The Immortal Body Displays Its Might: Slaying an Ancestor in a Single Palm!

"Hmm?" Both the Eight-Armed Ancestor and Ancestor Xuankong snapped their heads up. They stared at Lu Changsheng, openly astonished. Lu Changsheng had actually stepped forward? Did he not understand what standing before Ancestor Xuankong meant? The three Martial Ancestors wanted to stop him, but seeing his resolute expression, they fell silent. They were bewildered and shocked. In their eyes, Lu Changsheng was merely a Limit Realm martial artist. Even if he had encountered good fortune in the Kunwu World, what of it? At most, he might rival the Sovereign Realm. As for the Ancestor Realm? They did not dare imagine it! Yet Lu Changsheng had stepped out without hesitation. "Heh, a mere Limit Realm..." The Eight-Armed Ancestor sneered. No matter how he looked at him, Lu Changsheng remained in the Limit Realm. Even if being expelled from the Kunwu World meant he had grasped Sovereign Realm power, so what? At this moment, both seemed to have conveniently "overlooked" the news that had come from the Kunwu World. There, Lu Changsheng had reigned supreme and swept through everything unopposed. He had even subjugated the divine dynasties—dynasties possessing national divine items capable of unleashing Ancestor Realm might. Yet neither of them had thought it through. If national divine items could unleash the combat power of an Ancestor, how had Lu Changsheng brought those dynasties under his thumb? Naturally, there were many potential explanations. Lu Changsheng might have seized upon some weakness in the dynasties, or found flaws in the national divine items themselves. But this was the Boundary Sea, not the Kunwu World. In the Boundary Sea, Ancestor Realm experts had no such vulnerabilities, nor did they rely on national divine items. Provoking an Ancestor in the Boundary Sea was nothing short of courting death. Lu Changsheng glanced at the Eight-Armed Ancestor. For some reason, even among those who had cultivated to the Ancestor Realm, there were still detestable figures like him. Lu Changsheng felt nothing but disdain for him, and now, that disdain had sharpened into killing intent. After all, without the Eight-Armed Ancestor, none of this would have happened, and the three Martial Ancestors of the Immortal Martial Palace would not have been intercepted. The root of all this trouble was the Eight-Armed Ancestor! In that case, Lu Changsheng had no reason to hold back. *Boom!* A deep roar thundered within Lu Changsheng's body. Immediately after, the avatars within his body began to merge frantically. A terrifying aura erupted from within him. Limit Realm! Sovereign Realm! Ancestor Realm! In that instant, the aura inside Lu Changsheng boldly tore through the thresholds and surged straight into the Ancestor Realm! Moreover, his presence was no longer as simple as a standard Ancestor Realm expert's. The body formed from his fusion was far beyond a mere spirit body or divine body—it carried a wisp of the aura of an immortal body! Yes, an immortal body. And not just any, but the Myriad Spirits Immortal Body! Even if he had merely established its foundation, it was still an immortal body foundation! In that instant, a suffocating pressure descended upon the void. "This is..." The Eight-Armed Ancestor's eyes went wide, as though he could not believe his sight. Not just him, but Ancestor Xuankong and the three Martial Ancestors were equally shaken to their cores. *Rumble!* Lu Changsheng extended a hand. His palm blotted out the sky and sun, crashing down aggressively toward the Eight-Armed Ancestor. Killing intent! Lu Changsheng had truly resolved to kill him, and this strike carried no mercy whatsoever. The terrifying majesty of the blow tightened everyone's chest—especially the Eight-Armed Ancestor's. A looming sense of doom gripped him. He felt as though this single palm would claim his life! *Boom!* The Eight-Armed Ancestor revealed his true form. A monstrous, eight-armed giant spanned the void, exuding an enormous presence. His eight arms fused into a single massive fist, slamming head-on into Lu Changsheng's descending palm. *Rumble, rumble, rumble!* The void shook violently. Lu Changsheng's palm fell inexorably. Like Mount Tai collapsing from the heavens, the blow obliterated all resistance in an instant, shattering the Eight-Armed Ancestor's defense. All eight of his arms disintegrated inch by inch. Even exhausting his full strength was completely futile; he could not block it in the slightest. "Elder Brother!" the Eight-Armed Ancestor shrieked. Terror consumed him. He truly could not withstand this palm strike. If it landed fully, he would die! After all, his life-saving methods were nowhere near as formidable as those of the three Martial Ancestors. *Whoosh!