"There is still another option: smelting!"
"Three saint bodies can be smelted together into a single saint body that retains the might of all three."
A sharp light flickered in Lu Changsheng's eyes.
He remembered that Venerable Fiery Cloud, whom he had met back at the Huxian Immortal Sect, had actually wanted to smelt several saint bodies into one to step into the Martial Saint realm.
However, smelting saint bodies was extraordinarily difficult!
One had to begin forging all three saint bodies simultaneously, then attempt to blend them completely into a unified whole.
This required attempt after attempt.
After all, conflicts were bound to arise between different saint bodies.
"In other words, if I want to smelt these three saint bodies, I must prepare the materials for all three in advance and forge them at the same time."
"Whether the forging succeeds or fails depends entirely on repeated attempts, slowly adjusting according to my own physical state until I ultimately grasp the balance point to thoroughly smelt all three together."
"Furthermore, once the three saint bodies are being smelted into one, if there are insufficient materials for even one of them, or if materials for any single one are missing, the unified saint body cannot be forged successfully."
Details regarding the forging of saint bodies flashed through Lu Changsheng's mind.
It was indeed difficult.
If it were just one saint body requiring a few or a dozen materials, one could still manage with enough effort.
Yet for three saint bodies, several dozen materials would be needed.
Moreover, the quantities required were massive, and not a single one could be lacking.
If even the slightest bit of material were missing, the forging would fail.
Smelting saint bodies undoubtedly amplified the difficulty of forging by several times.
Forging a saint body was already hard enough on its own.
Smelting several multiplied that difficulty manifold.
Therefore, even though everyone knew smelting saint bodies was superior, those who truly possessed the courage to put it into practice were exceedingly rare.
Unless a martial artist possessed absolute self-confidence, they would never choose to smelt saint bodies.
As it happened, Lu Changsheng possessed that absolute confidence in himself.
He firmly believed that with his comprehension, by feeling his way forward through gradual attempts, he would surely find the balance point among the three saint bodies and smelt them into one.
"Then it's settled."
"I will smelt the three saint bodies into one to attain the Martial Saint realm!"
Lu Changsheng had made his decision.
Giving up any one of the three was out of the question.
Besides, he never chose between good things.
He wanted them all!
With that, Lu Changsheng began browsing the three saint body manuals in the cultivation room.
He studied them for several hours until he had committed all three methods firmly to memory.
Lu Changsheng returned to Cave Abode Number One.
He spoke directly: "Artifact spirit, I require the cultivation materials for the Hundong Saint Body, the Five-Colored Divine Light Saint Body, and the Ten Directions Saint Body."
As Lu Changsheng's voice fell, the artifact spirit answered at once: "Based on the cultivation resource allotment for Cave Abode Number One, the following materials may be obtained..."
The artifact spirit slowly listed a massive catalog of cultivation materials.
It essentially covered items needed for all three saint bodies.
However, the quantities were meager.
Or rather, it was merely a fraction of what was needed.
More critically, the Martial Saint Mansion did not provide the three key materials for forging the saint bodies.
"The Martial Saint Mansion isn't running a charity; it's impossible for them to supply all the materials to forge a saint body."
"If they truly did that, how could anyone ever repay the Martial Saint Mansion after becoming a Martial Saint?"
Lu Changsheng shook his head.
He had looked into the nature of the Martial Saint Mansion.
It was simply an academy without any compulsory ties.
Once one became a Martial Saint, one left the mansion.
The Martial Saint Mansion would not force anyone to do anything.
Nor would it compel anyone to join any faction.
Such a neutral institution held an aloof and transcendent standing.
That it could provide some ordinary cultivation resources was already quite generous.
As for the most precious resources?
That was utterly out of the question.
Furthermore, only Lu Changsheng, as the master of Cave Abode Number One, was entitled to allocate this much in cultivation resources.
