Disguised Great Saint, Thunder-Fire Dao!

Traffic flowed like a tapestry through Tianyu City. Many practitioners came to Tianyu City to rest their feet, purchase cultivation resources, or converse with fellow cultivators. Tianyu City gathered nearly all the top practitioners within a radius of a million li. It was well and truly the greatest city for a million li around! Yet at this moment, an unforeseen change came over Tianyu City. The sky abruptly turned fiery red. Even the temperature of the air rose precipitously. A terrifying, suffocating pressure suddenly descended from above. The crowd looked up to see fiery clouds rolling across the heavens, as though the sky itself had caught ablaze. *Rumble, rumble!* The next instant, lightning flashed faintly amidst that sea of fiery clouds, thunderclaps resounding between heaven and earth. Shaken by the thunder, countless practitioners felt a chill grip their hearts; some even had their minds go completely blank. What terrifying pressure! What an appalling momentum! What a heart-stopping anomaly! Many onlookers recognized the scene at once. A Dao! This was the manifestation of a Great Dao. Only a Great Saint who had comprehended the power of a Great Dao could manifest Dao power. And judging by this overwhelming pressure, someone was clearly comprehending a Great Dao to break through and become a Great Saint! "Who is it? Who on earth is breaking through to Great Saint?" "To manifest the power of a Great Dao and ascend to Great Saint—that is ascending to the heavens in a single bound!" "From the Saint Realm to Great Saint may seem like just a single step, but it has barred countless Saints. Only upon achieving Great Saint can one truly be counted among the hegemons of the Dark Domain!" "Few Saints break through to Great Saint within Tianyu City; most return to their own factions to attempt it. Could this person be an itinerant cultivator?" "Quite possibly. Otherwise, there would be no need to break through inside Tianyu City." "No matter, Tianyu City is very safe. There is no need to worry about interference." "Look at the manifested Dao—it's the Thunder-Fire Dao! Its power is extraordinary." "Indeed, the Thunder-Fire Dao. That is a terrifying offensive Great Dao; their strength is bound to be immense." Excited murmurs rippled across Tianyu City. Not only quasi-saints and Saints were discussing it, but Great Saints as well. The transition from Saint Realm to Great Saint crossed an entirely different threshold. Neither status nor standing could be mentioned in the same breath. "It seems Tianyu City will welcome another fellow Daoist." "I wonder which fellow Daoist it might be?" "Judging by the direction of that cave dwelling, it is not a peak Saint Realm cultivator familiar to us. Could it be a powerhouse who was cultivating in seclusion within Tianyu City?" "Quite likely. Seeing that their breakthrough succeeded, should we pay a visit and form a connection?" Such were the exchanges among Tianyu City's Great Saints. Only Great Saints could belong to the ruling class of Tianyu City and stand at its pinnacle. Whether a one-Dao or a two-Dao Great Saint, as long as one became a Great Saint, they were considered a peer on the same path. *Whoosh.* One powerhouse after another, radiating formidable auras, appeared near Lu Changsheng's dwelling. Lu Changsheng had long since sensed them. He retracted his Illusory Realm, and the anomaly in the sky promptly vanished. Then, Lu Changsheng transmitted his voice: "Fellow Daoists, I have only just completed my breakthrough and require time to consolidate my cultivation. Please forgive me for being unable to receive each of you properly." Lu Changsheng's words conveyed goodwill, letting those practitioners know he acknowledged their kind intentions. The visiting Great Saints were well pleased. They certainly wished to form ties with a new Great Saint. Now that their goodwill had been delivered, that was enough. "No matter. Brother Lu, please consolidate your cultivation in peace. There will be plenty of time, and we shall visit again another day." With that, the renowned Great Saints dispersed just as swiftly as they had arrived. As time passed, details about the cultivator who had ascended to Great Saint gradually spread through Tianyu City. Lu Changsheng! That was the cultivator who had recently attained Great Saint status in Tianyu City. Word had it that he was an ascetic itinerant cultivator who had come to Tianyu City to cultivate in earnest before ultimately achieving his breakthrough. The Thunder-Fire Dao he commanded was exceedingly potent, making him formidable even among one-Dao Great Saints. Lu Changsheng's name swept through Tianyu City until practically everyone knew of him. These rumors, of course, had been deliberately leaked by Lu Changsheng himself. A mixture of truth and falsehood brought people peace of mind. From that moment on, Lu Changsheng possessed a recognized identity. He was a Great Saint of Tianyu City! No matter where he went in the future or who investigated him, he would be documented as a Great Saint hailing from Tianyu City. As time went on, this fact would only become more firmly established. Lu Changsheng was thoroughly satisfied. During this period, he also made a point of visiting several Great Saints of Tianyu City to exchange cultivation insights, which in truth was merely building connections. It never hurt to know more Great Saints. Days turned into years. After a few years, Lu