Lu Changsheng Returns to Chaos; A Source Lifeform Descends, Shaking the World!

Buzz. Someone had arrived from the Chaos Alliance headquarters. This was no ordinary figure. It was a source lifeform! Yes, an actual source lifeform. A source lifeform from the Chaos Alliance headquarters had come in person, demonstrating the enormous importance placed on this spatial rift. If the one transmitting through the Chaos Alliance token was genuine, it meant this rift could very well be stabilized into a spatial passage, allowing the Chaos Alliance to send cultivators into the Dark Domain once again. "Greetings, Your Majesty Qingchi!" Everyone bowed respectfully to the source lifeform. This source lifeform was named Qingchi. He was a true source lifeform, an extraordinarily ancient existence within the Chaos Alliance. Ancestor Qingchi waved a hand and asked urgently, "What is the current situation?" "Reporting to Your Majesty: we have already stabilized this spatial rift, ensuring it remains intact. However, we did not dare act rashly or force the passage open on our own." Ancestor Qingchi nodded. He had received the news immediately and had already pulled up Lu Changsheng's file. He had discovered that Lu Changsheng had arrived at the Chaos Alliance frontline over a thousand years ago. It had been his very first time at the frontline. Yet on that single outing, he had fallen into the Dark Domain. Ordinarily, a newcomer with no prior experience would be the first to die upon falling into the Dark Domain. Yet Lu Changsheng seemed entirely different. Not only had he survived, but he had lived for over a thousand years and could even freely travel to the designated coordinates. What did that prove? It proved that Lu Changsheng had likely established a firm foothold in the Dark Domain. This was simply unbelievable. How had Lu Changsheng pulled it off? Yet regardless of how he had managed it, the pressing matter at hand was expanding the spatial rift into a spatial passage. Once they found Lu Changsheng, everything would naturally come to light. "Very well. No matter what is on the other side, with this seat presiding here, nothing will go wrong," Ancestor Qingchi said in a deep voice. The reason he had come to oversee the rift personally was straightforward. What if an Emperor lurked on the other side? What if an Emperor had controlled Lu Changsheng and forced him to send the transmission? That was by no means impossible. It was not only Chaos that launched offensives into the Dark Domain; in reality, the Dark Domain sought to invade Chaos as well. The two sides had always clashed head-on like needles against whetstones. Therefore, the Chaos Alliance had to remain vigilant. With Ancestor Qingchi standing guard in person, any unexpected mishap could be contained to minimal losses. Following that, numerous chaos lifeforms began channeling their treasures, widening the rift bit by bit. As the fissure expanded, the distinct aura of the Dark Domain wafted through. Once the rift grew wide enough to accommodate a single person, the chaos lifeforms began stabilizing the passage. Whoosh. A dark shadow instantly flew out from the Dark Domain. Swish! Countless gazes and a surge of qi instantly locked onto the silhouette. Everyone focused their eyes and saw that it truly was Lu Changsheng! "Fellow Daoist Lu, it really is you!" "Hahaha! Who would have thought Fellow Daoist Lu could survive peacefully in the Dark Domain for over a thousand years, and even wait until we reopened a spatial passage!" "Fellow Daoist Lu, congratulations indeed..." These chaos lifeforms had already reviewed Lu Changsheng's information, so they recognized him at a glance. Lu Changsheng was also slightly startled. He had watched the spatial rift slowly widen, and once it stabilized, he had rushed in immediately. Then, a familiar aura washed over him. Chaos! This was Chaos! Nearly one thousand three hundred years had passed. Lu Changsheng had finally returned to Chaos. That sensation allowed him to breathe a long sigh of relief. However, his gaze instantly turned toward an unfamiliar figure. Standing before this unfamiliar figure, Lu Changsheng felt an implicit suppression at the level of life itself. It felt as though he was being suppressed simply by standing in the person's presence. It was a suppression born of their fundamental life essence. Only one kind of being was capable of this. A source lifeform! The unfamiliar figure before him was unmistakably a source lifeform! "Lu Changsheng, this seat is Qingchi," Ancestor Qingchi took the initiative to speak. "Greetings, Ancestor," Lu Changsheng bowed respectfully. A wave of shock rippled through his heart. To actually meet a source