Chapter 52: The Marquis

“My divine body has reached a point where I can no longer advance.” Luo Feng thought. “Next, I must cultivate the ‘Lie Yuan Technique’ to achieve a breakthrough in willpower. I also need to deepen my understanding of cosmic laws—first, I must comprehend several Chaotic Realm techniques.”

Comprehending the Chaotic Law is not something achieved overnight.

It requires constant accumulation: first grasp a few Chaotic Realm techniques, then endure a long period of buildup until, one day, sudden enlightenment reveals the complete Chaotic Law.

“Through bloodline cultivation, one may attain the Chaotic Realm via bloodline transformation.” Luo Feng thought. “But for me, there is only one path: comprehending the Chaotic Law.”

“I have fully cultivated the ‘Chaotic Great Power Diagram,’ ‘Nine Breakthrough Cuts,’ and ‘Nine Nightmare Realm’ to the level of Eternal True God. The ‘Donghua’ and ‘Duanmie’ techniques still have aspects I haven’t fully grasped at that level—but the ‘Lie Yuan Technique’ has even greater room for progress.”

With a thought, Luo Feng continued maintaining the ‘Great Destruction Cultivation of the Heart,’ further honing his willpower. It appeared agonizing, but his spiritual will had long grown accustomed to it.

“Huh.”

While sustaining the willpower training, Luo Feng’s divine body returned to normal, then he exited the Star Tower.

Boom—boom—boom~~~

As the underground hall’s door opened, Mo Luo Sa and Mo Yu Hu rushed over to greet him: “Master!”

Luo Feng’s perfect divine body could perfectly conceal all traces of his aura; neither Mo Luo Sa nor Mo Yu Hu sensed any change in him.

“Qingyan, aren’t you at home with your father?” Luo Feng smiled.

“Ever since you entered seclusion, he went back to visit his father and his two brothers. But he didn’t stay long—he ran back here,” Mo Luo Sa chuckled beside him.

“Ran back?” Luo Feng was surprised.

Mo Yu Hu could only explain: “My eldest brother recently married too. Now that both my eldest and third brothers are married, they’ve been matchmaking—many female cultivators have come knocking. I couldn’t bear the nuisance, so I fled back here.”

“Many female cultivators, coming to your door?” Luo Feng laughed. “How many is ‘many’?”

“Quite a few—even a few bold ones showed up right at your cave entrance,” Mo Luo Sa grinned. “Later, Qingyan asked me to intervene—I scared them off.”

“I have no interest in romantic matters. I only wish to swiftly comprehend the Ten Fundamental Laws,” Mo Yu Hu said.

Luo Feng nodded and smiled. “True. Once you become a Void True God, your lifespan becomes infinite. There’s no rush for romance. When you meet someone you truly love, your heart will tell you.”

Mo Yu Hu listened, but his resolve was firm—he had no intention of entangling himself in romance.

Luo Feng asked further: “During my seclusion, did anything major happen in Huyang City? Did Xie Tianyan run into trouble?”

“He’s living in ease—no one dares trouble him,” Mo Luo Sa said. “But Huyang City has been in fierce conflict. The Marquis’s Mansion and the Shiguo forces have clashed several times, with heavy casualties on both sides.”

Luo Feng nodded.

“The biggest uproar involved Gao Wu Shui. That commander actually turned against his own family,” Mo Luo Sa chuckled.

“What happened?” Luo Feng asked curiously.

Gao Wu Shui was Mo Li Xiao’s favorite disciple, once even attempting to capture Mei Wu Qi. Luo Feng held a certain fondness for this commander.

“Gao Wu Shui was originally an ordinary clan member of the Gao Wu family, long marginalized. Later, he voluntarily joined the Huyang Army as a lowly soldier, caught Mo Li Xiao’s eye, and was heavily nurtured—rising swiftly to become an Eternal True God,” Mo Luo Sa said. “Recently, the Gao Wu family patriarch, Gao Wu Wei, hosted a banquet for Gao Wu Shui. But during the feast, Gao Wu Shui suddenly turned hostile, summoned the Huyang Guards, and arrested Gao Wu Wei along with many core members—even his own father!”

