Breaking the Ten-Thousand Barrier! Comprehension Evolves to Dragon and Phoenix Among Men, the Name of a Genius Spreads Across the World!

"Run!" Lu Changsheng did not hesitate for a moment. He had teleported straight into the nest of wild bull demons. If he did not run now, was he supposed to wait around to be torn to shreds? Every single one of these wild bull demons was capable of going berserk. Once they flew into a frenzy, they lost all semblance of reason and fought with savage madness—and, naturally, their combat strength became terrifyingly formidable. "Roar..." "It's a despicable human martial artist!" "A human martial artist dares to step foot into Flame Mountain? I will rip him apart piece by piece!" "Don't let him get away! The flesh and blood of a Dao Foundation martial artist is a great tonic! I'm going to swallow him whole!" One wild bull demon after another roared in fury, their voices tinged with ravenous excitement. Human Dao Foundation martial artists viewed demons as prey. Likewise, demons viewed human Dao Foundation martial artists as prey. Fiendish aura surged from every bull as they converged on Lu Changsheng from all directions. Yet Lu Changsheng was quick on his feet. Although the wild bull demons possessed boundless strength and terrifying combat prowess, their speed fell far short of fire crow demons—and fell equally short of Lu Changsheng. Having seized the initiative to flee, he slipped right through their encirclement in the blink of an eye and gradually pulled away into the distance. Behind him, only the frustrated bellows of the wild bull demons echoed through the air. Several hours later, Lu Changsheng had completely shaken them off, leaving no pursuers in sight. "Phew..." Lu Changsheng let out a breath of relief. "Flame Mountain truly is perilous. If it isn't fire crow demons, it's wild bull demons. "Using a Shift Talisman in Flame Mountain really leaves everything to fate. If I had shifted a little closer to the core territory of those wild bull demons, I wouldn't have even had a chance to run. "Fortunately, it was a close call without real disaster..." Lu Changsheng quietly took note of the lesson. He still needed to find a way to procure more Shift Talismans. At the very least, he had to keep one on hand for emergencies. Although Shift Talismans carried various drawbacks and flaws, almost every Dao Foundation martial artist and Foundation Establishment immortal cultivator in the third layer of the Ancient Region kept one within reach. The reason was simple: in a critical moment, a Shift Talisman could save one's life! "I cannot linger in Flame Mountain any longer. "Regardless, I've already captured a Fire Crow Heavenly Demon. I should return first and focus on comprehending this drop of heavenly demon essence blood." After a brief contemplation, Lu Changsheng decided to leave Flame Mountain for now. He set off and returned to the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect outpost. Once back in his cave abode, he summoned the Fire Crow Heavenly Demon directly from his spatial ring. The creature remained under his confinement, utterly unable to budge. "Heavenly demon essence blood..." With a thought, Lu Changsheng projected his brain domain, instantly crushing and executing the Fire Crow Heavenly Demon. At the same time, he began purifying its essence blood. Extracting a single drop of Fire Crow Heavenly Demon essence blood was no simple task; it consumed a considerable amount of time. One day, two days, three days... Several days passed before Lu Changsheng finally refined a single drop of heavenly demon essence blood. As for the Fire Crow Heavenly Demon, it had been reduced to ashes. Looking at the tiny crimson sphere, Lu Changsheng remarked with a sigh, "Such a massive Fire Crow Heavenly Demon yielded only a single drop of heavenly demon essence blood. It truly is the essence of essences, the core of cores. No wonder it aids Dao Foundation experts in grasping laws. "However, if this slaughter continues year after year, won't the number of heavenly demons keep dwindling?" A question crossed Lu Changsheng's mind. If heavenly demons were hunted relentlessly, their numbers would continually decrease. In the end, wouldn't they be wiped out entirely? And without heavenly demons, what would the vast number of Dao Foundation experts rely on to comprehend laws? "Could heavenly demons be raised in captivity? If so, wouldn't that provide a steady stream of heavenly demon essence blood?" Lu Changsheng considered the possibility. Puzzled by the thought, he stood up and went to seek out Gu Nian. Indeed, Gu Nian. A friendship forged through conflict. Lu Changsheng had fought and defeated Gu Nian. Although that defeat