Cataclysm in the City in the Sky, the Death of Ancestor Qingtian!

"Hm?" Mid-tribulation, Ancestor Qingtian also noticed Lu Changsheng's departure. However, he had no leisure to attend to anything else. His entire focus was devoted to confronting the heavenly tribulation. If he survived, everything would be well. If he failed, today would be the day of his demise; everything else was merely external, fleeting like passing clouds. Thus, Lu Changsheng's departure went without a hitch. Lu Changsheng headed straight to the Spirit Trapper Chamber of Commerce. "Ancestor Dengtian." Seeing Lu Changsheng arrive, the staff of the Spirit Trapper Chamber of Commerce immediately gave him a warm welcome. Within the chamber, Lu Changsheng had long been listed as an honored guest, and no one dared treat him with the slightest negligence. Lu Changsheng went straight to the point: "Ancestor Qingtian deposited an item with your chamber. I have come to collect it." The chamber's attendant understood at once. "Please wait a moment." Lu Changsheng was escorted into a VIP room and waited briefly. He did not have to wait long. Soon, an elder of the Spirit Trapper Chamber of Commerce arrived in person, respectfully presenting an immortal spirit item. "Fellow Daoist Dengtian, this is the immortal spirit item the city lord deposited with our Spirit Trapper Chamber of Commerce, and it was designated solely for your retrieval," the elder said with a smile. The immortal spirit item had been kept under meticulous care. Even an elder of the Spirit Trapper Chamber of Commerce had to handle it with utmost caution, not daring to allow the slightest mishap. After all, this was an immortal spirit item. Just thinking about it filled him with shock. He had never expected Lu Changsheng to have such a close relationship with Ancestor Qingtian—close enough for Qingtian to part with an immortal spirit item. As for harboring other intentions, such as greed? The Spirit Trapper Chamber of Commerce certainly dared not. After all, whether it was Ancestor Qingtian or Ancestor Dengtian, neither was someone the chamber could afford to offend. "Your chamber has been very considerate." Lu Changsheng gave the Spirit Trapper Chamber of Commerce a deep look. They had caused him no trouble whatsoever. The immortal spirit item had landed in his hands with complete ease. This left Lu Changsheng very pleased. Without further chatter, Lu Changsheng accepted the immortal spirit item and swiftly departed the Spirit Trapper Chamber of Commerce. Rumble! Lu Changsheng looked up. Lightning continued to flash across the void. There was a palpable sensation that the City in the Sky was on the verge of collapsing into ruin. This was no illusion. How terrifying was the heavenly tribulation of a supreme Ancestor? If it erupted unrestrained, the entire City in the Sky would be reduced to rubble, and even if it was not entirely leveled, everyone within the city would likely perish under the wrath of the tribulation. Lu Changsheng did not know how many tiers of the tribulation Ancestor Qingtian had weathered by now, but for him, his part ended here. His task was complete. Whether Ancestor Qingtian lived or died, Lu Changsheng had to leave! Whoosh. Without hesitation, Lu Changsheng departed the City in the Sky, unfurled his underwater manor, and flew toward the Immortal Martial Palace. Three months later, Lu Changsheng returned to the Immortal Martial Palace and entered secluded cultivation at once. Inside the secret chamber, Lu Changsheng brought out the immortal spirit item. He had risked his life to obtain this, taking considerable danger upon himself. Bearing the brunt of three tiers of heavenly tribulation by his own strength to secure an immortal spirit item had been no simple feat. "I hope this allows my Myriad Spirits Immortal Body to advance further." Without hesitation, Lu Changsheng began analyzing the immortal spirit item. This analysis went quickly. In merely two months, he had nearly completed it. His Mortal Immortal Dao advanced by 1% as a result—a respectable gain. This immortal spirit divine item was evidently extraordinary. "Refine!" Lu Changsheng wasted no more time. Having fully analyzed the immortal spirit item, he began refining it. By now, Lu Changsheng's Myriad Spirits Immortal Body was already exceedingly potent, having reached 40% progress. Refining an immortal spirit item was much easier than