True Disciples Return After Years; Hearing Lu Changsheng's Deeds, It Feels Like Another World, Beyond Belief!

Silence! At the foot of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect's mountain, every onlooker fell deathly silent. Xu Haotian was dead! Moreover, right before the eyes of a Dao Foundation powerhouse from the Huangtian Sect, he had been forcefully and decisively slain by Lu Changsheng, who had left no room for survival. Lu Changsheng had killed Xu Haotian by sheer force! This sight sent a shudder through the hearts of countless disciples. Had they been in his place, would they have dared to forcefully slay Xu Haotian in the presence of a Dao Foundation powerhouse? Even knowing that a Dao Foundation powerhouse of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect was there to protect them... Would they have dared? Asking themselves honestly, they wouldn't have! Those possessing such courage could be counted on one hand. After all, no matter how powerful a Divine Treasury cultivator was, how could they compare to the Dao Foundation Realm? Dao Foundation powerhouses stood high above all else. They were practically the core pillars of any great martial sect. Take the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect, for instance. Virtually every Dao Foundation powerhouse was either the master of a hall or an elder wielding real authority. If one offended such an existence to the point of utter enmity, how could there truly be no fallout? No one had anticipated that Lu Changsheng would act with such absolute resolve and cut Xu Haotian down on the spot. "Haotian!" "My disciple..." The Huangtian Sect Dao Foundation elder, Xu Haotian's master, saw that his disciple was dead. His eyes instantly turned bloodshot, and a chilling intent to kill erupted from him, sending a shiver through the onlookers. However, with the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect's Dao Foundation powerhouse standing guard, Xu Haotian's master could do nothing to Lu Changsheng. "Good, Lu Changsheng! What a man! This seat shall remember you." With that, the Huangtian Sect Dao Foundation elder turned and departed. This was the territory of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect, after all. There was no point in lingering. Lu Changsheng did not regret killing Xu Haotian in the slightest. Even if it meant offending a Dao Foundation powerhouse and earning his bitter grudge, he still would have slain Xu Haotian without hesitation. At this moment, Xu Haotian was dead. His body had been reduced to dust. Yet an ancient bronze bell remained completely intact, emanating a gentle cyan glow. "Come." Lu Changsheng reached out and caught the ancient bronze bell in his hand. *A spiritual secret treasure!* The moment Lu Changsheng took hold of the bronze bell, joy welled up inside him. This was an exceedingly rare spiritual secret treasure. Who knew where Xu Haotian had obtained it. Earlier, Xu Haotian had relied on this very treasure to withstand the lethal strike of Lu Changsheng's Mind Sword. That alone proved the tremendous power of this spiritual secret treasure. Now, however, it had fallen into Lu Changsheng's hands. Soon, Lu Changsheng put away the ancient bronze bell. He looked up toward the Dao Foundation powerhouse in the void. The figure in the sky descended step-by-step. Only then did Lu Changsheng clearly see the person's attire. It was the robe of the Hall of Law Enforcement. And within the Hall of Law Enforcement, there was only one Dao Foundation powerhouse. The Hall Master of the Hall of Law Enforcement, Zhong Yu! "This disciple thanks Hall Master Zhong for stepping in." Lu Changsheng bowed respectfully. The Hall Master of the Hall of Law Enforcement was a true titan of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect! He was among the sect's core leadership. Even in the broader Ancient Region, he was an eminent figure. Such a figure had achieved far more than merely forging a Dao Foundation. Just looking at the clash between Zhong Yu and the Huangtian Sect Dao Foundation elder earlier made that clear. With just a single strike, Zhong Yu had caused the Huangtian Sect elder's brain domain to collapse, inflicting no small injury. The disparity between them was plain to see. Lu Changsheng had not expected such a prominent figure to personally intervene. With a faint smile, Zhong Yu said, "That old man just now was Huang Jiufeng, a Dao Foundation elder of the Huangtian Sect. "Huang Jiufeng is Xu Haotian's master. You killed Xu Haotian right before his eyes. Near the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect, Huang Jiufeng naturally dares not touch you. "However, once you leave the vicinity of the sect, that may no longer hold true. "Although the likelihood of Huang Jiufeng directly striking at you is extremely low, his lifespan is nearing its end. He might well commit some desperate, mad act, so you must remain cautious. "Still, you need not worry excessively. I shall personally step forward to exert pressure on the Huangtian Sect, and they