Beneath the Ancestor Realm, All Are Ants!

"This kind of power..." Everyone was stunned. Such immense might was far beyond their imagination. They had originally laid an inescapable net at the confluence of the three rivers specifically for Lu Changsheng, guaranteeing that he would have no escape even if he grew wings. Yet now, what meaning was left in this so-called inescapable net? It had turned into a colossal joke! Against an existence wielding such terrifying power, what did a mere inescapable net amount to? Several divine body experts could not help but tremble inwardly. They exchanged glances, their eyes filled with shock. "Are we... still going to make a move?" They looked at one another in silence. "Make a move? You want to rush up and attack right now?" "Every single person nearby would be drowned in the river..." "The power Lu Changsheng commands is no longer on the level of a divine body. It might even rival a national divine item. But how could a single person unleash the power of a national divine item? This doesn't make sense!" "Indeed, only a divine dynasty can possess a national divine item. Without one, how could anyone erupt with such terrifying might? Lu Changsheng's background must be far from simple—he might even be harboring a monumental secret!" "So what if he has a monumental secret? With strength like his, do you dare try to capture him?" Many remained in awe, hesitating and watching from afar. However, those who were observant and cautious had already begun slipping away in silence. If they lingered any longer, there was no telling what might happen. After all, they had come with hostile intentions to deal with Lu Changsheng. Even if they hadn't attacked yet, watching from the sidelines was still a grave provocation in his eyes. Thus, it was better to leave immediately and make a clean getaway. Lu Changsheng had no idea what was going through their minds. Nor did it matter. These spirit body and divine body experts were truly beneath his notice now. All he cared about was uncovering the secret behind the confluence of the three rivers. Or rather, the secret of the Mortal Immortal. In all likelihood, it lay beneath the riverbed. Rumble! The river surged violently. Countless waves churned away, laying bare the profound depths of the riverbed. Hum. Suddenly, the six Mortal Immortal tombstone fragments inside Lu Changsheng's body began to vibrate. This reaction occurred only when other Mortal Immortal tombstone fragments were nearby. "There are Mortal Immortal tombstone fragments here..." Lu Changsheng's heart jolted. He fixed his gaze into the river's depths, sweeping his consciousness outward incessantly to search for any traces of the tombstone along the riverbed. Yet, he found nothing. "Hmm?" "Wait, there's a whirlpool over there..." "The water inside the whirlpool never stops flowing, and it goes even deeper?" Lu Changsheng reached out with a massive hand once more, attempting to uproot the whirlpool directly. "Rise!" Yet despite his pull, the whirlpool remained completely motionless. Abnormal. This was utterly abnormal. How could Lu Changsheng fail to wrench free a whirlpool so small? How deep could it be sunken into the riverbed? One zhang? Ten zhang? Or perhaps twenty zhang? Never mind ten or twenty zhang—even if it reached a hundred zhang into the riverbed, how could a mere whirlpool resist the power Lu Changsheng currently commanded? Yet the reality was that he truly could not lift it. The whirlpool felt heavier than an entire mountain. "Hmph!" "Rise!" Lu Changsheng snorted coldly and grasped with both hands. Applying both hands, his aura surged upward, climbing almost to the pinnacle. This was the true power of the limit Sovereign Realm. Even an entire river could have been hoisted away with ease, let alone a whirlpool. Yet against such earth-shattering might, the whirlpool still did not budge an inch. At this point, even the dullest onlooker could tell something was wrong with that whirlpool. "What's going on? That whirlpool... is bizarre!" "How strange! Why is there such a whirlpool at the bottom of the river?" "Looking at Lu Changsheng, his real goal seems to be searching for something. Did he come to the confluence of the three rivers specifically to find an object?" "Lu Changsheng is truly enigmatic. They say Ou Fuchun still carries his treasure, and Lu Changsheng never took it from him. Why