News Leaks, Ancestors Descend, Carving Up the Thunder Spirit Realm!

"First step!" Lu Changsheng gritted his teeth. Taking this first step had not been easy in the slightest. He had already activated the Myriad Spirits Immortal Body, yet he had only managed to take a single step. Taking a second would likely prove exceedingly difficult. And from this distance, how far was it to the mountain? Lu Changsheng made a rough estimate. At least a hundred paces! How could he cross a distance of a hundred paces? *Is the gap between the Immortal Realm and the Ancestor Realm truly this vast?* *I am already a top-tier Ancestor, standing out even among the peak of the rank. Yet faced with the pressure of the Kui Cow's corpse, I can only stay a hundred paces away? I can't even get within a hundred paces.* *How could the difference be this huge? Something is very wrong...* Lu Changsheng frowned. He felt that something was off. Even if mighty figures of the Immortal Realm were terrifyingly powerful, this Kui Cow was already dead. How could a mere corpse exude such horrifying pressure? Besides, if even Lu Changsheng could not step within a hundred paces of the corpse, how had the people of the Spirit clan gotten close to it? The Spirit clan was indeed able to approach the Kui Cow's corpse. Lu Changsheng had already confirmed this fact. "Senior, members of our Spirit clan rely on the unique bloodline within our bodies, combined with techniques passed down through generations, to barely manage to approach the Kui Cow's corpse," a Spirit clan member explained to Lu Changsheng. "Aside from us, not even the Thunder clan can dream of getting within a hundred paces of the corpse. Unless someone is an exceptionally powerful entity, they might at most take a dozen paces or so. Beyond that, proceeding further becomes virtually impossible, and they have no choice but to give up." Understanding dawned on Lu Changsheng. The pressure from the Kui Cow's corpse was not directed specifically at him; it pressed down on everyone, including the Spirit clan. However, the Spirit clan could rely on their unique bloodline and generations of accumulated experience and techniques to draw close. Outsiders still had no way to approach. If one were to grope forward blindly, how long would it take? Hundreds of years? Thousands of years? Even after thousands of years, one might not achieve much of anything. Yet for Lu Changsheng, as long as it was something that could be overcome through experience and technique, it posed no real difficulty at all. Because he could analyze it! A Mortal Immortal's analysis was unmatched across any immortal system. It was truly peerless! Moreover, Lu Changsheng was delighted. Opportunities to analyze the pressure of a Kui Cow's corpse did not come by easily. If he could completely decipher it, it would surely provide immense benefits to his Mortal Immortal Dao progress. In the first place, advancing along the Mortal Immortal Dao required analyzing various rules, powers, treasures, and the like. This Kui Cow's corpse fit the requirements perfectly. "Then let's begin the analysis!" Lu Changsheng acted on his thought immediately. He sat down cross-legged at the foot of Mount Kui Cow and attempted to analyze the pressure emanating from the corpse. In any case, he was in no danger in the Thunder Spirit Realm right now, so he could analyze it with total peace of mind. Day after day slipped by. A month later, Lu Changsheng opened his eyes. "I've analyzed a portion. Let's see how far I can go." Lu Changsheng stood up and walked toward Mount Kui Cow once more. This time, however, it was noticeably much easier. One pace, three paces, five paces, eight paces, ten paces... In the end, Lu Changsheng took a full thirteen paces. This was already immense progress. To cover thirteen paces all at once meant he was significantly closer to the hundred-pace mark. More importantly, it was a good beginning, proving that his analysis was working and not a futile effort. Lu Changsheng continued his analysis. He managed to maintain a pace where each month of analysis allowed him to advance more than a dozen paces. The further he went, the greater his progress became—at times, he could even push forward by more than twenty paces at once. After merely six months, Lu Changsheng had traversed over a hundred paces and finally arrived before the Kui Cow's corpse. "I've finally analyzed the pressure of the Kui Cow's corpse." "Just the pressure alone took a full half a year