Meeting the You Clan Once More, Lu Changsheng Appears!

"Chaos contains space as well. If I can comprehend the power of space and execute a spatial shuttle, I could escape with ease even when facing a Golden Immortal-level You clan member..." "What is more, if I can execute spatial shuttles through the Chaos, finding the You clan in the future won't be so troublesome, nor will it depend purely on chance every time..." The more Lu Changsheng thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. Once he could execute spatial shuttles within the Chaos, the advantage would be immense. Thus, Lu Changsheng attempted to analyze it. Yet after analyzing for just an hour, he shook his head and gave up completely. He had self-awareness. The moment he tried to analyze chaotic space, he realized this was not something that could be parsed overnight. Even with top-tier comprehension. He had not even analyzed the space of the Heaven Realm yet, so how could he expect to analyze chaotic space now? Chaotic space was exceptionally stable. Never mind an Immortal Monarch—even a Dao Ancestor could not execute a spatial shuttle within the Chaos. How could Lu Changsheng possibly analyze it? The path of analyzing chaotic space was a dead end. However, moving unimpeded through the Chaos did not strictly require relying on chaotic space. Foregoing the analysis of chaotic space was perfectly fine. After all, the Chaos contained a very peculiar Chaos Qi. This Chaos Qi was extraordinarily distinct and marvelous. It was a blend of various energies. Most of these energies could not be absorbed. Only a tiny portion could be taken in. This applied not only to immortals, but also to the You clan and other extraterrestrial beings; they too could only absorb a minute fraction of the energy within the Chaos. Otherwise, there would be no need to search everywhere for chaotic worlds. Wouldn't living directly in the Chaos be wonderful? Yet the reality was that because of Chaos Qi, the Chaos was unsuitable for cultivation. Lu Changsheng's idea was simple: analyze Chaos Qi and rely on it to travel swiftly through the Chaos. If he succeeded, his speed in the Chaos would become astonishingly fast, and he would move through it like a fish in water. Although this might still be difficult, how would he know without trying? Besides, no matter how hard it was, could it be harder than analyzing chaotic space? Lu Changsheng felt more and more that it was feasible. Without further hesitation, he decided to give it a try. Immediately, Lu Changsheng began his analysis within the Chaos. As he delved into it, his eyes lit up. It was promising! After an initial analysis, he found that if he merely wanted to utilize Chaos Qi, he only needed a preliminary grasp over it. When that time came, Chaos Qi would no longer hinder him. On the contrary, it would become an asset. Moreover, it would not take too much time. The difficulty was vastly lower than analyzing chaotic space. There was genuine hope of completing the analysis. With that thought, Lu Changsheng hesitated no longer and continued to analyze the Chaos Qi within the void. *** While Lu Changsheng remained in the Chaos analyzing Chaos Qi, Immortal Monarch Feng Ling and the other four Immortal Monarchs finally made a smooth return to the Immortal Palace. "We are finally back at the Immortal Palace." "This venture into the Chaos took several years. It feels like an entire lifetime ago. Now that we're back, we must take a proper rest." "Indeed. It was far too perilous this time. If not for Immortal Monarch Changsheng, we probably would have perished..." Feng Ling and the others still felt lingering fear. Afterward, they spread word of Lu Changsheng's deeds. After all, Lu Changsheng had genuinely saved their lives. This news instantly caused a sensation throughout the Immortal Palace. Many in the palace were already paying close attention to Lu Changsheng. He had stayed in his cave dwelling for fifty years and had only just stepped into the Chaos. Yet the moment he entered, he shook heaven and earth, slaying sixteen extraterrestrial beings in a single strike! It was truly shocking. "Hahaha, Lu Changsheng didn't disappoint this old seat after all!" Immortal Venerable Kuhai finally laughed with hearty delight. Sixteen extraterrestrial beings were nothing extraordinary in the grand scheme of things, but slaying sixteen in a single encounter had a massive impact. It was ample proof that within the Chaos, against those merely at the Heavenly Immortal level, Lu Changsheng could truly sweep through unchecked, unchallenged and invincible. Immortal Venerable Kuhai felt that his bitter fifty-year "wait" for Lu Changsheng had not been in vain. "However, according to Immortal Monarch Feng Ling and the others, Lu Changsheng seems to be searching for the You clan?" "The You clan is not simple. We must not let him stumble and fall..." Another Immortal Venerable cautioned Kuhai. Lu Changsheng could not be allowed to fall. A supreme genius like him could even sway the course of the war. "Rest assured, this old seat will keep a tight watch on the You clan's Immortal Venerable-level experts." Immortal