Swallowed Star 2: Land of Origin

Chapter 117: Episode 3: Showdown in Chu Capital - Chapter 1: Guest Elder

Flame Wind Ancient Country, Chu Capital, outside the East City Gate.

At this moment, a host of elite troops respectfully awaited outside the East City Gate, along with numerous large ships and Flying Boats stationed in the vicinity, all eagerly anticipating the arrival.

"I heard that the newly promoted Marquis Chu Yu was directly appointed as a First-Rank Marquis." On one of the Flying Boats, a group of Imperial Clansmen and Royal Descendants gathered together, also waiting.

"Marquis Chu Yu, wholly devoted to the Law Lineage, also commands the unlimited godly bodies! With the natural talent and potential of the unlimited godly bodies, it's natural that he was made a First-Rank Marquis as soon as he broke through." A member of the Imperial Clansmen said with uncontainable pride.

"Uncle Chu Yu once gave me guidance! Possessing the unlimited godly bodies, his status within the clan was always special. Now that he has broken through to the Primal Chaos Realm, he has immediately become a core member of Emperor Chu's Lineage."

All these Imperial Clansmen belonged to the Emperor Chu's lineage and now shared in this honor.

"Impressive."

"Marquis Chu Yu is truly remarkable."

The Royal Descendants, on the other hand, were busy singing his praises. In the very heart of the Flame Wind Ancient Country were the thirteen branches of the Imperial Family, with other royal families substantially inferior in status. As for families at the Primal Chaos Realm?

Unless they gave birth to a being who achieved Transcendence of the Primal Chaos Realm, such families were quite mediocre, unable to mingle in the circles of the Imperial and Royal Families.

On another luxuriously large ship.

Two figures were drinking together, served by maidservants at their sides.

"A First-Rank Marquis is truly different, endowed with a First-Rank Marquis Mansion, granted Royal Guards. Even his fief is a 'first-class large city.'" A rather plump man exclaimed, "He is even offered two Guest Elder positions."

"And us? We third-rank marquises have our fiefdoms as small cities, smaller Cave mansions, bestowed with some Royal Guards. We don't even qualify to apply for the position of a Guest Elder," the plump man grumbled.

The tall woman sitting beside him laughed heartily, "We follow the Bloodline Cultivation System and ascend to the Primal Chaos Realm with the help of our bloodlines. Thereafter, we must transition to cultivating the Law Lineage. The laws are too difficult for us. In this life, I only hope to advance further to become a Second-Rank Marquis. As for a First-Rank Marquis, I dare not even dream of it."

"You still have hope, at least you currently possess Middle Layer of the Primal Chaos Realm strength. And I..." the plump man pointed to himself, "Among the 29 Marquises from Emperor Chu's Lineage including Marquis Chu Yu, only two are of ordinary Primal Chaos Realm strength, and I am one of them!

I have been at the Primal Chaos Realm for more than three millennia, still only ordinary Primal Chaos Realm. Far too much behind the top echelons of the Primal Chaos Realm."

While these two Marquises were chatting, they suddenly noticed the distant space-time ripping apart, forming a space-time passageway.

"Here they come." The two Marquises perked up energetically.

At this moment, other Marquises, Imperial Clansmen and Royal Descendants, Royal Guard Army, and so on, all turned their attention toward the space-time passage in the distance.

From within the space-time passage, a total of five figures flew out.

Emperor Chu Yu was leading the Deputy Pavilion Master, while Luo Feng was accompanied by Morosa and Moyu Qingyan.

"Hmm? The man beside Marquis Chu Yu?"

"He walks side by side with Marquis Chu Yu, obviously holding him in high esteem."

All parties took notice of Luo Feng in black attire.

"He is none other than the Great Saint Luo He from Yu Kingdom." Some well-informed Marquises and Imperial Clansmen had already learned of the strong figures of the Land of Origin, and upon seeing Luo Feng, they immediately confirmed his identity.

"This Great Saint Luo He, in the battle at Huyang City, even overpowered Marquis Liu Yin. His cultivation of the physical body has reached an inconceivably advanced stage, capable of stepping on the ground while his head touches the stars!"

"This is an entity at the Pinnacle of the Primal Chaos Realm."

"And he's with Marquis Chu Yu? Could it be that the first Guest Elder Marquis Chu Yu chose was him?"

...

