Swallowed Star 2: Land of Origin

Primordial Hall, first floor, shop number three.

"Oh!" Bu You, a plump elder, widened his eyes as he examined the lower-level Primordial Life corpses stored in the storage bag, among which a huge, completely red corpse was particularly conspicuous, "Judging by its size and aura, this is surely a mid-stage Divine Emperor level low-level Primordial Life."

Bu You looked at Luo Feng and Emperor Qing in surprise.

In Yulan City, being able to hunt a 'mid-stage Divine Emperor' low-level Primordial Life already proved the team's strength.

"Hurry up and make an offer," Emperor Qing urged.

"For this Flame Demon corpse, I can offer the highest 12.5 million Primordial Crystals," said Bu You, "Including its 10 Battle Merits, that makes a total of 13.5 million Primordial Crystals."

Luo Feng and Emperor Qing glanced at each other, this was indeed the highest offer. The other two shops they just visited, excluding Battle Merits, offered a maximum of 12 million and 12.2 million respectively.

"This Flame Demon corpse is yours," Emperor Qing said with a smile.

Hearing this, Bu You immediately laughed heartily, he was determined to get his hands on the complete Flame Demon corpse. The core tendons of the Flame Demon corpse were long-term purchasing targets for the power behind him, and other body materials could also be used for Artifact Refining, used in medicine, or for making puppets and more.

Don't just see it as a 'mid-stage Divine Emperor' low-level Primordial Life corpse. That's because these lives are of a lower realm and cannot fully utilize their advantages. Being an entity born outside of the Braided Cage, their bodies are quite special and can play a greater role in the hands of Cultivators.

Even the last bits and pieces can also serve as materials for Cultivators to study and practice their Cultivation.

"All are sold."

Luo Feng and his group visited the three most familiar shops on the first floor of the Primordial Hall, selling everything suitable.

"This time, from our hunting of one mid-stage and seven early-stage Divine Emperor low level Primordial Lives, we have earned a total of 19.5 million Primordial Crystals," Luo Feng and Emperor Qing also simplified the division of income.

Splitting seventy-thirty, Emperor Qing took away 5.85 million Primordial Crystals, and the remaining 13.65 million Primordial Crystals went to Luo Feng.

Luo Feng, in order to purchase the Array Map Secret Treasure, also borrowed 300 thousand Primordial Crystals from Emperor Qing, which he now has returned.

"The spoils of war from killing Kumo, don't rush the process," Emperor Qing said, "Take a more thorough look around Yulan City."

Luo Feng nodded.

Those spoils of war are a bit troublesome to deal with.

If lazy, you could sell them all here in the Primordial Hall! But that would mean a huge discount.

A complete low-level Primordial Life corpse can be sold here. However, many scattered materials, even many formulated deadly poisons, and some precious materials prepared for poison making, still need to be sold to those who know their stuff.

"Spend a few more days on this process," Luo Feng was in no rush, such a large batch of spoils of war must be handled well.

"Also be careful with Kumo's master 'Yu Yong', and the Deceit Workshop!" Emperor Qing reminded before leaving.

Luo Feng then went to deal with those spoils of war.

...

In Yulan City, there are a total of three forces that regularly commit 'theft and plunder', namely Insect Nest, Shadow Tower, and Deceit Workshop!

You should know the entire city has 723 individuals with the strength of late-stage Divine Emperor Enlightenment! These three forces dare to plunder like this without fearing offending enemies, showing they all have strong backing.

"Deputy Workshop Master, the 'Kumo' from the Black Light Team is dead," reported the four experts from the team, who had returned to Yulan City ahead of Luo Feng and his group, naturally also passing on the news.

The entire Deceit Workshop has eight Deputy Workshop Masters! Each possesses the strength of late-stage Divine Emperor Enlightenment, and among them, five serve as Elders of Yulan City.

The eight Deputy Workshop Masters are the actual managers of the Deceit Workshop.

Regarding the Workshop Master?

