In Yandu, inside an air-raid shelter.
The moment the nuclear bomb struck and detonated, the shelter shook violently.
Only prominent figures of the Yanlong Federation were gathered here.
"Everything went according to plan. With the nuclear bomb detonated, Lu Yuan is dead without a doubt!"
"Once Lu Yuan is gone, nothing stands in our way of annexing the Yulong Kingdom."
"There were some twists and turns, but we succeeded in the end..."
The Federation leaders were overjoyed.
As for the people who might have perished in the nuclear explosion, why would they care?
"All right, the detonation is over. Let's head outside and take a look."
"Put on protective suits and stay safe."
With that, the Federation officials filed out of the shelter and headed straight toward the Federation Building.
By this point, no Federation Building remained.
It had been reduced to a heap of rubble.
The building had vanished without a trace.
"It seems Lu Yuan didn't even leave bones behind."
"Indeed. Against the terrifying might of a nuclear blast, even if Lu Yuan was invulnerable to blades and spears, even if his flesh could withstand regular bombs, even if he was an evolver—so what? In the end, he was made of flesh and blood. How could he withstand a nuclear explosion?"
"Without Lu Yuan, the Yulong Kingdom is already in our federation's grasp..."
Smiles surfaced on the faces of the Federation high brass.
Capturing the Yulong Kingdom seemed completely assured.
Yet they paid no heed to the catastrophic blow this nuclear strike in Yandu had inflicted on their own capital.
*Thump.*
Suddenly, an eerie sound echoed.
*Thump, thump, thump, thump.*
The noise was rhythmic, just like a beating heart.
Moreover, it was crystal clear, reverberating right beside everyone's ears.
"What is this...?"
Everyone looked around in shock and doubt.
Right then, a senior Federation official clutched his chest.
"It hurts..."
He was a congressman. Clutching his chest, his face deathly pale, he had to be supported by several aides.
Immediately after, a second person, a third, a fourth, a fifth...
One after another, people grabbed their chests as excruciating pain seized their hearts.
Even the president was not spared.
At that moment, the president recalled something.
The frontline army had once reported that Lu Yuan possessed a bizarre technique capable of manipulating people's heartbeats until their hearts burst, killing them.
Could this be that feeling?
"A beating heart..."
"Could it be... Lu Yuan, you didn't die?"
The president strained to open his eyes wide.
Through the rubble ahead, he saw a figure slowly stand up.
Emerging from the smoke and dust, the figure was charred black as charcoal.
Yet one could tell it was human.
*Crack.*
The figure walked toward the president step by step. His blackened skin suddenly split open, revealing rosy, healthy skin beneath.
Soon after, his face was exposed as well.
It was none other than the target of this nuclear strike, the trailblazer of the evolver era, the founder of the Limit Martial Dao style—Lu Yuan!
"You truly aren't dead... but how is that possible?"
The president was horrified beyond measure.
Even with the truth right before his eyes, he could hardly believe it.
Lu Yuan had taken a direct hit from a nuclear bomb.
How could he not be dead?
How could anyone walk out of a nuclear detonation alive?
"Two!"
"Two whole nuclear bombs!"
"Didn't your Yanlong Federation bother to investigate properly? Back in Yudu, I already took one of your nuclear bombs. Now you drop a second. Aside from causing catastrophic casualties in your own capital of Yandu, what did it accomplish?"
The president hung his head, unable to speak.
Facing a terrifying man who could endure a nuclear blast, what did the Yanlong Federation have to resist him?
For that matter, what could the entire world use to resist him?
"You are very fortunate,"
"Live or die—the choice is yours."
"If you choose life, let the Yulong Kingdom annex the Yanlong Federation."
"If you wish to die, I will fulfill your wish right now."
Lu Changsheng spoke calmly.
He stood alone in place.
Yet around him, hundreds of people were collapsed on the ground in agony.
Not a single person could remain standing in his presence.
The leaders of the Yanlong Federation finally understood true terror.
They knew that even if they gathered all their armies and dropped more nuclear bombs, they could not kill this terrifying being.
Why throw their lives away for nothing?
"We yield! We surrender!"
"Mr. Lu, the Yanlong Federation is willing to lay down our weapons and merge with the Yulong Kingdom..."
The Federation brass finally begged for mercy.
By this point, their spirits were utterly crushed.
Facing someone who could withstand a nuclear bomb with his bare body, what else could they do?
Lu Changsheng nodded.
"I will oversee Yandu until the Yulong Kingdom's army takes control of the Yanlong Federation..."
With that, Lu Changsheng released his hold over the Federation leaders.
