Swallowed Star: Lord of the Wolf

Xuanhu Prefecture, Central Hall.

Xu Yang sat upright in the main seat, the chaotic jade throne beneath him radiating a warm glow that subtly harmonized with his own aura. Floating before him was a massive map of profound light, the core territory of the entire Xuanhu Chaos State, with points of light flowing across it, marking the status of mineral veins, spiritual plant forests, important strongholds, and the three garrison cities.

With a flick of his finger, streaks of light imbued with his will flew into various nodes on the map. These streaks were not complex commands, but rather concise and clear instructions: a plan to improve the mining efficiency of a certain mineral vein, an adjustment to the rotation cycle of a certain spiritual plant forest, optimization of the patrol route between Rock Guard City and Azure Edge Guard City... The instructions propelled the entire massive state machine to operate more smoothly.

"The primordial universe's human territory is vast and boundless, teeming with trillions of beings. The core of its governance lies in nothing more than 'law,' 'reason,' 'benefit,' and 'power.'" Xu Yang's heart remained calm and undisturbed. "Clear laws, reasonable principles, shared benefits, and deterrent power. These four principles are applicable to all realms."

The individual power of cultivators on the Origin Continent far surpasses that of the primordial universe, but the basic logic of management remains unchanged. However, even the weakest "city dwellers" here are true gods, and eternal true gods abound. Therefore, the scale of management needs adjustment, and the interests and conflicts involved are more intense.

Seven days after the handover ceremony, Qing Teng Hou took his leave. As he said, both of them were rulers of chaos, each with their own path, and it was impossible for them to be together all the time.

Xu Yang was also happy to have some peace and quiet, so he could do whatever he wanted.

The major frameworks—such as the defense system of Xuanhu City, its connection with the River of Life, and the ownership of core resource points—remain untouched by Xu Yang. These are the foundations, and also the bottom line for Qing Teng Hou and the River of Life. As a newcomer with an unstable foundation, he would not rashly challenge them.

But in smaller matters, his movements were as fine and continuous as spring rain.

The first issue is "people." A large prefecture needs manpower to operate its core institutions. Xu Yang, using his authority as the prefect, issued a recruitment notice to the entire Xuanhu Prefecture and even the surrounding areas. Anyone with the strength of a mid-stage Eternal True God or higher, regardless of background, could be appointed to various departments within the prefecture after passing an examination.

For a time, undercurrents surged both inside and outside Xuanhu City.

Countless Eternal True Gods, whether they were out of favor in small factions or seeking powerful backers, flocked to the assessment points set up by the state government. In just a few months, more than three hundred Eternal True Gods passed the initial screening and were incorporated into the state government system.

These people vary in strength, with the strongest few even approaching the threshold of Chaos.

Loyalty?
Xu Yang knew perfectly well that among these three hundred people, there must be spies planted by various forces, and there might even be moles from the Yanfeng Ancient Kingdom or other hostile forces.

But he didn't care.

"Your Majesty, the newly recruited group is a mixed bag. Should we..." A senior official who had been retained from the old subordinates of Marquis Qing Teng and was in charge of personnel in the prefecture asked cautiously.

Xu Yang's gaze remained fixed on the map, his voice calm and even: "It's alright. The prefecture is newly established, its framework is empty, and it needs manpower to fill it. Let them each perform their duties and run errands. They have no access to core secrets. As for spies... as long as they don't endanger my safety or undermine the foundation of the prefecture, let them be. It's good to let them see how I govern Xuanhu Prefecture."

His confidence stems from his absolute strength.

The will of the Chaos Ruler enveloped the core area, and no movement could escape his perception. In his eyes, these eternal true gods were nothing more than pawns on a chessboard to be manipulated at will.

Using them to do things is effortless and worry-free. If there is any misconduct, they can be suppressed with a flick of the wrist.

The central hall of the prefectural government gradually became busier.

The newly recruited Eternal Gods were assigned to various departments and offices, handling complex but not core administrative tasks: mineral output statistics, spiritual plant cultivation records, mediation of disputes among cultivators, city security patrols... With the infusion of new blood, the massive state government machinery began to operate more efficiently.

Xu Yang only needs to grasp the general direction and review and summarize regularly. He doesn't need to do everything himself, lest he lose his role as the master of chaos.

……

State Lord's Mansion, Quiet Room.

While external affairs proceeded smoothly, Xu Yang's true form was meditating cross-legged in a quiet room.

A chaotic energy flowed around him, sometimes vibrant with life, nurturing all things; at other times, it permeated with an aura of destruction, annihilating all laws. The profound mysteries of life and destruction seemed to be more readily comprehended under the immense territorial fortune bestowed by the state seal.

But at this moment, his mind was not completely immersed in cultivation.

A picture of a distant starry sky unfolded in his mind—the primordial universe, the territory of humanity. He could clearly sense that that universe was still a long time away from its final decay.

However, two bright spots in the painting touched his heartstrings.

