Swallowing the Stars, Hu Yanbo's Pre-Godhood

Chapter 267 Don't Speak Too Soon

"Exchange it," Hu Yanbo decided immediately.

"A reminder to the trial participants: The Qi of Heaven and Earth is the primordial energy of a certain incredible place. It is not formed from the primordial life form. It can only be refined and integrated into the trial participants themselves. It cannot be given away, traded, or sealed away."

"When the trial participant perishes completely, the two energies will return to the infinite space."

"Please confirm, do you still want to redeem?"

A message immediately entered his consciousness: "Exchange." Hu Yanbo did not hesitate.

"Exchange successful! Trial participant Hu Yanbo, please note that this is the fourth exchange of the 'Qiankun Two Qi'. Of the previous three, two participants successfully broke free from the confines of the 'Changing Origin Life Form,' one achieving a high-level Chaos Origin Life Form but unfortunately perishing in battle."

"One of them became a world-class primordial life form and still exists."

Hu Yanbo was taken aback.

"There are already three people ahead of me?"

"Two more have escaped their cages; these are truly wonderful creatures!"

Within the territory of the Thunder Ancient Kingdom, lies a desolate rift valley wasteland.

Hu Yanbo was walking step by step towards Thunder Mountain.

He walked through the wilderness, entered the city, roamed between heaven and earth, unnoticed and uncared for.

"Buzz!!!"

Suddenly, two streams of air appeared out of thin air in front of him, one clear and one turbid, distinct yet subtly attracting each other.

The pure energy is pale gold in color, restrained and unassuming. Wherever it touches, time and space naturally return to silence, without any outward signs.

The turbid air was dark silver, calm and not agitated, and the surrounding earth did not tremble at all. It resonated with the origin of the Great Dao at the most microscopic level.

The two streams of air appeared calm, but they directly activated the two major meridians within Hu Yanbo's body.

The Great Dao of Cause and Effect, and the Great Dao of Cause and Effect, both spontaneously operate and align with the trajectory of the two energies.

Hu Yanbo stopped and extended his fingertip.

First, touch the pure air.

An primordial aura of ultimate "constancy, stillness, and finality" entered my mind.

This primordial Daoist essence has no formed Great Dao, yet it allows powerful individuals of different Great Daos to gain different insights.

Taking the path of fusion is an option.

Those who walk the path of the integration of time and space can glimpse "the constancy of time and space, and the immovability of all things";

Those who follow the path of the integration of birth and death can thus glimpse "birth and death returning to stillness, all phenomena sharing the same origin";

You can also follow the simple, fundamental path.

Like the great principle of cause and effect, it touches upon the essence of "the result is already determined and cannot be changed";

Even the "Great Dao of Reverse Cultivation - Great Dao of Cause and Effect" personally created by Huyan Bo became clearer and more transparent under this aura.

Then come into contact with the foul air.

An primal aura of ultimate "change, derivation, and origin" surged into my mind.

It was the same primal Daoist essence that gave him enlightenment.

After an unknown number of breaths, Huyan Bo opened his eyes.

The two energies in his palm had been completely refined, transforming into a secret treasure shaped like a yin-yang jade ring. Two streams of energy, one clear and one turbid, flowed eternally within the ring, their pale gold and dark silver intertwining to create a wisp of interwoven gold and silver light.

"Qian represents stability, Kun represents change —"

"The universe is autonomous; it can activate this secret treasure using the Great Dao of Cause and Effect, or it can unleash its power using the Great Dao of Cause and Effect."

"Truly amazing," Hu Yanbo thought to himself.

Previously, despite his cultivation level consistently being far ahead of Luo Feng's, Hu Yanbo still harbored a slight envy towards Luo Feng.

After all, Luo Feng's cultivation level has improved rapidly along the way, and he has always been able to find the most suitable secret treasures and weapons for himself.

Such as the Chaos Golden Wings from the primordial universe, the Star Tower that accompanied him, and many other treasures such as the Eye of Life and Death that he later exchanged in the Infinite Space Treasury.

These treasures can both enhance combat power and aid in enlightenment.

