"My fortune..."
Lu Changsheng could actually sense his "fortune" now, something that had been impossible for him in the past.
"Wait, the Fortune Gathering Pagoda..."
A thought struck him, and Lu Changsheng immediately brought out the Fortune Gathering Pagoda.
Sure enough, through the pagoda, he could clearly feel the increase in his fortune.
The fact that he had been able to sense the growth of his fortune just now was likely due to the Fortune Gathering Pagoda as well.
As for why it had grown, the reason was obvious. Only moments ago, he had defeated Chi Yan.
Defeating Chi Yan right before the eyes of the crowd on Mount Feilong had naturally caused his fortune to surge.
And a surge in fortune could enhance the strength of one's soul.
Lu Changsheng focused his senses intently.
Time ticked away.
An hour, two hours, three hours, four hours...
Indeed, as time passed, Lu Changsheng could distinctly feel his soul strengthening.
However, the margin of improvement was minuscule, practically negligible.
Still, this proved that fortune truly could enhance the strength of the soul.
It was true for Lin Qingluan.
It was true for Lu Changsheng himself.
As long as one's fortune was vast enough, the effect would not necessarily be inferior to that of his soul frequency method.
"It seems I must go all out for this trip to the Summit of the Universe..."
Lu Changsheng had no intention of underestimating the Summit of the Universe.
After all, it drew from the entire Great Universe, gathering nearly every Transcendent.
Those capable of setting foot upon the Summit of the Universe were the absolute pinnacle of their realm, individuals who had gathered boundless fortune.
Lu Changsheng already understood the wonders of fortune.
Moreover, he now possessed the Fortune Gathering Pagoda, which would allow him to gather fortune even more effectively.
On top of that, he needed vast quantities of source crystals.
Going to the Summit of the Universe was his best option.
The only question was whether he could win there.
That was indeed an open question.
Lu Changsheng was confident in his Dimension Ascension Method. Through his battle with Chi Yan today, he had gained a more intuitive grasp of just how powerful his True Realm was now.
Yet formidable experts endlessly emerged throughout the Great Universe, so he still had to remain cautious.
"Right now, relying on the Spirit Realm alone is already this powerful. If I unleash the Lesser Thousand Realm and the Great Thousand Realm, the might of my True Realm will likely explode by a hundredfold or a thousandfold. Among those of the same realm, that should be enough to look down on all rivals."
Lu Changsheng drew a deep breath, gradually calming his mind.
A day went by in a flash.
On the next day, Lu Changsheng and Lin Qingluan went to pay another visit to Fang Chuan.
"Junior Brother Lu, I will accompany you to the Summit of the Universe on this journey."
"Thank you, Senior Brother Fang. I must ask you to bear with staying inside my True Realm for now, however."
"No matter. I understand how a World Master's internal world works; I will not resist..."
Lu Changsheng nodded.
For a Second Realm mighty figure like Fang Chuan, it was virtually impossible for a World Master to draw him into an internal world unless he offered no resistance whatsoever.
Even with Lu Changsheng's True Realm, if Fang Chuan chose to resist, Lu Changsheng would have had no way of drawing him in.
Buzz.
Soon, Lu Changsheng's True Realm descended.
As the True Realm enveloped Fang Chuan, it encountered noticeable resistance.
Only after Fang Chuan did his utmost to rein in his aura did Lu Changsheng's True Realm "barely" succeed in drawing him inside.
Such was the might of a Second Realm figure.
Even if they radiated only a sliver of their aura, a World Master's world could forget about pulling them inside.
That is, unless the World Master had also ascended to the Second Realm.
Yet Second Realm World Masters were exceedingly rare.
"Let's go."
Lu Changsheng's True Realm swiftly vanished from Mount Feilong, returning once more into the Boundary Sea where it took the form of a massive bubble.
Likewise, numerous other "bubbles" drifted through the Boundary Sea.
This was not Fang Chuan's first time entering the Boundary Sea. He had traveled inside other World Masters' worlds in the past when journeying, so he was quite familiar with the place.
