Suppressing Ox Demon Patriarch! Sweeping Through the Chaos World, Reaping Massive Cultivation Resources!

"Suppress!" Lu Changsheng hesitated no longer. He did not attempt to battle Ox Demon Patriarch with his physical body alone. There was completely no need. Now was not the time for sparring; now was the time to seize cultivation resources. Every moment wasted meant potentially missing out on countless resources. Thus, against Ox Demon Patriarch, Lu Changsheng went all out from the start, intending to suppress him completely. *Rumble!* The Black Light Pagoda expanded in an instant, swelling to tens of thousands of zhang tall. Plunging straight out of the void, it slammed ruthlessly down atop Ox Demon Patriarch's head. This was the first time Lu Changsheng had driven the Black Light Pagoda with all his might. "Ahhh..." Ox Demon Patriarch let out a miserable shriek. He was a proud chaos lifeform of two life leaps, possessing immensely powerful strength that allowed him to run rampant across countless domains. Yet beneath the full suppression of the Black Light Pagoda, Ox Demon Patriarch could not hold on. Even though this was merely a child matrix of the Black Light Pagoda, he still could not withstand it. Soon, Ox Demon Patriarch was thoroughly pinned down by the pagoda. In fact, Lu Changsheng would only need to spend a little time to completely annihilate him, causing him to perish on the spot. Only now did Lu Changsheng suddenly realize something. The Black Light Realm seemingly offered no special privileges to cultivators like them who had passed the preliminary trial. They even had to exert strenuous effort to compete in the rankings, and those ranked past ten thousand appeared to be cast aside, receiving no support or rewards whatsoever. In reality, however, the Black Light Realm had already bestowed its reward long ago—and it was the greatest reward of all. The Black Light Realm's reward was the child matrix of the Black Light Pagoda itself. This Dao-protecting treasure was virtually invincible against anyone below four life leaps. It could safely shepherd a cultivator all the way to three or four life leaps, completely free from external peril. Could there be any greater reward than this? "Stop, stop, stop!" "Fellow Daoist, this old bull will leave this chaos world right now! I swear I won't spread the word!" At this point, Ox Demon Patriarch begged for mercy. When he first saw the Black Light Pagoda, he had already wanted to plead for quarter, but before he could even speak, he was suppressed. If this suppression continued, he genuinely felt the threat of death looming over him. Therefore, Ox Demon Patriarch pleaded for his life without hesitation. "Hmm?" Lu Changsheng's brows furrowed slightly. Ox Demon Patriarch was a chaos lifeform of two life leaps; truth be told, he was quite strong. Of course, Lu Changsheng's child Black Light Pagoda was stronger. At any other time, given enough time, Lu Changsheng could naturally grind Ox Demon Patriarch down bit by bit using the Black Light Pagoda until he was slain. Under the present circumstances, however, time was what Lu Changsheng lacked most. There was no need to squander precious time on Ox Demon Patriarch. "Ox Demon Patriarch, is it? Lu knows your background. Stay right here in this chaos world and make no moves. Otherwise, Lu will certainly obliterate you completely," Lu Changsheng said coldly, a trace of killing intent lacing his tone. Ox Demon Patriarch's heart shuddered. *Stay in this chaos world?* That was perilous indeed. What if Lu Changsheng decided to kill him afterward? Yet what could he do if he refused? If he refused, Lu Changsheng could slowly grind him to dust right now. "This old bull agrees! I'll stay in this chaos world and won't dare make a reckless move!" Ox Demon Patriarch said in a hurry. He had no wish to be endlessly eroded by the Black Light Pagoda. "Retract." Lu Changsheng recalled the Black Light Pagoda. Regaining his freedom, Ox Demon Patriarch finally breathed a sigh of relief. Had it continued any longer, he would have suffered grievous losses. For now, though a portion of his physical body had been annihilated, his foundation remained undamaged, making recovery relatively straightforward. Lu Changsheng asked again, "Did you rush here after sensing the fluctuations of the chaos world?" Ox Demon Patriarch answered honestly, "Yes. This old bull was nearby and felt the tremors of a newborn chaos world, so I rushed here immediately. I thought it was a tremendous stroke of fortune, but who could have known the three of you had already arrived long before..." In truth, Ox Demon Patriarch had already guessed the reality. These three had most likely known