Lu Changsheng Descends upon the Thunder Spirit Realm!

Lu Changsheng did not have to wait several months. Only a few days later, Lei Quan hurried over to find him. "Mm? Fellow Daoist Lei, what happened? Seeing you in such a rush, has something gone wrong regarding the immortal spirit divine item?" A sharp glint flashed across Lu Changsheng's eyes. He had considered the possibility that the Thunder Spirit clan might play tricks or set up obstacles; that would hardly be out of the ordinary. But if they truly intended to do so, it would remain to be seen whether the Thunder Spirit clan could withstand his wrath. Catching the coldness in Lu Changsheng's gaze, Lei Quan hurriedly said, "Fellow Daoist Dengtian, it isn't what you think. We were indeed prepared to deliver the immortal spirit divine item to the City in the Sky, but we ran into trouble." "Trouble? Did someone actually intercept it along the way?" Lu Changsheng scoffed. Could there be such a coincidence? Just as an immortal spirit divine item was being transported, someone just happened to ambush it? Had someone specifically kept watch on the Thunder Spirit clan? More crucially, no one in the City in the Sky even knew where the Thunder Spirit clan was. Where would anyone go to watch them? The only explanation was that the Thunder Spirit clan wanted to go back on their word—or rather, they were looking to play tricks and welsh on the immortal spirit divine item. Lu Changsheng's heart grew colder. His immortal spirit divine item was not something anyone could welsh on so easily. Sensing Lu Changsheng's frigid demeanor, Lei Quan realized what was happening and understood that Lu Changsheng had misunderstood. He quickly said, "Fellow Daoist Dengtian, you misunderstand. It truly isn't what you think. Our Thunder Spirit clan will naturally give you the immortal spirit divine item as agreed, but we have encountered real trouble. The problem isn't along the way; it's within the Thunder Spirit clan itself." "Trouble within the Thunder Spirit clan?" Lu Changsheng asked, slightly perplexed. What trouble could the Thunder Spirit clan have? "Actually, it's not just that the immortal spirit divine item cannot be shipped out—even our thunder stones cannot leave. The Thunder Spirit clan has run into a major crisis..." Lei Quan recounted the Thunder Spirit clan's predicament from beginning to end. As it turned out, the Thunder Spirit clan was not a monolithic collective. Internally, they were divided into the Thunder clan and the Spirit clan, collectively referred to as the Thunder Spirit clan. The conflict between the Thunder clan and the Spirit clan had deep roots, fundamentally stemming from the allocation of resources. Accumulated over tens of thousands of years, their grievances had grown almost impossible to resolve. The two sides had fought for a very long time. Yet in recent years, the Spirit clan had actually begun bringing in outsiders, leveraging external forces to contend against the Thunder clan. In an instant, the balance of power had shifted. The thunder stones were primarily held in the hands of the Thunder clan, to which Lei Quan belonged. The outsiders had joined forces with the Spirit clan to exert immense pressure on the Thunder clan, going so far as to blockade the Thunder Spirit Realm. As a result, not even thunder stones could be transported out, let alone the immortal spirit divine item. "So that is the situation. With the current crisis in the Thunder Spirit Realm, there is no way to guarantee delivering the immortal spirit divine item out. Fellow Daoist Dengtian, you will have to wait a little longer..." Lei Quan had come specifically to convey this matter and ask Lu Changsheng to wait. Lu Changsheng pondered for a long while before speaking slowly. "Is the Thunder clan confident it can suppress the coalition of the Spirit clan and the outsiders?" Lei Quan frowned slightly and lowered his voice. "In the past, the Thunder clan has always kept the Spirit clan suppressed. It was only because they brought in outsiders that the situation shifted. Still, the Thunder clan can hold out for now. Subduing the Spirit clan and those outsiders again will likely take time." Lu Changsheng remained noncommittal. Time? Waiting a bit longer would not have mattered on its own. The critical question was whether the Thunder clan could truly suppress the alliance between the Spirit clan and the outsiders. Lu Changsheng suspected that would prove exceedingly difficult. By teaming up with outsiders, the Spirit clan could draw upon continuous reinforcements. And what of the Thunder clan? Their strength was being steadily depleted. Even if he waited several months or several years, the