Four Domains, Four Layers of Divine Gang, First in the Northern Region Heavenly Sect!

"He stopped. Senior Brother Lu has stopped." "What terrifying might! Is this a domain?" "The layer of Divine Gang covering Senior Brother Lu must be an upper-tier Divine Gang—the Tempest Divine Gang, right?" "How long has it even been? He condensed a layer of upper-tier Divine Gang in just two hours, and he made it look so effortless, without the slightest hint of danger." "That's the immense advantage of evolving a domain. The speed and efficiency of condensing Divine Gang are simply too fast, too high..." Watching the layer of Divine Gang blanketing Lu Changsheng inside the Qi and Blood Pool, the outer sect disciples gathered outside were filled with boundless awe and envy. For them, condensing Divine Gang was like walking a tightrope—a single misstep would result in failure. Yet for Lu Changsheng, it seemed as simple as eating and drinking. Moreover, he had condensed an upper-tier Divine Gang, granting a twentyfold boost to his physical body! The mere thought of it was mind-boggling. Lu Changsheng paid no heed to the surrounding chatter. This was merely the Tempest Divine Gang—only the beginning. Next, he would cultivate the Giant Wave Divine Gang Art to condense the Giant Wave Divine Gang. With that, Lu Changsheng resumed his cultivation. The contents of the Giant Wave Divine Gang Art surfaced in his mind, and another layer of Divine Gang began to envelop his body. This was the Giant Wave Divine Gang. The Qi and Blood Pool churned once more. Surges of warm currents poured madly into Lu Changsheng's body. At the same time, Lu Changsheng unleashed his Ocean Wave Domain. Vaguely, rolling ocean waves seemed to materialize, sweeping forward with deafening rumbles. Just like that, Lu Changsheng's second layer of Divine Gang, the Giant Wave Divine Gang, condensed into form and thoroughly stabilized. "Two layers of Divine Gang!" "Senior Brother Lu has already condensed two layers of Divine Gang, and both are upper-tier! Even though we anticipated it, seeing it in person is still unbelievable. It's just too fast..." "Martial artists who evolve a domain hold too great an advantage. They are guaranteed to condense upper-tier Divine Gang, granting a twentyfold physical boost in addition to the amplification from the domain itself. Truly, once strong, always ahead!" These outer sect disciples were quite discerning. They knew Lu Changsheng had already formed two layers of upper-tier Divine Gang. Even among the inner sect disciples, possessing two upper-tier Divine Gangs backed by domain amplification would be more than enough to secure seed disciple status. However, after waiting for a moment, the disciples outside the pool noticed that Lu Changsheng showed no intention of standing up. "What's going on?" "Senior Brother Lu still isn't leaving the Qi and Blood Pool?" "He has already condensed two layers of Divine Gang. Staying in the pool won't do anything more for him." "Could it be that Senior Brother Lu wants to condense a third layer?" "That can't be. Senior Brother Lu only has two domains, so how could he condense a third layer of Divine Gang?" Yet no sooner had those words fallen than the disciples saw a new layer of Divine Gang actually spreading over Lu Changsheng's body. This new layer appeared somewhat unstable, flickering as if it might collapse at any moment. "If he only relies on a martial conception, he won't be able to properly stabilize the Divine Gang. It could fail." "And once it fails, his vitality and physical body will suffer severe trauma." The outer sect disciples had roughly guessed Lu Changsheng's intention. They figured he wanted to condense an additional layer of Divine Gang. Even without a domain, possessing only a martial conception, he still wanted to take a shot. What if he succeeded? *Buzz.* The next instant, everyone was struck dumb. High in the air, an enormous waterfall materialized. The torrential cataract plummeted straight down, piercing the empty expanse. From a distance, it bore a striking resemblance to the waterfall on Mount Tianlu—majestic and breathtaking. More importantly, this was a domain! A third domain! "A domain... Senior Brother Lu has a third domain?" "Does that mean Senior Brother Lu didn't even go all out when he challenged Senior Brother Meng Fang yesterday? He didn't even unleash his third domain!" "Heavens, three domains and three layers of Divine Gang! If he promotes to the inner sect, won't Senior Brother Lu sweep through the competition there just the same?" No matter how composed the disciples outside the pool tried to be, they could no longer hide their shock. Divine Gang could be stacked. Three layers of upper-tier Divine Gang would yield a sixtyfold boost to the physical