Five Years of Cultivation, Finally Reaching Divine Gang!

The Dao Comprehension Pill melted the moment it entered his mouth. Yet it did not turn into a warm current. Instead, an icy chill enveloped Lu Changsheng's mind, lingering obstinately. At that moment, gazing at the starry sky and the waterfall before him, vivid scenes flashed across Lu Changsheng's mind. *Boom.* His Starry Sky Conception and Waterfall Conception were released involuntarily, draping over his surroundings. In that instant, Lu Changsheng fell into a state of sudden enlightenment. Yes, sudden enlightenment. It felt as though his mind had turned exceptionally clear in a flash. A Dao Comprehension Pill could plunge a martial artist into sudden enlightenment. However, its effects varied from person to person. Entering sudden enlightenment did not guarantee one could evolve a domain. It was not that simple. If it were that easy, everyone in the Northern Region Heavenly Sect would have evolved a domain long ago. In reality, even within the Northern Region Heavenly Sect, those who managed to evolve a domain were almost exclusively seed disciples, which showed just how difficult it was. The sudden enlightenment granted by the Dao Comprehension Pill was ultimately built upon the foundation of a martial artist's innate comprehension. If one's comprehension was high enough, entering sudden enlightenment would unleash a flood of inspirations. By seizing those inspirations, one could make immense breakthroughs. Conversely, if one's comprehension was mediocre, the fruits of sudden enlightenment would naturally be unremarkable. At this moment, Lu Changsheng's comprehension stood at an astonishing 3,780 points—nearly thirty-eight times that of an ordinary person! With such terrifying comprehension, once he entered sudden enlightenment, evolving a domain was not merely probable—it was virtually assured. All he needed was to find the right catalyst. And amidst sudden enlightenment, Lu Changsheng discovered that catalyst. First, he found the catalyst for the Starry Sky Conception. *Hum.* The next instant, Lu Changsheng's Starry Sky Conception churned continuously. It grew increasingly distinct, no longer a hazy, indistinct blur. It was just like a true starry sky. Evolving the starry sky! In this instant, Lu Changsheng evolved his Starry Sky Conception into the Starry Sky Domain. *Boom.* The surroundings darkened. The sky filled with stars. Lu Changsheng felt as though he were standing within the true starry expanse. Yet he knew full well this was not the real night sky, but his Starry Sky Domain. Nor was that the end; it was merely the beginning. A colossal waterfall roared with deafening rumbles, the sound growing louder and louder. It vaguely overlapped with the roar of Tianlu Waterfall, as though a second Tianlu Waterfall had manifested. "Starry Sky Domain!" "Waterfall Domain!" Immersed in sudden enlightenment, Lu Changsheng easily evolved two domains one after the other. He encountered no obstacles whatsoever. Everything flowed as naturally as water carving a channel. This was the power of sudden enlightenment! A single Dao Comprehension Pill taken by Lu Changsheng produced an effect far greater than ten—or even dozens—consumed by others. If anyone had witnessed this scene, they would have been utterly dumbfounded. Who could evolve two domains at once in such a short span of time? Lu Changsheng had achieved it! Moreover, the effects of the Dao Comprehension Pill had not yet faded. Evolving both domains had taken him very little time—only four to six hours, while the pill's effects lasted eight to ten hours. *Whoosh.* Lu Changsheng opened his eyes. Looking at the two martial conceptions above him, countless flashes of inspiration erupted in his mind. "Merge!" Lu Changsheng growled softly. With that, the newly evolved Starry Sky Domain and Waterfall Domain began to collide, intertwining and gradually fusing together. Under normal circumstances, if someone evolved a Starry Sky Domain and a Waterfall Domain, fusing them would be out of the question. How could a starry sky merge with a waterfall? The two had nothing to do with each other. Yet Lu Changsheng was different. Long ago, he had conjured the Starry Sky Waterfall Conception out of nothingness, inspired by a stroke of insight from the verse, *“Its torrent dashes down three thousand feet.”* Later, to better condense Divine Gang, he had split it into the Starry Sky Conception and the Waterfall Conception. At their core, the two conceptions had always been one. Now that both had successfully evolved into domains, fusing them back together was only natural. Looking up, Lu Changsheng saw a boundless starry expanse pierced by a colossal waterfall cascading across the cosmos. The two domains merged into one with seamless perfection. Furthermore, the Starry Sky Waterfall Domain possessed terrifying explosive power. In terms of sheer might, it likely surpassed even his waterspout domain. "It worked! Starry Sky Waterfall Domain!" A smile crossed Lu Changsheng's face. He immediately brought up his attribute panel to examine his current status: Host: Lu Changsheng Comprehension: 3,780 (Praised in All Directions) Qi and Blood Sword Casting Secret Method: Cast sword for 8 years and 1 month Mind Sword Formula: Progress 26% (Mind Sword) Ocean Wave Domain: Progress 1% Tempest Domain: Progress 6% Perception Domain: Progress 29% Starry Sky Domain: Progress 1% Waterfall Domain: Progress 1% Now, Lu Changsheng possessed four domains. *That should be enough. Four domains evolved, and they can pair up and merge into two brand-new domains.