Chapter 146: Xiangjie City

Yanfeng Ancient Nation, Chu Capital.

"Luo Feng," Emperor Chu Yu's divine force avatar spotted Luo Feng above the Marquis Mansion.

Luo Feng descended nearby and smiled: "The second wave of Blood Spirit Gold Pearls has ended—I've gathered 72 of them." With a wave of his hand, he extracted all the Blood Spirit Gold Pearls.

Emperor Chu Yu's gaze burned with desire.

Last time, Luo Feng brought 9 Blood Spirit Gold Pearls; now, with this addition, it totals 81. Even Chu Ying Marquis, who ranks second in the Blood Spirit Gold Pearl mission, has only 25.

"Thanks to Luo Feng, I'm unquestionably number one in the Blood Spirit Gold Pearl mission," Emperor Chu Yu sighed.

"Judging by the timeline, the Blood Spirit Star may still erupt a third time before the mission deadline," Luo Feng said. The deadline is one eon—only half the time has passed.

Emperor Chu Yu considered, then said: "Since I've secured first place in the Blood Spirit Gold Pearl mission, if a third eruption occurs, would you sell the extra pearls to other first-class marquises? I'm sure each pearl can fetch twenty to thirty billion Cosmic Sands."

Selling thirty or fifty would mean a hundred billion Cosmic Sands.

"Unnecessary."

Luo Feng shook his head. "Don't sacrifice the big for the small. Your Heaven-level mission matters more."

Emperor Chu Yu's heart warmed.

He felt Luo Feng had helped him far too much, yet he had little to offer in return.

"I understand," Emperor Chu Yu nodded. As a newly promoted first-class marquis, his resource accumulation is limited—only by ranking high enough in this Heaven-level mission can he obtain truly precious resources.

"I'll select some suitable precious resources and give them to Luo Feng," Emperor Chu Yu silently resolved.

Setting aside a portion was, in Emperor Chu Yu's view, only natural.

Without Luo Feng, his rank would have been far lower, and his resource gains drastically reduced.

Moreover, Emperor Chu Yu understood Luo Feng's nature—he wasn't an ungrateful wolf. Even the Yanfeng Guild's intelligence confirmed… within no time, this Luo Feng would become a God-King.

Bestowing resources was better done early.

"I have a body dwelling in my cave mansion," Luo Feng said. "If trouble arises, find me anytime."

"Understood," Emperor Chu Yu replied. The intelligence was right—Luo Feng had many body doubles.

After delivering the Blood Spirit Gold Pearls, Luo Feng departed quickly.

Now, during the lingering effect of the Hunyuan Crystal Fruit, Luo Feng had no interest in leisure—he devoted himself entirely to cultivation.

…

"Before focusing on cultivation, I must punish Yan Su first." Luo Feng's true body raced at full speed toward Xiangjie City.

Xiangjie City was one of many cities along the long border between the two ancient nations.

Normal border cities were guarded by Chaos Realm cultivators—but Xiangjie City… was guarded by a "Chaos Realm Transcendent." This revealed its exceptional importance.

Recall: the entire Yanfeng Ancient Nation had few Chaos Realm Transcendents. Only a dozen or so were willing to guard cities, and each guarded a critical location.

Within Xiangjie City, the most esteemed figure was naturally the guarding General, Yan Su.

"The Two-Realm Palace is famed far and wide. Among the hidden forces of the Origin Continent, they rank among the top. Their official members are rumored to be at least Second Layer God-King," Yan Su's face darkened. "Yet I never expected them to act so shamelessly!"

"They claim I only obtained eight Blood Spirit Gold Pearls—fell short of the promised ten—and now all promised rewards are void?" Yan Su seethed with rage.

He had dealt with a mysterious figure from the Two-Realm Palace.

Out of caution, he promised at least ten Blood Spirit Gold Pearls.

