26%, 27%, 28%, 29%, 30%...
At last, Lu Changsheng completely refined the flesh and blood of the You clan giant.
The progress of his Flesh Dao Fruit came to rest at 31%.
In other words, from 26% to 31%, refining a single member of the You clan had increased the progress of his Flesh Dao Fruit by five percent.
If he could refine fourteen more You clan corpses, wouldn't his Flesh Dao Fruit reach perfection?
In theory, yes.
Yet where was he to find fourteen You clan corpses?
There were indeed You clan on the battlefield beyond the heavens.
However, encountering one was far from easy.
*Whoosh.*
Lu Changsheng opened his eyes.
He had finally found a path to bringing the Flesh Dao Fruit to perfection.
It might even prove relatively easy to accomplish.
At the very least, among his three Dao Fruits, the Flesh Dao Fruit was theoretically the easiest to perfect.
These fifty years had not been spent in vain.
"Fifty years..." Lu Changsheng murmured softly.
He glanced at his immortal merit.
Over the course of fifty years, five thousand points of immortal merit had been deducted, leaving two thousand three hundred.
With this much immortal merit, Lu Changsheng could remain in his cave dwelling for another twenty-odd years.
Yet he felt there was no longer any need.
What he urgently required right now was You clan flesh and blood.
And the You clan were inherently scarce.
If he wanted to obtain their flesh and blood, he had to search the battlefield beyond the heavens himself.
If he continued to hide in his cave dwelling, where would any You clan flesh come from?
It certainly would not fall from the sky.
Lu Changsheng checked his dharmic power once more.
After fifty years of refinement, fifty strands of immortal dharmic power had accumulated within his body.
He was not far from a hundred strands now.
In another fifty years, he would have a hundred strands of immortal dharmic power.
Yet he could wait no longer.
"Fifty years. It's time to stretch my legs..."
Lu Changsheng rose and departed his cave dwelling.
*Whoosh.*
He flew out of the cave dwelling.
The moment he emerged, he noticed countless gazes fixing upon him.
Lu Changsheng could not help but feel puzzled.
Fifty years had passed—why was he still drawing so much attention?
Even though he had conquered the tenth tier of the Heavenly Immortal Steps, that had happened fifty years ago.
Would anyone still be paying attention now?
Lu Changsheng did not realize that during his fifty-year seclusion, far from being forgotten, he had become the subject of even greater scrutiny.
After all, he had secluded himself for a full fifty years the moment he arrived.
Of all the people who had arrived at the battlefield beyond the heavens alongside him, Lu Changsheng was the only one who had remained holed up in a cave dwelling for fifty unbroken years!
Anyone so eccentric naturally attracted attention.
To say nothing of the fact that Lu Changsheng was already a sensation for having conquered the tenth tier of the Heavenly Immortal Steps.
It was only natural that he drew widespread notice.
"Look, isn't that Immortal Monarch Changsheng? The ruthless fellow who went into seclusion for fifty years the moment he reached the battlefield beyond the heavens."
"Indeed. Fifty years—that's five thousand points of immortal merit thrown away just like that..."
"Immortal Monarch Changsheng earned thirteen thousand three hundred immortal merit on the Heavenly Immortal Steps. Even if he stays secluded in his cave dwelling for an eternity, he has the means to do so!"
"Still, fifty years is a very long time. He truly sits as unmoving as a mountain, secluding himself at the drop of a hat..."
Many Immortal Monarchs murmured among themselves in quiet discussion.
It was not merely the Immortal Monarchs talking, either. Even Immortal Venerable Kuhai, an exalted Taiyi Immortal Venerable, felt his spirits lift.
"Fifty years. Lu Changsheng has finally emerged from seclusion..."
Immortal Venerable Kuhai had waited far too long.
A full fifty years!
He had finally awaited Lu Changsheng's appearance.
"Don't celebrate too early, Immortal Venerable Kuhai. Lu Changsheng still has over two thousand immortal merit left. He could go right back into seclusion..." another Taiyi Immortal Venerable remarked with a chuckle.
At the mention of immortal merit, Immortal Venerable Kuhai's heart tightened.
That was true—Lu Changsheng still possessed over two thousand points.
He could continue hiding away.
For what purpose had he emerged just now? That remained unknown.
Thus, Immortal Venerable Kuhai continued to watch.
For an exalted Taiyi Immortal Venerable, monitoring a mere Immortal Monarch was trivial.
