Heavenly Immortal Dao Field, Immortal Monarch Ziji!

“A Heavenly Immortal corpse…” Lu Changsheng’s eyes lit up. His first thought was not flight, but excitement. An opportunity! This was an immense opportunity! The physical body of a Heavenly Immortal was immortal and imperishable. How much immortal substance had to be contained within it? If he could extract and refine that immortal substance, wouldn't it dramatically accelerate his progress in cultivating the immortal characteristic of the flesh? With that thought, Lu Changsheng decided to give it a try. He stood some distance from the Heavenly Immortal corpse, and he dared not draw near carelessly. Who knew what sudden changes might occur with such remains? After all, even death spirits existed in this place. If the Heavenly Immortal corpse had mutated into some horrifying monstrosity, it would hardly be surprising. It was better to proceed with caution. To that end, Lu Changsheng decided to test it with his Illusory Realm. The Illusory Realm possessed an immense area of effect. Even across a great distance, it could still envelop its target. Lu Changsheng even took a deliberate step backward, increasing the distance. Then, the Mortal Dao Fruit within him trembled violently. *Buzz.* In an instant, the Illusory Realm descended, immediately engulfing the Heavenly Immortal corpse. The Illusory Realm was ethereal by nature—in a sense, an extension of spiritual power. Therefore, it could not be seen, only sensed. Once trapped within it, a target’s consciousness was imprisoned. Breaking free required an extraordinarily powerful consciousness. Lu Changsheng had already tested this before; ordinary True Immortals stood no chance of shattering the Illusory Realm. Once trapped, they were imprisoned forever. Of course, Lu Changsheng could not sustain the Illusory Realm indefinitely. A protracted battle of attrition was impossible. But once a foe was trapped, with his repertoire of other divine abilities, would killing them be difficult? Yet when Lu Changsheng’s Illusory Realm descended upon the Heavenly Immortal corpse, he discovered that this was entirely different from dealing with True Immortals. The corpse, which had been resting motionlessly, opened its eyes the moment the Illusory Realm enveloped it. *Swish.* That gaze was utterly indifferent, devoid of all emotion—as cold and hollow as a true corpse. It was definitely not the gaze of a living person, much less that of a Heavenly Immortal! The corpse stood upright and began walking toward Lu Changsheng, step by step, seemingly unaffected by the Illusory Realm. “What? It’s completely immune to the Illusory Realm?” Lu Changsheng’s heart jolted. This was the first time he had encountered such a phenomenon. Did this sudden movement mean the Heavenly Immortal had returned to life? No, there was not the slightest trace of vitality on it; this was certainly no resurrection. Much like the death spirits, the Heavenly Immortal corpse had likely turned into some terrifying undead abomination. What was worse, it was impervious to the Illusory Realm. In the next instant, the corpse’s speed surged dramatically. It hurtled straight toward Lu Changsheng like a rampaging juggernaut. Lu Changsheng’s expression darkened. “Divine ability, Mighty Power!” The Flesh Dao Fruit within him trembled faintly. Lu Changsheng directly unleashed Mighty Power, a divine ability he seldom used. For head-on clashes, Mighty Power was his premier choice; it had merely been useless against incorporeal death spirits. *Boom!* Lu Changsheng’s fist gathered the horrifying might of his divine ability, amplified further by the power of his three immortal bodies. The sheer force behind this blow was formidable beyond even his own estimates. Simultaneously, the Heavenly Immortal corpse raised its fist and struck back with brute force. The two fists collided violently. A terrifying shockwave surged through Lu Changsheng’s arm. He immediately stepped back across a short distance, dispersing the impact. “What terrifying strength!” Lu Changsheng could not help but marvel. It truly lived up to the name of a Heavenly Immortal corpse. This was the strongest adversary he had ever encountered in terms of raw physical power. The True Immortals and immortal beasts he had faced in the past were nowhere near his match in pure force. But now, this corpse was fully capable of trading blows with him head-on. And this was merely a corpse. If it were a living Heavenly Immortal, how terrifying would that be? However, while Lu Changsheng had retreated using his technique to disperse the force, the corpse possessed no intellect and knew nothing of deflecting impact. It had absorbed the entirety of Lu Changsheng’s strike head-on. *Bang!