Swallowed Star: Lord of the Wolf

Inside the main hall of Qingwu Palace in Xuanhu City, the warm and joyful atmosphere had not yet dissipated.

Gu You was about to speak to Cangya about the future path planning after becoming the Chaos Ruler when his expression suddenly shifted slightly. The gentle smile on his lips remained unchanged, but a hint of coldness flashed deep in his eyes.

“We have a guest, and an uninvited ‘distinguished guest’ at that.” Gu You’s voice remained calm, yet it seemed to make the temperature in the hall drop several degrees. “Yu Ji, take your senior brother and mother to the ‘Listening to the Rain Pavilion’ in the back hall to rest and taste my newly acquired ‘Nine Revolutions Enlightenment Tea’.”

Yu Ji was incredibly clever. She immediately sensed something unusual in her father's tone and replied without hesitation, "Yes, Father! Senior Brother, let's go quickly. That Nine Revolutions Enlightenment Tea is so rare. Mother and I have only drunk it once each!" With that, she pulled the still somewhat bewildered Meng Cha and the newly-broken Cangya, whose aura had not yet been fully concealed, towards the back hall.

Although Cangya didn't understand why, he had absolute trust in his master and obediently followed him away. However, before leaving, he glanced thoughtfully at the void outside the hall.

After the three figures disappeared into the corridor behind the hall, Gu You turned around leisurely, facing the empty main hall entrance, and said indifferently, "Since you've come, why hide yourselves? Please come in and have a chat."

His voice was not loud, but it seemed to contain a peculiar rhythm, penetrating the layers of formations in Qingwu Palace and resounding directly in the ears of a being hidden in the void.

hum-

In the empty space in front of the hall, a ripple spread out like water.

A figure clad in a snow-white fur robe, with a handsome face yet carrying a hint of sinister aura, slowly emerged. His aura was concealed to the extreme; unless he deliberately revealed himself, ordinary Chaos Rulers would have no way of noticing him.

It was none other than the North Wind God King, one of the high-ranking god-kings of the Mother River of Life.

The North Wind God King stepped into the hall, his gaze like a cold blade, sweeping over the furnishings before finally landing on Gu You, who stood with his hands behind his back, his aura merely at the peak of the Chaos Realm. A barely perceptible hint of contempt and determination flashed in his eyes.

"Guardian Guyou, you are quite vigilant." The avatar of the North Wind God King spoke, his voice carrying a condescending indifference, "I have come uninvited, please forgive my abruptness."

"It is an honor for Xuanhu City that the God King of the North Wind has graced us with his presence. How could this be considered presumptuous?" Gu You's expression remained unchanged, his tone calm, showing neither fear nor flattery. He simply stated, "May I ask what brings the God King in his avatar here?"

The North Wind God King's avatar narrowed his eyes slightly.

Gu You's overly calm attitude displeased him and further confirmed his suspicion that the other party had secrets and confidence.

He didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "I've come today to discuss a deal with Protector Gu You."

"A deal?" Gu You raised an eyebrow. "I'd like to hear the details."

"I am very interested in your 'secret' of cultivating Chaos Realm experts." The avatar of the North Wind God King stared at Gu You and said, word by word, "As far as I know, you originally only had your brother Gu Li who was at the Chaos Realm. However, in just a few hundred epochs, your disciple 'Cangya' has also stepped into the Chaos Realm... Such efficiency is simply astonishing."

He paused, his tone taking on a hint of pressure: "The Origin Continent is vast and full of opportunities, but the method to stably and quickly cultivate Chaos Realm cultivators is incomparably precious. Protector Gu You, could you please tell me this method? Of course, I won't take it for nothing."

He held up three fingers: "Three hundred billion cosmic sands, how about that? That's enough to buy several top-tier Chaos Realm treasures, or add a few more powerful formations to your Xuanhu City."

Gu You listened quietly, his face expressionless, as if what the other party was talking about was not a huge sum of money that could drive countless Chaos Realm cultivators crazy, but just three hundred grains of sand.