body. How terrifying was that? Sixty times a thousand tripods of force was sixty thousand tripods of force! With such horrific might, what Divine Gang couldn't be shattered? Even so, they still underestimated Lu Changsheng. After successfully condensing the third layer, the Hundred-Zhang Waterfall Divine Gang, Lu Changsheng did not stop. He began condensing a fourth layer. The fourth layer was rather unique—it was the Boundless Starry Sky Divine Gang. This type of Divine Gang did not grant a twentyfold boost, but a thirtyfold boost! Naturally, condensing a Divine Gang with a thirtyfold boost consumed far more qi and blood as well as physical strength. Above Lu Changsheng's head, a starry sky unfolded. At a glance, the expanse of stars appeared immensely vast, desolate, and boundless, stretching endlessly beyond sight. When the fourth layer of Divine Gang condensed, all four of Lu Changsheng's domains permeated the air. Although the domains were not fused together, the stacked presence of four domains radiated a terrifying pressure that sent shivers down everyone's spine, even from a hundred zhang away. At that moment, every disciple outside the Qi and Blood Pool went numb. Four domains! Four layers of Divine Gang! What kind of monster was he? Earlier, they had actually assumed Lu Changsheng was deliberately avoiding the sect grounds out of fear of being challenged. Looking back now, they realized how laughably absurd that assumption had been. Possessing four domains, yet afraid of challenges from outer sect disciples? It was the joke of the century. How could they have dared to think such a thing? "Senior Brother Lu ascended via the Heavenly Stairway, didn't he? I bet he had already evolved domains back when he climbed the stairs—perhaps even more than one!" "Evolving four domains while still in the outer sect... this is simply inconceivable." "Has our Northern Region Heavenly Sect ever had a disciple evolve four domains while still in the Divine Strength Realm?" "It seems... there really hasn't been one..." "In a sense, does Senior Brother Lu count as the foremost figure in the history of the Northern Region Heavenly Sect?" Who could have imagined that a newly joined outer sect disciple would set a record for the Northern Region Heavenly Sect? Evolving four domains while still in the Divine Strength Realm! Even within the Northern Region Heavenly Sect, no one had ever accomplished such a feat. Yet Lu Changsheng had set that very record. In terms of the sheer number of domains, Lu Changsheng could indeed be called the foremost in the Northern Region Heavenly Sect! *Splash.* Finally, Lu Changsheng rose from the Qi and Blood Pool. He had successfully condensed four layers of Divine Gang. When stacked together, they granted a ninetyfold boost to his physical body! It was a staggering figure. Factoring in the amplification from his domains, his burst of power could surpass a hundred thousand tripods! Such strength was utterly monstrous. Beyond just raw power, four layers of Divine Gang also meant that his defenses had reached an astronomical level. Even if he stood still and allowed someone to strike him, they likely would not be able to breach four layers of Divine Gang. Their only hope would be a battle of attrition, gradually grinding down his Divine Gang until it depleted. Yet how long would that take? Several hours, or several days? With Lu Changsheng's combat strength, who could possibly withstand him for hours without being defeated? *The Qi and Blood Pool is truly marvelous!* he thought to himself. *I condensed four layers of Divine Gang, yet my body didn't suffer the slightest depletion. In fact, bolstered by four layers of Divine Gang, my physical body has reached an incredible state.* Lu Changsheng clenched his fists. Four layers of Divine Gang provided an astounding boost to his body. Soon, Lu Changsheng withdrew his Divine Gang. Without its amplification, his body reverted to its baseline Thousand Tripods Realm state. Lu Changsheng frowned slightly. He had noticed an issue. Whether in the Divine Strength Realm or the Divine Gang Realm, the baseline limit of the physical body seemed to cap at a thousand tripods of force. Even with Divine Gang boosting his physical body tenfold, twentyfold, or thirtyfold, it was only a temporary enhancement. It was fleeting, relying entirely on the properties of Divine Gang—much like a secret method. Once the Divine Gang was gone, the physical body remained at the Thousand Tripods Realm level. Comparing Divine Gang to a supercharged version of a secret method seemed entirely fitting. Just moments ago, Lu Changsheng had tested it out. While maintaining a single layer of Divine Gang for a twentyfold physical boost, he had activated the Three Transformations of the Divine Dragon. The