Sensing the True Self! Flesh Avatars Skyrocket Once More!

Lu Changsheng had acquired many powerful physical bodies this time. They could be used to support the cultivation of avatars. And so, Lu Changsheng settled his mind and devoted himself to cultivating avatars. Three years, five years, eight years, ten years... This time, Lu Changsheng was determined to cultivate avatars up to the limit of his consciousness. Finally, after twenty-eight years, Lu Changsheng stopped. "I've reached the limit..." Lu Changsheng murmured softly. He had finally reached the limit. He felt that he could no longer continue cultivating avatars. If he cultivated any more, he would not be able to maintain complete control over them. Lu Changsheng brought up his attribute panel to check his various stats. Host: Lu Changsheng Comprehension: Top-tier comprehension Illusory Realm: 1% (Manifesting reality from illusion) Flesh Particles: 1% Avatar Fusion Physical Method: 730,000 avatars The number of Lu Changsheng's avatars had now reached a terrifying 730,000! This was a staggering number. Once 730,000 avatars fused together, their might was bound to skyrocket. "Clearing the nineteenth floor and raising my rating shouldn't be an issue." After a moment's thought, Lu Changsheng immediately left his cave dwelling. This was his first time leaving his cave dwelling since joining the Heavenly Light Holy Sect. The disciples of the Heavenly Light Sacred Realm cultivated entirely at their own discretion. Of course, taking a master was also an option. However, one had to seek out a master on one's own. Lu Changsheng did not know anyone in the Heavenly Light Holy Sect. Taking a master? That was wishful thinking. Nevertheless, the Heavenly Light Holy Sect possessed all kinds of cultivation methods and cultivation systems. One could cultivate on one's own. Naturally, the most important thing right now was to raise his rating. Once his rating improved, the various benefits he would obtain were simply too numerous. Lu Changsheng headed straight for the assessment passages. *Whoosh!* Upon arriving at the assessment passages, he was greeted by a surging sea of people. Many Heavenly Light Holy Sect disciples were gathered near the assessment passages, presumably all hoping to take the assessment and raise their ratings. Lu Changsheng was in no hurry. Instead, he made some inquiries nearby. He mainly asked about the entry assessment for new disciples that had taken place before. He actually managed to gather some news. In the previous new disciple intake, a new disciple with a "Top" rating had actually emerged, having cleared the twenty-first floor. That person had caused quite a sensation at the time. The disciple was named Cang Lan and was said to be a special lifeform, naturally born with immense strength. Such a special lifeform could reach the level of Tier Nine to Godhood without doing anything at all. With just a bit of effort, they could become a chaos lifeform. That kind of natural talent was truly peerless, completely beyond comparison. Only after Cang Lan came Lu Changsheng, who had cleared the eighteenth floor. He, too, had gained a bit of fame. However, that was all. After all, more than twenty years had passed since the new disciple assessment. Lu Changsheng had been in seclusion cultivating in his cave dwelling the entire time without making a single stir. Consequently, over these past twenty-odd years, he had long been forgotten. The Heavenly Light Holy Sect was simply too vast. No one paid much attention to a mere newly enrolled disciple. After all, in a few more decades, another new disciple assessment would take place. "A special lifeform..." Lu Changsheng murmured softly. He was quite intrigued by this "Cang Lan." Just what kind of special lifeform was he? It was said that as soon as Cang Lan entered the sect, he was taken in as a disciple by an elder of the Heavenly Light Sacred Realm. His starting point was remarkably high. In that regard, ordinary people could not compare in the slightest. Lu Changsheng merely possessed supreme comprehension. Compared to a special lifeform, that seemed rather ordinary. Even so, Lu Changsheng would not be discouraged. Cultivation ultimately relied on oneself. Having gathered some news, Lu Changsheng hesitated no longer and flew straight into the fourth assessment passage. His cultivation base was still at Tier Four to Godhood. "You have already passed the eighteenth-floor assessment. Do you wish to begin the nineteenth-floor assessment?" The moment Lu Changsheng flew into the assessment passage, he arrived on the eighteenth floor. It seemed that once a floor had been cleared in a previous assessment, one would resume at the highest cleared floor rather than having to climb floor by floor all over again, which was quite convenient. "Continue the assessment," Lu Changsheng answered immediately. *Buzz.