Venerable Taiyi looked solemn as well. There might be oversights, but he would do his utmost. He knew the You clan loved targeting top-tier Immortal Monarchs for ambushes. As long as the foes were not at the Immortal Venerable level, it would be fine. As for You clan members at the Immortal Monarch level, Lu Changsheng would have to deal with them himself. Lu Changsheng's fame soared once more in the Immortal Palace. However, many Immortal Monarchs had a different focus. What were they looking at? Immortal merit! They were calculating just how much immortal merit Lu Changsheng could earn. Sixteen extraterrestrial beings, based on Feng Ling's description, amounted to roughly 3,200 immortal merit. Over three thousand points in a single engagement! This filled countless Immortal Monarchs with envy. Within the Immortal Palace stood the Immortal Merit Rankings, divided into the Immortal Venerable Rankings and the Immortal Monarch Rankings. The Immortal Monarch Rankings were further subdivided into the Overall List and the Surge List. The Overall List, as the name implied, recorded the total immortal merit an Immortal Monarch had accumulated over time. The Surge List recorded the immortal merit an Immortal Monarch earned in a single excursion into the Chaos. The greater the single-trip surge in merit, the higher one rose on the Surge List. As for the Overall List, that required years and decades of accumulation. The reason for establishing the Immortal Merit Rankings was simple: immortals were still sentient beings, and they competed and compared themselves against one another. With a ranking board, one could clearly see the immortal merit earned by powerful Immortal Monarchs. Beyond stirring envy, it served as an incentive. After all, they were all Immortal Monarchs—who would willingly accept being beneath others? Lu Changsheng had entered the Chaos and amassed over three thousand immortal merit in one go. Of course, since he had not yet returned to the Immortal Palace, the Surge List could not detect his gains, and his merit was not yet displayed. Only when he returned would everyone know his true total. Many Immortal Monarchs now wondered how much immortal merit he would accumulate on this single journey into the Chaos. Could he make it onto the Surge List? To earn a spot on the Surge List, one needed at least ten thousand immortal merit. "I wonder if Immortal Monarch Changsheng can rank in the top fifty of the Surge List when he returns next time?" "Top fifty? Hard to say. But if he has a bit of luck, he might rank even higher than that." "Currently, the first place on the Surge List belongs to Immortal Monarch Shenglong, who earned 113,000 immortal merit in a single trip. It's said he spent an entire century in the Chaos. That's truly ruthless—staying out there for a hundred years just to take the top spot. He really went all out." "Hehe, staying in the Chaos for a century without dying and bringing back 110,000 immortal merit—Immortal Monarch Shenglong's strength and luck are second to none..." Everyone felt envious. Over a hundred thousand immortal merit was something to drool over. However, staying in the Chaos for a century was something most Immortal Monarchs could never pull off. Just the merit deducted for lodging would amount to ten thousand, and what if they encountered powerful You clan members? Yet their expectations for Lu Changsheng ran high. He had slain sixteen extraterrestrial beings in a single strike, earning over three thousand immortal merit. If he did that a few dozen more times, wouldn't he easily rake in well over a hundred thousand? No matter how sensational the news, with the passage of time, the commotion gradually subsided until it faded into quiet. One year, three years, five years, eight years, ten years... In the blink of an eye, ten years had passed. Many Immortal Monarchs began to sense that something was amiss. Ten years had gone by, and Lu Changsheng still had not returned to the Immortal Palace. This was unusual. While veteran teams sometimes stayed in the Chaos for three to five years, those were seasoned Immortal Monarchs who understood the terrain. What about Lu Changsheng? This was his very first time entering the Chaos, yet he had been gone for ten years without a single message. Not a single Immortal Monarch had encountered him in the Chaos, either. For a time, many began to wonder whether something had happened to him. In truth, it was not only the Immortal Palace that found this strange; the You clan felt the same. The You clan could convert Immortal Monarchs into Demon-kin, allowing them to gather fresh intelligence from within the Immortal Palace. They naturally knew about this supposedly invincible Immortal Monarch. Against such a top-tier figure, the You clan naturally made targeted arrangements, resolved to eliminate him. Yet as time dragged on, even the You clan received no news of Lu Changsheng whatsoever. It defied reason. Hearing that Lu Changsheng was searching for the You clan, they had gone out of their way to deliberately leak information and send patrols into the Chaos. Yet several years passed with zero harvest. They could not find Lu Changsheng at all. While both the Immortal Palace and the You clan searched for him, where was Lu Changsheng? He remained completely motionless, sitting right where he had rescued Immortal Monarch Feng Ling and the others. From beginning to end, he had not taken a single step away! He was devoting all his effort to analyzing Chaos Qi. He was so deeply immersed that he lost all sense of time. Then, on this day, Lu Changsheng finally stirred. *Whoosh.