had temporarily turned Gu Nian into a laughingstock, Gu Nian possessed an open-minded nature and a steadfast will, paying the gossip no heed. Instead, he frequently discussed mental and spiritual cultivation with Lu Changsheng, becoming his closest acquaintance within the sect's outpost. Whenever Lu Changsheng had doubts, he went to ask Gu Nian. "Brother Lu, did you just return from outside?" Noticing Lu Changsheng's windblown, travel-worn appearance, Gu Nian spoke up. The two had grown quite familiar with each other, and Gu Nian understood Lu Changsheng's habits to some degree. Lu Changsheng had almost certainly ventured out into the wilderness. "Yes, I made a trip to Flame Mountain. It was perilous—I even had to burn a Shift Talisman to get away. But my luck held up, and I captured a Fire Crow Heavenly Demon." Lu Changsheng made no attempt to hide it. "A Fire Crow Heavenly Demon? It holds a drop of fire-attributed essence blood within its body, which should be very useful for comprehending the flame law. "However, Flame Mountain is exceedingly dangerous. Even with a Shift Talisman, unexpected trouble can arise. It seems Brother Lu suffered some hardship out there?" "Indeed, I did. I shifted right into a den of wild bull demons and had to flee for my life while a herd of them chased me down. "So, I came today to ask you a question. Can heavenly demons be kept in captivity? If they can be raised, wouldn't that yield an endless supply of heavenly demon essence blood?" Gu Nian raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "It seems you truly were chased ragged by those wild bull demons if you're already thinking about raising heavenly demons. "Many people have had that exact thought. If one could raise heavenly demons and continuously harvest essence blood, why would anyone bother risking their life to hunt them in the wild? "In fact, people have genuinely tried it before. They captured heavenly demons and bred them in captivity. But when the offspring were born, they turned out to be ordinary demons, not heavenly demons at all. "For a heavenly demon to be born, there must be a vast population of demons, from which a single heavenly demon might occasionally emerge by sheer chance. "As for keeping an enormous swarm of ordinary demons, it is not only extraordinarily dangerous but also consumes astronomical resources. The costs far outweigh the gains. To pour in so much just to produce a single heavenly demon simply isn't worth it. Over time, nobody bothered with the idea anymore." Hearing Gu Nian's explanation, Lu Changsheng reached an epiphany. The birth of a heavenly demon was inherently unpredictable. It was entirely a matter of chance. Even when a heavenly demon appeared among demons, it was purely a stroke of luck. For instance, if a heavenly demon was born among wild bull demons, it was equivalent to royalty. Once it fully matured, it would become a supreme powerhouse among them, expanding their territory and living space. Under such circumstances, slaying a heavenly demon with such revered status was exceptionally difficult. "Is there truly no better way to obtain heavenly demon essence blood?" Lu Changsheng asked. Gu Nian shook his head. "Lu Changsheng, do not waste your efforts trying to find shortcuts. There is only one way to obtain heavenly demon essence blood, and that is to slay a heavenly demon with your own hands. "In the end, everything depends on strength!" Lu Changsheng took his leave of Gu Nian and returned to his cave abode. "Everything depends on strength to obtain heavenly demon essence blood. "And this single drop of Fire Crow Heavenly Demon essence blood is far too precious. With my current comprehension, one drop only increases my law progress by about five percent. "At this rate, I would need twenty drops of heavenly demon essence blood—the equivalent of slaying twenty heavenly demons. How difficult would that be?" Lu Changsheng realized his previous line of thinking had been flawed. Sharpening the axe would not delay the cutting of firewood. He now believed that he should prioritize raising his comprehension as quickly as possible. Once his comprehension underwent a metamorphosis, a single drop of heavenly demon essence blood would surely propel his progress by leaps and bounds. Perhaps he would not need twenty drops. Maybe ten, or five, or even just one? That was by no means impossible. After all, once comprehension reached ten thousand points, it would transform. Even Lu Changsheng could not predict how miraculous that transformed comprehension would be. He checked his current comprehension: it stood at over 8,700 points. He was still roughly 1,300 points shy of ten thousand. Previously, Lu Changsheng had thought