With him present, any petty schemes the Federation leaders might attempt would be meaningless.
Furthermore, the Federation leadership understood perfectly well that they had only this one chance.
If they failed to satisfy Lu Yuan, they would undoubtedly die!
Several days slipped by in a flash.
Word of what had transpired in the Yanlong Federation gradually spread, sending shockwaves across the globe!
A nuclear detonation!
Another nuclear strike!
Moreover, the Yanlong Federation's objective this time had been crystal clear: to kill Lu Yuan.
To achieve this, the Federation had not even hesitated to sacrifice its own capital, Yandu!
Yet they had failed.
Even after a second nuclear detonation, Lu Yuan had survived.
Countless people had witnessed with their own eyes that Lu Yuan had withstood the blast and walked out alive!
The entire world erupted in an uproar!
Human strength could counter a nuclear bomb?
This was utterly inconceivable!
"The era of evolvers is arriving!"
"No, the era of evolvers has already arrived! It's said that Sect Master Lu Yuan has attained quaternary growth!"
"Quaternary growth... according to the classification of the Limit Martial Dao style, tertiary growth marks the official entry into the transcendent realm. As for quaternary growth... it can withstand a nuclear bomb!"
"This is a single man defying a mighty nation—a nation possessing nuclear weapons!"
"From now on, evolvers will stand above ordinary people, and ordinary people will no longer be able to monopolize state power..."
This battle affected far more than just the Yanlong Federation and the Yulong Kingdom; it shook the entire world!
From this battle forward, it signaled that evolvers would formally step onto the global stage of power.
Evolvers would reign superior over ordinary people.
Nations across the globe threw themselves into cultivating Limit Martial Dao practitioners—evolvers.
After all, if a nation produced a single evolver of tertiary or quaternary growth, that person could practically anchor a whole country!
That was a force far more terrifying than nuclear bombs.
Meanwhile, the merger between the Yulong Kingdom and the Yanlong Federation created a colossal entity on the world stage.
With Lu Yuan watching over it, the entire global geopolitical landscape underwent an earth-shattering shift.
At that moment, in New Yudu of the Yulong Kingdom.
The former Yudu had already been destroyed by the nuclear bomb.
Following the merger with the Yanlong Federation, the Yulong Kingdom relocated its capital, naming it New Yudu.
Lu Changsheng was currently inside the Limit Martial Arts Hall in New Yudu.
The outside world's veneration of him had reached an unprecedented peak.
Foremost Martial Artist.
Creator of the Evolver Era.
Greatest Sage in All of History.
There were simply too many such titles to count.
Lu Changsheng was now the sage of this world, surpassing mythical legends and ancient forebears.
Given his current influence, even though he held no official post in the Yulong Kingdom, a single word from him could decide the fate of high-ranking ministers.
Yet a man of such immense influence now sat quietly in a cultivation chamber.
He counted the days almost every day.
"The Martial Dao congealed in this world seems to have... gone slightly astray."
Lu Changsheng looked up at the Martial Dao suspended in the void.
The Martial Dao formed by the faith of all living beings was ultimately shaped by their collective beliefs.
Because this world possessed modern technology, the Limit Martial Dao style he created—though fundamentally martial dao—had been interpreted by the people of this world as the biological evolution of life.
Martial artists had become evolvers.
In essence, they seemed similar, but in reality, they diverged.
Martial dao in this world had a ceiling; the Dao Foundation level was the limit, impossible to break through.
However, it was different for evolvers.
Certain countries that struggled to progress in the Limit Martial Dao had begun employing technology, using scientific means to stimulate and support the physical body to achieve equivalent evolutionary results.
Some evolvers had even developed uncanny, mystical abilities.
They called them superpowers.
Thus, the fine martial dao Lu Changsheng had created had been forcibly reshaped into superpowers after spreading across this world.
One could only say that every world possessed its own rules, which were not so easily overturned.
Even so, the congealed Martial Dao remained, and it was exceptionally formidable.
If he waited another several decades or a century, this Martial Dao might even advance to the Golden Core level, raising the energy ceiling of this world.
However, Lu Changsheng could not afford to wait decades or a century.
"Counting the days, in just over thirty days, the distance between the Immortal Martial World and this world will reach its closest point, even colliding completely."
"When that time comes, my true body's power projection will be able to shatter the Martial Dao, claim the martial dao fragment, and return to the Immortal Martial World..."
Although Lu Changsheng was practically invincible in this world and revered by billions, he had never forgotten his goal:
The martial dao fragment!
Once he obtained it, he still had to return to the Immortal Martial World.
For now, he could only wait.