Changsheng had thoroughly integrated into Tianyu City's circle of Great Saints. At last, he had obtained a legitimate identity within the Dark Domain as he had wished, no longer needing to fear exposure. Lu Changsheng even sparred once or twice with other Great Saints, making his fame soar across Tianyu City. The Thunder-Fire Dao he had comprehended proved so powerful that he was able to defeat a two-Dao Great Saint. That was the kind of strength reserved only for the very top prodigies. For a time, Lu Changsheng's renown grew even greater. Naturally, keeping such a high profile was Lu Changsheng's deliberate choice. A suitable amount of prominence brought him considerable convenience. Defeating a two-Dao Great Saint while possessing the cultivation of only a one-Dao Great Saint was shocking, yet there were plenty of such feats recorded across the vast Dark Domain. Lu Changsheng had acted with such high profile and done so much with only a single goal in mind: to completely blend into the Dark Domain. Now that he had firmly established himself in Tianyu City, it was time to depart. He needed to travel. After all, Lu Changsheng's persona was that of an ascetic cultivator devoted entirely to his path. He still sought to ascend higher, which meant he could not remain confined to a single Tianyu City. He had to venture out to greater realms and compete against countless prodigies! On this day, a Great Saint visited Lu Changsheng's cave dwelling. The visitor was Great Saint Huang Tian, likewise a one-Dao Great Saint. Their temperaments aligned well, and within a few short years, the two had grown quite close. Great Saint Huang Tian smiled faintly. "Brother Lu, have you not always wished to travel abroad, compete with top prodigies, and scale the peak of cultivation? Now, an opportunity has presented itself." Lu Changsheng narrowed his eyes slightly. "What kind of opportunity? Please enlighten me, Brother Huang." "Gladly." "The Dao Comprehension Holy Sect has issued a grand bounty, intending to completely flatten the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone." "Anyone who enters the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone to slay demons can earn Dao Comprehension Points based on their kills. Those points can be exchanged within the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect for various grand medicines, and gaining entry to the Dao Comprehension Pool is entirely within reach." Great Saint Huang Tian's words surprised Lu Changsheng. The Dao Comprehension Holy Sect! That was a mighty sect that had once produced an Emperor. Though the sect no longer possessed an Emperor, it housed the legendary Dao Comprehension Pool. It was said to be extraordinarily miraculous. Any cultivator who entered the Dao Comprehension Pool would experience a tremendous surge in comprehension. Secret techniques that were once impossible to grasp could be comprehended, and bottlenecks that could never be overcome could be broken. Relying on the Dao Comprehension Pool, the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect boasted a surplus of talents and numerous high-rank Great Saints, even without an Emperor. Of course, wondrous as the pool was, it was said that one could only use it once; a second visit yielded no effect whatsoever. Even so, countless individuals flocked toward it like moths to a flame, yearning for a single dip. Yet the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect had never opened it to outsiders, reserving the privilege exclusively for their own genius disciples. Others had no chance of even dreaming of it. Now, however, the opportunity had arrived. The Dao Comprehension Holy Sect was actually opening the Dao Comprehension Pool to the outside world—a rare occurrence indeed. "Brother Huang Tian, what exactly is the situation with this Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone?" Lu Changsheng asked. For the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect to suddenly open the Dao Comprehension Pool was a monumental event. Such sudden generosity on their part was bound to be extraordinary, and the crux of the matter clearly lay with the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone. Furthermore, Lu Changsheng knew that a heavenly demon rivaled an Emperor. Great Saint Huang Tian chuckled and said, "Brother Lu, this Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone is an extremely formidable forbidden zone situated near the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect. It once produced a heavenly demon. Word has it that this heavenly demon shared a rather complicated history with the sect's former Emperor, and the two clashed for many years without either being able to best the other." "That remained the case until the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect's Emperor reached the end of his lifespan and passed away in seated meditation, unable to live out a second life. That heavenly demon perished as well, leaving the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone without a heavenly demon of its own. From then on, friction between the sect and the forbidden zone only grew." "Now, the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect has offered such an enormous bounty and paid such a steep price with a single goal in mind: to completely eradicate the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone so their faction can expand." Lu Changsheng