to analyze." "And the boost to my Mortal Immortal Dao is substantial!" Lu Changsheng's gaze sharpened, and he immediately brought up his attribute panel to look. Host: Lu Changsheng Comprehension: 73,080,000 (Peerless Through the Ages) Mortal Immortal Dao: 14% (Enter the Dao) Myriad Spirits Immortal Body Foundation: 40% (Incomplete) Slaughter Dao: Fourth Turn Flesh Martial Dao: Nonary Growth (Sovereign Realm) Comprehension Deduction: Can consume large amounts of comprehension to deduce On the attribute panel, another year had passed, adding one million points to his comprehension. What drew Lu Changsheng's attention most was the progress of his Mortal Immortal Dao, which had reached 14%. It had practically doubled! Previously, it had only been at 7%. In other words, analyzing just the pressure of the Kui Cow's corpse had elevated his Mortal Immortal Dao progress by 7%. This increase was not small at all; it was extraordinarily large. Back then, analyzing the rules of the underwater manor had only boosted his Mortal Immortal Dao by 1%. In the Kunwu World, Lu Changsheng had needed to analyze around five national divine items just to gain 1% progress. And now? Simply analyzing the pressure of the corpse—not even the physical body of the Kui Cow itself—had yielded a full 7%. This pointed to only one conclusion: The Kui Cow's corpse was unimaginably formidable! Even the underwater manor was far inferior to this corpse. Lu Changsheng realized that back in the day, the Mortal Immortal Liu Yun had most likely analyzed the Kui Cow's corpse as well. Perhaps giving the Thunder Spirit clan the immortal spirit divine item had been, in large part, a gesture of gratitude for having analyzed the corpse—a token of appreciation. The Kui Cow's corpse had almost certainly benefited Mortal Immortal Liu Yun immensely. "What an enormous Kui Cow!" Lu Changsheng stared blankly at the creature before him. He could see its horns. Indeed, despite being a corpse, the Kui Cow appeared remarkably well-preserved. Its flesh and blood remained intact, and naturally, so did its horns. Only now did Lu Changsheng realize the truth. There was no Mount Kui Cow at all. In reality, the Kui Cow's corpse *was* the mountain. The entire Mount Kui Cow was the body of the beast... It was the first time Lu Changsheng had ever seen such a colossal divine beast. *No wonder its aura is so terrifying. Just how powerful was this Kui Cow when it was alive?* *This is definitely not a life-form that the Boundary Sea could ever produce.* *Could it be that the Kui Cow came from the Heaven Realm?* Lu Changsheng considered the possibility. The Kui Cow's might far surpassed the upper limit of the Boundary Sea. Even the Immortal Realm seemed modest before it. The Boundary Sea could not give birth to such a formidable divine beast; it could only have originated from the Heaven Realm. Yet how had a life-form from the Heaven Realm ended up in the Boundary Sea? And why had it ultimately died here? Lu Changsheng did not know. In fact, perhaps even Mortal Immortal Liu Yun had not known for certain. After all, this corpse was far too ancient. It was a primeval divine beast, dating back countless hundreds of millions of years. Yet over all those eons, it had not decayed in the slightest and remained perfectly preserved. That alone spoke volumes of its sheer power. *Since the corpse is so well-preserved, could there still be essence blood left inside?* *If I can obtain its essence blood and refine it, wouldn't I be able to immediately shatter the shackles of my physical body and step directly into the Physical Immortal Dao?* At this thought, Lu Changsheng's heart burned with intense fervor. Stepping into the Physical Immortal Dao! Currently, this was virtually the only shortcoming in his cultivation. Of the four immortal paths, aside from the Loose Immortal Dao, only the Physical Immortal Dao remained uninitiated. Once he stepped onto it, he would be advancing along three immortal paths simultaneously, vastly increasing his chances of reaching the Immortal Realm. Lu Changsheng looked at the colossal corpse. He attempted to cut away a piece of flesh so he could analyze it first and gradually search for essence blood. However, when Lu Changsheng exerted his strength, he found the Kui Cow's corpse to be as unyielding as indestructible vajra—it did not budge in the slightest. No matter what method he employed, he could not carve out even a single sliver of flesh. This presented Lu Changsheng with a real dilemma. *It has been through countless years, perhaps hundreds of millions of years. This Kui Cow died long ago, leaving behind only a corpse. Yet against this very corpse, I am completely helpless?