Swallowed Star: Lord of the Wolf

Once one ascends to the realm of the God King, one's fame spreads throughout the world.

hum!
As Xueyin sat quietly in the garden of the city lord's mansion, ripples appeared in the space once again. He frowned and looked up.

A tiny hole was punched in the space.

A figure silently 'flowed' out of the void.

The newcomer was tall and thin, bald, and shrouded in a strange robe that seemed to be woven from countless flowing starlight and shadow. His face was indistinct, as if viewed through a constantly shifting crystal, sometimes clear as an old man next door, sometimes blurry as distorted starlight. Only his eyes were visible, as deep as black holes that devoured all light, yet in their deepest recesses shone a non-human wisdom that saw through all things.

He stood there, emanating no divine power or law fluctuations typical of cultivators from the Origin Continent. Instead, he exuded a strange, incongruous sense of emptiness.

The newcomer was none other than the Vice Palace Master of the mysterious force "Two Realms Palace" outside the cage—the Walker.

"Congratulations, Blood Concealed God King, on your successful attainment of enlightenment. From now on, you may roam freely between heaven and earth." The traveler's voice rang out, and he gently cupped his hands in greeting.

Blood Shadow's Destructive Eyes instantly locked onto the uninvited guest, its dark gold scales shimmering.

"Who are you?!"

Blood Shadow naturally knew about the Two Realms Palace, but had never seen it before, so he couldn't possibly recognize the Traveler. Now that this guy had silently infiltrated his vicinity, he was naturally extremely vigilant.

"Hahaha, God King, please calm your anger." The Walker's figure rippled slightly under the pressure of Blood Shadow, like a reflection in water, but it did not dissipate. A look of surprise flashed in his black hole-like eyes, as if he was surprised that Blood Shadow had such a fierce aura so soon after breaking through.

He landed in one step and sat opposite Xueyin: "I am the Vice Palace Master of the Two Realms Palace, Xingzhe. I am not here to be hostile, but to congratulate the God King and... present the God King with the most needed gift at this moment."

"The Two Realms Palace?" Xue Yin frowned, slightly reducing his aura of destruction, but his vigilance only increased.

He had heard of this mysterious force, which existed outside the systems of the two ancient kingdoms, but had never come into contact with it. Its actions were secretive, its origins were unknown, and its reputation on the Origin Continent was quite complex.

“Indeed.” A “kind” smile seemed to appear on the traveler’s blurred face. “The God-King has just ascended to the throne, and must be preoccupied with consolidating his realm and exploring higher paths. Especially that… Yuan Treasure Land, which is a shortcut to heaven that is hard to come by but can only be encountered by chance. However, the ancient kingdom has strict rules, and the contribution points are as high as mountains and seas, making it daunting and leaving people helpless…”

Blood Shadow was suddenly jolted.

The lightning vortex within the Eye of Destruction suddenly froze, revealing the Treasure Land of Origin.

He had just discussed this matter with the Heavenly Emperor not long ago, and his thoughts had not yet settled down when this mysterious traveler so accurately pinpointed his desire.

"How...how did you know?" Xueyin's voice was like a cold wind from the depths of hell, and fine black cracks began to appear in the surrounding space under the pressure he unconsciously exuded.

“Hehehe…” The traveler let out a low laugh, the sound echoing in the garden, carrying a mysterious and confident air of complete control. “Why should the God King be surprised? Although my Two Realms Palace is not as grand and righteous as the ancient kingdom, its information channels… have their own unique advantages.”

He avoided directly answering Xue Yin's question, instead continuing in a seductive tone, "What the God King desires is not difficult for my Two Realms Palace. As long as the God King is willing... to completely join my Two Realms Palace and become a true core member..."

The traveler stretched out his palm, which seemed to be made of starlight, with his palm facing upward, and slowly lifted up two hazy halos of light.

Within the first halo of light, a miniature world, shrouded in the primordial chaos and brimming with thunderous power, could be faintly seen, exuding an alluring aura—it was the entry token to a treasure land of the primordial era.

Within the second halo was a blurry, phantom spear, seemingly formed from endless destructive lightning and chaotic energy. Profound destructive runes were naturally inscribed on its shaft, and the mere aura emanating from the phantom caused the core of destruction within Blood Shadow to rejoice. This was a god-king-level weapon perfectly tailored to his Dao of Destruction, especially the "Chaotic Heaven Lineage"!
"If you join, with your strength, you can directly bypass the status of an outer disciple and become a formal disciple. These two items are your entry gifts." The traveler's voice was full of seduction. "As long as the God-King nods, the spot in the treasure land will be immediately granted, and divine weapons will be personally forged for you by the palace's masters, which will surely make the God-King even more powerful! Even... in the future, higher-level guidance and a broader stage will be open to the God-King of the Two Realms Palace!"

