Creating the Dimension Ascension Method, the Greater Thousand Realm Is Born, the Peak of the First Realm of Transcendence!

The Spiritual Realm was born. Through expansion after expansion of the True Realm, the Spiritual Realm had finally come into being. The birth of the Spiritual Realm meant Lu Changsheng had taken the firmest step yet along his self-created cultivation method. At this moment, his self-created method was no longer merely ink on paper, no longer conjecture, no longer fantasy. It was real, and Lu Changsheng had officially embarked on this path of his own making. Cultivation was like rowing upstream against the current—to not advance was to fall back. Once Lu Changsheng stepped onto this path, there was no turning back. He could only press forward with unwavering determination! Fortunately, up to this point, Lu Changsheng felt more invigorated and at ease than ever before. Without hesitation, Lu Changsheng brought up his attribute panel to inspect his status. Host: Lu Changsheng Comprehension: Top-tier comprehension World Master: First Realm True Realm: 30% (34 expansions) On the attribute panel, Lu Changsheng's True Realm progress had risen from 20% to 30%—an instantaneous increase of 10%. This was already a substantial leap forward. After all, the Spiritual Realm had only just been born. To increase by 10% upon its mere inception demonstrated just how vital the Spiritual Realm was to the True Realm. Once the Spiritual Realm was progressively refined and developed in the future, the True Realm's progress would continue to climb. Lu Changsheng had undergone eighteen expansions to bring forth the Spiritual Realm. Adding the previous six expansions, that made twenty-four expansions. Each expansion took ten years. In other words, Lu Changsheng had been in seclusion for 240 years. At one hundred source crystals per expansion, it had consumed a mere 2,400 source crystals. "The Spiritual Realm has just been born, but that's not enough. It needs to keep expanding." Lu Changsheng refined source crystals once more, seeking to continue expanding. However, this time, Lu Changsheng clearly felt a difference. He drew in one hundred source crystals, but surprisingly, it could not expand as it had before. "Does it need more source crystals?" Lu Changsheng kept adding more. One hundred, three hundred, five hundred, eight hundred, one thousand... Finally, once one thousand source crystals were consumed, Lu Changsheng's True Realm expanded once more. Another ten years passed before this expansion concluded. Lu Changsheng glanced at the attribute panel. The True Realm's progress had not increased in the slightest, remaining at 30%. Lu Changsheng fell into thought. It seemed that in the future, expanding once or twice would likely yield no visible progress. After all, the current True Realm no longer consisted solely of the Mortal Realm; it now held a Spiritual Realm as well. To elevate both the Mortal Realm and the Spiritual Realm, it would require multiple expansions. Moreover, the Mortal Realm and the Spiritual Realm were essentially equivalent to two separate worlds. Consequently, the quantity of source crystals required had spiked drastically—ten times what it had been before! Still, even at one thousand source crystals per expansion, Lu Changsheng could currently afford it. Lu Changsheng knew that in the short term, the True Realm would not experience any dramatic leaps. In that case, he would head out for a bit first. He had not forgotten about the hijacked cargo. Roughly 250 years had passed by now. He needed to see whether the Eternal Light Chamber of Commerce had uncovered any findings. Lu Changsheng stepped out of the quiet room. Lin Qingluan was not around; she seemed to have gone outside. Lu Changsheng headed straight for the chamber's headquarters. Presenting his credentials, Lu Changsheng inquired, "Are there any leads on the ambush and murder of my avatar?" "It has been 250 years... The investigation has already concluded." "According to our findings, someone likely used the Karma Calculation Technique to deduce that you would travel to the Senyun Plane, and laid an ambush accordingly." "This Karma Calculation Technique requires contact with you in person, and you must have known yourself that you were heading to the Senyun Plane." "We screened the individuals you came into contact with after accepting the mission, but there were far too many to trace effectively. Therefore, the higher-ups decided to close the investigation." Lu Changsheng furrowed his brow. The investigation was closed just like that? The Karma