Outside the arena at the Summit of the Universe, wagering was extremely common.
A highly professional, comprehensive system had long since taken shape.
As time passed, the Summit of the Universe began generating hype for the upcoming match where Lu Changsheng, a personal disciple of Mount Feilong's Sovereign, would challenge Mo Wen, the Vanguard of Ring Three. The news spread rapidly.
However, it took some time before the betting odds between the two were released.
An investigation had to be conducted first.
Lu Changsheng was a "newcomer" to the Summit of the Universe, so they naturally needed to look into him thoroughly before setting odds, rather than pulling numbers out of thin air.
"This Lu Changsheng—I really don't think I've ever heard of him before."
"It seems he used a nomination quota from Mount Feilong to bypass the preliminaries and challenge the ring defender directly. Originally, he could have challenged an 'Overlord' tier ring defender straight away, but instead he chose to challenge a 'Vanguard.' He probably lacks confidence in his own strength."
"Mount Feilong may be a Sovereign-tier power, but Sovereign Feilong has never been known for choosing disciples based on combat prowess. In the past, whenever disciples from Mount Feilong participated in the Summit of the Universe, hardly any made an impression. They've rarely even produced an Overlord-tier ring defender."
"I think we should put our money on Mo Wen."
"Let's wait a bit longer. They should finish looking into Lu Changsheng's background soon."
Many people were closely following the news.
After all, as a newcomer linked to a Sovereign-tier force, Lu Changsheng naturally possessed tremendous buzz.
"The odds are out! Lu Changsheng is at odds of two, and Mo Wen is at three!"
"Huh? Lu Changsheng actually has lower odds? Does that mean the bookmakers consider Lu Changsheng stronger than Mo Wen?"
"Mo Wen fought his way up step-by-step through the qualifiers and has even defended his ring against several challenges. How could his payout multiplier be higher than Lu Changsheng's? What extraordinary traits does this Lu Changsheng have for so many factions to look so favorably upon him?"
"Word has leaked. Lu Changsheng was originally a World Master from the Eternal Light Chamber of Commerce. Later, he went to Mount Feilong to undergo the trials, where he suddenly surged on the Soul Staircase and passed it. Then, during the soul puzzle trial, Sovereign Feilong personally made an exception to grant him three extra years, during which he assembled nine soul diagrams, earning the Sovereign's immense esteem."
"For Sovereign Feilong to make an exception and give him three extra years just proves how highly regarded he is. He's definitely extraordinary."
"It seems many factions actually favor Lu Changsheng in his first battle. After all, if Mount Feilong sent him out, he couldn't possibly lose right off the bat, could he? Wouldn't that humiliate Mount Feilong?"
"No, I still believe in Mo Wen. So what if he's an outsider backed by Mount Feilong? If Mo Wen can win this battle, he'll soar straight to the heavens!"
"Right, I'm betting on Mo Wen too..."
Although the odds favored Lu Changsheng, the cultivators placing bets felt differently.
They favored Mo Wen.
Perhaps deep down, they all hoped Mo Wen would defeat Lu Changsheng.
After all, Mo Wen had fought his way up from the lowest preliminary rounds, whereas Lu Changsheng had been dropped straight into the higher tier from above.
Naturally, few cultivators felt goodwill toward Lu Changsheng.
Lu Changsheng also learned of the odds at the earliest opportunity.
"My odds are lower? Only paying double... In that case, I'll bet all thirty thousand source crystals."
Lu Changsheng had about thirty thousand source crystals on him, which was all he owned.
He wagered them all.
The relatively low odds had indeed exceeded Lu Changsheng's expectations.
He had not expected the major factions to favor him so strongly.
Perhaps it had to do with Mount Feilong.
After all, Sovereign Feilong clearly valued him highly.
How could someone prized by Sovereign Feilong be ordinary?
Though Mo Wen was formidable and had fought his way up from the bottom, in the eyes of those aloof, prominent figures, how could someone with neither backing nor resources compare to Lu Changsheng?
Of course, Mo Wen might not accept that.
Many cultivators from the lower ranks might not accept it either.
None of that mattered. The battle one month from now would naturally reveal who was superior.