However, Immortal Venerable Kuhai was not the only Taiyi Immortal Venerable keeping an eye on Lu Changsheng.
Right now, Lu Changsheng sensed that something was amiss.
He felt as though he were being watched.
Yet with so many onlookers staring at him openly, it was not unnatural, so he did not dwell on it.
He flew straight toward the Chaos.
Before he could reach the Chaos, however, several Immortal Monarchs blocked his path.
"Immortal Monarch Changsheng, having just emerged from seclusion, you are likely unfamiliar with the battlefield beyond the heavens, yes?"
"Our group has operated on the battlefield for over a thousand years and knows it inside and out. Why not team up with us to venture into the Chaos? Whatever you wish to understand or learn, we can provide."
"As for the immortal merit earned by the team, you will take fifty percent alone, and the rest of us will split the remaining fifty percent. What do you say?" one of the Immortal Monarchs proposed.
So they had come to invite him to team up.
Although Lu Changsheng had not engaged in a single battle on the battlefield beyond the heavens, his feat of conquering the tenth tier of the Heavenly Immortal Steps ensured that no one dared underestimate him.
Many Immortal Monarchs even believed he was an invincible Immortal Monarch!
If they could cooperate with such an invincible figure, they were bound to earn a fortune in immortal merit.
Naturally, people scrambled for a chance to form a team with him.
"Team up? I'm not interested."
Lu Changsheng shook his head.
He had no interest whatsoever in joining a team.
With his strength, he could roam the battlefield beyond the heavens unimpeded.
As long as he did not run into an extraterrestrial being at the Immortal Venerable level, he had nothing to fear.
If so, why team up with others and forfeit half his immortal merit for nothing?
With that, Lu Changsheng departed directly, vaulting forward to plunge into the Chaos.
Watching Lu Changsheng's vanishing silhouette, the Immortal Monarch who had extended the invitation looked thoroughly displeased.
"Hmph. Lacked the nerve to step onto the battlefield for fifty years, and now he refuses to team up, venturing into the battlefield all alone? When the time comes, he won't even know how he died..."
Of course, the Immortal Monarch dared only vent through harsh words.
He did not dare do anything to Lu Changsheng.
Having failed to recruit Lu Changsheng, he could only seek out others.
This was merely a minor interlude, and Lu Changsheng paid it no mind.
The moment he entered the Chaos, as expected, he felt its binding constraints.
It was like stepping into a quagmire; his movements were hindered.
Walking through the Chaos was never an easy task.
Moreover, the Chaos Qi constantly attempted to corrode the physical body.
Only an Immortal Monarch's physical immortality could withstand such corrosion.
If a True Immortal were here, their body likely could not endure the erosion of Chaos Qi and would eventually collapse into death.
This was why the battlefield beyond the heavens only permitted cultivators at or above the Heavenly Immortal realm to enter.
True Immortals were not even qualified to participate.
Chaos was simply not a place anyone could enter.
Although the Chaos hindered Lu Changsheng's movement, the impact was minor.
His physical body was far stronger than those of other Immortal Monarchs.
The environment in the Chaos merely caused him slight discomfort.
After a brief period, he would adapt completely.
As soon as he stepped into the Chaos, the pervasive sense of being watched vanished.
Evidently, no one could pry into his movements once he was inside.
Lu Changsheng tested his awareness.
He discovered that even his consciousness was severely restricted.
It was difficult to cover a large expanse in the Chaos, extending over only a small area.
Under such conditions, even searching for extraterrestrial life was difficult.
To a certain degree, it came down to luck.
Whether Lu Changsheng's luck was good or bad remained to be seen.
For over ten days straight, he wandered through the Chaos without encountering a single incident or a solitary extraterrestrial being.
Had these creatures all gone into hiding?
Yet in this boundless Chaos, where could they possibly hide?
On this day, Lu Changsheng continued his tireless roaming through the Chaos.
Suddenly, he faintly sensed ripples of power radiating outward in concentric circles through the Chaos.
"Hmm?"
"That feels like ripples of dharmic power."
"Could an Immortal Monarch have run into extraterrestrial beings?"
Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up.
At last, a clue pointing to extraterrestrial life!
He immediately rushed in the direction of the ripples.
...
In a certain part of the Chaos, Immortal Monarch Feng Ling and his companions were in dire straits.