* Even the body of a Heavenly Immortal could not endure such concentrated force. The corpse instantly disintegrated, reduced to fine powder. Lu Changsheng let out a breath of relief. That corpse had exerted immense pressure on him, but it was finally blown apart. “Wait… what is that?” Suddenly, Lu Changsheng’s eyes narrowed. What was he looking at? The Heavenly Immortal corpse was reforming! Even after being blasted into dust, it could still regenerate? “Again!” Lu Changsheng thought of the death spirits. They, too, were unkillable by conventional means, yet he had found a way. *Rumble!* Lu Changsheng threw another punch imbued with the divine ability Mighty Power, shattering the Heavenly Immortal corpse once more. “Divine ability, Devour Spirit!” This time, Lu Changsheng unleashed Devour Spirit, directly swallowing the pulverized remains. Yet as soon as he devoured it, Lu Changsheng sensed that something was wrong. He could not digest it. Even with the terrifying potency of Devour Spirit, it could not digest the flesh and blood of this Heavenly Immortal corpse. In the end, the divine ability failed, and the consumed flesh was spat back out. Afterward, the corpse reconstituted itself once more. “How can this be? The Illusory Realm failed, and now even Devour Spirit is useless?” Lu Changsheng was inwardly astounded. Was this Heavenly Immortal corpse truly this monstrous? Two of his divine abilities had failed against it back-to-back. It was utterly baffling. Yet facts were facts. Lu Changsheng furrowed his brow. In a flash of insight, an idea struck him. He thought of a possibility. Could Devour Spirit's failure to consume the corpse be due to the immortal characteristic within it? Yes—a Heavenly Immortal’s physical body was already immortal and imperishable. How could consuming an immortal body be so simple? If that was truly the case, then this was a massive problem. Even if he could suppress the corpse, how was he supposed to refine immortal substance from it when the body possessed the immortal characteristic? For a moment, Lu Changsheng was at a loss. “Let me analyze a piece of it.” With that in mind, Lu Changsheng severed a small portion of the corpse’s flesh and immediately beat a retreat. As soon as he drew away from the palace, the corpse retreated inside. It seemed dedicated to guarding the palace, unwilling to stray far from it. “Phew…” Lu Changsheng let out a breath of relief. It was fortunate the corpse hadn't pursued him outside; otherwise, he would have been forced to flee endlessly. Carrying the severed flesh, Lu Changsheng found a secluded spot and sat down cross-legged. “This is the flesh of a Heavenly Immortal corpse, imbued with immortal substance. Let’s see if I can refine it.” His goal remained obtaining immortal substance. Thus, he attempted to refine the flesh. After trying for some time, however, he realized it was impossible. The flesh of the Heavenly Immortal corpse was already immortal and imperishable, infused with the immortal characteristic. It had become entirely one with the flesh itself—how could it be separated and refined? As for directly integrating it into his own flesh, that was even more out of the question. Lu Changsheng practiced his self-created Immortal Crystal Stone Immortal Art, which required extracting immortal substance from crystal stones and merging it with his flesh. Although both were immortal substance, if he could not isolate it from the corpse’s flesh, how could he cultivate with it? The crux of the difficulty lay in isolating the immortal substance. Right now, the flesh was the immortal substance, and the immortal substance was the flesh. If he absorbed it whole into his own body, he would cease to be Lu Changsheng and instead transform into a Heavenly Immortal corpse. Lu Changsheng finally understood why, despite the immense amount of immortal substance within Heavenly Immortal corpses, no immortal ever took this shortcut. It was simply an impassable path. Even as a Mortal Immortal with peerless analytical ability, he was helpless before it. Still, even if he disregarded the immortal substance within the corpse, that palace was clearly extraordinary. For a Heavenly Immortal corpse to be stationed there, who knew what secrets were hidden within? Perhaps there was an immortal treasure capable of anchoring fortune. He still had to find a way to enter. Yet the Heavenly Immortal corpse was a major obstacle, and he could not think of a good solution for the moment. “Should I head to the fourth layer?” Lu Changsheng considered venturing into the