Swallowed Star

Panda Novel

Flying through the crimson waves, one could feel how distorted time and space were. There was a feeling of flying through the universe tunnel.

Hua!

There was a flash of light.

Before him was a hall faintly enshrouded by a light, white mist. The material of the hall was the same as that of the passageway of the Boat of Mausoleum, and the various materials within the cabins were all suffused with a deep grey. Inside the hall, there was Deer Bug Master, Shadow Dust Master, Jittery Sea Master, Liu Jiu Master, and another four universe masters. All eight of them turned over to look.

Sou!

Luo Feng flew over right away.

“Milky Way Horde Leader, you have cultivated for only a dozen eras, which is extremely short, and you dare to come here!” Deer Bug Master laughed.

“We were just discussing whether Milky Way would come or not…” Shadow Dust Master said with a very kind look. “If I were you, with this being the primal universe and with doomsday still two reincarnation eras away, I would still be able to live for so long. So long. With such a short cultivation period but such great achievement, there is no need for you to come and fight it out with us. Actually, you can still make a full retreat now.”

“Since I have come, I will not back away,” Luo Feng said casually.

“Humph! Being here is the same as courting death,” Jittery Sea Master said, shooting Luo Feng a hostile look.

“Since our junior here wants to die, there is no need to bother about him,” Red Lark Master also said in a hostile tone. The skeleton clan was originally a crazy and cold race. They were only united among their kind; they treated the rest of the world with equal enmity. Especially Luo Feng, who has such a high achievement even though he had only cultivated for a dozen eras. For him, there was an additional trace of jealousy.

Actually, out of everyone present, Shadow Dust Master, Sorcerer Sprite Master, and Red Lark Master—who had chosen to try their luck and take the risk in coveting the inheritance—were the ones who hated Luo Feng the most!

They were well aware that the selection of an heir normally placed much emphasis on areas such as improvement, speed, and comprehension level. One had cultivated for a dozen eras, and another had cultivated for close to three reincarnation eras, yet their achievements were comparable. Who would Duan Dong River choose? It was needless to say! Now, they could only hope that the methods that Duan Dong River left behind were unable to determine how long a great being had lived. Yet they all felt that Duan Dong River was too unfathomable, so they were full of uncertainty when it came to him. More of them prayed that Luo Feng would back out as early as possible.

******

When all nine of them, including Luo Feng, had gathered in that misty hall and were all engaged in a heated exchange of sarcastic remarks, an intangible energy suddenly started to gather by their side. Eventually, it gave form to a figure. This was the green-haired man, Duan Dong River.

“All nine have arrived.” Duan Dong River’s gaze swept across the nine great beings, and he nodded. “Let’s begin with the first round of selection.”

“Selection?”

Deer Bug Master, Shadow Dust Master, and Luo Feng all felt knots within their chests. No one dared to claim that he would be able to pass the selection.

“Rise!” Duan Dong River pointed at the somewhere far on the ground of the hall.

Hua!

The ground suddenly split in half. Then a strange machine gradually emerged from beneath. It was entirely dark red in color. On its surface were many secret engravings of various laws. The secret engravings were so mystical that they made every great being present go dizzy due to a lack of understanding.

Ka!

A crack suddenly appeared on the magicube instrument to reveal a door.

“Go in one at a time,” Duan Dong River said right away. “Selection will be done one at a time. Only one can enter each time. Let’s begin.”

The nine great beings looked at one another. Who should go first?

The strange and unpredictable magicube instrument looked quite dangerous. At that moment, not a single great being present was willing to be the first to enter.

Duan Dong River pointed at Deer Bug Master. “You, go in.”

The other universe masters from the first reincarnation era relaxed instantly and even started jesting.

“This is merely the start of the selection process; Deer Bug Master will succeed for sure.”

“Yes, how can this be of any difficulty to Deer Bug Master?”

Deer Bug Master merely smiled. Without a word, he walked toward that magicube instrument and stepped into it. Soon, a cracking sound was heard—the doors of the magicube instrument shut.

