### Chapter 278: Episode Seven – Theft and Anti-Theft

The majority of Rain Origin City’s merchants resided within the inner city. Luo Feng, after exiting his cave abode, arrived at a nearby establishment in short order.

The interior of the merchant’s space was incredibly vast, containing numerous independent chambers. Within each isolated space, the remains of low-tier Origin Lifeforms were displayed.

“Welcome, honored guest,” a shop attendant greeted him proactively.

“I’ll browse first.” Luo Feng wasn’t in a rush to buy, intending to survey the entire city before making a purchase.

The attendant smiled. “Esteemed guest, our establishment specializes in ‘Low-Tier Origin Lifeform Remains.’ These remnants can be used to comprehend cultivation. Some larger fragments can be used for crafting tools, refining medicine, tempering the body, and even extracting complete Origin Bloodlines.”

“Quite a lot of remains,” Luo Feng observed, taking in the dense array of individual chambers, with over a dozen attendants stationed throughout, and formations constantly in operation.

“We possess a total of 11,341 types of remains, all from low-tier Origin Lifeforms,” another attendant chimed in. “Our collection includes at least seventy percent of the low-tier Origin races from the Nine Rivers Holy Realm.”

Luo Feng’s ‘Biomimetic Eye of Extinction’ had already opened on his forehead, scrutinizing each relic meticulously.

The cultivators of Rain Origin City employed various methods of observation. As long as they didn’t breach the ‘independent chambers’ to seize remains, the attendants wouldn’t interfere with their examination.

“A natural Origin Lifeform, the ‘Dark Cloud Void Eater,’ early Divine Emperor strength, relatively weak,” Luo Feng assessed.

Here, twelve parts of the Dark Cloud Void Eater were on display for sale.

Fragments such as a single scale, a bone, or a vial of blood were suitable for comprehending cultivation, each priced between 100 and 500 Origin Crystals.

However, materials like a massive, complete claw, a large tendon running through the entire body, or a purified, complete bloodline were all priced at 20,000 Origin Crystals each.

The most precious item was its complete life core, requiring 100,000 Origin Crystals.

“This natural Origin Lifeform, its life core is actually intact?” Luo Feng was somewhat surprised.

Natural Origin Lifeforms possessed life cores. Just as source worlds had their Origin Lands, the life core was like the essential core of a ‘natural Origin Lifeform.’ Once destroyed, they would perish, making it the most common method of execution.

Managing to kill one while preserving the life core was a rare feat.

“Dismembering and selling a natural Origin Lifeform like this,” Luo Feng mused, bloodlines extracted, used for refining medicine, for crafting tools… various uses.

But it was also normal. Cultivators groped in the dark in search of cultivation paths, and the best way to break free from their cages was to study these ‘natural Origin Lifeforms’ that had already escaped those bounds.

…

Luo Feng leisurely strolled from one establishment to another. Wherever he went, the shop attendants displayed exceptional enthusiasm due to his aura of a Divine Emperor in the early stages.

“Weaponry and secret treasures.” Luo Feng also saw the prices of various secret treasures.

Secret treasures of the ‘early Divine Emperor’ level were generally for use by peak God King realm cultivators! Luo Feng’s casual strikes were far more powerful than those secret treasures. Their prices generally started at 2,000 Origin Crystals.

Mid-stage Divine Emperor, late-stage Divine Emperor, Perfected Divine Emperor… Naturally, the prices of weapon treasures at different levels soared accordingly.

Natural secret treasures were even more expensive.

“So I’m quite wealthy,” Luo Feng was startled by the prices of natural secret treasures, realizing the value of his own natural secret treasure, the ‘Realm in Hand.’ Of course, he used that treasure to protect the Blade River Sect. Furthermore, his own strength was too weak. It wasn’t suitable for him to bring it here.

“No matter the city in the Nine Rivers Holy Realm, there are killings, plunderings, and thefts,” an attendant stated. “This spatial secret treasure, the ‘Illusionary Realm Maze,’ can be integrated into the body, hiding treasures within it. Few in the Nine Rivers Holy Realm can steal from it. Powerful Divine Emperors almost all possess one.”

