Chapter 234: Book Six: Zi Mu Shen Wang and Emperor Fu

The handsome youth stared at the secret script book.

Behind him, a vast dark-red entity coalesced and floated into view, its gaping maw seeming ready to swallow all things.

"I've worked hard enough. As for my physical body, I've cultivated seven full 'Paths of Destruction Bodies.'"

"As for secret arts, I've comprehended a hundred and twenty-nine ultimate-level secret techniques! Even when combined, their power grows further."

"As for spiritual will, I've gathered multiple spiritual will secret arts and trained relentlessly."

The handsome youth's face twisted in fury, his eyes wild.

"But! No matter how hard I train, I'm forever stuck at the ultimate level."

"My body, my secret arts, my spiritual will—all are at the ultimate level, none can break through the boundary!"

"I won't train anymore. I won't!"

The handsome youth angrily hurled the secret script book aside; it crashed into the corner of the hall—it was one of Yuan's legacies. Over the long ages of the Tianmu Kingdom, only two such legacies had ever been obtained, one of which had long been studied by the Jie Shou.

Huh.

The handsome youth vanished instantly from the hall.

On a towering mountain, the handsome youth sat alone, drinking heavily and devouring meat—these were delicacies and fine wines he'd collected from the Origin Continent, stored in a treasure where time stood still, preserving their flavors perfectly.

"Ai Yu." A middle-aged man appeared beside him.

"Big brother's here." The handsome youth spoke, then continued drinking. "My avatar failed to secure a Thousand Dream Fruit in the Dream Realm."

"Ai Yu, you've spent endless ages gathering resources for me, and I've already exchanged them for a single 'Ultimate-Level Primordial Bloodline.' I no longer lack resources." The middle-aged man said, "You must think more of yourself."

The handsome youth shook his head. "I don't want to think of myself!"

"The Origin Continent, this primordial world, is gradually entering its final phase. It will likely face total destruction within a few billion eons." Zi Mu Shen Wang looked at the handsome youth. "As a Jie Shou, you were born from the Source of Destruction. You too will perish alongside the collapse of this primordial world… that is the fate of a Jie Shou. Only by breaking through the boundary and becoming a being beyond the level of Shen Wang can you escape the bondage of the Source of Destruction."

Under the operation of the Supreme Rule, the Source of Destruction gave birth to the Jie Shou. As long as they grow normally, they reach the ultimate level, possessing perfect lifeforms, avatar techniques, and the ability to spawn legions.

Yet the Jie Shou are bound by many constraints.

Their spirits are inherently bound, instilling in them an innate desire for annihilation. Only after being enslaved by a soul can they suppress this instinctive urge.

Their lives are bound too! All Jie Shou are incapable of surviving the Great Destruction to enter the next era of the primordial world.

Born from the Path of Destruction, they will ultimately return to stillness.

"You helped me obtain the Ultimate-Level Primordial Bloodline, and I've now cultivated a perfect ultimate-level lifeform." Zi Mu Shen Wang looked at the handsome youth. "Ai Yu, you've helped me greatly. In the future, I can use the teleportation channel left by Yuan to leave the Origin Continent."

"But what about you?"

"When the Origin Continent is destroyed, are you prepared to meet death? Let me wander alone?" Zi Mu Shen Wang looked at the handsome youth. "You know—I have no other close kin but you."

The handsome youth gazed at Zi Mu Shen Wang. The first face he saw upon his birth was Zi Mu Shen Wang's.

Zi Mu Shen Wang had always helped him, taught him, guided his growth.

He called him "big brother," but in truth, he was more like a father.

"I—I'm really suffering." The handsome youth looked up, his face contorted. "Big brother, I'm truly suffering! I'm used to all kinds of mysteries naturally appearing in my mind, effortlessly becoming ultimate-level. When I try to cultivate on my own, it's excruciatingly painful."

"You've already created new secret arts. As long as you keep progressing and accumulating, you'll eventually break through." Zi Mu Shen Wang said.

"No, these are merely applications of the Path of Destruction." The handsome youth looked at Zi Mu Shen Wang, voice hollow. "I simply cannot absorb new knowledge or integrate it into the Source of Destruction."