Blood Shadow's eyes were fixed on the two alluring halos, especially the token of the Primordial Treasure Land, which held a fatal attraction for him.

His experience at the Gate to the Void Realm made him realize just how extraordinary such an opportunity was!

However, the original work's subtle warnings about "alien forces," as well as the traveler's unpredictable appearances and terrifyingly accurate intelligence capabilities, coiled around his fiery heart like a cold, venomous snake.

Fully commit?

what does this mean?
What is the true purpose of the Two Realms Palace?
Where do those so-called "higher-level guidance" and "broader stage" lead?

"Completely join... what do you need me to do?" Blood Shadow's voice was low and unreadable, revealing no emotion, only his mind racing. He wasn't blinded by temptation; instead, he became even more vigilant. Such a delicious pie wouldn't fall from the sky!

Upon hearing this, the traveler was overjoyed. Blood Shadow hadn't refused outright, which meant there was hope.

"God King is a man of few words. The specifics will be discussed with you by the Palace Master once you officially join. Rest assured, the Two Realms Palace is eager for talent and will never mistreat someone as exceptionally gifted as God King. All that is required is... a little 'loyalty' and... a possible 'small' assistance in the future."

He spoke of "loyalty" and "assistance" in a casual tone, yet it sent the warning signs in Xueyin's heart soaring to their peak.

Behind this vague explanation, there must be a huge price to pay and unspeakable secrets.

The silence lasted only a brief moment.

Blood Shadow raised his head, and the chaotic dark golden lightning vortex in his Eyes of Destruction slowly rotated. The violent killing intent and pressure subsided like a tide, returning to a deep calm. He looked at the Traveler opposite him, who still wore a "kind" smile, and shook his head: "I appreciate the Traveler's kindness."

The playful glint of certainty in the Traveler's abyssal eyes froze instantly, then turned into astonishment. He clearly hadn't expected Blood Shadow to refuse so decisively; the allure of those two opportunities was enough to drive any newly ascended God-King mad.

"What do you mean by that, God King?" The traveler's voice remained calm, but the air of mystery that once held him in complete control had faded somewhat, replaced by a hint of imperceptible coldness. "Do you think my Two Realms Palace is not sincere enough? The terms can be discussed further."

"It's not a matter of conditions." Xueyin slowly shook his head, his dark gold scales gleaming with a cold, hard luster in the sunlight. "I have just entered the God-King realm, and my foundation is not yet stable. I still need to hone my own skills on the path to enlightenment. Although the ancient kingdom's iron laws are strict and its contributions are as high as mountains, they are also a way to temper one's character and solidify one's foundation. External forces may be good, but they are ultimately not one's own path."

He paused, his eyes of destruction staring directly into the Traveler's unfathomable black eyes, as if trying to pierce through the blurry disguise. His tone carried a resolute refusal: "As for joining the Two Realms Palace... I was born a God-King of the Thunder Ancient Kingdom, and I will die a heroic soul of the Thunder Ancient Kingdom. The Heavenly Light Emperor treated me with great kindness, and the Ancient Kingdom gave me a place to stand. To betray my sect and go elsewhere is not the way of Blood Shadow! This matter should not be mentioned again!"

The "kind" smile vanished completely from the traveler's blurred face. A faint, inhuman coldness flashed across the depths of his black, abyssal eyes, like a monstrous beast from the abyss that had been provoked. The surrounding emptiness suddenly became thick and oppressive; the light in the garden seemed to have been mostly absorbed, leaving it dim and unclear.

Does Blood Shadow think I'm a fool? Using such a lame excuse to fob me off?!

"God King...won't you reconsider?" The traveler's voice deepened, carrying an invisible pressure. "The Yuan Treasure Land is a rare find. If you miss this opportunity, perhaps...you'll never have another chance."

This already carried a hint of a veiled threat. Blood Shadow sneered inwardly, but his resolve in his decision only grew stronger.

He abruptly rose to his feet, his body shimmering with dark golden scales. Though his destructive aura hadn't yet erupted, it was like an ancient volcano poised to burst, containing a terrifying power capable of tearing everything apart. He looked down at the Traveler, his voice resounding: "My path lies within myself, not in others! Opportunities and losses are determined by fate! Traveler, please return. Blood Hidden City does not welcome uninvited guests!"

The final four words, "uninvited guest," carry an undisguised sense of expulsion, like a cold, sharp blade.

