Withstanding a Divine Ability: Primeval Immortal Beast!

Time flowed swiftly. *Whoosh.* A figure descended once more upon the Blood Marsh Mountain Range. Lu Changsheng had returned. Before attaining the True Immortal realm, it had taken him a full three years to rush from Lu City to the Blood Marsh Mountain Range—if anything, slightly longer. Now, however, it had taken him a mere three months to make the journey. This was his second time setting foot in the Blood Marsh Mountain Range. Arriving once again, his sensations were completely different from the first visit. Although not all that much time had elapsed since then, he had not yet been an immortal last time; now, he was a True Immortal, and far from an ordinary one at that. His mindset had undergone a profound shift. *Last time, I used a host of flesh avatars to chart a safe route. I will do the same this time.* Lu Changsheng remained exceptionally cautious. Even though he was no longer who he had once been, the Blood Marsh Mountain Range was a place where even True Immortals could perish. Caution was only natural. Besides, they were merely flesh avatars; even if every last one was destroyed, it would not affect him in the slightest. *Swish.* With a thought, Lu Changsheng separated a cluster of flesh and blood from his body. It swiftly divided, instantly transforming into over a hundred flesh avatars, each identical to him. Naturally, these avatars were not even in the Ancestor Realm—they were merely in the Sovereign Realm. Even so, they were more than sufficient for scouting. Given the state of Lu Changsheng’s physical body, splitting off avatars at the Sovereign Realm was effortless. Over a hundred avatars stood before him, all bearing his exact appearance. "Greetings, original self." All hundred-plus avatars bowed with clasped hands toward Lu Changsheng. The sight was comical. To Lu Changsheng’s perception, these avatars felt identical to him. Bowing and greeting oneself was indeed rather awkward. "I must trouble you all, fellow Daoists." "Go." With that, the hundred-plus flesh avatars flew swiftly into the Blood Marsh Mountain Range, while Lu Changsheng waited quietly outside. One day, two days, three days... As time passed, avatar after avatar perished. But that did not matter; Lu Changsheng simply dispatched more. Roughly a month later, his flesh avatars had pushed far into various directions of the range, some even penetrating deep within. However, once an avatar ventured deep into the Blood Marsh Mountain Range, its rate of mortality became staggering. While not entirely impassable, progressing further was extraordinarily arduous. This proved that the depths of the mountain range were truly perilous, completely different from the periphery. The outer regions might still hold many in the Ancestor Realm, but deep within, almost everything was a terrifying entity rivaling a True Immortal. Against such beings, Lu Changsheng’s Sovereign Realm avatars could be snuffed out with a mere breath. At that rate, the expenditure of flesh avatars in the depths was simply too immense. Lu Changsheng pondered the matter. Continuing to waste flesh avatars in the depths served no real purpose. After all, Sovereign Realm avatars could not make it far in the interior anyway, and relying on them to scout the path was becoming unsustainable. *Then I shall simply go in myself.* Lu Changsheng naturally would not shrink back. He knew that large immortal veins were situated almost exclusively in the depths of the Blood Marsh Mountain Range; the periphery rarely harbored them. Initially, he had harbored a sliver of hope that he might stumble upon one in the outer bounds, but that hope had now been dashed. Finding a large immortal vein on the outskirts was impossible. Since that was the case, he hesitated no longer. His true body stepped directly into the Blood Marsh Mountain Range. Following the safe paths previously tread by his flesh avatars, his journey was smooth and completely unimpeded, free of any trouble. Soon, Lu Changsheng arrived at the border between the outer perimeter and the depths of the mountain range. This was the exact place where so many of his flesh avatars had died. The reason was simple: immortal beasts lurked here—and more than one. These beasts blocked the route leading from the outer bounds to the depths. Not even Lu Changsheng’s flesh avatars had been able to bypass them, for detouring elsewhere only met with yet other immortal beasts. *Right here!* Lu Changsheng halted. Though the surroundings appeared tranquil, the immortal beasts were in truth thoroughly concealed. It was truly wondrous that such a vast marshland existed deep within the Blood Marsh Mountain Range. As for flying across? That was even harder. Hardly anyone could simply fly over this marsh; rising into the sky would only invite targeted ambushes. The immortal beasts hid beneath the marsh, launching sudden, unexpected attacks. Anyone unaware would find themselves in serious trouble. Lu Changsheng then separated out another flesh avatar. "Go." The avatar nodded and immediately took to the air, intending to cross the marshland. Yet the moment it hovered above the swamp— *Splash!