Chapter 522: The Strongest Slave Trader in History (Part 1)

To venture into the cosmos, one must first evade surveillance, such as the "Heaven's Eye" from outside this domain. For instance, Chu Feng is currently under constant observation; everyone on the Prime Beast live-streaming platform knows his whereabouts and activities, leaving him with no privacy.

This lack of privacy deeply displeased Chu Feng. He had previously confronted and challenged the Prime Beast platform, demanding to know if evolvers still had any right to privacy. However, the Prime Beast platform responded that Earth, being a wasteland with insufficient evolutionary advancement, could be observed by entities from outside the domain as mere spectators without violating existing cosmic regulations. If Earth were to advance even slightly, reaching the status of a one-star evolutionary civilization, such indiscriminate monitoring would no longer be permitted.

Chu Feng frowned, finding the situation akin to modern humans observing a rare species or "savages" in a forest, treating it as a form of "scientific exploration." He fell silent, contemplating the tragic fate of his home planet. Once, it had illuminated countless realms, revered across myriad domains, and ranked eleventh in the entire universe. Now, however, it had become a backwater on the edge of the cosmos, viewed by many as a dwelling for barbarians, with a fractured evolutionary civilization. It didn't even qualify as a one-star civilization, let alone a five-star or higher one.

Outsiders monitored Earth casually, as if observing savages or rare animals in a forest. Evolvers from various races came and went as they pleased, demonstrating Earth's complete lack of status or dignity. Such a scenario would be unthinkable on powerful planets belonging to flourishing evolutionary civilizations. For example, if numerous divine sons and saintesses wished to visit such prosperous planets, they would be required to report their intentions and give prior notice. Failure to do so would result in them being deemed invaders and summarily executed.

Snapping back to reality, Chu Feng realized that venturing into the cosmos was fraught with danger. He needed to do so undetected; exposure would mean certain death. "I need to find a sect-suppressing artifact," Chu Feng mused, "one capable of stabilizing an area, concealing my vital energy, and evading the scrutiny of powerful beings from beyond and the Heaven's Eye."

He then focused on the Myriad Star Gourd. Palm-sized and seemingly cast from purple-gold, its most striking feature was the myriad spots on its skin that shimmered brilliantly like twinkling stars, undoubtedly giving the gourd its name. The gourd vine itself glowed, exuding vibrant vitality and surrounded by shimmering light. Even after its roots and the unusual soil around them were excavated, it remained unaffected, continuing to flourish robustly.

"What makes it so valuable?" Chu Feng inquired.

Zi Luan's eyes burned with eagerness. "It can nourish swords, refine pills, and even cultivate people," she explained. "That's why it also goes by another name: the Heaven-Nourishing Gourd."

"Nourishing swords" is a general term; it refers to the gourd's ability to warm and enhance various weapons. It possesses a natural weapon-nurturing field within, which gradually improves the quality of mystic artifacts. Prolonged use of the gourd allows the tens of thousands of spots on its surface to cultivate sword qi. Imagine the spectacle of ten thousand streaks of sword light erupting from it at a crucial moment!

As for refining pills, the benefits are even greater. Various natural treasures are difficult to preserve, and their quality often degrades over time as their divine essence dissipates. With this gourd, however, such issues are perfectly resolved. And nourishing people is not just a claim; the gourd can attract various energy factors from heaven and earth, including rare and elusive immortal substances. Wearing it consistently can significantly increase one's lifespan. Furthermore, cultivating within the gourd's interior yields results with remarkable efficiency.

Upon hearing this, Chu Feng's eyes gleamed. This was indeed an invaluable treasure; no wonder it was said that once fully matured, even the saints of the universe would covet it!

"Brother Fuhuang, Miss Xuliang, thank you! I am quite fond of this Myriad Star Gourd." Chu Feng expressed his gratitude with a smile, cupping his fists respectfully to the pair. Neither of their expressions was pleasant. Fuhuang, who practiced the Demonic Slaughtering Record breathing technique, hailed from the Celestial God Star, his ancestors originating there. Xuliang, from the Great Xu Dynasty, had a formidable background, as her sect was associated with the top ten planets.

Upon their initial appearance, both were naturally defiant. They certainly wouldn't surrender the Myriad Star Gourd willingly, engaging Chu Feng in fierce combat. Unfortunately, they proved no match; their strength was comparable to Yuan Mo's, and both were ultimately subdued.

"Brother Fuhuang," Chu Feng advised with a charlatan's air, "since you helped me keep an eye on Yuan Mo and prevented his escape during my conflict with the Xilin Clan, I'll offer you a piece of advice: your name is inauspicious. You'd best change it soon, or a great calamity awaits you." These few words instantly darkened the faces of both Fuhuang and Yuan Mo.

"I hold no grudge against you, so why did you plunder me?!" Xuliang demanded, furious. She was undeniably a prodigious imperial princess, far surpassing other divine sons and saintesses in power, yet she too had been captured by Chu Feng.

"You and Fuhuang attacked my follower, Yuan Mo, leaving him covered in injuries," Chu Feng said with a smile. "I'm merely protecting my subordinate and seeking retribution."

Xuliang clenched her delicate fist. She had arrived on this planet brimming with aspiration and confidence, believing herself superior to all, intending to unearth supreme breathing techniques, peerless secret arts, and gather various sacred medicines. Yet, despite having sacrificed her cultivation to arrive early, she had met with such a humiliating setback. As an imperial princess from a formidable sect, her capture today was a considerable blow to her pride and standing.