of the embryonic chaos world and waited here all along, which was why they had been able to seize the initiative so quickly. Ox Demon Patriarch could have secured a head start as well, but his strength fell short, leaving him with no choice but to prioritize his life. As for the opportunity, he dared entertain no further thoughts of it. "Fellow Daoist Lu, are we simply going to let this two-life-leap Ox Demon Patriarch wander freely?" Chen Yuan asked. Lu Changsheng cast a glance. He, too, felt that leaving him entirely unchecked was not ideal. Leaving a mighty two-life-leap expert idling here was indeed somewhat risky—or rather, a bit wasteful. Since he was already here, an extra two-life-leap expert was, in a sense, an extra helper. After all, Lu Changsheng already knew Ox Demon Patriarch's background, and as long as he did not let Ox Demon Patriarch stray too far, nothing could go wrong. With this in mind, Lu Changsheng immediately said to Ox Demon Patriarch, "Ox Demon Patriarch, you must not leave within a ten-thousand-li radius of Lu. The moment you step outside ten thousand li, Lu will immediately suppress you and thoroughly grind your flesh away. With the Black Light Pagoda in hand, you should well understand the consequences." "Yes, this old bull understands. What would Fellow Daoist have me do?" Ox Demon Patriarch asked cautiously. "Gather cultivation resources, of course. Whenever you find any, turn them over to Lu. Once this affair concludes, Lu will grant you your freedom." Lu Changsheng's words brought relief to Ox Demon Patriarch's heart. Fortunately, Lu Changsheng had put him to work collecting cultivation resources. That meant he still held value. Being useful was good; as long as he was of use, Lu Changsheng would not truly kill him. As for his original intent to fight over cultivation resources, not a shred of it remained. Under these circumstances, what was the point of vying for cultivation resources? Staying alive came first! Thus, Ox Demon Patriarch diligently set about gathering cultivation resources. He was, after all, a powerhouse of two life leaps. Although Lu Changsheng had to divide his attention to keep an eye on him, slightly reducing his own efficiency, having Ox Demon Patriarch's assistance added another pair of hands. Ox Demon Patriarch was formidable and worked swiftly, greatly boosting the overall speed at which the four gathered resources. Days went by. Finally, a month later, more chaos lifeforms arrived. This time, however, it was not merely one. Dozens of chaos lifeforms arrived together. Indeed, dozens of chaos lifeforms. Among them were experts who had undergone life leaps as well as ordinary chaos lifeforms. They swarmed into the chaos world like a hornet's nest, madly snatching up cultivation resources. Lu Changsheng could not suppress them all one by one, nor could he drive them away. He could only seize every moment to collect as many resources as possible, gathering whatever he could. Moreover, as time went on, swarms of chaos lifeforms poured into the chaos world every day. Ox Demon Patriarch harbored a bitter grievance he could not speak aloud. He deeply regretted having arrived at this chaos world so early. Had he come a month later like the others, he would not have been kept under Lu Changsheng's watchful eye, nor would he have been suppressed. Perhaps he could have gotten a taste of the broth and obtained some resources for himself. Now, however, he had been reduced to a laborer for the three, dutifully gathering cultivation resources on their behalf. Finally, three months later, the first "heavyweight" chaos lifeform arrived. It was a chaos lifeform of five life leaps. The moment this entity appeared, its terrifying pressure blanketed the entire chaos world. "All chaos lifeforms, get out!" A thunderous voice resounded through the entire chaos world. The expressions of numerous chaos lifeforms drastically shifted. Lu Changsheng did not hesitate for an instant. "Leave." A flash of dark light swept out from the Black Light Pagoda, instantly whisking away Chen Yuan, Tian Cong, and Ox Demon Patriarch. The pagoda then traversed the void and departed the chaos world. Lu Changsheng dared not delay in the slightest, executing space traversals repeatedly as he fled furiously toward the Black Light Realm. Only when he arrived back at the Black Light Realm did he finally let his guard down. "Phew..." Lu Changsheng breathed a sigh of relief. "We are safe." Lu Changsheng retracted the Black Light Pagoda, and the figures appeared within the Black Light Realm. Ox Demon Patriarch looked rather awkward. "Ox Demon Patriarch, how many cultivation resources did you collect? Bring them all out," Lu