Three Boundless Divine Abilities! Boundless Divine Might, Slaying the Saint Beast Flood Dragon!

"Three years?" Zhang Shu stared at Lu Changsheng. Could Lu Changsheng truly guarantee that he would become a Martial Saint in just three years? She harbored deep doubts. Yet Lu Changsheng clearly had no desire to become Dao companions with her. Did she have any other choice? "Very well. Three years it is." "I hope that within three years, Brother Lu will be able to forge a saint body and achieve Martial Saint!" Gritting her teeth, Zhang Shu agreed. After all, she had no alternative. At the very least, a three-year pact with Lu Changsheng offered a glimmer of hope. "By the way, Daoist Zhang, what was that clue you mentioned regarding the Void Divine Crystal...?" Lu Changsheng asked. Wasn't the Void Divine Crystal his ultimate goal? Zhang Shu certainly did not possess one herself; she could only provide a lead. Moreover, it had to be something she had no way of obtaining on her own. Zhang Shu bit her lip and lowered her voice. "The Void Divine Crystal is likely beneath a secluded valley in the Yuntu Mountain Range. I entered the Yuntu Mountain Range once and discovered that a vein of Void Divine Stone was forming there. When a Void Divine Stone vein is in the process of gestating, there is invariably a Void Divine Crystal at its source." Lu Changsheng felt a surge of joy. A vein of Void Divine Stone was indeed birthed from a Void Divine Crystal. Once the vein finished forming and the crystal's energy was fully depleted, the crystal would naturally vanish. Just as Zhang Shu said, if there was an incipient Void Divine Stone vein in the Yuntu Mountain Range that had only begun to gestate, a Void Divine Crystal was guaranteed to be present. However, how large that crystal might be remained impossible to say. That depended entirely on luck. Still, having a Void Divine Crystal there at all was an incredible pleasant surprise. "Daoist Zhang, why didn't you retrieve the Void Divine Crystal yourself? Even if you couldn't take the crystal, mining those Void Divine Stones would be worth a fortune. Why share this with me?" Lu Changsheng asked, puzzled. Merely to resolve her clan's crisis? There was really no need to rely on him for that. If she truly possessed knowledge of a Void Divine Crystal, she could easily seek out an actual Martial Saint. Zhang Shu gritted her teeth and said in a heavy voice, "That place in the Yuntu Mountain Range is exceedingly perilous. Not only are there swarms of spirit beasts rivaling pinnacle Divine Ability cultivators and even Martial Venerables, but more importantly, there is a saint beast! A saint beast flood dragon! Though it is merely a spirit python that transformed into a flood dragon, its prowess is terrifying. Ordinary Martial Saints would likely be no match for it. With such a flood dragon coiled atop the Void Divine Stone vein, how could I dare go after the crystal?" Lu Changsheng came to a sudden realization. It was not that Zhang Shu did not want to take it, but that she did not dare—she simply could not. Even if she mustered the courage to try, it would only lead to death. Thus, this truly could only serve as a clue. Even so, it matched the requirements of the mission he had posted. "Rest assured, Daoist Zhang. Our agreement is struck, and this clue is very useful to me." "Good. As long as it is useful." Zhang Shu rose, bade him farewell, and left the cave abode. "A saint beast flood dragon..." Lu Changsheng narrowed his eyes slightly. He weighed the situation carefully. A saint beast flood dragon was clearly nothing to trifle with—a beast on par with a Martial Saint was indeed perilous. As for the other spirit beasts comparable to pinnacle Divine Ability cultivators or Martial Venerables, Lu Changsheng did not care about them in the slightest. *I wonder if the combination of my three divine abilities can hold its own against a Martial Saint?* That audacious notion in Lu Changsheng's mind grew even stronger. Three boundless divine abilities! *Still, it's worth a try. I must have Shift Talismans ready. With my three boundless divine abilities—especially the Spiritual Black Hole—it should prove highly effective against a flood dragon. Even for a saint beast, its spiritual willpower cannot be exceptionally strong. As long as the flood dragon cannot kill me in an instant, I can hold out for a bit, then escape using a Shift Talisman.