Contemplating a Thousand Great Daos on the Stele! Smoke of War Rises, Great Saints March, Battle of the Holy Sects!

Without hesitation, Lu Changsheng sought out the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect Master and stated his request to contemplate the Great Dao Stele. "You wish to contemplate the Great Dao Stele?" The Sect Master wore a slightly peculiar expression. "Yes. I need to contemplate the Great Dao Stele in hopes of drawing upon the strengths of diverse schools to comprehend a third Great Dao, or perhaps even more. I offer my one hundred and ten thousand Dao Comprehension Points in exchange for the chance to study the stele. I request the Sect Master's consent," Lu Changsheng said straightforwardly. The moment he had laid eyes on the Great Dao Stele, his mind had been made up. Dao Comprehension Points were meant to be spent on opportunities like this. Over a thousand kinds of Great Daos—for Lu Changsheng, nothing could be more ideal. The Dao Comprehension Holy Sect Master pondered for a moment, many thoughts racing through his mind. Lu Changsheng had bypassed even the Dao Comprehension Pool, choosing instead to exchange his points for time before the Great Dao Stele. This could not help but make him wonder: Lu Changsheng had comprehended a second Great Dao in such a short span of time. Could he truly possess extraordinary natural talent in perceiving the Great Dao? If that was indeed the case, it would be tremendous. Even setting aside the prospect of becoming an Emperor, becoming a high-order Great Saint would be well within his grasp. If Lu Changsheng were a prodigy from another major faction, the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect would stand no chance at all. But Lu Changsheng was different. According to the sect's investigation, he was merely an itinerant cultivator. He currently resided in Tianyu City and had not even joined the City Lord's Manor. A true itinerant cultivator with no affiliation whatsoever. Was this not the perfect opportunity for the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect? With that thought, the Sect Master came to an immediate decision. Looking up at Lu Changsheng, he said deliberately, "If Fellow Daoist Lu wishes to contemplate the Great Dao Stele, there is naturally no issue. One hundred and ten thousand Dao Comprehension Points are ample for you to do so. However, the Great Dao Stele represents the lifelong efforts of our sect's forebears. It is inscribed with over a thousand Great Daos—a variety you will not find in any other faction—and is of utmost importance to our Dao Comprehension Holy Sect. "Therefore, Fellow Daoist Lu may only contemplate the stele for a period of ten years. Once ten years have passed, you will no longer be permitted to study it unless you join the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect and become one of our guest elders. What do you say? As a guest elder of our Dao Comprehension Holy Sect, you will have no daily duties; it is entirely a nominal post. Yet you will enjoy all the benefits of a true elder of our sect, only required to take the field on our behalf in moments of critical need. Given our sect's current state of total contraction, there is little point in marching out to battle anyway..." Lu Changsheng listened to the Sect Master's words. The man was nudging him from every angle, overt and covert, to become a guest elder. Yet Lu Changsheng was in no hurry. "Very well. Let ten years be the term," Lu Changsheng agreed, nodding to the ten-year limit. But regarding the offer to become a guest elder, he gave no reply. The Sect Master naturally understood what Lu Changsheng meant. Since Lu Changsheng was not rushing into a decision, he would not press the matter either. "Good." The Sect Master took back the Dao Comprehension Token. Following that, Lu Changsheng took up residence in the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect. Sitting cross-legged beneath the towering Great Dao Stele, he began to contemplate the Daos recorded upon it. Calling it contemplation was less accurate than calling it simulation. However, to truly simulate them step by step would be far too arduous; ten years would certainly not be enough. Thus, Lu Changsheng could only try to firmly memorize these thousand-plus Great Daos. Yet even memorizing them proved problematic. The traces on the Great Dao Stele were merely residual marks. With the passage of time, the Great Dao power contained within many of these marks had ebbed away. Though it had not drained completely, the loss of even a portion rendered the Great Dao power incomplete. Even for Lu Changsheng, trying to perceive and comprehend them under such conditions was exceptionally difficult, demanding long stretches of time to mull them over bit by bit. One year, three years, five years, eight years, ten years... Soon, the ten-year period slipped away in a flash. Lu Changsheng let out a long sigh. In ten years, he had managed to memorize the Great Dao power of a mere ten paths. This kind of "memorization" was in truth reaching a state where he could reconstruct them. Yet they were not complete Great Dao powers; fully "memorizing" them was tremendously difficult. As for reconstructing a Great Dao? Reconstructing a single path required anywhere from one to ten years. Taking the median, that was five years. With his limited time, reconstructing Great Dao powers was out of the question. He could not memorize them all, nor did he have the time to reconstruct them. What could he do? A decision had already formed in Lu Changsheng's mind. *Whoosh.