Lu Changsheng Slays a Dao Ancestor, Attains 'Peerless' Rating, and Shakes the Heavenly Light Holy Sect!

The Reincarnation Tower of the Heavenly Light Holy Sect. This was a treasured ground that assisted in cultivation. Cultivating here for a single year cost one hundred contribution points. A mere year was virtually negligible to cultivators ascending the Godhood tiers. Such a price was, in fact, quite steep. Many Godhood cultivators earned only several dozen to a hundred contribution points from a single mission, which often took thirty to fifty years to complete. Many simply could not afford it. Yet despite the exorbitant cost, people still flocked to the Reincarnation Tower in droves, all eager to enter. The reason was simple: one could experience "reincarnation" within the tower. With each session of cultivation, one would invariably gain some measure of enlightenment. This insight targeted the heart and the spirit alike. Even when cultivators hit bottlenecks, entering the Reincarnation Tower often granted them breakthroughs into higher realms. Although there were many cultivators present, the Reincarnation Tower could accommodate vast numbers at once, so Lu Changsheng entered without delay. Upon entering, one stepped into a reincarnation illusion. One also had to select a primary cultivation technique—cultivating primarily through the framework of that single method. Lu Changsheng chose the Thirteen-Fold True Self Method. He could currently visualize the "true self," but his progress was slow. That was precisely why he wanted to test the efficacy of the Reincarnation Tower. Furthermore, he had to set a time limit beforehand. After a moment's thought, Lu Changsheng decided to try staying in the Reincarnation Tower for one year. If the results were good, he would continue using it later. Once everything was prepared, Lu Changsheng felt a colossal power surge. The world spun violently, and his surroundings seemed to change completely. Then, darkness fell before his eyes, and he lost consciousness entirely. Without incident, Lu Changsheng plunged into the reincarnation illusion. Within the illusion, he retained none of his memories. He was born into an affluent household, living a life of indulgence and dissipation. Later, a sudden calamity struck his family, casting him from the clouds into the depths of ruin, forcing him to taste the bitter warmth and coldness of mortal nature. Only on the verge of death, as he looked back over his life, did he seem to grasp the "true self." It was a comprehension of the "true self" belonging to a mortal. Yet on the spiritual level, whether a mortal or a cultivator comprehended the true self, the essence was the same. The moment Lu Changsheng comprehended the "true self," the reincarnation illusion shattered. Lu Changsheng awoke completely. "I am in the Reincarnation Tower..." He remembered. He was inside the Reincarnation Tower, having just undergone a reincarnation illusion. And a full year had already passed. "So this is the reincarnation illusion. It truly is... incredible." Lu Changsheng was deeply shaken. This reincarnation illusion truly held the wonders of "reincarnation." It sealed one's memories and subjected them to myriad trials, like living an entirely separate life. What was more, genuine gains were made. Naturally, these gains were strictly on the mental and spiritual plane. With a thought, Lu Changsheng immediately circulated the Thirteen-Fold True Self Method. He remained at the first layer, but after comprehending the "true self" once more in the illusion, his first layer had reached its absolute peak. A breakthrough into the second layer could happen at any moment. Such was the efficacy of the reincarnation illusion. And that was from merely a single year of reincarnation. What if he reincarnated for ten or even a hundred years? The Reincarnation Tower was pricey, but it was unquestionably worth every point! "Again." "This time, fifty years!" Lu Changsheng made up his mind. A direct fifty-year reincarnation. That amounted to five thousand contribution points. Yet having experienced the benefits of the illusion, Lu Changsheng did not hesitate in the slightest. He wanted to see just how far fifty years could push the Thirteen-Fold True Self Method. Thus, Lu Changsheng plunged into reincarnation once more. This time, he became a cultivator. Only, this cultivator possessed neither fortuitous encounters nor natural talent. All he had was meager diligence and an unyielding will. Born to a mortal farming family, he had stepped onto the path of cultivation purely by chance. From then on, he relied on bit-by-bit effort and constant life-and-death struggles, all to pursue that sliver of "immortal destiny." Regrettably, despite struggling bitterly for decades, he remained unable to achieve Foundation Establishment. Even on the brink of death, his determination remained unshakable. Yet what did that matter? He could not defy heavenly fate. Reluctance, regret, fury. How he wished the heavens would grant him another chance. Yet he died. No chance remained. *Swish.