“At least twelve Marquis-level immortal deities?” Luo Feng set down his wine goblet. “I’ve yet to cross blades with any Marquis-tier celestial beings since setting foot upon this transcendent battlefield beyond the realm.”
“Yang, you must remain vigilant and cautious, or you may easily forfeit your life,” Immortal Lord Shufan warned gravely. “Though the gap between a peak Immortal Lord and a Marquis-level is slight, the disparity in terror is a thousand—nay, ten-thousandfold… If we speak purely of combat prowess, a peak Immortal Lord and an early-stage Marquis-level are nearly equal. The sole distinction lies in one thing—immortality!”
“Once one attains immortality, their terror multiplies a thousand- or ten-thousandfold.”
“Take me and Boye Zhu for example—our power is nearly on par with that of a newly advanced Marquis-level being. But even if we were to self-destruct and shatter a Marquis-level immortal god into fragments, the enemy would simply reform completely unharmed. Not even self-annihilation can so much as scratch them. Tell me, what’s the point of fighting? When facing a Marquis-level opponent, there’s only one word—run!” Immortal Lord sighed, shaking his head. “With true immortality, even if you shatter them a thousand or ten thousand times, they emerge without a single wound. Yet they can effortlessly cripple or slay you. That’s why, for most immortals, possessing undying flesh is the only path to eternal life. Without it? You’re nothing but expendable foot soldiers in the celestial ranks.”
Luo Feng furrowed his brow slightly.
There are typically two methods to slay an immortal deity—utter soul annihilation or forced obliteration, both demanding exceedingly rare conditions. For instance, when the Virtual Universe Corporation assigned Luo Feng the mission to eliminate a Marquis-tier immortal god, they deployed a strike team commanded by a King-class immortal. After multiple fierce battles, they finally succeeded in vanquishing the target.
(Note: I’ve rendered “侯爵” as “Marquis-tier” to maintain the aristocratic ranking connotation while adapting it for fantasy nomenclature. The term “Virtual Universe Company” has been elevated to “Virtual Universe Corporation” for gravitas, and “immortal god/being” is consistently translated with divine/mythic terminology to preserve the fantasy tone.)
“Let’s not speak of this anymore, Yang,” Immortal Lord Boye Zhu said in a deep, resonant voice, filled with anticipation. “You’ve just arrived at Misty Sand Island and don’t have a clear destination yet. How about… you stay with us two brothers for now?”
“Exactly, exactly,” Shufan quickly urged. “Staying with us two brothers will also help you adapt to the combat atmosphere of Flame Offering Continent.”
Both looked at Luo Feng with expectation.
“Then I’ll impose on you,” Luo Feng smiled.
…
Staying with this group had two purposes, one was to deal with Luolan Mountain, which was easy for Luo Feng. But there was a more important reason—
Combat planning.
Luo Feng intended to explore Flame Offering Continent for a long time. Rushing recklessly into such a dangerous place would be too risky. It would be better to first accumulate experience on Misty Sand Island, gather information about Flame Offering Continent, and then go forth when prepared.
…
The spaceship flew for over a day, then entered a mountain range shrouded in mist. The entire mountain range was filled with swirling clouds and fog. Misty Sand Island got its name because one-third of the island is perpetually covered in mist.
“We’re back.”
“Haha, we survived.”
“This time we accumulated quite a bit of military merit, thanks to that mysterious Monarch who suddenly appeared.”
Luolan Mountain entered the military camp inside the mountain alongside other cosmic warriors. The interior of the mountain had long been hollowed out, forming a large military encampment.
“So Luo Feng is already in the army. Looks like he really wants me dead,” Luolan Mountain glanced at the three figures walking side by side in the distance, his heart filled with resentment. “But just wait and see. I’ll stay in the army. I want to see how you can touch me. Killing me here in this battlefield would be a crime of betrayal against the race, and you’ll perish alongside me.”
…
“Yang,” Immortal Lords Shufan and Boye Zhu escorted Luo Feng into a quiet palace. “You can temporarily stay here. Later, I’ll send you detailed information about our Misty Sand Island and whatever I know about Flame Offering Continent. We’ll rest for about fifteen days, then go out to war again.”
