Lu Changsheng Emerges from the Secret Realm; The Invincible Great Saint Overawes All, Shocking the Crowd!

"You..." "Holy Maiden Qingluan?" "And Fellow Daoist Lu? Both of you have come out?" Seeing the two figures emerge, the members of the Tianyuan Holy Sect were overjoyed. Everyone knew that Lin Qingluan was the hope of the Tianyuan Holy Sect—a future Emperor. The Sect Master of the Tianyuan Holy Sect, in particular, had shouldered immense pressure ever since Lin Qingluan entered seclusion within the secret realm. He had been plagued by worry day and night, terrified that something untoward might befall her inside. Now, all was well. Not only had Lin Qingluan returned, but Lu Changsheng was with her. "Sect Master?" "And elders—why are you all gathered here?" Lin Qingluan asked, feeling a touch perplexed. She had not notified the Sect Master or anyone else. Why would they all come out to welcome her? Could it really be such a coincidence? "Sect Master, did something happen to the Tianyuan Holy Sect?" Lu Changsheng spoke up. Taking in their solemn formation, he grasped that something was amiss. The Sect Master and the others had almost certainly not come specifically to welcome him and Lin Qingluan; rather, something dire had befallen the sect. Over twelve hundred years had passed by now. That was two centuries past the thousand-year mark Ancestor Qingchi had mentioned. It was very likely related to chaos and the Dark Domain. Perhaps the "great cataclysm" had already arrived. Lu Changsheng had guessed correctly. The Sect Master of the Tianyuan Holy Sect glanced at Lu Changsheng and Lin Qingluan before letting out a long sigh. "Holy Maiden Qingluan, while you were away, earth-shaking upheavals struck the Tianyuan Holy Sect—indeed, the entire Dark Domain. "The great cataclysm is upon us!" The Sect Master spoke with grim brevity. "The great cataclysm?" Lin Qingluan's expression altered drastically. She had never lived through a cataclysm herself, but she knew the terrifying weight of those two words. Almost everyone in the Dark Domain knew them. Only when the Dark Domain and chaos collided, locking both worlds in endless slaughter, could it truly be called a great cataclysm. It was a genuine catastrophe, unimaginably tragic and brutal. Not merely Great Saints, but even Emperors could perish. Rivers of blood would flow, countless orthodoxies would see their legacies severed, and innumerable great clans would vanish into the long river of history. Such was the great cataclysm. Every lifeform dwelling within chaos or the Dark Domain was inevitably swept into the tempest. No one could stay untainted and aloof. Even ordinary mortals who took no part in cultivation could not escape. Once war broke out and terrifying powerhouses clashed, the mere aftershocks of their battles were enough to bring unnatural death to countless common folk. It was a true catastrophe! "So it has finally arrived after all..." Lu Changsheng thought, his heart solemn. Ancestor Qingchi had spoken no lie. The great cataclysm had indeed descended. He and Lin Qingluan simply had not known because they had been inside the Primordial Secret Realm. "Staying aloof..." Lin Qingluan thought of the Primordial Secret Realm. If the people of the Tianyuan Holy Sect were moved into the secret realm, could they escape this calamity? But after careful consideration, she realized it would be nearly impossible. The Tianyuan Holy Sect was simply too large a target. If it were emptied overnight, once the chaos lifeforms breached the sect's mountain gates and occupied the territory, they would eventually discover the Primordial Secret Realm. What purpose would hiding inside serve then? When a cataclysm arrived, only one path remained: to face the storm head-on and crush the threat directly. Fortunately, she was already a nine-Dao Great Saint. Having advanced her strength in time for the cataclysm, she had bolstered the Tianyuan Holy Sect's might considerably. Moreover, there was Lu Changsheng... Thinking of Lu Changsheng, Lin Qingluan felt a wave of relief wash over her. He was an Invincible Great Saint—more than enough to shelter the Tianyuan Holy Sect. "Sect Master, what exactly happened?" Lu Changsheng inquired. "It is an interworld passage. A faction calling itself the Panyuan Realm has invaded our sect grounds and is right outside our mountain gates. Among them are three chaos lifeforms rivaling nine life leaps..." The Sect Master recounted everything in detail. As it turned out, the Tianyuan Holy Sect was currently trapped within its mountain