fourth layer. If the third layer was a dead end, that seemed the only option. However, the information he had gathered regarding the fourth layer was shrouded in secrecy, cautioning that True Immortals had best avoid entering it at all costs. There seemed to be great horrors lurking there. “I can take a look first. If the fourth layer is truly too dangerous, I can always retreat to the third.” After some thought, he decided to scout the fourth spatial layer. After all, relying solely on hearsay without having seen it firsthand left room for inaccuracy. Seeing was believing. Thus, Lu Changsheng stepped into the fourth spatial layer of the Tianyuan Ancient Immortal Battlefield. Yet the moment his foot crossed the boundary, he felt a crushing pressure—palpable and oppressive enough to weigh heavily even on a True Immortal like him. And the moment he raised his head, a chill ran down his spine. What was before his eyes? Cold, unblinking gazes, one after another, locked onto him. “These are… Heavenly Immortal corpses?” Lu Changsheng’s whole body shuddered. Heavenly Immortal corpses everywhere! With just a casual sweep of his gaze, he counted over a dozen of them. If such terrifying entities swarmed him all at once, even a Great Immortal would likely be torn to shreds. “Run!” Without a second thought, Lu Changsheng retreated straight back to the third layer. Fortunately, he had barely crossed the threshold and had not ventured far into the fourth layer. Sensing danger, he had instantly fled back. Whether death spirits or Heavenly Immortal corpses, they all seemed bound to roam only within their designated spaces. Once an intruder escaped that specific layer, they would not pursue across the boundary. “Phew…” “That was close!” “No wonder they say True Immortals must never enter the fourth layer. It truly is horrifying. For a True Immortal, going there is certain death…” Lu Changsheng shook his head with a bitter smile. Undoubtedly, some True Immortals still took the plunge, seeking fortune amidst peril. But Lu Changsheng had no intention of entering the fourth layer; the risk was far too great. It turned out that Heavenly Immortal corpses were not unique to the third layer. Strictly speaking, they were horrors native to the fourth layer. But if so, why was there a Heavenly Immortal corpse guarding the palace in the third layer? Clearly, that palace concealed an earth-shattering secret! Lu Changsheng wanted to enter the palace to investigate, but he could not overcome the corpse. At the very least, his current divine abilities were ineffective against it. After all, he had deployed the Illusory Realm, Devour Spirit, and Mighty Power—all three divine abilities—to no avail. “Wait…” “Why do I have to kill that corpse?” “My goal is simply to enter the palace, and the corpse is merely an obstacle. Powerful as it is, it possesses no intellect whatsoever. I only need to trap it or stall it.” “Could an immortal array do the trick?” Lu Changsheng’s eyes brightened. He had found an approach! An immortal array! If he used an immortal array to trap or delay the Heavenly Immortal corpse, wouldn't he be free to enter the palace and search it? Although the palace was infested with death spirits, he had nothing to fear from them; they would merely serve as nourishment for his Myriad Spirits Dao Fruit. “An ordinary immortal array probably won't suffice; it has to be a top-tier one. But I’m not an array grandmaster. How am I supposed to set up an array of that caliber?” Though Lu Changsheng possessed array flags, the pre-set arrays within them were nothing extraordinary. Trapping a Heavenly Immortal corpse would be no simple feat. Yet he soon thought of a solution: the Illusory Realm! Yes, the Illusory Realm. He could endlessly experiment and combine immortal arrays within it. With his monstrous comprehension and analytical capability, he could continuously assemble array upon array. Many formidable immortal arrays had originally been created by immortals who painstakingly adjusted, combined, and tested components until great arrays were born. Now, Lu Changsheng could do the same. He possessed analytical capability and absurd comprehension, and within the Illusory Realm, he could experiment with array combinations without constraint. Under such conditions, creating powerful immortal arrays of his own was by no means a fantasy—it was entirely feasible. No sooner said than done. Lu Changsheng recalled the immortal arrays he had encountered or analyzed in the past and began adjusting and combining them in his mind. His efficiency was astonishingly high. Before long, he placed the modified arrays into the Illusory