A World Master? The Prodigy's Shock!

*Hum.* Lin Feng’s sword intent surged skyward. The terrifying intent thrust straight at Lu Changsheng, as though poised to tear his mind and consciousness to shreds. “Hmm?” Lu Changsheng’s resolve was rock-solid, standing unshakeable and still. Sword intent was formless and shadowless, an attack targeted purely at the spirit and consciousness. An ordinary cultivator—even one with a "Peerless" rating—might be caught completely off guard if their spiritual fortitude was not firm enough. Yet just how formidable was Lu Changsheng’s will? His primary cultivation had always focused on the mind. Only an immortal mind could attain the realm of Daluo Immortal Venerable. Consequently, no matter how furiously the sword intent slashed at him, it could not shake him in the slightest. Moreover, Lu Changsheng possessed the Illusory Realm. The Illusory Realm was inherently a transition from illusion to reality, granting a tremendous boost to his spirit and consciousness. Even more crucially, he had cultivated the Thirteen Layers of True Self Method, rendering his "true self" immensely powerful. With all these factors combined, far from a mere wisp of sword intent, even an attack ten times stronger would never shake Lu Changsheng's soul. However, unleashing sword intent meant the opponent had officially made his move. Since he had attacked, Lu Changsheng would not hold back. *Boom.* A streak of white light flashed abruptly. The Illusory Realm descended! By now, the Illusory Realm was no longer a simple ray of white light, but had become a looming, semi-tangible domain. Viewed from afar, it resembled a colossal expanse of space, sweeping across instantly to envelop Lin Feng completely within. “Suppress!” As the Illusory Realm bore down, Lin Feng felt his entire body seize up, suffocation closing in from every side. “This is...” At that moment, Lin Feng, Chen Tianlin, and the members of the Wang clan were all struck with profound shock. They were well-traveled and experienced figures. Experiencing it at such close quarters, they could vaguely identify the technique Lu Changsheng was employing. In particular, the Prodigy Xing Ying—who had appeared entirely placid until now—opened her eyes wide, her expression turning solemn for the very first time. She had not worn such gravity even when personally entering the arena earlier. “Could this be... a World Master?” Xing Ying gasped, enunciating every word. She could scarcely believe her own eyes. A World Master! Could Lu Changsheng truly be walking the path of a World Master? World Masters and source lifeforms stood as the ultimate pinnacles of existence within the chaos. Yet over eighty percent of cultivators trod the path of source lifeforms. The reason was simple: the physical body was tangible, something one could touch and see. By continually tempering the flesh, one could eventually reach the realm of a source lifeform. And a World Master? That required comprehension and talent of an unimaginably high caliber. For the vast majority of cultivators, it was an unreachable dream. Yet to everyone's astonishment, Lu Changsheng had embarked upon that very road. Naturally, Xing Ying also felt a trace of doubt. Lu Changsheng’s World Master cultivation seemed somewhat different from what she knew. She had researched and even encountered cultivators of that path before, which was why she possessed some understanding of its system. But Lu Changsheng appeared to have barely stepped through its doorway. No, he could not even be considered to have crossed the threshold yet. Regardless, the emergence of Lu Changsheng’s Illusory Realm was undeniable. Many cultivators firmly concluded that this was the path of a World Master. Lu Changsheng did not particularly mind. Within the vast expanse of chaos, World Masters were neither unheard-of nor taboo. They were merely so vanishingly rare that few were truly familiar with them. His Illusory Realm would be exposed sooner or later; there was no point in keeping it hidden forever. “Sword Realm! Detonate!” Lin Feng roared suddenly. He was still locked in battle with Lu Changsheng. Although the Illusory Realm suppressed him, he was by no means powerless to retaliate. With his "Peerless" rating, the Illusory Realm alone could not thoroughly crush him. Terrifying sword Qi erupted from Lin Feng. As the sword Qi burst outward, Lu Changsheng’s Illusory Realm was riddled with holes, teetering precariously as though on the verge of collapse. Yet Lu Changsheng had already been coalescing his avatars. He had been reluctant to deploy them until now—or rather, he avoided doing so unless absolutely necessary. Any loss suffered by his avatars was permanent, requiring vast amounts of time and powerful flesh to cultivate anew. Now, however, the Illusory Realm had depleted the bulk of Lin Feng’s strength, and Lu Changsheng had exhausted his other techniques. This was the optimal moment to bring his avatars to bear. “Fuse.” Instantly, over two million Ancestor Realm avatars merged rapidly into Lu Changsheng’s physical body. *Boom.