Challenged upon Promotion to Inner Sect; Who Can Match a Ninetyfold Boost?

"Elder... can this challenge be withdrawn?" Pang Yuan could not quite gauge the true depth of this "Lu Changsheng" before him. However, if the man had defeated Meng Fang, Pang Yuan knew he was definitely no match for Lu Changsheng. The reason was simple: Meng Fang had evolved a domain. Pang Yuan, to this day, had failed to evolve one. For a Divine Gang Realm martial artist, possessing a domain made a massive difference. A domain might not provide an immense boost to oneself. However, if one lacked a domain, one would be suppressed by an opponent's domain. When that happened, even with Divine Gang, one would simply become a sitting duck at the other's mercy. Unless one's spiritual will reached an exceptionally resolute level sufficient to withstand the suppression of a domain. Yet how strong would such a will have to be? Very few could withstand the suppression of a domain through sheer willpower alone. "Withdrawn?" Hearing this, the deacon elder hesitated for a moment before finally nodding. "Lu Changsheng's inner sect disciple formalities are not yet complete, so he is not technically an official inner sect disciple at this moment. If you wish to withdraw, you may certainly do so." The deacon elder had granted Pang Yuan an out. "Thank you, Elder. Please withdraw my challenge." Pang Yuan did not hesitate for a second to withdraw the challenge. However, just because Pang Yuan withdrew his challenge did not mean others would not step forward. "Deacon Elder, I apply to challenge Lu Changsheng." At that moment, a man in white robes walked over. The deacon elder narrowed his eyes slightly and said in a meaningful tone, "If you apply to challenge him this time, it cannot be withdrawn." "I will not withdraw." The white-robed man gave a decisive answer, his tone firm. "Very well. Bai Yuansheng, you apply to challenge Inner Sect Seed Disciple Lu Changsheng." "Lu Changsheng, your formalities are now complete. You have officially become an inner sect disciple. Moreover, you automatically receive the status of an inner sect seed disciple. Now that Bai Yuansheng challenges you, do you accept?" The deacon elder turned his gaze toward Lu Changsheng. Lu Changsheng was not surprised. Practically every disciple promoted from the outer sect to the inner sect went through this. Often, before the paperwork was even finished, numerous inner sect disciples would come to issue challenges. However, the fact that this person chose to challenge him even while knowing he had defeated Meng Fang proved Bai Yuansheng was likely no ordinary figure. "It's Bai Yuansheng. With him challenging Lu Changsheng, I'm afraid Lu Changsheng is the one in trouble." "Indeed. Bai Yuansheng has also evolved a domain. Unfortunately, he condensed his Divine Gang before evolving his domain, so it was merely ordinary Divine Gang. Once Divine Gang is condensed, it can never be replaced. Because of that, he has never been able to defeat the inner sect seed disciples." "Still, Bai Yuansheng's years in the inner sect haven't gone to waste. He has comprehended three martial conceptions in total and condensed three layers of ordinary Divine Gang. Stacking them together boosts his physical body thirtyfold. His strength is nothing to scoff at." "If this Lu Changsheng only condensed a single layer of upper-tier Divine Gang, he's in for major trouble." Most of the surrounding inner sect disciples were familiar with Bai Yuansheng's situation. Bai Yuansheng dreamed day and night of becoming a seed disciple. Unfortunately, in the inner sect, he could not beat a single seed disciple. Now, his chance had arrived. A newly promoted disciple from the outer sect had most likely condensed only one type of upper-tier Divine Gang. Even if Lu Changsheng had a domain, Bai Yuansheng had nothing to fear. His own martial conceptions had reached an extremely profound level, and he possessed three of them. Add to that his resolute willpower. With all these factors combined, an ordinary domain truly could not fully suppress Bai Yuansheng. "I accept Bai Yuansheng's challenge!" Lu Changsheng spoke slowly. Naturally, he was not about to forfeit and give up his seed disciple status. It was merely a challenge. Once this battle was over, he would have an entire month of peace. In fact, Lu Changsheng also wanted to use this opportunity to thoroughly