Inside the main hall of Qingshan Sacred Ground, the gazes of several top-tier Martial Saints were fixed on Lu Changsheng.
With their discernment, they could naturally sense three streams of the momentum of all living beings upon Lu Changsheng.
One stream was so faint that it could practically be ignored.
The other two streams undoubtedly belonged to Qingshan Sacred Ground and Tianhe Sacred Ground.
"It has begun."
"The third stream of momentum..."
Everyone distinctly felt a third stream of the momentum of all living beings manifest over Lu Changsheng.
Setting aside the momentum of Lu Changsheng's Holy Land Heavenly Sect, this was indeed the third stream.
As for the momentum from the Holy Land Heavenly Sect, the Martial Saints of the sacred grounds virtually overlooked it.
Boom!
The third stream of the momentum of all living beings fell upon Lu Changsheng.
Lu Changsheng felt his saint body shudder slightly.
Yet that was all.
Three streams of momentum could not shake his saint body.
However, this was merely the beginning.
Next came the fourth stream, followed by the fifth, the sixth, the seventh, the eighth...
As stream after stream of the momentum of all living beings descended upon Lu Changsheng, it felt as though massive, heavy mountains were pressing down upon him.
Even the elders and sect masters from the sacred grounds in the hall wore solemn expressions, waves of shock churning within their hearts.
Hiss...
Many Martial Saints sucked in cold breaths.
"Eight streams of momentum. Lu Changsheng's saint body appears to be enduring tremendous pressure. Can he withstand it?"
"With eight streams of momentum bearing down on a saint body, the mere aura it radiates is terrifying. If that were on me, I can hardly imagine it. My saint body might collapse in an instant."
"Eight streams of momentum, and each one comes from a sacred ground! And it's not over yet—there are still two more. If ten streams of momentum cannot crush Lu Changsheng's saint body, his chances of entering the Divine Domain and obtaining deity fragments will be remarkably high."
The Martial Saints watched Lu Changsheng intently.
Buzz...
Soon, the ninth stream of the momentum of all living beings bore down on Lu Changsheng.
Instantly, Lu Changsheng's Chaos Saint Body sank!
Lu Changsheng finally felt his limit.
He felt tremendous pressure.
With so many streams of momentum pressing down, his Chaos Saint Body was nearing its threshold after all.
"Bring more."
Yet Lu Changsheng had no intention of giving up.
He could tell that although the Chaos Saint Body was under strain, it was still far from being crushed.
Finally, the tenth stream of momentum settled upon him.
Boom!
Lu Changsheng's saint body shuddered once more.
Ten streams of the momentum of all living beings bore down upon him simultaneously.
Vast and mighty, they pinned Lu Changsheng's saint body down like colossal mountains.
And yet, Lu Changsheng felt immense exhilaration.
He drove his saint body furiously, refining vast quantities of the momentum of all living beings.
With every passing moment, Lu Changsheng could practically feel the progress of his Chaos Saint Body.
*At this rate, in about ten days, my Chaos Saint Body's progress will increase by one percent.*
*A month means three percent; a year means thirty-six percent.*
*In other words, in just over two years—less than three—my Chaos Saint Body can reach one hundred percent and attain complete perfection!*
Thoughts raced through Lu Changsheng's mind.
Attaining perfection in the Chaos Saint Body in less than three years!
Such speed was simply staggering.
Of course, this was only possible because Lu Changsheng was an anomaly.
After all, even among the Martial Saints of the sacred grounds, who could endure the momentum of ten sacred grounds at once?
Yet Lu Changsheng had endured it!
A sharp light gleamed in the eyes of the Martial Saints from the various sacred grounds across the hall.
"He actually withstood it?"
"The momentum of ten sacred grounds... Truly inconceivable."
"The momentum of ten sacred grounds is overwhelmingly powerful, and the streams conflict with one another. To endure them completely should be an absolute pipe dream. Who would have thought Lu Changsheng would truly bear it? His saint body is simply unfathomable."
"There is hope for deity fragments."
For a moment, these people were both stunned and filled with anticipation.
They looked forward to Lu Changsheng truly seizing deity fragments from the Divine Domain.