"The Source of Destruction is too perfect in my heart—I cannot change even a single thread." The handsome youth said. "I cannot break through the boundary. I cannot. Big brother, don't push me anymore. This life is too painful. I'd rather live joyfully for a few billion eons than suffer through endless cultivation."

Zi Mu Shen Wang froze, then sighed softly.

"Very well. Let's drink today." Zi Mu Shen Wang sat down.

"Yes. Drink." The handsome youth said.

"From now on, cultivate one eon, then enjoy one eon—how about that?" Zi Mu Shen Wang said. "Spend half your time cultivating?"

The handsome youth looked pained, met Zi Mu Shen Wang's hopeful gaze, and nodded. "Alright. I'll follow big brother's advice."

Zi Mu Shen Wang smiled faintly.

"Drink, drink! For the next eon, let's enjoy ourselves fully!" The handsome youth laughed heartily, drinking with Zi Mu Shen Wang.

"Ha! Drink!" Zi Mu Shen Wang drank freely, smiling at the handsome youth. "Ai Yu, don't blame me for pushing you too hard."

"I know big brother means well. You want me to break free from the Jie Shou's fate." The handsome youth said.

"If you truly can't break free, I'll stay with you until your final day." Zi Mu Shen Wang gazed into the distance. "Facing the end of the primordial world together—that would be a worthy end."

The handsome youth froze, staring at Zi Mu Shen Wang. "No, big brother—you must leave the Origin Continent before its end. If you wait until the last moment, you'll die!"

"I have no one else left. If you're gone, why should I keep cultivating? Why should I struggle?" Zi Mu Shen Wang looked at the handsome youth. "Alone, cultivation has lost all meaning."

"No, no—" The handsome youth shook his head.

"Enough of that. Let's drink." Zi Mu Shen Wang said.

Yet at this moment, the wine tasted flavorless to the handsome youth.

Yes.

Over the long years together, big brother had always cherished kin above all. After avenging his family, his attachment to the world had faded greatly—even he no longer stepped beyond the borders of Tianmu Kingdom!

Many affairs of the Tianmu Kingdom were handled by the Jie Shou's avatars disguised as Zi Mu Shen Wang.

"Big brother has little attachment to the entire Origin Continent. I am his only close kin. If I die, he truly might…" At that moment, he felt a far stronger urgency toward cultivation—not just for himself, but for big brother Zi Mu Shen Wang.

Zi Mu Shen Wang watched silently.

He admitted that years of companionship had forged deep bonds. Yet deep within his heart, what he cherished most… were still his family, his children, from when he was weak.

"Ai Yu, don't blame me for scheming to push you to cultivate! First, it's for your sake—you can escape your fate. Second, it's for mine! The stronger you become, the greater my own path's hope."

Zi Mu Shen Wang had once encountered Yuan by chance.

His first question was whether there was any way to resurrect his family.

Yuan answered: Escape the cage, become the master of the primordial world—the Origin Continent—and you may retrieve any soul from the River of Time.

From that moment, Zi Mu Shen Wang's cultivation became filled with endless longing.

He trained hard himself—and guided his 'Protector,' the Jie Shou, to train as well.

The Jie Shou had greatly aided him; Zi Mu Shen Wang had directed him to gather rare treasures. He could not watch passively as the Jie Shou idled away until the end of this primordial world.

!.

…

In Yufeng Ancient Kingdom, a hidden, vast space.

Emperor Fu, Emperor Jiu Feng, and Emperor Wu gathered their thoughts here.

"Three idle cultivators: Zong Fu Shen Wang, the purple-robed woman, and the black-robed golden-masked warrior." Emperor Jiu Feng said. "I guarded the Dream Realm entrance's array for some time. On the day I failed, Zong Fu Shen Wang escaped through a karmic Dunfa. The purple-robed woman fled with even greater skill—I barely sensed her through my spatial domain. The black-robed golden-masked warrior only just broke through the two ancient kingdoms' arrays—he must have obtained the Thousand Dream Fruit. His escape technique was too swift to intercept!"

After his failure, Emperor Jiu Feng had secretly watched the entrance array. With his mastery of spatial domains, he sensed every soul passing by.

A single thread of karma, a single trace of aura—none could evade him.

"Emperor Fu," Emperor Wu asked, puzzled. "You've seen the battle scenes. Can you determine their identities?"

