Lu Changsheng released all five Five Elements spirit beasts.
The five spirit beasts radiated the distinct fluctuations unique to the Five Elements.
The Five Elements mutually generated one another!
Wood generated Fire, Fire generated Earth, Earth generated Metal, Metal generated Water, and Water generated Wood.
Such was the cycle of mutual generation.
When spirit beasts representing the complete Five Elements gathered together, the elemental forces within them swiftly fused, surging dramatically in an instant.
Vaguely, Lu Changsheng seemed to glimpse the profound mysteries of the Five Elements in their entirety.
As if blessed by sudden inspiration, a flurry of insights burst forth in his mind.
The next instant, a martial conception surged from his body—the Five Elements Conception!
Relying on his extraordinary, singular affinity with the elements, aided by the Heart Clearing Pearl, and with the spirit beasts actively channeling the cycle of mutual generation right before his eyes, Lu Changsheng grasped the Five Elements Conception as naturally as water flowing into a canal.
Sensing the conception take form, he felt an overwhelming surge of excitement.
"It truly is the Five Elements Conception. Furthermore, this conception is extraordinarily powerful—the Five Elements generate one another in an endless, inexhaustible cycle.
"Once dismantled, it is highly likely they can be fused once more.
"As for dismantling martial conceptions..."
Lu Changsheng was actually quite experienced in dismantling conceptions.
After all, he had previously dismantled the Starry Sky Ocean Wave Conception.
Not wishing to waste any time, Lu Changsheng promptly swallowed a Dao Comprehension Pill to aid him in separating the Five Elements Conception.
His supply of Dao Comprehension Pills decreased from eight to seven.
However, the effects of the pill were extraordinary.
A geyser of inspiration erupted in Lu Changsheng's mind, with countless flashes of insight colliding with one another.
Moreover, the Five Elements spirit beasts were right before him, actively manifesting their individual elemental powers.
This was especially true for the element of Water.
In a sense, both the Ocean Wave Domain and the Waterfall Conception Lu Changsheng had cultivated fell under the umbrella of "water" and shared a certain connection with the Water of the Five Elements.
Of course, the connection was not particularly strong.
Yet, as he devoted his full effort to comprehending the Five Elements Conception, he was naturally most familiar with the Water element.
Thus, he comprehended the Five Elements Water Conception with effortless ease.
*Crash!*
Behind Lu Changsheng, the Water element was forcefully severed and extracted from the Five Elements Conception, turning into a standalone martial conception.
However, separating the Five Elements Water Conception reduced the original construct to four elements.
Lacking one element, the Five Elements Conception collapsed entirely.
It was reduced to a half-finished conception that could not even be deployed, for doing so required the presence of all five elements.
Yet this mattered little to Lu Changsheng.
What truly mattered was that he had successfully extracted an individual conception.
"With Water separated from the Five Elements Conception, the remaining four elemental forces cannot sustain it and will inevitably collapse.
"The process of collapse is actually the perfect opportunity to dismantle the rest!"
A sharp glint flashed in Lu Changsheng's eyes.
Seizing the momentum while the effects of the Dao Comprehension Pill still had several hours remaining, he poured everything into dismantling the Five Elements Conception.
More than four hours later, just as the pill's efficacy was waning and nearly exhausted, Lu Changsheng finally succeeded in splitting the Five Elements Conception into five distinct martial conceptions.
"Five martial conceptions—it's done!"
Lu Changsheng opened his eyes, emerging from his sudden enlightenment.
Five martial conceptions materialized behind him.
With a single thought, he could instantly fuse them back into a unified Five Elements Conception—one far more formidable than any ordinary, unrefined equivalent.
Of course, these were still merely martial conceptions.
Lu Changsheng still needed to evolve them into domains.
Yet that posed no challenge to him.
Using just two Dao Comprehension Pills, he successfully evolved the Five Elements Water Domain.
He had five pills remaining.
To evolve the other four conceptions into domains, he would need at least eight more pills.
"Dao Comprehension Pills..."