Chu Feng offered comfort, saying, "Don't worry, I won't make things difficult for you. When I contact your Great Xu Dynasty later, I assure you there will be no extortion. A symbolic ransom will suffice, and I'll release you promptly." Such "comfort" left onlookers speechless, as it was painfully obvious that Xuliang was being held hostage. As for Xuliang herself, she nearly lunged at him again, but her powers remained sealed.

"Don't just stand there gawking," Chu Feng announced, glaring at the others. "You'll all be auctioned off soon. Pay up your ransoms!" Every divine son and saintess present cursed inwardly. How could this be happening? Given their esteemed statuses, had they journeyed to Earth simply to be kidnapped and extorted?

"Ladies and gentlemen," Chu Feng declared, "prepare to return home to your mothers. The auction will commence shortly. I hope that when we meet again in the cosmos someday, we can share a smile, recall this day, and put aside any lingering animosity."

"Go to hell!" a chorus of internal curses erupted from the group. Upon hearing Chu Feng's words, their faces darkened to the color of a sooty cauldron. The idea of being packaged up and shipped off like parcels was utterly preposterous! They had no desire to leave yet; how utterly humiliating it would be to be unceremoniously shipped back! They still wished to seek their fortunes on Earth.

Chu Feng looked at them. "Those who wish to stay may do so," he offered, "but quickly discuss with your families. Pay a larger ransom, and then a protection fee. Afterward, I will protect you. And yes, this time it's a genuine protection fee—not just empty words. If any of you encounter trouble, I will provide immediate assistance!" "Villain!" many cursed internally. To demand a protection fee on top of the ransom was truly abominable!

"Hmm, Li Feng, what's your situation?" Chu Feng asked, glaring disapprovingly at the tall, speechless, supermodel-like cosmic saintess. "Were you attempting to escape just now?"

"No, I never left," Li Feng replied. "I entered the grotto, and because of you, I was besieged by everyone."

"Alright, where's Zhan He?" Chu Feng wondered, suspecting Zhan He had genuinely fled and would need to be dealt with if recaptured.

"I'm here!" Zhan He, the handsome Holy Son of the Crane Clan, now clad in white, declared as he arrived across the azure sea. "I was besieged by them and had no choice but to escape, but now I've returned!"

"Alright," Chu Feng said, "consider yourselves cleared. Come help me sort out the spoils, and then prepare to package and dispatch these divine sons and saintesses, sending them on their way."

He then logged onto the Prime Beast platform himself and announced his intention to auction off the geniuses from various races! Across the cosmos, this announcement ignited a veritable uproar, a furious frenzy. It was an unprecedented "feat," not involving just one or two divine sons or saintesses, but dozens, impacting scores of high-level planets. Ordinarily, the disappearance of a single divine son or saintess would trigger widespread commotion. Now, someone intended to auction off dozens simultaneously—it was surreal, simply an act of defiance against the natural order.

This audacious act was only possible on Earth because various sects could not directly intervene. Had it occurred elsewhere in the cosmos, a full-scale war would have erupted, sparking massive confrontations between planets. That day, the Prime Beast platform became a volcanic eruption of activity, buzzing with explosive fervor as evolvers from all races flocked to witness the event.

"This is utterly deranged! Dozens of divine sons and saintesses... he's just selling them off?!"

"Apparently, there were originally even more, but some hadn't provoked him, so he plans to release them unconditionally. However, these particular dozens had attacked Yuan Mo, Zi Luan, and others, and shown hostility towards him, so he decided to sell them all in one go!"

Across the cosmos, the frenzy intensified. Meanwhile, powerful figures from various orthodoxies were seething with impotent rage, their teeth practically aching from their desire to retaliate against Chu Feng. On this day, renowned orthodoxies began contacting one another, their customary greetings taking on an unusually peculiar tone.

For example:"Has your saintess been sold?""Our divine son is currently being auctioned!"

Such conversations were unthinkable on any other day, but the events unfolding today were simply beyond belief.

East Sea, Earth.

Chu Feng looked at Li Feng in surprise. "Are you saying that the Nine Forms of Heavenly Halberd are incredibly powerful?" he asked. "That countless ages ago, the Vermilion Bird Ancient Ancestor used this battle technique to sweep across half the universe?"

As Li Feng helped him organize the spoils, she specifically brought up the Nine Forms of Heavenly Halberd, subtly hinting at her desire to learn it herself, as she was a halberd user. "Unfortunately," Li Feng lamented, "the final form of the Nine Forms of Heavenly Halberd was destroyed during the recent struggle." There had been nine stone tablets, each bearing a profound diagram of the secret technique. During the battle for the grotto, the ninth and final diagram had been utterly pulverized!

Chu Feng exploded in a rage. "Damn it, you abominable scoundrels!" he roared. "How dare you destroy my supreme secret technique?! What compensation can you possibly offer?!" Those few could only complain internally: *It was our battle technique, wasn't it? And now you've stolen it!*

"This is our home planet's legacy, and you've desecrated it!" Chu Feng declared viciously. "First, I'm selling all of you, male and female alike, without exception. Contact your families: one drop of Celestial God Liquid per divine son or saintess, or I'll simply beat you to death!"

Those present instantly felt like weeping. Celestial God Liquid was a truly heaven-defying substance; a single drop could resolve all manner of bodily ailments, a treasure so rare it was virtually unobtainable. It was an artifact of the Celestial God Race, so scarce they didn't even have enough for internal use. It only occasionally surfaced in the cosmic black market, a truly rare find that commanded unimaginably exorbitant prices whenever it appeared.