Return to the Black Light Pagoda, Ten Thousand Years of Arduous Cultivation Bring Metamorphosis!

"The second phase? You actually passed the trial of the second phase?" Saint Heavenly Light seemed familiar with the three trial phases of the Black Light Pagoda. It was precisely because he knew of them that he was so profoundly shaken. More than ten thousand epochs had passed since the Black Light Pagoda descended upon the Hundred Flowers Domain. Had anyone ever managed to pass its second phase? No! Not a single soul! Cultivators could not even pass the first phase. Whether tailored to those walking the Tiers to Godhood or to chaos lifeforms, the trials were extraordinarily difficult. Earlier, Saint Heavenly Light had harbored merely a sliver of hope. After all, Lu Changsheng had spent a thousand years inside the pagoda. Perhaps he had fulfilled certain requirements of the trials. Yet he had never imagined it would be true. "Lu Changsheng, why did you not stay to complete the third phase of the trial?" Saint Heavenly Light asked. "Well..." Lu Changsheng hesitated briefly, then decided against concealing the truth. "The Black Light Pagoda is exceedingly bizarre, and the third phase requires a vast amount of time. Feeling some doubt about Zisang's one-sided account, I chose to return first to gather more information regarding the pagoda..." Lu Changsheng spoke plainly, and Saint Heavenly Light understood immediately. So the young man had returned simply to investigate the pagoda. No wonder he had utilized his privileges as a Supreme Prodigy to inquire into records concerning it. Saint Heavenly Light could well understand such prudence. After all, an entity like the Black Light Pagoda vastly exceeded the imagination of ordinary cultivators. It was only natural for Lu Changsheng to harbor doubts. Saint Heavenly Light said, "Lu Changsheng, you have resided in the Hundred Flowers Domain all along, unaware of the situation beyond our borders. The Black Light Pagoda is authentic. It exists not only in our Hundred Flowers Domain, but in other chaos domains as well. "As for the pagoda's master, he stands at the pinnacle of the chaos. Otherwise, how could he leave a Black Light Pagoda in every single domain? "The trials of the Black Light Pagoda offer endless advantages without a single drawback. If one can pass them, the benefits are unimaginable. Even becoming a chaos lifeform is merely the beginning..." Saint Heavenly Light's words finally put Lu Changsheng's mind at ease. The Black Light Pagoda was authentic. Furthermore, it presented an immense fortune. Lu Changsheng looked at Saint Heavenly Light and could not help asking, "Saint, if becoming a chaos lifeform is merely the starting point, do hierarchies exist among chaos lifeforms as well?" "Naturally, there are differences in rank. "In truth, 'chaos lifeform' is only an umbrella term. Once one transforms into a chaos lifeform, one's very essence of life undergoes a fundamental change. After attaining that state, one must strive to achieve leaps in life essence. Each life leap is an unimaginable, monumental breakthrough, almost entirely a metamorphosis of essence. "When one's life leaps reach a certain point, one may begin working toward becoming a source lifeform. To become a source lifeform, the foundation of one's life leaps must be exceptionally solid. Otherwise, many chaos lifeforms manage only one or two leaps in their entire lives, making it virtually impossible to ever become a source lifeform. "If you pass the trial of the Black Light Pagoda, your cultivation after becoming a chaos lifeform will be countless times smoother than that of other cultivators. You will even stand a chance of becoming a source lifeform. "A source lifeform! You may not realize it, but across the vast chaos and its countless domains, most domains are incapable of producing even a single source lifeform. The history of our Hundred Flowers Domain is quite ancient, yet it has never given birth to one. "Should you pass the pagoda's trial, you will have the potential to become the very first source lifeform of our Hundred Flowers Domain! When that time comes, the benefits to both the domain and the Heavenly Light Holy Sect will be boundless." Saint Heavenly Light laid everything out with absolute clarity. Lu Changsheng gradually understood why Saint Heavenly Light was so supportive of him taking the trial. It carried boundless advantages for the entire Hundred Flowers Domain and the Heavenly Light Holy Land. Viewed in this light, Lu Changsheng had still underestimated the Black Light Pagoda. "Thank you, Saint Heavenly Light. This disciple understands what must be done," Lu Changsheng said thoughtfully. "Good! "Should you require any assistance, you may contact me directly." With that, Saint Heavenly Light's illusory image dissolved. Tranquility returned to Lu Changsheng's cave dwelling. 