*Swish.*
Lu Changsheng opened his eyes.
It was already the second day.
He had remained inside the courtyard the entire time, not taking a single step outside.
However, that did not mean he was unaware of the situation beyond his doors.
He possessed his Perception Domain, capable of covering a radius of a hundred li.
Lu Changsheng had everything happening across the entire outer sect at his fingertips.
Although not a single person lingered outside his courtyard, undercurrents surged throughout the outer sect. Countless disciples were watching Lu Changsheng with rapt attention.
They were waiting for three months to pass—for his "protection period" to expire—before issuing their challenges.
*Every single one of them is shrewd and calculating, keeping their motives well hidden.*
*The Northern Region Heavenly Sect truly lives up to its status as the hegemonic power dominating an entire region. Even in the outer sect, not a single person plucked from the crowd is weak; every one of them can be called a genius.*
*Not one of these geniuses is a fool. Without probing to find my true depths, no one will dare provoke me. Still, this suits me fine; at least I will enjoy three months of peace and quiet...*
Through his Perception Domain, Lu Changsheng clearly understood the state of affairs in the sect's outer branch.
In the outer sect, one had to fight for everything!
Taking on missions required fighting for them.
Aspiring to become a seed disciple required fighting as well.
Anyone who failed to fight would inevitably fall behind.
And falling behind meant risking expulsion from the Northern Region Heavenly Sect.
Outer disciples could remain for ten years at most.
Once the ten-year mark arrived, anyone who had not achieved the Divine Gang Realm and gained promotion to inner disciple would be driven out of the sect entirely.
Consequently, internal competition within the Northern Region Heavenly Sect was exceptionally fierce.
Yet this rivalry remained healthy on the whole.
There was little underhanded scheming or conspiracy, amounting at most to some tactical calculations.
If one wished to compete, one had to act, relying on genuine martial prowess to defeat any rival.
As long as one's strength was great enough, one was a favored child of heaven within the Northern Region Heavenly Sect.
Winner took all!
*Everything depends on striving and fighting...*
*Yet this is the true essence of martial arts.*
*The martial path is like rowing upstream; not to advance is to drop back. Back in Nanyang City, I lived in far too much comfort. Later, in Zhanhai City, it was the same—too comfortable, devoid of that fierce drive to contend on the martial path.*
*Here in the Northern Region Heavenly Sect, the martial path is truly put into practice.*
*Martial arts demand contention!*
Lu Changsheng did not fear competition in the slightest.
No matter how fierce the contest, he possessed absolute confidence that he would be the one standing at the pinnacle of martial arts!
"A full day has passed. Time to head to the Technique Transmission Hall and pick a martial art."
Lu Changsheng rose and stepped out of the courtyard.
*Swish.*
The instant Lu Changsheng left the courtyard, countless gazes seemed to fall upon him.
Yet not a single person stepped forward.
The owners of those gazes were all outer disciples of the Northern Region Heavenly Sect.
"He's come out."
"Is Lu Changsheng heading to the Technique Transmission Hall?"
"A seed disciple gets to select a superior Divine Gang Realm martial art. How enviable."
Many outer disciples looked on with envy.
After all, in the Northern Region Heavenly Sect, everything had to be fought for.
Martial arts were no exception; they had to be exchanged for with contribution points.
A superior Divine Gang Realm technique did not come cheap.
Yet Lu Changsheng, as a seed disciple, could directly exchange for one free of charge.
Lu Changsheng arrived at the Technique Transmission Hall.
The hall was immense, divided into several floors.
Lu Changsheng walked straight up to the second floor, which was filled entirely with Divine Gang Realm martial arts.
For Divine Gang Realm martial arts, the most important element was the "Divine Gang" condensed.
This directly determined future cultivation potential as well as combat prowess.
However, the Divine Gang also had to be the best possible fit for oneself.
Otherwise, even with a superior technique in hand, one would never master it.
Lu Changsheng walked straight to the bookshelves holding Divine Gang Realm techniques.
Row upon row of shelves were packed full, loaded exclusively with Divine Gang Realm martial arts.
With so vast a collection, there were likely several hundred manuals here.
Lu Changsheng felt he had somewhat underestimated the Northern Region Heavenly Sect.