For Cave Abode Number Two, Cave Abode Number Three, and the rest, the resources would likely be far less.
"My purpose in coming to the Martial Saint Mansion was to find saint bodies compatible with my divine abilities. Now that I have acquired all three manuals, that goal has already been met."
"Receiving some cultivation resources is merely an unexpected bonus."
"For the crucial resources needed to forge the saint bodies, I still have to rely on myself!"
Lu Changsheng had a very clear perspective.
He could not go back to Li Guang for this.
Even if Li Guang were willing, could the Li Chamber of Commerce procure such rare materials for forging saint bodies?
It was highly unlikely.
One needed only look at Venerable Fiery Cloud.
The Flame Palace was far more powerful than the Li Chamber of Commerce.
Venerable Fiery Cloud was even a direct disciple nurtured with the Flame Palace's full support.
Yet what was the result?
To acquire certain resources to forge his saint body, Venerable Fiery Cloud still had to negotiate with the Huxian Immortal Sect and venture into Ethereal Spirit Mountain in exchange for cultivation resources.
"The three key resources are ethereal demon beads, Innate Five Elements Essence, and Void Divine Crystals."
"Apart from those three, a vast quantity of other resources is also required. But those can all be purchased with spirit stones. It may require a massive amount, so I should prepare plenty of spirit stones."
"Yet these three key resources cannot be bought even with spirit stones. I must find a way myself."
Lu Changsheng weighed his options.
At present, the easiest for him was actually the ethereal demon beads.
It was nothing more than dealing with ethereal demons.
Even against an ethereal demon king, Lu Changsheng's Spiritual Black Hole divine ability could counter it.
But the problem was: where could he find ethereal demons?
He knew Ethereal Spirit Mountain had plenty of them.
Yet Ethereal Spirit Mountain was jointly sealed off by the major immortal sects.
It opened only once every ten years.
It had already opened recently.
If he wanted to enter again, he would have to wait another ten years.
So, other than Ethereal Spirit Mountain, where else were there ethereal demons?
Especially ethereal demon kings!
No matter how many ordinary ethereal demons he slew, they would not yield ethereal demon beads.
Only an ethereal demon king could produce one.
Lu Changsheng was not very familiar with the circumstances of the Holy Land.
However, someone else was.
Lu Changsheng promptly took out his message transmission stone and sent a message to Li Guang.
Before long, Li Guang replied.
"The Demon Abyss?"
Reading Li Guang's reply, Lu Changsheng sank into thought.
The Demon Abyss certainly had ethereal demons.
In fact, it was teeming with them.
Moreover, there were definitely ethereal demon kings.
If Lu Changsheng could sweep through the Demon Abyss, he would never lack ethereal demon beads.
However, the Demon Abyss was no ordinary place.
It was far too perilous.
Not only was it perilous for the Divine Ability realm, but even if Martial Saints ventured into the Demon Abyss, they faced a high risk of perishing.
In the past, a great number of Martial Saints had fallen in the Demon Abyss.
Among them were even Heavenly Saints!
Lu Changsheng was indeed confident in his own strength.
However, he was not so overconfident as to believe he could run rampant in the Demon Abyss.
Going there would be gambling with his life.
That was not confidence; that was stupidity!
"The various factions of the Holy Land must have accumulated some ethereal demon beads."
"Not just ethereal demon beads—certain factions surely possess things like Innate Five Elements Essence or even Void Divine Crystals."
"Aside from obtaining free manuals and receiving some cultivation resources, the greatest benefit of the Martial Saint Mansion actually lies in the outer mansion."
"In the outer mansion, there is a Trading Hall. There, various factions trade what they have for what they need, recruit top Divine Ability realm experts, or conduct transactions among themselves."
"And the compensation for those transactions consists almost entirely of various resources and materials for forging saint bodies."
"Perhaps I should take a look at the Trading Hall."
Lu Changsheng recalled the Martial Saint Mansion's most distinctive feature: the Trading Hall.
