Lu Changsheng Displays the Spirit Realm's Might! The Tip of the Iceberg Shocks Mount Feilong!

"Please have a seat, Junior Brother Lu." Inside the cave dwelling, Fang Chuan looked at Lu Changsheng with some surprise. Shouldn't Lu Changsheng be spending this time thoroughly digesting the knowledge of soul power that Master had imparted to him? How did he have the spare time to seek him out? Fang Chuan was someone who had walked this path before. Back when he had first taken Sovereign Feilong as his master and learned the "secret of the soul," his mind had suffered a tremendous shock, taking several years to fully recover. Yet Lu Changsheng had only just formally become a disciple, and here he was already. "Senior Brother Fang, I came today hoping to ask you for guidance on a matter." "What matter?" "I am a World Master, and my cultivation requires a massive amount of source crystals. I would be grateful if you could enlighten me on how to earn large quantities of source crystals here on Mount Feilong." "Source crystals?" Fang Chuan scrutinized Lu Changsheng up and down. "As a World Master, you shouldn't be short on source crystals." "The amount I need is rather large." "How many do you need?" "At least in the hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions." "..." Fang Chuan fell silent. He had known that if even a World Master like Lu Changsheng was "short on source crystals," it had to be an astronomical figure. Hundreds of thousands? Even millions? How could a mere First Realm cultivator possess so many source crystals? Even Second Realm cultivators likely could not earn such an amount. "Mount Feilong does not provide source crystals. Earning source crystals here is virtually impossible..." Fang Chuan shook his head. In truth, he thought quite highly of Lu Changsheng. If it were merely a few tens of thousands of source crystals, Fang Chuan could have helped him out himself. After all, it would just mean putting Lu Changsheng in his debt. For a mere tens of thousands of source crystals, having someone owe him a favor was an excellent deal for Fang Chuan. After all, anyone capable of becoming Master's personal disciple was still a World Master even if he failed to advance to the Second Realm. Fang Chuan had no fear that Lu Changsheng would be unable to repay him. Yet now that Lu Changsheng needed hundreds of thousands or even millions of source crystals, Fang Chuan was utterly powerless to help. "Is there truly no way?" Lu Changsheng said, somewhat disappointed. If there was no way on Mount Feilong, his only option was to return to the Eternal Light Chamber of Commerce, run transport routes conscientiously, and slowly amass source crystals. Yet if he truly did that, it would likely be very difficult to catch up to the souls in other timelines or dimensions. He would have to pin his hopes entirely on soul resonance, hoping it would last longer each time so he could strengthen his soul faster. But that relied purely on luck, something beyond Lu Changsheng's control. "Actually, there is one possibility..." "Only, Junior Brother Lu, how is your combat prowess?" Fang Chuan suddenly asked. "Combat prowess?" Lu Changsheng pondered for a moment. Since Fang Chuan had brought up combat prowess, immense fighting strength was very likely the key to earning a large amount of source crystals, so he decided to answer truthfully. "I believe I have no rival among those of the same realm." Lu Changsheng's expression was utterly serious and sincere. Fang Chuan: "..." Fang Chuan was rendered speechless. What kind of confidence gave Lu Changsheng the audacity to claim he was "invincible in the same realm"? Perhaps in the past, Lu Changsheng truly had been invincible in the same realm and had made his way to becoming a World Master. Yet in the vast Great Universe, once someone became a Transcendent, being invincible in the same realm was virtually impossible. "Junior Brother Lu, there is a place known as the Summit of the Universe." "There, by fighting battle after battle, one can seize large quantities of source crystals and swiftly gain renowned fame across the Great Universe." "The Summit of the Universe was created single-handedly by Sovereign Hengguang. In truth, its purpose is to grant First and Second Realm Transcendents an opportunity to gather fortune. Ordinary Transcendents can fight through tier after tier of selection battles to emerge as formidable Transcendents, thereby earning the chance to challenge top-tier powerhouses." "However, as disciples of our master, we represent a grand Third Realm Sovereign faction and naturally do not need to go through layer upon layer of selection. Mount Feilong currently holds quotas to send representatives to fight at the Summit of the Universe. That said, this concerns the reputation of Mount Feilong, and even our mountain's fortune. Unless someone's combat prowess is truly exceptional, Mount Feilong generally will not send anyone to fight." "Junior Brother Lu, would you be willing to give it a try?" Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up. "The Summit of the Universe? I am willing to try!" Of course Lu Changsheng was willing to try. This was an arena personally founded by a Sovereign. Not only could he obtain vast numbers of source crystals, but he could also spread his renown through battles and thereby gather an immense amount of fortune. Lu Changsheng currently possessed the Fortune Gathering Pagoda. If he achieved victory, his fortune would become terrifyingly potent. In turn, that would invisibly strengthen his soul. Where else could he find such an extraordinary opportunity? As for combat prowess? Ever since his incarnation was ambushed last time, Lu Changsheng had learned his lesson and rapidly enhanced his strength. With his self-created Dimension Ascension Method, his True Realm had already reached 100% completion, making him fully qualified to strike for the Second Realm—a cultivation level at the peak of the First Realm. In terms of cultivation, he was more than prepared. Furthermore, he possessed the Mortal Realm, the Spirit Realm, the Small Thousand Realm, and the Great Thousand Realm. Once they were all unleashed, his True Realm would erupt with peerless, terrifying power. On this point, Lu Changsheng was exceptionally confident. Even when facing countless Transcendents across the vast Great Universe, he possessed that same confidence. "It is good that you are confident, Junior Brother Lu. However, this does concern the reputation of Mount Feilong, so we must proceed with the utmost caution." "Therefore, we must first arrange an actual combat test for you to ensure that you are qualified to represent Mount Feilong at the Summit of the Universe. Junior Brother Lu, would you be willing?" "Naturally, I am willing." Lu Changsheng nodded, seeing nothing amiss with this. Fighting as a disciple of Mount Feilong allowed one to bypass tiers of qualifying trials and challenge anyone directly. All these benefits naturally came with responsibility. If Lu Changsheng suffered a crushing defeat, it would not only humiliate Mount Feilong but also drain its fortune. They had to be prudent. "Very well. In three days, I will notify you, Junior Brother Lu." "Then I shall trouble you, Senior Brother Fang." Lu Changsheng stood up and took his leave from Fang Chuan's cave dwelling. Watching Lu Changsheng depart, Fang Chuan stood up and left his cave dwelling as well. He needed to report this to Master. After all, a matter like this required Master's personal approval. However, Fang Chuan knew that Master had always been encouraging toward such endeavors. After all, success would bring a tremendous influx of fortune to Mount Feilong. It was only because Mount Feilong had previously lacked disciples of truly exceptional combat prowess that they hadn't dispatched anyone to the Summit of the Universe. If a suitable candidate emerged, Sovereign Feilong would certainly offer his support. Lu Changsheng returned to his cave dwelling. After briefly explaining the situation to Lin Qingluan, she supported him wholeheartedly. At the Summit of the Universe, one would likely engage in intense battles. Yet those battles would only take place within the Great Universe. Lu Changsheng was a World Master. Even if he perished in battle within the Great Universe, it would not affect his presence in the Boundary Sea in the slightest. At most, it would take a little time to revive. There was no mortal peril whatsoever. Since his life was not in danger, there was naturally nothing to worry about. Day after day passed. In the blink of an eye, three days flew by. "Junior Brother Lu, come to my cave dwelling." This was a transmission from Fang Chuan. A look of delight appeared on Lu Changsheng's face. He rose, departed, and swiftly arrived at Fang Chuan's cave dwelling. "Senior Brother Fang, is there news?" Lu Changsheng asked. "It is settled." "Master has agreed. As long as you can defeat Junior Brother Chi Yan, you may represent Mount Feilong at the Summit of the Universe!" Lu Changsheng nodded. Chi Yan was someone he did not know. He was likely also Master's disciple. He simply did not know whether Chi Yan was a personal disciple or a named disciple. Fortunately, Fang Chuan explained, "Junior Brother Chi Yan is a named disciple of Master. Although he is only a named disciple, his combat prowess is considered the absolute pinnacle among all First Realm cultivators on Mount Feilong." "His