gates, barely holding out by relying on the mountain-protecting array. "Three chaos lifeforms of nine life leaps..." Lin Qingluan's heart sank. She now understood the staggering weight on the Sect Master's shoulders. That was equivalent to three peak Great Saints. Furthermore, countless chaos lifeforms were besieging the sect alongside them. Even with the mountain-protecting array, they could not hold out for long. "Let us go take a look." Lin Qingluan immediately accompanied the Sect Master and the others outside the main hall. Lin Qingluan and Lu Changsheng looked up. Both caught sight of chaos lifeforms—masses of them. Because this was her first time witnessing chaos lifeforms, Lin Qingluan felt deeply shaken. Colossal figures tens of thousands—even a hundred thousand—zhang tall stood like fiendgods across the void, raining frenzied blows upon the mountain-protecting array. Even the grand array trembled, its energy depleting continuously. As time dragged on, the consumption grew steeper; sooner or later, the array would collapse. Once the mountain-protecting array fell, the fate of the Tianyuan Holy Sect was obvious: it would be razed to the ground. "The Panyuan Realm..." Lu Changsheng murmured softly. Beholding such terrifying chaos lifeforms, he felt not the slightest shred of fear. He merely tried to recall anything about the Panyuan Realm, yet found nothing. That was normal enough; chaos was boundless, and countless factions existed that he had never heard of. Nevertheless, this Panyuan Realm was undeniably formidable. Possessing three chaos lifeforms of nine life leaps along with many who had undergone life leaps, such a force had pinned the Tianyuan Holy Sect down. Destroying the sect was only a matter of time. Naturally, this was not merely an invasion of the Dark Domain by chaos. In reality, the Dark Domain was also invading chaos. Many places in chaos were under assault by the Dark Domain, similarly embroiled in bitter warfare. Neither side possessed unified coordination. Everyone fought their own battles. Ultimately, it was a battle for providential fortune; so long as they could kill and destroy their adversaries, they could plunder the enemy's fortune for themselves. Every great cataclysm birthed source lifeforms and Emperors, as well as innumerable Great Saints and chaos lifeforms. A great cataclysm was equally a tremendous opportunity. "Holy Maiden Qingluan, please devise a plan quickly! Our sect's legacy hangs by a thread!" Several elders were on the verge of panic, their eyes fixed pleadingly on Lin Qingluan. Right now, she was their sole beacon of hope—the only hope for the entire Tianyuan Holy Sect. "Me?" Lin Qingluan shook her head. She possessed self-awareness. Though she was a nine-Dao Great Saint, she had not yet reached consummation. Taking on one chaos lifeform of nine life leaps would be manageable, but three? She was no match for them. Furthermore, what the Tianyuan Holy Sect needed was to defeat, repel, or even slaughter the invaders. Even if she and the Supreme Elder joined forces, they could not accomplish that. The Panyuan Realm's strength was too overwhelming. Meeting them head-on would be exceedingly difficult. Unless... Lu Changsheng stepped in. With that, Lin Qingluan turned to Lu Changsheng and asked softly, "Changsheng, do you... have confidence?" The crowd was slightly startled. What did this mean? Holy Maiden Qingluan was asking Lu Changsheng for his assessment? They knew Lu Changsheng was remarkably talented, but no matter how exceptional his talent, he was at most comparable to a high-rank Great Saint. Before them stood three chaos lifeforms of nine life leaps and countless other chaos lifeforms. What use was asking Lu Changsheng? Only the Sect Master of the Tianyuan Holy Sect seemed to realize something. His gaze snapped toward Lu Changsheng, staring intently at him. "Great Saint Changsheng, have you made another breakthrough?" the Sect Master asked, trembling with excitement. Lu Changsheng offered a slight smile without offering a detailed explanation, nodding instead. "It shouldn't be a problem. Allow me to meet these chaos lifeforms from the Panyuan Realm." With that, Lu Changsheng stepped forward and flew directly out of the mountain gates. For a moment, the elders were even more dumbfounded. What did Lu Changsheng intend to do? Ride out alone? Who did he think he was—an Emperor? Did he plan to sweep away so many chaos lifeforms single-handedly? Yet Lu Changsheng was Holy Maiden Qingluan's Dao companion. Looking at Lin Qingluan's posture, she clearly