A Thousand Years of Time, Four-Dao Great Saint!

"A four-Dao Great Saint..." The Dao Comprehension Holy Sect Master also stared fixedly at the Ice and Fire Dao manifested in the void. Several other Great Saints stood beside him. Even as those Great Saints cheered and gasped in shock, the Sect Master said nothing. His brow was furrowed tightly, showing not the slightest hint of joy. "Sect Master, why do you look unhappy? Elder Lu is, after all, a guest elder of our Dao Comprehension Holy Sect. Now that he has become a four-Dao Great Saint, is that not cause for celebration?" "Indeed! We ought to go and congratulate Elder Lu." "The whole world knows Elder Lu is now Lin Qingluan's Dao companion. Previously his cultivation was modest, but now he is already a four-Dao Great Saint. If he keeps this up, he will surely become a high-rank Great Saint sooner or later. This is an occasion for great rejoicing!" "Quite right. Once Elder Lu stands as Lin Qingluan's true companion and she attains the Dao to become an Emperor, our Dao Comprehension Holy Sect will reap boundless benefits." These elders were clearly elated. The stronger Lu Changsheng grew, the more satisfied they were. Lu Changsheng's rise was inextricably tied to the fortunes of the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect. By now, his status within the sect was far more than that of an ordinary guest elder. He was treated no differently from an elder whose roots and loyalty were thoroughly known. Yet the Sect Master's brow remained tightly knitted. He asked, measuring every word, "How long did it take Elder Lu to advance from a three-Dao Great Saint to a four-Dao Great Saint?" The moment he spoke, the expressions of many elders froze slightly. "How long?" They had not actually considered it. Yet upon a moment's reflection, the number was easy enough to calculate. "Nine hundred years?" "Close enough to a thousand, at any rate. A bit over nine hundred years—practically a millennium." "That speed is fairly fast, isn't it?" "Advancing to a four-Dao Great Saint in under a thousand years is already impressive..." The elders spoke up one after another. Yet the Sect Master let out a deep sigh. "How long did it take Elder Lu to advance from a two-Dao Great Saint to a three-Dao Great Saint?" "From one-Dao to three-Dao, Elder Lu's performance was even more dazzling than Lin Qingluan's." "Then why, from three-Dao to four-Dao, has his performance fallen so far behind hers?" "If going from three-Dao to four-Dao already took around a thousand years, what about five-Dao, six-Dao, seven-Dao, eight-Dao, or even nine-Dao? At this rate of cultivation, his lifespan will expire before he ever reaches nine-Dao, let alone Emperor." "Why has Elder Lu's talent plummeted so suddenly? This is not normal!" The Sect Master's words struck the elders like a thunderclap. Realization dawned on them. Indeed—time. Time was critical. Lu Changsheng taking around a millennium to advance from a three-Dao Great Saint to a four-Dao Great Saint was exceptionally good for an ordinary prodigy. Yet an ordinary prodigy almost never had a chance of reaching the high-rank Great Saint realm, much less Emperor. Lu Changsheng was supposed to be different. His previous displays had exhibited the makings of an Emperor. Yet now, he had suddenly spent so long just to break through to a four-Dao Great Saint. Something was undeniably wrong. Where did the problem lie? The Dao Comprehension Holy Sect Master had no way of knowing. Such a matter could only be asked of Lu Changsheng himself. Perhaps only Lu Changsheng knew the answer. With that thought, the Sect Master rose and made his way in person outside Lu Changsheng's cave dwelling. At that moment, Lu Changsheng seemed to sense his arrival. He immediately withdrew the Ice and Fire Dao. Instantly, the void returned to tranquility. Then Lu Changsheng opened the cave dwelling's entrance. "Sect Master, please enter." And so, the Sect Master stepped inside Lu Changsheng's cave dwelling. At this moment, the Sect Master no longer frowned. Instead, he put on a joyful expression and smiled. "Congratulations, Elder Lu, on condensing your fourth Great Dao and advancing to a four-Dao Great Saint!" "Sect Master, surely you did not come merely to offer congratulations?" Lu Changsheng gave him a searching look. If it were merely to congratulate him, there was no need to