A Terrifying Transformation of Comprehension: The Flame Law Seed Reaches Perfection at Last!

Lu Changsheng had already contemplated more than a single drop of fire-attributed heavenly demon essence blood. As such, he was well-versed in the process. Moreover, his comprehension had surpassed the ten-thousand-point mark, ranking him as an extraordinary genius even within the attribute panel's evaluation. Under the contemplation of the fire-attributed heavenly demon essence blood, the progress of Lu Changsheng's Flame Law Seed advanced at remarkable speed. 70%, 80%, 90%, 98%... When the Flame Law's progress abruptly surged to 100%— *Boom.* Lu Changsheng felt a jolt shake his brain domain. At the same time, inspiration struck. In an instant, he grasped the profound mysteries of the Flame Law. With a thought, roaring flames flared up within his brain domain. The fire swept across the entire expanse of his brain domain, radiating terrifyingly scorching heat. Lu Changsheng could even manipulate the flames into various shapes. For instance, a divine flame dragon. Or a towering mountain of fire—none of it posed any difficulty. However, a limitation remained. A law and the brain domain complemented each other. If he did not unleash his brain domain, he had no way to deploy the Flame Law. Yet this did not mean a Dao Foundation martial artist's law was inherently limited. On the contrary, it revealed the true nature of martial artists. Martial artists did not seek communion with heaven and earth, nor did they borrow nature's power. Instead, they diligently tempered their own bodies, transforming themselves into a miniature world that would eventually grow formidable enough to contend against heaven and earth itself! The Flame Law adhered to the brain domain and was inextricably linked to it. And the brain domain was an innate part of a martial artist's body. No one had ever heard of a living Dao Foundation martial artist being unable to use their brain domain. Such a scenario was simply impossible. Even if one suffered spiritual shock, as long as the spirit did not completely collapse, the brain domain remained usable. *The Flame Law...* Lu Changsheng could "see" that the Flame Law had indeed manifested within his brain domain. It was merely somewhat different from the Flame Law he had observed out in the world. Compared to that, the Flame Law within his brain domain was still exceedingly frail. Yet in essence, there was no difference. It was only because his brain domain was still weak that the Flame Law adhering to it was correspondingly weak. Still, no matter how weak a law was, it was still a law. Once a martial artist grasped a law, any Dao Foundation expert who had not comprehended one of their own would be utterly powerless against it. Only a law could contend with a law! Even for a Foundation Establishment Dao Lord, a law was equivalent to a magic treasure. Only a magic treasure could hold out against a law. As for whether a law or a magic treasure was stronger, that depended on the individual. One also had to learn how to wield a law. How to employ it to unleash greater power was an art in itself. Even so, grasping a law meant Lu Changsheng had finally secured a firm foothold among the ranks of Dao Foundation experts. From here on, it was simply a matter of tracking down heavenly demon bloodlines of other attributes and continuing to comprehend a second, third, or even more laws. *My application of the law is still exceedingly rudimentary.* *Though it is the same Flame Law, a stronger brain domain yields a stronger law. My brain domain is powerful enough that it should not lose to any Dao Foundation expert, but I lack methods for applying the law.* *Techniques that utilize laws in combat are called divine techniques.* *In truth, divine techniques share a structure similar to divine abilities. They push the application of a law to the limit, erupting with formidable combat strength. Though far inferior to genuine divine abilities, cultivating divine techniques properly will still prove advantageous when condensing divine abilities in the future.* Lu Changsheng had long since familiarized himself with the fundamental knowledge regarding laws. Divine techniques sounded exalted and grand, but they were essentially analogous to martial techniques. Martial techniques maximized the body's physical advantages, whereas divine techniques brought forth the might of a law. The underlying principle was the same. *Practicing martial techniques increases comprehension points. I wonder if cultivating divine techniques does the same?* Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up. At present, his comprehension growth was already astonishing. Yet the sixth-, seventh-, or even ten-plus-rank martial techniques he practiced would eventually be exhausted. After all, once one reached the Divine Gang realm, martial techniques were rarely used. At the Divine Treasury realm, domains took precedence, and virtually no one relied on martial techniques. As for the Dao Foundation realm, martial techniques were completely useless. At the Dao Foundation realm, everyone cultivated divine techniques. They corresponded to martial techniques, or could even be said to correspond to the spells of the immortal cultivation system. However, they were far stronger than ordinary spells. Even if a Foundation Establishment Dao Lord cast a spell, its might fell far short of a Dao Foundation martial artist unleashing a divine technique. Only magic treasures could rival the terrifying destructive power of divine techniques. *I need to take a look at divine techniques.* The Ancient Region Heavenly Sect outpost stored manuals for divine techniques. Of course, they were all transcribed copies, but even transcribed copies were exceedingly precious. Lu Changsheng arrived at the Divine Technique Hall. Inside, divine techniques were stored in abundance. Exchanging for a divine technique required contribution points—a staggering sum, in fact. Of course, no Dao Foundation expert truly lacked contribution points. Capturing a few demons or acquiring some natural treasures yielded vast amounts. Lu Changsheng surmised that the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect used divine techniques and other items to effectively "recycle" natural treasures and various resources. Otherwise, was it realistic to expect Dao Foundation experts to voluntarily hand over their treasures to the sect? Utterly impossible! Therefore, offering divine techniques was the only way to recover resources. Lu Changsheng casually picked up a fire-attribute divine technique called the Sky Burning Divine Technique. The name sounded world-shaking, but it was merely an ordinary divine technique. Yet even an ordinary divine technique commanded an exorbitant sum of contribution points. Lu Changsheng certainly did not lack contribution points; his sole requirement was to find a technique with as much power as possible. He had no fear of a technique being difficult to learn. With his comprehension exceeding ten thousand points, could he possibly fail to master a divine technique? On that point, Lu Changsheng was thoroughly confident—or rather, he had absolute faith in his comprehension. The shelves were filled with an eye-catching array of manuals. In truth, the genuinely formidable divine techniques were compound divine techniques—those that fused multiple laws together to unleash cataclysmic might. A single strike could shake the heavens and earth. If Lu Changsheng could blend eight laws into a single divine technique in the future, the resulting power would be terrifying. He simply did not know whether an eight-law divine technique existed. Perhaps there was, or perhaps there was not. Lu Changsheng did not dwell on the matter. Mastering eight laws was still a distant prospect. For now, he possessed only the Flame Law. Even among divine techniques derived purely from the Flame Law, there was a wide variance in power. Lu Changsheng examined them one by one. *Wait, this Void Burning Divine Technique seems quite potent.* After several hours, Lu Changsheng finally found a powerful fire-attribute divine technique. It was called Void Burning. It utilized the Flame Law to incinerate the void itself, claiming to burn all things in existence. Lu Changsheng felt that claim was somewhat exaggerated. Even so, among divine techniques derived from a single law, Void Burning was an undisputed pinnacle offensive technique. Single-law divine techniques existed in vast numbers, alongside multi-law compound divine techniques of immense power. Since Lu Changsheng possessed only the Flame Law, he could naturally only cultivate a single-law technique. Divine techniques were further divided into offensive, defensive, control-oriented, and various other categories. After all, Dao Foundation experts enjoyed a lifespan of three hundred years. Most were unable to break through to the Divine Ability realm, making Dao Foundation the final stop of their lives. Over three centuries, they engaged in countless battles against humans and demons alike. Their offensive methods naturally needed to be as rich and comprehensive as possible. Of course, the Flame Law was inherently suited for attack; almost all of its derived techniques were offensive, with virtually none dedicated to defense. *I'll choose this one—the Void Burning Divine Technique!* Lu Changsheng checked the exchange price. One hundred thousand contribution points! A single divine technique cost a full hundred thousand points. Back then, ten thousand points could buy a Dao Comprehension Pill. Did that mean a single divine technique was worth ten Dao Comprehension Pills? *Divine techniques are truly expensive...