* After pondering for a long time, Lu Changsheng finally made up his mind. Besides, he might not actually encounter the flood dragon. If luck was on his side and the beast was away, he might be able to obtain the crystal unimpeded. Yet the odds of that were slim. The Void Divine Crystal lay buried deep underground within the divine stone vein. If Lu Changsheng wanted to extract it, he would have to forcibly dig up the entire vein. How much commotion would that cause? As long as the flood dragon was anywhere nearby, it would certainly be alerted. *I should buy a few more Shift Talismans.* Lu Changsheng went to the Trading Hall to purchase Shift Talismans. Before long, he had acquired a large stock of them. Next, he bought maps. Following Zhang Shu's markings on the chart, Lu Changsheng firmly committed the location of the vein in the Yuntu Mountain Range to memory. With all preparations complete, Lu Changsheng hesitated no longer and set off, flying toward the Yuntu Mountain Range. *** Within the Yuntu Mountain Range, three Divine Ability martial artists—two men and one woman—were moving cautiously, seemingly searching for something. "Father's injury can only be fully healed with a Nine-Leaf Lotus, and traces of it have appeared in the Yuntu Mountain Range." "Although the mountain range is dangerous, as long as we remain vigilant, we might still obtain it." "The Nine-Leaf Lotus grows near water. Keep an eye out for any pools or streams." The trio had come in search of a Nine-Leaf Lotus, a sacred medicine for healing. The injury in question was a wound to the spirit. As for physical bodies, a Divine Ability realm martial artist possessed immense physical resilience; dealing a crippling blow to such a body was difficult, and virtually any severe physical injury would heal rapidly. However, a spiritual wound could never fully recover without the aid of natural treasures. "Look over there! There's a pool of water!" "By the water's edge—is that a Nine-Leaf Lotus?" Suddenly, the three spotted a pool of water. Beside it stood an extraordinary Nine-Leaf Lotus—the very natural treasure they had been desperately seeking. "We must get that Nine-Leaf Lotus." "Natural treasures are usually guarded by spirit beasts, though. We have to be careful." The three crept forward with utmost caution. Ten zhang, five zhang, three zhang, one zhang... Just as they reached within a single zhang of the Nine-Leaf Lotus, close enough to touch it— *Splash!* The water churned violently, spraying waves into the air as a massive head breached the surface. "A spirit beast—the ten-thousand-year black alligator!" The three nearly jumped out of their skins. A ten-thousand-year black alligator! That was a creature comparable to a pinnacle Martial Venerable. If an ordinary Divine Ability cultivator crossed paths with one, death was the only outcome. "Run!" "Flee for your lives!" "I have to get that lotus! I'm risking it!" The woman gritted her teeth, resolved to take the gamble. The Nine-Leaf Lotus was right in front of her. Reaching out abruptly toward the flower, an invisible force surged from her grasp to seize it. *Roar!* The ten-thousand-year black alligator flew into a rage. Opening its bloody maw, it unleashed a blast. *Boom!* Like a cataclysmic deluge, a colossal torrent of water swept toward the trio. This was no ordinary water; if struck, even Divine Ability martial artists would be blasted into fine powder. That single zhang of distance turned into an impassable chasm, completely cutting off any hope of claiming the lotus. *Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!* The three unleashed their divine abilities at once, trying desperately to block the alligator. They were reasonably capable, likely pinnacle Divine Ability cultivators. But pitted against a ten-thousand-year black alligator that rivaled a pinnacle Martial Venerable, they stood no chance. The sheer force of the water jet crushed their divine abilities to pieces in a sweeping onslaught. "No, we're finished..." Their faces turned deathly pale. They knew they would likely die here today. Suddenly, through the blur of rushing water, they caught sight of a figure abruptly appearing by the edge of the pool. It was a man clad in black. He glanced in their direction. *Boom!