'The Black Light Pagoda is truly a tremendous opportunity, held in such high regard even by Saint Heavenly Light. 'Most likely, even Saint Heavenly Light himself attempted the Black Light Pagoda in the past, and probably met with failure.' A sharp glint flashed through Lu Changsheng's eyes. Still, the prospect of remaining within the Black Light Pagoda for ten thousand years weighed on him. That was an immensely long time. He had to make proper arrangements. 'Those who undergo the trials of the Black Light Pagoda are almost exclusively chaos lifeforms. Cultivators walking the Tiers to Godhood cannot even reach the bottom of the Illusory Spirit Abyss, so they lack the qualifications to enter the pagoda. 'However, now that I possess the Black Light Pagoda's imprint, could I bring someone inside to take the trial?' Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up. He immediately thought of Xing Ying. During the millennium he had been missing, Xing Ying had exhausted every available means, even paying a steep price to invite an ancestor of her clan into the Illusory Spirit Abyss to search for him. This showed just how much she valued him. Moreover, Xing Ying was a prodigy in her own right. If she were given the chance to take the trial, even if she failed, acquiring the first layer of the Myriad Origins Fundamental Art would still bring enormous benefits. However, she would almost certainly be unable to reach the bottom of the abyss on her own. Yet Lu Changsheng now carried the pagoda's imprint, allowing him to return directly. Inside the Black Light Pagoda, the distorting power of the abyss could not penetrate at all. This was tantamount to cheating. Yet what harm was there in cheating once for someone close to him? With that thought, Lu Changsheng went straight to Xing Ying's cave dwelling. "Fellow Daoist Lu, congratulations on becoming a Supreme Prodigy once more! Achieving the status of Supreme Prodigy three times in succession is unprecedented in the Heavenly Light Holy Sect!" Xing Ying was genuinely overjoyed for him. Lu Changsheng smiled faintly. "Fellow Daoist Xing Ying, when you asked an ancestor of the Phantom race to search for me in the Illusory Spirit Abyss a while ago, the price was surely not small, was it?" Lu Changsheng knew full well that regardless of her status as a prodigy of the Phantom race, an ancestor who was a chaos lifeform could not be mobilized on a whim. She must have paid an immense price. Xing Ying fell silent. After a long pause, she offered a strained smile. "It matters not. He is an ancestor of the Phantom race after all. So long as I watch over our clan once I become a chaos lifeform in the future, it is nothing." She did not specify the price, but Lu Changsheng could not pretend ignorance. "Xing Ying, come with me to a place." "Go to a place?" Xing Ying looked puzzled. Lu Changsheng did not know how best to explain, so he simply took out his identity token, searched for the entry on the Black Light Pagoda, and presented the information to her. Xing Ying was intrigued. As an ordinary prodigy, her authority was far below Lu Changsheng's, and she had never learned of the Black Light Pagoda. As she read through the records carefully, shock rippled across her face. "Fellow Daoist Lu, during your millennium in the Illusory Spirit Abyss, you were actually taking part in the trials of the Black Light Pagoda?" She understood now. "Indeed. That entire millennium was spent undergoing the trials within the pagoda. "This trial is a monumental opportunity. I will take you to give it a try. Even if you do not succeed, you will gain immense benefits," Lu Changsheng said. Yet Xing Ying hurriedly shook her head. "The Black Light Pagoda sits at the bottom of the Illusory Spirit Abyss. My mind and spirit are not as formidable as yours; I cannot descend that far." Xing Ying knew her own limitations. She was indeed a prodigy, but that stemmed from being a special lifeform, which granted her innate advantages. In terms of mind and spirit, she held no advantage whatsoever. "You will not need to travel through the abyss yourself. I will take you!" Her eyes widened in bewilderment. He could bring someone along to the Black Light Pagoda? It sounded unbelievable. Yet she was certain Lu Changsheng would not deceive her. After a long pause, Xing Ying gritted her teeth. "Very well. If I can enter the Black Light Pagoda, I will give it a try." To be granted a chance at such a trial was extraordinary good fortune. Naturally, she was unwilling to let it slip by. Lu Changsheng smiled and grasped her hand. "Let us go." The next instant, Lu Changsheng activated the imprint within his body. Whoosh. Both Lu Changsheng and Xing Ying vanished in an instant. Immediately afterward, Lu Changsheng reappeared inside the Black Light Pagoda. He surveyed his surroundings, thoroughly satisfied. 