he could hunt heavenly demons in the third layer to obtain bloodlines and comprehend laws first. Now, however, raising his comprehension was an urgent necessity. He clearly felt that his comprehension was beginning to lag behind his current strength and cultivation realm. Perhaps 8,700 points of comprehension still allowed him to stand tall among Dao Foundation experts. Yet it no longer granted him the absolute dominance over his peers that he had enjoyed in the Divine Gang and Divine Treasury realms. At 8,700 points, his comprehension offered limited aid to his Dao Foundation cultivation. He had to find a way to raise it! "In the past, I merely treated martial techniques as a supplement, dedicating only a fraction of my daily time to practicing fifth-rank martial techniques. "If I want to raise my comprehension rapidly, I must pour all my focus into practicing martial techniques. Furthermore, I should not limit myself to fifth-rank techniques; I can practice sixth-rank and seventh-rank techniques as well. The faster and higher my comprehension grows, the better! "Seclusion. Starting today, I will enter total seclusion! "I will not emerge until my comprehension hits ten thousand points and undergoes a complete metamorphosis! "As for this drop of Fire Crow Heavenly Demon essence blood, I will set it aside for now. Once my comprehension evolves, I will contemplate it and see just how fast my progress becomes." Lu Changsheng cemented his resolve. His recent venture into Flame Mountain had secured a drop of essence blood, but it had been fraught with danger, where a single misstep could have brought ruin. Dancing on the edge of a blade over and over was not his style. Lu Changsheng preferred absolute crushing dominance, sweeping all obstacles aside. He would not gamble his life on repeated reckless ventures. "Let us begin." Lu Changsheng sealed his cave abode and entered seclusion. With his departure into isolation, life in the third layer of the Ancient Region continued just as before. Nothing changed in the slightest. Even his foray into Flame Mountain and the slaying of the Fire Crow Heavenly Demon drew no attention or discussion from anyone. After all, a mere Fire Crow Heavenly Demon was hardly worth mentioning. One day, two days, three days... Lu Changsheng immersed himself entirely in martial techniques day after day. Fifth-rank, sixth-rank, seventh-rank, and even eighth-rank martial techniques—he practiced them all. With comprehension exceeding 8,700 points, what martial technique could possibly elude him? A single glance was enough to grasp their intricacies. Cultivating them presented no difficulty whatsoever. Furthermore, because he dedicated his entire mind and soul to the pursuit, the speed at which he mastered martial techniques surged exponentially. Consequently, his comprehension points skyrocketed alongside them. From his previous gain of 150 points a month, the rate more than doubled, reaching 350 points a month. The gain even continued to creep upward, edging closer to 400 points each month. One month, two months, three months, four months... Finally, on a day four months later— Lu Changsheng snapped his eyes open. Within his gaze, the value of his comprehension points ticked upward rapidly. 9,995... 9,997... 9,999... 10,001... *Boom!* The moment his comprehension broke through the ten-thousand-point mark, a roaring boom echoed through Lu Changsheng's mind. He felt as though everything before him had changed. The ordinary, mundane air had transformed in his sight into a vibrant tapestry of dazzling colors. Every distinct hue seemed to represent a fundamental force. Fire, water, wind, and more. "This is... laws?" Lu Changsheng's spirit shook! Laws! He was actually seeing laws! Not sensing them, but beholding them directly with his physical eyes. Yet how was that possible? He had never heard of anyone who could perceive laws with their naked eyes. Lu Changsheng reached out toward a brilliant fiery red ribbon before him. However, his hand grasped only empty air. There was nothing tangible in his grip. Yet that blazing red hue burned with the vivid essence of fire; it was undoubtedly the flame law. No matter what method he attempted, he could not physically touch it. Lu Changsheng immediately called up his attribute panel to inspect his status. Host: Lu Changsheng Comprehension: 10,001 (Dragon and Phoenix Among Men) Flame Law Seed: 11% (progress) Mind Sword Mantra Formula: 1% progress (Golden Mind Sword) Lu Changsheng saw that his comprehension had indeed undergone a metamorphosis. Having crossed the ten-thousand barrier, it now stood at 10,001. Even the title had changed. It had evolved from "Praised in All Directions" to "Dragon and