within them, he faintly perceived a drop of blazing hot blood. All the mysteries of the secret patterns originated from that drop of blood.

“This pearl should have been forged with a drop of blood as its core.”

“Judging from its profundity, that drop of blood should belong to a World-level Primordial Lifeform. That’s why this pearl possesses endless vitality and cannot be damaged.”

A power originating from a World-level Primordial Lifeform—at the God Emperor Realm, calling it “endless vitality” and “indestructible” was entirely reasonable.

“This Heart of Immortality alone will be enough for me to study until I break out of the cage.”

Luo Feng was very satisfied.

Within the Infinite Space Treasury, the two secret treasures most suitable for him—the Eye of Life and Death and the Heart of Immortality—had both already been exchanged. Of course, there were also some auxiliary cultivation treasures.

For example, there was a sapling. Planting it and cultivating beneath it would cause flashes of insight to appear constantly—one day there would equal a thousand or even ten thousand days of ordinary cultivation. Occasionally, one could even enter sudden enlightenment.

There was also a Book of Wisdom, which could analyze all things and study the Origin Paths on its own, assisting cultivation. It was even far more powerful than the Eye of Life and Death.

Luo Feng only discovered these items after his Reward Points exceeded 250,000.

“Treasures are limitless, but Reward Points are limited. I must know how to use my Reward Points more effectively.”

Luo Feng remained calm.

“Heart of Immortality, Eye of Life and Death, Star Tower… from low to high… I can also better understand how Life and Destruction combine.”

First understand how to combine them—only afterward could he comprehend how to fuse them.

With a flip of his hand, Luo Feng took out a Primordial Crystal. After consuming one, he began studying the densely packed low-rank Primordial Lifeform materials.

---

Using the Eye of Life, these low-rank Primordial Lifeform materials held no more secrets before Luo Feng. They were completely seen through. Among the Early-Stage God Emperor low-rank Primordial Lifeforms of the Jiugang Holy Realm, Luo Feng possessed at least ninety percent of their varieties.

With such a vast number of types, Luo Feng glimpsed countless possibilities within the Life and Destruction paths.

“Life and Destruction actually have such vast branches?”

Even Luo Feng was somewhat shocked. He even felt a trace of confusion.

He once possessed boundless ambition.

He once had firm resolve.

He wanted to encompass all the mysteries of Life and Destruction, integrating them into his own Path of Life and Death.

But when he truly saw this enormous ocean of mysteries—interwoven complexities, many of them even completely contradictory—Luo Feng felt slightly bewildered and hesitant.

To encompass them all and perfectly fuse them into a single path…

Was that even possible?

Could he really achieve it?

“The more you understand, the more you realize how high and vast the heavens truly are.”

Luo Feng smiled.

“That’s what makes it interesting.”

His eyes burned with passion.

“This path is infinitely long! That means I can keep advancing, keep climbing higher!”

“Then step forward one step at a time.”

“Walk along the path of continuously becoming stronger. The process of becoming stronger is also fascinating.”

In an instant, Luo Feng’s heart settled.

Food had to be eaten bite by bite to digest properly.

Thus Luo Feng began carefully studying the materials one by one, meticulously analyzing them. He classified the secret pattern mysteries and gradually absorbed those suitable for his own path.

---

In the 105th Era after returning to the Origin Continent, Luo Feng’s Life path, following the route of pursuing massive lifeforms, naturally reached the Early-Stage God Emperor.

By the 139th Era, his Destruction path, following the route of pursuing ultimate destruction, also reached the Early-Stage God Emperor.

After both Life and Destruction reached the Early-Stage God Emperor, Luo Feng slowed down his progress on those two paths and focused entirely on the fusion of Life and Destruction.

Because for him, cultivating the Life and Destruction paths was merely providing the fundamental nourishment for the Path of Life and Death.

Thus the directions of Life and Destruction had to be decided according to the needs of the Life-and-Death Path.

“If reaching Early-Stage God Emperor with Life or Destruction alone has a difficulty of 1, then achieving Early-Stage God Emperor in the fusion of Life and Destruction has a difficulty of at least 10.”

Luo Feng deeply felt the hardship of the fusion process.

His Path of Life and Death at the Ultimate Divine King level had been formed by the fusion of nine branches. That was the seed.

If the seed was strong, the tree that grew from it would naturally be taller and more majestic.

Before he realized it, 269 Eras had passed. Luo Feng still faced numerous confusions in the Life-and-Death Path and had yet to reach Early-Stage God Emperor in that path.

At that time, Emperor Qing began inviting Luo Feng for another hunt.

---

“Hunting? I need a bit of preparation time. Within one era, I can set off.”

This was Luo Feng’s reply to Emperor Qing.

Emperor Qing naturally had no objections.

Just because he himself could go hunting after coming out of seclusion didn’t mean Luo Feng was equally prepared.

Leaving within one era was already quite fast for Luo Feng.

“Whoosh.”

On the Origin Continent, Luo Feng carried a physical body containing three hundred ninety times the energy reserve of a Perfect Divine Body, along with the storage treasure Illusory Realm Labyrinth, and began his return journey.