As for myself, my cultivation journey has relied entirely on overwhelming my level of cultivation.

As for secret treasures and weapons, as long as they work, that's fine.

Especially after comprehending the Great Dao of Cause and Effect, he even felt that he could no longer possess the secret treasure.

Even naturally born, primordial beings lack the secret patterns corresponding to the Great Dao of Cause and Effect, let alone secret treasures!

Unexpectedly, things took a turn for the better today.

The absence of naturally occurring primordial life does not mean the absence of infinite primordial space.

Although, in essence, these two energies of heaven and earth are not considered the secret treasures of the Great Dao of Cause and Effect.

But it is a variable Dao Qi.

When used in accordance with the great principle of cause and effect, it becomes the universe.

The function of the Great Dao is to produce results, which is Kun and Qian.

Hu Yanbo held the Yin-Yang Jade Ring in his palm, his mind following the flow of the two streams of Heaven and Earth, and his perception of the Great Dao of Cause and Effect instantly unfolded.

He looked up and saw that the majestic Thunder Mountain in the distance had instantly lost all its concealment in his eyes.

The defenses of the God Emperor-level cave, the layered arrays, and the hidden spatial barriers were all as transparent as thin paper, offering absolutely no protection.

Within a vast world within Thunder Mountain, the figures of the three monarchs, Lan Duo, Bai Mo, and Feng Xing, are clearly discernible. They are entangled in dense causal threads, each thread stained with heavy karma, a truly shocking sight.

Hu Yanbo understood that with just a thought, even with the protection of Thunder Mountain's formation, these three would suffer a powerful causal backlash, unable to suppress their primordial bloodline and turning into uncontrollable killing machines.

Hu Yanbo's senses did not stop there. He looked into the vast world deep in Thunder Mountain and saw a figure with the thickest and most powerful causal line lying quietly on the endless grassland, surrounded by a faint but powerful aura.

He was the progenitor of the Thunder Kingdom.

The strong are never without cause and effect; on the contrary, the stronger the being, the thicker the causal lines, and the heavier the entanglements and karma they bear.

It's just that those with high cultivation levels can use their own strength to conceal the traces of cause and effect;

Hu Yanbo quietly watched the Thunder Ancestor for a moment.

It is already known that with the power of the Great Dao he currently possesses, he is unable to influence the Thunder Ancestor through the causal lines.

Hu Yanbo's senses spread outwards, sweeping over Thunder Mountain and looking towards other parts of the Origin Continent.

The aura of the Flame Wind Ancestor could be faintly felt, and the thickness of its causal lines was even greater than that of the Thunder Ancestor, indicating that it was clearly stronger.

As for his teacher, the thickness of his causal lines was almost the same as that of Di Qing, but his teacher had very little karma on him. It was probably because his teacher rarely took action, whether in the Origin Continent or the Holy Realm of the Chaotic Origin Space, and had not left behind too many causal entanglements.

Hu Yanbo continued to circulate the Qi of Heaven and Earth, observing each place as he went.

He observed all phenomena through cause and effect, and examined the beginning and end through cause and effect. He watched the rules of the Origin Continent operate, the vastness and surging of the Cosmic Sea, and the vast primordial universes in the three thousand dimensions.

The causal relationships of each primordial universe vary in size and complexity, but the largest causal line is none other than the primordial universe to which it belongs.

This is because that primordial universe gave birth to too many exceptionally talented top experts. He himself, Luo Feng, and the Primordial Ancestor all originated from there.

It is precisely because of the endless causal relationships and superpositions of these powerful beings that this primordial universe has become the one with the most magnificent and prominent causal network among the countless primordial universes in the three thousand dimensions.

"Oh, so the next breakthrough is to break through to Chaos?" Hu Yanbo looked at the various things in the primordial universe and suddenly felt a slight stirring in his heart.

At this moment, within the primordial universe, chaos remains at its original state, having not yet taken that step of breakthrough.

However, Hu Yanbo used the two energies of heaven and earth to activate the Great Dao of Cause and Effect, directly tracing the cause from the effect, and at a glance, he saw the future outcome and the scene of chaos breaking through at some point in the future.