result? It failed. Or rather, it was not that it failed, but that it provided zero additional amplification. The Three Transformations of the Divine Dragon could not provide infinite magnification; it had its own upper limit. A single layer of upper-tier Divine Gang had already far exceeded the threshold of what the Three Transformations of the Divine Dragon could amplify. Consequently, the Three Transformations of the Divine Dragon lost its effect. Similarly, the martial technique Triple Waves, which normally doubled one's force, became useless. Four layers of Divine Gang provided a ninetyfold boost. No matter how formidable a martial technique was, could it truly double a ninetyfold baseline? Impossible. All things had their limits. This was true for secret methods, and equally true for martial techniques. Divine Gang essentially integrated both secret methods and martial techniques, serving as their ultimate culmination. It absorbed those methods and techniques into itself and elevated them further, which was why it could boost the physical body tenfold, twentyfold, or even thirtyfold. *The limit of the physical body is a thousand tripods of force. In that case, in what direction should my martial path progress next?* Thoughts raced through Lu Changsheng's mind. However, he was well aware that countless predecessors had already paved the martial path far into the distance. Once he became an inner sect disciple, he would naturally be able to obtain the answers regarding future cultivation from the inner sect. With that in mind, Lu Changsheng stepped out of the Qi and Blood Pool. "Congratulations, Senior Brother Lu, on condensing Divine Gang and advancing to the Divine Gang Realm!" Outside the pool, the outer sect disciples offered their congratulations one after another, their gazes burning with fervor. Lu Changsheng nodded in acknowledgment to each of them. Afterward, he took his leave, heading straight back toward Courtyard Number Twelve. However, as he passed through the outer sect grounds, a deacon suddenly stepped forward, blocking his path. "Lu Changsheng, I couldn't find you at Courtyard Number Twelve just now." "Someone has challenged you today. Will you accept?" the deacon asked directly. "Oh? Someone is challenging me? Who?" Lu Changsheng raised an eyebrow. He had already defeated Meng Fang and become one of the Four Taboos of the outer sect. Why would anyone still challenge him? "It is I who challenged you, Senior Brother Lu." "Senior Brother Lu, I am Cheng An, an outer sect disciple of eight years. My Ocean Wave Conception has reached a bottleneck, so I have come specifically to challenge you. I hope to borrow Senior Brother Lu's Ocean Wave Domain to break through and evolve my own domain!" "Please grant me this favor, Senior Brother Lu!" Cheng An stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Lu Changsheng, his manner earnest and sincere. He was not trying to attract attention, nor had he lost his mind. Cheng An knew full well that he was no match for Lu Changsheng. He had issued the challenge solely because Lu Changsheng had evolved the Ocean Wave Domain, which originated from the same lineage as his own Ocean Wave Conception. He had hoped he might trigger a breakthrough under the pressure of Lu Changsheng's domain. He was essentially asking for Lu Changsheng's guidance. Upon hearing this, Lu Changsheng took no offense, especially given Cheng An's sincere demeanor. Even so, he shook his head and said, "What a pity. Had you come a few hours earlier, I might have accepted your challenge and lent you a hand." "Now, however, it's too late." Lu Changsheng's words left Cheng An momentarily stunned. Not only Cheng An, but even the outer sect deacon frowned. When an outer sect disciple submitted a challenge, a seed disciple was obligated to accept, unless they had already accepted a challenge that month. However, Lu Changsheng had only defeated Meng Fang yesterday to claim his seed disciple status. This month, Lu Changsheng had not yet accepted a single disciple's challenge. He had no right to refuse! "Lu Changsheng, you should know the rules of the outer sect. You cannot refuse right now." "If you truly refuse, it will be treated as a forfeiture, and you will voluntarily surrender your seed disciple status," the outer sect deacon cautioned. Cheng An didn't believe such good fortune would fall into his lap either. Wang Cheng had already snatched a massive bargain. To expect another free gift was simply impossible! Lu Changsheng replied calmly, "It's not that I am refusing, but that I can no longer accept." "I have already condensed Divine Gang and am now a Divine Gang Realm martial artist." *Boom.