lifeform? This felt completely different from what he had experienced in the Dark Domain. The Dark Domain had Emperors, whose strength also rivaled source lifeforms. Yet because their cultivation systems differed, Emperors did not exert that fundamental suppression on Lu Changsheng's life level, so the impression was not as acute. A source lifeform, however, could exert suppression on Lu Changsheng—and on the level of his very life essence. The sensation was profoundly striking. "Not bad. To have survived peacefully for one thousand three hundred years." "Speak, what is the situation on the other side?" Ancestor Qingchi asked. Lu Changsheng replied, "Opposite the spatial passage lies the depths of the Cloud Dream Mountain Range. A layer of white mist shrouds the depths, so ordinary cultivators will not notice the existence of a spatial passage at all." "Oh?" "It seems our luck is good this time." "Lu Changsheng, tell us about your circumstances in the Dark Domain. How were you able to survive safely for one thousand three hundred years, receive the transmission, and rush to the passage's coordinates?" Ancestor Qingchi asked. Everyone's eyes remained fixed on Lu Changsheng. Clearly, this was no simple feat. "It is a long story..." Lu Changsheng glanced at Ancestor Qingchi. The other party clearly took this very seriously. With a source lifeform asking in person, Lu Changsheng had no way to conceal it—nor was there any need to. Thus, he recounted everything that had happened after he entered the Dark Domain, detailing his experiences from beginning to end. Lu Changsheng spoke for a long time. The gathered chaos lifeforms listened in stunned silence, finding it all utterly incredible. Not only had Lu Changsheng avoided living in hiding in the Dark Domain, but he had openly become a guest elder in an Emperor orthodoxy! His status was exalted! That was an Emperor orthodoxy, equivalent to a faction backed by a source lifeform in Chaos. To become a guest elder and receive immense respect—among all the countless chaos lifeforms who had ever ventured into the Dark Domain, had anyone ever reached such a position? Not a single one! Even high-rank chaos lifeforms who entered the Dark Domain had to hide their tracks. The moment they showed their heads, they would be relentlessly hunted down, sometimes drawing an Emperor to strike in person. How could anyone be like Lu Changsheng, openly becoming a renowned Great Saint? He had backed himself with an Emperor orthodoxy, securing an illustrious background. Among all chaos lifeforms, Lu Changsheng held the highest status in the Dark Domain. Without exception! Such a record was nothing short of legendary. It was the equivalent of a Dark Domain lifeform arriving in Chaos and working their way into the upper echelon of the Chaos Alliance. How staggering was that? "Well done, Lu Changsheng! Splendid, truly splendid!" "However, how did you disguise yourself so that even the experts of the Dark Domain failed to see through you?" Ancestor Qingchi asked. A shiver ran through the crowd. This was the crux of the matter. Lu Changsheng had merely spoken of disguising himself. Yet how had he achieved it? The powerhouses of the Dark Domain were far from foolish. How could they have failed to see through Lu Changsheng's disguise? There had to be a reason! Lu Changsheng knew this was difficult to explain with words alone. After a moment's thought, his mind stirred. Rumble! Immediately, Lu Changsheng unleashed the Thunderfire Great Dao and the Eternal Sword Dao. Two Great Daos spanned the void. In Chaos, this Great Dao power suffered a slight degree of suppression, but it remained exceedingly formidable—enough to rival chaos lifeforms that had undergone life leaps. In fact, the terrifying aura caused the expressions of the numerous chaos lifeforms present to shift drastically. They had all dealt with the Dark Domain before, so they naturally understood what this represented. "Great Dao power? This is truly Great Dao power! But Fellow Daoist Lu is a chaos lifeform—how can he possess Great Dao power?" "Indeed, it is impossible for a chaos lifeform to wield Great Dao power; their cultivation systems are entirely different. Chaos lifeforms can only undergo life leaps, and their life essence is fundamentally distinct. Even if one wished to cultivate the Great Dao power of the Dark Domain, it should be impossible to succeed!" "Then what is going on with Fellow Daoist Lu? Two Great Daos... that is equivalent to a chaos lifeform that has undergone two life leaps..." The gathered chaos lifeforms were utterly shocked, buzzing with discussion. Lu Changsheng swept his eyes across the crowd but offered no explanation. It seemed his disguise