The Proper Use of the Mortal Immortal Dao! Analyzing the Slaughter Dao to Make It His Own!

Within the Boundary Sea, Lu Changsheng and his companions flew unhurriedly across the boundless expanse. Lu Changsheng did not waste any time. He continued refining the Gaia divine beast blood essence. The results proved that the blood essence of a Gaia divine beast was formidable indeed. Even so, Lu Changsheng had a feeling that even if he refined every last drop and further enhanced his physical frame, he would still be far from stepping onto the Physical Immortal Dao. In fact, if he wished to pursue the Physical Immortal Dao, his foundation was likely the weakest among his three paths. After all, at present, his physical body was only at the Limit Realm at best—the equivalent of a Heavenly Saint within the Immortal Martial World. Above the Limit Realm lay the Sovereign Realm. Only after surpassing the Sovereign Realm and stepping into the Ancestor Realm could he utilize the cultivation method left by the Giant Spirit Ancestor to potentially set foot upon the Physical Immortal Dao. That would require a vast stretch of time. Yet Lu Changsheng was not in the least bit of a hurry. Cultivating the Physical Immortal Dao merely granted him one more path, offering an additional sliver of probability. Having already stepped onto the Immortal Dao through both the Mortal Immortal Dao and his immortal body, lagging behind on the Physical Immortal Dao was of no great concern. "Hmm?" Suddenly, Lu Changsheng raised his head. *Again?* He faintly sensed a terrifying presence waiting ahead. Was this not just like when Ancestor Xuankong had intercepted him back then? Had ambushing people halfway along their journey become a trend among Ancestor Realm figures nowadays? Lu Changsheng stood and stepped onto the deck of the flying boat. To his surprise, Ancestor Juding and Martial Ancestor Gufu had noticed nothing. Martial Ancestor Gufu was slightly better off; his consciousness was keen enough that he would have detected it once they drew a little closer. Ancestor Juding, however, walked the Physical Immortal Dao. Aside from raw combat prowess, every other facet of his abilities was relatively weak—and that included sensory perception. Because of this, many powerhouses often claimed that cultivators of the Physical Immortal Dao were nothing more than brute force incarnate, easily manipulated and schemed against. Take the Giant Spirit Ancestor of antiquity: how utterly terrifying had his strength been? His combat prowess had reigned supreme across the Boundary Sea with virtually no equal. And what had come of it? The Giant Spirit Ancestor had relentlessly hunted the Mortal Immortal Liu Yun, only to be outwitted at every turn, suffering setback after setback. It was not until Liu Yun died that the Giant Spirit Ancestor had finally tracked him down. That historical precedent spoke volumes. The strengths of those walking the Physical Immortal Dao were glaringly evident, but so were their flaws: stripped of their brute might, they possessed little else. Yet if the Physical Immortal Dao could be paired with the Mortal Immortal Dao, the story would be entirely different. Then again, expecting a cultivator devoted to physical cultivation to comprehend the Mortal Immortal Dao would be like playing a lute to an ox—an utter impossibility. "Ancestor Gufu, Ancestor Dengtian, what is the matter?" Ancestor Juding could not help asking when he saw both Lu Changsheng and Martial Ancestor Gufu staring ahead with grave expressions. Ancestor Juding had no idea what was happening. Even with the flying boat having drawn fairly close, he still sensed nothing out of the ordinary. Lu Changsheng sighed softly and shook his head. "Fellow Daoist Juding, we have an uninvited guest ahead. I cannot yet say whether he has come for you or for me." Lu Changsheng had slain Ancestor Xuankong last time; there was always a chance some powerhouse had come to seek retribution on Xuankong's behalf. Yet there was another possibility: this person might have come for Ancestor Juding. After all, they had just departed the City in the Sky accompanied by dozens of Giant Spirits. Lu Changsheng felt the likelihood of the visitor targeting Juding was far greater. "What? Someone is intercepting us?" Ancestor Juding's expression shifted slightly. "Indeed, someone lies in wait," Lu Changsheng replied. "I wonder if you recognize him, Ancestor Juding?" As the flying boat drew nearer, Ancestor Juding finally spotted the figure ahead. It was a man in black robes, standing motionlessly in the void. Yet from him emanated a dreadful aura. Viewed from afar, he resembled a black hole, drawing in and swallowing every ray of light. Everything in the surroundings seemed on the verge of being devoured into his being. From such an anomaly alone, anyone could tell that this figure was extraordinary, even without knowing his identity. *Whoosh.