Inside the Tower-Viewing Pavilion, Heavenly Saint Yuan Chen, Heavenly Saint Mo Kong, and Heavenly Saint Jialan Hua stood with their mouths agape, utterly dumbfounded.
They were true disciples from three top sacred grounds.
Each of them was a Master of a Thousand Daos.
Even when watching other cultivators tackle the Tower of Heaven, very few could ever shock them to this degree.
Yet witnessing Lu Changsheng's performance stirred up towering waves of disbelief within them.
"Is this truly the power of a Master of Ten Thousand Daos? Standing still, letting the fourth-floor tower spirit strike him at will, yet remaining completely unscathed..."
"I already held Lu Changsheng in high regard. Having ascended to Heavenly Saint as a Master of Ten Thousand Daos, his power was bound to shake the world. Even so, I still underestimated him. His strength far surpasses my imagination. Perhaps he truly can conquer the seventh floor!"
"I challenged the fourth floor once, but it took immense effort and everything I had. And Lu Changsheng? He treated it like a leisurely stroll. He even made himself a stationary target, letting the attacks land, yet the fourth-floor tower spirit couldn't even pierce his Dao body's defense. The difference between us is night and day..."
Lu Changsheng had stood there without dodging, yet the fourth-floor tower spirit couldn't breach his defenses.
How could anyone fight against that?
Worse, Lu Changsheng had casually reached out and snuffed the spirit out with a single grasp.
Just how terrifyingly strong was he?
At this moment, the trio shared a faint premonition.
Lu Changsheng might climb to unprecedented heights in the Tower of Heaven.
The sixth floor? The seventh floor?
Or perhaps even the ninth floor?
In truth, all of those were possible.
They continued watching.
Lu Changsheng was still on the fourth floor of the Tower of Heaven.
After destroying the tower spirit, he saw the rewards for clearing the fourth floor.
Three treasure rewards appeared before him.
"Is this... a Blood-Igniting Bead? It can make one's qi and blood boil, rapidly converting it into flesh-and-blood vitality to strengthen the body. However, this is a single-use consumable that only provides a one-time enhancement to an Earth Saint-level physique. The boost isn't huge, but it is genuine and tangible—quite good indeed."
"And this is a Verification Stone. It can perfectly replicate an Earth Saint's physical body into the stone, allowing one to conduct all sorts of physical experiments within it to explore paths of bodily enhancement. But the Verification Stone can only be used once. If reckless experimentation damages the stone, it can no longer be used, making it another consumable treasure."
"The third treasure is a Heavenly Heart Divine Fruit. It is said that this fruit can reshape the heart, making it unimaginably robust. The heart is the fountainhead of physical power. If the heart grows stronger, the physical body will gradually strengthen over the years."
"While these three treasures aren't the most supreme items, they are all exceptional. They can enhance even an Earth Saint-level body. For anyone below the Earth Saint level, their effects would be extraordinary."
"It seems the Tower of Heaven can truly see right through me. Otherwise, it wouldn't offer these treasures—practically all of them are useful for an Earth Saint-level physique..."
Lu Changsheng understood now.
The moment he set foot inside the Tower of Heaven, he had no secrets left before it.
This had to be an extraordinary spirit treasure.
After all, many Heavenly Saints had not yet attained an Earth Saint-level physical body.
Jialan Hua was one such example.
Let alone a newly ascended Heavenly Saint like Lu Changsheng.
Tempering the physical body required vast amounts of time.
It could take thousands, even tens of thousands of years for a physical body to transform to the Earth Saint level.
Lu Changsheng was an exception only because he cultivated the Flesh Martial Dao.
His body had already reached the Earth Saint level back when he was still an Earth Saint.
Now, these treasures were tailor-made for him!
"That's the fourth floor down. Next is the fifth..."
Lu Changsheng knew that each floor of the Tower of Heaven was harder than the last, but anticipation surged within him.
He wanted to see what lavish rewards awaited him on the fifth, sixth, or even seventh floor.
So far, every reward from the tower had been exceedingly precious and useful.
With that, Lu Changsheng proceeded toward the fifth floor.
*Whoosh.*
His figure flickered, and he arrived on the fifth floor.
