Volume Eight: After the War

Within Rain Ripple City, the three Lowly Primal Chaos Lifeform legions had already fallen into despair beneath the formations' shroud. Batch after batch died under invisible curse-killing, and after the Chaos Mist eroded through their protective layers, the casualties grew even more devastating.

"No—"

"God Emperor Luo Feng, spare us!"

"We were only trying to survive!"

"Spare us!"

Having lost even the ability to threaten him, the Lowly Primal Chaos Lifeforms begged for mercy one after another. Yet as Luo Feng watched this scene, he showed not the slightest softness.

Ever since the era of the Original Universe, Luo Feng had endured war after war between races! These pleas from the enemy could not shake him in the least.

If I spare you, who spared the more than sixteen million Cultivators who died?

Luo Feng thought of the more than ten million Cultivators who had been slaughtered without the slightest ability to resist.

"These Innate Primal Chaos Lifeforms are born beyond the Cage!" Luo Feng sighed inwardly. "Even the weakest among them, the 'Lowly Primal Chaos Lifeforms,' can form several legions and slaughter Cultivators at will."

Cultivators were generally weaker than Innate Primal Chaos Lifeforms!

Even within the Infinite Primal Chaos Space, the Cultivator Faction was weaker than the Innate Primal Chaos Lifeform Faction! Senior Yuan, Senior Jin, and the others stood at the very front, sheltering the entire Cultivator Faction from wind and rain.

"No need to think so much. I haven't even broken free of the Cage yet—what use is there in thinking about all that?" Luo Feng laughed at himself. With a flip of his hand, he collected every corpse from the utterly dead Lowly Primal Chaos Lifeform legion before him.

He was still far too weak.

Any High-Tier Primal Chaos Lifeform could probably severely contaminate him with a single glance, just as Hall Master Yuan Xiang had been contaminated.

Still too weak!

Luo Feng collected all the corpses left behind by the three legions. Though this scene made some of the Elders' eyes burn with envy, not a single Elder dared voice any objection.

"The City Lord's formations just surged enormously in power, leaving these Lowly Primal Chaos Lifeform legions unable to escape."

"The formations the City Lord set up alone are several times stronger than the combined efforts of more than three hundred Elders. Even a thousand Elders... probably wouldn't compare to the City Lord!"

These Elders all understood this clearly.

A city like Rain Ripple City had only one thousand vacant layers in its core formation altogether. These included the City Lord, Hall Masters, and Elders. Thus, the number of Elder positions could not exceed nine hundred or so.

Of course, a single city's resources and benefits could not attract so many Elders. With too many Elders, each person's share would become too small!

"Among the thirty-five cities of the entire Nine Rivers Holy World, aside from Hall Master Yuan Xiang, only two possess mastery over two Half Primal Chaos-level Paths. Both merely send avatars to stand guard and rarely take action." After collecting the many corpses of the three Lowly Primal Chaos Lifeform legions, Luo Feng made a rough estimate of their value and could not help but marvel. "At that level, they truly don't care about the benefits brought by the position of City Lord."

In Rain Ripple City, the City Lord did indeed receive the greatest share of resources.

But did Hall Master Yuan Xiang care?

At his peak, Hall Master Yuan Xiang often hunted Overlimit-Level and God Emperor Completion-Level beings. After accumulating wealth over endless years, his resources were naturally immense, and the scale of his fortune far surpassed that of Hall Master Wei Yang, Hall Master Gai Tao, and the others.

Who among those at Hall Master Yuan Xiang's level was not extraordinarily wealthy?

Thanks to the battle for Rain Ripple City, Luo Feng had likewise obtained a vast amount of spoils and swiftly become incredibly wealthy. He immediately realized that the little share of resources Rain Ripple City offered truly held little allure.

"In the world of Cultivators, a difference of one level in strength means a heaven-and-earth difference in one's ability to obtain resources." Luo Feng understood Hall Master Yuan Xiang's mindset even better.