Realm—or rather, replicated them there. Everything within the Illusory Realm was illusory, yet it offered an exceptionally faithful simulation of the real world. His Illusory Realm even contained three spatial layers now, modeled after the first three layers of the Tianyuan Ancient Immortal Battlefield. As he tested array after array, Lu Changsheng could even sense his Mortal Dao Fruit gradually advancing. After all, combining and adjusting immortal arrays was simultaneously an act of analyzing them. Deepening his understanding of immortal arrays naturally fostered the growth of his Mortal Dao Fruit. Days slipped by, and Lu Changsheng became completely absorbed in creating immortal arrays. Within the Illusory Realm, he could lose himself entirely, reveling in the endless combinations. In the blink of an eye, eight months passed. *Swish.* Lu Changsheng opened his eyes. “It’s done!” Joy filled his heart. Within his Illusory Realm, layer upon layer of immortal arrays now stood deployed. Densely packed, there were dozens, perhaps even a hundred arrays. Interlocking and overlapping, they spanned the entire Illusory Realm. Lu Changsheng could distinctly feel the realm’s power surge. If he trapped an enemy again, they would have to face not only three spatial layers, but also a hundred immortal arrays. How terrifying was that? Even the mightiest True Immortal would likely be suppressed. Naturally, Lu Changsheng also sensed that his Mortal Dao Fruit had progressed. He promptly summoned his status panel to review his current state: **Host:** Lu Changsheng **Comprehension:** 21,080,000 (Peerless Through the Ages) **Mortal Dao Fruit:** 5% (Illusory Realm divine ability) **Myriad Spirits Dao Fruit:** 38% (Devour Spirit divine ability) **Flesh Dao Fruit:** 1% (Mighty Power divine ability) **Physical Immortal Characteristic:** 1% **Annihilation Divine Eye:** True Immortal level **Slaughter Dao:** Ninth Revolution **Comprehension Deduction:** May consume a large amount of comprehension to deduce On the panel, his comprehension had been steadily climbing. Calculating the time, five years had passed since he left Lu City for the Tianyuan Ancient Immortal Battlefield. Gaining one million comprehension points per year, his total had indeed surpassed twenty-one million. His Mortal Dao Fruit had reached five percent, representing substantial progress. But the greatest gain was in his Myriad Spirits Dao Fruit: from constantly devouring death spirits, its progress had climbed to thirty-eight percent, nearing forty percent. This was a tremendous improvement. However, Lu Changsheng’s gains extended beyond the numbers on the panel. For instance, his array mastery had deepened dramatically. Not to mention immortal treasures, his array foundation was now profound. While he might not yet call himself an array grandmaster, he was scarcely inferior to one. In particular, through endless trial and reconfiguration within the Illusory Realm, he had created several immortal arrays that pushed the concept of entrapment to its absolute pinnacle. “Time to test it at the palace.” Lu Changsheng produced his array flags and inscribed them with the immortal arrays he had created. Once everything was prepared, he hesitated no longer and flew straight toward the palace. Before long, he arrived back at the ruined structure. The palace remained as dilapidated as before, crawling with numerous death spirits. Naturally, the most conspicuous presence was still that Heavenly Immortal corpse. Lu Changsheng gazed silently at the corpse. It stood motionless, as if slumbering within the palace. But he knew that the moment anyone crossed the threshold, the corpse would awaken completely and hunt down the intruder. He approached step by step. He had already tested that the Illusory Realm was ineffective against it. After all, the Illusory Realm targeted the spiritual plane; since the corpse possessed no intellect, it was naturally immune, much like how the Illusory Realm could not affect a common rock. But an immortal array was different. If an array could restrict a rock, it could certainly restrict the Heavenly Immortal corpse. The instant Lu Changsheng stepped into the palace grounds— *Swish.* The corpse stirred as if startled awake, snapping its eyes open. Lu Changsheng had prepared for this. Without hesitation, he brandished his array flags. “Go!” With a flick of the flags, a trapping immortal array was instantly established. The array descended, immediately enveloping the Heavenly Immortal corpse within its confines. “Success!” A faint smile appeared on Lu Changsheng’s face. Still, successfully deploying the array and snaring the corpse was one thing; whether it could withstand the corpse’s violent assault remained to be seen. Sure enough, sensing that its path was obstructed, the Heavenly Immortal corpse threw a direct punch. *Boom!