Once deity fragments were secured, these top-tier Martial Saints would also have a chance at becoming Earth Saints.
After all, there were many top-tier Human Saints in the sacred grounds.
Some even had their saint bodies in a state of complete perfection.
Yet without deity fragments, they could not take that further step into becoming Earth Saints.
As for venturing into the Divine Domain themselves?
That was hardly any different from seeking death.
Now, however, they had a glimmer of hope.
As long as Lu Changsheng could seize deity fragments, they would have the opportunity to compete for one within their sacred grounds.
Having hope was always better than having none.
"Fellow Daoist Lu, when do you plan to depart for the Divine Domain?" Sect Master Xu suddenly asked.
Lu Changsheng looked up at Sect Master Xu.
He retracted his saint body.
Then he rose to his feet.
Rumble...
Standing up felt as if he were carrying ten ancient divine mountains.
Yet he stood nonetheless, his movements entirely unimpeded.
Moreover, with the passage of time, Lu Changsheng's Chaos Saint Body would grow progressively stronger.
When that happened, the pressure from the momentum of the ten sacred grounds would only feel lighter and lighter.
"Lu can set off for the Divine Domain at any time."
"However, before that, shouldn't you all show some sincerity?"
"At the very least, you should provide Lu with intelligence on the Divine Domain, shouldn't you?"
"Each sacred ground surely possesses some information regarding the Divine Domain, and this intelligence will determine how quickly Lu can locate deity fragments..."
Lu Changsheng's gaze swept over the crowd.
"Intelligence..."
The many Martial Saints came to a realization.
Intelligence on the Divine Domain was, in truth, an absolute secret within the various sacred grounds.
After all, such intelligence had been gathered by generations of Martial Saints risking their lives.
Accumulated over countless years, it had provided them with a preliminary understanding of the specifics inside the Divine Domain.
However, the sacred grounds never exchanged such classified intelligence among themselves.
Harmony did not exist between the sacred grounds.
In reality, they engaged in constant overt and covert struggles.
They competed in secret.
Yet Lu Changsheng was different.
"Rest assured, Saint Lu. We will certainly provide you with the intelligence. However, we ask that Saint Lu does not leak it to outsiders," one of the sacred ground Martial Saints spoke up.
"Lu naturally will not spread it outside."
Lu Changsheng nodded, well aware of these Martial Saints' concerns.
With that, the Martial Saints of each sacred ground sent messages to their respective sect masters, ordering men to deliver the Divine Domain intelligence to Qingshan Sacred Ground and hand it over to Lu Changsheng in person.
This required some time.
Lu Changsheng was in no hurry.
He simply settled down in Qingshan Sacred Ground, driving his saint body with all his might to refine the ten streams of the momentum of all living beings.
One month, two months, three months...
As time passed, Lu Changsheng's Chaos Saint Body grew increasingly powerful.
Even with the momentum of ten sacred grounds pressing upon him, it no longer hindered his ability to unleash his saint body.
After three months, Lu Changsheng finally received all ten sets of intelligence regarding the Divine Domain.
These were dossiers accumulated by the ten sacred grounds over thousands, or even tens of thousands, of years.
Lu Changsheng reviewed them one by one.
He then pieced them together in his mind.
Through this process, Lu Changsheng gained a general understanding of the Divine Domain.
Even though he had never set foot in the Divine Domain, based on the sacred grounds' intelligence, he could already outline its general landscape.
The Divine Domain was equivalent to an expansive continent.
Within it resided humans, demons, and deities.
Moreover, deities held absolute dominance.
Inside the Divine Domain, any martial artist or immortal cultivator discovered would face relentless pursuit and slaughter by the deities.
Therefore, to seize deity fragments, one had to be fast.
Once a deity fragment was obtained, one had to flee immediately.
Otherwise, being discovered by even stronger deities meant certain death.
Lu Changsheng understood the perils of the Divine Domain.
Many Martial Saints and Nascent Soul True Monarchs had clearly acquired deity fragments, only to be killed by deities because they failed to escape in time.
From these dossiers, Lu Changsheng also learned several rare secrets.