* Lu Changsheng had indeed tried numerous methods, but none worked. Left undefended here for him to strike, the corpse remained completely unmarred. Yet the more formidable the corpse proved to be, the more delighted Lu Changsheng felt. If he could refine it, wouldn't his hopes for the Physical Immortal Dao be practically guaranteed? But the prerequisite was finding a way to refine it—he had to find a way to sever a portion of it first. Lu Changsheng summoned a member of the Spirit clan and asked, "How does your Spirit clan utilize the Kui Cow's corpse for cultivation?" The Spirit clan member replied truthfully, "Our Spirit clan's most brilliant prodigies come beside the Kui Cow's corpse to cultivate day and night, hoping to perceive a thread of true essence. In fact, simply cultivating beside the corpse for long enough naturally tempers and strengthens the physical body... If one can glean any insights on top of that, the improvements are even greater." Lu Changsheng understood. In truth, the Spirit clan was also entirely helpless against the corpse. They could only rely on the clumsiest method: using its pressure to cultivate. And that method was indeed effective. For Spirit clan members who stayed near it for extended periods, gaining insights brought even greater progress. "No other way?" Lu Changsheng's brow furrowed tightly. Just then, Lei Quan arrived. Lei Quan had come specifically to express his gratitude. "Fellow Daoist Dengtian, you swept through the Spirit clan and the Rock clan, securing total victory for the Thunder clan. We have now basically taken control of the Thunder Spirit Realm. Thank you, Fellow Daoist Dengtian! Please accept my bow!" Lei Quan was sincerely grateful to Lu Changsheng. Without him, who knew how long it would have taken the Thunder clan to suppress the Spirit clan and take full control of the realm? Before this, the Thunder clan's situation had been precarious in the extreme. Now, everything had been reversed, and the Thunder clan had emerged as the ultimate victor. "The Kui Cow's corpse is somewhat troublesome. I may stay on Mount Kui Cow for a long time," Lu Changsheng said in a deep voice. He knew that refining the corpse in the short term was impossible. It would require an extended period of analysis. "No matter. A radius of a hundred li around Mount Kui Cow belongs entirely to you, Fellow Daoist Dengtian. Without your permission, neither the Thunder clan nor the Spirit clan will step into this area. You may cultivate in the Thunder Spirit Realm with complete peace of mind," Lei Quan guaranteed. Lu Changsheng nodded. "Then I will continue my cultivation here. You may see to your own matters, Fellow Daoist Lei." Lei Quan promptly took his leave. "Then I shall bid you farewell." With that, Lei Quan departed of his own accord, leaving Lu Changsheng alone within the hundred-li radius surrounding Mount Kui Cow. Watching Lei Quan's retreating figure, Lu Changsheng gave an inward nod of approval. *A sensible man.* *Still, without anyone disturbing me, I can analyze it in peace. Regardless of what it takes, I must thoroughly analyze this corpse. No matter how much time it requires, it will be worth it...* Lu Changsheng had made up his mind. If he wanted to step onto the Physical Immortal Dao, this Kui Cow's corpse was a tremendous serendipity, and he had to seize it firmly! Otherwise, who knew how long he would have to wait before an opportunity arose? *** While Lu Changsheng was analyzing the Kui Cow's corpse, the atmosphere in the world of the Rock clan was grave. The Rock clan had already unified their world and stood as its undisputed overlords. By a stroke of fortune, they had even extended their reach into the Thunder Spirit Realm, harboring ambitions of one day controlling two worlds. Unfortunately, on this day, the faces of several Ancestor Realm experts stationed in the Rock clan turned deathly pale. "D-dead?" "They're all dead! Every Ancestor dispatched to the Thunder Spirit Realm has fallen! How can this be?" "What on earth happened in the Thunder Spirit Realm? Didn't we agree that if they encountered a troublesome opponent, they would flee immediately? Why didn't a single one make it back?" "They must have encountered an unimaginably powerful enemy, leaving them with no way