Phoenix Among Men." "The name of a genius spreads across the world, hailed as a dragon and phoenix among men!" Lu Changsheng murmured under his breath. A genius! This was the very first time the attribute panel had referred to him as a "genius." That was no small feat. His previous comprehension tiers had progressed from unremarkable, to average talent, to considerable potential, to Hidden Dragon in the Depths, to Praised in All Directions. Not a single one of those titles had ever touched upon the word "genius." This prompted a bold thought in Lu Changsheng's mind. Back when his comprehension was merely "Praised in All Directions," his name had already shaken the entire Ancient Region. He had been hailed as the greatest Divine Treasury cultivator in all of history, completely overshadowing an entire generation of immortal cultivators. Even after all that, he had still not qualified as a genius in the eyes of the panel? Moreover, even among Dao Foundation experts, anyone with comprehension beneath ten thousand points would be universally regarded as a peerless prodigy with no equal. In the eyes of anyone in the world, no one would deny that Lu Changsheng was a genius. Yet according to the judgment of the attribute panel, only when comprehension surpassed ten thousand did one truly earn the mantle of a genius. Just how high was the ceiling of this attribute panel? Lu Changsheng could hardly fathom it. "Then let me see just how terrifying a 'genius' recognized by the attribute panel truly is!" Lu Changsheng retrieved the drop of Fire Crow Heavenly Demon essence blood. This was the fire-attributed essence blood he had obtained through immense peril in Flame Mountain. In the past, contemplating this drop of essence blood would have advanced his flame law by roughly five percent. And now? Lu Changsheng's heart filled with anticipation. "Begin." Lu Changsheng began to contemplate the drop of Fire Crow Heavenly Demon essence blood. He had contemplated two drops of fire-attributed heavenly demon essence blood in the past, so he remembered the sensation clearly. Back then, while he could perceive the law within it, the impression had been hazy, obscure, and indistinct. Now, however, the experience was entirely different. In Lu Changsheng's eyes, this drop of Fire Crow Heavenly Demon essence blood contained a rich, concentrated manifestation of the flame law. The moment the drop appeared, a vast expanse of ambient flame laws even gathered toward it. Lu Changsheng could now "see" the flame law with crystal clarity. With barely a thought, his comprehension of the flame law deepened by leaps and bounds. Simultaneously, the progress of his flame law surged at a breathtaking pace. 15%... 20%... 25%... 30%... Such speed no longer felt like contemplating a law; it felt as though he were submerged directly within a pool of pure laws. In just a few short hours, the drop of Fire Crow Heavenly Demon essence blood vanished. Having been fully absorbed through his contemplation of the law, it was entirely depleted. Yet Lu Changsheng felt not the slightest regret. On the contrary, he was thrilled and ecstatic. His flame law progress had surged from 11% to a staggering 68%. A single session had raised it by 57%! How could Lu Changsheng not be exhilarated? At this rate, mastering the flame law would require only two drops of fire-attributed heavenly demon essence blood in total! "Two drops! With just two drops of fire-attributed heavenly demon essence blood, I can fully comprehend the flame law! "If that holds true for the flame law, it should be much the same for the others—merely two drops of essence blood each... "Even if I don't use essence blood and rely purely on my own contemplation, since my eyes can directly see the laws, it would likely take only a few years—certainly no more than ten—to grasp a single law on my own." The realization left Lu Changsheng inwardly awestruck. Grasping a law in a few years, or at most a decade? That was an efficiency that countless Dao Realm martial artists could only dream of. For example, Lu Changsheng possessed eight law seeds. Even if he chose not to hunt heavenly demons or gather essence blood, simply meditating in seclusion within his cave abode would allow him to master all eight laws in at most eighty years, after which he could attempt to condense a divine ability. Eighty years seemed long, but what was it in reality? Compared to a Dao Foundation expert's three-hundred-year lifespan, eighty years was far from excessive. Of course, Lu Changsheng had no intention of spending eighty years meditating. There was no need for it. If he obtained a few drops of essence blood matching his laws, he could comprehend a law in a single day. For