'Splendid. The pagoda imprint on me really can bring someone along.' It was indeed a form of cheating. Yet it gained them entry, and that was all that mattered. As Lu Changsheng arrived, Zisang's figure manifested abruptly. "Lu Changsheng, you returned so quickly? "Wait, who is this...?" Zisang noticed Xing Ying. "Zisang, this is my junior sister Xing Ying, a special lifeform of the Phantom race. "Since she has arrived within the Black Light Pagoda, according to the rules, should she not be permitted to take the preliminary trial?" Lu Changsheng asked directly. "What? She wants to take the preliminary trial? "Impossible. She did not reach the bottom of the Illusory Spirit Abyss by her own strength; she cannot take part in the preliminary trial." Zisang shook its head. The pagoda's trials were not open to just anyone. Even many chaos lifeforms lacked the qualifications. Lu Changsheng asked again, "Is the prerequisite for taking the trial reaching the bottom of the Illusory Spirit Abyss? As I recall, the condition was entering the Black Light Pagoda. So long as one enters the pagoda, one is qualified to take the trial. "Has Xing Ying entered the Black Light Pagoda now? If so, she is qualified to participate!" Zisang's eyes widened. It seemed that was indeed the case. Reaching the bottom of the abyss was not an explicit requirement; one merely had to enter the pagoda. Even though Xing Ying had clearly been brought in by Lu Changsheng—an act of blatant cheating—the fact remained that she stood within the Black Light Pagoda. It complied with the letter of the rules. "Very well. "Allowing her to take the trial does no harm. "This trial is not something just anyone can pass." In the end, Zisang nodded in agreement. For Lu Changsheng's sake, it had to grant this favor. After all, Lu Changsheng stood a very real chance of passing the third phase. "However, this is only for this one time! There will be no next time. If you cheat again and bring people in like this, I will not give them the opportunity to attempt the trial," Zisang warned. "Understood. Just this once." Lu Changsheng agreed with a nod. He had no intention of bringing just anyone. Thus, Xing Ying began her attempt at the Black Light Pagoda's trial. Because she was also a cultivator walking the Tiers to Godhood, she was required to achieve initial mastery over the Myriad Origins Fundamental Art within one year—which meant mastering the first layer. The difficulty was immense. Xing Ying gave it her all, beginning her attempt to cultivate the art. One month, three months, five months, eight months... In the blink of an eye, a year drifted past. Lu Changsheng had felt no rush to start the third phase of his own trial. Instead, he had waited for the full year, keeping Xing Ying company throughout. "One year has elapsed," Zisang's voice echoed through the pagoda. Xing Ying slowly opened her eyes. Her gaze was brimming with disappointment. "I... I failed..." She lowered her head in self-reproach. She was a prodigy and had always taken pride in her comprehension. Yet the Myriad Origins Fundamental Art was simply too vast and profound. In one year, far from attaining initial mastery, she had failed to grasp even the faintest clue. She had even begun to feel that perhaps no one could ever cultivate this art. Yet when she recalled that Lu Changsheng had trained in it and achieved initial mastery in merely nine months, the stark contrast made her realize the immense gulf between them. "Did you still fail? "It is quite normal, really. Many chaos lifeforms have failed the trial as well," Lu Changsheng consoled her. "Those who fail the trial shall be expelled from the Black Light Pagoda," Zisang stated. "Fellow Daoist Xing Ying, return to the Heavenly Light Holy Sect for now," Lu Changsheng said. "What about you?" "I will likely remain in the pagoda for several thousand years, perhaps even ten thousand." Lu Changsheng did not conceal his