The Dao Field Collapses, a Great Immortal Falls!

Inside the secret chamber, the atmosphere was somewhat subtle. As soon as Great Immortal Chiyue spoke, he asked to witness Lu Changsheng's three Dao fruits. He was direct and to the point, without any wasted words. Clearly, Great Immortal Chiyue wanted true confirmation. Great Immortal Lu turned his gaze toward Lu Changsheng. At this juncture, it was entirely up to him. However, a Dao fruit was an intensely private matter. If any immortal sought to pry into another's Dao fruit, it could very easily lead to misunderstandings—or even drive two immortals to blows. Lu Changsheng was also weighing his options. After a long pause, he said slowly, "Great Immortal Chiyue, what if I do possess three Dao fruits? And what if I do not?" Lu Changsheng would not casually reveal his Dao fruits to others. For a secret of this magnitude, even if he were to show them, it would take more than mere words. He needed tangible benefits! Or rather, Great Immortal Chiyue needed to make a pledge. Great Immortal Chiyue naturally understood Lu Changsheng's meaning. He deliberated for a moment and spoke slowly, "If Fellow Daoist Lu possesses three Dao fruits, then whatever you desire, this seat can grant you!" "Whatever I desire?" Lu Changsheng's eyes brightened. "I want Chiyue City." "Agreed." Great Immortal Chiyue consented without hesitation. His response caused Lu Changsheng's gaze to narrow slightly. He had agreed that easily? Yet upon closer reflection, had Great Immortal Chiyue not invited so many immortals to Chiyue City precisely to find a successor for it? And now, Great Immortal Chiyue had found one: Lu Changsheng! The prerequisite was that Lu Changsheng had to demonstrate sufficient worth! "Very well. Great Immortal Chiyue, look closely." In that moment, Lu Changsheng hesitated no longer. With a single thought, three Dao fruits manifested in an instant. *Buzz.* Mortal Dao Fruit! Myriad Spirits Dao Fruit! Flesh Dao Fruit! The three Dao fruits materialized and floated above Lu Changsheng's head. That overwhelming pressure was unmistakable. Both Great Immortal Lu and Great Immortal Chiyue were filled with profound astonishment. "It truly is three Dao fruits... Incredible, simply incredible..." Great Immortal Chiyue murmured under his breath, his mind shaken as if he could scarcely believe it. Yet the three Dao fruits hung right before his eyes. This was an indisputable fact! "Splendid!" Excitement shone brightly in Great Immortal Chiyue's eyes. Three Dao fruits, genuine and pure! Lu Changsheng's potential was beyond imagination. "Fellow Daoist Lu, if I fail to survive the physical tribulation this time, the entirety of Chiyue City shall belong to you. I have only one request: preserve Chiyue City! Even if you relocate Chiyue City into your own Dao field, that is fine, so long as you do not let it be reduced to ashes..." This was Great Immortal Chiyue's sole condition. Within Chiyue City were his kin, his friends, his subordinates, and more. He could not let them go completely. He could not simply abandon everything. He had to entrust them to someone. And he had already found that person—Lu Changsheng! Great Immortal Lu was overjoyed inside. At last, they had secured Great Immortal Chiyue's pledge. Lu Changsheng did not decline either. He nodded and said, "Then I thank Great Immortal Chiyue." Great Immortal Chiyue let out a long sigh. "I will announce this news on an opportune day. When the time comes, I will first invite all the immortals in the city to leave, so as not to cause you trouble. However, I can only guarantee that no one will cause trouble for you while I draw breath. But if I die..." Great Immortal Chiyue fell silent, his implication crystal clear. Once he died, Lu Changsheng would be on his own. Chiyue City would be handed to Lu Changsheng, but whether it could be held would depend on Lu Changsheng's own capabilities. "I understand," Lu Changsheng said with a solemn nod. With that, the two took their leave and exited the secret chamber. At this moment, Great Immortal Chiyue's mind was completely at ease. He could now pour everything into crossing his physical tribulation without any lingering attachments. Yet everyone knew that the odds of Great Immortal Chiyue surviving his third physical tribulation were minuscule. Even so, small as the chance was, he would stake everything on this fight. Lu Changsheng and Great Immortal Lu returned to their courtyard. They kept very quiet, remaining inside without venturing out. Days slipped by. Three days later, Great Immortal Chiyue's true body appeared, and he