deferred to him, taking whatever he said as decisive. But Holy Maiden Qingluan was a future Emperor who had even ascended to become a nine-Dao Great Saint. Why would she defer to Lu Changsheng? The elders were filled with doubts, yet now was hardly the time to seek answers. Countless eyes watched Lu Changsheng's figure, including those of the chaos lifeforms from the Panyuan Realm. At that moment, Lu Changsheng strode forward through the empty air, soon drawing close to the mountain gates, separated from the chaos lifeforms only by the protective array. His thoughts were somewhat complicated. He, too, was a chaos lifeform. Now he was about to battle fellow chaos lifeforms—had he become a traitor to chaos? Naturally, chaos was not a monolithic bloc; everyone fought for their own interests. The Dark Domain and chaos were one and the same in that regard. Besides, dealing with these chaos lifeforms was simple enough for him. As long as they showed good sense, he had no intention of going on a slaughter spree, for he had an ample pretext of his own. "Look! Is that a Dark Domain Great Saint?" "Does he intend to come out and face us directly?" "It seems so. But as a solitary Great Saint, what right does he have to leave the array and face us?" "Could there be a trap?" "Under these circumstances, what good could underhanded schemes do? He is likely an expert of the Tianyuan Holy Sect. We should still proceed with caution." The three chaos lifeforms of nine life leaps grew prudent, halting their bombardment of the mountain-protecting array. They even took the initiative to withdraw a short distance. Ten paces, five paces, three paces, one pace... Lu Changsheng drew nearer and nearer to the boundary of the mountain-protecting array until only a single step remained. Yet he showed no intention of stopping. Without hesitation, he lifted his foot and crossed over. Whoosh. In the next instant, Lu Changsheng stepped clean out of the Tianyuan Holy Sect's mountain-protecting array. An uproar instantly erupted. Both the Tianyuan Holy Sect and the Panyuan Realm were stunned. He had actually left the shelter of the array? What gave him such confidence? Lu Changsheng stood with his hands behind his back, sweeping his gaze across the assembled chaos lifeforms of the Panyuan Realm. He knew that all eyes were on him right now; his every movement drew total scrutiny. Acting covertly in broad daylight before such a crowd would naturally be difficult. Yet communicating privately was effortless—his Illusory Realm could easily allow only the Panyuan Realm to hear him while keeping the Tianyuan Holy Sect in the dark. Still, out in the open, appearances had to be maintained. With a thought from Lu Changsheng, a roar sounded. Boom! One Great Dao after another materialized in the void above Lu Changsheng's head, each one shaking heaven and earth. The Thunder-Fire Dao, the Eternal Sword Dao, the Heavy Earth Dao, the Ice-Fire Dao... all the way to the Azure Wood Dao. Eight Great Daos in total! Now everyone could clearly see his Great Daos, and the hearts of the Tianyuan Holy Sect shook violently. "Those are... eight Great Daos?" "Great Saint Changsheng has grown stronger again—he is an eight-Dao Great Saint now!" "Even nine-Dao Great Saints are no match for those chaos lifeforms, so how can Great Saint Changsheng compete as an eight-Dao Great Saint?" "Great Saint Changsheng has always been able to fight across cultivation ranks, even two ranks above him! Now that he is an eight-Dao Great Saint, if he can still fight two ranks above him... the thought is terrifying!" "Even if he cannot cross two ranks, he can rival a nine-Dao Great Saint—perhaps even a peak Great Saint!" "He might truly be able to fight those chaos lifeforms!" In an instant, many cultivators of the Tianyuan Holy Sect recalled Lu Changsheng's defining trait: fighting above his rank. He had already become an eight-Dao Great Saint. If he could still punch above his weight, his prowess would be terrifying. Although the chaos lifeforms of the Panyuan Realm did not recognize Lu Changsheng and were not as familiar with him as the Tianyuan Holy Sect was, they still understood what eight Great Daos signified. They had slain countless eight-Dao Great Saints before. Why would one dare come forth? Yet although the man before them was merely an eight-Dao Great Saint, the aura radiating from his body was exceedingly frightening—so frightening that alarm bells rang wildly in the hearts of the three chaos lifeforms of nine life leaps. It felt as though the figure standing before them