Plunging Three Thousand Feet, Comprehending the Starry Sky Waterfall Conception!

Lu Changsheng took a stroll around the Heavenly Maiden Sect. Although Zhanhai City was bordered by the sea, its surrounding terrain was actually mountainous and wooded. The Heavenly Maiden Sect itself was nestled against a mountain in Zhanhai City. While not exceptionally tall, it was lush, picturesque, and offered beautiful scenery. There was even a waterfall. Lu Changsheng sat cross-legged before the waterfall. A few Heavenly Maiden Sect disciples followed behind him, though none dared approach. Lu Changsheng paid them little mind. Only now did he have time to sort through the memories in his mind. His battle with Lu Jianming earlier had truly been a contest between well-matched rivals, giving Lu Changsheng a great deal to ponder. "A heart devoted to the sword." With his comprehension exceeding one thousand points, Lu Changsheng naturally understood what having a "heart devoted to the sword" truly meant. He even had a clear grasp of its shortcomings. It was an unorthodox shortcut, an extreme method of employing martial conceptions. Or rather, it was the easiest method to comprehend and master one. A heart devoted to the sword, a heart devoted to the blade, or even a heart devoted to the fist—these were merely shortcuts to comprehending a conception, mere means and methods rather than the ultimate goal. After all, for ordinary people, trying to comprehend a conception was exceedingly difficult, something rare enough that "one in ten thousand" was hardly an exaggeration. Yet as long as one devoted their heart entirely to the sword or blade and followed the path step by step, they were guaranteed to eventually comprehend sword intent or blade intent. Lu Changsheng, however, was different. He had no need for a heart devoted to the sword to grasp sword intent or blade intent. Previously, his comprehension had been at seven hundred points, and now it stood at over a thousand; he had already comprehended the Ocean Wave Conception on his own. Furthermore, having a heart devoted to the sword had another drawback: one had to rely on a sword in hand to bring out the full might of their sword intent. Without a sword, the power of their sword intent was drastically diminished. Lu Changsheng's Ocean Wave Conception was not like that. Whether through blade arts, sword arts, fist arts, or palm arts, he could unleash the full power of the Ocean Wave Conception through all of them. Lu Changsheng's current problem was how to seamlessly integrate the Ocean Wave Conception into his martial arts. Lu Jianming had mentioned that if he wanted to integrate a conception into a blade art, he could seek him out at Suspended Sword Villa. Lu Changsheng, however, felt there was no need to go to such trouble. He had already seen Lu Jianming unleash sword intent. With his own comprehension exceeding one thousand points, resolving this small matter would be no problem at all. With that, flashes of inspiration began bursting through Lu Changsheng's mind, one after another. *Whoosh.* The next instant, Lu Changsheng slashed with his blade. Slash after slash struck the massive waterfall before him. In an instant, the waterfall's flow was severed. He could even sever the waves of the sea with a single slash; what was a mere waterfall compared to that? However, this severed flow seemed slightly different from the time he had cleaved the ocean waves. This time, Lu Changsheng's slash seemed to merge with rolling ocean waves. A single strike was like countless slashes unleashed together, wave upon wave, forcefully cutting off the waterfall. Draw a blade to sever water, and the water flows faster still—yet if the blade moves faster than the flow of water, it truly can sever the torrent. Moreover, the speed and power behind each slash never diminished in the slightest. Lu Changsheng then executed fist arts and palm arts in succession. He even demonstrated sword techniques. The results were entirely the same. He could sever the flow with a single punch. He could sever the flow with a single palm strike. He could sever the flow with a single sword thrust. The Ocean Wave Conception had become second nature to him, able to blend seamlessly into blade, sword, fist, and palm techniques alike. If he wished, Lu Changsheng could infuse the Ocean Wave Conception into even a casual blow. *A single conception is still inferior to Lu Jianming's sword intent.