## Chapter 21: Diao Rongqi’s Visit

Inside the Fire Realm Eatery, nestled in a secluded pavilion.

“These past two days, numerous factions from Hu Yang City must have visited Brother Luo He,” Shang Tianyan remarked, seated across from Luo Feng. Suo Zi busied himself nearby, respectfully serving food and wine, while the servant Moro Sa remained waiting outside the pavilion.

Luo Feng sighed, “Quite a few powers went directly to my cave dwelling to pay their respects. When I visited Dream Flower Pavilion, there were even more waiting there. That’s why I’ve hidden away in this Fire Realm Eatery; at least this small establishment is tranquil!”

“Haha, ever since you forced the Blood Python Society to bow its head and offer compensation, you’ve become one of the top elites in Hu Yang City,” Shang Tianyan laughed. “Countless Eternal True Gods are envious. Ordinary Eternal True Gods like us can’t compare to Brother Luo He’s influence.”

The disparity between Eternal True Gods was immense.

The strength of their divine bodies, the difference in weapons, treasures, and armor, the variance in secret techniques, the realms of understanding of laws, the differences in bloodline talents, the strength of their wills… All these factors contributed to differences that could be drastically disparate.

“If I’m not mistaken, the City Lord’s manor likely has upgraded your evaluation to Grade A,” Shang Tianyan stated.

“Grade A?” Luo Feng inquired, curious.

“An Eternal True God that an entire Hu Yang Legion cannot subdue is generally classified as Grade A. At this level, the City Lord’s manor won’t act rashly,” Shang Tianyan explained.

Luo Feng contemplated, “A Hu Yang Legion is led by a top-tier Eternal True God, supported by ten thousand Void True Gods, and tens of millions of elite True Gods, all piloting the legion’s mechanical treasure. The legion’s combined power can unleash some of the might of a Chaos realm expert.”

“With Brother Luo He’s strength, even if you can’t directly resist it head-on, you can exploit your strengths and avoid their weaknesses, rendering a Hu Yang Legion helpless,” Shang Tianyan chuckled. “You captured Vice President Lai Mo’s True God heart with a bare hand, without using any weapons or treasures. Everyone can see that if you were to unleash your full power, even with the disparity between you and a Hu Yang Legion, you could still maneuver and evade using various secret techniques.”

Luo Feng smiled, saying nothing further.

*Hu Yang Legions are strong head-on? Eternal True Gods, Void True Gods, countless True Gods combined, the quantity of divine power, the purity of divine power, none of it matches mine! It’s just that their legion-class mechanical treasure is slightly more powerful than my “Wu-Slaying Wings.”*

*A head-on collision wouldn’t be that I can’t afford the cost, but that a Hu Yang Legion wouldn’t be able to withstand the drain!*

“Judging by your smile, you don’t place much importance on a Hu Yang Legion,” Shang Tianyan raised his cup. “For that, we must have a drink.”

“Drink,” Luo Feng replied with a smile, raising his own cup.

“However, Brother Luo He, don’t underestimate the City Lord’s manor because of this. The Ten Hu Yang Legions, the Hu Yang Guards… those are just the visible deterrents,” Shang Tianyan cautioned. “This massive city, built and refined over countless ages, is one of their true foundations. If truly pushed, I fear a Chaos Master, or even a God King, might tear through the void and descend!”

“I’m not foolish enough to provoke the City Lord’s manor,” Luo Feng acknowledged, already aware of this.

“Of course, the entire Jiu Jiang Chaos State is Marquis Jiu Jiang’s territory. What is Marquis Jiu Jiang’s status? He wouldn’t bother to come to Hu Yang City unless something truly significant happens,” Shang Tianyan clarified. “So, as long as you don’t challenge the City Lord’s ruling power, there’s no need to worry about attracting a Chaos Master. But you must remember one thing…”

Shang Tianyan’s expression turned considerably solemn.

“Brother Shang, please speak,” Luo Feng responded.