Lu Changsheng was in no hurry.
All he needed to do was submit his quest and hand over five spirit beasts possessing the complete set of Five Elements to receive one hundred thousand contribution points.
One hundred thousand contribution points could buy twenty Dao Comprehension Pills!
"There's no rush for the pills.
"First, I will nurture the Slaughter Domain. Once it reaches perfection, my brain domain should expand to ten li..." Lu Changsheng murmured softly.
A ten-li brain domain was a critical threshold.
It was the dividing line between a newly ascended Divine Treasury cultivator and a seasoned one.
Prior to reaching ten li, one was considered a novice in the Divine Treasury Realm.
Furthermore, once his brain domain reached ten li, Lu Changsheng would be eligible to apply for a Boundary Suppressing Stone and refine it into his brain domain.
At that point, his brain domain would become far more stable, which would also increase the efficiency of nurturing his domains.
And so, Lu Changsheng quietly waited.
In the blink of an eye, another month passed as he nurtured the Slaughter Domain.
*Rumble!*
Suddenly, a great roar echoed through Lu Changsheng's mind.
His Slaughter Domain had reached perfection.
The next moment, his brain domain expanded by another li, reaching a terrifying span of ten li!
"Ten li!"
Even with the calming influence of the Heart Clearing Pearl, Lu Changsheng felt a surge of exhilaration.
A ten-li brain domain meant he had taken a truly solid stride within the Divine Treasury Realm!
"Now to nurture the Five Elements Water Domain."
Lu Changsheng placed the Five Elements Water Domain into his brain domain to begin nurturing it.
Then, he summoned his attribute panel.
Host: Lu Changsheng
Brain Domain: Ten li
Comprehension: 5,020 (Praised in All Directions)
Mind Sword Mantra Formula: 10% progress (Jade Mind Sword)
Slaughter Domain: (Evolved)
Five Elements Water Domain: Nurturing
His comprehension had surpassed five thousand points, more than halfway toward the ten-thousand mark.
As for relying on another comprehension evolution to forcefully bring his domains to perfection, that still seemed relatively distant.
Lu Changsheng was far more eager to see the effects of a Boundary Suppressing Stone.
Without lingering any longer, he rose and made his way directly to the Exchange Hall.
Applications for a Boundary Suppressing Stone had to be made at the Exchange Hall, as all of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect's treasures were kept there.
Soon, Lu Changsheng arrived.
Any disciple was permitted to enter the Exchange Hall.
Outer and inner disciples were gazing upon the myriad treasures and resources displayed throughout the hall, their eyes brimming with envy, wishing they could carry away everything inside.
For the current Lu Changsheng, however, most of the items held little value.
In fact, his personal wealth now surpassed that of any true disciple.
Sixty-eight Five Elements spirit beasts—how many contribution points would that yield?
There was virtually nothing in the hall that he could not afford to exchange for.
As Lu Changsheng strolled inside, an unmistakable air of wealth seemed to linger about him.
The hall elders, seasoned and shrewd, recognized that aura of opulence at a glance.
Of course, that was a slight exaggeration; what truly drew their attention was the spatial ring adorning his finger.
Any disciple capable of acquiring a spatial ring was bound to possess immense wealth.
"Lu Changsheng, what treasure do you wish to exchange for?" an elder of the hall asked warmly.
Nearby disciples widened their eyes upon hearing the elder's gentle tone.
Who could possibly warrant such warmth from an Exchange Hall elder?
Yet when they saw it was Lu Changsheng, their confusion vanished.
His feat of slaying Divine Treasury experts while still at the Divine Gang Realm remained a living legend among countless Divine Gang martial artists in the Ancient Region.
Naturally, Lu Changsheng was in a league of his own.
Lu Changsheng paid no heed to the surrounding stares; he had long grown accustomed to being the center of attention.
Getting straight to the point, he said, "Elder, I am not here to exchange for treasures. I have come to apply for a Boundary Suppressing Stone."
"What? A Boundary Suppressing Stone?"