“Illusionary Realm Maze?” Luo Feng examined the secret treasure. “What’s the price?”

“Not expensive, 100,000 Origin Crystals. It’s a standardized price throughout the entire Nine Rivers Holy Realm,” the attendant said, smiling faintly.

Luo Feng turned and left.

Divine Emperors with slightly deeper pockets could afford it, but Luo Feng had just arrived in the Nine Rivers Holy Realm. The 100,000 Origin Crystals he possessed had been borrowed from Emperor Qing. Why would he use them to buy a spatial storage item just to prevent theft?

…

“There are so many treasures to aid cultivation as well,” Luo Feng remarked, eyeing each rare and exotic item.

The treasures of the Nine Rivers Holy Realm were all essences extracted from the bodies of natural Origin Lifeforms. Consuming them aided cultivation significantly, their effects far surpassing those of Origin Crystals! However, the better the treasure, the higher the price.

…

“This secret treasure is called the ‘Formless Divine Weapon.’ It can be used to engrave any type of secret markings. As long as the markings are precisely engraved, it can immediately mimic any secret treasure. With it, you can try to engrave one secret treasure after another, constantly changing and transforming,” the attendant passionately explained. “It’s suitable for combat, and also for verifying insights gained during cultivation.”

Luo Feng’s heart stirred.

He could try to engrave some of his insights into the deeper secret markings of the Star Tower and the Eye of Extinction.

“What’s the price?” Luo Feng asked.

“50 million Origin Crystals,” the attendant grinned, quoting a number that made Luo Feng’s heart tremble.

“More expensive than many natural secret treasures,” Luo Feng couldn’t help but exclaim. “Many Perfected Divine Emperor-level treasures are only a few million Origin Crystals. That price can buy a complete set of Perfected Divine Emperor-level secret treasures.”

The attendant smiled faintly. “Many powerful Divine Emperors possess ‘World-Level Origin Lifeform Remains.’ Comprehending the mysteries of the remains and imprinting them into the Formless Divine Weapon allows them to verify their insights. That can’t be compared to a set of Perfected Divine Emperor-level secret treasures.”

Luo Feng sighed inwardly.

There were too many temptations.

Aiding treasures, fragments suitable for life, destruction, and even the combination of life and death; natural Origin Lifeform remains, as well as suitable secret treasures, Luo Feng saw many! But he was far too poor.

“No rush, I’ll just explore Rain Origin City today and make a move tomorrow,” Luo Feng said patiently, unwilling to rush things.

He discovered that some well-known treasures like the ‘Formless Divine Weapon’ and the ‘Illusionary Realm Maze’ had a standardized price across many merchants. However, the prices of some remains varied from store to store, with some merchants willing to sell at lower prices. Luo Feng had to consider how to buy enough suitable cultivation materials at a lower price.

“Poor, too poor.”

“Forget 100,000 Origin Crystals. Even if I had 100 million Origin Crystals, it wouldn’t be enough,” Luo Feng mused as he flew through Rain Origin City. He noticed many other cultivators around him, unaware of a diminutive figure in the distance.

The diminutive figure spotted Luo Feng in the distance and chuckled softly.

“Luo Feng? A newly arrived Divine Emperor in the early stages?” The figure’s thoughts whirred, and he immediately took action.

…

Luo Feng flew through the inner city’s skies. The inner city region was home to many hidden experts. The council elders numbered in the hundreds, and they continuously maintained Rain Origin City’s defense systems. The operation of these various defense systems caused Luo Feng to feel pressure.

“Buzz.” It felt as though a breeze brushed past Luo Feng.

“What was that?” Luo Feng was taken aback.

It seemed like just a gust of wind.

Yet, Luo Feng vaguely sensed something was amiss.

“It feels like someone attacked me, but also like nothing happened,” Luo Feng mused. He himself was unsure. He furrowed his brows, scanning the surroundings with increasing caution.

