Swallowed Star: Lord of the Wolf

"How do we get to Blackrock City?" Cangya asked in a deep voice, his sharp gaze fixed on Yanfeng. "Are there any dangerous places along the way that we must avoid?"

Feeling the binding force loosen slightly, Yan Feng felt a little relieved and quickly replied, "From here to Blackrock City, the usual route involves traversing this Ash Wasteland, bypassing the 'Bone Rift Gorge,' and then crossing the 'Venom River' to reach the outer defense perimeter of Blackrock City. There are three main threats along the way: First, the 'Soul-Devouring Sandworm Swarm' that roams the wasteland. Individually, they are not strong, but they can easily number in the thousands and are adept at sieges and soul corruption; second, the 'Bone Rift Violent Lizard' at the early stage of Eternal True God, which dwells deep within the Bone Rift Gorge. It is extremely ferocious and has a very strong sense of territory; third, the Venom River itself contains highly poisonous miasma, and powerful 'Poisonous Saliva Crocodiles' may be lurking at the bottom of the river."

He glanced cautiously at Cangya's expression and continued, "If Your Excellency... uh, if you gentlemen are strong enough and unafraid of the Bone-Splitting Violent Lizard, there is a shortcut that can directly traverse the middle of the Bone-Splitting Gorge, saving nearly half the journey."

"A beast at the early stage of the Eternal True God realm..." A cold glint flashed in Cangya's eyes. With the power of the Star Tower, and the fact that both he and Yuji possessed Infinite Divine Bodies, they were not without the ability to fight. However, being new to the place, exposing such a treasure as the Star Tower was too risky.

He had already made up his mind.

"Lead the way." Cangya's voice brooked no doubt. "Avoid the lair of the Bone-Splitting Viper and take the safe route. If you dare to play any tricks..." He didn't finish his sentence, but the sudden tightening of the spatial confinement power, along with the terrifying pressure faintly emanating from the Star Tower, made Yan Feng feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

"I dare not! Absolutely not! I am willing to serve you gentlemen like a dog or a horse!" Yan Feng hurriedly swore an oath, but a great weight was lifted from his heart.

Leading the way means safety!

We're safe, at least for now!
He had no interest in finding out what the three of them were doing in Blackrock City.

hum!
The spatial confinement force that had enveloped Yan Feng suddenly disappeared.

Yan Feng felt a sudden lightness in his body and almost stumbled, but he reacted quickly and steadied himself immediately, bowing his head respectfully and standing at attention: "This humble one is Yan Feng, and I will now guide you, esteemed gentlemen."

He glanced cautiously at the pagoda treasure in Cangya's hand, a treasure that sent shivers down his spine, and all hope vanished from his heart.

Cangya withdrew the immense pressure from the Star Tower and looked at Mengcha and Yuji: "Master's wife, junior sister, let's go."

Meng Cha nodded slightly, her emerald green snake tail drawing an elegant arc in the mist.

Yu Ji curiously observed Yan Feng, who had regained his freedom but still seemed trembling with fear, and the unfamiliar land shrouded in thick fog.

Yan Feng dared not be negligent. He immediately identified the direction, moved his body, and flew low along the ground in front of him, controlling his speed so that Cang Ya and the other two could easily follow.

He deliberately avoided several areas where he sensed sandworms roaming, and cautiously led the way.

Cangya and his two companions followed closely behind.

Cangya was in the center. Although the Star Tower did not display its power, its physical form was in his hand, and an invisible force field faintly enveloped the team, preventing outside detection.

The thick gray fog gradually swallowed their figures, leaving only a desolate and lifeless wasteland.

Several days later, from the depths of the fog ahead, a completely different sound faintly came.

No longer was there the deathly silence of the wind and the rustling of sandworms, but a deep, oppressive roar, as if countless heavy beasts were breathing at the same time! A complex scent, mixed with sulfur, minerals and a faint smell of blood, began to permeate the air.

"The Rift Bone Gorge is just ahead." Yan Feng slowed down, his voice tinged with a tense awe, pointing towards a huge shadowy outline that was gradually emerging from the mist. "We'll detour around the northern edge, which is relatively safe. We just need to be wary of the flying beasts and falling rocks that occasionally rush out from the edge of the gorge."

As you get closer, the grotesque features of the Rift Bone Gorge become clearer.

This is a terrifying scar torn in the earth, flanked by steep cliffs tens of thousands of kilometers high, as if cleaved by a giant axe. The rocks are a dark, rusty red, covered with jagged rocks and bottomless cracks.

Deep within the canyon, a thick, dark green poisonous miasma billowed and rose, and even from a great distance, its aura, which caused a slight stinging sensation to the very soul, could still be clearly felt.

Rumble——!
A deep, muffled roar, seemingly originating from the very depths of the earth, suddenly erupted from the canyon. Accompanying the roar, the cliffs on both sides trembled violently, and countless huge boulders crashed down like a torrential rain, plunging into the churning poisonous miasma below and stirring up towering, dark green waves.