Originally, the Martial Saint Mansion had no Trading Hall.
Yet as the mansion flourished, especially after the outer mansion was established, the major factions saw an opportunity.
Furthermore, many top Divine Ability martial artists gathered here even if they did not join the Martial Saint Mansion. With so many elite martial artists in one place, they exchanged what they possessed for what they needed, trading surplus cultivation resources for the ones they lacked.
Gradually, the Trading Hall came into being.
Lu Changsheng rose, left Cave Abode Number One, and headed straight for the outer mansion's Trading Hall.
Upon arriving at the outer mansion, Lu Changsheng saw crowds flowing like a woven tapestry.
Compared to the inner mansion, the population here was thousands, if not tens of thousands, of times greater.
This was not an exaggeration in the slightest.
Naturally, most were not actually martial artists of the Martial Saint Mansion.
They were not even outer mansion members.
At most, they were martial artists drawn by its reputation.
The outer mansion had effectively become a hub akin to a trading center for the Holy Land.
The Divine Ability realm was an extremely peculiar stage.
It relied heavily on external resources.
After all, forging a saint body required all kinds of rare and precious external items.
A Divine Ability martial artist relying solely on themselves or their own clan inevitably faced limitations.
Yet the Trading Hall of the Martial Saint Mansion was different.
It was packed with all sorts of Divine Ability martial artists cultivating a wide array of saint bodies, offering a dazzling array of cultivation resources as they exchanged what they had for what they needed.
Lu Changsheng stepped into the Trading Hall.
It was even more boisterous here.
The martial artists coming and going were too numerous to count.
Nearly all were in the Divine Ability realm.
Many Divine Ability martial artists had signs set up before them.
Inscribed upon them were goods available for trade,
or specific requests.
For instance, what Lu Changsheng saw most often were notices for "recruitment."
Yes, recruitment.
For example, recruiting top Divine Ability martial artists.
There were requirements, such as having condensed a greater divine ability.
In return, they could provide certain resources required for a saint body.
However, after attaining the Martial Saint realm, the recruit would have to serve for a certain number of years, and so on.
Such postings were everywhere.
Although most top Divine Ability martial artists had factions backing them, there were still rogue cultivators.
For these rogue cultivators, obtaining the resources to forge a saint body was exceedingly difficult.
Being able to negotiate with various factions in the Trading Hall was a viable path.
Naturally, serving a set number of years only after becoming a Martial Saint was considered a remarkably generous condition.
Most factions would not sponsor resources for nothing.
The vast majority required serving for several years first, with a yearly stipend of cultivation resources.
Nearly all deals followed this pattern.
The more outstanding the martial artist, the more resources they could secure.
"With my qualifications, if I were willing to be recruited, how many resources could I obtain?"
Lu Changsheng thought to himself.
He was an inner mansion martial artist of the Martial Saint Mansion, occupied Cave Abode Number One, and had condensed a boundless divine ability.
With qualifications like his, his future was practically limitless!
Countless factions would flock to him like ducks to water.
However, once recruited, one's freedom was largely surrendered.
Moreover, could those factions truly supply the resources Lu Changsheng needed?
Not necessarily.
At best, they could probably only provide a small fraction.
To Lu Changsheng, that held little significance.
Still, with so many varied requests here, Lu Changsheng searched through them one by one.
"Hmm?"
"Recruiting a top Divine Ability martial artist, preferably with Martial Venerable strength."
"Must engage in an open arena battle. Victory rewards Gengjin Essence!"
Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up.
He knew that Gengjin Essence was the metal-attribute essence among the five elements.
However, it was not Innate Five Elements Essence; it was Acquired Five Elements Essence.
It was refined drop by drop from massive quantities of gengjin metal and was likewise extraordinarily precious.
Many flying swords and other magic treasures required Gengjin Essence in their refinement.