visit his cave dwelling in person. A message would have sufficed. Evidently, the Sect Master's personal appearance meant there was more to this visit. Sure enough, the Sect Master let out a soft sigh. "Elder Lu, I have indeed come for more than just congratulating you. There are a few things I must ask." "Feel free to speak, Sect Master." "Elder Lu, though you have advanced to a four-Dao Great Saint, this breakthrough took nearly a thousand years. Taking so long to reach the four-Dao stage—have you run into some cultivation difficulty?" The Sect Master watched Lu Changsheng intently. The underlying meaning was as clear as day. He was asking why Lu Changsheng's cultivation had suddenly slowed down so drastically. Lu Changsheng naturally knew the reason. In fact, it was quite simple: a difference in cultivation systems. On the surface, it appeared Lu Changsheng had spent vast amounts of time comprehending the Great Daos on the Great Dao Stele. In reality? It was simply the difference between cultivation systems. He walked the path of a World Master. A World Master possessed an immensely vast lifespan, virtually on par with a source lifeform—measured in epochs. Great Saints and Emperors of the Dark Domain were different. Even an Emperor's lifespan was exceedingly brief compared to that of a World Master or source lifeform. Under such circumstances, Lu Changsheng's pace naturally lagged far behind that of cultivators in the Dark Domain. Yet that truth could not be spoken. Fortunately, Lu Changsheng had prepared an explanation long ago. "Sect Master, my method of comprehending the Dao involves drawing upon the strengths of all schools. I must comprehend other Great Daos to synthesize them, gain inspiration, and only then comprehend my own Great Dao." "However, the powers of the Great Daos on the Great Dao Stele are simply too ancient. The Dao rhyme within those Dao marks has become extremely faint. Dissecting them requires vast amounts of time, which caused the delay." "If the Dao rhyme on the stele were clearer, I would naturally be able to comprehend the Great Dao much faster." Lu Changsheng stated his reason. "Drawing upon the strengths of all schools... requiring Dao marks with clear Dao rhyme..." Enlightenment struck the Sect Master. He understood now. Everything made sense. No wonder Lu Changsheng had needed to sit continuously beneath the Great Dao Stele. It turned out he truly drew flashes of inspiration from those ancient Dao marks to comprehend his own Great Dao. Thus, the Dao rhyme preserved within the marks was of paramount importance. "Elder Lu, even though you have become Lin Qingluan's Dao companion, cultivation remains paramount. No matter what the future holds, your own strength is your sole guarantee..." "If it is merely an issue of Dao rhyme, that is not difficult to resolve," the Sect Master could not help advising. "What solution does the Sect Master propose?" Lu Changsheng asked. "It is quite simple. Our Dao Comprehension Holy Sect only possesses the Dao marks on the Great Dao Stele, many of which were left behind in the distant past. However, there is also the Tianyuan Holy Sect! The Tianyuan Holy Sect possesses a treasure akin to the Great Dao Stele, which undoubtedly preserves countless Dao marks." "If Elder Lu travels to the Tianyuan Holy Sect and asks to study their Dao marks, you will surely make great gains," the Sect Master suggested. Lu Changsheng smiled. He had harbored this intention all along. Before he even had the chance to bring it up, the Sect Master had come on his own initiative and pointed out the path. Going to the Tianyuan Holy Sect! The Sect Master was right about one thing: no matter what, cultivation came first! "I understand, Sect Master. In a short while, I shall head to the Tianyuan Holy Sect," Lu Changsheng said in a deep voice. A satisfied smile appeared on the Sect Master's face. "Elder Lu, if you intend to go to the Tianyuan Holy Sect, notify them beforehand." "After all, not everyone within the Tianyuan Holy Sect is guaranteed to welcome you." "Your visit must be made known to Holy Maiden Lin Qingluan and the sect's upper echelons in advance, so as to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings," the Sect Master said with deep meaning. "Misunderstandings?" Lu Changsheng was somewhat puzzled. What sort of misunderstanding could warrant a special reminder