* A figure appeared before Lu Changsheng. It was none other than the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect Master. Wearing a beaming smile, he addressed Lu Changsheng: "Fellow Daoist Lu, the ten-year term has arrived. What say you...?" Lu Changsheng gave a long sigh and said, "Very well. I agree to become a guest elder of the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect." In truth, Lu Changsheng had always intended to join some faction eventually. He simply had not considered the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect before. After all, given its current plight, it was hardly the best choice. But the sect possessed the Great Dao Stele, home to over a thousand Daos, which Lu Changsheng was loath to abandon. Thus, joining was his only real option. And when he considered it carefully, so long as the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect was not wiped out, joining them was actually quite favorable. Upon hearing this, the Sect Master's smile broadened into a hearty laugh. "Hahaha! Elder Lu, rest assured, joining our Dao Comprehension Holy Sect will never disappoint you! Elder Lu's only worry is likely that heavenly demon. But our sect possesses deep, enduring foundations. Even a heavenly demon cannot breach our mountain gate. Elder Lu may cultivate in peace!" The Sect Master was in high spirits. Though Lu Changsheng was only a guest elder, his potential was immense. If he were to become a high-order Great Saint in the future, everything the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect had invested would be well worth it! What was more, the sect had hardly expended anything at all. Thus, Lu Changsheng smoothly joined the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect, becoming one of its guest elders. At the start, Lu Changsheng remained extremely cautious. He kept a constant eye on the movements around the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone. If the heavenly demon made a move, he would immediately activate the Black Light Pagoda and depart. Yet as the years passed, the heavenly demon never struck; the likelihood of an attack seemed low. In time, Lu Changsheng grew less tense. Staying within the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect, Lu Changsheng focused on only one task: reconstructing Great Daos. Reconstructing a single Great Dao took roughly five years. Unhurried, Lu Changsheng reconstructed them at a steady pace. One path, two paths, three, four, five... In the blink of an eye, Lu Changsheng had reconstructed forty-two Great Daos. Reconstructing these forty-two paths had taken him a full two hundred and ten years. At this point, Lu Changsheng brought himself to a stop. He could no longer continue reconstructing Great Daos. Reconstructing forty-two paths was currently his limit. His Illusory Realm had already grown strong to an extreme degree. If he continued, the realm would become too powerful to collapse. After all, if the Illusory Realm was too immense and stable, how could it collapse, and how could it explode? Therefore, bringing the reconstruction of Great Dao power to this stage was enough. Reconstructing forty-two Great Daos was his current ceiling. What he needed to consider next was how to advance the Illusory Realm itself. He had to obtain at least one hundred wisps of Dark Domain origin power before he could reopen the world for a third time. Yet where was he to find Dark Domain origin power? Last time in the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone, he had acquired a vast amount of origin power, which proved that one did not need to hunt prodigies to obtain it. In fact, hunting demons was far better than targeting prodigies. Behind every prodigy stood an enormous faction. Hit the young, and the old came out; hit the old, and an entire flock arrived. Lu Changsheng had no desire to court endless trouble. Dealing with demons was an entirely different story. When demons died, they were simply dead; no one would relentlessly hunt Lu Changsheng down for killing them. Even if demons wished to do so, human practitioners would never permit it. Moreover, demons were fiercely aggressive, and many prodigies had perished at their hands, meaning their bodies contained substantial amounts of Dark Domain origin power. But where could he find demons in large numbers? Lu Changsheng began utilizing the influence of the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect to investigate the whereabouts of demons. During this period, he also checked his Chaos Alliance token regularly. Unfortunately, there was no activity. Calculating the time carefully, Lu Changsheng had been in the Dark Domain for nearly eight hundred years—over seven centuries. In all that time, the Chaos Alliance had still failed to locate a new passage or open another fissure. If things continued like this, Lu Changsheng might well climb his way into the upper echelons of the Dark Domain. Perhaps one day, he might even manage to become an "Emperor." That was by no means an impossibility. If this steady progress persisted, becoming a high-order Great Saint was practically guaranteed. In time, when his Illusory Realm became mighty enough to rival an Emperor, disguising himself as one would not be out of the question either. Lu Changsheng still remembered that he was within the time limit for the Black Light Realm's ultimate trial: ten thousand years. There was still a very long way to go before ten thousand years elapsed. He felt that if he truly spent ten thousand years in the Dark Domain, he might well have become an Emperor by then... "Forget it. Whether it is chaos or the Dark Domain, so long as I can cultivate, it makes no difference. Although I cannot cultivate my physical body or undergo life leaps in the Dark Domain, I can elevate my Illusory Realm. World Master, source lifeform, Emperor—in truth, all paths lead to the same destination..." Lu Changsheng murmured softly to himself. He had no particular bias toward any cultivation system. Whether World Master, Emperor, or source lifeform, they were fundamentally alike. Of course, an Emperor was still somewhat inferior; after all, an Emperor's lifespan was far too brief. Given the choice, Lu Changsheng would certainly never choose to become an Emperor. However, he was neither a native lifeform of the Dark Domain nor a practitioner of its native system, so it was impossible for him to become an Emperor in that sense. Consequently, he had no reason to worry about lifespan—his own lifespan was exceedingly long. Even now, his lifespan far surpassed that of an Emperor. *Buzz.* Lu Changsheng's message transmission stone vibrated, followed immediately by the voice of the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect Master: "Elder Lu, please come to the discussion hall." Lu Changsheng nodded. In all the years since joining the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect, life had been quite agreeable on the whole. Although he spent most of his time contemplating beneath the Great Dao Stele, he occasionally took walks around the grounds. The entire sect treated him with great deference. As for the Sect Master, he rarely interfered in any of Lu Changsheng's affairs. This was the first time he had summoned Lu Changsheng to the discussion hall; what matter could it be? Lu Changsheng made his way to the discussion hall. By now, many Great Saints were already present—essentially all of the sect's Great Saints with two Daos or more. In truth, the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect possessed a considerable number of Great Saints, but the vast majority were one-Dao Great Saints. When it came to those with two Daos or more, the numbers dropped precipitously. This was only natural; reaching Great Saint was the absolute limit for many practitioners, having exhausted their potential. Asking them to comprehend a second Great Dao was asking the impossible. Hence, many great factions had plenty of Great Saints, but very few with two Daos or more. Those with four Daos or more formed the sect's absolute core and ruling echelon. Entering the hall, Lu Changsheng greeted the Great Saints he recognized one by one. By now, no one found his presence strange. Having spent quite some time in the sect, he had grown familiar with many of them. Seated on the main throne, the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect Master glanced over the dozens of Great Saints in the hall before speaking: "It seems nearly all the Great Saints have arrived. Let us begin our council. "In recent years, due to the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone, our Dao Comprehension Holy Sect has been unable to expand, struggling at every step. Yet with our deep foundations, we have managed to endure. There is only one area where we cannot sustain ourselves: new disciples. For so many years, fewer and fewer new disciples have come to our sect, and those with exceptional talent have been virtually nonexistent. A major reason, of course, is the threat of the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone, which frightens talented youths away from entering our gates. "However, an even greater reason lies in other factions intercepting talented disciples. Using diverse methods—threats, inducements, and coercion—they have intercepted many who were bound for our sect. No matter how deep our foundations may be, without new disciples joining, without fresh blood, our sect will inevitably