Chapter 1471: Guardian

One can only choose one of the two!

Luo Feng’s eyes instantly showed determination: “I have no choice!”

For everything he wished to protect in his heart, even sacrificing his life was worth it. Let alone just his own minor universe. Even if his minor universe were to perish, it would only mean that he could no longer improve.

…

In the Virtual Universe, within a floating temple, numerous True Gods from the Primordial Universe gathered.

The map of the Cosmic Sea, suspended high above, indicated everything.

True Gods like Jiuyou True Sovereign, Starry Sky Ancestor, and Shihua Island Lord were staring at the dense clusters of lights on the map, all showing concern.

“The Cosmic Beasts have split into two groups?”

The True Gods were worried.

Seated above, the Luo Feng in white robes did not hide anything. Facing a life-and-death crisis, there was no point in hiding: “Everyone, the Cosmic Beasts have split into two groups. Forty-five thousand Cosmic Beasts are now circling my minor universe, ready to approach and devour it at any moment. The other group, also forty-five thousand Cosmic Beasts, is located in the region of the First Cycle Era, where the original minor universes were. They are pairing up, fighting and devouring each other. The winners continue to pair up and fight again… Continuing this way, the forty-five thousand Cosmic Beasts will evolve into terrifying ones. Once they reach the sixth stage, even I won’t have any hope.”

Sixth-stage Cosmic Beasts can split into countless forms.

No matter how strong he was, he could only kill one at a time. Under the restrictions of the invisible rules, even Mosha would be forced to come out and fight the sixth-stage Cosmic Beast and be killed. Once the sixth-stage Cosmic Beast becomes the ruler, it will directly give birth to a large number of warriors, even more terrifying than the sixth-stage Cosmic Beast. An overwhelming army capable of sweeping away everything.

“Pairing up and fighting each other?”

“If this continues, super Cosmic Beasts will quickly evolve.”

“Only the Milky Way Lord has the hope of stopping all this. But if the Milky Way Lord goes there, the forty-five thousand Cosmic Beasts surrounding his minor universe will immediately devour his minor universe.”

The True Gods below were transmitting thoughts, discussing anxiously.

For a moment, no one had a solution. This was a dilemma. The Cosmic Beasts were naturally proud, each one aspiring to become the ruler. However, this pairing method wasn’t entirely fair. For example, a second-stage Cosmic Beast would generally fight another second-stage one to grow continuously. But now, if forced to pair up, it might have to fight a third-stage one, knowing it’s a suicide mission, it still must fight.

Additionally, the forty-five thousand Cosmic Beasts surrounding Luo Feng had a lower chance of evolving to the sixth stage.

Therefore, such an allocation wasn’t fair.

Without sufficient threat, the Cosmic Beasts would never use this method to determine the final ruler! But Luo Feng was too terrifying… making them all obey and choose this brutal method of selection.

Though cruel, it was effective, immediately putting Luo Feng and all other races in the Cosmic Sea in a desperate situation.

…

Luo Feng looked down from above, seeing the True Gods below discussing.

“Luofeng,” transmitted the Chaos City Lord sitting beside Luo Feng, “their thoughts don’t need to be asked. They all hope that you will go and fight… Although this will cause your minor universe to perish. However, the other races don’t care whether your minor universe perishes or not. They just dare not say it, fearing your wrath.”

Luo Feng nodded, understanding this point.

“I have no choice,” Luo Feng transmitted to his teacher.

The Chaos City Lord sighed lightly. Indeed, no choice.

“Everyone,” Luo Feng looked down and spoke.

All the True Gods below looked up, listening carefully.

“Surviving the Cosmic Beast calamity is the most important… I will immediately head to the region of the First Cycle Era and do my best to deal with the threat of the Cosmic Beasts,” Luo Feng said.

“Teacher.”

“Milky Way.”

“Luofeng!”

Immediately, some human True Gods called out, like the Fire Dome True God and Hong, who were especially anxious. If he decided to leave, considering the size of Luo Feng’s minor universe, even if other True Gods went to help protect it, it would be very difficult. It would almost certainly be devoured by the Cosmic Beasts, thus ending Luo Feng’s future, never able to advance further.

“Don’t try to persuade me,” Luo Feng said.

“That’s forty-five thousand Cosmic Beasts,” the Fire Dome True God said anxiously.

Luo Feng shook his head: “I have no choice!”

The human True Gods who had initially intended to persuade him fell silent. Even the True Gods of the demon race, insect race, and other species, who couldn’t help but feel a hint of schadenfreude, suddenly felt their hearts grow heavy. Indeed, there was no other choice. Not even the Lord of the Milky Way had an alternative. Their own races were even more pitiable—they could only pin their hopes on the Lord of the Milky Way’s success, or face inevitable annihilation.

“This time I’m going, but I don’t have complete confidence,” Luo Feng shook his head. “The forty-five thousand Cosmic Beasts in the First Cycle Era region have already killed many of each other. They are all scattered. Only when two Cosmic Beasts are closest to each other will they fight. This makes it difficult for me to deal with them on a large scale…”

The True Gods below felt their hearts sink again.

“I will do my best to deal with the Cosmic Beasts. As for protecting your own minor universes,” Luo Feng said, “you’ll have to rely on yourselves. I can’t be distracted anymore.”

