Chapter 252: The Sixth Volume: Universal Currency

"Even a secret treasure worth tens of thousands of reward points would be quite impressive," Emperor Qing chuckled. "By the way, are the few secret treasures left behind by Emperor Yuan hard to sell?"

"They're indeed hard to sell—I managed to offload only two out of five," Luo Feng said, waving his hand to reveal the remaining three secret treasures: the red cloak, battle boots, and gloves.

"You sold the two higher-value items, leaving these three most ordinary ones," Emperor Qing observed. "Three secret treasures from the early Divine Emperor realm—how about this: my Yanfeng Ancient Nation will repurchase them. Let's round it off—ten thousand Hunyuan Crystals."

One Hunyuan Crystal equals one hundred thousand merits in exchange for ordinary guests of the two ancient nations.

Ten thousand Hunyuan Crystals equal ten billion merits!

This is a massive amount of merits that ordinary Divine Kings of the Second Realm can only look up to—even Emperor Lords and Sovereigns find it extremely difficult to accumulate such a vast sum.

"Fine," Luo Feng nodded with a smile.

Whoosh. Emperor Qing waved his hand, and a pile of brilliant Hunyuan Crystals floated beside him.

Luo Feng's eyes brightened; each Hunyuan Crystal was about the size of a finger, perfectly round, and naturally emitted an aura that stirred in Luo Feng an urge to absorb it.

"Hunyuan Crystals are the universal currency beyond the Source World," Emperor Qing explained. "They are refined essences of infinite Hunyuan Force, forged by Hunyuan Beings who have escaped the Cage. Each is this small for convenience in trade."

Luo Feng waved his hand to collect the pile of Hunyuan Crystals, but kept three in his palm, carefully sensing them.

"Hunyuan Crystals benefit the cultivation of all life within the Cage," Emperor Qing said.

"Universal currency?" Luo Feng understood, studying the three Hunyuan Crystals in his palm.

"Absorbing them aids cultivation—but do so in moderation," Emperor Qing warned. "For early Divine Emperor realm cultivators, do not exceed one hundred per eon. Too much will diminish the effect, even render it useless."

"Each cultivator's physical strength and soul strength differ, so the optimal dosage varies. You must gradually discover your own limit through cultivation."

"In short, as soon as you feel the effect weakening, reduce the amount immediately," Emperor Qing reminded. "As long as you maintain a low dosage, the Hunyuan Crystals will remain effective—and you can use them continuously until you escape the Cage."

Luo Feng marveled: "Truly miraculous."

Hunyuan Crystals can be used even by ordinary guests of the two ancient nations—and by Divine Emperors too… truly a treasure with exceptional versatility.

"Young Brother Yinhe, once your secret technique is complete and all preparations are ready, notify me immediately," Emperor Qing handed Luo Feng a command token. "When you crush it, I will sense it instantly."

Other Emperor Lords of Yanfeng Ancient Nation possess only communication tokens—they can send messages to Emperor Qing, but he never checks them while in seclusion.

But Emperor Qing senses this token the moment it is activated.

"Understood. When I'm fully prepared and ready to leave the Origin Continent, I'll notify Brother Emperor Qing," Luo Feng agreed cheerfully.

Emperor Qing smiled and nodded, then stepped forward and vanished.

…

Yanfeng Ancient Nation, Qing Capital, Emperor Qing Palace.

Eleven Emperor Lords—Emperor Fu, Emperor Yan, Emperor Jiufeng, Emperor Chu, and others—had gathered here, either in their true bodies or incarnations.

"Did Emperor Qing lose to the Yinhe Sovereign? Did the Yinhe Sovereign finally unleash a nine-story tower and defeat Emperor Qing?" These Emperor Lords were alarmed; Yanfeng Ancient Nation's supreme authority rested entirely on the Yanfeng Ancestor and Emperor Qing.

Within the Origin Continent's power restrictions, the gap between Emperor Qing and the Yanfeng Ancestor was negligible.

