Returning to the Kunwu World with the Giant Axe Immortal!

"Fellow Daoist Dengtian, you walk the Physical Immortal Dao. Are you a successor of the Giant Spirit Ancestor?" the Giant Axe Immortal asked. "The Giant Spirit Ancestor?" Lu Changsheng's eyes narrowed slightly. The Giant Spirit Ancestor was different from the Giant Axe Immortal. The Giant Spirit Ancestor had walked the Physical Immortal Dao, possessing earth-shattering power, whereas the Giant Axe Immortal walked the Loose Immortal Dao. "I drew upon aspects of the Giant Spirit Ancestor's Physical Immortal Dao," Lu Changsheng replied. That his Flesh Martial Dao had reached its current heights was indeed inseparable from the Giant Spirit Ancestor. Without the Giant Spirit bloodline, how could Lu Changsheng ever have glimpsed the secrets of the Physical Immortal Dao? The Giant Axe Immortal seemed lost in thought. He could tell Lu Changsheng was holding something back, but he did not pry. After all, everyone had their secrets. "Very well. It seems none of you wish to throw your lot in with those Heaven Realm Upper Immortals either. In that case, you may stay here." Lu Changsheng nodded. For now, this was their only choice. And so, Lu Changsheng remained behind. Residing in the Danqiu World meant there was no way to obtain Great Dao fragments. However, there were benefits as well. After all, an Immortal Realm mighty figure lived here. Lu Changsheng could consult the Giant Axe Immortal at any time regarding cultivation in the Immortal Realm. The Giant Axe Immortal also appeared to think highly of Lu Changsheng, holding back virtually nothing. He shared everything about the Immortal Realm with him, which essentially cleared away the obstacles between the Ancestor Realm and the Immortal Realm for Lu Changsheng, teaching him how one could step into the Immortal Realm from within the Boundary Sea. *So stepping into the Immortal Realm is actually using a world's source rules to forge an immortal body.* *One can forge an immortal body within the Boundary Sea as well. However, an immortal body forged here cannot be considered a true immortal body. Only an immortal body forged within the Heaven Realm counts as a true Immortal Realm mighty figure.* *The Giant Axe Immortal forged his immortal body in the Boundary Sea. Yet his immortal body is very weak, far from a match for the Heaven Realm Upper Immortals. Still, part of that may be due to his own circumstances—he cultivates the Loose Immortal Dao, which was never particularly powerful to begin with.* *If it were the Physical Immortal Dao, or once my Myriad Spirits Immortal Body steps into the Immortal Realm, the strength would certainly be entirely different...* Thoughts flickered rapidly through Lu Changsheng's mind. He thought back to the Giant Spirit Ancestor. How terrifying had the Giant Spirit Ancestor's might been back then? He had undoubtedly been vastly stronger than the Giant Axe Immortal—the two were simply not on the same level. During this period, Lu Changsheng also inquired about the Road to Ascending Heaven. The Giant Axe Immortal was certainly more anxious than anyone else. After all, as long as he entered the Road to Ascending Heaven, he could ascend directly to the Heaven Realm. But for now, he had no choice but to stay in hiding. The Road to Ascending Heaven was largely controlled by the Heaven Realm Upper Immortals, and the Giant Axe Immortal lacked the power to force his way through. All he could do was wait. Day after day slipped by. In the blink of an eye, another year passed. Lu Changsheng remained in the Danqiu World. He called up his attribute panel to inspect his status. **Host: Lu Changsheng** **Comprehension: 45,080,000 (Peerless Through the Ages)** **Mortal Immortal Dao: 72% (Enter the Dao)** **Myriad Spirits Immortal Body Foundation: 64% (Not yet consummate)** **Physical Immortal Dao Foundation: 83% (Not yet consummate)** **Annihilation Divine Eye: Supreme Ancestor Realm level** **Slaughter Dao: Six Revolutions** **Flesh Martial Dao: Denary Growth (Ancestor Realm)** **Comprehension Deduction: Can consume substantial comprehension to perform deductions** On his attribute panel, only his comprehension had slightly increased, along with a two-percent gain in the Mortal Immortal Dao. That was because over the past year, Lu Changsheng had continuously analyzed various treasures, arrays, and curiosities within the Danqiu World. He had analyzed nearly everything available to analyze, yet it had only yielded roughly a two-percent gain. Moreover, there was nothing left for him to analyze here now. Aside from that, none of his other traits had shifted in the slightest. His Physical Immortal Dao, Myriad Spirits Immortal Body, and other foundations had not progressed at all. *Theoretically, an Ancestor Realm cultivator can ascend to the Heaven Realm, but their body must be able to withstand the grinding forces of the interworld passage.