For instance, going from Human Saint to Earth Saint had not originally required deity fragments to advance.
However, the difficulty of such a breakthrough was immense.
Earth Saints and Heavenly Saints had been exceptionally few.
Anyone capable of breaking through the shackles to become an Earth Saint was undoubtedly a supreme prodigy.
Yet ever since it was discovered that deity fragments offered tremendous aid in becoming an Earth Saint, the number of martial artist Earth Saints saw an explosion.
The Immortal Dao system was the same.
One could break through from Nascent Soul to Deity Transformation on one's own, but only by leveraging deity fragments did the ranks of Deity Transformation cultivators surge.
Having gained sufficient understanding of the Divine Domain, Lu Changsheng had also brought his saint body's progress to fifteen percent.
Reaching one hundred percent in the short term would be difficult unless he remained in seclusion the entire time.
Yet even if his saint body reached one hundred percent, it would not bring about a qualitative leap in his overall combat strength.
Even if his strength rose a bit further, it could not undergo a fundamental transformation.
At this point, Lu Changsheng decided it was time to depart for the Divine Domain.
Thus, Lu Changsheng bid farewell to Sect Master Xu and Sect Master Wan. "Sect Masters, Lu is ready to set off."
"Within a century, Lu will honor his promise of ten deity fragments."
"However, as for when the first deity fragment will be delivered out of the Divine Domain, Lu cannot guarantee."
The two sect masters nodded. "No matter. A mere century—we can afford to wait!"
A hundred years was not long for a Martial Saint.
Of course, Lu Changsheng certainly had no intention of actually spending a full century slowly gathering deity fragments.
Whoosh!
In the next instant, Lu Changsheng hesitated no longer. Transforming into a streak of light, he departed Qingshan Sacred Ground and rushed toward the Divine Domain.
Reaching the Divine Domain required crossing a vast ocean.
Back then, the supreme experts of the Martial Dao and Immortal Dao had joined forces to purge most of the deities.
They captured the deities and sealed them in a single place.
That place was actually a colossal island across the sea.
Though called an island, it was virtually no different from a continent.
It was just that the continent was a desolate, untamed land back then, largely untouched by mortals.
Later on, that region came to be known as the Divine Domain, sealed perpetually by an array formation.
Not even deities at the level of Heavenly Saints could escape the Divine Domain.
Lu Changsheng flew at great speed throughout the journey.
Even so, he flew for an entire half year.
Six months of traversing the ocean finally brought the Divine Domain into Lu Changsheng's sight.
"The Divine Domain must be just ahead, right?"
Lu Changsheng saw a long coastline stretching before him.
Looking from afar, however, he could not clearly see what lay within.
A distinctly palpable array aura appeared within Lu Changsheng's perception.
This array seemed to contain vast, boundless majesty.
Even Lu Changsheng felt his heart palpitate in that instant.
This array could obliterate him directly!
That was Lu Changsheng's intuition.
It was not an exaggeration in the slightest.
After all, this array had managed to trap countless deities.
*According to the intelligence, as long as a being from outside the Divine Domain has not surpassed the Earth Saint realm, they can freely enter and leave the Divine Domain.*
A sharp light flashed across Lu Changsheng's eyes.
Being able to leave the Divine Domain freely was of utmost importance.
Even so, very few people dared to enter.
Because the Divine Domain was fraught with peril.
Lu Changsheng drew closer and closer to the Divine Domain, arriving right at its boundary.
Taking a deep breath, he hesitated no longer. With a flash of his silhouette, he stepped straight into the Divine Domain.
Swish!
As Lu Changsheng set foot within the Divine Domain, his vision brightened.
The surrounding coastline seemed to vanish instantly.
Turning back, he could only sense traces of the array enveloping the area, but he could no longer see the outside.
Lu Changsheng then attempted to step out.
There was no issue.
He returned to the shore.
*It seems one truly can enter and exit the Divine Domain at will.*
Having tested it, Lu Changsheng finally felt completely at ease.
He stepped into the Divine Domain once more.
Inside, Lu Changsheng was greeted by lush, verdant forests.
