Swallowed Star: Lord of the Wolf

As the river of time flows on, to the Chaos Realm beings standing at the pinnacle of the Origin Continent, it is but a few faint ink marks on the eternal scroll, unable to leave a deep imprint. However, for the countless beings struggling to survive on this vast continent, each cycle of eras is permeated with hardship and long-term trials.

Easternmost Region, White Jade City.

This majestic city, guarded by the powerful Chaos Realm expert "Bai Yu," is like a warm and lustrous pearl embedded in the vast Eastern Continent. Built against a precipitous divine mountain, the city is constructed entirely of warm and lustrous divine stones, radiating a restrained yet noble brilliance under the eternal divine sun.

The city was orderly, with crisscrossing avenues, towering buildings and palaces standing side by side, and people of all races moving about among them, presenting a scene of prosperity and flourishing.

City Lord Bai Yu is actually a powerful clone of Xu Yang traveling in the Eastern Extreme Region.

After he changed his name to Bai Yu and joined the ranks of Bai Qi, one of the twelve divine emperors of the Eastern Extreme Region, he spent many years cultivating in seclusion in the God King Realm before being assigned to establish a foundation in this Chaotic State to protect the living beings here.

Even in a first-rate country like the Eastern Extreme Region, the Chaos Realm is a pinnacle existence capable of establishing a sect and becoming a revered ancestor. Although Bai Yu is usually low-key and rarely shows his prowess, the news that he had briefly fought against the infamous Golden Feather Divine Bird in the Baiqi Divine Realm without being at a disadvantage eventually spread quietly within a small circle of top experts. From then on, no one dared to underestimate this seemingly gentle and refined City Lord Bai Yu.

As time passed, Baiyu City flourished under his protection, truly integrating into the strict and vast system of the Eastern Extreme Region.

In the center of Baiyu City, at the highest point of the City Lord's Mansion, stands a nine-story star tower.

The building is named "Lanxing" (揽星), meaning that one can pluck stars from the sky.

The "Guanhai Pavilion" on the top floor is Bai Yu's favorite place to linger.

Today, the pavilion is filled with the melodious sounds of string and wind instruments, and celestial music floats in the air.

Bai Yu reclined on a wide cloud-shaped couch carved from a single piece of warm, divine jade, his posture languid yet noble. He wore a moon-white robe with wide sleeves and cloud patterns, his ink-black hair tied up with only a simple jade hairpin. His face was handsome and almost perfect, his eyes deep and unfathomable, occasionally opening and closing as if illusory images of chaos and the cycle of the world were floating and sinking, yet in an instant they returned to a gentle and peaceful state, as if he were merely an exceptionally refined nobleman among mortals.

Before the cloud-shaped couch, a group of dancers dressed in flowing robes danced to the music, their graceful figures swift and elegant, their movements subtly echoing a profound Daoist philosophy, drawing upon the shimmering starlight to accompany their dance. In a corner of the pavilion, several musicians intently played the guqin, jade flute, and divine se, performing the newly composed piece, "The Rising Tide of the Dark Sea."

This piece is unpredictable and dramatic, sometimes like a hidden current in a dark sea, concealing deadly danger, and sometimes like a raging wave crashing against the shore, splitting rocks and piercing through the clouds, making it extremely captivating.

Before Bai Yu stood a low table crafted from Wanji Warm Jade, upon which sat several exquisitely crafted dishes of pastries. One dish was a Nine-Aperture Crystal Bun, its paper-thin, translucent skin revealing a filling shimmering with iridescent colors and emitting an alluring aroma. Another dish was Star River Snowflake Pastries, the tiny crumbs resembling stardust, melting in the mouth with a refreshing, sweet taste that penetrated to the very soul. A third dish was Dragon Liver and Phoenix Marrow Stew, made with the essence of earth dragons and phoenixes, cooked using a secret method, its spiritual energy rising like mist.

There was also a jade gourd containing an amber-colored "Thousand-Day Intoxicating Divine Wine," whose aroma lingered and was refreshing to the senses.

Standing half a step behind Bai Yu was an elderly man with a peaceful face, dressed in an elegant gray robe.

His aura was restrained, only occasionally flashing with undisguised pride and focus when he glanced at the dishes. This was none other than the culinary master that Bai Yu had recruited at great expense—Paoding Sou, a culinary grandmaster in the early stages of an Eternal True God.

His culinary skills had reached a state of perfection, infusing the essence of Taoism into the ingredients and the cooking time. The dishes he made were not only mouthwatering and unforgettable, but also nourished his foundation in Taoism and aided his cultivation. In his leisure time, Bai Yu would feast, listen to music, and appreciate the skills of the old butcher, which was one of his greatest pleasures in contemplating the myriad aspects of the mortal world and balancing his long years of cultivation.

As "Dark Tide Rises" reached the "turbulent undercurrents" chapter, the music suddenly became rapid and mysterious, and the dancers' movements took on a fierce and ruthless quality, captivating the audience.