soul is merely slightly weaker; otherwise, Master would have accepted him as a personal disciple long ago." "This time, Master gave his word: if Junior Brother Chi Yan can defeat you, he will become Master's personal disciple. Therefore, Junior Brother Chi Yan will definitely put his life on the line and give his all. The pressure you will face is by no means small, Junior Brother Lu." Lu Changsheng understood. This Chi Yan would not be easy to deal with. He would even fight with his life on the line for the chance to become a personal disciple. Only by defeating a Chi Yan burning with such fierce desire could Sovereign Feilong rest assured that Lu Changsheng would represent Mount Feilong at the Summit of the Universe without turning into a laughingstock. "When will the battle against Junior Brother Chi Yan take place?" "Right now." Lu Changsheng nodded. Fang Chuan then led Lu Changsheng toward the Martial Arts Field. The so-called Martial Arts Field was actually a small world. The methods of a Third Realm Sovereign were miraculous and divine. Even though Sovereign Feilong was not a World Master, he could create a small world with a casual wave of his hand. Lu Changsheng had already informed Lin Qingluan earlier. As a result, many people had gathered outside the Martial Arts Field. Lu Changsheng naturally spotted Lin Qingluan. There were also many senior brothers and sisters he had never met before. Most of them were named disciples. These named disciples had caught wind of this battle. They appeared eager and excited. After all, it was exceedingly rare for them to witness a clash between peak First Realm Transcendents. Moreover, the fact that Chi Yan's promotion to personal disciple hinged on the outcome made it all the more captivating. "Is that Senior Brother Lu? I heard he only recently entered the sect and was taken as a personal disciple by Master." "I hear this personal disciple had some luck on his side. When his century deadline arrived, he had pieced together eight soul diagrams, yet Master made an unprecedented exception and granted him three more years." "For Master to make an exception proves that Senior Brother Lu must possess unique talents that astonished even Master." "It has to be his soul talent. Only someone with extraordinary soul talent can be accepted as a personal disciple by Master." "For named disciples like us, advancing to a personal disciple is practically impossible. Only Senior Brother Chi Yan had a sliver of hope." "Indeed. Before arriving at Mount Feilong, Senior Brother Chi Yan was already renowned for his astonishing combat strength. Sadly, upon arriving here, his soul talent proved lacking. He has toiled diligently for so many years yet never became Master's personal disciple. Rising from a named disciple to a personal disciple is simply too difficult unless one breaks through to the Second Realm. But in all these years, not a single named disciple has broken through to the Second Realm." "This time, Senior Brother Chi Yan has his chance. As long as he defeats Senior Brother Lu, he can become Master's personal disciple. And isn't Senior Brother Lu merely a World Master? World Masters are uniquely blessed—they do not perish in the Great Universe, and their status is exalted. But when it comes to raw combat strength, a World Master isn't necessarily a match for other Transcendents." "That's true, especially against Senior Brother Chi Yan, who grew through the crucible of countless life-and-death battles. In terms of pure combat prowess, how could a World Master compare to him?" In truth, many disciples were not optimistic about Lu Changsheng's chances. The reason was simple. A World Master enjoyed high status and earned plenty of source crystals. Yet they lacked the tempering of life and death. They could not risk their lives the way other Transcendents did. When comparing combat strength, they were bound to fall slightly short. Of course, powerful World Masters possessed terrifying strength as well. Yet Chi Yan was even more formidable. On Mount Feilong, Chi Yan's combat prowess commanded the respect of many First Realm Transcendents. Even Sovereign Feilong's personal disciples acknowledged him. Chi Yan possessed a mane of fiery red hair, which was how he earned the name Chi Yan. Yet he did not appear aggressive; instead, he seemed remarkably calm. "Greetings, Senior Brother Lu." Chi Yan bowed to Lu Changsheng. After all, Lu Changsheng was a personal disciple, whereas Chi Yan was currently only a named disciple. A named disciple was obligated to salute a personal disciple. From this gesture alone, Chi Yan showed no trace of arrogance. Yet Lu Changsheng knew that the more someone carried himself like this, the harder he would