Calculation Technique? Lu Changsheng truly knew nothing about what this Karma Calculation Technique was. However, there were archives within the chamber. They contained books on general knowledge of the Great Universe, so Lu Changsheng could look into it there. Thus, Lu Changsheng made his way to the archives and searched through information regarding the Karma Calculation Technique. Upon looking, Lu Changsheng discovered there was quite a lot of information on it. As it turned out, the Karma Calculation Technique was a Great Dao divine ability. It was comprehended and mastered by Transcendent cultivators who had smelted Great Daos. It was exceedingly difficult. And exceedingly rare. It could deduce the past and future. Of course, so-called deductions of the past and future referred to things about to happen or destined to happen. It could not divine things out of thin air. For instance, Lu Changsheng accepting a mission to go to the Senyun Plane was something about to happen. Before he had departed, that intention could be deduced. Yet even then, it was not absolute. Unforeseen accidents might occur that prevented him from reaching the Senyun Plane. That was entirely possible. The Karma Calculation Technique could deduce these various possibilities. Thus, the Karma Calculation Technique was not infallible, but in most cases, it was exceptionally accurate. As the saying went, today's cause is tomorrow's effect. Whatever cause one sows, one reaps the corresponding fruit. If one did nothing at all, there would be no cause, and naturally no effect. Lu Changsheng accepting the mission to the Senyun Plane was the cause. Therefore, the high probability of him traveling to the Senyun Plane became the effect. Lu Changsheng's brow knitted tightly. After accepting the mission back then, where had he gone? It seemed he had returned to his cave dwelling and spoken with Lin Qingluan for a short while. Right—Lin Qingluan had also introduced several fellow Daoists. All were in the first realm of Transcendence. She said they were acquaintances. Afterward, Lu Changsheng had lingered in the chamber for a bit. In short, he had come into contact with quite a few cultivators that day. Moreover, if the other party concealed their use of the Karma Calculation Technique, there would be no way to investigate. That was why the Eternal Light Chamber of Commerce had declared the inquiry closed. 'The Great Universe holds all manner of wonders; even a World Master can fall into a trap.' 'It seems I must be exceptionally cautious from now on. The moment I accept a mission, I must set off immediately without contacting anyone along the way.' Lu Changsheng mused privately. No matter how formidable the Karma Calculation Technique was, it still required contact. Without contact, the Karma Calculation Technique was utterly useless. This time, Lu Changsheng had to swallow the loss. If even the Eternal Light Chamber of Commerce could not trace it, how could he investigate it himself? Thirty-one thousand source crystals was indeed a hefty sum. Yet for Lu Changsheng, it was far from crippling. 'I'll hold off on missions for now and focus on elevating my True Realm first. Simply adding the Spiritual Realm is nowhere near enough...' Lu Changsheng made up his mind. This time, he would elevate his strength to its limits before taking on any more missions. When his power grew sufficient, even if it were an avatar, who could easily ambush and kill him? Thus, Lu Changsheng returned to his cave dwelling. He continued using source crystals inside the quiet room to fuel the True Realm's expansion. Each expansion still took ten years. However, it now required one thousand source crystals each time. Once, three times, five times, ten times, twenty times, thirty times... With each expansion, Lu Changsheng's Mortal Realm and Spiritual Realm grew considerably more flourishing. Consequently, the True Realm also advanced slightly. Yet the increment was marginal. It took many successive expansions just to nudge the True Realm's progress forward by a fraction. In the blink of an eye, thirty-eight expansions passed. That was 380 years. On this day, Lu Changsheng's True Realm trembled violently once again. Lu Changsheng's eyes snapped open. Sensing the profound transformation within the True Realm, he instantly understood the cause. "This is... the birth of the Lesser Thousand Realm!" Lu Changsheng's heart jolted. A Lesser Thousand Realm! This step was an immense stride. Going from the Spiritual Realm to a Lesser Thousand Realm was a qualitative leap. A Lesser Thousand Realm implied countless "Spiritual Realms." It was equivalent to the True Realm expanding tenfold, a hundredfold all at once. Lu Changsheng immediately called up his attribute panel. Host: Lu Changsheng Comprehension: Top-tier comprehension World Master: First Realm True Realm: 65% (72 expansions) The True Realm's progress had leapt directly from 30% to 65%—an increase of 35%. That was more than double its previous progress! Furthermore, as the Lesser Thousand Realm gradually matured, the True Realm's progress would climb even further. A sudden flash of insight struck Lu Changsheng. He realized that if he wished to expand again, each expansion would likely demand at least ten thousand source crystals. Ten thousand source crystals for a single expansion. Lu Changsheng currently had over four hundred thousand source crystals remaining. That was only enough for forty-odd expansions. He wondered whether that would be enough to bring forth the Greater Thousand Realm. Lu Changsheng did not know, but he had to try. Thus, Lu Changsheng continued his secluded cultivation. While Lu Changsheng was immersed in deep seclusion, Lin Qingluan had cultivated a broad circle of acquaintances in the City of Eternal Light. After all, unlike Lu Changsheng, Lin Qingluan's cultivation centered on comprehending the Great Dao. And how could the Great Dao be comprehended so easily? Traveling everywhere for experience, seeking treasures, and seizing fortuitous encounters during her travels were how one came to grasp the various Great Daos of the Great Universe. Another method was exchanging insights with other Transcendent cultivators who smelted the Great Dao. By comparing and validating their respective Daos against one another, one might also gain enlightenment. Because of this, virtually every Transcendent who smelted the Great Dao maintained a wide social network. Lin Qingluan was currently gathered with several "close friends" who smelted the Dao, comparing insights and discussing their comprehension of the Great Dao. "Sigh, comprehending the Great Dao is simply too difficult." "I heard that Feilong Mountain, which opens once every ten thousand years, is about to open. If one could make a trip there, it would surely bring tremendous benefits to one's Dao comprehension." "Indeed. Feilong Mountain is the Dao field of Sovereign Feilong of the Third Realm. Sovereign Feilong educates all without discrimination; as long as one is willing to journey there, one can cultivate at the foot of the mountain. If someone possesses exceptional talent, they might even be taken in as Sovereign Feilong's disciple, ascending to heaven in a single bound." "It is a pity Feilong Mountain is so exceedingly far from the City of Eternal Light. Ordinary Transcendents like us have no hope of reaching it." "Feilong Mountain is so remote that even if we set off early, reaching it would be nearly impossible. Moreover, traveling such a vast distance requires boarding a flying boat for hundreds of years, and the fare is something we simply cannot afford." "If only we could find a World Master willing to carry us to Feilong Mountain, that would be wonderful." They were merely venting their laments. None of them knew a World Master. Besides, among ordinary Transcendents, World Masters stood lofty and aloof. How could a few ordinary Transcendents possibly associate with one? Lin Qingluan remained impassive. A World Master? She actually knew one. In fact, they were intimately close. Yet she did not speak up. These people were Transcendents Lin Qingluan had met over the years. They had interacted for a long time, and in her eyes, they were worthy of friendship. Even so, she would never casually reveal Lu Changsheng's identity as a World Master. "Never mind. Fortuitous opportunities like Feilong Mountain are not for the likes of us to covet. Let us focus on comprehending the Great Dao first. Grasping more of the Dao will boost our strength a bit, and then we can go earn source crystals." "Yes, I heard another mission has appeared to hunt a three-element beast. The reward is quite generous. If our strength improves a little, we might be able to team up to hunt it." "Qingluan, you have cultivated so diligently all these years, yet you have only smelted two Great Daos. That speed can hardly be considered fast." Lin Qingluan nodded. "Zhang Yuan, Liu Yuan, Xia Zhuang, our discussion today is about wrapped up. I'll take my leave first," Lin Qingluan said. "Very well. Until next time." The others nodded in agreement. Lin Qingluan turned and departed. Zhang Yuan watched Lin Qingluan's receding figure and suddenly