go to such lengths to protect him, then?" Many spectators were thoroughly baffled. They knew very little about Lu Changsheng and had no idea of his true background. From beginning to end, their attention had actually been focused on Ou Fuchun. Lu Changsheng, however, paid no heed to their chatter. Mustering all his strength, he cupped both hands toward the whirlpool from afar and let out a resounding shout. "Rise!" The power of the limit Sovereign Realm erupted. The river trembled. Even a towering mountain would have been uprooted by Lu Changsheng at this moment. Yet that tiny whirlpool remained completely unmoving. Even with Lu Changsheng exerting his full might, the whirlpool stayed just as it was, entirely unshakable. "Hmm?" "There seems to be a passage inside this whirlpool?" Lu Changsheng narrowed his eyes slightly. He had sensed something. Although the whirlpool remained immovable and beyond his force, he had not come away empty-handed. Vaguely, he glimpsed a passageway within it. Perhaps passing through the whirlpool would lead to a special place. A certain possibility crossed Lu Changsheng's mind, and he grew eager to venture inside. However, Lu Changsheng glanced at Ou Fuchun and then scanned the surroundings. He didn't want to bring Ou Fuchun along. The whirlpool held unknown dangers. Once inside, even Lu Changsheng could not guarantee his own safety, let alone Ou Fuchun's. The slightest mishap could cost Ou Fuchun his life. And for now, Lu Changsheng did not want Ou Fuchun to die. "Hand over the treasure," Lu Changsheng suddenly said. "Ah?" "Senior Lu, this..." Ou Fuchun's expression shifted slightly. Lu Changsheng hadn't coveted his treasure before. Was he finally revealing his true intentions now? Had it come to this after all...? "If you don't give the treasure to me, how do you expect to stay alive once I enter the whirlpool and leave you out here?" Lu Changsheng said calmly. Ou Fuchun's face changed drastically. He was no fool. He understood Lu Changsheng's explanation at once. If he kept the treasure on him, even the deterrent of Lu Changsheng's presence would not stop desperate people from taking risks once Lu Changsheng was gone. Carrying the treasure would be a death sentence! As for whether he could trust Lu Changsheng? There was no point in doubting him. If Lu Changsheng had truly wanted the treasure, he could have killed him and taken it months ago. Why would he wait until now and resort to cheap tricks? "Then I leave it in Senior Lu's hands!" Ou Fuchun promptly retrieved the treasure and handed it to Lu Changsheng. Seeing Ou Fuchun produce the treasure, the eyes of many onlookers lit up, their gazes locking onto Lu Changsheng and Ou Fuchun. "Is that the treasure on Ou Fuchun? The legendary inherited treasure of the Ou clan has finally appeared..." "What is Ou Fuchun doing? He's handing it to Lu Changsheng? How could he do that?" "That is the Ou clan's inherited treasure! He's just handing it over so easily?" "The treasure is right before our eyes! What should we do? Do we strike or not?" In an instant, the atmosphere at the confluence of the three rivers changed. Although no one leapt out to make a move, they all watched like hungry tigers, wishing someone else would lead the charge so they could swarm in afterward. Unfortunately, nobody was willing to be the first bird to stick its neck out. They had not forgotten how shocking the previous display had been. They had not forgotten Lu Changsheng's terrifying might. Striking now would be nothing short of seeking death. Therefore, even though the Ou clan's inherited treasure was right within reach and in plain sight, not a single person dared to act. Lu Changsheng nodded. He accepted the inherited treasure from Ou Fuchun, stowing it away casually as though it barely mattered to him. "Once I go in, stay outside." Pausing, Lu Changsheng addressed the surrounding onlookers: "If Ou Fuchun dies, I will hunt down his killer to the ends of the earth!" With that, Lu Changsheng took a step forward, instantly arriving before the whirlpool on the riverbed. Whoosh. Without further hesitation, Lu Changsheng stepped into the whirlpool. As he crossed its threshold, his figure vanished without a trace. Rumble! At the same time, the river waters Lu Changsheng had forcibly parted cascaded down from a height of a hundred zhang. A deafening roar echoed across the expanse. After a