The Divine Technique Void Burning Displays Its Might; Lu Changsheng Torches Skeleton Mountain and Overawes Seven Dao Foundation Experts!

"Huh?" "Who is this?" "Another interloper. We've been here for so long already—doesn't your arrival to pluck the fruit seem a bit too shameless, sir?" "Hmph, if you want to interfere, you'd better have the strength to back it up!" There were seven Dao Foundation experts besieging the three Skeleton Heavenly Demons in total. Every one of the seven had mastered a law. However, not one of them wielded a spiritual law. Spiritual laws were exceptionally rare; even encountering a heavenly demon of the spiritual attribute was exceedingly difficult, to say nothing of mastering such a law. Yet just because they did not wield a spiritual law did not mean they had no use for Skeleton Heavenly Demons. Perhaps they could trade the Skeleton Heavenly Demon essence blood for other varieties of heavenly demon essence blood. Or perhaps they were attempting to master a second law. In short, as long as it was a heavenly demon, it was incomparably precious. No Dao Foundation expert would complain of having too many heavenly demons. Even if they could not use it themselves, they could still exchange it for the heavenly demon essence blood they needed. The laws of the seven Dao Foundation experts surged, weaving together into an immense domain. Anyone wishing to step into this zone had to possess the power to break through so many locked laws. Only then would they have the right to intervene. Lu Changsheng merely smiled faintly. "Fire." *Boom! Boom!* Instantly, within Lu Changsheng's brain domain, the Flame Law unleashed blazing fire. The flames flared violently, coalescing into a fire dragon. It slammed heavily against the seven sealing laws. *Rumble!* The seven Dao Foundation experts trembled from head to toe. Their brain domains shook violently, and a gap was instantly torn through the barrier of their seven laws. It seemed to encounter no resistance at all, breached with effortless ease. "What? It tore through the blockade of seven laws just like that?" "This Flame Law is terrifying—how can its aura be so formidable?!" "To batter through the lockdown of seven laws in a single blow... Even if we weren't going all out, that is absolutely not something an ordinary Dao Foundation expert could achieve! He may command a Flame Law, but judging by his aura, his progress in it isn't very high—he likely only just comprehended it. How could he possess such strength?" "To wield such power when he's merely in the initial stages of grasping a law—just how strong is his brain domain?" The seven Dao Foundation experts fell silent. The strength of a law stemmed partly from the law itself; certain rare laws were inherently potent. Alternatively, it depended on having profound comprehension of the law, even reaching perfection. Yet Lu Changsheng had only just comprehended the Flame Law, with its progress sitting at a mere 4%, far from perfection. Whether a law's might was formidable could also depend on the Dao Foundation martial artist's brain domain. If the brain domain was inherently powerful, the potency of the comprehended law would naturally rise alongside it. For the exact same Flame Law, if one possessed an exceptionally strong brain domain, the Flame Law's power would naturally become far greater! This was precisely Lu Changsheng's situation. The foundation of his brain domain was too profound, far surpassing that of any other Dao Foundation expert. Consequently, the might of his Flame Law was terrifyingly intense. Having unleashed the Flame Law to tear open a gap, Lu Changsheng took a step forward, crossing straight into the area sealed by the seven experts' laws. "You have earned the right to contest these three Skeleton Heavenly Demons, sir!" one of the Dao Foundation experts said with a solemn expression. With such formidable power behind his law, this newcomer was certainly no weakling. There was a saying: a strong brain domain ensures strength at every step. It meant that the brain domain was the very foundation of a Dao Foundation martial artist. Once the brain domain grew mighty, even newly comprehended laws would become far more potent. Thus, the solid foundation Lu Changsheng had laid for his brain domain during the Divine Treasury realm was finally yielding its harvest, gradually showing its effects. Lu Changsheng paid these Dao Foundation martial artists no heed. His gaze fell immediately upon the three Skeleton Heavenly Demons. Although the three demons were suppressed, their spiritual