* *Yet such high prices are inevitable. Other martial sects likely operate the same way.* *Otherwise, how could the countless resources gathered by so many Dao Foundation experts ever flow back to the sect?* Lu Changsheng fell into thought. From the Divine Gang realm to the Divine Treasury realm, the sect subsidized its disciples with various resources. Upon reaching Dao Foundation, it was time to repay that investment. And the method for doing so was setting steep prices for divine techniques. After all, the sect could hardly demand that every Dao Foundation expert surrender thirty percent of their spoils. That would breed chaos. By adjusting the exchange prices of divine techniques, the transaction remained voluntary, subtly allowing the Dao Foundation experts to replenish the sect. Divine techniques were essential to every Dao Foundation expert. Lu Changsheng exchanged his points for the Void Burning Divine Technique and returned to his cave abode. The Void Burning Divine Technique was exceptionally difficult to initiate. Once one crossed the threshold, its power could be steadily refined all the way to perfection. At the perfection realm, its might was world-shaking. Under ordinary circumstances, even a Dao Foundation expert who had mastered the Flame Law would require several years of painstaking effort just to cross the threshold. Reaching perfection would demand decades, perhaps even a century of bitter cultivation. Yet Lu Changsheng was different. He possessed a terrifying comprehension exceeding ten thousand points. This was precisely the time for his comprehension to shine! Lu Changsheng read through the Void Burning Divine Technique once, then closed his eyes. *Buzz.* His brain domain descended. Within that domain, Lu Changsheng sat cross-legged in the void. A dense manifestation of the Flame Law enveloped his body. The Flame Law repeatedly dispersed and recombined, undergoing a peculiar structural reorganization. *A divine technique is essentially the arrangement and recombination of a law in unimaginable ways, keeping that restructured law restrained from detonating prematurely.* *Once released, the restraint is removed and it erupts. The law will inevitably snap back to its original state, and that snapping-back motion churns the fire within the entire brain domain, unleashing peerless power.* *By the same logic, compound divine techniques must work the same way, only far more complex. Facing two distinct laws multiplies the possible combinations exponentially, and the difficulty surges accordingly...* After immersing himself in cultivating the Void Burning Divine Technique for just a few hours, Lu Changsheng had thoroughly grasped the mystery and essence of divine techniques. Yet understanding the principle was one thing; executing it was another. The complexity of rearranging a law was beyond what ordinary people could fathom. Tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of recombinations had to be executed in a single instant. An enemy would never grant you time to slowly channel a technique. Moreover, if the restructuring was not swift enough, one would be unable to suppress the technique from detonating within. At this moment, Lu Changsheng's transcendent comprehension was put on full display. Two hours, six hours, ten hours, sixteen hours... In just twenty hours or so, flames abruptly erupted within Lu Changsheng's brain domain. *Boom.* A terrifying pressure surged forth inside the brain domain. Flames filled the entire expanse, burning with such intensity that they seemed capable of incinerating the void itself. The space warped, accompanied by terrifying shockwaves. "Divine technique: Void Burning!" Lu Changsheng uttered softly. *Rumble!* The brain domain shook violently. Its fiery might surged tenfold compared to before! This was the true Void Burning Divine Technique! Its power was staggering. Compared to the Fire Crow Heavenly Demon he had faced previously, a single strike of Void Burning would leave the creature utterly defenseless. Though both relied on innate affinities with fire, Void Burning could overwhelm the Fire Crow Heavenly Demon completely. Even when facing several, or dozens of wild bull demons, a single cast of Void Burning would reduce them all to ash. Lu Changsheng checked the progress: Void Burning Divine Technique was at 1%. This meant he had officially crossed the threshold. Reaching 100% would mean perfection. Entering the gate of a pinnacle divine technique in just under a day was an appalling speed. Yet this was the power of Lu Changsheng's current comprehension. Still, it was not enough. *Continue.