In his view, with his methods, securing ten pearls across two or three eruptions was effortless—he had given a conservative estimate.

He got eight in the first eruption, but from the second onward… Luo Feng monopolized them. The total never reached ten.

"I fought hard and seized eight Blood Spirit Gold Pearls."

"I even confronted Luo Feng and made an enemy of him!"

"And now they give me nothing?" Yan Su had finally seen—the true nature of a Two-Realm Palace official.

He had no recourse against such actions.

On one hand, he didn't even know the opponent's identity, and their power gap was too vast—he had no way to respond.

On the other hand, he truly hadn't reached ten pearls. The other party hadn't broken their promise.

"These hidden forces—no wonder they lurk in shadows. They preach fairness, yet each one is corrupt," Yan Su thought. "Next time, I'll get the reward first, then act."

This time, he had been badly cheated.

Suddenly—

Within the Guarding Mansion, Yan Su, through his control of Xiangjie City's array, sensed a vast, overwhelming cosmic law descending.

"Worse." Yan Su looked up—and saw the sky outside turn pitch black.

Whoosh.

Yan Su instantly appeared above the Guarding Mansion, seeing a dark world spanning ten trillion kilometers, completely sealing off Xiangjie City.

Xiangjie City's diameter was only three trillion kilometers. Luo Feng's Black River World, spanning ten trillion kilometers, fully enveloped the city.

"It's Luo Feng's Black River World," Yan Su's heart turned cold.

The aftermath had come.

This Luo Feng had no patience whatsoever!

"Luo Feng," Yan Su spoke aloud, his voice echoing across Xiangjie City's skies.

Above Xiangjie City, a towering figure appeared—Luo Feng's form. "Luo Feng, I admit I offended you. I'm willing to apologize—can we resolve this grudge?" Yan Su transmitted his words.

Luo Feng looked at him and said: "If you're willing to apologize, I'm not petty. Our grudge can be erased."

"Then tell me your terms," Yan Su said.

Lost? He'd accept it.

"I hear you possess a pair of Void Divine Cones. Hand them over as compensation, and this matter is settled." Luo Feng's voice echoed in Yan Su's ears—Yan Su's eyes instantly reddened.

A pair of Void Divine Cones?

He had spent eighty thousand merit points to acquire them—divine weapons of a God-King. He cherished them more than his own life. When his complete body doubles ventured out, he carried only Chaos Realm weapons—he didn't care if they died.

These divine weapons, he kept in the safest place possible.

"Luo Feng, these are a pair of God-King weapons! You demand them outright? Isn't that excessive?" Yan Su raged.

His entire lifetime's accumulation—aside from what he used for his own cultivation—was centered on this pair of God-King weapons. He'd rather let Luo Feng kill his body doubles ten or a hundred times than lose them.

"To apologize, you must be sincere," Luo Feng said, watching him. "They're merely a pair of First Layer God-King weapons. If you won't part with these, what kind of apology is this?"

"I admit I offended you, Luo Feng," Yan Su said. "You must have guessed—I targeted you for a reason. I'll tell you the truth… can you lower the compensation?"

!.

"Say it or not—it's your choice," Luo Feng shook his head.

What could make a Chaos Realm Transcendent deliberately target him, forge a grudge?

Since arriving on the Origin Continent, he'd kept a low profile, avoided trouble. His enemies were few. A little deduction led Luo Feng to guess… it must have been the Two-Realm Palace figure.

"I didn't target you, Luo Feng—it was the Two-Realm Palace," Yan Su transmitted. "The blame lies with them. I'm merely their pawn."

"I guessed it was the Two-Realm Palace—but I can't touch them," Luo Feng said, watching Yan Su. "All I can do is cut off their paw first."

Yan Su fumed: "To me, losing a few body doubles means nothing. But if you attack, you're assaulting a border city—violating Yanfeng Ancient Nation's laws."

Luo Feng shook his head: "I suspect your pair of God-King weapons is on your person right now."