Or rather, the sect's heritage far exceeded his imagination.
Lu Changsheng picked up one of the Divine Gang Realm manuals.
"Quicksand Divine Gang Art: capable of condensing Quicksand Divine Gang, amplifying physical body strength tenfold!"
"Without comprehending the Quicksand Conception, the success rate of condensing Quicksand Divine Gang is under thirty percent. With comprehension of the Quicksand Conception, the success rate is at least thirty percent, rising the stronger the Quicksand Conception becomes."
"If one has evolved a Quicksand Domain, the success rate of condensing Quicksand Divine Gang is one hundred percent."
Lu Changsheng read over the technique.
This was merely an ordinary Divine Gang Realm martial art, granting a tenfold amplification to the physical body.
Once a Thousand Tripods Realm martial artist condensed Divine Gang, a tenfold amplification yielded ten thousand tripods of force!
Their defense would likewise reach ten thousand tripods.
Such was an ordinary Divine Gang Realm martial artist.
*"Ten thousand tripods can break gang"... It seems that was no empty boast after all.*
*If a Divine Strength Realm expert can erupt with ten thousand tripods of force, they truly can pierce an ordinary Divine Gang Realm martial artist's Divine Gang.*
*Once their Divine Gang is broken, a Divine Gang Realm martial artist loses their greatest advantage.*
An epiphany dawned upon Lu Changsheng.
Naturally, once Divine Gang was condensed, that tenfold boost applied across the board.
Not merely in power and defense, but in reflexes, speed, and everything else.
Compared to the Divine Strength Realm, a Divine Gang Realm martial artist crushed their opponents in every conceivable aspect!
Only a scant few of the absolute top Divine Strength Realm geniuses could potentially unleash ten thousand tripods of force to shatter a Divine Gang Realm martial artist's Divine Gang.
Yet that was merely the ideal theoretical scenario.
After all, a Divine Gang Realm martial artist was no static target waiting to be struck.
Regardless, the Divine Gang Realm held an overwhelming, all-around advantage over the Divine Strength Realm.
*Martial conceptions... so their purpose isn't just boosting combat strength. Their greatest function is actually condensing Divine Gang?*
Lu Changsheng fell into contemplation.
Take this Quicksand Divine Gang, for instance. Without comprehending the Quicksand Conception, the success rate fell below thirty percent.
Most people lacking the conception would never be able to condense Quicksand Divine Gang no matter what.
Even with the conception, the odds were still far from guaranteed.
Only by evolving a Quicksand Domain was condensing Quicksand Divine Gang one hundred percent certain—which meant a guaranteed breakthrough to the Divine Gang Realm!
Evidently, martial conceptions were of paramount importance!
However, this was only an ordinary Divine Gang Realm technique.
Lu Changsheng carefully examined manual after manual.
He discovered that ordinary Divine Gang Realm martial arts generally granted about a tenfold amplification, occasionally reaching eleven- or twelve-fold.
Superior Divine Gang Realm arts, however, were an entirely different matter.
A superior Divine Gang Realm art could amplify the physical body twentyfold!
"Ten thousand tripods can break gang" applied strictly to ordinary Divine Gang Realm martial artists.
Once someone practiced a superior Divine Gang Realm art, no matter how formidable a Divine Strength Realm expert might be, breaking through that superior Divine Gang was virtually impossible!
Yet the most critical factor remained the success rate.
Theoretically, even with an eighty percent success rate, there was still a twenty percent chance of failure.
While failing to condense Divine Gang would not prove fatal, it would leave the physical body weakened and damage one's foundation.
For example, even if someone had reached the Thousand Tripods Realm, failing to condense Divine Gang could inflict severe internal trauma, dropping their physical strength back down to the Hundred Tripods Realm.
Rebuilding that strength to the Thousand Tripods Realm would require an immense amount of time.
Some might never recover from the setback, unable to reach the Thousand Tripods Realm for the rest of their lives.
Therefore, the success rate of condensing Divine Gang was vital.
No matter what kind of Divine Gang it was, as long as one met the condition of evolving a corresponding domain from a matching martial conception, the success rate would certainly be one hundred percent!