* *A fused domain is far stronger than an individual one.* *In terms of domain strength alone, I doubt even inner sect disciples could break my domains.* *Now, all that remains is condensing Divine Gang. Once I condense four layers of Divine Gang and advance to the inner sect, keeping my seed disciple status shouldn't be an issue at all.* A smile appeared on Lu Changsheng's face. He had only been in the outer sect for a little over four months. Now, he could condense Divine Gang and advance to the inner sect at any time. Remaining in the outer sect no longer served any purpose. However, Lu Changsheng currently possessed only the Tempest Divine Gang Art, which could only condense a single layer of Divine Gang. He still needed to visit the Technique Transmission Hall to exchange for three more Divine Gang Realm martial arts corresponding to his domains, allowing him to condense all four layers of Divine Gang in one fell swoop. When the time came, the stacking of four layers of Divine Gang alongside four domains would boost his strength to a truly terrifying degree! Lu Changsheng rose to his feet and returned to Courtyard Number Twelve. Since it was still the middle of the night, he decided to rest. The next morning, Lu Changsheng woke, pushed open his door, and headed straight for the Technique Transmission Hall. Technically, he was required to accept challenges now, but no one had come forward yet. Lu Changsheng was in no hurry. If someone challenged him, the outer sect deacons would surely notify him. Since he was staying right inside the sect, there was no chance he would lose his seed disciple status by "missing" a challenge. If that ever happened, it would mean the Deacon Office had failed in its duty, and they would be severely punished. Lu Changsheng arrived at the Technique Transmission Hall once more and went straight to the second floor to select Divine Gang Realm martial arts. Last time, he had been permitted to select one Divine Gang Realm martial art for free. This time, however, he had to exchange contribution points for them. An ordinary Divine Gang Realm martial art cost one thousand contribution points, while an upper-tier Divine Gang Realm martial art cost two thousand. Needing three martial arts, Lu Changsheng would have to spend at least six thousand contribution points. Fortunately, he had more than enough points now; he only needed to pick the ones that suited him. Lu Changsheng first looked through martial arts aligned with the Ocean Wave Conception. Many martial artists comprehended the Ocean Wave Conception, as it was fairly common. Consequently, quite a few Divine Gang Realm martial arts had been created for it. Having evolved the Ocean Wave Domain, Lu Changsheng naturally bypassed ordinary martial arts and went straight for upper-tier ones. After all, a twentyfold boost compared to a tenfold boost was a world of difference. *Giant Wave Divine Gang Art: Condenses Giant Wave Divine Gang, boosting physical power by twenty times!* *Requires Ocean Wave Conception; success rate over twenty percent, increasing with the depth of conception.* *If the Ocean Wave Domain has evolved, success rate is one hundred percent.* Lu Changsheng quickly selected a martial art that aligned with the Ocean Wave Conception. With his Ocean Wave Domain already evolved, condensing Divine Gang through the Giant Wave Divine Gang Art was a guaranteed certainty. Next were martial arts aligned with the Waterfall Conception. There were far fewer of these. The Waterfall Conception was relatively niche, so fewer Divine Gang Realm martial arts had been devised for it. Ultimately, Lu Changsheng chose the Hundred-Zhang Waterfall Divine Gang Art. Having evolved the Waterfall Domain, he was guaranteed to condense the Hundred-Zhang Waterfall Divine Gang, which likewise boosted physical power by twenty times! Lastly came a martial art aligned with the Starry Sky Conception. There was an endless variety of these. The boundless starry expanse was vast beyond measure, embracing billions of stars. It was magnificent and awe-inspiring, so many martial artists sought to comprehend the Starry Sky Conception. With so many martial arts available, there was even one comparable to the Asura Body. *Boundless Starry Sky Divine Gang Art: Condenses Boundless Starry Sky Divine Gang, boosting physical power by thirty times!* *Requires Starry Sky Conception; success rate over ten percent, increasing with the depth of conception.* *If the Starry Sky Domain has evolved, success rate is one hundred percent.