* The black-robed man opened his eyes. For reasons unknown, the moment his eyes opened, the surrounding space seemed to grow even darker, bearing down with an invisible, suffocating pressure. "Who are you, sir, and why do you bar our way?" Lu Changsheng projected his voice across the void. "I am Luosheng!" the black-robed man stated slowly. Hearing that name, Ancestor Juding's face drained of color. "It is Ancestor Luosheng! Why would he intercept us?" Ancestor Juding's reaction told Lu Changsheng that this Ancestor Luosheng was far from ordinary. The aura radiating from the man was distinctly that of a top-tier Ancestor Realm expert. A top-tier Ancestor would never block their path without reason. "What is your purpose here?" Lu Changsheng asked. "Others may remain ignorant of what happens when the Giant Spirit bloodline breaks through to the Ancestor Realm, but I know full well," Ancestor Luosheng declared, his voice echoing in everyone's ears. "Leave Juding and the Giant Spirit race behind, and I shall spare the rest of you." Sure enough, Ancestor Luosheng had come for Juding and his kin. Ancestor Juding's face turned exceedingly grim. He glanced at Ancestor Luosheng, then back at Lu Changsheng. This was a top-tier Ancestor Realm powerhouse—and one endowed with dreadful combat power at that. Even though he had agreed to join the Immortal Martial Palace, what did that matter now? Would Lu Changsheng truly fight to the death against a top-tier Ancestor Realm powerhouse for his sake? Besides, Lu Changsheng had already obtained the secret method he desired. Though Lu Changsheng had given his word and even sworn an oath upon his Dao path, how much weight did that truly carry in the face of mortal peril? Ancestor Juding had initially believed that joining the Immortal Martial Palace would shield him from further trouble, but now it seemed that he himself was the greatest trouble of all. "Fellow Daoist Dengtian, I..." Ancestor Juding started to speak, but Lu Changsheng raised a hand to cut him off. Stepping directly off the vessel into the Boundary Sea, Lu Changsheng faced Ancestor Luosheng from across the void. "Ancestor Luosheng, I am afraid I must disappoint you," Lu Changsheng said calmly, his hands clasped behind his back. "Ancestor Juding has already agreed to my terms. Now, both he and the Giant Spirit race are members of my Immortal Martial Palace. If you wish to take them, you must first pass through me." Even before Ancestor Luosheng, his expression remained tranquil and unchanged. "Heh." Ancestor Luosheng let out a cold chuckle. "The fact that you dare stand before me proves you are also a top-tier Ancestor. But it is not as if I have never slain a top-tier Ancestor before!" The moment his words fell... *Boom!* A chilling, heaven-piercing killing intent erupted, surging toward Lu Changsheng in an overwhelming wave. The dreadful murderous aura was practically corporeal—it was no longer mere intent, but an integral part of Ancestor Luosheng's Dao! This man had attained his Dao through slaughter! "Ancestor Luosheng attained his Dao through slaughter. Ever since reaching the Ancestor Realm, he has never suffered a single defeat," Ancestor Juding whispered hurriedly to Martial Ancestor Gufu beside him, his expression fraught with deep dread. "He has even slain top-tier Ancestors before and is said to possess the qualifications to challenge the supreme Ancestor Realm. If Fellow Daoist Dengtian finds himself outmatched, we must strike together..." Martial Ancestor Gufu nodded grimly. Regardless of who the opponent was or how terrifying he might be, Lu Changsheng could not be allowed to fall! Lu Changsheng's gaze narrowed. Ancestor Luosheng was indeed an unprecedented adversary—a top-tier Ancestor Realm powerhouse who stood out even among his peers, making him the strongest foe Lu Changsheng had encountered since attaining the Ancestor Realm! "Fuse!" In the next instant, Lu Changsheng integrated all his avatars. His Myriad Spirits Immortal Body manifested, rolling out a vast, terrifying aura in every direction. This was no ordinary top-tier Ancestor aura; it bore the resonance of an Immortal Dao foundation. "Hmm? You possess an Immortal Dao foundation as well?" A flicker of astonishment crossed Ancestor Luosheng's eyes. An Immortal Dao foundation! A genuine foundation for the Immortal Dao! The sole reason Ancestor Luosheng had sought to intercept Ancestor Juding