* *I possess the Myriad Spirits Immortal Body and the Physical Immortal Dao, and both paths have progressed substantially. My physical body is extraordinarily powerful. Perhaps I stand a strong chance of enduring the interworld passage's grinding forces and ascending to the Heaven Realm.* Lu Changsheng understood the situation clearly. Cultivating all three Immortal Daos to consummation was simply too difficult, especially under the current circumstances. He did not dare show his face. The moment he exposed himself, the Heaven Realm Upper Immortals would discover him, leading to either capture or pursuit. Peacefully scouring the Boundary Sea for resources to bring all three Immortal Daos to one hundred percent consummation was virtually impossible. Thus, only one option remained: ascend to the Heaven Realm! Once he entered the Heaven Realm, the sky would be the limit. When that time came, no one would be able to stop him from stepping into the Immortal Realm. Yet where could he find a path? To find a way onto the Road to Ascending Heaven, the Giant Axe Immortal had also exhausted every possible avenue. On this day, the Giant Axe Immortal received word. The opportunity had arrived! The Giant Axe Immortal sought out Lu Changsheng with the news. "Fellow Daoist Lu, our chance has come!" "Those Heaven Realm Upper Immortals have broken into violent clashes over clues regarding the ancient immortal. It is said the clue surfaced in an ancient battlefield that has existed since the Archaic Era. Right now, a large contingent of Upper Immortals has departed in person for that ancient battlefield, leaving the Road to Ascending Heaven unguarded. This is our opportunity!" The Giant Axe Immortal's words made Lu Changsheng's eyes brighten. Indeed, if those Upper Immortals had truly gone to the ancient battlefield and left the Road to Ascending Heaven unattended, it was certainly a prime opportunity. Yet could it really be so simple? Lu Changsheng suspected otherwise. Sure enough, the Giant Axe Immortal continued, "However, those Upper Immortals laid down an immortal array inside the Road to Ascending Heaven. Even for this old man, breaking an immortal array in a short time is practically impossible. No one knows how long they will remain on that ancient battlefield, so if the array is to be broken, the faster the better. "That is why I require your assistance, Fellow Daoist Lu. You cultivate the Mortal Immortal Dao. With its analytical power, there is a chance you can unravel the immortal array. Otherwise, in the vast Boundary Sea, not even those Ancestor Realm array masters could hope to break an immortal array..." The Giant Axe Immortal spoke the absolute truth. He needed Lu Changsheng. Originally, the Giant Axe Immortal had only known that Lu Changsheng possessed two paths: the immortal body and the Physical Immortal Dao. Over the past year, however, the two had grown familiar with one another, and Lu Changsheng had little need to hide it. Furthermore, some of the treasures Lu Changsheng had analyzed had been provided by the Giant Axe Immortal. As a result, the Giant Axe Immortal had learned that Lu Changsheng also cultivated the Mortal Immortal Dao. Cultivating three Immortal Daos simultaneously had stunned the Giant Axe Immortal. What was more, Lu Changsheng's attainments in all three were profound, each holding the potential to break through into the Immortal Realm. That revelation had shaken the Giant Axe Immortal to his core at the time. Even so, the Giant Axe Immortal had likely never imagined that he would eventually need Lu Changsheng's help. The truth was that he had no answer for this immortal array. If it were an ordinary great array, no matter how formidable, he could have shattered it with brute force. But against an immortal array, he was genuinely helpless. A Road to Ascending Heaven protected by an immortal array was an impregnable bastion; forcing a way through was out of the question. His only recourse was to turn to Lu Changsheng. The Giant Axe Immortal understood the analytical prowess of a Mortal Immortal intimately. Even in the Heaven Realm, the Mortal Immortal Dao stood undisputed as the foremost immortal path! Its analytical methods were nothing short of miraculous. However, Lu Changsheng did not agree immediately. There was risk involved—great risk, in fact. An immortal array was not something easily analyzed. Given unlimited time, Lu Changsheng was confident he could crack it, but they were working against a clock. The faster, the better. Moreover, analyzing the immortal array would at most grant him a modest increase in his Mortal Immortal Dao progress. What