Seeing that Gu You remained silent, the North Wind God King's avatar's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and his voice turned cold: "Guardian Gu You, do not make a mistake. Since I have come to talk to you personally, I am already giving you face. Three hundred billion cosmic sands, plus one favor from me... are enough to ensure the safety of your Xuanhu City within this Origin Continent, allowing you to continue your cultivation in peace."

The threat in his words was already quite obvious.

Gu You finally smiled, a faint smile, yet it made the North Wind God King's incarnation feel inexplicably tense.

“North Wind,” Gu You chuckled, as if he were not facing a God-King, “First of all, cultivating disciples and Daoist partners relies on their own talent, perseverance, and appropriate guidance and resource allocation; there are no specific ‘secrets’ to speak of. Secondly…”

He looked up at the avatar of the North Wind God King, his eyes like a bottomless ancient well: "Three hundred billion cosmic sands, is that a lot?"

The North Wind God King's avatar's face darkened: "Gu You, do you know who you're talking to? I only made this fair trade with you because I appreciate your hard work in cultivation! Don't think that just because you have a few opportunities, you can disregard the majesty of a God King!"

"The majesty of the God-King?" Gu You shook his head slightly, as if sighing. "Bei Feng, you seem to have misunderstood something."

The voice just fell.

A vast, majestic, and terrifying aura, seemingly originating from the very source of life, erupted from Gu You's seemingly ordinary Chaos Realm body like a volcano that had been dormant for billions of years.

This aura is no longer at the level of the Chaos Realm!
It is perfect and flawless, it connects heaven and earth, it contains a profound understanding of the essence of life. The mere natural expression of its breath caused the spacetime structure of the entire Qingwu Palace to begin to distort and strengthen. The beams, pillars and furniture made of precious divine wood inside the palace spontaneously sprouted buds and blossomed with spiritual flowers.

The essence of the Great Dao, the origin of life!
Moreover, it is the life force aura that one must have fully comprehended a branch of the Great Dao and stepped into the God-King realm!

"You...you are the God King?!" The pupils of the North Wind God King's avatar suddenly shrank to pinpoints, and the sinister and arrogant look on his face was instantly replaced by unparalleled shock and horror.

Although this avatar only contains a portion of his original will, his eyesight remains!
This aura of the Great Dao of Life is pure and powerful. It is by no means a simulation achieved through external objects or secret techniques, but rather a symbol of truly stepping into that realm!

How can this be? !
Hundreds of eons ago, when he first noticed Gu You, the other party was clearly just an ordinary peak Chaos Realm cultivator. Even if he had some secrets, he should never have been a God King!
The ancient aura slowly subsided, but the Daoist charm and majesty belonging to a God-King were already imprinted on this space-time. He calmly looked at the distraught avatar of the North Wind God-King, his tone still indifferent:
“Now, we can talk again. North Wind... Fellow Daoist.”

He deliberately emphasized the words "fellow Daoist".

The expression on the face of the North Wind God King's avatar changed constantly, and his heart was filled with turmoil.

He instantly understood many things—why Gu You could easily cultivate Chaos Realm cultivators; with guidance from a God-King and preferential resource allocation, it was naturally easier.

Why was the other party so dismissive of his "deal"? Three hundred billion cosmic sands, while not a small amount for a God-King, were by no means an exorbitant price he couldn't refuse.

Why is the other party so calm? As fellow god-kings, why should we fear his mere incarnation?
More importantly, he considered the power structure within the Mother River of Life.

Zongfu, the God-King, is the Lord of the Mother River, high above all others. However, the God-Kings below him are not a unified force; each faction is rife with open and covert struggles. What does the appearance of a newly ascended God-King, skilled in the Great Dao of Life, signify?
This means that the existing power structure may be disrupted.

This means that some of his previous plans and advantages as the North Wind God King may be affected!