* A layer of invisible divine ability descended instantly over the black alligator. No matter how violently the beast spat water or rammed with its mighty physique, it could not breach the invisible cage. Seeing this, the three gasped for air, immediately realizing they had encountered a supreme expert. "We thank Senior for saving our lives!" The three dropped to their knees in deep, respectful prostration. It was a debt of life, after all. The newcomer was none other than Lu Changsheng. Having arrived in the Yuntu Mountain Range, he had merely intervened in passing upon spotting the trio. According to Zhang Shu's map markings, the valley ought to be somewhere nearby. Yet Lu Changsheng had refrained from deploying his Perception Domain to avoid startling the saint beast flood dragon, leaving him no choice but to search slowly on foot. "The Yuntu Mountain Range is exceedingly dangerous. What are you doing here?" Lu Changsheng asked casually. These three were too weak. They were not even Martial Venerables, yet dared to venture into the Yuntu Mountain Range? This area practically counted as the mountain range's core. Any random spirit beast here could rival a Martial Venerable; coming here was practically suicide. "Senior, our master suffered a severe spiritual wound that continues to worsen. We came to find a Nine-Leaf Lotus to treat him," the three answered respectfully. "A Nine-Leaf Lotus?" Lu Changsheng glanced down. Right before him stood a stalk. "Is this the one?" "Yes, that's it!" Lu Changsheng reached out and plucked the Nine-Leaf Lotus into his hand. The eyes of the three burned with yearning. "You three have likely been in the Yuntu Mountain Range for some time, and you must have searched quite a bit while looking for the lotus. Do you happen to know of a valley nearby?" Lu Changsheng asked. "A valley?" The three racked their brains. "Ah, I remember! About ten li to the southwest, there is indeed a valley!" Lu Changsheng nodded. Knowing there was a valley was enough. "Take the Nine-Leaf Lotus. Leave immediately—this is no place for you to linger. There is a saint beast flood dragon nearby. Once it wakes, you won't be able to leave even if you want to..." Before his voice had even faded, Lu Changsheng turned into a streak of flowing light, rocketing southwest. The three stared at one another in stunned silence. "A saint beast flood dragon..." A chill ran down their spines. That was a terrifying spirit beast rivaling a Martial Saint! To think such a monstrous creature lurked nearby! They had been remarkably fortunate not to have died in the Yuntu Mountain Range today, all thanks to running into such an extraordinary expert. "The Nine-Leaf Lotus!" "Come on, let's get out of here right now." "I wonder who that senior was? He didn't seem like a Martial Saint—he felt more like a Divine Ability cultivator. But to casually suppress a ten-thousand-year black alligator, just how strong is he?" "Knowing full well a saint beast flood dragon resides here, he still searched the area for something. Even if he isn't a Martial Saint, he can't be far off." "Alas, he saved our lives yet left no name. We have no way to repay him in the future..." After sighing in gratitude, the three hastily made their exit from the mountain range. After all, they had already obtained the Nine-Leaf Lotus. *** Lu Changsheng paid no further mind to those three Divine Ability martial artists. Saving them had been a trivial gesture. What mattered was locating the valley, and since they had pointed the way, his intervention had not been in vain. He flew ten li directly to the southwest. Finally, a valley came into view. It appeared thoroughly ordinary, with a small stream trickling lazily through it, showing not the slightest hint of anything extraordinary. It was hard to imagine that a vein of Void Divine Stone lay buried beneath it. Landing in the valley, Lu Changsheng came to a halt. He looked around; there was no sign of the saint beast flood dragon. *Perhaps it has temporarily left.