"If I recall correctly, you only recently broke through to the Divine Treasury Realm, did you not? One can only apply for a Boundary Suppressing Stone once their brain domain has expanded to ten li."
The elder looked at him suspiciously.
He did not believe Lu Changsheng could be ignorant of this rule.
Yet, knowing the requirement, he had still come forward to apply.
Could he have acquired some extraordinary treasure capable of instantly expanding his brain domain to ten li?
Without wasting words, Lu Changsheng simply willed his power forth.
*Hum.*
His brain domain manifested behind him.
It was illusory, for a brain domain could only solidify into reality upon achieving a Dao Foundation.
Even so, projecting its phantom form was effortless.
The elder's eyes went wide as he stared intently at the brain domain above Lu Changsheng.
Naturally, the elder could not see what lay inside it.
Viewed from without, Lu Changsheng's brain domain appeared misty and obscure.
Unless Lu Changsheng deliberately revealed its contents, no outsider could see the domains or the Mind Sword within.
However, displaying the domain's outer boundaries for all to see was a simple matter.
"Is that... a ten-li brain domain?"
"It is! It truly is ten li!"
"Unbelievable! How long has it been since Lu Changsheng broke through to the Divine Treasury Realm? To expand his brain domain to ten li in just a few months—not even half a year!"
"I recall that even the foremost geniuses in the history of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect required a year or several to expand their brain domains past ten li. To achieve it in mere months..."
A chorus of elders throughout the Exchange Hall burst into an uproar, utterly astounded.
Back when Lu Changsheng was merely at the Divine Gang Realm, they had heard of his exploits.
Yet no matter how powerful a Divine Gang martial artist might be, once they entered the Divine Treasury Realm, they typically had to bide their time for years in obscurity, slowly accumulating strength before rising to prominence among their peers.
Had Lu Changsheng kept a low profile?
Had he taken time to slowly settle and build his foundation?
Not at all!
Far from maintaining a low profile, he was creating waves even more shocking than during his time in the Divine Gang Realm.
Although the outer and inner disciples in the hall had no idea what a Boundary Suppressing Stone was or what a ten-li brain domain signified, they were adept at reading expressions.
Seeing the stunned looks on the Divine Treasury elders' faces, the disciples also broke into excited chatter.
"Hahaha, look at the expressions on the elders' faces! It must be something completely mind-boggling!"
"Heh, what did you expect? Those lofty Divine Treasury elders probably thought Senior Brother Lu's feats in the Divine Gang Realm were nothing to brag about. But now that he's in the Divine Treasury Realm, he's pulled off something miraculous again!"
"Even if we don't know what earth-shattering thing Senior Brother Lu did, the elders had better get used to it. The terror of being dominated by Senior Brother Lu has spread from the inner sect to the true disciples, and now from the disciples to the hall elders!"
"Senior Brother Lu's legendary path is probably only just beginning..."
These Divine Gang disciples brimmed with unshakeable confidence in Lu Changsheng.
"Did... did you obtain some natural treasure that expands the brain domain?" the elder asked, his tone heavy with warning.
"While such treasures can indeed expand a brain domain by a large margin all at once, they carry hidden dangers.
"A Divine Treasury martial artist must keep their feet on the ground and diligently comprehend domains to steadily expand their brain domain."
The elder spoke with profound earnestness, not wanting Lu Changsheng to take shortcuts and squander his terrifying martial talent.
"A natural treasure?"
Lu Changsheng shook his head with a faint smile.
"Thank you for the reminder, Elder.
"I have not obtained any such treasures. I merely spent a bit of time putting all my effort into comprehending a few domains, that is all..."
Lu Changsheng would have welcomed such treasures, but they were things not even the Exchange Hall possessed.
Where could he have possibly found a natural treasure capable of expanding the brain domain?
At most, he had simply comprehended three new domains to add to his previous five, totaling eight domains equivalent to eight li of brain domain.
Add to that the one li expanded by the Mind Sword and the initial one li of his brain domain, and he had simply pieced together ten li.
That was all there was to it.
Chapter 170