"Since they have Acquired Five Elements Essence, they might not lack the Innate variety. It's worth making contact."
Lu Changsheng had already made up his mind.
He walked straight toward the booth.
A large crowd of martial artists had already gathered around the poster of this task.
After all, Gengjin Essence was simply too rare.
Furthermore, many saint bodies required Gengjin Essence as well.
"Sign me up."
"Sign me up too! With my strength, what arena battle could I possibly lose? You won't regret recruiting me."
"Hmph, I am an outer mansion martial artist of the Martial Saint Mansion. Those of us in the outer mansion possess top-tier talent and are practically guaranteed to become Martial Saints in the future. In terms of strength, we aren't comparable to ordinary martial artists."
"You think you're the only outer mansion martial artist here? I'm from the outer mansion too, ranked in the top hundred..."
Martial artists clamored one after another to register.
This alone demonstrated the rarity of Gengjin Essence.
People would fight tooth and nail for such a resource.
"Don't rush, everyone. One at a time."
"Let's make this clear first: you'll be fighting in an arena, and the opponent is no nobody. There is a risk of death..."
Hearing the mention of "death," the martial artists paid it no heed.
In arena battles, one could run into any kind of opponent.
If one were outmatched, one could simply concede.
Killing them?
That was no easy feat!
Lu Changsheng walked forward, his brow furrowing slightly at the crowd.
Even so, he spoke in a calm, clear voice: "Lu accepts this task!"
His tone was brimming with confidence.
There was an aura about him that commanded immediate respect.
"Who are you?"
Seeing his demeanor, the recruiting martial artist could not help but ask.
"Inner mansion martial artist, Lu Changsheng!"
Lu Changsheng answered.
"An inner mansion martial artist?"
The surrounding crowd was startled and looked on with surprise.
Inner mansion martial artists all held high status.
However, Lu Changsheng clearly did not seem to understand the local dynamic.
When it came to true strength, inner mansion martial artists were not necessarily superior to those of the outer mansion.
In fact, not only in strength, but even in talent, they often lagged behind.
Outer mansion martial artists had climbed step by step from the bottom to the Divine Ability realm, possessing the sharpest innate talent to be admitted into the Martial Saint Mansion as outer members.
In both talent and combat strength, outer mansion members were generally stronger than inner mansion members.
Of course, this was not absolute.
There were top-tier powerhouses among inner mansion martial artists as well.
Yet on average, outer mansion martial artists were likely somewhat stronger.
Because of this, friction frequently arose between the inner and outer mansions of the Martial Saint Mansion.
However, in terms of background and status, inner mansion members were undeniably far superior to outer mansion members.
Nearly all of them were backed by factions with Martial Saints.
"Hmph, what boasting! Could it be that Your Excellency has only just entered the Martial Saint Mansion? Don't you know that inner mansion members rely merely on recommendation tokens to get in?"
"When it comes to true talent and strength, how can you compare to us outer mansion members?"
"If Your Excellency hopes to take this task on the merit of your inner mansion status alone, I'm afraid you will be sorely disappointed."
One of the outer mansion martial artists looked at Lu Changsheng and sneered.
Outer mansion martial artists had another title:
Martial Saint seeds!
Inner mansion members enjoyed no such reputation.
Therefore, outer mansion martial artists carried ample pride when facing those from the inner mansion!
Yet Lu Changsheng remained unmoved, remarking indifferently, "If the status of an inner mansion martial artist is not enough to take this task, then I wonder if the master of inner mansion Cave Abode Number One is qualified?"
*Boom.*
Though Lu Changsheng spoke calmly, his words fell like a sudden clap of thunder, jolting the hearts of everyone nearby.
Even the outer mansion martial artists underwent a drastic change in expression.
"The master of Cave Abode Number One? Could you be Venerable Tianming?"
"No, I've seen Venerable Tianming; he looks nothing like this. Even his aura is completely different. Is someone impersonating Venerable Tianming?"
