Chapter 276: Episode Seven, Rain Ripple City

Inside the flying ship’s main hall.

“The Nine Rivers Holy World’s space is so stable, even with my spatial attainments, I feel like I can’t even fly,” Di Fu said, barely stabilizing himself, already beginning to sense the Nine Rivers Holy World’s unique properties.

Di Qing laughed, “The Nine Rivers Holy World is home to countless low-grade Chaos Source lifeforms, as well as powerful individuals from countless worlds, and their battles are imaginable in their destructive power. The Nine Rivers Holy World must be extremely stable, otherwise it couldn’t withstand such carnage.”

Luo Feng nodded.

Even Origin Worlds had power restrictions to protect their stability.

“The Nine Rivers are like chains, sealing off the entire world. This must also be to make the world even more stable,” Luo Feng said, beginning to understand the deeper meaning of the nine rivers.

“Yes, because the world is so stable, even if one’s spatial laws reach the ‘half-Chaos Source level,’ they can only achieve extremely short-distance spatial teleportation,” Di Qing laughed. “My flying ship can only fly slowly.”

“It’s already very fast,” Luo Feng praised.

His five incarnations each had different talents, some suited for travel, but even the fastest were only thirty to forty percent of the speed of Di Qing’s flying ship.

An eye opened on Luo Feng’s forehead, the secret technique ‘Mimetic Annihilation Eye.’ In the Origin Continent, he had long studied the Star Tower and used the ‘Annihilation Eye,’ giving him deep understanding of both.

Most of Luo Feng’s secret techniques were based on the Star Tower’s deep-level secret patterns. As for creating secret techniques based on the ‘Annihilation Eye’s’ deep-level secret patterns, there was only one, named ‘Mimetic Annihilation Eye.’ And with time, this secret technique was still being continuously perfected.

“Buzz.”

With the Mimetic Annihilation Eye, Luo Feng’s observation abilities, though not quite at the level of escaping the cage, were still top-tier among God Emperors.

“Hmm?” Luo Feng saw a phantom pale green creature far away, merging into the void, hidden in the distance. The phantom creature was staring at the approaching flying ship, filled with hostility.

“Brother Di Qing, be careful. There’s a low-grade Chaos Source lifeform lying in ambush ahead,” Luo Feng said.

Di Qing looked at Luo Feng in surprise, and laughed, “Brother Luo He has such impressive detection abilities. I walk the path of space and have the aid of secret treasures, but I only barely detected that low-grade Chaos Source lifeform, the ‘Azure Smoke Beast,’ in the far distance.”

The flying ship seemed to be moving at a normal speed, but when it got closer to the Azure Smoke Beast, it suddenly accelerated, becoming fifty to sixty percent faster, quickly shaking off the Azure Smoke Beast. The Azure Smoke Beast couldn’t even keep up.

“There aren’t many low-grade Chaos Source lifeforms whose speed can surpass my flying ship,” Di Qing said. “But our journey will be relatively easy in the early stages. In the middle stages, we’ll have to cross above the rivers, which will be a little dangerous.”

……

Two days later.

The flying ship was completely merged with the void, as if it were a part of it, flying above a river whose width was unknown, but measured in trillions of kilometers.

The Nine Rivers, when viewed from the Infinite Chaos Source Space, were massive, sealing off the entire world. The true width of these rivers was terrifying, and even at the flying ship’s speed, it would take half a day to cross.

Luo Feng observed with the Mimetic Annihilation Eye.

“Brother Luo He, how many low-grade Chaos Source lifeforms can you find?” Di Qing asked from the side.

“I’ve found three,” Luo Feng said, displaying a simple regional map. “There’s a flying bird merging with the wind in the distant high skies, and the cloud mass in another area is also a low-grade Chaos Source lifeform. And here, there’s a creature perched on the surface of the water.”

“Impressive.”

Di Qing exclaimed, “I only detected two. Brother Luo He can detect three low-grade Chaos Source lifeforms. Your detection methods are more advanced than mine.”

Luo Feng sighed inwardly. If he had brought the ‘Annihilation Eye’ with him, his detection abilities would have soared a thousandfold. But such secret treasures were forbidden from being taken outside the Origin World by the Infinite Space Treasure Vault, for fear of attracting some great terror.

Whoosh.

The flying ship flew cautiously, completely merged with the void, maintaining sufficient distance from the low-grade Chaos Source lifeforms.

“Low-grade Chaos Source lifeforms mainly live within the Nine Rivers. Only the Nine Rivers have enough energy to sustain them. Even if they leave the Nine Rivers, they usually don’t stray too far, so they can return to the rivers quickly,” Di Qing said calmly, looking at the outside world. “Those that are perched above the rivers are only trying their luck, seeing if they can run into cultivators.”