was to forge an Immortal Dao foundation for himself. He had never expected to find another person here who had accomplished the same feat. It was an unexpected boon. More importantly, this foundation was not rooted in the physical body! For Ancestor Luosheng, Lu Changsheng's foundation was far more suitable than Juding's! "Hahaha! You wear out iron shoes searching in vain, only to find it without any effort at all!" "To me, Ancestor Juding's Physical Immortal Dao was merely a reference. Even if I obtained it, I likely could not forge a foundation with it. But I never imagined you would possess an Immortal Dao foundation of your own—and clearly not of the physical path! You are far more valuable than Ancestor Juding!" Ancestor Luosheng fixed his gaze hungrily on Lu Changsheng. His objective had shifted: his target was no longer Juding, but Lu Changsheng! "Slaughter Dao, First Turn!" Without warning, Ancestor Luosheng struck, throwing a punch forward. The sky-filling killing intent materialized into a tangible force, cascading across the void toward Lu Changsheng. Unyielding, Lu Changsheng met it with a punch of his own, unleashing the full might of his Myriad Spirits Immortal Body. *Boom!* The void trembled violently. Upon colliding, the two forces proved evenly matched. Yet Ancestor Luosheng showed no surprise. Calm and composed, he unleashed another blow. "Slaughter Dao, Second Turn." This strike carried far greater power than the first. *Hmm?* Lu Changsheng frowned slightly. The Myriad Spirits Immortal Body was indeed somewhat lacking in offensive power. His previous strike had already been at full strength, yet it had only managed a draw. He had not anticipated that Ancestor Luosheng would have power to spare and could even amplify his might further. "Heaven-Overturning Palm!" Lu Changsheng immediately brought forth his strongest strike, making heaven and earth seem to invert and distorting even Ancestor Luosheng's senses. *Rumble!* This collision was vastly fiercer. Both men were buffeted by the shockwaves. However, the Myriad Spirits Immortal Body possessed extraordinary defense and balanced attributes across the board, so the impact barely phased Lu Changsheng. By contrast, Ancestor Luosheng was slightly disadvantaged on defense, driven back several paces by the recoil. Though it appeared an advantage had been won, the battle was far from over. Ancestor Luosheng's offensive potency was undeniably fierce. "Slaughter Dao, Third Turn!" Ancestor Luosheng thrust his fist forward a third time. The might of this punch was truly monstrous, its power surging more than twofold. Lu Changsheng's heart sank. This strike exceeded the upper limit of his strength—he could not block it! Taking it head-on would leave him gravely injured, if not dead. His gaze turned cold. His immortal body's direct combat strength was indeed average, and his comprehension of the Mortal Immortal Dao was oriented primarily toward analysis rather than raw combat enhancement. After all, he had merely established the foundation of a Mortal Immortal and was not yet a true Mortal Immortal. If he were a genuine Mortal Immortal, he could analyze an opponent's power in an instant, rendering it utterly insignificant. But for now, he could not accomplish that on the fly! "Fellow Daoist Dengtian...!" Ancestor Juding bellowed. "Giant Spirit True Body!" Instantly, Ancestor Juding manifested his Giant Spirit True Body. A massive greataxe appeared in his grip, and he brought it cleaving downward toward Ancestor Luosheng in an earth-shattering blow. The Giant Spirit race already commanded formidable combat strength, and Juding had achieved the Ancestor Realm. Even as a newly ascended Ancestor, his baseline matched high-rank Ancestors, and by employing his secret method, the force behind this axe strike barely touched the threshold of the top-tier Ancestor Realm. Yet that was all it could achieve. Ancestor Luosheng simply waved his hand. An invisible force slammed into the incoming greataxe. *Crack!* The massive axe shattered instantly. Ancestor Juding shuddered violently before being sent hurtling backward through the void, heavily wounded by that single exchange. Such was the disparity. The gap between a high-rank Ancestor and a top-tier Ancestor was simply too vast; even Ancestor Juding was far from a match for Ancestor Luosheng. *Enough,* Lu Changsheng thought, shaking his head. It was not that he lacked options. The analytical prowess of a Mortal Immortal was peerless under the heavens. Bearing two Immortal Daos within him, how could he fail to deal with Ancestor Luosheng? It was merely a question of time. He had simply wanted to test whether his Myriad Spirits Immortal Body alone could contend with someone like Ancestor Luosheng, and it seemed it truly fell short. *Boom!