to escape." In an instant, the Rock clan's Ancestors were gripped with panic, fearful for the survival of their entire clan. When the Spirit clan had first invited the Rock clan to intervene, not all of the Rock clan had agreed; many had voiced opposition. However, the dissenting voices were too weak to alter the clan's decision. Those who remained behind were essentially the ones who had opposed meddling in the Thunder Spirit Realm's affairs in the first place. As it turned out, they had survived, while every single expert who had entered the Thunder Spirit Realm had failed to escape and perished. "What should we do?" "What if the forces of the Thunder Spirit Realm invade our Rock clan?" "Indeed. We know where the Thunder Spirit Realm is, but they certainly know our exact location as well. After all, we sent so many clansmen there. If they launch a counterattack, the consequences will be disastrous." "What else can we do? Regardless of how they managed to kill so many of our Ancestor Realm experts, if we want to protect ourselves, we cannot rely solely on our own strength—we must divert their attention. The Thunder Spirit Realm possesses thunder stones, which are far more valuable than anything our world has. If news of this leaks out and everyone knows its exact location, do you think they will still have the leisure to deal with us?" "A brilliant idea! However, if we do this, none of the benefits of the Thunder Spirit Realm will belong to us anymore." "Why are you still thinking about benefits at a time like this? Right now, we must preserve ourselves at all costs. I will personally travel to the City in the Sky to spread word of the Thunder Spirit Realm's exact location..." Thus, having reached an agreement, an Ancestor personally left the Rock clan and flew toward the City in the Sky. *** In the Thunder Spirit Realm, day after day went by. One month, two months, three months... Lu Changsheng had been constantly attempting to analyze the Kui Cow's corpse. However, this time, the analysis proved exceedingly difficult. Over several months, he made zero headway. Yet the harder it was, the greater his harvest would be once he succeeded. Lu Changsheng was fully prepared to spend eight or ten years if necessary. In truth, he had thought about moving the corpse into his underwater manor so he could analyze it slowly at his leisure. Unfortunately, he had tried and failed; he could not even budge the corpse, let alone haul it away. He had no choice but to remain on Mount Kui Cow, analyzing and contemplating it step by step. Under normal circumstances, spending a decade here would not have posed any issue. But trouble soon found the Thunder Spirit Realm. On this day, Lei Quan rushed over in a panic to beg for help. "Fellow Daoist Dengtian, please save the Thunder Spirit Realm!" Lei Quan immediately offered a deep bow and dropped to his knees before Lu Changsheng, his face etched with anxiety and despair. Lu Changsheng was surprised. What could have possibly thrown a dignified Ancestor Realm expert like Lei Quan into such panic? "Fellow Daoist Lei, why go so far? Tell me, what trouble has the Thunder clan encountered?" Lu Changsheng asked. Logically speaking, the Thunder clan should not have faced any more problems. He had already swept through both the Spirit clan and the Rock clan. Could reinforcements from the Rock clan have arrived? But the Rock clan could hardly be that foolish—knowing they were outmatched, would they truly come back seeking death? Lei Quan said hurriedly, "It isn't just the Thunder clan that is in trouble; the entire Thunder Spirit clan is in dire straits! For reasons unknown, the precise location of the Thunder Spirit Realm has been exposed in the City in the Sky, and the news has already spread far and wide. The fact that our realm has vast deposits of thunder stones is now common knowledge in the city! "Numerous Ancestor Realm experts have descended upon the Thunder Spirit Realm, seeking to seize and monopolize the thunder stones. Not only high-rank Ancestors, but even top-tier Ancestors have arrived! Right now, the Thunder Spirit Realm is teetering on the brink of destruction, liable to be carved up by these Ancestors at any moment! "I implore Fellow Daoist Dengtian to step forward and save the Thunder Spirit Realm!" Lei Quan could only beg Lu Changsheng. The situation was no longer something the Thunder clan or the Spirit clan could control. They had fought tooth and nail within the realm, only for the