Chapter 271: Chapter Six: My Name Is Yuan

On a lake island in the treasure land “Infinite Space.”

Luo Feng sat cross-legged on the grass, pondering: “The Path of Life has reached its ultimate, but the Path of Destruction still lacks something.”

With materials from those ultimate-level Hunyuan creatures, my strength could increase dramatically, and most of my energy naturally flowed into the Path of Life. Moreover, with the aid of those Life materials, my understanding of the Path of Life advanced more smoothly.

“As for the Path of Destruction, I might as well take a look at this Perfect-level inheritance.” Luo Feng examined the inheritances in the Infinite Space treasury, “A Perfect-level inheritance should aid cultivation.”

“Nine Stages of Annihilation,” a Perfect-level inheritance of the Destruction Dao.

The first stage requires only 100 reward points to exchange.

The second and third stages require 10,000 reward points each.

Merely to enter the first stage, one must possess a mind will surpassing that of a Divine King to even attempt cultivation.

“Just 100 reward points—I’ll exchange the first stage first and see.” Luo Feng was deeply curious about the Perfect-level inheritance; just how powerful must it be to dare call itself “Perfect”?

With a single thought, Luo Feng exchanged it; his reward points dropped slightly, becoming 64,093.03.

Hum—

A flood of information surged into Luo Feng’s mind.

“The First Stage of ‘Nine Stages of Annihilation’: The Stage of Glimpsing the Dao. In this stage, one may glimpse the memories of Destruction imprinted upon the Destruction Dao of one’s source world. When all Destruction memories have been glimpsed yet one remains conscious, the first stage is complete.”

“Warning: Only those with a mind will surpassing that of a Divine King may attempt this. Otherwise, you will be assimilated by the primordial Destruction Dao.”

“Warning: Even with strong willpower, one may still sink into the imprinted Destruction memories and descend into utter madness. Cultivators must carefully control the pace of their glimpsing—do not rush.”

After this came the detailed cultivation method.

Luo Feng stared, dumbfounded.

“What is this? The entire inheritance gives no detailed guidance on any branch of the Destruction Dao? It merely asks me to glimpse the memories imprinted on the Destruction Dao?” Luo Feng was bewildered.

He had not even known that the Destruction Dao bore such imprinted memories.

Luo Feng studied the detailed cultivation content of the first stage. This stage was nothing but glimpsing—more a method to “forge the mind.” Since even a mind will surpassing a Divine King could go mad, progress must be carefully controlled.

“Forging the mind? Even if it’s only a method to forge the mind, 100 reward points are worth it.” Luo Feng thought.

“Luo Feng of the Origin Continent?” A voice suddenly sounded.

Luo Feng startled, turning his head.

Standing more than ten zhang away was an old man, smiling at him.

“How is this possible? With my mind will, how could any cultivator approach me without my awareness? Even now, my mind will senses nothing but emptiness before me.” Luo Feng could not believe it.

His eyes saw the man clearly, yet every other method detected nothing.

“I am Yuan,” the old man smiled. “This space was created by me.”

“Master Yuan,” Luo Feng immediately understood the visitor’s identity and bowed respectfully, “Luo Feng pays homage to Master Yuan.”

In the Origin Continent’s source world, every cultivator who reached the Ultimate realm had received Master Yuan’s grace! All treasure lands, special life remains, secret techniques—all were left behind by Yuan.

“You’ve got guts, exchanging this ‘Nine Stages of Annihilation,’” the old man chuckled. “This inheritance only has the first five stages open for exchange—even those, over countless eons, have been attempted by many gifted cultivators, yet none have succeeded.”

“The highest anyone reached was the fourth stage. Many went mad and became demons.”

The old man shook his head. “My old friend created all nine stages, believing that once completed, one could leap beyond the cage and become a ‘World-level Hunyuan Life.’ But he was too mad—his inheritance is unsuitable for cultivation.”

“I came to see you because I meet every Ultimate cultivator,” Yuan looked at Luo Feng. “Those who become Ultimate in their source world are all promising. Only now do I realize that the nine-story small tower ended up in your hands.”

“The nine-story small tower? The Star Tower?” Luo Feng guessed.

“You call it the Star Tower? Yes, I forged it.”

Yuan nodded. “Long ago, we joined forces to kill a Hunyuan Ancestor. On its corpse were three blood scales. I placed one blood scale inside that small tower and performed a simple forging, making the tower its vessel.”

“In truth, that blood scale remains perfectly intact, hidden deep within the tower. Even with my power, I cannot erase it—only barely harness it.” Yuan sighed with a smile. “We usually give Hunyuan Ancestor remains to the most brilliant, most gifted cultivators. Yet among them, those who leap beyond the cage… are still far too few.”

“So I thought: why not try cultivating some little ones among the weakest cultivators? Thus, this small tower was made. It went to that primal universe and searched among countless beings for its master.”

“To become its master while still weak—you are already sufficiently outstanding,” Yuan said, unusually verbose.