other benefit would there be? "Immortal Giant Axe, if the immortal array is broken, I wish to try stepping through the portal of the Road to Ascending Heaven as well," Lu Changsheng said in a deep voice. "Hm? You wish to ascend to the Heaven Realm? But while Ancestor Realm cultivators can theoretically ascend, that is only in theory. For an Ancestor Realm cultivator to ascend, how immense a pressure from the interworld passage must they endure? If you cannot bear it, you face the danger of perishing..." the Giant Axe Immortal explained, staring intently at him. This had to be weighed carefully; failure meant utter ruin. "Perishing..." Lu Changsheng shook his head. He would not perish. He had avatars scattered throughout the Boundary Sea, so death was not an absolute threat. Of course, that was his greatest reliance and secret, something he would never share with anyone, so the Giant Axe Immortal naturally had no idea. If this true body could not withstand the grinding forces of the interworld passage and collapsed, at worst he would simply cultivate only the Mortal Immortal Dao going forward. Even if he lost the Physical Immortal Dao and the Myriad Spirits Immortal Body, relying solely on the Mortal Immortal Dao still gave him an excellent chance of attaining the Immortal Realm. And what if he succeeded? He would have successfully ascended to the Heaven Realm, leaving behind the troubles of the Boundary Sea. Once there, he could reach the Immortal Realm or even higher realms. Lu Changsheng had weighed this for a long time and had already made up his mind. This venture was worth the gamble! After a moment of contemplation, the Giant Axe Immortal nodded. "Very well. When the time comes, you and I shall brave the Road to Ascending Heaven together. Even if the Heaven Realm Upper Immortals return, this old man can still protect you." The Giant Axe Immortal possessed considerable confidence. If he could escape once, he could escape a second time. While he could not defeat the Upper Immortals, could he not at least flee? Still, this time was different after all. If the Upper Immortals caught wind of them, the trouble would be far greater. There was an immortal array involved, and once trapped inside, even the Giant Axe Immortal would find escape difficult. "I will give you one month to make preparations. Furthermore, if you wish to ascend to the Heaven Realm, you cannot carry any living beings on your person besides yourself—not even inside immortal treasures. Do you understand?" The Giant Axe Immortal's words gave Lu Changsheng pause. He understood the meaning at once: he needed to make arrangements for those close to him. The notion of "one man attaining the Dao and bringing his household along" was pure fantasy. Ascending to the Heaven Realm was a solitary endeavor; no one could bring others along. Lu Changsheng fell silent for a long time before finally nodding. "I will arrange everything." The Giant Axe Immortal offered a few more words of caution and then took his leave. Within the Danqiu World, Lu Changsheng properly settled the people of the Immortal Martial Palace. After some thought, he chose to speak candidly to them. "I will likely be making an attempt on the Road to Ascending Heaven..." Lu Changsheng laid out his plan with the Giant Axe Immortal in full detail. The crowd fell completely silent. If possible, the members of the Immortal Martial Palace certainly did not want Lu Changsheng to take such a risk. As long as Lu Changsheng was present, they were sheltered. Aside from Immortal Realm mighty figures, with Lu Changsheng by their side, the Immortal Martial Palace feared no one. But once he was gone, what was left of the palace? They would once again have to struggle for survival in the Boundary Sea. Yet this was not something they could prevent. Lu Changsheng was already a supreme Ancestor Realm expert. Ascending to the Heaven Realm was his path of cultivation; who had the right to stand in his way? For a time, everyone exchanged wordless glances, and no one spoke. Knowing what weighed on their minds, Lu Changsheng willed a flesh avatar to appear within the Immortal Martial Palace. "Everyone, even if I depart the Boundary Sea, I will leave behind a flesh avatar. This avatar lacks great combat strength, but it possesses the analytical ability of the Mortal Immortal Dao. Even if I ascend to the Heaven Realm in the future and our connection is severed, the avatar will retain that capability. While analytical power cannot translate directly into combat strength, if you encounter arrays, treasures, or other dilemmas you cannot control or resolve, you may have my avatar analyze them," Lu Changsheng said slowly. This was the final safeguard he could leave for the Immortal Martial Palace: a flesh avatar! Fortunately, he