before, especially since he had thoroughly analyzed it beforehand. Consequently, his refining pace was swift. In the blink of an eye, another three months passed. Swish. Lu Changsheng opened his eyes. Over these three months, Lu Changsheng had thoroughly refined the immortal spirit item, fully integrating it into his Myriad Spirits Immortal Body. His current immortal body possessed profound foundation. Lu Changsheng promptly called up his attribute panel to inspect it: Host: Lu Changsheng Comprehension: 81,080,000 (Peerless Through the Ages) Mortal Immortal Dao: 29% (Entered the Dao) Myriad Spirits Immortal Body Foundation: 60% (Not yet perfected) Annihilation Divine Eye: Top-tier Ancestor Realm level Slaughter Dao: Fourth Turn Flesh Martial Dao: Nonary Growth (Sovereign Realm) Comprehension Deduction: May consume a massive amount of comprehension to perform deductions On the attribute panel, the most striking entry was the Myriad Spirits Immortal Body Foundation. It had actually reached a staggering 60% progress. Such progress was simply astonishing. Lu Changsheng remembered clearly that his first immortal spirit item had elevated his foundation by 15%. Now, this immortal spirit item had boosted it by another 20%. Lu Changsheng possessed several paths of the Immortal Dao, but of them all, the immortal body had progressed the fastest. It seemed not far from perfection. And once the immortal body reached perfection, Lu Changsheng would step straight into the Immortal Realm without needing to brave a heavenly tribulation like Ancestor Qingtian. "The Myriad Spirits Immortal Body has made the fastest progress." "Yet to reach the 100% perfected realm and step into the Immortal Realm, I still need another 40%." "And that 40% depends entirely on luck..." Lu Changsheng muttered under his breath. He knew very well that despite the swift progress to 60%, making perfection appear right before his eyes, reality was different. In the Boundary Sea, advancing the immortal body relied purely on fortune. Moreover, immortal spirit items dwindled with every one consumed. Were there still enough immortal spirit items left in the Boundary Sea to sustain his Myriad Spirits Immortal Body all the way to perfection? Even Lu Changsheng did not know. He might encounter another immortal spirit item tomorrow. Or he might not encounter a single one for a century, a millennium, or ten thousand years. Without immortal spirit items, his Myriad Spirits Immortal Body would not advance in the slightest. Lu Changsheng deeply disliked any path of cultivation that relied entirely on chance and hopeful luck. Therefore, regardless of how high the progress of his Myriad Spirits Immortal Body climbed, he never placed too much expectation upon it. He could only take it one step at a time. His primary focus remained the Mortal Immortal Dao. At least with the Mortal Immortal Dao, as long as he worked hard, he could see progress—even if that progress was currently slow. There was also the Physical Immortal Dao. Lu Changsheng had not yet embarked upon the Physical Immortal Dao, nor did he understand its true nature. That, too, could only be navigated step by step. The path with the greatest certainty was still the Mortal Immortal Dao. "With the Myriad Spirits Immortal Body improving so much, my overall strength, including the might of the Annihilation Divine Eye, has grown significantly." Lu Changsheng tested his powers. Whether it was the Slaughter Dao, the Heaven-Overturning Seal, or even the Annihilation Divine Eye, they were all closely tied to his physical flesh and immortal body. Whenever his physical body or immortal body improved, his overall combat power escalated. His avatar was still in the Thunder Spirit Realm analyzing the Kui Cow corpse. Yet even after all these years, it had yielded nothing. Lu Changsheng was in no hurry. He could afford to wait. On the other hand, he was quite curious about what had transpired in the City in the Sky. How had Ancestor Qingtian fared? Had he survived the heavenly tribulation? Now that the immortal spirit item had been thoroughly refined, Lu Changsheng had no further misgivings. With this in mind, Lu Changsheng set out once more from the Immortal Martial Palace, heading toward the City in the Sky. Three months later, Lu Changsheng arrived at the City in the Sky. However, its current state was completely unrecognizable from his memories. Chaos! The City