* *Lu Jianming's sword intent, combined with his sword technique, possesses far greater destructive power than my Ocean Wave Conception. If not for the Nine-Word Mantra Secret Method, I might not have defeated him.* *That is the advantage of a heart devoted to the sword. However, my comprehension exceeds one thousand points, so I should play to the strength of my extraordinary comprehension. Perhaps I shouldn't stop at a single conception. I should comprehend a second, a third, or even more, overwhelming the opposition with sheer numbers.* Lu Changsheng would not give up what worked just because his Ocean Wave Conception had less raw striking power than sword intent, nor did he feel any urge to devote his heart solely to the sword. In truth, he had his own advantages. His advantage lay in his extraordinary comprehension, which gave him the potential to comprehend even more conceptions. If one conception wasn't enough, he could use two or three. Devoting one's heart to the sword, however, allowed no such flexibility. Once a heart was devoted entirely to the sword, it became virtually impossible to accommodate any other conception. This was simply the difference between specialization and breadth. Whether it was better to specialize deeply in a single conception or to comprehend multiple conceptions was a matter of perspective. At the very least, Lu Changsheng felt it would be an utter waste of his sky-high comprehension not to comprehend several more. Abandoning the advantage of his comprehension just to pursue some notion of devoting his heart to the sword was utterly out of the question. Even so, comprehending multiple conceptions was not something that could be done just by closing one's eyes and imagining things out of thin air. It required the right conditions. Back when Lu Changsheng had comprehended the Ocean Wave Conception, it was because he was practicing Triple Waves, dove into the ocean to observe the towering waves, and learned from nature, thereby grasping the Ocean Wave Conception. It was only through a convergence of favorable circumstances that he had succeeded. *Learning from nature...* Lu Changsheng looked at the waterfall before him. Was a waterfall not part of nature as well? Moreover, a waterfall was water. Ocean waves were water, and a waterfall was water too. The two had common ground in the end. A thought stirred in Lu Changsheng's mind. In that moment, a line of poetry from his previous life came to him: *"Plunging three thousand feet straight down, as if the Silver River were falling from the ninth heaven."* It was a description of a waterfall. Naturally, it was an extravagant exaggeration. Yet as Lu Changsheng looked at the waterfall before him and recalled the verse in his mind, his spirit stirred, and inspiration burst forth. He felt that if he wanted to learn from nature and comprehend a second conception, the key lay in this very waterfall. *Whoosh.* The next instant, Lu Changsheng stepped directly beneath the waterfall. Letting the crashing waters wash over his body, he sat cross-legged and began quietly contemplating. Seeing this, several Heavenly Maiden Sect disciples were astonished. "What is Mister Dao doing under the waterfall?" "Mister Dao isn't moving at all. Is he practicing martial arts?" "What martial art can you practice inside a waterfall?" "I've never seen anyone practice like that before..." Lu Changsheng paid no attention to the chatter of the disciples. He closed his eyes. The most direct manifestation of his extraordinary comprehension was an endless stream of inspiration flooding his mind. Ideas sparked in rapid succession. As spark after spark collided, a glimmer of insight began to take shape. Compared to the Ocean Wave Conception, a mere waterfall was unremarkable. Even if Lu Changsheng comprehended a basic waterfall conception, it would not be particularly powerful. Conceptions undoubtedly varied in rank and strength. If it were merely a standard waterfall conception, it would not take Lu Changsheng long to master it. However, the conception Lu Changsheng sought to comprehend this time was no ordinary waterfall, but the conception embodied by the line: *"Plunging three thousand feet straight down, as if the Silver River were falling from the ninth heaven."* This went beyond simply learning from nature. It involved a complex interplay of nature, spirit, and imagination. Lu Changsheng did not know whether he could succeed. Even so, he wanted to try. The disciples of the Heavenly Maiden Sect soon reported "Dao Twelve's" actions to the sect's upper echelons. The previous Heavenly Maiden, who had now stepped down to become the sect's Supreme Elder, arrived before the waterfall. Seeing Dao Twelve sitting motionless beneath the pounding water with his eyes closed, a flicker of light flashed through her gaze. She vaguely realized what Dao Twelve was doing. *Learning from nature to comprehend a conception?