shocks rolled out endlessly, battering in every direction without pause. This was why the seven Dao Foundation martial artists had only managed to suppress them rather than slay them. Spiritual shocks! Even though the seven experts had methods to counter spiritual attacks, they could only barely withstand them. As for how much combat strength they had left to finish off the three demons after enduring the onslaught, that was difficult to say. At the very least, their combined efforts had failed to bring down the three Skeleton Heavenly Demons so far. This alone showed how terrifying the spiritual shocks of the three demons truly were. Lu Changsheng also bore the brunt of the spiritual shocks. Bolstered by his brain domain, his Flame Law directly withstood roughly half of the onslaught. This proved that a law could indeed fend off a portion of spiritual attacks. The stronger the law, the more spiritual shock it could block. Yet even the remaining portion was frightfully powerful. Without a second thought, Lu Changsheng acted. "Sever!" Instantly, the Golden Mind Sword within his brain domain flew out, cleaving through the demons' spiritual shocks. The blade even sank directly into the bodies of the three Skeleton Heavenly Demons. "Roar..." All three Skeleton Heavenly Demons let out agonized roars. Clearly, Lu Changsheng's Golden Mind Sword was far from ineffective. On the contrary, it wielded immense power, striking a severe blow against the three creatures. Yet that was only the beginning. Lu Changsheng deployed his Flame Law like Mount Tai crashing down from above, descending instantly to engulf the three Skeleton Heavenly Demons. The creatures were remarkably tough. Under the crushing weight of Lu Changsheng's Flame Law, they teetered on the verge of collapse, yet they stubbornly held on. Still, their suppression was only a matter of time. "Roar..." Suddenly, bursts of furious roars echoed from the distance. Right after, one massive skeleton demon after another appeared. They burrowed out of the earth in succession, resembling awakened undead spirits. These were skeleton demons. Normally, they slept beneath the ground. Only when an extraordinary upheaval occurred would they awaken. The seven Dao Foundation martial artists paled drastically at the sight. "Not good, the skeleton demons have awakened." "Skeleton demons usually slumber underground—why have they stirred?" "Did the three Skeleton Heavenly Demons wake them? But we sealed them with our laws—how could they possibly awaken the skeleton demons?" "Could it be that the moment our laws were torn open earlier, the three Skeleton Heavenly Demons seized the opportunity and used the breach to awaken them?" "That's almost certainly it..." All seven turned their gazes toward Lu Changsheng. Lu Changsheng's eyes turned cold. "Since the seven of you joined forces for so long and still couldn't suppress three Skeleton Heavenly Demons, then let me handle it!" "Subduing three Skeleton Heavenly Demons requires only me!" "Besides, what does it matter if the skeleton demons have awakened?" Lu Changsheng's brain domain abruptly expanded. *Hum!* Raging flames erupted. They directly ignited the newly awakened skeleton demons. This was the Flame Law; dealing with these skeleton demons was all too easy. It could even be called their natural nemesis. Lu Changsheng's Flame Law was the exact counter to the skeleton demons of Skeleton Mountain. One, two, three... One after another, the skeleton demons were engulfed by Lu Changsheng's Flame Law, their bodies instantly catching fire. This was no ordinary fire, but flames manifested by a law. In the parlance of the immortal path, it belonged to the category of innate spiritual fire. The skeleton demons had no way of extinguishing it on their own. Thus, the skeleton demons that had just crawled out of the earth found themselves trapped in a sea of fire, reduced to ashes in the blink of an eye. Although these demons were not heavenly demons, they still rivaled Dao Foundation experts. Yet they could not even withstand a casual display of flames from Lu Changsheng's Flame Law. The fire Lu Changsheng unleashed transformed into a blazing sea in an instant. Not a single skeleton demon could withstand it. With his own strength alone, he wiped out countless skeleton demons. The sight sent a shock through everyone present. "His law is terrifying." "How can a Flame Law be this powerful? Suppressing the skeleton demons of the entire mountain on his own—how can a single law reach such heights?" "It isn't just a matter of the law. His Flame Law