“He arrested all his family’s high-ranking members and publicly declared that Gao Wu Wei had defected to the Shiguo forces,” Mo Luo Sa remarked. “Treason! Gao Wu Shui meant for these Gao Wu family elites to die. In truth, the patriarch was executed shortly after his arrest.”

Luo Feng listened and nodded: “Gao Wu Shui left his family as a child—he had almost no emotional ties to them.”

“Even so, such ruthless action against his own family shocked everyone in Huyang City,” Mo Luo Sa said. “Many suspect he fabricated the treason charge.”

“You know quite a bit,” Luo Feng teased.

“I’ve been out eating and drinking—heard a lot,” Mo Luo Sa said. “Oh, Deputy Marquis Mo Li Meng visited and asked you to contact him upon your emergence.”

“Mo Li Meng?” Luo Feng nodded and immediately sent a message to Mo Li Meng.

…

Only moments later.

Mo Li Xiao and Mo Li Meng arrived together, personally visiting Luo Feng.

“Please sit,” Luo Feng said from within the pavilion atop the mountain, while Mo Yu Hu poured wine beside him and arranged rare fruits.

“I assume you know the Shiguo forces have been stirring up trouble in Huyang City,” Mo Li Xiao said as he sat. “Our Marquis’s Mansion is deeply troubled. Today, as the Marquis’s representative, I come to ask for your help.”

“Ask me for help?” Luo Feng shook his head. “I have no grudge against the Shiguo forces. Why should I get involved?”

Mo Li Xiao nodded. “I understand. Most local families here avoid involvement, fearing Shiguo retaliation. But you, Master Luo He, bring only two servants—no ties. Why fear the Shiguo forces? You are an Eternal True God; their Chaotic Sovereigns won’t dare bully you… Facing mere Eternal True Gods, you surely won’t mind.”

“I’m not afraid of them—but that doesn’t mean I’ll fight them to the death,” Luo Feng refused.

“We offer you sincerity when asking for your aid,” Mo Li Xiao said. “Master Luo He, you need only guard one location for no more than one eon. In return, we will give you one million Cosmic Sands.”

“Guard for an eon?” Luo Feng shook his head. “Too long.”

One million Cosmic Sands—he could obtain them himself with effort. Not tempting enough.

“It need not be a full eon. Once the Shiguo forces act, if you help defend the key site, the mission is complete,” Mo Li Xiao said.

Luo Feng replied: “You know one million Cosmic Sands mean nothing to me.”

“Yes. Within a single day, you forced the Six Lords Alliance and Yunbao Pavilion to pay you one million Cosmic Sands,” Mo Li Xiao said. “But our Marquis’s Mansion has limited resources.”

“I require one unit of ‘Heize Poisonous Fluid,’” Luo Feng said. “If you can provide it, I’ll help. Otherwise, find someone else.”

“Heize Poisonous Fluid?” Mo Li Xiao was startled. “Master Luo He knows the Yu Kingdom produces ‘Heize Poisonous Fluid’?”

The information provided by Master Zuoshanke and the Duan Donghe lineage gave Luo Feng a general understanding of most ancient beings across the nations of the Origin Continent. He also knew that some specialties of Yu State, particularly the “Black Marsh Toxin,” suited him well.

His Master, Zuo Shan Ke, and the Duan Dong He lineage’s intelligence had given Luo Feng deep knowledge of nearly all ancient entities across the Origin Continent. He knew Yu Kingdom’s specialties—including that Heize Poisonous Fluid suited him perfectly.

Heize Poisonous Fluid contained terrifying toxins, but in minute doses, it could be used to hone spiritual will.

As a Yu Kingdom specialty, its cost was low there—supplied only to the scions of major Origin Continent clans. It never reached large cities.

If Luo Feng tried to buy it, he’d normally pay several times the price.

“I’ll consult the Marquis,” Mo Li Xiao said, his divine force avatar already discussing the matter with others in the Marquis’s Mansion.

“The Black Marsh Toxin is inherently a specialty of the Qu Meng royal family. The city lord has promised to arrange for one unit of ‘Black Marsh Toxin’,” Mo Lixiao said.