* Lu Changsheng pressed on. He intended to cultivate the Void Burning Divine Technique straight to perfection in one breath! Even if it took a bit more time, it would be well worth it. He also wanted to see whether perfecting a divine technique would grant comprehension points. Day after day slipped by. In the blink of an eye, a month passed. Suddenly, a line of small characters floated before Lu Changsheng's eyes. *Void Burning Divine Technique perfected. Comprehension increased by 1,000 points.* Seeing this line, Lu Changsheng's heart jolted. *One thousand points! Comprehension increased by a full thousand points from just a single divine technique...* He had suspected that perfecting a divine technique would award comprehension points. Yet he had never imagined it would be this much. A full thousand points! Previously, Lu Changsheng had gained only 150 comprehension points over the span of a month. Of course, that was in the past. Ever since his comprehension broke past the ten-thousand-point mark and underwent a qualitative transformation, his efficiency in practicing martial techniques had multiplied many times over. Lu Changsheng summoned his attribute panel to inspect his status. Host: Lu Changsheng Comprehension: 12,501 (Dragon and Phoenix Among Men) Void Burning Divine Technique: 100% (Perfected) Flame Law: 4% (Progress) Mind Sword Mantra Formula: 1% progress (Golden Mind Sword) The numbers on the attribute panel had shifted considerably. Take his comprehension, for instance. Previously, Lu Changsheng's comprehension stood at 10,001 points. Over the month, perfecting the Void Burning Divine Technique added 1,000 points. Beyond that, he had gained an additional 1,500 points. That had come from practicing martial techniques. Following his comprehension's transformation, practicing martial techniques had become effortless. Fifth-, sixth-, seventh-, or even tenth-rank martial techniques took hardly any time for him to cultivate at his current comprehension level. In a single month, this added 1,500 points—nearly ten times the rate before the transformation! *If I can master one divine technique each month alongside practicing martial techniques, that would yield 2,500 comprehension points a month, or exactly 30,000 points a year.* *In three years, I could obtain 90,000 comprehension points. My comprehension would then break through the hundred-thousand-point threshold, very likely triggering another transformation...* A sharp glint flickered in Lu Changsheng's eyes. He had essentially pieced together the pattern behind the transformations of his comprehension. A factor of ten! From one thousand to ten thousand. From ten thousand to one hundred thousand. A transformation occurred roughly every time his comprehension grew tenfold. It might even happen sooner. If he cultivated stronger divine techniques, would they yield even more comprehension points? It was entirely possible! However, completing one divine technique a month was a demanding target. Lu Changsheng would eventually need to contemplate other matters. He could not always focus his time and energy solely on divine techniques and martial arts as he had this month. Regardless, securing 1,500 points a month was practically guaranteed. For now, he did not need to worry about comprehension. With the Void Burning Divine Technique perfected, its power had surged tenfold once more! For an ordinary Dao Foundation martial artist to perfect a pinnacle divine technique, decades of bitter cultivation were required. Lu Changsheng needed only a single month! His combat strength had skyrocketed again. Even among Dao Foundation experts who wielded laws, he was undeniably formidable. As for the Flame Law, its progress had advanced from 1% to 4%. This came from a brief contemplation of the law over the past month. The progress was slow, gaining only 3%. To reach perfection on his own would take around three years. Yet even that was an astonishing pace. Without relying on heavenly demon essence blood, he could still bring a law to perfection in three years. If he had essence blood, he would reach perfection even faster! Every metric on his status had undergone a qualitative leap. His cultivation efficiency had increased tenfold, dozens of times over. It was night and day compared to before! And Lu Changsheng knew full well what lay at the root of it all. Comprehension! Only because of this transformation in comprehension had such an earth-shattering change occurred. Now, there was genuine hope of comprehending all eight laws! *With the Flame Law mastered, I can try hunting heavenly demons to obtain their bloodlines, then trade for essence blood suited to comprehending the other seven laws.* Lu Changsheng rose and left his cave abode. He planned to look for Gu Nian. At the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect outpost, the only person Lu Changsheng was familiar with was Gu Nian. Over this period, the two had become close friends who shared everything. *Hmm? Gu Nian isn't here? Did he head out?