Yet with so many martial conceptions under heaven, there was not necessarily an exact matching Divine Gang Realm technique for every one.
Often, martial artists had to settle for a similar conception.
In those cases, the success rate might not reach a full hundred percent, settling around ninety percent instead.
*Divine Gang is not limited to a single layer either.*
*Those with transcendent talent can attempt to condense two, three, or even more layers of Divine Gang.*
*More layers of Divine Gang signify a deeper foundation and vastly superior strength!*
A bright gleam flashed in Lu Changsheng's eyes.
He currently possessed four martial conceptions.
Setting aside auxiliary ones like the Perception Domain that lacked a matching Divine Gang, Lu Changsheng still had three conceptions. Theoretically, he could condense three layers of Divine Gang!
Of course, that remained purely theoretical for now.
Finding Divine Gang Realm techniques that aligned with all of his conceptions would be no easy feat.
Lu Changsheng began searching in earnest.
He specifically looked among the superior Divine Gang Realm arts.
Since he intended to condense Divine Gang, he naturally aimed for superior Divine Gang.
After all, the difference between a twentyfold amplification and a tenfold amplification was night and day.
"Hmm? Asura Body: can only be cultivated once the Slaughter Conception reaches consummation and evolves into the Slaughter Domain."
"Upon condensing Asura Divine Gang, the physical body is amplified thirtyfold!"
Lu Changsheng found a superior Divine Gang Realm art—the Asura Body.
It could actually amplify the physical body thirtyfold!
Even among superior Divine Gang Realm techniques, this was an absolute standout, virtually one of the top Divine Gang Realm arts in existence.
Its prerequisites were equally stringent: one's Slaughter Conception had to be at consummation, having evolved into the Slaughter Domain.
Lu Changsheng immediately thought of Tianxin.
Tianxin had comprehended the Slaughter Conception.
His obsessive desire to bring the Slaughter Conception to consummation had likely not been merely to scale the Heavenly Stairway and become a seed disciple.
More importantly, it was so he could cultivate this very Asura Body.
Once mastered, Tianxin would possess one of the deepest foundations and greatest combat strengths even among Divine Gang Realm experts.
A single layer of his Divine Gang would rival three layers of another's.
Lu Changsheng continued searching.
He needed a technique that best suited his current circumstances.
The conception Lu Changsheng currently had closest to consummation was the Wind of Heaven and Earth Conception.
And the Wind of Heaven and Earth Conception was closely related to, and practically intertwined with, a tempest conception.
Thus, Lu Changsheng needed to seek out techniques centered on storms and tempests.
At last, Lu Changsheng discovered a suitable superior Divine Gang Realm art.
"Tempest Divine Gang Art: can condense Tempest Divine Gang, amplifying physical body strength twentyfold!"
"Comprehending a tempest conception yields a success rate of over thirty percent, rising the stronger the conception becomes."
"If one has evolved a Tempest Domain, the success rate of condensing Tempest Divine Gang is one hundred percent."
Lu Changsheng was thoroughly pleased with this Tempest Divine Gang Art.
Once his Wind of Heaven and Earth Conception reached consummation, it would very likely evolve into a Tempest Domain.
Even if the domain that evolved was not strictly a Tempest Domain, it would not pose much of a problem.
As long as he evolved a domain closely resembling a tempest, he could still condense Tempest Divine Gang; the only difference would be that the success rate might not be an absolute hundred percent, but perhaps ninety-nine percent.
The chances remained exceptionally high.
"I'll choose this one."
Lu Changsheng made up his mind.
Committing the name of the technique to memory, he headed straight toward the hall entrance to find the Technique Transmission Elder.
The techniques displayed inside the Technique Transmission Hall contained only names and brief overviews.
The genuine technique manuals were kept in the custody of the Technique Transmission Elder.
"Elder, I wish to exchange for the Tempest Divine Gang Art."
"You are a newly admitted seed disciple, entitled to one complimentary superior Divine Gang Realm technique."
"Here is the manual. Go into the cultivation chamber and memorize the technique before departing. No martial art from the Technique Transmission Hall may be taken outside; you may only store it in your mind. Furthermore, it cannot be shared with anyone else, or the elders of the Law Enforcement Hall will come looking for you."