news to leak. Before the myriad powerhouses of the Boundary Sea, the Thunder Spirit Realm was utterly minuscule. Whether the Thunder clan or the Spirit clan, both were as insignificant as dust. The realm had now turned into a battlefield. One wrong move, and the entire world could be shattered to pieces. Lu Changsheng frowned. He had little desire to meddle in the affairs of the Thunder Spirit Realm. What did its survival have to do with him? His arrangement with the Thunder clan had merely been a single transaction. To ask him to shield the entire world without offering any benefits—how could that be possible? Lu Changsheng remained silent, and Lei Quan seemed to anticipate his thoughts. Pale-faced, Lei Quan gritted his teeth and said, "If Fellow Daoist Dengtian is willing to help, thirty percent of all future profits from the Thunder Spirit Realm's thunder stone trade will belong to you!" This was a term Lei Quan had already discussed and finalized with his clan beforehand. Under the circumstances, it was their only option. Otherwise, forget the thunder stone trade—they wouldn't even be able to preserve the realm itself. "Oh? Thirty percent of the thunder stone profits? That is no small amount. Can your Thunder clan truly bear to part with it?" Lu Changsheng looked at Lei Quan. "We can! Of course we can! In our current predicament, we only wish to survive. As long as we can live, any price is worth paying!" Lei Quan spoke plainly, without any attempt to hide the truth. The reality of the realm's situation was plain for all to see; what point was there in being evasive? Lu Changsheng weighed the offer. Thirty percent of the thunder stone profits, essentially handed to him for doing nothing afterward. While it would not provide much benefit to his personal cultivation, Lu Changsheng was not alone in this world. He was the fourth Martial Ancestor of the Immortal Martial Palace, with family, friends, and subordinates in the Immortal Martial World. Although the palace operated as a unified whole, personal factions still existed. Having a steady source of income would secure a lasting fortune for his subordinates and loved ones, ensuring they could enjoy various cultivation resources and never suffer shortages even in his absence. Furthermore, it was a tremendous boon for the entire Immortal Martial World. "Agreed," Lu Changsheng said after a moment. After all, he would not need to dispatch large numbers of personnel—at most, a few overseers to monitor the thunder stone business. It required minimal effort on his part, making it a great bargain. Moreover, if the Thunder Spirit Realm truly fell apart, it would disrupt his analysis of the Kui Cow's corpse. What if someone grew covetous of it? Especially those supreme powerhouses. While Lu Changsheng was currently brimming with confidence, the only entities he truly remained wary of were supreme Ancestors. Drawing the attention of supreme Ancestors would be disastrous, as they might very well need the corpse themselves. Therefore, it was best not to let news of the corpse spread. He could not allow anyone from the Boundary Sea to discover that Mount Kui Cow was the body of a primeval divine beast. As long as he protected the Thunder Spirit Realm, there would be no risk of the secret leaking. As for whether saving the realm was difficult for Lu Changsheng? Not in the slightest. As a top-tier Ancestor, could he not even shield a single world? "Wonderful! Thank you, Fellow Daoist Dengtian!" Lei Quan was overjoyed. As long as Lu Changsheng was willing to intervene, there was hope of saving the realm. Of course, it was merely hope. With the news spread far and wide, countless Ancestors had descended, including no shortage of top-tier figures. Powerful though Lu Changsheng was, could he truly hold off all of them? Lei Quan still harbored deep apprehension, but this was their sole remaining path. "Fellow Daoist Dengtian, when will you make your move? The situation is extremely dire right now. Allow me to give you a detailed breakdown of the experts who have arrived..." Lei Quan offered, wanting to explain the state of affairs. Lu Changsheng shook his head. "No need. I will act right now!" With that, Lu Changsheng left behind an avatar to continue analyzing the Kui Cow's corpse. A mere avatar was fully capable of carrying out the analysis. Then, bringing Lei Quan along, Lu Changsheng flew directly up into the void. As he drew closer to the boundary of the realm bordering the Boundary