Thunder clan might never be in a position to bring the immortal spirit divine item to the City in the Sky. Yet the Thunder clan evidently had no intention of seeking external aid. If they did, Lei Quan would certainly have brought it up. But Lei Quan had said nothing of the sort, clearly unwilling to recruit outside help. However, Lu Changsheng could not simply sit back and wait indefinitely. That would merely be a waste of time. "If the Thunder clan cannot transport the immortal spirit divine item to the City in the Sky, how about I travel to the Thunder Spirit Realm in person?" Lu Changsheng looked up, his gaze locking directly onto Lei Quan. "Fellow Daoist Dengtian, you would go yourself?" Lei Quan froze slightly. This was both unexpected and natural. Yet Lei Quan fell into hesitation. He did not want Lu Changsheng to enter the Thunder Spirit Realm. Perhaps Lu Changsheng's presence would aid the Thunder clan, but Lei Quan believed the Thunder clan could ultimately defeat the Spirit clan and stabilize the realm on their own. Once Lu Changsheng went to the Thunder Spirit Realm, its location would be exposed. Exposing the location of the Thunder Spirit Realm would be a devastating blow to their world. That was precisely why the Thunder clan felt such furious outrage toward the Spirit clan for colluding with outsiders. The Spirit clan had essentially cast the entire realm into mortal danger. "Fellow Daoist Dengtian, please wait a bit longer. Our Thunder clan will definitely resolve the situation in the Thunder Spirit Realm and deliver the immortal spirit divine item to the City in the Sky!" Lei Quan said in a heavy voice. In the end, he still refused Lu Changsheng. He would rather have the Thunder clan bear the brunt of the pressure than allow Lu Changsheng to set foot in the Thunder Spirit Realm. Lu Changsheng's face darkened, and his tone turned chill. "And just how long is that supposed to take? Three months, half a year, or perhaps one year, three years—or even decades or centuries? If the Thunder clan remains unable to stabilize the Thunder Spirit Realm, are you expecting me to wait several hundred or several thousand years? Am I never to receive the immortal spirit divine item at all?" If it truly took hundreds or thousands of years, how would that differ from welshing on the immortal spirit divine item? Hearing this, Lei Quan could only grit his teeth. "Three months! In three months, the immortal spirit divine item will definitely be delivered. If it still cannot be delivered by then, we will invite Fellow Daoist Dengtian to make the journey to the Thunder Spirit Realm in person..." Lei Quan made the pledge. Lu Changsheng considered it. Waiting three months was acceptable. "Very well, I shall wait another three months. I hope that three months from now, I will receive good news!" Having said his piece, Lu Changsheng closed his eyes and said nothing more, making it plain that the meeting was over. Lei Quan departed in a hurry. Day after day slipped by. While waiting, Lu Changsheng devoted his time to studying the Slaughter Dao. The Slaughter Dao was profoundly abstruse. The technique obtained from Ancestor Luosheng possessed terrifying combat power, yet Ancestor Luosheng had only managed to reach the level of the third turn. Through his analysis of Ancestor Luosheng's Slaughter Dao, Lu Changsheng had likewise attained the third turn. However, upon closer study, Lu Changsheng discovered that he could take it a step further. So long as he had sufficient comprehension, reaching the fourth turn of the Slaughter Dao was within reach! Thus, over those three months, Lu Changsheng poured all his focus into comprehending it. When pure insight fell short, he spent a portion of his comprehension points on deduction. His points decreased slightly as a result, though not by much. After roughly three months, Lu Changsheng finally reached the realm of the Slaughter Dao's fourth turn. *Swish.* Lu Changsheng opened his eyes, and the attribute panel surfaced before him. Host: Lu Changsheng Comprehension: 71,080,000 (Peerless Through the Ages) Mortal Immortal Dao: 6% (enter the Dao) Myriad Spirits Immortal Body Foundation: 25% (incomplete) Slaughter Dao: fourth turn Flesh Martial Dao: nonary growth (Sovereign Realm) Comprehension Deduction: May consume a large amount of comprehension to perform deduction During this period, his avatar had refined martial dao fragments, adding another million comprehension points to his total. He had spent a hundred thousand comprehension points deducing the fourth turn of the Slaughter Dao, yet his comprehension points still exceeded seventy-one million. He was less than thirty million comprehension points away from another comprehension breakthrough. While it could not be called imminent, it was undeniably drawing closer. Aside from the rise in comprehension points, the most significant shift was in the Slaughter Dao, which had advanced from the third turn to the fourth turn! *Driven by my Myriad Spirits Immortal Body Foundation, the third turn of the Slaughter Dao was already enough to execute Ancestor Luosheng, putting me at the peak of top-tier Ancestor Realm strength. If I unleash the fourth turn...