happens to counter the skeleton demons of Skeleton Mountain, and on top of that, his brain domain must be exceptionally powerful, which elevates the law's might to an incredible degree." "Still, those three Skeleton Heavenly Demons won't be so easily suppressed." Watching Lu Changsheng display such overwhelming might as a sky-blotting sea of fire scorched demon after demon, Gu Nian could scarcely believe his eyes. Gu Nian understood Lu Changsheng's background intimately. How could he suppress the entire Skeleton Mountain single-handedly? Yet the truth was laid out right before him, leaving him no choice but to believe. Perhaps this was the power of mastering a law! The seven Dao Foundation experts were now on high alert as well. Lu Changsheng's overwhelming strength put immense pressure on them. After all, they were competing against him for the three Skeleton Heavenly Demons. "These three Skeleton Heavenly Demons belong to me alone," "Who among you wishes to contest them?" Lu Changsheng's gaze swept over the seven experts one by one. Having just suppressed a multitude of skeleton demons and brought the entire mountain to heel with his own power, Lu Changsheng exuded a dominance that gave the seven experts pause. Even though they wielded laws, they held no advantage whatsoever against someone as overbearing as Lu Changsheng. "You want to monopolize all three Skeleton Heavenly Demons?" "Hmph, Skeleton Heavenly Demons are nothing like ordinary skeleton demons. Their spiritual shocks are terrifying. Without the suppression of our seven laws, can you handle all three alone?" "Since you're so confident in dealing with them by yourself, so be it—we'll withdraw our suppression!" The seven Dao Foundation experts reached an instant consensus. They did not want internal strife. Fighting and slaughtering one another before the three demons were even subdued was pointless; it would only benefit the beasts. Yet they were unwilling to surrender the demons easily either. What else could they do? They could only step back for the moment! They would leave Lu Changsheng to face all three alone. If he failed to handle them, they would strike again. When the time came, the eight of them could divide the three demons without tearing each other apart, avoiding a scenario where the beasts profited from their struggle. "Withdraw!" The seven experts immediately retracted their laws. Without the suppression of the seven laws, the three Skeleton Heavenly Demons erupted at once. Even Lu Changsheng's Flame Law could no longer hold them down. "Roar..." The three demons bellowed. Waves of terrifying spiritual shock rippled outward, sweeping toward Lu Changsheng without end. Even with the Flame Law backed by his brain domain, even with the Mind Sword Mantra Formula, and even with his unshakable mental fortitude, Lu Changsheng struggled to endure wave after wave of their assaults. "He can't hold out." "Even with his formidable Flame Law, withstanding the spiritual shocks of three Skeleton Heavenly Demons is simply impossible." "It took all seven of us using our laws together just to barely suppress them—that was seven laws! For him to think a single law could hold them down alone is pure delusion!" "Everyone, get ready. He'll probably call for help soon. We can't let the three demons escape." The seven Dao Foundation experts waited for Lu Changsheng to make a fool of himself. The moment he failed to handle them, they would step in. Then, the spoils would be divided according to strength. As for monopolizing them? Utterly impossible! No one present had the ability to claim all three Skeleton Heavenly Demons for themselves. "Oh no, Lu Changsheng is in danger!" Gu Nian was also watching Lu Changsheng and the demons closely. He possessed a spiritual secret method. While he had no fear of ordinary skeleton demons, he fell far short against heavenly demons without having mastered a law. If he drew close, he would not only fail to help Lu Changsheng, but also become a burden and a distraction. Thus, Gu Nian could only hold back, refraining from rushing forward recklessly. All eyes were fixed upon Lu Changsheng. Could he truly withstand the three Skeleton Heavenly Demons? After all, it was he who had claimed he would take all three for himself. Lu Changsheng's expression remained completely calm. He naturally sensed that the three demons were indeed breaking through the suppression of his Flame Law. A single Flame Law alone could not subdue them. With that realization, Lu Changsheng hesitated no longer. "Divine technique, Void Burning!" *Boom!