* What Lu Changsheng wanted most right now was to verify whether there truly was a Void Divine Stone vein beneath the valley. That was the paramount task. He did not wish to cause too much disturbance. Confirming the vein's existence was simple enough. With a thought, Lu Changsheng gently expanded his Perception Domain downward, enveloping the valley and sinking deep underground. The domain could not penetrate exceedingly deep beneath the earth—past a certain depth, perception became impossible. But merely detecting the presence of a Void Divine Stone vein was well within its reach. A moment later, Lu Changsheng's heart stirred. He sensed it: there were indeed vast quantities of Void Divine Stone beneath the valley. A vein truly existed here! *Just as Zhang Shu said, this vein is still gestating, so the Void Divine Crystal very likely hasn't been completely depleted yet. I must hurry. The longer I delay, the more energy the crystal will lose to this forming vein. Unfortunately, there is no way to locate it silently; I must use divine abilities! And once I do, I will likely alert many spirit beasts—especially that saint beast flood dragon!* Lu Changsheng understood his situation all too well. To claim the Void Divine Crystal, he would almost certainly have to confront the beast. But how could he reconcile walking away without even trying? The next instant, Lu Changsheng soared into the air. Looking down at the valley below, his intent surged. "Divine Ability: Five Elements Decomposition!" *Rumble! Boom!* As Lu Changsheng unleashed Five Elements Decomposition, the earth quaked violently. A terrifying aura swept outward in all directions. The might of this boundless divine ability was earth-shattering, particularly now that Lu Changsheng was using it to "mine." The valley was immense, yet under the relentless onslaught of his divine ability, it collapsed rapidly, hollowing out into a massive abyss. Lu Changsheng did not worry in the least about damaging the Void Divine Crystal. Both the crystal and the stones did not fall within the scope of the five elements. As the divine ability radiated downward, the earth instantly disintegrated, decomposed by the technique, laying bare cluster upon cluster of Void Divine Stones before Lu Changsheng's eyes. Lu Changsheng did not hesitate. Void Divine Stones were exceedingly precious and could be sold at any time. Even if he failed to find the crystal, collecting these stones would yield a tremendous fortune. He continually swept the stones into his spatial treasure, accumulating an ever-growing stockpile. Yet, the Void Divine Crystal remained nowhere to be seen. Lu Changsheng knew that how quickly he found it depended entirely on luck. He could only hope his fortune would hold. However, the massive commotion from unleashing a boundless divine ability quickly drew the attention of nearby spirit beasts. *Roar! Roar! Roar!* A chorus of furious roars echoed across the wilderness. Lu Changsheng swept his senses out and detected five or six beasts charging toward the valley. The auras radiating from them were terrifying—every single one was comparable to a Martial Venerable! Naturally, any beast capable of claiming territory deep within the Yuntu Mountain Range was bound to be formidable, possessing extraordinary bloodlines. The beasts had only just closed within a hundred zhang of Lu Changsheng when he, refusing to waste words, struck. *Hum! Clang!* A colossal Spiritual Black Hole manifested in an instant. At the same moment, the five or six beasts shuddered violently, terror flashing in their eyes. In the next breath, their consciousnesses were obliterated. *Thud, thud, thud!* The corpses of the beasts crashed heavily to the ground, utterly devoid of life. With a mere wave of his hand, Lu Changsheng had slaughtered five or six spirit beasts comparable to Martial Venerables. Though he had not yet forged a saint body, dealing with Martial Venerables was child's play—as effortless as slaughtering chickens or dogs! This was no exaggeration; the corpses on the ground were proof enough. And he had done so while simultaneously maintaining his Five Elements Decomposition to continue mining. Other spirit beasts had been rushing over, but seeing the fate of their brethren, they skidded to an abrupt halt. As beasts on par with Martial Venerables, their intelligence was by no means low. They clearly realized this human martial artist was someone they could not afford to provoke. Yet they dared not leave either, choosing instead to linger around the perimeter, encircling Lu Changsheng as though awaiting something. "Waiting for that saint beast flood dragon?" Lu Changsheng saw through their intentions at a glance. The spirit beasts near this valley