Node Eighteen

“My divine body has reached its current limit,” Luo Feng thought. “Next, I need to focus on two things: cultivating ‘Lie Yuan Art’ to achieve an early breakthrough in my will, and enhancing my comprehension of laws. I must first comprehend several Chaos Realm moves.”

Comprehending Chaos Laws is not something that happens overnight. It requires continuous accumulation, starting with comprehending some Chaos Realm moves, and then, after a long period of accumulation, achieving an epiphany one day to fully comprehend the complete Chaos Laws.

Luo Feng mused, “The path of bloodline cultivation allows one to reach the Chaos Realm through bloodline transformation. However, for me, the only path is to comprehend Chaos Laws.”

“The three secret techniques—’Chaos Power Map,’ ‘Nine Boundary-Breaking Blades,’ and ‘Nine Nightmares Realm’—I have fully cultivated at the Eternal True God level. ‘Dong Hua’ and ‘Duan Mie’ still have aspects I haven’t fully grasped at the Eternal True God level, and ‘Lie Yuan Art’ has even greater potential for improvement.”

With a thought, Luo Feng continued to maintain the ‘Great Annihilation Heart-Refining Art’ to temper his will. Though seemingly painful, Luo Feng’s mental will had long since adapted to it.

“Hoo.”

While maintaining the tempering of his will, Luo Feng’s divine body returned to normal, and he promptly exited the Star Tower.

*Rumble.*

As the door to the underground hall opened, Moloc and Moyu Qingyan, who were inside the dwelling, immediately rushed over to greet him. “Master!”

Luo Feng’s perfect divine body could perfectly conceal all his aura, so neither Moloc nor Moyu Qingyan detected any changes in him.

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

“As soon as you entered seclusion, Master, he went back to accompany his father and two brothers. But it wasn’t long before he fled back here,” Moloc said, chuckling from the side.

“Fled back?” Luo Feng was surprised.

Moyu Qingyan could only explain, “My eldest brother recently got married too. Both my eldest and third brothers are married, and they’ve been trying to set me up. Many female cultivators have been actively coming to our door, and I was so bothered by it that I had no choice but to escape back here.”

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

“Quite a few, actually. Some even daringly came to the entrance of your dwelling, Master,” Moloc chuckled mischievously. “Later, Qingyan asked me to intervene, and I scared those few away.”

“I have no interest in romantic matters; I just want to comprehend the ten fundamental laws as quickly as possible,” Moyu Qingyan stated.

Luo Feng nodded and smiled, “Indeed. Once you become a Void True God, your lifespan is limitless. There’s certainly no need to rush into matters of the heart. Your own heart will tell you when you meet someone you truly like.”

Moyu Qingyan listened, but his inner resolve was clear; he had no desire to get involved in romantic affairs.

Luo Feng then asked, “Did anything significant happen in Huyang City while I was in seclusion? Entropy Flame didn’t run into any trouble, did he?”

“Of course, he’s living a carefree life; no one would dare confront him,” Moloc said. “But Huyang City has been embroiled in fierce conflicts. The City Lord’s Mansion and the Food Kingdom forces have fought several battles, resulting in numerous casualties on both sides.”

Luo Feng nodded.

“The biggest stir was caused by Gao Wushui. That Commander Gao Wushui actually turned against his own family,” Moloc said, smiling.

“What happened to him?” Luo Feng asked, curious.

Gao Wushui was Mo Li’xiao’s favorite junior disciple, and he had once tried to capture Mei Wuqi. Luo Feng still held a rather favorable impression of Commander Gao Wushui.

“Gao Wushui was originally an ordinary and marginalized member of the Gao Wu family. Later, he voluntarily joined the Huyang Army as a soldier, and Commander Mo Li’xiao recognized his talent and fully nurtured him, which allowed him to rapidly advance and become an Eternal True God,” Moloc explained. “Not long ago, Gao Wu Wei, the patriarch of the Gao Wu family, hosted a banquet for Gao Wushui. However, Gao Wushui suddenly turned hostile during the banquet and summoned the Huyang Guards to arrest the patriarch and many core members of the Gao Wu family—he even arrested his own father!”

“After arresting all the high-ranking members of his own family, he publicly declared that Gao Wu Wei had defected to the Food Kingdom forces,” Moloc exclaimed. “That’s a heinous crime of treason! Gao Wushui essentially sentenced those high-ranking members of the Gao Wu family to death. In fact, the patriarch was executed not long after his arrest.”