intentions. Xing Ying paused, startled. Staying for such an immense span was naturally for the sake of undergoing his trial. She nodded. "Fellow Daoist Lu, you must succeed." As soon as she finished speaking, Zisang waved a hand, and Xing Ying's figure vanished without a trace, expelled from the pagoda. Silence settled over the Black Light Pagoda once more. Zisang looked at Lu Changsheng and murmured softly, "The path of cultivation is truly lonely. Whether it be my master or those supreme talents, rarely can anyone beside them keep pace. In the end, those around you drift farther and farther away until they cannot even catch sight of your back..." Lu Changsheng understood what Zisang meant. Looking back along the path he had walked since embarking on cultivation, had anyone ever kept pace with him? No. Not a single one! Xing Ying was indeed a prodigy. Yet so what? She could not keep up with his stride at all. In fact, not just Xing Ying, but no one in the entire Hundred Flowers Domain could match his pace. Certain people were destined to drift apart. "I understand. "Let us begin the third phase of the trial," Lu Changsheng said in a deep voice, drawing a steady breath. Zisang nodded. "Within ten thousand years, use the Myriad Origins Fundamental Art to metamorphose into a chaos lifeform! Time is extremely tight and the burden of cultivation is heavy. Only by giving your absolute all do you stand even the slimmest chance..." Zisang wore a solemn expression. The third phase was the final task of the preliminary trial. Should Lu Changsheng succeed, he would have fully passed the preliminary trial. When that time came, its mission would be accomplished, and it could finally leave the Hundred Flowers Domain. Yet whether it could succeed depended entirely on Lu Changsheng. "Let us begin." Lu Changsheng stepped into the meditation chamber to begin his seclusion in earnest. This would likely be the longest period of seclusion in his entire life. He had anticipated this long ago and prepared himself accordingly. "Very well." Zisang nodded. It then transmitted the seventh through ninth layers of the Myriad Origins Fundamental Art to Lu Changsheng, which included the method for metamorphosing into a chaos lifeform. Watching the doors of the chamber seal shut, Zisang grew tense. 'Ten thousand years... I hope he succeeds...' Deep anticipation welled within Zisang's heart. Inside the chamber, Lu Changsheng began cultivating the Myriad Origins Fundamental Art. He had already completed the sixth layer. Yet progressing from the sixth layer to the seventh still required time to break through. Lu Changsheng gave everything he had, his true spirit illuminating every single flesh particle within him while his terrifying comprehension continuously refined them according to the techniques of the art. Under these conditions, his efficiency soared. One hundred years, three hundred years, five hundred years, eight hundred years, one thousand years... Time flowed on, and a millennium slipped away in an instant. Within the chamber, Lu Changsheng lost all concept of the passing years. Yet within the Heavenly Light Holy Sect, the millennium brought notable changes. Newly recruited disciples began making names for themselves. Prodigy after prodigy emerged. Yet what did that matter? Lu Changsheng hung across the sky like a blazing sun, suppressing every prodigy in the sect. Though prodigies arose one after another, not a single Supreme Prodigy was born. All of them had to yield beneath Lu Changsheng's shadow. Even after a thousand years without his presence, the legend of Lu Changsheng continued to circulate within the Heavenly Light Holy Sect. From time to time, Xing Ying would gaze in the direction of the Illusory Spirit Abyss, her brows tightly furrowed. "A thousand years, yet I still cannot attain initial mastery over the first layer of the Myriad Origins Fundamental Art..." she murmured in a low voice. The disparity! She truly felt the staggering disparity. Failing to pass within a single year inside the pagoda had been one thing. Yet she had returned to the holy land and even utilized her status as a prodigy to consume precious cultivation aids. Still, a thousand years had yielded no initial mastery. This drove Xing Ying toward despair. What did being a special lifeform matter? Compared to Lu Changsheng, the gulf was vast. At this moment, Xing Ying truly understood that she would likely never be able to keep up with his footsteps in the future. Time continued to race by. Cultivating inside the chamber within the Black Light