summoned nearly every immortal in Chiyue City. Many began to speculate. In all likelihood, Great Immortal Chiyue was preparing to make his decision on entrusting Chiyue City. Yet to whom would he entrust it? That was the question! Some immortals, however, already had an inkling. After all, so many immortals had come to Chiyue City, but the only ones Great Immortal Chiyue had personally invited for a private audience were Great Immortal Lu and True Immortal Changsheng. Inside the grand hall of the City Lord's Manor in Chiyue City, dozens upon dozens—nearly a hundred immortals—gathered together. For so many immortals to gather, the majority of them even being Great Immortals, was exceedingly rare. Many immortals leaned in close, whispering and discussing amongst themselves. *Whoosh.* Soon, a figure appeared. It was none other than the lord of Chiyue City, Great Immortal Chiyue! The moment Great Immortal Chiyue appeared, the entire hall fell silent. His gaze swept across the gathered immortals, spotting Lu Changsheng and Great Immortal Lu among them. Great Immortal Chiyue took a deep breath, then spoke slowly, "Fellow Daoists, that you have traveled from afar to witness this occasion fills this seat with deep gratitude. I trust you all know that beneath the surface of this ceremony, this seat also intends to entrust Chiyue City to worthy hands. My chances of surviving this physical tribulation are slim at best. Wishing to make arrangements, I invited so many fellow Daoists here. From the moment you stepped into Chiyue City, this seat has been observing and evaluating you. And now, that evaluation has reached its conclusion!" Great Immortal Chiyue's words made everyone's heart tighten. A conclusion had already been reached? In truth, no one was surprised. After all, Chiyue City was Great Immortal Chiyue's Dao field. He could see every single move of every immortal here. Thus, reaching a conclusion over this period was only natural. Although they already had their guesses, they still clung to hope. What if it were them? Therefore, every immortal held their breath, fixing their eyes intently upon Great Immortal Chiyue. Sweeping his gaze over the crowd, Great Immortal Chiyue said, "The immortals this seat has deemed worthy of trust are Great Immortal Lu and True Immortal Changsheng!" *Boom.* The moment Great Immortal Chiyue's words fell, a massive uproar erupted in the grand hall. "It really is them?" "Great Immortal Lu? True Immortal Changsheng? I fear the one Great Immortal Chiyue truly favored is True Immortal Changsheng." "Indeed, it must be True Immortal Changsheng. After all, his potential is simply unfathomable. If the rumors of him condensing three Dao fruits are true, there was never any suspense to begin with." "Yes, a True Immortal who can condense three Dao fruits—does that even require evaluation?" "Still, I cannot accept this..." For a time, aside from shock, most immortals felt deep indignation. They had traveled tens of thousands of li with high hopes, yet they had ended up with nothing. Such an outcome was bitter to swallow. "So, is this Great Immortal Chiyue's final decision?" suddenly, a Great Immortal among the crowd spoke up. It was Great Immortal Kongyuan. Earlier, Kongyuan had led a group to intercept Lu Changsheng and Great Immortal Lu, and the encounter had been thoroughly unpleasant. Now, speaking up once again, he was clearly attempting to pressure Great Immortal Chiyue. Yet having endured countless trials, how could Great Immortal Chiyue care about Kongyuan's faint challenge? "Indeed, this is this seat's final decision! Furthermore, to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings, before this seat undergoes the physical tribulation, I must ask you all to depart Chiyue City. The limit is three days! If anyone has not departed after three days, this seat will personally see them off. Thus, I ask for your understanding; do not make things difficult for this seat." These words caused an even greater stir. See them off? No, he was driving them out! If they did not leave on their own, Great Immortal Chiyue would personally expel them. After all, this was his Dao field; for anyone wishing to loiter in Chiyue City, it was simply impossible. "No, Great Immortal Chiyue, you invited us here! How can you drive us away?" "Fellow Daoist Chiyue, do you not think this is far too insolent?" "Fellow Daoist Chiyue, please reconsider..." Many immortals panicked at once. To be driven out by Great Immortal Chiyue—how humiliating would that be? If they stayed in Chiyue City, they still had a chance. Once ousted, they would have none