Chapter 423 : Volume Eleven: Heart and Dao as One
Chapter 423: Volume Eleven: Heart and Dao as One
Luo Feng looked at the endlessly winding serpent before him. The great serpent stared back at him coldly, its eyes filled with anger.
"Stop?" Luo Feng looked at it and smiled calmly. "Infinite Serpent Ancestor, I haven't been doing much killing lately."
Infinite Serpent Ancestor glared at Luo Feng in irritation. Although it was unwilling to admit it, it knew very well... this newly ascended Cultivator Lord had already become a terrifying great enemy of the Naturally Born Chaotic Origin Faction!
This enemy was already incredibly powerful, and his strength was still rising rapidly. According to their estimates, this Lord Luo Feng might one day surpass Lord Star Light and become their greatest threat.
"Lord Luo Feng," Infinite Serpent Ancestor said, its voice booming. "Over the past hundred eras, you have intercepted and killed every World-Level Primordial Lifeform that devoured Source Worlds. More than 7,000 World-Level Primordial Lifeforms have died at your hands! You truly haven't continued killing recently, but that's only because... those World-Level Primordial Lifeforms have become afraid. None of them dares to devour Source World resources anymore."
"That's a good thing." Luo Feng nodded slightly. "Naturally Born Primordial Lifeforms are born transcending the cage! The Infinite Chaotic Origin Space naturally nurtures all kinds of resources that allow them to grow. There is absolutely no need for them to devour the Source World Origin."
"Even without devouring the Source World Origin, Naturally Born Primordial Lifeforms can still become stronger and still become Ancestors." Luo Feng smiled at Infinite Serpent Ancestor. "In that case, Naturally Born Primordial Lifeforms and the living beings of Source Worlds would no longer have to become mortal enemies!"
Infinite Serpent Ancestor fell silent.
Stop devouring?
Naturally Born Primordial Lifeforms consisted of many races. Some races gained tremendous benefits from devouring the Source World Origin, while others gained only average benefits. Some races gained no benefit at all.
However, the Infinite Serpent Race was one of the races that benefited the most from devouring the Source World Origin! If they were forced to give it up, their chances of producing Ancestors would decrease by seventy to eighty percent! That was absolutely intolerable.
"Impossible!" Infinite Serpent Ancestor roared. "Source Worlds are spread throughout the Infinite Chaotic Origin Space. What right do you have to make us abandon such a resource?"
"Luo Feng!"
Infinite Serpent Ancestor fixed its gaze on Luo Feng.
"You should know that more than half of all Naturally Born Primordial Lifeform races depend on the Source World Origin! By interfering like this... you are making yourself the enemy of all Naturally Born Primordial Lifeforms!"
"You do not represent all Naturally Born Primordial Lifeforms." Luo Feng looked at it. "Since you insist on devouring Source Worlds, then suffering retaliation from the living beings of those Source Worlds is only natural."
Devour a Source World, then be killed by the living beings of that Source World!
That was karma.
"I'm warning you." Infinite Serpent Ancestor said, "Your interference is preventing countless races from devouring Source World resources. They may tolerate it for a short time, but if this continues, it will inevitably lead to another war. When the flames of war sweep across your Cultivator Territory and numerous World Clusters fall, you will also bear responsibility for those consequences."
"Infinite Serpent Ancestor, don't worry." Luo Feng looked at it. "I promise you this. Once war begins, the flames of war will certainly sweep across your territories as well."
"The last time war broke out, I had only just become a Lord. My methods were rather ordinary, so I only managed to kill a few Ancestors." Luo Feng grinned. "Recently, my strength has improved somewhat. If another war breaks out, I'll definitely give you an even bigger surprise!"
Infinite Serpent Ancestor immediately thought of it.
It thought of that terrifying Origin Great Destruction Explosion! Luo Feng's strength had clearly advanced another step, so his methods would certainly become even more troublesome.
"So long as your Cultivator Faction can bear the consequences!" Infinite Serpent Ancestor coldly left behind those words before its figure turned illusory and completely disappeared.