Spurred by the emergence of the Limit Martial Dao, the world threw itself into cultivating evolvers, embarking on a path vastly different from the past.
Yet technology continued to advance, especially astronomical science.
Many countries built astronomical observatories to monitor the cosmos.
At the former Yanlong Federation Observatory, now operating under the Yulong Kingdom, duties were usually leisurely, with little of note to report.
After all, the universe was typically quiet.
Suddenly, however, the observatory caught sight of an extraordinarily abnormal phenomenon.
"Is that 'Dark Star'? The planet closest to us, which used to be extremely dim and hard to detect."
"It does look like Dark Star. But why did Dark Star suddenly light up?"
"It didn't light up—Dark Star exploded!"
"This is bad! If Dark Star exploded, there's no telling if large fragments will hurtle toward our planet!"
"Large fragments..."
The astronomers scrambled to calibrate their instruments.
Sure enough, they observed it.
Following Dark Star's explosion, countless fragments scattered in all directions through space.
Among them was a massive chunk, roughly one-tenth the size of Dark Star itself.
Dark Star had not been particularly large, but in the depths of space, a fragment one-tenth its size, pulled by planetary gravity toward their world, meant an apocalyptic catastrophe!
"Are we... facing a world-ending calamity?"
The observatory erupted in panic.
***
"Ten days left."
"Almost time..."
Lu Changsheng let out a long breath.
Even though he was an Earth Saint of resolute will, having spent three years in this world and standing on the verge of claiming the martial dao fragment, a faint ripple of excitement stirred within him.
It was only natural.
Ten days would pass in the blink of an eye for him.
Lu Changsheng looked up toward the void.
The Martial Dao congealed by the sentient beings of this world grew stronger with each passing day.
Yet no matter how powerful it became, its energy level remained at the Dao Foundation realm.
Raising the upper limit was no simple feat; it would take at least decades or a century.
Even if the ceiling rose, it would not hinder Lu Changsheng.
Once his true body's power descended, it could effortlessly shatter the Martial Dao whether its ceiling had been raised by one tier or two, allowing him to claim the martial dao fragment.
*Ring, ring, ring.*
Lu Changsheng's telephone rang.
"Sect Master!"
Before Lu Changsheng could pick up the receiver, Senior Sister Xiang's voice sounded from outside.
"What is it?"
Lu Changsheng frowned slightly.
This phone would never ring unless something critical occurred, and Senior Sister Xiang would never disturb him without an urgent matter.
Had something major happened?
Senior Sister Xiang pushed the door open, an anxious look on her face as she blurted out, "Sect Master, something terrible has happened!"
"Please look at the television news first."
With that, Senior Sister Xiang turned on the television.
Nearly every news broadcast was covering a single event:
A meteorite!
A meteorite split from the explosion of Dark Star was hurtling toward this world with tremendous momentum.
Although the meteorite was only about one-tenth the size of Dark Star, it was still colossal relative to their planet.
If a meteorite of this magnitude struck, it would knock the planet off its orbital axis.
Even if the planet did not shatter, humanity would undoubtedly perish, facing total extinction.
It was a world-ending calamity!
The news commentators were debating whether nuclear weapons could be launched to shatter the meteorite or deflect its course.
Lu Changsheng glanced at Senior Sister Xiang and asked in a low voice, "How long until the meteorite impacts?"
"Less than a month."
Lu Changsheng fell silent.
With less than a month remaining, it was too late for humanity to devise any new solutions.
"The news mentioned using nuclear warheads to knock the meteorite off course or obliterate it entirely. Is that feasible?" Lu Changsheng inquired further.
"It's unclear. Obliterating it is impossible. As for deflecting its course, that's nearly impossible too; our stockpile of nuclear warheads is simply too small."
"Currently, only a few warheads remain from the former Yanlong Federation's reserves."
"However, this is the only option available. Nations around the world are pressuring our Yulong Kingdom to launch nuclear strikes at the meteorite."
"The kingdom's leadership wants to know your decision, Sect Master."
Lu Changsheng understood.
In the Yulong Kingdom, Lu Changsheng was a figure who could not be bypassed.
Any matter of great significance required Lu Yuan's approval.
Lu Changsheng answered the phone.
On the other end was a senior official of the Yulong Kingdom.
"Launch every nuclear warhead."
"Whether it works or not, we must try."
This was Lu Changsheng's decision.
After hanging up, the Yulong Kingdom issued an official public announcement.
In three days, the Yulong Kingdom would launch a total of seven nuclear warheads in an attempt to deflect the meteorite's trajectory.
The world erupted in cheers.