Pagoda, Lu Changsheng gave his all, his heart free from all distractions, advancing at an astonishing speed. In eight hundred years, Lu Changsheng broke through to the seventh layer. In three thousand one hundred years, he attained the eighth layer. In six thousand eight hundred years, he reached the ninth layer. In nine thousand one hundred years, he perfected the ninth layer. At this point, the Myriad Origins Fundamental Art was fully consummated. Yet Lu Changsheng had not yet broken through to become a chaos lifeform. Whoosh. Lu Changsheng opened his eyes. "The Myriad Origins Fundamental Art is consummated..." he murmured softly. At this moment, every single flesh particle within his body seemed to radiate wisps of light. Every particle felt profoundly weighty. With his current physique, he felt that slaying a chaos lifeform from below was no difficult feat. "Illusory Realm." The next instant, Lu Changsheng summoned his Illusory Realm, enshrouding himself within it. Every flesh particle throughout his body vibrated in unison. "Break!" As the command left his lips, he drove a fist forward. Terrifying physical strength erupted. This was power at its purest. An incomparable, frightening force tore through the Illusory Realm like dry twigs in a gale. In an instant, the Illusory Realm shattered into pieces. It broke. It had been shattered with absolute ease. One had to remember that Lu Changsheng's Illusory Realm had long been capable of trapping Tier Nine to Godhood powerhouses. Yet before his physical body, it was utterly fragile. 'Indeed, once the Myriad Origins Fundamental Art reaches consummation, its might is earth-shattering. 'The Illusory Realm is formidable, but it still falls short of the Myriad Origins Fundamental Art. After all, the art was created through the painstaking efforts of the pagoda's master, claimed to exhaust every mystery of the flesh. How could the Illusory Realm compare?' Lu Changsheng knew his own limits. The Illusory Realm was merely a divine ability derived from his Dao Fruit—a heaven-bestowed divine ability. Later, through fortunate encounters, Lu Changsheng had transformed it step by step from illusion into reality, turning it into a world and embarking on the path of a Realm Lord. By comparison, the Illusory Realm was naturally far inferior to the Myriad Origins Fundamental Art. Even so, the utility of the Illusory Realm could not be replaced by the art. They represented two distinct paths, and Lu Changsheng had no desire to abandon either. Previously, the Illusory Realm had led the way, but now his physical body had overtaken it. If Lu Changsheng were to challenge the ninth assessment passage of the Heavenly Light Holy Sect now, he had no doubt he could pass using pure physical strength alone. The Myriad Origins Fundamental Art accumulated greater strength with each advancing realm. At the sixth layer, the art alone had not been enough for him to become a Supreme Prodigy. Yet by the seventh layer, he could have attained that title relying entirely on his flesh. Now, at the consummation of the ninth layer, the horrifying accumulation allowed him to easily slay a chaos lifeform while still on the Tiers to Godhood! Lu Changsheng was thoroughly confident in this. However, slaying a chaos lifeform held little meaning in itself. What was the use of mere combat prowess? One's cultivation realm was the foundation! Without becoming a chaos lifeform, one amounted to nothing. Now Lu Changsheng had to consider how to undergo the transformation. The methods were recorded within the Myriad Origins Fundamental Art. "Nine thousand one hundred years have passed, leaving nine hundred years to leisurely metamorphose into a chaos lifeform. Time is more than sufficient..." Lu Changsheng murmured. There was plenty of time, yet Lu Changsheng now faced a crucial choice regarding how to transform. The Myriad Origins Fundamental Art outlined two distinct methods for metamorphosing into a chaos lifeform. The first method was to completely fuse all flesh particles into a single whole. The terrifying power unleashed by their complete fusion would be sufficient to propel the body into a full metamorphosis into a chaos lifeform. The second method was to maintain the current state of consummated flesh particles and attempt to transform them one by one. Every single particle would undergo metamorphosis. Once all particles had transformed, Lu Changsheng would naturally become a chaos lifeform. There was a vast difference between the two methods. It would even directly impact his future life leaps