decline with the passing of years. This matter has reached a point where it can brook no further delay. What do you, fellow Great Saints, believe we should do?" As the Sect Master's voice fell, discussions broke out among the many Great Saints in the hall. This was indeed a pressing problem, and the situation was exceedingly grim. In truth, the territory governed by the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect was not small. But relying solely on their own lands was not enough. The birth of a genius was no easy matter—often one in ten thousand, or even one in a hundred million. In the past, people from all directions had flocked to the sect out of admiration, drawn by unique advantages like the Dao Comprehension Pool, which even high-order Great Saints dreamed of entering once. But now, that was no longer the case. The presence of the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone nearby served as a constant menace, and other factions used it to spread damaging rumors about the sect. Worse still, those factions had begun forcefully intercepting recruits, barring people within their territories from traveling to the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect. Under such circumstances, recruiting talented disciples had become extraordinarily difficult. "Hmph! What else can we do? Naturally, we must make an example of someone!" "Indeed! Strike whoever intercepts our people. Our Dao Comprehension Holy Sect has not fallen yet. If they dare forcefully intercept our disciples now, do they think we have no one left?" "The Nine Origin Holy Sect has been making frequent moves of late. Let us make an example of them! A sect that has never even produced an Emperor—does it deserve to call itself a 'Holy Sect'?" "Well said! Strike at the Nine Origin Holy Sect! Suppress their recent arrogance, and let it serve to proclaim our sect's majesty to all!" "Suppressing the Nine Origin Holy Sect is not a problem. But what if that heavenly demon takes action? The consequences would be unimaginable..." As soon as a Great Saint mentioned the words "heavenly demon," the entire hall fell into near-instantaneous silence. No one spoke another word. Even the Great Saints who had been filled with righteous indignation flushed red, struck dumb. Indeed, what if the heavenly demon struck again while they were dealing with the Nine Origin Holy Sect? Who could say for certain? The atmosphere in the hall grew oppressively heavy. The heavenly demon weighed like an immense boulder upon the hearts of the Great Saints, crushing their spirits. The Sect Master understood the present crux: everything hinged on that heavenly demon. "Enough," the Sect Master said. "This seat will personally send a message to that heavenly demon and pay the price required to stabilize it. If the heavenly demon is held in check, are you all willing to act against the Nine Origin Holy Sect? Even if we do not annihilate them, we must force them to bow their heads so they never dare intercept our disciples again." The eyes of the assembled Great Saints lit up. "If the heavenly demon can be kept at bay, we can certainly suppress the Nine Origin Holy Sect!" "Indeed! A mere Nine Origin Holy Sect—we have long wished to teach them a lesson!" "The Great Saints of the Nine Origin Holy Sect hold our sect in less and less regard. This time, we must show them who the true hegemon is!" In an instant, the Great Saints in the hall regained their confidence. What they feared was only the heavenly demon. If the heavenly demon did not intervene, why would the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect ever fear a Nine Origin Holy Sect? "Good! If the heavenly demon can be stabilized, we shall all march!" In the end, the elders reached a consensus and settled on their decision. As for Lu Changsheng, he was a guest elder and had no ordinary obligations, but in a matter like this, so long as he did not explicitly refuse, he was expected to participate. And Lu Changsheng had no intention of refusing. The Nine Origin Holy Sect was also brimming with prodigies; to be called a "Holy Sect," even without having produced an Emperor, how could they be simple? Furthermore, he would not be going alone; the entire Dao Comprehension Holy Sect would be clashing in full force against the Nine Origin Holy Sect. Chaotic battles were Lu Changsheng's favorite. With his strength, he could reap immense benefits amidst the chaos. When the time came, another harvest of Dark Domain origin power would be his—why would he refuse? Therefore, Lu Changsheng raised no objection, instead indicating to the Sect Master that he was willing to take the field. The Sect Master was naturally delighted. With that, the entire Dao Comprehension Holy Sect began preparations. After all, the sect had to offer terms satisfactory enough to prevent the heavenly demon from acting against them. Such terms were bound to be exorbitant, depending on how the Sect Master managed to appease the creature. In this regard, the Sect Master had