could fool Great Saints in the Dark Domain, and naturally, it could fool chaos lifeforms in Chaos as well. However, a source lifeform stood right before him. Lu Changsheng turned his gaze toward the source lifeform. Ancestor Qingchi stared intently at Lu Changsheng, his expression turning solemn. Only after a long while did a faint smile finally appear on Ancestor Qingchi's face. "What a marvelous method!" "With such a disguise, no wonder even the Great Saints of the Dark Domain couldn't see through you." "These are the means of a Realm Lord. Aside from being a chaos lifeform, you have also embarked on the path of a Realm Lord and become one yourself? This is truly incredible..." Ancestor Qingchi spoke slowly. Even he felt astonished. Chaos lifeforms and Realm Lords were, in reality, two separate cultivation systems. One was either a chaos lifeform or a Realm Lord. How could both appear in a single person? Still, this was Lu Changsheng's personal secret. As a venerable source lifeform, Ancestor Qingchi would not pry relentlessly into Lu Changsheng's private affairs. Yet he now understood. The Realm Lord cultivation system was extraordinarily unique. If Lu Changsheng deliberately disguised himself, no one would truly be able to see through his flaws. Hearing Ancestor Qingchi's words, the gathered chaos lifeforms broke into an uproar. They naturally knew of Realm Lords. Yet how could a Realm Lord coexist within a chaos lifeform? This was simply unbelievable. "A Realm Lord... The Realm Lord cultivation system across all of Chaos has withered away. It's said that without access to chaos origin, the Realm Lord system cannot be sustained. How could Lu Changsheng have stepped onto that path?" "What is even more incredible is that he remains a chaos lifeform!" "Just how did he accomplish this?" "No wonder he could disguise himself. He used a world to simulate Great Dao power, making it lifelike and impossible to distinguish! What matters most is that a Realm Lord's world truly possesses terrifying might, not falling short of Great Dao power in the slightest." "If that is the case, couldn't Lu Changsheng continue his disguise indefinitely, moving through the Dark Domain without hindrance?" Many chaos lifeforms thought of this, their eyes lighting up at once. "Lu Changsheng, as a Realm Lord, you can disguise yourself as a Dark Domain lifeform. This is a unique ability of yours that no one can replace. If you can remain in the Dark Domain, you will be of immense importance to the Chaos Alliance..." "Furthermore, since you walk the path of a Realm Lord, your world requires origin power. Origin power in the Dark Domain is far easier to obtain than in Chaos. When it comes to chaos origin, even a source lifeform like me has no means to procure it," Ancestor Qingchi said slowly. Lu Changsheng's heart sank slightly. Unless necessary, he did not wish to stay in the Dark Domain permanently. After all, what if an Emperor saw through him? Or what if he slipped up and exposed his identity? How could it compare to the safety of Chaos? Yet Ancestor Qingchi was also right. Chaos was indeed safe, but the Realm Lord path could not progress here. The primary reason was the scarcity of chaos origin. Only in the Dark Domain could one acquire Dark Domain origin power. "Lu Changsheng, you do not need to remain in the Dark Domain indefinitely. As long as you can ensure the safety of the interworld passage, you may return to Chaos at any time." "Besides, did you not come to the Chaos Alliance for cultivation resources, so that you could undergo life leaps?" "By staying in the Dark Domain, you can make significant contributions. How many cultivation resources could those contributions and merits be exchanged for?" "At that time, your chaos lifeform cultivation will also advance by leaps and bounds." Ancestor Qingchi's words stirred Lu Changsheng's interest. Indeed, going to the Dark Domain was not mandatory, and he could return whenever he wished. Moreover, he could earn an ocean of contribution in the Dark Domain. Just look at how many contribution points sat inside his Chaos Alliance token right now! Who knew how many cultivation resources that could buy? For a moment, Lu Changsheng fell into contemplation. In truth, between staying in Chaos or the Dark Domain, staying in the Dark Domain offered far greater benefits. As long as the passage was not uncovered and his identity remained unexposed, staying in the Dark Domain would grant him copious amounts of Dark Domain origin power to sustain the elevation of his Illusory Realm. At the same time, he could earn Chaos Alliance contributions to secure a steady stream of cultivation resources. Then his physical body could