a moment, Lu Changsheng even felt a twinge of regret. If he had saved the drop of fire-attributed essence blood he had won from Gu Nian instead of using it earlier, wouldn't he have fully mastered the flame law right now? As things stood, he still needed one more drop of fire-attributed essence blood. "I must find a way to obtain another drop of fire-attributed heavenly demon essence blood!" Lu Changsheng considered his options carefully. Given his current combat strength, venturing out to hunt heavenly demons still carried a degree of risk. For a Dao Foundation martial artist to grow stronger, the foundational prerequisite was mastering laws. With laws as the bedrock, countless techniques could be derived. Without laws, however, one could not learn any of those higher methods. "Should I make another trip to Flame Mountain?" After thinking it over, Lu Changsheng decided against taking the risk. He was only a single drop away from mastering the flame law; there was no reason to throw himself into danger recklessly. He decided to visit the Trading Hall instead. Rising to his feet, Lu Changsheng made his way toward the Trading Hall. Before long, he arrived inside. The Trading Hall was bustling with activity. Dao Foundation martial artists were everywhere. Under normal circumstances, encountering a Dao Foundation martial artist was relatively rare, given the vast expanse of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect outpost. Here in the Trading Hall, however, they were present in abundance. Most of them had come seeking trades, hoping to exchange for various attributes of heavenly demon essence blood or other treasures. In essence, they were setting up stalls. Of course, being Dao Foundation experts, their stalls differed from mortal vendors. No one hawked their wares. Instead, they sat cross-legged on the ground with their eyes closed, resting their minds. Before each cultivator lay a small board listing their exchange requirements and conditions. Lu Changsheng swept his gaze across the area, his interest piqued. Many Dao Foundation experts possessed fire-attributed heavenly demon essence blood. After all, demons of the five elements were exceedingly numerous throughout the third layer of the Ancient Region, arguably forming the largest population. With greater numbers of demons came a higher frequency of heavenly demons being born. Consequently, Dao Foundation experts frequently hunted them and acquired abundant five-element essence blood. Though Lu Changsheng coveted the fire-attributed essence blood on display, he had no essence blood of his own to offer in trade. "Wait, this is... lending heavenly demon essence blood?" Lu Changsheng blinked, taken aback. Heavenly demon essence blood could be lent out? His gaze immediately locked onto one particular Dao Foundation martial artist. A sizeable crowd had already gathered before the man's stall, making it the most popular spot in the hall. Lu Changsheng walked over and looked closely. Indeed, the man was lending out heavenly demon essence blood. Furthermore, he offered essence blood of numerous attributes. The sole condition was that whatever was borrowed had to be repaid twofold in the future! For instance, borrowing one drop required returning two drops. It was pure, exorbitant profit! Yet it also carried immense risk. Was this man not afraid that borrowers would simply never return the blood? After all, those capable of borrowing essence blood were all Dao Foundation experts! If a Dao Foundation expert borrowed it by virtue of their own ability, why would they repay it? And if they refused, what could the lender do about it? Running such a business had to be exceedingly difficult. Yet if one could sustain it, the wealth would pour in like a river, ensuring they would never lack heavenly demon essence blood again. Lu Changsheng watched as a cultivator successfully borrowed a drop of essence blood and departed. When his turn came, Lu Changsheng stepped forward and spoke plainly, "Can I borrow a drop of fire-attributed heavenly demon essence blood?" "You?" The vendor was a shrewd-looking Dao Foundation martial artist. He narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Lu Changsheng from head to toe. Suddenly, the vendor's eyes lit up. "You are Lu Changsheng? "The Lu Changsheng who stood as number one across both lists in the Divine Treasury realm and dominated an entire generation of the immortal path?" The stall owner clearly recognized him. Lu Changsheng already knew that he was no nameless nobody in the third layer of the Ancient Region. Suppressing an entire generation of both the martial and immortal paths was a monumental reputation. It was only natural for Dao Foundation experts