Changsheng said. Ox Demon Patriarch knew that Lu Changsheng had been keeping a close watch on him; concealment was impossible, nor did he dare try. "This old bull collected thirty-four portions of cultivation resources." Ox Demon Patriarch produced the resources. Chen Yuan said, "I collected twenty-three portions." Tian Cong said, "I collected twenty-five portions." Finally, everyone turned their eyes toward Lu Changsheng. Lu Changsheng said slowly, "Lu collected forty-eight portions in total." The reason he had gathered so many more was simple: he had utilized the Black Light Pagoda. With the pagoda's aid, his harvesting efficiency had soared significantly. After calculating the total, Lu Changsheng wore a faint smile and said, "A total of one hundred and thirty portions of cultivation resources!" Chen Yuan and Tian Cong were overjoyed. One hundred and thirty portions! This vastly exceeded their expectations. A newborn chaos world generally yielded only a hundred-odd portions of cultivation resources; most of them had likely been harvested by their group. The remaining hordes of chaos lifeforms truly had nothing left to do but scrounge for leftover broth, fighting over the few remaining scraps. Ox Demon Patriarch watched this immense haul with envy, yet unfortunately, none of it belonged to him. "Ox Demon Patriarch, you may go." Lu Changsheng kept his word. After all, Ox Demon Patriarch had gathered over thirty portions and exerted great effort. Moreover, now that they were in the Black Light Realm, even if Ox Demon Patriarch spread the news, they had nothing to fear. "Thank you, Fellow Daoist." Having surrendered all the resources, Ox Demon Patriarch dared not linger, hastily departing from the Black Light Realm. Only the three remained. All three stared at the one hundred and thirty portions of cultivation resources, their gazes burning with excitement. However, they had already agreed on the distribution ratio beforehand. "According to our agreed shares, Fellow Daoist Tian Cong and Lu each take forty percent, which comes to fifty-two portions each. The remaining twenty-six portions belong to Fellow Daoist Chen Yuan. Do either of you have any objections?" Lu Changsheng inquired. "None at all. We will divide it according to the ratio." Both Chen Yuan and Tian Cong nodded. Thus, the three divided the one hundred and thirty portions. Exchanging glances, each wore a smile. This outcome brought satisfaction to all—a truly bountiful harvest! "I must now cultivate to refine these resources," Lu Changsheng said to the two. "If either of you comes across such fortunate ventures regarding cultivation resources in the future, please do contact Lu." Through this bout of "fighting side by side," the three had established basic mutual trust. In particular, Lu Changsheng and Chen Yuan had grown closer; in the Black Light Realm, Chen Yuan was Lu Changsheng's only friend. "Naturally. However, I expect we too will be in seclusion for a long time this round," Chen Yuan said. Lu Changsheng nodded. The three went their separate ways, and Lu Changsheng returned to his cave dwelling. *First, exchange them for Grandmist Qi.* Among the fifty-two portions of cultivation resources allotted to Lu Changsheng, one was already a wisp of Grandmist Qi. That left fifty-one portions available for trade, which fetched a total of 5,100 Black Light coins. He then directly purchased forty-six wisps of Grandmist Qi; factoring in the ten percent fee, this cost 5,060 Black Light coins. Combined with the thirty Black Light coins he previously had, Lu Changsheng was left with just seventy coins. However, the forty-six purchased wisps plus the existing one totaled forty-seven wisps of Grandmist Qi. That was enough to occupy him in refinement for over forty years. Once the Grandmist Qi was delivered, Lu Changsheng hesitated no longer and immediately began refining it. Ten years, twenty years, thirty years, forty years... For forty-seven full years, Lu Changsheng remained in closed-door seclusion refining the Grandmist Qi. With forty-seven wisps refined, his physical strength surged dramatically. *Shhk!