cultivated the Mortal Immortal Dao, whose greatest strength lay in analysis. That analytical power functioned identically whether in his true body or an avatar. The members of the Immortal Martial Palace breathed a slight sigh of relief. Having an avatar left behind with the same analytical prowess provided a genuine safety net. They understood that Lu Changsheng could never protect them for a lifetime regardless; their path of cultivation ultimately depended on themselves. "Fellow Daoist Lu, you have already taken great care in your arrangements for the Immortal Martial Palace," Ancestor Powang said solemnly, being the first to speak up. His words carried immense weight; after Lu Changsheng, he was the strongest figure in the palace. Once Lu Changsheng departed, the palace would rely on Ancestor Powang. His stance was effectively the stance of the entire faction. "With this flesh avatar, the Immortal Martial Palace will surely grow and prosper. Please rest assured, Fellow Daoist Lu—we will do everything in our power to develop the palace!" "Good. In that case, my mind is at ease," Lu Changsheng said with a nod, then drifted away. With the palace's affairs settled, Lu Changsheng turned to examining his own foundations. He possessed three Immortal Daos: the Mortal Immortal Dao, the Physical Immortal Dao, and the Myriad Spirits Immortal Body. Though distinct, they could complement one another. For instance, the Myriad Spirits Immortal Body and the Physical Immortal Dao reinforced each other, and combining them granted his physical defense an extraordinary toughness. That was the primary reason Lu Changsheng believed he had a sliver of hope to endure the grinding forces of the interworld passage. There was also the analytical power of the Mortal Immortal Dao. If he stepped into the interworld passage, he could use analysis to gradually comprehend the crushing force within, potentially reducing the strain on his body. Whatever the outcome, this venture into the Road to Ascending Heaven was one he had to undertake. *My only issue is that I have too few Great Dao fragments.* *If I could obtain a large quantity of Great Dao fragments to replenish my comprehension, then whenever my analytical capacity falls short, I could expend comprehension points on deductions to boost it.* Lu Changsheng considered the matter. Analyzing an immortal array would be no easy feat, and comprehension was critical. Right now, he possessed only slightly over forty million comprehension points; expending them on deductions would not last long. He needed to prepare in advance. Lu Changsheng had no Great Dao fragments himself, and trying to gather them now was too late. Yet the Giant Axe Immortal was right here. Could an Immortal Realm mighty figure have accumulated no Great Dao fragments over all these years? Great Dao fragments were extraordinary treasures. Even if an Immortal Realm mighty figure had no direct use for them, they were still prized possessions that an immortal would inevitably collect. With that realization, Lu Changsheng made his decision and sought out the Giant Axe Immortal. "Immortal Giant Axe, an immortal array is no ordinary matter. With my current analytical capacity, completely analyzing an immortal-level formation will take considerable time, and the longer it takes, the greater our peril. Over these past few days, I have devised a method to enhance my analytical power and accelerate the process of breaking the array. However, this may require your help. I need Great Dao fragments—a massive quantity of them. The more, the better." Lu Changsheng stated his request plainly. "You need Great Dao fragments?" the Giant Axe Immortal asked in surprise. He could tell at a glance that Lu Changsheng did not practice the Loose Immortal Dao. Why would someone who was not a Loose Immortal need Great Dao fragments? Could it be that Great Dao fragments could augment the Mortal Immortal Dao's analytical power? It seemed that must be the case. The Giant Axe Immortal fell into contemplation. He understood that whether they could break the immortal array swiftly was of paramount importance. An opportunity like this might only present itself once; who knew what the future held? If they failed to break the array and enter the Road to Ascending Heaven this time, they might never have another chance. Since that was so, he had to do everything possible to maximize their odds of success, regardless of the cost. "Great Dao fragments... Very well. I will give you all the Great Dao fragments I have accumulated over the years. How much you can improve will depend entirely on yourself." The Giant Axe Immortal agreed to the request. With a wave of his hand, he produced all the Great Dao fragments he had amassed. *Clatter!