"The Boundary Sea... is truly a wondrous realm."
"I once heard Master mention that the Boundary Sea is simply too miraculous. Not even a Third Realm Sovereign could destroy it by their own power alone. It is nothing short of a miracle in the vast Great Universe."
"No, Master even said that the Boundary Sea is a man-made miracle—a miracle forged together by countless World Masters..."
Fang Chuan's tone was laden with awe.
The wonder of the Boundary Sea had astounded even Sovereigns.
Once, there had been only a handful of World Masters who merged their worlds to form the Boundary Sea.
Who could have imagined that one day, it would grow into such a colossal behemoth?
It was now even faintly capable of contending against the entire Great Universe.
If given more time as the number of World Masters continued to swell, the Boundary Sea might genuinely grow into a miraculous realm rivaling the Great Universe itself.
Lu Changsheng said nothing, dedicating all his focus to the journey.
The distance from Mount Feilong to the Summit of the Universe was far from short.
It would take a great deal of time.
Even a World Master traveling at full speed would require several months.
One month, two months, three months...
Rumble!
The void of the Boundary Sea before Lu Changsheng shook violently.
In his previous travels, he had almost never run into any mishaps.
This time, however, an incident occurred.
Not far ahead of Lu Changsheng, a bubble suddenly burst apart with a resounding blast.
In the Boundary Sea, a bubble typically represented a world, a World Master.
And now that a bubble had exploded, it meant a world had blown apart—a World Master had fallen.
Perishing in the Boundary Sea meant true death, even for a World Master.
"What happened?" Fang Chuan asked.
"A World Master fell up ahead. Most likely... they were killed!" Lu Changsheng answered in a calm voice.
He had already sensed it.
Clustered around the exploding bubble were five other bubbles.
That meant five World Masters were present.
The fallen World Master had almost certainly succumbed to a coordinated siege by those five.
Killing a World Master usually required an overwhelming siege; otherwise, the target was highly likely to escape.
Even if only a fraction of their world managed to get away, the World Master would not truly perish and could bide their time to make a comeback.
Only an encirclement could ensure absolute certainty.
Furthermore, they had to be certain that the World Master had not left other worlds elsewhere.
Take Lu Changsheng, for example.
He had left a portion of his True Realm in another location.
Even if the majority of his True Realm were destroyed right now, with enough time, his True Realm could slowly recover.
Killing a World Master was genuinely no easy feat, but with sufficient preparation, even a World Master could fall.
"Don't meddle in other people's affairs. Let's go," Fang Chuan said in a low voice.
Such occurrences were common.
After all, conflicts existed between World Masters as well.
As long as they were not affected, they naturally would not interfere.
Lu Changsheng steered to the side to bypass them, making his neutrality clear through his actions.
The other bubbles remained motionless, seemingly watching Lu Changsheng leave.
Yet just as Lu Changsheng was about to pass, several bubbles suddenly moved.
At top speed, they slammed violently straight toward Lu Changsheng, as if intending to shatter his bubble on impact.
This was the most common form of combat among World Masters in the Boundary Sea: using their internal worlds to crash head-on and tear through an opponent's world.
Once a world was breached, it would begin to collapse.
Five bubbles charged toward Lu Changsheng from multiple directions, clearly bent on completely crushing him to pieces.
"Humph."
Lu Changsheng let out a cold snort.
His True Realm made no evasive move, simply letting those bubbles ram into it.
Even Fang Chuan's face shifted.
Though a Second Realm cultivator, he could not offer much help in the Boundary Sea.
If Lu Changsheng's True Realm shattered, Fang Chuan would be squeezed out of the Boundary Sea.
Only Third Realm Sovereigns could freely enter the Boundary Sea without being a World Master.
This was precisely why World Masters enjoyed a unique advantage.
Except for Third Realm Sovereigns, World Masters had no reason to fear anyone.
Even against Second Realm cultivators, World Masters stood unafraid.
Rumble!
