Chapter 235: The Resolution of the Two Ancient Kingdoms
Within the territory of the Ancient Thunder Kingdom, at the sacred land, ‘Thunder Mountain.’
All nine Monarchs had either their true bodies or incarnations dwelling here. The Thunder Ancestor had spared no cost in arranging terrifying formation arrays, turning this place into the most dangerous land across the entire Origin Continent. It was far more dreadful than any capital city of the Ancient Flame Kingdom.
“Hu.”
As the wind swept by, a figure clad in a black robe and golden mask appeared at the foot of Thunder Mountain.
“The Emperors of the Ancient Flame Kingdom lived separately, yet those of the Ancient Thunder Kingdom mostly gathered here.” Luo Feng raised his head, gazing at this sacred mountain, where endless thunderbolts crackled and spread throughout the range. “Deep within this Thunder Mountain, there should be hidden a Thunder Origin Path.”
Although among the nine Origin Paths contained by the supreme laws of the Origin Continent, there was no Path of Thunder…
Yet, by Luo Feng’s mental will, he could perceive that within this sacred mountain, a Thunder Path lay concealed.
The Primal Universe could contain within itself the Origin Path of Life!
The Realm Beasts too contained within themselves the Origin Path of Destruction!
So, with the methods of the Thunder Ancestor, that he could conceal a Thunder Path here was also understandable.“Hm? Black-Robed, Golden-Masked powerhouse!”
“That mysterious Black-Robed, Golden-Masked powerhouse has come to Thunder Mountain?”
The formation array of Thunder Mountain covered an immensely wide range. Though Luo Feng seemed only to have reached the foot of the mountain, he had already entered within its scope of surveillance. Instantly, several Monarchs were stirred.
Hu—
Endless thunder gathered at the mountain’s foot, eventually coalescing into an old man in white robes. Thunder still flowed across his body, each streak of it emanating a might that made Luo Feng inwardly astonished.
“The nine Monarchs of the Ancient Thunder Kingdom—among them, three belong to the Thunder Lineage.” Luo Feng thought. “The Monarchs of the Thunder Lineage can unleash the power of the Primordial Bloodline to an inconceivable degree.”
This white-robed elder before him naturally exuded thunder; each strand bore a might comparable to Emperor Guixu or Divine King Wuxin.
In terms of excavating the potential of the Primordial Bloodline, the Thunder Lineage was the strongest across the Origin Continent. The secret arts they cultivated allowed them to remain more lucid, to better draw out the bloodline’s might, and even their treasures aligned perfectly with that bloodline.
“I am Leifu.” The white-robed elder smiled at Luo Feng. “I have long heard of the renown of the Black Robe.” As he spoke, a formless will spread forth, silently invading toward Luo Feng.
Boom!
Luo Feng’s mental will surged vast and immense. At the slightest clash, the white-robed elder immediately withdrew his probing.
“To think his mental will actually surpassed the Divine King-level. Admirable.” The white-robed elder smiled.
“Across the Origin Continent, regarding cultivation of the Primordial Bloodline, the Thunder Lineage of the Ancient Thunder Kingdom was acknowledged as the strongest. Yet who would have thought even their secret arts of the mind-will were so extraordinary.” Luo Feng praised.
“You flatter me.” The white-robed elder grew increasingly curious of the identity of this Black-Robed, Golden-Masked powerhouse.
After all, across the entire Origin Continent, those whose mental will surpassed the Divine King-level were exceedingly rare—far fewer even than Emperors and Monarchs. Moreover, such a presence was a natural restraint against those cultivating the Primordial Bloodline!
Before Luo Feng, these Emperors and Monarchs who cultivated the Primordial Bloodline—even if, by relying on treasures and Ultimate Realm lifeforms, they could remain lucid—their strength would be greatly diminished. Some, whose mental will was weaker, could barely remain lucid under normal circumstances; once struck by Luo Feng’s mental will, they were highly likely to lose control altogether.
“Monarch Leifu, by coincidence, I obtained a rare treasure—the ‘Thousand Dream Fruit’.” Luo Feng spoke. “I wonder, would the Ancient Thunder Kingdom have interest in it?”