* With a thought from Lu Changsheng, the void shuddered violently. A colossal manor descended from above, its dread power locking onto Ancestor Luosheng in an instant. As the manor crashed down, horror finally dawned on Ancestor Luosheng's face. Yet he was granted no time to react. In the blink of an eye, he vanished without a trace, suppressed within the abruptly summoned abode. This structure was none other than the underwater manor! Abandoning hesitation, Lu Changsheng had deployed the underwater manor to instantly suppress Ancestor Luosheng within its confines. The spectacle left Ancestor Juding dumbstruck. His eyes went wide as he stared transfixed at the wondrous abode. "Is that... an immortal treasure?" Such knowledge existed within the ancestral memories of his bloodline. An immortal treasure—as the name implied, a relic belonging to the Immortal Realm! Artifacts of this caliber were virtually extinct, yet every single one possessed power capable of shaking heaven and earth. Ancestor Juding had never imagined that Lu Changsheng would possess such a treasure. The underwater manor was Lu Changsheng's greatest trump card. He carefully sensed the situation within. Having thoroughly analyzed and mastered this immortal treasure, he could easily manipulate its spatial boundaries, isolating a pocket of space to suppress Ancestor Luosheng on his own. Even so, Lu Changsheng could not outright kill Ancestor Luosheng with it. The underwater manor was not an offensive weapon, but an artifact built for defense and confinement. "Where is this place?" "Release me!" "Or I shall smash your treasure to pieces!" Ancestor Luosheng battered violently against the confines of the manor, causing tremors to ripple through its interior. But Lu Changsheng remained unfazed. The man could never break free; back in ancient times, only an Immortal Realm powerhouse like the Giant Spirit Ancestor had possessed the might to breach it. "Very well. Now that Ancestor Luosheng is suppressed, let us return first!" Without further ado, Lu Changsheng brought Ancestor Juding and the others into the underwater manor. He had previously avoided revealing the manor, but now that it was exposed, there was no longer any need for secrecy. Leaving this place of trouble as quickly as possible was paramount; who knew if another powerhouse might arrive? *Whoosh.* The underwater manor turned into a streak of flowing light and swiftly disappeared. Traveling from the City in the Sky to the Immortal Martial Palace using the underwater manor took roughly three months. Three months later, Lu Changsheng arrived back at the palace. "We have arrived at the Immortal Martial Palace." Upon returning, Lu Changsheng released Ancestor Juding and the rest from the underwater manor. Martial Ancestor Wanfa, Martial Ancestor Jidao, and the others introduced themselves and exchanged greetings with Ancestor Juding. The two Martial Ancestors were astonished. How had Lu Changsheng's journey resulted in bringing back another Ancestor Realm expert—and a far-from-ordinary one at that? Once Lu Changsheng offered a brief explanation, understanding dawned upon them, followed by genuine delight. The arrival of the Giant Spirit race bolstered the Immortal Martial Palace's foundation. The Giant Spirits were so few in number that even over thousands or tens of thousands of years, they could never crowd the living space of the people from the Immortal Martial World. Even at the height of their prosperity, their numbers had remained sparse. This was a mutually beneficial arrangement. Yet Ancestor Juding remained anxious, remembering the figure still imprisoned within the immortal treasure. "Fellow Daoist Dengtian, about Ancestor Luosheng..." he reminded. "No matter. I have my ways," Lu Changsheng replied. "I must enter secluded cultivation now." With that, Lu Changsheng went straight to his secret chamber. Once inside, he shifted his focus with a thought. *Swish.