* Lu Changsheng's eyes narrowed slightly. This Boundless Starry Sky Divine Gang Art could boost physical power by thirty times! However, its cultivation requirements were clearly far more demanding. Merely comprehending the Starry Sky Conception yielded a success rate of only ten percent. Even if one reached ninety-nine percent progress in the conception, the success rate remained below fifty percent. Such odds were pitifully low. In other words, without evolving the Starry Sky Domain, condensing the Boundless Starry Sky Divine Gang was practically impossible. Demanding as the requirements were, they suited Lu Changsheng perfectly. A thirtyfold physical boost! Lu Changsheng remembered that the Asura Body, accessible through evolving the Slaughter Domain, also granted a thirtyfold boost. Such martial arts were considered peak-tier Divine Gang Realm arts. Yet in the Technique Transmission Hall, a martial art granting a thirtyfold physical boost still cost only two thousand contribution points. Having selected the three martial arts, Lu Changsheng immediately approached the hall elder. "I would like to exchange for three Divine Gang Realm martial arts," Lu Changsheng said. "Six thousand contribution points." The elder narrowed his eyes slightly, giving Lu Changsheng a deep, searching look. Yet he said nothing more. No one would spend such a vast sum of contribution points on martial arts merely to dabble in them. Even if points were being squandered, that was Lu Changsheng's own business, and the elder had no right to interfere. All three arts Lu Changsheng selected were upper-tier Divine Gang Realm martial arts. That was exceedingly rare! The elder had his suspicions, which was why he gave Lu Changsheng an extra look. Lu Changsheng presented his identity token. After six thousand points were deducted, he still had eight thousand remaining. "Same rule as always. Head to a training chamber; manuals may not be taken outside." "This disciple understands." Lu Changsheng carried the three martial arts into a training chamber. In just two hours, he emerged, having etched every detail of the three martial arts firmly into his memory. Afterward, Lu Changsheng left the Technique Transmission Hall. Watching his receding figure, the elder murmured under his breath, "Exchanging for three upper-tier Divine Gang Realm arts at once, on top of the Tempest Divine Gang Art from a few months ago... that makes four upper-tier arts. "Does he intend to condense four layers of Divine Gang in one go? "If he truly succeeds... tsk, tsk, that would be monstrous!" Guarding the Technique Transmission Hall and overseeing martial arts exchanges, the elder had seen countless top-tier geniuses. Yet someone who could condense four layers of Divine Gang in one breath was exceptionally rare even among them! Every single one was a peerless talent. Should such a person mature, they would undoubtedly become a pillar of the Northern Region Heavenly Sect! Of course, far more geniuses fell before ever reaching their full potential. Lu Changsheng was unaware that his exchange had astonished even a Technique Transmission Hall elder. When he returned to Courtyard Number Twelve, he found no sign of an outer sect deacon. *Still no one applying to challenge me?* Lu Changsheng considered the matter. Meng Fang, one of the outer sect's Three Taboos, had gone unchallenged for years. By defeating Meng Fang, Lu Changsheng had essentially taken his place. Naturally, no one dared challenge him either. *Never mind. Whether someone challenges me or not, there's no reason to linger in the outer sect.* *Time to condense Divine Gang and advance to the inner sect!* Lu Changsheng made up his mind. However, condensing Divine Gang was no simple task. Divine Gang was the physical manifestation of all aspects of the body combined. Condensing it consumed massive amounts of qi and blood, placing extraordinary demands on one's physique. Under normal conditions, condensing Divine Gang depleted the body, often requiring months of gradual recuperation. However, the Northern Region Heavenly Sect was different. The sect possessed Qi and Blood Pools. These pools contained rich essences readily absorbed by the body and converted into qi and blood. By condensing Divine Gang inside a Qi and Blood Pool, one did not need to worry about bodily depletion at all. Nor did one need months of recuperation afterward. Divine Gang could be formed in a single sitting without the slightest harm to the body. Such were the benefits of belonging to a great sect. Naturally, only an overlord sect like the Northern Region Heavenly Sect had the resources to build Qi and Blood Pools. "To the Qi and Blood Pool." Lu Changsheng rose and left his courtyard. The Qi and Blood Pool was situated in the northeastern corner of the outer sect, a place usually sparse with people. After all, very few outer disciples possessed the qualifications to condense Divine Gang. Even so, the pools were limited in number, meaning disciples often had to wait in line. Arriving outside the facility, Lu