Volume Seven: Invitations from All Sides

Rain Ripple City, Inner City core district, inside an ordinary cave residence.

A slightly plump man with deep-blue skin, a pair of soft antennae, and glasses watched the battle footage in an intelligence report with a smile.

"Tian He, you actually lost to a Newly Advanced Elder." The slightly plump man smiled at Sky Crane Elder beside him.

"I lost with complete conviction!" Sky Crane Elder laughed self-mockingly, then looked at the plump man. "Workshop Master, are you interested in competing with him?"

The plump man smiled.

He was the Master of Strange Workshop.

"There is nothing to compete over. His accumulation in realm is still rather shallow; he merely relies on external objects." The Master of Strange Workshop shook his head. At the very least, he was confident he could suppress the final claw strike Luo Feng had revealed.

The core reason Sky Crane Elder had been willing to join Strange Workshop was the Master of Strange Workshop! The Master of Strange Workshop cultivated two Paths concurrently and was even attempting to fuse those two Paths into one.

"Even in the Dark Holy World, there are quite a few who cultivate two or three Paths at once. Yet those who fuse different 'Paths' into one are exceedingly rare."

"Among the top twenty figures in Rain Ripple City, in terms of potential, the Master of Strange Workshop is number one."

Sky Crane Elder knew his potential was limited and had even been forced to choose the Bloodline Route. Naturally, he needed to cling to a powerful thigh, and the one he chose was the Master of Strange Workshop.

"Tian He."

Only after reviewing all of Luo Feng's detailed intelligence did the Master of Strange Workshop smile and speak. "Prepare one hundred million Primal Chaos Crystals and send someone to deliver them to Luo Feng. Consider it your apology gift to him."

"An apology gift?" Sky Crane Elder could not help saying, "We are both Elders. Why should I give him an apology gift? Besides, the one in Rain Ripple City is only one of my clones. Why should I curry favor with him?"

Elders generally had Clone Techniques, and naturally they all possessed pride. Having admitted defeat outside the East City Gate already made Sky Crane Elder feel humiliated. And now he had to offer an apology gift?

"Listen to me." The Master of Strange Workshop gave a single order.

Since Sky Crane Elder had chosen to follow him, he had to conduct himself according to his rules.

If Sky Crane Elder did not listen to him, the Master of Strange Workshop would only distance himself from Sky Crane Elder.

Sky Crane Elder hesitated, then could only nod. "Fine! I'll arrange the apology gift at once!"

"Workshop Master, I do not understand why you are treating him with such courtesy." Sky Crane Elder looked at the Master of Strange Workshop.

"Look at the intelligence. He has only been in Rain Ripple City for a little over a thousand epochs." The Master of Strange Workshop smiled and pointed at the detailed intelligence floating before him. "At first, he was suspected to be at the God Emperor Early-Stage, yet in just over a thousand epochs, he could already suppress you. What sort of cultivation speed is that?"

"Workshop Master! The intelligence also says he was only suspected to be at the God Emperor Early-Stage." Sky Crane Elder argued. "When he first came to Rain Ripple City, there was no way to verify his strength accurately. A member of the Insect Nest once tried to steal from him but still failed, unable to gauge his true strength. Luo Feng later made a public move and single-handedly killed our Plunder Squad in return. At that time, it was certain that he was far stronger than ordinary God Emperor Mid-Stage Enlightenment Seekers."

"In my view, when he first came to Rain Ripple City, his true strength should have been at the level of a God Emperor Mid-Stage Enlightenment Seeker. Only after obtaining Rain Ripple City's resources did he break through his bottleneck and step into the God Emperor Late-Stage."

The Master of Strange Workshop gently shook his head. "I do not care about conjecture. I only look at facts."

"The fact is... when this Luo Feng first arrived in Rain Ripple City, he shared a residence with Emperor Qing. Within the city, he also bought only the cheapest materials. He was clearly poor." The Master of Strange Workshop said, "Yet in merely a little over a thousand epochs, he became a God Emperor Late-Stage Enlightenment Seeker. Think about it. How long did you and I spend, and how many hundreds of millions of Primal Chaos Crystals in resources did we expend, before becoming God Emperor Late-Stage Enlightenment Seekers?"

Sky Crane Elder froze.