in the Sky had fallen into utter turmoil. Numerous corpses even drifted across the Boundary Sea, and a dense aura of death enveloped the entire city. Lu Changsheng's expression changed slightly. Killing was strictly prohibited within the City in the Sky. What had happened? Had an accident befallen Ancestor Qingtian? Lu Changsheng immediately considered the possibility. Ancestor Qingtian was the pillar of stability for the City in the Sky. If Ancestor Qingtian were present, the city could never have devolved into such chaos. Then only one explanation remained. Yet, did Ancestor Qingtian not possess the City in the Sky itself? Even if he failed to overcome the tribulation, he could have retreated into the City in the Sky for shelter; he shouldn't have met with disaster. Lu Changsheng did not step rashly into the city. Instead, he waited in the Boundary Sea just outside. He waited. He would wait until an Ancestor departed the City in the Sky, at which point he could simply ask. Lu Changsheng did not have to wait long. Soon, he spotted an Ancestor hastily flying out from the City in the Sky. Whoosh. Lu Changsheng flashed into view directly before the Ancestor. "Fellow Daoist, please hold your steps." The Ancestor froze. Looking at Lu Changsheng, a hint of desperate resolve surfaced in the man's eyes! "Fellow Daoist, waiting in ambush to rob me of my treasures? Even if I die, I won't leave them to you...!" The Ancestor seemed intent on destroying his own possessions, ready to drag his opponent down with him. Lu Changsheng frowned as he looked at the Ancestor. The man looked somewhat familiar. "You are... an Ancestor of the Myriad Phenomena Chamber of Commerce? Elder Liu, correct?" Lu Changsheng's words startled the man, who looked closely at Lu Changsheng. "You are... Ancestor Dengtian?" Elder Liu seemed to recognize Lu Changsheng as well, and his complexion instantly shifted. Ancestor Dengtian! That was a top-tier Ancestor—one practically invincible even among those at that level! Before Lu Changsheng, even dying together in mutual destruction was an extravagant dream. "Indeed, it is I," Lu Changsheng said. "Elder Liu, do not misunderstand. I have no intention of intercepting you. I only wish to ask what happened to the City in the Sky. Why has it fallen into such chaos?" "Hm?" "Fellow Daoist Dengtian does not know?" Elder Liu asked in surprise. "I have only just returned to the City in the Sky from the Boundary Sea and have no idea what occurred here," Lu Changsheng answered truthfully. Elder Liu visibly breathed a sigh of relief. With a bitter smile, he said, "Alas, the chaos in the City in the Sky came about because Ancestor Qingtian has fallen." "Fallen?" Lu Changsheng's heart jolted! Indeed, it aligned with his speculation. Something had happened to Ancestor Qingtian after all. Yet to say that Ancestor Qingtian had fallen was something Lu Changsheng found difficult to believe at first. Could a supreme Ancestor perish so easily? "How could Ancestor Qingtian fall?" Lu Changsheng asked. "I am not entirely clear on all the details either. At the time, Ancestor Qingtian was undergoing his tribulation and had braved several tiers in succession, but his strength appeared insufficient, and failure seemed imminent." "Originally, Ancestor Qingtian prepared to mobilize the power of the City in the Sky to withstand the tribulation. Even if he failed the tribulation, he would not have perished. Unfortunately, right at that moment, three supreme Ancestors appeared." "Those three supreme Ancestors seemed to have been waiting for this day all along. Acting together, they suppressed the City in the Sky, preventing it from aiding against the tribulation. Deprived of the City in the Sky, Ancestor Qingtian was forced to face the tribulation on his own." "In the end, beneath the eighth tier of the heavenly tribulation, Ancestor Qingtian's strength fell short. He was blasted to death by the heavenly tribulation and fell entirely." "After Ancestor Qingtian's death, the three supreme Ancestors clashed violently, fighting one another for control over the City in the Sky. Even now, none of the three are willing to back down, plunging the city into absolute mayhem and prompting many cultivators to flee in haste." "The major chambers of commerce originally wanted to wait and see. After all, whoever took over the City in the Sky would still need chambers of commerce. As long