Luo Feng remained standing in midair.
"Start another war? Do you even have that ability?" Luo Feng mocked inwardly.
It wasn't that he looked down on Infinite Serpent Ancestor. Rather, the Cultivator Faction and the Naturally Born Chaotic Origin Faction had fought each other for far too long. Both sides understood each other all too well.
Infinite Serpent Ancestor indeed possessed the greatest influence within the Naturally Born Chaotic Origin Faction, but even that influence had its limits!
To begin with, those Ancestors whose races had little need for Source World resources had no desire to wage war! Those weaker Ancestors whose lives were at risk likewise had no desire to fight.
The Giant God Emperor's faction also disliked war.
How many Ancestors could Infinite Serpent Ancestor truly persuade to participate?
One had to remember that all eight Cultivator Lords were Undying and Indestructible! Among the Naturally Born Chaotic Origin Faction, only five Ancestors were Undying and Indestructible. The remaining hundred-plus Ancestors could all die. Without overwhelming advantages and sufficient safety, how many of them would truly be willing to fight?
"Could killing only a few thousand World-Level Primordial Lifeforms really start a war?" Luo Feng didn't believe it, nor did Lord Star Light, who could observe countless future possibilities.
……
Within the Naturally Born Chaotic Origin Faction, the incarnations of the Nine Emperors gathered together.
"Luo Feng has become even stronger! If war breaks out, the casualties will be impossible to predict." Origin spoke first.
"Luo Feng hasn't been slaughtering indiscriminately either. As long as no one devours the Source World Origin, there won't be any conflict." Giant God Emperor said, "Infinite, I think your Infinite Serpent Race places too much importance on the Source World Origin. Occasionally abstaining from it may actually benefit the evolution of your Life Core."
"If your strength isn't sufficient and you insist on starting a war, you'll only make yourselves look even more foolish!" Black Tide Ancestor said indifferently.
Infinite Serpent Ancestor looked at the scene before it.
Even among the Nine Emperors themselves, few were willing to wage war because their own interests were unaffected.
"So we're simply going to let Luo Feng bully us?" Annihilation Ancestor said. It actually longed for war to erupt. Its old friend, Endless Ancestor, had already become Undying and Indestructible, while it itself was still one step short.
"That hardly counts as bullying." Endless Ancestor smiled. "The two factions have always clashed frequently. Naturally Born Primordial Lifeforms also enter the Cultivator Territory to seize resources. Compared to Lord Star Light, what Luo Feng is doing is much gentler."
Back then, in order to gather the bloodlines of every Naturally Born Primordial Lifeform, Lord Star Light had slaughtered tens of thousands of World-Level Primordial Lifeforms!
Luo Feng, at least, still acted according to principle. He only targeted those World-Level Primordial Lifeforms that devoured Source Worlds.
Lord Star Light had never cared about such principles. He slaughtered them one by one simply to complete his bloodline collection!
"It isn't suitable to start a war." Mother of Space-Time suddenly spoke.
"Hm?"
The other eight all looked toward Mother of Space-Time.
Although Mother of Space-Time couldn't observe countless future timelines like Lord Star Light, she could still observe a limited number of possible futures. The other eight all attached great importance to her opinion.
"I can see it." Mother of Space-Time said. "If war breaks out, the outcome will be unfavorable to our Naturally Born Chaotic Origin Faction!"
Mother of Space-Time had seen a war even more brutal than the last one!
The Cultivator Faction might pay a certain price, but the Naturally Born Chaotic Origin Faction would pay a far more painful one.
"Let's wait for now." Yanhuo Ancestor said. "Isn't Luo Feng exploring the Abyss of Destruction? The deeper he explores, the greater the danger. He'll also reveal more of his strength. Once we clearly understand his abilities, we'll be better prepared if war breaks out in the future."
"Very well. Let's wait for now." Infinite Serpent Ancestor also knew it couldn't persuade them. Moreover, compared to the other Lords, Luo Feng's true strength was indeed still a mystery.