How much had he paid to become a God Emperor Late-Stage Enlightenment Seeker?

"Even if he becomes Half Primal Chaos, so what?" Sky Crane Elder said. "Our foundation lies in the Dark Holy World."

"Do not ask. You will understand in the future," the Master of Strange Workshop said.

"Yes, then I will go arrange the apology gift at once." Sky Crane Elder rose.

The Master of Strange Workshop watched Tian He leave.

Then, with a whoosh—, an invisible ripple appeared, and a phantom emerged in the air ahead. It was a man radiating boundless blazing heat.

"Hall Master Wei Yang," the Master of Strange Workshop said.

Hall Master Wei Yang's face was like a sculpture, his eyes deep and expressionless. He was an exceptionally forceful and tyrannical Half Primal Chaos Enlightenment Seeker. Only after tempering himself in the Dark Holy World for countless years had he arranged for a clone to establish a foundation in the Nine Rivers Holy World.

After arriving, he had even overwhelmed the City Builder, Hall Master Yuan Xiang, becoming the Hall Master with the greatest authority in Rain Ripple City. Among the Three Hall Masters, he also received the greatest share of resources and benefits from Rain Ripple City.

"I heard that Sky Crane Elder from your Strange Workshop lost to someone named Luo Feng?" Hall Master Wei Yang looked at the Master of Strange Workshop, a rare smile appearing on his face. He was so proud that there were very few in the city whom he regarded seriously, and the Master of Strange Workshop was clearly one of them.

"This Luo Feng has extraordinary potential. Even if he goes to the Dark Holy World in the future, he may leave a clone behind in Rain Ripple City." The Master of Strange Workshop said, "In the future Rain Ripple City, perhaps he will be the one calling the shots!"

"Oh?"

Hall Master Wei Yang's phantom smiled. "You think so highly of him?"

The Master of Strange Workshop said no more.

"Rain Ripple City is jointly controlled by the three of us Hall Masters. If he is strong enough, then at worst, the Three Hall Masters become Four Hall Masters." Hall Master Wei Yang said with a smile. "But for now, his strength is still far from enough."

"It seems Hall Master has thought it through quite clearly." The Master of Strange Workshop nodded.

"Brother Yuan," Hall Master Wei Yang said. "With your talent, your strength should have caught up to mine long ago. Will the two Paths you cultivate concurrently remain unbroken through? The next expedition is about to begin. Are you still not participating?"

"I will not participate." The Master of Strange Workshop smiled faintly.

Hall Master Wei Yang nodded.

He and the Master of Strange Workshop were also friends in the Dark Holy World.

The communication then ended.

"Luo Feng?"

The Master of Strange Workshop pondered.

The one who had established Strange Workshop was no kind soul at heart. His Strange World Path was even filled with darkness and savagery.

"He actually made my Strange World Heart feel fear?" the Master of Strange Workshop murmured. While watching the battle footage, the Strange World Heart condensed within him had trembled, instinctively fearing Luo Feng.

"In the Dark Holy World, there are also some cultivators who cultivate two Paths concurrently and elevate both to the Half Primal Chaos level." The Master of Strange Workshop pondered. "Yet they still cannot break free from the Cage."

"There is a legend in the Dark Holy World that cultivating two Paths concurrently is still not enough. Only by fusing the two Paths into one can one undergo a qualitative transformation and have hope of breaking free from the Cage."

"After cultivating until now, I have only elevated the Strange World Path to the God Emperor Early-Stage." The Master of Strange Workshop gently shook his head.

Only after both Paths he cultivated concurrently had reached the God Emperor Late-Stage had he decided to walk the Fusion Path. At this point, fusion was far too difficult. After endless years, the Strange World Path formed through fusion had only reached the God Emperor Early-Stage.

He had even slowed the progress of his other two Paths, fearing that he might be heading in the wrong direction.

"The Fusion Path has broader prospects. At merely the God Emperor Early-Stage... it already rivals an ordinary God Emperor Late-Stage Path. If the Fusion Path can reach Half Primal Chaos, perhaps there truly will be hope of breaking free from the Cage." The Master of Strange Workshop naturally had ambition, as well as patience.

"As for this Luo Feng, I shall observe him more carefully." The Master of Strange Workshop did not wish to become enemies with him, but neither did he wish to draw too close.