* After refining the final wisp, Lu Changsheng opened his eyes and immediately brought up the attribute panel: Host: Lu Changsheng Comprehension: Top-tier comprehension World Master: 0 (Embryonic) Chaos Lifeform: 71% (Rudimentary) On the attribute panel, Lu Changsheng's flesh progression had reached 71%. It could well be described as meteoric progress. And how long had it been since Lu Changsheng undertook the ultimate trial? Barely close to four hundred years. One had to keep in mind that the Black Light Pagoda mother matrix had allotted him a full ten thousand years for the trial. Yet in merely under four hundred years, he had already pushed his physical body to 71% progression—an unimaginably rapid rate of advancement. Granted, a large part of this came down to good fortune. Both the first and second opportunities had yielded vast quantities of cultivation resources. Of course, luck was its own kind of strength. Yet good fortune could not accompany him indefinitely. In the period that followed, Lu Changsheng continued his pursuit of cultivation resources. This time, however, the pace slowed considerably. Through the Same Boat Token and within the Black Light Realm, he closely monitored news of available cultivation resources. Even if it was not Grandmist Qi, it did not matter, so long as the resource was on par with Grandmist Qi. Yet his luck ran dry this time—or rather, he had returned to a normal state of fortune. One hundred years, two hundred years, three hundred years... Lu Changsheng spent three hundred years only to obtain a single portion of cultivation resources. Coupled with his remaining Black Light coins, he could only exchange it for one wisp of Grandmist Qi. Lu Changsheng pondered the situation; things could not continue like this. If it took three hundred years to obtain a single portion, and he still needed more than twenty wisps of Grandmist Qi, would that not require seven thousand years? Seven thousand years might not even suffice. With a ten-thousand-year deadline hanging over him, he had to be fast. As fast as humanly possible. Now was not the time to seek stability, but speed. "Zisang, are there any other ways to acquire more cultivation resources quickly?" Lu Changsheng asked Zisang. Even taking some risks would be worthwhile. His cultivation philosophy had always prioritized caution and stability. He possessed top-tier comprehension. By taking things steadily, he would reach the summit sooner or later. However, the Black Light Realm's ultimate trial was of paramount importance. He only had ten thousand years, after all. He had to pick up the pace. "Master, if you wish to obtain cultivation resources more rapidly, there is indeed a way," Zisang answered. "You may try applying to go to the Dark Domain battlefield. "This Dark Domain battlefield lies within the Dark Domain itself. The Dark Domain and chaos are two sides of the same coin, each infiltrating the other. Just as Dark Domain lifeforms infiltrate chaos, chaos experts infiltrate the Dark Domain. Aside from large-scale wars when passages open, the conflict consists of these small-scale battles. "However, only chaos lifeforms are generally qualified to participate in such combat. "To counter the Dark Domain, countless factions within chaos formed the Chaos Alliance. Any chaos lifeform who enters the Dark Domain battlefield and scores achievements can obtain substantial rewards from the Chaos Alliance, including cultivation resources. "Yet there remains one drawback: danger. Entering the Dark Domain is exceedingly perilous; untold numbers of chaos lifeforms have perished there." Zisang's words caused Lu Changsheng's brow to knit slightly. The Dark Domain. Of course Lu Changsheng knew of it. He had even used the Black Light Pagoda to slay two Dark Domain lifeforms at the chaos lifeform level. "What is the casualty rate on the Dark Domain battlefield?" Lu Changsheng asked. If the mortality rate was as high as eighty or ninety percent, Lu Changsheng definitely would not go. Going would be courting death, serving no purpose. No matter how precious cultivation resources were, they could not compare to his own life. "The mortality rate on the Dark Domain battlefield is roughly thirty percent!" Zisang answered. "Thirty percent..." In truth, that was quite high. Those were chaos lifeforms! Three out of ten chaos lifeforms met their end. What a staggering mortality rate that was! For a moment, Lu Changsheng hesitated once more. Thirty percent was high, but at least it was not suicide. Yet how could Lu Changsheng guarantee he would not end up among that thirty percent? "I have the Black Light Pagoda protecting me, so my survival rate should be higher. Zisang, what is the mortality rate on the Dark Domain battlefield for cultivators who possess a Black Light Pagoda?" Lu Changsheng asked again. "For cultivators possessing a Black Light Pagoda, the mortality rate is one percent." Lu Changsheng was taken aback. One percent? That was not high at all; it was extraordinarily low. Naturally, this involved a matter of sample size. Very few chaos lifeforms heading to the Dark Domain battlefield possessed a Black Light Pagoda. The reason was simple: cultivators who possessed a Black Light Pagoda could walk unopposed in the Black Light Realm and were the foremost geniuses of various domains. When one could cultivate in peace and safety within the Black Light Realm, who would bother going to the Dark Domain battlefield? Consequently, the number of Black Light Realm cultivators who ventured there was minuscule. *Wait another thousand years and see what results come of it?