be to deal with. His opponent was composed to the point of absolute detachment. "You need not be so polite, Junior Brother Chi Yan," Lu Changsheng replied placidly. Without lingering, the two stepped directly into the small world. Buzz. The moment he entered the small world, Lu Changsheng sensed how different it was from the Great Universe. It was too fragile. It felt as though it could collapse at any moment. Naturally, that was merely an illusion on Lu Changsheng's part. Fragile as this small world might be, it was by no means something a First Realm Transcendent like him could shatter. The two stood facing each other within the small world. Chi Yan said, "Senior Brother Lu, forgive my offense." As Chi Yan spoke— Boom! Chi Yan's body swelled rapidly. Chi Yan walked the path of the physical body. Unlike those who tempered the Great Dao, all the techniques of the physical path resided within the flesh itself. It was akin to a source lifeform within chaos. Chi Yan's body continued to expand. In the blink of an eye, he transformed into an incomparable giant. He towered like a god. More importantly, his entire body was coated in a layer of roaring flames. "Hm?" "An innate divine ability contained within the flesh?" Lu Changsheng immediately understood Chi Yan's condition. Not only was his body unimaginably sturdy, but his flesh also harbored an innate divine ability. These flames were definitely no ordinary fire. If a Transcendent were caught off guard by them, a single touch would incinerate him to ashes. Under such suffocating pressure, none of the members of the Blood Oath Alliance that Lu Changsheng had met before could compare to the dread Chi Yan inspired. This was a truly powerful Transcendent of the vast Great Universe. Compared to him, although the Blood Oath Alliance members were also First Realm Transcendents, they were far inferior. For a moment, Lin Qingluan grew worried. Chi Yan's display was too terrifying. Even through the barrier of the small world, that overwhelming pressure was enough to make one's heart palpitate. Yet Lu Changsheng remained entirely unaffected. A formidable physical body? An innate divine ability? In Lu Changsheng's eyes, neither amounted to anything. Because he possessed the True Realm! Boom! Without the slightest hesitation, Lu Changsheng unleashed the True Realm. Instantly, the True Realm descended. The terrifying True Realm swept forward like a surging tide, instantly enveloping Chi Yan within its expanse. "Senior Brother Lu, you are a World Master and can manifest a world. Sadly, no matter how powerful a world may be, it is useless against the flames on my body. My flames can incinerate all things, including worlds!" As Chi Yan's words fell, he waved his hand. Sure enough, blazing flames filled the sky and spread outward rapidly, burning fiercely within the True Realm in the blink of an eye. At this rate, reducing the True Realm to ashes was not impossible. Of course, that only applied to the Mortal Realm. Up to this point, Lu Changsheng had only employed the power of the Mortal Realm. Yet the True Realm held far more than just the power of the Mortal Realm. Chi Yan, however, had no inkling of this. In fact, not only did Chi Yan not know, even Lin Qingluan was unaware. Lu Changsheng's Dimension Ascension Method was a supreme art. Though it seemed to draw inspiration from the Ninefold World, it was completely different. In an art like the Ninefold World, every opened world was essentially identical. Each new world was of the same caliber. Lu Changsheng, however, was different. His Spirit Realm was countless times vaster than the Mortal Realm. Instead, it encompassed countless Mortal Realms. And the Small Thousand Realm encompassed countless Spirit Realms. Beyond that lay the Great Thousand Realm... To this day, even Lu Changsheng did not know how terrifying his current strength truly was. Because he had never once deployed power above the Spirit Realm. He had almost exclusively relied on the power of the Mortal Realm. Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle. The fire continued to burn. Chi Yan stood astride the void like a fiendgod emerging from the flames. He said in a booming voice, "Senior Brother Lu, your world cannot withstand the scorching heat of my flames. If this continues, your world will be burned to ashes." "Is that so?" Lu Changsheng's voice rang out. These flames were indeed formidable. A single Mortal Realm truly could not stop them. Even two or three Mortal Realms would fare no better. The flames could expand ceaselessly. And relying solely on the power of the Mortal Realm was insufficient to extinguish them. This was a fundamental difference in the nature of their power. If the flames