*Buzz.*
A figure swiftly materialized before him.
"I am the fifth-floor tower spirit, Xuan Tiangang!"
"Defeat me, or die!"
This Xuan Tiangang possessed a fiery, tempestuous temperament.
He gave Lu Changsheng no chance to speak.
His frame was extraordinarily burly, exuding an oppressive aura.
The moment he stood, Xuan Tiangang was like a towering mountain.
*Boom.*
Without the slightest hesitation, Xuan Tiangang unleashed his Dao body.
His Heavenly Saint Dao body radiated dazzling light.
Moreover, various martial daos flickered across its surface.
Above his head hung the phantoms of countless mountain peaks, spanning the void.
Lu Changsheng sensed the air slightly.
He could barely feel Xuan Tiangang himself; instead, he felt the aura of mountains rolling off the spirit.
It was as if Xuan Tiangang had transformed into an ancient, primeval divine mountain.
"Thousand Mountains Dao!"
Xuan Tiangang enunciated each word.
Every single one of his martial daos seemed to turn into a primeval divine mountain.
This was a miraculous technique.
Or perhaps a secret art.
It was truly astonishing.
In an instant, countless martial daos stacked atop one another like primeval divine mountains.
Just how horrifying was that power?
Xuan Tiangang threw a punch.
Within that fist lingered the shadows of countless primeval divine mountains.
It was as though thousands of ancient peaks were crashing down upon Lu Changsheng in unison.
Primeval divine mountains loomed in every direction.
Lu Changsheng had nowhere to hide.
In this situation, he could only face it head-on.
In truth, against the fifth-floor tower spirit, even exceptional true disciples from the martial sacred grounds failed to clear the floor.
Mo Kong, for instance, had never managed to pass the fifth floor.
Yuan Chen was in an even worse state; he couldn't even get past the fourth floor.
This alone showed just how difficult the Tower of Heaven was.
Now, Lu Changsheng stood before the fifth-floor tower spirit.
Xuan Tiangang was very strong!
Lu Changsheng could tell he was stronger than Mo Kong.
Otherwise, Mo Kong wouldn't have remained trapped on the fifth floor all this time.
The power of primeval divine mountains in that punch was something even a Master of a Thousand Daos would struggle to withstand.
Yet his opponent clearly wasn't a Master of a Thousand Daos.
Lu Changsheng could see that Xuan Tiangang bore at most several hundred martial daos.
He was still just a Master of a Hundred Daos.
Just like the spirit on the fourth floor.
Lu Changsheng even suspected that the fourth, fifth, and sixth floors were all guarded by Masters of a Hundred Daos.
Only the seventh floor and above would feature Masters of a Thousand Daos.
Yet these Masters of a Hundred Daos wielded terrifying secret arts.
They could unleash staggering combat prowess.
Even Masters of a Thousand Daos were no match for them.
Such secret arts were truly extraordinary.
Yet Lu Changsheng remained completely motionless.
He wanted to test his own limits.
*Boom.*
The next instant, Lu Changsheng unleashed his Dao body.
His Heavenly Saint Dao body was colossal, built upon an overwhelmingly solid foundation.
Even with an equal number of martial daos, Lu Changsheng could easily crush others through his Dao body alone.
What was more, the number of martial daos augmenting his form was staggering.
One hundred, one thousand, two thousand, three thousand...
Lu Changsheng's Heavenly Saint Dao body was densely covered in martial daos.
Each martial dao erupted with immense might, fusing seamlessly into the Dao body.
*Rumble!*
At last, Xuan Tiangang's punch descended.
It slammed heavily against Lu Changsheng's Heavenly Saint Dao body.
Lu Changsheng didn't even lift a hand. He stood suspended in the void, hands clasped behind his back, motionless.
He merely watched Xuan Tiangang with cold detachment.
It looked as though he were an uninvolved bystander.
Yet he could not be a bystander.
Xuan Tiangang's target was him.
The punch landed with a dull thud.
Terrifying force swept outward in all directions like a tempest.
Yet the raging shockwave was smoothed out by an invisible ripple of power, vanishing without a trace.
The Tower of Heaven had intervened.
Forget the might of a Heavenly Saint—even the force of a Martial Dao Sovereign would be completely neutralized by the Tower of Heaven, reduced to nothingness.