* Lu Changsheng did not want to make a rash decision. He intended to wait a little longer, to see whether it was truly impossible to obtain cultivation resources this way. Thus, Lu Changsheng continued inquiring everywhere for information on cultivation resources. Three hundred years, five hundred years, eight hundred years, one thousand years... A thousand years elapsed, and Lu Changsheng obtained only four portions of cultivation resources in total. In a thousand years, his flesh progression barely crept to 76%. This was simply too slow. The meager harvest over this millennium made Lu Changsheng realize that he could no longer afford to wait around at this sluggish pace. He had to go to the Dark Domain battlefield. Otherwise, who knew how long it would take to gather enough resources? Only now did Lu Changsheng truly understand why, out of the 110,000 cultivators in the Black Light Realm, so few passed the ultimate trial. It was not due to a lack of talent. Cultivation resources were likely the greatest hurdle of all. Everything in the Black Light Realm was fair. Luck, background, resources, and the like were all indispensable parts of cultivation. To become a source lifeform, one could not have a single weakness in any aspect. If one wanted cultivation resources, one had to exhaust every possible means. Lu Changsheng could think of no other options. He could only fight for them himself. "To the Dark Domain battlefield." Lu Changsheng made up his mind. In fact, he harbored another thought. His Illusory Realm had not advanced for a long time. On the path of a World Master, he had yet to undergo a "metamorphosis" to the chaos lifeform tier. The crucial reason was the lack of chaos origin or Dark Domain origin. There was no point contemplating chaos origin; Lu Changsheng had no way to acquire it for now. Dark Domain origin, however, was a different story. Last time, when Lu Changsheng slew those two Dark Domain lifeforms, he had obtained a sliver of Dark Domain origin power. If he entered the Dark Domain and happened to obtain more Dark Domain origin power, his Illusory Realm might also metamorphose. At that time, Lu Changsheng would advance both as a World Master and in physical strength simultaneously. His prospects of becoming a source lifeform or World Master in the future would increase substantially. Thus, through Zisang, Lu Changsheng submitted an application to the Black Light Pagoda mother matrix to head to the Chaos Alliance's Dark Domain battlefield. "Application approved. You are about to be teleported to the frontlines of the Chaos Alliance's Dark Domain battlefield." The voice of the Black Light Pagoda mother matrix echoed in Lu Changsheng's mind. *Whoosh!* The next moment, Lu Changsheng's silhouette vanished without a trace. Traveling from the Black Light Realm to the frontlines of the Chaos Alliance did not require Lu Changsheng to traverse space himself. The Black Light Pagoda mother matrix possessed a direct teleportation array. Teleportation was instantaneous. Hence, in a mere instant, Lu Changsheng arrived at the frontlines of the Chaos Alliance. *Shhk!* Lu Changsheng appeared. A multitude of figures stood around, their gazes settling upon him. These figures were all chaos lifeforms. Oddly enough, most were chaos lifeforms who had not achieved a single life leap. Their minds were even on the verge of fading into oblivion. Evidently, these chaos lifeforms were already nearing their end; before their life limit arrived, they sought to venture into the Dark Domain battlefield to take a gamble. What if they encountered a serendipitous opportunity? If their minds were revitalized, they would not have to die. Usually, after achieving a life leap, the mind would be invigorated. This was why so many chaos lifeforms facing their final limit had gathered at the Chaos Alliance's frontlines. Conversely, seeing a youthful, vibrant chaos lifeform like Lu Changsheng—who was furthermore a cultivator of the Black Light Realm—arrive at the frontlines caused no small surprise. "Lu Changsheng of the Black Light Realm greets all fellow daoists." Lu Changsheng introduced himself. "You are Fellow Daoist Lu? The Black Light Realm has already transmitted your information. You have come to the Chaos Alliance frontlines voluntarily, wishing to enter the Dark Domain battlefield of your own accord?" "Yes, voluntarily." "Very