as order was restored, the City in the Sky could return to its former prosperity." "Regrettably, the three supreme Ancestors remain locked in a standoff with no intention of ceasing. Unable to endure any longer, the various chambers of commerce began retreating one after another..." Elder Liu recounted the recent events in the City in the Sky in thorough detail. It was indeed comprehensive. Lu Changsheng finally understood the full sequence of events. He had never expected such an upheaval—even Ancestor Qingtian had died. Yet at the root of the matter, the fault did not truly lie with the three supreme Ancestors. The fundamental cause lay with Ancestor Qingtian himself. Ancestor Qingtian lacked the capability to overcome the nine tiers of heavenly tribulation. That was the crux! Had he possessed the power to overcome the nine tiers, what would three supreme Ancestors have mattered? Once through the nine tiers, Ancestor Qingtian's strength would have skyrocketed. Would he have feared three supreme Ancestors then? Alas, Ancestor Qingtian's might had fallen slightly short, leaving him unable to endure the nine tiers of tribulation. That was what led to the present chaos in the City in the Sky and his own death. "Do you know those three supreme Ancestors, Fellow Daoist?" Lu Changsheng inquired further. "All three are renowned figures of formidable reputation. I once heard our guild master mention them: Ancestor Yinshen, Ancestor Feixing, and Ancestor Daopo." "These three Ancestors are all long-established supreme Ancestors whose strength is unfathomable, not at all inferior to Ancestor Qingtian's." "As for why they joined forces to attack Ancestor Qingtian and drive him to his death, that is beyond my knowledge." Elder Liu laid out everything he knew to Lu Changsheng without hiding a thing. Hearing this, Lu Changsheng sank into contemplation. In truth, between supreme Ancestors, there were rarely irreconcilable grudges. Moreover, those three supreme Ancestors most likely harbored no deep-seated vendetta against Ancestor Qingtian. If they had possessed such enmity, they would have come long ago. Would they truly have waited until now? That would have required far too much forbearance. It was unrealistic. They were all supreme Ancestors; who feared whom? If not deep-seated enmity, there was only one reason remaining: Profit! Ancestor Qingtian likely possessed something of immense value—enough to compel three supreme Ancestors to join forces and ensure his demise. What kind of benefit could induce three supreme Ancestors to ally, sparing no cost to strike against Ancestor Qingtian? Were they not afraid that if Ancestor Qingtian survived the tribulation, he would settle accounts with them? "Fellow Daoist Dengtian, may I leave?" Elder Liu asked cautiously. His compliance was fundamentally rooted in his wariness of Lu Changsheng. After all, he was no match for him. Lu Changsheng could slay even top-tier Ancestors, to say nothing of someone like him. "Thank you for your trouble, Elder Liu. Please, suit yourself." Lu Changsheng nodded, not making things difficult for Elder Liu. He had learned the general situation he needed to know. Yet there were surely still hidden secrets behind it all that remained unknown. Lu Changsheng carefully sensed the distant City in the Sky. He could indeed perceive three terrifying auras still lingering within the city. They had to be those three supreme Ancestors. The trio remained entrenched there, seemingly locked in a standoff. There was no telling when this confrontation would end. Lu Changsheng, however, had no intention of entering the City in the Sky. Given the current situation, rashly stepping inside might draw trouble, and that would be not worth the cost. Yet leaving directly felt like a waste. After thinking it over, Lu Changsheng decided to keep a slight distance, remaining within the Boundary Sea to closely observe the situation in the City in the Sky. Days slipped by. Lu Changsheng stayed inside his underwater manor, nestled within the Boundary Sea, keeping a daily watch on the city. In the blink of an eye, another month elapsed. Finally, movement stirred in the City in the Sky. Two figures transformed into streaks of light, departing the city and vanishing without a trace. A few days later, the City in the Sky trembled violently. This was a sign of being refined. Shortly after, an unfamiliar voice echoed far and