* He opened his eyes. "Success!" Lu Changsheng had analyzed for ten straight years. For an entire decade, he had done nothing but decipher Chaos Qi. Naturally, this was only a preliminary analysis; otherwise, it would have taken far longer than ten years, given that analyzing the You clan's body had taken fifty. Yet this decade of analysis was by no means fruitless. On the contrary, he had gained an immense amount. Having achieved a preliminary understanding of Chaos Qi, he gained the ability to move through it like a fish in water. *Swish.* The next instant, Lu Changsheng moved. His entire body seemed to blend seamlessly into the Chaos Qi. To him, the Chaos Qi no longer posed the slightest hindrance. He could even ride its currents, borrowing its power to shuttle through the chaotic expanse. The outward manifestation was speed—pure, blinding speed. Like a phantom, Lu Changsheng moved freely through the Chaos Qi. Of course, this was merely extraordinary speed, not a true spatial shuttle. Lu Changsheng had not yet reached the realm of folding or traversing chaotic space. Even so, it was more than enough. Within the Chaos, even the You clan suffered constraints, whereas Lu Changsheng was now entirely free of them; the Chaos Qi had become his aid. This alone placed him ahead of countless experts. Naturally, this was only preliminary control. Beyond this lay deep mastery, and ultimately complete control. With complete control, Lu Changsheng could even weaponize Chaos Qi against his foes. That would be true mastery. However, achieving full control would be immensely difficult. Even with analysis, it would likely require an enormous amount of time, far surpassing the time spent on the You clan's physical form. Lu Changsheng merely wanted to use Chaos Qi as a safeguard against Golden Immortal-level foes of the You clan, granting him the power to protect himself. What he had now was already sufficient. Even if a Golden Immortal-level expert of the You clan took action, Lu Changsheng was confident in his ability to survive. "Well, time to take another walk around." With a thought, Lu Changsheng shifted. *Swish.* His figure melted into the Chaos Qi, vanishing without a trace in the blink of an eye. *** Having seen no sign of Lu Changsheng for ten years, the You clan eventually abandoned their plan to hunt him down. Everything returned to normal. However, at some point, the extraterrestrial forces under the You clan began to dwindle drastically. Many extraterrestrial beings went into the Chaos and never returned. As time went on, the You clan grew increasingly suspicious. "What is going on? Our side has suffered heavy losses in the Chaos recently. Who is doing this? Has the immortal race launched a major operation? But we have no intelligence pointing to any large-scale movements from them." "Team after team has gone missing without a trace. They must have perished. It seems a hunter is actively stalking our forces. We must find this mysterious hunter!" "Then send squads into the Chaos carrying mind stones. Though mind stones are precious, under these circumstances, we must find out what is happening in the Chaos." The You clan's leadership looked grim. After deliberating, they reached a decision: they would deploy mind stones. Mind stones were exceptionally rare and valuable treasures. Anyone carrying one could easily transmit messages across vast distances in the Chaos, and two holders could even view each other's surroundings. Communication in the Chaos was notoriously difficult, yet mind stones made it possible. Their only drawback was extreme rarity. Unless dealing with matters of utmost importance, the high-ranking members of the You clan were reluctant to use them. Now that an anomaly had clearly arisen in the Chaos, they had no choice. Thus, the leadership distributed a certain number of mind stones to several Heavenly Immortal-level You clan members, who then formed teams and ventured into the Chaos to investigate. While the You clan was acutely aware that something was happening, the immortal race had no reaction at all. After all, they had suffered no unusual losses. Days slipped by. Eventually, some immortals within the Chaos began noticing oddities as well. They found that the chances of encountering extraterrestrial beings were growing slimmer. For instance, the squad led by Immortal Monarch Baiyan had not run into a single extraterrestrial being for several months straight. This was not normal! They had operated on the battlefield beyond the heavens for a long time. Intuition alone told them something was wrong. The Chaos was far too quiet, as if the extraterrestrial beings had completely withdrawn. Was that possible? Hardly! Extraterrestrial beings would never abandon the Chaos. Therefore, something must have occurred to make them so scarce. "Captain, why don't we return to the Immortal Palace first? I keep feeling there's something strange about the Chaos..." Not only did Baiyan feel this way, but the other Immortal Monarchs shared the same unease. This nagging sense of foreboding made them reluctant to continue searching for targets, urging them to head back to safety. "Fine, let's head back first!" Immortal Monarch Baiyan nodded. The reason he had survived in the Chaos for so many years was caution. Whenever anything felt off, he chose to withdraw. *Hum.