at all. In short, they did not want to leave. Great Immortal Chiyue naturally saw right through their thoughts. Since he had decided to entrust Chiyue City to Lu Changsheng, he would not leave behind hidden dangers. These immortals had to be cleared out. "Fellow Daoists, this seat does not have much time left. A dying man whose limit has come... I ask you all not to make things difficult for me." Having said his piece, Great Immortal Chiyue closed his eyes, speaking no more. Hearing this, a chill ran through the hearts of many immortals. Great Immortal Chiyue spoke politely, but in reality? If they did not leave, he would likely expel them directly, showing no mercy whatsoever. After all, Great Immortal Chiyue was on the brink of death. He had nothing left to lose. To provoke him at such a time would be courting death. "Fine, Great Immortal Chiyue! We leave!" an immortal rose to his feet immediately, speaking in a thoroughly disgruntled tone. Yet what good was resentment? They still had to leave obediently. This was Great Immortal Chiyue's Dao field. Even if they harbored grievances, it was best to leave his Dao field first. Provoking him would only result in them suffering the consequences. With the first immortal leaving, a second followed, then a third, a fourth... Over the ensuing time, the crowd of immortals departed Chiyue City one after another. As for hiding within Chiyue City? That was utterly pointless. No matter where one hid in Chiyue City, Great Immortal Chiyue would know. Any concealment method was meaningless within a Dao field. As the immortals dwindled one by one, even Great Immortal Kongyuan gave Lu Changsheng and Great Immortal Lu a deep, lingering look before departing with his entourage. The grand hall became empty and deserted, leaving only Lu Changsheng, Great Immortal Lu, and Great Immortal Chiyue. "Are the two fellow Daoists satisfied?" Great Immortal Chiyue asked. "Satisfied, thoroughly satisfied! Fellow Daoist Chiyue is truly a man of his word." Lu Changsheng nodded. By outright expelling the crowd of immortals, Great Immortal Chiyue was fulfilling his promise to Lu Changsheng. Chiyue City was being entrusted solely to Lu Changsheng. As for Great Immortal Lu? He was well aware of the reality. Great Immortal Chiyue favored Lu Changsheng, not him. He was merely accompanying Lu Changsheng. As long as benefits came his way, he did not care if he was overlooked. "When does Fellow Daoist begin the physical tribulation?" Lu Changsheng asked. "Soon. At the earliest, two or three days; at the latest, ten days to half a month. The physical tribulation will surely arrive. You two may observe from the side," Great Immortal Chiyue said calmly. Lu Changsheng was delighted. To be able to observe was naturally wonderful. He had never seen a physical tribulation before, and he wanted to see just how terrifying the Five Decays of Heaven and Man truly were. Thus, Lu Changsheng and Great Immortal Lu simply remained in the grand hall, waiting quietly. Chiyue City fell silent. Outside Chiyue City, however, waves of outrage surged. Once outside the city gates, many immortals let loose furious curses, openly venting their displeasure toward Great Immortal Chiyue. "Hmph, I bet Great Immortal Chiyue knows he will perish this time, which is why he acts so brazenly without restraint." "What does he take us for? Summoning us at his beck and call, only to wave us away when he's done?" "Chiyue crossed the line this time..." Many immortals grumbled bitterly, but it amounted to nothing more than venting. No matter how dissatisfied they were, what could they do? Great Immortal Chiyue was already a dying man; he cared nothing for their opinions. A group of immortals gathered around Great Immortal Kongyuan, clearly unwilling to let the matter rest. "Great Immortal Kongyuan, are we just going to drop it like this?" "Yes, slinking off in disgrace—who could stomach that?" "Great Immortal Kongyuan, do you have a plan?" For a time, many pairs of eyes turned toward Great Immortal Kongyuan. Kongyuan swept his gaze across them and spoke slowly, "Right now, Great Immortal Chiyue still lives, and Chiyue City is his Dao field. We cannot touch it. But can he live forever? He is about to undergo his physical tribulation, and his chances are dismal. Once he dies, the Chiyue Dao Field will crumble. At that point, Chiyue City will be nothing more than an ordinary city. Without Great Immortal Chiyue, can Great Immortal Lu and True Immortal Changsheng alone hold Chiyue City? Therefore, we only need to do one thing right now. And that is wait!" Kongyuan's words caused