Lu Changsheng paid no attention to the commotion outside.
He spent his time studying the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp.
With the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp, Lu Changsheng could indeed expand his realm.
However, a single expansion took ten years.
Right now, he had to prepare for the arena battle and had no time to spare for expansion.
Thus, he could only shelve the idea until after the match.
Time flew by, and a month passed in the blink of an eye.
The day arrived for Lu Changsheng to challenge Mo Wen, the Vanguard of Ring Three.
In truth, arena battles at the Summit of the Universe were frequent, but not all of them drew large crowds.
Only dazzling battles with high stakes and widespread interest attracted vast audiences.
Though Lu Changsheng was a "newcomer," he generated immense buzz as the personal disciple of a Sovereign, dropped straight into the Summit of the Universe for his very first match.
His opponent was Mo Wen, an ordinary Transcendent of humble origins who had clawed his way to this position on his own strength through the qualifiers.
The contrast between their identities and backgrounds was night and day.
Yet it was precisely this clash that drew tremendous attention.
Below the arena, crowds packed the perimeter, ring upon ring.
Accompanied by Fang Chuan and Lin Qingluan, Lu Changsheng arrived behind the staging area of the ring.
"Junior Brother Lu, go on up."
"Do not hold back in an arena battle. Every arena battle is a fight to the death—either he dies, or you do. Unless someone yields, it is a fight to the finish. Bear this firmly in mind!" Fang Chuan urged.
"Thank you, Senior Brother. I will keep it in mind."
Lu Changsheng nodded, then walked out through the passage behind the ring.
"He's out! Lu Changsheng is out!"
"A Sovereign's personal disciple... tsk-tsk, that's no low status."
"Still, I favor Mo Wen."
"Mo Wen better not let me down!"
"So what if he's a Sovereign's personal disciple? Mo Wen has to beat him! Once Mo Wen defeats Lu Changsheng, the fortune he gathers will be immense—it will be an instant ascent to the heavens!"
Lu Changsheng could naturally hear the chatter.
Most people supported Mo Wen.
However, none of it affected him.
The instant his foot touched the ring, Lu Changsheng's eyes locked onto a single person.
Mo Wen!
Shortly after Lu Changsheng stepped onto the ring, Mo Wen appeared as well.
Lu Changsheng had seen Mo Wen before; he was a burly, powerfully built man.
The moment both stood on the ring—
*Buzz.*
The ring sealed shut.
Once sealed, the ring became its own battlefield.
And the battlefield's environment... was comparable to an entire world!
Yes, comparable to a full world.
It was virtually infinite, ensuring nothing would constrain their battle.
Once the seal fell, Lu Changsheng perceived the environment.
This time, the battlefield was... starry space.
Indeed, a vast, boundless expanse of starry space.
The two stood suspended in the void, facing each other from afar.
"The battle begins."
As the voice rang out—
*Boom!*
Mo Wen struck.
With thunderous momentum, flames erupted from him in an instant.
Terrifying flames swept across the entire starry space.
Lu Changsheng seemed enveloped in fire in the blink of an eye.
Yet Lu Changsheng's reaction was even faster.
"True Realm!"
The next instant, the True Realm descended.
This time, however, Lu Changsheng's True Realm met resistance.
The dreadful flames scorched directly into Lu Changsheng's True Realm, appearing capable of incinerating anything and everything.
For the first time since deploying his True Realm, Lu Changsheng was unable to immediately sweep his opponent inside.
It was an unprecedented occurrence for him.
Even when facing Chi Yan back then, Chi Yan had failed to halt the sweep of Lu Changsheng's True Realm.
*Mo Wen is stronger than Chi Yan!* A thought flashed through Lu Changsheng's mind.
In truth, Mo Wen was indeed stronger than Chi Yan, and not just by a slight margin, but by a substantial degree.
No wonder Chi Yan had never come to the Summit of the Universe.
Even if Chi Yan had come, he probably would not have won a single match.
Transcenders of Mo Wen's caliber were a dime a dozen at the Summit of the Universe.
At best, he was merely at the "Vanguard" level, with little hope of taking another step to become an "Overlord."