* Right then, Baiyan clearly sensed an invisible force approaching him. Though formless, it could be detected. Drawing on his vast experience, Baiyan immediately summoned his immortal treasure. "Void-Suppressing Pagoda!" A pagoda manifested, enveloping all his teammates beneath it. The pagoda radiated golden light and released terrifying waves of pressure. It was a Golden Immortal-level immortal treasure! This was Immortal Monarch Baiyan's greatest trump card. "It's the Shadow clan! Extraterrestrial beings have targeted us!" Baiyan said in a heavy voice. As his words fell, the other Immortal Monarchs swept the area with divine sense. Sure enough, they detected something amiss. It truly was the Shadow clan! Wherever the Shadow clan appeared, other extraterrestrial beings were certain to follow, because shadows never acted alone; they always coordinated with other forces. To think these Shadow clan members had silently crept so close, nearly possessing them. Yet with the Void-Suppressing Pagoda in place, possession was out of the question. "Suppress!" Baiyan directed the pagoda to bear down directly upon the Shadow clan. Though the Shadow clan was elusive and formless, they were not invincible. The Void-Suppressing Pagoda possessed sealing powers capable of suppressing even them. Under the pagoda's pressure, several Shadow clan entities were pinned, unable to escape. Soon, however, a large horde of extraterrestrial beings emerged. Among them loomed a towering figure, pitch-black all over, radiating a terrifying aura. "A Golden Immortal immortal treasure?" "It seems we've run into a decent immortal squad." The towering black figure spoke. Catching sight of this immense, shadowy form and feeling its terrifying aura, Baiyan and his companions drew in a sharp breath, their hearts trembling. The You clan! This was a member of the You clan! Furthermore, the You clan's strength was judged by physical size. They were pure body cultivators who sought to prove the Dao through strength; the larger the body, the greater the might. And the creature before them? It stood like a small mountain sprawled across the Chaos, looking overwhelmingly powerful—an undeniable powerhouse even among the You clan. Bitterness filled Baiyan's heart. How had they encountered such a monstrous being? Everyone knew the You clan was formidable, especially one of this caliber. "Retreat!" Baiyan decided instantly. Facing such a foe, he had no confidence in victory. Retreat was their only choice. Yet could they escape? "Trying to leave? Too late!" The You clan giant took a deep breath. *Boom!* His body expanded once more, growing even more colossal as he strode forward and slammed directly into the Void-Suppressing Pagoda. *Rumble!* With just that single collision, not only did the pagoda fail to suppress the giant, but it was violently shaken beneath his impact. The pagoda shuddered violently under the colossal kinetic shock. Baiyan's heart sank. That single blow was enough to tell him how terrifying this foe was. A few more strikes like that, and the Void-Suppressing Pagoda would collapse. "Captain, I'm afraid we can't escape..." an Immortal Monarch said with a bitter smile. Following his companion's gaze, Baiyan looked around. Dense ranks of extraterrestrial beings surrounded them in every direction—at least thirty to fifty of them. "Why are there so many? What have we run into?" Baiyan was bewildered. Even when the You clan mobilized, they never brought such a massive force. Who were they hunting? Who could possibly warrant such a deployment? Was this grand formation meant to surround an Immortal Venerable? Yet as time passed, Baiyan noticed something peculiar. The You clan giant did not strike again. Only the surrounding extraterrestrial beings maintained the siege, kicking up an enormous commotion. While noisy, their threat was nowhere near that of the You clan giant. Of course, Baiyan still could not escape. What was going on? It seemed as though these creatures did not want to kill them immediately, but were deliberately keeping them on the hook. "Stick to the usual plan. Make as much noise as possible." "Perhaps if these immortals call for help, that mysterious immortal roaming the Chaos will show himself," the You clan giant said coldly. He had embarked on this mission with a clear objective. By now, he was virtually certain that a mysterious immortal was continuously sweeping through and slaughtering extraterrestrial forces, though his identity remained unknown. His goal was to eliminate this mysterious threat. Whenever he encountered an immortal squad, he merely besieged them without delivering the killing blow, raising a massive commotion in hopes of drawing the mystery expert in. His previous attempts had all failed; despite the racket, no immortals had come to the rescue. This time was no different. He was making a scene, waiting to see if that mysterious expert would take the bait. Time ticked away. Baiyan finally understood: they were nothing more than bait. The You clan clearly wanted to lure someone out. Their target was never his squad, but a mysterious powerhouse. "Just who is worth such an elaborate trap by the You clan?" Bitterness washed over Baiyan. Even if they were only bait, bait rarely escaped destruction. *Hum.