* Lu Changsheng opened his eyes. At this moment, his memories returned. He remembered that everything just now had been an illusion. Yet it had felt so vivid, as though it were entirely real. "Reincarnation... what a magnificent reincarnation!" Lu Changsheng's gaze grew increasingly sharp. This reincarnation illusion was even more wondrous than he had imagined. Reflecting on those decades in the illusion, it seemed disconnected from the Thirteen-Fold True Self Method. Yet Lu Changsheng understood clearly. His Dao heart in the illusion had been unyielding. Even on the verge of death, it had never wavered for an instant. Yet under those circumstances, he had still perished, unable to overcome fate. At the moment of death, his unyielding Dao heart had instead rendered his spirit crystal clear. And now, waking from the illusion, he felt profound joy. Was this not equivalent to granting him "another chance"? How could he not rejoice? Amidst this profound joy, his spirit faintly shattered a certain shackle. Lu Changsheng sensed that his spirit was not far from immortality. "Immortal spirit..." Lu Changsheng knew that once his spirit achieved immortality, he would become a Daluo Golden Immortal, attaining the fifth tier of Godhood. He had not expected undergoing the illusion in the Reincarnation Tower to elevate his spirit so significantly. This was an unexpected boon. However, Lu Changsheng was well aware of his primary focus: the Thirteen-Fold True Self Method. He gently circulated the method, visualizing the true self. Instantly, the "true self" shone with brilliant light. Lu Changsheng broke through to the second layer of the Thirteen-Fold True Self Method in an instant. It was as natural as water carving a channel. He had already reached the precipice before; now the breakthrough occurred effortlessly, without the slightest impediment. Yet it was not over. This was merely the second layer. Having spent fifty years in reincarnation and five thousand contribution points, how could his harvest stop here? Soon, he broke through the third layer as well. He pushed straight into the fourth layer, halting only when he reached the peak of the fourth layer. "The peak of the fourth layer..." Lu Changsheng's heart trembled. He had not expected the Reincarnation Tower to be so effective, advancing the Thirteen-Fold True Self Method from the first layer to the fourth in one fell swoop. Reaching the fourth layer also boosted his mental consciousness to its absolute limit. He could clearly perceive his own control—such as the number of Ancestor Realm avatars he could govern. At the first layer, Lu Changsheng could cultivate eighty thousand Ancestor Realm flesh avatars. That was not actually a large number, given that the Thirteen-Fold True Self Method was no ordinary art. As for how many avatars the second layer would add, he had not known before, but he knew now: one hundred and sixty thousand. The third layer could add three hundred and twenty thousand avatars. The fourth layer could add six hundred and forty thousand avatars. In other words, the number of avatars granted by each successive layer doubled. Lu Changsheng had advanced directly to the fourth layer without cultivating avatars at the second or third layers. Thus, theoretically, he could now add one million one hundred and twenty thousand Ancestor Realm avatars. This was a terrifying figure. After all, Lu Changsheng currently possessed only one million and ten thousand avatars. If he cultivated them now, he could more than double his total count. "Cultivating ten thousand avatars takes one year, so one million one hundred and twenty thousand avatars will take at least one hundred and twelve years!" That was a long time. Yet compared to the strength it would grant, it was nothing. Once one million one hundred and twenty thousand avatars were successfully formed, how terrifying would Lu Changsheng's avatar fusion method become? He even felt he had a good chance of pushing his rating one step further! "One million one hundred and twenty thousand avatars... Time is not an issue; at worst, I will enter seclusion for another century." "However, the amount of