* A terrifying immortal beast lunged from the waters, snapping its gaping maw directly toward Lu Changsheng’s avatar. Its speed was astonishing. Furthermore, as it opened its mouth, a tremendous suction pulled the flesh avatar straight into its jaws. "Hmph." Lu Changsheng gave a cold snort. He had sent the flesh avatar across precisely to draw out the lurking beasts. Now that it had revealed itself, he naturally would not hold back. It was not as though he had never slain an immortal beast before. "Divine Ability, Mighty Power!" Lu Changsheng directly unleashed his divine ability. He threw a punch, and a terrifying force slammed into the immortal beast in an instant. *Roar...* The beast roared furiously toward the sky. It had never anticipated that anyone would dare launch a sneak attack against it. Yet just as it turned, attempting to devour Lu Changsheng in a single gulp, the fist had already landed upon its form. With a loud *bang*, the immortal beast’s massive body detonated without meeting any real resistance, bursting into a vast spray of blood mist. Even so, the immortal beast was not dead. Lu Changsheng knew this full well. Immortal beasts did not perish so easily; merely having its physical form blasted apart was not enough. So long as a shred of flesh remained, it could regenerate. Yet would Lu Changsheng grant it the chance? "Divine Ability, Devour Spirit!" The Myriad Spirits Dao Fruit within Lu Changsheng trembled faintly. The Devour Spirit divine ability manifested, forming a colossal black hole that directly swallowed every scrap of the beast's scattered flesh in the vicinity. Faintly, Lu Changsheng could even hear the immortal beast’s furious, unwilling shrieks. But it was too late. The terrifying Devour Spirit divine ability swallowed the beast’s flesh whole. Once devoured, the beast lost all opportunity to regenerate. Soon, the surrounding space fell silent. The immortal beast was dead—utterly dead. Just like that, a creature rivaling a True Immortal had been slain by Lu Changsheng with effortless ease, thoroughly extinguished. Any ordinary True Immortal who encountered such a beast would be wary, forced into a bitter struggle just to defeat it, let alone kill it completely—an ordinary True Immortal could rarely manage that. Yet before Lu Changsheng, it had been dispatched like a trivial nuisance. The sheer disparity between them was staggering. It stood as clear testament to how earth-shattering his present might truly was. "Next." Lu Changsheng remained impassive. He knew full well that this marsh harbored far more than a single immortal beast. Slaying just one was not enough to clear his path. He sent another flesh avatar forward. Sure enough, more immortal beasts surged forth—at one point, three appeared at once. Yet Lu Changsheng met them without fear, striking them down one by one. Though these immortal beasts were numerous and formidable, they posed no real threat to him. He could only activate his divine abilities a limited number of times, but that did not matter. Once he reached his limit, he would simply rest for a few days. Once his reserves recovered, he resumed hunting. Moreover, Lu Changsheng made a discovery: using the Devour Spirit divine ability to consume these beasts actually advanced the progress of his Myriad Spirits Dao Fruit. Though the increase was slight, it was an advance nonetheless. Consequently, Lu Changsheng was in no hurry. He waited patiently. He had all the time in the world to wear down the beasts in the marshland. Day after day went by. Lu Changsheng spent a full half-year grinding down the marshland. His situation now was completely different from his previous journey, and his state of mind was just as transformed. Last time, he had been anxious to find an immortal vein to break through into immortality. Now, he felt no urgency at all. He had plenty of time to whittle away at these beasts, especially since hunting them yielded benefits. As for danger? At least so far, he had sensed none. Ordinary immortal beasts simply could not threaten him. Over the course of six months, using his flesh avatars as bait, he virtually wiped out the immortal beasts in the marsh. Now, he sent avatars soaring across dozens of times a day, yet not a single beast appeared. It actually left him rather disappointed, though he understood that the marsh had likely been cleared entirely. Lu Changsheng called up his attribute panel and looked closely: **Host:** Lu Changsheng **Comprehension:** 23,080,000 (Peerless Through the Ages) **Mortal Dao Fruit:** 5% (Illusory Realm Divine Ability) **Myriad Spirits Dao Fruit:** 42% (Devour Spirit Divine Ability) **Flesh Dao Fruit:** 6% (Mighty Power Divine Ability) **Physical Body Immortal Characteristic:** 1% **Annihilation Divine Eye:** True Immortal Level **Slaughter Dao:** Nine Revolutions **Comprehension Deduction:** Can consume large amounts of comprehension to deduce Lu Changsheng noticed that the Myriad Spirits Dao Fruit had gained 3% progress, which was within his expectations. What surprised him, however, was the Flesh Dao Fruit—it had actually increased by 5%! Was it because he had devoured so much immortal beast flesh? Could a portion of the flesh devoured by Devour Spirit be converted to nurture the Flesh Dao Fruit? That was very likely the case! For a moment, even Lu Changsheng found it incredible. Did this not mean that as long as he continually hunted immortal beasts, his Flesh Dao Fruit could keep advancing—perhaps even reach completion? The possibility was immense! Yet while it seemed easy to him, the reality was entirely different. Hunting immortal beasts to nourish oneself was inherently monstrously difficult. Immortal beasts were beings of the same tier as True Immortals. A True Immortal might defeat one