wide, reverberating through the City in the Sky and the surrounding Boundary Sea: "I am Ancestor Daopo!" "Ancestor Qingtian is dead, and the City in the Sky has been refined by me. From this day forward, the City in the Sky returns to normal. Business as usual!" It was the voice of Ancestor Daopo. Understanding dawned on Lu Changsheng at once. It seemed the struggle among the three supreme Ancestors had reached its conclusion. In the end, Ancestor Daopo had proven superior, laughing last and thoroughly taking over the City in the Sky along with everything that belonged to Ancestor Qingtian. As Ancestor Daopo's voice faded, many watching cultivators felt a surge of joy. It was finally over. The City in the Sky was back to business as usual, but could it truly return to how it was before? That was unlikely. After all, the city had suffered immense destruction. Yet for many cultivators, this was also an opportunity. While the City in the Sky had undergone vast upheaval, was this not also a reshuffling of the board? Taking advantage of this chance, many individuals and factions could start afresh. If they could seize the initiative, their future prospects in the City in the Sky would be limitless. Thus, various factions and cultivators leaped into action, returning to the City in the Sky to vie for territory and expand their influence. Although many hastened their return, Lu Changsheng felt no urgency. He held no factions or interests in the City in the Sky, so there was no need for him to rush in to seize territory or expand power. He waited. He wanted to see whether the City in the Sky would truly remain as it had been before. With a new master presiding over the city, everything warranted careful observation. Lu Changsheng waited a full three months. After three months of observation, he found that the City in the Sky remained as calm as ever. Only then did Lu Changsheng set his mind at ease. Putting away the underwater manor, he returned to the City in the Sky. Whoosh. Lu Changsheng entered the city and sought out his cave abode. Unfortunately, the cave abode was already ruined. It had evidently been destroyed by the residual shockwaves from the battle among the three supreme Ancestors. In fact, countless cave abodes had suffered the same misfortune as his. Faced with this, one could only accept the bad luck. If one wanted a cave abode, the only option was to purchase another. Fortunately, Lu Changsheng was not short on spirit crystals. He spent some spirit crystals and bought a new cave abode. Only after settling in did Lu Changsheng breathe a sigh of relief. The City in the Sky was indeed a good place. If he wanted to obtain more immortal spirit items or leads on them, he would need to stay here to gather information. Thankfully, the turmoil had passed. With the passage of time, the City in the Sky gradually recovered its former prosperity. Meanwhile, Ancestor Daopo, the new master of the city, maintained a remarkably low profile. He had virtually no presence at all, as though the city was no different from before. Yet was there truly no difference? Not necessarily. Ancestor Daopo was currently repairing the City in the Sky, leaving him no spare energy for other matters. Indeed, the city had been damaged. Although the City in the Sky was a powerful immortal treasure, the earlier heavenly tribulation combined with the battle between three supreme Ancestors had inflicted a certain degree of harm upon it. Fortunately, Ancestor Daopo could slowly mend it. It took several months before Ancestor Daopo managed to barely repair the City in the Sky. "Finally restored." "It is time to pay a visit to the Spirit Trapper Chamber of Commerce. Ancestor Qingtian seemed to have deposited something there..." Ancestor Daopo's temperament was vastly different from Ancestor Qingtian's. Ancestor Qingtian had governed the city with a laissez-faire attitude, neither striving nor seizing. Ancestor Daopo, however, had fought and clawed his way up throughout his entire cultivation journey, even pillaging other cultivators at times to reach where he was today as a supreme Ancestor. In Ancestor Daopo's eyes, whatever Ancestor Qingtian had deposited was now his. He had to reclaim it! Ancestor Daopo rose and headed straight for the Spirit Trapper Chamber of Commerce. The Spirit Trapper Chamber of Commerce was sparsely populated at the moment. The reception staff looked listless. Though