flesh and blood required to cultivate over a million avatars is staggering. Although I stored plenty before, it clearly falls short..." After some thought, Lu Changsheng decided he still needed to make purchases. He had stayed in the Reincarnation Tower for fifty-one years, spending five thousand one hundred contribution points, leaving him with five thousand two hundred. Buying the flesh and blood of powerful lifeforms would pose no problem. Lu Changsheng returned to his cave dwelling. He spent two thousand contribution points to purchase massive amounts of powerful lifeform flesh to cultivate flesh avatars. He then spent three thousand contribution points on energy stones to enhance his immortal dharmic power and nurture his flesh particles. Having exhausted almost all his points, leaving only two hundred, Lu Changsheng finally stopped. "Let us begin." Lu Changsheng prepared for an extended period of seclusion. One hundred and twelve years. To Lu Changsheng, this was indeed a lengthy span. However, while secluding oneself solely to cultivate avatars was tedious, witnessing his own steady growth at every moment was an unattainable dream for countless cultivators. Time flew, and in the blink of an eye, over a century passed. Nothing significant occurred in the Heavenly Light Holy Sect. A mere hundred years was negligible to the sect. Inside the quiet room of his cave dwelling, Lu Changsheng snapped his eyes open. *Swish.* His eyes shone with resplendent, piercing divine light. "One hundred and twelve years..." Lu Changsheng had cultivated for one hundred and twelve years, adding one million one hundred and twenty thousand avatars to his count. It was a monstrous figure. Lu Changsheng summoned his attribute panel to inspect his current condition. Host: Lu Changsheng Comprehension: Top-Tier Comprehension Illusory Realm: 11% (materialization) Flesh Particles: 2% Thirteen-Fold True Self Method: Fourth Layer Avatar Fusion Physical Method: 2,130,000 avatars On the attribute panel, his avatar count had surpassed two million, representing rapid progress. The Illusory Realm remained at 11%. His flesh particles, on the other hand, presented a different story. Lu Changsheng had spent two thousand contribution points and over a century nurturing immortal dharmic power. Yet his flesh particles had only increased from 1% to 2%. A meager 1% increase. Such efficiency was dreadfully low. Lu Changsheng knew he likely had not found the proper method for cultivating flesh particles. Of course, this was actually the normal cultivation speed for a fourth-tier Godhood cultivator. Taking over a century to advance by 1% was entirely ordinary for others at his stage. Generally, fourth-tier Godhood cultivators measured their progress in centuries or millennia. "With over two million avatars, I wonder what level my strength has reached, and whether I can elevate my rating." What Lu Changsheng cared about most was his rating. He currently held the "Top" rating. If he took it a step further, it would be the "Peerless" rating. At that point, he would be able to purchase far better goods and enjoy greater privileges. With that in mind, Lu Changsheng broke his stillness. He rose, departed his cave dwelling, and flew straight toward the Assessment Passages. Soon, Lu Changsheng arrived near the Assessment Passages. The area was as packed with people as ever. The Assessment Passages were essentially the most bustling location in the Heavenly Light Holy Sect. Many attached great importance to their rating, coming to test themselves whenever they had free time. When Lu Changsheng appeared, while he did not cause a massive uproar, he certainly drew several glances. After all, he was no longer an unknown. Last time, he had cleared the nineteenth floor and achieved the "Top" rating. In the Heavenly Light Holy Sect, holding a "Top" rating made one a figure of some note. "It's him, Lu Changsheng. Has he come to raise his rating again?" "Lu Changsheng! He's a rare sight. He joined the Heavenly Light Holy Sect over two hundred years ago and barely missed the Top rating back then." "Heh, it's been over two hundred years. The sect has held two more disciple assessments since then. The first was ordinary enough, but the most recent one about twenty years ago produced thirteen Top-rated geniuses all at once. Simply unbelievable." "Indeed. Not only thirteen Top-rated geniuses, but one who even reached the Peerless rating during the entrance assessment! Tsk-tsk, truly unimaginable." "A Peerless rating! It sent shockwaves through the upper echelons of the Heavenly Light Holy Sect back then." For a time, many