“Never get involved in the conflict between the Food Kingdom and the Yu Kingdom,” Shang Tianyan whispered. “This is Hu Yang City’s most terrifying vortex. Once you get dragged in, no matter how strong you are as an individual, you’ll be crushed into dust.”

“The conflict between the Food Kingdom and the Yu Kingdom?” Luo Feng asked, curious.

“Since its inception, the Food Kingdom has been expanding and seizing territory around it. Now that it borders my Yu Kingdom, naturally, there are many conflicts,” Shang Tianyan explained. “As a large border city, Hu Yang City has never ceased its covert conflicts. For instance, the Zan Yun Merchant Guild is actually a merchant guild of the Food Kingdom.”

Luo Feng nodded, “The president of the Zan Yun Merchant Guild visited my cave dwelling yesterday, but I didn’t pay him much attention.”

Simply because the man was from the Food Kingdom, Luo Feng was unwilling to forge too deep a connection.

“Not paying him attention was the right move,” Shang Tianyan said. “Since it is a large border city, the Yu Kingdom has no reason to prohibit normal trade. The Zan Yun Merchant Guild appears disciplined on the surface, but the Food Kingdom has secretly sent a batch of Eternal True Gods into the city long ago.”

“If the Food Kingdom is willing, it can dispatch even stronger forces at any time,” Shang Tianyan warned. “This is Hu Yang City’s greatest threat.”

“One day, when the two great God Kingdoms clash, it would be normal for this place to be reduced to powder.”

Shang Tianyan sighed and raised his wine cup.

He had spent most of his life in Hu Yang City and naturally didn’t want to see it reduced to ruins.

“We can’t do anything about the conflict between the two great God Kingdoms; let’s just drift along,” Luo Feng said, raising his own cup to accompany him. He genuinely liked Shang Tianyan as a friend; he was forthright and open, and when Luo Feng had asked about cultivation difficulties, Shang Tianyan had not held anything back.

Shang Tianyan was one of the top Refiners in Hu Yang City, far superior to Luo Feng in that aspect. Having no mentor to guide him in his understanding of the “Chaos Strength Diagram,” Luo Feng naturally encountered some obstacles. Shang Tianyan had managed to pierce through these challenges with just a few words.

If Luo Feng had buried himself in research, with his solid foundation in laws, he could have figured it out eventually, but it would have taken much longer and involved more detours.

He deeply appreciated Shang Tianyan’s willingness to provide guidance.

They ate, drank, and chatted, gaining information about Hu Yang City, but chatting with Shang Tianyan allowed Luo Feng to have a deeper understanding of the various forces within Hu Yang City.

“I must say, this eatery has a unique flavor,” Shang Tianyan commented as he rose to leave.

“I also quite like this place. Their grilled meat is sufficiently potent,” Luo Feng replied, his perfect divine body being so powerful that ordinary delicacies had little impact on him, seeming rather bland.

They spoke as they walked out of the pavilion together. Outside, Moro Sa hastily hid the wine jar.

At that moment, Luo Feng and Shang Tianyan both saw a woman with a furry tail standing in front of them, a guard by her side. “This is Diao Rongqi of the Diao Rong Clan, Diao Rongyan’s daughter,” Shang Tianyan introduced.

“Greetings, Uncle Shang,” Diao Rongqi said with a smile and bow.

“You’ve come to visit Brother Luo He?” Shang Tianyan asked with a chuckle. “How did you find this place?”

Diao Rongqi hurriedly explained, “After hearing about Superior Luo He’s presence at the Dream Flower Pavilion, I had a strong desire to visit. Later, I learned from my guard that Superior Luo He might come to the Fire Realm Eatery.”

Luo Feng watched the scene with interest. The guard beside the woman was none other than Suo Yun, the young True God he had rescued from the tribe.

“Superior,” Suo Yun quickly explained respectfully, “I live with Brother Suo Zi. During our conversations, I accidentally learned that Superior had visited the Fire Realm Eatery.”