* As soon as his words fell, flames boiled within his brain domain. The void distorted. The fire raged. A staggering aura surged from Lu Changsheng, sweeping forward. The aura radiating from his brain domain was especially terrifying, a towering blaze that seemed capable of incinerating all creation. "Is this... a divine technique?" "What a terrifying divine technique! That's one of the pinnacle divine techniques, Void Burning!" "Even for the Void Burning Divine Technique, it shouldn't be this horrifying, should it? Unless... he's already brought it to perfection..." The seven Dao Foundation experts stood slack-jawed. A pinnacle flame divine technique at the perfection stage! Coupled with the Flame Law empowered by a formidable brain domain, who could possibly withstand the combination? Lu Changsheng clearly felt the power of the flames multiply tenfold, even dozens of times over. A terrifying blaze swept through. The three Skeleton Heavenly Demons gave a wretched screech, and then all went still. Dead! With a single strike, the demons had been burned to death by Void Burning. However, Lu Changsheng ceased the technique immediately. If he let it continue, their corpses would be reduced to ash. He still needed three drops of Skeleton Heavenly Demon essence blood. Preserving their remains, Lu Changsheng extracted three drops of essence blood, sealed them into separate bottles, and stowed them away. The seven Dao Foundation experts could only watch helplessly as Lu Changsheng collected the three drops. None of them spoke up to stop him. None of them made a single move. They simply stared at Lu Changsheng in silence. A deathly stillness fell over the entirety of Skeleton Mountain. *Whoosh.* Only then did the ordinary Dao Foundation martial artists nearby recover their senses. Having witnessed such an unbelievable scene, they finally snapped out of their shock. Their emotions flared with fervor. "Who is he?" "Unbelievable, simply unbelievable! Such a powerful Flame Law, and a pinnacle flame divine technique at perfection! A person like this couldn't possibly be a nobody, yet no one in the third layer of the Ancient Region seems to have heard of him." "He seemed to know Gu Nian of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect just now, and Gu Nian called him 'Lu Changsheng.'" "Wait, Lu Changsheng? It couldn't be the Lu Changsheng I'm thinking of, could it? He really does seem to be a disciple of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect." "You mean the Lu Changsheng who dominated a whole generation of both immortal and martial paths, number one across both lists? But wasn't he in the Divine Treasury realm? Even if he cast his Dao Foundation, it hasn't been long at all—there's no way he could have comprehended a Flame Law already!" "Yes, I've heard of Lu Changsheng. A peerless genius, an unmatched talent. But no matter how gifted, mastering a Flame Law in such a short time is impossible." "And yet, he really seems to be the Lu Changsheng we know..." "He's just entered the Dao Foundation realm and already mastered a law—and an incomparably offensive Flame Law at that! On top of that, he's cultivated a flame divine technique all the way to perfection... It's simply incredible..." Some had guessed his identity. Yet rather than dying down, the discussion grew even more impassioned. Lu Changsheng! A figure whose name resonated across the entire Ancient Region! He had suppressed an entire generation of the immortal and martial paths! Number one across both lists! Even if that glory had been displayed in the Divine Treasury realm, who could dare underestimate such a genius? Once he forged his Dao Foundation, he was bound to soar into the heavens before long. Yet how much time had passed? A mere few months. In just a few short months, Lu Changsheng had already soared! "Brother Gu, let us depart." Lu Changsheng walked over to Gu Nian. Gu Nian was slightly taken aback, but quickly recovered and nodded. "Right, let's go." With that, Gu Nian and Lu Changsheng left Skeleton Mountain and returned to the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect's outpost. *Phew...