"Is this your choice?"
Prince Yong's gaze turned dark and sullen as he swept his eyes across the twenty-four Divine Gang Realm martial artists.
He even wondered if he had stayed out of the jianghu for too many years, leaving no one to remember just how formidable he was.
"It seems you have all forgotten how this prince trampled the Mount-Settling Sect and slaughtered thirteen Divine Gang Realm martial artists back then."
A layer of Divine Gang instantly enveloped Prince Yong's body.
"More than half of the world's great aristocratic clans were massacred by this prince! At a single decree from the imperial court, none dared disobey!"
Prince Yong took a step forward.
"This prince has suppressed the jianghu for several decades. Even Divine Gang Realm martial artists have to obey the court's orders. The jianghu has long become this prince's jianghu!"
A second layer of Divine Gang draped over Prince Yong's body. With every step he took, another layer of Divine Gang manifested over him.
Three layers of Divine Gang stacked together!
Among them was even a top-tier Divine Gang that amplified physical strength by thirtyfold!
The decrepit Prince Yong of just a moment ago instantly transformed into an utterly terrifying figure.
It was as if the peerless aura of the Great Moon Dynasty's foremost expert from years past had returned once more!
"It seems you have truly forgotten."
"Who gave you the courage to stand against this prince?"
As the words fell, the aura radiating from Prince Yong surged to its peak.
At the same time, a terrifying domain burst forth with overwhelming momentum, sweeping across and crashing down upon the twenty-four Divine Gang Realm martial artists.
Instantly, their minds buzzed and roared. It felt as if a heavy mountain had crashed onto their chests, and looks of agony surfaced on their faces.
With three layers of Divine Gang and a single domain, Prince Yong exerted such pressure that the twenty-four Divine Gang Realm martial artists felt immense dread.
This was the terrifying might of the man who had once been the foremost figure of the Great Moon Dynasty!
However, regardless of how illustrious Prince Yong's status was, how glorious his past, or how formidable his strength—even if given another chance to choose, the twenty-four Divine Gang Realm martial artists would make the exact same choice without the slightest hesitation.
What a joke! They knew full well that their opponent possessed four layers of Divine Gang, four domains, and a silent, unpredictable secret mental technique. They knew better than anyone whom they should side with.
Let alone a single Prince Yong, not even ten Prince Yongs would be a match for Lu Changsheng.
Seeing that the twenty-four Divine Gang Realm martial artists remained entirely unmoved, Prince Yong hesitated no longer.
"Kill!"
With a wave of his hand, several dozen Divine Gang Realm martial artists behind him sprang into action, lunging toward Lu Changsheng and his companions in a dark, suffocating wave.
This was the foundation and accumulation that Prince Yong's estate had built over decades.
To seize the demon essence blood this time, Prince Yong had mobilized every force at his disposal.
With such military strength, he might well have possessed enough power to march into the imperial palace and seize the throne.
Yet how could being an emperor compare to the comfort of being Prince Yong?
An emperor was scrutinized by countless eyes and bound by endless rules.
Prince Yong, on the other hand, could involve himself in the jianghu and concentrate wholly on martial arts.
Right now, however, Prince Yong wanted to live!
"Hmph."
Lu Changsheng let out a cold snort.
Three layers of Divine Gang and one domain.
Coupled with the prestige Prince Yong had amassed across the Great Moon Dynasty over decades, he was indeed formidable.
With several dozen Divine Gang Realm martial artists swarming forward together, they truly formed a terrifying force.
Yet Lu Changsheng understood equally well that once individual strength reached a certain threshold, sheer numbers lost all meaning.
Buzz.
The next instant, the void seemed to plunge into darkness.
A stretch of starry sky abruptly manifested around everyone.
Within that starry sky, a waterfall pierced straight through heaven and earth.
Violent winds howled, and ocean waves surged with thunderous momentum.
Domains!
Four domains at once!
The moment these four domains manifested, they instantly enveloped the several dozen Divine Gang Realm martial artists.
The terrifying suppressive force of the domains pinned every one of them firmly in place.
"What? Four domains?!"
"Impossible! How could someone so young possibly comprehend four domains?!"
