At the foot of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect's mountain, a large crowd of disciples gathered.
In the center of the crowd stood a martial artist, motionless with his eyes closed, as though resting his spirit.
Yet this person had practically become the entire Ancient Region Heavenly Sect's public enemy.
The reason was simple.
His behavior was, in essence, a blockade of their gate.
To blockade the gates right beneath the grand Ancient Region Heavenly Sect—how utterly arrogant and insane was that?
Yet for an entire month, no one had been able to defeat him.
"It's been a whole month. Where are our sect's top true disciples?"
"Indeed. Several true disciples couldn't bear the sight and struck out boldly, but every single one of them was defeated. Huangtian Sect's Xu Haotian truly lives up to his reputation."
"Hmph, Xu Haotian is only taking advantage of our top true disciples being away! If they were here, how could he act so rampantly?"
"Xu Haotian's goal is Senior Brother Lu Changsheng. But Xu Haotian is far too shameless! A renowned top Divine Treasury cultivator, a mere step away from forging a Dao Foundation, coming to 'challenge' a newly ascended Divine Treasury disciple like Senior Brother Lu?"
"Senior Brother Lu definitely won't accept. But with Xu Haotian blockading the gate like this, where does that leave our sect's dignity?"
Many disciples felt a simmering resentment.
Of course, the Dao Foundation experts of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect could step in to expel or even kill Xu Haotian.
However, Xu Haotian had ultimately committed no egregious transgression.
Everything was conducted according to the rules.
The major martial sects of the Ancient Region still abided by rules.
For instance, when Xu Haotian had previously broken the rules by sending Wu Qingyi to assassinate Lu Changsheng, the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect wiped out the entire Wu family in response. They had even pressured Huangtian Sect into practically placing Xu Haotian under house arrest.
If the major sects ignored basic rules, the entire Ancient Region would descend into utter chaos.
Even a terrible rule was better than no rules at all.
Therefore, so long as Xu Haotian made no out-of-line moves, the Dao Foundation experts of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect could not gracefully intervene in person.
Only true disciples could act.
The crux of the problem was that the sect's premier true disciples had all traveled far away and could not return in the short term.
The remaining true disciples were simply no match for Xu Haotian.
"Xu Haotian, you've overstepped!"
Suddenly, a cold voice rang out from the crowd.
A true disciple stepped forward and came to a halt before Xu Haotian.
Swish.
Xu Haotian opened his eyes. He narrowed them slightly, staring at the disciple before him.
"Lu Guan... I didn't expect to see an old friend."
"However, are you sure you want to fight me?"
"The one I want to kill is Lu Changsheng; this has nothing to do with you. Once we trade blows, neither life nor death is guaranteed!" Xu Haotian said coldly.
In truth, he and Lu Guan had some history.
Back when they were both in the Divine Gang Realm, he had roamed the world alongside Lu Guan, joining forces against many opponents.
Later, both broke through to the Divine Treasury Realm—one becoming a true disciple of the Huangtian Sect, the other of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect. Since then, they had barely seen each other.
Neither had expected their reunion to unfold under such circumstances.
"Xu Haotian, you haven't changed at all."
"I know that once you make up your mind, no one can sway you."
"However, since you have come to blockade the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect's gates, as a true disciple, I cannot simply look the other way."
"One strike to decide the victor!" Lu Guan said heavily, enunciating each word.
"Very well, one strike to decide it."
"After today, all past ties are severed!"
Xu Haotian's tone remained chilly.
Their exchange piqued the curiosity of the surrounding disciples.
"Senior Brother Lu Guan has ties with Xu Haotian?"
"I heard they traveled together back when they were in the Divine Gang Realm."
"Senior Brother Lu Guan is a veteran true disciple. He has rarely fought in recent years, but his strength is definitely formidable. After all, anyone who could fight shoulder-to-shoulder with the Xu Haotian of the past cannot be weak."
"I wonder if Senior Brother Lu Guan can defeat Xu Haotian?"
Despite the chatter of the onlookers, Lu Guan and Xu Haotian spoke no more.