“Besides those of us traveling, few try to cross above the rivers,” Di Qing laughed. “Don’t worry, those low-grade Chaos Source lifeforms trying their luck in the high skies are generally weak.”

“The truly powerful low-grade Chaos Source lifeforms, once they act, usually go deep into the areas where cultivators live, so they can hunt more,” Di Qing said.

“What is the strength of low-grade Chaos Source lifeforms?” Di Ming asked from the side.

“Although we call them ‘low-grade Chaos Source lifeforms,’ they are still Chaos Source lifeforms,” Di Qing said. “They are beings born escaping the cage, but because they can’t fully tap their potential, their strength is relatively weak.”

“Low-grade Chaos Source lifeforms are generally at the God Emperor stage,” Di Qing said, looking at Di Ming. “Even the weakest low-grade Chaos Source lifeform is slightly stronger than you, Di Ming. Although they have lower intelligence, their vitality is incredibly tenacious, and their physical bodies are very powerful… It usually takes a God Emperor in the early enlightenment stage to kill even the weakest low-grade Chaos Source lifeform.”

A God Emperor in the early enlightenment stage, in terms of overall strength, is comparable to a Chaos Source bloodline cultivator who has reached the mid-God Emperor stage.

“In the Nine Rivers Holy World, the combat power of a God Emperor in the early enlightenment stage is a threshold. Only by reaching this threshold can you participate in some hunting battles,” Di Qing said. “Otherwise, no team will be willing to accept you.”

Di Ming and Di Fu looked at each other.

Luo Feng felt some pressure as he listened. His eight-branch fusion technique of the Annihilation Dao could only be considered to have reached the threshold of the early God Emperor stage. Only the ultimate realm technique of the Annihilation Dao was a normal early God Emperor stage technique.

A true God Emperor in the early enlightenment stage’s casual strike was at the level of the early God Emperor stage. Their techniques were exquisite, and some forbidden moves and ultimate moves could even reach the power of the mid-God Emperor stage.

“Fortunately, I still have five incarnations, each of which is an early God Emperor stage lifeform, and each has special talents. With the cooperation of the five… I should be able to compete with a God Emperor in the early enlightenment stage.”

“I’m still too weak. What if I don’t even have the qualifications to join a hunting team?” Luo Feng still felt a little uneasy.

Without the Annihilation Eye and the Star Tower, his strength had indeed weakened a lot.

“Whoosh.”

The flying ship merged with the void, flying cautiously through the vast area above the river, maintaining sufficient distance from the low-grade Chaos Source lifeforms. Along the way, only one low-grade Chaos Source lifeform glimpsed the flying ship’s true nature, and the flying ship quickly shook it off with its speed.

……

The Holy Mountain was at the center of the entire Nine Rivers Holy World, so to go from the center to Rain Ripple City, one had to cross two rivers.

During this process, Luo Feng also witnessed Di Qing’s strength! Di Qing’s mastery of the spatial laws, as demonstrated by piloting this flying ship, far surpassed Luo Feng’s ultimate realm technique of the Annihilation Dao.

“Brother Di Qing, have you reached the mid-God Emperor stage?” Luo Feng asked through voice transmission. They were to become companions, so Luo Feng naturally wanted to know the other’s strength. If the gap was too big, there was no need to work together.

“Mid-God Emperor stage enlightenment, it’s not that easy,” Di Qing also said through voice transmission. “I became an early God Emperor in the Origin Continent. Although there are more opportunities in the Nine Rivers Holy World to help me advance further… I can only be considered to have one foot in the mid-God Emperor stage! I’ve comprehended some mid-God Emperor stage secret techniques. It will probably take a long time before I truly become a mid-God Emperor stage enlightenment cultivator.”

Luo Feng understood.

Di Qing had comprehended some mid-God Emperor stage secret techniques. With the aid of secret treasures, his strength could be even stronger.

His current strength was quite different from Di Qing’s.

“When we get to Rain Ripple City, let’s not rush to hunt,” Di Qing said, looking at Luo Feng with a smile. “Let’s first use Rain Ripple City’s resources to strengthen ourselves, purchase suitable resources, and choose suitable secret treasures. We’ll set off to hunt after everything is well prepared.”

They were talking through voice transmission, avoiding Di Ming and Di Fu.

“We’re almost there,” Di Qing said, looking ahead. “Rain Ripple City!”

Just as he finished speaking.

The flying ship whooshed through the air, and a massive city appeared in the distance.

Luo Feng, Di Ming, and Di Fu looked carefully.

Without missing a stroke, every word, every hair was taken in!

This was a massive city that resembled a fortress, with many colorful formations operating in the air above the city, layer upon layer of protection, guarding Rain Ripple City tightly.

“What terrifying formations,” Luo Feng sensed from afar, feeling only a heavy, unshakeable force.