“That’s quite a coincidence,” Luo Feng said, turning to Diao Rongqi, the woman with the furry tail. “What brings you here to find me?”

“To become a disciple!”

Diao Rongqi’s eyes sparkled. “I wish to become Superior’s disciple.”

“Your father is an Eternal True God. You want to become *my* disciple?” Luo Feng questioned, looking at her.

“My father is skilled in alchemy, but not in combat,” Diao Rongqi said respectfully, bowing once more. “I am willing to offer five thousand Cosmos Sand, just hoping to become Superior’s disciple.”

Luo Feng shook his head, turning to Shang Tianyan, “Brother Shang, let’s go.”

Shang Tianyan did not try to dissuade him. After all, accepting a disciple was a very serious matter. He and Luo Feng flew away together.

“Superior!” Diao Rongqi called out anxiously, “Please give me a chance, a chance to prove myself!”

“Take my master as your teacher? What a beautiful dream!” Moro Sa glanced at Diao Rongqi before following Luo Feng and departing.

Diao Rongqi stood in place, thinking for a moment before turning to leave, simultaneously instructing, “Suo Yun, continue to stay at the Fire Realm Eatery. If you discover Luo He, notify me immediately.”

“Yes,” the guard Suo Yun replied respectfully, watching his young mistress leave.

“Suo Yun,” Suo Zi walked over. “How could you carelessly spread the news of the Superior being here?”

The guard Suo Yun looked at his brother and said, “My mistress wanted to visit the Superior and has no ill intentions. Why couldn’t I have said it?”

“We run a restaurant; we must protect our honored guests’ secrets,” Suo Zi said. “I only told you in private because you’re my brother. You didn’t even tell me before passing the news on to your mistress?”

Suo Yun scoffed, “The Superior didn’t blame me; yet you, his brother, are blaming me.”

“The Superior is kind and didn’t blame you, but if it was someone with a bad temper, you would have been finished!” Suo Zi said anxiously. “In Hu Yang City, especially when Eternal True Gods are involved, one can never be too cautious!”

“Always being so careful, when will we ever break through?” Suo Yun said coldly. “When opportunity comes, we must seize it! Just for this news alone, I have already received a secret technique!”

Suo Zi was stunned.

After coming to Hu Yang City from their tribe, after verifying their bloodlines, they had been trying to find ways to buy a secret technique suited to themselves. But good secret techniques suited to them were too expensive.

“Suo Yun has already obtained a secret technique?” Suo Zi’s emotions were complex for a moment.

On one hand, he was genuinely happy for his brother. On the other hand, he also felt the gap between them. He was still an apprentice, painstakingly saving up Chaos Crystals to buy a secret technique. And he could foresee that it would take a long, long time.

“The tribe leader said to be cautious in Hu Yang City. There’s no rush; I have a very long lifespan, there’s no need to rush this.” Suo Zi suppressed his emotions.

…

Blood Python Society headquarters.

“These past two days, the most famous person in all of Hu Yang City is that Luo He,” Vice President Mu Lin said, shaking his head. “Mentioning Luo He is just mentioning our Blood Python Society.”

“Can you shut your mouth?” Vice President Lai Mo said, annoyed.

“I don’t care about those discussions,” President Mu Yang frowned. “What I care about is having had to pay two thousand Cosmos Sand in compensation. I’m so poor right now; every single Cosmos Sand is important to me.”

Vice Presidents Mu Lin and Lai Mo exchanged glances.

“We’re both broke as well,” Vice President Mu Lin said quickly.

“President, everything I could borrow, I already lent you. You helped me pay 18,000 Cosmos Sand this time. By my calculations, you still owe me 5,000 Cosmos Sand,” Vice President Lai Mo said.

The two Vice Presidents were also a little puzzled. The president, Mu Yang, who had access to the vast majority of the Blood Python Society’s resources, was always poor! They were both afraid of lending him money!