The secret engravings on the surface of the magicube instrument lit up.

Hong! Hong! Hong!

Bouts of strong energy waves were churning inside the magicube instrument, and the entire magicube instrument went from an initial dark red to a dazzling, incandescent white.

“What is going on in there?” Luo Feng grew tense.

Selection? What was being selected? Everything was unknown.

From inside, Deer Bug Master did not make a single sound, or perhaps he was shouting and roaring in pain, but no sounds were transmitted out. In short, because nothing could enter the magicube instrument… the rest outside could not help feeling anxious.

A moment later—

Ka!

The door opened.

A figure walked out from the magicube instrument. It was Deer Bug Master. Doubt was written all over his face, which the other eight universe masters did not understand… It seemed like something had happened to Deer Bug Master when he’d gone in. That would explain his expression.

“First round of selection, qualified.”

Duan Dong Master took one look at Deer Bug Master. Instantly, Deer Bug Master’s face showed his delight.

“Deer Bug Master, what is inside the instrument?” Liu Jiu Master asked.

“Congratulations, Deer Bug Master. I’m not sure. What’s in there?” Sorcerer Sprite also asked. There were the only two females present, and at that moment, both had spoken up.

“Go in and find out for yourselves,” Deer Bug Master finished curtly and stood by the side. Anyway, he had made it through this ridiculous selection process, so naturally, he would be able to relax and wait by the side.

Duan Dong River’s gaze swept through the remaining eight. “Next!”

“I’ll go next!” Jittery Sea Master’s eyes flashed a murderous glint as he took one big step forward.

Seeing that a great being had volunteered himself, Duan Dong River simply stood there without a word and watched in silence.

Jittery Sea Master walked to the door of the magicube instrument, hesitated for a split moment, then with one step forward, he went in.

Ka!

The door shut. Soon after, the secret engravings on the surface of the magicube instrument lit up again…

Luo Feng and company waited in silence. What was going on inside the instrument?

After a short moment, the door opened, and Jittery Sea Master walked out. Similarly, he, too, wore an expression full of doubt.

Duan Dong River looked toward Jittery Sea Master, and with a tinge of harshness in his eyes, he said coldly, “You, disqualified!”

This caused the other great beings to feel a sudden tremble in their hearts. Disqualified?

“Disqualified! I’m disqualified? Why, why am I disqualified?” Jittery Sea Master grew so anxious that he could not hold back himself as he blurted out, “I have lived through almost three reincarnation eras. Even though that Deer Bug Master has lived much longer than me, the only advantage he had over me was that he owned a supreme true treasure. That’s why he’s a little stronger than me. Why am I disqualified?”

This was the one chance that the Skeleton clan had. Jittery Sea Master was reluctant to give it up.

“Shut your mouth!” Duan Dong River shouted. “Next!?”

Duan Dong River looked at the other seven. The only one willing to volunteer, Jittery Sea Master, had unexpectedly been disqualified. This made the remaining seven feel so cautious that they did not dare volunteer themselves.

“You.” Duan Dong River pointed at Liu Jiu Master.

******

Liu Jiu Master, qualified!

Rock Giant Master, disqualified!

Shadow Dust Master, qualified!

Sorcerer Sprite Master, qualified!

Golden Square Master, qualified!

Jittery Sea Master, disqualified!

Red Lark Master, disqualified!

Duan Dong River finally pointed towards Luo Feng. “You.”

Was the order intentional or unintentional? No one really knew because after Jittery Sea Master’s failed attempt upon volunteering his turn, the rest of the great beings’ turns were all decided by Duan Dong River, who pointed out who was next in line.

Luo Feng held his breath and walked toward that magicube instrument. Then he walked past the door and entered.

******

Inside the instrument was an individual void space.

Luo Feng was suspended within the void space as he observed his surroundings. There was no exit at all.

Hong! Hong! Hong!

