Chapter 189: Territory Under His Command

Moments later, the six branches of the Primordial Destruction Dao all surfaced in Luo Feng's mind.

"Without the complete Primordial Destruction Dao as a reference, cultivation is much slower than the Life Dao." Luo Feng smiled; after becoming a Shenwang, his soul foundation had grown even more robust, his thoughts faster, his state superior—one eon now equaled twenty of his former ones.

"Though slower, it's still far above the average level of Shenwang on the Origin Continent." Luo Feng was still very satisfied.

But there was something that troubled Luo Feng.

"Master gave me ten Hunyuan Crystal Spirit Fruits to use during my Chaos Realm and First-Circle Shenwang stages." Luo Feng shook his head slightly, "But my body and soul in First-Circle Shenwang far surpass those of others at the same level… the Hunyuan Crystal Spirit Fruits have become far too weak."

Over these twelve eons, Luo Feng had consumed one Hunyuan Crystal Spirit Fruit.

His thought speed had only increased by thirty to forty percent, his soul state slightly improved—that was all!

"I'll leave the remaining Hunyuan Crystal Spirit Fruits for Yuan Zu." Luo Feng thought; for Yuan Zu, still in the Chaos Realm, these fruits would still be extremely effective.

Huh.

Luo Feng stepped forward and arrived at the edge of this level of the Star Tower.

"The Six Strikes of the Primordial Vortex are a combat technique from the Top-Tier Transmission: Primordial Vortex Beast Body. In subtlety, they surpass even the first three slashes of the Seventy-Two Severing Cuts. If wielded by a World Lifeform… even one of my avatars should possess nearly half the power of the Lord of Tiankun—and yet, still cannot budge the Star Tower at all?" Luo Feng touched the tower wall.

When he first became a Shenwang, his combat techniques were weak; even combined, their power fell short of the Lord of Tiankun's. He relied only on his numerous avatars and extreme vitality to remain difficult to defeat.

Now, Luo Feng needed only to send out two avatars to match the Lord of Tiankun in direct combat.

Luo Feng had reached this point for multiple reasons.

His mastery of the Life Primordial Dao, combined with the Top-Tier Transmission, allowed him to comprehend the Ten Directions World Form.

His mastery of the Destruction Primordial Dao, combined with the Top-Tier Transmission, allowed him to comprehend one strike of the Six Strikes of the Primordial Vortex.

The Formless and Shapeless ability, manifesting the material substance of the "Ten Directions World Form."

The vast soul foundation granted by the Perfect Lifeform, and the willpower bottleneck of the Shenwang Ultimate Realm.

"In First-Circle Shenwang, I'm quite powerful—I can fight on par with some deeply accumulated Second-Circle Shenwang." Luo Feng thought, "But even my current accumulation isn't sufficient to begin cultivating the Perfect Transmission: Nine Stages of Annihilation, First Stage."

The First Stage of the Nine Stages of Annihilation belongs to the First-Circle Shenwang section—a Perfect Transmission—its entry requirement is surpassing Shenwang-level willpower!

In reality, those who surpass Shenwang-level willpower are few and far between within a single Origin World.

These Perfect Transmissions made Luo Feng realize clearly… there's always a higher mountain! Though he seemed outstanding, he was still only within this one Origin World.

"I've long since subjugated and controlled the Star Tower—even as an Eternal True God, I sensed nothing special about it." Luo Feng thought inwardly.

Back then, I was too weak; even the Shi Wu Yu Yi helped me more than the Star Tower.

I still remember during the Primitive Universe era—I thought the Blood Shadow Blade, the Shi Wu Yu Yi, and the Tomb Ship were all stronger than the Star Tower. Back then, I truly treated a pearl as dust.

"Now that I can match deeply accumulated Second-Circle Shenwang, I still can't fathom it!" Luo Feng felt that even some artifacts surpassing Shenwang-level, given his understanding of the Dao, should reveal at least a hint of their mystery.

But the Star Tower revealed not the slightest trace. After all, he had nurtured it over countless eons—it was as if a part of his own life—he should be the one most capable of probing its true nature.

"Master Zuoshan is only a First-Circle Shenwang, yet the secret patterns he inscribed in the Star Tower are of a lower realm than mine."

"The Star Tower's uniqueness must stem from that accidental golden light absorbed during its forging." Luo Feng carefully sensed the Star Tower.

Even after this realm breakthrough, he still discerned nothing.

"What realm would it take to glimpse its true nature?"

Luo Feng set it aside for now, immediately sat cross-legged, and began practicing the "Great Destruction Refining the Heart Method" from the Lie Yuan Technique.

Boom—boom—boom~~~

With all six branches of Destruction fully comprehended, Luo Feng felt the "Great Destruction Refining the Heart Method" transform into a dark primordial vortex that enveloped his soul and willpower, violently crushing, grinding, and shredding…

Under this pressure, Luo Feng's soul and willpower naturally grew denser, transforming visibly at a perceptible pace.

"Progress in the Destruction Dao greatly aids the 'Great Destruction Refining the Heart Method.'" Luo Feng rejoiced inwardly; though his willpower was evolving, its strength remained rigidly locked at the "Shenwang Ultimate Realm" bottleneck, unable to rise a single bit.

Weiyang City, Governor's Mansion.

"Master."

"Luo He."

Mo Luo Sa and Yuan Zu arrived together to see Luo Feng; one of Luo Feng's avatars stepped out to meet them.

"What's happened that both of you came to see me at once?" Luo Feng smiled at them.

The territory he now commanded spanned a full twenty surrounding domains! Even Mo Li Meng and Mo Yu Hu lacked the capacity to manage such a vast expanse.