from the Sect Master? "Holy Maiden Lin Qingluan is the greatest genius the Tianyuan Holy Sect has produced since its founding ancestor. Countless Great Saints wish to become her Dao companion, naturally including those within the Tianyuan Holy Sect itself." "When you arrive there, there will surely be no shortage of people looking to cause trouble for you. You must be mentally prepared. After all, Lin Qingluan cannot possibly keep every single person in check..." Lu Changsheng suddenly understood. So that was why. Thinking carefully about it, it was entirely plausible. Lin Qingluan's cultivation art was extraordinary. Not only could she become a ten-Dao Great Saint herself, but her Dao companion would also receive immense benefits. Who wouldn't want to become her partner? Yet Lin Qingluan had bypassed the Great Saints of her own Tianyuan Holy Sect and chosen Lu Changsheng—an 'outsider.' One could well imagine the resentment simmering toward him within the Tianyuan Holy Sect. For now, they held back only because of pressure from the sect's higher-ups. Once Lu Changsheng actually set foot in the Tianyuan Holy Sect, those people would hardly let the matter rest. They would almost certainly seek opportunities, openly or in secret, to make life difficult for him. "Thank you, Sect Master. I know what to expect." "Good." Not wishing to disturb Lu Changsheng any further, the Sect Master departed from the cave dwelling. Lu Changsheng remained inside. He had decided to head to the Tianyuan Holy Sect. As for the petty troubles within their ranks—as long as high-rank Great Saints did not intervene, Lu Changsheng feared nothing. Even so, sufficient preparations had to be made first. His visit to the Tianyuan Holy Sect was for the sake of cultivation—to prepare for reopening his world for the fifth time. Therefore, he planned to first refine the Dark Domain origin. At the very least, he needed to raise his Illusory Realm to perfection. Once that was done, all that remained was reconstructing Great Daos to strengthen the Illusory Realm to its limit, at which point he could attempt his fifth world reopening. "Begin." Lu Changsheng immediately set to work refining the Dark Domain origin power. Time flew by, and over eight years elapsed. Roughly one hundred months. Lu Changsheng refined one hundred strands of Dark Domain origin power. Host: Lu Changsheng Comprehension: Top-Tier Comprehension World Master: 100% (Four times) Chaos Lifeform: 86% (Three leaps) Lu Changsheng's Illusory Realm had reached perfection. However, it was not yet robust enough to endure the explosion of world reopening. He still needed to reconstruct a massive amount of Great Dao power. For that, he had to go to the Tianyuan Holy Sect. Lu Changsheng brought out a message transmission stone. Eight years ago, he had transmitted a message to Lin Qingluan. Yet to this day, there was no reply. This was unusual. In the past, even if Lin Qingluan did not reply instantaneously, she answered very promptly. She had never simply left a message unanswered. "Could something have happened?" Lu Changsheng frowned. He promptly sought out the Sect Master to inquire. "You say Lin Qingluan hasn't replied to your message?" "Correct." "Eight years have passed without a single word," Lu Changsheng said. The Sect Master immediately dispatched people to look into the situation at the Tianyuan Holy Sect. Before long, word arrived. "Oh?" "It is nothing serious. A century ago, Lin Qingluan entered secluded cultivation. It seems she found a glimmer of opportunity and seeks to comprehend her ninth Great Dao." "Because she is in seclusion, she naturally cannot receive your message, let alone reply." Lu Changsheng saw the reason. So she was in seclusion. Still, had it not been said that advancing from an eight-Dao Great Saint to a nine-Dao Great Saint could take thousands of years? How much time had actually passed? Only a little over nine hundred years. Even counting a full millennium, could Lin Qingluan already be on the verge of advancing to a nine-Dao Great Saint? Such speed astonished even Lu Changsheng. As if sensing his surprise, the Sect Master sighed in profound envy. "Lin Qingluan's talent surpasses that of many Emperors in their youth." "Few Emperors progressed as quickly as she has during their early years. We initially estimated she would need ten thousand years to reach the nine-Dao