were some horrifying entity far exceeding nine life leaps. Could that not only be a source lifeform or an Emperor? Was this person an Emperor or a source lifeform? Impossible! If an Emperor truly stood among them, why would the Tianyuan Holy Sect have cowered within their gates? "Kill!" Without hesitation, the three chaos lifeforms of nine life leaps attacked. Whether he was an Emperor or merely bluffing, no better method presented itself than taking action. Before absolute might, all plots and tricks were utterly meaningless. Their three colossal bodies, tens of thousands of zhang tall, struck out in unison, sending massive fists hurling toward Lu Changsheng. Chaos lifeforms differed from Great Saints. Great Saints relied primarily on the power of their Great Daos, whereas chaos lifeforms relied on their physical bodies. The stronger the body, the more powerful the chaos lifeform. In terms of raw, absolute force, chaos lifeforms were decidedly superior. Confronting the three chaos lifeforms of nine life leaps, Lu Changsheng did not waver in the least. His eight Great Daos surged forward to meet them. Rumble! The two sides collided violently head-on. The elders of the Tianyuan Holy Sect felt their hearts leap into their throats, anxious to see how the clash would end. Countless eyes converged on the center of the impact. As the smoke and dust cleared, both sides were revealed once more. However, the faces of the three chaos lifeforms of nine life leaps were pale, their expressions filled with disbelief. Lu Changsheng, on the other hand, stood completely unmoving. "Suppress!" Lu Changsheng extended a hand and flipped his palm downward. This suppression targeted not just the three chaos lifeforms of nine life leaps, but every chaos lifeform of the Panyuan Realm present. Lu Changsheng had unleashed his Illusory Realm, enveloping all the chaos lifeforms within it while continuing to project the facade of his eight Great Daos. In the eyes of the Tianyuan Holy Sect, Lu Changsheng was relying on his eight Great Daos; with a mere wave of his hand, the eight Great Daos bore down with crushing momentum, suppressing the countless chaos lifeforms of the Panyuan Realm with irresistible force. What kind of mighty power was this? It defied imagination. Such might had already far surpassed nine-Dao Great Saints and peak Great Saints. Even when the three chaos lifeforms of nine life leaps resisted with all their might, their physical bodies fractured inch by inch, teetering on the verge of total collapse. This sight left the Tianyuan Holy Sect's cultivators deeply shaken. "Can an eight-Dao Great Saint truly be this powerful?" "Can he really fight two ranks above his own? Doesn't that rival an Emperor?" "Rivaling an Emperor might be a stretch, but peak Great Saints are certainly no match for Great Saint Changsheng anymore!" "No, there is another kind of existence you might have forgotten..." "That is... an Invincible Great Saint!" In truth, not only the disciples, but the elders of the Tianyuan Holy Sect—particularly the Supreme Elder—wore looks of awe. The Supreme Elder trembled with excitement. "That is... an Invincible Great Saint! Holy Maiden Qingluan, is Great Saint Changsheng an Invincible Great Saint?" At the Supreme Elder's words, many elders turned their gazes toward Lin Qingluan. An Invincible Great Saint! That was a title recorded only in ancient records. In this current era, did an Invincible Great Saint still exist? No—an era could produce only a single Invincible Great Saint. That was an ironclad rule! If two emerged, one of them was guaranteed not to be invincible. After all, between two Invincible Great Saints, one was bound to suffer defeat, and once defeated, how could one claim to be invincible? In the eyes of the elders, Lu Changsheng was a true Invincible Great Saint! "Yes, Changsheng is indeed an Invincible Great Saint!" Lin Qingluan declared resolutely. She felt immense pride for Lu Changsheng. He had saved the Tianyuan Holy Sect, and as his Dao companion, she shared in that boundless honor. She felt even prouder than if she had accomplished the feat herself! "An Invincible Great Saint... our Tianyuan Holy Sect has actually witnessed the birth of an Invincible Great Saint..." Many cultivators were beside themselves with excitement. An Invincible Great Saint was actually rarer than an Emperor. In any era, Emperors were born in the Dark Domain, but Invincible Great Saints were different; many eras passed without a single one appearing, leaving gaps across entire ages. Throughout the history of