Thus, Mo Luo Sa and Yuan Zu primarily managed this territory, with a large group of Eternal True Gods beneath them.

Yuan Zu had illusory avatars, and his path involved comprehending the movements of heaven and earth—all things—so he willingly assigned illusory avatars with different identities to understand the workings of the Origin Continent.

Mo Luo Sa, as a Jie Shou, had possessed avatars since his weak days; he could become formless and shapeless, required no cultivation, had ample free time to roam, feast, and amuse himself, and could oversee many affairs. Mo Luo Sa glanced at Yuan Zu beside him—he was still a servant, while Yuan Zu was Luo Feng's ancestral master.

Of course, in the cultivation world, master-disciple bonds were highly valued—but ancestral masters? Less so. First, ancestral masters and later disciples might never have met more than a few times. Second, cultivators lived too long; the master's master? The master's master's master? If you counted all ancestral masters, you'd have dozens!

Yet Luo Feng's relationship with Yuan Zu was extraordinary.

From Luo Feng's perspective, Yuan Zu had protected the entire human race for countless eons—this alone earned him profound respect.

From Yuan Zu's perspective, Luo Feng had rescued him from his imprisonment in the Primitive Universe and had offered him much aid on his cultivation path.

"We've encountered trouble," Yuan Zu said solemnly. "Managing twenty Chaos Provinces requires recruiting many Eternal True Gods. During recruitment, we discovered a hidden faction."

Luo Feng listened.

Managing twenty Chaos Provinces meant each province contained several major cities and countless ordinary ones. Each Chaos Province needed to recruit roughly hundreds of Eternal True Gods—this was already considered a small number.

"We naturally selected elite Eternal True Gods for recruitment," Yuan Zu said. "But we found that in every Chaos Province, the elite Eternal True Gods were quietly being recruited away by this hidden faction."

Luo Feng was startled: "Every Chaos Province? My twenty Chaos Provinces come from both the Yu Kingdom and the Shi Kingdom."

"Yes."

Yuan Zu nodded. "All twenty Chaos Provinces are being targeted—this mysterious faction is recruiting elite Eternal True Gods everywhere. I've even detected that across a broader area—such as the Shi Kingdom, Yu Kingdom, and other regions—this faction is recruiting elite Eternal True Gods as well."

!.

"The scope is vast," Mo Luo Sa spoke up. "My avatars have scouted various locations—the extent of this faction's infiltration is impossible to estimate."

"Oh?" Luo Feng frowned slightly.

To infiltrate such a vast area, and for the rulers of the Shi Kingdom, Yu Kingdom, and others to ignore it—this faction must be formidable.

"They don't recruit many—each major city, after selection, only takes three or five recruits at a time," Yuan Zu said. "I've uncovered this, so I dare not act rashly."

"This faction is dangerous," Mo Luo Sa also said solemnly.

"I'll ask Yu Shui, the Lord of Yu." Luo Feng smiled, sat down, and immediately sent a karmic transmission to Yu Shui, briefly describing what Mo Luo Sa and the others had discovered.

"Brother Luo He, this faction is called the Mother River of Life. It has already infiltrated roughly one-third of the Origin Continent, recruiting elite Eternal True Gods everywhere—it's very dangerous." Yu Shui replied.

"Thanks. I know what to do now." Luo Feng understood the moment he heard the name "Mother River of Life."

His master, Di Chu, had warned him about this mysterious faction.

Knowing their true nature, Luo Feng now had a plan.

"Yuan Zu," Luo Feng said, "send an avatar to one of their branch outposts and tell them… to withdraw permanently from my territory."

Yuan Zu immediately understood.

"If they try to attack, just disperse your avatar—don't engage directly," Luo Feng said.

"Understood," Yuan Zu nodded. "Luo He, what is this faction's origin?"

"It's called the Mother River of Life," Luo Feng smiled. "Since it hides in the shadows, it's not worth fearing."

Yuan Zu nodded: "I'll go see them now."

Yuan Zu departed immediately.

"Master, I'll take my leave as well," Mo Luo Sa said, then left.

"Master Di Chu has old grievances with the Mother River of Life!" Luo Feng thought. "If the 'Lord of the Mother River' appears, I can summon Master Di Chu."

In the information Di Chu gave Luo Feng, every peak existence on the Origin Continent—those who were allies, those who were enemies—was clearly recorded.

Hum!

Luo Feng's mind activated, the World Reflection technique began, observing his vast territory, tracking the movements of Yuan Zu's illusory avatars.

Normally, Luo Feng wouldn't constantly use "World Reflection"—it required mental effort. Even when he did reflect, he instinctively ignored the countless behaviors of life across his territory, paying attention only to special events.

…

In Qu Yang Chaos Province, the most prosperous core city—Qu Yang City—was one of Luo Feng's twenty Chaos Provinces.

One of Yuan Zu's illusory avatars walked through the city.

"This faction will recruit new members within dozens of days in Qu Yang City. All invited elite Eternal True Gods will arrive," Yuan Zu soon reached the entrance of a cave mansion.

His figure, illusory, passed through the mansion's arrays effortlessly, appearing naturally on its central plaza.

"Which Chaos Grand Saint dares invade our branch temple?" A furious voice rang out. "Oh? It's Yuan Keqing of Yanfeng Ancient Kingdom!"

"It's me," Yuan stood on the plaza, his gaze sweeping the surroundings calmly. "Lord Luo has ordered you to withdraw immediately from the twenty Chaos Provinces under his command."

(End of Chapter)