continued to spread, no matter how many Mortal Realms there were, the fire would overrun them all and burn them to cinders. At best, they could only delay the inevitable. "Spirit Realm!" The next instant, Lu Changsheng uttered a low cry. Rumble! All at once, heaven and earth shook violently. The entire True Realm underwent an earth-shattering transformation. Above the seemingly boundless Mortal Realm, another world faintly began to reveal itself. Though this world was merely the tip of an iceberg, one could clearly sense that this terrifying world encompassed the Mortal Realm within it. In other words, the world currently burning was merely the tip of an iceberg of the world now revealing itself. Shock! Chi Yan was thoroughly shaken. Not only was Chi Yan shocked, but outside the small world, every single named disciple and personal disciple was equally stunned. "Could this be... an inner world?" Some disciples who possessed knowledge of the secrets of World Masters murmured under their breath. An inner world was a world within a world. Many World Masters employed such arts. Yet once an art like that was cultivated, it became a superior art. A World Master with a superior art possessed immense combat strength. Just as now, Lu Changsheng had manifested the Spirit Realm—and not even the complete Spirit Realm, but merely the tip of the iceberg. Yet the sky full of flames began to recede. They were utterly incapable of burning the Spirit Realm. This was an innate disparity in the quality of power. The fire was stronger than the Mortal Realm, so it could burn the Mortal Realm. Yet now that the Spirit Realm was stronger than the fire, it naturally extinguished the flames. However, none of them knew that Lu Changsheng's Spirit Realm was far more than a mere "inner world." A single Spirit Realm contained countless Mortal Realms. In truth, cultivating the Mortal Realm to its limit was already enough to reach the peak of the First Realm Transcendent. That had been the realm of Divine Emperor Dayan. Within chaos and the Dark Domain, that was an existence invincible among peers. Yet in the vast Great Universe, equal cultivation did not equate to equal combat strength. In fact, combat strength could differ by worlds. Both might stand at the peak of the First Realm, yet the gap between them was unimaginably vast. Cultivation alone was no longer an adequate measure of combat prowess—unless one crossed an entire major realm, such as advancing from the First Realm to the Second Realm, which brought true dominance. Within the First Realm, even among those at the peak of the First Realm, it was genuinely hard to say who was stronger without an actual clash. Take the current situation: just moments ago, Chi Yan had held the absolute upper hand, looking as though he could defeat Lu Changsheng at any moment. Yet the instant Lu Changsheng's Spirit Realm descended, everything shifted. Chi Yan's flames were snuffed out one after another. Even Chi Yan's colossal body, standing rigid in the void, seemed to bear a crushing, insurmountable weight. It seemed ready to be crushed to powder at any second. As the Spirit Realm manifested... Ten percent, twenty percent, thirty percent... When the Spirit Realm manifested merely thirty percent of its power, Chi Yan could no longer hold on. Crack! Chi Yan's physical body began to collapse. Fissure after fissure appeared across his flesh. The cracks were shocking to behold. Having reached this point, no matter how unwilling Chi Yan was, he knew he had lost. If he persisted, he would die. After all, Chi Yan was not a World Master. A World Master would not truly die in the Great Universe, but if another Transcendent died in the Great Universe, that death was final. Enduring any further was meaningless. "Senior Brother Lu's divine ability is astonishing. I admit defeat..." Chi Yan conceded voluntarily. Silence! The entire small world fell dead silent. Not only the small world, but the area outside it went completely quiet as well. Many disciples who had previously been brimming with confidence that Chi Yan would win now hung their heads in silence. Even Chi Yan had lost. And it was no narrow defeat—it was an outright crushing. Yes, an absolute crushing. Lu Changsheng nodded and withdrew the True Realm. In truth, Lu Changsheng himself was inwardly shaken. He knew he was likely very strong. After all, the Dimension Ascension Method was his own creation, and he naturally understood its potential. Yet because the Great Thousand Realm had only just emerged in his True Realm and the Dimension Ascension Method had not yet reached perfection, some lingering doubt had remained in his mind. Now, after this clash with Chi Yan, all of Lu Changsheng's doubts were