They each had their own stance.
No matter what camaraderie they once shared, today it had to be severed completely!
Boom!
The next instant, Lu Guan struck.
His domains manifested and descended around him.
Vast and majestic, well over a dozen layers of domains appeared.
Among them was even a fusion domain!
The terrifying aura blotted out the sky, suffocating the surrounding disciples.
This was the true power of a veteran true disciple of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect.
His strength was not inferior to Long Yun's—it was perhaps even greater!
Xu Haotian watched Lu Guan unleash his domains and let out a long sigh. "Lu Guan, after all these years, you're still the same. Even in your cultivation, you remain conservative and steady, utterly unwilling to take risks."
"Back then, our strength was comparable. But little did you know that over the years, the gap between us has grown into an impassable chasm."
"You have no hope of forging a Dao Foundation in this lifetime! But as for me, Dao Foundation is my very next step!"
Rumble!
Xu Haotian changed his approach from earlier fights.
He unleashed a fusion domain.
Four-in-one!
It was a fusion of four domains!
When dealing with the other true disciples of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect, he had never once deployed such a terrifying fusion domain.
Yet against Lu Guan, Xu Haotian brought forth his strongest method.
A four-in-one fusion domain was equivalent to thirty ordinary layers!
Even thirty layers of domains would be pierced and shattered by a four-in-one fusion domain.
The moment it appeared, it tore through Lu Guan's domains like dry twigs, pulverizing them in an instant.
Lu Guan's face drained of color.
Bang!
As if struck by a colossal blow, Lu Guan was hurled high into the air before crashing heavily to the ground.
Lu Guan had lost.
However, he was not dead.
This was beneath the mountain gates of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect, after all. Even while acting within the rules between major sects, Xu Haotian did not dare commit murder here.
Killing someone would be crossing the line!
"I lost..."
Lu Guan's expression was grim.
He had always held himself in high regard, believing he was not far behind Xu Haotian.
Yet now it was clear the difference between them was vast.
The gulf was simply too great!
How many people in the entire Ancient Region Heavenly Sect possessed a four-in-one domain?
No wonder Xu Haotian possessed the confidence to blockade their mountain gate.
He had absolute confidence in his own strength!
"Heavens, a four-in-one domain! Who knew Xu Haotian hid his strength so deeply?"
"Not just four-in-one! He also has a two-in-one fusion domain. Once fully unleashed, even thirty or forty layers of domains would be crushed to pieces!"
"Far too powerful. Unless our premier senior brothers return, no one will be able to suppress him."
"I heard Xu Haotian's brain domain exceeds ninety li. His talent in martial arts was already exceptional, but who knew his combat power would be this terrifying?"
For a moment, the disciples gasped in awe.
A four-in-one domain!
What a monumental achievement!
Any Divine Treasury martial artist capable of this was unquestionably a favored child of heaven, a top genius of the entire Ancient Region!
"Lu Guan, pass a message to Lu Changsheng."
"If he keeps hiding like a cowardly turtle and lets his mind gather dust, he won't be able to survive his Tribulation of the Mind in the future!"
Hearing Xu Haotian's words, the more knowledgeable disciples felt their hearts sink.
The Tribulation of the Mind!
Such a thing was profoundly mysterious.
The Tribulation of the Mind targeted one's inner resolve. If there was even the slightest flaw in one's mind, one could not pass it.
Such inner flaws were intensely personal.
It was hard to say whether a threat like Xu Haotian's would take effect.
Some people, having just broken through to the Divine Treasury, would naturally pay no heed to threats from a peak Divine Treasury expert, and no flaw would form in their minds.
Yet others were competitive by nature; if they felt they were "hiding" from Xu Haotian, simply avoiding the fight would create a flaw in their mind.
Xu Haotian had an inner flaw of his own.
His flaw was Lu Changsheng.
That was why Xu Haotian tried again and again to find ways to kill Lu Changsheng.
"Xu Haotian, I will not pass your words to Lu Changsheng."