understood. The Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone shared deep roots with the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect. There had certainly been ties between that heavenly demon and the Emperor, though the exact nature remained unknown. However, with the forbidden zone situated right beside the sect and neither side possessing Emperor-level combat power anymore, all restraint had vanished. If the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect wished to expand, it could not bypass the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone; only by thoroughly eradicating it could the sect push outward. The bounty was designed to deal with the forbidden zone. By enlisting numerous Saints and Great Saints through bounties to campaign against the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone, the sect's own disciples would bleed less and suffer fewer casualties. For the sect, it was an endeavor with everything to gain and nothing to lose. Many cultivators saw through the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect's motives, but who could resist the temptation of the Dao Comprehension Pool? In truth, Lu Changsheng did not care about the pool. The Dao Comprehension Pool was clearly meant to enhance comprehension. Did his comprehension require enhancement? Not at all! Lu Changsheng already possessed top-tier comprehension. Across the entire Dark Domain or chaos, how many could compare to his innate comprehension? Though he had no need for higher comprehension, he still wished to visit the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone. His reason was simple: to acquire Dark Domain origin power. The Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone was no ordinary place; it teemed with greater demons and exotic beasts carrying primordial bloodlines. Now, Lu Changsheng could hunt and slay these beasts and demons openly, which was equivalent to obtaining Dark Domain origin power out in the open. How could he refuse such an opportunity? He simply could not! Though their purposes differed, both he and Great Saint Huang Tian were tempted, eager to set out for the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone. "Brother Huang Tian, I do indeed wish to try my luck in the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone," Lu Changsheng said with a nod, voicing his intentions. "Splendid! Brother Lu, why don't we travel to the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone together?" Delight showed on Great Saint Huang Tian's face. "Agreed. However, once we reach the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone, I prefer to act alone." "That is no problem at all. In truth, I am not used to forming teams either," Great Saint Huang Tian nodded. Reluctance to form teams was perfectly normal, especially when Dao Comprehension Points were on the line. The Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone held countless greater demons and exotic beasts. Flattening the entire zone would likely require a very long time—perhaps centuries or even millennia. No one could say for sure. "Good. Let us set out together, then." With that, Lu Changsheng and Great Saint Huang Tian departed Tianyu City, flying toward the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect. Traveling through wind and dust, it took the two of them a year to arrive. A great host of cultivators had gathered at the foot of the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect's mountain, almost all of them at or above the Saint Realm. Those below the Saint Realm, even quasi-saints, were forbidden from entering the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone. This was the sect's strict rule. After all, the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone was not filled with weaklings; only Saints had any hope of achieving anything within. Those below the Saint Realm were of no help, and their deaths inside would only invite unnecessary trouble. The Dao Comprehension Pool drew many prodigies, and those who were not yet Saints had limited self-preservation capability; their chances of dying inside were exceedingly high. The Dao Comprehension Holy Sect did not wish to see excessive prodigies perish and incur the wrath of numerous factions. Both Lu Changsheng and Great Saint Huang Tian were Great Saints. The two entered the sect without a hitch and received two Dao Comprehension Tablets. These tablets recorded the demons and beasts a cultivator slew within the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone and automatically calculated Dao Comprehension Points. This was quite similar to the Chaos Alliance identity token Lu Changsheng carried, which made sense given how convenient such an arrangement was. Lu Changsheng and Great Saint Huang Tian then hurried straight toward the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone. It was not far from the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect, essentially lying right on its doorstep. That was precisely why the sect spared no expense to wipe it out once and for all. Arriving at the border of the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone, the two exchanged a glance. "Brother Lu, let us part ways here. I wish you smooth sailing." "I wish you success as well, Brother Huang Tian." The two exchanged a smile, then flew into the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone in two different directions. The moment Lu Changsheng stepped into the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone, a dense stench of blood struck his senses. The bloody odor permeating the air was extraordinarily pungent, a testament to the endless slaughter unfolding inside at every moment. *The Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone is far more formidable than the Sunset Forbidden Zone; there are bound to be numerous exotic beasts carrying primordial bloodlines.