* A ten-thousand-zhang giant materialized across the void of chaos, radiating a terrifying aura. Facing the barrage of deadly sword Qi, the towering giant simply swept down an immense palm. *Crack.* The streams of sword Qi shattered instantly. At the same time, the colossal hand came crashing down, enveloping both the remnant Qi and Lin Feng himself beneath its shadow. *Bang.* Without even time to scream, Lin Feng’s body was smashed into dust. Dead! Beneath a single strike from Lu Changsheng, Lin Feng had fallen instantly, while Lu Changsheng had suffered virtually negligible losses. Silence! The entire chaos fell deathly still once more. Many stood with mouths agape, unable to utter a single word. Both possessed the "Peerless" rating, yet why was the disparity between Lu Changsheng and Lin Feng so vast? Lin Feng had been completely powerless to resist him. “Hahaha, Clan Head Wang, you flatter us! My Chen clan has taken another victory!” Chen Tianlin’s booming laughter broke the silence. With Lu Changsheng’s triumph, the Chen and Wang clans were back at the same starting line: two victories apiece. On the surface, neither side appeared to hold an advantage. Yet the hearts of the Wang clan members sank. While the score was tied, the cultivators the Wang clan had arranged for Tiers One through Six were exceptionally formidable. For Tier Seven and above, they had failed to recruit many experts, and possessed no certainty of victory. Their initial plan had been to secure at least four victories across Tiers One through Six. Now, after four bouts, they had claimed only two. If this continued, what advantage would remain for the Wang clan? Lu Changsheng returned silently to the Chen clan's ranks. Yet the gazes directed at him were entirely different now. A "Peerless" rating was prestigious, but a peerless genius who walked the path of a World Master belonged to an entirely distinct plane. “Fellow Daoist Lu, I never imagined you had embarked upon the cultivation of a World Master,” Xing Ying said, taking the initiative to speak. “Even in the Heavenly Light Holy Sect, disciples who walk this path can be counted on one hand.” “Oh?” Lu Changsheng sounded surprised. “There are disciples in the Heavenly Light Holy Sect who cultivate the World Master path?” “There are,” Xing Ying replied. “As far as I know, several disciples currently walk the path of a World Master, but every one of them is a Prodigy!” As a Prodigy herself, Xing Ying held high clearance; her words were undoubtedly true. Lu Changsheng merely nodded without inquiring further. The two exchanged communication talismans. Evidently, Lu Changsheng’s performance in the previous duel had earned Xing Ying’s recognition. The onlookers could only look on with envy. Everyone wished to forge ties with a Prodigy, but Prodigies rarely deigned to look twice at ordinary disciples. The duels continued. In the fifth match, the Wang clan won. In the sixth match, the Chen clan won. In the seventh match, the Chen clan won. In the eighth match, the Chen clan was victorious once more. With that, the Chen clan secured five victories, rendering a ninth match entirely unnecessary. The Chen clan ultimately claimed the newly formed chaos world. Chen Tianlin made good on his promise, presenting Lu Changsheng with one hundred thousand chaos energy stones. Afterward, Lu Changsheng returned to the Heavenly Light Holy Sect alongside Xing Ying. Upon arriving back at the sect, Xing Ying turned to Lu Changsheng and said, “Fellow Daoist Lu, one cannot progress by working behind closed doors. When you have time, we can exchange insights on our cultivation. You are welcome at my cave dwelling anytime.” Lu Changsheng nodded. “If the need arises, I will certainly pay a visit to Fellow Daoist Xing Ying.” Xing Ying said nothing more, transforming into a streak of flowing light and vanishing into the distance. Lu Changsheng returned to his cave dwelling and submitted the mission directly through his identity token. Since this task required no physical proof—only the Chen clan’s confirmation—it was marked as completed almost instantly. Soon, his identity token credited him with ten thousand contribution points, bringing his total to ten thousand nine hundred. Ten thousand contribution points was a considerable sum, but Lu Changsheng hoped to amass