Luo Feng listened and nodded, “Gao Wushui left his family when he was young, so his emotional ties to them are very weak.”

“Even so, to act so ruthlessly against his own family surprised all parties in Huyang City,” Moloc said. “They all suspect that Gao Wushui intentionally fabricated the charges.”

“You’re quite well-informed,” Luo Feng teased.

“I hear a lot when I’m out eating and drinking,” Moloc replied. “Oh, by the way, Vice City Lord Mo Li came to visit and asked that you contact him once you emerge from seclusion.”

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

Just a moment later, Mo Li’xiao and Mo Li Meng arrived together to personally visit Luo Feng.

“Please, have a seat, both of you,” Luo Feng said from his spot in the pavilion atop the mountain. Moyu Qingyan assisted by pouring wine, and some rare fruits were already laid out.

“Brother Luo He, I presume you’re aware that the Food Kingdom forces have been causing trouble in Huyang City recently,” Mo Li’xiao said, seated. “Our City Lord’s Mansion is having quite a headache. Today, as a representative of the City Lord’s Mansion, I’ve come to ask for your help, Brother Luo He.”

“Ask for my help?” Luo Feng shook his head repeatedly. “I have no grudges with the Food Kingdom forces. Why should I get involved?”

Mo Li’xiao nodded. “I understand. Most local families in Huyang City are unwilling to get involved, fearing retaliation from the Food Kingdom. But Brother Luo He, you only have two servants; you have no major attachments. Why would you fear the Food Kingdom forces? Brother Luo He, you are an Eternal True God. A Chaos Master of the Food Kingdom wouldn’t possibly bully someone weaker… Facing just a few Eternal True Gods, I presume Brother Luo He wouldn’t mind.”

“My not fearing them doesn’t mean I have to fight them to the death,” Luo Feng refused.

“We are, of course, sincere in asking for your help, Brother Luo He,” Mo Li’xiao said. “Brother Luo He, you only need to help guard one location for no more than one epoch, and we are willing to offer one million Cosmic Sand.”

“Guard for one epoch?” Luo Feng shook his head. “That’s too long.”

One million Cosmic Sand was something he could acquire himself with some effort; the offer wasn’t very appealing.

“It’s not necessarily for a full epoch. Once the Food Kingdom makes a move, if Brother Luo He helps us defend the critical area, the employment mission will be considered complete,” Mo Li’xiao clarified.

Luo Feng replied, “You should know that one million Cosmic Sand means nothing to me.”

“Yes, Brother Luo He, you forced the Six Monarch Alliance and Cloud Treasure Pavilion to compensate one million Cosmic Sand within a single day,” Mo Li’xiao said. “But the resources our City Lord’s Mansion can mobilize are also limited.”

“I need one unit of ‘Black Swamp Venom’,” Luo Feng stated. “If you are willing to provide that, I will help. Otherwise, you’ll have to find someone else more capable.”

“Black Swamp Venom?” Mo Li’xiao was surprised. “Brother Luo He actually knows that the Yu Nation produces ‘Black Swamp Venom’?”

“I’ve heard about it occasionally,” Luo Feng replied.

The intelligence provided by his Master Sitting Mountain Guest and the Duan Dong River lineage allowed Luo Feng to understand most of the ancient existences in various nations across the entire Origin Continent. He also knew about some special products from the Yu Nation, among which ‘Black Swamp Venom’ was very suitable for him. Black Swamp Venom contains terrifying poison, but if consumed in very small quantities, it can be used to temper one’s mental will. For one unit of Black Swamp Venom, the Yu Nation, as the producing country, had relatively low costs. It was typically supplied to the descendants of powerful clans on the Origin Continent and would not usually circulate to major cities. If Luo Feng wanted to buy it at an increased price, he would generally have to pay several times its actual value.

“I’ll discuss it with the City Lord,” Mo Li’xiao said. Meanwhile, his divine power avatar in the City Lord’s Mansion was already discussing the matter with his companions.

Not long after, Mo Li’xiao said, “Black Swamp Venom is originally a specialty of the Qumeng Royal Family. The City Lord has promised that he can apply for one unit of ‘Black Swamp Venom’.”

“Good,” Luo Feng nodded. “Where do I need to guard?”

