Deity Fragments, Comprehending Rules, Glimpsing the Heaven-and-Earth Origin!

"Collect." The Dayue True Deity's body split apart. Nearly half of it vanished, reduced to ash. However, Lu Changsheng immediately reached out with a massive hand, seeking to seize the torn remains of the Dayue True Deity's body. These were the deity fragments. From the intelligence provided by the various sacred grounds, Lu Changsheng knew full well that capturing a deity alive was virtually impossible. If a deity realized it was outmatched, it would self-detonate. Once it did, its body would turn completely to ash, leaving not a single fragment behind. Therefore, one could never hope to capture a deity alive; one could only shatter it and see how many fragments remained in the end. Lu Changsheng gathered the fragments of the Dayue True Deity's body into his palm. He cast a brief glance over them. Then he shook his head, feeling a touch of regret. There were only three large deity fragments. As for small ones, there were more than a dozen. Yet more than a dozen small pieces were practically useless. They served little purpose. What the sacred grounds required were large deity fragments. "Three deity fragments are decent enough, though. It's equivalent to completing missions for three sacred grounds." "Many Martial Saints return empty-handed from their first trip to the Divine Domain, or even perish here." "Even those capable of slaying a deity usually only manage to secure one or two fragments." Though Lu Changsheng felt a trace of regret, he knew three fragments was already considered good fortune. Some shattered a deity without obtaining even a single fragment, their efforts entirely in vain. "Hmm?" Lu Changsheng looked up. The dense power of faith that had originally enveloped the entirety of Yuedu was now rapidly dissipating. With the power of faith scattering and the Dayue False Deity's body blown apart, it would never recover. Furthermore, with even the Dayue True Deity destroyed, the Dayue False Deity was naturally dead. Of course, the Dayue True Deity would not truly perish. It was an incarnation of rules; as long as the heavens and earth endured, a deity would never die. It would merely sink into slumber. When a certain day arrived, it would be born anew. Such was the terrifying nature of innate deities. It was precisely because the mighty experts of the immortal and martial paths had found it impossible to completely slay these innate deities back then that they joined hands to exile them to the Divine Domain instead. Exiling them was preferable to futile slaughter, and it served to leave behind a "tempering ground" for martial artists to harvest deity fragments and more easily attain Earth Saint. "Mercy, Evil Deity!" "We are willing to believe in Lord Evil Deity!" "Great Lord Evil Deity, spare our lives..." Seeing that even the Dayue True Deity had been blown to bits by this "evil deity," the entire populace of Yuedu fell into stunned silence. Then, the more quick-witted among them began trembling all over in sheer terror, repeatedly kowtowing toward Lu Changsheng and begging for mercy. They had heard that evil deities were boundlessly wicked, casually laying waste to entire cities and nations. Lu Changsheng paid no heed to the people of Yuedu. He stepped over to Tang Lu. If he left now, Tang Lu would be in grave danger. She might well be beaten to death by the furious mob of Yuedu. "Let's go." Lu Changsheng waved his hand. He took hold of Tang Lu, instantly turning into a streak of light and vanishing without a trace. Though he had wiped out the Dayue True Deity, Lu Changsheng was well aware that if other deities investigated, he would be in serious trouble. Hence, he could not linger in the Dayue Divine Dynasty. Without hesitation, Lu Changsheng drew upon the power of his saint body, quickly returning to Kang City. "Tang Lu, the Dayue True Deity is dead. Staying in the Dayue Divine Dynasty will be exceedingly dangerous for you." "I will disguise you and your brother, erasing every trace of your presence." "Afterward, take your brother and leave the Dayue Divine Dynasty. If you head to another divine dynasty, no deities should trace anything back to you." Lu Changsheng had long since planned how to handle the aftermath. "Tang Lu will follow Master's arrangements." Hearing his words, Tang Lu let out a quiet sigh of relief. In truth, she did not care whether she lived or died. What she cared about was her younger brother. She did not want any harm to befall him. This "evil deity," Lu Changsheng, had not discarded her after she served her purpose; instead, he had thoughtfully arranged an escape route for her. Following that, Lu Changsheng swiftly altered the appearances of both Tang Lu and her brother. He wiped away every clue connected to them. Then, he sent them out of the Dayue Divine Dynasty. As for the future, they would have to rely on themselves. They could not leave the Divine Domain, and following Lu Changsheng would only lead them to certain death. After seeing the siblings off, Lu Changsheng hesitated no longer and made straight for the borders of the Divine Domain. *Whoosh.