short while, calm returned to the area. It was once again the confluence of the three rivers, as if nothing had ever happened. Yet many knew that Lu Changsheng had ventured into the whirlpool on the riverbed. People nearby exchanged uneasy glances. "Lu Changsheng left?" "It seems he entered the whirlpool at the bottom of the river. What could possibly be down there to warrant such effort from him?" "A whirlpool so well-hidden is clearly extraordinary. Perhaps a tremendous opportunity lies within. Unfortunately, we missed our chance. Now that the river has returned, who can dive down and enter it?" "Even if someone could reach the whirlpool, running into Lu Changsheng would almost certainly mean death." "Forget the whirlpool for now—Ou Fuchun was left behind..." "So what if Ou Fuchun was left behind? Didn't you hear Lu Changsheng's warning? If Ou Fuchun dies, Lu Changsheng will pursue the killer to the ends of the earth. Do you think you can defeat him?" "Indeed, Lu Changsheng is not someone to provoke. If Ou Fuchun still held the inherited treasure, it might have been worth the risk—at worst, one could flee to the divine dynasty's imperial capital and seek asylum with the imperial family. But now that he no longer has the Ou clan's treasure, what point is there in killing him?" Many looked at one another. Indeed, there was no point. They had mobilized so many forces and laid an inescapable net with the sole objective of obtaining the treasure Ou Fuchun carried. Unfortunately, Lu Changsheng had taken it with him into the whirlpool beneath the river. Were they supposed to chase him into the whirlpool? Did any of them dare to follow? "Then let's just wait..." "Perhaps another turn of events will occur. For example, Lu Changsheng might die inside that whirlpool..." Some were still unwilling to give up and waited silently. After all, anything could happen, and nothing was certain. If Lu Changsheng died, their chance would come. Lu Changsheng had no idea that so many people outside were wishing for his demise. Then again, if silent curses could kill, he would have died countless times already. He didn't care about the people outside at all, so long as they didn't get in his way. At that moment, Lu Changsheng was already inside the whirlpool. Hum. He felt immense pressure squeezing his entire body. The force within the whirlpool passage was terrifying. Lu Changsheng sensed that an ordinary spirit body expert would likely be crushed to pieces the moment they entered. Even an ordinary divine body expert would endure tremendous strain, and whether they could survive the passage remained doubtful. For Lu Changsheng's physical body, however, passing through posed no problem. Flash. Lu Changsheng felt a jolt run through him as the passage transported him to an unknown location. He opened his eyes. "Hmm? This place is..." Lu Changsheng felt an unexpected sense of shock. He distinctly remembered entering through a whirlpool at the bottom of a river. How could the riverbed have no water? Yet there was not a single drop here. Before him stretched a picturesque, secluded haven. Looking up, he saw blue skies and white clouds. Beneath his feet lay solid ground. How could this still be the bottom of a river? Lu Changsheng swept his consciousness outward and soon discovered the anomaly. "No, this is still deep beneath the riverbed." "Outside this space lies a vast body of water. The blue sky and white clouds overhead aren't real either—they are merely an illusion... This is an underwater secret manor!" Lu Changsheng understood. An underwater secret manor. It existed entirely beneath the water. The only way in was through that whirlpool. Apart from that, entering was impossible. And finding that whirlpool underwater was extraordinarily difficult. Had Lu Changsheng not parted the river, virtually emptied its waters, and conducted a near-blanket search, how could he have ever located the whirlpool and entered this secret manor? Such a concealed underwater manor was completely unheard of. Yet this only fueled his excitement. Perhaps this was precisely the place he sought. Hum. Lu Changsheng felt the Mortal Immortal tombstone fragments vibrating even more intensely. He immediately followed the resonance of the fragments. Soon, he arrived before a burial mound. Yes, a burial mound. Except there wasn't just one, but two. The tombstone of one mound had already