Lu Changsheng's thought came and went in a fraction of an instant, causing virtually no delay.
His True Realm had already burst into blazing flames.
The horrific fire threatened to reduce his True Realm to ashes.
And that was only the beginning.
*Boom!*
Mo Wen unleashed his attack.
He threw a punch, unleashing his Great Dao of Flame.
This was a Great Dao of Flame refined from countless subsidiary Daos, possessing earth-shattering might.
Even an ordinary peak First Realm World Master would have had their world torn apart instantly under this blow.
Even if the World Master did not perish, their world would collapse, requiring ages in the Boundary Sea to recover.
This was the true caliber of a Vanguard at the Summit of the Universe.
He was at least ten times stronger than Chi Yan!
Witnessing this, many Transcendents outside the arena showed smiles on their faces.
"Look at that! Mo Wen is indeed stronger. Even a personal disciple of Sovereign Feilong is far from a match for a ring defender like Mo Wen, who truly fought his way up from the bottom step-by-step."
"Indeed. From the start, Lu Changsheng fell into a passive position. It's a completely one-sided battle, an outright crushing."
"Perhaps Lu Changsheng has some skill, but Mo Wen clearly went all out without holding anything back. Who would have thought Lu Changsheng would be so weak and powerless to fight back? Mo Wen must be surprised as well."
"A personal disciple of a Sovereign power—and that's all he has?"
Most Transcendents had placed their bets on Mo Wen, so they were naturally excited.
Judging by the flow of the match, Lu Changsheng had indeed failed to launch even a single counterattack, completely suppressed from one side.
Yet Fang Chuan, Lin Qingluan, and the others looked completely at ease, devoid of worry.
Sure enough, as the moments ticked away, Ring Three did not declare a victor.
That could mean only one thing: Lu Changsheng was not dead!
He still possessed the power to fight.
Otherwise, the ring would have automatically proclaimed Mo Wen the winner.
Mo Wen narrowed his eyes, growing intensely wary.
Slowly, the flames dissipated.
Lu Changsheng reappeared, still standing in his original position.
Flames still burned furiously within his True Realm, but they could no longer spread.
Within Lu Changsheng's True Realm, a colossal world had manifested.
"An inner world?"
Many Transcendents understood World Masters.
Any World Master capable of cultivating an inner world was an elite without exception, practicing an advanced, if not supreme, technique.
Even so, an inner world should not have been this powerful.
"Impressive flames. A pity they fall just short," Lu Changsheng remarked calmly.
He was not mocking him.
Just now, he had genuinely wanted to observe Mo Wen's Great Dao of Flame.
Mo Wen had not disappointed him either.
Had Lu Changsheng not decisively deployed the power of the entire Spirit Realm, his True Realm might truly have been burned to ashes.
Indeed, Lu Changsheng was now drawing upon the power of the entire Spirit Realm.
A terrifying force surged forward in an overwhelming wave against the flames inside the True Realm, causing them to steadily extinguish.
With a thought from Lu Changsheng—
*Buzz.*
The True Realm expanded.
Earlier, its expansion had been checked and scorched by the fire.
Now, things were different.
As Lu Changsheng's True Realm expanded, the flames were extinguished wherever it reached.
The True Realm was thoroughly suppressing the flames.
The situation reversed in an instant.
"What's happening?"
"How did Lu Changsheng suddenly become so strong?"
"It's just a single inner world, so how could it possess such power?"
"No, look closely at his inner world. That's no ordinary inner world! If I'm not mistaken, that's a world within a world! Each layer of Lu Changsheng's inner worlds appears stronger than the last, perhaps a hundred or even a thousand times stronger..."
"Channeling one world grants power comparable to a peak First Realm World Master, so channeling two inner worlds makes it hardly surprising that he could crush Mo Wen with ease!"
"Such is the path of a World Master. The structure of their world entirely dictates their upper limit. A mighty World Master is utterly invincible, whereas a weak one merely possesses decent survival ability..."
Lu Changsheng had revealed his Spirit Realm.
As a world within a world, those with discerning eyes immediately recognized that the Spirit Realm was far more formidable than the Mortal Realm.
