Chapter 74: The Gift of the Ruler of Yu State

Cave Mansion A913 in Huyang City.

Luo Feng had specially invited the Eternal True God, "Black Butcher," to personally prepare a lavish banquet for Yu Shui Tianyu, the daughter of the King of Yu Nation. Given Yu Shui Tianyu's noble status and her role as a representative of the God King, Luo Feng naturally ensured the occasion was sufficiently formal.

"The cuisine of Huyang City has its own unique charm," remarked Yu Shui Tianyu. Clad in armor, her abundant hair meticulously braided into hundreds of individual plaits, she held a large cut of meat—Black Butcher's specialty—and ate heartily. "Lord of Huyang City," she continued, "I find the food here at God Lord Luo He's residence to be superior to what's offered at your City Lord's Mansion."

"Hahaha..." the accompanying Lord of Huyang City chuckled. "Throughout Huyang City, Black Butcher from the Fire Realm Restaurant is the sole individual who has ascended to the Eternal True God realm purely through culinary arts. Your Highness, your visit to the City Lord's Mansion was quite sudden, making it impossible to secure Black Butcher's services in advance."

Luo Feng nodded, commenting, "Black Butcher's culinary skills are indeed excellent."

"It perfectly suits my taste; eating it is especially satisfying," Yu Shui Tianyu said, turning to Luo Feng. "God Lord Luo He, would it be possible to ask Black Butcher to come here?"

"Of course," Luo Feng replied, nodding. He then sent a mental message for Black Butcher, who was resting in the cave mansion after completing his cooking duties, to come forward.

Inside the pavilion, only Luo Feng, Yu Shui Tianyu, and the accompanying Lord of Huyang City were present. Black Butcher entered with a slight air of apprehension, keenly aware of the high status of the guest at the banquet.

She was, after all, the daughter of the King of Yu Nation!

The King of Yu Nation was truly remarkable, having single-handedly established a powerful nation that was considered a second-tier power across the entire Origin Continent. In terms of individual might, he was regarded as exceptionally formidable. His daughter's revered status was comparable to that of high-ranking figures from major clans within the Yanfeng Ancient Kingdom; even some Chaos Sovereigns would not dare to treat Her Highness Yu Shui Tianyu disrespectfully.

"Greetings, everyone," Black Butcher said, adopting a respectful demeanor.

"You are Black Butcher?" Yu Shui Tianyu's eyes sparkled. "Your culinary skills are truly excellent; I like them very much. Would you be willing to relocate to the Royal Capital and become a chef at my residence?"

Black Butcher was taken aback.

He had merely come to prepare a banquet for God Lord Luo He, yet he was now being invited to the Royal Capital by the daughter of the King of Yu Nation!

"God Lord Luo He, you wouldn't mind if I were to take your chef, would you?" Yu Shui Tianyu asked, turning to Luo Feng.

"He operates the Fire Realm Restaurant; he's not my personal chef," Luo Feng said with a chuckle. "If he has the opportunity to go to the Royal Capital, his future prospects will be significantly expanded. It would be a great benefit to him, so why would I object?"

In recent times, Luo Feng had been deeply engrossed in his cultivation, and it had been a long while since he visited either the Fire Realm Restaurant or Dream Blossom Tower.

"My residence currently employs only one head chef, and you would be the second I invite," Yu Shui Tianyu stated nonchalantly. "Rest assured, upon your arrival, you will be granted your own private cave mansion, and the cultivation resources you receive will vastly surpass anything available to you in Huyang City." As the daughter of the King, the casual gifts bestowed upon her by her father far exceeded the wildest imaginations of many Eternal True Gods.

"Your Highness's invitation is an immense honor; I am naturally willing to accept," Black Butcher declared, making his decision after a moment of consideration.

He had braved reincarnation to arrive at the Origin Continent and had struggled to establish himself until this very moment.

With such a monumental opportunity now before him, he naturally had to seize it!

Furthermore, as Huyang City was a border outpost, and recent conflicts between the Food Nation and Yu Nation had escalated, Black Butcher had grown concerned about being drawn into the strife. Thus, the chance to move to the Royal Capital was an offer he was more than willing to accept.

"Congratulations, Black Butcher," Luo Feng said with a smile.

"It was God Lord Luo He who provided me with this opportunity," Black Butcher replied, feeling deeply grateful. He was also keenly aware of the vast disparity between himself and God Lord Luo He. He had merely seized a chance to become a chef for Her Highness the Princess, whereas God Lord Luo He... had been personally visited by Her Highness the Princess herself.