even more before entering the Reincarnation Tower so that he could elevate his Thirteen Layers of True Self Method to a much higher realm in a single venture. Thus, Lu Changsheng continued browsing for missions. While reviewing tasks, he also inquired into Xing Ying’s background. She was a celebrated figure in the Heavenly Light Holy Sect—a renowned Prodigy—and information about her was plentiful. Lu Changsheng managed to uncover several key facts. Xing Ying belonged to the Phantom race, a type of special lifeform. They were naturally immune to any attacks below their own energy threshold, endowed with extraordinary latent talent. Even if a member of the Phantom race did nothing at all, they would gradually advance to the peak of Tier Nine to Godhood. However, the Phantom race faced their own dilemma: undergoing metamorphosis into a chaos lifeform was exceptionally difficult for them. Yet once they succeeded, they became terrifyingly potent entities among chaos lifeforms. Xing Ying was an outstanding member of the Phantom race, carrying their deep hopes when they sent her to the Heavenly Light Holy Sect. She not only possessed staggering talent, but her backing was also formidable, as the sect housed chaos lifeforms hailing from the Phantom race. Who would dare cross her? Even so, the transition from Tier Nine to Godhood into a chaos lifeform remained a massive threshold for Xing Ying. Whether she could cross it was something no one could guarantee. *Whether special lifeforms or ordinary beings, once they advance into a chaos lifeform, their bodies and foundations are reshaped entirely. At that stage, all prior talent and constitution are leveled onto an equal plane,* Lu Changsheng reflected. He understood well what becoming a chaos lifeform entailed. For ordinary lifeforms to contend with special lifeforms, achieving the realm of a chaos lifeform was the only path. Once there, everyone stood on equal ground, and any lingering advantages were negligible. For now, however, becoming a chaos lifeform was still far in the future. He avoided aiming too high too early, focusing instead on dutifully taking on missions to earn contribution points for cultivation in the Reincarnation Tower. Unfortunately, tasks suitable for him were scarce. If he truly failed to find an appropriate mission, he pondered whether he should simply proceed to the Reincarnation Tower, spending the ten thousand contribution points to see how far he could push the Thirteen Layers of True Self Method. Just as he was hesitating, a sudden tremor shook the space. *Boom.* His identity token vibrated violently. Immediately after, a resonant voice boomed from within the token: “The Heaven Prison has breached, and Dark Domain lifeforms imprisoned within have escaped! The sect hereby recruits disciples to proceed to the Heaven Prison to eliminate the Dark Domain lifeforms. For each Dark Domain lifeform slain, contribution points will be awarded according to its life-tier.” The grand, resounding voice echoed across nearly the entirety of the Heavenly Light Holy Sect. It was not merely an announcement. Lu Changsheng promptly immersed his consciousness into his identity token. Sure enough, missions were rapidly refreshing within. There was only a single objective: venture to the Heaven Prison and eliminate the escaped Dark Domain lifeforms. *It seems a major crisis has occurred...* Seeing this, Lu Changsheng immediately surmised that something monumental had taken place, or else it would never have caused such an uproar. “Dark Domain lifeforms...” Lu Changsheng frowned slightly. He knew little about the Heaven Prison, let alone Dark Domain lifeforms. However, with his high clearance, he began querying the records in his identity token. He quickly found a description of the Heaven Prison. The Heaven Prison was an immense penitentiary established by the Heavenly Light Holy Sect specifically to incarcerate Dark Domain lifeforms. The concept of Dark Domain lifeforms touched upon the profound secrets of the chaos. It was said that the cosmos was composed of two sides: the ordinary side was the chaos, while the opposite side was the Dark Domain. Under normal circumstances, the chaos and the Dark Domain had virtually no interaction. Only source lifeforms could freely travel between the chaos and the Dark Domain. Aside from that, only after vast expanses of time would the Dark Domain and the chaos establish a direct connection, opening pathways between the two realms. Yet whenever such an event occurred, it marked the advent of a "Great Tribulation." At that time, the chaos and the Dark Domain would engage in brutal slaughter. Apart from source lifeforms, beings of every other tier would be swept into the conflict. It was regarded as the most devastating catastrophe for both the chaos and the Dark Domain. Fortunately, that catastrophe remained very distant, giving no cause for immediate concern. The Dark Domain lifeforms held in the Heaven Prison were captives taken alive by the Heavenly Light Holy Sect during the previous Great Tribulation, imprisoned for study or other purposes. It was unclear what had caused the Heaven Prison to shatter, allowing vast numbers of Dark Domain lifeforms to break free. If left unchecked, they would undoubtedly inflict catastrophic destruction upon the Hundred Flowers Domain. *Buzz.