* Moving with utter resolve, Lu Changsheng departed the Divine Domain directly and returned to the ocean waters outside. Just as he departed, an incomparably formidable consciousness swept across the entire Dayue Divine Dynasty in an instant. "This aura... is a martial divine ability." "A Martial Saint... To destroy the Dayue True Deity single-handedly, this must be a peak Human Saint." "Fled quite quickly." Just a single sweep of this terrifying existence's consciousness was enough to send chills through the soul. It was likely far beyond a mere Human Saint. It might not even be an Earth Saint, but very possibly a Heavenly Saint! According to the hierarchy of deities: Above a true deity was a deity king. Above a deity king was a deity lord. These were equivalent to Earth Saints and Heavenly Saints, differing only in title. "Phew..." Lu Changsheng exhaled in relief. "That consciousness was too terrifying. It was definitely a deity lord—the Heavenly Saint level!" "Had I been just a moment slower and caught by that consciousness, escaping would have been difficult." "Even moving as fast as I did, I was nearly intercepted." Lu Changsheng felt lingering dread. He had underestimated the deities' vigilance. The moment a Martial Saint or Nascent Soul cultivator was discovered, the nearest deities would rush over immediately. Any Martial Saint or Nascent Soul cultivator was a public enemy to all deities in the Divine Domain. However, once outside the Divine Domain, there was no need to fear. Lu Changsheng found a deserted island in the sea. Sitting cross-legged, he promptly summoned his attribute panel. Host: Lu Changsheng Comprehension: 904,000 (Praised for a Hundred Generations) Chaos Saint Body: Momentum of All Living Beings (51%) His comprehension had surpassed the nine-hundred-thousand mark, not far from one million. Furthermore, the progress of his Chaos Saint Body had reached 51%, advancing at a tremendous pace. Lu Changsheng then retrieved the deity fragments. After briefly inspecting the three large fragments, he put them away. He would not use them lightly. On the other hand, there were over a dozen tiny fragments, broken into scattered bits. A glint of sharp light flickered in Lu Changsheng's eyes. He actually knew a great deal regarding deity fragments. From Human Saint to Earth Saint, he knew that in ancient times, humanity possessed no deity fragments whatsoever. The entire world had been ruled by deities, and none dared rebel against them. Only later did martial artists and immortal cultivators gradually emerge. The very first Earth Saint had not used deity fragments to advance either. Instead, they had broken through on their own. Of course, deity fragments had already proven to facilitate a much easier and more efficient advancement to Earth Saint. Lu Changsheng had no reason to forsake a superior method and stubbornly insist on comprehending everything from scratch. Although his Chaos Saint Body had not yet reached perfection, Earth Saint placed greater emphasis on insight and comprehension. Thus, considering that the dozen-odd shattered tiny fragments were of little use anyway, Lu Changsheng decided to test them out for himself. Just how miraculous was a deity fragment? Lu Changsheng took out one small fragment. This piece was only the size of a palm, looking thoroughly broken. It did not seem to carry much divine charm either. With a thought, Lu Changsheng manifested his saint body and instantly began refining the deity fragment. *Boom.* As he began to refine it, he vaguely perceived faint, slender lines stretching across the void. Dense and intricate, these fine threads pierced through the void as though weaving the entire firmament together. "These are... rules!" Lu Changsheng understood. Rules. An ordered world was naturally filled with rules of every kind. Deities themselves were the incarnations of rules. By refining this small deity fragment, he was in fact comprehending rules. As for whether one could comprehend them, that depended entirely on one's comprehension. "Once the martial path attains Human Saint and casts a saint body, that saint body becomes the Martial Saint's greatest weapon and very foundation." "Yet once the saint body is driven to perfection via the momentum of all living beings, further progress becomes impossible. Martial artists thus turn their attention to heaven, earth, and