Word of Lu Changsheng challenging Yuan Jiuzhen spread like wildfire.
This time, the attention was staggering.
After all, this was a challenge at the "Invincible" tier.
Every single match at this level drew countless eyes.
Moreover, Lu Changsheng was already an immense topic of discussion on his own.
Yet his choice to challenge Yuan Jiuzhen caught many completely by surprise.
"Is Lu Changsheng... afraid?"
"Indeed. When he challenged the Overlords and Kings, he always picked the strongest among his peers—the strongest arena defender. Why pick Yuan Jiuzhen this time? Everyone knows Yuan Jiuzhen is considered the easiest target among all the Invincible-tier defenders."
"It seems Lu Changsheng knows how to assess the situation. Challenging Yuan Jiuzhen now shows he's lost his nerve. Even against Yuan Jiuzhen, he clearly has no certainty of victory."
"He is an Invincible-tier defender, after all. Who would dare claim certain victory?"
"Still, I'm looking forward to this fight. Yuan Jiuzhen might not be much compared to the other Invincible defenders, but he possesses 'invincible physical defense.' What invincible method does Lu Changsheng have?"
Many watched this upcoming battle with keen interest.
Once a clash reached the Invincible tier, nobody could guarantee a win.
Yet Yuan Jiuzhen was widely viewed as the pushover among them.
Lu Changsheng's choice naturally gave people plenty to ponder.
***
Inside Yuan Jiuzhen's cave dwelling, several members of the Divine Alliance wore grim expressions.
"Senior Brother Yuan, this Lu Changsheng goes too far! Everyone outside is calling you an easy target, saying Lu Changsheng specifically picked the softest persimmon to squeeze. I can hardly stomach it!"
"Indeed! It has even tarnished the reputation of our Divine Alliance. How could they know your true strength? Now even Lu Changsheng looks down on you!"
"Senior Brother Yuan, you must win this battle decisively and slay Lu Changsheng! Even if he is a World Master, once his inner world is shattered and he is slain, it will take him a very long time to recover in the Boundary Sea. That will vent our Divine Alliance's fury!"
"This match is no longer just between you and Lu Changsheng. Many busybodies are already framing it as a showdown between the Divine Alliance and Mount Feilong!"
The cave dwelling was filled mostly with Divine Alliance members, every one of them indignant.
Yet Yuan Jiuzhen, the man at the center of the storm, appeared remarkably calm.
He showed neither worry nor anger.
"Senior Brother Yuan, say something! You are our backbone..."
Many turned their gazes toward him.
These Divine Alliance members followed Yuan Jiuzhen's lead in all things, and their eyes were now fixed entirely on him.
Yuan Jiuzhen raised his head and swept his gaze across the room.
"Are you all finished?"
"If you are done speaking, then leave."
His tone was placid.
Yet the calmer he sounded, the more their hearts trembled.
Yuan Jiuzhen was by no means an easygoing man.
Ordering them all away—was he displeased with them?
One cultivator asked cautiously, "Senior Brother Yuan, did we do something wrong to displease you?"
Yuan Jiuzhen cast a cold glance at him. "Lu Changsheng is not weak. He chose me not because I am an 'easy target,' but because he likely possesses a method capable of dealing with my invincible physical defense."
"Therefore, this battle will likely be grueling. In fact... I might lose!"
*Boom.*
As Yuan Jiuzhen's words fell, their minds buzzed in shock.
"What?"
"Senior Brother Yuan, how could you lose?"
"You have already defended the arena four times! How could you lose?"
"Your body is invincible! What means could Lu Changsheng possibly have? With just his four layers of worlds, it's impossible for him to pierce your physical defense..."
Many were utterly bewildered.
How could Lu Changsheng breach Yuan Jiuzhen's invincible defense?
It was sheer fantasy.
Unless Lu Changsheng had birthed a fifth layer of his world.
Could a fifth layer simply appear on a whim?
Without a fifth layer, what could Lu Changsheng rely on to break Yuan Jiuzhen's defense?