“Thousand Dream Fruit?” Monarch Leifu smiled. “Of course, we would be interested.”
“I wish to exchange it for corpse materials of Ultimate Realm Primordial Bloodline creatures.” Luo Feng said. “The more corpse materials the better. They may come from different Ultimate Realm Primordial Bloodline creatures.” Ꞧ𝘼NổᛒЕṩ
At this, Monarch Leifu was startled. “Corpse materials? Even if you gained some, it is impossible to refine them into a complete Primordial Bloodline. Even the Ancestor himself found refining them not easy.”
“I know. I merely need some corpse materials.” Luo Feng said. “I have also contacted the Ancient Flame Kingdom and the Three Foreign Races. Whichever side provides the most corpse materials, that will be the one I ultimately transact with.”
“Negotiating with all five sides at once?” Monarch Leifu slightly nodded. “Very well, we of the Ancient Thunder Kingdom will deliberate upon this matter internally.”
At such a level of treasure, simultaneous five-way negotiations were indeed normal.
“I hope within three days, the Ancient Thunder Kingdom can give me a reply.” Luo Feng said, tossing forth a talisman. “Use this talisman to contact me then.”
“For the four most precious categories of treasures, we of the Ancient Thunder Kingdom are always willing to pay a great price.” Monarch Leifu received the talisman and said, “Rest assured, we will certainly give you a most satisfying condition.”
Luo Feng nodded, then vanished soundlessly.
Monarch Leifu gazed after this scene.
“His incarnation utterly self-annihilated, so that even communication must be through talisman? How cautious, this Black Robe.” He glanced at the talisman, deeply curious of the identity of this Black-Robed, Golden-Masked powerhouse. But clearly, Luo Feng acted with great care, making it exceedingly difficult to uncover who he truly was.
……
“I have contacted Monarch Leifu and Emperor Xuan at the same time. Now, it is only to await the results.” Within Huyang City, Luo Feng mused.
Emperor Xuan possessed clone techniques, and for his extreme arrogance, he cared deeply for appearances. Thus, many affairs were entrusted to him by other Emperors, for he disdained to act for mere personal gain. Precisely for this, it was easy to find one of his clones.
“I wonder what conditions these two sides will offer.” Luo Feng had spoken of negotiating with five sides, yet in truth, he was only negotiating with two.
……
At Thunder Mountain, inside a lofty great hall.
The nine Monarchs sat separately, some as true bodies, some as incarnations.
“Everyone.”
The ruling Monarch Lei Xiao swept his gaze around and began, “Just moments ago, the Black-Robed, Golden-Masked powerhouse sought to sell us a ‘Thousand Dream Fruit’. As its value does not exceed thirty billion merits, there is no need to report to the Ancestor. We nine Monarchs may decide together.”
The two Ancestors of the Kingdoms and the Three Foreign Races valued four categories of treasures above all.
For the first two—remnants of special lifeforms and secret arts left behind by Yuan—the two Ancestors themselves would always negotiate in person, attaching utmost importance.
For heavenly treasures worth over a billion merits—if below thirty billion, Monarchs collectively decided. Only beyond thirty billion would the Ancestor personally intervene.
As for innate treasures, the Monarchs would first determine their worth. If surpassing the mysterious profundity of ‘Thunder Mountain’, then the Ancestor would be informed. Otherwise, the Monarchs themselves would decide, for treasures below that threshold had little use to the Thunder Ancestor.
“Is it true that this Black Robe’s mental will surpassed the Divine King-level?”
“His mental will so strong?”
One after another, the Monarchs cared little for the rare treasure, but very much for the strength of the Black-Robed, Golden-Masked powerhouse.
“I tested him with a secret art of the mind.” Monarch Leifu said. “I can confirm, his mental will indeed surpassed the Divine King-level.”
“Such a powerhouse is troublesome.”
“Another one emerges.”
Many Monarchs of the Ancient Thunder Kingdom were visibly displeased.
Such a type restrained them far too much! Perhaps only the three Monarchs of the Thunder Lineage were less affected—they could remain lucid enough, suffering merely reduced strength.