Moreover, since the opponent is a God-King, it's impossible to use the same tactics of "coercion and inducement" against a Chaos Realm expert. If things really come to a head, an avatar won't be enough to deal with the opponent, so what if the main body comes? That would cause too much of a commotion. God-King Zongfu wouldn't sit idly by while his internal God-Kings fight each other for no reason, and other rivals would take the opportunity to launch an attack.

In a short moment, countless thoughts flashed through the mind of the North Wind God King's avatar. The shock on his face gradually turned into a complex solemnity, even carrying a hint of embarrassment and apprehension.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the shock in his heart. His posture was no longer as condescending as before, but rather he slightly cupped his hands, and his tone softened considerably, even carrying a hint of barely perceptible caution: "I never expected... that Fellow Daoist Gu You has quietly stepped into the realm of God-King. Congratulations! Truly... a cause for celebration! It was I... who was blind." He quickly adjusted his strategy, no longer mentioning any deals or secrets, and instead said: "Fellow Daoist Gu You has truly hidden it well. I wonder when you broke through? My Mother River has gained another fellow God-King, which is a great event. Lord Zongfu will surely be very pleased to know."

He began to probe Gu You's background and attitude, and brought up the name of the God King Zongfu.

Gu You smiled slightly, neither admitting nor denying whether he was a "newcomer," and simply said, "I've only gained some insights into the path of cultivation. As for Lady Mother River, I will visit her another day to explain the situation. As for Fellow Daoist Beifeng's arrival today, regarding the original 'transaction'..."

The avatar of the North Wind God King hurriedly waved his hand and chuckled dryly, "It's a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding. I... was just curious for a moment and had no other intentions. Since Fellow Daoist Gu You can teach a disciple of the Chaos Realm, it is naturally because of your excellent teaching and the disciple's outstanding talent. There is no secret to speak of. I hope you will forgive my offensive words just now."

The situation is better than people.

Facing a god-king of equal caliber, he had to humble himself. The so-called "secret" was no longer important; what mattered was how to get along with this newly ascended god-king.
If this ancient being knew that I had used the Mother River's treasure, the 'Chaos Causality Disc,' to monitor it for hundreds of epochs, it probably wouldn't let it go so easily...

Thinking about this, the North Wind God King suddenly felt a headache coming on.

Seeing that he had achieved his goal, Gu You stopped being aggressive. His clone currently needed to develop peacefully within the sphere of influence of the River of Life, creating a safe environment for his wife, daughters, and disciples. It was not advisable to make too many enemies, especially veteran god-kings like the North Wind God King.

“Fellow Daoist Beifeng, you flatter me.” Gu You’s tone softened as well. “Now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up, that’s for the best. My Xuanhu City is newly established and its foundation is shallow. Perhaps we will need Fellow Daoist Beifeng’s guidance in the future.”

He gave the other party a way out, and also implied that peaceful coexistence was possible, and even cooperation was a possibility.

Upon hearing this, the avatar of the North Wind God King felt somewhat relieved and quickly replied, "Of course, of course! Fellow Daoist Gu You is exceptionally strong, and the future of Xuanhu City is promising. If there is anything you need from me in the future, please feel free to ask."

The two exchanged a few more seemingly amicable words before the avatar of the North Wind God King excused himself and hurriedly departed. His departure appeared much more rushed than his arrival.

Once the aura of the North Wind God King's avatar had completely disappeared from his perception, a profound light flashed in Gu You's eyes.

"The God-King's strength has finally been exposed. But it's all for the best; it will intimidate the North Wind and save us a lot of trouble. Next, it's time to formally pay a visit to that God-King Zongfu in my capacity as God-King."

He turned and walked towards the back hall, a gentle smile returning to his face.

……

After the North Wind God King's incarnation departed, the news that "Gu You was actually a God King" spread like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, rapidly rippling through its own network of wills and the special communication channels between the higher levels of the Mother River of Life.