"If you have the ability, enter the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect and say them to his face."
Lu Guan naturally refused to be used by Xu Haotian.
He would not carry the message.
Carrying it might cause a flaw in Lu Changsheng's mind. He was not that foolish.
"Whether you pass it or not is up to you. I will wait here until Lu Changsheng comes."
With that, Xu Haotian closed his eyes once more.
Beneath countless watching gazes, he remained as still as a mountain.
"No need to pass any message. Lu is already here!"
Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice reached Xu Haotian's ears.
Swish!
Xu Haotian snapped his eyes open almost instantly and looked in the direction of the voice.
A figure was walking down slowly from the sect's mountain gate.
A figure that left countless disciples stunned.
Lu Changsheng!
True disciple of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect!
The former number one Divine Gang of the Ancient Region, who had slain Divine Treasury experts from a lower realm and opened up a new martial path for the Divine Gang Realm.
He had actually descended the mountain?
Boom!
The crowd erupted into an uproar.
"That's Senior Brother Lu Changsheng! Why did he come down?"
"This is terrible! A peerless genius like Senior Brother Lu must be proud to the bone. How could he tolerate Xu Haotian's repeated provocations? Even knowing it's a goad, Senior Brother Lu still chose to come down."
"Xu Haotian got what he wanted. Senior Brother Lu is acting unwisely! He endured for a whole month—couldn't he have waited just a few more days? Perhaps our top true disciples would have returned in a few days to drive Xu Haotian away!"
"Exactly. Senior Brother Lu had no need to take this risk. He only recently ascended to the Divine Treasury Realm and has only refined a single Boundary Suppressing Stone. Even if he refused to fight Xu Haotian, who could say anything?"
"Coming down the mountain now is far too reckless."
"I only hope Senior Brother Lu has the protection of a Dao Foundation elder so that he won't lose his life even if he is defeated. But once beaten, a flaw will likely form in his mind, and his martial path ahead will become difficult."
Many disciples murmured, lamenting on Lu Changsheng's behalf.
Once Lu Changsheng descended the mountain, many outcomes seemed already set in stone.
"You really did come down!"
Xu Haotian smiled.
He had not misjudged Lu Changsheng.
A top genius like him would never be able to stomach his provocations.
It seemed he was right.
In truth, Xu Haotian knew that if someone called him out and blockaded his own mountain gate, he would step forward even if he knew he was outmatched.
"Yes, I have come down."
"I will send you to reunite with your younger brother."
Lu Changsheng spoke calmly, as relaxed as the drifting clouds, showing no sign of pressure whatsoever.
This composure alone surpassed that of most disciples.
Not every disciple could maintain such calm when facing Xu Haotian.
"Oh? Confident because you have backing?"
"You probably think that as a prized genius, the Dao Foundation elders of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect will surely protect you."
"It doesn't matter. Perhaps I cannot kill you, but I will gift you a crushing defeat, clouding your mind with dust and spawning inner demons for the rest of your days, completely cutting off your martial path!"
"That will be even more satisfying than killing you."
Xu Haotian did not conceal his intentions.
"Spare the idle chatter. Let our strength do the talking."
"Let me see just how powerful a truly top Divine Treasury cultivator is!"
Lu Changsheng took a step forward.
He showed no sign of retreat or fear.
Instead, he walked toward Xu Haotian step by step.
Lu Guan, standing closest to Lu Changsheng, watched in awe.
'What courage!'
'Truly worthy of the top disciple who could slay Long Yun right after ascending to the Divine Treasury Realm, and who could slay Divine Treasury experts while still in the Divine Gang Realm...'
Lu Guan marveled from the bottom of his heart.
Though both were true disciples, Lu Guan knew full well that not all true disciples were equal.
In fact, the difference was vast.
Lu Changsheng was someone with hopes of forging a Dao Foundation, a top prodigy watched closely by the entire sect.
And what of himself? He was merely a veteran true disciple whose ceiling was peak Divine Treasury. Taking that step to forge a Dao Foundation was practically impossible for him in this lifetime.