will naturally rein in Huang Jiufeng." Lu Changsheng bowed again. "I have troubled Hall Master Zhong." "Haha, you're quite a remarkable lad—a five-in-one domain! In terms of raw combat power, you are already among the top Divine Treasury cultivators. "However, the foundation of cultivation remains the brain domain. Expand your brain domain as quickly as possible." With that, Zhong Yu turned and vanished step-by-step into the distance. Watching Lu Changsheng converse and laugh freely with Hall Master Zhong, the surrounding disciples were consumed with envy. "That is Hall Master Zhong Yu! The esteemed master of the Hall of Law Enforcement is actually so approachable?" "Heh, that depends on who he is speaking to! The Hall Master of Law Enforcement isn't polite to just anyone." "Hall Master Zhong intervened personally, defeated Elder Huang Jiufeng of the Huangtian Sect, and held the line for Senior Brother Lu. It seems Senior Brother Lu has caught the eye of Hall Master Zhong, and even the higher-ups of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect..." Zhong Yu's appearance was definitely not just his own doing. It undoubtedly represented the will of the sect's upper echelons. This signaled to the world that Lu Changsheng was by no means an ordinary true disciple. It served as a clear warning to outsiders: Lu Changsheng was untouchable! If anyone dared make a move against him, the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect would not let the matter rest! Lu Changsheng glanced around. Rather than lingering at the foot of the mountain, he swiftly ascended. "Wait, Xu Haotian is dead... this is enormous news! Xu Haotian wasn't just a true disciple of the Huangtian Sect; he was also ranked on the Dao Foundation Candidate List!" "That's right! Xu Haotian was on the Dao Foundation Candidate List! That list ranks the top one hundred cultivators in the Ancient Region's Divine Treasury Realm who are most likely to forge a Dao Foundation. Just like the Immortal Dao's Foundation Establishment Candidate List, it carries immense influence throughout the entire Ancient Region. Only top Divine Treasury cultivators whose brain domains have expanded to over ninety li have any hope of making the list." "Xu Haotian was ranked ninety-first on the Dao Foundation Candidate List! Though near the bottom, he was still on the list. The Dao Foundation Candidate List updates once a year, but if a candidate dies within that year, their name is struck from the list." "Once his name is removed, the Huangtian Sect will become a laughingstock. The news will spread across the entire Ancient Region..." "It's just a pity Senior Brother Lu's brain domain is still far from ninety li. Otherwise, he might have directly replaced Xu Haotian on the Dao Foundation Candidate List." Some disciples suddenly recalled Xu Haotian's other status. Xu Haotian's death clearly carried far greater ramifications than merely affecting the Huangtian Sect. Anyone who earned a spot on the Dao Foundation Candidate List immediately gained renown throughout the Ancient Region. Having one's name removed from it carried massive fallout! Lu Changsheng, however, did not care. Xu Haotian was already dead, and to Lu Changsheng, a dead man posed no threat. He needed to look ahead! "A spiritual secret treasure..." Returning to his immortal cave, Lu Changsheng took out the ancient bronze bell. He wanted to refine this spiritual secret treasure. Such treasures were exceedingly rare. To any Divine Treasury martial artist, a spiritual secret treasure was of paramount importance. With a thought, Lu Changsheng wrapped his spirit around the bronze bell. *Buzz.* The bronze bell quickly integrated into Lu Changsheng's spirit. *The bronze bell doesn't seem to be a defensive spiritual secret treasure, but one that restores spirit.* *As long as my spirit isn't extinguished in an instant, the bronze bell can restore it.* *In that case, whenever I unleash the Mind Sword, I won't have to worry about depletion at all. I can continuously unleash Mind Swords to slay opponents...* Lu Changsheng felt a jolt of excitement. This was extraordinary! Still, he needed to test it. Thus, Lu Changsheng unleashed his Mind Sword. *Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!* His Mind Sword trembled slightly in his brain domain, and with every tremor, a strike from the Mind Sword flew out. He unleashed Mind Swords in a continuous barrage. No matter how robust Lu Changsheng's spirit was, it would eventually run dry under such expenditure. Just as the Mind Sword was on the verge of collapsing from spiritual exhaustion... *Clang...* The bronze bell in his mind vibrated gently, chiming softly. Immediately, his drained spirit replenished at a visible rate. The Mind Sword in his brain domain, which had been on the brink of falling apart, suddenly condensed and solidified once more. "What a marvelous treasure!" Lu Changsheng marveled. In his hands, this spiritual secret treasure could undoubtedly unleash far greater utility than it ever had with Xu Haotian. After all, Xu Haotian did not possess the Mind Sword. *I must continue comprehending domains. It's best to break down martial conceptions and evolve them into domains. Once those domains reach perfection, they can basically form fusion domains!