After all, this Ultimate cultivator was more outstanding than most. He had even obtained a treasure early on.

“Thank you, Master Yuan,” Luo Feng now fully understood: the Star Tower, strictly speaking, had been forged by Master Yuan.

“What would you like to ask?” Yuan said. “If I can guide you, I will.”

Luo Feng knew this opportunity was exceedingly rare. Even the most gifted might only ever meet Yuan once!

“Master Yuan,” Luo Feng bowed respectfully, “I wish to leap beyond the cage. How should I cultivate from now on? Please guide me.”

“Many cultivators wonder this,” Yuan nodded. “All Perfect-level inheritances in this Infinite Space treasury were created by beings of my level. All S-class inheritances were created by World-level Hunyuan Lives.”

“Thus, exchange for these two types is limited to Divine King stage.”

Yuan looked at Luo Feng. “Do you know why the later stages cannot be exchanged?”

Luo Feng listened.

“We once released later-stage inheritances, but they affected cultivators too profoundly—even distorting their own path exploration,” Yuan said. “The Dao: those who learn from me live; those who imitate me die!”

“Every cultivator who leaps beyond the cage is unique. To force imitation is to walk the path of death.” Yuan said. “Once we realized this, we restricted the exchange of later-stage inheritances—only Divine King-level inheritances may be exchanged.”

Luo Feng understood.

Master Yuan and the World-level Hunyuan Lives were too high in realm.

Their inheritances were too perfect. Those who followed them would naturally be influenced by them.

“The Infinite Space treasury does contain some inheritances that directly point toward Semi-Hunyuan,” Yuan said. “Their creators never succeeded themselves, and the inheritances are crude—but their intent is extremely lofty! If later cultivators perfect that intent on their own, they may yet leap beyond the cage.”

Not a single word, not a single line, not a single detail was wrong!

Luo Feng understood: the “Eight Catastrophe Life Form” was recorded in the treasury.

“Still, even these are slightly influenced by predecessors,” Yuan said. “The best method is to explore entirely alone in darkness.”

“Won’t you lose your way in darkness?” Luo Feng asked.

This was the greatest obstacle after surpassing Divine King.

“That’s why you all receive special life remains,” Yuan said. “These are remains of World-level Hunyuan Lives. The mysteries within them are of the World-level Hunyuan realm.”

“These remains are the lanterns far away in the darkness.”

“Advance toward that lantern!”

“Even if the light is dim, and you wander many wrong paths in darkness, your final destination is still that lantern.” Yuan looked at Luo Feng. “Your fortune is greater—your nine-story tower contains a blood scale of a Hunyuan Ancestor. In your darkness, you may walk farther.”

Luo Feng nodded slightly.

“A World-level Hunyuan Life’s remains can be broken down into billions of fragments,” Yuan said. “We can ensure every Ultimate cultivator in the source world receives at least one fragment.”

“But Hunyuan Ancestor remains are exceedingly rare. To obtain them is far more difficult.” Yuan said. “When you reach beyond the source world, you’ll understand! So cherish your Star Tower.”

Luo Feng nodded.

A single special life remain could sell for an exorbitant price outside.

What price would a Hunyuan Ancestor remain command? How fierce would the competition be?

“For this Perfect-level ‘Nine Stages of Annihilation’ inheritance, exchange only the first three stages. More is meaningless,” Yuan said. “No need to exchange other inheritances—explore and create your own. Only then can you walk farther.”

“Save your reward points. The more you accumulate, the more valuable treasures you can exchange,” Yuan smiled. “I’ve said all I will. Now, you must walk your own path.”

After speaking, Yuan vanished into thin air.

Luo Feng immediately bowed: “Thank you, Master Yuan.”

Yuan’s visit was purely a broad net—treating every source world Ultimate cultivator the same.

At this moment, Yuan had not yet noticed how outstanding Luo Feng was!

Among countless source worlds, among billions of worlds, across endless eons, Yuan had seen many cultivators more dazzling than Luo Feng at this stage. Yet how many of them ultimately leapt beyond the cage?

“I’ll follow Master Yuan’s advice—exchange only the first three stages of ‘Nine Stages of Annihilation.’” After exchanging them, Luo Feng stopped using reward points and stored them for now.

This meeting with Yuan confirmed for Luo Feng that other inheritances in the Infinite Space treasury held little meaning.

His greatest gain was learning the origin of the Star Tower.

…

In Hu Yangcheng.

Luo Feng looked at the Star Tower in his hand: “This blood scale is perfectly intact, hidden deep within the Star Tower. Even Master Yuan and his kind cannot erase it?”

He had always assumed the twelve-color edge blood scale was merely a manifestation of rule mysteries. Now he realized it was so powerful even Yuan’s group could not destroy it.

“According to Master Yuan’s meaning, the mystery within this Star Tower’s blood scale is even deeper. In darkness, cultivation must center on it.” Luo Feng understood—other special life remains were merely auxiliary.

“I wonder… can I leap beyond the cage?” Luo Feng thought.

(End of Chapter)