Chapter 278: Compensation

I Eat Tomatoes:

"Buzz""Buzz""Buzz"The crimson worm repeatedly vanished and reappeared, attempting to penetrate the world's membrane wall each time, but it was always blocked by the thick, sturdy wall.

"I've long heard that theft is common in Yulan City, and seeing it today, the methods are truly extraordinary," said Luo Feng's three avatars within his inner world, observing the crimson worm with a smile.

"Let me out, I won't bother you again," the crimson worm announced, hovering in the air.

"Heh, you think you can just steal whenever you want, burrow into my inner world, and then leave?" the three Luo Fengs said, looking at the crimson worm. "Too late!"

The crimson worm, enraged, flapped its six pairs of small wings simultaneously, vanishing instantly. It reappeared beside one of Luo Feng's five avatars, specifically the Heavenly Light Avatar.

The Heavenly Light Avatar was the most indestructible of the five avatars, its body akin to a divine weapon or secret treasure. Luo Feng highly valued this avatar, though its energy reserves were not high.

The more energy it possessed, the more the Heavenly Light Avatar would self-collapse and condense, requiring a stronger will.

With one-fold perfect body energy reserves, the Heavenly Light Avatar had collapsed and condensed once. With three-fold perfect divine body energy reserves, it had condensed a second time. Ten-fold perfect body energy reserves represented Luo Feng's strongest current form, having undergone three such condensations. As for even stronger forms, Luo Feng's will could not make it collapse and condense further.

"Bang." The crimson worm, itself like a secret treasure, collided with the Heavenly Light Avatar. It was like two secret treasures striking each other, with neither sustaining any damage. "What? This is supposed to be the avatar with the weakest energy..." The crimson worm was astonished.

"Suppress!" The Heaven and Earth Avatar merged with the inner world. At this moment, vast cosmic energy formed a gigantic millstone, one of Luo Feng's ultimate Secret Arts of the Path of Life and Death, called the "Life-Death Millstone." The immense millstone completely trapped the crimson worm, attempting to grind it to pieces.

However, the crimson worm's body was like a treasure, impervious to crushing.

"Not good," the crimson worm thought. Trapped within the massive millstone, it couldn't escape the continuous crushing.

"Luo Feng, do you really intend to..." The crimson worm roared in anger, causing Luo Feng to frown. The intelligence of these thieving organizations was truly impressive; he had just registered his basic information upon entering the city today, and this pilfering cultivator already knew his name. "Sever!"

His Karma Avatar, standing by, immediately unleashed a curse-killing technique. Luo Feng possessed five avatars: World Avatar, Heaven and Earth Avatar, Time Avatar, Heavenly Light Avatar, and Karma Avatar.

The Karma Avatar had a clear perception of karma, possessing an innate advantage that made it suitable for karma-related secret arts.

Luo Feng, using the Path of Life and Death, had created the ultimate realm of Life and Death, and the secret art "Severing Life Force"—an invisible karma curse—was primarily aimed at the crimson worm.

"Ah!" With just one strike, the crimson worm let out a shriek, its aura instantly weakening considerably.

"Stop! Stop!" the crimson worm immediately cried out.

"A mere worm can withstand one of my karma attacks?" Luo Feng was surprised. "Let's try again."

"I surrender, I surrender," the crimson worm said urgently. This crimson worm was one of his three most important life-bound insects, nurtured at immense cost. If this life-bound insect died, he would be severely injured himself, and crucial to him, most of his thieving methods relied on it.

"You surrender and think you can leave?" the three Luo Fengs asked in unison, looking at him. "I'm willing to compensate!" The crimson worm was quite unwilling but could only nod obediently. Although his life-bound insect was like a secret treasure, the curse-killing technique greatly restrained it. Another strike would likely obliterate it.

"How much can you compensate? I won't accept a small amount," Luo Feng said. "Ten thousand Origin Crystals! I'm willing to pay 10,000 Origin Crystals!" the crimson worm replied.

Luo Feng sneered. "Your worm isn't an avatar, yet it's like one, far more valuable than ordinary weapons or secret treasures. I don't ask for much—200,000 Origin Crystals. If it's even one crystal less, I'll kill it right now."

"200,000 Origin Crystals!" the crimson worm exclaimed, shocked. "That's too ruthless! You want so much!"

"You have three breaths to decide. If you don't agree within that time, I'll kill it." Luo Feng wasted no words with him. He had previously visited many merchants and seen similar worms, and had heard attendants describe the cultivation requirements. From their exchange, Luo Feng estimated that the total cost to cultivate such a worm would start at 300,000 Origin Crystals, possibly even reaching 500,000 or 600,000.

"Three... two..." Luo Feng watched the crimson worm.

"Alright," the crimson worm reluctantly agreed.

"Give me some time to prepare; I'll send the Origin Crystals over shortly," the crimson worm said.

"You should know where my dwelling is, right?" Luo Feng said. "Send the Origin Crystals to my dwelling later. You give me the Origin Crystals, and I'll give you this crimson worm."

Luo Feng was concerned about being ambushed if he received the crystals outside, so it was safer to receive the compensation at his dwelling.

The crimson worm could only respond with indignation.

Luo Feng nodded.

"Phew." Luo Feng stopped browsing and immediately transformed into a streak of light, flying directly to his dwelling at top speed. This was a deal worth 200,000 Origin Crystals, so Luo Feng naturally took it very seriously.