many eyes to brighten. Indeed! All they needed to do was wait. Wait for Great Immortal Chiyue to perish and his Dao to vanish. When that time came, with neither the Dao field nor Great Immortal Chiyue remaining, what would a mere Lu Changsheng and Great Immortal Lu amount to? So many immortals might not be able to contend with Great Immortal Chiyue, but could they not handle Great Immortal Lu and Lu Changsheng? "Well said! We traveled tens of thousands of li; how could we return empty-handed and disgraced?" "Then we wait! If Great Immortal Chiyue perishes, our opportunity arrives." "While he lived, we could do nothing. Once he is dead, are we unable to handle one Great Immortal and one True Immortal?" Quickly, a consensus formed among them. Great Immortal Kongyuan nodded. He led the group further away from Chiyue City, lest Great Immortal Chiyue perceive them as a threat and strike at them preemptively. For now, they would avoid his edge, waiting only for the outcome of the tribulation. The moment he failed to survive it, they would strike! In truth, Great Immortal Chiyue was also aware of the situation outside Chiyue City. He knew several immortals were waiting for his demise before making their move. Yet he could no longer concern himself with that. He had already entrusted Chiyue City to Lu Changsheng and Great Immortal Lu. If he died, Chiyue City would become their concern. Whether they could hold it would depend on their own methods. Not only Great Immortal Chiyue, but Great Immortal Lu and Lu Changsheng were equally clear on this. At this moment, Great Immortal Lu wore an exceptionally grave expression. "Fellow Daoist Lu, those immortals outside won't let this rest. They're all waiting for an opening," Great Immortal Lu warned. Lu Changsheng, however, was not at all surprised. Instead, he said calmly, "Great Immortal Lu, didn't we already discuss this scenario? Great Immortal Chiyue can deter them for a moment, but not forever. Once he perishes, we will have to face those immortals ourselves. When that time comes, our strength will have to do the talking." Great Immortal Lu opened his mouth, but said nothing in the end. Indeed, he and Lu Changsheng had anticipated this long ago. However, during their previous discussion, there had been another option: if the enemy proved insurmountable, flee immediately. Never fight to the death. After all, they had come to Chiyue City purely for profit; if it came at the cost of their lives, it wouldn't be worth it. Yet turning tail without a fight was equally out of the question. In the end, they still had to clash. Unfortunately, both of their Dao fields were far away, making it impossible to draw upon their power. Likewise, the other immortals could not draw upon their own Dao fields either. "Then let us wait," Great Immortal Lu said. "Still, we hold a slight advantage. A pavilion closest to the water catches the moon first. Once Great Immortal Chiyue falls, we can loot the treasures of Chiyue City before anyone else. Even if we cannot hold the city in the end, we can still reap immense rewards." No matter what, they held the upper hand. Lu Changsheng remained noncommittal. In truth, he had never considered abandoning Chiyue City. Many treasures could not be transported in a short time. That meant he had to clash with those immortals. None of them had Dao fields to draw upon. When the time came, everything would come down to sheer strength! And what Lu Changsheng had to face was not ordinary True Immortals, but Great Immortals! Yet for some reason, Lu Changsheng's calm heart harbored a faint flicker of anticipation. It felt as though it had been a very, very long time since he had felt this kind of anticipation. *Perhaps I am simply not cut out for quiet seclusion by nature. My path is to battle the heavens and contend with the earth...* The thought flickered through Lu Changsheng's mind. Immortals cherished their lives. Hardly any immortal would come to blows, let alone stake their life in battle. Yet now was different. The prize of Chiyue City was simply too enormous—so enormous that even Great Immortals could not let it go, unable to resist fighting for it. As time slipped by... one day, two days, three days... Chiyue City grew quiet, like a still pool of water without a single ripple. Yet the quieter it was, the more likely a tempestuous storm would follow. The immortals outside the city were waiting. Likewise, Lu Changsheng and Great Immortal Lu were waiting. Everyone's focus rested upon Great Immortal Chiyue. Finally, after ten days, Great Immortal Chiyue opened his eyes. Having an inner