* The moment his cry left his mouth, a streak of sword light arrived in a flash. Ancestor Xuankong had acted. The sword light blazed, aiming to sever the palm Lu Changsheng had thrust forward. Yet how could Lu Changsheng let him have his way? He had only used one hand to deal with the Eight-Armed Ancestor. He still had another! Lu Changsheng extended his right hand and turned his palm downward with a gentle flip. *Boom!* The strike descended like a reversed river of stars. Everyone's senses seemed warped, as if they were watching the cosmos spin and the starry sky collapse. Words could hardly describe the immense power behind this palm. That dazzling sword light could slice through the starry expanse, yet it could not cut through this colossal palm. *Rumble!* The sword light and the palm collided violently. At the same time, the hand Lu Changsheng had sent crashing down upon the Eight-Armed Ancestor finally crushed through, grinding him into fine powder. "No—!" The Eight-Armed Ancestor let out an agonizing, unwilling scream. He could scarcely believe what he was seeing. What was this? Lu Changsheng was fighting two opponents at once! He was engaging both him and Ancestor Xuankong simultaneously! How was that possible? Worst of all, Lu Changsheng had effortlessly parried Ancestor Xuankong's sword while retaining enough strength to obliterate him completely. Amid his despairing wail, the Eight-Armed Ancestor was reduced to dust. Then, total silence followed. Even his aura vanished without a trace. Silence! The entire void plunged into a dead, suffocating quiet. Everyone stared with wide eyes, struggling to comprehend the scene before them. Dead! The Eight-Armed Ancestor had simply died like that? A single palm had ground him into dust, snuffed out by Lu Changsheng in one strike! It sounded like nothing short of a myth. The Eight-Armed Ancestor was no weakling; he was a bona fide high-rank Ancestor Realm powerhouse. Even compared to Martial Ancestor Jidao, the strongest among the three Martial Ancestors, he was hardly inferior. Yet such a mighty figure had been swatted to death by Lu Changsheng with a casual wave of his hand. The lingering aura radiating from Lu Changsheng made their hearts tremble even more. What was more, Lu Changsheng had met Ancestor Xuankong blow for blow at the exact same time, without falling into the slightest disadvantage. In fact, by crushing the Eight-Armed Ancestor in the process, he had clearly seized the upper hand and shown himself superior! "Top-tier Ancestor Realm! This is the combat strength of a top-tier Ancestor Realm!" "Lu Changsheng only took a single trip to the Kunwu World, and now he possesses the might of a top-tier Ancestor?" "Just what monumental fortune did he obtain in the Kunwu World to leap from the Limit Realm straight to the top-tier Ancestor Realm...?" Shock battered the hearts of the three Martial Ancestors. They understood better than anyone how difficult it was to cross the chasm from the Limit Realm to the Ancestor Realm. Yet Lu Changsheng had done it in a mere eleven years—not only reaching the Ancestor Realm, but ascending to its very pinnacle, instantly becoming the strongest existence in the Immortal Martial Palace. The three of them dreamed day and night of attaining the top-tier Ancestor Realm. Now, Lu Changsheng appeared to have arrived there ahead of them. They knew he had to be harboring profound secrets, or had reaped an unfathomable harvest in the Kunwu World. The Eight-Armed Ancestor and Ancestor Xuankong had not been chasing mere rumors. But even if they knew, what did it matter? Lu Changsheng's willingness to strike proved he harbored no fear. Ancestor Xuankong looked toward the spot where the Eight-Armed Ancestor had stood. Dead. Not a shred of his presence remained. Sinking an Ancestor in one palm! Ancestor Xuankong's expression grew grim. "Top-tier Ancestor Realm..." "It seems the intelligence was true. You were invincible in the Kunwu World, subjugating so many divine dynasties to extract tribute, almost stripping the entire world bare." "Earlier, Eight-Armed and I assumed you used some secret method to exploit weaknesses in the national divine items. Now it appears you didn't find their flaws—you simply suppressed them through sheer power, all while avoiding expulsion by the Kunwu World..." "It seems the fortuitous encounter you bear is extraordinary indeed!" Ancestor Xuankong had grasped the truth completely. The opportunity Lu Changsheng held went far beyond his wildest imagination! Lu Changsheng stood with his hands behind his back and said calmly, "Your guess is correct. I indeed obtained an immense fortune in the Kunwu World. "Do you want it? "If you do, come take it yourself!" Lu Changsheng met Ancestor Xuankong's gaze directly. In that moment, their eyes locked, invisible forces