* *Yet it is also exceedingly perilous. I must remain vigilant.* Several thoughts flashed through Lu Changsheng's mind. Even though he was already very powerful—having reopened his world within the Illusory Realm once, and armed with the Black Light Pagoda, he was virtually invincible against anyone beneath a four-Dao Great Saint—he still needed to exercise caution. The current Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone harbored plenty of demons rivaling high-rank Great Saints. Any contingency could arise. Even with his desire to harvest Dark Domain origin power, he had to proceed carefully. Afterward, Lu Changsheng ventured deeper into the zone. His luck was quite good, as he soon encountered a demon rivaling a Great Saint. Demons differed from ordinary beasts; they were far harder to deal with. This demon possessed a dense, baleful aura, clearly having slaughtered many Saints and perhaps even Great Saints! It was unquestionably a formidable demon. Demons were unlike beasts; they possessed higher intellect, bore fiendish baleful energy, and could continuously accumulate strength through slaughter. The more they killed, the stronger they became. Consequently, wherever demons appeared, the Great Saints of the Dark Domain would move to purge them as quickly as possible. As a whole, demons remained inferior to cultivators, which was why they were forced to hide within forbidden zones and consort with exotic beasts. The demon Lu Changsheng encountered was profoundly terrifying. The baleful energy radiating from its body circled layer after layer, already coalescing into near-solid form. Any demon whose baleful energy solidified in such a manner rivaled a Great Saint. Moreover, it had three rings of baleful energy in total: two dark red rings and one translucent ring. A single ring of baleful energy corresponded to a single Great Dao. In other words, this demon rivaled a peak two-Dao Great Saint and was already working toward advancing to a three-Dao Great Saint. It was hard to say whether this counted as good luck for Lu Changsheng to encounter so mighty a demon right after entering the zone. Yet this was precisely what he desired. *Rumble!* The next instant, thunder echoed through the void, and the ambient temperature spiked. The sky above Lu Changsheng turned fiery red in an instant, accompanied by faint rumbles of thunder. It was the Thunder-Fire Dao! Of course, this was the Thunder-Fire Dao Lu Changsheng had disguised, yet no one could see through it. The demon before him certainly could not. "A mere single Dao, and you dare flaunt your insolence?" "Watch this venerable one swallow you whole!" The demon spoke in human tongue, its body billowing with baleful energy. Extending an enormous claw shrouded in terrifying baleful energy, it slammed down toward Lu Changsheng. Lu Changsheng did not back down in the slightest; his Thunder-Fire Dao surged up to meet it. *Bang!* A dull thud rang out. The demon's massive claw actually shuddered and paused, failing to damage the Thunder-Fire Dao in the slightest. "How is this possible?" the demon gasped in shock. It had condensed two rings of baleful energy, matching a two-Dao Great Saint. Lu Changsheng before it commanded only a single Dao, so why had it failed to overpower him? Worse, that Thunder-Fire Dao carried a faint counterforce that shook the demon's entire body. The demon could not fathom why. Even so, it vaguely sensed that Lu Changsheng was a tough opponent and dared not underestimate him in the least. "Suppress." Lu Changsheng briefly gauged the demon's strength and found it to be merely ordinary. His cultivation was indeed only comparable to a one-Dao Great Saint, but his true combat power firmly reached the level of a two-Dao Great Saint. Moreover, that was using merely the power of his Illusory Realm. If he incorporated his physical body's strength, it would be another story altogether, elevating his combat power another step further! Instantly, the Thunder-Fire Dao bore down. In truth, it was the Illusory Realm crushing down. The vast, majestic power of the Thunder-Fire Dao descended in a flash, pressing heavily upon the demon's head. As though Mt. Tai had been dropped atop it, the demon felt infinite pressure bearing down and could only summon all its might to resist. Yet could it truly hold out? *Whoosh.* Lu Changsheng moved. His physical body threw out a direct punch. As a chaos lifeform, even without undergoing a life leap, his foundation was extraordinarily profound. A single punch from him could shatter a cultivator who had undergone one life leap. With Lu Changsheng currently using his Illusory Realm to suppress the demon, this punch became the final straw that broke the camel's back. What did the demon have to resist it? *Bang!