* Lu Changsheng looked forward to fusion domains even more. Even a two-in-one fusion domain possessed power comparable to ten layers of ordinary domains. In theory, if he comprehended ten types of fusion domains—even if they were all just two-in-one fusion domains—he could crush a hundred layers of domains! Of course, that was merely theoretical. Turning it into reality would be extremely difficult. Yet with Lu Changsheng's method, it might truly be possible! However, that required time—and a great deal of it. In the blink of an eye, three months passed. On this day, three true disciples of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect hurried back to the mountain gate. These three true disciples were widely renowned. Gu Chen, Liu Pu, and Han Tianyun were known as the Three Swords of the Heavenly Sect! They were three swordsmen. Though not pure swordsmen, they were accustomed to using swords. The trio possessed quite a reputation in the Ancient Region. Particularly in the second-tier zone, even if they weren't known to every single person, their fame was widely recognized. At the moment, however, their expressions were exceedingly grim. Evidently, their circumstances in the second tier of the Ancient Region had not gone well. "Damn it! We were clearly the first to discover the Cangyun Wonder Fruit, yet we ended up pushed aside, denied even the right to compete for it!" "Those people are formidable Divine Treasury experts on the Dao Foundation Candidate List. What else could we do besides leave? If we really fought over it, we would only be seeking death!" "Still, I truly can't accept this." "How about we look for senior brothers on the Dao Foundation Candidate List? With them stepping forward, we could contend for the Cangyun Wonder Fruit!" "The senior brothers on the candidate list are basically all out in the field fighting for various opportunities. Right now, there isn't a single true disciple on the Dao Foundation Candidate List within the sect. Where would we find one?" The three exchanged glances, each seeing the resentment in the others' eyes. They had ventured through the Ancient Region's second tier for so long, and finally encountered a rare opportunity upon discovering the Cangyun Wonder Fruit. Yet before the fruit could even ripen, the news had leaked, and they had been forcefully squeezed out of the competition. This was nothing short of a humiliating disgrace! Yet there was nothing they could do. Circumstances were stronger than their desires. "Let's check the Dao Foundation Candidate List to see which of our Heavenly Sect's true disciples are currently listed." The three were still unwilling to let it go. In truth, they had a good idea of who was on it. Only a handful of people could make the Dao Foundation Candidate List, and they were familiar with almost all of them. Checking the list now was merely a product of their stubborn unwillingness. In the end, the three made their way to the Mission Hall. The Dao Foundation Candidate List was displayed inside the Mission Hall. However, it was not particularly prominent. One had to deliberately search to find it. This candidate list was extremely authoritative. Anyone listed on it possessed a brain domain of at least ninety li. Moreover, it was not just a matter of having a ninety-li brain domain; actual combat prowess was also evaluated. Without formidable combat strength, making the list was impossible. They scanned from top to bottom. The more they looked, the more disappointed they became. The names on the Dao Foundation Candidate List remained the same. Since it updated only once a year, they basically remembered every name. The Ancient Region Heavenly Sect's true disciples on the list were limited to that small group, none of whom were currently at the sect. "Eh?" "There's a name here that seems to have been struck off?" "It seems to be... the Huangtian Sect's true disciple, Xu Haotian?" Han Tianyun suddenly made a discovery, his voice tinged with surprise. "Wait, the Huangtian Sect's true disciple, Xu Haotian? I recall that name. His strength was quite decent, with half a foot already in the Dao Foundation Realm. How could he have been removed?" The Three Swords of the Heavenly Sect were astonished. Who could have slain a powerful Divine Treasury expert like Xu Haotian? They understood the rules of the Dao Foundation Candidate List very well. Being struck from the list almost always meant death. Xu Haotian was a young disciple, so dying of old age was out of the question. He could only have been killed. "I wonder who killed Xu Haotian? Perhaps another powerful Divine Treasury cultivator striving to enter the candidate list. After all, Xu Haotian's ranking wasn't very high," Gu Chen guessed. The other two nodded. That was the only plausible explanation. "Senior Brothers, did you three just