Finally, the five bubbles collided heavily against Lu Changsheng's True Realm.
In total, six bubbles had collided, but in truth, it was five bubbles besieging a single one.
Such an immense impact was effectively a clash of world against world—a pure, brutal collision with no room for trickery.
Under normal circumstances, a single World Master's world could never withstand the deliberate assault of five fellow World Masters.
Yet while Lu Changsheng's True Realm trembled, four even more massive worlds faintly manifested within it.
The violent shock was suppressed in an instant, restoring absolute calm.
The True Realm did not suffer even the slightest tear.
On the contrary, the five attacking bubbles were forcibly ripped open by the impact.
"What?!"
A wave of stunned intent radiated from the five bubbles.
Clearly, the five World Masters had never imagined such an outcome.
They were all First Realm World Masters. Five of them had attacked Lu Changsheng's world together, yet Lu Changsheng was completely unscathed while their own worlds had fractured!
How was that possible?
As bizarre and unbelievable as it was, it was the reality before them.
"Flee!"
The five World Masters instantly realized they had kicked an iron plate.
What else could they do at a time like this?
They had to run!
Without hesitation, the five World Masters turned to flee, their five bubbles veering away at once.
Yet how could Lu Changsheng let them escape so easily?
"Suppress!"
Lu Changsheng's True Realm swelled abruptly.
In an instant, it engulfed all five bubbles, enclosing their five worlds within itself.
Lu Changsheng immediately sensed the imprints of the five World Masters.
In other words, by killing them right now, Lu Changsheng could instantly erase their imprints from the Boundary Sea.
For reasons unknown, all five World Masters had dispatched their full, true bodies on this mission, leaving no portion of their worlds behind.
Whether out of sheer confidence or pure arrogance, they had left themselves no retreat.
"Spare us!"
"Fellow Daoist, leave room for mercy!"
"We are World Masters of the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce, under orders to hunt down the traitorous World Master Gu Sang!"
"Everything just now was a misunderstanding... but if we die, the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce will definitely trace it back to you, and you will not escape..."
Suppressed beneath Lu Changsheng's True Realm, the five World Masters immediately recognized its terrifying power. Knowing they could not break free, they could only resort to using the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce's reputation to threaten him.
The Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce was one of the premier merchant guilds in the vast Great Universe, renowned on equal footing with the Eternal Light Chamber of Commerce.
Backing the chamber was a mighty Third Realm Sovereign.
Even World Masters would never dare provoke such a colossal entity.
No wonder they had been so fearless, deploying their complete true bodies.
It turned out they truly possessed formidable backing.
Lu Changsheng had no desire to court trouble, but since they had struck first with intent to kill, how could he show them any leniency?
Bang!
The next instant, the five bubbles burst apart simultaneously.
Lu Changsheng channeled the power of the Great Thousand Realm, obliterating the five World Masters' worlds in one fell swoop.
At the same time, tracing their auras, Lu Changsheng wiped away their imprints from the Boundary Sea.
The five World Masters perished on the spot.
This was the first time Lu Changsheng had slain five World Masters at once.
It seemed... remarkably easy.
Yes, easy.
Once suppressed by his True Realm, the five World Masters could stir up no waves at all, left entirely at his mercy.
At that moment, Fang Chuan spoke with a hint of admiration. "Incredible! These were five World Masters, each considered the pinnacle of the First Realm, yet you suppressed them with such ease."
"Still, I know of the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce. While it is one of the premier guilds, what could have incensed them enough to dispatch five World Masters to hunt down a single one?"
"This matter is certainly out of the ordinary. A pity you didn't leave one alive..."
Fang Chuan seemed to find it somewhat regrettable.
Lu Changsheng, however, shook his head. "There was no need to keep any alive. I already know why the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce was enraged."
"When I erased their imprints in the Boundary Sea just now, I caught glimpses of their memories."
"The key lies with World Master Gu Sang. He seems to have taken a precious treasure from the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce, which was why they hunted him down. Since Gu Sang is dead, the treasure can only be inside his world..."