* How terrifying was this strike? Space itself rippled violently beneath the impact. Even though the third layer of the ancient battlefield was exceptionally stable, it trembled faintly under the force of the blow. Of course, it was merely a tremor; shattering this space was far beyond the capability of a single Heavenly Immortal corpse. Even so, such monstrous force made Lu Changsheng’s heart tighten, fearing the array might buckle. Fortunately, his immortal array was no ordinary creation. Having tested and simulated it countless times within the Illusory Realm, it was built to endure. Terrifying though the punch was, it could not breach the array—at least not in the short term. After a brief shudder, the array settled back into absolute calm, showing no further disturbance. The array had held! Yet this was only the beginning. The corpse unleashed a frenzied flurry of punches, one after another. Possessing an immortal and imperishable body, its strength was nearly boundless. Punch after furious punch battered the barrier in an attempt to smash through. But the array remained rock-solid, unwavering as a mountain. Seeing this, Lu Changsheng felt completely relieved. “It seems this array can hold the corpse for a considerable time. Now that it’s trapped, let’s see what secrets this ruined palace holds.” Without lingering any longer, Lu Changsheng strode forward and ventured deep into the palace. The Heavenly Immortal corpse seemed to sense his movement and attacked with escalating fury, but bound by the array, it could do nothing to stop him. *Whoosh.* A death spirit lunged at Lu Changsheng, only to be consumed by his Devour Spirit divine ability, turning into nourishment for his Myriad Spirits Dao Fruit. One death spirit after another was devoured in succession, and the palace was swiftly cleared. Lu Changsheng walked deeper into the ruins. Before long, he spotted a shattered horizontal plaque. Though heavily damaged, the characters on it were still faintly legible: “Ziji Dao Field!” Lu Changsheng’s heart stirred. *This is a Dao field? The entire palace is actually a Dao field?* It was likely the Dao field of this immortal named Ziji. But who was this Immortal Ziji? Soon, Lu Changsheng uncovered the immortal’s identity from a broken stone stele. The stele recorded the deeds of Immortal Ziji—or rather, made mention of him. This Immortal Ziji was the master of Ziji Palace: Immortal Monarch Ziji! The Dao field was the Ziji Dao Field, and the palace was Ziji Palace. Lu Changsheng knew that "Immortal Monarch" was an honorific title reserved specifically for Heavenly Immortals. Immortal Monarch Ziji was therefore Heavenly Immortal Ziji—a Heavenly Immortal possessing an immortal body! What was more, he was no ordinary Heavenly Immortal, but a Three-Tribulation Great Immortal Monarch! Lu Changsheng’s heart pounded. A Three-Tribulation Great Immortal Monarch! Just like the title of Great Immortal, any moniker bearing "Great Immortal Monarch" denoted one who had survived at least one round of the Five Decays of Heaven and Man. In the Heaven Realm, the Five Decays of Heaven and Man were also referred to as the Heavenly Man Tribulations. Once an immortal attained the realm of Heavenly Immortal and achieved physical immortality, they no longer faced the tribulation of the flesh, but rather the dharmic power tribulation. A Heavenly Immortal possessed a lifespan of twelve epochs. Every twelve epochs, the dharmic power tribulation of the Five Decays of Heaven and Man would descend. A Three-Tribulation Great Immortal Monarch was one who had successfully survived three dharmic power tribulations, possessing a lifespan exceeding thirty-six epochs! This was simply unfathomable. One had to understand that even becoming a Three-Tribulation Great Immortal was exceedingly rare and difficult, let alone a Three-Tribulation Great Immortal Monarch. This was the first time Lu Changsheng had ever heard of a Three-Tribulation Great Immortal Monarch. Immortal Monarch Ziji had truly been an extraordinary figure! For such an exceptional Immortal Monarch, it was impossible for his Dao field to lack an immortal treasure capable of anchoring fortune. After all, sustaining the operation of a Dao field required an immortal treasure to anchor its fortune. Was the fortune-anchoring immortal treasure of the Ziji Dao Field still intact here? In an instant, an ardent flame of anticipation flared within Lu Changsheng’s heart.