stage, but it seems she will not need nearly that long." "However, ascending to Emperor requires serendipity. Without sufficient opportunity, even supreme talent is futile. And Lin Qingluan's opportunity clearly lies with you, Elder Lu. Without your Eternal Sword Dao, she could at most become a nine-Dao Great Saint; attaining the Dao to become an Emperor would be exceedingly difficult!" Lu Changsheng nodded. He naturally understood the nature of Dark Domain Emperors. Opportunity! Every Emperor had to attain their own unique Dao. Yet that attainment was fundamentally rooted in an irreplaceable opportunity of their own. Without it, no amount of talent would suffice. No matter how brilliant one was, the path of an Emperor would remain barred. And how rare was such an opportunity? Lu Changsheng's Eternal Sword Dao was precisely Lin Qingluan's opportunity. Small wonder she had accepted him as her Dao companion so readily. In her heart, Lu Changsheng was her ticket to attaining the Dao of an Emperor. Such a serendipity was singular and incomparable to an aspiring Emperor. Lu Changsheng was her one and only Dao companion! No amount of importance placed on him could be considered excessive. "Elder Lu, now that Lin Qingluan is in seclusion, going to the Tianyuan Holy Sect might bring you a great deal of trouble." "Why not wait? You could wait until she emerges before heading over," the Sect Master advised gently. "Wait?" "Who knows when she will emerge?" "Besides, the Great Saints of the Tianyuan Holy Sect know full well my importance to her. Whatever happens, they will not dare push me too far. If anything happened to me, it would sever Lin Qingluan's path to becoming an Emperor. Who would dare bear that responsibility?" "Therefore, I still wish to depart as soon as possible." Lu Changsheng's tone was resolute. He was determined to go. Moreover, he saw the situation clearly. The Great Saints of the Tianyuan Holy Sect might play petty tricks behind the scenes—giving him the cold shoulder or making things unpleasant. Yet that would be the extent of it. None would dare make any drastic moves. "Very well." "When the Tianyuan Holy Sect departed last time, we agreed to establish teleportation arrays between our sects." "One can teleport directly from our Dao Comprehension Holy Sect to the Tianyuan Holy Sect." "Since you have made up your mind, head straight to the array," the Sect Master agreed. "Thank you, Sect Master!" Lu Changsheng rose, left the grand hall, and made his way to the teleportation array. The formation had only recently been constructed. Though only a few test runs had been conducted, everything functioned normally. Lu Changsheng stepped onto the teleportation array. *Buzz.* A moment later, the formation activated. Lu Changsheng felt the space around him twist violently. By the time his senses cleared, the transit was complete. A crowd of unfamiliar cultivators greeted his sight. Evidently, they were higher-ups of the Tianyuan Holy Sect. A few elders looked familiar; they had likely accompanied Lin Qingluan to the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect previously. Others were entirely new faces. Yet the gazes directed at Lu Changsheng were intensely complicated— curiosity, envy, doubt, and even a faint trace of jealousy. A myriad of emotions flickered across their features. "Fellow Daoist Lu, welcome to the Tianyuan Holy Sect!" a blue-robed cultivator spoke up. "This is our Tianyuan Holy Sect Master, Great Saint Luo Yang," an elder introduced. "Greetings, Sect Master Luo. I have come to impose upon your esteemed sect." "What talk of imposition? You are the Holy Maiden's Dao companion, which makes you family. Coming to the Tianyuan Holy Sect is no different from coming home." "Fellow Daoist Lu, please." Under Luo Yang's lead, Lu Changsheng was escorted to the grand hall. Inside, Luo Yang introduced the various elders one by one. Every single one was a Great Saint. There was no lack of high-rank Great Saints among them. Many Great Saints eyed Lu Changsheng curiously. After all, he had become a sensation throughout the Dark Domain. They were eager to see what kind of bearing the man chosen by Lin Qingluan possessed. Yet upon laying eyes on him, he seemed quite ordinary. None could fathom why he had caught Lin Qingluan's favor. Of course, rumors claimed she valued his Eternal Sword Dao. Lu Changsheng