Chapter 285: Chapter Seven: Di Qing

Luo Feng looked at the Infinite Space Treasury, where the information on its treasures had multiplied further.

“I have no firm certainty—I’m still at the Divine Emperor stage, yet my spiritual will has already broken free of its cage,” Luo Feng thought. “So these 250,000-plus reward points might be all I’ll ever get.”

“I must reserve enough reward points to use when I reach the Semi-Primordial level.”

Luo Feng pondered.

Now that his realm was still low, he didn’t yet know what he most needed to escape the cage. It would be best to exchange treasures only after reaching the Semi-Primordial level.

“I’ll buy something relatively cheap,” Luo Feng thought, his gaze sweeping the cheaper treasures until he instantly locked onto his target.

“Exchange for the secret treasure ‘Indestructible Heart.’”

Luo Feng immediately exchanged it.

The secret treasure ‘Indestructible Heart’ is indestructible, possesses infinite vitality, and can augment the physical body. It can also coalesce an additional powerful battle form. Suitable for cultivation along the Life and Destruction paths. Requires 43,000 reward points to exchange.

Among treasures under 100,000 reward points, this was the only one suitable for both Life and Destruction paths.

The weapons and secret treasures sold in Lancheng were mostly forged by Divine Emperors. Even ‘Divine Emperor Perfect’ secret treasures would offer negligible help once Luo Feng reached the Semi-Primordial level—his realm might even surpass the forger’s.

But these secret treasures in the Infinite Treasury were forged by beings who had already escaped the cage!

After the exchange, Luo Feng’s reward points in the Infinite Space dropped to 211,093.03. According to his cultivation plan, he intended to make exchanges only after reaching the Semi-Primordial level.

…

On the Origin Continent, in the master’s meditation chamber within the Star Tower of Hu Yang City’s governor’s mansion.

Both nations’ founding ancestors built special secluded cultivation chambers, but Luo Feng didn’t need them—inside the Star Tower was the safest place.

“Indestructible Heart.”

Luo Feng sat cross-legged, gazing at the emerald gem in his hand.

His third eye of birth and death opened, revealing the boundless, profound patterns within the gem—vast beyond measure, no less than the remains of a special life. Faintly, he saw a drop of blazing blood; all the patterns’ mysteries originated from that single drop.

“This gem was forged around a single drop of blood.”

“Judging by its profundity, that drop must be from a World-Level Primordial Life. That’s why the gem possesses infinite vitality and is indestructible.”

The power derived from a World-Level Primordial Life was naturally described as ‘infinite vitality, indestructible’ at the Divine Emperor level.

“Before escaping the cage, this Indestructible Heart will be enough for me to contemplate,” Luo Feng was satisfied.

Of all the secret treasures in the Infinite Treasury, the two most suited to him—Life-Death Eye and Indestructible Heart—he had now exchanged for both! Of course, the Infinite Treasury still held other rare treasures to aid cultivation.

For instance, there were seedlings: plant one, and meditating beneath it would constantly bring spiritual enlightenment—equivalent to a thousand or ten thousand days of ordinary cultivation, occasionally even triggering sudden enlightenment.

There were also books of wisdom: these books themselves could dissect all things, study the Dao, and aid cultivation—far stronger than the Life-Death Eye.

Luo Feng had discovered these only after his reward points reached over 250,000.

“Treasures are limitless, but reward points are finite. I must learn to use mine more effectively,” Luo Feng remained calm.

“Indestructible Heart, Life-Death Eye, Star Tower—from low to high… I can better understand how Life and Death combine.”

First understand how to combine them; only then can one comprehend how to fuse them.

Luo Feng flipped his hand and pulled out a Primordial Crystal, swallowed it, and began contemplating the dense array of low-level Primordial Life materials.

…

With his Life Eye, these low-level Primordial Life materials revealed no secrets to Luo Feng—they were utterly transparent. He possessed at least ninety percent of the known types of low-level Primordial Life from the Jiuhe Sacred Realm’s ‘Divine Emperor Early’ tier.

Such a vast variety allowed Luo Feng to glimpse countless possibilities within the Life and Destruction paths.

“Life and Destruction have so many vast branches?” Luo Feng was stunned, even slightly bewildered.

He had once been filled with grand ambition! He had once made a vow!

He would embrace all mysteries of Life and Destruction, integrating them into his own Life-Death Dao!

But now, seeing the overwhelming mysteries—interwoven, even diametrically opposed—he felt bewildered and hesitant. Could he truly encompass them all and perfectly fuse them into one Dao?

Was it even possible?

Could he achieve it?

“The more I understand, the more I realize how high and vast this sky truly is,” Luo Feng smiled.

“That’s what makes it interesting,” Luo Feng’s eyes burned with passion. “This path is infinitely long—it means I can keep advancing, keep climbing higher!”

“Then I’ll take it step by step.”

“Walk the path of constant strengthening. The process itself is captivating.”

Luo Feng’s mind instantly settled.

Eat your meal one bite at a time—that’s how you digest it properly.

Luo Feng began carefully studying these materials, analyzing each one in detail, categorizing the mysterious patterns, and slowly absorbing those suited to his path.

By the 105th Era on the Origin Continent, Luo Feng’s Life Path, pursuing the way of “vast lifeforms,” naturally reached Early Divine Emperor.

By the 139th Era, his Destruction Path, pursuing ultimate destruction, also reached Early Divine Emperor.

After both Life and Destruction reached Divine Emperor Early, Luo Feng slowed his progress on both, focusing entirely on ‘Life-Death Fusion.’ For him, cultivating Life and Destruction merely provided the foundational nourishment for his Life-Death Dao—he must guide their directions according to the needs of the Life-Death Dao.