* Lu Changsheng reflected, and only one word came to mind. Invincible! Invincible beneath the supreme Ancestor Realm! Of course, if he encountered an Ancestor possessing an immortal treasure like his own, he could hardly claim absolute invincibility. But without immortal treasures involved, Lu Changsheng feared no Ancestor beneath the supreme Ancestor Realm in a direct clash. Furthermore, if he stepped onto the Physical Immortal Dao, he might instantly ascend to the supreme Ancestor Realm! The supreme Ancestor Realm was not an actual cultivation boundary, but a standard of combat power. If one's strength reached that benchmark, one was a supreme Ancestor; if not, one would never be considered one. Lu Changsheng calculated the time. Roughly three months had elapsed. *Still no word from Lei Quan?* Lu Changsheng frowned. A possibility crossed his mind. Had Lei Quan fled? It was possible, but highly unlikely. Lei Quan had just reached an agreement with the Myriad Phenomena Chamber of Commerce to sell thunder stones; why would he run away now? Once he fled, finding another stable channel to sell thunder stones would become exceedingly difficult. If he had not fled, why had there been no news whatsoever? "Mm?" Just then, Lu Changsheng raised an eyebrow. The moment he thought of Lei Quan, the man arrived. Ancestor Juding personally ushered Lei Quan into the cave abode. Lei Quan looked thoroughly disheartened. Approaching Lu Changsheng, he let out a long sigh. "Fellow Daoist Dengtian, I have failed your trust and am deeply ashamed. It is still impossible to transport your immortal spirit divine item out of the Thunder Spirit Realm. In fact, the Thunder clan's situation in the realm has grown even more dire. Now, I can only implore Fellow Daoist Dengtian to make the trip to the Thunder Spirit Realm yourself..." Lei Quan had finally relented—or rather, the Thunder clan had finally conceded. Over the past three months, the Thunder clan had exhausted every possible avenue, but to no avail. There was simply no way to deliver the immortal spirit divine item to the City in the Sky. "Oh? It seems the crisis in the Thunder Spirit Realm is truly severe. In that case, I will make the trip myself." Lu Changsheng nodded in agreement. No matter what, he would never give up on the immortal spirit divine item. Since it truly could not be brought out, he had to go to the Thunder Spirit Realm in person. "Fellow Daoist Dengtian, if you come to the Thunder Spirit Realm, there is one absolute taboo... Under no circumstances may you reveal the precise location of the Thunder Spirit Realm to anyone. I implore you!" Lei Quan said with utmost gravity. This was clearly of supreme importance. "I naturally understand. I will not mention or leak the location of the Thunder Spirit Realm to anyone. On this point, Fellow Daoist Lei may rest assured." Lu Changsheng agreed at once. He understood Lei Quan's concern completely. It was just like the Immortal Martial World. Back when the Immortal Martial Palace had not yet grown formidable, practitioners from the Immortal Martial World had walked the Boundary Sea with extreme caution, never uttering a word about their homeworld. They feared that exposing its location would invite destruction from the mighty factions roaming the Boundary Sea. The Thunder Spirit Realm clearly harbored the same dread. Yet at this juncture, Lei Quan had no better option. He could only place his trust in Lu Changsheng. "When will you depart, Fellow Daoist Dengtian?" Lei Quan asked. "The sooner the better. We can set off right now." "Very well, we leave immediately!" Lei Quan gritted his teeth. He did not want to grant Lu Changsheng time to prepare, lest excessive preparations lead to unforeseen complications. Departing immediately gave Lu Changsheng no time to make extra arrangements. Lu Changsheng roughly deduced Lei Quan's petty calculations, but he did not point them out, simply nodding in assent. He had Ancestor Juding remain behind in the City in the Sky while he accompanied Lei Quan on the journey to the Thunder Spirit Realm. The Thunder Spirit Realm lay far from the City in the Sky. Lu Changsheng did not expose his immortal treasure, the underwater manor, choosing instead to use an ordinary flying treasure. They flew for over half a year—nearly eight months—before finally arriving at the Thunder Spirit Realm. Over those eight months, aside from gaining another million comprehension points, Lu Changsheng experienced little change. Lei Quan, on the other hand, appeared fraught with anxiety, burning with impatience the entire way. Still, they had finally reached their destination. *So the Thunder Spirit Realm is located here...