easily enough, but slaying one outright was tremendously hard. Not everyone possessed three terrifying divine abilities like Lu Changsheng. Now, Lu Changsheng truly appreciated how miraculous his three divine abilities were. With them at his disposal, slaying immortal beasts was as simple as slaughtering chickens. However, no matter how many beasts had lurked in the marsh, six months had been enough to finish them off. Thus, Lu Changsheng lingered no longer. His true body took to the air, crossing the marshland with ease. Having crossed the marsh, Lu Changsheng repeated his proven method, continuing to use flesh avatars to scout the path ahead, then following in their wake. Of course, the avatars were merely pathfinders. He could no longer send them fanning out on a massive scale along multiple routes; he simply advanced along a single line, treating it as a test of luck. Of course, it was not purely luck. Lu Changsheng did not need the exact coordinates of an immortal vein. He could sense the concentration of immortal spirit qi within the mountain range. The deeper he ventured, the richer it became. So long as he located an area where the immortal spirit qi was extraordinarily dense, finding an immortal vein was hardly difficult. In most places, richer qi correlated directly with the presence of a vein; the qi was not dense on its own, but rather made dense by the vein beneath it. With that principle guiding him, finding an immortal vein was not the hard part. The real difficulty lay in the perils encountered along the way. Given the dangers Lu Changsheng had faced thus far, few ordinary True Immortals could ever have breached them, let alone ventured deeper. Yet Lu Changsheng steadily pushed forward. He traveled for another two months, until he no longer knew precisely where within the Blood Marsh Mountain Range he had reached. He only knew that the immortal spirit qi along his path was growing ever denser, already several times thicker than outside the mountains, and still rising. One day, Lu Changsheng suddenly stopped. He gazed ahead. In the region before him, the immortal spirit qi was so dense it seemed almost tangible. And with it came that familiar sensation. An immortal vein! Lu Changsheng was certain of it. Ahead lay a large—perhaps even super-large—immortal vein! *It really is an immortal vein...* *Still, this must be deep in the Blood Marsh Mountain Range. An immortal vein here is bound to be occupied by immortal beasts.* *Just what kind of beast could claim such an immense vein?* Lu Changsheng sensed that this was no trivial matter. Deep within, he even felt a prickle of danger. The place was simply too quiet. The closer he drew to the vein, the greater the sense of foreboding grew, for he could not detect a single immortal beast. That was not a good sign. With immortal spirit qi this rich, beasts ought to have flocked here in droves. Yet there was not one in sight. What did that signify? Most likely, something here terrified the beasts so profoundly that none dared approach. Lu Changsheng’s reasoning was sound, and it prompted him to be even more cautious. After a moment's thought, he stuck to his habit and dispatched several dozen flesh avatars from multiple directions toward the vein. The avatars drew nearer and nearer. One step, two steps, three steps... *Hum.* Suddenly, the avatars felt as though they had plunged into a quagmire. A crushing pressure bore down upon their bodies, subjecting them to a force they could not resist. Then, they collapsed. Almost every flesh avatar was instantly crushed into paste, flattened into mush. Moreover, the terrifying pressure persisted unceasingly; though it did not grind the avatars into dust, the relentless force prevented them from reforming their shapes. *This kind of power...* *A domain?* A possibility crossed Lu Changsheng’s mind. A domain! In truth, it was akin to an immortal's heaven-bestowed divine ability. Certain immortal beasts possessed heaven-bestowed divine abilities of their own, and some took the form of domains. Once one drew near the beast, the domain would trigger and shroud the area automatically. Evidently, this domain was horrifyingly potent. Merely drawing near had crushed the flesh avatars into pulp. Yet even now, Lu Changsheng had not caught sight of the terrifying beast itself. *Is this beast at the True Immortal tier, or the Heavenly Immortal tier?* Lu Changsheng needed to know. If it was at the Heavenly Immortal tier, there was nothing to discuss—he would turn and leave immediately. Rumors held that Heavenly Immortal-tier beasts existed within the Blood Marsh Mountain Range, though virtually no one had ever seen one. Once an immortal beast transformed to that level, it became monstrously terrifying; ancient bloodlines within it would awaken, and its physical strength would reach an unimaginable degree. Even Heavenly Immortals were reluctant to tangle with a beast of that rank. Lu Changsheng was confident, but not so arrogant as to believe he could defeat or slay a Heavenly Immortal-tier immortal beast. That was out of the question. Yet as things stood, his flesh avatars could not even get close. If he wished to discern what kind of beast lurked ahead, his true body would have to investigate in person. So long as he could withstand the domain, there should be no issue. *Whoosh.