humanity." "The momentum of all living beings belongs to humanity. Earth represents earthly deities and spirits, which in a sense represent rules. An Earth Saint must comprehend rules and use them to draw upon the heaven-and-earth origin, refining it into the saint body to propel it a step further and achieve Earth Saint." "As for heaven, that should refer to the Heavenly Dao. Advancing to Heavenly Saint is intimately linked to the Heavenly Dao." Having refined that small deity fragment, these crucial keys to cultivation dawned naturally upon Lu Changsheng like a flash of divine inspiration. Rules were merely the surface. What was truly needed was using rules to draw upon the heaven-and-earth origin. Likewise, for a Nascent Soul True Monarch wishing to break through to Deity Transformation, they likely had to comprehend rules and draw upon the heaven-and-earth origin in much the same way. "Without comprehending rules, one cannot draw upon the heaven-and-earth origin." "And once the heaven-and-earth origin is drawn forth, one must possess a perfected saint body to refine it." Lu Changsheng grasped all the fundamental elements required to advance from Human Saint to Earth Saint. Not a single doubt remained. "Well, I can start by comprehending rules." Lu Changsheng's comprehension of over nine hundred thousand was extraordinarily formidable. Even a tiny deity fragment was of immense help to him. Thus, Lu Changsheng retrieved a second fragment. He had more than a dozen such tiny fragments. They were more than enough for him to comprehend the rules embodied by the Dayue True Deity. Time passed day by day. The second, the third, the fourth, the fifth... Lu Changsheng used thirteen fragments in succession. When only a single tiny deity fragment remained, a sudden flash of insight struck Lu Changsheng, and he finally grasped the rules. "Rules!" Lu Changsheng's heart jolted! A comprehension of nine hundred thousand was truly terrifying. Relying merely on tiny deity fragments, he had already comprehended the rules embodied by the Dayue True Deity. Tracing this rule, Lu Changsheng also "sensed" the heaven-and-earth origin that lay behind it. The moment he beheld the heaven-and-earth origin, Lu Changsheng truly felt his own insignificance. Even though he was already invincible among Human Saints—a lofty, exalted Martial Saint—what of it? Before the vast, ocean-like expanse of the heaven-and-earth origin, Lu Changsheng was like a single drop in the boundless sea, utterly insignificant. "Stop." Lu Changsheng halted. He could not continue observing. If he kept looking, he might be unable to resist drawing upon the heaven-and-earth origin. If his Chaos Saint Body failed to withstand it then, the loss would far outweigh any gain. It could even cause his saint body to collapse, resulting in irreversible consequences. Therefore, Lu Changsheng withdrew his consciousness. "Phew..." Lu Changsheng let out a long breath. "Advancing from Human Saint to Earth Saint requires comprehending rules to sense the heaven-and-earth origin. That is the first step." "Yet this step alone is extraordinarily difficult. Even with a large deity fragment, many Martial Saints fail to comprehend rules and sense the heaven-and-earth origin." Lu Changsheng understood this clearly. That he could comprehend rules and sense the heaven-and-earth origin using only a dozen-odd tiny fragments was due entirely to his monstrous comprehension. Other Martial Saints possessed no such terrifying comprehension. Even if he handed those large deity fragments over to the sacred grounds, most of them would still fail to produce an Earth Saint. "The second step is drawing upon the heaven-and-earth origin, which is relatively safer. If one merely seeks to become an ordinary Earth Saint, waiting until the saint body is perfected before drawing upon the origin generally presents no issues." "However, if one desires an even stronger saint body, one can attempt to draw upon two, three, or even more types of heaven-and-earth origin, making the saint body immensely more powerful!" A brilliant light flashed in Lu Changsheng's eyes. The more heaven-and-earth origin one drew upon, provided the saint body could withstand and absorb it all, the vastly stronger one would be upon advancing to Earth Saint! This even had a direct bearing on eventually becoming a Heavenly Saint. Consequently, any Martial Saint confident in their saint body would attempt to comprehend two or even three rules, thereby drawing upon multiple types of heaven-and-earth origin to drive their saint body's transformation. "I've only obtained fragments of a single deity." "It seems I must enter the Divine Domain once more. But I cannot use my previous method to obtain deity fragments; it is far too