Chapter 234: Divine King Zimu and Emperor Fu

The handsome youth looked at the book of secret patterns.

Behind him, a colossal dark-red figure condensed and emerged. That enormous dark-red being, with its blood-red gaping maw, looked as if it could devour everything.

“I’ve already worked so hard. In terms of physical body, I cultivated a full seven kinds of ‘Bodies of the Path of Destruction.’”

“In terms of secret techniques, I comprehended as many as one hundred and twenty-nine kinds of ultimate realm secret techniques! Even more so, when combined, their might could grow stronger.”

“In terms of mental will, I also gathered many secret techniques of the mind, grinding away for countless years.”

The handsome youth’s face contorted, his eyes frenzied.

“But! No matter how I cultivate, I will always remain at the ultimate realm.”

“Physical body, secret techniques, mental will—all of them remain at the ultimate realm. Not one can break through the boundary!”

“No more training. No more!”

The handsome youth angrily threw aside the book of secret patterns in his hand. It smashed into the corner of the grand hall. This was an inheritance left by Yuan. Throughout the endless years, the Tianmu Nation had obtained only two inheritances from Yuan, one of which was constantly studied by a Realm Beast.

Whoosh.

The handsome youth vanished from the hall in an instant.

On the peak of a towering mountain, the handsome youth sat alone, gulping down wine and devouring meat. These were delicacies and fine wines he had gathered from the Origin Continent. Inside his storage treasures, time stood still, so the food’s flavors were perfectly preserved.

“Ah Yu.” A middle-aged man appeared beside him.

“Big Brother, you’re here.” The handsome youth acknowledged him, then continued drinking. “My clone in the Dream Domain failed to seize the Thousand Dream Fruit.”

“Ah Yu, over the endless years, you’ve gathered resources for me, and even exchanged for a ‘Primordial Bloodline of the Ultimate Realm.’ I no longer lack resources,” said the middle-aged man. “You need to think more for yourself.”

The handsome youth shook his head. “I don’t want to think about myself!”

“This Source World of the Origin Continent is gradually entering its final stage. In just a few billion eras, it will face the Great Destruction.” Divine King Zimu looked at the handsome youth. “You, as a Realm Beast, were born from the Origin Path of Destruction. You too will return to annihilation along with the Great Destruction of this Source World… That is the fate of a Realm Beast! Only by breaking the boundary and becoming a being Beyond Divine King-level can you escape the shackles of the Origin of Destruction.”

Under the operation of the Supreme Laws, the Origin Path of Destruction gave birth to Realm Beasts. So long as they grew normally, they could reach the ultimate realm, possessing a perfect lifeform, clone techniques, the ability to breed legions, and many other powers.

But Realm Beasts were also bound by countless restrictions.

Their hearts were shackled. They were born with an instinctive desire for annihilation. Only when enslaved by the soul could this innate craving be suppressed.

Their lives too were bound! All Realm Beasts were unable to survive the Great Destruction, unable to live into the next era of the Source World.

They were born from the Path of Destruction, and in the end, they would return to annihilation.

“You helped me obtain the Primordial Bloodline of the Ultimate Realm, and I cultivated into an ultimate realm lifeform.” Divine King Zimu looked at the handsome youth. “Ah Yu, you’ve helped me so much. In the future, I can rely on the transmission channel left behind by Yuan to leave the Origin Continent.”

“But what about you?”

“When the Origin Continent perishes, will you embrace death? Leave me to cultivate alone?” Divine King Zimu fixed his gaze on the youth. “You know that I only have you as my one and only kin.” RÂ𐌽ɵ฿ƐS

The handsome youth looked at Divine King Zimu. At the moment of his birth, the very first figure he saw when he opened his eyes was Divine King Zimu.

Divine King Zimu had always helped him, taught him, guided his growth.

Calling him Big Brother! But in truth, he was like a father.

“I… I really feel miserable.” The youth raised his head, his face twisted. “Big Brother, I really feel miserable! I’ve grown accustomed to mysteries naturally surfacing in my mind, accustomed to effortlessly reaching the ultimate realm! But when I cultivate on my own, it truly feels painful and unbearable.”

“You’ve already created some new secret techniques. As long as you continue progressing and accumulating, a breakthrough will come.” Divine King Zimu encouraged.

“No, those are merely techniques derived from the Path of Destruction.” The youth looked at Divine King Zimu with powerlessness. “I cannot draw upon any new knowledge, nor integrate it into the Origin Path of Destruction.”