clashing like needle to point. "Kill!" Without the slightest hesitation, Ancestor Xuankong struck. This time, he held nothing back. Streak after streak of sword light illuminated the pitch-black void, each capable of cleanly slaying a high-rank Ancestor Realm expert. Watching this, the three Martial Ancestors finally understood, cold sweat beading on their backs. This was what a true top-tier Ancestor Realm expert was capable of. A single sword strike could have slaughtered them. It was fortunate that their life-saving methods were exceptional; otherwise, like the Eight-Armed Ancestor, they would have been instantly dispatched in one exchange. Yet now, anxiety gripped them. The clash unfolding in the void belonged to genuine top-tier Ancestors. The outcome of this battle would decide the fate of the entire Immortal Martial Palace! *Swish, swish, swish, swish!* Razor-sharp arcs of sword light surged as though capable of cleaving everything to pieces, while Lu Changsheng met them with fist after fist, colliding violently in the void. For the moment, the two appeared evenly matched. Lu Changsheng also gained a clear sense of his current strength. With his Myriad Spirits Immortal Body Foundation only at twenty-five percent, he was roughly at the level of a top-tier Ancestor Realm expert. Even that was terrifying. Once the foundation was cast, even one percent progress was enough to step straight into the top-tier Ancestor Realm. The leap was staggering—an absolute transformation in quality. Calling it an ascent to the heavens in a single step was no exaggeration. *One percent of the Myriad Spirits Immortal Body already rivals a top-tier Ancestor Realm expert. At twenty-five percent, I am quite formidable even among top-tier Ancestors, yet Ancestor Xuankong can still match me, meaning he is quite strong in his own right.* *If I had reached thirty percent or more, I would have secured a clear advantage. At fifty percent, Ancestor Xuankong would be dead without question.* *I wonder what level a supreme Ancestor Realm expert represents. Fifty percent, or even higher?* The thought flickered through Lu Changsheng's mind. He had already experienced the sheer dominance of the Myriad Spirits Immortal Body. Even at the foundational stage, each additional percentage point brought a substantial surge in combat power. However, his foundation had only reached twenty-five percent, and further progress would be exceedingly difficult. Still, Lu Changsheng possessed more than just the foundation of an immortal body. He also had the Mortal Immortal Dao! His Mortal Immortal Dao did not directly amplify his raw physical power, but its utility was immense. Its greatest strength was analysis. In a sense, analysis could unravel ten thousand dharmas; no form of power could escape its scrutiny. As Lu Changsheng traded heavy blows with Ancestor Xuankong, he continually activated the power of the Mortal Immortal Dao, relentlessly analyzing Ancestor Xuankong's sword techniques and power. Suddenly, Lu Changsheng thrust forward another palm. This strike bypassed the sword light entirely, piercing straight through and landing squarely on Ancestor Xuankong's body. "What?" Ancestor Xuankong's heart seized in shock, but it was already too late to retreat. A horrific force crashed into his frame. His strengths lay in attack, not defense; in terms of durability, he fell short even of the Eight-Armed Ancestor. Thus, under the impact of this palm, Ancestor Xuankong could only watch powerlessly as his body fell apart. *Bang!* In the next instant, Ancestor Xuankong's body also disintegrated into fine powder. Dead! A renowned top-tier Ancestor Realm figure had perished just like that. The void settled into absolute stillness. Watching this, the three Martial Ancestors felt as though they were trapped in an illusion. The Eight-Armed Ancestor was dead, and now even Ancestor Xuankong was gone. Just what boundary had Lu Changsheng reached? "Martial Ancestors, let us depart," Lu Changsheng said calmly. With a sweep of his hand, he collected the treasures left behind by the two Ancestors. Anything that could survive his strikes was bound to be extraordinary. He then erased every trace of their aura. Even if someone came searching here later, they would find nothing. "Right, we must return to the Immortal Martial Palace at once." The three Martial Ancestors snapped out of their daze, knowing they could not linger. The four set off immediately, speeding toward the Immortal Martial Palace at their fastest pace. Along the way, the three Martial Ancestors remained silent, focused entirely on the journey. They had countless questions that only Lu Changsheng could answer, but the danger had not entirely passed. At last, they returned to the Immortal Martial Palace, breathing a collective sigh of relief once inside. *Whoosh.