dangerous." "I must find another way." "Among the intelligence provided by the sacred grounds, there is a method many people use..." A piece of information surfaced in Lu Changsheng's mind. Martial Saints joining forces! Indeed, there were many Martial Saints active within the Divine Domain. A lone Martial Saint found it nearly impossible to hunt deities. After all, not everyone possessed the strength to hunt a deity single-handedly like Lu Changsheng. Most Martial Saints chose to team up and besiege deities together. In fact, these Martial Saints had already formed a covert faction in the Divine Domain known as the "Saint Alliance." Lu Changsheng did not need allies to fight alongside him, but he needed news and intelligence—especially intelligence regarding deities. He could not rely on luck every time. What if the Dayue True Deity had been a deity king? Or even a deity lord? Previously, Lu Changsheng had only wanted to test the waters in the Divine Domain on his own. Though he had succeeded, it had been fraught with danger. Now that he had defined his objective—gathering large quantities of different deity fragments to prepare for his future breakthrough to Earth Saint—contacting the Saint Alliance was undoubtedly an excellent approach. "The Saint Alliance..." "The Martial Saints from the ten sacred grounds gave me contact methods earlier; finding the Saint Alliance should not be difficult." "I should enter the Divine Domain from a different location, though. This area is too dangerous..." Lu Changsheng made a wide detour outside the sealing formation of the Divine Domain. Once he was certain he was far from the Dayue Divine Dynasty's original territory, he took a step forward, his figure instantly melting through the formation. Lu Changsheng had re-entered the Divine Domain. *Swish.* With a slight blur of his figure, Lu Changsheng stood once more upon the soil of the Divine Domain. He glanced around. This was also by the seaside, yet equally deserted. Evidently, it was another remote and desolate place. Lu Changsheng retrieved a message transmission stone. Recorded within it were contact persons provided by the ten sacred grounds. Previously, Lu Changsheng had not wished to join the Saint Alliance, so he had not used it. There were ten contacts in total, each representing a liaison for one of the ten sacred grounds. "First, I must figure out which divine dynasty this is and my general location before I can contact the nearest Saint Alliance member." Stowing the transmission stone, Lu Changsheng refrained from using any saint body power and walked swiftly toward the interior of the Divine Domain. Before long, Lu Changsheng sensed signs of human activity. He arrived at a city called Han City. "Han City... Is this the Sunset Divine Dynasty?" Lu Changsheng finally learned that he had arrived in the Sunset Divine Dynasty. Back in the Dayue Divine Dynasty, he had gathered some knowledge of the surrounding realms. He remembered the Sunset Divine Dynasty was located far to the north of the Dayue Divine Dynasty, separated by several other divine dynasties. Evidently, he had traveled a great distance; the deities near the Dayue Divine Dynasty would never be able to find him here. At the very least, he was safe for now. "Hmm, the Sunset Divine Dynasty happens to have a contact named Xuan Yang?" The name sounded somewhat like a Daoist moniker to Lu Changsheng. Could he be a Nascent Soul True Monarch? It was very likely. The Saint Alliance consisted not only of martial artists but also immortal cultivators, including a large number of Nascent Soul True Monarchs. Lu Changsheng contacted Xuan Yang without delay. *Buzz.* Soon, an address appeared within the message transmission stone. Such transmission stones could only be used by martial artists or immortal cultivators; deities were unable to use them. Of course, deities might occasionally capture cultivators to use as bait to trace others, but such occurrences were rare. Moreover, danger was unavoidable in the Divine Domain. Since the Saint Alliance had survived in the Divine Domain all this time, it certainly possessed means that made it difficult to destroy. "This address... the Sunset Mountains?" The Sunset Mountains were vast, but with specific coordinates provided, finding the spot was not difficult. Lu Changsheng departed Han City and set off toward the Sunset Mountains. Because he could only rely on pure physical strength, his travel speed was somewhat slow. It took him an entire month to reach the Sunset Mountains. According to the coordinates from the transmission stone, the destination was a mountain valley. There was no one in the vicinity. Lu Changsheng frowned slightly. He immediately transmitted a message stating that he had arrived at the agreed location, then found a quiet spot to wait. A few days passed in the blink of an eye. *Swish.