disciples were discussing Lu Changsheng, only for the conversation to pivot to the events of the most recent entrance assessment. That incident had simply caused too great a stir for them not to talk about it. Lu Changsheng was somewhat surprised as well. Having been in seclusion in his cave dwelling, he truly had been unaware of outside affairs. Thirteen Top ratings, and one Peerless rating. And that was displayed by new disciples during their very entrance assessment. That was indeed astonishing. Lu Changsheng had stopped at the eighteenth floor back then, failing to secure a Top rating during the entrance test, which demonstrated just how difficult that trial was. Nevertheless, regardless of others, Lu Changsheng continued his own path, climbing steadily step by step. *Whoosh.* Lu Changsheng flew directly into the fourth passage. The surrounding environment shifted abruptly, plunging into pitch darkness. Yet Lu Changsheng felt entirely at ease. This place was familiar. It was the twenty-third floor. Lu Changsheng had cleared the twenty-third floor on his previous attempt. "Do you wish to continue the assessment for the twenty-fourth floor?" "Yes." As Lu Changsheng's voice fell, he arrived on the twenty-fourth floor. Last time, Lu Changsheng had reached his limit. Now, however, things were different. Whether it was his Illusory Realm, his physical body, or his avatar fusion method, his strength had skyrocketed, achieving a qualitative leap. Confronting a powerful lifeform on the twenty-fourth floor, Lu Changsheng felt no fear whatsoever. This powerful lifeform already possessed strength comparable to the fifth tier of Godhood. Yet Lu Changsheng descended his Illusory Realm directly. "Suppress." The next instant, the powerful lifeform comparable to the fifth tier was pulverized within the Illusory Realm, devoid of the slightest power to resist. Lu Changsheng shook his head. He was simply too strong now. He had not even needed to deploy his more than two million avatars. Relying solely on the Illusory Realm, he could crush the twenty-fourth floor's trial. Yet this was merely the beginning. The twenty-fifth floor, twenty-sixth floor, twenty-seventh floor, twenty-eighth floor, twenty-ninth floor... Lu Changsheng's Illusory Realm finally met its match on the twenty-ninth floor. His Illusory Realm could suppress experts of the twenty-eighth floor, but it could not crush an opponent on the twenty-ninth floor, serving only to restrict it at best. After all, the twenty-ninth floor was different. Clearing the twenty-ninth floor granted the Peerless rating. This hurdle was of utmost importance. Though his Illusory Realm could not suppress the twenty-ninth floor on its own, he still had his avatars. A full two million and more. "Fuse." Instantly, two million avatars merged, transforming Lu Changsheng into a ten-thousand-zhang giant towering between heaven and earth, radiating terrifying might. *Rumble!* Lu Changsheng slapped downward with his massive palm. The strange beast of the twenty-ninth floor instantly dissolved into a cloud of blood mist. Dead! The twenty-ninth floor was cleared just like that. As Lu Changsheng passed the twenty-ninth floor, the fourth Assessment Passage blazed with dazzling radiance. Immediately afterward, a name surfaced. Everyone widened their eyes, staring fixedly at that name. "This is... someone cleared the twenty-ninth floor? Doesn't that mean a 'Peerless' rating?!" "Who is it? A 'Peerless' rating! To think we'd witness someone ascending to 'Peerless' today!" "This is only the passage for fourth-tier Godhood! Who in the fourth tier of Godhood possesses such monstrous strength?" "The twenty-ninth floor for fourth-tier Godhood is practically the peak limit of the fifth tier of Godhood! The thirtieth floor above that features terrifying experts of the sixth tier—without sixth-tier strength, clearing it is impossible!" "Lu Changsheng... it's actually him?! A disciple who joined just over two hundred years ago has risen from an ordinary rating all the way to Peerless in barely two centuries... This is simply unbelievable!" "That Lu Changsheng did indeed just enter the fourth passage! So it really is him... He's already Peerless now. Is it possible for him to attain the 'Prodigy' rating in the future?" A commotion swept through the crowd. That was the Peerless rating. One step further was Prodigy! And with a Prodigy rating, one's hopes of becoming a chaos lifeform increased drastically. Under normal circumstances, cultivators with an ordinary rating held essentially zero hope of becoming chaos lifeforms. Those with a Top rating had a