return from the second-tier zone? Are you unaware of the major event that took place in our Ancient Region Heavenly Sect?" "Xu Haotian was slain by Senior Brother Lu of our Ancient Region Heavenly Sect!" An inner disciple could not resist speaking up to inform them. He was an avid admirer of Lu Changsheng, eager to extol his deeds at every opportunity. Had the three not been wearing the robes of true disciples, his tone would not have been so polite. "Hm?" "Xu Haotian was killed by a disciple of our sect?" "Which Senior Brother Lu? Among the true disciples, there are only a few with the surname Lu..." The three racked their brains. In truth, they had not returned to the sect's mountain gate for a very long time. This was their first time back, so they naturally knew nothing about Lu Changsheng. "Senior Brothers, it was Senior Brother Lu Changsheng who killed Xu Haotian. "And Senior Brother Lu only advanced to the Divine Treasury Realm a few months ago—less than a year!" the inner disciple explained. "Advanced to Divine Treasury less than a year ago, and killed Xu Haotian?" The three chuckled. This was an utter joke. They had merely returned from the Ancient Region's second tier, not from some place completely severed from the world. The outside world did not change that quickly. How could a true disciple who had just broken through to the Divine Treasury Realm kill Xu Haotian, a ranked expert on the Dao Foundation Candidate List? That was pure fantasy, utterly impossible! "This matter is absolutely true!" "Senior Brother Lu Changsheng's accomplishments go far beyond slaying Xu Haotian. Back in the Divine Gang Realm, Senior Brother Lu fought above his realm to slay Divine Treasury cultivators, earning the title of the number one Divine Gang in the Ancient Region..." As the inner disciple explained the details, the expressions on the trio's faces gradually froze. In the end, their faces turned solemn, though a trace of disbelief lingered. As true disciples, how could their minds be easily swayed? Unless they saw certain things with their own eyes, they would never fully believe what anyone said. "To think so much happened during the time we were away from the sect. "A true disciple seed from the Northern Region, slaying Divine Treasury cultivators from the Divine Gang Realm, the number one Divine Gang in the Ancient Region... and merely months after advancing to Divine Treasury, slaying Xu Haotian of the Huangtian Sect in a head-on clash..." In truth, the trio was shaken, yet they still could not bring themselves to believe it entirely. Consequently, they sought out several familiar true disciples in the True Disciple Hall to inquire about Lu Changsheng. Without exception, the answers were identical. Lu Changsheng's display had long won over the true disciples remaining at the mountain gate. Virtually no true disciple currently present in the sect was a match for Lu Changsheng. With the top true disciples absent, Lu Changsheng was faintly recognized as the foremost true disciple within the mountain gate! Even after repeated confirmations, the Three Swords of the Heavenly Sect still found it incredible. "It's simply unbelievable. How could such a genius exist?" "Xu Haotian, ranked ninety-first on the Dao Foundation Candidate List, was slain just like that by Lu Changsheng?" "It's basically certain. It happened before countless eyes, and even the Hall Master of Law Enforcement intervened personally..." "Lu Changsheng's brain domain is probably only a dozen or so li, which is why he isn't on the Dao Foundation Candidate List. But in terms of strength, he is definitively at that level. Perhaps we can seek him out; with his help, we might be able to compete for the Cangyun Wonder Fruit." "Right, let's find Lu Changsheng. Still, no matter what, I must test his strength for myself. Without seeing and experiencing it firsthand, I still find it hard to believe..." After making extensive inquiries, the Three Swords of the Heavenly Sect finally confirmed Lu Changsheng's various deeds. Yet no matter how many swore by it, they trusted only their own eyes and judgment. Thus, the three headed straight for Lu Changsheng's immortal cave. At that moment, Lu Changsheng had just concluded his cultivation. Over the past three months, he had not entered full seclusion, merely engaging in arduous cultivation. Three months of hard cultivation yielded results far inferior to the four months of seclusion before. In three months, Lu Changsheng had nurtured only four domains to perfection. Crucially, these four domains formed merely two two-in-one fusion domains. Lu Changsheng called up his attribute panel to review his progress over the past three months: **Host:** Lu Changsheng **Brain Domain:** 19 li **Comprehension:** 6,140 (Praised in All Directions) **Mind Sword Mantra Formula:** 33% progress (Jade Mind Sword) *A brain domain of nineteen li. Just one more li, and I can refine another Boundary Suppressing Stone.* *However, it is said that a second Boundary Suppressing Stone provides less improvement to domain-nurturing efficiency than the first.