* Lu Changsheng paused in surprise. He had not expected Gu Nian to be away from the outpost. After all, Gu Nian rarely departed. Still, on second thought, Gu Nian's spiritual trauma had healed long ago. Gu Nian needed to cultivate and comprehend laws as well; it was only natural for him to seek out heavenly demons and secure bloodlines. *A slip of paper? A message for me?* Lu Changsheng noticed a note left inside Gu Nian's cave abode. Normally, when a host was away, others could not enter their dwelling. However, Lu Changsheng and Gu Nian were close enough that Lu Changsheng had free access. The paper bore a message from Gu Nian: *"Skeleton Heavenly Demons have appeared at Skeleton Mountain. Lu Changsheng, once you emerge from seclusion, come to Skeleton Mountain at once!"* Gu Nian's message was actually about Skeleton Heavenly Demons. Skeleton Heavenly Demons were truly extraordinary. They were terrifying heavenly demons endowed with innate spiritual abilities. Slaying a Skeleton Heavenly Demon yielded its essence blood—an essence blood suited for comprehending the spiritual law! Gu Nian had kept a close eye on Skeleton Mountain for years, waiting for Skeleton Heavenly Demons. Whenever one appeared, he would never miss the chance. However, Skeleton Heavenly Demons were exceedingly rare and stealthy. Even though Gu Nian kept watch, traces of them had almost never surfaced. Now that Skeleton Heavenly Demons had finally appeared at Skeleton Mountain, it was no wonder Gu Nian had left the outpost and headed straight there. This was critical to whether Gu Nian could condense the spiritual law! Yet Lu Changsheng needed the spiritual law as well! Heavenly demon bloodlines that aided in comprehending the spiritual law were exceptionally rare. This directly led to a scarcity of Dao Foundation experts in the third layer of the Ancient Region who had grasped the spiritual law. One needed only look at Gu Nian. After waiting all these years, he had finally encountered a spiritual heavenly demon, gaining an opportunity to contemplate its essence blood and deepen his understanding of the spiritual law. A spiritual-attribute heavenly demon bloodline was something one could only encounter by luck, never by demand. *To Skeleton Mountain!* Lu Changsheng made up his mind instantly. He would head to Skeleton Mountain. His goal was naturally the Skeleton Heavenly Demons. Of course, there was another reason. Skeleton Heavenly Demons were powerful. Moreover, many Dao Foundation experts would be vying for their bloodlines. Lu Changsheng worried that Gu Nian might not be able to manage alone. Gu Nian had not grasped a single law, leaving him considerably weaker compared to Dao Foundation martial artists who had. If it came down to a fight for the Skeleton Heavenly Demons, Gu Nian held little advantage. Thus, Lu Changsheng procured a map of Skeleton Mountain, quickly departed the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect outpost, and sped toward his destination. *** At this moment, Gu Nian was at Skeleton Mountain. Bitterness and frustration filled his heart! He had rushed to Skeleton Mountain and indeed encountered Skeleton Heavenly Demons. However, he was not the only Dao Foundation expert who had found them. Many other Dao Foundation experts had their eyes fixed on the creatures as well. *Three Skeleton Heavenly Demons in total!* *Three whole demons.* *Yet I can't even fight for one of them.* Gu Nian felt thoroughly stifled. His eyes were bloodshot as he stared at the three Skeleton Heavenly Demons ahead. A crowd of Dao Foundation experts stood nearby. Yet those qualified to step forward and besiege the demons were few and far between—only seven or eight people. Without exception, every single one of those seven or eight had mastered a law. Even with just one law, their strength far eclipsed that of ordinary Dao Foundation martial artists. The two groups could not be mentioned in the same breath. Whether one possessed a law was an insurmountable divide. Gu Nian had actually been the first to discover the Skeleton Heavenly Demons. Yet with three appearing at once, Gu Nian dared not step forward. He was not even certain he could handle one on his own; he would have needed all manner of methods and tricks just to pin it down. Against three? Charging in would have been sheer suicide! Later, more Dao Foundation experts arrived and joined the fray. As their numbers grew, the few experts who commanded laws drove off the others, permitting only themselves to approach and contest the Skeleton Heavenly Demons. As for the rest? Anyone who dared draw near was blasted away by their laws. Watching this made Gu Nian's heart bleed. He clenched his fists tightly, his eyes brimming with indignance. *Strength!