…

The diminutive figure in the distance was quite surprised. “This newcomer doesn’t seem like a traditional dao seeker. He has the feel of a low-tier Origin Lifeform, having tempered his body into a world body. He’s hiding a world within his body, stashing all his treasures inside that world?”

Origin Bloodline cultivators might possess a stronger burst of battle prowess, and their physical bodies might be robust, but their control over themselves was not as perfect.

Luo Feng’s body gave him the feeling of a complete and vast world. His secret techniques, while remaining concealed, had scanned Luo Feng’s entire body, but they couldn’t forcibly penetrate a world.

“Thinking you can hide them in a world means I can’t do anything?” The diminutive figure sneered. He opened his mouth, and a crimson insect flew out.

“Good treasure, go into his world and steal all his valuables.” The diminutive figure controlled the crimson insect with his thoughts, making another move.

The subtle attempt at theft had failed.

So now, he would attempt a forceful theft!

“Whoosh.”

The crimson insect instantly concealed itself and disappeared, ignoring the obstruction of Luo Feng’s physical body and burrowing into Luo Feng’s inner world.

“Hmm?”

In the distant mid-air, Luo Feng, who was on high alert, immediately noticed.

In his home universe, the Origin Continent, he had cultivated nine types of Origin Bloodline Lifeform forms, selecting five of them! These were his five incarnations for traversing the Nine Rivers Holy Realm, to cope with various dangerous situations.

His default, outward manifestation was the ‘World Incarnation,’ one of his five incarnations.

This incarnation was thick-skinned, had great strength, possessed tenacious vitality, and could cope with many adverse situations. This incarnation had an inner world! It was the most similar to his original ‘World Lifeform’ lineage. The more energy it had, the more powerful it became.

Therefore, the World Incarnation had energy reserves of one hundred times the perfect Godbody, while the other four incarnations did not have high energy reserves.

“Chirp!” An invisible fluctuation instantly drilled into his inner world, and naturally, the inner world sensed it.

The stronger the World Incarnation, the more stable the inner world became.

“It’s quite sturdy. Unfortunately, my treasure is best at gnawing through space,” the crimson insect instantly unleashed a wave of energy, sweeping through the entire inner world, wanting to seize all the treasures within.

Inside the inner world, the other four incarnations were currently sitting cross-legged. Each of the four incarnations looked exactly like Luo Feng, except their robes were different colors.

“Hmph.” The Heaven-Earth Incarnation snorted coldly, instantly scattering completely and merging with the entire inner world.

Merging with Heaven and Earth!

The world membrane was like the skin of the Heaven-Earth Incarnation. The mysteries of the Heaven-Earth Incarnation and the world were perfectly integrated. The power increased drastically.

“This…” The crimson insect sensed that the originally terrifying inner world had become ten times more oppressive in an instant. To it, it had been as if it were moving in water, still able to traverse with ease. But now, it was as if it had fallen into glue, completely stuck.

“His inner world has no treasures either?” The crimson insect used its secret technique to sweep through the entire inner world, only to discover that it was still empty.

“Trying to steal something?” The remaining three incarnations in the inner world stared at it.

The five thousand Origin Crystals were carried by the Time Incarnation! The Time Incarnation existed simultaneously in the past, present, and future! The five thousand Origin Crystals were currently stored in the future body of the Time Incarnation.

“These five thousand Origin Crystals are hidden in my inner world, guarded by the Time Incarnation. Moreover, they are hidden in the ‘future body’ of the Time Incarnation. My inner world also has the ‘Heaven-Earth Incarnation’ guarding it. If they are stolen like this, I will have nothing to say. I’ll treat it as paying tuition,” Luo Feng mused. He had been warned early on, so naturally he was extremely cautious and vigilant.

“Who said he was a traditional dao seeker?” Seeing that the situation was not good, the crimson insect instantly concealed itself and disappeared.

Bang!

It crashed headfirst into the membrane of the inner world, but failed to break through.

After the inner world merged with the Heaven-Earth Incarnation, the world membrane’s sturdiness increased tenfold.

“Not good, I can get in, but I can’t get out!” The crimson insect immediately realized something was amiss!