evidently made preparations long in advance. Days slipped by. A full three months later, the Sect Master, his face flushed with triumph, convened all the Great Saints once more. This time, every single Great Saint was present. "Everyone, this seat has pacified the heavenly demon. For at least a century, the heavenly demon will not act against our sect. We may devote our full attention to dealing with the Nine Origin Holy Sect. Our objective this time is to annihilate them. If we truly cannot wipe them out, we must seize their territories, force them to cede vast lands that produce cultivation resources, and forbid them from ever intercepting our disciples again!" The Sect Master spoke with murderous intent, having hardened his resolve. Since they were striking, they had to strike ruthlessly: wipe out the Nine Origin Holy Sect entirely. Even if they failed to destroy them, they would inflict such grievous damage that the Nine Origin Holy Sect would never pose a threat again. One had to admit that the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect possessed immense domineering pride. Having once produced an Emperor, it was not something the Nine Origin Holy Sect could compare to. Still, the Nine Origin Holy Sect was no weakling. This time, the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect had to commit everything. If they failed to destroy their rival and were instead defeated, it would be an utter humiliation, and the sect itself would suffer crippling losses. Following the Sect Master's order, cultivators of the Saint realm received their commands and began preparing as well. Another month passed, and the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect made its move. A vast host of Saints and Great Saints surged forth majestically from the mountain gate. Their terrifying momentum blanketed the sky and earth. Those below the Saint realm did not even possess the qualifications to participate. In truth, even Saints lacked the qualification to join the actual battle; these Saints were merely meant to swiftly occupy and hold territories once the Great Saints secured victory. After all, guarding territory required at least Saint-realm cultivation, whereas Great Saints were the primary fighting force. Great Saints wielded Great Dao power, and their battles largely revolved around unleashing it; ordinary Saints would likely perish upon merely brushing against such power. Lu Changsheng was among the gathered Great Saints. This was his first time participating in a war between sects and great powers, and he felt considerable curiosity. He surmised that the great war between the Dark Domain and chaos was likely waged in much the same fashion, with Great Saints as the primary combatants. Becoming familiar with it now might prove helpful in the future. With such a massive deployment of Saints and Great Saints from the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect, the enormous disturbance could not possibly be hidden. Lesser factions allied with either the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect or the Nine Origin Holy Sect turned pale with fright upon sensing this overwhelming army, trembling in terror. "The heavens are collapsing... The Dao Comprehension Holy Sect is going to war with the Nine Origin Holy Sect!" "They all said the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect was done for, dragged down by the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone. How do they still dare wage war against the Nine Origin Holy Sect?" "This is the true foundation of the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect! They were not crushed by the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone at all! Look at their ferocious momentum—they intend to annihilate the Nine Origin Holy Sect!" "In a war between Holy Sects, a single careless moment could reduce the likes of us to ash!" "The last war between Holy Sects took place ten thousand years ago..." Countless small factions and itinerant cultivators fled in panic, putting as much distance as possible between themselves and the lands of both sects. What a joke—if they did not run now, they might never leave alive! Meanwhile, the Nine Origin Holy Sect had clearly received word as well. Many of its elders found it unbelievable. How dared the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect? This was an all-out mobilization! "Sect Master, the situation is clear! The Dao Comprehension Holy Sect has mobilized en masse, heading straight for our mountain gate. They intend to sever our lineage!" "Sect Master, we must fight them to the death!" "The Dao Comprehension Holy Sect has held hegemony for far too long! Now that their Emperor is gone and they are pinned down by the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone, it is time for their decline!" "Why not contact the heavenly demon of the forbidden zone? