Swallowed Star 2: Origin Continent

Chapter 178: Meeting Master

Ancient Flame Kingdom, Chu Capital, Emperor Chu Palace.

Inside the ancient great hall, a towering figure opened his eyes and murmured to himself, “To fully comprehend a complete Origin Path is far too difficult. No wonder the ‘Lineage of Comprehenders’ holds the most exalted status.”

After ending his cultivation, Master Emperor Chu looked around. With all the rules in operation around him clearly visible, he also sensed a change in one thread of the many entangled strands of causality surrounding him.

The reason this particular strand drew his attention was because it was deeply intertwined—this was the causality between him and his personal disciple, Luo Feng!

On the Origin Continent, the relationship between master and disciple was no less than blood kin; the depth of their entangled causality was evident.

“Luo Feng, has he broken through?” A smile appeared on Emperor Chu’s face. He could sense that the other end of the causal thread—Luo Feng—had become much stronger. “From the causal feedback, he’s far more powerful than before. He’s comparable to a Second Stage Divine King now.”

With a disciple this powerful, Emperor Chu naturally felt joy.

“Luo Feng, come see me at once.” Emperor Chu transmitted his voice across the distance through causality.

“Yes, Master.” Luo Feng responded through the causal connection as well. In the past, Luo Feng lacked the ability to transmit messages this way, but after becoming a Divine King, the operating laws of his world had grown far more powerful, and his mastery over causality had deepened.

“Master.” Luo Feng entered the great hall and respectfully saluted.

This avatar alone contained one-thousandth of the energy reserve of a World Life Form, and just with this avatar alone… it was enough to be considered invincible at the First Stage Divine King level.

“The gap between Master and me is still vast.” Luo Feng felt this more clearly than ever. In his senses, his master, Emperor Chu, seemed like an embodiment of the complete Origin Path of Destruction—vast and immovable like a boundless world, every movement exuding endless destructive might.

Though this avatar surpassed even the Snow Realm Ancestor in survivability, Luo Feng could sense that if his master struck, two or three blows would be enough to utterly annihilate this avatar.

“Good!” Emperor Chu’s eyes gleamed faintly as he observed his disciple from many dimensions, praising, “Luo Feng, I never expected that right after becoming a Divine King, you would be able to cultivate the Origin Path of Life and the Origin Path of Matter to such a profound degree. The fusion of the two is quite ingenious, resulting in such a powerful physical body.”

“Master flatters me.” Luo Feng felt a bit embarrassed.

He hadn’t cultivated the Origin Path of Matter at all.

What he had truly cultivated were the Origin Path of Life and the Origin Path of Destruction.

“No need to be modest,” Emperor Chu said admiringly. “Across the entire Origin Continent, those who can reach invincibility at the First Stage Divine King level without external aid are very few! And you’ve done it right after becoming a Divine King… Hahaha, no amount of praise would be excessive!”

“Master, what do you think of this body? Are there things I need to be careful about when facing powerful enemies?” Luo Feng asked. His master had far more experience and insight than he did.

“Your body is tough and dense, extremely difficult to destroy, and deeply embodies the mysteries of the Origin Path of Matter,” said Emperor Chu. “Furthermore, it also integrates the Origin Path of Life. I can sense… even if I unleashed a full-powered strike to annihilate you, your body could still regenerate from nothingness—its vitality is that strong.”

“I would likely need to strike multiple times, each blow breaking through the membrane of confinement and annihilating everything, to completely erase your physical form,” Emperor Chu added. “Below the Emperor level, few could destroy this body of yours.”

Luo Feng understood.

Both the Origin Path of Life and the Origin Path of Matter were difficult to erase. When combined, their effects naturally stacked.

However, for a World Life Form, the mental burden was immense. Normally, it was impossible to execute precise techniques. Luo Feng was only able to do so while controlling an avatar with one-thousandth of his energy reserve.