Changsheng presented his identity token. "A seed disciple?" "Senior Brother Lu, as a seed disciple, you have priority access to the Qi and Blood Pool at no cost whatsoever." The disciple guarding the pool was also an outer disciple, taking on sect duties that earned one hundred contribution points a month. "No contribution points required?" Lu Changsheng was somewhat surprised. Once again, he experienced the perks that came with seed disciple status. Using the Qi and Blood Pool was not cheap—spending two hours inside cost one hundred contribution points. Lu Changsheng tucked his identity token away and walked straight inside. He was now a prominent figure in the outer sect. The moment he appeared, no outer disciple could overlook him. Though few people were present, there were still some around. At this moment, those outer disciples widened their eyes, staring at Lu Changsheng's back in sheer shock. "Didn't Senior Brother Lu just challenge Senior Brother Meng Fang yesterday to claim his seed disciple status? And now he's already at the Qi and Blood Pool to condense Divine Gang and advance to the inner sect?" "Senior Brother Lu displayed two domains yesterday. With two domains at his disposal, condensing Divine Gang should be effortless, shouldn't it? If he condenses two layers of Divine Gang, he'll likely retain his seed disciple status even after entering the inner sect." "Senior Brother Lu climbed the Heavenly Stairway into the sect just over four months ago, didn't he? Condensing Divine Gang and advancing to the inner sect in four months... that's unbelievable..." Many outer disciples looked on with genuine envy. Condensing Divine Gang and entering the inner sect was impressive, but not entirely unheard of. Those who managed to join the Northern Region Heavenly Sect's outer sect were all talents in their own right and possessed their fair share of pride. Many among them would eventually condense Divine Gang. Yet retaining seed disciple status upon entering the inner sect was a completely different matter. That belonged to the realm of heaven's chosen—top-tier geniuses under the gaze of thousands! Lu Changsheng had already walked inside, where he saw a series of pools. There was not just one, but nine in total, capable of accommodating nine disciples condensing Divine Gang at the same time. Lu Changsheng noticed that seven of the pools were already occupied by disciples undergoing the process. He walked over to the eighth pool and stepped straight in. The water within was a vivid crimson, saturated with qi and blood essence that rapidly replenished any depletion of the body. The moment Lu Changsheng entered, a soothing warmth wrapped around him, as though he had returned to the womb. It was remarkably comforting. His body relaxed to the utmost within the pool. This was the ideal state for condensing Divine Gang! "Let's begin." Lu Changsheng took a deep breath. The contents of the Tempest Divine Gang Art surfaced in his mind. *Boom.* His body vibrated as his qi and blood boiled instantly. At the same time, the surging qi and blood spread across his entire frame. Transformed by the Tempest Divine Gang Art, that qi and blood gradually coalesced into Divine Gang. Divine Gang was essentially qi and blood merged with certain elements of the physical body. Its density was terrifying, making it exceptionally difficult to pierce. Consequently, vast quantities of qi and blood had to be consumed to forge even a wisp of Divine Gang. The toll on the physical body was immense. Fortunately, Lu Changsheng was in the Qi and Blood Pool. Essence from the pool surged into his body, instantly offsetting the depletion. Time ticked away. After about an hour, a layer of Tempest Divine Gang coated Lu Changsheng's body. However, this layer was extremely unstable, on the verge of collapsing at any moment. Now came the final step: stabilizing the Divine Gang with a martial conception or domain. If one's conception was insufficiently strong, the Divine Gang could not be anchored. It would collapse, spelling failure in the condensation process. Lu Changsheng, of course, had no need for a mere conception—he had a domain! *Boom.* The next instant, Lu Changsheng unleashed his Tempest Domain. Above the Qi and Blood Pool, a terrifying tempest blotted out the sky, placing Lu Changsheng at the calm center of the storm. Within this fearsome Tempest Domain, the Divine Gang coating Lu Changsheng stabilized at a speed visible to the naked eye. This stood in stark contrast to the outer disciples in the other seven pools, each straining to release their martial conceptions in a grueling effort to anchor their Divine Gang, where the slightest misstep would cause it to scatter. Lu Changsheng, by comparison, stabilized his Divine Gang effortlessly. *Whoosh.* Lu Changsheng opened his eyes. The Tempest Divine Gang was complete! At this moment, he was a true Divine Gang Realm martial artist! Five years had passed since Lu Changsheng first began practicing martial arts. Five years of cultivation, and he had finally attained Divine Gang!