* The surroundings shifted slightly. He had arrived on the nineteenth floor and was now undergoing the nineteenth-floor assessment. The moment he reached the nineteenth floor, Lu Changsheng saw a massive black orb. It seemed to be composed of countless black rays of light. Converged together into a mass, these black rays gave Lu Changsheng a sense of dread. It felt capable of posing a tremendous threat to him. People could die during the rating assessments. Once one perished, that death was real and final. Therefore, one had to act within one's capabilities. Facing this massive black orb, Lu Changsheng did not dare to be careless. "Illusory Realm." Instantly, the Illusory Realm descended. This time, however, the Illusory Realm seemed to bear immense pressure, trembling constantly. Then, the black orb unleashed beam after beam of radiance, appearing completely unaffected. The Illusory Realm seemed faintly unable to withstand it, as if on the verge of collapse at any second. Lu Changsheng's heart sank. "Fuse." In an instant, all 730,000 avatars fused into him. Lu Changsheng felt boundless, infinite power surging within, seemingly surpassing a certain boundary. He punched straight toward that massive black orb. *Boom!* The punch shook heaven and earth as it landed upon the black orb. What appeared to be merely a sphere of black rays shattered with a deafening roar beneath that horrifying power. Then, the black orb vanished, blasted apart by a single punch from Lu Changsheng. "Nineteenth floor passed. Do you wish to proceed to the twentieth-floor assessment?" Lu Changsheng had not expected it to be so easy. He had actually cleared the nineteenth floor just like that. Lu Changsheng quickly checked his identity token. On the identity token, his rating had changed from "Ordinary" to "Top." Small though this change might seem, it was something countless disciples of the Heavenly Light Sacred Realm dreamed of. Countless cultivators sought it in vain. Yet Lu Changsheng had accomplished it. His rating had officially risen to "Top." *Hum.* Lu Changsheng was completely unaware that as he passed the nineteenth-floor assessment, the fourth passage trembled violently. Immediately following that, a message appeared in the sky above the fourth passage: "Heavenly Light Sacred Realm disciple Lu Changsheng has cleared the nineteenth floor of the Tier Four to Godhood assessment passage. Rating adjusted to 'Top'." The moment this message was announced, it caused an immediate stir. "Another one! This time, a disciple with a 'Top' rating has emerged from the fourth passage!" "This Lu Changsheng... why does that name sound familiar?" "Lu Changsheng... Could he be the new disciple who joined twenty-odd years ago? I remember during that new disciple assessment, this Lu Changsheng cleared the eighteenth floor. What a pity it was that he fell short by just one floor from clearing the nineteenth. To think that after staying silent for over twenty years, he actually cleared the nineteenth floor and reached the 'Top' rating!" "Now that you mention it, I remember too. There really was such a person! Back then, we even lamented why he hadn't pushed a bit harder to clear the nineteenth floor. Looking at it now, gold will always shine—Lu Changsheng ultimately cleared the nineteenth-floor assessment after all." "How envious! A 'Top' rating puts him ahead of the majority of Heavenly Light Sacred Realm disciples..." With Lu Changsheng's information revealed, many people came to know of him. A disciple who had only joined the sect twenty-odd years ago had actually managed to reach the "Top" rating; it truly was praiseworthy. Lu Changsheng had no idea that his name had become known to so many. Even if he had known, it would not have mattered. The Heavenly Light Holy Sect publicized the names of these outstanding disciples for a single purpose: competition! The Heavenly Light Holy Sect wanted its disciples to compete. Only through competition could even more exceptional disciples emerge. The "rating" system existed to foster competition among disciples. The nine assessment passages existed for disciples to compete as well. Want to keep a low profile in the Heavenly Light Sacred Realm? Certainly, one could hide. However, if one concealed one's abilities, one would be unable to obtain the various resources, treasures, and other benefits offered by the Heavenly Light Sacred Realm. The loss would outweigh the gain. Besides, what did Lu Changsheng's "Top" rating count for? Above it lay "Peerless," and above that, "Prodigy." Rare though they were, the Heavenly Light Holy Sect was not without them. Lu Changsheng did not know what was happening outside. His journey did not end with clearing the nineteenth floor. A full 750,000 avatars—what a terrifying power that was! Lu Changsheng also wanted to see where his limits lay. And so, he continued challenging the fourth passage. Floor twenty, floor twenty-one, floor twenty-two, floor twenty-three... This time, Lu Changsheng exerted every ounce of his power, giving it practically everything he had, and finally cleared the twenty-third floor. His advance halted there. Lu Changsheng did not attempt the twenty-fourth floor. There was no point. The twenty-third floor was his current limit. "I can only come back next time." Lu Changsheng was not disappointed. Whether he reached the twenty-third or twenty-fourth floor made no difference. Only by clearing the twenty-ninth floor could his rating be adjusted again. Yet that was exceedingly difficult. Previously, Lu Changsheng's strength had grown rapidly only because his consciousness was powerful and his flesh avatars had not yet reached their limit. Now, however, his consciousness had reached its ceiling, making it impossible to cultivate any more flesh avatars. Increasing his strength further would be very difficult. *Whoosh.