Acknowledging a Master

The spirit of the Shi Wu Wings had only recently awakened, and its communication was still unclear. Luo Feng, with immense patience, spent nearly half a day to finally grasp its meaning. Though newly born, the spirit possessed fragmented memories. It didn't recall battle scenes but remembered its former master's appearance when they were united. According to the Shi Wu Wings' spirit, its former master was a colossal divine being with two horns and six pairs of wings. The Shi Wu Wings themselves were two of those six pairs.

Furthermore, the Shi Wu Wings' spirit was absolutely certain that all six pairs of wings were equal in importance. Each pair was crucial to the supreme treasure's overall structure, possessing unique functions. Without any single pair, true perfection could not be achieved.

“Then why is it so powerful?” Luo Feng pressed.

The Shi Wu Wings' spirit replied that it was due to the Source!

The Source was the core of all six pairs of wings. Based on Luo Feng's understanding from his communication with the Shi Wu Wings, the Source was akin to a car engine, possessing an 'energy storage' function. The former master of these wings was immensely powerful, and much of their divine power was converted and stored through the Source. It was precisely because of the Source's existence that those particular wings possessed such incredible, heaven-defying might.

“How do I claim it?” Luo Feng asked.

“Acknowledge a master,” Shi Wu replied.

“How do I acknowledge a master?” Luo Feng continued to press.

“The master imprints divine power onto the wings, and once the life imprint is branded, it can acknowledge a master,” Shi Wu said eagerly. “However, Master, I am a newly born spirit, and those wings also have a spirit. Once they finally merge, the two spirits will undoubtedly clash and fight, one devouring the other. Ultimately, only one spirit can exist. Master, if you acknowledge a master, you must help me. As long as you help me… I can devour it.”

Luo Feng sighed inwardly. After only half a day of communication, the more they spoke, the stronger the Shi Wu Wings' spirit's ability to convey information became.

“Alright, I will definitely help you,” Luo Feng nodded.

Shi Wu was the spirit that had newly awakened and followed him. The spirit of the white wings, however, harbored ill intentions. Naturally, he would choose Shi Wu.

“Shi Wu, my divine power can’t even get close to those wings. What should I do?” Luo Feng asked.

“Acknowledging a master is very difficult,” Shi Wu, as a supreme treasure spirit, naturally understood the conditions for acknowledging a master even though it was newly born. “Because those wings contain the Source, which is the core. So the spirit born within those white wings… is actually a spirit born with the Source as its main body. Other wings can be easily acknowledged, but not those white wings… The difficulty of acknowledging them is the same as for a complete supreme treasure wing.”

“What are the conditions?” Luo Feng pressed.

“It requires extremely high willpower.”

“A Sector Lord needs Universe Venerable-level willpower.”

“An Immortal needs Universe Master-level willpower.”

“A Universe Venerable needs Universe Supreme Master-level willpower.”

“A Universe Master needs willpower that surpasses a Universe Supreme Master,” Shi Wu explained.

Luo Feng was startled and immediately asked, “Surpassing a Universe Supreme Master? Does such a thing truly exist?”

“Yes, in my fragmented memories, I vaguely recall beings more powerful than the Universe Supreme Masters you know,” Shi Wu said. “My former master was one!”

Luo Feng gasped.

It was true!

It was indeed true!

In fact, countless powerful beings in the Cosmic Ocean had speculated about this, especially the Universe Masters of the two Holy Lands. These Universe Masters were exceptionally proud, claiming their ‘Cosmic Ancestors’ far surpassed many Universe Supreme Masters, even stating they were more powerful than the Original Ancestor, who was considered invincible before! They boasted endlessly about their invincible and mighty Cosmic Ancestors, but no one had ever seen these two beings.

However, whether it was the Original Ancestor or other Universe Supreme Masters, even the numerous damaged miniature universes were only so large. Only the ‘two universes’ of the two Holy Lands were vast, and these two Holy Lands had existed for an unknown number of reincarnation cycles. This made nearly a hundred other factions wary of the legendary Cosmic Ancestors of the two Holy Lands… In their hearts, they actually agreed that those two Cosmic Ancestors might be terrifying.

Yet, no one had ever seen them.

For endless eras…

They had never been seen, so they were treated as non-existent.

“The former master of the Shi Wu Wings was actually an existence more powerful than a Universe Supreme Master,” Luo Feng exclaimed. “Truly, this is real! There really are beings stronger than Universe Supreme Masters… It seems the Cosmic Ancestors of those two Holy Lands probably surpassed that level. Could it be… that to make a miniature universe exist eternally, one must surpass a Universe Supreme Master?”

Luo Feng made this deduction.

Eternity was difficult.

The destruction of countless miniature universes, with only two Holy Land universes surviving, showed its immense difficulty.

“It seems this involves some secrets of the Cosmic Ocean,” Luo Feng mused.

Luo Feng secretly buried all this in his heart. After all, in the boundless Cosmic Ocean, powerful beings were as numerous as trees in a forest, and his current strength was far from being able to uncover such secrets.

“Shi Wu, you mentioned acknowledging a master?” Luo Feng couldn't help but ask. “Are the conditions really that high?”

“Master is a Universe Venerable, so you must possess Universe Supreme Master-level willpower,” Shi Wu said. “I don’t know about other extremely powerful supreme treasures, but I know that those white wings are like this.” Being of the same origin, it naturally understood best.