Drawing upon merely the Spirit Realm was already more than Mo Wen could withstand.
Yet was the Spirit Realm truly all Lu Changsheng possessed?
Perhaps from the very beginning, this battle had already been decided.
Mo Wen threw punch after punch, attempting to shatter Lu Changsheng's True Realm.
Yet bolstered by the Spirit Realm, the True Realm was rock solid; Mo Wen could not even shake it.
Seeing the True Realm about to sweep over and swallow him whole—at which point he would be at Lu Changsheng's mercy—Mo Wen made a split-second decision and shouted, "I yield!"
Mo Wen had conceded decisively.
This was rare.
Arena battles were almost always fights to the death unless the disparity was so overwhelming and hopeless that no chance of victory remained.
That was precisely Mo Wen's predicament.
Facing Lu Changsheng, he saw not the slightest glimmer of hope, prompting his immediate concession.
"Ring Three: Lu Changsheng wins!"
The battle concluded, the victor decided.
*Boom!*
A deafening roar seemed to fill the minds of the onlookers.
Lu Changsheng won?
How much time had even passed?
Just moments ago, Mo Wen's momentum had been overwhelming, seemingly poised to crush Lu Changsheng with ease.
Yet in the blink of an eye, the tide had turned.
Now Lu Changsheng was victorious, and Mo Wen had conceded.
Instantly, countless spectators erupted in curses.
They had all lost their wagers.
"Sure enough, there was a reason Lu Changsheng had lower odds. He really won..."
"Mo Wen... I completely misjudged him! Why did I believe in Mo Wen? Fifty thousand source crystals down the drain!"
"Who could have guessed Lu Changsheng's first challenge would be won so effortlessly?"
"Now Lu Changsheng is the defender of Ring Three..."
Lu Changsheng glanced at Mo Wen.
Mo Wen wore a downcast, despondent expression.
The moment Mo Wen had yielded, Lu Changsheng felt his fortune begin to rise.
A moment later, his fortune surged violently.
A vast, boundless sea of fortune poured in.
Lu Changsheng had never felt fortune so immense.
The Fortune Gathering Pagoda operated at peak capacity, greedily absorbing the surging fortune.
This fortune would subtly and steadily augment Lu Changsheng's soul strength.
Moreover, vast as it was, word of his feat had not yet spread.
As time passed and news of his victory traveled farther, his fortune would swell even more.
Lu Changsheng stepped down from the ring.
Lin Qingluan and Fang Chuan exchanged knowing smiles.
It had been effortless.
Judging by Lu Changsheng's demeanor, the victory had indeed been effortless.
"Junior Brother Lu, you can feel the fortune, can't you?" Fang Chuan asked.
Lu Changsheng nodded. "Indeed. This fortune... is astounding."
He spoke the truth.
The fortune truly was astonishing.
In just this short span, Lu Changsheng had felt wave after wave of immense fortune roaring into him through the Fortune Gathering Pagoda.
Fortune on this scale was virtually unheard of.
As expected of the Summit of the Universe, a place commanding the gaze of the entire Great Universe.
Even defeating a mere Vanguard yielded such immense fortune.
What would it be like if he later challenged Overlords, Kings, Invincibles, or the true Summit of the Universe?
Lu Changsheng could hardly imagine.
No wonder even Master, Sovereign Feilong, supported his coming here.
There was truly no better place to gather fortune than the Summit of the Universe.
Of course, the prerequisite was continuous victory—winning on and on without end.
A single defeat would ruin everything, merely paving the way for someone else.
Lu Changsheng returned to his cave dwelling.
He was now a ring defender.
He had roughly one year of rest.
During this year, he could adjust his condition and cultivate.
After one year, however, challengers would begin to appear.
Once challenged, Lu Changsheng would have to accept the match; refusing would count as conceding.
If no one challenged him after a year, it would count as one successful defense.
Once he defended his ring successfully ten times, he would be qualified to challenge higher-tier rings, such as an Overlord.
The thirty thousand source crystals Lu Changsheng had wagered had now become sixty thousand.
It seemed modest, but that was due to his low odds.
