Swallowed Star 2: Origin Continent: Volume 8: Chapter 7 (312): [Shadows Looming within the Yulan City]

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Swallowed Star 2: Origin Continent
Volume 8: [The Battle of Yulan City]
Chapter 7(312): [Shadows Looming within the Yulan City]
(7th of Volume 8)
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Yulan City.

A fine drizzle fell, veiling the world in mist, as if shrouding the city in an ethereal haze.

Luo Feng stepped out of his cave dwelling, his mind deep in contemplation.

"The more I understand, the more I realize how difficult it is to break free from this cage."

His goal was no longer just to pursue a breakthrough in the Dao of Life and Death, but to comprehend the mysteries of the Hunyuan Bloodline, studying how it achieves a state of natural perfection and seamless unity.

Only by achieving absolute unity could he truly break free from the cage and step into an entirely new realm.

"Three hundred and twenty-three types of Divine Emperor bloodlines..."

"I have comprehended the 323 kinds of the early-stage God Emperor's Hunyuan Bloodline five times before setting it aside. Each time, I gained insights, yet the further I progressed, the lesser I gain."

It has been 1,500 epochs since Luo Feng purchased this Hunyuan Bloodline.

For 1,500 epochs, Luo Feng had been seeking to fully comprehend the profound Hunyuan bloodline.

Most of that time had been spent in understanding the early-stage God Emperor bloodline, and only recently had he begun exploring the mid-stage bloodline, reaching the 34th variant.

"Each mid-stage God Emperor's Hunyuan bloodline grants me far greater insights. Yet, after comprehending three major types and four minor ones in succession, I felt an agonizing pain in my soul," Luo Feng noted.

To counteract this soul burden, he had been consuming various auxiliary elixirs and treasures for 1,500 epochs.

Even now, when it was already late, he had barely taken a moment to rest.

"I can feel that with each fragment of the Hunyuan Bloodline I comprehend, I move closer to breaking free from this cage. I must delve deeper into these secrets- there is no need to rush," Luo Feng told himself, cherishing his resources.

At this moment, Luo Feng had a strong intuition that with time and effort, through careful refinement and fusion, he could soon advance the Dao of Life and Death to the late-stage God Emperor level. Yet, Luo Feng is not in a hurry.

"The deeper my foundation, the more profound my grasp of the Dao of Life and Death, and the steadier my journey will be."

He reassured himself- there is no need to rush.

Once he achieved the late-stage God Emperor level in the Dao of Life and Death, he would surpass even the three Palace Masters.

In the Dark Holy Realm, he would become a truly dazzling figure.

But now, standing at this high level, Luo Feng sometimes questions himself.

Is he truly a top genius?

Other practitioners struggles against insurmountable bottlenecks. Yet, for him, each step naturally led to a breakthrough, as if he could directly perceive the very essence of the Dao.

"Perhaps, compared to other practitioners, my understanding is much more direct," Luo Feng thought.

Where others wandered aimlessly at the outskirts of the Great Dao, he could grasp its core.

"Maybe even I would be considered mediocre in the eyes of an ancient being like Yuan," Luo Feng thought to himself.

Rarely did he take a break from cultivation, but today, he allowed himself to enjoy the city.

Suddenly, distant, sorrowful laughter echoed through the air.

"Hahaha... hahahaha..."

Luo Feng turned his head.

Yulan City covers a vast area, and by a lake, an old man sat drinking, his laughter tinged with melancholy. Luo Feng immediately sensed the sorrow within him.

"An Ultimate-level God King?" Luo Feng recognized the old man's power at a glance and discreetly suppressed his own aura to the level of a God Emperor.

He walked over.

"Brother, why so down?" Luo Feng asked, tossing over a jug of wine.

The old man caught it without hesitation, took a sip, and his eyes lit up.

"Not bad! Not a bad wine! I was just feeling a bit low, but laughing it off helps, hahaha!"

Luo Feng observed him.

The old man sighed. "I am a God King at the Ultimate Realm, yet I've been stuck doing odd jobs in Yulan City for ages, just to cover my living expenses, cave rent, and everything else. I spent hundreds of thousands of centurie' worth of savings!"