The Workshop Master has extremely strong strength, already approaching the level of the three Hall Masters! Usually, he is not visible. The main focus of the Workshop Master... is on his Avatar in the Dark Sacred Realm. Maintaining the existence of the Deceit Workshop is simply to reap sufficient benefits.

"Kumo is dead?" A stunningly handsome man in a white robe sat there, his entire body naturally emitting a thin layer of halo. If you look closely, the halo is actually formed by thousands of protective layers.

The beautiful man is one of the Deputy Workshop Masters of Deceit Workshop—Elder Tian He.

"I only have twenty teams under my command, and suddenly losing a member from the Black Light Team, rearranging the team members is quite bothersome." Elder Tian He chuckled lightly, his fingers as smooth and translucent as crystal jade, leisurely pouring wine, "How did he die?"

"Deputy Workshop Master, the detailed report is here." The figure in golden armor respectfully presented the report.

Elder Tian He glanced over it.

The report outlined the entire process of the previous battle, all displayed.

"Luo Feng?"

Elder Tian He murmured softly, "A Cultivator who has only been in Yulan City for about seven hundred years, his Physical Body Method is somewhat interesting."

However, he didn't pay much attention to it.

Coming from the Source World himself, serving as an Elder in Yulan City and as a Deputy Workshop Master in the Deceit Workshop, all for the sake of reaping benefits along the way! His main focus is also in the Dark Sacred Realm.

As one who has reached the stage of late-stage Divine Emperor Enlightenment long ago, his wealth accumulated over long years, even in Yulan City, he possesses a complete and powerful set of Secret Treasures, naturally not putting Luo Feng in his eyes.

"Killing my subordinate, he should compensate me somehow," Elder Tian He glanced at the golden armored figure, "Go find Luo Feng, tell him... compensate 50 million Primordial Crystals, and we'll call it even."

"If he is unwilling to pay, you don't need to say more, just come back," Elder Tian He instructed.

"Yes." The golden armored figure responded respectfully and immediately left.

Elder Tian He leisurely sipped his wine, his mood not fluctuating at all.

A subordinate died? He didn't care at all.

The purpose of his Avatar staying in Yulan City is solely to accumulate resources.

"Yulan City, it's been boring for too long," Elder Tian He revealed a hint of a smile, "Luo Feng? I truly hope you refuse me; that would be somewhat interesting."

To continuously reap benefits in Yulan City, apart from reputation, you also need sufficient deterrence!

Deterrence, is to be fought for!

"Hmph."

Elder Tian He's eyes were ice-cold.

Compared to the harshness of the Dark Sacred Realm, the days in the Nine Rivers Sacred Realm were purely a relaxation for Elder Tian He.

...

In the core area of Yulan City, within a Cave mansion that boasted better security and energy supply than even Emperor Qing's dwelling.

"Kumo is dead?"

Yu Yong in the Cave mansion, received the news, along with the full battle progress from his four companions.

Yu Yong had a considerably imposing physique; he was not from the Enlightened One Lineage, but a Primordial Bloodline Cultivator! Strength-wise, he had nearly elevated the Primordial Bloodline to the 'Half Primordial Level'.

Yet, he was a fraction short.

True 'Half Primordial Level Bloodline Cultivators', had a status comparable to those at the Late Stage Divine Emperor Enlightenment. The strength Yu Yong possessed now, allowed him just barely meet the minimal threshold to enter the Dark Sacred Realm. But he was reluctant to try.

Should he go, he would be at the bottom tier.

He would rather continue his accumulation in the Nine Rivers Sacred Realm, until he truly reached the Half Primordial Level.

"Oh, Kumo." Yu Yong sighed softly, "I've said before, coming to Nine Rivers Sacred Realm has made our days much more relaxed. There was no need to join that Deceit Workshop."

Yu Yong and Kumo climbed up from the very bottom together.

Throughout this process, they had other companions too, but ultimately only the two of them reached the Nine Rivers Sacred Realm.

For cultivators from the Source World, the path of cultivation was much tougher, and achieving the status of Divine Emperor was incredibly challenging! Yet, their pressures within the Source World weren't that intense.