Whoosh. Emperor Qing appeared upon the throne in the grand hall.

"Emperor Qing," all eleven Emperor Lords turned to him.

Emperor Qing looked at his kin, frowned, and shook his head: "The Yinhe Sovereign is immensely powerful! He even possesses an extremely potent secret treasure—with that tower, even I cannot match him."

The eleven Emperor Lords were stunned.

Even Emperor Qing couldn't defeat him?

"Under the Origin Continent's power restrictions, even the Ancestor must rely on a powerful secret treasure just to slightly overpower the Yinhe Sovereign," Emperor Qing shook his head. "Even then, he cannot truly harm him."

"The Yinhe Sovereign's foundation is already complete!" Emperor Qing softly shook his head, then vanished.

Only the eleven Emperor Lords remained, exchanging uneasy glances.

"Even the Ancestor, with a secret treasure, cannot harm this Yinhe Sovereign?" Emperor Yan's heart sank.

Emperor Fu sighed: "We Emperor Lords cannot touch the Thunder Ancestor or the Eastern Pole Domain Ancestor either. Now we have one more Yinhe Sovereign."

"It seems we must swallow our pride and let Emperor Yuan's vengeance go," Emperor Kong remarked.

"Emperor Kong, stop gloating," Emperor Yan snapped.

"I'm stating facts—dare you seek revenge?" Emperor Kong sneered, then stepped forward and vanished.

"Let's go, another Ancestor-level being," Emperor Chu, Emperor Jiufeng, and others departed one by one.

Emperor Fu, however, was deeply troubled.

"This Yinhe Sovereign is so powerful, and with his secret treasure, he even surpasses Emperor Qing. Is he truly Luohe?" Emperor Fu's confidence wavered. "With such strength, would he even consider leaving the Origin Continent with me?"

Companions are chosen mutually.

I selected him—but he must also find me worthy! The gap in power is too great; the Yinhe Sovereign likely won't even acknowledge me.

"Cultivation ultimately depends on oneself—you must grow strong," Emperor Fu thought. "I must find a way to reach the Ultimate Realm."

His array expertise was already profound; he stood just one thin layer away from the Ultimate Realm—but he could not break through.

Emperor Fu was deeply frustrated.

"Di Qing has finally acted—he's avenging Di Yuan!"

"Emperor Qing finally acted—he's avenging Emperor Yuan!"

"The power of Emperor Qing and the Yinhe Sovereign is terrifying!"

"Huh?"

"Did Emperor Qing lose?"

"That nine-story tower defeated Emperor Qing?"

Those with even a little insight realized Emperor Qing had been outmatched—this shocked them.

For the Origin Continent held a universal truth: unless the two nations' Ancestors intervened, Emperor Qing was invincible!

Yet now, the Yinhe Sovereign, wielding the nine-story tower, had surpassed Emperor Qing.

"Our Thunder Ancient Nation has no beings above Divine Kings except the Ancestor. We must be even more cautious," the Thunder Ancient Nation's Sovereigns were more panicked than the Yanfeng Emperor Lords.

"Isn't this the Star Tower I forged?" Zuo Shan Ke clearly witnessed the entire battle between Di Qing and Luo Feng through the recordings of Lei Ting's Trading House, and saw the Star Tower appear at the end.

"Isn't that my Star Tower?" Zuoshan Ke, through recordings from the Thunder Trading Guild, clearly witnessed the entire battle between Emperor Qing and Luo Feng—and saw the Star Tower's final appearance.

"The Star Tower—a secret treasure of a Divine King of the First Realm—defeated Emperor Qing?" Zuoshan Ke was stunned.

"It seems the golden light I infused into the Star Tower during its forging was extraordinary," Zuoshan Ke mused.

With his power, he had been meticulous in the forging process—no material could be even slightly flawed. Yet that golden light had ignored his arrays, bypassed his domain, and directly merged into the Star Tower. He had sensed something was wrong even then.