Emperor Jiu Feng also looked at Emperor Fu.

Emperor Fu's ability to deduce fate was terrifying, and he possessed a secret treasure granted by the Ancestor. Few on the Origin Continent could hide from him.

"I cannot determine." Emperor Fu frowned and shook his head.

"Neither the purple-robed woman nor the black-robed golden-masked warrior?" Emperor Wu and Emperor Jiu Feng were puzzled.

"The purple-robed woman has multiple possibilities," Emperor Fu said. "She could be the Empress of Fengdu! She was nurtured by the Ancestor of the Eastern Pole Domain; her resources rival those of our imperial clan's Shen Wangs. She appears humble, but is profoundly deep. She could also be the Lord of Myriad Realms or a Jie Shou's avatar."

"Empress of Fengdu, Lord of Myriad Realms, Jie Shou…" Emperor Wu and Emperor Jiu Feng pondered.

"What about the black-robed golden-masked warrior?" Emperor Jiu Feng asked. "My Annihilating Wind couldn't even shake his body. His physical form is no weaker than an ultimate-level lifeform. His soul or spiritual will techniques could instantly kill the Tiankun Kingdom's Lord."

"His body and soul/spiritual will are both terrifying. Only a handful on the Origin Continent could achieve this. Yet none of the ones I know… seem likely to be him." Emperor Jiu Feng said.

"I can't figure it out either," Emperor Wu was baffled.

"My suspects don't fit either," Emperor Fu shook his head. "I suspect… a newly risen power. The Origin Continent teems with hidden dragons and tigers. Among the many Shen Wangs of the Second Layer, one may have quietly reached the ultimate level! Reaching ultimate level naturally grants immense physical strength and spiritual will surpassing Shen Wang level."

The Lord of Myriad Realms and Emperor Qing, both who had comprehended complete Dao, possessed spiritual will beyond Shen Wang level.

"Newly risen power? Could he be a newly attained ultimate-level?" Emperor Jiu Feng and Emperor Wu were stunned.

"If his body and soul/spiritual will are this strong, even if he isn't ultimate-level, he must be treated as one." Emperor Fu said no more.

Emperor Jiu Feng and Emperor Wu nodded, and finally departed.

Emperor Fu remained alone in the vast space.

"His body is this strong?"

"Then nine times out of ten, it's Luo He."

Emperor Fu smiled, deeply satisfied. "Five powerful beings competed for the Thousand Dream Fruit. The purple-robed woman is likely the Lord of Myriad Realms or a Jie Shou's avatar—and yet you still won! Far stronger than I expected."

"Emperor Qing looked down on me—he's long sent avatars beyond the Origin Continent to wander."

"The Lord of Myriad Realms is devious. I dislike him."

"Emperor Ming… he's unsuitable as a companion. He might kill me one day."

"Luo He has grown up with deep loyalty and righteousness—he's the perfect companion to share life and death with."

Emperor Fu frowned slightly. "He's growing too fast. I'll send an avatar to guard the teleportation channel! When he leaves, I'll depart with him immediately—so we'll reach the same destination."

Because he was powerful enough, Emperor Fu had long prepared to leave the Origin Continent. Luo He was his chosen best companion.

To venture beyond the Origin Continent and risk one's life, finding a trustworthy life-and-death companion was extremely difficult. Before Luo Feng's rise, Emperor Fu had even prepared to go alone. If no suitable companion existed, he'd rather travel solo.

…

Huyang City.

"This Thousand Dream Fruit must be traded with the two ancient kingdoms for fragments of ultimate-level primordial bloodline creatures." Luo Feng, in the city lord's mansion, pondered the trade.

The three alien races might also provide fragments of ultimate-level primordial bloodline creatures, but what they offered would most likely be creatures cultivated in other primordial worlds—meaning I could never use 'Formless and Shapeless' to transform into them.

Luo Feng's World Lifeform is now in its Twenty-Four Forms.

Luo Feng must also prepare for the ultimate level—he naturally desires the corpse material of native-born 'ultimate-level primordial bloodline creatures.'

"Most of these corpse materials will be given to Mo Luo Sa. A tiny amount will be kept... for my own cultivation." Luo Feng made his decision.

(End of Chapter)