"Cangya... Yuji..." Xu Yang murmured to himself. One was his own daughter, the other a disciple he treated like a son, to whom he had imparted all his knowledge.
They cultivate the divine power style, possessing exceptional talent, and have now reached a bottleneck, with a breakthrough imminent. Once they succeed in breaking through, it will mean that they will soon leave the primordial universe and ascend to this vast and cruel Origin Continent.

"The Origin Continent is vast and boundless, fraught with peril. When the Void Gods first arrive, without guidance, they are easily lost, even perishing in the desolate lands." Xu Yang's eyes were resolute. "With me here, how can I allow you to repeat the mistakes I made when I first arrived?"

He had already prepared everything.

A detailed map of the Origin Continent allows him to instantly pinpoint the arrival location of Cangya and Yuji as soon as they arrive, based on the subtle causal connection between them and the marks left on their bodies.

"I will personally come to pick you up then," Xu Yang promised in his heart. "This Xuanhu City will be your home on the Origin Continent. With the Chaos Sovereign as your teacher and father, you will be able to avoid countless detours and dangers."

This is the power of background.

When Luo Feng first arrived, every step was fraught with thorns; when Xu Yang first arrived, he struggled to survive.

When Cangya and Yuji arrive, they will stand at the end point that countless beings on the Origin Continent struggle their entire lives to reach—a being of the Chaos Overlord level will shelter them from the wind and rain and pave their way forward.

As my thoughts wandered, another promise came to mind.

“Green mountains, bitter words of Ju…” Xu Yang thought of the two eternal true gods who fell in the cosmic sea and entrusted their inheritance and hope to him.

Their last wishes... Bai Sui Chaos State and Jiu You Chaos State... their hometown...

“In the past, when our strength was weak and we were too busy to take care of ourselves, we could only keep our promises to ourselves. Now…” Xu Yang opened his eyes, his gaze deep, “it is time to settle this karmic debt.”

With a slight thought, he sent out an order through the state government's seal.

Soon, the respectful voice of the person in charge of intelligence and foreign affairs rang out from outside the quiet room: "What are your orders, Your Majesty?"

"Order the 'Wind and Information Bureau' of the prefecture to use all available channels to investigate the news of the major families in the two major prefectures of Bai Sui Chaos Prefecture and Jiu You Chaos Prefecture. This matter is classified as confidential and should be reported directly to me." "Yes, sir!" The official accepted the order and left.

In the quiet room, Xu Yang closed his eyes again, believing that self-cultivation was the right path.

……

The chaotic energy flowed gently around Xu Yang like a docile stream, and the mysteries of life and destruction were constantly evolving and changing in his heart under the nourishment of the state's fortune.

It has been more than 800 million days since he officially took control of Xuanhu City, not even a full cycle has passed. For his long life as a Chaos Ruler, this is but a fleeting moment.

The state government was already operating smoothly. Under Xu Yang's absolute power and clear framework of "law, reason, and power," the newly recruited Eternal True Gods each performed their duties. Although they could not be said to be completely loyal, none of them dared to overstep their bounds.

He was able to devote most of his energy to comprehending the vast inheritance in the second volume of "The Record of the Origin of All Spirits", especially the wisp of "Life Essence", which he was slowly refining and nourishing his understanding of the Great Dao of the Origin of Life.

Just then, a communication mark he had left in the state capital's talisman was activated.

"Guardian of the Ancient Netherworld, I am 'Crimson Flame.' I have a mission targeting the Ancient Kingdom of Flamewind. Do you accept it?"

Xu Yang was taken aback. He knew that the River of Life would occasionally issue missions, most of which were aimed at their mortal enemy, the Yanfeng Ancient Kingdom. However, he didn't want to stand out too much right now, so he didn't accept any missions targeting the Yanfeng Ancient Kingdom... He didn't expect that a mission would come knocking on his door.
If you don't think about it too much, it's fine, but if you do... this might not be the unspoken rule of the River of Life. Only when everyone has taken action against the Yanfeng Ancient Kingdom can they truly be considered comrades-in-arms in the same trench.

Without keeping Chi Huo waiting too long, Xu Yang said, "Chi Huo, please speak freely."

"Good! The mission is to find the First-Class Marquis of the Yanfeng Ancient Kingdom, 'Marquis Yanqiong,' who has a guest minister named 'Shifangke' under his command. He was fortunate enough to obtain a wisp of the 'Primordial Fire Seed' origin!"

"This spark contains a trace of the true meaning of the fire that opens up the cage, and it also has a wonderful effect in understanding the initial mystery of the creation of life."

"However, Marquis Yanqiong is a core member of the royal family, and we cannot easily kill him to avoid triggering a war between emperors. But his guest elder, 'Ten Directions Guest,' is a leisurely Chaos Realm cultivator, so killing him is harmless!"

"A first-class interception mission is now issued: Guest Elder 'Shifangke' of the Yanfeng Ancient Kingdom."

Target location: Fengquan Chaos Prefecture.

Mission objective: Seize the origin of the 'Primordial Fire'.

Task deadline: Within ten days!
Task Level: Rank 1 (Grade A)

Mission Reward: Successfully defeat the target and bring back the Primordial Flame: 12 million Mother River Contribution Points (Primordial Flame worth 10 million points)!