* Lu Changsheng gazed upon the world ahead. That world was precisely the Thunder Spirit Realm! After their eight-month trek, the two had arrived smoothly. Lu Changsheng saw no one blockading the Thunder Spirit Realm from the outside. That was only natural; blockading a world was not done out in the open Boundary Sea. One only needed to keep close watch over the void within the Thunder Spirit Realm itself. Whenever someone attempted to step out into the Boundary Sea, they would strike. With no one able to enter the Boundary Sea, the blockade was effectively complete. "Fellow Daoist Dengtian, we may encounter danger shortly. Especially against those Spirit clan members and the outsiders they allied with, you need not show any mercy!" Lei Quan said through gritted teeth. By inviting wolves into the fold and joining hands with outsiders, the Spirit clan had essentially betrayed the Thunder Spirit clan and the Thunder Spirit Realm. He hated them to the very marrow of his bones. With that, the two flew straight toward the Thunder Spirit Realm. *Whoosh.* They flew inside. Yet the moment they breached the boundary, multiple gazes immediately locked onto them. *Boom! Boom! Boom!* Fearsome attacks crashed down toward them in an instant. However, these attacks were only at the Sovereign Realm level, without a single Ancestor Realm strike among them. "Eh? You are... Lei Quan!" "It's Lei Quan of the Thunder clan! He has returned!" "Quick, inform the Ancestor..." Cries of alarm rang out. Lu Changsheng swept his consciousness across the attackers and found beings who looked similar to Lei Quan, yet bore noticeable differences. They were presumably members of the Spirit clan. Yet every single one of these Spirit clan members was merely at the Limit Realm or Sovereign Realm; not a single Ancestor was present. That was entirely normal—how many Ancestors did the Thunder Spirit clan possess in total? Each one was a loftily exalted figure standing at the apex of the realm. Why would they spend their days guarding the void of the world? Lei Quan, for instance, held immense status in the Thunder Spirit Realm, comparable to a Martial Ancestor or Mahayana in the Immortal Martial World. These Spirit clan members still had to notify the Ancestors of their clan. After unleashing a single volley of attacks, none dared to make a further move against Lei Quan. "Die!" Lei Quan showed no mercy whatsoever, slapping downward with a single palm. Instantly, the surrounding void was cleared. Those Spirit clan members were blasted to death beneath his strike. He displayed not an ounce of leniency toward them. Afterward, the two flew swiftly toward the Thunder clan's territory. Before long, Lu Changsheng and Lei Quan arrived. Lei Quan's return immediately caused a commotion throughout the Thunder clan. "It's Ancestor Lei Quan! I heard he was in the City in the Sky. Why has he returned?" "Ancestor Lei Quan is of vital importance to our Thunder clan! I heard he secured a market for our thunder stones in the City in the Sky, allowing us to steadily trade for massive cultivation resources to sustain our clan's cultivation." "Indeed! Without the vast cultivation resources Ancestor Lei Quan brought back, how could our Thunder clan have consistently suppressed the Spirit clan?" "Those despicable traitors of the Spirit clan actually betrayed the Thunder Spirit Realm, inviting wolves into our home to ally with outsiders..." For a time, many members of the Thunder clan rejoiced. Yet others grew anxious. In returning this time, Lei Quan had brought back an outsider as well. What did this mean? Could the Thunder clan also be preparing to invite a wolf into their home and ally with outsiders? Under the current state of affairs, such a development was entirely possible. Thus, Lu Changsheng settled into the Thunder clan. The upper echelons of the clan arranged lodgings for him, then summoned Lei Quan for a council. Lu Changsheng was in no hurry, waiting calmly in his quarters. Meanwhile, inside the Thunder clan's discussion hall, several Ancestor Realm experts sat high upon their seats. Lei Quan was among them. "Ancestor Lei Quan, bringing this Ancestor Dengtian into the Thunder Spirit Realm so