* The next instant, Lu Changsheng moved. Though his flesh avatars had been crushed to paste in a heartbeat, the experience had still allowed him to gauge the level of that oppressive force. It was immensely strong, but not strong enough to flatten his true body in an instant. Thus, the risk was worth taking. *Boom!* Lu Changsheng charged directly into the domain. Instantly, boundless pressure surged from every direction. He felt the crushing weight distinctly, as if bearing tens of thousands of jin upon his back, his body compressed by forces sweeping in from all sides. However, that was all. He sensed clearly that although the pressure was immense, it could not overcome him. After all, he possessed three immortal bodies fused into one; his physical form was unimaginably formidable. Having walked the path of the Physical Immortal Dao, his flesh was on par with that of an immortal beast. One step, two steps, three steps... Dragging his heavy footsteps, Lu Changsheng remained completely composed as he advanced toward the immortal vein step by step. Although the pressure increased the further he walked, he remained utterly unfazed. Even so, he wished to find out what manner of beast this was; any creature whose mere domain was this powerful could not be ordinary. Gradually, Lu Changsheng caught sight of the beast. It was as massive as a mountain, lying on the ground in a deep slumber. Yet even in its sleep, its domain enveloped the surroundings without pause. *Such an immortal beast...* *Could it be a legendary primeval immortal beast?* *It bears no aura of the Heavenly Immortal tier, so it should only be at the True Immortal level. Yet despite being at the True Immortal tier, it possesses a commanding aura that seems to surpass ordinary True Immortals.* Faced with such an anomaly, the only explanation Lu Changsheng could think of was a primeval immortal beast. Legend held that every primeval immortal beast was an earth-shattering entity capable of defying the heavens and battling above its tier. As eras passed, however, they had become exceedingly rare. Lu Changsheng strongly suspected that the sleeping beast before him was precisely that! After observing this terrifying existence, Lu Changsheng turned his gaze to the immortal vein. The beast lay right atop it, occupying its core, clearly having claimed the vein entirely for itself. Lu Changsheng swept his consciousness across the area. The vein stretched across a vast expanse. It was without question a large, perhaps even super-large, immortal vein—perfect for anchoring his future Dao field. However, moving such a colossal immortal vein would cause an earth-shattering commotion, enough to shake the entire Blood Marsh Mountain Range. More importantly, such a tremendous disturbance would inevitably awaken the beast. Therefore, to claim the vein, he had to eliminate the beast first. With that realization, Lu Changsheng resolved himself. "Divine Ability, Mighty Power!" While the beast still slept, Lu Changsheng struck decisively. *Boom!* The divine ability erupted. A terrifying force accompanied Lu Changsheng’s punch. Even within the beast’s domain, the might of this blow was earth-shaking. If it landed, it could split the earth and shatter mountain peaks, to say nothing of a single beast. Lu Changsheng had never encountered an immortal beast capable of withstanding his Mighty Power. Yet this was the beast’s domain after all. As Lu Changsheng unleashed his divine ability, the domain was instantly thrown into turbulence. Such a violent disruption awakened the slumbering beast almost immediately. *Snap!* The mountain-like beast snapped its eyes open. The moment its eyes opened, the domain’s power multiplied several times over. *Hmm?* Lu Changsheng clearly felt the pressure redouble as crushing force bore down upon his body. Even so, his fist arrived before the beast’s face. In the next instant, the beast abruptly raised a massive claw and clashed head-on against Lu Changsheng’s fist. *Rumble!* The earth quaked and the mountains shook. Lu Changsheng distinctly felt a horrifying force erupt from the colossal claw, meeting his punch head-on. One had to understand: this punch of his gathered the strength of three immortal bodies combined with the power of a divine ability. How terrifying was such a strike? Yet against such an overwhelming blow, the beast had actually blocked it. Yes, it had truly blocked it. Though the beast was thrown into disarray and its massive claw shattered completely into a mist of blood—demonstrating the terrifying power of Lu Changsheng's punch—what did such an injury mean to an immortal beast? In the blink of an eye, the giant claw restored itself as if untouched. Lu Changsheng’s heart tightened. *Huge trouble!* Waves of astonishment surged through his mind. Ever since acquiring Mighty Power, his strikes had virtually never failed. Against any foe, unleashing Mighty Power had always blown the opponent to pieces. Yet this beast had withstood it head-on, suffering only a minor wound that regenerated in an instant. This was the first time Lu Changsheng had faced such a formidable opponent. "Divine Ability, Devour Spirit." Without a second thought, Lu Changsheng acted. The beast possessed sentience, meaning Devour Spirit would certainly counter it. Thus, he unleashed his second divine ability without the slightest hesitation. From the first divine ability to the second, barely an instant had elapsed. Lu Changsheng's attack was decisive to the extreme. The next moment, a colossal black hole manifested out of thin air, instantly engulfing the mountain-sized immortal beast.