completely dispelled. He could clearly tell that Chi Yan was exceptionally powerful. Yet someone as formidable as Chi Yan had been defeated simply by manifesting roughly thirty percent of the Spirit Realm. It was a clean, decisive victory. He had not even deployed the Small Thousand Realm or the Great Thousand Realm. If he unleashed those, how horrifying would that be? Lu Changsheng's confidence regarding the Summit of the Universe grew even firmer. Whoosh! Whoosh! The two flew out of the small world. Fang Chuan laughed heartily. "Good, wonderful! Junior Brother Lu, you truly did not disappoint Master. By defeating Chi Yan, you have earned the right to represent Mount Feilong at the Summit of the Universe!" "In fact, I am quite eager to see just how far Junior Brother Lu can go now that Mount Feilong is participating in the Summit of the Universe once again!" Fang Chuan was genuinely full of anticipation. Mount Feilong was a Sovereign faction, standing at the very top of the vast Great Universe. Yet very few from Mount Feilong ever participated in the Summit of the Universe. Some had gone in the past, but most had failed to achieve notable results. At best, they were merely going through the motions. Chi Yan was strong, but he fell far short of the level required for the Summit of the Universe. As for Lu Changsheng, though he had indeed defeated Chi Yan, it only offered a glimmer of hope. The true powerhouses at the Summit of the Universe could crush Chi Yan with ease. "Junior Brother Lu, when do you plan to head to the Summit of the Universe?" "The sooner, the better." "Understood. You are a World Master and can travel to the Summit of the Universe at top speed. Without further ado, let us make it tomorrow. I will accompany you to the Summit of the Universe." "Very well," Lu Changsheng agreed with a nod. With that, Lu Changsheng turned and took his leave. Many disciples remained rooted to the spot. In particular, many named disciples looked at Chi Yan, hesitating to speak. "Chi Yan, what a wonderful opportunity, yet you lost." "Indeed, Chi Yan, how did you lose so bafflingly?" "We couldn't even see the danger in it..." "Even if Senior Brother Lu possessed an inner world, you shouldn't have been defeated so instantly, Senior Brother Chi Yan..." Many named disciples spoke up one after another. In truth, none of them had understood what had happened. Why had Chi Yan suddenly lost? After all, they hadn't personally experienced the pressure of Lu Changsheng's Spirit Realm. Thus, Chi Yan's surrender seemed utterly perplexing to them. Chi Yan shook his head. "You didn't personally feel the pressure of Senior Brother Lu's world. Under that sensation, if I hadn't surrendered, I would have died..." "Furthermore, Senior Brother Lu definitely did not give his all. In my estimation, he probably didn't even use ten percent of his strength..." Chi Yan had fought Lu Changsheng directly and had been drawn into the True Realm, so his perception was profound. "What? He didn't even use ten percent of his power? How could that be?" "Indeed, Chi Yan, we all know your strength very well. Could Senior Brother Lu, as a World Master, truly be powerful to such an extent?" "World Masters are strong, but their combat prowess shouldn't be that terrifying, right?" Many were astonished. It wasn't that they disbelieved Chi Yan, but his words were simply too preposterous. Even after all that, he hadn't used ten percent of his strength? A Second Realm mighty figure could hardly do more. Of course, the First Realm could not compare to the Second Realm. An ordinary First Realm cultivator lacked the qualification to even lift a finger before a Second Realm mighty figure. "Forget it. If you can find a World Master to bring you along to the Summit of the Universe, you will see that I speak no falsehoods." Having said that, Chi Yan left swiftly. He felt somewhat disappointed. He had lost the opportunity to become a personal disciple. Such a golden opportunity had slipped away. It was truly unfortunate that he had run into Lu Changsheng. Could a World Master truly become this powerful? Chi Yan found it hard to comprehend. Even so, he resolved to find a World Master to bring him to the Summit of the Universe so he could watch the battles. As for asking Lu Changsheng? Chi Yan was not familiar with Lu Changsheng. There was no need to trouble Lu Changsheng over such a thing. Finding another World Master would not pose much of a problem for Chi Yan. Lu Changsheng returned to his cave dwelling. He entered his meditation chamber immediately. Because Lu Changsheng had sensed something abnormal. Ever since his battle with Chi Yan concluded, he had detected an anomaly. It seemed... his fortune had skyrocketed!