“Guardian Guyou, this mission is not mandatory, but I suggest you participate and work together to complete it. Two fellow practitioners, including myself, have already accepted this mission. If the three of us join forces, we will be almost certain to succeed! The credit will be divided according to the amount of effort contributed.”

The mission wasn't difficult; it was simply a matter of intercepting and seizing the target. Xu Yang understood as soon as Chi Huo finished explaining.

"Brother Chi Huo, bring me a copy of the information on the Ten Directions Guest," Xu Yang said.

Almost at the same instant, a long message was transmitted.

With a thought, a massive influx of information floods in.

Shi Fangke, a peak Chaos Realm expert, excels in fire and space manipulation. His signature technique is the "Seven Absolute Techniques of Burning Void." His divine body is incredibly resilient, and he possesses a defensive Chaos-level peak-grade armor, the "Ember Rock Armor," granting him exceptional survivability. He is ruthless, cunning, and vengeful…

The Origin Continent currently has only nine Great Paths, but that doesn't mean that all cultivators can only follow these nine Great Paths... In fact, the ancestor of the Thunder Ancient Kingdom cultivated the Thunder Origin Great Path, which was excavated from the Chaotic Origin Bloodline! Among his descendants, of the nine monarchs, three cultivated the Thunder Path, while the other six followed other Chaotic Origin Bloodline paths.

This Ten Directions Guest is a veteran powerhouse who became the Chaos Ruler through the path of bloodline. By exploring his bloodline, he followed the 'Flame Origin Great Dao'... However, in the Origin Continent, it is impossible to become a God King without following the law system. Therefore, this Ten Directions Guest has now begun to comprehend the Space Origin Great Dao in order to break through the shackles.

The alluring voice of the Crimson Fire Sovereign dissipated from his consciousness, but along with the detailed information about the "Ten Directions Guest," it was imprinted in Xu Yang's mind.

"First-class mission... intercepting Yan Feng's guest elder... the origin of the Primordial Fire Seed... twelve million Mother River contribution points..." Xu Yang's fingertips unconsciously tapped lightly on the Chaos Jade Throne, producing a deep and rhythmic sound, just like his thoughts running at high speed at this moment.

Risks and opportunities coexist.

The risk lies in the fact that Shi Fangke is a veteran powerhouse at the peak of the Chaos Realm, who walks the path of the origin of fire and also cultivates space, possessing a perfect balance of offense and defense and extremely strong survival ability. His signature technique, "Seven Absolute Techniques of Burning Void," is by no means an easy opponent. Moreover, the location is sensitive; Fengquan Chaos State is one of the important territories of the "Falling Phoenix Kingdom," a subordinate kingdom of the Yanfeng Ancient Kingdom, and is very unfriendly to powerhouses from the Mother River.

Assassinating a royal guest on the other side's territory could have disastrous consequences if it exposed their whereabouts or delayed too long, attracting the attention of other powerful figures or even God-Kings in the Yanfeng Ancient Kingdom.

However, it wasn't without its benefits. The "true meaning of the fire that opens the cage" contained within the primordial fire itself was of great inspirational value for him in comprehending the balance between the creation and destruction of life. Moreover, Crimson Fire had made it clear that two fellow practitioners had already received it.

This is both a task requiring collaboration and a kind of "pledge of allegiance" within the Mother River of Life.

Only by participating in and successfully intercepting the core retainers of the Yanfeng Ancient Kingdom can one truly be considered "one of their own" and gain deeper trust and resource allocation. Just as he thought, only by fighting against the Yanfeng Ancient Kingdom together can they truly be considered to be in the same trench.

Of course, fighting to the death with a peak Chaos Realm expert is also an excellent whetstone for testing one's own combat abilities.

……

Thoughts raced, and the pros and cons were weighed in an instant.

"Let's do it!" A sharp glint flashed in Xu Yang's eyes as he made his decision instantly. The path of cultivation is inherently about contending with fate, destiny, and opportunities. How could one climb to the peak with hesitation and timidity? Besides, although the risk was great, the potential rewards were enough to make him take the gamble!
He immediately replied to Chi Huo via the communication mark: "Brother Chi Huo, I, Gu You, have accepted this mission. When and where shall we meet?"

Chi Huo's response was filled with satisfaction: "Excellent! The coordinates for 'Shadow Gorge' in Fengquan Prefecture have been sent. Fellow Daoist 'Shadow Fang' and I have arrived nearby and are lying in wait. Brother Gu You, come quickly. That guest from the Ten Directions is seriously injured and hiding, his aura is unstable, this is the perfect opportunity. Remember to conceal your whereabouts and do not alert the Fengquan Prefecture!" His tone and address towards Xu Yang were unconsciously warmer.

A precise chaotic coordinate information entered Xu Yang's mind.

"Shadow Fang?" Xu Yang's heart stirred. This was also a Chaos Ruler in the core circle of the River of Life, known for his stealth assassinations and skilled in space. With his participation, the success rate of the surprise attack could indeed be greatly increased.

"Alright, I'll be there within half a day!" Xu Yang measured the distance and replied. (End of Chapter)