Prince Yong was perhaps the only martial artist still capable of moving.
He had previously deployed a domain of his own and had cultivated it to an extremely profound level.
Yet compared to Lu Changsheng's four domains, it appeared thoroughly vulnerable.
The four domains crushed Prince Yong's domain to its absolute limit in an instant.
Even so, they failed to shatter Prince Yong's domain entirely.
After all, the progress of each of Lu Changsheng's individual domains was not particularly high.
However, Lu Changsheng could fuse his domains!
"Fuse."
Standing motionless, Lu Changsheng simply shifted his thoughts. In an instant, the Ocean Wave Domain merged with the Tempest Domain, giving rise to a terrifying Waterspout Domain.
Boom!
The Waterspout Domain swept through in a flash.
The martial conceptions enveloping the several dozen Divine Gang Realm martial artists crumbled like paper, prompting agonizing screams.
When it reached Prince Yong, the Waterspout Domain tore through the domain he had spent decades contemplating with unstoppable momentum, crushing it to pieces in an instant.
"Aaargh!"
Prince Yong let out a shrill cry of pain.
Having his domain forcibly pulverized inflicted excruciating agony.
Clang!
In the next instant, Lu Changsheng drew his saber.
Four layers of Divine Gang surfaced over his body.
A full ninetyfold amplification and a hundred thousand tripods of force erupted in an instant.
They coalesced into a crimson saber gleam that cleaved across the air straight toward Prince Yong.
Having suppressed the Great Moon Dynasty's jianghu for decades, Prince Yong naturally possessed formidable means.
He, too, had stacked three layers of Divine Gang.
One among them was a top-tier Divine Gang capable of amplifying his physical strength by thirtyfold!
The other two were ordinary Divine Gang.
Stacked together, they amplified his physical body by fiftyfold!
One domain, three layers of Divine Gang, and a fiftyfold physical amplification.
With such strength, dominating the realm and holding sway over the entire jianghu for several decades was child's play.
No wonder Prince Yong was so intensely proud, considering himself no lesser than the prodigies of the Northern Region Heavenly Sect.
Looking at him now, he indeed possessed the foundation for that pride.
Unfortunately for him, he had encountered Lu Changsheng.
No matter how many layers of Divine Gang Prince Yong possessed, or whether his physical strength was amplified fiftyfold—what did it matter?
Against a single saber strike from Lu Changsheng carrying more than a hundred thousand tripods of force, even three layers of Divine Gang could never withstand the blow.
The crimson saber gleam crashed down and cleaved into Prince Yong's body.
Crack!
The three layers of Divine Gang Prince Yong took such pride in shattered like thin paper.
"No...!"
Prince Yong did not want to die. He could not accept perishing like this.
Yet Lu Changsheng's saber gleam did not pause.
Following the shattered Divine Gang, the blade split Prince Yong cleanly in half.
With a dull thud, the two halves of Prince Yong's corpse collapsed into a pool of blood.
Dead!
Prince Yong had been slain by Lu Changsheng with a single stroke of the blade.
There had been no surprises, no lucky escapes.
The twenty-four Divine Gang Realm martial artists found it completely unsurprising.
They knew all too well how terrifying Lu Changsheng's blade was.
And that was without him even deploying that uncanny secret mental technique.
Facing Lu Changsheng, what did Prince Yong have to contest him?
"Dead... Prince Yong is dead."
"Earlier, Prince Yong actually wanted us to choose? How truly ignorant."
"Ignorance breeds boldness. If we hadn't witnessed the emissary's battle against the demon martial artist with our own eyes, we wouldn't have known how terrifyingly powerful he was either."
"The Northern Region Heavenly Sect truly lives up to its name as the sole overlord of the Northern Region. Even a disciple sent down from the mountain can sweep through everything unopposed."
Now came the turn for the twenty-four Divine Gang Realm martial artists to make their move.
They immediately charged into the several dozen Divine Gang Realm martial artists, unleashing their full might.
Suppressed beneath Lu Changsheng's domains, those several dozen Divine Gang Realm martial artists were sitting ducks. Unable to retaliate in the slightest, they could only rely on their Divine Gang to endure the onslaught.