to know of him. "Yes, I am Lu Changsheng. May I borrow a drop of heavenly demon essence blood?" Lu Changsheng asked again. "Hahaha! Of course! You can certainly borrow a drop!" "In fact, with your reputation, borrowing one drop is nothing—you could easily borrow two! "If we conduct multiple transactions down the line, borrowing three or five drops wouldn't be out of the question. "Ah, where are my manners? My name is Zhao Yuanshan!" Zhao Yuanshan was exceptionally enthusiastic toward Lu Changsheng, the smile never leaving his face. Evidently, in Zhao Yuanshan's eyes, Lu Changsheng possessed immense value. Lu Changsheng narrowed his eyes slightly and asked, "Brother Zhao, aren't you afraid that the blood you lend out won't be returned? For instance, what if someone refuses to repay you, or perishes while adventuring outside?" Those were the two main reasons Lu Changsheng could think of for failing to return the essence blood. "Hehe, naturally, a portion of the essence blood never comes back. "If someone perishes, there's nothing to be done—I just take it as bad luck. To run this business, one must be prepared to swallow those losses. "As for refusing to repay... well, they would have to weigh the consequences of defaulting. This isn't the sect grounds of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect. The Dao Foundation experts here aren't bound by so many sect rules. Although disciples are still forbidden from killing one another, the third layer of the Ancient Region is an awfully vast place..." Zhao Yuanshan trailed off. His meaning was unmistakable. Refusing to pay carried grave peril. Zhao Yuanshan was clearly no pushover. Even if his personal strength was not overwhelming, considering how massive his lending operation had become, his wealth had to be staggering. Would it be difficult for someone with that much essence blood to hire a few powerful Dao Foundation experts to enforce a debt? Not difficult in the slightest! As for why others did not run this business—or failed and lost everything when they tried—the fact that Zhao Yuanshan alone had succeeded proved he possessed extraordinary means. "I will borrow one drop of fire-attributed heavenly demon essence blood!" Lu Changsheng said directly. He had no desire to pry into the man's secrets. His only goal was to obtain the fire-attributed essence blood as quickly as possible. "No problem! Brother Lu wants one drop of fire-attributed essence blood—they are all right here. Pick whichever you like, Brother Lu, but make sure not to choose one you've already contemplated before, or it won't have any effect." Lu Changsheng nodded. A single type of heavenly demon essence blood could only be contemplated once. Contemplating the same type a second time yielded no benefit. "The repayment period is ten years. "Within ten years, you must return one drop of heavenly demon essence blood. The attribute does not matter, so long as it is genuine heavenly demon essence blood. "If it exceeds ten years, you must return two drops. "The absolute limit is twenty years. If it is not repaid by then..." Zhao Yuanshan did not finish the sentence. If it was not repaid by then, matters would be handled differently. Whatever measures Zhao Yuanshan would take remained unspoken, but it certainly would not end well. Lu Changsheng paused for a moment and asked curiously, "Has anyone ever successfully defaulted on you?" "Yes, of course. "However, those were top-tier Dao Foundation experts who commanded four or five laws each. I couldn't do anything to them, so if they reneged, they reneged. "Generally speaking, though, why would anyone with that level of strength bother welshing on a debt? It's just a drop or two of heavenly demon essence blood." Lu Changsheng understood. So there really were people who defaulted by sheer force of strength. Yet just as Zhao Yuanshan said, once someone reached that level of power, why would they need to cheat someone over a drop or two? There was no need for it. "Thank you." Lu Changsheng selected a drop of fire-attributed heavenly demon essence blood and promptly returned to his cave abode. "With one drop of fire-attributed heavenly demon essence blood in hand and comprehension exceeding ten thousand points, grasping the flame law should pose no problem at all." Lu Changsheng was filled with confidence. The flame law! He was about to fully comprehend a strand of the flame law. Once he possessed a true law, Lu Changsheng would finally secure a firm foothold among Dao Foundation martial artists. Only then would he truly hold a place of his own within the third layer of the Ancient Region! With that, Lu Changsheng closed his eyes and began to contemplate the heavenly demon essence blood.