* Lu Changsheng was teleported out. Noticing many eyes fixed upon him, he understood in his heart. They most likely knew his rating had been upgraded. However, Lu Changsheng was long accustomed to being the center of attention. Thus, feeling no discomfort whatsoever, he returned directly to his cave dwelling. Back in his cave dwelling, Lu Changsheng reviewed his situation. "Cang Lan, the cultivator who joined the Heavenly Light Sacred Realm at the same time as me, also holds a Top rating right now. Among the new disciples, the two of us are probably the only ones with a 'Top' rating..." Lu Changsheng began to understand just how difficult this rating system was. Merely being able to join the Heavenly Light Sacred Realm was already exceedingly difficult. To stand out among such geniuses and raise one's rating was even harder. "For now, it will be hard to raise my strength in the short term. Avatars are out of the question; there's nothing I can do there. Then there are flesh particles and the Illusory Realm. As for the Illusory Realm, it requires world origin, which is hard to find. Flesh particles can indeed be improved, but they require immortal dharmic power to continually nurture them, which consumes a great deal..." Lu Changsheng thought it through. For now, he could only improve his flesh particles. As for immortal dharmic power, it needed to be converted. The more he converted, the better the nurturing effect of immortal dharmic power on his flesh particles would be. Thus, Lu Changsheng also needed cultivation resources. However, there was no rush for any of this. Now that he had joined the Heavenly Light Sacred Realm, he needed to first examine the cultivation systems of the Heavenly Light Sacred Realm. That was what mattered most. And so, Lu Changsheng took out his identity token. This identity token was no simple object; each one was equivalent to a treasure. It allowed one to view all cultivation resources and cultivation methods corresponding to one's current rating, which was truly wondrous. Moreover, it did not matter even if the identity token was lost. Only the owner could use it. If anyone else attempted to use it, the identity token would instantly self-destruct. Lu Changsheng's consciousness entered the identity token. *Boom!* It was as though he had stepped into a vast, boundless space. A dazzling array of innumerable cultivation resources lay before him. Most, however, were ordinary-grade cultivation resources, available in large quantities. Looking at the slightly more precious cultivation resources, Lu Changsheng saw that one needed a "Top" rating to purchase them. Lu Changsheng immediately checked the various cultivation methods. Each method had a general overview. Lu Changsheng merely wanted to examine the cultivation systems of the Heavenly Light Sacred Realm, with no need to purchase them right away. From the descriptions of these methods, one could discern the underlying systems. Lu Changsheng also discovered that these cultivation methods were not unified. It was a dazzling array spanning all kinds of cultivation systems. "Hmm, this one is for cultivating the physical body, continually making it stronger." "This one also cultivates the physical body, just with a different approach, but essentially it's still physical body cultivation." "This is... a World Master cultivation system? They even have cultivation methods for World Masters. However, this method requires first refining a World Heart and completely mastering it before one can possibly step onto the path of a World Master." "Let me check World Hearts... Not found. Even with a 'Top' rating, I can't search for a World Heart. That only shows how extraordinarily precious such a treasure is. It might require a Peerless or even Prodigy rating just to view it. And even if one could view such precious cultivation material, the price would likely be astronomical. For a cultivator wanting to walk the World Master cultivation system, it must be as difficult as ascending to heaven." "Wait, there are mental cultivation methods too? I've finally found mental cultivation techniques! However, this doesn't seem to be mainstream; it's an auxiliary cultivation method? Used to enhance control over the physical body..." After searching