* A dull crash sounded. The demon could no longer hold out; its baleful energy collapsed, and its physical body was completely blown apart. Lu Changsheng's Thunder-Fire Dao ground down like an overwhelming tide, incinerating every speck of the demon's baleful energy into ashes. "Aaargh!" Amidst a shrill shriek, the demon was wiped out of existence. The clash between the two had lasted only a few brief breaths, yet the victor had already been decided. The demon was dead. Lu Changsheng stared intently at the demon's disintegrating remains. As the body collapsed, wisps began to emerge—one wisp, two wisps, three, four, five, six, seven, eight... In the end, Lu Changsheng was left dumbfounded. What was he looking at? Thirteen wisps! This demon actually contained thirteen wisps of Dark Domain origin power within its body. How was that possible? Even for a top prodigy, holding two or three wisps of Dark Domain origin power was already remarkable. How could there be thirteen wisps? Lu Changsheng frowned deeply, sinking into contemplation. *Wait... a massive war has erupted in the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone, and countless prodigies have entered.* *Likewise, the demons are by no means weak. In the carnage between the two sides, who knows how many prodigies have fallen?* *If those prodigies were slain by demons, would their karmic fortune also be plundered? And if their karmic fortune was plundered, would Dark Domain origin power enter the killer's body as well?* *If that is the case, it all makes sense. This demon must have slain many prodigies...* Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up. He seemed to have grasped something. If this was truly the case, then the relentless competition among prodigies across the Dark Domain became easy to understand. No wonder there were so many contests between prodigies in the Dark Domain, or why sects and factions sent their prodigies to fight without regard for life or death. What was the purpose? Was it truly just a lack of sparring and training? Impossible! Did sending those prodigies into life-or-death battles and perilous realms really serve only to teeter on the edge of survival and stimulate potential? The true goal was likely to have prodigies slaughter one another and plunder karmic fortune. With greater karmic fortune, the path of cultivation would be far smoother. Every top prodigy scaled the pinnacle by treading upon the bones of countless peers. This was entirely different from chaos. Chaos seemed to have no plundering of karmic fortune, nor life-or-death clashes between prodigies, as such things held little significance there. This was undoubtedly due to differences in the world rules. The world rules of the Dark Domain were just that: the law of the jungle. The strong took everything, while the weak could only serve as stepping stones. The same held true for prodigies. No matter how peerlessly brilliant you were, the moment a stronger prodigy appeared, you were reduced to their stepping stone. Take one step ahead, and you stayed ahead; once a prodigy surpassed you, their lead would only widen. The one left behind stood no chance of catching up. Enlightenment washed over Lu Changsheng's heart. So this was the true essence of the Dark Domain. This was the correct way for him to acquire Dark Domain origin power. Slaying a single demon had yielded thirteen wisps of Dark Domain origin power—the equivalent of killing thirteen top prodigies in the past. It was simply too lucrative. Moreover, prodigies entered the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone every day to battle demons, and the most terrifying demons had slaughtered untold numbers of them. Once Lu Changsheng hunted down those powerful demons, he would obtain an unimaginable amount of Dark Domain origin power. This expedition into the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone was bound to yield immense harvests! At this thought, Lu Changsheng's heart burned with excitement. He was in no rush to cultivate. Opportunities like this in the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone were hard to come by; he had to seize every moment to slay demons and harvest massive amounts of Dark Domain origin power. Consequently, Lu Changsheng grew slightly bolder in his movements. Still, he did not dare provoke those terrifying demons that rivaled high-rank Great Saints. Yet if it was merely a demon matching a two-Dao or three-Dao Great Saint, Lu Changsheng would show no mercy whatsoever, executing them decisively! Lu Changsheng glanced at his Dao Comprehension Holy Sect tablet. A score of two thousand Dao Comprehension Points was displayed. The sect awarded no points for slaying demons or beasts below the Saint Realm. Slaying a Saint yielded one hundred points. Slaying a one-Dao Great Saint yielded one thousand points. Slaying a two-Dao Great Saint yielded two thousand points. Slaying a three-Dao Great Saint yielded three thousand points, and so on. For every additional Great Dao a Great Saint commanded, an extra thousand points was awarded. The demon Lu Changsheng had just slain matched a two-Dao Great Saint, which earned him two thousand points. It was said that accumulating one hundred thousand points allowed a single entry into the Dao Comprehension Pool. That was exceedingly difficult, roughly requiring the slaughter of one hundred demons comparable to one-Dao Great Saints. Was that possible? It actually was! The Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone was reputed to hold a hundred thousand demon saints, meaning a hundred thousand beings at the Saint Realm. Yet the vast majority of those hundred thousand demon saints were ordinary Saints. There were only three thousand greater