“I know you’re skilled in clone techniques too,” Emperor Chu said with a smile. “At your level, even Emperors and Monarchs must use their true bodies to kill one of your avatars instantly. Your other clones would have enough time to perform a Reincarnation Secret Technique.”

But Luo Feng knew that his survival ability surpassed even what his master imagined.

His true body as a World Life Form possessed a thousand times the energy reserve of an avatar! Even powerful Emperors and Monarchs would need time to destroy it… Though, of course, it would only take more effort, not impossibility.

“Across the entire Origin Continent, only four beings could truly kill you,” said Emperor Chu.

“Which four?” Luo Feng asked.

“Two Ancestors, the Ancestor of the Eastern Extremity Domain, and Emperor Qing,” Emperor Chu replied. “All of them have surpassed the Ultimate Divine King level.”

Luo Feng felt a jolt in his heart. His master had never before spoken so openly about the peak-level powers on the Origin Continent, but now he laid everything bare.

Emperor Chu looked at Luo Feng and said, “Since you’ve cultivated to your current level, it’s time you learned about the truly terrifying existences on the Origin Continent.”

“These four are beyond ordinary measure, and right now, you’re far from provoking them,” Emperor Chu said with a smile. “But the day you can provoke them, it likely means you’re not far from matching them either.”

Luo Feng was startled to find Emperor Chu smiling at him. “Have confidence. Who knows—maybe someday you’ll surpass even the two Ancestors. How can a cultivator lack confidence?”

“Yes.” Luo Feng responded.

“In any case, it’s best to keep your distance from Emperors and Monarchs,” said Emperor Chu. “Especially those cultivating the Primordial Bloodline. They are constantly polluted by the bloodline day and night, which makes them quite irritable.”

“Disciple understands.” Luo Feng nodded. The Ancient Thunder Kingdom still had half-out-of-control Monarch-level experts. Although the other Emperors and Monarchs hadn’t lost control, their bad tempers were completely understandable.

Luo Feng had experienced Marquis Chu Yuan’s temper firsthand.

“Cultivation is a difficult road. Once you reach Second Stage Divine King, you’ll feel it more clearly,” Emperor Chu continued. “It’s like how comprehending ten Fundamental Laws is easy, but merging them into one and achieving the Chaos Law is countless times harder. Similarly, understanding a few branches of the Origin Path is easy, but perfectly fusing them into a complete Origin Path… is extremely difficult.”

“Even I have not achieved it,” Emperor Chu said, looking at Luo Feng.

“Emperors and Monarchs are all lifeforms at the Ultimate Divine King level, but nearly all of them reached it through external means,” he added. “As for truly comprehending a complete Origin Path… in this cycle of the Origin Continent, only Emperor Qing and the Ruler of the Myriad Realms have succeeded.”

Luo Feng nodded.

The two ancestors who surpassed the Ultimate Divine King level, as well as the East Extremity Region Ancestor, were all from previous cycles.

Emperor Qing was indeed powerful. As one of the two peerless experts who had comprehended a complete Origin Path in this era, he had surpassed even the Ultimate Divine King stage. No wonder he stood so aloof among the thirteen Emperors.

“There are three paths to elevate one’s life level to the Ultimate Divine King realm,” Emperor Chu explained carefully.

“The first is to comprehend a complete Origin Path! This is the hardest path—Emperor Qing and the Ruler of the Myriad Realms followed this.”

“The second is my path. By relying on a powerful Top-Tier Inheritance, one reaches the peak of the Second Stage Divine King, then comprehends a secret technique of the Ultimate Divine King Lifeform. With that technique, supplemented by precious Primordial materials, one’s life transforms fully into the Ultimate Divine King level. After this transformation, every move carries boundless might.”

“The third is the Primordial Bloodline route—excavating the potential of the bloodline to transform into an Ultimate Divine King lifeform! This path is relatively easier and has a high ceiling, but brings great future trouble,” Emperor Chu explained.

Luo Feng understood.

All three paths allowed the essence of life to reach the Ultimate Divine King stage.