slim hope—roughly a ten percent chance. As for the Peerless rating, there was perhaps a twenty percent chance of achieving chaos lifeform status. Such odds were already quite high. Yet it fell far short of a Prodigy. Once rated as a Prodigy, one had a fifty percent chance of becoming a chaos lifeform. Fifty percent! Roughly half of all Prodigies ultimately achieved chaos lifeform status. And that was factoring in those who perished prematurely along the way. Excluding those who fell early, the rate was even higher. Of course, going from Peerless to Prodigy was extraordinarily difficult. After all, many geniuses reached their absolute ceiling upon attaining the Peerless rating. Taking another step forward at that stage was difficult beyond measure. Lu Changsheng paid no heed to what others thought, nor did he know about the uproar outside. Even so, he was delighted. Clearing the twenty-ninth floor meant his rating was elevated to Peerless. Yet was he satisfied with Peerless? Not in the slightest! Lu Changsheng's goal had never been Peerless; it was Prodigy! Once he became a Prodigy, his chances of becoming a chaos lifeform would multiply drastically. "Continue." Without hesitation, Lu Changsheng proceeded to the thirtieth floor. The twenty-ninth floor was already the limit of the fifth tier of Godhood. As for the thirtieth floor, Lu Changsheng was mentally prepared: it would likely feature sixth-tier Godhood strength. And in the Heaven Realm, the sixth tier of Godhood corresponded to a Dao Ancestor! Of course, that assumed a Dao Ancestor outside the Heaven Realm who could not draw upon the power of the Heaven Realm's origin. Even so, the thought caused Lu Changsheng's heart to tense. He was currently only at the realm of a Taiyi Immortal Venerable. Slaying a Dao Ancestor as a Taiyi Golden Immortal? Just thinking about it felt surreal. Yet Lu Changsheng had genuinely arrived at this threshold. *Boom!* Arriving on the thirtieth floor, Lu Changsheng beheld a colossal giant, its entire body radiating dazzling brilliance. Without hesitation, Lu Changsheng acted. "Fuse!" Instantly, all of his more than two million Ancestor Realm avatars merged, transforming him into a ten-thousand-zhang giant. Simultaneously, his 11% Illusory Realm descended, sweeping forward to suppress the radiant giant. However, Lu Changsheng clearly felt the Illusory Realm groan under the strain. Merely maintaining the suppression caused it to show faint signs of collapse. "Indeed, the thirtieth floor is a qualitative leap... but even sixth-tier Godhood amounts to no more than this..." Lu Changsheng's eyes sharpened. In truth, everything matched his expectations. The sixth tier of Godhood was a qualitative transformation. In the Heaven Realm, it was the level of a Dao Ancestor. Lu Changsheng exerted himself to the utmost, combining his Illusory Realm with over two million Ancestor Realm avatars to unleash his strongest strike, smashing ferociously toward his opponent. *Rumble!* The opponent also threw a punch. Two terrifying forces collided. Lu Changsheng felt a violent shock shudder through him. The avatars composing his body were rapidly annihilating. Ten percent, twenty percent, thirty percent... In the end, he lost thirty percent—roughly six hundred thousand avatars. This was the flaw of Lu Changsheng's avatar fusion method. Once avatars were lost, they were truly gone. They could not be restored immediately and had to be cultivated anew. Fortunately, clearing his way from the twenty-third floor to the thirtieth had yielded abundant flesh from powerful lifeforms. Cultivating six hundred thousand avatars back would be relatively simple. After that clash, costing Lu Changsheng six hundred thousand avatars, his opponent finally crumbled, reduced to dust. "Do you wish to continue the assessment for the thirty-first floor?" Lu Changsheng inspected his condition. Only a little over 1.5 million avatars remained. Having suffered such losses, how could he continue? Clearing the thirtieth floor was already his limit. "Leave." Without the slightest hesitation, Lu Changsheng chose to exit. Challenging the thirty-first floor would be reckless, carrying the risk of death. Even if he survived, losing all his avatars would do more harm than good. It was best to quit while ahead. In any case, he was still some distance away from the "Prodigy" rating; there was no need to rush. *Whoosh.* Lu Changsheng shifted out of the fourth Assessment Passage. The moment his figure appeared, countless gazes locked onto him. The bustling, clamorous square instantly fell silent—so quiet that one could hear a pin drop!