Although the North Wind God King did not publicize it extensively due to his personal motives and fear of Gu You, the core information that "Gu You, the Lord of Xuanhu City, is a God King" could not be hidden from the top few beings in the River of Life.

……

At the heart of the Mother River of Life, within a cluster of suspended temples, lies an elegant palace called "Azure Palace".

Dressed in an elegant blue dress, with a gentle and graceful demeanor like that of the misty Jiangnan region, the Azure Mist God King leaned against a cloud couch, his fingertips lightly twirling an eternally blooming "Purifying Lotus," carefully contemplating the path to life purification contained within it.

Suddenly, her fingertips paused slightly, and a flash of blue lotus light appeared.

A highly confidential message from the internal network of the upper echelons flowed into her consciousness.

“Ancient Netherworld… God King?” A clear look of surprise flashed across the gentle, spring-like eyes of the Azure Mist God King. “When he came to pay his respects, I felt that his foundation was solid and his Dao charm was restrained, unlike that of an ordinary Chaos Realm cultivator. But I never expected that he had already quietly stepped into this realm.”

She recalled that brief meeting hundreds of years ago.

Back then, Gu You appeared humble and polite in front of her and the God King Lan Yue, yet she also possessed a quiet composure that was neither arrogant nor servile. Now it seems that composure was not a pretense, but rather stemmed from confidence in her own strength.

"The aura of the Great Dao of Life... and it's quite pure and profound." The Azure Mist God King savored the trace of Daoist essence that the Northern Wind God King had detected in the message. "But... why is he hiding his strength? Is it to avoid certain conflicts, or does he have other plans?"

Several thoughts flashed through her mind.

The emergence of the new God-King is a good thing for the overall strength of the River of Life, but it will also subtly affect the internal structure. She had no grudges against Gu You, and even felt a certain closeness to him because of his path of "Great Dao of Life".

But what about the God King of Lanyue...?

"Well, whether it's a blessing or a curse remains to be seen. Since we are both members of the Mother River and newly joined comrades, we should congratulate him. It's not too late to sound him out when he formally comes to pay his respects to Lord Zongfu." The Azure Mist God King collected his thoughts and continued to play with the blue lotus in his hand, but a hint of contemplation appeared in the depths of his eyes.

……

In the same area of ​​suspended temples, there is another magnificent palace with a completely different style – “Lanyue Palace”.

The hall was not magnificent, but rather filled with a rough, heavy, and wild atmosphere, as if it had been forged from countless traces of war and the sharpness of weapons.

The air was filled with a faint smell of blood and the illusory sound of metal clashing.

Clad in dark gold armor, the Lan Yue God King, an embodiment of war, sat cross-legged with his eyes closed on a throne made entirely of broken and damaged powerful divine weapons—a veritable "tomb of weapons." An invisible aura of malevolence emanated from him, and with each breath, it seemed to cause the thousands of weapons within the palace to tremble slightly.

hum!
The eyes of the Lanyue God King, which seemed to contain an endless world of swords and weapons, suddenly opened!

scoff-

In the void, two sharp beams, solid as solid and carrying the will of destruction and war, flashed by and disappeared, actually tearing the stable space in front of them into two thin black marks that lingered for a long time.

"Gu You? God King?" The voice of God King Lan Yue was like the scraping of metal, carrying an undisguised surprise and scrutiny. "That little fellow from back then?"

His impression of Gu You was very shallow.

Unexpectedly, the other party had become someone on the same level as himself!
"Hiding his strength... infiltrating my Mother River of Life?" The first reaction of the Lan Yue God King was vigilance and suspicion. He was straightforward and fierce, and believed in strength and loyalty. He naturally disliked this kind of "hiding his head and revealing his tail" behavior.

But immediately, he also received the Daoist message of the Great Dao of Life.

"The Great Dao of Life... a very common Dao." The God-King Lan Yue's brow remained unchanged. On the Origin Continent, at least two out of ten God-Kings followed the Great Dao of Life. (End of Chapter)