In the past, Lu Guan thought his talent was simply lacking. But seeing Lu Changsheng's courage, he suddenly realized that talent had never been the issue—it was his mind!
His mind was too weak!
How could a frail mind support the forging of a Dao Foundation?
Lu Changsheng paid no mind to the thoughts of those around him.
He simply walked toward Xu Haotian step by step.
Hadn't his months of quiet cultivation been aimed precisely at resolving the problem of Xu Haotian?
As long as Xu Haotian was around, Lu Changsheng would have no peace.
Since Xu Haotian had come knocking on his door, Lu Changsheng might as well seize the chance to end him once and for all!
One step, two steps, three steps...
After three steps, only about ten zhang separated Lu Changsheng and Xu Haotian.
For top Divine Treasury cultivators, ten zhang was practically face-to-face.
"Mind Sword, slash!"
The next instant, Lu Changsheng's brain domain shuddered.
A jade Mind Sword shot forth.
Strike after strike followed—ten consecutive Mind Sword slashes plunged violently into Xu Haotian's spirit!
Rumble!
Xu Haotian's spirit shook violently.
However, inside Xu Haotian's mind, a primitive bronze bell appeared.
Dong...
As the Mind Swords struck his spirit, the toll of this ancient bell rang out, swiftly stabilizing and calming Xu Haotian's violently trembling spirit.
'Hmm... is this a spiritual secret treasure?'
Lu Changsheng's thoughts stirred.
A spiritual secret treasure! Only such treasures could exist directly within the spirit.
However, spiritual secret treasures were exceedingly rare; he had not expected Xu Haotian to possess one.
This secret treasure was not primarily meant for defense, but for recovery.
A shattered spirit could be restored in an instant.
Thus, Lu Changsheng's Mind Swords were ineffective against him.
Unless he could obliterate Xu Haotian's spirit in a single strike, even if the Mind Swords slashed his spirit to ribbons, the spiritual secret treasure would instantly restore it.
Even so, while Xu Haotian's spirit could heal, the agonizing pain of having it torn apart was not diminished in the slightest.
Xu Haotian's will was exceptionally resolute. He sneered, "A spiritual secret method—did you think that would work on me? Long Yun died to your spiritual secret method; how could I come unprepared?"
Xu Haotian knew that Lu Changsheng's greatest reliance was his spiritual secret method.
Once that failed, half of Lu Changsheng's strength was neutralized.
He would no longer pose much of a threat.
"Therefore, die!"
Xu Haotian's expression twisted, a hint of manic excitement surfacing on his face.
Boom!
The next instant, the domains within Xu Haotian's brain domain descended.
Most prominent among them was the four-in-one domain!
This was the very domain that had just defeated Lu Guan.
Coupled with his two-in-one fusion domain, the strength Xu Haotian displayed at this moment was comparable to top Divine Treasury cultivators possessing fifty ordinary domain layers!
Lu Changsheng took a deep breath.
Buzz!
Lu Changsheng's brain domain vibrated furiously.
At the same time, layer upon layer of domains descended from his fifteen-li brain domain.
Saber Domain, Sword Domain, Slaughter Domain!
Three ordinary domains.
The two-in-one Starry Sky Waterfall Domain!
The two-in-one Waterspout Domain!
The two two-in-one fusion domains stacked together were equivalent to twenty ordinary domain layers.
Yet compared to Xu Haotian's vast, terrifying four-in-one domain, this seemed utterly insufficient.
However, this was merely the beginning.
Lu Changsheng's brain domain continued to vibrate.
Five more domains manifested:
Five Elements Water Domain, Five Elements Fire Domain, Five Elements Earth Domain, Five Elements Wood Domain, and Five Elements Metal Domain!
The Five Elements Domains!
"Five Elements Domains, fuse!"
The next instant, an astonishing sight unfolded before everyone.
The five elemental domains rapidly merged.
In the blink of an eye, the five domains fused into one.
A five-in-one domain!
At this moment, as the Five Elements Domain was born, everyone present felt the terrifying pressure radiating from it.