"I understand."
Lu Changsheng nodded and took the Tempest Divine Gang Art.
Entering a cultivation chamber, he flipped open the manual and committed its contents firmly to memory.
With his photographic memory, memorizing a single martial art took very little time.
Before long, Lu Changsheng emerged, returned the manual, and left the Technique Transmission Hall.
He returned to Courtyard Number Twelve.
Currently, his Wind of Heaven and Earth Conception had already reached 82% progress.
Logically speaking, he could already attempt to condense Tempest Divine Gang, with a success rate exceeding seventy percent.
Yet Lu Changsheng was in no rush.
He still preferred to evolve a domain before attempting to condense the Divine Gang.
*To bring the Wind of Heaven and Earth Conception to consummation, I must learn from nature. My best course is to find a place where raging gales run rampant, then attempt to comprehend it there.*
*Alternatively, I could spend contribution points to exchange for a Dao Comprehension Pill. With a Dao Comprehension Pill, I could gain insight into the conception or even enter a state of sudden enlightenment, rapidly deepening my comprehension.*
*However, Dao Comprehension Pills are exorbitant! Even though as a seed disciple I receive double contribution points from missions, scraping together enough points for a single pill will be no easy task.*
Weighing the pros and cons, Lu Changsheng decided to rely on learning from nature, using his own comprehension to grasp the Wind of Heaven and Earth Conception.
He wanted to evolve the domain as early as possible.
Where, then, was there wind? Ideally raging gales, which would offer the greatest assistance toward comprehending the Wind of Heaven and Earth Conception.
Lu Changsheng retrieved the outer sect handbook.
It outlined various conditions within the Northern Region Heavenly Sect, offering introductions to several locations across the grounds.
"Heavenly Abyss Gorge is bottomless, swept year-round by freezing winds. The frigid gales rising from beneath the Heavenly Abyss chill to the marrow, such that even a Divine Strength Realm martial artist's body cannot endure them for long."
"Occasionally, earth grubs emerge from beneath the abyss alongside the icy winds. Each earth grub is worth one hundred contribution points, redeemable at any time in the Mission Hall."
Reading the handbook's description, Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up.
He did not care much about the earth grubs.
Still, if there truly were earth grubs, he would not mind catching a few.
More importantly, freezing winds blew every day, and ferocious gales at that.
Wasn't this the perfect place for him to comprehend the Wind of Heaven and Earth Conception?
With that thought, Lu Changsheng made his decision.
He rose immediately, left his courtyard, and headed straight down the mountain.
Heavenly Abyss Gorge was not on the mountain peaks, but located north of the Tianlu Mountain Range.
Although the Northern Region Heavenly Sect sat upon the mountains, the entire Tianlu Mountain Range could practically be considered sect territory.
It was very safe within the mountain range.
After descending the mountain, Lu Changsheng pressed steadily northward.
With his Perception Domain spanning a hundred li, he naturally sensed Heavenly Abyss Gorge.
Soon enough, Lu Changsheng arrived at the gorge.
However, upon reaching Heavenly Abyss Gorge, he noticed numerous figures clad in the robes of Northern Region Heavenly Sect outer disciples darting through the gorge, seemingly searching for something.
Lu Changsheng instantly thought of the earth grubs.
They were the "specialty" of Heavenly Abyss Gorge.
A single earth grub yielded one hundred contribution points; catching a few with good fortune could rival months of completing missions.
Thus, despite the gorge's peril, many outer disciples still ventured here to search for them.
Lu Changsheng had not come specifically for earth grubs; he had come to learn from nature and comprehend the Wind of Heaven and Earth Conception.
Therefore, paying no heed to the outer disciples, he sat cross-legged right beside the cliff's edge.
Beneath the cliff lay the "Heavenly Abyss."
No one knew just how deep the abyss truly went.
In the past, powerful martial masters from the Northern Region Heavenly Sect had ventured down to explore for days without reaching the bottom.
It was said to be incomparably frigid below.
Once descending past a certain depth, even the physical bodies of the sect's martial masters could not withstand the chill.
*Whoosh...*
A gentle breeze drifted past.
Sure enough, it carried a biting chill that made Lu Changsheng's muscles tighten.