"Hahaha, someone actually dares to impersonate Venerable Tianming? Don't you know that Venerable Tianming is known to everyone in the Martial Saint Mansion?"
Smiles of mockery crept onto several faces.
Venerable Tianming?
No matter how one looked at the man before them, he was certainly not Venerable Tianming.
Yet faced with the crowd's sneers and ridicule, Lu Changsheng's expression remained unchanged.
Suddenly, an inner mansion martial artist spoke in shock and uncertainty: "Wait, Venerable Tianming is no longer the master of Cave Abode Number One. A newcomer who just entered the Martial Saint Mansion—supposedly Lu Changsheng of Tiansheng City—was directly assigned Cave Abode Number One by the artifact spirit, making him the new master. Could this be him?"
"Lu Changsheng? Right, that did happen! Because it's an inner mansion matter that took place just recently, word hasn't spread widely yet."
"Cave Abode Number One has indeed changed hands."
As several inner mansion martial artists spoke up, the mocking sneers around them instantly froze.
Never had they imagined that Cave Abode Number One had already changed hands.
As for being assigned Cave Abode Number One right upon entering the Martial Saint Mansion, that was truly unprecedented and bordering on the impossible.
Yet with these inner mansion martial artists verifying it, the more unbelievable it seemed, the more likely it was true.
"Good, good, good!"
"If fellow daoist is truly the master of Cave Abode Number One, you are naturally qualified to take this task."
"May I ask how to address fellow daoist?"
A look of delight appeared on the recruiting martial artist's face.
He knew very well that powerful figures existed among the inner mansion members,
especially the master of Cave Abode Number One.
That person was universally acknowledged as the number one in the inner mansion!
The weight carried by that title was immense.
For instance, the previous occupant, Venerable Tianming, had been among the very top Martial Venerables.
"Inner mansion martial artist, Lu Changsheng,"
Lu Changsheng replied placidly.
"It really is Lu Changsheng!"
"To think he came here to take a task right after arriving at the Martial Saint Mansion."
"He's probably eager to forge his saint body, right?"
Many inner mansion martial artists came to a sudden realization.
They had heard the name "Lu Changsheng" by now,
though many had never seen his face.
Now, they had witnessed Lu Changsheng with their own eyes.
"Fellow Daoist Lu truly wishes to accept this task? Then let us find a private place to discuss the details."
Lu Changsheng nodded and left the Trading Hall alongside the martial artist.
He had not taken the earlier commotion in the Trading Hall to heart.
However, his status as the master of inner mansion Cave Abode Number One clearly served a great purpose.
At the very least, it gave him an obvious advantage when competing for tasks.
The moment this martial artist heard that Lu Changsheng was the master of Cave Abode Number One, he had brushed aside all other applicants and chosen him on the spot.
The two entered a private room in the outer mansion to hold their discussion.
"There is a prerequisite we must make clear first."
"The Gengjin Essence Lu desires is not the Acquired sort, but Innate Gengjin Essence!"
"If you do not have it, there is no need to discuss this task any further."
Lu Changsheng spoke decisively, laying his terms flat on the table.
"What?"
"Innate Gengjin Essence?"
The martial artist across from him underwent a sudden change in expression.
Innate Gengjin Essence and Acquired Gengjin Essence seemed separated by only a single word.
Yet that single word represented a difference of night and day.
The two could not be mentioned in the same breath.
While Acquired Gengjin Essence merely required a vast amount of gengjin to be refined bit by bit,
Innate Gengjin Essence was something that could only be encountered by pure fortune.
It was formed purely by nature.
Often, an entire colossal vein of gengjin ore would yield only a tiny sliver of Innate Gengjin Essence.
The difference between Innate and Acquired lay in growth potential.
If a magic treasure incorporated Acquired Gengjin Essence,
it remained forever fixed in whatever state it was refined into, lacking room for growth or high malleability.