With cause and effect already determined, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Lord of Chaos City will be the next powerful figure to venture into the Origin Continent after the Giant Axe Founder.

In that instant, time, cause and effect, and result and cause intertwined and merged, and Hu Yanbo gained an unprecedented understanding of the essence of time in that single glance.

"Once the Great Dao of Destruction is repaid, the next Great Dao to be prepaid will be the Great Dao of the Origin of Time," Hu Yanbo thought to himself, as the flow of the Qiankun Qi at his fingertips became increasingly steady.

He suddenly realized that the Dao of Cause and Effect and the Dao of the Origin of Time seemed to be inextricably linked—cause and effect is about finding the cause based on the result and tracing back to the cause based on the result.

The essence of time is to connect the past, present, and future; without the flow of time, cause and effect would have no basis.

Without the entanglement of cause and effect, time is merely an empty passage.

Previously, he had failed to see the connection between the two, which kept him separated from the origin of time by a barrier. Now, by using the principle of cause and effect to glimpse the future, he has gained a new perspective on time.

"If I understand time this way, I think it should be easier to repay!"

Hu Yanbo strolled slowly through the wilderness and cities of the Thunder Ancient Kingdom, taking in the different scenery along the way.

Until they reached Thunder Mountain.

Inside Thunder Mountain, the Thunder Ancestor was lying down, observing a section of golden finger bone, studying it carefully. Suddenly, he exclaimed, "Thunder Ancestor!"

A voice rang in the ears of the Thunder Ancestor.

The Thunder Ancestor was startled, and his expression changed drastically.

"Impossible," Thunder Ancestor said in disbelief.

"This is Thunder Mountain, a divine emperor-level cave treasure that I personally crafted, protected by a hidden space and array that I personally created."

"Even Yanfeng can only contact me through communication artifacts."

"Thunder Ancestor, I am Hu Yanbo." Hu Yanbo's voice entered Thunder Ancestor's ears once again.

The Thunder Ancestor's eyes narrowed sharply, with a faint surge of lightning within them.

If the other party has such ability, then so be it.

What alarmed him even more was the name: Huyanbo.

He'd never heard of it!

The Thunder Ancestor's mind raced, and he immediately used his divine sense to send a message, ordering the monarchs of the Thunder Ancient Kingdom to quickly report all the major events that had recently occurred on the Origin Continent.

Among these major events, the purge of those who committed heinous crimes and the recent death of Emperor Yuan are naturally among them.

As the number one sinner in the Origin Continent, Di Yuan's demise could not be hidden from the monarchs of the Thunder Kingdom.

In particular, the three monarchs, including Lan Duo, were terrified after learning that Di Yuan had been killed. They hid deep in Thunder Mountain and dared not take a single step out.

"It's him?"

"Is he Huyanbo?" Thunder Ancestor's heart suddenly trembled.

After all, such a terrifyingly powerful figure could not have been born out of nowhere on the Origin Continent. It must be this person who recently cleansed up the great sinners and killed Di Yuan.

While the Thunder Ancestor was still pondering, Hu Yanbo's voice entered his mind once again.

"Thunder Ancestor, are you aware of the harm that the White Demon Lord, the Blue Fairy Lord, and the Wind Punishment Lord have inflicted on countless beings on the Origin Continent during this era of reincarnation?"

"The sins committed by the three of them combined far exceed those of Di Yuan."

The Thunder Ancestor frowned!

He cultivated the Hunyuan bloodline, so he naturally knew that if one's will was not strong enough, it was very easy for a cultivator of the Hunyuan bloodline to lose control of himself and commit acts of slaughtering living beings.

but?

so what!

So what if I commit a sin?

They were self-aware and never harmed the creatures of the Thunder Kingdom in the slightest. They only harmed the creatures of other kingdoms, which had nothing to do with them.

"I killed Di Yuan a while ago. Their sins are no less serious than Di Yuan's, so I cannot let them off the hook either."

"Please, give me the honor and let them come out."