through many cultivation methods, Lu Changsheng confirmed that even in the Heavenly Light Sacred Realm, there was no single unified cultivation system. However, they could roughly be divided into several categories. The largest and most common category was physical cultivation methods. Over sixty percent of these methods were for cultivating the physical body. Various systems were built upon the foundation of the physical body. After all, physical cultivation was comparatively easier, tangible, and directly reflected in combat power, so the vast majority of cultivators pursued the physical cultivation system. Next was the World Master cultivation system. Being a World Master was also a cultivation system. Although practitioners were few, they did exist. When cultivated to the peak, a World Master was a terrifying existence comparable to a Chaos Origin Lifeform. Not inferior in the slightest, with equally boundless prospects. In fact, a World Master had even broader applications and more versatile means. Yet there was one troublesome catch: it was extremely difficult to cultivate. Even gaining entry was difficult. To begin, one had to possess a World Heart. Although Lu Changsheng had not found any World Hearts, he had found some information about them. Supposedly, it had to be a chaos world that had given birth to a will; only a tiny fraction of such chaos worlds would ever spawn a World Heart. First, obtaining a World Heart was extraordinarily difficult. Refining it was even harder. No wonder that although World Masters had great prospects and immense strength, there were very few cultivators in the chaos who walked the World Master cultivation system. It was simply too hard to cultivate. There were also various miscellaneous cultivation systems. For instance, Lu Changsheng's Heaven Realm cultivation system. In truth, however, they were considered inferior. They could not transform one into a Chaos Origin Lifeform at all. The Heaven Realm cultivation system could not even allow one to achieve the status of a chaos lifeform, let alone an origin lifeform. Lu Changsheng examined himself closely. He actually possessed both the physical cultivation system and the World Master cultivation system. His physical cultivation system was flesh particles. This required slow, painstaking effort over time. As for the World Master path, that was naturally his Illusory Realm. Currently, his progress there was quite good. Lu Changsheng's Illusory Realm did not require a World Heart, but it required world origin. Lu Changsheng searched for it. There was world origin for sale. A Top rating allowed one to purchase world origin. However, the price was exorbitantly steep. On average, a single portion of world origin cost a staggering ten thousand contribution points! Purchasing cultivation supplies in the Heavenly Light Sacred Realm required contribution points. Lu Changsheng then checked the missions on the identity token. The identity token encompassed everything. Whatever a disciple of the Heavenly Light Sacred Realm wished to do, it was largely accomplished through the identity token. Soon, missions appeared before him. A dense list of missions also required specific ratings. The higher one's rating, the greater the rewards for missions. Lu Changsheng glanced through them. For missions at the Tier Four to Godhood level, an Ordinary mission granted only several dozen contribution points. A Top-rated mission could offer over a hundred. A Peerless-rated mission could grant several hundred, while a Prodigy-rated mission could yield over a thousand contribution points. Lu Changsheng currently held a Top rating. If he wanted to earn ten thousand contribution points, he would have to complete around a hundred Top-rated missions. This was... far too slow. And that would only secure a single portion of world origin. How much progress would that add to the Illusory Realm? If his rating were Prodigy, it would be entirely different. Lu Changsheng finally understood why ratings were so crucial in the Heavenly Light Sacred Realm. "Therefore, raising my rating is the top priority. And to raise my rating, I must first increase my combat strength. What is the fastest way for me to increase my combat strength right now?" Lu Changsheng naturally knew the answer. If he wanted to rapidly increase his combat power, he could only rely on the Avatar Fusion Method. And the Avatar Fusion Method required a powerful consciousness. Without a sufficiently strong mental consciousness to govern them, he would be unable to control more avatars. With that thought, Lu Changsheng's plan became clear. First, purchase a superior mental cultivation method. In the chaos, mental cultivation methods were merely auxiliary techniques. Cultivators generally practiced them concurrently to achieve more refined control over their physical bodies. This aligned closely with Lu Changsheng's purpose. Lu Changsheng checked his contribution points. Every disciple who challenged the rating