Yu Shui Tianyu laughed heartily. "Indeed, I must thank God Lord Luo He for allowing me to discover Black Butcher's talent. Black Butcher, please make your arrangements quickly. I will depart Huyang City for the Royal Capital at daybreak."

"Understood," Black Butcher replied respectfully, then bowed and departed.

"Congratulations, Your Highness, on discovering such a talented head chef during your visit to Huyang City," the Lord of Huyang City remarked.

"While it's possible to find some who have achieved Eternal True God status through culinary arts, finding one who perfectly suits my palate is truly rare," Yu Shui Tianyu said, continuing to eat the meat with great satisfaction.

As for individuals of even greater prowess, someone capable of becoming a Chaos Sovereign through culinary arts would never serve as a mere chef for Her Highness the Princess. After all, even God Kings must accord a certain degree of respect to any being at the Chaos realm.

"Now, to business," Yu Shui Tianyu said, looking at Luo Feng. "God Lord Luo He, my father, the King, was very pleased upon hearing about you. After all, such a promising Eternal True God has appeared within our Yu Nation's territory. Furthermore, you lent your aid to our nation by eliminating some of the Food Nation's agents. Therefore, my father instructed me to present you with a gift."

"Thank you, Your Highness," Luo Feng replied. "Please also extend my gratitude to the God King on my behalf."

Yu Shui Tianyu turned her hand, producing a deep purple wooden box that flew directly to Luo Feng.

"God Lord, please open it and take a look," Yu Shui Tianyu prompted.

Luo Feng opened the box to reveal a pale green leaf resting within. This leaf was covered in countless intricate veins, and its surface shimmered with a subdued luster, causing the surrounding space to subtly ripple and distort.

"Quickly close the box," Yu Shui Tianyu urged. "This is a leaf from a freshly matured 'Void Essence Mother Tree.' The wooden box itself was specially crafted to extend the leaf's lifespan. If exposed to the outside, the leaf would likely wither completely and lose its efficacy within an epoch. However, stored within this box, its preservation period can be extended by dozens of times."

"A leaf from the Void Essence Mother Tree?" Luo Feng's heart stirred. He had learned about such an item from his master's intelligence reports and from information regarding the Duan Donghe lineage.

Naturally, such a rare treasure was impossible to acquire through purchase; it had long been divided among the most powerful beings of the Origin Continent.

"Each time the Void Essence Mother Tree's leaves mature, a portion is sent to my father, the King," Yu Shui Tianyu chuckled. "My father then bestows them upon Chaos Sovereigns and his trusted subordinates. The leaf you have today is freshly matured, meaning its benefits will last the longest."

"God Lord, have you heard how one uses it?" Yu Shui Tianyu inquired.

"I've heard it's connected to the Chaos Layer, but I don't know much more than that," Luo Feng admitted.

Yu Shui Tianyu explained, "Space is profoundly dense. Even powerful beings capable of tearing or slicing through space... typically only manage to affect its outermost layers."

"Space is extraordinarily dense, containing hundreds, even thousands, of layers," Yu Shui Tianyu elaborated. "To completely penetrate all these spatial layers would be tantamount to breaking through a cage. Among these numerous layers of space, one is known as the Chaos Layer."

"The Chaos Layer holds an infinite wellspring of chaotic power," Yu Shui Tianyu explained. "What is referred to as the 'Ruins of Chaos' is precisely the junction between the Chaos Layer and our everyday living space."

Luo Feng listened intently.

"You simply need to take out the Void Essence Mother Tree leaf and carry it on your person," Yu Shui Tianyu explained. "With it, you can travel in reverse through the Ruins of Chaos to reach the Chaos Layer. Ordinary cultivators are repelled by it, but with the Void Essence Mother Tree leaf, you can explore the Chaos Layer freely."

"Cultivating there will greatly aid your comprehension of Chaos Laws," Yu Shui Tianyu said with a faint smile. "Your foundations are already very deep across all aspects; cultivating within the Chaos Layer might just allow you to comprehend Chaos Laws."

"Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness," Luo Feng replied.

"This leaf is simply an expression of my father's admiration for you, and a reward for your previous actions in eliminating the Food Nation's agents," Yu Shui Tianyu continued. "Furthermore, my father intends to take you as a disciple. If you are willing, you may travel to the Royal Capital to undertake a series of trials. Should you successfully pass all three, you may formally become his disciple."

"Congratulations, Brother Luo He, this is a heaven-sent opportunity!" the Lord of Huyang City immediately interjected from the side.

For those from peripheral branches of the royal family, their status naturally couldn't compare to that of the personal disciples of the King of Yu Nation.