rashly could have dire consequences!" "Indeed. It was bad enough that the Spirit clan invited wolves into our home and colluded with outsiders, but if our Thunder clan does the same, will the Thunder Spirit Realm remain a secret? Will it still belong to our Thunder clan?" "All those days we spent striving to hold our ground have gone to waste!" "If possible, should we eliminate this Ancestor Dengtian..." A chorus of voices erupted at once. Although Lei Quan had communicated with the Thunder clan before and the clan had agreed to part with the immortal spirit divine item, they remained completely ignorant of Lu Changsheng's identity and power. Lei Quan had barely mentioned any specifics, primarily because the blockade had made transmitting information extremely difficult. Lei Quan had only managed to contact the clan through specialized secret channels. "Silence!" "Fellow Daoist Dengtian has done our Thunder clan a great favor. Such words must never be spoken a second time! If anyone dares utter them again, do not blame me for purging our ranks!" Lei Quan barked harshly. His aura bore down like an imposing mountain, suppressing the entire discussion hall. The atmosphere instantly tightened. Many were stunned; Ancestor Lei Quan had always been genial and approachable. Why was he acting so fiercely now? Even the other Ancestors directed questioning gazes toward him. Lei Quan took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. "You have no idea how terrifying Fellow Daoist Dengtian's strength is. He is a top-tier Ancestor! He single-handedly subdued the Myriad Phenomena Chamber of Commerce. For an existence like him, annihilating our entire Thunder Spirit clan would be child's play..." "What?" "He... he can wipe out the entire Thunder Spirit clan on his own?" "Th-that's impossible, isn't it? Even against a top-tier Ancestor, we wouldn't be entirely defenseless!" Cries of disbelief echoed throughout the hall. "I told you, Fellow Daoist Dengtian is no ordinary top-tier Ancestor." Lei Quan left nothing unsaid. In truth, Ancestor Juding had dropped intentional hints to him. Though never stated outright, Lei Quan understood that Lu Changsheng's power was utterly terrifying. Otherwise, why would the Myriad Phenomena Chamber of Commerce back down? On the surface, the chamber appeared to be doing fair business with the Thunder Spirit clan. But if they had the strength to swallow up the clan's thunder stones whole, why would they bother with a fair partnership? In the Boundary Sea, fairness did not exist; genuine fairness was upheld entirely by strength. What strength did the Thunder Spirit clan possess? It could only be due to Lu Changsheng. Lu Changsheng was far more terrifying than Lei Quan had initially imagined. "Therefore, I had no choice but to bring Fellow Daoist Dengtian to the Thunder Spirit Realm, because I could no longer hold him off. The promised immortal spirit divine item failed to reach the City in the Sky time and time again—how do you think Fellow Daoist Dengtian would take that? If we provoke his fury, the fallout will be far worse than offending the Myriad Phenomena Chamber of Commerce!" "Fortunately, Fellow Daoist Dengtian only desires the immortal spirit divine item. We can even seize this opportunity to thoroughly purge the chaos from the Thunder Spirit Realm, especially those outsiders brought in by the Spirit clan..." Lei Quan's intention was abundantly clear. This was an opportunity. Since Lu Changsheng was already in the realm, they could borrow his terrifying strength to cleanse the land and resolve the conflict once and for all. It was their only way out! "Will Fellow Daoist Dengtian be willing to intervene?" someone asked. Indeed, would Lu Changsheng agree to step in? The immortal spirit divine item was a reward promised to him long ago. Why should he fight on behalf of the Thunder clan? "Our Thunder clan may only have the immortal spirit divine item, but the Spirit clan holds the corpse of the Primeval Kui Cow! Heh, it was precisely by relying on that corpse that the Spirit clan managed to lure those outsiders in. Since the Spirit clan could recruit outsiders with it, why can't we? Besides, what do those outsiders compare to Fellow Daoist Dengtian? When the time comes, if we offer the corpse of the Primeval Kui Cow to Fellow Daoist Dengtian, there is no need to worry that he will refuse to act!" Lei Quan declared with absolute confidence. He knew Lu Changsheng had been searching for lifeforms with immensely powerful bodies, and the corpse of the Primeval Kui Cow matched his requirements perfectly. There was no fear of Lu Changsheng turning it down. The elders deliberated for a long time. Ultimately, the