“If the difficulty of reaching Divine Emperor Early on Life and Destruction is 1, the difficulty of reaching Divine Emperor Early in Life-Death Fusion is at least 10,” Luo Feng felt the arduousness of the fusion process.

The ‘Life-Death Dao’ of the Divine King Ultimate Realm was formed by fusing nine branches—that was the seed.

The stronger the seed, the larger and more majestic the tree that grows from it.

Unconsciously, it was already the 269th Era; Luo Feng’s Life-Death Dao remained shrouded in confusion and had yet to reach Early Divine Emperor. At this point, Di Qing began inviting Luo Feng to hunt again.

“Hunt? I’ll need a little preparation time—I can depart within one Era,” Luo Feng replied to Di Qing’s invitation.

Di Qing had no objections.

He could leave his seclusion to hunt, but that didn’t mean Luo Feng was fully prepared.

Departing within one Era was already fast enough for Luo Feng.

“Huh.”

One by one, not a single error, not a single omission!

On the Origin Continent, Luo Feng set out on his return journey, carrying a body with three hundred and ninety times the ‘Perfect Divine Body Energy Reserve,’ along with the storage secret treasure ‘Illusory Maze.’

He did not carry the ‘Indestructible Heart’ exchanged from the Infinite Space—his power was still weak; carrying such a potent treasure might invite trouble. And each time he went out to hunt, he was vulnerable to death when weak.

Only when he could rival a Divine Emperor Perfect low-level Primordial Life would it be safe to carry the Indestructible Heart. By then, his strength might approach that of the Three Lords—even if he couldn’t defeat them, he could at least protect himself.

“On the Origin Continent, using a small universe to absorb energy is still faster,” Luo Feng, carrying his massive energy reserve, spent nearly half an Era before finally returning to Lancheng.

Traveling between the Origin Continent and the Jiuhe Sacred Realm.

On one hand, he could deliver many resources to the Origin Continent and observe them with his Life-Death Eye. On the other, he could receive the energy reserves absorbed by the Origin Continent.

The only cost to him was travel expenses.

“Let’s go! We’re ready!” With both sides fully prepared, Di Qing and Luo Feng began their team’s second hunt.

“What?”

“You broke through?”

When Luo Feng struck the first low-level Primordial Life, his power stunned Di Qing.

Luo Feng killing the prey one-on-one didn’t surprise him—but doing so with such ease, such casualness, left Di Qing bewildered.

“You’ve reached Divine Emperor Mid?” Di Qing stared at Luo Feng in disbelief. The power Luo Feng had just displayed rivaled Di Qing’s own array diagrams.

Di Qing had struggled for so long—his foot had long crossed into Divine Emperor Mid, yet the other remained stuck. It seemed just a step away, yet that single step had trapped him for ages.

Luo Feng?

He’d only been in Lancheng for a few hundred Eras—and now he was Mid Divine Emperor?

“No,” Luo Feng shook his head. “I cultivate both Life and Destruction paths. Both have now reached Divine Emperor Early. Their combined power is what produces this strength.”

“Cultivating two paths—and coordinating them so precisely?” Di Qing fully understood.

Cultivators who practice two paths generally possess far greater strength.

But for two Divine Emperor Early paths to rival a normal Divine Emperor Mid cultivator, their coordination must be flawless. Poor coordination yields only marginal gains.

Luo Feng had spent so long contemplating the Life-Death Dao, studying fusion methods—mere coordination? Naturally, it was exquisitely refined.

“I always thought that when you first arrived in the Jiuhe Sacred Realm, I’d need to help you. Who knew that by our second hunt, you’re the one helping me?” Di Qing shook his head. “We’ll need to renegotiate our loot distribution.”

“I have no secret treasures—only these gloves,” Luo Feng shook his head. “My strength isn’t much greater than yours. No need to change the split.”

Di Qing had roamed Lancheng for a long time and was wealthier; his secret treasure array diagram compensated for his own realm deficiencies.

Di Qing looked at Luo Feng and smiled. “Fine. Next time we hunt, we’ll renegotiate the split.”

He knew inwardly:

Even with his array diagram, his burst power could barely match Luo Feng’s.

But Luo Feng had multiple bodies! When he unleashed Life and Destruction, his power was terrifying. In hunting, Luo Feng’s contributions now far surpassed Di Qing’s.

“Next time we renegotiate the split—but when the gap widens further, we’ll probably have to part ways,” Di Qing understood this.

He was still useful in the team now.

His array still played a major role in hunting. Taking thirty percent of the loot wasn’t taking advantage.

But if Luo Feng’s strength advanced further, Di Qing would become useless—and there’d be no point in teaming up.

“Luo Feng must have reached Divine Emperor Early long ago. Now that both paths are Divine Emperor Early, that’s why he’s undergone such a transformation,” Di Qing thought. “To achieve a major leap in strength, he’ll likely need much more time—for now, no need to overthink.”

Throughout this second hunt, Di Qing’s emotions were complex—he had become the support!

This hunt was unprecedentedly smooth: no dangers arose; after killing nine ‘Divine Emperor Early’ low-level Primordial Lives, they stopped.

“Nine is the limit for our hunts,” Di Qing said. “Beyond that, the risk escalates sharply—we might even attract a Divine Emperor Perfect low-level Primordial Life.”

“Alright, let’s return,” Luo Feng readily agreed. His strength had grown, but Di Qing’s hunting experience far surpassed his own. Luo Feng felt that even splitting the loot equally was fair, given Di Qing’s seasoned expertise.

(End of Chapter)