remarked, "Tell me, Qingluan's disposition isn't naturally timid or overcautious, so why does she decline every time we suggest venturing out on an adventure together?" "Indeed. She has lived in the City of Eternal Light all this time, yet we don't even know where her cave dwelling is." "Perhaps she has her own difficulties. After all, living in the City of Eternal Light is no easy feat. For an ordinary Transcendent hailing from an ordinary plane, managing to stay here for so many years is already quite remarkable." "Next time we hunt the three-element beast, we can invite Qingluan along." The three nodded in consensus. Over the years, they held Lin Qingluan in high regard. Birds of a feather flock together. The three shared similar temperaments, which was why they had remained friends for so many years. Lin Qingluan returned to the cave dwelling. 'Feilong Mountain... will open in roughly a few hundred years.' 'That is the sole chance for countless ordinary Transcendents across the vast Great Universe to come into contact with a Sovereign of the Third Realm.' In truth, Lin Qingluan wished to go to Feilong Mountain as well. Her cultivation differed from Lu Changsheng's. Lu Changsheng could cultivate directly using source crystals. He could retreat into seclusion and allow his True Realm to undergo metamorphosis. She, however, could not. Lin Qingluan needed to comprehend the Great Dao. Furthermore, Lin Qingluan possessed the Divine Tree of Fortune. The more she ventured into the wider world, the greater her renown, and the more she interacted with supreme talents, the more fortune she would amass. The more fortune she gathered, the faster her cultivation would progress. For all these years, Lin Qingluan had remained in the City of Eternal Light without venturing out, precisely to watch over Lu Changsheng and protect him while he cultivated. Yet going to Feilong Mountain would offer her tremendous benefits as well. Of course, Lin Qingluan had not mentioned any of this to Lu Changsheng. Right now, Lu Changsheng was at a critical juncture in his cultivation. She would wait a little longer. Days slipped by, one after another. Lu Changsheng's cultivation had indeed reached a crucial stage. He expanded the realm repeatedly. Ten times, twenty times, thirty times, forty times... Finally, after forty-three expansions, Lu Changsheng felt his entire being shudder. The True Realm began to shake and metamorphose violently once more. Lu Changsheng opened his eyes. He could distinctly feel that the architecture of the True Realm had transformed again. Above the Lesser Thousand Realm, a Greater Thousand Realm had seemingly come into being. His True Realm had expanded tenfold, a hundredfold yet again. "A Greater Thousand Realm..." Lu Changsheng promptly summoned his attribute panel to review his current state. Host: Lu Changsheng Comprehension: Top-tier comprehension World Master: First Realm True Realm: 100% (115 expansions) On the attribute panel, the True Realm had reached 100% progress. Moreover, the True Realm had undergone a total of 115 expansions. This was an astonishing figure. In truth, Lu Changsheng had gathered some knowledge about other World Masters. Many World Masters only needed around one hundred expansions before they were essentially ready to attempt a breakthrough to the Second Realm. Yet what about Lu Changsheng? Although his True Realm progress had hit 100%, Lu Changsheng felt neither a limit nor a sense of completion. This 100% progress merely signified that his True Realm was now eligible to make a push for the Second Realm. It represented the qualification to attempt the breakthrough. Theoretically, Lu Changsheng could attempt to break through to the Second Realm right now without issue. However, the success rate... Lu Changsheng made a rough calculation. If he attempted to break through to the Second Realm now, his chances of success were probably around ten percent. Perhaps not even that! The success rate was far too low. Lu Changsheng would not consider breaking through to the Second Realm at this point. Pushing for the Second Realm now would be nothing short of gambling with his life. It was entirely pointless. 'Therefore, my True Realm Sea ought to keep expanding and elevating.' 'Moreover, my self-created method has only just birthed the Greater Thousand Realm; it is nowhere near ready to challenge the Second Realm, nor has it reached perfection.' 