the Dark Domain, Invincible Great Saints could be counted on one's fingers, which showed just how extraordinarily rare they were. While the Tianyuan Holy Sect rejoiced, the chaos lifeforms of the Panyuan Realm were utterly bewildered and incredulous. What were they sensing? A feeling both foreign and familiar. In particular, the three chaos lifeforms of nine life leaps, being well-traveled and experienced, faintly sensed that something was wrong. "This is... the power of a World Master?" "You are a World Master, not a Dark Domain Great Saint?" "You are a chaos lifeform as well?" The three chaos lifeforms of nine life leaps found it impossible to believe. The seemingly invincible Great Saint before them was not a Great Saint at all, but a chaos lifeform? How could that be? Now that the Illusory Realm enveloped the chaos lifeforms of the Panyuan Realm, Lu Changsheng had no fear that his conversation with them would be discovered by the Tianyuan Holy Sect. He even released the aura of his physical body directly. His body was unequivocally that of a chaos lifeform. At once, the chaos lifeforms of the Panyuan Realm fell into an uproar. A chaos lifeform! Genuine and undeniable—this was indeed a chaos lifeform! Yet how could a chaos lifeform have become a Dark Domain Great Saint? "Who on earth are you, sir?" one of the chaos lifeforms of nine life leaps asked. "I am Lu Changsheng of the Black Light Realm!" "The Tianyuan Holy Sect is claimed by me. Return to where you came from, and do not disrupt my grand designs!" Lu Changsheng's tone was firm and brooked no argument. The hearts of the Panyuan Realm's chaos lifeforms trembled. The Black Light Realm? That was where the Black Light Pagoda resided. Moreover, the Black Light Realm was known for producing countless geniuses, occasionally giving rise to truly transcendent figures. To think that after finally coming upon an interworld passage, someone had already beaten them to it. What was more, it was not merely a matter of being first. For Lu Changsheng to disguise himself as a Dark Domain Great Saint meant he had grand, far-reaching ambitions. By besieging the Tianyuan Holy Sect, they had nearly ruined his critical plans. "Do not take offense, Fellow Daoist. It was our Panyuan Realm's impetuousness that nearly disrupted your grand designs. We shall withdraw from the interworld passage at once and station guards there, forbidding anyone from chaos from approaching the Tianyuan Holy Sect," one of the nine-leap chaos lifeforms promptly promised Lu Changsheng. He was clever enough to understand that Lu Changsheng was scheming on a grand scale and did not wish to be disturbed, so he chose to curry favor instead. As for Lu Changsheng betraying chaos? He did not entertain the thought for a second. Since Lu Changsheng was fundamentally a chaos lifeform, how could he betray chaos? Regardless, none of that was the crux of the matter. The crux was that Lu Changsheng could suppress their entire force with a wave of his hand. Whether Lu Changsheng was a Dark Domain Great Saint or a chaos lifeform, the Panyuan Realm naturally wished to stay as far away from such a powerhouse as possible. How could they dare offend him further? "Do not disclose my information back in chaos." "Rest assured, Fellow Daoist. Our Panyuan Realm will not reveal the slightest detail about you." With that, Lu Changsheng waved his hand and withdrew his Illusory Realm. The forces of the Panyuan Realm retreated immediately, drawing far away from the Tianyuan Holy Sect's mountain gates and heading back toward the interworld passage. "They are defeated! The chaos lifeforms are defeated!" "Hahaha, our Tianyuan Holy Sect's crisis is resolved!" "Great Saint Changsheng rivals an Invincible Great Saint—no, Great Saint Changsheng is a true Invincible Great Saint!" "Beneath Emperors, Great Saint Changsheng is invincible!" Seeing this, countless cultivators of the Tianyuan Holy Sect erupted in cheers. The sect's gates had been under siege without reprieve; it was only Lu Changsheng's appearance that had reversed their dire predicament. Whoosh. Lin Qingluan, the Sect Master, and the others stepped outside the mountain gates and arrived before Lu Changsheng. "Changsheng, now that you've repelled the chaos lifeforms of the Panyuan Realm, should we pursue them?" Lin Qingluan asked. She did not question why Lu Changsheng had refrained from slaughtering them. She believed he had his reasons, and she trusted him completely. The others also looked at Lu Changsheng, looking puzzled. Lu Changsheng looked deeply at the