after becoming a chaos lifeform. The first method required very little time, and Lu Changsheng was virtually guaranteed to become a chaos lifeform. However, once all flesh particles fused, future variations would become severely limited. With the body forged into a single unified whole, its overall power and potential would fall short of the second method. Under the second method, countless individual flesh particles remained, each serving as a world of its own with boundless potential. Its potential far exceeded that of the first method. However, the second method required far more time. After all, how long would it take to transform every single flesh particle? Lu Changsheng calculated carefully. With only nine hundred years remaining, choosing the second method meant time might not suffice. There was a real probability he would fail to complete the transformation within nine hundred years. Under normal circumstances without a time limit, Lu Changsheng would unhesitatingly choose the second method. Both its potential and combat power were far greater. Yet now there was a time limit, and the first method guaranteed passing the trial. For a moment, Lu Changsheng found himself caught in a dilemma. 'I cultivate for my own sake, not for a trial. 'Even if I fail the trial, cultivation is my own affair, concerning my future foundation.' At this moment, Lu Changsheng understood, and his heart settled on a decision. He would choose the second method! Thus, Lu Changsheng ceased worrying about the time limit. If he failed to pass, so be it. Cultivation was his true foundation. Even if he failed the Black Light Pagoda's trial, did that mean he could never reach the pinnacle in the future? Nonsense! Blessed with top-tier comprehension, Lu Changsheng believed he could reach the peak under any circumstance! With all doubts cast aside, he no longer had any misgivings. He began attempting to transform his flesh particles one by one. Boom. In just one year, the first flesh particle broke through. Then, ten months later, the second particle succeeded. Lu Changsheng sensed that the further along he went, the faster his particles seemed to break through. Moreover, as the number of metamorphosed particles grew, they began exerting an intangible influence over the remaining ones. Lu Changsheng could faintly sense that the other particles were beginning to transform spontaneously. This was truly an unexpected delight. Who would have guessed that a large quantity of transformed particles could stimulate the untransformed ones? This way, Lu Changsheng had no need to laboriously transform every single particle individually. Time sped by. One hundred years, two hundred years, three hundred years, four hundred years, five hundred years... The deadline drew nearer. More than half of the flesh particles throughout Lu Changsheng's body had successfully transformed. Six hundred years, seven hundred years, eight hundred years! Boom. Finally, when eight hundred years had passed, all of Lu Changsheng's flesh particles vibrated in unison. At this moment, ninety-nine percent of his particles had transformed, and the tiny remaining fraction was completing its metamorphosis as well. Lu Changsheng clearly felt his physical body recombining and sublimating. It was a sublimation of his life essence. This sensation of sublimation suddenly illuminated the future cultivation of chaos lifeforms for him. A life leap! So this was what a life leap felt like. In truth, Lu Changsheng had guessed correctly. In a sense, advancing from the Tiers to Godhood to a chaos lifeform was itself a form of life leap. Once one attained the state of a chaos lifeform, one became an entirely new being. Even the essence of life was fundamentally different. Lu Changsheng's flesh particles continued to recombine and transform. He could feel his strength surging by a hundredfold, a thousandfold, even ten thousandfold. Yes, it was truly that staggering. A ten-thousandfold increase. No wonder slaying a chaos lifeform from below was so exceedingly difficult. Against a ten-thousandfold surge, how could one hope to conquer them? Still, perhaps other cultivators did not experience a ten-thousandfold increase when transforming into chaos lifeforms. After all, Lu Changsheng cultivated a different technique—the Myriad Origins Fundamental Art. It was something no ordinary method could rival. Every single flesh particle in Lu Changsheng's body exuded a terrifying aura. Even a single particle seemed capable of effortlessly suppressing a cultivator of Tier Nine to Godhood!