All formations in Rain Ripple City withdrew, and the Chaos Mist between heaven and earth dispersed as well.

"Is the war over?"

The Cultivators in the city were all somewhat uneasy. Through the formations of their cave residences, they carefully observed every direction. With their powers of observation, they could no longer see any Lowly Primal Chaos Lifeforms.

"It seems to be over."

"There haven't been any major battle disturbances in Rain Ripple City either."

Emperor Qing, Emperor Lord Ming, and Di Fu were observing as well.

Suddenly—

"All Cultivators of Rain Ripple City."

A voice resounded throughout the entire city. "I am Luo Feng, the new City Lord of Rain Ripple City."

"From this moment onward, all Cultivators may freely leave their cave residences. Everything in Rain Ripple City has returned to normal. There is no need to worry about those Lowly Primal Chaos Lifeforms."

Those simple words echoed through every corner of Rain Ripple City, stirring the Cultivators within into excitement.

They had won!

They had won the war!

"Luo Feng? The City Lord of Rain Ripple City?"

"Our Rain Ripple City never had a City Lord before. Now we have one?"

The Cultivators within the city celebrated excitedly, while also feeling deeply curious.

As the City Builder, Hall Master Yuan Xiang had never called himself the "City Lord" due to the severe contamination of his soul. He had long quietly spread word that he wished to select a City Lord for Rain Ripple City. This was also why Hall Master Wei Yang had been so ambitious!

"No matter who becomes City Lord, as long as they can protect Rain Ripple City, they are a good City Lord." Many Cultivators emerged from their cave residences.

The skies above Rain Ripple City remained under the protection of dazzling, multicolored formations, while a fine rain drifted down. It was as though the rain had washed away the fear, savagery, and madness that had filled the city, restoring everything to tranquility.

"We're still alive."

"The city was breached, but we still won. We survived."

Many Cultivators could not help but sigh with emotion.

They all understood how rare it was for casualties to be so low despite the city having been breached! This newly appointed City Lord was likely no ordinary figure.

"I wonder what strength City Lord Luo Feng truly possesses." Many Cultivators were curious. They did not know the details of the battle, nor did they know Luo Feng's strength.

Yet in that critical moment, he had assumed the position of City Lord and protected the vast majority of Rain Ripple City's Cultivators. Naturally, they were deeply grateful and supported this City Lord.

Life in Rain Ripple City began returning to normal. Under the Council of Elders' governance, areas damaged by the war were also being repaired.

"This war was stirred up by those Overlimit-Level beings." Luo Feng's strongest avatar had already quietly left the city. When the four Overlimit-Level beings fled earlier, Luo Feng had arranged for his avatar to follow them from afar.

Now, it was time to reap them one by one.

Within the Council of Elders of Rain Ripple City.

Luo Feng sat in the seat of honor, with Hall Master Yuan Xiang seated beside him. The many surrounding Elders were all rather invigorated; they were already very satisfied with the result of this battle.

"City Lord."

Suddenly, among the Elders, the female-looking Master of Insect Nest walked over.

"Master of Insect Nest." Luo Feng looked at her. After learning about the Master of Insect Nest, Luo Feng had found her thoroughly displeasing.

Those with the temperament of world-destroying fiends were precisely the kind Luo Feng considered deserving of death! Unfortunately, she was a Source World powerhouse, and Luo Feng could not completely kill her.

"City Lord." The Master of Insect Nest smiled faintly. "I offended the City Lord before! I also know that Cultivators like me... are the kind the City Lord dislikes greatly. I know my place."

"This war has ended. During the defense of the city, I gave it my all and did not dare show the slightest negligence."

"Now that the deed is done, I am willing to offer all resources I possess in Rain Ripple City to the City Lord. As for myself, I shall withdraw from the Nine Rivers Holy World forever!" The Master of Insect Nest smiled faintly. After speaking, this body of hers naturally dissipated.

All her avatars within the Nine Rivers Holy World self-annihilated. She took none of her treasures or resources with her.