There were five teammates in total.
Having roamed the battlefield beyond the heavens for several centuries, they were reasonably experienced.
Yet this time, they had fallen into a trap.
At first, there were only three extraterrestrial beings, none appearing particularly remarkable.
Who could have known that those three were merely bait?
The moment they took the bait, over a dozen extraterrestrial beings surged forward and surrounded them.
Among the dozen or so extraterrestrial beings, there were no You clan members, but there were plenty of troublesome creatures like Demon-kin, Shadow clan, and Ba.
Surrounded, their chances of survival were slim.
For now, they could only rely on their physical immortality to stubbornly hold out.
Yet given the situation, they could not last much longer.
As for breaking through the encirclement, that was out of the question.
The boundless Chaos was vast.
Even though the battlefield beyond the heavens could not penetrate deep into the Chaos, the chaotic region adjacent to the Heaven Realm was still immense.
No matter how many Immortal Monarchs there were, scattered across such a colossal expanse, how many could they possibly encounter?
Immortal Monarch Feng Ling and his group had roamed the Chaos for several years on this excursion and had only crossed paths with three other teams.
Even if they made a commotion, no one would likely come to their rescue.
The five drew closer together as the encirclement steadily shrank.
*Pfft.*
Suddenly, one of the Immortal Monarchs drove a fist straight through another companion's chest.
This sudden turn of events made the others turn pale with horror.
"Not good—it's the Shadow clan! He's possessed and controlled by a Shadow..."
Immortal Monarch Feng Ling realized what had happened immediately.
Possession by the Shadow clan was notoriously hard to guard against.
A single lapse in vigilance was all it took.
Once possessed, even though one was not yet dead, expelling the Shadow was exceedingly difficult.
*Bang.*
Immortal Monarch Feng Ling struck out ruthlessly, swinging an immortal treasure to shatter the attacker's body.
Because of physical immortality, his companion would not die.
Yet by the same token, because the companion could not die, the Shadow's possession could not be broken.
This was far worse than death.
Feng Ling knew his comrade was beyond saving.
Any Immortal Monarch possessed by the Shadow clan would eventually be converted into Demon-kin by the You clan.
Although the other Immortal Monarch had his chest pierced through, it was of little consequence.
With physical immortality, such an injury was negligible.
Yet just as Feng Ling drew near to assist his recovering companion, a vicious gleam flashed in the latter's eyes.
*Swish.*
The Immortal Monarch slashed with a sword, and a terrifying sword glow struck Immortal Monarch Feng Ling violently.
"What?"
Feng Ling's face twisted in horror.
"Another Shadow possession..."
A second Immortal Monarch had been possessed and controlled by the Shadow clan.
Curse these Shadow creatures!
They stopped at nothing.
Feng Ling had not even realized when the second companion had been possessed.
In an instant, two Immortal Monarchs were lost.
Worse yet, the three remaining could no longer trust one another.
Who could say whether the person beside them was already controlled by a Shadow?
"It's over..."
Immortal Monarch Feng Ling's body regenerated rapidly.
Though his injuries were insignificant and did not even impair his combat strength, his heart turned to ash.
Everything was finished.
Of the five Immortal Monarchs, only three remained, and there was no telling if any of them were already possessed.
Meanwhile, not a single one of the dozen-plus extraterrestrial beings had fallen.
Working in concert with the Shadow clan, these creatures were utterly elusive.
Facing a Shadow alone was not terrifying.
What was terrifying was a Shadow operating alongside other extraterrestrial beings.
That made them catastrophic.
"Kill!" barked a member of the Demon-kin.
At the Demon-kin's command, the dozen or so extraterrestrial beings lunged at the three Immortal Monarchs.
Even armed with immortal treasures, the Immortal Monarchs could not withstand such numbers.
*Buzz.*
Right then, ripples faintly radiated from the Chaos, approaching with astonishing speed.
It felt as if someone were sprinting toward them at full tilt.
"Hmm?"
"So many extraterrestrial beings?"
Accompanying the ripples came a voice laced with pleasant surprise.
Yes, delight.
Upon seeing so many extraterrestrial beings, instead of fear or dread, there was pure delight.
Everyone turned their gazes into the distance.
They saw a solitary figure emerging from the Chaos.
Indeed, only one person.
And judging by his aura, he was undeniably an Immortal Monarch.
A single Immortal Monarch!