Yet after the collision, Lu Changsheng didn't budge an inch.
He was completely unharmed!
"What?"
"Against the fifth-floor tower spirit, Lu Changsheng took a full-strength strike head-on?"
"Incredible... this is simply unbelievable! Is a Master of Ten Thousand Daos truly this strong?"
"A Master of a Thousand Daos and a Master of Ten Thousand Daos seem only a single step apart. But in reality, how could the gap be just one step?"
"No, I'd even say that if there were other Masters of Ten Thousand Daos, Daoist Lu would still be among the very best of them..."
At this moment, Heavenly Saints Mo Kong and Yuan Chen were profoundly shaken.
Mo Kong especially.
He had never been able to get past the fifth floor.
He had clashed with Xuan Tiangang several times.
Every time had ended in absolute defeat.
Even after racking his brains for years trying to defeat Xuan Tiangang, he had suffered crushing losses each time.
He couldn't beat Xuan Tiangang, let alone conquer the fifth floor.
Mo Kong felt a deep, gnawing helplessness.
Yet now, he watched Lu Changsheng stand on that very floor.
He just stood there quietly, hands behind his back.
He let the fifth-floor spirit strike him at will.
Yet he remained immovable as a mountain.
Calm, effortless, and unperturbed.
The one feeling deeply helpless now was Xuan Tiangang.
At this moment, Mo Kong suddenly realized something.
The moment Lu Changsheng ascended to Heavenly Saint, he had left him far behind in the dust.
Lu Changsheng had no idea Mo Kong was experiencing such turbulent thoughts.
Right now, he was reflecting on what had just occurred.
Xuan Tiangang was indeed formidable.
That strike had shaken his Heavenly Saint Dao body.
Had Lu Changsheng not bolstered his form with a full three thousand martial daos, Xuan Tiangang's blow might have genuinely broken through his defenses and shaken his Dao body.
Unfortunately for the spirit, Lu Changsheng not only had three thousand martial daos active, but thousands more waiting in reserve.
Forget one Xuan Tiangang—even ten of them couldn't shake his Dao body.
"Why can a Heavenly Saint with only a few hundred martial daos unleash combat power surpassing an ordinary Master of a Thousand Daos?" Lu Changsheng asked suddenly.
He hadn't actually expected an answer.
To his surprise, Xuan Tiangang, a tower spirit, seemed to possess genuine intelligence.
The spirit answered coldly, "Defeat me, and I will give you the answer!"
"Oh?"
Lu Changsheng raised an eyebrow.
Xuan Tiangang understood him?
These tower spirits truly possessed sentience.
They could think for themselves.
With that realization, Lu Changsheng hesitated no longer.
"As you wish!"
"Ten Thousand Daos Upon My Form!"
To prevent any mishaps—and perhaps out of respect for Xuan Tiangang—Lu Changsheng held nothing back.
He released nearly all ten thousand of his martial daos, infusing them completely into his Dao body.
Instantly, his Dao body swelled countless times over.
The terrifying aura radiating from him sent chills down one's spine.
*Boom.*
Lu Changsheng threw a casual punch.
It was merely an offhand strike.
Yet it marshaled ten thousand martial daos.
With ten thousand daos upon his form, the punch carried unfathomable force.
Xuan Tiangang didn't even have time to utter a word before he was blown apart by the strike.
*Bang!*
Xuan Tiangang's body disintegrated into dust in an instant.
The fifth floor of the Tower of Heaven fell utterly silent.
The path leading to the sixth floor appeared.
This signaled that Lu Changsheng had passed the fifth-floor trial.
Curiously, however, the fifth-floor treasure rewards did not appear.
*Swish.*
A figure materialized before Lu Changsheng.
It was Xuan Tiangang!
The very same Xuan Tiangang who had been blown apart by Lu Changsheng's punch had reappeared, seemingly in perfect condition.
"Do not be alarmed. You have already defeated me and cleared the fifth floor," Xuan Tiangang stated directly.
He was a tower spirit.
Inside the Tower of Heaven, a tower spirit naturally could not die.
Even being destroyed ten thousand times would not end his existence.
