Chapter 278

Luo Feng sat cross-legged, his simulated Eye of Birth and Death activated, observing the thick bone before him. Though the simulated Eye of Birth and Death could not match the observational power of a high-level Hunyuan life, among Divine Emperors, it was still an extraordinarily powerful observation technique.

“The mysteries of life can be applied in such a way,” Luo Feng gazed at the secret patterns within the thick bone, feeling a sudden clarity, gaining new insight.

The over three hundred fragments of low-level Hunyuan life that Luo Feng purchased were either life-type, destruction-type, or combinations of both, and these mysteries surpassed the level of complete Great Dao.

“This is exactly what I need,” Luo Feng plunged fully into it, devoting all his focus to contemplation.

Low-level Hunyuan life, high-level Hunyuan life, world-class Hunyuan life, Hunyuan Ancestor—each step forward represented a massive transformation of life’s essence, and the complexity of the secret patterns contained within underwent a qualitative leap.

Luo Feng also realized…

His optimal method of contemplation should proceed from low to high, building a solid foundation by studying the mysteries of each level! Only then could the difficulty of comprehending the blood-red scale in the Star Tower be significantly reduced.

“A ten-thousand-zhang tower rises from the ground; these low-level Hunyuan life fragments are the foundation of that tower,” Luo Feng patiently absorbed all the knowledge.

As he contemplated these secret patterns, Luo Feng’s Destruction Dao naturally broke through, reaching the Ultimate Realm.

In just half a ji since arriving at the Nine Rivers Sacred Realm, his Destruction Dao had officially reached the Ultimate Realm—also because it had already been on the verge of breakthrough.

Time passed.

Finally, Luo Feng had contemplated all three hundred-plus fragments.

“A superficial contemplation,” Luo Feng was surprised, “Has it really been thirty-six ji?”

“Begin consuming Hunyuan crystals.”

During the first round of contemplation, he had consumed no treasures.

Now, with Hunyuan crystals consumed, his state improved dramatically, and he began organizing the knowledge from his first round of contemplation—sorting and integrating it into his own cultivation system.

Merely organizing and reflecting consumed another fifteen ji.

“If I hadn’t come to the Nine Rivers Sacred Realm and hadn’t encountered so many low-level Hunyuan life fragments, if I’d relied solely on my own solitary contemplation, when would I have uncovered so many mysteries?” Luo Feng was delighted.

The blood-red scale in the Star Tower was like a distant lamp at the far end of the cultivation path.

It was too far from Luo Feng.

Like a mortal gazing at a distant star—could he walk there? The dark path was too long, too long, filled with peril.

Thus, more resources were needed to break through layer upon layer of obstacles.

“Begin the second round of contemplation.”

This time, Luo Feng was in a state enhanced by Hunyuan crystals, contemplating carefully.

This round progressed far faster—only twelve ji to complete one full contemplation. Another six ji were spent integrating the knowledge into his system. Along the way, Luo Feng naturally created numerous Ultimate Realm techniques of the Birth and Death Dao.

When accumulation reaches sufficient levels, creating techniques becomes effortless.

“Begin the third round.”

Luo Feng picked up a vial beside him, containing three pills—the highly cost-effective cultivation treasure, “Heaven-Earth Unity Pill,” which offered exceptional value in weaker stages, each pill costing thirty thousand Hunyuan crystals.

This was far more extravagant than consuming Hunyuan crystals—but the effects were far superior.

The Heaven-Earth Unity Pill was a pale green pill, radiating a faint white glow, stirring ripples of countless cosmic rules, as if ready to merge into the fabric of heaven and earth. Luo Feng directed a thread of power toward it and swallowed it.

The pill entered his mouth.

“Boom!”

Luo Feng felt his entire body and soul unite with the cosmic rules; his mental processing speed surged. Merely glancing around, flashes of insight arose in his mind—his state was unimaginably sublime.

“Third round of contemplation on these fragments,” Luo Feng began.

With the foundation of the first two rounds and aided by the Heaven-Earth Unity Pill, Luo Feng’s contemplation pierced straight to the essence, revealing deeper mysteries of life and destruction.

“Life… destruction…”

Time flowed as Luo Feng sank into contemplation.

The joy of seeking the Dao filled his heart.

Unconsciously, the pill’s effect faded; Luo Feng immediately swallowed the second pill, fully immersed in contemplation.

While the second pill’s effect still lingered, Luo Feng completed the third round, then began organizing and integrating the knowledge.

“Boom.”

During this process, his understanding of the Birth and Death Dao continuously deepened, and he naturally attained the complete Birth and Death Dao. Luo Feng did not pause—he swallowed the third pill and continued contemplating and comprehending.

The knowledge of birth and death collided, merged, fused.

“Hmm?”

Luo Feng suddenly felt his mind grow sluggish, overwhelmed by intense fatigue and stabbing pain—his state deteriorated drastically.

“Did the pill’s effect wear off?” Luo Feng halted his cultivation.

“Truly an excellent pill. The Heaven-Earth Unity Pill can be taken consecutively up to ten times. After ten, the soul is injured and requires several ji of rest with special treasures. Three or five pills merely cause extreme exhaustion,” Luo Feng smiled.

“This retreat lasted eighty-seven ji.”