Yan Su looked at Luo Feng: "Oh? You're that certain?"

"Yan Su, you have two complete body doubles—one adventuring outside, never carrying valuable items. The other, stationed in Xiangjie City, carries the treasures," Luo Feng said. "God-King weapons must be carried to study and refine."

"Most importantly, if your body double didn't carry the treasure, you wouldn't care if it died—you wouldn't be groveling like this," Luo Feng said, watching him.

Yan Su was furious.

He cultivated body double arts, scattering his doubles across the Origin Continent.

If not for the treasure, why would he endure this humiliation?

"Luo Feng," Yan Su sneered. "You should know… the uniqueness of Xiangjie City."

Only a Chaos Realm Transcendent could guard it—Xiangjie City was indeed exceptional.

Luo Feng had gathered intelligence before acting.

"Xiangjie City guards the entrance to a world called 'Xiangjie,'" Yan Su sneered. "Inside Xiangjie, the Yanfeng Ancestor cultivated Bloodline Creatures of Hunyuan origin. If you attack Xiangjie City and compromise the entrance… can you bear the cost?"

"Attacking a border city is a grave crime."

"Causing an accident in a guarded world? That's a crime upon a crime," Yan Su said. "I, Yan Su, have guarded Xiangjie City faithfully, never risking a single slip. If you attack, I'll resist with all my strength—there's a high chance the entrance will be breached. I've warned you of the danger."

"If you proceed knowingly, no one will save you!" Yan Su stared at Luo Feng.

Luo Feng listened.

Yan Su's tone softened: "I carry the God-King weapons and will combine them with the city's array. Breaking through won't be easy. I advise you to leave. I'll compensate you five hundred billion Cosmic Sands to settle this."

"Five hundred billion Cosmic Sands? Not enough to buy a single First Layer God-King weapon. Is that an apology? Enough." Luo Feng shook his head.

Beneath the vast dark world, Luo Feng's gaze turned icy.

Yan Su sensed danger—he immediately exerted full control over the city's array, preparing to resist.

Boom—

Suddenly—

Within Xiangjie City, boundless black rivers surged forth, rolling violently. In an instant, they flooded the entire city, effortlessly seeping through and destroying the array's core nodes.

"When did you enter the city?" Yan Su couldn't believe it—the black rivers had infiltrated first, sabotaging the array from within.

Luo Feng, having decided to act, had long ago used his Formless and Immaterial ability to send thirty billion black rivers as invisible air currents into the city, blending into the ambient energy.

"Without the array, what can you do?" Luo Feng looked down at him. The boundless black rivers spread outward, yet shielded countless cultivators in Xiangjie City from collateral damage.

"What's happening?"

"This… this…"

"This black water… doesn't seem harmful?"

In Xiangjie City, countless cultivators watched the black waters swirling around them, gently spreading through every corner, filling them with an intense sense of safety.

"Attacking the border fortresses, dismantling the formations, and forcibly opening the entrance to the 'Xiangjie' world! This heinous crime, the Yanfeng Ancient Nation will never forgive!" Yan Su's face contorted with rage; with the Heihe World sealed off on all sides, he knew escape was impossible, and his pair of Divine King weapons were about to be seized—he could not bear such injustice. "Luohe, I will surely report this to the Emperor! Let the Emperor punish you!"

Luo Feng understood that Yan Su would report to the reigning Emperor, Emperor Fu.

In this era, it was Emperor Fu who governed the Yanfeng Ancient Nation.

"Punish me?"

Luo Feng looked at him and smiled coldly.

He had acted only after thoroughly investigating the situation. Attacking Xiangjie City was indeed a grave crime, but according to Yanfeng Ancient Nation's laws, the price he must pay was one he could afford.

Luo Feng believed that paying a price to reclaim his pair of Divine King weapons from Yan Su was worth it.

(End of Chapter)