A terrifying aura, violent, ferocious, and filled with pure destructive desire, swept out like a tsunami, instantly engulfing an area of ​​millions of miles.

"It's that Bone-Splitting Viper!" Yan Feng's face turned deathly pale instantly, his voice trembled, and he almost lost control of himself. "It's been alerted! Quick! Conceal your presence! Get away from the edge of the canyon!"

Cangya's pupils contracted, and almost instantly, the Star Tower in his hand trembled slightly. The invisible protective force field suddenly contracted and solidified, completely isolating and suppressing the life aura and divine power fluctuations of the four members of the team to the minimum.

At the same time, a powerful spatial stabilizing force was released, smoothing out the space that had become slightly disordered due to the roaring shockwave.

The terrifying roar and the shockwave swept across their location like a hurricane.

The Star Tower's protective force field was as solid as a rock, firmly blocking the oppressive aura emanating from the Eternal True God. Yan Feng, still shaken, watched as the three beside him vanished into thin air, his shock beyond measure. This tower… was absolutely an extraordinary Eternal-level treasure. He even suspected that even if the tyrannical lizard had actually charged out, with this tower protecting it, these three adults might not have been afraid of it.

Fortunately, the roar was more like the Bone-Splitter Lizard turning over in its sleep or a territorial display.

After the roar, the terrifying pressure slowly receded into the depths of the canyon, with only the muffled, thunderous breathing still echoing between heaven and earth.

"Go around! Quickly!" Yan Feng didn't dare to linger for a moment. He led the three of them carefully along the outermost edge of the canyon's north side, flying past at top speed.

……

Just as Cangya and his two companions were flying over the edge of the Rift Bone Gorge.

Originating from the continent, Green Origin Kingdom, Xuanhu City.

Deep within the city lord's mansion, in a quiet room constructed of chaotic crystals.

Xu Yang's true form sat cross-legged, his body swirling with chaotic energy, his aura as deep and unfathomable as the sea. His divine avatar was currently communicating with his wife Meng Cha's divine avatar, who was far away in the cosmic sea.

Suddenly, Xu Yang opened his eyes, a flicker of emotion flashing in his chaotic pupils.

He looked out of the quiet room, in the direction where Guji was.

Guji was holding a dark golden jade talisman that emitted profound causal fluctuations. The faint and blurry light spots on the surface of the talisman suddenly became clear and stable, pointing to a very distant general direction.

"Master! The auras of the Madam and Miss... have been completely stabilized in the reincarnation channel, and the cause and effect point... to the southwest." Guji's telepathic message rang out.

Xu Yang said, "It's Blackstone City in the Blackstone Domain, in the Nine Flames Kingdom on the border."

"Alright!" Guji held up the causal positioning talisman, its golden eyes gleaming with excitement. "Master, I'll go meet Madam and Miss! And Cangya boy too!" Xu Yang nodded, his expression turning extremely serious: "Guji, you take the Eight Guards to Blackstone City to meet them. Remember, you must not reveal your World Beast identity on this trip! You can only use ordinary Chaos Realm power. Don't cause any unforeseen complications. Your primary task is to ensure the three of them arrive safely at Xuanhu City, not to fight for victory!"

Guji's excited expression subsided slightly. Knowing the gravity of the matter, he nodded vigorously, his golden eyes filled with seriousness: "Master, rest assured! Guji remembers! I will just act as a newly promoted ordinary Chaos Realm cultivator, and I will never cause trouble or expose myself!" He knew the reason for his master's caution; once his identity as a World Beast was exposed, the storm it would cause on the Origin Continent would be devastating.

Xu Yang raised his hand, and a token radiating a rich aura fell into Guji's hand: "This contains my avatar. Release it in times of crisis to help you escape. Go quickly."

"Yes!" Guji took the token, his figure instantly merging into the void. When he reappeared, he was already high in the sky outside Xuanhu City. The Eight Guards of Xuanhu appeared behind him silently, like the most loyal shadows.

Guji took one last look at the magnificent Xuanhu City, its golden eyes locking onto the desolate direction indicated by the causal positioning talisman, and waved its hand: "Let's go, target—Black Stone Domain!"

After speaking, the chaotic divine power enveloped the nine figures, tearing through space and disappearing instantly.

Their journey will take them across endless territories, their destination being that gray land shrouded in chaos and bloodshed.

……

Several days later, Cangya and his two companions, led by Yanfeng, finally bypassed the Rift Bone Gorge without any major incidents and crossed the Corrupted Poison River, which was filled with poisonous miasma and teemed with ferocious crocodiles.

When the legendary Blackrock City, resembling a crouching behemoth, pierced through the thick fog and appeared at the edge of the horizon, even Yu Ji, who was accustomed to the wonders of the cosmic sea, couldn't help but let out a soft gasp.

Blackrock City lives up to its name!

The entire massive city seemed to be carved from a single, boundless, black boulder with a cold, metallic sheen. The city walls stretched for tens of thousands of kilometers, towering into the clouds, with sharp edges and covered with menacing spikes and watchtowers. The walls were covered with countless huge scars left by swords, axes, and energy impacts, silently telling the story of the countless baptisms of blood and fire that the city had endured.