This was the unique nature of the Tower of Heaven.
As long as the tower remained intact, these spirits would live forever.
In a sense, it was a form of "immortality."
Of course, a tower spirit's immortality was tied to the tower itself.
If the Tower of Heaven fell, the tower spirits would perish with it.
"Lu Changsheng, I now grant you two choices."
"You may take the rewards for clearing the fifth floor."
"Or, I can explain to you why we tower spirits possess such formidable combat strength."
"Between these two, you can only choose one!"
Xuan Tiangang's tone was calm.
He laid the two options before Lu Changsheng.
Lu Changsheng fell into thought.
The rewards for clearing the fifth floor would undoubtedly be rich.
Yet how much could they truly help him?
Could they help him become a Martial Dao Sovereign right away?
Impossible!
To become a Martial Dao Sovereign, one still had to rely on oneself, slowly tempering the physical body to the Heavenly Saint level before having a slim chance at a breakthrough.
Seen in this light, the secret art or method that allowed Xuan Tiangang—a cultivator with only a few hundred martial daos—to unleash combat strength exceeding an ordinary Master of a Thousand Daos was far more valuable than mere treasures.
Having weighed his options, Lu Changsheng made up his mind.
"Tell me, why is your combat strength so immense?"
With these words, Lu Changsheng made his choice.
Xuan Tiangang smiled.
"Once, I too was a Master of a Hundred Daos."
"Later, knowing I had no hope of becoming a Martial Dao Sovereign, I devoted myself to studying the Martial Dao, seeking ways to elevate my combat strength."
"Eventually, I developed a secret art: the Dao-Shattering Method."
"It involves shattering a portion of one's martial daos—say, one-tenth of them. Once shattered, those martial daos generate tenfold or dozens of times more destructive power in an instant."
"Fueled by that eruption of power, I can naturally unleash combat strength far beyond my normal limits, multiplying my battle prowess more than tenfold in a heartbeat!"
"The only drawback is that once a dao is shattered, recovery is arduous. It requires a long period of quiet recuperation to heal slowly. Furthermore, you cannot shatter too much at once—at most fifty percent. Exceeding fifty percent will cause the martial dao to collapse entirely, permanently costing you that dao, which defeats the purpose."
Lu Changsheng understood now.
It was a method of shattering one's daos!
"Thank you."
"Could you bestow the Dao-Shattering Method upon me?" Lu Changsheng asked.
"The Dao-Shattering Method is no grand secret. Giving it to you does no harm."
Xuan Tiangang pointed a finger.
A cluster of white light flew toward Lu Changsheng.
Sweeping it with his divine sense, Lu Changsheng instantly absorbed the information contained within the light.
It was indeed the Dao-Shattering Method.
This technique was exceedingly perilous.
In truth, the danger wasn't limited to exceeding fifty percent. In some cases, an entire martial dao could shatter completely even below that threshold.
Furthermore, even shattering just a tenth of a dao required months or even years of recuperation to fully heal.
Repeatedly shattering daos would inevitably inflict some lasting wear and tear on one's martial daos.
For this reason, even if certain Heavenly Saints knew of the method, they would never cultivate it, let alone use it.
Using it risked future collapse of their martial daos.
That was a latent hazard.
Without martial daos, how could one temper the physical body?
Without a strong physical body, how could one attain the Unified True Self and become a Martial Dao Sovereign?
Yet Lu Changsheng viewed things differently.
"The Dao-Shattering Method isn't so terrifying."
"Shattering one-tenth is indeed quite substantial."
"What if I shatter only one percent? That would have virtually no adverse impact and could fully recover in a few days—or even a day or two."
"I possess ten thousand martial daos. If I shatter one percent of each, that equates to completely shattering a hundred martial daos! And that's the explosive might of a hundred entire daos detonating at once—just how horrifying would that be?"
"Add to that the inherent power unleashed by my ten thousand martial daos, and it would be like detonating a hundred martial daos atop the base power of ten thousand daos."
"How strong would my combat power be then?"
Lu Changsheng could hardly fathom it.
What if he shattered one-tenth of each dao?
That would equal detonating a thousand full martial daos.
Such power...
Lu Changsheng didn't even dare to imagine it.