"All disciples accepted by my father must successfully pass the triple trials," Yu Shui Tianyu explained. "If you become his disciple, the resources you receive will far surpass this single Void Essence Mother Tree leaf. Should you reach the Chaos realm in the future, my father might even personally assist you with body refinement."

Luo Feng listened carefully.

Just as he himself had undergone three body refinements, this process was akin to refining weapons or secret treasures. If one held exceptional trust in another, they could allow that person to refine their divine body. For instance, if the King of Yu Nation were to personally intervene, he could undoubtedly temper a divine body to extraordinary strength.

"I will consider it," Luo Feng replied. "And thank you again, Your Highness, as well as the God King."

Yu Shui Tianyu frowned slightly, then smiled, "It appears God Lord Luo He already has another master."

In the Origin Continent, the master-disciple bond was considered no less sacred than the father-son relationship.

After all, a master imparts inheritances, provides resources, offers guidance, and leads their disciple every step of the way, often with more dedication than a father.

Likewise, a disciple was expected to repay their master. Should a disciple betray their master, it would incite public outrage and earn them universal scorn from all factions.

"Brother Luo He, this is an opportunity you absolutely cannot miss," the Lord of Huyang City reminded him.

"There's no need to force it; my father, the King, merely has a fondness for talent," Yu Shui Tianyu stated. For the King of Yu Nation, a few more or a few fewer disciples made little significant difference.

"Nonetheless, I must thank Your Highness," Luo Feng said, raising his cup.

Yu Shui Tianyu smiled and raised her cup as well, taking a sip. Even if they couldn't become fellow disciples, they could still remain friends. She was always willing to forge connections with cultivators of such immense potential, who might well reach the Chaos realm someday.

Once the banquet concluded, Yu Shui Tianyu and the Lord of Huyang City departed, with Luo Feng personally seeing them off from outside his cave mansion.

"If I were to formally accept a master, I would be completely bound," Luo Feng mused. He was acutely aware of this; the Vice Curator of the Yanfeng Pavilion had repeatedly cautioned him against pledging allegiance to Yu Nation, warning that he might then find himself unable to leave.

Faced with recruitment offers from the King of Yu Nation and the Di Chu lineage of the Yanfeng Ancient Kingdom, anyone with a modicum of discernment would know which path to choose.

While most kings are eager to recruit any who achieve the Chaos realm, ordinary Chaos realm beings could never become guest retainers of the Di Chu lineage within the Yanfeng Ancient Kingdom.

"If I were to go to the Royal Capital of Yu Nation, I would be dispensable to the King of Yu Nation."

"However, if I join the Yanfeng Ancient Kingdom in the future, I would be an important asset to Di Chu Yu."

Luo Feng gazed at the wooden box in his hand.

"Nevertheless, I must still thank the King of Yu Nation," Luo Feng thought, feeling quite delighted. This single Void Essence Mother Tree leaf would be of great assistance to him.

That very night, Luo Feng left behind an avatar of his divine power, gave instructions to Morosa and Moyu Qingyan, and then set off alone for the 'Ruins of Chaos' at the City Lord's Mansion.

"Brother Luo He, this is the Ruins of Chaos," the Lord of Huyang City announced, personally guiding him.

Luo Feng looked towards the front.

Ahead lay a distorted spatial rift, from which an endless torrent of chaotic energy streamed forth, as if water were cascading from an unseen source. As this energy spilled out, it naturally began to condense into chaotic crystals, some of it even permeating the surrounding earth and rocks, giving rise to chaotic stones.

"The infinite chaotic energy from the Chaos Layer solidifies the moment it enters our mundane realm," the Lord of Huyang City explained. "This is how chaotic crystals and chaotic stones are formed."

Luo Feng nodded, remarking, "It is indeed miraculous."

Around the Ruins of Chaos, several Void True Gods were busy cutting the solidified energy into uniform crystal blocks, with piles of chaotic crystals neatly stacked. At that moment, they all took notice of God Lord Luo He, who was being personally escorted by the Lord of Huyang City.

"It's God Lord Luo He."

"God Lord Luo He is here," they murmured, for all the Void True Gods knew that God Lord Luo He was currently the most formidable individual in Huyang City.

"Thank you, City Lord," Luo Feng said with a faint smile. "I will now proceed directly into the Chaos Layer."

"Once inside, remember your path; you can return the same way," the Lord of Huyang City said with a smile. "I've already made the necessary arrangements, so from now on, God Lord, you may enter the Ruins of Chaos whenever you wish."

"Thank you," Luo Feng said, nodding. He then flew directly towards the spatial rift, pushing against the massive torrent of chaotic energy that poured forth, and ascended into its depths.