premonition, he knew the physical tribulation was imminent. "It has come..." Great Immortal Lu seemed to sense something, his eyes fixed intently on Great Immortal Chiyue in the center of the hall. The three had remained motionless, staying inside the hall all along. Yet at this moment, Lu Changsheng sensed an aura of death. Yes, an aura of death. It emanated from Great Immortal Chiyue—more precisely, from his physical body. An immortal could never emit an aura of death under normal circumstances. Unless their ultimate limit had truly arrived. Only when one was truly about to die would an aura of death emerge. And now, Great Immortal Chiyue's limit had arrived; his third physical tribulation had descended. This third physical tribulation was vastly more potent than the first and second. The moment the physical tribulation fell, Great Immortal Chiyue's seemingly healthy physical body began to deteriorate in an instant. And it was irreversible. Great Immortal Chiyue immediately attempted to resist. Yet he could not hold it back. He had continuously tempered his flesh as well, hoping to cultivate an immortal characteristic within it. Indeed, a trace of an immortal characteristic was present. However, facing the third physical tribulation, that sliver of physical immortal characteristic was blatantly insufficient. In a mere instant, his physical immortal characteristic completely collapsed. Then, his physical body decayed, beginning to crumble inch by inch. "Aaargh..." Great Immortal Chiyue could not help but roar in agony. The pain of his flesh decaying pierced deep into his soul. Yet there was nothing he could do except watch helplessly as his body decayed. "Irreversible! It's completely irreversible!" Great Immortal Lu's face contorted in terror. This scene seemed to have become his personal nightmare. After all, he would face his second physical tribulation in time. Could he survive it? The answer was obvious. He had not a shred of confidence in crossing his second physical tribulation. Great Immortal Chiyue had in fact made numerous preparations. For example, he possessed natural treasures capable of protecting the body. Yet before the third physical tribulation, those supposed natural treasures could only hold out for a breath or two before disintegrating. His physical body collapsed, leaving him powerless to resist. He could only watch as his flesh was annihilated piece by piece. Once his physical body was obliterated, he would fall. Ten percent, twenty percent, thirty percent, forty, fifty... In the blink of an eye, more than half of Great Immortal Chiyue's physical body had been annihilated. And it continued to disintegrate without pause. At this point, Great Immortal Chiyue naturally understood his fate. He looked up toward Lu Changsheng. "Fellow Daoist Lu, it seems this old man cannot defy fate after all. In that case, I entrust Chiyue City to you. These are the treasures I have accumulated over three epochs. Go. While a little time remains before my Dao field collapses, take as much as you can. Do not forget your promise... protect Chiyue City..." With that, a voice transmission from Great Immortal Chiyue entered Lu Changsheng's ears. It was the location of the treasury. Had they needed to search for it, it would have taken some time—enough time for the immortals outside to make their move. Knowing the treasury's location in advance allowed Lu Changsheng to enter it ahead of everyone else. As for how many treasures they could take and how much they could defend, that would depend on their own fortunes. "Thank you, Great Immortal Chiyue. Let's go!" Decisive as ever, Lu Changsheng lingered no longer in the hall. *Whoosh.* The two swiftly arrived at the treasury. "So many treasures." "Collect them!" Lu Changsheng and Great Immortal Lu gathered the treasures as swiftly as they could. Yet the treasures were simply too numerous; for a time, they could not possibly take them all. *Boom.* Suddenly, a dull rumble echoed through the void. Immediately afterward, the Dao field of Chiyue City began to collapse. Lu Changsheng knew full well what this meant. Great Immortal Chiyue was dead! At that moment, outside the city, Great Immortal Kongyuan and the others closely monitoring Chiyue City snapped their heads up, gazing toward the distant city. A glint of sharpness flashed in Great Immortal Kongyuan's eyes. "The Dao field is collapsing... Chiyue is dead!" The immortals were overjoyed. With Great Immortal Chiyue dead, their chance had arrived! "Charge into Chiyue City!" Without a moment's hesitation, Great Immortal Kongyuan flew toward Chiyue City at once.