"Leave."
"I need to make further preparations."
With a wave of his hand, Yuan Jiuzhen teleported everyone straight out of his cave dwelling.
Outside, the crowd looked at one another in dismay.
They knew better than to disturb Yuan Jiuzhen any further at such a time.
Inside the cave dwelling, Yuan Jiuzhen's expression was no longer so serene.
His eyes turned deep as he murmured, "To be honest, I am curious as well. Without a fifth layer, what means do you have to break my physical defense? My invincible defense is not mere empty talk..."
Yuan Jiuzhen knew full well that if Lu Changsheng had no other cards to play, he had truly picked the wrong opponent.
Lu Changsheng wanted to challenge him?
Countless people had wanted to challenge him over the years.
Many had even acted on it, believing he was an easy target and simple to handle.
After all, what was mere defense worth? All one needed was to break through it.
Yet had anyone ever succeeded?
The word "Invincible" was not given lightly.
In the end, only the challengers tasted defeat!
Perhaps Lu Changsheng would be an exception.
That thought gave Yuan Jiuzhen a faint glimmer of anticipation.
***
Finally, the hour of Lu Changsheng's challenge against Yuan Jiuzhen arrived.
"Changsheng, for this battle against Yuan Jiuzhen, your odds are three to one. All five million four hundred and twenty thousand source crystals have been wagered on you," Lin Qingluan said to Lu Changsheng.
"Odds of three to one?"
Lu Changsheng nodded.
Those odds were somewhat high—certainly higher than Yuan Jiuzhen's.
It meant that by the numbers, people favored Yuan Jiuzhen.
Though Lu Changsheng had been quietly cultivating in his cave dwelling, he was well aware of the rumors outside.
Everyone claimed he saw Yuan Jiuzhen as a soft target and challenged him for that reason.
Was that truly the case?
Lu Changsheng did not deign to explain.
The time had come.
Once they entered the arena, everything would be made clear.
*Whoosh.*
Lu Changsheng stepped onto the arena platform.
At the same moment, Yuan Jiuzhen stepped up as well.
The arena's surroundings shifted instantly, morphing into the expanse of the Great Universe.
In truth, whenever a battle reached the Invincible tier, the environment was almost always the Great Universe.
This recreated the most authentic conditions.
Where else would peak First Realm Transcendants clash if not in the Great Universe?
"In this battle between Lu Changsheng and Yuan Jiuzhen, it seems everyone favors Yuan Jiuzhen."
"It's not just blind favor; Yuan Jiuzhen's strength truly has the upper hand. With his invincible physical defense, if Lu Changsheng lacks a way to break through, Yuan Jiuzhen essentially stands on undefeated ground. Who will win or lose is obvious, isn't it?"
"Indeed. Every Invincible-tier defender possesses one invincible capability. Yuan Jiuzhen's is his physical defense. To defeat him, one must break it. Does Lu Changsheng possess such a method?"
"An invincible method... so far, none of Lu Changsheng's aspects have shown invincibility..."
Many shook their heads.
Every defender at the Invincible tier had to have at least one attribute elevated to the pinnacle of invincibility.
Yet they saw no such trait in Lu Changsheng.
Without an invincible method, how could he overcome Yuan Jiuzhen?
Even Lin Qingluan and Fang Chuan wore somber, grave expressions.
They knew the inside story—that Lu Changsheng had some confidence, but not much.
This battle was of immense importance to him.
Time ticked by.
Lu Changsheng and Yuan Jiuzhen stood amidst the Great Universe, watching each other.
Yuan Jiuzhen spoke first: "Come. If you lack the means to break my body, then today, you are doomed to lose!"
"Show me everything you have! Let me see how terrifying the world power of a World Master truly is!"
With his very first words, Yuan Jiuzhen laid bare the crux of their fight.
The physical body!
Yuan Jiuzhen's body was the core.
If Lu Changsheng could not break it, defeat was certain.
"As you wish!"
"I too wish to see what invincible physical defense looks like!"