* All three turned their gazes upon Lu Changsheng. He understood what they wanted; they were dying to know what he had experienced in the Kunwu World. Above all, they wanted to understand what fortune had allowed him to ascend to the heavens in a single bound and wield the might of a top-tier Ancestor. The four gathered within Martial Ancestor Jidao's cave dwelling. Unable to hold back, Martial Ancestor Jidao spoke first: "Lu Changsheng, what realm are you actually in? We can clearly sense that you remain in the Limit Realm, having not even become a Martial Dao Sovereign. How can you possess the strength of a top-tier Ancestor?" This was what puzzled them most. As Martial Ancestors, how could they fail to see that Lu Changsheng had not even achieved the status of a Martial Dao Sovereign? Yet without being a Sovereign, he wielded top-tier Ancestor strength. It defied all reason. Lu Changsheng pondered for a moment before replying, "Actually, this involves the cultivation paths—or rather, the cultivation systems—that I encountered in the Kunwu World. "You should know what lies above the Ancestor Realm, yes?" The three Martial Ancestors exchanged glances. Then Jidao answered solemnly, "We have heard rumors that above the Ancestor Realm lies the Immortal Realm!" As expected, they knew of it, but nothing more. They knew only the name 'Immortal Realm'; what it truly entailed and how one attained it remained a complete mystery. In fact, the martial cultivation system of the Immortal Martial World reached its pinnacle at the Ancestor Realm. It could only support them that far. They could not even break through to the top-tier Ancestor Realm, relying instead on blind groping in the hope of someday rivaling that level of strength. But doing so was immensely difficult. Lu Changsheng explained, "During my time in the Kunwu World, I obtained four distinct paths to the Immortal Realm: the Heaven Realm Upper Immortal, the Mortal Immortal Dao, the Physical Immortal Dao, and the Loose Immortal Dao..." Lu Changsheng went on to recount the four immortal paths in detail. In truth, these four paths represented four broad cultivation systems. Across the vast Boundary Sea, among countless races and myriad techniques, every path ultimately fell within the scope of these four. As they listened to his explanation, stormy waves churned in the hearts of the three Martial Ancestors. It expanded their horizons tremendously. Previously, they had stumbled about in the dark, relying purely on their own efforts to forge and pioneer their path. But now, with these four systems laid out before them, their understanding of their own martial path deepened immensely. They had even caught sight of a clearer direction forward. This knowledge was invaluable! "So that's how it is... four cultivation systems..." "Then our current Martial Dao should fall under the Physical Immortal Dao, though not entirely. When it comes to the physical body, our Martial Dao doesn't purely focus on refining flesh and blood; rather, it resembles the Loose Immortal system." "Indeed. Cultivating a bit of everything—isn't that precisely the Loose Immortal system? Our Martial Dao truly leans toward the Loose Immortal system, whereas the Qi Refinement of the Immortal Palace looks more like the Mortal Immortal Dao." "The Qi Refinement of the Immortal Palace is far inferior to the Mortal Immortal Dao. They also mix in bits of everything into a hodgepodge, which ultimately still makes it part of the Loose Immortal Dao." The three Martial Ancestors analyzed their foundations carefully and realized that both the Immortal Palace and the Martial Palace of the Immortal Martial Palace followed what was essentially the Loose Immortal Dao. The Loose Immortal Dao sounded easier to tread, but its potential was constrained. Moreover, achieving the Immortal Realm through it was exceptionally arduous. "Lu Changsheng, which immortal path do you cultivate?" Martial Ancestor Jidao asked. All three looked at him intently. They knew that for Lu Changsheng to rival a top-tier Ancestor, he must have cultivated another immortal path while in the Kunwu World. They simply did not know which one. "I cultivate both the Mortal Immortal Dao and the Heaven Realm's immortal body path," Lu Changsheng replied frankly without concealment. "Especially the immortal body—relying on divine items, I have already progressed quite far along it..." There was no need to keep it secret. Lu Changsheng even released the aura of his Myriad Spirits Immortal Body. Although his aura seemed similar to that of a top-tier Ancestor, careful observation revealed a distinct difference. After all, this was the presence of an immortal body, fundamentally different from an ordinary Ancestor Realm aura. "An immortal body..." The three