"I finally managed to buy some elixirs to aid my breakthrough, but on my way back... they were stolen."

Luo Feng immediately understood.

It is impossible for a Ultimate Realm God King to loss the treasures he was carrying! there is only one possibility- they were stolen!

"I, too, was a victim when I first arrived in Yulan City," Luo Feng recalled.

"We God Kings at the Ultimate Realm are simply too weak-sometimes, we don't even realize we've been robbed," the old man lamented.

"In the past, being robbed wouldn't have bothered me much, but this time... it was my hard-earned savings, my precious auxiliary elixirs, and now they're all gone. It's so difficult, so exhausting. Earning just a bit of Hunyuan Crystal through cultivation is already a struggle- life is hard, and cultivation is even harder!"

The old man, now feeling slightly better, took another two sips of wine and said. "Though it's tough, at least there are still practitioners in Yulan City!"

"Yes, at least there's hope." Luo Feng nodded.

After all, aren't all the practitioners who come to Yulan City to go further on the path of cultivation?

"Thank you for the fine wine, my friend," the old man said with a grateful smile.

But the path of cultivation never stops.

Luo Feng glanced at the man and remarked, "This is Yulan City- the everyday reality for the lower class."

When Di Fu and Di Ming first arrived in the city, even finding the most basic job was a struggle.

In Yulan City, low-level practitioners made up the overwhelming majority- numbering in the hundreds of millions. These countless practitioners lacked the strength to hunt even the weakest Hunyuan lifeforms, leaving them with no choice but to serve the stronger practitioners in hopes of earning meager resources for survival.

Yet, even with their hard-earned gains, they still suffered from theft and had to pay for living expenses, including rent for their cave dwellings.

"Hmm?"

The old practitioner, having just stepped away for a moment, suddenly froze in shock.

His gaze fell upon the wine jug in his hand.

Inside, something had been sealed by an invisible force- hidden within it was a piece of Hunyuan Crystal.

But this isn't just any crystal- this single piece of Hunyuan Crystal is equivalent to ten thousand Hunyuan Crystals!

"Ten thousand Hunyuan Crystals?!"

Realizing what had just happened, the old man immediately turned to look toward the distant lake where Luo Feng had been standing. But by now, Luo Feng was already gone.

It was only at this moment that he fully understood- that young man was no ordinary practitioner!

"Thank you, senior..."

The old man silently expressed his gratitude, but he dared not celebrate openly. Instead, he discreetly rushed back to his cave dwelling.

He knew better than to carry such a fortune on him- it would make him an instant target.

Meanwhile, Luo Feng walked through Yulan City, observing the countless struggling practitioners.

Everywhere he looked, he saw low-level practitioners, the majority of whom lacked stable, long-term jobs.

For most factions, maintaining long-term stable employment is simply too much of a financial burden.

Even if each work period required only 20 Hunyuan Crystals, what about over a million work periods? Over time, the cost would become huge!

As a result, most factions avoided keeping long-term workers. Instead, they would hire during peak times and cut back when demand is low.

"Even so... low-level practitioners remain the most vulnerable to theft," Luo Feng observed as he witnessed several incidents along his way. "Because they are poor and weak, they can't afford defensive treasures like the Illusory Realm Maze."

Just then-

"Whoosh!"

A spaceship soared in from the distance.

Luo Feng's senses quickly picked up the five individuals inside. Judging by their auras, they were all early-stage God Emperors, likely just returning from a hunt.

"Even after reaching the early-stage God Emperor level, most Dao Enlighteners in Yulan City still risk their lives in hunts just to survive."

Among those at the mid-stage God Emperor level, only a small number could secure positions in major forces. Most are still forced to struggle.

Luo Feng pondered.

Take Di Qing, for instance. He managed to get a role at the Dan Tower only because of Luo Feng's connections. Otherwise, with so many powerful figures in the city, why would the owner of the Changqing Tower pick him?

Across all of Yulan City, only a tiny fraction of people could be considered to be living well- 99% are still fighting to survive.

And yet, despite the difficulties, countless practitioners kept coming.

All for the sake of advancing their path.