been broken, leaving only a small stump behind. Its appearance matched the fragments in Lu Changsheng's possession perfectly. Clearly, they belonged together! "The tombstone fragments... I found them..." Lu Changsheng suppressed the excitement in his chest. He immediately brought out his Mortal Immortal tombstone fragments and merged them with the stump before the grave. Soon, the fragments fused seamlessly. These were indeed the remaining three fragments. Now, a complete tombstone stood before him. Six characters of immortal script appeared upon the stone. Having watched Zhao Shuwen translate immortal script for so long, Lu Changsheng had gained some understanding of it. These characters were not overly complex, and Lu Changsheng happened to recognize them. The six characters inscribed on the tombstone read: "Tomb of Mortal Immortal Liu Yun." Six words of immortal script! They declared both the identity and the name of the tomb's occupant. The Mortal Immortal, Liu Yun! At last, the truth was revealed. Lu Changsheng had finally found the Tomb of the Mortal Immortal. "Liu Yun... So the Mortal Immortal was named Liu Yun?" Lu Changsheng muttered the name under his breath. It was an ordinary name. Yet the title "Mortal Immortal" made even the most ordinary name extraordinary. "There's another grave..." Lu Changsheng looked toward the other mound. This one also had a tombstone, and it was entirely intact. However, there was not a single word carved upon it. It was a wordless tombstone. "A wordless tombstone... Who is buried here?" A flicker of curiosity crossed Lu Changsheng's eyes. Many questions arose in his mind. A Mortal Immortal. That was a great existence towering above the Ancestor Realm. Why would a Mortal Immortal die? Why were they even buried here? And who buried Mortal Immortal Liu Yun? Why was Liu Yun called a Mortal Immortal in the first place? Lu Changsheng had far too many questions. Even so, the most pressing matter was figuring out how to forge an immortal body. Forging a spirit body required divine items. Forging a divine body likewise required divine items. Did forging an immortal body also require a divine item? If there existed a divine item capable of forging an immortal body... Lu Changsheng's heart beat faster. He felt a faint trace of tension. Ever since he learned of divine items upon arriving in the Kunwu World, rumors had persisted. Divine items were divided into those for spirit bodies, divine bodies, and immortal bodies. Yet divine items capable of forging an immortal body were mere legends across the entire Kunwu World. It seemed no one had ever confirmed seeing one. By now, it had become a legend among legends, something almost nobody believed in. Yet Lu Changsheng believed. That was why he had searched so tirelessly for the Mortal Immortal. Lu Changsheng searched around the burial mounds. Finding no clues, he bowed toward the Tomb of Mortal Immortal Liu Yun, then departed to explore the rest of the secret manor. He still remembered the sixteen-character chant passed down through the Ou clan: "Confluence of three rivers, the immortal's tomb! Dao field of the mortal realm, steps to ascend to heaven!" The first eight characters—confluence of three rivers, the immortal's tomb—seemed to have been verified. At the confluence of the three rivers, there truly was an immortal's tomb. Lu Changsheng stood before it right now. What about the remaining eight characters? Could the Dao field of the mortal realm refer to this underwater secret manor? And what about the steps to ascend to heaven? Lu Changsheng's heart burned with anticipation. Steps to ascend to heaven—who wouldn't desire that? Why did so many Ancestor Realm experts in the Boundary Sea eye the Kunwu World like hungry beasts? Wasn't it all for the secrets of the Immortal Realm? To attain the Immortal Realm. Whether these steps led to becoming a Mortal Immortal or ascending to the Heaven Realm, they represented an astronomical opportunity for any Ancestor Realm expert in the Boundary Sea. The same held true for Lu Changsheng. Thus, Lu Changsheng searched the underwater manor meticulously. Although the manor appeared vast, it was quite empty. After searching for some time, he turned up nothing. Whoosh! Suddenly, a jet of water surged toward Lu Changsheng. It arrived in an instant, moving with immense speed. Though it looked like a simple water column, its