Thunder clan reached a consensus: they would use the corpse of the Primeval Kui Cow as payment to request Ancestor Dengtian's intervention! Naturally, Lei Quan was tasked with handling the negotiations. Lu Changsheng spent only three days resting in the Thunder clan's domain. On the third day, Lei Quan returned to him, bearing the immortal spirit divine item Lu Changsheng had yearned for. "Fellow Daoist Dengtian, forgive me for keeping you waiting. This is our Thunder Spirit clan's immortal spirit divine item. Regrettably, over all these years, not a single one of our clansmen has been able to refine it. Please, Fellow Daoist Dengtian, give it a try and see if you can refine it." Lei Quan directly produced the divine item. *Crackle! Spark!* The immortal spirit divine item was actually a sphere of lightning, crackling with arcs of electricity. "This immortal spirit divine item is of the lightning attribute. Back then, an Immortal Realm mighty figure specially bestowed it upon our Thunder Spirit clan—or more accurately, upon our Thunder clan. But no clansman has ever managed to refine it, so it has been preserved to this day." Lei Quan watched Lu Changsheng closely. Their agreement was not to gift the divine item to Lu Changsheng unconditionally; Lu Changsheng had to successfully refine it for the transfer to take effect. If he failed to refine it, he had to return it to the Thunder clan. Thus, Lei Quan had to observe the entire process. What if Lu Changsheng secretly pocketed the item while claiming he had refined it? Such a possibility could not be ruled out. When dealing with a treasure like an immortal spirit divine item, no amount of caution was excessive. Lu Changsheng understood Lei Quan's intentions and made no objection; he was confident in his ability to refine it anyway. *This immortal spirit divine item...* Lu Changsheng drew a deep breath and attempted to refine it. With the domineering nature of his Myriad Spirits Immortal Body, he could refine virtually any divine item at the divine body level. He had never encountered obstacles when refining divine items before. Yet the moment he attempted to refine this item, he immediately sensed its uniqueness. He was truly unable to refine it. *Of course. If an immortal spirit divine item were so easy to refine, the Mortal Immortal Liu Yun wouldn't have bestowed it upon the Thunder clan just to see if anyone could do so. Once refined, it allows one to ascend straight to the heavens, granting an ordinary mortal immediate entry onto the path of the Immortal Dao. Naturally, refining such an item is extraordinarily difficult!* Countless thoughts raced through Lu Changsheng's mind. He fundamentally grasped why this divine item was so troublesome. Refining it was anything but simple; even having forged the foundation of the Myriad Spirits Immortal Body, he could not refine it through conventional means. Anyone else might have found their efforts entirely futile and been forced to return the item to the Thunder clan. But Lu Changsheng was different. He still possessed a trump card—his ultimate reliance, the very foundation of his confidence that he could refine it! He was a Mortal Immortal! He possessed the analytical power of the Mortal Immortal Dao. No matter how formidable, complex, or bizarre a rule or power might be, it could be analyzed by a Mortal Immortal. Why should an immortal spirit divine item be any different? Ignoring Lei Quan's watchful presence, Lu Changsheng began attempting to analyze the divine item. One day, two days, three days... As the days passed, Lei Quan noticed that Lu Changsheng sat completely motionless. He was neither refining the item nor making any movement. What was happening? Lei Quan felt the urge to speak several times, but held his tongue. He chose to wait. Lei Quan had attempted to refine the immortal spirit divine item himself in the past. Thus, he knew full well that if it could not be refined, it simply could not be refined. It was not something that could be worn down through time; even after tens of thousands of years, one still would not be able to refine it. He saw no need to remind Lu Changsheng. Lu Changsheng would understand soon enough. Forcing the matter was futile, and once Lu Changsheng gave up, he would speak up on his own. So Lei Quan remained silent and continued to wait. One month, two months, three months... This time, the process proved exceptionally protracted. In the blink of an eye, ten full months passed—nearly a year. Lu Changsheng still showed no outward sign of change. Yet on this day, Lu Changsheng suddenly opened his eyes. His gaze shone with vibrant radiance, carrying an unmistakable trace of pleasant surprise.