Chapter 133: Undercurrents
The fanatical Domain Lord believers soon contacted Zhu Zhao's avatar, asking how they should deal with the mess left after Qian Luo's death.
Jiang Zhe told them to handle it the usual way, and also instructed them to disperse under other World Lords, then let everything else run its course, allowing the Domain Lord's servants to act freely.
In less than half a day, news of Qian Luo's death had spread across the surrounding regions.
The "World Masters" of nearby worlds began invading Qian Luo's territory, vying for land and power.
Under Jiang Zhe's instructions, the various Domain Lords either went into hiding or found new powerful backers, ready to serve as inside agents again when their true master returned in a few years for a counterattack.
The news of the "extraterritorial demon" appearing was also reported to the Immortal Temple.
But it was little more than a formality—no one expected the Immortal Temple to actually intervene. In a world like Blood Luo, with millions of World Lords, the death of one was hardly worth mobilizing over.
At most, Jiang Zhe's actions weren't significant enough yet to warrant serious concern.
Still, the fact that it was an extraterritorial demon who killed Qian Luo meant the incident would at least be flagged for record. It wouldn't be completely ignored.
Around Qian Luo's old domain, war quickly broke out. After leaving the territory governed by ten World Cities, Jiang Zhe began his second round of harvesting.
Despite being a World Lord, Qian Luo actually hadn't accumulated much Blood Luo Crystal. For most mediocre World Lords, this resource was mainly used to reward subordinates, with little personal use.
Most locals could barely integrate three crystals; fusing ten would make you a legend in Blood Luo history.
Qian Luo had only 38 crystals—who knew how long he'd saved them up—and the Temple's standard supply was only 10 each time.
Conveniently, while traveling, Jiang Zhe ran into a reckless Domain Lord who delivered two more crystals, finally bringing his total to 500.
The World of Hodu
Jiang Zhe then encountered a fascinating society.
"I knew it," he thought. "With millions of World Lords, someone was bound to come up with some bizarre system."
In Hodu's domain, all residents within the World City territories were slaves—private property of Hodu, the World Lord.
On the Blood Luo continent, people became planetary-level warriors upon reaching adulthood. In Hodu's world, that meant beginning forced labor to enrich their World Lord, with absolutely no pay.
Only star-level warriors could gain some measure of freedom and citizenship. But even then, every year, they had to participate in bloody death matches. Survive, and they kept their privileges.
Once at the cosmic level, they fought such battles every ten years. Killing wasn't encouraged, but neither was it forbidden. Losers were condemned to a decade as mining slaves, digging up wealth for Hodu.
Domain Lords rose from slaves to partners—essentially Hodu's business associates, helping maintain this dark regime.
Of course, many cosmic-level warriors who advanced to Domain Lords couldn't stand the oppression and tried to flee.
From a strongman's perspective, it was an interesting system. It produced powerful warriors at a high rate—but also left most of them twisted.
From a weakling's view, it was sheer hell: endless toil, death always lurking in brutal arenas, zero human rights.
Jiang Zhe felt he had no right to stand on moral high ground. After all, he was part of the "privileged class," descending into Blood Luo to exploit the locals. He couldn't judge.
All he could do was kill Hodu, enslave the Domain Lords, and let another World Lord take over. Perhaps then, the numb-faced planetary civilians might get a slightly different life.
Nothing more.
Swift Conquest
After studying Hodu's world, Jiang Zhe launched his plan, carrying the Mixed-Element Umbrella.
In just 99 days, he captured 322 Domain Lords.
On the 106th day, he killed Hodu, conquered his world, and gained 503 Blood Luo Crystals.
Both Qian Luo's and Hodu's territories were large worlds; under weaker World Lords, you might find only a hundred Domain Lords in total.
Now Jiang Zhe's Blood Luo Crystals finally surpassed 1,000.
He hid away in a remote mountain forest, entered his world ring, and began his experiments.
A small "sun" 900,000 km wide loomed overhead—compared to it, Jiang Zhe was like a firefly next to the moon.
1,003 Blood Luo Crystals rose into the air.
Inside Zhu Zhao's avatar, 10,000 perfect 10,081-faceted spheres shone with pure light.
This radiance seemed to carry a star's heat, slowly melting the Blood Luo Crystals.
Nearby universe crystals vaporized, releasing immense pure universal origin energy. As the dissolved blood fused with this power, it became a vast bloody river, swirling around Zhu Zhao's avatar like a giant star ring.
It made a soft rushing sound, almost matching a heartbeat. Blood-red currents churned within the radiant field.
Visible red mist steamed off—impurities, refined away by Zhu Zhao's avatar. What he needed was the pure genetic power hidden inside the Blood Luo Crystals, not the "gold beast god" taint.
Gradually, the river shrank and faded, becoming completely transparent—liquid, purified light.
Jiang Zhe once wondered if consuming this liquid would raise his own gene amplitude.
But deeper study showed it wouldn't work.
Every drop was stamped with Zhu Zhao's avatar's essence—part of its flesh.
Soon, the purified liquid began to solidify into tens of thousands of dazzling diamond-like tetrahedrons.
Most fused into a single 10,081-faceted sphere, merging into Zhu Zhao's body, increasing its internal count to 10,001 spheres.
No need to sense it—Jiang Zhe knew: Zhu Zhao's life gene level was now 10,001 times.
Roughly 300 tetrahedrons remained, clinging to the surface.
"So, 1 Blood Luo Crystal yields 100 tetrahedrons. It takes 100,000 to raise life genes by 1x."
He stroked his chin.
"I'll need 80,000 more Blood Luo Crystals for 80 more times. Yikes."