Only by knowing both oneself and one's enemy could one respond more effectively.
"Demon Ruins and Shazhou are both battle fanatics. Once Luo Feng fights either of them... he'll definitely reveal more of his strength." Yanhuo Ancestor looked forward to it.
……
Time flowed on.
By now, five hundred eras had passed since Luo Feng began intercepting World-Level Primordial Lifeforms that devoured Source Worlds.
Throughout those five hundred eras, no World-Level Primordial Lifeform dared devour Source World resources anymore. Even the Ancestors temporarily refrained from doing so.
Some newly ascended and relatively weak Ancestors still benefited somewhat from devouring the Source World Origin.
However, as their strength increased, the Source World Origin became less and less useful.
For someone at Annihilation Ancestor's level, no amount of Source World Origin would have any effect.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~~~~"
Beside the Origin Continent Source World, within the mysterious land known as the Blood Crane Territory, waves rolled endlessly across the Endless Blood Sea of the Blood Crane Territory.
Upon an island deep within the Blood Sea, Luo Feng, dressed in black with a Blood-Colored Robe draped over his shoulders, sat cross-legged.
"Over these five hundred eras, I've seen every Source World."
Luo Feng's expression was complicated. During these five hundred eras, his many clones had traveled everywhere, witnessing the history of one Source World after another.
Not only had he examined every Source World outside the Cultivator Territory, he had also examined every Source World within it.
The Source Worlds inside the territory could be divided into two eras—the era ruled by the Lords and the era ruled by the Naturally Born Primordial Lifeforms! During the era of Naturally Born Primordial Lifeform rule, the Source Worlds within the territory had likewise suffered miserably, left to be devoured at will.
Only after the Lords rose to power and began guarding every region did the situation change.
Only then did countless Source Worlds gain hope!
"Buzz."
The complete historical memories of countless Source Worlds all resided within Luo Feng's heart.
Those memories continuously tempered Luo Feng's heart.
They continuously tempered that Heart of Destruction.
The sheer volume of those memories was unimaginably vast, containing countless civilizations and the lifetimes of innumerable living beings. Yet as a Lord, Luo Feng could still perfectly integrate every historical memory.
A living being's experiences determined its heart.
These incomparably profound historical memories also transformed Luo Feng's own heart.
"The more one loves this world and cherishes these countless lives, the more one needs an absolutely unshakable Heart of Destruction."
"Because showing mercy to those Naturally Born Primordial Lifeforms that devour Source Worlds is cruelty toward the cultivator race."
"The greatest mercy toward the cultivator race is to destroy every devourer of Source Worlds!"
Anyone who devoured a Source World or devoured the living beings of a Source World would be killed without mercy!
Not a single one would be spared!
Luo Feng's current influence could temporarily prevent those Naturally Born Primordial Lifeforms from devouring Source Worlds. But over time, those Naturally Born Primordial Lifeform races would inevitably reach the limits of their patience!
When that happened, the Naturally Born Chaotic Origin Faction might even join forces with the Ice Peak Faction and all the smaller factions!
"Destroying every devourer of Source Worlds is an enormous goal!"
"Even if I create the Primordial Blade Dao, I still may not be able to accomplish it."
"But I, Luo Feng, am willing to spend endless ages from this day forward, moving mountains one step at a time." Through this campaign of intercepting World-Level Primordial Lifeforms, Luo Feng had come to understand one truth: once something was done, it would produce results.
With one measure of strength came one measure of achievement.
As long as he acted, he would indirectly protect countless living beings.
A smile appeared on Luo Feng's face.
"My Heart of Destruction has already been forged. The next step is for my heart and Dao to become one, merging completely into a single whole!"
Luo Feng immediately began trying.
His Heart of Destruction took command of the entire Primordial Blade Dao, as the countless profound mysteries of the Blade Dao began merging into one unified whole.
Even Luo Feng's aura began to change.
He resembled a blade of absolute destruction.
The aura of destruction emanating from him had become far more terrifying than that of Jin or Kafuxiu...
(End of Chapter)