well, then await notice. When the time comes to enter the Dark Domain battlefield, you will naturally be notified. Here is your identity token." Lu Changsheng received his Chaos Alliance identity token. It recorded all his information within the Chaos Alliance, including his contributions on the Dark Domain battlefield, which could eventually be exchanged for cultivation resources. Lu Changsheng nodded, then followed the address in the identity token to settle into a simple cave dwelling. He carefully studied the situation of the Chaos Alliance. He found that the Chaos Alliance had originally been founded to counter the Dark Domain—or rather, to plunder resources from within the Dark Domain, and even seize the Dark Domain's origin power. Although the Dark Domain and chaos were two sides of the same coin, in reality, both sides sought to swallow each other whole. Otherwise, the Dark Domain and chaos would not have fought continuously over all these countless years. Most of the Chaos Alliance's resources were provided by various major factions, while a portion was plundered from the Dark Domain. For the source lifeforms of the Chaos Alliance, plundering the Dark Domain was of paramount importance. The cultivation of source lifeforms seemed entirely distinct from that of chaos lifeforms. They had zero need for the cultivation resources chaos lifeforms craved. Chaos lifeforms, on the other hand, sought precisely those cultivation resources. Because this particular Dark Domain battlefield had been established proactively by the Chaos Alliance, operations were based on infiltration. Therefore, there would be no large-scale clashes. Instead, agents were to infiltrate the Dark Domain silently. As for what merits one could achieve upon entering the Dark Domain, that depended entirely on luck. Many chaos cultivators lost all contact once they entered the Dark Domain. Only after many years would survivors return, bearing immense merits to exchange for vast cultivation resources and achieve life leaps. Instances of this were far from rare. This was why so many cultivators were willing to come to the Chaos Alliance frontlines and risk their lives. Days went by. Lu Changsheng gained a fairly comprehensive understanding of the common knowledge regarding the Chaos Alliance and the Dark Domain battlefield. Finally, his identity token vibrated slightly. A message had arrived. "Entry into the Dark Domain battlefield is imminent. Assemble immediately." Lu Changsheng's heart jolted. It was finally here. He had waited so long, eager to venture into the Dark Domain. Now the opportunity was before his eyes. "Time to go." Lu Changsheng rose immediately, flew out of his cave dwelling, and sped toward the designated gathering spot. The meeting place was not far. Upon arrival, he saw that many chaos lifeforms had already gathered. With a rough glance, Lu Changsheng estimated there were nearly a hundred chaos lifeforms. "Depart." The leading chaos lifeform said nothing superfluous, leading the group straight toward the depths of chaos. Soon, they arrived at a pitch-black expanse. The leading chaos lifeform waved a hand. A series of hand seals vanished into the void. Immediately afterward, a rift appeared in the void, faintly exuding an aura completely distinct from chaos. It was the aura of the Dark Domain. "From here, you can enter the Dark Domain. "Remember, your mission is infiltration. Your primary objective is to infiltrate the Dark Domain. Travel as much of the Dark Domain as you can and learn as much about it as possible. If you can stir up skirmishes or slay chaos-level lifeforms within the Dark Domain, you will earn merit points. Your identity tokens will automatically record these feats and convert them into contribution points, which you can redeem for cultivation resources once you return. "I need not say more. Remember: staying alive is what matters most!" With another wave of the leader's hand, the chaos lifeforms flew into the rift one after another, entering the Dark Domain. Lu Changsheng naturally understood what an "infiltration operation" entailed. It was just like the Dark Domain lifeforms that the Heavenly Light Holy Sect had imprisoned in Heaven Prison. Those beings had infiltrated chaos to lurk and sow destruction. Now they were doing the exact same thing: infiltrating the Dark Domain, lurking in the shadows, creating havoc, and gathering intelligence. That was infiltration. Naturally, it was exceedingly dangerous, as it was the Dark Domain's home turf. Yet if played well, the benefits reaped would be incalculable. Finally, it was Lu Changsheng's turn. Without the slightest hesitation, he stepped forward, his figure vanishing into the rift.