Luo Feng and Emperor Chu Yu used the space-time passageway to travel directly from Huyang City in Yu Kingdom to the Flame Wind Ancient Country's Chu Capital. This made Luo Feng quite reflective: "Space-time transport is indeed profoundly mysterious. I too must rely on space-time treasures to perform space-time transport."

The Primal Chaos Realm, almost none can transport through space-time by themselves.

All rely on treasures.

A treasure that can be used for long-term space-time transport is too valuable. Luo Feng possessed a one-time-use Command Token, which would be destroyed after use. A space-time transport Command Token could only be activated by someone at the Primal Chaos Realm level, selling for 100 million Cosmic Sand. Even for those at the Primal Chaos Realm, it would be used only in critical moments.

Emerging from the space-time passageway, Luo Feng's gaze fell upon the troops outside the majestic city's East Gate and the many ships and Flying Boats that had come to welcome them.

"Our respects to Marquis!"

The army cried out in unison, saluting with respect.

Emperor Chu Yu watched this scene and smiled faintly, speaking to Luo Feng at his side, "This is the Royal Guard Army bestowed upon me after becoming a Primal Chaos Realm cultivator. These are elite troops cultivated by our Emperor Chu's Lineage."

Luo Feng observed the Royal Guard Army, consisting of a thousand eternal true gods and a massive number of true gods of void space. Even outside the city, under the command of their battalion commander, they were naturally as one, far more imposing than the army of Marquis Jiu Jiang or Heartshadow Sect's forces.

In the Flame Wind Ancient Country, this elite Royal Guard Army would be capable of sweeping through the forces of the Heartshadow Sect and Jiu Jiang's army arrays.

"Father!"

"Father!"

In front of the army array, a majestic woman with three young men excitedly looked at Emperor Chu Yu. Their father had been wandering and cultivating abroad and had unexpectedly become a Primal Chaos Realm cultivator and even a First-Rank Marquis! This was wealth descending from the heavens.

Whoosh!

Emperor Chu Yu, accompanied by Luo Feng and the others, approached the army array and glanced at the three young men, feeling somewhat vexed.

"Chu Yu, upon hearing the news of your being ennobled, I immediately rushed back from Wind Leaf City with the three children." The majestic woman spoke.

"Father, the news of you becoming a First-Rank Marquis has spread throughout the entire Chu Capital City."

"There are only seven First-Rank Marquises in total within our Emperor Chu's Lineage, and father is now one of them." The three sons were thrilled.

Emperor Chu Yu nodded and then introduced Luo Feng beside him, "This is my dear friend Great Saint Luo He. When you see him, show the same respect as you would for me, without the slightest disrespect."

"We pay our respects to Uncle." The three young men immediately saluted deferentially, realizing that this man must be a powerful ally invited by their father.

"Pleased to meet you, Great Saint Luo He." The majestic woman also greeted politely.

"Madam, you are too kind," Luo Feng said with a smile. He could tell that the relationship between Emperor Chu Yu and this lady must be quite ordinary; even after such a long time apart, there wasn't a trace of closeness when they met again.

Emperor Chu Yu, on the other hand, walked over to an old servant next to the three children and was quite affectionate.

"Marquis," the old servant said with an emotional expression.

"Elder Zheng, it's been a long time," Emperor Chu Yu looked at the old servant, who was merely a true god of void space level.

"The old servant has finally seen Your Highness become a Marquis, and a First-Rank Marquis at that," Elder Zheng said with great excitement.

This old servant was left behind by Emperor Chu Yu's mother, and had been following and taking care of him since he was at his weakest. Known as a servant, he was in fact as close as kin.

While they were gathering as a family—

"Chu Yu!"

"Brother Chu Yu!"

The various Marquises of Emperor Chu's Lineage made their appearance.

Emperor Chu Yu looked up and saw several Marquises of considerable status within the family, coming to meet him with great enthusiasm.

Luo Feng merely watched everything unfold. Before coming to the Flame Wind Ancient Country, Emperor Chu Yu had given him detailed information on the truly top powerhouses of the Land of Origin, including detailed records of everyone in the Primal Chaos Realm within the Flame Wind Ancient Country.

Luo Feng compared them one by one.

"Emperor Chu's Lineage has a total of 29 titled Marquises in the Flame Wind Ancient Country, and today seven came to meet Emperor Chu Yu. Of these seven, five are Third-Rank Marquises and two are Second-Rank Marquises," Luo Feng instantly identified them.