* Yet usually, one had to enter a state of sudden enlightenment to achieve that. *Could Dao Twelve be so fortunate as to have fallen into sudden enlightenment again?* Regardless, the former Heavenly Maiden knew he could not be disturbed at such a time. She immediately ordered, "From this moment on, no one is permitted within a hundred zhang of Mister Dao." "Furthermore, Divine Strength Realm martial artists possess formidable bodies and abundant qi and blood. Going without food for several days will do him no harm. You need only observe Mister Dao's condition daily and report it promptly." "Yes, Elder." A smile appeared on the former Heavenly Maiden's face. With such a Dao Protector by Yun Haitang's side, her future path would undoubtedly be much smoother. For the Heavenly Maiden Sect, having a powerful Dao Protector was in some ways even more important than the Heavenly Maiden herself. Days slipped by, one after another. One day, two days, three days... Several days passed, yet Lu Changsheng showed no sign of movement. At first, some of the disciples found it novel and came to observe Dao Twelve. After all, Dao Twelve had defeated Lu Jianming of Suspended Sword Villa. Yet as time went on, the novelty wore off even for them. Aside from the few disciples stationed to watch Dao Twelve and report on his status, none of the other disciples came by to watch anymore. In the blink of an eye, five days passed. Yun Haitang, who had just succeeded to the position of Heavenly Maiden, let out a long cry as she emerged from seclusion. A sharp light gleamed in her eyes, and an irrepressible smile curved at the corners of her lips. The Divine Strength Realm! In just a few days, drawing upon the resources of the Heavenly Maiden, Yun Haitang had advanced to the Divine Strength Realm! Of course, advancing to the Divine Strength Realm required more than just resources; it also demanded personal foundation. This was precisely why candidates for the Heavenly Maiden were required to reach the limit of Refining Organs. With a foundation at the limit of Refining Organs and sufficient resources, the chances of advancing to the Divine Strength Realm were vastly higher. In the entire history of the Heavenly Maiden Sect, not a single person who became Heavenly Maiden had failed to reach the Divine Strength Realm. Nearly all of them had made the breakthrough. Upon emerging, the first thing Yun Haitang asked about was Dao Twelve. "How is Brother Dao?" she asked. A disciple replied, "Mister Dao went beneath the waterfall to practice. It has been five days now, and he hasn't moved once." "No movement for five days?" Yun Haitang immediately headed for the waterfall. From a distance, she saw Lu Changsheng sitting upright beneath the waterfall. Though the rushing waters cascaded over his body, he remained completely still, as if lost in deep slumber. Yun Haitang was no longer who she once was. She had a good idea that Dao Twelve had likely entered a state of sudden enlightenment and was comprehending a martial conception. "Do not disturb Brother Dao." "Understood." Yun Haitang departed as well, returning once each day to check on Lu Changsheng's condition while spending the rest of her time managing the Heavenly Maiden Sect's affairs. In truth, Lu Changsheng was not completely unaware of the outside world. For five full days, he had indeed been immersed in a peculiar state of perception. He had noticed Yun Haitang's arrival. He simply had not disengaged from that profound trance, which was why he had not opened his eyes. This wondrous state had persisted for five days. He felt as though he were no longer perceiving an ordinary waterfall. Instead, it was an imagined waterfall, one that existed only within the lines of verse. *Plunging three thousand feet straight down, as if the Silver River were falling from the ninth heaven...