could hardly unleash his Eternal Sword Dao the moment they met. "Sect Master Luo, may I ask how Qingluan is doing?" "I received word that she has been in seclusion for nearly a thousand years?" Lu Changsheng asked at the earliest opportunity. The news from the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect Master lacked detail. Luo Yang, as the Tianyuan Holy Sect Master, would surely know the particulars. Luo Yang did not conceal anything. He shook his head and replied, "It cannot truly be called a thousand years of seclusion. After all, who enters seclusion for that long at her age? Qingluan is barely four thousand years old; how could she suddenly shut herself away for a millennium?" "She has entered a unique secret realm. Cultivating within that secret realm aids her in comprehending her ninth Great Dao as quickly as possible, allowing her to advance to a nine-Dao Great Saint." Lu Changsheng's eyes narrowed slightly. "A secret realm? Is there any danger within it? A thousand years is quite a long time..." Luo Yang smiled reassuringly. "Rest easy, Fellow Daoist Lu. There is no great danger inside. Qingluan is already an eight-Dao Great Saint and wields pinnacle secret methods and divine abilities. Below the Emperor realm, few could defeat her, let alone kill her." "The only complication is that the duration of her cultivation in the secret realm cannot be fixed. It might take a thousand years, three thousand years, or even longer. She will emerge only once she comprehends her ninth Great Dao. This serves as a trial for her." Lu Changsheng nodded. It seemed Qingluan intended to push herself to the brink, mastering her ninth Great Dao as quickly as possible to become a nine-Dao Great Saint. Only then could she become true Dao companions with Lu Changsheng. In this matter, Lin Qingluan was even more eager than he was. Originally, she had had a high probability of reaching the nine-Dao stage within ten thousand years. Yet she insisted on entering the secret realm for bitter cultivation, clearly unwilling to spend that long and striving to achieve it sooner. "By the way, did Fellow Daoist Lu come to our Tianyuan Holy Sect to comprehend the Great Dao?" Luo Yang asked. The Dao Comprehension Holy Sect Master had already transmitted word to him, so he was well aware of Lu Changsheng's purpose. Even so, he needed to hear it directly from Lu Changsheng. Lu Changsheng nodded. "Indeed, I need to comprehend the Great Dao. Places with distinct Dao marks would be best. Only by drawing upon the strengths of all schools can I attain my own comprehension." Of course, this was solely Lu Changsheng's method of cultivation. Most other Great Saints focused entirely on seeking that elusive spark of inspiration within their souls, rather than readily studying foreign Dao marks. After all, no matter how powerful a Dao mark was, it represented someone else's realization. Contemplating too many external marks could clutter the mind, causing one to lose their own identity and making it harder to realize their own Dao. Lu Changsheng was different. His goal was to reconstruct Great Daos. Reconstructing them within his Illusory Realm required a vast number. Relying on sheer contemplation would take an eternity; studying pre-existing Great Daos was far more expedient. "That is no issue. Our Tianyuan Holy Sect possesses a Great Dao Disc engraved with over eighteen hundred Great Daos. Many of the Dao marks remain very clear, more than sufficient for your study." "However, the only slight complication is that the guardian of the Great Dao Disc is Great Saint Hou Tong. He has an eccentric temper and is exceedingly stubborn. He might not grant passage easily—especially to you, Fellow Daoist Lu..." Luo Yang hesitated, clearly holding something back. Upon hearing the name 'Great Saint Hou Tong,' the expressions of many elders in the hall grew peculiar. Yet none volunteered an explanation. Their gazes toward Lu Changsheng merely grew more complicated. "May I ask, Sect Master, about Elder Hou Tong..." Before Lu Changsheng could finish, Luo Yang's divine sense transmission reached his ears: "Fellow Daoist Lu, Great Saint Hou Tong once aspired to become Qingluan's Dao companion, yet Qingluan chose you instead." "Consequently, should you seek to access the Great Dao Disc, Hou Tong will likely place obstacles in your path. He is stubborn to a