undergo life leaps as well. It was the best of both worlds. Previously, Lu Changsheng had merely wanted to become a source lifeform. Now, things were different. Through the method of Severing World Corpses, he had utilized a flesh particle to cultivate the Realm Lord path. So long as he had ample Dark Domain origin power and Great Dao power, he could ensure the steady elevation of his Illusory Realm, eventually becoming a true Realm Lord rivaling Emperors and source lifeforms. Cultivating both paths simultaneously was no longer a mere fantasy; it was an achievable reality. "Dual cultivation of both paths..." Lu Changsheng murmured softly. If he chose to remain in Chaos, he would essentially be abandoning the Realm Lord cultivation system. Currently, three world reopenings were his limit. Cultivating both paths would become impossible. Only by entering the Dark Domain could he cultivate both simultaneously. Lu Changsheng was already gradually leaning toward returning to the Dark Domain. However, he knew very well that once he reentered the Dark Domain, the assistance he could provide to the entire Chaos Alliance would be immense. Now was the time to ask for benefits. He could not simply walk away empty-handed. Thus, Lu Changsheng raised his head, looked at Ancestor Qingchi, and said, "Reporting to the Ancestor, I can enter the Dark Domain. However, the Dark Domain is exceedingly perilous, especially considering the value of the intelligence..." Ancestor Qingchi immediately grasped his meaning. "The value of your intelligence will naturally be converted into contribution points, which can be exchanged for cultivation resources at any time." "You may even contact this seat directly. If you encounter danger, send word, and this seat will intervene immediately." "How does that sound?" With Ancestor Qingchi's promise, Lu Changsheng felt at ease. "Very well." "However, I would like to exchange the contributions I earned in the Dark Domain for cultivation resources first." Lu Changsheng nodded. "Naturally." "They still need time to stabilize the spatial passage, and entering the Dark Domain requires establishing a foothold first. All of this takes time. You may return to the Chaos Alliance with this seat first." With that, Ancestor Qingchi brought Lu Changsheng away from the spatial passage, heading straight back to the Chaos Alliance. The moment they returned, Lu Changsheng's deeds caused an immediate sensation. Who could have imagined that after one thousand three hundred years, Lu Changsheng would still be alive and thriving in the Dark Domain? He had taken to the Dark Domain like a fish to water. Of course, the exact details were known only to certain upper echelons. Ordinary cultivators had no idea about the specifics of his time in the Dark Domain. Even the fact that Lu Changsheng was concurrently cultivating the Realm Lord system was known only to source lifeforms and core leaders. After all, this was no minor matter. If word spread, it might bring Lu Changsheng unnecessary trouble. Lu Changsheng's contribution points displayed a long string of digits—a staggering total. Approximately three hundred thirty-six million points. Lu Changsheng checked the exchange rates of the Chaos Alliance. A single wisp of Grandmist Qi required only one million points. In other words, his contribution points could be exchanged for three hundred thirty-six wisps of Grandmist Qi. That was a terrifying figure. Over three hundred wisps of Grandmist Qi! Previously, Lu Changsheng wouldn't have dared to dream of such a thing. Looking back now, spending one thousand three hundred years in the Dark Domain had been well worth it. Otherwise, how could he have earned so many contributions? Many chaos lifeforms toiled diligently in the Chaos Alliance for thousands or tens of thousands of years just to scrape together one million contribution points to redeem a single batch of cultivation resources. Yet Lu Changsheng? In a mere thousand years, he could redeem over three hundred wisps of Grandmist Qi—the equivalent of over three hundred portions of cultivation resources. If other chaos lifeforms learned of this, they would be green with envy. "Redeem them all for Grandmist Qi!" Lu Changsheng did not hesitate, converting every point into Grandmist Qi. He cultivated the Myriad Origins Fundamental Art and needed to use the Sky Cleaving Art to undergo his life leaps. All of this required Grandmist Qi. Grandmist Qi was the sole cultivation resource for his physical body's life leaps. He only feared having too little; he would never complain of having too much. Soon, the Chaos Alliance delivered three hundred thirty-six wisps of Grandmist Qi. Moreover, Ancestor Qingchi delivered