Furthermore, this was only his first match.
If he maintained a winning streak, his earnings in source crystals would be immense.
In addition, he received a victory bonus of fifty thousand source crystals for this match.
This was an enormous sum.
To an ordinary Transcendent, it was truly staggering.
Fifty thousand for a single win.
Defending ten times would mean at least five hundred thousand source crystals!
And that was merely the baseline.
As Lu Changsheng's fame grew and his successful defenses accumulated, the source crystals awarded for each victory would only increase.
With his sixty thousand from the wager and the fifty thousand bonus, Lu Changsheng now possessed a full one hundred and ten thousand source crystals.
Yet his primary concern at the moment was not source crystals, but fortune.
Upon returning to his cave dwelling, Lu Changsheng entered a quiet room.
Sitting motionless, he sensed the continuous growth of his fortune.
As time passed, Lu Changsheng's fortune climbed to a peak before gradually leveling off into calm.
This process took about three months.
Three months later, Lu Changsheng opened his eyes.
He immediately brought up his attribute panel to inspect his current status.
Host: Lu Changsheng
Comprehension: Top-Tier Comprehension
World Master: First Realm
True Realm: 100% (115 expansions)
Soul: 10% (Incomplete)
Lu Changsheng focused his gaze. His soul progress had reached 10%—it had been 9% before, an increase of 1%!
One could not underestimate this 1% increase.
Ordinary people found it impossible to raise their soul strength by even 1%.
Yet Lu Changsheng had raised it by 1% in just three months, and without using that special soul frequency—it had grown naturally.
Or rather, it had grown through fortune!
*Fortune truly can strengthen the soul.*
*A single victory boosted my soul by one percent. If I keep winning and accumulating more fortune, my soul strength will naturally grow even greater.*
*No wonder even Sovereign powers are enticed by the Summit of the Universe. Many Transcendents who lack better means to temper their soul strength choose to fight here, using the massive fortune to reinforce their souls and subsequently advance to the Second or even Third Realm.*
Of course, the Third Realm was not so easily attained; it required far more than just fortune and soul strength.
Nevertheless, the Summit of the Universe's ability to help Transcendents break through to the Second Realm was no empty claim.
Many Transcendents in the past had used the immense fortune gathered here to advance to the Second Realm.
*Seven months remain before my second battle.*
*I wonder who will come to challenge me?*
Lu Changsheng now felt a faint sense of anticipation toward defending the ring.
After all, who wouldn't desire such colossal fortune?
***
At the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce, a Second Realm mighty figure stood respectfully before a tall man.
"Your Majesty Sovereign, the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp has been lost. Someone ambushed and killed five of our World Masters; Gu Sang is also dead. The Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp likely fell into that person's hands. We have investigated for a long time to no avail, so we humbly request Your Majesty to divine the lamp's whereabouts."
This speaker was the Vice President of the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce, a peak Second Realm Transcendent.
The Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp was of vital importance. The Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce had invested substantial manpower and resources, yet had found nothing.
Five World Masters had even perished.
The matter was grave. Unable to trace the lamp, they had no choice but to ask a Third Realm Sovereign to divine its location.
Though Third Realm Sovereigns were not omniscient, they possessed virtually no weaknesses.
When a Third Realm Sovereign undertook divination, a result was guaranteed.
As long as the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp remained within the Great Universe, a Sovereign could locate it.
Normally, the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce would never disturb a Sovereign over such matters.
Now, however, with the entire chamber at its wit's end, they had no other recourse.
The Sovereign's brow furrowed slightly.
He began his divination.
The Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp was a treasured artifact of the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce; it could not have vanished without cause.
Moments later, the Sovereign ceased his divination.
"The Summit of the Universe—Lu Changsheng. The Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp should be in his possession."
"However, this Lu Changsheng is a personal disciple of Feilong, who regards him quite highly. You may only reclaim the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp through open and honorable means. Otherwise, Feilong may intervene, and making things unseemly between us would serve no one. Do you understand?"
The Vice President's heart trembled.
How had Sovereign Feilong become involved?
Yet the Sovereign's words could not be wrong.
