Chapter 231: Clash

Luo Feng was also quite surprised.

He had explored the Deep Region of the Dream Domain for over a hundred eras and had never encountered a competitor! Yet now, as the most precious Thousand Dream Fruit was about to ripen, five powerful beings—including himself—had gathered to wait for it.

“Well, that makes sense. I only explore once per era, and only about ten spaces each time,” Luo Feng thought. “There aren’t many qualified to explore the Deep Region of the Origin Continent to begin with! The odds of running into someone are indeed extremely low.”

Now that he had been discovered by the invisible spatial domain, Luo Feng remained utterly unflustered.

To compete for the Thousand Dream Fruit, he had made ample preparations.

Currently, all his clones within the Dream Domain amounted to twelve times the energy of a Perfect Divine Body! And for this occasion... the super clone he had dispatched to compete for the Thousand Dream Fruit alone possessed ten times the energy of a Perfect Divine Body.

Purely in terms of physical strength, it was dozens of times stronger than the clone he had once used to battle the Dark Sky Lord.

Luo Feng believed his physical body was comparable to that of an Ultimate Divine King-level Life Form.

“Hmm?”

Emperor Jiufeng, Emperor Wu, the gray-robed figure, and the purple-robed woman all noticed the black-robed, golden-masked figure.

“Black robe, golden mask? That aura…”

“Could it be that mysterious powerhouse who killed the Heavenly Kun Ruler?”

All four were pinnacle-level existences in the Origin Continent and naturally knew the intelligence regarding the Black Robe with the Golden Mask. This mysterious powerhouse had only made one move! But in that one move—through soul-based or mental-will means—he had instantly killed the Heavenly Kun Ruler, preventing even his reincarnation.

“Hahaha, what a rare occasion!” Emperor Jiufeng laughed. “I originally thought it’d be impressive if the Thousand Dream Fruit drew in two or three competitors. Who would’ve guessed five powerful beings would gather here today!”

“Indeed interesting.” Emperor Wu looked at the gray-robed figure, the purple-robed woman, and Luo Feng. “Three mysterious experts! For unaffiliated cultivators to possess such strength is rare. Having three appear at once is truly exceptional.”

As Emperors of the Ancient Flame Kingdom, pride ran in their bones. They naturally looked down on unaffiliated cultivators.

“Emperor Wu, Emperor Jiufeng—do you Emperors of the Ancient Flame Kingdom come swaggering into the Deep Region of the Dream Domain without even daring to bring along your prized weapons and treasures?” the gray-robed figure said with a light laugh.

Indeed.

Including Luo Feng, none of the five present in the Deep Region of the Dream Domain carried any Beyond Divine King-level treasures. After all, the Deep Region was full of unpredictable dangers. Losing a clone was insignificant, but losing a precious treasure would bring endless regret.

“You’re the one who killed the Heavenly Kun?” Emperor Wu looked at Luo Feng.

“I am.” Luo Feng nodded.

“Have we met before?” Emperor Wu examined Luo Feng. The gray-robed figure and the purple-robed woman were both familiar opponents he had encountered in the past, and he had some idea of their true identities. But as for the Black Robe with the Golden Mask, they had never crossed paths.

Luo Feng smiled at Emperor Wu and Emperor Jiufeng. “If the two of you are willing to yield the Thousand Dream Fruit, we could all sit down and have a proper chat.”

“Hahaha…” Emperor Jiufeng burst into laughter. “This black-robed powerhouse specializes in soul-based or mental-will attacks. Even someone like the Heavenly Kun Ruler, with Ultimate Divine King-level willpower, had no chance to resist. In front of him, even if we manage to endure, our strength would be heavily drained. In my opinion, we four should first join forces to drive this black-robed powerhouse out.”

Emperor Wu also looked toward the gray-robed figure and the purple-robed woman. “Let’s drive out the black-robed one first, and then the four of us will compete among ourselves.” s̩

“Hmph, we three are unaffiliated cultivators, while the two of you are Emperors of the Ancient Flame Kingdom. Naturally, we must team up—or else, all the good treasures will end up in your hands,” the gray-robed figure responded without hesitation.