But Yu Yong and Kumo had various resources, making their cultivation easier, yet crises were frequent, and the threat of death drove them relentlessly to cultivate.

If not strong, then dead.

"I've seen 'Senior Jin' with my own eyes," Yu Yong sighed, "Senior Jin said that as long as we can escape the Braided Cage, he's willing to revive a large number of our dead comrades. For us, the most crucial thing is to escape the Braided Cage rather than fight other cultivators to death."

Yu Yong understood his disciple, Kumo, very well.

Kumo grew up amidst slaughter all his life. Becoming a Divine Emperor, he still habitually followed that path because it was the fastest way to amass resources.

"Before, our environment forced us; we had to kill. But now in Nine Rivers Sacred Realm, we are not forced, we can slow down." Yu Yong cherished these relatively leisurely and calm days.

"Luo Feng?"

Yu Yong looked at the complete report, "Perhaps, Luo Feng is Kumo's calamity."

He held no hostility towards Luo Feng.

Initiating plunder and wanting to kill the opponent! If it resulted in death, who could be blamed?

On the path of growth through slaughter, Yu Yong had seen too many companions' deaths, and he was even prepared for his own at any moment. Ultimately, he and Kumo were very fortunate to completely transcend their original world and come to Nine Rivers Sacred Realm.

That Kumo died here, Yu Yong was not surprised at all.

Choosing the path of 'plunder' meant being prepared for backlash.

"I won't avenge you," Yu Yong said softly, sighing, "I believe, Kumo, you would expect the same."

The two understood each other too well.

Called master and disciple, but having grown together through the long years, they were companions in life and death.

"My path of cultivation has only one goal, that is to escape the Braided Cage!" Yu Yong's eyes held an unprecedented firmness, for only by escaping the Braided Cage could he make up for too many regrets.

...

Luo Feng was visiting various merchants in Yulan City, seeking the best deal for handling his massive amount of Spoils of War, not necessarily for the 'highest price' but a close one.

The sky had darkened, and the wind was strong.

Just as Luo Feng exited a merchant's place, he saw a golden armored figure in front appearing before him, covered in golden armor, his face cold as he looked at Luo Feng.

"Deceit Workshop, Qiu Yike," Luo Feng immediately recognized the other; he had earlier purchased citywide information on Divine Emperors, and although he hadn't updated it recently, the data on Divine Emperors changed little in a short period.

Qiu Yike, a member of the Deceit Workshop with the strength of a Mid-stage Divine Emperor.

"You came because of Kumo?" Luo Feng looked at him.

"Luo Feng."

The golden armored figure looked at Luo Feng, "Kumo was under the Deputy Workshop Master Elder Tian He from our Deceit Workshop. You killed Kumo, and the Deputy Workshop Master was furious. However, considering Kumo attempted to rob you first, an opportunity for redemption is given!"

"An opportunity for redemption?" Luo Feng looked at him.

"Compensate with fifty million Primordial Crystals, and Deceit Workshop will not pursue it further," the golden armored figure stated.

"Fifty million Primordial Crystals?"

Luo Feng burst into laughter, "Your Deceit Workshop's team tried to plunder and kill me outside the city, I retaliated and now you demand I redeem myself by compensating? Do I just stand there and be slaughtered when faced with plunder and killing?

"You can fight back, and after that, you still have to pay," said the golden armored figure, "Deliver fifty million Primordial Crystals to the Deputy Workshop Master within three days. Of course, you can choose not to pay. But the consequences aren't something you'd want to see."

Having said this, the golden armored figure turned and walked away.

"Don't wait three days."

Luo Feng spoke up, "Go back and tell your Deputy Workshop Master 'Elder Tian He' behind you, not to talk about fifty million Primordial Crystals! Not a single Primordial Crystal! Whatever tricks you have, just bring it on!"

The golden armored figure looked at Luo Feng and cracked a smile: "Impressive!"

Having said that, he swiftly flew away.

——

Thanks to the new Alliance Hierarchs 'Muyi Bai Not White' and 'Betting' for their rewards! Also thanks to the old Alliance Hierarchs, Old k and Venerable Xu Xin for their rewards!