* *Taking twenty-five days to nurture a single domain is still too slow...* Lu Changsheng still felt that nurturing domains to expand his brain domain was too sluggish. Each Boundary Suppressing Stone refined into the brain domain increased nurturing efficiency, but the boost was modest. One had to rely on sheer quantity. If one or two Boundary Suppressing Stones were not enough, then three, four, five, or six would be needed. Yet if he relied solely on nurturing domains to reach five or six Boundary Suppressing Stones, how long would that take? It would take several years! Lu Changsheng did not want to wait that long. He had another option. Curiosities! This was the method adopted by most Divine Treasury cultivators: Competing for certain curiosities and using them to expand the brain domain. Lu Changsheng had realized that relying solely on comprehending domains to expand his brain domain was simply too slow. If complemented by curiosities, the results would undoubtedly be far superior. Furthermore, Lu Changsheng now possessed sufficient strength to vie for curiosities. Leaving aside the Mind Sword and the spiritual secret treasure, in terms of domains alone, he possessed one five-in-one domain, four two-in-one domains, and several ordinary domains. Altogether, he commanded only a dozen or so layers of domains, yet these dozen-odd layers were capable of crushing eighty layers of ordinary domains! This was unequivocally the combat power of a top-tier Divine Treasury cultivator. Facing any Divine Treasury expert, Lu Changsheng had nothing to fear. However, while he possessed the strength, curiosities were hard to find. Many Divine Treasury cultivators spent years scouring the second tier of the Ancient Region, battling demons, spirit beasts, and fellow cultivators. Finding a curiosity capable of expanding the brain domain was extraordinarily difficult. *Hm?* *Someone has come to visit?* Lu Changsheng looked up. He sensed that someone had touched the formation outside his cave. His Perception Domain immediately detected three true disciples standing outside. Thus, Lu Changsheng opened the cave entrance. "Please enter." Lu Changsheng's voice drifted outside. Soon, the three true disciples walked into the cave. "We are the Three Swords of the Heavenly Sect, true disciples of the sect. We have spent years in the Ancient Region's second tier and haven't returned in quite some time. We never expected our Heavenly Sect to give rise to such a peerless genius as Junior Brother Lu." The three began with polite greetings upon entering. Lu Changsheng also learned their identities. "You're saying you want me to go to the Ancient Region's second tier and team up with you to compete for the Cangyun Wonder Fruit?" Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up. This was fantastic news! He had just been contemplating heading to the second tier to seek curiosities to expand his brain domain, and good news had delivered itself right to his doorstep. This was the benefit of fame. With reputation came opportunities presented on a silver platter. "Yes. We will fight for the Cangyun Wonder Fruit together. If we can secure ten or twenty of them, each of us can expand our brain domains by several li, saving us a decade of bitter cultivation!" Han Tianyun said in a deep voice. "Wait, ten or twenty?" "Do you know approximately how many Cangyun Wonder Fruits were found?" Lu Changsheng asked. "There are probably several dozen. Definitely thirty to fifty, and if there are more, we would have to count them in person to know for sure," Gu Chen said after a moment's thought. "Thirty to fifty..." Lu Changsheng looked up sharply and stated each word with resolute gravity: "Since we are going to compete for the Cangyun Wonder Fruit, how could ten or twenty be enough? "I propose we take every single Cangyun Wonder Fruit for ourselves!" The moment Lu Changsheng spoke, Liu Pu, who had remained silent the entire time, said coldly, "You have no lack of ambition, and your words are bold indeed. "However, do you know who is competing for the Cangyun Wonder Fruit? "They are all experts on the Dao Foundation Candidate List! "Not a single one is inferior to Xu Haotian, and some are even stronger! "A newly advanced Divine Treasury cultivator like you..." Before Liu Pu could finish his sentence... *Boom!* In an instant, a terrifying domain filled the immortal cave. It radiated five-colored brilliance. The Five Elements Domain had descended! Lu Changsheng could not be bothered to explain. To anyone who doubted him, he would prove himself through sheer strength. The Five Elements Domain manifested, instantly suppressing the Three Swords of the Heavenly Sect! Liu Pu's face flushed crimson, and he found it difficult even to speak. Only now did he truly realize that although the Lu Changsheng before him was a newly advanced Divine Treasury cultivator, he was one who had slain Xu Haotian in a head-on clash! Liu Pu could even sense that as long as Lu Changsheng wished it, a single thought would end his life!