intimidate the entire inner sect. If the inner sect disciples did not dare challenge him lightly, it would save him the enormous hassle of having to deal with challenges every month. "Let's go. To the arena. We'll make it quick," Lu Changsheng said nonchalantly. Yet Lu Changsheng's indifferent attitude caused Bai Yuansheng's face to darken. Was he looking down on him? A newly promoted outer sect disciple—perhaps he was used to calling the shots in the outer sect, but did he think he could still throw his weight around in the inner sect? Nevertheless, Bai Yuansheng said nothing. Whether in the outer sect or the inner sect, strength did all the talking. Once they were up on the arena, he would show Lu Changsheng that his many years in the inner sect had not been spent idling around. The two headed straight for the arena. The news spread through the inner sect like wildfire. Bai Yuansheng was no obscure inner sect disciple. On the contrary, he enjoyed quite a reputation in the inner sect. His strength was formidable, placing him in the tier just beneath the seed disciples. As for Lu Changsheng, he was even less of a nobody. He was one of the outer sect's Four Taboos. A mere four months after entering the sect, he had defeated Meng Fang and condensed Divine Gang. Such a disciple was a textbook genius. A top-tier genius, even! A clash between dragons and tigers like this naturally sparked an instant commotion across the inner sect. Watching this, the deacon elder shook his head slightly. He, too, had once been an inner sect disciple. He, too, had once brimmed with youthful ambition. Alas, he had squandered ten years in the inner sect. Failing to reach the Divine Treasury Realm within ten years meant one could never advance to become a true disciple. Fortunately for inner sect disciples, even if they could not become true disciples, they could transition into deacons. The deacon elder had advanced step-by-step as a deacon, working diligently for many years before finally becoming a deacon elder. Yet he knew all too well. In the Northern Region Heavenly Sect, deacon elders did not amount to much. True disciples were the very foundation of the Northern Region Heavenly Sect! All these inner sect disciples were described as prodigies, geniuses, outstanding talents who had risen above countless peers. Yet what was the result? Those who could advance to true disciples were few and far between! Without becoming a true disciple, everything came to naught! Still, that was merely the deacon elder's lament. For the inner sect disciples, they had to fight. The status of a seed disciple was something they had to fight for even harder! And so, a dense crowd of inner sect disciples followed Lu Changsheng and Bai Yuansheng to the arena. The arena was located at the Martial Arts Field. At that moment, several disciples in the Martial Arts Field were practicing secret methods and sparring with martial skills. Most were outer sect disciples. Inner sect disciples had already condensed Divine Gang; secret methods and martial skills might still hold some value, but their impact was minimal. Martial skills were simply techniques for force generation and combat. No matter how strong the technique, one still had to breach the opponent's Divine Gang. And Divine Gang was a flawless, all-around turtle shell. Without breaking the Divine Gang, no amount of technique was of any use. To shatter Divine Gang, one could only use greater power to smash through it in a single strike. Alternatively, one could wear down the Divine Gang continuously. Those were practically the only two ways; there was no other alternative. Therefore, inner sect disciples rarely came to the Martial Arts Field. Only when an inner sect disciple challenged a seed disciple was an arena in the Martial Arts Field required. Even so, the sudden arrival of so many inner sect disciples at the Martial Arts Field startled many outer sect disciples. "What's going on? Why did so many inner sect senior brothers come?" "Yeah, it's rare to see inner sect senior brothers at the Martial Arts Field, and today so many came all at once. Could an inner sect senior brother be challenging a seed disciple?" "Judging by this spectacle, someone must be challenging a seed disciple." These outer sect disciples loved watching the excitement as well. Battles between inner sect disciples were a rare sight. They also wanted to