demons, each rivaling a Great Saint. That was a terrifying force. Were it not for the forbidden zone's immense power, why would the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect need to issue a bounty in the first place? Thus, even though one hundred thousand points were required to enter the pool, a considerable number of Great Saints should still manage to qualify. In truth, Lu Changsheng felt the price to enter the pool was steep. Slaying a hundred demons comparable to one-Dao Great Saints was an immense feat. However, the Dao Comprehension Pool was unique. Even top prodigies from other factions could not partake unless they were disciples of the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect. This might be their only opportunity to experience it, and no matter how steep the cost, they were willing to pay it. Lu Changsheng did not linger, continuing his hunt for demons. He had thought things through: due to the chaos in the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone, any demon had the potential to kill prodigies and unwittingly accumulate Dark Domain origin power within its body. Therefore, Lu Changsheng could not afford to pass up any demon or beast at or above the Saint Realm. He could disregard the Dao Comprehension Points, but he could not forfeit the chance to harvest Dark Domain origin power. And so, just like the other Great Saints, Lu Changsheng showed no mercy, ruthlessly slaying every demon and beast at or above the Saint Realm that crossed his path. Time trickled away. One year, two years, three years... Formidable as the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone was, the hundred thousand demon saints could not hold out against the relentless onslaught spurred by the sect's bounty. The number of demons within the zone dwindled steadily. If nothing unexpected occurred, the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone would soon become history. Some demons began to flee, leaving the forbidden zone to seek refuge in other perilous regions rather than fight to the death against the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect here. There was another alternative: the birth of a heavenly demon! Once a heavenly demon arose, not only would the forbidden zone survive, but the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect itself would be placed in mortal peril. Even if the sect possessed a protective array capable of withstanding attacks at the Emperor level, life would become exceedingly miserable if a heavenly demon truly emerged from the forbidden zone. Yet how difficult was it for a heavenly demon to be born? Undercurrents surged through the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone as its demons grew increasingly scarce. For Lu Changsheng, however, today brought splendid news. "One hundred and one wisps of Dark Domain origin power!" Lu Changsheng had just slain a demon rivaling a two-Dao Great Saint and obtained several wisps of origin power. Over the course of three years, the total amount of Dark Domain origin power he had harvested exceeded one hundred wisps. This was a crucial threshold. With one hundred wisps of Dark Domain origin power, Lu Changsheng could reopen his world within the Illusory Realm once more, breaking through his cultivation to reach the realm of a two-Dao Great Saint. Yet whether he should refine the origin power and break through right now remained a dilemma. Once he chose to refine it, it would consume considerable time—at least several years. Right now, every second counted. If he wasted time cultivating, it was questionable whether the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone would even still exist by the time he finished. "Let it wait a little longer," Lu Changsheng decided. *Boom!* Right at that moment, Lu Changsheng snapped his head up. What met his eyes? The entire sky turned utterly dark, plunged into pitch-black gloom. A colossal demon blotting out the sky faintly appeared, its body radiating ink-black baleful energy. The solidified rings of baleful energy wrapping around its form were profoundly shocking. "Is that... a peak greater demon?" "Is it making an attempt at heavenly demon?" "No, it has already become a heavenly demon..." Lu Changsheng's face changed drastically. A heavenly demon! It was actually making a breakthrough to heavenly demon! And judging by such an overwhelming display, it was almost certainly assured of success. "Run!" Lu Changsheng barely hesitated. He did not even care whether he exposed the Black Light Pagoda anymore. *Hum!* Activating the Black Light Pagoda at once, Lu Changsheng tore open the void and vanished from sight in an instant. And at the very moment he fled, terrifying baleful energy crashed down across the entire Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone. "Aaargh!" "It's a heavenly demon! A heavenly demon has been born! How can this be..." "Flee!" "Patriarch, save me!" In that single breath, every cultivator remaining within the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone—be they Saints, Great Saints, or top prodigies—was ground entirely into dust! Silence! At this moment, the entire Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone fell deathly quiet. Cultivators in every direction were left dumbstruck. Who could have foreseen such an abrupt turn of events? Nearly every single cultivator within the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone had been annihilated!