* Lu Changsheng's words caused Cheng An and the deacon to widen their eyes in shock, wondering if their ears were playing tricks on them. "What? Lu Changsheng, you've already condensed Divine Gang?" "Senior Brother Lu, have you truly condensed Divine Gang?" "How long has it been? Just one day, and Senior Brother Lu has already condensed Divine Gang! Once a disciple condenses Divine Gang, they must advance to the inner sect. If he heads to the inner sect in such a rush, how can he keep his seed disciple status?" "Senior Brother Lu possesses two domains, so he most likely condensed two layers of Divine Gang. With two domains and two layers of Divine Gang, even if the inner sect senior brothers are strong, challenging Senior Brother Lu's seed disciple status won't be easy." "He has only been in the sect for four months, yet he's already reached the Divine Gang Realm and is becoming an inner sect disciple..." Several surrounding disciples had overheard Lu Changsheng's words as well, each of them thoroughly stunned. Yet upon closer reflection, it seemed only natural. He had already evolved two domains, making it effortless to condense two layers of Divine Gang. At this point, why wouldn't he advance to the inner sect? *Buzz.* Lu Changsheng manifested a layer of Tempest Divine Gang over his body. His aura surged dramatically. A twentyfold boost to his physical body. The terrifying pressure instantly blanketed a hundred-zhang radius. This was even with Lu Changsheng holding back; otherwise, the pressure would have been far more overwhelming. Feeling Lu Changsheng's aura and seeing the layer of Divine Gang covering him, no one doubted him any longer. Lu Changsheng had truly condensed Divine Gang and become a Divine Gang Realm martial artist! Cheng An's expression turned rather unsightly. He had gathered all his courage to challenge Lu Changsheng, hoping to evolve a domain under pressure, only to find that Lu Changsheng had already condensed Divine Gang. "Deacon, may I refuse Cheng An's challenge now?" Lu Changsheng asked slowly. "You may! Of course you may!" the deacon replied hastily. According to the rules, once an outer sect disciple condensed Divine Gang, they were no longer considered an outer sect disciple and were exempt from outer sect regulations. Lu Changsheng could naturally disregard Cheng An's challenge. In truth, Lu Changsheng could still spar with Cheng An privately, using his domain to assist him; perhaps Cheng An really could evolve a domain that way. Yet why should he? Why should Lu Changsheng go out of his way to help Cheng An? He didn't even know Cheng An beforehand. A complete stranger had formally challenged him. If it had been during an official challenge, defeating him fair and square with a domain might have incidentally helped him, and that would have been fine. Now that he could ignore the challenge entirely, why would he waste his effort helping him? That was out of the question! Without lingering, Lu Changsheng turned and walked away. Having become a Divine Gang Realm martial artist, he was destined to leave the outer sect and would likely have little to do with these outer sect disciples from now on. There was no need to pay them any mind. Cheng An stared at Lu Changsheng's departing back, his mouth opening as if to speak. In the end, however, he let out a long sigh and remained silent. Though Lu Changsheng had left, the fervor among the outer sect disciples only escalated. More news had arrived from the Qi and Blood Pool. Lu Changsheng had not merely condensed two layers of Divine Gang—he had condensed four layers! Even more terrifying, every single layer of Divine Gang he condensed was an upper-tier Divine Gang! Furthermore, he had evolved four domains. During his challenge against Meng Fang yesterday, Lu Changsheng had not even gone all out; he had only revealed a fraction of his true power. He had defeated Meng Fang using only two domains, keeping the other two completely concealed. This news was utterly shocking. Had there not been so many disciples at the Qi and Blood Pool who witnessed Lu Changsheng condensing his Divine Gang with their own eyes, the outer sect disciples would never have believed it. "Senior Brother Lu truly remains silent until he astounds everyone!" "More than just astounding everyone, Senior Brother Lu was completely confident from the start. He didn't care at all about letting his seed disciple status slip away temporarily, allowing Wang Cheng to snatch a bargain." "Hehe, does that make Wang Cheng the only outer sect disciple to have ever 'defeated' Senior Brother Lu?" "Haha, that really is something for Wang Cheng to brag about. After all, Senior Brother Lu's talent and comprehension are visibly terrifying. Even the inner sect won't be his ceiling." "A true disciple! Senior Brother Lu becoming a true disciple is practically set in stone." Some muttered that