Luo Feng watched this scene with slight surprise.

The Master of Insect Nest had devoured countless souls, and her cultivation path was evil and terrifying. Luo Feng indeed disliked her. Yet now, she had first obediently defended the city with all her strength, then relinquished everything and completely withdrawn from the Nine Rivers Holy World. Luo Feng was somewhat surprised by her decisiveness.

Anyone capable of becoming such a terrifying fiend is no ordinary person.

Luo Feng thought.

"City Lord, I too am willing to offer all the resources I possess in Rain Ripple City to the City Lord, and I too shall withdraw from the Nine Rivers Holy World forever." The Myriad Shadow Pavilion Master stood and gave a slight bow. "To have known the City Lord is also a blessing for me, Myriad Shadow."

"I too shall withdraw from the Nine Rivers Holy World forever." The Master of Strange Workshop also stood and gave a slight bow. "I believe the City Lord does not wish for plundering factions to continue existing in Rain Ripple City."

The Myriad Shadow Pavilion Master and the Master of Strange Workshop both self-annihilated their avatars, choosing to leave the Nine Rivers Holy World forever.

At their level, a simple observation was enough to determine Luo Feng's way of doing things.

Luo Feng had previously served as the Sky Patrol Palace Commander because he had been unwilling to exploit any Cultivator. Even during the defense of the city, he had given his all to protect as many Cultivators as possible.

A City Lord with such a temperament would not tolerate plundering factions like theirs.

"Forget the other two. The Master of Strange Workshop still has considerable potential." Watching this scene, Hall Master Yuan Xiang spoke. "Restrain him somewhat, and Strange Workshop will act much more cautiously."

His temperament differed from Luo Feng's.

He could tolerate those fiends. He could tolerate plunderers.

"Cultivators come from different worlds and grow up in different environments." Hall Master Yuan Xiang said, "In some worlds, Cultivators are forced into demonic paths! One can show some tolerance toward different kinds of Cultivators."

"After all, the number of such Cultivators is enormous." Hall Master Yuan Xiang looked at Luo Feng.

Luo Feng smiled. "An enormous number? I can't control that much. But in Rain Ripple City, there is no need for thieving and plundering factions to exist."

His abilities were limited.

But...

Within the scope of what he could control, he naturally had to control it!

Those who should be killed would be killed; those who should be driven out would be driven out!

Their original world environments had forced them onto demonic paths? But the Nine Rivers Holy World had not forced them!

Since Luo Feng had decided to become this City Lord, his city would not tolerate such factions!

Luo Feng's words were heard by the surrounding Elders, who exchanged glances. They all understood that Luo Feng's influence would far surpass that of the previous three Hall Masters.

By himself, he could eliminate every force of resistance within the city!

Thus, Luo Feng's words meant that thieving and plundering factions would no longer have soil in which to survive in Rain Ripple City.

"This City Lord Luo has a far stronger temperament than the previous three Hall Masters."

"The previous three Hall Masters all had to consider the Elders. But this City Lord Luo may seem mild-tempered, yet once he decides something... no Elder can oppose him."

From just a few words from Luo Feng, these Elders sensed that unstoppable will!

"Your spirit is far stronger than mine." Hall Master Yuan Xiang looked at him and said approvingly, "But individual power is ultimately limited. Even after breaking free of the Cage, one still cannot change too much."

Luo Feng smiled and said nothing more.

Individual power was ultimately limited? That only meant one had not cultivated to sufficient strength!

"Oh, right." Hall Master Yuan Xiang suddenly remembered. "This time, I requested aid from the Dark Holy World. The Dark Holy World dispatched a cultivation squad, and it is still on its way here. I need to contact them first."

Only a few breaths later.

"This cultivation squad has already arrived in the Nine Rivers Holy World." Hall Master Yuan Xiang raised his head in surprise and looked at Luo Feng. "They are heading toward Rain Ripple City. They should arrive in about half a day."