While this did not guarantee salvation, it at least offered a sliver of hope.
Days slipped by.
The Dark Star meteorite drew steadily closer to their world.
Many amateur astronomers could already observe the massive rock with their own telescopes.
Three days later, the Yulong Kingdom initiated the launch of the seven nuclear warheads.
The launch trajectories had been meticulously calculated by experts to strike the meteorite's structural weak points.
Detonating there would maximize the chance of knocking it off course and saving the world.
It was a moment watched by all of humanity.
The Yulong Kingdom permitted journalists to film and broadcast the event live.
Across the globe, billions watched the seven nuclear missiles lift off.
Lu Changsheng was no exception, watching the launch on television.
The warheads were first transported into space, then ignited outside the atmosphere.
The Yulong Kingdom lacked such advanced orbital technology on its own and had partnered with the Golden Eagle Empire.
The Golden Eagle Empire possessed the world's foremost space technology.
To save the world, the two superpowers cooperated without holding anything back.
When faced with an existential threat to all of humanity, both nations understood what truly mattered.
*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.*
One warhead after another surged forward, streaking directly toward the Dark Star meteorite.
Each warhead's impact coordinates had been rigorously calculated by mathematicians to achieve optimal effect.
Yet whether they would succeed in deflecting the Dark Star meteorite remained anyone's guess.
*Boom!*
At last, the first nuclear warhead detonated against the edge of the Dark Star meteorite.
Yet before the colossal celestial body, a single nuclear blast appeared utterly insignificant.
Then came the second, the third, the fourth...
Warheads detonated one after another.
When the fifth warhead exploded, astronomers shouted in delight, "It deflected! The trajectory has shifted!"
"It worked! The Dark Star meteorite's course has shifted slightly!"
"We're saved...!"
Cheers rang out everywhere.
Then the sixth and seventh warheads detonated.
Once all the warheads had exploded, scientists frantically ran the calculations.
According to their data, the Dark Star meteorite had indeed deviated from its original course.
However, the calculations showed that the deflection angle was minuscule.
Once it drew near enough to their planet, it would be captured by gravity.
At that point, no matter how much it had deflected, the gravitational pull would correct its path back toward the world.
In an instant, faces turned deathly pale.
"It's over..."
"All seven nuclear warheads were launched. It was a success, yet also a failure. Although the meteorite was knocked off angle, it wasn't enough to escape our planet's gravitational pull. In the end, it will still collide with our world..."
"Once the meteorite impacts, all of humanity will face total extinction..."
The consequences of a meteorite impact required no further explanation.
Over the past several days, public broadcasts worldwide had laid out the grim reality, and everyone understood what it meant.
This failure meant the end of the world, the end of all life.
Chaos erupted across the globe.
Civil order collapsed.
If everyone was doomed to die in just over twenty days, what was the point of order?
No amount of military suppression made any difference.
Even New Yudu began descending into turmoil.
"Sect Master, is there truly no way out?" Senior Sister Xiang asked, her face devoid of color.
With a slight reach of his senses, Lu Changsheng could perceive the chaos boiling outside.
Humans could not bear watching the countdown to their own annihilation.
At this moment, nuclear weapons and evolvers seemed entirely meaningless.
If they could not stop the Dark Star meteorite, everyone would die together!
Lu Changsheng closed his eyes.
*Well, since I came to this world to claim the martial dao fragment, I might as well lend a helping hand on my way out.*
A thought crossed Lu Changsheng's mind.
The Dark Star meteorite would take over twenty days to strike this world.
Lu Changsheng, on the other hand, only needed to wait seven more days for his true body to project its power into this realm.
There was still time.
More than enough time, in fact.
"Inform the Yulong Kingdom and notify the world."
"In seven days, I will step forward and resolve the Dark Star meteorite."
"However, during these seven days, neither the Yulong Kingdom nor the rest of the world may descend into lawlessness."
Lu Changsheng spoke calmly.
He disliked disorder.
If this was a chaotic, filthy, mad world, it would hardly be worth saving.
"What?"
"Sect Master, you're going to resolve the Dark Star meteorite yourself?"
Senior Sister Xiang's eyes widened in sheer disbelief.
That was a celestial meteorite!
Even though Lu Yuan was the greatest figure of the evolver era, and even though he had attained quaternary growth and stepped into the transcendent realm...
Compared to that massive meteorite, the disparity was unimaginably vast.
Could Lu Yuan truly deal with the Dark Star meteorite?
Yet Lu Changsheng merely issued the command without offering an explanation.
Collecting herself, Senior Sister Xiang bowed respectfully and withdrew.