peace had returned to the City in the Sky, the prior bout of chaos had severely wounded its vitality. Restoring it to its former state would take time. As such, it was only natural that business was sluggish. On this day, however, a truly prominent figure arrived at the chamber! Boom! A terrifying pressure instantly enveloped the entire Spirit Trapper Chamber of Commerce. Many looked toward the entrance to see a towering figure exuding a dreadful aura. "An... Ancestor Daopo!" Some recognized him immediately. After all, the three supreme Ancestors had waged war across the City in the Sky for months; many had witnessed their appearances with their own eyes and could naturally identify him. Ancestor Daopo's expression was indifferent as he said coolly, "Where is your guild master? Tell him to come out." "Y-yes, I will notify the guild master right away." Yet before the attendant could go, a figure appeared before Ancestor Daopo. It was a top-tier Ancestor—the guild master of the Spirit Trapper Chamber of Commerce. "Ancestor Daopo has summoned me; may I ask what you require?" the guild master asked respectfully. This was Ancestor Daopo, a man of ferocious temper, unlike Ancestor Qingtian who followed the rules. Even the guild master of the Spirit Trapper Chamber of Commerce had to tread carefully, maintaining a thoroughly humble posture. Expressionless, Ancestor Daopo asked indifferently, "Ancestor Qingtian deposited some items with your chamber. Is this true?" "Deposited items?" The guild master frowned upon hearing this. Suddenly, he remembered. "Ancestor Qingtian did not deposit it for safekeeping, but rather... placed it in escrow. That is to say, our chamber acted as a guarantor." "Where is the item, then?" "The item... has already been collected." "By whom?" "Ancestor Dengtian, Lu Changsheng of the Immortal Martial Palace!" The guild master finally gritted his teeth and spoke the name. Such information was originally confidential. Under normal circumstances, the Spirit Trapper Chamber of Commerce would never disclose it, as doing so severely damaged their reputation. Yet seeing Ancestor Daopo arrive in such an aggressive manner, the guild master dared not refuse. A blow to their reputation was still better than bringing catastrophic ruin upon the chamber. Ancestor Daopo's demeanor made the guild master realize that he was nothing like Ancestor Qingtian. This new city lord was not one to play by the rules. "Ancestor Dengtian of the Immortal Martial Palace?" "That name sounds somewhat familiar..." Ancestor Daopo frowned slightly. He seemed to have heard the name before, though he could not place it immediately. After thinking for a moment, Ancestor Daopo finally recalled. Back when the three supreme Ancestors confronted Ancestor Qingtian, he had heard the two top-tier Ancestors hired by Qingtian mention Lu Changsheng. It seemed this Lu Changsheng had endured three tiers of heavenly tribulation by his own strength alone. "Heh, so it's him." "To withstand three tiers of heavenly tribulation alone, his strength is likely formidable." "Given time, he might truly become a supreme Ancestor." "However, that belongs to me. How could he be allowed to take it?" "What exactly was the treasure Lu Changsheng took?" Ancestor Daopo demanded. "It... it was an immortal spirit item!" the guild master gritted his teeth and finally confessed. "An immortal spirit item?" Ancestor Daopo's eyes lit up. A fine treasure—truly a magnificent treasure! In truth, no one would ever spurn an immortal spirit item. Even supreme Ancestors regarded them as extraordinarily precious. After all, they dwindled with every one consumed. In the present Boundary Sea, immortal spirit items were non-renewable and exceedingly rare. This was especially true for Ancestor Daopo. Although he walked the Loose Immortal Dao, he had once, by sheer fortune, consumed an immortal spirit item. In theory, Ancestor Daopo was also capable of walking the path of an immortal body. Therefore, this immortal spirit item would be of immense utility to his cultivation! "Where is Lu Changsheng?" "That is uncertain. Perhaps he is right here in the City in the Sky..." Ancestor Daopo's heart stirred. If he was in the City in the Sky, matters would be simple. With a thought, he activated the City in the Sky. Rumble! The entire City in the Sky sealed shut. Ancestor Daopo intended to find Lu Changsheng at any cost!