becoming a true disciple was not so simple. After all, promoting to a true disciple required breaking through to the Divine Treasury Realm. The Divine Treasury Realm was fundamentally different from the preceding Divine Strength and Divine Gang Realms. Countless brilliant disciples had found themselves stuck before the threshold of the Divine Treasury Realm, unable to advance an inch. Ultimately, they had no choice but to transition into sect deacons, remaining in the Divine Gang Realm for the rest of their lives. Nevertheless, once Lu Changsheng entered the inner sect, he was destined to become a prominent figure there! Lu Changsheng did not return to Courtyard Number Twelve. Instead, he walked straight toward the inner sect. A considerable distance separated the inner sect from the outer sect. Soon, Lu Changsheng arrived at the inner sect grounds. Under normal circumstances, outer sect disciples would not come here unless they were visiting someone or advancing to the inner sect. Lu Changsheng headed straight for the inner sect Deacons' Office. "Outer sect disciple Lu Changsheng greets the deacon elder." "I have condensed Divine Gang and request the deacon elder's verification." With a thought, Lu Changsheng manifested a layer of Divine Gang around his body. "Oh?" "Tempest Divine Gang! This is an upper-tier Divine Gang that boosts the physical body twentyfold. Not bad." "Hand over your identity token." Upon seeing the Tempest Divine Gang on Lu Changsheng, the inner sect deacon elder's attitude immediately softened. After all, someone capable of condensing an upper-tier Divine Gang possessed remarkable talent. Lu Changsheng handed over his identity token. "An outer sect seed disciple?" The deacon elder's eyes narrowed slightly. He looked Lu Changsheng up and down, seemingly very surprised. A seed disciple! Upon promoting to the inner sect, an outer sect seed disciple automatically gained inner sect seed disciple status. However, a seed disciple newly promoted from the outer sect received no grace period. Inner sect disciples could challenge them at any time. A brand-new inner sect seed disciple, freshly promoted from the outer sect... To the many disciples of the inner sect, wasn't that like meat on a chopping block, ripe for the taking? The entire inner sect was bound to go crazy for this. After all, this represented the status of a seed disciple! *Swish.* As the inner sect deacon elder spoke, the gazes of the surrounding inner sect disciples snapped to Lu Changsheng, burning with excitement, fervor, and hunger! "Elder, I apply to challenge this new seed disciple!" An inner sect disciple immediately stepped before the deacon elder to lodge a formal challenge against Lu Changsheng. He issued the challenge without even knowing Lu Changsheng's name. Opportunities like this came only once! He knew very well that as long as he seized this chance, even holding the seed disciple title for just a single day could bring enormous benefits under the right circumstances. "Damn it, too slow! Pang Yuan beat us to it." "Pang Yuan's strength is thoroughly mediocre, but he sure is quick on his feet. That seed disciple status is practically his." "Hehe, Pang Yuan was working on several missions recently. He even finished some of them but held off on turning them in. As long as he obtains seed disciple status—even for just one day—it'll be enough for him to submit those missions and claim double rewards. What a lucky bastard." "Pang Yuan snatched it first..." Many inner sect disciples sighed with regret. Such a golden opportunity had actually been snatched away by Pang Yuan. "Wait, what was your name again?" the inner sect elder suddenly asked. "This disciple is Lu Changsheng." "Lu Changsheng... The one who entered the sect via the Heavenly Stairway and defeated Meng Fang, one of the outer sect's Three Taboos, in just four months?" The inner sect deacon elder seemed to recall something, and his pupils constricted sharply. The expression on his face instantly turned exceedingly strange. Pang Yuan froze. "Defeated Meng Fang, one of the outer sect's Three Taboos?" Pang Yuan might not recognize Lu Changsheng, but he had certainly heard of Meng Fang. Even the inner sect had heard of the outer sect's Three Taboos. Those were not empty reputations. They were highly ambitious figures who had deliberately stayed in the outer sect to consolidate their strength. Once the Three Taboos promoted to the inner sect, they were guaranteed to be influential figures. Yet Meng Fang, a powerhouse of that caliber, had been defeated by this very Lu Changsheng? All at once, Pang Yuan felt a sudden sense of dread. He had been in such a rush to issue a challenge that he hadn't even learned his opponent's name until now. Perhaps... he was in serious trouble!