“We three shall indeed work together,” the purple-robed woman agreed.

Luo Feng, the Black Robe with the Golden Mask, also nodded.

“So be it.”

Emperor Jiufeng glanced at the distant Thousand Dream Fruit. “The Thousand Dream Fruit will soon be ripe. Before that, let’s have a proper fight.”

The attitudes of Emperor Jiufeng and Emperor Wu remained fairly calm. To them, this rare treasure could indeed repay a portion of their massive debt to their clans, but even if they failed to obtain it, the loss wouldn’t be too damaging.

On the other hand, the three unaffiliated cultivators were far more eager for the Thousand Dream Fruit.

“Attack,” Emperor Wu commanded coldly.

Whooosh whooosh whooosh~~

His body instantly transformed into a black river, a vast current that swept across all directions, covering a wide surrounding area in the blink of an eye. Luo Feng and the others either had to flee far away and give up the treasure—or be swept into the current.

Chii chii chii. Luo Feng stood still, unmoving, letting the black river coil around him like giant pythons, madly eroding his physical body.

“Emperor Wu also cultivates the Origin Path of Life, but he’s an Ultimate Divine King-level Life Form! This clone he sent into the Dream Domain… who knows how much of his true body’s strength it carries,” Luo Feng thought. “But this binding force means nothing to me! What’s more threatening is the corrosive power…”

The waters of the Black River carried terrifying corrosive force, but Luo Feng’s immense tenfold Perfect Divine Body energy easily resisted it. The rate at which his body recovered surpassed the speed at which it was being eroded.

“Emperor Wu, is that all you’ve got?” the purple-robed woman said with a gentle laugh. She also stood unmoved in the face of the black river’s erosion, completely unfazed.

“Your clone is only carrying about thirty percent of your real body’s power, right? Too weak,” the gray-robed figure added, his form flickering between visible and transparent. Most of the black river’s power was being dispersed, and the remaining force posed no threat.

“Suppress!”

Amidst the rolling black river, three giant palms condensed and came crashing down toward Luo Feng and the other two.

But the trio remained unconcerned. Emperor Wu, who followed the Path of Life, lacked sufficient offensive power without a powerful treasure.

In contrast, Emperor Jiufeng—who followed the Path of Space—was the one they needed to be most cautious of.

“His clone, which follows the Path of Space, might be a complete body—both in flesh and soul,” Luo Feng remained vigilant.

“Attack.”

The gray-robed figure sent a mental message.

All three—gray-robed figure, purple-robed woman, and Luo Feng—struck simultaneously, their target: Emperor Jiufeng.

“Destroy!” Emperor Jiufeng also launched his attack in an instant—but all of his force was directed at Luo Feng alone! In the eyes of Emperor Jiufeng and Emperor Wu, the Black Robe with the Golden Mask was the most threatening.

Naturally, he was the one to be dealt with first.

Whooosh whooosh whooosh~~~

A wind blew.

It was the Wind of Space! It swept through every corner of the space Luo Feng occupied, penetrating the deepest structures of his physical body.

With this single gust...

Even the tiniest structures of space shattered. Every fundamental life structure in Luo Feng’s colossal World Life Form body was under attack from space fragmentation. Yet each of his life units was a perfect fusion of twenty-four embryonic worlds. Though some damage occurred, under boundless vitality, they rapidly healed.

“What?” Emperor Jiufeng was astonished.

Among unaffiliated cultivators, there were some who could rival Emperors or Monarchs. But in terms of sheer physical strength, those who could match Ultimate Divine King-level Life Forms were exceedingly rare.

Only a few existed—like the Ruler of the Myriad Realms, Realm Beasts, and the Fire Ancestor.

“My Annihilating Flame Wind couldn’t even destroy his body? This strength is no less than that of an Ultimate Divine King-level Life Form,” Emperor Jiufeng’s heart sank. “With such a powerful body, this just got troublesome.”

Boom!

Just as Emperor Jiufeng’s attack failed, he felt his soul being torn apart.