However, he immediately noticed something amiss.
Although the Divine Domain was also filled with world spiritual qi, beside that spiritual qi there seemed to be another peculiar power.
This power felt somewhat familiar to Lu Changsheng.
*Is this... the momentum of all living beings?*
*No, that's not quite right. It only bears some resemblance, but it is fundamentally different...*
Lu Changsheng frowned slightly.
He recalled the dossiers provided by the sacred grounds.
The Divine Domain was ruled by deities.
Deities stood high above, as the embodiment of rules; they did not govern living beings directly.
Instead, certain beings had observed these deities and vaguely summarized a unique method to imitate them, gathering the faith of countless living beings.
This was the power of faith!
Using the power of faith to emulate certain rules, thereby becoming a "false deity."
Meanwhile, true deities were referred to within the Divine Domain as "true deities."
False deities often had to attach themselves to true deities, but the ones who actually governed countless living beings were these false deities.
*The power of faith...*
*If this is the power of faith, it does share some resemblance to the momentum of all living beings. But the resemblance is only skin-deep; fundamentally, the two are entirely different.*
*The momentum of all living beings cannot be manipulated. The power of faith, on the other hand, can be controlled by false deities to rule over countless creatures.*
*What is more, the power of faith gradually strips away a creature's spiritual awareness, turning beings ignorant and sluggish. It becomes impossible for the Immortal Dao, the Martial Dao, or any other formidable cultivation system to emerge among them.*
*No wonder the Immortal Dao and Martial Dao joined forces back then to deal with the deities. The two sides were locked in an existential struggle; their paths were fundamentally irreconcilable...*
Having arrived in the Divine Domain and paired his observations with the intelligence, Lu Changsheng gained a deeper comprehension of the Divine Domain, the deities, and the ancient war.
*The first priority upon entering the Divine Domain is to stay concealed. I must never be discovered by deities.*
*Whether true deities or false deities, once they spot a martial artist or immortal cultivator, they will hunt them down relentlessly to the bitter end.*
*So, I must remain hidden first.*
*According to the sacred grounds' intelligence and experience, when entering the Divine Domain, it is best to directly assume the identity of an 'evil deity.'*
Passages of information flashed through Lu Changsheng's mind.
"Evil deity" was what the inhabitants of the Divine Domain called martial artists and immortal cultivators.
In truth, it was merely the means by which false deities and deities suppressed martial artists and cultivators.
The people ruled by deities were fed relentless propaganda that evil deities were the most vile beings in existence, and that any sighting of an evil deity had to be reported immediately.
Because deities dominated the Divine Domain, martial artists and immortal cultivators were treated like rats crossing the street, reviled and hunted by all.
There was practically no difference between them and real evil deities.
*I cannot stay in the wilderness forever. How could I find deity fragments that way?*
*Besides, I cannot truly hide. Trying to completely conceal one's identity among people ruled by deities is nothing short of a pipe dream.*
*Thus, the only way is to use the identity of an evil deity to forcefully integrate into the human society ruled by deities...*
Lu Changsheng narrowed his eyes slightly.
He swiftly released his perception.
"Hmm?"
"Found them!"
After roughly half an hour, Lu Changsheng finally sensed "humans."
Whoosh!
Lu Changsheng's figure flickered, vanishing without a trace.
...
In a dense forest, a group of black-robed men was pursuing a young woman.
The woman was carrying a seven- or eight-year-old boy on her back.
"Hurry, Tang Lu won't get far!"
"The Master ordered that we bring Tang Lu and her brother back dead or alive!"
"They're right ahead!"
These black-robed men looked ferocious, clearly hunting down the woman and the young boy.
The woman and the boy were sister and brother. Carrying the boy on her back, the woman ran with great difficulty.
Even with the dense trees in the forest, the black-robed men steadily closed the distance.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several other black-robed men circled around from the flanks, cutting Tang Lu off directly.
Tang Lu ground to a halt.
Without a word, Tang Lu drew a concealed dagger, her eyes cold as ice.
"Sister, are we going to die?" the little boy suddenly asked, his voice trembling.
Even the young boy could tell how perilous their situation was.