Even from ten li away, one could vaguely sense the frightening aura of the Five Elements Domain.
After all, the Five Elements Domain encompassed the five elemental forces of heaven and earth.
Any force or substance under heaven and earth falling within the Five Elements would be suppressed by it.
What an immense, boundless power!
"Impossible... a five-in-one domain? How is that possible?!"
Xu Haotian could hardly believe his eyes.
A five-in-one domain!
How utterly shocking was this to him?
He had exhausted every method and suffered unimaginable hardships just to achieve a four-in-one domain.
How could Lu Changsheng have pulled off a five-in-one domain?
It sounded like pure fantasy!
Yet this was the reality!
The Five Elements Domain, the Starry Sky Waterfall Domain, and the Waterspout Domain.
These three domains rivaled sixty layers of ordinary domains.
Even sixty layers would be pierced and crushed by them.
"Suppress!" Lu Changsheng commanded coldly.
With his words, all of his domains descended upon Xu Haotian with overwhelming force.
Crack, crack, crack!
Layers of domains were pulverized in an instant.
Even the four-in-one domain on which Xu Haotian placed all his hopes was completely overshadowed by the Five Elements Domain and instantly crushed.
"No—"
For the first time, sheer terror appeared in Xu Haotian's eyes.
He could already smell death.
Once Lu Changsheng's domains crashed down completely, he would die!
"Stop!"
A thunderous shout echoed in everyone's ears like a bolt from the blue.
Lu Changsheng in particular felt his five-in-one domain almost get shaken apart.
At the same time, an elder in white robes stepped across the void, walking forward step by step.
Dao Foundation!
Only a Dao Foundation expert could walk through the air like that.
Moreover, his robes clearly revealed his identity:
A Dao Foundation expert of the Huangtian Sect!
Yet Lu Changsheng showed no intention of stopping.
How resolute was his mind?
He was determined to slay Xu Haotian to eliminate all future trouble!
Even if a Dao Foundation expert had arrived, he would still kill Xu Haotian!
"Die!"
Lu Changsheng drove his five-in-one domain down with unrelenting force.
"How dare you?!"
Seeing this, the Huangtian Sect Dao Foundation expert was incandescent with rage.
The next instant, the clouds and winds churned across the sky.
Everything in the surroundings seemed to transform.
The onlookers looked up.
An endless expanse of mountains seemed to descend with immense weight.
Around the mountains, boundless gales raged violently.
An overwhelming sensation of reality welled up in Lu Changsheng's heart.
Blessed with sudden insight, Lu Changsheng blurted out, "Brain domain materialization?"
The most prominent hallmark of a Dao Foundation expert was brain domain materialization.
Manifesting one's entire brain domain and turning illusion into reality—it was as if an actual world had descended.
What terrifying power!
In an instant, even before the brain domain truly landed, Lu Changsheng felt entirely paralyzed, unable to move a muscle.
"Old Man Huang, you already have one foot in the grave. Couldn't you just enjoy your twilight years in peace and wait for your time to come?"
"Did you really have to rush here just to let this seat cut you down?"
Suddenly, a chilly voice echoed across the heavens.
At the same time, the terrifying mountain range in the sky shattered into pieces in an instant, collapsing like a house of cards.
"Ah—"
The white-robed elder shrieked.
His brain domain was broken!
Lu Changsheng could faintly make out a figure stepping out from the void.
Standing suspended in the air with hands clasped behind his back, he looked down upon everyone, including the Huangtian Sect Dao Foundation expert!
Lu Changsheng knew this was certainly a Dao Foundation expert of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect.
This was the foot of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect's mountain. A junior like Xu Haotian was one thing, but if a Huangtian Sect Dao Foundation expert intervened, how could the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect sit idly by?
Taking advantage of this opening, Lu Changsheng brought his five-in-one domain down without a second thought.
"Master, save me—"
Xu Haotian screamed in horror.
Yet in the next instant, his voice abruptly ceased.
His body was reduced to powder.
Crushed into fine dust directly by the five-in-one domain!
Chapter 172