If he moved too aggressively, he'd attract an Immortal from the Temple. He didn't fear a fight—he feared being driven out of Blood Luo before finishing.
Using Orianna to kill an Immortal would violate his agreement with his teacher, the Lord of Darkness.
Jiang Zhe sighed.
"Looks like I'll be stuck here for decades. Time to change plans—going after World Lords isn't worth it."
Changing Tactics
In the following worlds:
Tianzhe: enslaved 127 Domain Lords, gained 166 crystals.
Huangchao: enslaved 213 Domain Lords, gained 277 crystals.
Xuanding: enslaved 156 Domain Lords, gained 209 crystals.
Jiang Zhe estimated his crystal harvesting was steady at ~3.9 crystals/day, nearly four times Luo Feng's speed.
By November, year 2245 (Hanxia calendar), after visiting family in the virtual universe, he returned to his world ring and stared at the pile of crystals.
"7,261 Blood Luo Crystals... So I'd need to stay here another 40 years?
No way. I refuse. There must be a faster way."
Orianna gently suggested:
"Master, instead of attacking the Immortal Temple, why not let your Domain Lords collect crystals for you?
You have 5,523 Domain Lords across roughly 40 World Cities. If each brings you just 2 crystals a year, that's 10,000 per year, or 10x gene increase annually."
Jiang Zhe froze.
"Wait... only 2 each per year? That means I could leave with Luo Feng—no decades needed."
His eyes widened.
"...Ana, that makes my past five years look stupid."
"Ah... shall I let you continue being silly then?" she teased.
Of course not. Jiang Zhe immediately organized them into 5-person squads, sending them to distant World Cities—usually 10 worlds away, or 10 billion km.
With 3 months to travel, that left 9 months to easily shake down or defeat other Domain Lords.
Most chose extortion over fighting—five men circling a target was usually enough to force a payoff.
Zhu Zhao's avatar coordinated everything, sending squads out while Jiang Zhe himself continued conquering and enslaving more Domain Lords.
A Moral Footnote
Jiang Zhe knew that once he became a Domain Lord, these enslaved minds would be nearly useless for further essence. Then he could simply release them.
If Zhu Zhao stopped enlightening them, the mental brand would fade, letting them return to normal lives.
"I think that's pretty humane," Jiang Zhe thought.
"No reason to be hanged from a lamppost over it."
Three Years Later
More crystals were refined into clear liquid, then into tetrahedrons, then into new 10,081-faceted spheres inside Zhu Zhao.
"10,070x gene level. Only 11,000 crystals left to go.
Finally—light at the end of the tunnel."
It was now 2249.
Luo Feng would leave around 2255–2256.
They'd recently met in the Rainmount region; Luo Feng was still absorbing fiendish energy and in no hurry to depart.
"Time to hunt World Lords for combat training. Even if I get chased out by an Immortal, Luo Feng can finish collecting the last crystals for me."
"Ana, pull up the list of scum World Lords I marked over the past 8 years. I want to rain down some divine punishment."
"Of course, Master. Nearest is Yongxuan World. The ruler is a mid-tier World Lord—a psychic—with some very sick tastes."
"Eugh, too much detail. Fine, he'll do."
Hunting World Lords
Yongxuan World, main city.
The grand palace lay in ruins, debris scattered everywhere.
Above, a sphere wrapped in thunder smashed through a hundred dagger-shaped beasts, barreling toward the terrified Yongxuan.
"No!"
"I still have 400 eras of life left—I'm not done enjoying myself!"
He tried to flee. But the thunder sphere wasn't just fast—it exerted a terrifying pull, like a black hole.
He lacked advanced law mastery, had no subtle flight techniques—he couldn't escape at all.
The sphere crushed him into pulp, shattered his life core, ripped open his inner world. Treasures scattered like flowers.
"And you call yourself a psychic?
You're even easier than a martial artist. One hit to break your power, one to smash your life core. Boring."
Jiang Zhe shook his head, swept up the loot, confirmed no crystals were left behind, and soared away.
Then:
Lihuo, World Lord 6th rank, martial artist—dead.
Zhaoduokuer, World Lord 5th rank, psychic—dead.
Pannie, World Lord 7th rank, martial artist—dead.
Kaitelan, World Lord 4th rank, illusionist—dead.
Over 40 worlds fell this way, finally drawing the Immortal Temple's attention.
They mostly ignored deaths of World Lords—but the fact it was an extraterritorial demon changed things.
At the Immortal Temple
Core of the Ancient God Ruins, atop the 9,999th level.
A black-armored god entered the throne room, bowed on one knee to an old man in white robes slumped on a throne.
Even as a mighty Immortal—a "God" to all Blood Luo life—he still paid homage.
Then his booming voice spoke:
"My king, I have a report."
"Speak," rasped the old man.
"Another outsider has arrived. He's killed 46 World Lords already. The Temple's envoys are panicking. Even our Immortals clamor to hunt him down. I await your guidance."
The old man opened his eyes.
"Are you sure? We signed treaties with them. Except their tribute collectors, they never send anyone above 'Cloud Sky' level."
"It is a 'Cloud Sky.' He's slain 46 World-class experts—alone."
The old man straightened, hands gripping his throne.
"A Cloud Sky? Did he use their tech? Those... laser cannons? Orbital strikes?"
"No, my king. A simple spherical psychic weapon. Countless Domain Lords witnessed—pure personal power."
The hall fell silent.
After a long pause, the old man sighed.
"A genius! An absolute genius! Why wasn't someone like this born to our people?"
The black-armored god dared not answer.
After a moment, the king spoke again:
"If we can't beat him one-on-one, then let us..."
(The story continues...)
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