An intense, overwhelming aura of malevolence, blood, and the pungent smell of minerals, metals, and substandard fuels mingled with the polluted air, assaulting the senses.

It was less a city and more a colossal war fortress built in the wilderness.

The city gate was tall and rough, devoid of any exquisite carvings, consisting only of a massive black stone gate so heavy it seemed capable of crushing the earth. At this moment, the gate was half-open, like the gaping maw of a colossal beast. Countless cultivators of various forms surged in and out like a torrent.

There were towering rock giants, hundreds of feet tall, carrying massive axes; alien races covered in scales and dragging long tails; armored knights riding ferocious beasts; and solitary hunters like Yan Feng, exuding an aura of blood and dust...

The noise, shouts, roars, and clanging of metal... all sorts of cacophony converged into a deafening wave of sound, assaulting the eardrums.

Chaos, savagery, power, and a naked atmosphere of the survival of the fittest are the first impressions Blackrock City gives to newcomers.

"We've arrived, my lords." Yan Feng stopped several hundred miles from the city gate, turned around and bowed respectfully to Cangya and the other two, lowering his posture even further. "Black Stone City is just ahead. To enter the city, you need to pay ten Chaos Crystals as an entrance fee, which will guarantee your basic safety within the city for one month. Large-scale fighting is strictly prohibited within the city, but minor conflicts... the Marquis's Guard usually turn a blind eye."

He subtly reminded everyone that the city was not an absolute haven.

Cangya's gaze swept over the colossal city radiating a heavy aura of malevolence, then he looked at Yan Feng, who stood before him with a mixture of respect and expectation, and nodded: "Give me thirty Chaos Crystals, and then you may leave. As for today's matter..."

“I have not seen the three of you today!” Yan Feng immediately replied, his tone resolute. “I have only been returning to Blackrock City alone from the wasteland!”

Cangya said nothing more, but gave him a deep look.

Mengcha and Yuji remained silent.

Yan Feng felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He immediately gave Cangya one hundred Chaos Crystals, then bowed and transformed into a dim shadow, quickly merging into the surging crowd at the city gate and disappearing from sight.

"Senior brother, are we just going to let him go like that?" Yu Ji asked in a low voice, looking in the direction where Yan Feng had disappeared.

She always felt that this guy with the shifty eyes wasn't very reliable.

“Just a guide, killing him is pointless.” Cangya’s voice was deep. He flipped his hand, and the Star Tower itself transformed into a ray of light that entered his body. “After entering the city, this tower will not reveal itself again unless it is a matter of life and death. Master’s wife, junior sister, conceal your auras, let’s enter the city.”

Cangya's aura instantly became restrained and ordinary, like a Void True God who had just broken through and whose foundation was unstable.

The emerald green light of Mengcha's snake tail completely faded, and its life force became as inconspicuous as ordinary grass and trees. Yuji's Firefly Armor also lost its starlight, transforming into an ordinary set of silver soft armor.

The three of them blended into the flow of people entering the city, completely inconspicuous.

After paying thirty Chaos Crystals, they stepped into the deep and towering gate passage of Blackrock City, which resembled the throat of a giant beast.

The noise and chaos instantly engulfed the three of them.

……

Not long after, in the central area of ​​Blackrock City, within a vast complex of buildings constructed from crimson ore.

This is the headquarters of the "Bloodblade Society"—a notorious dark organization in Blackrock Domain that specializes in robbery, assassination, and intelligence trafficking.

A dimly lit, enclosed room filled with the smells of blood and tobacco.

Having just escaped the threat of death and regained some of his composure, Yan Feng stood before a figure slumped on a massive bone chair like a mountain of flesh, humbly reporting to him.

The figure on the bone chair was shrouded in a large, blood-red cloak, obscuring his face; only a pair of eyes, gleaming with cruel greed, were visible.

He was Helian Xiao, one of the three vice presidents of the Blood Blade Society, also known as "Blood Slaughter".

He was at the mid-stage of the Eternal True God realm, and was ruthless and bloodthirsty.

"...My lord, everything I've said is true!" Yan Feng's voice trembled, tinged with exaggerated excitement. "The pagoda in the wolf leader's hand is definitely an eternal-level treasure! Its aura is ancient and profound; it's absolutely a top-tier item from an ancient ruin! I saw it with my own eyes; that pagoda can easily imprison space, and even the pressure from the Bone-Cracking Lizard couldn't affect it in the slightest! Of those three Void True Gods, two had ordinary auras; they relied on that pagoda to maintain their presence! Especially that girl in the silver armor; she looks like she just broke through recently!"

Yan Feng embellished the story, describing the Star Tower as something extraordinary, and went to great lengths to belittle the strength of Cangya and his two companions, portraying himself as a loyal servant who risked his life to bring back earth-shattering information.

His eyes gleamed with revenge and greed—those three people had caused him so much fear, and this information was his compensation. As for whether those three lived or died...
In Blackrock City, people disappear silently every day. (End of Chapter)