Sea, he swept out with his divine consciousness. He could sense that the Thunder Spirit Realm was indeed in utter turmoil, plunged into absolute chaos. Furthermore, not only within the realm itself, but the surrounding expanse of the Boundary Sea was also teeming with powerhouses. Each and every one of them was an Ancestor, eyeing the realm like predators ready to carve up their prey. Seeing so many Ancestor Realm experts, Lei Quan's face grew paler still. His despair was understandable. Had this happened to the Immortal Martial World without Lu Changsheng present, with countless Ancestors suddenly descending to tear it apart, what could the three Martial Ancestors and the Mahayana experts of the Immortal Martial Palace have done? They would likely have been just as despondent as Lei Quan. "Heh." "A single Thunder Spirit Realm has drawn so many Ancestors." "The Ancestors of the Boundary Sea are like wolves catching the scent of meat, rushing in to carve up the world." Lu Changsheng stood with his hands clasped behind his back. "Fuse!" As the word left his lips— *Boom!* Lu Changsheng's body instantly expanded. Not only did his form swell, but his aura surged relentlessly as well. A terrifying presence blanketed the skies and swept across the entire Thunder Spirit Realm in an instant. His body expanded to ten thousand zhang, straddling the void of the realm like a titan. The aura belonging to a top-tier Ancestor Realm rolled forth in tempestuous waves across all directions. Practically every Ancestor sensed it, and their expressions shifted drastically. "Who is that? This aura... a top-tier Ancestor!" "Another top-tier Ancestor! Just which one is it?" "A mere Thunder Spirit Realm has drawn so many high-rank Ancestors and even top-tier Ancestors. The lure of the thunder stones is truly irresistible." "We originally intended to fish in troubled waters and reap some benefits amidst the chaos. But now it seems we had better avoid getting caught in the clashes between top-tier Ancestors, lest we suffer unforeseen disaster." In an instant, many Ancestors who had been preparing to enter the realm halted in their tracks, remaining in the Boundary Sea and not daring to plunge in recklessly. As for the Ancestors who had already entered the realm, they paid little heed. Their only thought was to plunder frantically—grab what they could and flee; they would come out ahead either way. Lu Changsheng spoke directly, his voice ringing out, "The Thunder Spirit Realm is under my protection." "Within ten breaths, all Ancestors of the Boundary Sea must withdraw from the Thunder Spirit Realm." "Those who fail to withdraw will be shown no mercy!" His voice rolled like thunder across the four directions, echoing clearly throughout the entire Thunder Spirit Realm. Immediately, an uproar erupted. "Hah, who does he think he is? To be so overbearing, trying to monopolize the Thunder Spirit Realm for himself!" "I seem to recognize him. He appears to be an obscure Ancestor who has rarely shown his face in the City in the Sky. Yet he's actually a top-tier Ancestor? He certainly hid his depth well." "So what if he's a top-tier Ancestor? He's not the only one here today. Does he truly dare to launch a massacre after ten breaths?" "There are so many of us Ancestors here, yet he thinks he can boss us around alone? Preposterous..." Many Ancestors within the realm bristled with discontent. Having already begun snatching treasures, how could they possibly withdraw now? As for the top-tier Ancestors who had already entered the realm, they merely cast a fleeting glance at Lu Changsheng before disregarding him entirely. They, too, were top-tier Ancestors—why would they fear his threats? Even the Thunder clan was gripped with anxiety. They knew Lu Changsheng was powerful and stood at the top tier, but could such overbearing words truly force the myriad Ancestors of the Boundary Sea to retreat? Even Lei Quan's brows were tightly knitted. He had invited Lu Changsheng to resolve the realm's crisis, but he had never expected him to be so reckless and domineering. How could this possibly solve the problem? Ancestors were proud beings; how could a single threat make them turn tail and run? Yet Lu Changsheng seemed completely unconcerned with the chatter from the outside world. He continued in his own way, standing silently in the void without uttering another word. One breath, three breaths, five breaths, eight breaths... As time ticked away, the ten breaths finally elapsed!