“Better than two thousand ji of contemplation on the Origin Continent,” Luo Feng was certain—under the aid of abundant resources, the results were truly equivalent to dozens of times greater. The key was that on the Origin Continent, he could not access enough low-level Hunyuan life fragments, risking a plateau.

New knowledge, however, could spark sudden breakthroughs.

“The Birth and Death Dao has reached the Ultimate Realm,” Luo Feng was unsurprised.

On the Origin Continent, he had already discovered eight Ultimate Realm techniques of the Birth and Death Dao. Accumulating another dozen or so would have been enough to break through. This time, merely contemplating the fragments, he naturally broke through along the way.

“Life, destruction, and birth and death—I’ve firmly determined my future direction,” Luo Feng smiled.

For profound depth: the Star Tower, the Eye of Birth and Death, two special life fragments.

For foundational secret patterns: countless low-level Hunyuan life fragments.

His vision was broad enough. Luo Feng’s certainty about his future grew stronger.

“My path of life—my future direction—is to pursue ‘the greater the life, the better; the more vast the life-source, the better,’” Luo Feng affirmed.

Bigger is better.

As vast as a Source World.

Even larger than a Source World.

“My life will have no limits! The bigger, the better—as long as I can control it, I will pursue ultimate magnitude,” Luo Feng thought.

Other cultivators would never dare such a thing.

Pure magnitude has many flaws. For instance, combat power, escape ability, and numerous other aspects become weak, making one easy to target.

“The Destruction Dao seeks only ultimate offensive power—ignore everything else, focus solely on destruction!”

Both paths are extreme.

Normal cultivators would never choose them—too many flaws.

But Luo Feng had the Birth and Death Dao to fuse them.

“My Birth and Death Dao unites them into one.”

Luo Feng understood clearly.

All three paths were difficult. The more extreme his pursuit of life and destruction, the harder it would be to fuse them.

Yet Luo Feng had glimpsed such a path in the Star Tower’s blood-red scale. That scale had filled him with awe at an unimaginably vast lifeform—but its offensive power remained weak.

But Luo Feng faintly saw such a path within the Crimson Scales of the Star Tower. That crimson scale filled him with the terror of an infinite, vast life force, yet that terrifying life force was still weak in its killing intent.

To maximize the blood-red scale’s strength and compensate for its weakness—that was his path.

“This path is difficult. I’ve only just begun,” Luo Feng remained exhilarated, for he now had a vague blueprint for his own “escape from the cage.”

He knew this vague blueprint would face countless obstacles along the way.

He also knew that a vague plan would inevitably encounter many obstacles along the way.

“Now, I need more low-level Hunyuan life fragments,” Luo Feng thought.

Low-level Hunyuan life ranged from early Divine Emperor to peak Divine Emperor; the stronger the lifeform, the deeper its secret patterns. The three hundred-plus fragments Luo Feng bought averaged around three hundred Hunyuan crystals each—clearly very cheap.

“Prepare a bit more, then head out hunting with Di Qing.”

Luo Feng first consumed Hunyuan crystals to recover, then created suitable techniques for his five avatars based on his complete Birth and Death Dao.

Once a complete Dao is understood, even a casual gesture becomes an Ultimate Realm technique—combining multiple moves can even create forbidden or killing techniques, their power undergoing qualitative transformation.

This is why a Divine Emperor who awakens the Dao in the early stage can rival a Divine Emperor in the middle stage who cultivates Hunyuan bloodline.

Unconsciously, another three ji passed.

“Time to end my retreat,” Luo Feng felt fully prepared and rose, stepping out of the meditation chamber.

“It’s time to emerge from seclusion,” Luo Feng thought, feeling fully prepared; he immediately rose and stepped out of the meditation chamber.

Di Qing knew Luo Feng was in retreat and had great patience.

When he first came to the Nine Rivers Sacred Realm, he too purchased vast resources to strengthen himself before venturing out to hunt.

“Did Di Ming and Di Fu leave again?” Di Qing shook his head slightly. “They’re always out and about.”

When Di Ming and Di Fu left, they carried not a single Hunyuan crystal—utterly destitute!

They weren’t afraid of theft, wandering freely across all corners of Yulan City, seeking opportunities.

Even visiting merchants to examine fragments.

Though viewed through separate spaces, their observation was insufficiently detailed, yet still yielded some gains.

“Di Fu is too weak—he can barely find work in Yulan City. But Di Ming, his Hunyuan bloodline is barely at early Divine Emperor level—he can find some employment,” Di Qing thought. “But he seems dissatisfied.”

Di Qing didn’t care much—he’d already done enough by offering free lodging.

For this, Di Qing was too lazy to care; providing free lodging was already a great help.

Di Qing sensed Luo Feng leaving his space.

“Di Qing,” Luo Feng spotted Di Qing in the distance.

“Out of retreat?” Di Qing exclaimed, smiling. “So soon? First time in the Nine Rivers Sacred Realm—you should savor those resources thoroughly.”

“Enough,” Luo Feng smiled. “I’m ready to buy suitable weapons and treasures, then head out hunting.”

“That’s about enough,” Luo Feng said with a smile. “I’m going out to buy suitable weapons and treasures, then I can go hunting.”

"Oh?" Di Qing's face lit up with delight. Could they go hunting?

(End of Chapter)