Tang Lu did not answer. Instead, she glared at the surrounding black-robed men and said coldly, "Does Fourth Uncle truly intend to wipe us out completely?"
"Heheh, Miss Tang Lu, you are a clever person. You should know that question is nothing more than empty chatter."
"Since the Master has made his move, he will naturally pull up the weeds by their roots. Otherwise, should he let you siblings live, only for you to return for revenge in a few years or a decade?"
"Don't resist. We will give you a quick death!"
The black-robed men closed in on the siblings step by step.
Suddenly, Tang Lu spoke.
"Uncle Liu, do you know why I fled in this direction?"
"This place is near the sea and blocked by an invisible barrier, meaning we cannot escape into the ocean. Even with the forest, there is no shaking you off."
"And yet, I fled straight toward this place without hesitation. Do you know why?"
Tang Lu's words gave "Uncle Liu" and the others pause.
Indeed, why had Tang Lu insisted on fleeing here?
Earlier, Tang Lu had clearly had the chance to flee into the mountains, yet she had chosen the coast.
It was very strange.
Fleeing into the mountains would have made it far easier to shake off their pursuit.
"Wait... this place... there's supposed to be an evil deity here!" one of the black-robed men finally remembered.
The terror of this location!
An evil deity!
A terrifying evil deity!
Almost everyone knew of it.
Encountering an evil deity meant certain death—and a gruesome one at that.
A cold sneer tugged at the corner of Tang Lu's mouth. "That's right. An evil deity. An evil deity has appeared here before. With so many of you pursuing us, you will definitely disturb the evil deity."
"Since my brother and I cannot escape, I will drag all of you down to die with us!"
Tang Lu was mad.
She had actively ventured into a place where an evil deity roamed.
Uncle Liu grew afraid.
The other black-robed men were frightened as well.
Yet Uncle Liu gritted his teeth and said, "Miss Tang Lu, Young Master, forgive us."
"Kill them!"
With Uncle Liu's command, the surrounding black-robed men charged forward with their blades raised, intent on slaying Tang Lu and her brother.
As for the evil deity?
That was a problem for later.
They would not be frightened off by a few words from Tang Lu.
No matter what, Tang Lu and her brother had to die!
Seeing this, Tang Lu closed her eyes.
She knew that as long as she refused to abandon her brother, neither of them had any hope of escaping.
Since escape was impossible, she would run no further.
Yet her heart was filled with hatred.
Hatred that she could not protect her brother.
Hatred that she could not avenge her parents and kin.
Whoosh...
Just then, a sea breeze seemed to brush past.
Yet carried within that breeze was a sensation that made their very souls tremble.
An uncontrollable dread gripped everyone.
It felt as if something horrifying were about to occur.
The black-robed men had already raised their blades.
Yet under this eerie presence, their bodies shook violently, rendering them unable to swing their weapons down.
"My... my hand won't obey me."
"What's happening?"
"I can't move my body!"
"What do we do?"
"Sorcery! This must be sorcery! It's the evil deity... the evil deity is here..."
The black-robed men could not help but cry out in terror.
Such an unnatural scene could only be explained by the presence of an "evil deity."
Yet where was the evil deity?
Clang!
Someone lost their grip on their blade, letting it drop to the ground with a crisp clatter.
The black-robed man's face was painted with sheer horror.
Many followed his gaze.
At that glance, a bone-chilling cold seized them all.
A person!
A strange young man was suspended silently in midair.
There seemed to be no discernible aura about him, yet he exuded a chill that penetrated to the marrow.
It was as if their souls were facing a natural predator, striking pure terror into their hearts.
No one spoke.
The mysterious young man seemed to ignore everyone, strolling through the air step by step until he arrived before Tang Lu. Looking down upon her, he spoke word by word, "Do you wish for revenge?"
Tang Lu froze slightly.
Then she gritted her teeth and answered without the slightest hesitation, "I do."
The young man continued, "Even if it means serving an evil deity for the sake of revenge, even if it means receiving an evil deity's power, you will not hesitate?"
"Yes! I will not hesitate!"
Tang Lu's tone was resolute, as if she had made up her mind long ago.