Lu Changsheng swept his True Realm out once more.
Gu Sang's collapsing world was drawn directly into it.
No matter what treasure Gu Sang had obtained, the safest place for a World Master was always their internal world.
Therefore, the treasure was bound to be there.
As soon as Gu Sang's world was brought into the True Realm, Lu Changsheng immediately sensed the item.
Whoosh.
With a thought, a lamp appeared in his hand.
"This is... the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp!"
"So that's it. No wonder World Master Gu Sang was willing to take such risks and dared to embezzle a treasure from the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce. They say the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp never goes out, containing an undying spark within it. That undying spark is of immense help to a World Master. With it, a World Master can expand their world time and time again."
"Exactly how many times it can expand a world is unclear. But whenever the undying spark draws close to burning out, one can stop and nurture it for a period, allowing it to recover. In a sense, for a World Master, it is equivalent to an infinite supply of source crystals."
Lu Changsheng's heart leaped.
Source crystals!
An infinite supply of source crystals!
Wasn't that precisely what he lacked right now?
Of course, this undying spark could not truly match infinite source crystals. But for a World Master, its value was immense.
Using it for a period would exhaust the spark, requiring downtime for it to recover.
Even so, it was a supreme treasure for any World Master, capable of saving vast amounts of time and energy, allowing them to reach the peak of the First Realm—or even take a step closer to the Second Realm!
"Thank you for explaining, Senior Brother Fang. This Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp is indeed of great use to me."
Lu Changsheng nodded and put the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp away.
"Junior Brother Lu, this matter likely cannot be concealed for long. For an entity like the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce, finding out where the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp went will not be too difficult. After all, they have a Third Realm Sovereign backing them, and hiding anything in the Great Universe from a Sovereign is nearly impossible," Fang Chuan said meaningfully.
"Must I return the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp to the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce?" Lu Changsheng asked, frowning.
"Hahaha! Junior Brother Lu, you underestimate our Mount Feilong. Reason is on your side in this matter—it was the World Masters of the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce who tried to silence you. With reason on your side, who would dare come to Mount Feilong to demand the lamp from you?"
"However, you are heading to the Summit of the Universe. If the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce discovers the lamp is in your hands, they might arrange for you to face even stronger opponents. Pulling off petty tricks like that is child's play for them," Fang Chuan cautioned.
Lu Changsheng gave an indifferent response. "All the better. The stronger the opponent, the more fortune they provide. Did I not come to the Summit of the Universe precisely for fortune?"
"In a fair match, I fear no opponent!"
Lu Changsheng spoke firmly, his resolute tone brimming with unmatched confidence.
Now that a supreme treasure like the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp had fallen into his hands, did they really think he would hand it back? Absolutely not!
As for whatever small tricks the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce might play, he would take them as they came.
After all, he was not without backing either.
He was a personal disciple of Sovereign Feilong.
Petty tricks were one thing, but acting against him in secret? Out of the question!
"Good. As long as you have that confidence, that's enough."
"We of Mount Feilong do not look for trouble, but we never fear it either."
"Let's go. Onward to the Summit of the Universe!"
Lu Changsheng nodded.
Now was not the time to expand his True Realm; he still had to hurry to his destination.
And so, Lu Changsheng pressed on toward the Summit of the Universe.
Three more months passed.
Lu Changsheng came to a halt.
From the moment he had left Mount Feilong, six full months had elapsed.
After half a year of travel, he had finally arrived.
Whoosh.
Lu Changsheng exited the Boundary Sea and descended into the Great Universe.
Before long, he stood in the Great Universe once more, looking upon a magnificent world that sprawled before him.
"That is the Summit of the Universe," Fang Chuan said.
Lu Changsheng drew back his True Realm, and the group flew straight toward the world.
Buzz.
They entered the Summit of the Universe without incident.
Wherever Lu Changsheng looked, there were cultivators.