He gauged the sensation carefully.
With his physical endurance, he could probably hold out for about an hour.
That was his limit.
After an hour, he would have to leave Heavenly Abyss Gorge and take a temporary rest.
Lu Changsheng closed his eyes and unfurled his Perception Domain.
The Perception Domain could cover a radius of a hundred li.
Focusing in a single direction, he extended it downward toward the Heavenly Abyss.
Yet no matter how deep it reached, the depths remained pitch-black, shrouded in a blanket of dark mist.
Even Lu Changsheng's Perception Domain was somewhat suppressed, shrinking his perceptual range noticeably.
Nevertheless, this was already vastly superior to ordinary martial artists.
Ordinary martial artists could only observe with their eyes.
How much could the naked eye see?
Lu Changsheng, by contrast, blanketed the area with his Perception Domain.
*Whoosh...*
Another wave of freezing wind swept upward.
This time, however, the frigid breeze had swelled into a howling gale.
Wild winds raged, surging up from the depths of the Heavenly Abyss in a vast torrent.
Moreover, the gale was bone-chillingly cold.
Lu Changsheng's body felt as though it were freezing solid.
Yet as he circulated his qi and blood, his body promptly recovered.
He immediately seized the time to begin his comprehension.
His body could only endure for an hour at most.
In other words, he had only an hour to meditate upon the winds.
After an hour, he would have to leave Heavenly Abyss Gorge and rest for a spell.
Within his Perception Domain, all of Lu Changsheng's senses were heightened to their absolute peak.
Even the wind could be perceived with pristine clarity.
Under such clear perception, comprehending the Wind of Heaven and Earth Conception was undoubtedly far easier.
Not just the wind—in truth, whenever Lu Changsheng learned from nature, any place his Perception Domain covered would offer immense aid to his comprehension.
Such was the utility of an auxiliary conception.
Though it did not directly augment combat power, its support for cultivation was extraordinary.
Under these conditions, Lu Changsheng's Wind of Heaven and Earth Conception steadily advanced.
Time trickled by.
Just as Lu Changsheng was thoroughly immersed in the icy winds of the abyss, his Perception Domain suddenly detected a snow-white creature. Moving with extreme agility like a streak of white thread, it darted across the sheer rock face of the abyss.
*An earth grub!*
A flash of intuition struck Lu Changsheng; he instantly recognized this as the gorge's specialty—an earth grub!
Although Lu Changsheng had not specifically come for earth grubs, now that he had found one, how could he pass it by?
A single earth grub was worth one hundred contribution points!
*Whoosh.*
In the next instant, Lu Changsheng sprang to his feet. Augmented by his Wind of Heaven and Earth Conception, he moved like the wind, swiftly giving chase.
The earth grub was remarkably alert, scurrying frantically across the precipitous cliff.
An ordinary outer disciple would find it truly difficult to capture.
Yet beneath Lu Changsheng's Perception Domain, the grub's evasive display was downright clumsy.
No matter how erratically it darted, Lu Changsheng accurately tracked its trajectory.
"Caught you!"
Lu Changsheng swept his large hand forward, scooping the grub into his grasp.
Instantly, an intensely freezing chill rushed over his palm.
Having anticipated this, Lu Changsheng jolted his qi and blood, instantly dispersing the cold.
He then retrieved a porcelain vial and swiftly deposited the earth grub inside.
Lu Changsheng looked at the vial.
It seemed earning contribution points in the Northern Region Heavenly Sect was not so difficult after all.
Were not one hundred contribution points already in hand?
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Lu Changsheng furrowed his brows.
He spun around abruptly, fixing his gaze behind him.
From behind him, three figures were vaguely approaching.
Judging by the robes they wore, they were inner disciples.
They did not appear to have come to catch earth grubs; they were heading straight for Lu Changsheng.
"Outer disciple Lu Changsheng?"
"Your luck is fairly good, actually catching an earth grub."
"However, your good luck ends here!"
The moment the three inner disciples arrived, an immense aura rolled off them. Faint crimson light even shimmered across their bodies.
Divine Gang!
They had unleashed their Divine Gang the moment they arrived; clearly, they had come with ill intent.
Chapter 132