Sect Master and said in a grave voice, "Sect Master, does the Tianyuan Holy Sect intend to participate in the war between the two worlds to vie for providential fortune?" "That... is unnecessary. With Holy Maiden Qingluan, our Tianyuan Holy Sect is bound to produce an Emperor sooner or later. Why stake everything on a gamble and risk entering the war between the two worlds?" Lu Changsheng nodded. "Since there is no desire to participate in the interworld war, repelling the Panyuan Realm is the best choice. "These chaos lifeforms of the Panyuan Realm will retreat into chaos and forbid any other chaos lifeforms from entering the Dark Domain through this passage. For the Tianyuan Holy Sect, this effectively removes all future trouble. "As long as you do not actively take part in the interworld war, the Tianyuan Holy Sect will not be dragged into the great cataclysm. But had I slaughtered them all, more chaos lifeforms would likely pour incessantly through this passage, plunging us into never-ending conflict." Hearing Lu Changsheng's explanation, everyone came to a sudden realization. Indeed, they had no intention of meddling in the war between the two worlds or fighting for providential fortune, so why slaughter every last chaos lifeform? Deterring the Panyuan Realm was enough. If the Panyuan Realm guarded the interworld passage on their side while daring not enter the Dark Domain, the Tianyuan Holy Sect would remain exceedingly safe. It was the ideal outcome. "Just to be safe, let us go inspect the interworld passage," Lin Qingluan suggested. "Very well." Lu Changsheng accompanied Lin Qingluan and the many experts of the Tianyuan Holy Sect to the interworld passage. By now, vast numbers of chaos lifeforms from the Panyuan Realm had already pulled out of the Dark Domain, disappearing into the passage. Lu Changsheng and the others watched from afar without drawing close. Only after the last chaos lifeform vanished into the passage did they fly over and arrive nearby. "So this is an interworld passage?" The crowd gazed at the passage with intense curiosity. None of them had ever seen one before, so their intrigue was palpable. Even Lin Qingluan felt curious, genuinely tempted to step inside and see chaos for herself. However, now was certainly not the time. If she entered chaos, even if the Panyuan Realm held their tongues, other factions would likely learn of it, which would only invite greater trouble. "Sigh, the great cataclysm..." "Unless one becomes an Emperor, one is merely an ant after all." At this moment, Lin Qingluan sighed with emotion. What was the use of being an imposing nine-Dao Great Saint or even a peak Great Saint? Though Emperors could theoretically perish during a cataclysm, the probability remained low. Most Emperors could safeguard their own lives. In fact, if an Emperor chose not to partake in the war between the two worlds, no one would dare provoke them, making them completely safe. Those who fell were the Emperors charging on the front lines. Lin Qingluan felt this way because she recognized the vulnerability of the Tianyuan Holy Sect. The sect was safe for now, but what about next time? The Panyuan Realm dared not act rashly against the Tianyuan Holy Sect again, but what if a source lifeform emerged from the passage? That was a terrifying existence rivaling an Emperor. If a source lifeform descended, the Tianyuan Holy Sect would have no hope of survival, even with Lu Changsheng present. "Qingluan, there is no need to worry. Source lifeforms from chaos cannot cross over so easily," Lu Changsheng said, understanding her thoughts. "I must reach the peak Great Saint realm as soon as possible, polishing my ninth Great Dao to consummation, and then..." Lin Qingluan glanced at Lu Changsheng, a faint blush rising to her cheeks. Once the ninth Great Dao reached consummation, dual cultivation was naturally the next step. Given the technique she cultivated, dual cultivation stood a very high chance of helping her comprehend a tenth Great Dao. Striving for the Emperor realm with the foundation of ten Great Daos would virtually guarantee success. Lu Changsheng's expression remained calm, but his heart sank slightly. He had delayed things for so long, yet that day would eventually arrive. If he did not tell Lin Qingluan the truth, attempting dual cultivation would utterly ruin her. He was not even a Great Saint and possessed no Great Daos whatsoever—how could he dual cultivate with her? If they actually did, it would only destroy her cultivation. Just what was he supposed to do about this?