* *It comes down to a lack of strength. If I were strong enough, I could have slain all three Skeleton Heavenly Demons myself and obtained three drops of spiritual-attribute essence blood, instead of waiting on the sidelines completely helpless like this.* Gu Nian was truly unwilling to accept this. What a golden opportunity it had been. To comprehend the spiritual law, he needed spiritual-attribute heavenly demon essence blood. This should have been his chance. He had found them first. Yet his lack of strength forced him to surrender this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He was bitter! He was frustrated! Yet it changed nothing. The three Skeleton Heavenly Demons were right before him, yet he lacked the right to step forward. *Perhaps if Lu Changsheng came, he could fight for one?* *No, that won't work. Lu Changsheng's brain domain is powerful, but he hasn't mastered a single law. Against those Dao Foundation experts who wield laws, he holds no advantage either.* Gu Nian shook his head. Lu Changsheng's spiritual secret method was formidable, but he would not only have to face the Skeleton Heavenly Demons—he would have to face Dao Foundation experts commanding laws. Even if Lu Changsheng arrived, he likely would not qualify to contest them. Gu Nian could only continue watching from the sidelines. "Spiritual Storm!" The three Skeleton Heavenly Demons roared, unleashing a spiritual storm. A terrifying shockwave swept out in all directions. Against such a spiritual assault, laws offered limited protection, but they still helped. Otherwise, even those Dao Foundation experts wielding laws would have struggled to hold out. Those who dared come to Skeleton Mountain had prepared thoroughly. Even so, they could only barely suppress the Skeleton Heavenly Demons and were unable to slay them quickly. Time ticked away. The three Skeleton Heavenly Demons seemed on the verge of exhaustion. *Whoosh.* At that moment, a figure appeared in the distance, treading through the air step by step before coming to a halt in the void. *Hmm?* *Lu Changsheng?* Gu Nian froze for an instant. He spotted Lu Changsheng immediately. Likewise, Lu Changsheng seemed to sense his presence and noticed Gu Nian. With a step, Lu Changsheng arrived directly before him. "Brother Gu, didn't you come to Skeleton Mountain to fight for the Skeleton Heavenly Demons? Why are you standing here watching? Are you waiting to pick up the scraps after they finish?" Lu Changsheng's expression was somewhat curious. He had not expected Gu Nian to play the mantis stalking the cicada. Gu Nian gave a bitter smile. "What right do I have to pick up scraps? I don't even qualify to join the fray. "Those three Skeleton Heavenly Demons are surrounded by Dao Foundation experts who command laws. Anyone who approaches is blasted away by their laws. "A Dao Foundation martial artist without a law can't even get close. How could I possibly fight for the Skeleton Heavenly Demons?" Lu Changsheng nodded. Indeed, he could see the power of laws undulating within the brain domains of the Dao Foundation experts besieging the demons. *Three Skeleton Heavenly Demons...* Lu Changsheng was naturally enticed. "Brother Gu, wait right here. I'll go up and give it a try," Lu Changsheng said with a smile. "Brother Lu, don't be reckless! Your spiritual secret method is formidable, but you haven't mastered a law. You won't even be able to get close. If you anger an expert who commands a law, you might put yourself in grave danger. Why take such a risk?" Gu Nian hastily urged. Lu Changsheng did not offer an explanation. He simply stepped forward, walking toward the three Skeleton Heavenly Demons. Several Dao Foundation experts had enveloped the demons within their brain domains. Laws clashed and reverberated continuously. An ordinary Dao Foundation martial artist could not even approach. *A law? I have one too!* With a thought— *Boom!* His brain domain descended! Simultaneously, terrifying flames flooded Lu Changsheng's brain domain. Blazing fire surged across the sky, burning so fiercely that the void itself seemed to warp. "This is... the Flame Law!" "Lu Changsheng comprehended the Flame Law?!" "How could Lu Changsheng have mastered the Flame Law already? How long has it been since he forged his Dao Foundation?!" Seeing this, Gu Nian's eyes went wide. His gaze was filled with sheer disbelief, his face frozen in utter shock. After all, Gu Nian knew Lu Changsheng thoroughly. It had only been a few months since Lu Changsheng forged his Dao Foundation. Most cultivators at this stage would still be familiarizing themselves with their newfound power. Yet Lu Changsheng? He had already grasped a law! This was simply unbelievable.