'Above the Greater Thousand Realm lies the Divine Realm, and above that, the Supreme Realm—only then will the True Realm achieve a complete architecture. Furthermore, even after reaching that complete architecture, if the True Realm wishes to undergo true metamorphosis, it must ascend dimensions...' Countless thoughts raced through Lu Changsheng's mind. Lu Changsheng had created this method using a superior cultivation method as its foundation. Even if that superior method reached perfection, the probability of advancing to the Second Realm was only around ten to twenty percent. Even pushed to its utmost limit, the success rate hovered around thirty percent. Thirty percent was already enough for many to risk their lives. Yet Lu Changsheng was different. His method had merely reached the Greater Thousand Realm, yet his success rate had already attained ten percent. What if the Divine Realm and the Supreme Realm were born? Then Lu Changsheng's success rate would undoubtedly be extraordinarily high. At the very least, this indirectly proved that his self-created method was extraordinary. 'By the way, I haven't given this self-created method a name yet.' 'Let's tentatively call it the Dimension Ascension Method.' As for whether it could truly achieve dimension ascension, Lu Changsheng did not know for sure. It was merely his deduction. He would have to verify it step by step himself. Still, it was undeniably far superior to ordinary superior methods. 'My current realm should be what they call the peak of the first realm of Transcendence, right? Divine Emperor Dayan was likely at this level back then.' Lu Changsheng had a clear grasp of his current cultivation realm. As for how powerful he was? Lu Changsheng was genuinely uncertain. After all, there was no concrete standard of comparison. Yet Lu Changsheng could feel that his current strength was immensely, terrifyingly formidable. Against that group from the Blood Oath Alliance from back then, Lu Changsheng could likely suppress and slay them with ease now. After all, the Mortal Realm, the Spiritual Realm, the Lesser Thousand Realm, and the Greater Thousand Realm theoretically formed a quadruple-layered world. What an immense force that was! 'For the next expansion, each attempt will require at least one hundred thousand source crystals.' 'One hundred thousand source crystals... my current supply is insufficient...' Lu Changsheng checked his remaining source crystals; roughly thirty thousand remained. Not even enough for a single expansion. Furthermore, to give birth to the Divine Realm, the required number of expansions would likely be no fewer than fifty. That would demand an astronomical sum of source crystals. Lu Changsheng furrowed his brow. Though he did not have many World Master friends, he still had some understanding of how World Masters cultivated. The source crystals consumed by other World Masters could never compare to his own. This Dimension Ascension Method held immense potential—Lu Changsheng even felt it rivaled top-tier methods, perhaps even surpassing them. Yet one aspect gave Lu Changsheng a severe headache. Namely, the consumption. The Dimension Ascension Method's consumption of source crystals was simply staggering. 'Never mind. I'll go outside and take a look first.' Lu Changsheng exited his secluded room. He had been in seclusion for several centuries this time. He wondered how Qingluan was doing. At that moment, Lin Qingluan was in the cave dwelling, feeling somewhat restless. Lately, as the opening of Feilong Mountain drew nearer and nearer, Lu Changsheng had still not emerged from seclusion. Lin Qingluan was debating whether to send him a transmission directly. Just then, a disturbance came from the quiet room. "Changsheng has emerged?" Lin Qingluan rose abruptly to her feet. Sure enough, she saw Lu Changsheng. "Yes, I'm out of seclusion," Lu Changsheng said, looking at Lin Qingluan. However, sensing Lin Qingluan's aura, Lu Changsheng's brow furrowed slightly. "Qingluan, your cultivation... While I won't say there's no progress, it has barely advanced at all. What happened? Are you short on source crystals?" Compared to him—who theoretically possessed the qualifications to challenge the Second Realm—Lin Qingluan was practically standing in place. This was not normal. Lin Qingluan's innate talent might be ordinary within the Great Universe, making her an ordinary Transcendent. Yet Lin Qingluan possessed an advantage. She had the Divine Tree of Fortune. The Divine Tree of Fortune was a supreme treasure of the Great Universe. Having refined it, how could she progress at the pace of an ordinary Transcendent? Lin Qingluan shook her head. "I have plenty of source crystals, but... the Divine Tree of Fortune requires fortune. I