Streaks of distorted secret engravings started appearing within the void space. Dazzling white secret engravings were distributed all over the void space as bouts of strange and unpredictable energy appeared instantaneously. This energy tried to penetrate Luo Feng. Even though he had Star Tower to guard his soul and Crazy Demon Extermination Godly Armor to protect his body, they were not useful.

This strange and unpredictable energy penetrated his godly body, and at that moment, Luo Feng felt as though all his secrets were revealed.

The invisible, strange power continued to penetrate within his body. It penetrated every inch of godly power, and eventually merged with Luo Feng to become a complete whole. A short moment later, the distorted secret engravings in the void space started to dissipate, and the strange energy completely disappeared.

Ka!

A door appeared before him in that void space.

Luo Feng took a step and passed the doorway to enter the hall outside. What happened inside the magicube instrument earlier still left Luo Feng filled with doubts.

There were slight changes in the expressions of Deer Bug Master, Shadow Dust Master, Sorcerer Sprite Master, and a few others who had passed the first round of selection earlier, as this was the first time Duan Dong River*Wu had smiled since the very beginning.

“Huh?”

“Smile?”

“Not right.”

“Something is not right.”

Given how the various great beings judged, this Duan Dong River must be of a very cold character. This “Shadow” that he left behind must have been compatible with his character.

“You, you, you.” Duan Dong River pointed toward Jittery Sea Master, Red Lark Master, and Rock Giant Master. “The three of you, quickly take your leave. If you do not leave now, you may be annihilated on your way.”

Jittery Sea Master and Red Lark Master looked at one another with great reluctance. All of the Skeleton clan had been eliminated?

Rock Giant Master was a rock type special life-form. He also looked at Liu Jiu Master and whispered, “Liu Jiu, Rock Giant will no longer be able to protect you. Do take great care.”

“Lord Duan Dong River, would you be able to tell us why both of us did not pass?” Jittery Sea Master could not hold back his question.

“Not from my clan, and yet you wish to inherit something from a pulse on my Duan Dong River? Dream on! Get lost!” Duan Dong River said with hostility.

“Your clan?”

Luo Feng, Deer Bug Master, and the others were greatly shocked.

Strictly speaking, the six great beings who had passed the selection were not from the same clan—or even not fully beings of the flesh and the blood type. For instance, Liu Jiu Master was a plant life form, yet she had still passed the selection.

“Clan…”

Jittery Sea Master and Red Lark Master trembled. This was the reason. There was big trouble, then. If both of them failed for of this reason, then even if other great beings from Skeleton Clan were to come, they would fail just the same.

“Still not leaving!” Duan Dong River’s eyes were brimming with coldness.

“Let’s go.”

Jittery Sea Master and Red Lark Master gritted their teeth, transformed into light streams and dashed out. Giant Rock Master, after bidding farewell to Liu Jiu Master with a most unwilling heart, also dashed out and flew into the crimson red streaks of light.

Coursing along the crimson red streaks of light, with the passing of time and space, the three quickly arrived at the control room in the hall they were at previously.

“Humph!” Jittery Sea Master lowered his head and looked at the deep crimson passageway. With gritted teeth, he said, “If that is the reason, doesn’t it mean that no one from Skeleton clan will be able to succeed?”

“If that is the case, our Skeleton Clan will not be able to succeed at all,” Red Lark Master said with a voice dripping with hatred. “Let’s just spread the news. Let the various groups of powers know! Let a large number of great beings make their way here! What we of the Skeleton Clan cannot achieve… we shall not let the Divine Eye clan achieve easily.”

After all, out of the six who qualified, three were from the Divine Eye clan. How could the Skeleton clan look on while the Divine Eye clan was on their way to achieving something they could not?

******

Within the misty hall, Duan Dong River looked at the remaining six and said, “If you are not from my clan, naturally, you do not qualify for the inheritance. However, this is merely the simplest round of selection… Also, it is the only safe round. What comes next will involve life-and-death dangers. If you are afraid, you can still choose to retreat now.”

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