Her white jade fingertips gently tapped the jade couch, as if responding to the rhythm, her eyes filled with a hint of appreciation.

Just as the melody was about to reach its climax—

“Report——!!!”

A rough, urgent roar, like a thunderclap, violently shattered the exquisite musical and dance atmosphere within the pavilion.

Boom!

The heavy starwood doors of Guanhai Pavilion were suddenly pushed open with brute force.

A towering figure burst in with a whirlwind of energy.

The newcomer had a bare, bronze-colored chest covered with bulging muscles and strange animal patterns. He wore only a simple leather skirt made of the hide of an unknown giant beast and was barefoot. With each step he took, the ironwood floor, as hard as divine metal, groaned under his weight.

His hair was a mess, standing on end like steel needles, and his face was rugged and fierce. He was Xi Kui, one of Bai Yu's guards, known as "Mad Rhinoceros," a fierce general in the late stage of Eternal True God.

The intrusion of Xi Kui instantly shattered the tranquility and elegance of the pavilion.

The melodious music abruptly stopped. The dancers, startled, froze in place, their beautiful eyes filled with panic. The musicians also stopped playing, exchanging bewildered glances. The old butcher's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, then returned to its usual calm.

Bai Yu's fingers, which were tapping on the jade couch, paused.

He slowly raised his eyelids, his gaze falling on the rashly intruding Xi Kui. In the depths of those gentle eyes, it was as if ancient ice had been frozen for ten thousand years, and an indescribable, terrifying pressure, originating from absolute suppression of life level, descended upon the entire Guanhai Pavilion like an invisible iceberg.

There was no thunderous rage, no stern rebuke, just a glance, a pause.

"Uh..." Even the arrogant Xi Kui felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave under this gaze. The fear that came from his very soul made his huge body stiffen suddenly, his boiling blood and qi suddenly cooled down, and his forehead was instantly covered with large beads of cold sweat.

He then realized the enormity of his mistake and how he had disturbed the city lord's refined pleasure.

"Pfft!"

Without the slightest hesitation, this ruthless general, who usually swaggered around Baiyu City, slammed his knees heavily onto the wooden floor, making a dull thud. His massive head kowtowed deeply, his voice filled with unprecedented fear and trembling: "This...this subordinate deserves to die! I have disturbed the City Lord's enjoyment! I deserve to die a thousand deaths! Please forgive me, City Lord!"

Bai Yu didn't speak, but just looked at him quietly. The invisible pressure made Xi Kui almost suffocate, and the cold sweat on his back had soaked through his animal skin skirt.

Xi Kui dared not raise his head, speaking rapidly, his voice trembling with sobs: "I...I deserve to die a thousand deaths! But...but there is indeed an extremely urgent matter of vital importance that I must report to the City Lord immediately! Not a moment...not a moment can be wasted!" As he spoke, he mustered his courage and slightly raised his eyes, his gaze quickly sweeping over the surrounding musicians and dancers who were trembling with fear, the meaning of which was self-evident. Bai Yu's deep eyes lingered on Xi Kui's face for a moment, seemingly discerning the truthfulness of his words and the urgency of the situation.

After a moment, the icy coldness on his face faded, but the suffocating pressure did not completely dissipate. He casually waved his wide sleeves as if brushing away a speck of dust, his voice calm and even, yet carrying an undeniable will: "All of you, leave."

"Yes!" The musicians and dancers, as if granted a pardon, didn't dare to even breathe loudly. They bowed deeply and retreated swiftly and lightly. Their magnificent skirts swept across the polished jade steps, disappearing silently like a tide. The old butcher also bowed silently, his figure vanishing into the shadows within the pavilion.

In the blink of an eye, only Bai Yu, leaning against the cloud couch, and Xi Kui, kneeling on the ground, sweating profusely, remained in the vast Guanhai Pavilion.

With a light tap of her white jade fingertip, an invisible ripple instantly spread out, enveloping the entire Guanhai Pavilion. Powerful spatial isolation and array-like sealing forces completely severed all internal and external access and communication.

At this moment, the pavilion has become its own little world.

"Speak." Bai Yu's voice returned to its usual gentle tone, yet it still carried an air of aloof indifference.

Xi Kui then dared to straighten his back slightly, but still knelt upright with his huge head bowed. His voice was filled with awe and fear after surviving the ordeal as he quickly reported: "Reporting to the City Lord! The patrolling 'Sky Rift' squad has captured a Void True God from the outer universe sea, who attempted to infiltrate my Eastern Extreme Domain, 300,000 miles west of the city."

Bai Yu picked up the jade gourd from the low table and slowly sipped a mouthful of Thousand Days' Intoxication. The amber-colored wine flowed between his lips and teeth, exuding an intoxicating aroma.

His expression was indifferent, as if he had heard something trivial.

Cosmic sea?
Void God?

This is really nothing new.

The entire vast continent of origin is boundless, and beyond it, there are three thousand enormous dimensional universes known as the "Cosmic Sea".