Even if he were an Eight-Calamity Great Immortal Monarch, so what?
Facing over a dozen extraterrestrial beings, he would still meet certain death!
Seeing only one Immortal Monarch arriving as "reinforcements," Immortal Monarch Feng Ling's heart sank.
He shouted toward the distant figure, "Fellow Daoist, flee quickly! You are alone, and there are so many extraterrestrial beings here, including elusive Shadows! We are finished—there is no need for you to throw your life away..."
Feng Ling had fallen into utter despair.
"Kill them all!" the Demon-kin leader commanded.
Immediately, the extraterrestrial beings surged toward Feng Ling and his companions once more.
Once an Immortal Monarch's body was blasted apart, even if physical immortality prevented death, the shattered form could easily be captured.
When brought back to the You clan's lair, the You clan naturally possessed methods to convert Immortal Monarchs into Demon-kin.
Even if they refused conversion, they would be slain by the You clan.
Immortal Monarch Feng Ling closed his eyes in despair.
The Demon-kin's sword glow fell upon him in an instant.
And then...
"Hmm?"
Feng Ling felt something was wrong.
Why was there no change to his body?
He opened his eyes, only to be met with bewilderment.
He saw the extraterrestrial beings charging aggressively toward them, yet every single attack inexplicably veered off target.
The three Immortal Monarchs stood right before the creatures, yet the beasts seemed blind to them.
As if completely oblivious to the three, they were frantically battering the empty space nearby.
What was happening?
The three Immortal Monarchs looked at one another, their eyes filled with astonishment and confusion.
Feng Ling soon realized the truth.
The three of them possessed no such ability.
There was only one explanation.
*Swish.*
All three turned toward the distant figure.
By now, the distant Immortal Monarch was walking toward them step by step.
"You are..."
Feng Ling felt the approaching figure looked familiar, yet he could not immediately place him.
"Captain, it's... it's Immortal Monarch Changsheng!" another Immortal Monarch blurted out.
Feng Ling's heart shuddered.
Immortal Monarch Changsheng!
The most famous Immortal Monarch on the battlefield beyond the heavens for the past several decades.
Even though Lu Changsheng had not stepped into the Chaos once in fifty years, nor fought a single battle against extraterrestrial beings, that had not prevented his fame from skyrocketing.
The reason was simple: hiding in a cave dwelling for fifty full years was a spectacle in its own right.
It was simply too extraordinary.
Furthermore, Lu Changsheng had conquered the tenth tier of the Heavenly Immortal Steps.
No one doubted his strength.
For various reasons, his fame had soared until virtually everyone across the battlefield beyond the heavens knew his name.
Yet hadn't Immortal Monarch Changsheng been hiding in his cave dwelling all this time?
Why had he emerged now?
And ventured into the Chaos, no less!
"Thank you, Immortal Monarch Changsheng, for coming to our aid. Otherwise, we would surely have perished..."
Regardless of the circumstances, Lu Changsheng had saved them. That was a fact.
Naturally, Feng Ling had to express his gratitude.
"Think nothing of it. It was merely a small effort along the way," Lu Changsheng replied. "These dozen or so extraterrestrial beings now belong to me. Do you three have any objections?"
"None! None at all!"
"These extraterrestrial beings naturally belong to Immortal Monarch Changsheng."
"However, there are Shadows among them. Please be careful, Immortal Monarch..." Feng Ling cautioned.
The Shadow clan was exceptionally difficult to deal with; their team had suffered bitterly at their hands.
"No matter."
Lu Changsheng was unconcerned.
Others might fear the Shadow clan, but he did not.
Moreover, blanketed by his Illusory Realm, no Shadow could remain hidden.
"Suppress!"
With a thought, Lu Changsheng unleashed the full power of his Illusory Realm to suppress them.
Instantly, expressions of agony surfaced across the faces of the extraterrestrial beings.
Lu Changsheng threw a single punch.
He blasted their bodies to pieces.
These extraterrestrial beings were not You clan.
Their bodies lacked the physical immortality of Immortal Monarchs.
Under a single punch, their forms exploded one after another.
In a single strike, all the extraterrestrial beings perished!
As for the Shadows, Lu Changsheng's Illusory Realm relentlessly ground away their consciousnesses.
Before long, their awareness was thoroughly extinguished.
All sixteen extraterrestrial beings were wiped out.
"A pity there were no You clan..."