* Finally, movement stirred outside the valley. An elder with white hair, a youthful complexion, and a ruddy face appeared within the valley. "Where is Fellow Daoist Lu?" the elder called out loudly. "Are you Fellow Daoist Xuan Yang?" Lu Changsheng revealed himself. He scrutinized the elder. Given his familiarity with immortal cultivators, the other party was most likely one. "Xuan Yang of the Saint Alliance." "Lu Changsheng of the Qingshan Sacred Ground." The True Monarch Xuan Yang he had contacted was indeed the liaison for the Qingshan Sacred Ground. Naturally, Lu Changsheng introduced himself under that affiliation. After all, he was officially an elder of the Qingshan Sacred Ground now. "Fellow Daoist Lu, please follow me." Neither engaged in superfluous pleasantries. Lu Changsheng followed behind True Monarch Xuan Yang. Neither used any supernatural power, relying solely on physical strength to sprint through the mountain range. They soon entered an unfamiliar valley that housed an underground passage. After walking for an indeterminate amount of time, they emerged from the passage. A vast expanse opened before them. "This place is..." Lu Changsheng looked on in surprise. The area was enormous. Furthermore, the surrounding Nascent Soul True Monarchs and Martial Saints released their auras and power without the slightest hesitation, seemingly unconcerned about being detected by deities. True Monarch Xuan Yang smiled and said, "This is one of the Saint Alliance's branch bases. It features an array flag and magic treasure bestowed by martial Heavenly Saints or immortal Void Refinement experts, which form a grand sealing formation to ensure none of our auras leak out." "Therefore, within the Saint Alliance branch, there is no need to restrain your aura, and you may deploy any power freely." Lu Changsheng understood. A magic treasure at the Heavenly Saint or Void Refinement level was capable of completely cutting off all aura. Deities could not peer inside. Naturally, bringing such a treasure in was no easy feat and must have cost a tremendous price. The establishment of the Saint Alliance's strongholds was undoubtedly tied to Heavenly Saints and Void Refinement experts. "Fellow Daoist Lu, all who enter a Saint Alliance branch must swear an oath upon their Dao hearts never to disclose any information or location regarding the branch." Violating a Dao heart oath would invisibly generate inner obstacles, obstructing one's future cultivation. Of course, some cared nothing for that. It was a matter of perspective; if one truly wished to leak information, there were plenty of ways. In the end, it was merely a formality. The Saint Alliance's survival to this day certainly did not rest solely upon Dao heart oaths. Even so, Lu Changsheng complied with the rules and swore upon his Dao heart never to disclose the branch's details or location. "Fellow Daoist Lu, the Saint Alliance is simply a venue for fellow Daoists of the immortal and martial paths to exchange information. You may cooperate with anyone, or refuse anyone. However, fighting privately within the alliance is strictly forbidden. Any conflicts can be resolved directly on the arena stage, where life and death are left to fate." "Remember, never make a move privately, or you will be expelled from the Saint Alliance." "Additionally, the Saint Alliance imposes no mandatory obligations." With that, True Monarch Xuan Yang took his leave. Lu Changsheng understood. The Saint Alliance served as a foothold for the martial and immortal paths, granting cultivators a place to stand in the Divine Domain rather than struggling to survive under relentless pursuit. Evidently, this was the handiwork of Heavenly Saints and Void Refinement experts. Since those ancient experts had been able to drive the deities into the Divine Domain, establishing strongholds here was hardly surprising. Lu Changsheng was in no hurry to seek out deities. Instead, he spent three to five days wandering around the Saint Alliance branch to gain a proper understanding of the situation. The Saint Alliance primarily facilitated the exchange of information and intelligence. For example, someone might learn the details of a specific deity, then invite Martial Saints and Nascent Soul cultivators to form a team and hunt it together, deciding beforehand how the spoils would be divided. Naturally, they almost exclusively targeted deities at the Human Saint level—that is, true deities. As for deity kings? Scarcely anyone dared hunt them. After all, a deity king rivaled an Earth Saint! For martial artists and immortal cultivators, using a deity king's fragments would certainly yield the best