In any case, the destructive might would undoubtedly shake heaven and earth.
"As expected, my insistence on accumulating ten thousand martial daos and becoming a Master of Ten Thousand Daos was the right choice."
"Ten thousand martial daos grant an overwhelming advantage..." Lu Changsheng murmured softly.
Shattering one percent could be used as a routine move without causing any harm.
Shattering ten percent would inflict slight wear, taking several months to recover, but it could serve as a devastating trump card!
What if he activated Phenomenal Image of Heaven and Earth before shattering his daos...?
Lu Changsheng felt an absurd temptation.
Should he go spar with a Martial Dao Sovereign?
Of course, it was just a passing thought.
He wasn't so arrogant as to challenge a Martial Dao Sovereign immediately after ascending to Heavenly Saint.
Perhaps he could seek out a Martial Dao Sovereign once his ten thousand martial daos were perfected?
After all, once his daos reached perfection, the power of shattering them would increase even further.
"Remember, the Dao-Shattering Method is merely a technique, a minor path," Xuan Tiangang warned.
"The true grand path is that of the Martial Dao Sovereign!"
"We tower spirits have no hope of becoming sovereigns, but you possess boundless possibilities."
"Go on. If you can conquer all nine floors of the Tower of Heaven, an unimaginable windfall awaits you—a great boon left behind by the Martial Ancestor..."
Xuan Tiangang appeared cold on the surface, yet he offered Lu Changsheng this parting advice.
Lu Changsheng's heart stirred.
Could there really be something extraordinary on the ninth floor?
It seemed no one had ever cleared the ninth floor.
Ever since the Martial Ancestor established the Tower of Heaven, no cultivator had managed to conquer the ninth floor.
Xuan Tiangang seemed to believe Lu Changsheng stood a sliver of a chance.
Moreover, the ninth floor supposedly held an opportunity left by the Martial Ancestor.
Such an opportunity was bound to be monumental.
For a Heavenly Saint, it would be peerless!
"To the sixth floor!"
Without hesitation, Lu Changsheng stepped toward the sixth floor of the Tower of Heaven.
He was unaware, however, that the moment he entered the sixth floor, countless onlookers outside the Tower of Heaven were thrown into a frenzy.
They stared at the tower in utter disbelief.
"The... the sixth floor lit up! Someone has stepped onto the sixth floor of the Tower of Heaven?"
"You can only enter the sixth floor after conquering the fifth! Where did this monster come from, to actually clear the fifth floor?"
"Anyone who can clear the fifth floor is an absolute pinnacle genius even within the sacred grounds! As for clearing the sixth floor, that hasn't happened in fifty thousand years! Can this person conquer the sixth floor?"
"Just who is he? To reach the sixth floor, he must be a true disciple from one of the twenty-one top martial sacred grounds. He might even be a true disciple from the three supreme sacred grounds! Is he from Gufu Sacred Ground, Wanfa Sacred Ground, or Jidao Sacred Ground?"
"Most likely Gufu Sacred Ground. After all, the younger generation of true disciples from Gufu Sacred Ground has been making quite a name for themselves lately."
Crowds of cultivators gazed up at the Tower of Heaven.
The first five floors rarely drew widespread attention.
They lit up frequently enough, meaning people reached the fifth floor from time to time.
Yet the sixth floor had remained dark for an eternity.
Even when it did light up, no one had cleared it.
The last person to conquer the sixth floor had done so fifty thousand years ago.
However, those outside could not see what was happening inside.
Thus, despite the flurry of heated speculation among the Heavenly Saints, not a single person could guess the challenger's true identity.
No one outside knew it was Lu Changsheng.
Inside the Tower-Viewing Pavilion, however, it was a different story.
Mo Kong, Yuan Chen, and Jialan Hua stood dumbstruck, their minds reeling as if tossed by raging waves!
The sixth floor!
Lu Changsheng had truly reached the sixth floor!
What shocked them most was not merely his reaching the sixth floor, but the manner in which he had cleared the fifth.
He had taken a full-power strike from the fifth-floor spirit, Xuan Tiangang, without budging an inch.
This proved Lu Changsheng had not even gone all out.
He still had strength to spare for the sixth floor!