Innate Gengjin Essence was entirely different.
As long as Innate Gengjin Essence was incorporated, the refined magic treasure could gradually grow over time.
It was not impossible for it to ultimately evolve into a treasure of immense power.
Thus, that growth potential and malleability made Innate Gengjin Essence so exceedingly valuable.
It could be said that this single word made Innate Gengjin Essence worth at least ten to several dozen times more.
"Fellow Daoist Lu, aren't you asking for the moon?"
"Just how precious is Innate Gengjin Essence?"
"Even if our Feizhou Chamber of Commerce possessed it, we could never bring it out for this."
The martial artist shook his head and refused on the spot.
Lu Changsheng's eyes narrowed slightly.
So this martial artist belonged to the Feizhou Chamber of Commerce.
Lu Changsheng seemed to have heard of the Feizhou Chamber of Commerce before.
It was a fairly well-known merchant guild.
Furthermore, reading between the lines, they might very well possess Innate Gengjin Essence!
As long as they had it, there was room to negotiate.
"May I ask why your Feizhou Chamber of Commerce needs to recruit Divine Ability martial artists in the Martial Saint Mansion?"
"With your chamber's influence, surely you don't lack top Divine Ability martial artists?"
Lu Changsheng inquired.
"This matter is no secret anyway,"
the martial artist replied.
"Our Feizhou Chamber of Commerce is contesting a vein of gengjin ore against the Mingzhou Chamber of Commerce. We have always controlled numerous gengjin mines, so every single gengjin vein is of vital importance. If the Mingzhou Chamber of Commerce secures this vein, it will be very disadvantageous to us."
"Both parties are large chambers of commerce, so naturally we have our ways of resolving disputes; it is impossible for Martial Saints to step in and fight, as things would blow out of hand beyond control."
"Therefore, both sides agreed to settle the matter through an open arena battle between Divine Ability martial artists, with the winner securing ownership of that gengjin vein."
"The Mingzhou Chamber of Commerce has a top Martial Venerable whose strength is formidable; ordinary Martial Venerables are no match for him at all. Hence, we could only come to the Martial Saint Mansion to see if we could recruit an elite Martial Venerable."
Lu Changsheng understood.
It was a dispute over a gengjin ore vein.
In truth, the Feizhou Chamber of Commerce owned many gengjin mines.
A single vein was not critically vital to them.
Yet to the Mingzhou Chamber of Commerce, it was extraordinarily important.
With a gengjin vein, the Mingzhou Chamber of Commerce could break into the gengjin market.
When that happened, they could compete directly against the Feizhou Chamber of Commerce.
That was something the Feizhou Chamber of Commerce could not tolerate.
Hence, the Feizhou Chamber of Commerce was determined to win this gengjin vein at all costs!
Lu Changsheng now knew where he stood.
He smiled faintly. "You may send word to the higher-ups of the Feizhou Chamber of Commerce."
"Give me Innate Gengjin Essence, and I will help the Feizhou Chamber of Commerce secure that gengjin vein."
Lu Changsheng's words left the martial artist momentarily stunned.
"Fellow Daoist Lu, what method do you have that guarantees securing the gengjin vein?"
Word by word, Lu Changsheng replied calmly, "Because no matter whom the Mingzhou Chamber of Commerce sends forth, Lu shall prevail!"
A seemingly ordinary statement, yet it radiated indisputable confidence!
Lu Changsheng possessed that confidence.
Even if the other side managed to invite Venerable Tianming, it would make no difference.
To Lu Changsheng, the outcome was already decided.
He was certain to win!
The martial artist of the Feizhou Chamber of Commerce was shaken.
He seemed swept up by Lu Changsheng's sheer conviction.
Taking a deep breath, he said solemnly, "Since Fellow Daoist Lu is so confident... I will send a message to the president immediately and let him decide!"
Lu Changsheng nodded.
He simply closed his eyes and waited in silence.