Throughout countless ages, after each long cycle of reincarnation, the most supreme beings born within each cosmic sea—true gods, void true gods, and even a very few eternal true gods—will transcend reincarnation, break through dimensional barriers, and 'ascend' to this ultimate place of origin.

The creators and core forces of the various kingdoms that now occupy the vast territory of the Origin Continent, establish powerful divine kingdoms, and compress the native forces of this region into the Eastern Extreme Region, can be traced back to their origins, and almost all of them are ascendants from the Three Thousand Cosmic Seas.

Bai Yu himself was one of them.

It is precisely because of this painful history of conquest and expulsion that the remaining indigenous forces in the entire Eastern Pole region harbor an unforgettable, almost instinctive, extreme hatred and rejection towards all outsiders who carry the aura of the "Cosmic Sea".

A Void God who has just broken through the dimensional membrane is nothing more than an ant in the Origin Continent, where powerful beings abound.

If they were merely ordinary ascendants or exiles who had strayed into this place, it would be utterly unworthy for an eternal true god like Xi Kui to break into the Star Tower in such a disarray to report this.

Bai Yu put down his wine cup, his gaze calmly falling on Xi Kui, awaiting what would happen next.

He knew that there was more to it than just this that could make this brute so panicked.

Feeling the city lord's gaze, Xi Kui's massive body trembled slightly. Not daring to keep him in suspense, he quickly added, "Your Majesty is wise! If it were merely an ordinary 'ascension,' I would naturally handle it according to the law and would not dare to disturb you. But... but this person is different. Please allow me to explain slowly..."

"That fellow... that Void True God who ascended from the Cosmic Sea, a newcomer, met my Jade City expedition team 300,000 miles west of the city."

Xi Kui's face revealed a hint of resentment and disdain: "That ascendant is probably used to ruling as king in his remote and impoverished place, and he fought with the expedition team to snatch a 'Nine Yin Bone-Eating Grass'."

"Although the Blackrock Team is not top-tier, it is still an elite force. How could they allow a newcomer to run rampant? That Ascended One's methods were quite bizarre, actually injuring two Void Gods of the Blackrock Team! But in the end..." A cold glint flashed in Rhinoceros's eyes, "The Blackrock Captain, despite being seriously injured, activated the Binding God Chains to capture him."

Xi Kui paused, a deep sense of doubt and gravity appearing on his rugged face: "If it were just a conflict like this, we could simply throw him into the 'Blackwater Prison' according to the law. However, when we escorted him back to the city to verify his identity, I discovered a huge mystery!"

"As is customary, I personally performed the 'soul-searching technique' on him to find out his origins."

Soul search!

This is the most direct, cruel, and effective method used by the Eastern Extreme Region to deal with ascended beings. Especially since the opponent is merely a Void True God, facing a powerful figure like Xi Kui, a late-stage Eternal True God, he has almost no power to resist.

A wave of lingering fear and extreme shock washed over Xi Kui's face, as if recalling the terrifying scene he had witnessed during the soul search. His voice became hoarse: "Your subordinate... Your subordinate thought he could easily glimpse its memories, but I never expected... that the depths of this fiend's sea of ​​consciousness were guarded by an extremely powerful and ancient imprint of will. That imprint... was like an ancient behemoth lurking in endless chaos. Merely glimpsing a trace of its aura almost shattered my soul!"

He touched his unkempt, needle-like hair with lingering fear: "Even with my consciousness damaged, I could only barely grasp some fragmented, chaotic pieces... It seemed to be an indescribable, terrifying place filled with endless destruction and the origin of new life... And... and a blurry, towering portal phantom, as if outlined by billions of stars..."

Xi Kui took a deep breath, his massive chest heaving, and his eyes flashed with uncontrollable horror: "Most...most importantly! At the edge of that chaotic storm in the sea of ​​consciousness, I vaguely 'heard' a name! A name that was repeatedly screamed by that ascendant with the most primal and intense soul obsession, even penetrating the shield of that ancient will imprint!"

He stared intently at Bai Yu, each word ringing out like thunder within the chaotic and isolated Guanhai Pavilion: "Yuan! He's unconsciously screaming—'Yuan'! And… 'Gate to the Void Realm'!"

boom!
It was as if an invisible bolt of chaotic divine thunder had exploded in the depths of Bai Yu's eternally calm heart.

Yuan!
The Gate to the Void!

The weight of these two phrases combined is enough to drive even the most powerful god-kings on the entire Origin Continent mad!

Bai Yu, who had been leaning against the warm sun jade cloud couch, suddenly sat up straight. The warm, smooth jade gourd in his hand had been put down at some point and was now quietly placed on the warm jade low table. The amber-colored Thousand-Day Intoxicating Wine inside the gourd swayed slightly, reflecting the soft starlight hanging from the ceiling, but it no longer gave anyone the slightest feeling of intoxication.

A turbulent emotion surfaced on that gentle, jade-like face! (End of Chapter)