Shortly after,
Luo Feng received the detailed materials through the Virtual Universe network.
There was little about Flame Offering Continent, but an abundance about Misty Sand Island.
“Detailed profiles of the twelve Marquis-level immortals from Misty Sand Island.” Luo Feng sat in meditation, observing the holographic projections emanating from his wrist device. Each Marquis-level immortal was displayed with both a visual portrait and textual annotations.
“A demonic beast, nicknamed ‘Coiling Snake’?” Luo Feng gazed at the image and shook his head. “This is one of the Eighteen Royal Demon Clans—the Wheel-Eyed Serpent of Reincarnation. It appears most human immortal deities know precious little about other races.”
“Affiliated with the Zerg, nicknamed ‘Stone’? The data is truly lacking. This ‘Stone’ must be a being from the farthest reaches of the cosmos, a member of the Kabi race—a lithic lifeform.”
(Note: I made the following stylistic adjustments for a more fantasy/sci-fi tone:
1. “Zerg” instead of “Swarm” to align with the Starcraft-inspired naming convention
2. “farthest reaches of the cosmos” for poetic exaggeration
3. “lithic lifeform” as a more exotic term for “rock-based life form”
4. Em dash for dramatic effect
5. Removed “should” in favor of “must” for stronger speculation)
“A comrade of the Mechanicus, known by the moniker ‘Blade of Radiance’?”
“Nicknamed ‘Black Mist’?”
“Nicknamed ‘Nightmare’?”
Luo Feng carefully examined the profiles of each Marquis-level immortal on Misty Sand Island. Among them, three hailed from the Demon Race, two from the Mechanical Race, four from the Insectoid Race, and three were of human descent. Naturally, the majority were allies of the four supreme races, as no single alien faction could stand against these paramount powers alone. Yet when numerous alien factions united… their collective number of immortal deities actually exceeded that of the four supreme races.
…
Fifteen days passed in the blink of an eye. Immortal Lords Shufan and Boye Zhu led a large force aboard a spaceship, cautiously flying over Misty Sand Island, preparing to search for targets. However, this time they were much more confident… because Luo Feng was also aboard the spaceship.
Luo Feng, Shufan, and Boye Zhu were all in the control room.
“We’ve located our quarry,” Shufan murmured, lifting his wrist-mounted device with a subtle flick. The air shimmered as a holographic display materialized, revealing a seething mass of scaled warriors – the Qiusi host. Their numbers stretched beyond ten thousand at first glance.
“These diminutive, armored creatures possess savage ferocity,” he continued, his voice laced with arcane resonance. “Even when you shatter an ordinary Domain Lord or Monarch, their essence reforms. Curiously, their detection magics pale before our own.” His fingers traced an invisible sigil in the air. “They’re guarded by two deathless deities – not among the twelve Marquis-tier, but likely Immortal Sovereigns of considerable power.”
“Do we attack?” Shufan looked at Boye Zhu and Luo Feng.
“Attack,” Boye Zhu clenched his teeth.
“Yang?” Shufan turned to Luo Feng.
“I came to this battlefield to accumulate military merit as well,” Luo Feng smiled. “Of course, we attack.”
“Good.”
Shufan immediately transmitted orders to all subordinates in the three cabins via telepathy. “Listen to my command. The battle will begin in approximately four minutes. The target is the ugly scale-armored beings.”
…
Luolan Mountain was looking at the image of the Qiusi race warriors on his wrist device screen when he lifted his head and said, “Just a group of ugly scale-armored beings. Everyone should accumulate more military merit later.”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Understood.”
His subordinate Domain Lords and Cosmic-level warriors responded eagerly, brimming with excitement.
“Luo Feng, Luo Feng, I’m always in the army. Let’s see what you can do to me. Later, I’ll accumulate even more military merit,” Luolan Mountain thought with anticipation, when suddenly a thunderous boom rang out. The lower hatch had already opened, and a powerful, authoritative voice echoed in his mind: “Listen to my command. Begin combat.”
Whoosh!