* Only when they stepped back into the outpost did Gu Nian let out a long sigh of relief. "Brother Lu, you've mastered the Flame Law?" "And you've even mastered a pinnacle flame divine technique?" Gu Nian had held it in throughout their return journey. Now that they were back, he could restrain himself no longer and asked immediately. "Indeed, I was fortunate enough to grasp a Flame Law. As for the divine technique Void Burning, you've likely seen it before, Brother Gu—it's preserved in the sect's repository, so it shouldn't be unfamiliar to you, right?" Lu Changsheng made no attempt to deny it, admitting the truth candidly. Having mastered a law, he was no longer weak; he had firmly established a foothold in the third layer of the Ancient Region. There was no need to hide or worry about such things anymore. "You really mastered a Flame Law..." Gu Nian's expression turned complex. How long had it been? He still remembered when Lu Changsheng first arrived at the outpost, when he had proposed a sparring match. The result was Gu Nian's utter defeat in a duel of spiritual secret methods. They had become friends through that contest. Yet only a few months later, Lu Changsheng had successfully comprehended a law—something that was almost unimaginable to Gu Nian. Yet Lu Changsheng had achieved it! Lu Changsheng looked at Gu Nian and produced a porcelain bottle. "Brother Gu, I know this drop of Skeleton Heavenly Demon essence blood is what you've longed for. It belongs to the spiritual category and is crucial for your comprehension of the spiritual law." "If not for your message, I wouldn't have known what was happening at Skeleton Mountain, nor would I have gone there and obtained three drops of Skeleton Heavenly Demon essence blood." "So this drop is yours. Sometimes, intelligence is worth a drop of heavenly demon essence blood!" Lu Changsheng's words filled Gu Nian with immediate excitement. Skeleton Heavenly Demon essence blood! It was something he had yearned for in his dreams. Yet earlier at Skeleton Mountain, he hadn't even possessed the right to compete for it. However, Gu Nian did not decline. He had no desire to put on a hypocritical display of refusal. In his heart, he truly craved the essence blood. Even so, Gu Nian knew well that his information was not worth a drop of heavenly demon essence blood! That Lu Changsheng had arrived in time was largely his own good fortune; while Gu Nian played a role, it was not that significant. "Brother Lu, I won't say any more unnecessary pleasantries." "Consider this drop of Skeleton Heavenly Demon essence blood a loan. I will repay you with a drop of heavenly demon essence blood in the future!" Gu Nian spoke with solemn sincerity. He meant every word! "Very well." Lu Changsheng did not bicker. Either way, he was giving the essence blood to Gu Nian. If Gu Nian could repay him with another drop later, that would naturally be fine. If not, it was of no great consequence. "Brother Lu, thank you." Gu Nian bade farewell and hurried off, presumably to contemplate the essence blood. Lu Changsheng returned to his cave abode as well. He intended to contemplate the Skeleton Heavenly Demon essence blood as well. Taking out a porcelain bottle, Lu Changsheng looked at what he had left. He still had two drops of Skeleton Heavenly Demon essence blood, but he could only contemplate one. "Spiritual heavenly demon essence blood is exceptionally rare, something one can only encounter by chance." "I hope this drop won't disappoint me..." Lu Changsheng unsealed the bottle, poured out the drop of essence blood, and began his contemplation. With his terrifying comprehension exceeding ten thousand points, Lu Changsheng became completely immersed in the essence blood. He was also immersed in the spiritual law. He comprehended the spiritual law tirelessly. Meanwhile, the progress of Lu Changsheng's spiritual law seed advanced at an astonishing pace. 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%... *Whoosh.* When the drop of Skeleton Heavenly Demon essence blood vanished before him, turning into ash, Lu Changsheng opened his eyes. During this session of contemplating the spiritual law, he had experienced a very direct sensation of swift progress. Yet Lu Changsheng was unsure of just how far the spiritual law had progressed. Thus, he summoned his attribute panel to inspect his status. Host: Lu Changsheng Comprehension: 12,501 (Dragon and Phoenix Among Men) Spiritual Law Seed: 60% (Progress) Flame Law: 4% (Progress) Mind Sword Mantra Formula: 1% progress (Golden Mind Sword) The progress of his spiritual law seed had surged directly to 60%. A single leap of 60% progress was even more efficient than his earlier contemplation of the fire-attributed essence blood. Back then, the fire-attributed essence blood had granted him 58% in one go, falling short by 2%. Still, whether 58% or 60%, the difference was minor. "With just one more drop of spiritual heavenly demon essence blood, I can completely comprehend the spiritual law!" "When