In fact, he was exceedingly likely to clear it!
Yet Lu Changsheng's choice after defeating the fifth-floor spirit left the three of them bewildered.
"What is Daoist Lu doing? He rejected the rich rewards of the fifth floor and chose the Dao-Shattering Method instead?"
"What use is the Dao-Shattering Method? Aside from providing a temporary boost in strength, it contributes nothing to one's fundamental cultivation. In fact, it damages martial daos and harms one's foundation—the losses far outweigh the gains!"
"Indeed. Frequent use of the Dao-Shattering Method could cause one to miss the chance to become a Martial Dao Sovereign..."
The three exchanged glances, seeing the mutual bewilderment in each other's eyes.
Had it been them, they would have chosen the generous rewards without hesitation.
Those were treasures capable of enhancing the physical body.
As for the Dao-Shattering Method?
They wouldn't have given it a second thought.
There was simply no need.
The foundation of cultivation was oneself, not a self-destructive shortcut like the Dao-Shattering Method.
"Ah, well. Lu Changsheng is still young. He has already cleared the fifth floor."
"Taking the Dao-Shattering Method now might just be his ambition talking—perhaps he wants to push for the sixth, seventh, or even the ninth floor? After all, no one has ever cleared the ninth floor since antiquity."
"If he shatters his daos at all costs, with his ten thousand martial daos, he might truly have a shot at clearing the seventh, eighth, or even ninth floor. But if it ruins his foundation, what would be the point of clearing the ninth floor?"
All three felt a sense of lament, exasperated that such raw talent might be squandered.
Yet there was nothing they could do.
They could only hope Lu Changsheng wouldn't recklessly use the Dao-Shattering Method out of a hunger for quick gains.
In truth, their worries were entirely unwarranted.
Lu Changsheng had no intention of using the method carelessly.
Among Heavenly Saints, opponents capable of forcing him to shatter his daos could be counted on one hand.
Most of the time, he could crush his foes without resorting to it at all.
Take the sixth floor, for example.
Lu Changsheng now laid eyes on the sixth-floor tower spirit.
"I am the sixth-floor tower spirit, Feng Jiudao!"
"I can unleash nine slashes."
"Block them, or die!"
Feng Jiudao's tone was frigid.
The next instant, he swung his blade.
*Swish! Swish! Swish!*
True to his word, a single swing produced nine blade shadows.
Yet each of those nine shadows contained earth-shattering, ferocious power.
It was as if explosive energy was sealed inside each blade shadow, ready to detonate.
Even Lu Changsheng felt a faint hint of threat.
"Still several hundred martial daos, but already reaching nine hundred—a pinnacle Master of a Hundred Daos!"
"Each blade light seals a martial dao within it... Can martial daos be projected outward like this?"
"Once the blade light strikes me, the power of those martial daos will erupt—and might even shatter!"
Lu Changsheng's heart jolted!
What a technique!
What a blade art!
The moment they hit, they would instantly shatter the daos.
Nine blade lights meant nine hundred martial daos.
If all of them shattered at once...
The resulting power would be unimaginably vast!
After all, Feng Jiudao was merely a tower spirit.
Tower spirits could not die.
What did it matter if he shattered all of his martial daos?
It would have no lasting effect on him.
This was precisely why the tower spirits were so terrifying.
They could shatter their daos without the slightest restraint.
How could they not be powerful?
The force of nine hundred shattered martial daos was truly world-shaking.
Lu Changsheng dared not underestimate it.
Without hesitation, he manifested his Dao body.
All ten thousand martial daos augmented his form.
"Transform!"
Lu Changsheng's Dao body instantly sprouted more than a dozen arms.
Each arm lunged forward to seize one of the incoming blade lights.
"Shatter!"
Yet the moment Lu Changsheng's arms made contact with the nine blade lights—
*Rumble!*
The nine blade lights detonated simultaneously.
The explosion was earth-shattering.
This was no ordinary blade light breaking apart.
This was dao-shattering!
Nearly all nine hundred martial daos shattered in unison.
A monstrous shockwave enveloped Lu Changsheng's Dao body, surging toward him with apocalyptic fury.
Against a dao-shattering blast of this caliber, who could possibly stand?
Chapter 309