“The thirty-five cities of the Nine Rivers Holy World are built at great cost. These protective measures also represent different systems of cultivation. All kinds of systems are protecting this city,” Di Qing said, shaking his head slightly. “But low-grade Chaos Source lifeforms are beings that have escaped the cage after all. Some of their talents are too special, and even with our protection using many different systems, we still can’t defend against all low-grade Chaos Source lifeforms.”

“Occasionally, low-grade Chaos Source lifeforms will still sneak into Rain Ripple City and attack the cultivators in the city,” Di Qing said.

Di Fu and Di Ming’s expressions became solemn.

“Low-grade Chaos Source lifeforms that can sneak into Rain Ripple City are one in ten thousand, and are extremely rare types,” Di Qing said. The flying ship then headed straight for one of Rain Ripple City’s towering city gates.

Buzz!

When the flying ship approached the city gate, a wave descended upon the flying ship.

Inside the flying ship, a blurred figure of a blue-robed man appeared. The blue-robed man had a large beard, looked at Luo Feng and the other two, and then smiled at Di Qing. “Di Qing, you’ve brought three companions? And brought dozens of new cultivators?”

Di Qing smiled and nodded.

“The thirty-five cities of the Nine Rivers Holy World have the same rules,” the blue-robed man said with a smile. “First, after entering the city, you must rent a cave within three days, or you will be expelled from the city. Second, the city protects all cultivators, and cultivators must pay a fee of 1 Chaos Source crystal every epoch. If you are in arrears for one epoch, you will also be expelled from the city. Third, the city prohibits cultivators from killing each other. Violators will be executed.”

“For first-time entry into the city, we need to record the identities of the three of you,” the blue-robed man said, looking at Luo Feng and the other two.

“My name is Luo Feng,” Luo Feng said with a smile.

Di Qing and the others knew that Luo Feng had multiple names, ‘Galaxy,’ ‘Luo He,’ and ‘Luo Feng.’

“My name is Di Ming.”

“My name is Di Fu.”

The blue-robed man simultaneously divided his thoughts and also logged the information of the cultivators in the rear cabin of the flying ship.

“These three will reside in my cave,” Di Qing said with a smile. “As for the residence fees, I will prepay for them for one hundred epochs,” Di Qing said, handing over three hundred Chaos Source crystals.

The blue-robed man nodded with a smile. “Okay, Luo Feng, Di Ming, Di Fu, their address will be the same as your cave.”

Soon, the cultivators completed the entry procedures, and Di Qing temporarily put away the flying ship.

Whoosh.

Di Qing took Luo Feng and the other three to fly within the city.

“So many cultivators,” Luo Feng was quite shocked. Looking around, there were countless caves, and cultivators often flew up, seeing millions of cultivators at a glance. Their attire and auras were all different, obviously from many different cultivation schools.

“Someone like me is already the weakest,” Di Fu said, feeling complicated. Why were some Emperors and Lords unwilling to come out and take risks? Why did they want to delay until their homeland was about to perish?

It was because they knew that they belonged to the bottom rung of society outside!

In the Dark Holy World, even the two countries’ founders were ordinary and unremarkable.

“The so-called three rules just now, the last one, prohibiting killing each other, violators will be executed,” Di Qing said, looking down at the vast city below. “Don’t trust this rule too much! Rain Ripple City is self-governed by cultivators! To punish someone, you must first have enough evidence.”

“And various cultivation systems have mysterious and unpredictable killing methods, making it impossible to find out who the real killer is,” Di Qing said.

Luo Feng nodded.

For example, he could send an incarnation, using an invisible and formless transformation to assassinate the enemy.

“If the real killer can’t be found, it will naturally be dropped,” Di Qing said, looking at Di Fu and Di Ming. “For the two of you who are weak, the safest way to be in Rain Ripple City… is to make yourselves look poor enough.”

“Poor?” Di Ming and Di Fu were thoughtful.

“The rules are there! Without enough temptation, no one will risk taking action,” Di Qing said. “Those of you who are weak will be close to death once you show off treasures. On the other hand, being poor enough is safe enough. You must get used to it as soon as possible.”

Di Ming and Di Fu nodded slightly.

As they talked, Di Qing, Luo Feng, Di Ming, and Di Fu had flown to the inner city area of Rain Ripple City.

“My cave is ahead,” Di Qing said calmly. “I will give you two a small share of the cave’s ‘energy authority,’ enough to maintain slower cultivation. The other energy authority will be split between Luo He and me.”

Di Ming and Di Fu listened obediently. It was already good enough that they were allowed to live there and were given a small share of the energy authority.

“Brother Luo He,” Di Qing said, looking at Luo Feng. “The cost of renting this cave is 100 Chaos Source crystals per epoch. I will bear the cost for the first thousand epochs. After that, the two of us will need to split it equally. Of course, you can also choose to rent another cave.”