results. It was said that a deity king fragment allowed one to perceive and master rules with immense clarity. Yet for Human Saints to besiege a deity king of Earth Saint caliber was far too reckless. A single misstep would lead to total annihilation. Of course, for Lu Changsheng, there was no need for such risks. With his comprehension, ordinary true deity fragments were sufficient to grasp rules. He had no need for deity king fragments. Furthermore, Lu Changsheng had no desire to form teams. Teaming up carried inherent risks, including the danger of being backstabbed. Even oaths were unreliable when faced with tempting profits. Lu Changsheng preferred to purchase clues on true deities and act alone, even if the cost was slightly higher. Still, that too carried significant risk. What if the intelligence was inaccurate, and the target turned out to be a deity king rather than a true deity? Or what if a deity king lurked nearby? Attacking in that case would be walking straight into a death trap. Consequently, while some peddled intelligence on true deities, very few dared to purchase it. Only those willing to take immense risks would consider doing so. Lu Changsheng noticed a Martial Saint who had been attempting to sell a specific piece of intelligence. "Do you possess intelligence regarding the precise location of a true deity?" Lu Changsheng asked. "I do." "What do you want in exchange?" "If you obtain two or more deity fragments, give me one. If you only get one, it is all yours." The Martial Saint was quite straightforward. "Is the intelligence accurate?" "Absolutely! There are no deity kings nearby either. Even if the nearest deity king were to rush over, it would take at least half an hour." "Half an hour should be more than enough, shouldn't it?" Lu Changsheng weighed the matter briefly. From initiating the strike to obliterating a true deity, half an hour was indeed plenty of time. There would even be ample time to escape. It sounded quite appealing. However, the truth and precision of the intelligence were paramount. Lu Changsheng did not trust this Martial Saint. "I can agree to your terms, but I have a condition of my own." "You must accompany me to locate the true deity. You don't have to fight; you can blend into the crowd, but you must search for the true deity with me and not flee." "If you dare flee, I will kill you!" Lu Changsheng said coldly. "Hmm?" The other man's expression shifted. "You're going alone, without a team?" the Martial Saint asked, looking somewhat startled. "Correct, just me alone," Lu Changsheng admitted openly. "Daring to hunt a true deity all by yourself..." The Martial Saint stared intently at Lu Changsheng. Having spent considerable time in the Saint Alliance, he knew what it meant for someone to hunt a true deity alone. Such a person was either mad or possessed formidable strength and absolute confidence in dealing with a true deity single-handedly. Such individuals were almost invariably Earth Saint seeds, holding great promise of attaining Earth Saint in the future. "Let me consider it for a while," the Martial Saint hesitated. "Three days. I'll give you three days." "Give me your answer then." With that, Lu Changsheng turned and walked away. He knew this Martial Saint was reluctant to take risks and preferred to simply provide clues while waiting safely within the Saint Alliance. Yet how could such an easy bargain come by? No one would buy a lead for no reason, go risk their life, and then hand over a hard-won deity fragment to someone who sat idle. If selling leads were that easy, the man would not have waited so long in the Saint Alliance branch without a single buyer. Lu Changsheng was confident the man would likely agree. Time slipped by. Three days passed in the blink of an eye. Lu Changsheng approached the Martial Saint once more. "Have you made up your mind?" Lu Changsheng glanced at him. Evidently, over the past three days, the man had still failed to sell his lead. The Martial Saint took a deep breath and said in a heavy voice, "Fine, I agree to your terms. I will go with you." "However, I will never take part in the fight. The moment it looks like you might be defeated, I will flee immediately." Lu Changsheng smiled. "No problem." As long as the man agreed to accompany him, he would not dare provide false information. The lead was almost certainly genuine! "However, I don't trust your strength." "Come to the arena. Let me see whether you truly possess the qualifications to hunt a true deity on your own." A sharp light flashed in the unfamiliar Martial Saint's eyes. He had no desire to throw his life away alongside an ordinary Martial Saint. "As you wish." Lu Changsheng nodded in agreement. With that, the two walked straight toward the arena.