were almost certainly subordinates of the flood dragon. "The flood dragon has indeed left the valley temporarily. My luck is holding, but I must pick up the pace..." Lu Changsheng felt a slight relief. The beasts' choice to encircle without attacking confirmed that the flood dragon was not nearby. He was fortunate enough to have time to mine unhindered. Thus, Lu Changsheng threw himself entirely into the task, repeatedly casting Five Elements Decomposition and even deploying the Five Elements Decomposition Divine Technique to maximize his speed. Time slipped by. One hour, two hours, three hours... As the yield of Void Divine Stones grew denser, Lu Changsheng knew the crystal could not be far off. Just as he prepared to redouble his efforts to unearth it, a deafening dragon roar tore through the heavens and earth. "That's... the saint beast flood dragon!" Lu Changsheng's expression shifted drastically. The saint beast flood dragon—a terrifying entity comparable to a Martial Saint! What was destined to come had arrived after all. The beast had returned, and it had clearly sensed what was happening. This valley was most likely its territory—its home. Now, the valley was gone. What Lu Changsheng had done amounted to raiding its home base. To the flood dragon, this was an irreconcilable blood feud! "Insolent human martial artist!" "How dare you trespass upon my domain! You deserve death!" "I will swallow you whole!" Before the flood dragon even arrived, its enraged voice rolled through the air. As an entity rivaling a Martial Saint, it naturally possessed the ability to speak the human tongue. Lu Changsheng snapped his head upward. Above the valley, a colossal hundred-zhang flood dragon looked down upon him, its eyes blazing as though spitting fire—pure, unadulterated hatred! "Divine Ability: Four Symbols Prison!" Without a moment's hesitation, Lu Changsheng unleashed his boundless divine ability. *Rumble!* The Four Symbols Prison manifested instantly, enveloping the distant flood dragon. Formed from the laws of earth, fire, water, and wind, this boundless divine ability carried world-shaking power. To this day, Lu Changsheng had never encountered an adversary capable of breaking free from it. Yet this time was different. Lu Changsheng remained extremely wary, for he was facing a flood dragon that rivaled a Martial Saint! "A mere divine ability...!" The flood dragon's massive form slammed savagely into the Four Symbols Prison. *Boom! Clang!* The collision produced a thunderous crash. With the flood dragon's brute strength, such an impact would normally reduce an entire mountain peak to powder; after all, a flood dragon's greatest asset was its physical might. Yet Lu Changsheng's Four Symbols Prison merely shuddered violently before settling back into stillness. "What?" "What divine ability is this? It actually withstood my strength?" The flood dragon froze for an instant, finding the situation unbelievable. In the past, its physical power had been peerless, crushing Divine Ability cultivators with a mere breath. Yet now, it could not shatter a single divine ability? "Again!" Driven to fury, the flood dragon exerted every ounce of its might and rammed the cage once more. Lu Changsheng had no intention of letting it have its way. "Divine Ability: Spiritual Black Hole!" "Divine Ability: Five Elements Decomposition!" Lu Changsheng fired off two more boundless divine abilities without pause. The Spiritual Black Hole instantly enveloped the flood dragon. A terrifying swallowing force tore violently at its mind, eliciting agonizing shrieks from the beast. Even though it was a saint beast comparable to a Martial Saint, its spirit remained its greatest weakness. Shrieking in agony, it thrashed wildly, its momentum against the Four Symbols Prison scattering considerably. When the two clashed, Lu Changsheng's Four Symbols Prison trembled violently, looking as though it might shatter at any moment, but it held firm. As long as the prison remained intact, Lu Changsheng was in no danger. Immediately after, Five Elements Decomposition struck the flood dragon. The beast's physical resilience was astounding, on par with a Martial Saint, yet the divine ability still began to decompose the elements comprising its flesh. A physical body naturally fell within the scope of the five elements; thus, the beast's flesh began