fault; even as Sect Master, I find him difficult to manage..." Lu Changsheng understood. So he was dealing with a love rival. Strictly speaking, hardly a rival. Innumerable cultivators had sought Lin Qingluan's hand, and Hou Tong was merely one among them. Hou Tong even belonged to the Tianyuan Holy Sect, holding the advantage of proximity. Yet even with that closeness, he had failed to win her favor, proving he was nothing extraordinary—at least, not in Lin Qingluan's eyes. "Is Great Saint Hou Tong a high-rank Great Saint?" Lu Changsheng asked via divine sense. "No, he is not. High-rank Great Saints are Supreme Elders of our sect; they would not be assigned to guard the Great Dao Disc. Hou Tong is currently a five-Dao Great Saint, though the five Daos he condensed are exceptionally potent. He is virtually peerless among five-Dao Great Saints, having only ever lost to Qingluan back then." Luo Yang seemed to anticipate what Lu Changsheng intended to do, yet his tone carried not the slightest intent to dissuade him. It seemed this Great Saint Hou Tong was not particularly well-liked within the sect. If even Luo Yang, the Sect Master, showed little inclination to defend him, Hou Tong's standing was evidently rather fraught. Yet regardless of his popularity, Hou Tong remained a powerful five-Dao Great Saint—a pillar of the Tianyuan Holy Sect's core strength. He was, after all, one of their own. If Lu Changsheng wanted to avoid endless harassment during his stay, he had to deal with Hou Tong. Moreover, without getting past Hou Tong, he could not even approach the Great Dao Disc, let alone cultivate with it. "I would like to meet Great Saint Hou Tong," Lu Changsheng said aloud. The Great Saints in the hall started. Lu Changsheng and Luo Yang had spoken via transmission, so the other elders had no knowledge of their exchange. Their surprise was palpable. Hou Tong was no pushover. His strength was formidable, which explained why he had dared to pursue Holy Maiden Lin Qingluan in the first place. His prowess was beyond doubt. For Lu Changsheng to confront Hou Tong... the scene would be hard to imagine. "Very well." In the end, the Sect Master consented. With Luo Yang's agreement, Lu Changsheng followed behind him, heading toward the Great Dao Disc. Word traveled fast. Before long, the news spread like wildfire. "Quick, to the Great Dao Disc! Word has it that Lu Changsheng from the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect has arrived, and he's heading to the Great Dao Disc to cultivate!" "The Holy Maiden's Dao companion? He dares go to the Great Dao Disc? Does he not know that Great Saint Hou Tong guards it?" "Great Saint Hou Tong is known as 'Madman Hou'—scarcely anyone among the Great Saints dares provoke him. Even six-Dao Great Saints generally avoid clashing with him over pride. Now that Lu Changsheng is going to confront him face-to-face, what a sight that will be..." "I heard Lu Changsheng is merely a two-Dao Great Saint who caught the Holy Maiden's eye only because of some peculiar Eternal Sword Dao. Yet no matter how remarkable that sword path may be, it is worlds behind a five-Dao Great Saint like Hou Tong. Isn't going to the Great Dao Disc just inviting humiliation? Does he expect the Holy Maiden to emerge from seclusion and avenge him?" "Haha, we are in for a good show!" "We must go! Such excitement is a rare treat!" Disciples and elders alike—anyone qualified to approach the Great Dao Disc—swarmed toward the site. Soon, an immense crowd gathered around the Great Dao Disc. When Lu Changsheng arrived, this was the scene that greeted him. While not quite an endless sea of people, rings upon rings of onlookers surrounded the perimeter. Yet none entered the grounds of the disc itself. They seemed to be waiting for something. Lu Changsheng sensed the atmosphere and understood at once. These people had gathered solely to watch the spectacle. Luo Yang shook his head helplessly. "Fellow Daoist Lu, shall I disperse these disciples?" Luo Yang asked. "No need." Lu Changsheng did not mind in the least. In fact, the more people, the better. Once he defeated Hou Tong, it was unlikely anyone else in the Tianyuan Holy Sect would dare trouble him. It would serve as an effective deterrent. Of course, that hinged on him actually defeating Hou Tong. Otherwise, Lu Changsheng would truly become the laughingstock of the sect.