A terrifying force repeatedly ripped through his soul.

“Zongfu!” Emperor Jiufeng stared in agony at the gray-robed figure. “It’s you?”

He immediately recognized the familiar technique—it was the work of the Master of the Mother River, the Divine King Zongfu, once the strongest vassal of the Ancient Flame Kingdom, and now the leader of its greatest rebel faction.

At the same time, formless power infiltrated Emperor Jiufeng’s body, corroding even this Ultimate Divine King-level Life Form. His body began to fall apart.

That same formless power was also eating away at the vast Black River of Emperor Wu.

Chii chii chii~~~ The Black River rapidly withered under corrosion. Even if only thirty percent of his body was present, an Ultimate Divine King-level Life Form still held immense vitality.

Yet now, the Black River was shrinking rapidly, clearly at a disadvantage.

“This isn’t good.”

Emperor Jiufeng and Emperor Wu both sensed immense pressure.

“Emperor Wu, that purple-robed woman is an Ultimate Divine King-level Life Form! She may even be the East Extremity Region Ancestor.”

“The East Extremity Region Ancestor should be stronger than this.”

“Fool! She’s just holding back a bit. This treasure tempts even her.”

They both knew things had taken a turn.

Without powerful treasures, those with mastery over complete Origin Paths and Ultimate Divine King status had far greater combat power than Emperors.

If the East Extremity Region Ancestor attacked with full strength, it would be catastrophic.

“To think just thirty percent of an Ultimate Divine King-level Life Form dares to show up,” the purple-robed woman sneered.

Luo Feng stood there, and suddenly, two beams of golden light shot from his eyes.

These golden rays were like twin flashes from the dawn of time, and in an instant, they struck Emperor Jiufeng’s body. Already weakened by Divine King Zongfu’s attack and the purple-robed woman’s formless corrosion, Emperor Jiufeng’s body was further pierced by the beams.

The golden beams were as swift as lightning—unavoidable. They pierced through Emperor Jiufeng repeatedly, accelerating the collapse of his body.

This technique was Heavenlight Silver Shuttle, one of Luo Feng’s six Fusion Moves derived from the Path of Life and Death.

Luo Feng had been attacked by six silver shuttles in the Dark Region of the Dream Domain, and while meditating in the Star Tower, he had developed this technique. He could now release two Heavenlight Silver Shuttles simultaneously to execute a coordinated kill.

“Retreat.” Emperor Jiufeng, still possessing a full body and soul, retained seventy percent of his energy despite being attacked by three.

Emperor Wu’s Black River, on the other hand, had been mostly eroded.

Whoosh.

In an instant, Emperor Jiufeng took Emperor Wu’s Black River and vanished from that Deep Region space.

In terms of spatial escape, Emperor Jiufeng excelled. If he wished to flee, Luo Feng and the others couldn’t stop him.

…

With Emperor Jiufeng and Emperor Wu gone, only Luo Feng and the other two remained.

“The gray-robed figure is the Master of the Mother River, Divine King Zongfu.” Luo Feng knew how troublesome this man was.

Long ago, Divine King Zongfu had matched the Ancient Flame Kingdom’s first Emperor, Emperor Yan, using just one powerful treasure. This made him a target of Emperor Yan, who led a relentless pursuit to seize the treasure.

Their enmity had become irreconcilable. Divine King Zongfu was so terrifying, he had killed over a dozen royal Divine Kings of the Ancient Flame Kingdom. Even the Flame Wind Ancestor could no longer tolerate him and personally intervened.

The Flame Wind Ancestor destroyed all of his clones and resurrection vessels. Yet in the end, Divine King Zongfu still lived.

He cultivated the Paths of Life and Causality—his survival ability was beyond belief.

Countless eras had passed since then, and his strength had only deepened.

“The other one… seems even stronger.” Luo Feng looked at the purple-robed woman.

“Divine King Zongfu and this black-robed powerhouse,” the purple-robed woman smiled at her two companions, “Now that it’s just the three of us left, it seems we’ll have to settle this among ourselves!”