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the forbidden zone! We can destroy the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect together!" Many elders of the Nine Origin Holy Sect were seething with outrage. In their eyes, the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect was too ancient and in gradual decline; it was only right for the Nine Origin Holy Sect to take its place. In recent years, the Nine Origin Holy Sect had been flourishing, everything proceeding along a rising trajectory. The sect even possessed a Saint Child of extraordinary natural talent, a true Emperor seed with hopes of attaining Emperor status in the future. Once he became an Emperor, their sect would supplant the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect completely. Yet instead of quietly awaiting its demise, how dared this decrepit sect launch an attack—and a war of extermination at that? The Dao Comprehension Holy Sect had truly lost its mind. "This seat will immediately dispatch someone to the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone to join forces with the heavenly demon!" the Nine Origin Holy Sect Master declared, immediately sending a high-order Great Saint toward the forbidden zone. That person was stationed right near the forbidden zone—in truth, a "nail" planted by the Nine Origin Holy Sect firmly beside the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect. And there was more than one such nail. Thus, the elders waited in silence. Negotiations between a high-order Great Saint and the heavenly demon would proceed swiftly; they would not have to wait long. *Buzz.* The Nine Origin Holy Sect Master's message transmission stone vibrated immediately. Every eye fixed upon it. The Sect Master retrieved the stone and examined the message. *Whoosh.* In an instant, his complexion drastically shifted. "How is this possible?" His eyes widened in shock as he cried out. "Sect Master, has something gone wrong?" the elders asked anxiously. The Sect Master closed his eyes, steadying his emotions, then opened them and said in a heavy voice, "The heavenly demon rejected our proposal. It seems the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect has already reached an agreement with it. Heh, this seat underestimated their boldness." He knew full well how deep the enmity between the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect and the heavenly demon ran. For them to reach an agreement now meant the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect must have paid a staggering price. And with such an enormous price paid, their objective was self-evident: if they did not wipe out the Nine Origin Holy Sect, how could they recoup what they had lost? This time, the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect was dead set on destroying them. "Hmph! Destroying my Nine Origin Holy Sect will not be so simple! Close the mountain gate and activate the grand formation! Though our sect has never produced an Emperor, our formations have been continuously reinforced over countless years; holding off an Emperor would be trivial, let alone the Great Saints of the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect!" the Nine Origin Holy Sect Master sneered. He resolved to turtle up. Fight to the death with the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect? There was no need. Once the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect failed to breach their grand formation, the Nine Origin Holy Sect would strike back and wipe out their Great Saints in one fell swoop. When the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect was crippled, the Nine Origin Holy Sect's opportunity would arrive! With that thought, victory seemed already within his grasp. Days went by. The Nine Origin Holy Sect waited at their ease for the exhausted enemy, anticipating the arrival of the rival Great Saints at their doorstep. Yet several days passed, and not a single Great Saint from the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect appeared. There was not even a trace of them. Instead, a series of disastrous reports began pouring in. "Report! The State of Chen under our sect's jurisdiction has come under attack by the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect! The Saint stationed in Chen has fallen!" "Report! The State of Liu has suffered an attack from the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect! The Saint has fallen!" "Report! The Breeze Sect was attacked by the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect! Their mountain gate is destroyed, and the entire sect wiped out...!" One message after another arrived, every single one bearing dreadful news. Gritting his teeth, the Nine Origin Holy Sect Master's expression grew hideously dark. Inside, he was practically roaring in fury. The Dao Comprehension Holy Sect was showing no regard for martial decorum! They were sweeping through every subordinate faction under the Nine Origin Holy Sect! If this continued until every peripheral faction was flattened, leaving only a lone mountain gate behind, what meaning would the Nine Origin Holy Sect have left?