Cultivators as far as the eye could see, the vast majority of them Transcendents.
Most of these Transcendents had come simply to spectate the battles.
It seemed to gather many of the Transcendents throughout the Great Universe, giving the massive Summit of the Universe an intensely lively atmosphere.
"Battles are held here year-round," Fang Chuan explained.
"Most are various screening rounds. Many Transcendents who wish to make a name for themselves, amass fortune, and earn source crystals choose to fight here. They must climb through rounds of qualifiers, sometimes spending decades or even centuries just to earn the right to challenge the champions of the Summit of the Universe."
"Every battle allows wagers. That is why I said you could earn massive amounts of source crystals here. Provided you can win, you can make a fortune on bets alone, even without the prize money."
Fang Chuan introduced the place in detail, having clearly visited many times before.
Lu Changsheng watched the Transcendents in silence.
These were figures who stood at the absolute peak in their native planes, beings whose single word could decide the fate of trillions of lives. Yet upon reaching the Summit of the Universe, they were merely members of the common throng.
They still had to fight desperately to obtain source crystals and fortune.
Then again, Transcendents were still cultivators.
To take another step forward, they had to pay whatever price was required.
What was risking one's life compared to that?
Which Transcendent had not risked everything? From the moment one sought transcendence, one was putting one's life on the line.
Only a rare few, like Lu Changsheng, possessed absolute certainty in achieving transcendence without having to gamble with their lives.
The vast majority of Transcendents had to fight tooth and nail.
"Senior Brother Fang, where are we heading now?" Lu Changsheng asked.
"You belong to Mount Feilong and represent our sect, so naturally you don't need to climb through the qualifiers."
"For now, we'll settle into a cave dwelling at the Summit of the Universe and review the formidable combatants here. Once we have a clear picture, you can decide whom to challenge."
"Even if you are confident in your strength, this is the Summit of the Universe after all, where the Great Universe's top geniuses and peak combat powers congregate. You must know both yourself and your enemy."
Lu Changsheng nodded. "I will follow your arrangements, Senior Brother."
Lu Changsheng was confident, not conceited.
Naturally, he needed to understand the lay of the land first.
With Fang Chuan's familiarity with the place, he took charge of lodging arrangements.
He settled them into a residence so they could gradually study the current situation at the Summit of the Universe.
Every day, countless individuals fought here, striving to pass the successive tiers of qualifiers.
These qualifiers were ranked in stages.
Reaching the very end earned a cultivator the right to challenge an arena.
The arenas themselves were divided into ranks as well.
The lowest was the Vanguard Arena.
From lowest to highest, the arenas were categorized into five tiers: Vanguard, Overlord, King, Invincible, and Summit of the Universe!
There were five tiers in total.
Naturally, there was more than one Vanguard; many held the title.
Those who fought their way through the qualifiers earned the right to challenge the lowest-tier ringmasters—the Vanguards.
Victory meant becoming a new Vanguard and defending the ring.
Defeat meant one might well die.
Battles at the Summit of the Universe were matters of life and death.
Once on the stage, unless one actively surrendered, the fight continued until one party was slain.
The qualifying matches yielded no rewards—not a single source crystal—unless one placed wagers on oneself.
Only after becoming an arena ringmaster, such as a Vanguard, would each victory yield a set reward in source crystals.
And the payout was substantial.
After becoming a ringmaster, one had to defend the arena at least ten times—meaning ten victories—before gaining the right to challenge a higher-tier ringmaster.
If no one challenged a ringmaster within a given cycle, it was counted as a victory for the defender. After accumulating ten such victories, they could similarly advance to challenge the next tier.
The progression continued upward in this manner.
The strongest ringmaster of all held the title of the "Summit of the Universe."
After spending some time getting their bearings, Fang Chuan came to Lu Changsheng's cave dwelling to confer with him.
"Junior Brother Lu, have you familiarized yourself with the rules of the Summit of the Universe by now?" Fang Chuan asked.
"More or less."