them in person. With a smile, Ancestor Qingchi brought the Grandmist Qi before Lu Changsheng and said, "Lu Changsheng, here are three hundred thirty-six wisps of Grandmist Qi. Redeeming so much all at once nearly cleaned out the Chaos Alliance's reserves." Lu Changsheng shook his head slightly. He did not believe for a second that the Chaos Alliance had such meager reserves. The Chaos Alliance had existed for countless years, its foundation unfathomably deep. While Grandmist Qi was exceedingly precious, what did it amount to for the Chaos Alliance? Forget three hundred wisps—even three thousand wisps wouldn't dream of emptying their coffers. "Thank you, Ancestor." Lu Changsheng received the Grandmist Qi respectfully. Seeing so much Grandmist Qi, a look of delight crossed his face. Now, a life leap was within reach. In fact, perhaps even more than one. At this moment, Ancestor Qingchi spoke again. "Lu Changsheng, regarding your Realm Lord cultivation method, several other fellow daoists are truly curious, so they asked me to inquire in detail." "Would you be willing to contribute your Realm Lord cultivation method to the Chaos Alliance?" "Specifically, the technique for cultivating it alongside the chaos lifeform system." As Ancestor Qingchi finished speaking, Lu Changsheng's eyes narrowed slightly, and he remained silent for a long time. Lu Changsheng knew that what was meant to come would inevitably arrive. Earlier, back in the void, Ancestor Qingchi had refrained from probing to preserve confidentiality. No one wanted their secrets aired in public. Now, however, they were back at the Chaos Alliance, and even source lifeform ancestors were intensely interested in his dual-cultivation method. After all, source lifeforms had reached the end of their road, unable to advance further. If they could concurrently cultivate the Realm Lord path, why wouldn't they? Lu Changsheng weighed the matter in his heart. In truth, to him, this was not much of a secret. The method of Severing World Corpses was certainly not something anyone could cultivate—not even a source lifeform. Furthermore, for the Realm Lord system, one first needed to possess a world. Lu Changsheng had endured immense hardship to transform his Illusory Realm from illusion into reality. It was not so easily replicated. Yet just because no one could duplicate his dual-cultivation method did not mean the technique lacked value. On the contrary, it was extraordinarily precious. Handing it over was fine. They had to add more to the price! "One billion contribution points," Lu Changsheng said suddenly. Since he was claiming benefits, there was no need to be modest. He intended to fetch a handsome price. "What? One billion contribution points? That is equivalent to a thousand portions of cultivation resources!" "Out of the question! Under normal circumstances, a thousand portions of cultivation resources would be enough to nurture a source lifeform!" "Lu Changsheng, your appetite is far too voracious..." Even Ancestor Qingchi was taken aback. Lu Changsheng truly dared to ask. One billion contribution points was simply impossible. Ancestor Qingchi refused on the spot. However, one set an exorbitant price to allow for haggling; as long as an offer was on the table, there was room for discussion. Thus, the two sides went back and forth, bargaining continuously. Eventually, they settled on a price. Three hundred million! As long as Lu Changsheng contributed the dual-cultivation method, he would receive three hundred million contribution points. This was already remarkably high. Three hundred million contribution points was roughly what he had earned toiling in the Dark Domain for over a thousand years. Consequently, Lu Changsheng agreed decisively and handed over the dual-cultivation method. It was primarily the method of Severing World Corpses. Lu Changsheng held nothing back, explaining the method from beginning to end. He even demonstrated his flesh particle and Illusory Realm in person. After hearing the explanation and personally inspecting Lu Changsheng's flesh particle and Illusory Realm, Ancestor Qingchi was profoundly shaken. "Brilliant! Brilliant! Truly beyond words!" Ancestor Qingchi praised sincerely. Even as a source lifeform, such a marvelous method of Severing World Corpses filled him with immense wonder. "A pity... Even for a source lifeform, achieving Severing World Corpses would be exceedingly difficult. That you reached this point was due to serendipity, forged by a confluence of unique factors..." "However, while it is difficult for source lifeforms, if we emphasize the cultivation of flesh particles when nurturing the next generation, your method of Severing World Corpses