Silence fell.

The True Gods looked at each other. Although they were unwilling to accept it, they understood that if even Luo Feng couldn’t protect his own minor universe, it would be even harder for them to protect theirs.

“Milky Way Lord, you go ahead. If you’re not afraid of endangering your own minor universe, what does it matter if we lose ours?”

“Yes, our chances of transcending samsara were already so low they could be ignored. Whether we have a minor universe or not makes little difference.”

“Milky Way Lord, don’t worry about us.”

“Facing the Cosmic Beast calamity, we can’t help at all, so naturally we shouldn’t interfere with you.”

At this moment, the True Gods of various races understood the gravity of the situation. Killing the Cosmic Beasts was the top priority. As for everything else? Everything else could be sacrificed! Even if they were reluctant to sacrifice, when the Cosmic Beast army truly surrounded them, how could their minor universes resist? They had to accept this reality, while hoping… that Luo Feng would succeed.

This was a true calamity!

In this calamity, survival meant victory.

…

As the True Gods of various races were discussing, Zuo Shanke, sitting in the farthest corner, was silently watching everything, a faint smile on his lips: “Indeed, he is my disciple. Not even a trace of struggle or hesitation can be seen! He has a clear mind and sees his true nature, pointing directly to his innermost heart… Even after becoming the strongest in the Cosmic Sea, his heart remains as clear, not clouded by dust.”

Zuo Shanke knew clearly.

When one is weak and climbing step by step, perhaps one can achieve clarity of mind and see one’s true nature, cutting off all temptations. But when one becomes the strongest… naturally one can demand more, possess more, and the heart will become greedier, wanting even more. At that time, maintaining a clear heart becomes difficult.

“Luofeng.” Zuo Shanke transmitted.

Luo Feng, sitting at the highest position, turned to look.

“Teacher.” Luo Feng transmitted.

“You go ahead and deal with the threat of the Cosmic Beasts. As for your minor universe… you don’t need to worry about it,” Zuo Shanke said. “I will immediately go to your minor universe and temporarily reside there. I have a treasure. If I exert my utmost effort, I should be able to protect your minor universe from being devoured.”

“What?” Luo Feng, sitting at the top, was startled. Beside him, the Chaos City Lord noticed Luo Feng’s change in mindset and turned to look at him.

“Teacher.” Luo Feng was shocked. “You’re saying you can protect my minor universe?”

“Yes.” Zuo Shanke continued transmitting. “Yes.”

“But what about your own minor universe?” Luo Feng immediately asked.

“I can only protect one.” Zuo Shanke replied directly. The implication was clear: when Zuo Shanke entered Luo Feng’s minor universe to help him fully, he would not have the capacity to protect his own minor universe.

Luo Feng was anxious: “Teacher, if your own minor universe is devoured, my minor universe…”

“Don’t say more,” Zuo Shanke said. “Even if I transcend samsara, it won’t be of much use. Your survival is more important! I have invested endless effort in cultivating you, and you are even more powerful and promising than I imagined. How can I let your future be so easily cut off… wouldn’t that make all my hopes over countless eons in vain?”

Luo Feng was stunned.

Yes.

He could accept his future being cut off, but had he considered Zuo Shanke? Zuo Shanke had cultivated him, and if he could not advance further, it would indeed make Zuo Shanke’s hopes in vain.

“Don’t think too much,” Zuo Shanke said. “It doesn’t matter that I can’t become a Void-level existence. Your transcending samsara is the most important. In the future, you will know all the secrets, and then you will understand why your teacher is doing this. Go now, focus entirely on dealing with the Cosmic Beasts. As for your minor universe, your teacher… will protect it with my life.”

Sitting high on the throne, Luo Feng looked at Zuo Shanke in the distant corner, then closed his eyes.

His heart was trembling.

Perhaps Zuo Shanke wanted to use him, or perhaps there were other plans.

But over countless eons, on the path of his growth, Zuo Shanke had never asked for his help, always being the one helping him! Even now, Zuo Shanke was still helping him… Such a great favor could even be said to surpass the help from Zhenyan and Chaos.

It was only because he always felt Zuo Shanke had some plan that he had a barrier in his heart.

But, no matter what, Zuo Shanke had always been helping him, even sacrificing his own minor universe to help him!

“Teacher.” Luo Feng silently said in his heart, “After the Cosmic Beast calamity passes and everything I wish to protect is safe, I, Luo Feng, will repay your great favor with my life!”

…

Whoosh!

At the edge of the infinite Primordial Universe membrane wall, a figure directly pierced through the wall and flew out. He wore silver armor, with five pairs of wings behind him.

“Cosmic Beasts?” A flash of ferocity crossed Luo Feng’s eyes, and then he directly disappeared into the endless chaos currents.

…

At the same time Luo Feng left the Primordial Universe, outside the ‘Cosmic Channel Gate’ leading to Luo Feng’s minor universe at the Milky Way Holy Land, Zuo Shanke floated over, sitting cross-legged on a mountain peak. His eyes showed calmness, without any joy or sorrow. Naturally, the guards who had received orders dared not stop him, allowing Zuo Shanke to fly directly into the Cosmic Channel.