that time comes, I will wield two laws, taking my strength to another level!" Lu Changsheng felt invigorated. Two laws! For a Dao Foundation martial artist, adding an extra law brought an earth-shattering leap in strength. What was more, the law he was currently contemplating was the exceedingly rare and unique spiritual law. Once he comprehended it, the power of his spiritual secret methods would become world-shaking. Moreover, there were also spiritual divine techniques. The boost to his combat prowess would be immense. "However, finding a second type of spiritual heavenly demon essence blood won't be easy." After some thought, Lu Changsheng rose and left his cave abode. He headed straight for the Trading Hall. When Lu Changsheng arrived, he was greeted by the same bustling scene as before. Many Dao Foundation martial artists had set up stalls to trade their heavenly demon essence blood. At a glance, Lu Changsheng spotted Zhao Yuanshan, who had previously lent him essence blood. Lu Changsheng was obligated to repay an additional drop of heavenly demon essence blood within ten years. That meant returning two drops in total. If it exceeded ten years, he would owe two extra drops, making it three in total. At the moment, Lu Changsheng possessed only a single drop. He lacked the amount required to repay the debt. Even if he had enough, he would not repay it now. There were still ten years remaining, so there was no rush. For now, strength remained Lu Changsheng's priority. He needed to acquire more essence blood, comprehend laws, and elevate his power. Once his strength increased, obtaining essence blood would become far easier. For instance, he currently needed a second type of spiritual essence blood. Lu Changsheng searched throughout the Trading Hall. To his dismay, he failed to find a single drop of spiritual heavenly demon essence blood. "Spiritual laws are inherently rare, and the same goes for spiritual heavenly demon essence blood—it can only be found by chance." "It seems no martial artist in the Trading Hall possesses any either..." Lu Changsheng felt somewhat disappointed. Exchanging this precious drop of Skeleton Heavenly Demon essence blood for ordinary essence blood would be simple enough, but he would suffer a massive loss. After all, such rare essence blood was typically traded for varieties of the same attribute. Lu Changsheng considered his options and ultimately walked over to Zhao Yuanshan. Zhao Yuanshan spent all his time in the Trading Hall and knew its affairs like the back of his hand. When it came to intelligence regarding heavenly demon essence blood, Zhao Yuanshan was sure to be well-informed. Thus, Lu Changsheng inquired, "Brother Zhao, do you know if anyone in the Trading Hall possesses spiritual heavenly demon essence blood and is looking to trade for other spiritual essence blood?" "Hm?" "Lu Changsheng, you've obtained a drop of spiritual heavenly demon essence blood?" "Could the rumors be true—did you really claim three drops of Skeleton Heavenly Demon essence blood in a single battle at Skeleton Mountain?" Zhao Yuanshan's eyes lit up upon seeing Lu Changsheng. His channels of information were exceptionally sharp. A mere day had passed, yet news of Skeleton Mountain had already reached his ears. "It was merely good fortune." "Brother Zhao, do you have any intelligence regarding spiritual heavenly demon essence blood?" "If you have any yourself, I can trade with you as well," Lu Changsheng continued. *Hiss.* Zhao Yuanshan drew a sharp breath. Didn't Lu Changsheng's words amount to an admission that the rumors from Skeleton Mountain were all true? Good grief! Zhao Yuanshan looked Lu Changsheng up and down. He had truly misjudged him. He had completely misjudged him. Zhao Yuanshan considered himself daring enough, yet even he hadn't imagined that Lu Changsheng could master a law in such a short time, much less possess such terrifying combat prowess. To overawe seven Dao Foundation experts who each wielded a law and seize three drops of Skeleton Heavenly Demon essence blood! "Lu Changsheng, spiritual heavenly demon essence blood is exceptionally precious, something that can only be found by chance. Almost no Dao Foundation martial artist in the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect outpost has a single drop." "However, if you truly wish to make a trade, I do know of a way." Zhao Yuanshan's expression turned mysterious, and he looked at Lu Changsheng with a meaningful gaze. "What way?" Lu Changsheng narrowed his eyes slightly, staring intently at Zhao Yuanshan.