Mo Li’xiao smiled. With sufficient conditions, this God-Monarch Luo He could indeed be persuaded.

“I’ll take you there,” Mo Li’xiao nodded, and Mo Li Meng also smiled.

Inside the City Lord’s Mansion, the Huyang City Lord, the white-haired elder, Mo Li’xiao’s divine power avatar, and a single-horned man sat separately.

“This Luo He doesn’t fear our five great families, nor does he fear the Food Kingdom forces. Such an unattached strong practitioner is easy to hire,” the Huyang City Lord said with a smile. “However, his knowledge of ‘Black Swamp Venom’ suggests he is quite insightful.”

“With such power, he must have had some extraordinary encounters,” the white-haired elder said. “With his addition, our guarding strength at the three restricted areas will be more than sufficient, leaving no weak points.”

“No one witnessed the process of him killing Shadow Cang, so his strength might not be as high as you imagine,” the single-horned man stated calmly. “In my opinion, there’s no need for this Luo He to join. The City Lord’s Mansion’s forces might be slightly inferior in strength, but they are more reliable!”

Mo Li’xiao explained, “We have also studied Luo He’s temperament, and he is trustworthy. Moreover, not a single one of the three restricted areas can be lost!”

“Very well, ultimately, it is your five great families who are responsible for Huyang City. Once I help you resolve this matter, I will return to the Royal Capital,” the single-horned man said.

“Thank you for your hard work, General Yong.”

The Huyang City Lord, the white-haired elder, and Mo Li’xiao were all very polite.

The single-horned man, General Yong, commanded an army in the ancient Royal Capital of the Yu Nation and was significantly stronger than Mo Li’xiao at the Eternal True God level. Since even God-Kings found it difficult to mobilize Chaos Masters, they typically dispatched exceptionally powerful Eternal True Gods like General Yong to handle tasks.

“If we weren’t dealing with the Food Kingdom forces, I would really like to test this Luo He’s strength,” the single-horned man remarked with emotion, then rose and departed with a smile.

“Fortunately, General Yong understands that the mission is paramount,” the Huyang City Lord sighed, shaking his head. “Otherwise, if he started fighting God-Monarch Luo He before engaging with the Food Kingdom forces, it would have become a joke.”

“General Yong is highly valued by the God-King; naturally, he knows what’s important,” the white-haired elder said with a smile.

One of Huyang City’s critical locations was guarded by the ‘Golden Roar Legion,’ one of Huyang’s ten great legions.

A flying vessel landed inside a building at the legion’s encampment. Five figures emerged: Mo Li’xiao, Mo Li Meng, Luo Feng, and his two servants.

“The Golden Roar Legion’s garrison camp?” Luo Feng was surprised. “Is this where I need to guard?”

“Yes,” Mo Li’xiao replied. “This may appear to be just a camp, but it is actually one of Huyang City’s restricted areas. Ostensibly, there’s only one legion here, but in reality, two additional Huyang Guard teams are hidden within. With your help, Brother Luo He, it will be more than enough to defend this place.”

Luo Feng looked at the building before him, sensing a much heavier aura emanating from its depths.

*Swish, swish, swish!*

Three figures arrived: the general of the Golden Roar Legion and two Huyang Guard commanders.

“Commander,” the Golden Roar General and the two Huyang Guard commanders respectfully saluted. They also noticed Mo Li Meng, Luo Feng, and his two servants.

“From now on, God-Monarch Luo He will also be stationed here,” Mo Li’xiao said. “They should proceed according to the previous plan, and God-Monarch Luo He has free reign within the camp.”

“Understood,” all three replied.

Luo Feng looked at them, his gaze lingering on one of the Huyang Guard commanders for a moment. This commander was none other than Gao Wushui. He and Gao Wushui certainly had a unique connection.

“Deliver what you promised as soon as possible, or I’ll leave,” Luo Feng urged.

“Don’t worry, we would short anyone before we short you,” Commander Mo Li’xiao said with a slight smile.

The Golden Roar General and the two Huyang Guard commanders secretly sighed to themselves. The Supreme Commander of the Huyang Army was usually very stern, but now, facing God-Monarch Luo He, he was remarkably courteous and friendly. The three of them also understood that the Golden Roar Legion, even with the addition of two Huyang Guard teams, would likely be no match for God-Monarch Luo He. God-Monarch Luo He was the most crucial defensive force in this location.