He could only reply respectfully, "Yes, Your Majesty Sovereign. I will engrave it upon my mind."
"Very well. You may leave."
The Vice President withdrew.
He immediately dispatched subordinates to investigate Lu Changsheng of the Summit of the Universe.
Soon, the intelligence was delivered.
All details regarding Lu Changsheng were compiled in the dossier.
For instance, Lu Changsheng was still nominally a World Master of the Eternal Light Chamber of Commerce.
That was of little consequence—merely an ordinary World Master of the chamber.
The critical factor was that Lu Changsheng was also a personal disciple of Sovereign Feilong.
Furthermore, he had entered the Summit of the Universe, successfully defeated a Vanguard-level ring defender, and begun his defense.
His every move was under the scrutiny of countless eyes.
Reclaiming the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp through covert means had become impossible for the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce.
How, then, were they to get it back?
A headache. The Vice President felt an immense headache.
"Forget it. Since a Sovereign is involved, I should go in person..."
The Vice President gritted his teeth and made his decision.
In a matter like this, he had to handle it himself.
***
Time passed quickly, and nearly a year had elapsed since the battle with Mo Wen.
Soon, it would be time for Lu Changsheng's defense match.
On this day, Lu Changsheng was in his cave dwelling, adjusting his condition.
He had also asked Lin Qingluan and Fang Chuan to inquire about who might challenge him.
"Hm?"
Lu Changsheng opened his eyes.
He saw Fang Chuan and Lin Qingluan returning to the cave dwelling.
Moreover, Fang Chuan was accompanied by an unfamiliar man.
The aura radiating from this man... Second Realm!
This was another Second Realm cultivator!
"Senior Brother Fang, who might this be...?" Lu Changsheng asked upon seeing Fang Chuan.
Fang Chuan glanced at Lu Changsheng and explained, "Junior Brother Lu, this is Fellow Daoist Tong Tianlin, Vice President of the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce."
"The Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce?"
Lu Changsheng looked thoughtful.
He immediately thought of the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp.
The lamp had belonged to the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce, only to end up in his hands due to various twists of fate.
Lu Changsheng had known they would come knocking sooner or later, but he hadn't expected them to track him down so quickly.
All told, barely a year had passed.
Tong Tianlin narrowed his eyes and smiled. "This must be Fellow Daoist Lu. Truly an exceptional disciple of Sovereign Feilong."
"I come on behalf of the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce in hopes that Fellow Daoist Lu might return the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp to us. Our chamber would be deeply grateful and is willing to gift Fellow Daoist Lu one million source crystals as a token of our appreciation!"
Tong Tianlin's words struck Lu Changsheng's heart with a jolt.
A million source crystals!
What an immense sum.
As expected of the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce—truly rolling in wealth.
One million source crystals was enough for Lu Changsheng to expand his True Realm ten times.
Yet compared to the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp, one million source crystals paled in comparison.
With the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp, Lu Changsheng could expand his True Realm far more than a mere ten times.
To a World Master, the lamp was priceless!
Lu Changsheng knew denying it would serve no purpose.
The fact that they had tracked him down meant they were absolutely certain the lamp was in his hands.
Yet they had refrained from open conflict or underhanded theft, which showed their wariness of Mount Feilong.
Lu Changsheng felt assured.
Narrowing his eyes, he asked calmly, "Fellow Daoist Tong, do you know why the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp is in Lu's hands?"
"I do not."
Tong Tianlin genuinely did not know.
In his view, Lu Changsheng had most likely murdered them for their treasures.
In any case, the five World Masters were dead, leaving no witnesses to testify.
Lu Changsheng continued, "Five World Masters from your chamber crossed paths with me on the road. Preferring to avoid trouble, I detoured around them. Yet they suspected I had witnessed something and insisted on silencing me."
"Left with no choice, I fought back. Subsequently, I obtained the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp from Gu Sang's internal world."
"No matter where this is argued, reason stands entirely on my side."
"Therefore, the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp is naturally my spoil of war. What does Vice President Tong think?"
As Lu Changsheng's words fell, the atmosphere inside the cave dwelling grew instantly taut.
Chapter 508