* At that moment, Lu Changsheng’s identity token vibrated again. Someone was transmitting a message to him. Currently, Lu Changsheng had only one contact within the Heavenly Light Holy Sect: Xing Ying. In truth, they could barely be considered friends, having interacted only once. Xing Ying’s message read: “Fellow Daoist Lu, could you come to my cave dwelling for a discussion? It concerns the matter of the Heaven Prison.” Lu Changsheng’s thoughts stirred. The sudden breach of the Heaven Prison and the escape of the Dark Domain lifeforms were indeed peculiar. With Xing Ying’s profound background and superior clearance, she might possess insider information. With that in mind, Lu Changsheng rose and flew toward Xing Ying’s cave dwelling. He arrived shortly and met with Xing Ying. “Greetings, Fellow Daoist Xing Ying.” “Fellow Daoist Lu, please sit.” The two sat cross-legged. Lu Changsheng cut straight to the point. “Does Fellow Daoist Xing Ying know why the Heaven Prison breached?” Xing Ying shook her head. “I am not entirely certain; perhaps those Dark Domain lifeforms had plotted it for a long time. Regardless of the reason, the breach and their escape actually present an opportunity for us.” “An opportunity?” Lu Changsheng asked, puzzled. “Yes, an opportunity!” “Dark Domain lifeforms are of grave concern, and the Heavenly Light Holy Sect places immense importance on this matter. There will certainly be massive bounties. Slaying a single Dark Domain lifeform will yield an incredible amount of contribution points.” “Are you not tempted, Fellow Daoist Lu?” “I made some inquiries recently and learned that you can perform spatial shuttling within the Luojin Realm. Our destination, the Heaven Prison, is also a chaos world. If you can master the spatial power of the Heaven Prison and execute spatial shuttles, dealing with those Dark Domain lifeforms will be far easier.” “Might you be willing to bring me along? In truth, I can break through to Tier Four to Godhood at any time and will certainly not disappoint you. As for the total harvest, we can split it seventy-thirty—I will take only thirty percent.” Xing Ying’s words brought clarity to Lu Changsheng. No wonder she had sought him out so urgently. She had discovered his ability to traverse space in the Luojin Realm and deduced that he might be able to do the same within the Heaven Prison. However, Lu Changsheng could not guarantee such a feat unless the Heaven Prison lacked a world will. He did not reply immediately, falling into deep contemplation to weigh the pros and cons. If he truly went to the Heaven Prison, even assuming he could perform spatial shuttles, he could certainly slay many Dark Domain lifeforms relying on his Illusory Realm and over two million avatars, amassing substantial contribution points. However, the Heaven Prison held vast numbers of Dark Domain lifeforms. Lu Changsheng could not rely on the Illusory Realm indefinitely. What if the realm failed to hold? If the Illusory Realm gave way, he would have to fuse his avatars. Yet any loss suffered by the avatars was permanent, requiring significant time to cultivate them back. By the time he spent years restoring his fallen avatars, the Dark Domain lifeforms in the prison might have been wiped out by others. Therefore, he genuinely needed assistance. “Does the Heaven Prison possess a world will?” Lu Changsheng asked. Xing Ying was momentarily taken aback. “There is no world will. Although the Heaven Prison is a chaos world, it is a dead, desolate one...” Xing Ying answered. Lu Changsheng understood. A dead chaos world with no world will meant he was confident in mastering its spatial power to perform spatial shuttles. “I can bring you along, Fellow Daoist Xing Ying. However, that alone is not enough,” Lu Changsheng said. “You may recruit a trustworthy cultivator at Tier Nine to Godhood—preferably one with a Peerless rating. I will guide you both through spatial shuttles, and we will split the final contribution points sixty-forty: sixty for me, and forty for the two of you.” He voluntarily