* He felt as though he stood within the vast, empty reaches of a starry sky, where a waterfall three thousand feet long plunged from the cosmos, spanning the void. How vast and magnificent such a conception was! It was grander even than the Ocean Wave Conception! Yet comprehending such a conception was undeniably difficult. When Lu Changsheng had comprehended the Ocean Wave Conception by learning from nature, it had taken him less than a single day. And now? He had already spent five days. It might stretch to six, seven, or even longer. He was no longer merely learning from nature. After all, a waterfall in nature bore little resemblance to a cataract plunging three thousand feet from the stars. By all logic, a conception born of pure imagination was full of flaws and nearly impossible to comprehend. Yet Lu Changsheng had a growing intuition that this conception of plunging three thousand feet straight down was something he truly could achieve. Six days, seven days, eight days, nine days... When the ninth day arrived, Lu Changsheng's entire body shuddered. This ninth day seemed to echo the time described in the verse: *falling from the ninth heaven.* Lu Changsheng felt as though he had caught a flash of insight in his mind. *Shhh.* He snapped his eyes open. At that exact moment, a waterfall seemed to manifest above his head—a waterfall three thousand feet long, roaring through the starry expanse! Naturally, this was merely Lu Changsheng's perception; an ordinary person could not see it. After all, this was an illusory conception, something felt rather than seen. "It is done!" A faint smile appeared at the corners of Lu Changsheng's mouth. The next instant, he brought up his attribute panel. Host: Lu Changsheng Comprehension: 1090 (Praised in All Directions) Qi and Blood Sword Casting Secret Method: 10 months and 6 days of casting. Starry Sky Waterfall Conception: Progress 1% Ocean Wave Conception: Progress 20% Qiantian Treasure Transformation Secret Method: Second Tier Ninefold Carp Leaping Dragon Gate Art: Fourth Tier A new conception had indeed appeared on Lu Changsheng's attribute panel, named "Starry Sky Waterfall." Sure enough, it was no longer an ordinary waterfall. It was a waterfall from the starry sky. Yet was there truly a waterfall among the stars? Even Lu Changsheng felt a trace of wonder. He realized that a conception, in a sense, did not necessarily require learning directly from physical nature. Rather, it required an initial spark or flash of inspiration, followed by deep and intricate comprehension, before it could finally be realized. Even so, comprehending the Starry Sky Waterfall Conception was not the end of the journey. After all, this conception was born entirely of imagination and sudden enlightenment. Comprehending it might only require a burst of inspiration. But what about advancing it? How was he to raise it from one percent to one hundred percent completion? Lu Changsheng currently had no answer. Being able to comprehend it was already fortunate; advancing it would have to wait. A conception like the Ocean Wave Conception, which drew directly upon nature, was far more reliable to develop. Regardless, the Starry Sky Waterfall Conception was undeniably far more formidable in sheer destructive power. *Clang.* Lu Changsheng slashed with his blade. The flash of the blade vanished in an instant. The massive waterfall before him shattered instantly like glass, bursting into countless fragments. This was entirely different from when Lu Changsheng had severed the flow using the Ocean Wave Conception. This single slash had reduced the entire waterfall to fragments, as if a genuine three-thousand-foot cascade had come crashing down. The sheer force and impact were unimaginable. *As expected, comprehending multiple conceptions is the true path.* *With an additional conception, my strength has increased substantially. Why would I ever need to devote my heart solely to the sword?* *And this is only one more conception. If I have three, four, or even five conceptions, who in the Divine Strength Realm—even among those in the Thousand Tripods Realm—could stand against me?* Lu Changsheng's eyes brightened. He felt his analysis and choice had been entirely correct. With his extraordinary comprehension, there was no need to imitate others by devoting his heart to the sword. Comprehending more conceptions to bolster his strength was the true way forward! Having comprehended the Starry Sky Waterfall Conception, Lu Changsheng had no reason to remain beneath the waterfall. He rose and walked out from the cascade. The Heavenly Maiden Sect disciples who had been standing guard and watching a hundred zhang away were startled when they saw Dao Twelve emerge from the waterfall, looks of astonishment spreading across their faces. "Mister Dao is awake!" "Mister Dao seems to have finished his enlightenment! Quick, notify the Heavenly Maiden!" In a flurry of excitement, the disciples scrambled to inform Yun Haitang.