"Senior Brother Fang, since I can skip the qualifiers as a disciple of Mount Feilong, which tier of arena can I challenge directly?" That was what Lu Changsheng cared about most.
"Those recommended by a Sovereign's faction can challenge the 'Overlord' arenas right away."
"However, if you aren't completely certain, it's safer to start from the 'Vanguard' arenas."
"In truth, whether it's an Overlord or a Vanguard match, winning grants a substantial amount of fortune. Each victory brings more fortune, and the more you win, the more fortune you gather. Climbing up step by step from the lower arenas actually yields the best results."
"The only issue is that fighting too many matches introduces uncontrollable variables. In particular, you have offended the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce. If they send people through the qualifiers to target you, they'll eventually earn the right to challenge you, and that could lead to trouble."
Fang Chuan carefully weighed the pros and cons for him.
"The Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce..."
Lu Changsheng considered the name.
Over the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp, the chamber would certainly not let the matter rest.
However, his purpose here was to gather a sea of fortune.
Every bit more was a gain.
As for the potential danger, if the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce truly intended to ambush him, they would find a way whether he challenged the Invincible tier or the Summit of the Universe.
As long as an opponent was in the same realm, Lu Changsheng feared no one.
If the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce sent experts to target him, they would simply be delivering fortune to his doorstep.
Why refuse?
"Senior Brother Fang, I plan to start challenging from the Vanguard arenas," Lu Changsheng finally decided.
"Good!" Fang Chuan nodded. "With your strength, starting with the Vanguards shouldn't pose any problem."
Fang Chuan still held considerable confidence in Lu Changsheng's capabilities.
"In that case, I will go make the arrangements. By the way, which Vanguard ringmaster do you intend to challenge?"
There were quite a few Vanguard ringmasters—far more than just one or two.
Furthermore, their strengths varied.
"Let's go with Vanguard Ringmaster No. 3."
"Alright, No. 3 it is."
"Then I leave it in your capable hands, Senior Brother."
Fang Chuan left the cave dwelling to set up Lu Changsheng's challenge for the Vanguard Arena.
Inside the dwelling, Lin Qingluan quickly recalled what she knew about Ringmaster No. 3.
"Ringmaster No. 3 should be... Mo Wen?"
"He seems to follow a path of fusing Great Daos, with a Fire Dao that shakes heaven and earth. It is said he can incinerate all creation, even scorching a World Master's world with ease. He is somewhat similar to Junior Brother Chi Yan."
"No wonder you chose Ringmaster No. 3. You've already experienced an attack style like Chi Yan's, so this first battle should be well within your grasp..." Lin Qingluan said with a smile.
Lu Changsheng said nothing, silently acknowledging her words.
Confident though he was, this was his first battle here, so he had exercised caution.
He had chosen an opponent whose style mirrored Chi Yan's.
Scorching flames?
No matter how terrifying the opponent's fire was, it might burn the Mortal Realm, but could it possibly burn the Spirit Realm?
Even if it could burn the Spirit Realm, Lu Changsheng still had the Lesser Thousand Realm and the Great Thousand Realm.
That was more than enough to handle any unexpected turn.
Fang Chuan worked with great efficiency. Just three days later, he returned to Lu Changsheng.
"Junior Brother Lu, it is settled. In one month, you will challenge Ringmaster No. 3, Mo Wen, as a disciple of Mount Feilong."
"During this month, the Summit of the Universe will generate publicity for the match, and betting odds will be opened outside the arena. If you have source crystals and feel confident in yourself, you can place a wager on your victory."
Lu Changsheng nodded.
Fang Chuan had arranged everything seamlessly; all Lu Changsheng needed to do was adjust his condition.
As for the odds on him, Lu Changsheng was actually somewhat curious.
What kind of odds would he get?
After all, compared to Ringmaster No. 3, Mo Wen, who had fought his way up from the lowest qualifiers, Lu Changsheng was an outsider who had parachuted in thanks to his sect's backing—a complete nobody at the Summit of the Universe.
Chapter 507