might be replicated in the future..." Ancestor Qingchi grasped both the flaws and virtues of the method at a glance. The flaw was that current source lifeforms or existing chaos lifeforms basically could not use it. Yet the next generation of cultivators would be different. If they were nurtured from the beginning, they might achieve dual cultivation. From this perspective, giving Lu Changsheng three hundred million contribution points was an absolute bargain. This was a feat that would benefit Chaos for generations to come. "Lu Changsheng, rest assured that your Severing World Corpses method will not be spread casually." "We will place it among the Chaos Alliance's supreme manuals as an exalted Realm Lord method available for redemption. Its exchange price will be extremely steep, and with every redemption, you will receive a ten percent cut of the earnings!" Ancestor Qingchi told him. Lu Changsheng nodded, well satisfied. After all, this was an art he had created. Three hundred million contribution points was certainly not small, but for such a technique, three hundred million was actually modest. Yet if he received a ten percent cut from every redemption, he would enjoy a continuous stream of Chaos Alliance contributions in the future. Of course, this also bound Lu Changsheng to the Chaos Alliance. The more contributions he earned from the Chaos Alliance, the more inseparable he would be from it. This point was vital! Many source lifeforms, including Ancestor Qingchi, held Lu Changsheng in high regard. They all believed that with his dual cultivation of both paths, he stood a great chance of becoming a source lifeform or a Realm Lord. "By the way, you passed the initial trial of the Black Light Pagoda, correct?" Ancestor Qingchi asked suddenly. "Yes." "Then you are currently undergoing the ultimate trial? The time limit hasn't expired, has it?" "It hasn't. Several thousand years remain." "Then do your best to pass the ultimate trial in the Black Light Realm. Black Light Ancestor is an extraordinary source lifeform; passing his ultimate trial will grant immense benefits." From Ancestor Qingchi's tone, it sounded as though he held deep reverence even for Black Light Ancestor. Lu Changsheng could not help asking, "May I ask the Ancestor, has Black Light Ancestor fallen?" It was natural for Lu Changsheng to harbor this doubt. After all, Black Light Pagodas stood scattered across the entirety of Chaos, and no one knew how many years the Black Light Realm had existed. Yet no one had seen Black Light Ancestor for ages. Faint rumors suggested he had fallen. Yet how could a source lifeform fall? Even in grand wars against the Emperors of the Dark Domain, source lifeforms rarely perished. For such great existences, falling was exceedingly difficult. Ancestor Qingchi understood what Lu Changsheng meant. He shook his head and said, "How could Black Light Ancestor have fallen? Such a great existence stood at the pinnacle of source lifeforms; even the most supreme Emperors of the Dark Domain might not have matched him in combat strength." "It is simply that Black Light Ancestor yearned for a broader expanse. He felt that the end of cultivation should not be merely a source lifeform, so he departed Chaos to pursue cultivation beyond source lifeforms..." "He has never returned to Chaos since. Yet with Black Light Ancestor's strength, even outside Chaos, it would be difficult for him to perish." "One day, perhaps Black Light Ancestor will return to Chaos, and even bring us the path of cultivation beyond source lifeforms..." Ancestor Qingchi's eyes showed unreserved reverence for Black Light Ancestor. Such a great existence was a senior to most source lifeforms. He had departed Chaos specifically to seek the path beyond source lifeforms. As a trailblazer, he naturally commanded Ancestor Qingchi's respect! "Beyond source lifeforms... What is that?" Lu Changsheng's eyes widened. "I do not know." "A source lifeform is the end of cultivation in Chaos. In truth, whether source lifeforms, Realm Lords, or Emperors, all of them represent the end of cultivation." "No matter how brilliant or peerless one is, there is no further path to advance." "However, it is said that Black Light Ancestor and others had some conjectures. Beyond source lifeforms, there should still be a path of cultivation, named the 'Eternal' path..." "Of course, this is merely conjecture. No one knows whether a path truly exists beyond source lifeforms." "Still, all of this is far too distant for you. You are not even a source lifeform yet. Focusing on your current cultivation is the proper path..." Lu Changsheng nodded. What lay beyond source lifeforms was indeed far too distant for him.