offered to give up ten percent. The reasoning was simple: if a true Tier Nine expert joined them, the contribution points earned from slaying ninth-tier Dark Domain lifeforms would be staggering. Giving up ten percent would yield him far more in total. As for how Xing Ying and the ninth-tier expert divided their forty-percent share, that was none of his concern. A sharp gleam flashed in Xing Ying’s eyes. After a moment of thought, she nodded. “Very well. I will find someone.” “If I can find a Tier Nine cultivator with a Peerless rating within three days, we will head to the Heaven Prison together. If not, you may proceed to the Heaven Prison alone, Fellow Daoist Lu.” Xing Ying possessed self-awareness. She knew her own combat prowess would be of limited use in such an endeavor; without a ninth-tier cultivator, Lu Changsheng would naturally refuse to team up with her. Days passed by. On the third day, Xing Ying sent a message. Lu Changsheng hurried to her cave dwelling, where he saw Xing Ying alongside another woman. The woman bore a cold, distant expression, reminiscent of an iceberg. Yet when her eyes fell upon Lu Changsheng, they brightened slightly. Xing Ying said with a smile, “Fellow Daoist Lu, this is Sister Liu Qing. She can be considered the very pinnacle of Tier Nine to Godhood in our sect, possessing a Peerless rating. Moreover, she holds a Cloud Palace, which is a chaos supreme treasure. With the Cloud Palace protecting her, not even a chaos lifeform could breach her defenses, placing her in an invincible position.” “Well, Fellow Daoist Lu, are you satisfied?” Lu Changsheng was inwardly astonished. This Liu Qing actually possessed a chaos supreme treasure. Within the chaos, treasures were categorized into chaos spirit treasures and chaos supreme treasures. A chaos spirit treasure allowed one to dominate the tiers of Godhood. A chaos supreme treasure was entirely different—it was an artifact contested even by chaos lifeforms. A defensive chaos supreme treasure was something that not even a chaos lifeform could shatter. Evidently, for Liu Qing to possess such a treasure, she had to wield both exceptional talent and a formidable background. That Xing Ying had recruited such a powerhouse surpassed Lu Changsheng’s expectations. With such an ally combined with his spatial shuttles, they could accomplish great things in the Heaven Prison. “Fellow Daoist Liu, do you have any objections to the distribution of contribution points?” Lu Changsheng asked. Such matters had to be clarified beforehand. Liu Qing nodded. “If you can truly perform spatial shuttling within the Heaven Prison, I have no objections.” Evidently, Liu Qing understood full well that Lu Changsheng’s ability to shuttle through space was the cornerstone of this venture. Otherwise, no matter how powerful she was, venturing into the prison alone would yield modest results. With spatial shuttling, everything changed. “Good. Then let us depart as soon as possible,” Lu Changsheng said. Xing Ying was the most delighted. Although she would receive only a fraction of the points, even ten percent would amount to an immense reward, and she would hardly need to exert herself. This was her fortune for acting as the intermediary; without her, Lu Changsheng would never have trusted another ninth-tier cultivator. It was mutually beneficial. The trio hesitated no further. Three days had elapsed since the Heaven Prison’s breach, and their actions were already somewhat delayed. They had to seize every moment. Together, they made their way to the teleportation array. With their clearance as Prodigy and Peerless cultivators, they were granted immediate access. *Hum.* The three stepped into the teleportation array and were whisked away. The Heaven Prison possessed a direct teleportation link with the Heavenly Light Holy Sect, transporting them straight into its interior. *Whoosh.* A white light flashed, and Lu Changsheng opened his eyes. He looked around at a desolate, dead expanse. “We have arrived. This is the Heaven Prison,” Xing Ying announced. “Fellow Daoist Lu, how long will it take for you to grasp spatial shuttling?” she inquired. Liu Qing’s gaze also turned toward Lu Changsheng. Indeed, mastering spatial shuttling was paramount. If it required too much time, this trip would lose its purpose. “It depends on the circumstances. I will do my utmost to sense the spatial power and master spatial shuttling.” Having said that, Lu Changsheng flew toward a nearby cave, entering seclusion to concentrate entirely on sensing the spatial power. With Xing Ying and Liu Qing guarding him, he felt no concern for his safety. Thus, Lu Changsheng began attuning himself to the spatial power. In