“The Origin Path of Destruction is too perfect in my heart. I cannot change even the slightest fragment of it.” The youth shook his head. “I cannot break the boundary, I cannot. Big Brother, don’t push me anymore. These days are too unbearable. I would rather live happily for billions of eras, than suffer and torment myself through cultivation.”

Divine King Zimu was taken aback, then let out a gentle sigh.

“Very well, let us drink today.” Divine King Zimu sat down.

“Yes, drink.” The youth agreed.

“In the future, how about this—cultivate for one era, then indulge in joy for one era? Spend half your time cultivating.” Divine King Zimu proposed.

The youth looked pained, but seeing the hopeful look in Divine King Zimu’s eyes, he finally nodded. “Alright, I’ll listen to you, Big Brother.”

Divine King Zimu smiled faintly.

“Drink, drink! The next era will be one of unrestrained joy!” The youth laughed loudly, drinking with Divine King Zimu.

“Haha, drink!” Divine King Zimu drank heartily as well, watching the youth with a smile. “Ah Yu, don’t blame me for pushing you so hard.”

“I know it’s for my own good, so I can escape the shackles of a Realm Beast’s fate.” The youth said.

“If you truly cannot escape, then I will accompany you until your very last day of life.” Divine King Zimu smiled toward the distance. “Facing the end of the Source World together—at least that would be a kind of freedom.”

The youth was stunned. He turned to Divine King Zimu. “No, Big Brother, you must leave the Origin Continent before the end of the Source World! If you delay until the last moment, you’ll die!”

“You’re my only kin. If even you were gone, why would I still bother cultivating or fighting?” Divine King Zimu looked at him. “Cultivating alone would no longer have meaning.”

“No, no—” The youth shook his head.

“Enough. No more of this talk. Let’s drink.” Divine King Zimu said.

But at that moment, the youth found the wine had lost all its flavor.

Yes.

Through their long years together, his Big Brother truly valued kin above all. After avenging his family, his attachment to the world had greatly faded. He hardly ever stepped outside the Tianmu Nation anymore.

In fact, many matters within the Tianmu Nation were actually handled by the Realm Beast’s clone, disguised as Divine King Zimu.

“My Big Brother hardly cares for the Origin Continent. I am his only kin. If I die, Big Brother will truly…” In that moment, he felt an even greater urgency toward cultivation.

Not only for himself, but for his Big Brother, Divine King Zimu.

Divine King Zimu silently watched this scene.

He admitted it—after so many years together, the bond between them had become profound. Yet deep within, what he valued most… were still the family and children he had lost in his weakest years.

“Ah Yu, don’t blame me for using every means to push you to cultivate! First, for your own sake, so you can escape fate’s shackles. Second, for me as well! With you stronger, my own path of cultivation holds more hope.”

Divine King Zimu had once by chance met Yuan.

The very first question he asked was whether there was a way to revive his family.

Yuan had answered: break free from the Caged World, become the master of the ‘Origin Continent’ of the Source World! Only then could he rescue any departed life from the river of time.

From that moment on, Divine King Zimu was filled with boundless yearning in his cultivation.

He himself strove forward, and he also guided his “Protector”—the Realm Beast—to cultivate diligently.

The Realm Beast was a great aid to him, gathering all kinds of Heavenly Treasures under his direction. He could not just watch the beast lie idle, indulging until the end of the Source World.

……

In a vast hidden space within the Ancient Flame Kingdom.

Di Fu, Emperor Jiufeng, and Emperor Wu gathered their thoughts together.

“The three itinerant cultivators were Divine King Zongfu, the Purple-Robed Woman, and the Black-Robed, Golden-Masked powerhouse,” Emperor Jiufeng reported. “I guarded the formation at the entrance to the Dream Domain for some time. On the day of my failure, Divine King Zongfu escaped using the Breaking-Realm Escape Technique of causality. The Purple-Robed Woman’s escape was even more refined—my spatial domain could barely sense it. As for the Black-Robed, Golden-Masked powerhouse, only just now did he break free of the two Ancient Kingdoms’ formations. He should be the one who obtained the Thousand Dream Fruit. His escape method was so swift, there was no chance to stop him!”

After his defeat, Emperor Jiufeng had secretly watched the entrance formation. With his attainments in spatial domains, none who passed through could escape his notice.

A thread of causality, a wisp of aura—none could hide from him.

“Di Fu,” Emperor Wu asked curiously, “we’ve given you all the battle scenes against them. Can you confirm their identities?”