broaden their horizons. After all, how could ordinary Divine Gang Realm martial artists compare to the inner sect's seed disciples? "I wonder who the inner sect seed disciple is this time." However, when the outer sect disciples saw the two figures slowly walk up and stand upon the arena, their eyes went wide in disbelief. "Is that... Senior Brother Lu Changsheng?" "If my eyes aren't deceiving me, that should be Senior Brother Lu." "Word just came from the outer sect that Senior Brother Lu condensed Divine Gang and advanced to inner sect disciple. Who would have thought he'd be challenged so quickly?" The outer sect disciples were instantly intrigued. Lu Changsheng had only just advanced to the inner sect. To them, he was not unfamiliar in the slightest; in fact, he was very well known. Even though Lu Changsheng had only spent a little over four months in the outer sect, during those four months, his fame had skyrocketed. Not a single outer sect disciple was unaware of him. However, their information was somewhat outdated. The news that Lu Changsheng had condensed four layers of Divine Gang had not yet spread. At that moment, Bai Yuansheng and Lu Changsheng had already taken their positions on the arena. The two stood facing each other ten zhang apart, their gazes seeming to collide in midair. Bai Yuansheng narrowed his eyes slightly. He saw not a trace of panic or nervousness in Lu Changsheng's expression or eyes. On the contrary, Lu Changsheng remained completely calm and unhurried from start to finish, looking nothing like a disciple who had just been promoted from the outer sect. "You certainly have bearing." "However, standing on this arena, bearing alone isn't enough!" The moment Bai Yuansheng finished speaking, Divine Gang instantly cloaked his body. One layer, two layers, three layers! Bai Yuansheng enveloped his body directly in three layers of Divine Gang. Though merely ordinary Divine Gang, they granted a thirtyfold boost to his physical body. This was the foundation of Bai Yuansheng's confidence! After all, even with ordinary Divine Gang, not just anyone could stack three layers upon themselves. As long as his three layers of Divine Gang remained unbroken, he held an impregnable position. *Boom.* Moreover, he did not stop there. Bai Yuansheng even unleashed a domain. Bai Yuansheng's domain took the form of a towering mountain peak. The mountain loomed faintly, bearing a resemblance to Mount Tianlu. In truth, many disciples had comprehended the Mount Tianlu Conception. After all, they lived on Mount Tianlu every single day. Yet evolving the Mount Tianlu Conception into a domain was no easy feat. Only after condensing Divine Gang, through years of contemplation and consuming an untold number of Dao Comprehension Pills, had Bai Yuansheng finally evolved his Mount Tianlu Conception into the Mount Tianlu Domain. Three layers of Divine Gang, paired with a domain. A terrifying might crashed down onto Lu Changsheng in an instant. Yet Lu Changsheng stood firm as a rock. However, he did not unleash a domain. Instead, he immediately summoned his Divine Gang as well. *Buzz.* Tempest Divine Gang coated his body. The might of an upper-tier Divine Gang was extraordinary and recognizable at a glance. "Upper-tier Divine Gang! A twentyfold physical boost!" Bai Yuansheng's expression grew solemn as well. Although he had already guessed that Lu Changsheng, having evolved a domain, would definitely condense an upper-tier Divine Gang, seeing it with his own eyes still left Bai Yuansheng in awe. There was even a trace of regret. If he had evolved the Mount Tianlu Domain earlier, perhaps he could have condensed an upper-tier Divine Gang as well. Alas, it was too late. His starting point was ultimately a notch below top-tier geniuses like Lu Changsheng. Still, against merely a single layer of upper-tier Divine Gang, Bai Yuansheng had nothing to fear. His three layers of Divine Gang boosted his physical body thirtyfold. Against Lu Changsheng's single layer of Divine Gang, a single slash of his sword would undoubtedly break right through. Yet after the Tempest Divine Gang, Lu Changsheng did not stop. Faintly atop the Tempest Divine Gang, another layer of Divine Gang seemed to gradually materialize. Seeing this, the expression on Bai Yuansheng's face froze instantly. "Two layers of Divine Gang?" Bai Yuansheng had not expected Lu Changsheng to have