Following Lu Changsheng's instructions, she immediately notified the senior leadership of the Yulong Kingdom and broadcast the message globally in the name of the Limit Martial Arts Hall.
The Limit Martial Arts Hall commanded immense influence.
When Senior Sister Xiang released the statement, it triggered an immediate uproar.
Some questioned its authenticity.
Shortly after, however, the Yulong Kingdom's official government issued an identical statement.
Both carried the exact same message:
"Lu Yuan, founder of the Limit Martial Dao style, will personally step forward in seven days to resolve the Dark Star meteorite and defuse the global crisis!"
The announcement swept across the globe like a wildfire.
"Is... is this real?"
"Both the Limit Martial Arts Hall and the Yulong Kingdom's government issued the announcement. How could it be fake?"
"Lu Yuan may be the foremost figure of the evolver era, and he can even withstand a nuclear blast, but facing that Dark Star meteorite, how can he possibly solve it?"
"Indeed. Even seven nuclear warheads couldn't stop that meteorite. What could Lu Yuan possibly do?"
"Getting into space in the first place is a massive hurdle!"
"Could Lu Yuan have achieved quinary growth?"
Discussions raged across the globe.
Following the Yulong Kingdom's plea for nations to maintain order, governments worldwide responded swiftly, using military force to suppress civil unrest.
The lawlessness that had briefly taken hold vanished, and global order was restored.
Yet everyone knew this was merely temporary.
It was only because Lu Yuan had given the world hope that order had returned.
If Lu Yuan failed to stop the Dark Star meteorite in seven days, the world would plunge into its true apocalypse!
Time ticked away.
One day, two days, three days, four days, five days...
During this period, dignitaries from every corner of the globe sought an audience with Lu Yuan, desperate to learn how he intended to stop the meteorite.
However, Senior Sister Xiang turned every single one away.
Lu Changsheng had commanded that no one disturb him.
With each passing day, the Dark Star meteorite loomed larger and clearer in the sky.
After seven days, its velocity increased as the planet's gravitational pull dragged it in.
Its speed would only continue to climb.
In twenty days, when it struck, humanity would likely be wiped out in an instant.
"Ten days have passed..."
Inside the quiet chamber of the Limit Martial Arts Hall, Lu Changsheng slowly opened his eyes.
He reached out with his senses, doing everything he could to perceive his true body in the Immortal Martial World.
According to the Secret World Tower, ten days was the approximate window when the Immortal Martial World would make contact with this secret world.
At that moment, the two worlds would experience a brief connection.
That would be Lu Changsheng's opportunity!
Yet the complete contact had not quite occurred.
One hour, two hours, three hours...
Finally, around eleven in the morning.
*Hum.*
Lu Changsheng sensed a faint tremor.
It was a spatial vibration.
The tremor was exceptionally subtle, impossible for anyone else to detect.
Only Lu Changsheng, armed with the consciousness of an Earth Saint and paying close, dedicated attention to the surrounding void, managed to catch it.
Otherwise, he would have missed it under normal circumstances.
The vibration was simply too faint.
At that very moment, Lu Changsheng instantly established a connection with his true body in the Immortal Martial World.
*Swish.*
In the Immortal Martial World, within the Secret World Tower.
Lu Changsheng's true body opened his eyes in an instant.
Gazing across the void toward his other self, he smiled knowingly.
"Three years. The day has finally arrived..."
Back in the quiet chamber of the Limit Martial Arts Hall, Lu Changsheng opened his eyes.
He could already feel his true body, and the connection was growing clearer by the second.
After waiting three years, the day had finally arrived.
Lu Changsheng rose abruptly and pushed open the door.
*Swish.*
Outside stood numerous high-ranking officials and powerful figures.
In an instant, every gaze converged upon Lu Changsheng.
No matter their rank or status, excitement showed on every face.
"Sect Master," Senior Sister Xiang greeted him with a respectful bow.
"The seven days have passed. Let us head outside," Lu Changsheng said placidly.
He then led the group out of the Limit Martial Arts Hall.
Outside, tens of thousands of people had gathered in dense crowds, packing the streets.
Everyone surrounded Lu Changsheng, their eyes filled with yearning and hope.
"Very well, this will do,"
Lu Changsheng halted.
Puzzled looks washed over the onlookers.
Right here?
Surrounded by crowds on every side, how was he going to stop the Dark Star meteorite?
Lu Changsheng offered no explanation.
He took a step forward.
That single step seemed to tread upon thin air.
Step by step, he ascended into the empty sky.
He was walking on air!
Seeing this, the crowd erupted in stunned gasps!
Chapter 264