the absence of a world will, sensing spatial power was something he was already adept at. Yet no matter how familiar he was, it still required time. Seeing Lu Changsheng fully absorbed in his meditation, Liu Qing and Xing Ying exchanged glances. The two were quite close, and Liu Qing could not resist asking, “Xing Ying, is he sensing the spatial power now to grasp the Heaven Prison’s space?” Liu Qing had not expected this. She had assumed Lu Changsheng possessed some artifact that enabled spatial shuttles. Was he truly relying purely on his own perception? Even as a genius, she lacked such confidence. How could anyone master spatial power in such a short span? Xing Ying was equally dumbfounded and at a loss. Like Liu Qing, she had assumed Lu Changsheng wielded a unique treasure capable of spatial traversal in chaos worlds, or one that drastically accelerated his comprehension of spatial power. Yet this was all? He was genuinely relying on his own innate comprehension to perceive spatial power. For a time, the two looked at each other in dismay. “Sister Liu Qing, what should we do now?” Xing Ying asked awkwardly. If Lu Changsheng took too long, would they not have traveled all this way for nothing? She might have even dragged Liu Qing down with her. Liu Qing frowned deeply. “Let us wait and see. If he cannot master the spatial power within three years, we will terminate our collaboration with him.” This was the limit of Liu Qing’s patience. Three years! No longer. Even after three years, a large portion of the Dark Domain lifeforms in the Heaven Prison would likely have been cleared out. Yet Liu Qing kept her eyes fixed on Lu Changsheng, harboring genuine curiosity. What gave a mere Tier Four cultivator with a Peerless rating the confidence to master the spatial power of a chaos world and perform spatial shuttles in such a short window? Could Lu Changsheng’s comprehension truly surpass that of a Prodigy? Even Prodigies could not fathom the spatial power of a chaos world, let alone shuttle through space. In fact, even chaos lifeforms could not naturally comprehend and control spatial power; most who traversed space did so by relying on sheer, brute force to tear through the void. To comprehend space purely through one's own perception and master its power for spatial shuttling was unheard of. Still, Liu Qing granted Lu Changsheng his chance, setting the limit strictly at three years! Meanwhile, Lu Changsheng remained immersed in the perception of space, completely unaware of the discussion between Liu Qing and Xing Ying. He focused solely on mastering the spatial power as swiftly as possible. Upon extending his senses, Lu Changsheng felt immense relief. There was indeed no world will. That simplified matters greatly. Without a world will, he could calmly and methodically comprehend space and master its forces; it was merely a matter of time. Having already mastered spatial power in the Luojin Realm, the process was exceptionally familiar to him. Days slipped away. One year, two years, three years... Three years passed, yet Lu Changsheng showed not the slightest sign of movement. A look of disappointment surfaced on Liu Qing’s face. “Sister Liu, should we wait a little longer?” Xing Ying asked, unwilling to give up. What if Lu Changsheng succeeded? She truly wanted to wait. Liu Qing, however, was different. Even without Lu Changsheng’s spatial shuttling, she could hunt many Dark Domain lifeforms on her own. To her, waiting three years was already a severe delay; she could not afford to waste more time, or her losses would be too great. “No need. We have waited three years; what purpose would waiting longer serve?” Liu Qing said, shaking her head. “If he only masters it decades from now, it will be useless to us.” Xing Ying knew that pressing Liu Qing further would be unreasonable. She could only sigh softly. *Buzz.* At that very moment, subtle ripples began to undulate through the void surrounding Lu Changsheng. Those were spatial ripples! Seeing this, Xing Ying’s expression brightened with joy. “Sister Liu, wait just a few more days!” Xing Ying pleaded. Liu Qing saw the disturbance around Lu Changsheng as well; it was undeniably a spatial ripple. Since progress had finally shown, Liu Qing gritted her teeth and said, “Very well. A few more days, then.” With tension and anticipation mounting, the two continued to wait. Roughly seven days later... *Whoosh.* Lu Changsheng suddenly opened his eyes. Greeting his gaze were two familiar figures. Xing Ying and Liu Qing rose abruptly to their feet, staring at Lu Changsheng with pleasant surprise. “Fellow Daoist Lu, did you succeed?” Xing Ying asked, her voice trembling slightly with excitement.