force was terrifying. Lu Changsheng estimated it possessed the power of a top-tier divine body expert. Unfazed, Lu Changsheng reached out and grabbed it. Pfft. The water column collapsed instantly. Lu Changsheng remained completely unscathed. "What?" A cry of shock rang out. Lu Changsheng turned toward the sound. He saw a large pond within the manor. Resting inside was an ancient turtle as large as a millstone. The old turtle tilted its head up, staring intently at Lu Changsheng. The water column had been unleashed by this very turtle, and its power was remarkable! "An old turtle?" "Can you understand human speech?" Lu Changsheng asked. The old turtle remained silent. Seeing the spark of intelligence in its eyes, Lu Changsheng knew it possessed intellect, and quite a high one at that. Otherwise, how could it wield such strength? This was the water manor of a Mortal Immortal; finding an old turtle here wasn't entirely surprising. With that, Lu Changsheng extended his hand, intending to capture the turtle. Boom! The old turtle instantly revealed its true form. Its true body was far larger than a millstone. It expanded rapidly. Ten zhang, a hundred zhang, a thousand zhang... Strangely enough, even though the turtle expanded to a size of a thousand zhang, the manor seemed to expand alongside it. It effortlessly accommodated the massive beast. Lu Changsheng immediately realized that the manor could expand and contract at will. It was likely an extraordinary treasure or a divine item itself. Since that was the case, Lu Changsheng had no more reservations. He had previously held back for fear of damaging the manor. Now it seemed he was far from capable of breaking it. This place wouldn't be destroyed so easily. "Fuse!" In the next instant, Lu Changsheng merged his avatars. His aura climbed steadily, finally breaking through his limits and soaring into the Sovereign Realm. The moment he ascended to the Sovereign Realm, Lu Changsheng noticed something different. "Hmm?" "Where is the Kunwu World's repulsive force?" "No repulsive force has descended?" "Could this manor be isolating the Kunwu World's repulsion?" Lu Changsheng paused briefly, but wild joy surged in his heart. If the manor could cut off the Kunwu World and isolate the repulsive force, Lu Changsheng knew full well what that implied. With that in mind, he decided to test it further. His avatars merged once more. This time, Lu Changsheng fused every single one of his avatars. Rumble! A roar echoed within his body. He reached a certain barrier, ascending to the realm that countless beings dreamed of. The Ancestor Realm! Having fused all his spirit body and divine body avatars, Lu Changsheng broke past the constraints of the Sovereign Realm, rivaling an Ancestor Realm expert. As he stood within the manor with a body at the Ancestor Realm, Lu Changsheng carefully sensed the surroundings and the Kunwu World once more. His delight only deepened. It was just as he had suspected. The Kunwu World was shut out! Crucially, its repulsive force had not descended. In other words, inside this water manor, Lu Changsheng had no need to fear the repulsive force—he could unleash the power of the Ancestor Realm without restraint. One breath, two breaths, three breaths... A terrifying aura radiated from Lu Changsheng. Three breaths passed, and he remained inside the manor, entirely unexpelled from the Kunwu World. It was true! The repulsive force could not reach inside this manor. This manor was truly a wondrous treasure. If Lu Changsheng could take control of it, even if he encountered a national divine item, wouldn't he just need to deploy the manor, trap his foe within, and freely wield his Ancestor Realm power against them? When that time came, who knew who would emerge victorious? At the very least, Lu Changsheng would hold a massive advantage. After all, a national divine item was merely an external object. Merging his avatars, on the other hand, was power that truly belonged to him! "Suppress!" Lu Changsheng held nothing back. Channeling his Ancestor Realm might, he brought his hand down toward the gigantic turtle. His palm descended like heaven and earth turning upside down. It crushed down upon the old turtle, holding it fast beneath his hand like a helpless ant. Beneath the Ancestor Realm, all are ants! At this moment, those words were demonstrated to the absolute fullest by Lu Changsheng!