Even the path his master had taken required first possessing a recorded secret technique of the Ultimate Divine King Lifeform, then understanding it at the Second Stage Divine King level! Then came the rare resources needed for its cultivation.

“In terms of strength, those of us Emperors and Monarchs should technically be weaker than someone like the Ruler of the Myriad Realms, who has truly comprehended a complete Origin Path. Their secret techniques are more refined,” Emperor Chu said with a smile. “However, we wield powerful treasure weapons granted by the Ancestors, and with these treasures, we can match the Ruler of the Myriad Realms and even that Realm Beast.”

Luo Feng understood.

Among the thirteen Emperors of the Ancient Flame Kingdom, the weakest was still of Realm Beast level! Moreover, each had their unique strengths, and their coordination made them even more terrifying.

Then there were Emperor Ming, Di Fu, and Emperor Qing, each more dazzling than the last.

And, of course, behind the royal family stood the Flame Wind Ancestor, who never took part in the conflicts of the Origin Continent.

“So this is the high-level power of the royal family of the Ancient Flame Kingdom,” Luo Feng thought with awe. No wonder the two great royal families held most of the resources—their strength on the Origin Continent was overwhelming.

Even the Ruler of the Myriad Realms and the Realm Beast of the Tianmu Nation had to find ways to build ties with the two great kingdoms. The East Extremity Region could only remain huddled in a remote corner of the continent.

“The Monarchs of the Ancient Thunder Kingdom are also very formidable,” Emperor Chu continued. “That’s because the Thunder Ancestor himself followed the Primordial Bloodline route. The Monarchs of the Ancient Thunder Kingdom all cultivate the Primordial Bloodline, and the power they can unleash… makes them even more troublesome and fearsome than our Emperors who also cultivate it.”

“Besides the royal families of the two great kingdoms, there are also the scattered Divine Kings.” Emperor Chu looked at Luo Feng. “The majority of lifeforms on the Origin Continent are these others, and the number of Second Stage Divine Kings they produce far exceeds that of our royal families.”

Luo Feng naturally understood—Wheel Reincarnation Pavilion alone housed quite a few Second Stage Divine Kings.

“Among this group of Second Stage Divine Kings, there are also extraordinary talents. Some have talents even beyond mine,” said Emperor Chu. “They cultivate multiple Origin Paths and study Top-Tier Inheritances. Even if their life essence hasn’t broken through, with the help of many powerful secret techniques… they can still match our strength.”

“These scattered Second Stage Divine Kings also desire cultivation, strength, and the Ultimate Divine King realm. Naturally, they compete with us royal families for resources,” Emperor Chu said with a smile. “With competition comes conflict—and thus, hatred.”

“There are even some foreign races stirring trouble in secret,” Emperor Chu shook his head. “Luo Feng, as your strength grows, be cautious in everything you do. Don’t be so naive as to get used without realizing it.”

As he spoke, Emperor Chu extended his hand from afar, and a stream of light flew toward Luo Feng.

As soon as it touched Luo Feng, a torrent of information was transmitted to him.

Luo Feng was stunned.

Intelligence on foreign races operating in the shadows, terrifying entities across the Origin Continent, maps of many treasure lands, traces of fortunes left behind by Yuan, detailed data on many fearsome powerhouses…

Apart from the minimal information on the four beings who had surpassed the Ultimate Divine King—Emperor Qing, the East Extremity Region Ancestor, and the two Primordial Ancestors—the rest were all thoroughly documented, including even some imprisoned lunatics.

Each of these intelligence pieces would be extremely expensive if purchased individually—and now, all of it had been given to Luo Feng.

“Thank you, Master,” Luo Feng said gratefully.

“I am your master,” Emperor Chu said. “Oh right—on the Origin Continent, there are Divine Kings who cultivate the Origin Path of Causality. Their grasp of causality allows them to detect your transformation. So, the fact that you’ve become a Divine King… will spread soon! You must be prepared.”