Lu Changsheng shook his head.
At present, only the You clan could advance his Flesh Dao Fruit.
The physical bodies of other extraterrestrial beings were too inferior—or rather, far too inferior compared to the You clan—to offer any benefit to his Flesh Dao Fruit. Thus, he had simply slaughtered them all.
For sixteen extraterrestrial beings, Lu Changsheng received three thousand two hundred points of immortal merit in one go.
A single strike had earned him over three thousand merit points.
He could now stay in his cave dwelling for another thirty-odd years.
It was almost too easy.
Acquiring immortal merit did not seem nearly as difficult as he had thought.
Beside him, Feng Ling and his companions were left dumbfounded.
A single punch had obliterated over a dozen extraterrestrial beings.
Was this still an Immortal Monarch?
Though they knew Lu Changsheng had cleared the tenth tier of the Heavenly Immortal Steps and was powerful enough to be called an invincible Immortal Monarch, they had lacked a concrete sense of just how strong he truly was.
Now, they understood the terrifying extent of his might.
"Wait, Immortal Monarch Changsheng, my two companions were possessed by Shadows. They..." Feng Ling could not help asking.
"The Shadow consciousnesses have already been obliterated. Your companions should be fine," Lu Changsheng said indifferently.
Hearing this, Feng Ling was overjoyed.
This meant their team had suffered no losses after all!
It was an unexpected blessing.
"Our deepest gratitude, Immortal Monarch Changsheng!"
All five bowed respectfully to Lu Changsheng.
Lu Changsheng glanced at the five and asked, "Do you know where the You clan might be found?"
The five exchanged glances.
"The You clan?"
"Immortal Monarch Changsheng, did you enter the Chaos this time specifically for the You clan?" Feng Ling asked.
"Yes. I need to find the You clan."
Lu Changsheng nodded.
He did not conceal his goal; he had indeed come for the You clan.
Moreover, having wandered through the Chaos for so long, he had gained some understanding of its conditions.
Relying purely on luck was simply unreliable.
It was better to consult experienced Immortal Monarchs.
Otherwise, he could wander the Chaos indefinitely without encountering a single extraterrestrial being, let alone locating the You clan.
"Immortal Monarch Changsheng, the You clan are exceedingly difficult to find. Generally, they remain in their lair deep within the Chaos. Never mind Immortal Monarchs, even Dao Ancestors cannot breach the You clan's stronghold."
"They only venture out occasionally, so running into them is almost entirely a matter of chance."
"However, if you truly wish to seek out the You clan, there is one method, though it may carry considerable danger."
"When confronted with top-tier figures among the Immortal Monarchs, the You clan usually strike in person to kill or capture them alive. For instance, several Eight-Calamity Great Immortal Monarchs have fallen victim to the You clan's hands."
Lu Changsheng's eyes brightened.
He understood Feng Ling's idea.
In essence, it was to use oneself as bait to lure the You clan into striking.
This indeed carried a degree of risk.
What if the You clan member who took the bait was at the Golden Immortal level?
That was not impossible.
With both sides locked in combat across the Chaos, Golden Immortals also made their moves.
Whether one encountered one depended on luck.
Even if one pursued this approach, there was an unavoidable prerequisite:
One had to possess immense fame.
One had to cause a sensation, ensuring the You clan knew of this supreme genius.
"Very well. I understand," Lu Changsheng nodded.
"Take care, Immortal Monarch Changsheng. We shall take our leave."
Feng Ling and his companions departed.
Lu Changsheng, however, remained where he was.
He pondered what Feng Ling had said.
Using oneself as bait was a solid idea.
First, it required tremendous fame.
This was not difficult for Lu Changsheng.
His reputation was already formidable.
Was conquering the tenth tier of the Heavenly Immortal Steps not fame enough?
However, there was another crucial point: he had to ensure his own safety.
Even if a being at the Golden Immortal level made a move, he had to be able to guarantee his survival.
This was of paramount importance.
Otherwise, Lu Changsheng would never take such a risk.
Cultivation was important, but his own life was far more so.
He would never plunge himself into mortal peril just for the sake of cultivation.
"If I want to guarantee my safety in the Chaos—even against an expert at the Golden Immortal level—this Chaos Qi may be the key."
"If I can shuttle freely through the Chaos without hindrance, wouldn't that ensure absolute safety?"
Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up as an idea began to take shape!
Chapter 416