passages could earn contribution points. For the rating passages at the Godhood tiers, each cleared floor granted one hundred contribution points. Lu Changsheng had cleared twenty-three floors. In other words, he could earn 2,300 contribution points. Sure enough, the contribution point total displayed on Lu Changsheng's identity token was 2,300 points. Meanwhile, a superior mental cultivation method cost merely two thousand contribution points. Lu Changsheng could indeed afford it. After careful selection, Lu Changsheng finally chose a method called the "Thirteen Layers of True Self Method." Once Lu Changsheng exchanged for it, a speck of spiritual light flew out from the identity token and sank into his body. Immediately, a mental cultivation method flooded Lu Changsheng's mind. This Thirteen Layers of True Self Method was truly exquisite. It centered upon the "true self." One visualized the "true self." Not visualizing other deities or spirits, but visualizing one's own "true self." And what was the "true self"? In fact, the "true self" was a concept. Similar to the true spirit found in certain myths and legends, it represented the root of one's own consciousness. Visualizing the "true self" was, in essence, taking total mastery of oneself. It was said that at the highest realm, the thirteenth layer of "true self" was indistinguishable from one's own physical body down to the finest detail, granting complete and total control over every single inch of the body. Of course, even at the thirteenth layer, the "true self" merely served to control the physical body. This was why mental methods were classified as auxiliary cultivation techniques. This mental method was indeed exceptional—truly a superior cultivation technique. However, it had one drawback: gaining entry was exceedingly difficult. First, one had to visualize the "true self." This single step stumped the majority of cultivators. If one could not visualize the "true self," one could never even achieve initial mastery. Lu Changsheng finally understood why even a superior mental cultivation method was not priced exorbitantly. Not everyone could cultivate this kind of auxiliary method. Everyone knew there were definite benefits to cultivating auxiliary methods: they allowed better control over the physical body, and could even temper one's mental willpower to be rock-solid, bringing many intangible advantages. However, the initial barrier was brutally high. This alone deterred many cultivators. If one could not even cross the threshold, what was the point of trying to cultivate it? However, to Lu Changsheng, an extremely difficult entry barrier was nothing. He possessed top-tier comprehension; there was no cultivation method he could not master. On this point, Lu Changsheng was supremely confident. And so, Lu Changsheng entered seclusion to cultivate the Thirteen Layers of True Self Method. One year, two years, three years... Cultivation knew no passing of time. Even with top-tier comprehension, sensing the "true self" took Lu Changsheng a full five years. Yes, five years. Yet five years finally enabled Lu Changsheng to sense the true self and cross the threshold into the Thirteen Layers of True Self Method. Lu Changsheng immediately brought up his attribute panel to check his condition. Host: Lu Changsheng Comprehension: Top-tier comprehension Illusory Realm: 1% (Manifesting reality from illusion) Flesh Particles: 1% Thirteen Layers of True Self Method: First Layer Avatar Fusion Physical Method: 730,000 avatars Sure enough, his Thirteen Layers of True Self Method had reached the First Layer. Lu Changsheng could clearly sense that his mental consciousness had grown considerably stronger. In his perception, a cluster of white light seemed to reside within his body. Faintly visible within the white light was a figure. The figure looked identical to Lu Changsheng. That was Lu Changsheng's "true self." "Let's see to what extent the First Layer of True Self can strengthen my consciousness." Lu Changsheng wanted to test it out. To test how much his consciousness had grown, the natural measure was his flesh avatars. How many more flesh avatars could he cultivate this time? And so, Lu Changsheng began cultivating flesh avatars once again. One year, two years, three years... This time, it took a full eight years. In other words, Lu Changsheng had cultivated eighty thousand Ancestor Realm avatars. "Eighty thousand avatars... adding the previous 730,000 avatars makes a total of 810,000 avatars!" Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up. This was merely the First Layer, yet it allowed him to control eighty thousand more avatars. What about the second layer, the third layer, or even the thirteenth layer? In an instant, Lu Changsheng felt immense joy. As long as his Thirteen Layers of True Self Method improved, his combat strength would inevitably surge along with it. When that time came, raising his rating to Peerless or even Prodigy would not be out of the question!