Martial Ancestors looked at one another, sighing with emotion. In truth, they also wished to tread the path of the immortal body, but it demanded far too many resources. Without divine items, how could one establish an immortal body foundation? It was impossible. Lu Changsheng had stripped the Kunwu World bare just to push his Myriad Spirits Immortal Body Foundation to twenty-five percent. As for gathering enough resources to support the three of them in switching paths? There was no chance of success whatsoever. As for the Mortal Immortal Dao? Its demands on comprehension were absurdly high, making it equally unsuitable. The Physical Immortal Dao was worth attempting, but they lacked an appropriate opportunity at present. In contrast, the Loose Immortal Dao allowed one to draw upon the strengths of various schools and fuse them into one, offering a realistic shot at reaching the Immortal Realm. Most cultivation systems among the myriad races of the Boundary Sea fell into the Loose Immortal category, integrating eclectic techniques. After all, factions or races possessing complete Immortal Realm heritages were exceedingly rare. The Giant Spirit race had possessed a complete heritage, rooted in their Giant Spirit bloodline and leading straight to heaven along the Physical Immortal Dao. Yet even the Giant Spirit race had been exterminated. Having a complete immortal heritage was no guarantee of enduring prosperity. Even with an immortal heritage laid before someone, cultivation depended on the individual. If the cultivator fell short, then no matter how many resources were poured in, achieving greatness along the immortal body path remained out of reach. Even so, the knowledge Lu Changsheng had brought back would provide immense benefits to the Immortal Martial Palace and the Immortal Martial World as a whole. The three Martial Ancestors could gradually adjust their cultivation methods based on the four frameworks, which would ripple through the entire Immortal Martial World and save future generations from countless detours. "By the way, what about the Road to Ascending Heaven...?" Martial Ancestor Jidao asked next. Knowing of the Immortal Realm, they naturally knew of the Road to Ascending Heaven as well. "The Road to Ascending Heaven is severed..." Lu Changsheng shook his head. "From what I learned in the Kunwu World, even genuine Immortal Realm experts were unable to enter the Heaven Realm back then." The three Martial Ancestors shuddered, stunned disbelief washing over their faces. A severed Road to Ascending Heaven struck them like a bolt from the blue. Even though reaching the Immortal Realm was already a remote dream, they had still clung to that glimmer of hope. Now, even that hope had been shattered. What good was reaching the Immortal Realm if one remained trapped in the Boundary Sea, doomed to perish in isolation? For a time, the three Martial Ancestors fell silent. Cultivators did not fear the bitterness of the path, nor did they fear a lack of resources; what they feared most was the absence of hope. And now, the severance of the Road to Ascending Heaven seemed to cut off their hopes entirely. "Even if the Road to Ascending Heaven is broken, we won't know the true situation until we reach the Immortal Realm ourselves," Lu Changsheng said firmly. "Regardless, I will not give up hope." He had not even reached the Immortal Realm yet; how could he speak of despair? "By the way, do you have any living members of the Giant Spirit race?" Lu Changsheng asked. The previous Giant Spirit captive had already died, and Lu Changsheng now sought a living one. He wanted to study the Physical Immortal Dao. After all, the Giant Spirit Ancestor had walked that very path. Though Lu Changsheng had already embarked on both the Mortal Immortal Dao and the Heaven Realm Upper Immortal path, he had no intention of abandoning the Physical Immortal Dao. In an era where reaching the Immortal Realm was fraught with difficulty, each additional path represented an extra sliver of hope. Moreover, the Physical Immortal Dao boasted the foremost combat strength. How could Lu Changsheng pass it by? If he had cultivated the Physical Immortal Dao to an equivalent progress in this battle, his raw combat strength would have far exceeded that of the Myriad Spirits Immortal Body. Facing Ancestor Xuankong would not have required coordination with the Mortal Immortal Dao at all; a powerhouse of the Physical Immortal Dao could have swatted Ancestor Xuankong to death with a single strike. "The Giant Spirit race? The Immortal Martial Palace doesn't seem to have any living Giant Spirits left." "However, I know where a living Giant Spirit can be found," Martial Ancestor Gufu said slowly. After all, it had been Martial Ancestor Gufu who captured the Giant Spirit in the first place.