Luo Feng eventually arrived outside one of the three major plundering forces' territories- the Insect Nest Cave.

From afar, he could see the enormous, towering entity- a massive, spherical creature covered in twisted, frenzied faces. Countless holes dotted its surface, where practitioners continuously moved in and out.

"Master of the Insect Nest..." Luo Feng muttered, watching in silence.

He wasn't in a hurry to break through to the late-stage of the Life and Death Dao.

But even now, at the mid-stage, with both his Life and Destruction Daos having reached the late-stage God Emperor level, and epochs of accumulated knowledge on the Hunyuan Bloodline, Luo Feng had mastered countless secret techniques.

Luo Feng didn't even care about the Grand Palace Master- so why would he be concerned about a mere Lord of the Insect Nest?

The Infinite Hunyuan Space is boundless.

Within it lay a seemingly endless number of Origin Worlds-

And even more realms beyond imagination.

Luo Feng pondered.

"Even if the practitioners of different worlds don't have figures like the Master of the Insect Nest, the Lord of the Guifang, or the Ten Thousand Shadows Pavilion Master... there will always be those who steal and plunder!"

For the sake of resources, no means are off-limits.

In the Nine Rivers Holy Realm, all thirty-five cities suffered from the same reality.

Even if Luo Feng became the city lord and forcibly disbanded the three major forces including the Insect Nest, it will be impossible to entirety eliminate the theft and robbery.

"Luo Feng has arrived outside my cave... and he's just standing there, watching me?"

The enormous Insect Nest was, in fact, the physical body of its master.

Luo Feng simply stood at the entrance of the cave, staring at the grotesque, towering structure.

And within the Insect Nest-

The master of this lair narrowed his many insectoid eyes. "I haven't yet acquired a suitable Soul Treasure!" She thought bitterly. She had no choice but to endure for now.

Once she obtains a Soul Treasure, she would ensure that Luo Feng pays the price for provoking her!

Just then-

A voice echoed within her mind.

"Master of the Insect Nest, I'm outside your cave, watching your vast body of light. Did you think I couldn't see you?"

Luo Feng's telepathic message rang through the nest!

"Luo Feng!" The Master of the Insect Nest's many eyes flashed with anger. Her response was sharp: "Come inside!"

But Luo Feng merely smirked.

"You went to the Dan Tower and really tried to attack me. Now I come to your little Insect Nest and say a few words, and you already feel it's too much?"

The Insect Nest's master fell silent.

Luo Feng chuckled again. "Your courage is much smaller than the rumors suggest!"

Since the other party refused to speak further, Luo Feng didn't bother wasting more time. He turned and left.

The Lord of the Insect Nest continued to endure.

But in her heart, she grew wary.

"He dares to provoke me directly... He must have a powerful backer."

Her instincts, honed over countless years of survival, screamed at her.

Meanwhile, in the outer city district of Yulan City, within a seemingly ordinary cave...

Two weak practitioners met in secrecy.

"Prepare yourselves. The King will soon enter Yulan City," a gaunt practitioner transmitted telepathically.

The older, frail-looking practitioner trembled with excitement. "The King is finally coming?"

His eyes gleamed as he quickly responded, "I will immediately mobilize the remaining members. Everyone must be ready!"

The emaciated man nodded grimly. "Only you leaders must know of this plan!"

"Don't worry! My subordinates think this is just another routine infiltration and assassination mission. Assassins slipping into Yulan City is nothing unusual!" the elder practitioner reassured him.

The thin practitioner sneered. "Good. But remember, the real plan is known only to me."

His eyes gleamed with dark hunger.

"Once we enter Yulan City, you will be able to communicate telepathically with all our leaders. Get ready."

The old practitioner took a deep breath. His anticipation had been building for far too long.

"This time, we will tear apart Yulan City... devour the hundreds of millions of practitioners here. We will feast. If we consume enough, we might finally regain our freedom!"

The thought alone sent shivers of delight through him.

"In the outside world, killing a single practitioner is already difficult. But once you breached Yulan City- Hundreds of millions of practitioners would become delicacies laid before you. Be patient, that day... Is coming soon."

The thin practitioner smiled faintly in the dim cave.

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END OF CHAPTER

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