condensed two layers of Divine Gang. Moreover, the second layer looked somewhat familiar. "This is... Giant Wave Divine Gang! Another upper-tier Divine Gang, boosting the physical body twentyfold..." "Wait, how is that possible? How could Lu Changsheng have condensed two upper-tier Divine Gangs?" Bai Yuansheng's expression changed drastically. One could hardly blame him; this was simply too incredible and far beyond his expectations. Once two upper-tier Divine Gangs stacked together, they provided a fortyfold boost to the physical body! That was ten times higher than Bai Yuansheng's three layers of Divine Gang. And that ten-fold difference might well be an insurmountable chasm for Bai Yuansheng. Not only was Bai Yuansheng shocked, but an uproar broke out among the inner sect disciples below the arena as well. "What? Two layers of Divine Gang?" "And both are upper-tier Divine Gangs! Since when did upper-tier Divine Gangs become so easy to condense?" "To condense an upper-tier Divine Gang, one must either rely on a comprehended martial conception to gamble on a probability, or evolve a domain to guarantee a hundred-percent success rate. Which one is Lu Changsheng?" "Could Lu Changsheng have evolved two domains?" These inner sect disciples were unfamiliar with Lu Changsheng, but the outer sect disciples knew him all too well. Seeing Lu Changsheng reveal two layers of Divine Gang, they were not surprised in the least. Some even laughed and explained to the inner sect disciples, "Senior Brother Lu is no ordinary figure. Back in the outer sect, he defeated Senior Brother Meng Fang. Even back then, Senior Brother Lu commanded two domains." "The two domains Senior Brother Lu mastered were the Tempest Domain and the Ocean Wave Domain. They match the two upper-tier Divine Gangs Senior Brother Lu has condensed now—the Tempest Divine Gang and the Giant Wave Divine Gang." "Find it unbelievable? Hahaha, we thought it was unbelievable back then too, but it's the truth!" "If not for commanding two domains, it wouldn't have been easy for Senior Brother Lu to defeat Senior Brother Meng Fang. The Three Taboos of our outer sect weren't an empty reputation." Hearing the outer sect disciples' explanation, the inner sect disciples finally learned of Lu Changsheng's "glorious" deeds. So back in the outer sect, Lu Changsheng had already mastered two domains. Such talent, such comprehension—even within the Northern Region Heavenly Sect, it stood at the pinnacle. "No wonder Lu Changsheng dared advance to the inner sect. It turns out he had this confidence, believing he could defend his seed disciple status, which is why he condensed Divine Gang." "Indeed. Otherwise, Lu Changsheng had only been in the sect for four months. He could have stayed in the outer sect for several more years. Why rush to advance to the inner sect? He came prepared!" "The outer sect's Three Taboos are actually exceptionally powerful, yet they delayed advancing to the inner sect because they felt their strength was still slightly lacking and they might not be able to hold their seed disciple status. But Lu Changsheng is different: two domains and two upper-tier Divine Gangs. Such strength is on par with any inner sect seed disciple." "Bai Yuansheng is in trouble." Bai Yuansheng was indeed in trouble. His expression was exceedingly grim. *Two layers of upper-tier Divine Gang, stacking to a fortyfold boost to the physical body!* *Still, even if you possess two domains, given your age, you couldn't have comprehended them to a very profound depth. I may only have one domain, but over the years, I've walked far in the Mount Tianlu Domain with deep insights. It might not lose to your two domains.* *If I can withstand your domains, I still have a chance of winning!