“Heize Poisonous Fluid is a specialty of the Qu Meng Royal Clan. The Marquis has promised to secure one unit,” Mo Li Xiao said.

“Good.” Luo Feng nodded. “Where must I guard?”

Mo Li Xiao smiled.

With such terms, even this Luo He Shenjun could be hired.

“I’ll take you there,” Mo Li Xiao said. Mo Li Meng smiled beside him.

…

Inside the Marquis’s Mansion.

The Huyang Marquis, the White-Haired Elder, Mo Li Xiao’s divine force avatar, and a one-horned man sat separately.

“This Luo He fears neither our Five Great Clans nor the Shiguo forces. Such a powerful, unattached cultivator is easy to hire,” the Huyang Marquis chuckled. “But that he knows of ‘Heize Poisonous Fluid’ suggests he has considerable insight.”

“With such strength, he must have had extraordinary encounters,” the White-Haired Elder said. “With him joining us, our defenses at the three Forbidden Zones will be fully sufficient—no weak points remain.”

“No one saw how he killed Ying Cang. His strength may not be as high as you think,” the one-horned man said coolly. “In my view, we don’t need Luo He. Our Marquis’s Mansion may be weaker—but it’s more reliable!”

Mo Li Xiao explained: “We’ve studied Luo He’s character—he’s trustworthy. And not one of the three Forbidden Zones can fail!”

“Fine. After you resolve this, I’ll return to the Royal Capital,” the one-horned man said.

“Thank you, General Yong.”

The Huyang Marquis, the White-Haired Elder, and Mo Li Xiao all spoke respectfully.

The one-horned man commanded an army in the ancient Yu Kingdom’s Royal Capital and was far stronger than Mo Li Xiao at the Eternal True God level. Since Divine Kings struggled to mobilize Chaotic Sovereigns, they usually sent elite Eternal True Gods like General Yong to handle matters.

“If not for the Shiguo threat, I’d truly like to test Luo He’s strength,” the one-horned man mused, then rose and departed with a smile.

“Thankfully, General Yong understands that the mission comes first,” the Huyang Marquis sighed. “Otherwise, before we even faced the Shiguo forces, he’d have fought Luo He Shenjun—and that would’ve been a joke.”

“General Yong, favored by the Divine King, naturally knows priorities,” the White-Haired Elder smiled.

…

In a key location of Huyang City, the ‘Jin Xiao Army’ was stationed.

A flying vessel landed inside a building within the army camp. Five figures stepped out: Mo Li Xiao, Mo Li Meng, Luo Feng, and his two servants.

“The Jin Xiao Army’s camp?” Luo Feng was surprised. “This is where I’m to guard?”

“Yes.”

Mo Li Xiao said: “It appears to be merely a camp, but it’s actually one of Huyang City’s Forbidden Zones. Publicly, only one army is stationed here—but secretly, two Huyang Guard units are hidden. With your help, this location is fully secured.”

Luo Feng looked at the building and sensed its deep, heavy aura.

Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh!

Three figures arrived: the Jin Xiao General and two Huyang Guard Commanders.

“Commander,” the Jin Xiao General and the two Huyang Guard Commanders bowed respectfully. They also noticed Mo Li Meng, Luo Feng, and his two servants.

“Luo He Shenjun will also guard here,” Mo Li Xiao said. “Proceed as planned. Luo He Shenjun may move freely within the camp.”

“Yes,” all three replied.

Luo Feng studied them, his gaze lingering on one Huyang Guard Commander—Gao Wu Shui. He and this Gao Wu Shui had an odd connection.

“Deliver what you promised quickly—or I’ll leave,” Luo Feng urged.

“Don’t worry. No one’s gets less than you,” Commander Mo Li Xiao smiled.

The Jin Xiao General and the two Huyang Guard Commanders silently marveled: the supreme commander of the Huyang Army was usually stern—but now he treated Luo He Shenjun with courtesy and warmth.

They all understood: even the Jin Xiao Army plus the two Huyang Guard units combined likely couldn’t match a single Luo He Shenjun. He was the most vital defense here.

(End of Chapter)