* A mountain of Great Dao fragments materialized before Lu Changsheng's eyes. Lu Changsheng's eyes widened, a tempest of shock surging through his heart. Excitement—uncontrollable excitement washed over him. These were all Great Dao fragments! Never before had he laid eyes on such a vast heap of them. "You must hurry. If those Upper Immortals return to the Road to Ascending Heaven before we succeed, we will be in grave trouble," the Giant Axe Immortal said gravely, concerned that refining the fragments might take too long. Lu Changsheng nodded. "One month! We will depart according to the original schedule." The original plan had been to leave in one month. Refining this colossal mound of Great Dao fragments in that timeframe would normally be impossible, but Lu Changsheng was unconcerned. Refining them merely granted comprehension points; his true body did not need to waste time doing it in person. His avatar could refine them just as well, and the gained comprehension points would synchronize to his true body without causing any delay. Of course, during this month, Lu Changsheng would exert himself to the utmost as well. Time flew by, and the month passed in the blink of an eye. "Time is up!" Lu Changsheng rose and exited his cave dwelling. He was still far from completely refining the Great Dao fragments, but there was no rush. He had handed the remainder to his avatar to continue refining within the Danqiu World. Traveling would take time anyway, during which a substantial portion could be absorbed. Lu Changsheng met with the Giant Axe Immortal. "Have you finished refining them all?" the Giant Axe Immortal asked. Only a month had passed; could such an immense quantity really have been refined so quickly? He found it hard to believe. "More or less," Lu Changsheng answered vaguely. The Giant Axe Immortal weighed the response for a moment and chose not to pry further. Lu Changsheng was sure to handle it properly; after all, this endeavor posed danger even to an immortal. "Then let us depart." The Giant Axe Immortal produced an immortal treasure. Together, the two soared into the sky and vanished from the Danqiu World. In truth, Lu Changsheng possessed immortal treasures as well—two of them: the City in the Sky and the underwater manor. Lu Changsheng had emptied the manor of all occupants, even sending away the ancient turtle. Aside from himself, not a single living soul remained inside the immortal treasures on his person. He had prepared himself fully to ascend to the Heaven Realm. The Giant Axe Immortal did not say where they were headed, simply maneuvering the immortal treasure forward. Days turned into weeks, and Lu Changsheng's avatar continued refining the Great Dao fragments without pause. One month, three months, five months... In a flash, eight months swept past. *The Great Dao fragments have all been refined!* Lu Changsheng opened his eyes, a glint of sharp brilliance flashing across them. A full eight months had passed, which made nine months including the month before departure. At last, he had completely refined the Great Dao fragments. Furthermore, the process had even granted a slight boost to his analytical power; while analyzing Great Dao fragments was not extraordinarily difficult, it still honed his analytical capabilities. Lu Changsheng immediately brought up his attribute panel to review his current state. **Host: Lu Changsheng** **Comprehension: 86,080,000 (Peerless Through the Ages)** **Mortal Immortal Dao: 75% (Enter the Dao)** **Myriad Spirits Immortal Body Foundation: 64% (Not yet consummate)** **Physical Immortal Dao Foundation: 83% (Not yet consummate)** **Annihilation Divine Eye: Supreme Ancestor Realm level** **Slaughter Dao: Six Revolutions** **Flesh Martial Dao: Denary Growth (Ancestor Realm)** **Comprehension Deduction: Can consume substantial comprehension to perform deductions** His Mortal Immortal Dao had advanced by three percent, reaching seventy-five percent. That was already an astounding level. Next was his comprehension, which had surged by over forty million points—a staggering leap forward. While it had not yet reached one hundred million and had not undergone another qualitative transformation, having this many comprehension points gave Lu Changsheng immense confidence. No matter how formidable the immortal array might be, he was confident he could unravel it now. Three days later, the immortal treasure gradually slowed to a halt. "We have arrived!" The Giant Axe Immortal stowed the immortal treasure away. The two stood quietly in the Boundary Sea, gazing toward the world ahead. Upon seeing that world, Lu Changsheng's heart jolted. "This is... the Kunwu World!" Lu Changsheng's eyes went wide. He had never expected the Giant Axe Immortal to bring them straight back to the Kunwu World.