After the golden light merged into the forging Star Tower, it instantly took shape. At the time, with his knowledge, he judged it to be a Divine King of the First Realm secret treasure.

He had been utterly unable to perceive its true nature.

The Star Tower's recognition was far harder than Zuoshan Ke had anticipated—it only acknowledged Luo Feng when he stood on the brink of death.

"A great treasure requires a worthy master."

"Only in Luo Feng's hands can the Star Tower truly unleash its power," Zuoshan Ke sighed. As its creator and a Divine King of the First Realm, he himself could not fathom its true mysteries.

Yet Zuoshan Ke felt only joy.

Joy for his disciple!

After avenging his blood-deep grudge, Zuoshan Ke's heart was utterly calm. Now, his greatest concern was his disciple Luo Feng—the brighter Luo Feng shone, the happier he became.

"That little fellow from Earth—without notice, he has reached the pinnacle of the Origin Continent," Zuoshan Ke thought, smiling.

Hu Yang City, Governor's Mansion, Quiet Chamber.

Luo Feng was in seclusion here; affairs of the Yinhe Divine Nation were primarily handled by Mo Luo Sa, though Luo Feng could arrive instantly with a single thought whenever critical moments arose.

"This sparring match—Emperor Qing deliberately helped me," Luo Feng understood.

Emperor Qing had used only the "Three Thousand Killing Array" from start to finish—no other powerful techniques, no secret treasures at all! A Divine King Above who had roamed beyond the Source World for eons—could he truly have no desperate tactics? No secret treasure in his homeland?

If Emperor Qing had truly fought to the death, it was uncertain whether Luo Feng could gain the upper hand.

My secret treasures might have an edge, but Emperor Qing's realm is higher—he could wield secret treasures of late or peak Divine Emperor realm, possibly matching the Star Tower.

"Within the Origin Continent, under its power restrictions, even if I, Emperor Qing, or either nation's Ancestor gains the upper hand, none can truly harm the others."

"But beyond the Origin Continent, the gap becomes vast."

Luo Feng knew clearly: his so-called invincibility was merely due to the Origin Continent's supreme rule limiting power.

"Focus on cultivation—I must reach the Ultimate Realm," Luo Feng flipped his palm, revealing a Hunyuan Crystal—the round, finger-sized jade-like treasure—which he swallowed in one gulp.

The Hunyuan Crystal entered his body and began to be slowly absorbed.

"Hmm?"

Hunyuan Crystals are refined essences of Hunyuan Force; as long as one has not become a Hunyuan Being, they are beneficial.

At this moment, Luo Feng's body was nourished, his soul was nourished, his mental processing speed increased several-fold, and his comprehension soared.

"It even strengthens the body and enhances the soul," Luo Feng marveled.

Hunyuan Crystals slowly strengthen the body and soul. Theoretically, with infinite Hunyuan Crystals and infinite time, one could elevate body and soul to an unimaginable extreme.

Unfortunately, the amount one can consume per eon is limited—exceeding it diminishes the effect, even renders it useless.

"Generally, the higher one's life tier, the weaker a treasure's nourishing effect. But Hunyuan Crystals remain effective continuously," Luo Feng closed his eyes and began focusing on the three Hunyuan Bloodline creature materials he had acquired, each tied to Ultimate Realm power.

Time flowed steadily amid his cultivation.

…

Since his sparring match with Emperor Qing, no one on the Origin Continent dared to provoke the Yinhe Divine Nation.

The Yinhe Sovereign now stood alongside the two nations' Ancestors, the Eastern Pole Domain Ancestor, and Emperor Qing—and his hatred of evil made even the ancient beings of the Origin Continent cautious. At least, the mass consumption of billions of lives vanished for the time being.

In the blink of an eye, three hundred eons had passed since the founding of the Yinhe Divine Nation.

On this day, an unremarkable event occurred—the former Elder of Daohe Sect broke through and became a Divine King.

(End of Chapter)