In a cave residence in the core region of Rain Ripple City, its grounds were only several times larger than Emperor Qing's residence.

"This is the cave residence I have newly rented." Luo Feng led Emperor Qing, Emperor Lord Ming, and Di Fu through his new residence.

"The energy supply here is far too vast." Emperor Qing sensed the energy, which had even liquefied into mist in midair. "It should be enough for a Half Primal Chaos cultivator to absorb at full force."

Emperor Lord Ming and Di Fu were also somewhat excited.

"I never thought I would be able to live in Rain Ripple City's core district." Di Fu could not help sighing. The rent for any cave residence in this core district was outrageously expensive.

"How much is the rent here?" Emperor Lord Ming asked curiously.

"Five thousand Primal Chaos Crystals per epoch," Luo Feng said. His heart ached somewhat as well. There was no helping it; the residence he had rented was already one of the smaller ones in the core district.

"Five thousand Primal Chaos Crystals per epoch? In just ten thousand epochs, simply living here would cost fifty million Primal Chaos Crystals?" Emperor Lord Ming and Di Fu clicked their tongues in astonishment. Housing expenses were a constant drain. Without sufficient strength, one truly would not dare rent such an expensive place.

Luo Feng had no choice either.

As his strength rose, his energy absorption speed grew faster and faster, so naturally he had to choose a good cave residence. This residence could at least ensure a sufficient energy supply even after his Life-Death Path reached the God Emperor Mid-Stage.

"Hmm?" Luo Feng suddenly sensed someone knocking at the door.

He had only just moved in, and someone was already knocking?

"I'll take a look." Di Fu took the initiative and went to the courtyard gate of the cave residence.

Di Fu opened the gate himself and immediately saw an elderly man standing outside. The old man's aura was restrained, yet the faint trace he released still made Di Fu's heart tremble.

"Young friend Di Fu?" Upon seeing Di Fu, the old man recognized him at once and said warmly, "By my Pavilion Master's order, I have come to deliver an invitation card to God Emperor Luo Feng. My Pavilion Master will personally visit tomorrow."

Di Fu immediately accepted the invitation card, and only then did the old man leave with a smile.

"An invitation card?" Di Fu quickly delivered it to Luo Feng.

Luo Feng opened it and saw just a few simple sentences. Its main purpose was to express Cloud Pill Pavilion's intention to hire Luo Feng as a guardian. As for the detailed terms, Pavilion Master Yun Dan would personally visit tomorrow to discuss them.

"This is already the third person today who has wanted to hire me." Luo Feng smiled as he looked at the invitation card.

"Brother Luo Feng's strength is among the very best even among the Elders! Those forces in Rain Ripple City are not fools. Some forces with weaker foundations will probably all be thinking of hiring Brother Luo Feng." Emperor Qing said with a smile. "Brother Luo Feng, you must compare several offers and see who gives better terms."

Luo Feng nodded.

Rain Ripple City appeared relatively safe, but in reality, danger still existed. For example, certain Lowly Primal Chaos Lifeforms could infiltrate Rain Ripple City, and cultivators themselves could also strike from the shadows.

Thus, the larger the business, the more it needed sufficient martial force to guard it.

Even Rain Ripple City itself needed sufficient martial force! Otherwise, even with the city's protection, it might not withstand a siege by a Lowly Primal Chaos Lifeform clan.

On the first day Luo Feng moved into his new cave residence, he received a full twelve invitations, from parties of varying influence.

The most influential came from Rain Ripple City's City Builder and one of the Three Hall Masters, Hall Master Yuan Xiang. He sent a subordinate with an invitation card, inviting Luo Feng to visit his cave residence for a talk.

The weaker parties were merely ordinary Elders, whose strength was not even comparable to Sky Crane Elder's! Yet these ordinary Elders were more willing to pay a great price to recruit Luo Feng.

Besides the twelve invitations, Luo Feng also received an apology gift from Sky Crane Elder. The gift contained a full one hundred million Primal Chaos Crystals, leaving Luo Feng greatly surprised!

"This Sky Crane Elder is a Source World powerhouse. I cannot threaten him at all. Yet he actually sent an apology gift?" Luo Feng looked at the cloth bag in his hand, which contained one hundred million Primal Chaos Crystals.