“What if I don’t meet that level of willpower?” Luo Feng pressed.

“It won’t succeed, but at most, acknowledging a master will fail; there’s no danger to your life,” Shi Wu stated directly.

“Is acknowledging a master unrelated to the life gene level?”

“Unrelated,” Shi Wu affirmed.

Luo Feng’s pupils contracted. He had long felt there was something wrong with those white wings. Now that ‘Shi Wu’ had awakened, from the information Shi Wu conveyed, acknowledging a master had nothing to do with the ‘life gene’ level. In fact, when he had acknowledged the Star Tower, it hadn't involved his life gene either.

Moreover, the spirit of the white wings had deceived him… it had lied, saying that a Universe Venerable needed Universe Master-level willpower.

Yet the truth was, a Universe Venerable needed Universe Supreme Master-level willpower!

“Shi Wu,” Luo Feng said, “Earlier, when I communicated with those white wings…” Luo Feng recounted the entire conversation to Shi Wu.

“It’s lying to you, Master, it’s lying to you. Your current willpower is simply not enough,” Shi Wu said repeatedly. “It’s very dangerous. I suspect its offer to let you acknowledge a master is fake; it’s very likely trying to kill you. A single blade of light from those wings could instantly annihilate you.”

“I understand now, Shi Wu. Tell me, how can I get my hands on it?” Luo Feng asked.

“Once Master’s willpower reaches the required level, there are two methods. One is to imprint divine power onto the wings, and the imprint will naturally spread throughout every part of the wings,” Shi Wu explained. “The other method is for the white wings to release their most important core, the ‘Source.’ The Source flies to Master, and Master imprints divine power onto the Source, thus acknowledging a master. It must be the Source; other individual components are useless.”

Luo Feng nodded, understanding. It was like acknowledging the Star Tower; the tower pearl had to merge with his soul. Acknowledging a sealed star within the Star Tower, for example, would be useless to the Star Tower itself.

“Master, please wait patiently. If those white wings become anxious, there might be an opportunity. As long as it releases the ‘Source,’ I can clearly determine if it is indeed the Source. At that time, Master can trap the Source within this Star Tower,” Shi Wu urged. “The Star Tower’s power is immense; if the Source is trapped in one of its spaces, it won’t be able to escape.”

“Master can then calmly wait, slowly temper your willpower until it reaches the threshold, and then acknowledge the Source,” Shi Wu continued.

Luo Feng nodded.

“Good, I’ll wait!”

…

Time flowed by. The Shi Wu spirit grew rapidly at a visible rate. Its intelligence level wasn't inherently high, but its operational speed was extremely fast, naturally making its communication clearer and more lucid. Shi Wu organized its fragmented memories and, combining them with various data from the current Cosmic Ocean, made numerous deductions.

Another three years passed.

A fluctuation from the white wings reached Luo Feng.

“Human,” the white wings’ spirit finally contacted Luo Feng.

Luo Feng chuckled inwardly, it had indeed sought him out.

“Are you deliberately stalling with me?” the white wings’ spirit asked. “You know I desperately want to repair myself, and your lifespan is incredibly long. This place also happens to be a rare treasure ground for tempering willpower. So you’re not in a hurry at all, are you?”

“That’s right,” Luo Feng replied directly.

“You’re very direct, but you’re unwilling to even offer a peak supreme treasure. That truly disappoints me,” the white wings’ spirit said.

“I’m not willing to gamble. If I fail, wouldn’t I lose a peak supreme treasure?” Luo Feng countered. “A peak supreme treasure is still very important to me.”

“I am far stronger than a peak supreme treasure,” the white wings’ spirit stated.

“But you haven’t acknowledged a master yet,” Luo Feng retorted. “Why are you so insistent that I must first give you a peak supreme treasure? Once you are truly acknowledged, and I possess such a powerful supreme treasure as you, I would naturally find ways to make you even stronger. A super powerful being only needs a few suitable supreme treasures. No powerful being who owns a supreme treasure like you would neglect to enhance its power.”

Silence.

Then the white wings’ spirit retreated.

Luo Feng closed his eyes, continuing to temper his willpower, completely unhurried.

…

Another three years passed in a blink.

The fluctuation returned.

“Alright, I give up,” the white wings’ spirit said.

“Hahaha, don’t worry, once you acknowledge a master, I will definitely find a way to repair you and greatly enhance your power. You are my trump card,” Luo Feng quickly promised. “Wings, to acknowledge a master, it requires your core component, right?”

“Yes, I will now detach a core component. You grasp it, imprint your divine power into it, and you can acknowledge a master,” the white wings said. “I hope you won’t disappoint me.”

“I definitely won’t disappoint you,” Luo Feng replied.

Whoosh~~~

A point of light suddenly flew out from the edge of the white wings, only to be immediately struck and sent flying by the dense blades. It was instantly thrown millions of kilometers away, soaring far off. From time to time, it was hit by a blade of light, constantly darting about in the distant, endless blade storm.

“Shi Wu, is that the Source?” Luo Feng asked.

“No, Master. The Source is the origin of all those lights. If it flew out, all the countless blade lights would follow it. It is the core of the endless lights,” Shi Wu explained. “That’s a fake. I’m certain there’s a hidden blade of light within it. Once Master acknowledges it, the blade will instantly strike your body… Master will surely die.”