to disintegrate bit by bit. Because of its formidable vitality, the decomposition was slow, but it proved beyond doubt that Lu Changsheng's three boundless divine abilities possessed the power to threaten a Martial Saint-level entity! "Aaargh!" The flood dragon roared in fury, slamming frantically against the Four Symbols Prison. Once, twice, thrice... Finally, after several impacts, the Four Symbols Prison could no longer endure and shattered under the beast's charge. Lu Changsheng retreated instantly without a second thought. "Divine Ability: Four Symbols Prison!" Before the flood dragon could even react, an identical cage materialized around it once more. Four Symbols Prison! This drove the flood dragon into a blinding rage. Yet the Spiritual Black Hole and Five Elements Decomposition remained clamped upon it. It had literally forced its way through the previous prison while enduring the agonizing erosion of both abilities. "Despicable human martial artist...!" the flood dragon bellowed. Lu Changsheng remained completely unmoved by its curses. When the flood dragon smashed through the prison again with brute force, Lu Changsheng immediately fell back and cast it once more. Time and again, the cycle repeated. Under the relentless devouring of the Spiritual Black Hole and the continuous breakdown from Five Elements Decomposition, the flood dragon grew increasingly frail, its injuries mounting. The battle of attrition dragged on for several full hours. "I refuse to accept this...!" The flood dragon let out a dying roar. Yet it was futile. Lu Changsheng's Spiritual Black Hole thoroughly extinguished its consciousness, while Five Elements Decomposition broke down its physical form. In the span of a breath, not a bone remained of the beast, as though it had never existed at all. "Phew..." Lu Changsheng let out a long breath of relief. "It's finally dead..." "This flood dragon was truly difficult to deal with. It took several full hours to grind it down to death." "Saint beasts are indeed formidable. If this had been an actual Martial Saint, their spiritual willpower would be exceedingly powerful; my Spiritual Black Hole might still have some effect, but definitely nothing like this. Furthermore, a Martial Saint's body is unique, and many saint bodies do not belong to the five elements. If it is outside the five elements, Five Elements Decomposition becomes useless. On top of that, some Martial Saints excel at explosive power, with saint body strength exceeding even this flood dragon's; they might shatter my Four Symbols Prison in an instant." "Against an ordinary Martial Saint, I might be able to kill them, but they could just as easily kill me. As things stand, my odds against a Martial Saint are roughly even, perhaps forty-sixty in their favor." Lu Changsheng felt a solemn chill in his heart. He did not let the slaying of a saint beast flood dragon go to his head. He knew that managing to kill it had involved a degree of luck. Had he faced a genuine Martial Saint, his fortune might not have held. Even so, this battle proved one thing: the combination of his three boundless divine abilities was likely enough to match an ordinary Martial Saint. If an opponent's saint body fell within the five elements, Lu Changsheng would hold the upper hand; if it fell outside, he would likely be at a disadvantage. Regardless, he was now truly capable of contending with a Martial Saint. This outcome pleased him greatly. It seemed the immense effort he had poured into condensing three boundless divine abilities had paid off handsomely. "The saint beast flood dragon is dead. There should be nothing left to hinder my excavation of the Void Divine Crystal." Lu Changsheng had not forgotten his original purpose in coming to the Yuntu Mountain Range. He resumed his digging. *Boom!* The ground caved in once more. This time, Lu Changsheng unearthed a massive hoard of Void Divine Stones. "Hm?" "What is this...?" Suddenly, Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up. He spotted a brilliantly glittering stone. It shared a similar aura with the Void Divine Stones, yet the terrifying energy contained within it was hundreds, thousands, even tens of thousands of times greater. "The Void Divine Crystal!" Lu Changsheng beamed with delight. After all this time and effort, he had finally unearthed the Void Divine Crystal!