Chapter 127: Intrigues and Machinations

Without hesitation, Lan Tian performed a hand seal, instantly lifting the restriction the "Seal of Heaven" had placed upon his primordial universe.

In the void, cosmic energy surged violently. Torrential waves of raw power poured into Lan Tian’s primordial universe, instantly manifesting as a massive energy vortex swirling around his body.

"Hmm? What’s happening?" Sensing the shift in energy, Qi Peng grew alert. He cast a wary, suspicious glance at Lan Tian, ready to defend against any sudden move.

Although the boy’s base strength was mediocre, his gray flames were tyrannical, capable of incinerating the parasitic creatures instantly. Without them, even Qi Peng—despite his higher cultivation—would struggle to endure the highly corrosive blood of these Star-Glitter rank parasites for long.

Judging by their progress, he could certainly kill the boy if he turned on him now, but without those gray flames, he wasn't entirely confident he could break through this endless swarm of insects.

With this in mind, Qi Peng shifted his gaze and adopted a conciliatory tone. "Little brother, I was in the wrong earlier. I just thought it best to conserve energy—I intended to step in once you grew exhausted. How about this: you lead the charge, and I’ll cover our rear. When you can no longer hold on, just say the word, and we’ll swap. If we work together, we’re bound to make it through this ordeal. How does that sound?"

Lan Tian didn't believe a single word. He ignored the man entirely, focusing instead on his own state. To his delight, he discovered that his primordial universe was so extraordinary that the speed at which it absorbed cosmic energy far exceeded his consumption rate.

In other words, if he could endure the physical strain, his cosmic star power was effectively infinite. He could keep fighting forever.

Lan Tian was ecstatic; this was an unexpected discovery that eased his anxiety. At the very least, he no longer had to fear being left drained after breaking through, only to be exploited by Qi Peng.

However, it still wasn't enough.

Qi Peng was a master at the Low-Level Star Domain rank, while Lan Tian was only at the High-Level Star Nebula rank. Even with the two-level boost from his Scarlet Gold God Armor, he was barely at the High-Level Star rank. Moreover, within the magnetic field of the Corroding Gold tribe, the armor’s effectiveness was significantly dampened, leaving him at best at the Low-Level Star rank. The gap between them was a full two major realms!

How was he supposed to fight that?

As he pondered, his heart sank. He realized that even if they successfully broke through, he might still die at Qi Peng’s hands. He couldn't afford to be naive—the way Qi Peng glanced greedily at the Scarlet Gold God Armor left no doubt: the moment an opportunity arose, the man would strike.

What to do? Lan Tian frowned, his mind racing.

***

Qi Peng was feeling increasingly puzzled. He couldn't fathom how the strange boy’s momentum seemed to be growing stronger the longer they fought.

"What is going on? Could it be that besides his cosmic armor, this kid possesses some other treasure for recovery?"

His heart burned with desire, and he looked at Lan Tian as if he were a massive treasure chest. He had no idea that what he deemed a "recovery treasure" was actually the universe-shaking phenomenon of Lan Tian’s primordial universe.

"You call this working together?" Lan Tian slowed his pace, shifting to a steady, defensive rhythm. He withdrew his Pale Blood Star-Fire and said with feigned indignation, "If you don’t start pulling your weight, I’m stopping. We might as well both go down!"

"No, no, don't be hasty, little brother! I'm coming to help!" Qi Peng forced a smile, sneering inwardly. He assumed his manipulation was working; he believed the boy was merely putting on a show to demand his sincerity and force him to contribute.

To keep Lan Tian compliant, Qi Peng began to fight in earnest, unleashing blade beams that froze one parasitic creature after another. With Lan Tian’s cosmic star power already replenishing rapidly and Qi Peng now contributing, the pressure on Lan Tian eased significantly.

Seeing everything unfolding according to his plan, Lan Tian kept a cold face, though he was secretly delighted. Qi Peng didn't realize that Lan Tian wasn't demanding "sincerity"—he was setting a trap.

Time passed. The cultivators in the passenger ship behind them, including Lan Tian’s acquaintance Beibu, had drawn the vast majority of the parasites' aggression. Aside from a few exceptionally strong individuals still clinging to life, most had perished. As the cultivators died, more parasites swarmed toward Lan Tian and Qi Peng.

The breakout became increasingly difficult, yet Lan Tian felt lighter than ever. Since Qi Peng was now showing "sincerity," Lan Tian felt secure enough to execute his plan: he diverted over 80% of his mental energy to weave the "Soul-Suppressing Pagoda" within his mind.

Almost there! Just a little more! The first floor of the Soul-Suppressing Pagoda was nearly complete!

The two-realm gap in strength was too vast, and Qi Peng possessed both elemental combat techniques and the refined essence of the second or even third realm. Lan Tian knew that even if he played every card he had—including the Flame Swamp phantom he had forged from all his Pale Blood Star-Fire, which had nearly drained him dry—he had no guarantee of defeating Qi Peng.

Even if he managed a pyrrhic victory, he would likely die in the endless swarm of insects from exhaustion.

Fortunately, he had the "Soul-Suppressing Pagoda," a powerful, specialized mental cultivation technique. Lan Tian was certain that once he mastered the first floor, his mental power would skyrocket. With the boost from the Scarlet Gold God Armor, he might not surpass Qi Peng, but he would at least be on even footing.

And with comparable mental strength, Lan Tian was confident he had at least a hundred ways to kill him.

"Daring to use me, Master Lan Tian, as a shield!"

"Daring to covet my treasures!"

"Have you lost your mind?!" Lan Tian roared inwardly. The thought of potentially gaining a Star Domain-rank slave filled him with joy. He poured his remaining focus into the final weave of the pagoda's first floor.

"Snap!"

Lan Tian’s body trembled imperceptibly. A strange sound echoed in his mind, and the magnificent Soul-Suppressing Pagoda in his soul suddenly erupted with brilliant light.

In an instant, his soul intensity soared as it was bathed in the endless radiance.

His brow throbbed with pain—the side effect of a sudden mental surge.

But Lan Tian only wanted to say...

It hurts so good! The timing is perfect! Let the pain be more intense!