Whoosh!
Lu Changsheng swung his blade once more.
The saber gleam split into several arcs, landing squarely upon the more troublesome Divine Gang Realm martial artists, cleaving through their Divine Gang and ending their lives.
Before long, the ground was bathed in blood.
A thick, metallic stench of blood permeated the air.
Not a single one of the several dozen Divine Gang experts escaped; every last one was slain.
Lu Changsheng walked over to Prince Yong's corpse, crouched down, and began searching it.
Soon, he found a porcelain bottle.
Opening it, he saw that it was indeed a Dao Comprehension Pill.
Lu Changsheng had been fortunate. Though his strike had cleaved Prince Yong in half, it had happened to spare the Dao Comprehension Pill from harm.
A fruitful harvest.
A single Dao Comprehension Pill was worth ten thousand contribution points—the price for disciples within the Northern Region Heavenly Sect to redeem one.
Outside the sect, obtaining one required an astronomical price.
Apart from the pill, Prince Yong carried nothing else of note.
Lu Changsheng had no shortage of silver or worldly wealth.
Although Prince Yong possessed a top-tier Divine Gang Realm martial art that amplified physical strength by thirtyfold, cultivating it required pairing it with a specific domain.
Moreover, as a disciple of the Northern Region Heavenly Sect, top-tier martial arts were the last thing Lu Changsheng lacked.
Lu Changsheng put away the Dao Comprehension Pill.
"Emissary, how do you intend to handle this matter concerning Prince Yong?" one of the Divine Gang Realm martial artists asked cautiously.
"Regional Inspector Zhang should be arriving soon."
"We will wait until he gets here before deciding anything."
Lu Changsheng sat cross-legged on the ground and closed his eyes to rest.
He was in no rush to return to the Northern Region Heavenly Sect.
This matter concerning Prince Yong could not simply be brushed aside.
Thus, Lu Changsheng would wait.
He required an explanation from the Great Moon Dynasty's imperial family!
After waiting for roughly an hour, Zhang Wending finally arrived late with the army.
Moving a large army was a cumbersome task, and their marching speed was naturally slow.
When Zhang Wending reached the outskirts of Luochang County, a Divine Gang Realm martial artist flew out from within the town and told him to enter first.
Zhang Wending did not hesitate and entered immediately.
Upon entering Luochang County, Zhang Wending saw the corpse of the demon martial artist.
Joy surged through his heart.
The demon martial artist was truly dead; Qing Prefecture was safe at last.
Yet besides the demon's corpse, Zhang Wending noticed numerous other bodies strewn across the ground.
What was more, Zhang Wending recognized several of them.
They were all Divine Gang Realm martial artists—and seemed to belong to Prince Yong's estate.
"His Highness Prince Yong..."
Finally, Zhang Wending caught sight of the two halves of Prince Yong's corpse.
As a regional inspector of a prefecture, Zhang Wending had naturally met Prince Yong and knew the weight the prince carried.
He had suppressed the jianghu!
Massacred great clans!
His renowned might shook the world!
Across the entire Great Moon Dynasty, whenever Prince Yong stomped his foot, the imperial court trembled.
Yet now, Prince Yong was dead.
"Emissary, how did His Highness Prince Yong die here?" Zhang Wending asked cautiously, sensing that the matter was far from simple.
Whoosh.
Lu Changsheng opened his eyes.
A chill flickered across his gaze as he said in an icy tone, "Prince Yong attempted to seize the demon essence blood in my possession, so I slew him."
"However, this matter requires an explanation from the Great Moon Dynasty!"
"I am an inner sect seed disciple of the Northern Region Heavenly Sect, representing the sect itself!"
"What is the imperial family of the Great Moon Dynasty trying to accomplish? The exalted Prince Yong dared attempt to murder a seed disciple of the Northern Region Heavenly Sect. Could it be that the imperial family wishes to break away from the Heavenly Sect and establish an independent faction?!"
Zhang Wending's complexion changed drastically, turning as pale as paper in an instant.
A catastrophe had unfolded!