As for the Heart of Immortality he had exchanged in Infinite Space, Luo Feng did not carry it with him. His current strength was still relatively weak; bringing such a powerful treasure might attract trouble. Moreover, when going out repeatedly to hunt, death was very possible while still weak.

Once he could rival Complete God Emperor–level low-rank Primordial Lifeforms, then bringing the Heart of Immortality would be much safer. By then his strength might approach that of the three hall masters. Even if he could not defeat enemies, he would at least have the ability to protect himself.

“Absorbing energy through the Small Universe on the Origin Continent is indeed faster.”

Carrying such enormous energy reserves in his body, Luo Feng spent nearly half an era before finally returning to Rainlan City.

Traveling between the Origin Continent and the Jiugang Holy Realm had two advantages.

First, many resources could be sent to the Origin Continent so Luo Feng could observe them using the Eye of Life and Death.

Second, the energy absorbed by the Origin Continent could be transported back as reserves.

All Luo Feng had to pay was the travel cost.

“Let’s go. Time to depart!”

After both sides were fully prepared, Emperor Qing and Luo Feng began their team’s second hunt.

---

“What?”

“You broke through?”

When Luo Feng made his move while hunting their first low-rank Primordial Lifeform, the power he displayed stunned Emperor Qing.

If Luo Feng killed the prey one-on-one, Emperor Qing wouldn’t find it strange. But seeing it done so easily and casually left him momentarily dumbfounded.

“You reached Mid-Stage God Emperor?”

Emperor Qing stared at Luo Feng in disbelief. The might Luo Feng had displayed just now was already not inferior to Emperor Qing using his Formation Diagram.

He himself had worked hard for a long time. One foot had already stepped into Mid-Stage God Emperor, yet the other foot remained stuck outside. The distance to breakthrough seemed tiny, yet that tiny gap had trapped him for a long time.

And Luo Feng?

He had only arrived in Rainlan City a few hundred eras ago—yet he was already Mid-Stage God Emperor?

“No.” Luo Feng shook his head and explained. “I cultivate both the Life and Destruction Origin Paths. Now both have reached Early-Stage God Emperor. When the two paths combine, their power becomes this strong.”

“Cultivating two Origin Paths simultaneously? And coordinating them so perfectly?” Emperor Qing immediately understood.

Comprehenders who cultivated two paths were generally much stronger.

But for two Early-Stage God Emperor paths to rival a normal Mid-Stage God Emperor, the coordination between the two paths had to be extremely precise. If the coordination was poor, the increase in strength would be limited. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Luo Feng had studied the Life-and-Death Path for so long that he had already been researching fusion methods. Achieving mere coordination was naturally effortless.

“I always thought that since you had just arrived in the Jiugang Holy Realm, Luo Feng, I would need to help you in the early stages,” Emperor Qing said, shaking his head. “Who would have thought that by the second hunt, you’d already be helping me instead?”

“We should renegotiate the distribution of spoils for our team.”

“I don’t have any secret treasures—only this pair of gloves,” Luo Feng said, shaking his head. “My strength is only slightly higher than yours, Emperor Qing. There’s no need to change the distribution.”

Emperor Qing had roamed Rainlan City for a long time and was far wealthier. His Formation Diagram secret treasure compensated for some of his realm deficiencies.

Emperor Qing looked at Luo Feng and smiled.

“Fine. Next time we go hunting, we’ll renegotiate the distribution.”

But inwardly, he understood clearly.

Even with his Formation Diagram boosting his power to nearly Luo Feng’s level, Luo Feng possessed multiple clones. With the Life and Destruction paths unleashed together, his power was terrifying. During hunts, Luo Feng’s contributions had already greatly surpassed his own.

“Next time we’ll renegotiate… but if the gap grows even larger, we’ll probably have to separate.”

Emperor Qing understood this well.

Right now, he was still useful in the team.

His formations could still play a major role during hunts. Taking thirty percent of the spoils wasn’t taking advantage.

But if Luo Feng’s strength advanced further in the future—and he himself became useless—there would be no reason to team up anymore.

“Luo Feng must have reached Early-Stage God Emperor long ago. Now both of his paths have reached Early-Stage God Emperor, which caused such a transformation,” Emperor Qing thought. “For his strength to increase significantly again, it will probably take a long time. No need to think too much about it for now.”

During this second hunt, Emperor Qing’s mood was extremely complicated the entire time.

After all, he had become the supporting role.

This hunt proceeded smoother than ever before. They encountered no danger. After hunting nine Early-Stage God Emperor low-rank Primordial Lifeforms, they stopped.

“When we go hunting, nine is the limit,” Emperor Qing said. “The further we go, the more the risks increase sharply. We might even be targeted by Complete God Emperor low-rank Primordial Lifeforms.”

“Alright, then we return.”

Luo Feng readily accepted the advice.

His strength might now be greater, but Emperor Qing’s hunting experience far surpassed his. Luo Feng felt that based on Emperor Qing’s seasoned experience alone, splitting the spoils evenly would still be reasonable.