* A subtle ripple stirred the Chaos Qi. "Hm?" Even that faint fluctuation was caught by the You clan giant. *Swish.* He snapped his eyes open and gazed in a certain direction. "Since you've arrived, why hide like a coward?" The You clan possessed virtually no weaknesses; they were powerful in every aspect, and their perception was exceptionally sharp. As the giant spoke, every gaze turned toward the spot. "Oh?" "What sharp perception, to notice me even like this." A voice drifted out from the Chaos Qi, followed by a figure stepping into view before everyone. Seeing him, both the You clan giant and Baiyan's squad felt their pupils contract. They all recognized the newcomer's identity. Immortal Monarch Changsheng—Lu Changsheng! "It's you, Lu Changsheng..." "Of course. It could only be you." "You've been hunting across the Chaos this whole time, haven't you?" the You clan giant asked coldly. "Indeed, that was me," Lu Changsheng replied calmly. "However, I merely wanted to find the You clan. After searching for so long, I've finally encountered one." Lu Changsheng's gaze remained fixed on the giant. He had finally met the You clan again. This was his second encounter. The first, of course, had been on the tenth step of the Heavenly Immortal Steps. Yet the giant before him seemed far stronger than the one on the tenth step—not just by a little, but by a substantial margin. His size alone spoke volumes about his immense power! Meanwhile, Baiyan and his companions were thoroughly shaken. "What? The You clan was looking for Immortal Monarch Changsheng?" "From his tone, Immortal Monarch Changsheng has been hunting extraterrestrial beings all this time. Just how many did he kill to make the You clan lay a dedicated trap just for him?" "Ten years ago, word went out that he entered the Chaos, yet there was no news of him all these years. It turns out he was slaughtering extraterrestrial beings! He must have killed so many that even the You clan couldn't take it and sought to eliminate him." "He did conquer the tenth step of the Heavenly Immortal Steps, after all. But in a situation like this, facing a targeted ambush by the You clan, can he hold his own?" Baiyan and his squad felt their emotions surging. To provoke such targeted retaliation from the You clan, Lu Changsheng must have dealt the extraterrestrial forces a grievous blow. "Lu Changsheng, remember this name: I am Qi!" The giant slowly rose to his feet. His colossal frame radiated suffocating pressure. The You clan had no glaring weaknesses and specialized in body cultivation, walking the path of proving the Dao through strength. Qi was clearly an elite among them. Even Lu Changsheng felt a faint prickle of danger in his heart. Yet that was all it was. "Die!" Lu Changsheng moved. He threw a punch, the Flesh Dao Fruit manifesting behind him. "Divine ability: Mighty Power!" With his Flesh Dao Fruit elevated, the power of his divine ability had grown in turn. Coupled with the strength of his immortal body, this punch carried might comparable to that of Seventh or Eighth Tribulation Great Immortal Monarchs. A smirk curled Qi's lips. He extended a millstone-sized palm, clenched it into a fist, and punched straight forward. *Boom!* The Chaos Qi detonated violently. The terrifying shockwave made the watching immortals and extraterrestrial beings choke on their breath. Baiyan and his squad were utterly dumbfounded. They were all at the Immortal Monarch level; even if someone was stronger, there should have been a limit. Yet witnessing the sheer power unleashed between Qi and Lu Changsheng, Baiyan realized with a jolt that even within the same realm, the difference could be vast as the gulf between heaven and earth. They were simply not on the same level, looking more like existences from two entirely different planes. Perhaps Lu Changsheng also wished to test just how strong this You clan warrior truly was. Thus, without any trickery, the two collided head-on. The chaotic void exploded with a deafening roar. Qi remained completely stationary, holding his stance. The smirk on his face lingered unchanged. As for Lu Changsheng? Starting from his arm and spreading across his torso, fissure after fissure split open across his body, covering him entirely in the blink of an eye. *Crack!* The next instant, Lu Changsheng's physical body shattered, collapsing into fragments of blood and flesh.