"I'll deal with them."

Upon hearing Hu Yanbo's telepathic message, Thunder Ancestor's eyes suddenly turned icy cold.

Although he and these monarchs were separated by several Origin World eras and had no feelings for each other whatsoever.

He trained them only so that these people could help him seize more treasure lands and plunder more cultivation resources.

However, this does not mean that he can allow outsiders to dispose of the monarch of his Thunder Kingdom at will.

Even if they really committed heinous crimes.

"It's a good thing that a God Emperor has risen on the Origin Continent," Thunder Ancestor's voice was chilling.

"But we've barely met, and you're already planning to deal with our country's monarch?"

"Are you very confident?"

"But what if I say no!"

"What can you do?"

Hu Yanbo did not reply, and the surroundings fell into a deathly silence.

The lightning in the eyes of the Thunder Ancestor intensified, and he continued to speak.

"Although I don't know what methods you used to transmit your voice to my secluded and slumbering place, as long as they are inside my Thunder Mountain, you will never be able to kill them."

"forever!"

He paused, noticing that there was still no response from the other side. He assumed that his intimidation had worked, so he softened his tone a bit, but still maintained his condescending arrogance.

"Junior, depart!"

"The Origin Continent is not something a newly promoted God Emperor like you can decide."

Lightning surged in the eyes of the Thunder Ancestor. In his view, this newly promoted God Emperor was ultimately young and impetuous, and would not be able to withstand his intimidation, so he would definitely back down.

He was even prepared for the other party to back down and leave, but he didn't expect that the next moment Hu Yanbo's voice would come.

"Since you, Ancestor, won't let them out, then I have no choice but to let them die inside."

Hu Yanbo already knew what was going on; this outcome was exactly what he had expected.

In fact, he did have other options. If he had directly used the cause-and-effect killing method, no one would have known that it was his doing.

But if he were to repay the consequences of these killings, of the three choices before him, the easiest path to do so would be to rewrite the rules of the Origin Continent.

And how do we formulate rules?

The answer is simple: just show off your muscles.

Who should we contact for a solution?

Naturally, the goal is to find the two rule-makers on the Origin Continent.

Coincidentally, the Thunder Kingdom still has three monarchs—Blue Doll, White Demon, and Wind Punishment—who have not yet been killed.

Hu Yanbo then decided to settle things once and for all, both to repay the advance payment for the Great Dao of Destruction and to demonstrate his strength.

"I think the three monarchs of the Thunder Ancient Kingdom—Blue Demon, White Demon, and Wind Punishment—are already dead," Hu Yanbo thought to himself, as pale golden runes of cause and effect quietly appeared on his divine body.

The patterns are mysterious and complex, carrying the rhythm of his own self-created Dao.

The Thunder Ancestor's divine sense pierced through layers of space, locking onto Huyan Bo, his eyes filled with curiosity: "What kind of secret rune is this?"

He had cultivated in many Origin Worlds and even in the Holy Realm for a long time, but he had never seen such strange patterns.

Moreover, what is he doing?

Did he intend to kill Lan Duo and the other two through Thunder Mountain, a divine emperor-level secret treasure he had personally crafted?

This is simply a fantasy!

The Origin Continent already has a power limit, and the array and spatial barriers of Thunder Mountain further hinder its power.

Let alone a newly promoted God Emperor, even among experts of the same level, there is absolutely no way to achieve this.

Before Thunder Ancestor could finish his thought, a clear perception instantly entered his mind—the life force of the three monarchs, Blue Flower, White Demon, and Wind Punishment.

In the same instant, it vanished completely, leaving not even a trace of its soul behind.

"Huh???" Thunder Ancestor was dumbfounded, truly dumbfounded.

The oppressive aura emanating from him suddenly froze, and the lightning in his eyes became chaotic. Just a second ago, he was absolutely certain that the other party had no chance.

Before he could even finish thinking, he was slapped in the face.

The reversal came so suddenly that he was caught off guard and didn't have time to react.

"What kind of approach is this?!" Thunder Ancestor suppressed the shock and disbelief in his heart.