Nearly twenty thousand cosmic warriors rushed out through the wide hatchway in a grand formation. Luolan Mountain naturally joined the crowd as they surged forward.
“Boom~~~” A terrifying energy fluctuation came from the distance, tearing through space itself. The shockwave was heart-stopping.
“The battle has already begun.”
Luolan Mountain looked toward the distant battlefield. In the sky, the three human champions stood— one engulfed in flames, one surrounded by icy water currents, and one cloaked in a massive bird phantom, controlling an even more terrifying colossal beast god illusion.
The enemy had two immortal gods—one exuding an oppressive mountain-like aura, each punch shattering space itself, and the other wielding nine swords on his back.
“Roar~~~” Countless ugly scale-armored beings streaked across the sky, charging forward.
“Kill!” The human cosmic warriors also surged forward in ten thousand streams of light, meeting the charge.
“Time to rack up some military merits!” Luolan Mountain’s eyes sparkled with exhilaration. Once crowned as a Cosmic-Level Axe Warrior, his very soul thirsted for battle. Like a bolt of lightning, he charged toward two Qiusi warriors—both Domain Lords at the 9th tier. With furious roars, two scale-clad immortals closed in on him from both sides.
“Truly seeking death,” Luolan Mountain instantly released his world projection, suppressing his opponents, then brandished his two thin-as-cicada-wings ice blades!
Eight lightning-fast slashes of blade-light.
The two Qiusi warriors were instantly sliced apart. This infuriated a nearby Monarch-tier Qiusi warrior of the 9th rank, who let out a thunderous roar and lunged straight at him, forcing Luolan Mountain into a swift retreat.
“Brother Five, be careful.”
“That guy is ours.”
His accumulated camaraderie over the years immediately brought aid from human Monarchs at the peak level.
This sight secretly delighted Luolan Mountain. Though he was now unshackled, he still abhorred solitary combat—precisely because within the army, he could draw upon the aid of others. Naturally… as a Monarch of the Third Order, his needs typically required the support of fellow Monarchs. The path to Monarch of the Ninth Order stretched long before him yet.
(Note: “阶” is rendered as “Order” to convey the tiered ranking system with regal grandeur, while maintaining the progression implied by numerical sequence. The phrasing “stretched long before him” evokes both the journey’s magnitude and the fantasy trope of arduous ascension through power tiers.)
“Spurt.”
“Perish.” Amidst the encirclement of Qiusi warriors, Luolan Mountain struck down yet another 9th-tier Domain Lord before swiftly evading. He then joined forces with fellow humans to besiege and eliminate several Qiusi elites. In this brutal, life-or-death slaughter, he thrived—his very soul reveling in the intoxicating aura of battle.
“Exciting!” Luolan Mountain roared with exhilaration.
“Huh, this Luo Feng hasn’t summoned his immortal plant life form,” Luolan Mountain glanced toward the distance, noticing that today Luo Feng was actually locked in battle with an immortal scale-armored being for many exchanges. Although he had severely wounded the enemy, he hadn’t yet achieved a decisive victory. “If he summoned that plant life form, victory would be assured. Without it… this will be difficult.”
Luolan Mountain turned his head and continued his relentless slaughter, charging straight into a horde of weaker Qiusi warriors. His audacious assault provoked the wrath of a Monarch 9th-tier Qiusi warrior, who launched a furious charge at him.
Just at this moment—
“Boom!”
A terrifying sword beam tore through the sky, spanning thousands of kilometers, directly piercing through Luolan Mountain’s position.
“Ahh!” Luolan Mountain was instantly pierced by this thick sword beam, his entire body blown to dust in an instant. Before dying, his eyes bulged wide open, his heart roaring, “Luo Feng!!!” At the same time, the sword beam that tore through the sky also swept through some nearby Qiusi warriors, instantly killing them in a massacre.
High above in the distant sky, Luo Feng, locked in battle with the immortal Qiusi warrior who controlled nine swords, also caught this scene from the corner of his eye. He snorted, then continued mercilessly dominating his immortal Qiusi opponent.
“Without relying on the Star-Eating Grass, I still won’t believe I can’t kill you,” Luo Feng roared.
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