The martial artist stepped outside briefly.
He relayed Lu Changsheng's exact words to the president of the Feizhou Chamber of Commerce.
The upper echelons of the Feizhou Chamber of Commerce immediately convened an urgent discussion.
An inner mansion martial artist of the Martial Saint Mansion, and the master of Cave Abode Number One.
This status already carried immense weight.
Moreover, they learned that the previous master of Cave Abode Number One had been Venerable Tianming.
That was a figure considered formidable in combat even among past masters of Cave Abode Number One.
Yet his cave abode had been taken by Lu Changsheng.
After about an incense stick of time, the martial artist stepped back into the room.
"Fellow Daoist Lu, the chamber has agreed to your terms."
"Provided you can defeat the Mingzhou Chamber of Commerce's fighter in the arena, our chamber will present a piece of Innate Gengjin Essence weighing at least ten jin."
The Feizhou Chamber of Commerce had even specified the weight of the Innate Gengjin Essence.
This put Lu Changsheng's mind further at ease.
Ten jin was plenty!
"It's a deal!"
"When do we depart?"
Lu Changsheng asked.
"We can depart right now."
"Very well. I have nothing that requires preparation; let us head to the Feizhou Chamber of Commerce at once."
Lu Changsheng did not wish to waste any time.
With that, the martial artist and Lu Changsheng boarded a flying boat.
The two flew swiftly toward the headquarters of the Feizhou Chamber of Commerce.
Roughly three days later, they arrived at the headquarters.
The president came out in person to receive them.
"Welcome, Fellow Daoist Lu, to the Feizhou Chamber of Commerce."
"To have Fellow Daoist Lu's full assistance this time is truly our chamber's good fortune!"
The president was a Golden Core True Person, yet his speech was quite polished and tactful.
"The president flatters me."
"However, might Lu first take a look at the Innate Gengjin Essence?"
Lu Changsheng spoke frankly.
It was not that he distrusted the Feizhou Chamber of Commerce,
but seeing it with his own eyes would set his mind at ease.
"Naturally."
"Fellow Daoist Lu, please enter."
Lu Changsheng nodded.
He entered the chamber's main hall.
Before long, someone brought forward a piece of Innate Gengjin Essence about the size of a fist.
Though only fist-sized, it was extremely heavy, weighing fully ten jin.
Furthermore, the aura it radiated was extraordinarily sharp.
With just a single glance, Lu Changsheng confirmed that it was indeed Innate Gengjin Essence!
"Very good."
Lu Changsheng nodded in satisfaction.
The Feizhou Chamber of Commerce then stowed the Innate Gengjin Essence away.
"Fellow Daoist Lu, this old man must give you a word of warning."
"The Martial Venerable sent by the Mingzhou Chamber of Commerce actually hails from the Martial Saint Mansion as well. However, he was an outer mansion member—Venerable Hu Shan, who was once hailed as the number one in the outer mansion."
"Hu Shan is no longer a martial artist of the Martial Saint Mansion because his ten-year limit has expired. Even so, his strength is recognized by all. Fellow Daoist Lu must take care."
Lu Changsheng's eyes narrowed slightly.
The former number one of the Martial Saint Mansion's outer mansion?
Lu Changsheng was indeed somewhat surprised.
Yet whether he was the former number one or the current number one of the outer mansion made little difference to Lu Changsheng.
As long as the opponent remained within the Divine Ability realm, Lu Changsheng feared no one.
"No matter, I will take the field! President, go make the arrangements for the duel."
"The sooner, the better!"
Lu Changsheng spoke indifferently, his tone devoid of any ripple.
"Good. Then this old man will make the arrangements at once. Please be prepared, Fellow Daoist Lu."
With that, Lu Changsheng rose and retired to meditate in quiet, waiting for the Feizhou Chamber of Commerce to arrange the duel against the Mingzhou Chamber of Commerce.
Chapter 227