Lu Changsheng was actually an inner sect seed disciple of the Northern Region Heavenly Sect?!
Zhang Wending understood all too well what a seed disciple represented.
Even members of the imperial family had to treat a seed disciple with utmost deference upon meeting them.
A seed disciple was the very face of the Northern Region Heavenly Sect!
Now, Lu Changsheng was directly pinning the accusation of "establishing an independent faction" on them—how could the Great Moon Dynasty's imperial family possibly withstand such a charge?
Breaking away from the sect to rule independently was something the imperial family undoubtedly dreamed of.
Yet did they dare?
No one knew whether the imperial family possessed Divine Treasury Realm martial artists.
Perhaps they did, or perhaps they did not.
Yet what did that matter?
If the Northern Region Heavenly Sect deployed a single true disciple at will, they could trample the Great Moon Dynasty's imperial family into dust.
Across the Northern Region, which dynasty dared claim they could break away from the Heavenly Sect to stand alone?
None dared!
The imperial family of the Great Moon Dynasty truly did not dare!
"Emissary, perhaps... this is a misunderstanding..."
Zhang Wending knew this matter was far too grave.
It was not something a mere regional inspector like him could handle.
Before the imperial family and the Northern Region Heavenly Sect, what did a humble inspector amount to?
"A misunderstanding? Prince Yong's corpse lies right here, alongside several dozen Divine Gang Realm martial artists. His estate mobilized nearly all its forces. There is no misunderstanding!"
"Seven days. I will wait only seven days."
"If the imperial family fails to give me an explanation after seven days, I shall report the matter truthfully to the Heavenly Sect."
Lu Changsheng stood up, paid Zhang Wending no further attention, and departed Luochang County directly.
Zhang Wending glanced down at Prince Yong's corpse.
Then he looked at the corpses of those Divine Gang Realm martial artists.
Finally, he turned his gaze toward the twenty-four Divine Gang Realm martial artists.
"What... exactly happened here?" Zhang Wending asked.
"It is essentially as the emissary described. Prince Yong was utterly maddened for the sake of the demon essence blood, daring to mount an ambush against the emissary..."
Understanding dawned upon Zhang Wending.
This matter was far too immense.
It had to be reported to the imperial family.
Since an imperial clansman had caused this disaster, it naturally fell upon the imperial family to resolve it.
***
Lu Changsheng returned to Qing City.
Having given the imperial family seven days, he naturally intended to remain in Qing City for that duration.
He retrieved the Dao Comprehension Pill.
Perhaps the greatest gain this time was this single Dao Comprehension Pill.
As for the demon essence blood, while it might be extraordinarily precious to others—especially someone like Prince Yong, who desperately craved it—it was virtually useless to Lu Changsheng.
He was still very young, nowhere near the limit of his lifespan.
In contrast, the Dao Comprehension Pill could induce a state of sudden enlightenment.
With his terrifying comprehension, once he entered a state of sudden enlightenment, the results would undoubtedly be tremendous.
However, he still needed to choose a clear direction for his enlightenment.
"Right now, my domains have instead become my weak point..."
Lu Changsheng possessed five domains.
Aside from the Perception Domain, the others were merely at the preliminary stage of domain evolution.
In a clash against other domains, he was at a distinct disadvantage.
He had already experienced several domain clashes where his domains were outmatched.
Each time, he had relied on superior numbers or domain fusion to contend with his opponents' domains.
Yet that was not a long-term solution.
His domains had to be elevated as well.
Otherwise, just like this time, stacking four domains together would still fail to shatter a single domain belonging to Prince Yong.
Moreover, advancing a domain was equivalent to contemplating heaven and earth, which should also provide some assistance to enhancing his mind power.
"Right now, I am in Qing City. There are no ocean waves, violent storms, or waterfalls."
"That leaves only one domain to comprehend: the Starry Sky Domain!"
Lu Changsheng made up his mind.
When night fell, he walked into the courtyard and looked up at the starry sky above.
The weather was fine tonight.
The starry sky was clear, revealing countless glittering stars.
Without further hesitation, Lu Changsheng opened his mouth and swallowed the Dao Comprehension Pill.