Had she not fled here specifically to seek out an evil deity?
She knew very well that only an evil deity could help her take revenge.
Hearing Tang Lu's answer, the young man smiled.
He was Lu Changsheng.
He had arrived after sensing this group.
Under his perception, everything that had unfolded here was crystal clear to him.
He naturally knew the background of Tang Lu and her brother.
Tang Lu might just be his breakthrough point to infiltrate the Divine Domain.
"Miss Tang Lu, you... you cannot work for an evil deity..." Uncle Liu gritted his teeth, speaking in trembling terror.
In his impressions and knowledge, evil deities were unspeakably wicked.
Whenever an evil deity appeared, rivers of blood would flow, and countless people would perish as a result.
Lu Changsheng did not spare Uncle Liu a single glance.
He merely waved his hand.
Thump! Thump!
One after another, the black-robed men collapsed silently to the ground.
There was no commotion.
Not even a single groan.
From a distance, it looked as though they had simply fallen asleep.
Yet they were not asleep.
They were dead!
Not a single trace of life remained within them.
There were dozens of them—dozens of skilled fighters.
Yet they had died without a sound.
Furthermore, the corpses gradually dissolved into fine dust.
In the blink of an eye, they had vanished completely.
It was as if these men had never existed at all.
Tang Lu's heart jolted, a chill running through her whole body.
This made her realize that the person before her was a genuine evil deity!
An evil deity possessing bizarre, terrifying might!
"Sis... evil... evil deity..." Tang Lu's brother trembled all over from sheer fright.
Tang Lu immediately comforted her brother.
She knelt respectfully before Lu Changsheng. "Please help me avenge my family, Master! Tang Lu will follow Master forever!"
For revenge, Tang Lu was willing to give up everything!
"There is no rush for revenge."
"First, tell me: where are you from?" Lu Changsheng asked.
"Master, I come from Kang City of the Dayue Divine Dynasty."
"A divine dynasty?"
Lu Changsheng keenly picked up on the crucial piece of information.
Not a kingdom or empire, but a divine dynasty.
"Yes, the Dayue Divine Dynasty. It venerates the Dayue True Deity as its god, but the one who actually founded the dynasty and wields its authority is the Dayue False Deity," Tang Lu explained.
Lu Changsheng fell into thought.
A Dayue True Deity, and a Dayue False Deity.
The Dayue True Deity was likely a naturally born deity.
As for the Dayue False Deity, he was probably someone who had pledged allegiance to the Dayue True Deity, utilizing the power of faith to attain godhood as a false deity.
However, judging the strength of a true deity was difficult.
They might rival Human Saints, Earth Saints, or even Heavenly Saints.
Meanwhile, a false deity's strength was closely tied to their true deity.
The stronger the true deity, the stronger the false deity tended to be.
It was also related to the power of faith gathered by the false deity.
Generally, the denser the power of faith and the larger their territory, the stronger the false deity would be.
Nevertheless, false deities typically rivaled the Divine Ability realm.
Those capable of rivaling Human Saints were relatively rare.
As for a false deity rivaling an Earth Saint, unless their true deity was a Heavenly Saint, it was virtually impossible.
Through Tang Lu's descriptions, Lu Changsheng learned a great deal about the Dayue Divine Dynasty.
However, Tang Lu's status was too low to access the core secrets of the dynasty.
She knew very little about the Dayue False Deity and the Dayue True Deity.
What information she possessed was ambiguous and speculative.
Lu Changsheng's objective was deity fragments.
In other words, the "true deities" within the Divine Domain.
Yet he could not act rashly against a true deity.
He needed to be fully prepared and understand the situation clearly.
Since Tang Lu was unaware of the Dayue Divine Dynasty's core secrets, Lu Changsheng would have to scout and gather the information himself.
Remaining in the wilderness was certainly out of the question.
He still needed to enter the Dayue Divine Dynasty.
"Very well. Let us go to Kang City and reclaim what belongs to you and your brother!"
Lu Changsheng glanced at Tang Lu.
Was the method to enter the Dayue Divine Dynasty not right before his eyes?
Chapter 242