"Making me pay 200,000 Origin Crystals!" The small figure in the distance gritted his teeth, but there was nothing he could do. "The organization's internal intelligence is clearly flawed. This Luo Feng's methods are unpredictable, and his multiple avatars are too troublesome to deal with." He quietly departed to prepare the Origin Crystals.

"What? You were targeted by a thief, and you even trapped one of their special worms?" Di Qing asked Luo Feng, quite surprised.

"That worm was quite formidable, silently infiltrating my inner world. But it got in, and now it can't get out," Luo Feng said with a smile. "Purely with my inner world, I couldn't have stopped that worm, but the Heaven and Earth Avatar is best suited to merge with a world, which is how I managed to trap it. If they don't provide sufficient compensation, I'll simply kill this special worm."

"You just arrived in Yulan City, and he already knew your name. This indicates that the force behind him must be connected to the elders of the Elder Hall," Di Qing mused. "Of course, the elders wouldn't be so idle as to target a newcomer like you directly; it's more likely an order from their mid-level members. Brother Luo, if you take these 200,000 Origin Crystals, they will certainly keep an eye on you," Di Qing warned.

"You think I shouldn't take it?" Luo Feng asked Di Qing.

"There's nothing to fear from thieving organizations," Di Qing said with a smile. "Those of us from the Origin World who also possess avatars, aside from high-level Chaos Origin beings, have nothing to fear regarding our lives. However, you should be prepared; they will undoubtedly try to harm you in the future."

Luo Feng nodded. Experts from the Origin World, with avatars in their homeworlds, can adventure in the outside world. Usually, if their avatars die in battle or they lose treasures, only beings who have transcended their cages can truly pollute their souls and kill them through the Origin World. "When adventuring outside, even if you try to avoid trouble, there will always be those who seek it out. This minor inconvenience is not worth mentioning."

Luo Feng didn't mind. Since the other party had targeted him, they would have to pay the price.

A short while later, a guest arrived at the entrance of the dwelling.

"They're here," Luo Feng and Di Qing went out together. A black-robed figure stood there, its interior a swirling mass of mist, observing Luo Feng and Di Qing with distorted movements.

"Luo Feng, is that right?" the black-robed misty figure asked, its form twisting. "Are you sure you want 200,000 Origin Crystals?"

"You can choose not to give it," Luo Feng said, looking at him. Di Qing also calmly watched the black-robed mist from the side. Experts from the Origin World possessed an inherent pride; if it came down to a fight to the death, neither side would fear the other. "Very good." The black-robed mist nodded, and suddenly, a cloth bag flew out from within it.

"Check it; there are 200,000 Origin Crystals inside." Luo Feng reached out, took the bag, and mentally probed it. He nodded, confirming the amount was correct. With a thought, Luo Feng then expelled the crimson worm that had been imprisoned within his inner world.

The crimson worm instantly vanished into concealment upon its release.

The black-robed misty figure turned and left. "I was ordered to target Luo Feng, and I failed this time. I can't pay all 200,000 Origin Crystals myself," he muttered. The small figure and the black-robed misty figure returned together inside the massive spherical creature.

The black-robed misty figure cast a cold glance at his subordinate. "Observing the target is the most basic ability. You failed because your own capabilities are insufficient."

The small figure felt quite wronged. Failure in theft was normal, and getting caught after hitting a snag was possible, but the cost of this particular incident was too high, resulting in a loss of a full 200,000 Origin Crystals.

"Remember not to fully trust intelligence reports," the black-robed mist said. "He took so many of my Origin Crystals, and that's it?" the small figure asked, unwilling to accept it.

"Di Qing is from the Origin World, and this Luo Feng should be from the Origin World too," the black-robed mist stated. "For God-Emperors who originate from the Origin World, do not act rashly. Striking out for temporary satisfaction is not worth it." The small figure was quite displeased.

"It's my loss! Of course, you don't feel bad!"

"We must wait for the right opportunity to strike once... and make Luo Feng truly regret it," the black-robed mist said, glancing at the small figure.

"For experts from the Origin World, a few avatars are insignificant to them. We must seize their true precious treasures."

"You can keep a close eye on Luo Feng. If you discover any information about his valuable treasures, inform me immediately. Once we succeed, I will give you a ten percent share," the black-robed mist instructed.

The small figure nodded. Since he was already looking for targets, he would naturally pay extra attention to Luo Feng.

Having just arrived in the Nine Rivers Saint Realm, Luo Feng was most in need of Origin Crystals. After receiving these 200,000 Origin Crystals, he was quite pleased. Combined with the amount Di Qing lent him, he now had a total of 300,000 Origin Crystals, allowing him to be somewhat more extravagant.

Immediately, Luo Feng began a major shopping spree, ensuring he carried no more than 5,000 Origin Crystals each time he went out.

He spent three days carefully observing and making dozens of purchases, spending a little over 190,000 Origin Crystals in total to acquire everything he needed. Then, he began his secluded cultivation.

Luo Feng looked at the various resources piled before him. The most numerous were the remnants of natural Chaos Origin lifeforms—a bottle of blood, a feather, or a bone. He had purchased over 300 such remnants, each averaging around 300 Origin Crystals.

Compared to the profound mysteries contained within the Star Tower's "Eye of Life and Death," the mysteries within these low-level Chaos Origin lifeform remnants were much shallower. They were only slightly more complex than complete grand dao, making them easier to comprehend.

With these resources ready to be converted into strength, Luo Feng settled down to cultivate.