The pill dissolved upon entering his mouth, sending a cool, refreshing sensation spreading across his mind.
At the same time, Lu Changsheng lifted his head, gazing at the starlit canopy above.
Boom!
His consciousness seemed to plunge entirely into the vast, boundless starry sky overhead.
The starry expanse was vast, boundless, immense, and magnificent.
No one knew just how vast the starry sky truly was.
No matter where one stood, lifting one's head would reveal the stars.
Lu Changsheng immersed himself completely in this wondrous contemplation.
Meanwhile, his Starry Sky Domain began to advance at a pace visible to the naked eye.
Several hours later, the effects of the Dao Comprehension Pill fully dissipated.
The pill could sustain sudden enlightenment for four to five shichen.
In truth, four to five shichen of sudden enlightenment was already exceptionally long.
Yet to a martial artist immersed within it, it felt like a mere instant.
Whoosh.
Lu Changsheng opened his eyes.
He immediately summoned his attribute panel to inspect his status.
Host: Lu Changsheng
Comprehension: 3,930 (Praised in All Directions)
Qi and Blood Sword Casting Secret Method: 9 years and 7 months cast.
Mind Sword Mantra Formula: Progress 36% (Mind Sword)
Ocean Wave Domain: Progress 1%
Tempest Domain: Progress 6%
Perception Domain: Progress 35%
Starry Sky Domain: Progress 28%
Waterfall Domain: Progress 5%
His Starry Sky Domain had leaped directly to 28%, second only to his Perception Domain.
And that was from just a single Dao Comprehension Pill.
If he had a few more, wouldn't he be able to bring the Starry Sky Domain straight to perfection?
Of course, Lu Changsheng understood that reaching perfection in a domain was no easy feat.
The higher a domain advanced, the more difficult further progress became.
Nonetheless, the efficacy of the Dao Comprehension Pill was unmistakable.
Or rather, with Lu Changsheng's peerless comprehension, entering a state of sudden enlightenment yielded staggering rewards.
Lu Changsheng also took note of the Mind Sword Mantra Formula.
Its progress had suddenly surged considerably as well, reaching 36%.
During his sudden enlightenment, he had not cultivated the Mind Sword.
Under normal circumstances, progress on the Mind Sword barely budged.
The only unusual event had been several hours ago, when he used the Mind Sword to slay the demon martial artist.
Could it be that the Mind Sword advanced at that very moment?
"It seems the Mind Sword must be used frequently in battle to advance."
Lu Changsheng valued the Mind Sword highly.
However, the sudden surge in progress this time was primarily because the demon martial artist had been formidable enough. Although mental power was the creature's weakness, its mind was still vastly stronger than that of ordinary martial artists.
Against an ordinary martial artist, a single strike of his Mind Sword would shatter them instantly.
How could that temper the Mind Sword?
If merely triggering the Mind Sword were enough, why wouldn't Lu Changsheng simply trigger it constantly to train?
The Mind Sword's advancement was likely closely tied to obliterating an opponent's spirit.
Lu Changsheng was not entirely certain of the specifics yet, but he had at least uncovered a viable path to cultivating the Mind Sword.
***
In the blink of an eye, three days passed.
On this day, Zhang Wending came to visit.
Word had arrived that envoys from the imperial family had reached Qing Prefecture.
Evidently, the imperial family attached immense importance to the matter upon receiving the news, unwilling to let Lu Changsheng wait out the full seven days.
"Emissary, this is Princess Qiuyun of the imperial family."
Zhang Wending arrived before Lu Changsheng.
Beside Zhang Wending stood a spirited young woman brimming with martial vigor.
The aura she radiated was far from weak; she appeared to be a Divine Strength Realm martial artist.
"Qiuyun greets the emissary."
Princess Qiuyun's posture was equally deferential.
Lu Changsheng offered no reply, merely regarding Princess Qiuyun with a calm gaze.
Gritting her teeth, Princess Qiuyun said in a solemn voice, "Emissary, the imperial family had no knowledge of Prince Yong's actions. The imperial family would never dare break away from the Heavenly Sect to establish an independent faction. This was entirely a misunderstanding."