have stayed in the City of Eternal Light all this time, so..." Lu Changsheng instantly understood her words. She had remained in the City of Eternal Light the entire time; where could she possibly gather fortune? Even with the Divine Tree of Fortune, without fortune to fuel it, it could not aid her cultivation. "I understand. I was somewhat negligent." "It just so happens that this phase of my cultivation has concluded, and there is no rush to continue. Where would you like to cultivate, Qingluan? I will accompany you." Expanding Lu Changsheng's True Realm required an astronomical sum of source crystals. He could not gather them anytime soon. Therefore, Lu Changsheng was in no hurry whatsoever. "In that case, there really is a place we can go. If you go as well, Changsheng, you might encounter a fortuitous opportunity of your own," Lin Qingluan said slowly. "Where?" "Feilong Mountain! It is rumored to be the Dao field of Sovereign Feilong, an expert of the Third Realm. This Sovereign Feilong is known for educating all without discrimination and accepts disciples broadly. Virtually any cultivator who can reach Feilong Mountain can obtain an opportunity of some kind." "Furthermore, those with exceptional talent might even be taken in as Sovereign Feilong's disciple!" "Changsheng, if you visit Feilong Mountain, with your talent, Sovereign Feilong might truly take notice and accept you as a disciple," Lin Qingluan said earnestly. "Feilong Mountain, Sovereign Feilong?" Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up. A Sovereign. That was a cultivator of the Third Realm. Standing at the pinnacle of the Great Universe, they were beings of supreme elevation among countless Transcendents. Such a figure maintained a philosophy of teaching all without discrimination, turning away no one. This reminded Lu Changsheng somewhat of the Black Light Realm. Hadn't it been similar at the Black Light Realm back then? Of course, the Black Light Pagoda had implemented rigorous screenings. Feilong Mountain was likely similar. Becoming Sovereign Feilong's disciple would certainly not be easy. Now that Lu Changsheng's cultivation had reached a pausing point, visiting Feilong Mountain was indeed worthwhile. "Very well, then let us go have a look at Feilong Mountain." "Qingluan, at a gathering place of great fortune like Feilong Mountain, your cultivation will likely advance by leaps and bounds," Lu Changsheng said with a smile. They were Dao companions. He naturally had to consider Qingluan's cultivation as well. Given the nature of her Divine Tree of Fortune, heading to Feilong Mountain was the optimal choice. "Changsheng, I also have three close friends who are worthy of deep trust. They wish to go to Feilong Mountain as well, but because they are not World Masters, they have no means of traveling there..." Lin Qingluan deliberated for a moment before speaking up. "Oh? A trifling matter." "They are your friends, which makes them my friends. Since we are heading to Feilong Mountain anyway, bringing a few extra people along is nothing," Lu Changsheng did not mind in the least. His True Realm could accommodate as many people as needed. Moreover, since Qingluan had asked, he naturally would not refuse. "Wonderful. Then I will notify them to gather." "I haven't told them about your identity. They will probably be quite astonished in a moment," Lin Qingluan said, a faint smile gracing her face. "There's really no need to be so cautious." Lu Changsheng understood what Lin Qingluan was thinking. She was still wary because of the incident where his cargo had been hijacked. Lin Qingluan feared that someone might use the Karma Calculation Technique on her to target Lu Changsheng. Therefore, she had refrained from revealing any information regarding his identity to anyone outside. Even her closest friends did not know that Lin Qingluan's Dao companion was a World Master! "One can never be too cautious," Lin Qingluan said gravely. "Rest assured. Even if someone uses the Karma Calculation Technique again, destroying even an avatar of mine won't be so easy anymore," Lu Changsheng said with complete confidence. He understood his own strength intimately. He was far from what he used to be. His current power was such that beneath the Second Realm, he would scarcely find any match. In fact, Lu Changsheng almost wished those marauder cultivators from last time would strike again. When the time came, Lu Changsheng would surely give them a massive "surprise." "All right, let's go." With that, Lu Changsheng and Lin Qingluan stepped out of the cave dwelling together.