As for the First-Rank Marquises whose status was equivalent to Emperor Chu Yu's, not a single one showed up.

"It is said that the competition is fierce within the Royal Family, and the First-Rank Marquises are direct competitors with each other," Luo Feng understood this point.

As for so-called Third-Rank Marquises, the Royal Family has given up on them to some extent, providing only the most basic resources and nothing more!

Second-Rank Marquises, on the other hand, receive many more resources.

Only First-Rank Marquises could access the true core resources of the Land of Origin. They too must engage in brutal competition with each other.

"As a Guest Elder, the threshold to obtain resources is much higher than that of a First-Rank Marquis," Luo Feng was clear on this point. The Flame Wind Ancient Country focuses on cultivating their own First-Rank Marquises of the Royal Family, who are the absolute elite.

And the Guest Elders? Their relationship is more of an exchange.

Guest Elders serve the Ancient Country, earning Merit Points in exchange for some resources. Therefore, the resources they obtain are naturally far less than those of a First-Rank Marquis.

...

After handling many Marquises, Emperor Chu Yu finally took Luo Feng aboard the large ship.

On the ship.

The lady and the three children went to the back, while Emperor Chu Yu and Luo Feng sat in the front hall, gazing ahead at the East City Gate.

"The ones who came to meet us are all Second-Rank Marquises and Third-Rank Marquises," explained Emperor Chu Yu. "There are three Godly Kings in Emperor Chu's Lineage; these Kings, lofty and high above, naturally do not deal with trivial matters. Many affairs are handled and decided by us First-Rank Marquises."

"So they are also here to curry favor with you," Luo Feng understood.

The First-Rank Marquises of the Royal Family are either at the Pinnacle of Primal Chaos Realm with unlimited godly bodies or have Primal Chaos Realm Pinnacle strength. Meeting either condition qualifies one to be a First-Rank Marquis.

Of course, these are the requirements for the Imperial Clansmen.

For cultivators like Luo Feng, who are independent, becoming a Guest Elder is a complicated matter.

"I've already applied for you to become a Guest Elder," Emperor Chu Yu said with a smile. "Under normal circumstances, it should be approved."

"What circumstances would lead to it not being approved?" Luo Feng asked.

"One, if the power isn't sufficient. Two, if there's a problem with identity," Emperor Chu Yu said with a smile. "You have Primal Chaos Realm Pinnacle strength, so power is certainly sufficient. As for identity? Your identity definitely won't be a problem."

Hum~~~

The large ship flew over the vast East City Gate of Chu Capital, and the Royal Guards also entered.

"How can you be sure that my identity won't be a problem?" Luo Feng wondered.

"Our Flame Wind Ancient Country doesn't care much about the origins of its Guest Elders when recruiting them—regardless of whether they are sinners of the worst kind, possess incredibly strong destinies, or even if they are entangled with many horrific karmic ties... Flame Wind Ancient Country doesn't care about any of that!

We only need to verify one thing: that you are not from an alien race," Emperor Chu Yu explained.

"Alien race?" Luo Feng asked.

"That would be any life from outside the Braided Cage," said Emperor Chu Yu. "Our Flame Wind Ancient Country's heritage resources can be passed on to any living being within the Braided Cage. But never to an alien race."

Luo Feng was inwardly shocked.

Alien race?

"By entering Chu Capital, it means that you are a life from within the Braided Cage," Emperor Chu Yu explained. "This Chu Capital City was personally refined by the Ancestor of our Flame Wind Ancient Country as a congratulatory gift for the Emperor. Any alien life that enters this city will be discovered!"

Luo Feng marveled.

The most mysterious and fearsome being in the Flame Wind Ancient Country was that Ancestor Yan Feng, followed by the thirteen Emperors!

"Hm?" Emperor Chu Yu suddenly smiled. "Now that you've entered the city and it's confirmed that you have no issues with your identity, your application to be a Guest Elder has already been approved. You are now officially a Guest Elder of Emperor Chu's Lineage. Congratulations, Brother Luo He!"

Luo Feng smiled: "Thank you, Brother Chu Yu."

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Thanks to the two new Alliance Hierarchs who have given their support: A Stubborn Autumn and Eternal Brightness of Hope and Justice.