The atmosphere in the garden instantly plummeted to freezing point.

The traveler's figure rippled violently like a reflection in water under the unyielding, sharp gaze and the destructive pressure that was about to be unleashed by Xue Yin.

His dark, unfathomable eyes were fixed on Xue Yin, as if he wanted to see through this newly promoted God-King who dared to refuse the recruitment of the Two Realms Palace and imprint him deep into his soul.

Three full breaths passed.

"Heh..." A faint, ambiguous laugh escaped from beneath the traveler's blurred face, breaking the deathly silence. "Good! What a fine 'It's up to oneself, not others' statement! Blood Shadow God King, I hope you won't regret this."

He slowly stood up, his star-studded robe fluttering without wind, and the surrounding "emptiness" deepened once again.

“Since the God-King has made up his mind, the Traveler… takes his leave.” He cupped his hands slightly, his movements still casual, but deep within his black eyes, there was no longer any warmth, only icy indifference and a trace of… indescribable scrutiny.

“However…” He turned to leave, but stopped, his voice echoing eerily as if from the distant primordial dimension, “The traveler will remember the God King’s words today. I hope the God King will… take good care of himself. The storms on this Origin Continent are far greater than the God King can imagine. Perhaps… we will meet again soon.”

Before he finished speaking, the traveler's star-studded robe suddenly spun around.

The space he was in was like water with a stone thrown in it, violently distorted and collapsed, forming a tiny vortex that exuded a strong sense of "emptiness." The traveler's figure was instantly sucked into it and disappeared. The hole that had been forcibly pierced also closed up, leaving only a strange, unsettling "emptiness" lingering in the air.

Blood Shadow stood still, his eyes of destruction fixed on the spot where the traveler had disappeared, his gaze as cold as a knife.

"Alien race... the Two Realms Palace..." Xueyin murmured to himself, his emotions slowly calming down, but a strong sense of crisis loomed over his heart like a dark cloud.

The traveler's final words were by no means empty threats.

Refusing means being targeted by this mysterious and powerful force.

But he was bloodthirsty, and had never feared a challenge.

"No matter how great the storm, I will break through it all by myself!" A flash of destructive lightning appeared in his eyes. On the Origin Continent, the strongest forces were the two ancient kingdoms, and even the three alien races dared only hide in the shadows.

"The treasure land of the Yuan Dynasty... so what if we can't obtain it?"

"The world beyond the Void Gate is already enough for me to digest. Once I've absorbed enough powerful beings from other realms and pushed the Great Dao to its limit... the rules of this Origin Continent might just be rewritten by me!"

……

Xuanhu City.

Gu You sat cross-legged.

Both Xueyin and Baiyu's clones broke through to the God King realm, and Gu You was no exception. However, unlike the two clones who made a big fuss, Gu You broke through quietly, as he did not want to reveal himself for the time being.

God King!

"It's done." Gu You murmured to himself, his mind completely calm. With a slight thought, his newly broken-through and still-stabilizing God-King aura quickly receded and concealed itself, suppressed and disguised by the formless and intangible, transforming him back into the unremarkable peak Chaos Realm city lord.

I believe that unless forced to use all their strength, no one can see through it.

Business as usual.

The city's protective array was operating smoothly, and the city remained bustling with activity.

The servants and guards within the manor performed their duties, and none noticed anything unusual in the city lord's meditation room. The spies from other factions within the city also failed to detect any energy fluctuations exceeding the peak of the Chaos Realm.

perfect.

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Gu You's eyes.

Being discreet and patient is the fundamental purpose of his alter ego's existence. Before possessing enough power to overturn the game, exposure would mean enormous risk.

Having family in Xuanhu City, it's not appropriate to be too conspicuous.

He slowly got up, pushed open the door, and went out.

Immediately, the guards standing outside the hall bowed and said, "Lord of the City!"

"Hmm." Gu You responded calmly, his voice even and his aura unchanged. "Has there been any movement in the city lately?"

"A commotion?" The guards attending him exchanged glances, unsure if the little things they knew would catch Gu You's eye, and dared not speak.

Gu You chuckled and shook his head. These eternal true gods, who would be important figures in the outside world, didn't even dare to speak in front of him. It seemed that he was too elusive and mysterious, which made him too intimidating.

Authority is a good approach, but sometimes the distance it creates can be problematic.

"Reporting to the City Lord, the True God has escaped the pursuit of the Eternal True God... I don't know if that counts..." Finally, just as Gu You was about to step out of the palace threshold, a slightly younger-looking guard mustered his courage and reported. (End of Chapter)