Both he and Emperor Jiufeng looked at Di Fu.

Di Fu’s ability to divine the heavenly secrets was terrifying, and he possessed a formation treasure bestowed by the Ancestor. Few on the Origin Continent could escape his detection.

“I cannot confirm.” Di Fu frowned and shook his head.

“Neither the Purple-Robed Woman nor the Black-Robed, Golden-Masked powerhouse?” Emperor Wu and Emperor Jiufeng were puzzled.

“The Purple-Robed Woman could be one of several.” Di Fu said. “She could be the Queen of Fengdu! The Queen of Fengdu had the East Extremity Region Ancestor’s nurturing. Her resources were no less than ours as Divine Kings of the Royal Clan. Though she appears low-key, she is unfathomable. The Purple-Robed Woman could also be the Ruler of the Myriad Realms, or perhaps a clone of a Realm Beast.”

“The Queen of Fengdu, the Ruler of the Myriad Realms, or a Realm Beast…” Emperor Wu and Emperor Jiufeng pondered.

“And the Black-Robed, Golden-Masked powerhouse?” Emperor Jiufeng pressed. “My Annihilating Flame Wind couldn’t even shake his physical body. His body was absolutely no weaker than an ultimate realm lifeform. His soul or willpower techniques could instantly kill the Heavenly Kun Ruler.”

“Both his body and his soul will were so terrifying. On the Origin Continent, only a handful could match that! But the ones I know… none seem to fit this Black-Robed, Golden-Masked man.” Emperor Jiufeng said.

“I cannot figure it out either.” Emperor Wu admitted, confused.

“My suspects don’t match.” Di Fu shook his head. “My guess… is that he might be a newly risen powerhouse. The Origin Continent hides dragons and tigers, with countless Second-Stage Divine Kings. Perhaps one of them has quietly reached the ultimate realm! If so, it’s natural for him to have such a powerful body and a will that surpasses the Divine King-level.”

The Ruler of the Myriad Realms, and Emperor Qing—these two who had comprehended complete Origin Paths—both had wills that transcended the Divine King-level.

“A newly risen powerhouse? Possibly a new ultimate realm?” Emperor Jiufeng and Emperor Wu were stunned.

“With his body and soul both so strong, even if he isn’t ultimate realm, we must treat him as such.” Di Fu said no more.

Emperor Jiufeng and Emperor Wu nodded. At last, they could only depart.

Di Fu was left alone in that vast space.

“A body that strong?”

“Eight or nine chances out of ten—it’s Luo He.”

Di Fu smiled, quite satisfied. “Five powerhouses contended for the Thousand Dream Fruit. The Purple-Robed Woman, likely the Ruler of the Myriad Realms or a Realm Beast’s clone, yet you still seized victory in the end! Much stronger than I anticipated.”

“Emperor Qing disdains me, and already has clones exploring beyond the Origin Continent.”

“The Ruler of the Myriad Realms, too scheming—I dislike him.”

“Emperor Ming… he isn’t fit as a companion. One day, I might even die by his hand.”

“Luo He has always been loyal and righteous throughout his growth. He is just the right kind of companion—to share life and death together.”

Di Fu furrowed his brows slightly. “He grows too fast. I’d better station a clone by the transmission channel. When he departs, I’ll immediately follow alongside him! That way, we’ll arrive in the same place.”

With his great strength, Di Fu had long since prepared to leave the Origin Continent. And Luo He was the companion he had set his sights on.

To leave the Origin Continent and fight for survival, finding a trustworthy companion for life and death was almost impossible. Before Luo Feng’s rise, Di Fu had even prepared himself to venture out alone. Without the right companion, he would rather go alone.

……

In Huyang City.

“This Thousand Dream Fruit must still be traded with the two Ancient Kingdoms, in exchange for the remains of a ‘Primordial Bloodline of the Ultimate Realm’ lifeform.” Luo Feng thought about the transaction in the City Lord’s Mansion.

The three great foreign races might also offer such remains. But what they would provide were most likely creatures bred from other Source Worlds! In that case, he would be unable to use ‘Formless and Phaseless’ to transform into them in the future.

Luo Feng’s World Life Form was now in the Twenty-Four Phases Form!

He had to prepare for the ultimate realm. Naturally, he desired remains of Primordial Bloodline creatures born and raised in this Source World.

“Most of these remains will be given to Morosa to consume. I’ll keep a tiny portion… for my own cultivation.” Luo Feng made his decision.