"To make amends for Prince Yong's wrongdoing, the imperial family offers the emissary three Dao Comprehension Pills as an apology. Please do not refuse them, emissary—we urge you to accept!"
With that, Princess Qiuyun produced a porcelain bottle.
Inside were three Dao Comprehension Pills.
Lu Changsheng's brow twitched slightly.
The imperial family was indeed generous when they made a move.
Three Dao Comprehension Pills right from the start!
One had to remember that Prince Yong had possessed only a single one.
Even so, Lu Changsheng remained unmoved.
Three Dao Comprehension Pills were indeed a lavish gesture, but if intended as hush money for Lu Changsheng, they were clearly insufficient!
After all, if Lu Changsheng reported truthfully to the Heavenly Sect that an imperial clansman of the Great Moon Dynasty had dared ambush an inner sect seed disciple, the dynasty itself might not fall into turmoil, but the imperial family certainly would not get off lightly.
Seeing that Lu Changsheng did not respond, Princess Qiuyun gritted her teeth and brought out a long scroll.
She said respectfully, "The imperial family also presents this painting of the 'Faces of All Beings.' This scroll is in fact a dharma artifact refined by an Immortal Master. The 'Faces of All Beings' can draw one into an illusion to experience the sufferings of all living things, tempering one's will and mind."
"This scroll can be activated nine times in total. It has already been activated eight times, leaving only a single use remaining. Nonetheless, it is a rare treasure that should be of some assistance in enhancing your mind power, emissary."
Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up, a flicker of emotion stirring within him.
The Faces of All Beings!
And a dharma artifact at that!
Capable of drawing one into an illusion to experience the suffering of all beings and temper the mind.
Clearly, the Great Moon Dynasty's imperial family had truly spared no expense this time.
They understood very well what an inner sect disciple of the Northern Region Heavenly Sect like Lu Changsheng needed most.
Three Dao Comprehension Pills along with the scroll of the Faces of All Beings was indeed an offering filled with sincerity.
"Thank you for your trouble, Princess Qiuyun."
"I have witnessed the imperial family's sincerity."
"Let this matter be settled here. Upon returning to the Heavenly Sect, I will not mention Prince Yong's actions."
"However, in the future, the imperial family must exert stricter control over its members to prevent such an occurrence from happening again."
Lu Changsheng finally spoke.
He accepted the Faces of All Beings and the three Dao Comprehension Pills.
Princess Qiuyun breathed a sigh of relief. She had finally completed the task entrusted to her by the imperial family.
"Thank you for your understanding, emissary."
Lu Changsheng nodded. "Very well. My mission is complete, and it is time I return to the mountain."
With that, Lu Changsheng rose to his feet. Taking a single step forward, he crossed several zhang, vanishing from sight in the blink of an eye.
Zhang Wending and Princess Qiuyun exchanged glances.
Lu Changsheng truly cared nothing for the Great Moon Dynasty's imperial family.
Even with a princess arriving in person, he took the apology gifts and departed immediately, showing no regard for her imperial dignity.
"This..." Zhang Wending had no idea what to say.
Princess Qiuyun felt a twinge of disappointment as well.
Before coming, the imperial family had given her specific instructions. She was the most exceptional woman of her generation in the Great Moon Dynasty's imperial family, standing at the very pinnacle in both beauty and talent.
Originally, the imperial family had dispatched her in hopes of leaving a favorable impression on Lu Changsheng. If Lu Changsheng were to take a liking to her, that would have been even better.
"Lu Changsheng... he is a true disciple seed!"
Princess Qiuyun took a deep look in the direction Lu Changsheng had disappeared, saying no more.
Offering such an apology had indeed cost the imperial family dearly.
However, the imperial family had already learned of Lu Changsheng's standing within the Northern Region Heavenly Sect's inner sect.
He was far more than merely a seed disciple.
He was considered a true disciple seed!
A mind index of twenty-eight!
That made him a bona fide true disciple seed!
Though the imperial family had bled quite a bit, wasn't this also an opportunity to form ties with a future true disciple?
To establish a connection with a true disciple seed, no price was too steep!
Chapter 148