“Let us return to the matter at hand.” Monarch Lei Xiao said. “That Black Robe declared what he sought was corpse materials of ‘Ultimate Realm Primordial Bloodline creatures’, from different bodies if possible, the more the better. He negotiates with five sides, and whichever provides more, with that side he will transact.”
“What would he do with such corpse materials? These scraps cannot be refined into a full bloodline.”
“Feeding Realm Beasts?”
“Using them to cultivate his physical body?”
“Studying the mysteries of the materials, comprehending the Paths?”
“His mental will is strong; perhaps by using these materials, he seeks to strengthen his physical body! If both his body and mind become formidable, he will be even harder to contend with.”
The Monarchs voiced their speculations.
Corpse remains of the Ultimate Realm Primordial Bloodline had many uses. But in small, incomplete amounts, their applications diminished greatly.
The Monarchs did not care for the Thousand Dream Fruit itself, but were very concerned whether the Black-Robed, Golden-Masked powerhouse would grow even stronger.
“Everyone, let us speak of the terms.” Monarch Lei Xiao urged again.
“For one Thousand Dream Fruit, merely giving him two or three parts’ worth of corpse materials should suffice.” The Monarchs cared little. Even if such materials were exchanged, they would end up with the Thunder Ancestor, who rarely rewarded them much in return.
“The Three Foreign Races transported their offerings from other Source Worlds to our Origin Continent. Thus, what they brought were always the most precious: either treasures beyond the Divine King-level, or a fully refined Ultimate Realm Primordial Bloodline, or a complete corpse of one. As for such scraps of Ultimate Realm corpse materials, they brought very few.”
“Yes, the remnants brought by the Three Foreign Races are usually ‘low-level Primordial Life remnants’.”
“But this Black Robe asked specifically for Ultimate Realm Primordial Bloodline scraps. The Three Foreign Races cannot provide much. Instead, the Ancient Flame Kingdom might well offer quite a few.”
Small fragments of corpses, incapable of refining into full bloodlines, were simply left in the treasury.
“Two to three parts are indeed enough.” They were unwilling to give more, fearing that the Black-Robed, Golden-Masked powerhouse would grow much stronger.
“Then let it be three parts.” Monarch Lei Xiao decided.
In the treasury, from two Ultimate Realm Primordial Bloodline creatures, incomplete corpses remained: one was one part and two-tenths of a body, the other one part and seven-tenths. Combined, two parts and nine-tenths in total! To phrase it generously, equivalent to three parts of a corpse.
……
Within the Ancient Flame Kingdom, the twelve Emperors were also deliberating upon the matter.
“So the Thousand Dream Fruit has indeed fallen into the hands of the Black Robe.” Emperor Jiufeng said. “In my view, there is no need to give him too much. Since he used the Thousand Dream Fruit to exchange, it clearly shows how badly he needs Ultimate Realm Primordial Bloodline corpse materials. What he needs, we should give less.”
“One Thousand Dream Fruit, the Ancestor would not regard too highly.” Emperor Kong added.
“Hmph.”
Emperor Yan said coldly, “The four categories of treasures are all needed by the Ancestor. Though the Thousand Dream Fruit is of slightly lesser value, we Emperors can decide collectively. However… the Ancestor will eventually scrutinize each of our collective decisions! If you treat this lightly, and the Ancestor becomes angered, who will bear the consequences? In my view, we must at least provide a condition that will not incur the Ancestor’s wrath.”
“At the very least, we must not provoke the Ancestor’s anger.” Emperor Xi agreed.
“I believe two to three parts would be sufficient.” Emperor Chu said. “Two or three parts of Ultimate Realm Primordial Bloodline corpse materials—such terms cannot be considered low.”
“They must come from different corpses.” Emperor Yan said. “Otherwise, he might have some secret technique to refine them into a full bloodline.”
The Emperors debated.
Emperor Fu watched silently.
“Everyone.”
At last, Emperor Fu spoke. “At present, our treasury contains remnants from three Ultimate Realm Primordial Bloodline corpses. Altogether, they amount to five parts’ worth. I believe we should take all of them out, to purchase this one Thousand Dream Fruit.”
“All of them?” At once, everyone turned their gaze toward Emperor Fu.