* Countless thoughts flashed through Bai Yuansheng's mind. Two stacked upper-tier Divine Gangs were terrifying indeed. Yet Bai Yuansheng was not completely without hope. However, just as Bai Yuansheng clung to that sliver of hope, yet another layer of Divine Gang began to surface on Lu Changsheng's body. This layer of Divine Gang swiftly coated him. A third layer of Divine Gang! This type of Divine Gang was relatively rare. Even so, someone recognized it. "That's the Hundred-Zhang Waterfall Divine Gang—another upper-tier Divine Gang!" Bai Yuansheng shuddered violently. By this point, despair was written all over his face. Three upper-tier Divine Gangs—how was he supposed to fight this? Were new disciples these days all this monstrous? Three upper-tier Divine Gangs stacked together boosted the physical body sixtyfold. Practically speaking, Bai Yuansheng had zero chance of defeating Lu Changsheng. Yet it still was not over. Yet another layer of Divine Gang emerged from Lu Changsheng's body. The moment this layer appeared, it proved extraordinary. It exuded a terrifying might that surpassed even the previous three upper-tier Divine Gangs. "Could this be... the Boundless Starry Sky Divine Gang?" "Heavens, it is the Boundless Starry Sky Divine Gang! One must master the Starry Sky Domain to condense this Divine Gang!" "Moreover, the Boundless Starry Sky Divine Gang is a top-tier Divine Gang! It directly boosts the physical body thirtyfold and is one of the strongest Divine Gangs in the entire Northern Region Heavenly Sect!" "What? A top-tier Divine Gang boosting the physical body thirtyfold?" "Four layers of Divine Gang in total, with one being a top-tier Divine Gang. Stacking them all yields a ninetyfold boost to the physical body!" "Who could possibly break four stacked layers of upper-tier Divine Gang?" In an instant, an uproar swept through the countless disciples beneath the arena. Shock! Bewilderment! Incomprehension! Even madness. Four kinds of Divine Gang were rare, but they did exist in the inner sect. However, four upper-tier Divine Gangs were practically unheard of. With one of them being a top-tier Divine Gang, it was a miracle that could only be hoped for, never sought. A ninetyfold physical boost—forget Bai Yuansheng, even if other inner sect seed disciples came, they would be helpless. As for Bai Yuansheng, he was entirely numb. When he first stepped onto the arena, he had been full of vigor and ambition. Even knowing Lu Changsheng might possess a few tricks, Bai Yuansheng had been confident he could defeat him. Yet as Lu Changsheng unleashed three and then four layers of Divine Gang, Bai Yuansheng went numb. Or rather, in his heart, he had completely given up. Four stacked layers of Divine Gang, a ninetyfold physical boost—how could he possibly fight? Even if Lu Changsheng stood there motionless and let Bai Yuansheng bombard him for three days and three nights, he wouldn't be able to scratch Lu Changsheng in the slightest. Moreover, after displaying four layers of Divine Gang, Lu Changsheng seemed to feel it was still not enough. Suddenly, the entire arena seemed to plunge into darkness. In a flash, it was as if they stood beneath an empty, boundless starry sky. A domain! Within that starry sky, a colossal waterfall faintly appeared, surging and plunging down three thousand feet. That was a domain as well. At the same time, fierce winds howled, and ocean waves surged majestically, galloping forth through the void. Four domains! Lu Changsheng had unleashed all four domains at once. The four domains mirrored each other. Without even fusing them, Lu Changsheng used the sheer weight of all four domains to engulf Bai Yuansheng in an instant. Bai Yuansheng's Mount Tianlu Domain was shredded in a breath. Mount Tianlu was as fragile as an eggshell. With a sharp crack, the Mount Tianlu in the void shattered violently. Bai Yuansheng's domain collapsed completely. With the Mount Tianlu Domain gone, Bai Yuansheng could only face Lu Changsheng's four domains directly. Four domains! Four layers of Divine Gang! The horrifying pressure left Bai Yuansheng entirely unable to move. His hand had rested on his sword hilt all along. Yet Bai Yuansheng never drew his blade. After all, would drawing his sword make any difference now? It would only make him a laughingstock. "I concede..." Bai Yuansheng released the sword hilt, forcing the words through his teeth with great difficulty. Surrender! Bai Yuansheng had actually surrendered! Without even drawing his sword, without a single exchange of blows between them, Bai Yuansheng had already conceded. "You concede?" Lu Changsheng was slightly surprised. He had originally wanted to test the strength of a standout among the inner sect disciples. Yet Bai Yuansheng had given up. Upon brief reflection, however, Lu Changsheng understood. Four layers of Divine Gang, four domains, and a ninetyfold physical boost. In front of Lu Changsheng, even drawing a sword required immense courage! Not just anyone had the courage to swing a blade at him!