* Lu Changsheng stepped into the underwater manor. Within the manor resided the ancient turtle. Seeing Lu Changsheng, the turtle hurried over and asked, "Master, whom have you suppressed? This fellow is ferocious, thrashing about incessantly and making the whole manor shake." Lu Changsheng shook his head and said, "A top-tier Ancestor Realm expert. Do not worry, the underwater manor can hold him." He felt no concern; the captive could never escape. Still, he could not keep Ancestor Luosheng locked away forever. He planned to test the true methods of the Mortal Immortal Dao. Channeling the Mortal Immortal Dao, Lu Changsheng began analyzing Ancestor Luosheng's power. The man walked the Slaughter Dao, having achieved his path through killing. His combat strength was extraordinary, easily overpowering Lu Changsheng's Myriad Spirits Immortal Body. That sheer potency had left Lu Changsheng coveting it for himself. Thus, Lu Changsheng intended to put the true potential of the Mortal Immortal Dao to the test: he would analyze the man's Slaughter Dao. And so, the analysis began. One day, two days, three days... One month, two months, three months... Lu Changsheng was exceptionally patient. He sought no superficial understanding, but a complete analysis! After all, he intended to take the other's Slaughter Dao and make it entirely his own. In the blink of an eye, three months passed. *Swish.* Lu Changsheng opened his eyes. "It is done!" "To think this Slaughter Dao would be so vast and profound!" Lu Changsheng felt a pleasant surprise. He promptly summoned his attribute panel to inspect his current status: Host: Lu Changsheng Comprehension: 69,180,000 (Peerless Through the Ages) Mortal Immortal Dao: 6% (Enter the Dao) Myriad Spirits Immortal Body Foundation: 25% (Not Yet Complete) Slaughter Dao: Third Turn Flesh Martial Dao: Octonary Growth Comprehension Deduction: Can consume large amounts of comprehension to perform deductions On the attribute panel, Lu Changsheng's comprehension had increased by one million points because his avatar had acquired several martial dao fragments, which yielded a million points once refined. Moreover, the Mortal Immortal Dao had finally advanced by 1%, climbing from 5% to 6%. Analyzing the Slaughter Dao had granted a significant boost to his Mortal Immortal Dao; the greater part of this 1% increase had undoubtedly been drawn from that process. Naturally, his greatest delight stemmed from the Slaughter Dao itself. Over three months of painstaking effort, he had completely deciphered Ancestor Luosheng's Slaughter Dao. Crucially, once fully analyzed, the Slaughter Dao belonged to him. In other words, he now possessed the Slaughter Dao—and had even attained the Third Turn! Even Ancestor Luosheng had only reached the Third Turn. At this moment, Lu Changsheng's realm in the Slaughter Dao stood on equal footing with Luosheng's. This was the true terror of the Mortal Immortal Dao. It could analyze all things! It could analyze any rule! It could even analyze any power! And once a power was analyzed, Lu Changsheng could wield it as his own. This was the proper application of the Mortal Immortal Dao's analytical capability. A sharp glint flashed in Lu Changsheng's eyes. "The Slaughter Dao..." "Time to test it." Lu Changsheng looked up toward the space ahead. Across the void, he could see the silhouette of a figure held in confinement, though the other party could not see him. It was Ancestor Luosheng! *Whoosh.* Lu Changsheng took a step forward and vanished. When he reappeared, he had already entered the pocket dimension where Ancestor Luosheng was imprisoned. Though suppressed, Ancestor Luosheng was merely trapped within this isolated pocket of space. Prevented from leaving, his freedom of movement had not been stripped away. To render a top-tier Ancestor entirely immobile would require Lu Changsheng's constant, active concentration on the underwater manor, preventing him from doing anything else—an entirely unnecessary burden. Keeping him trapped and unable to escape was more than enough. "Hmm?" A sharp light gleamed in Ancestor Luosheng's eyes as he spotted a familiar figure. Lu Changsheng! Or rather, Ancestor Dengtian! Lu Changsheng had actually appeared before him. "Die!" Ancestor Luosheng wasted not a single word, launching an attack straight at Lu Changsheng. The moment he struck, he unleashed the Slaughter Dao. "Slaughter Dao, Third Turn!" A terrifying offensive swept across the void in an overwhelming deluge. Yet this technique that had once filled Lu Changsheng with wariness now brought a faint smile to his face. Standing calmly in the void, Lu Changsheng allowed the full brunt of the Slaughter Dao to strike his body. And then... *Shhk.* Lu Changsheng remained completely unscathed. The onslaught of the Slaughter Dao seemed to pass straight through his form, failing to affect him in the slightest. "What?" Ancestor Luosheng's eyes widened in utter disbelief. Lu Changsheng smiled faintly. "Ancestor Luosheng, I have already experienced your Slaughter Dao." "Now, I invite you to sample mine!" With that, Lu Changsheng gently raised his hand and extended a single finger. "Slaughter Dao, Third Turn!" Lu Changsheng's voice boomed like thunder, ringing deafeningly in Ancestor Luosheng's ears.