Lu Changsheng's gaze turned chilling.
*Boom.*
Instantly, the True Realm trembled.
At the same time, all four layers of his world—the Mortal Realm, the Spirit Realm, the Lesser Thousand Realm, and the Great Thousand Realm—quaked in unison.
Lu Changsheng's True Realm expanded, sweeping Yuan Jiuzhen inside in a fraction of a breath.
Yuan Jiuzhen did not react at all.
He simply stood in the void, allowing Lu Changsheng's True Realm to engulf him.
*Confident indeed,*
Lu Changsheng thought coldly.
He naturally understood Yuan Jiuzhen's intent.
Allowing himself to be swept into the True Realm demonstrated his absolute certainty that even inside, Lu Changsheng could do nothing to him.
Such was Yuan Jiuzhen's supreme faith in his defense.
To claim invincible physical defense required nothing less!
"Suppress."
Lu Changsheng mobilized the power of all four world layers at once.
The full might of the four layers erupted, casting colossal spectral silhouettes of worlds descending upon Yuan Jiuzhen's body in a vast, crushing tide.
It carried the dreadful sensation of Mount Tai collapsing, of entire worlds meeting their end.
Yet Yuan Jiuzhen remained composed, showing neither fear nor hesitation as he stood quietly in the void.
*Rumble!*
The full power of Lu Changsheng's True Realm detonated, and the force of the four world layers slammed down upon Yuan Jiuzhen.
Lu Changsheng fixed his gaze upon him.
He was genuinely curious about this supposed invincible physical defense.
As the fourfold world power struck Yuan Jiuzhen, brilliant halos of light burst from his body one after another.
One, two, three...
These halos were pure waves of force. In some ways, they resembled forcefields, yet they were completely distinct.
Every layer of light represented the innate power of Yuan Jiuzhen's physical body.
There were nine layers in total.
*Crack!*
As Lu Changsheng's worlds descended, the first halo shattered instantly.
Then the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth...
By the sixth layer, the power of Lu Changsheng's four worlds was nearing its limit.
Then came the seventh.
A brief stalemate ensued.
After a moment, the seventh halo shattered, but upon reaching the eighth layer, the power of the four worlds was completely spent.
It could not harm Yuan Jiuzhen in the slightest.
"Is this your limit?"
"If this is all, I am deeply disappointed."
Yuan Jiuzhen had not moved a single inch.
Yet Lu Changsheng had failed even to breach his physical forcefield.
How could he hope to defeat him?
This was invincible physical defense!
Even the combined might of four layers of worlds could not suppress him.
At this moment, Lu Changsheng truly grasped the terrifying nature of such defense.
"And how long can you maintain it?" Lu Changsheng asked coldly.
"Is that so?" Yuan Jiuzhen shook his head slightly.
With a slight shudder of his body, the eight shattered halos instantly reformed, returning to nine whole rings of light.
Lu Changsheng fell silent.
Even the spectators surrounding the arena fell into a stunned hush.
They knew every Invincible defender was monstrously powerful.
Yet Yuan Jiuzhen was acknowledged as the weakest among them.
If even the weakest was this formidable, it was downright despair-inducing.
"No wonder defenders at this level bear the title of 'Invincible.' It's truly suffocating."
"Indeed. Yuan Jiuzhen willingly let himself be drawn into the inner world, yet Lu Changsheng couldn't leave a scratch on him. And this is the weakest Invincible defender! How terrifying must the others be?"
"Lu Changsheng's four worlds crushed Leng Jiankong and Kuang Lei. That wasn't an empty reputation—it was genuine, terrifying might! Yet against Yuan Jiuzhen's body, he remains utterly helpless."
"Lu Changsheng is truly going to lose this time..."
Many saw the situation clearly.
Lu Changsheng's four worlds could not harm Yuan Jiuzhen.
For Yuan Jiuzhen, that meant he was already undefeated.
Lin Qingluan and Fang Chuan's hearts sank as well, sensing disaster.
Yuan Jiuzhen stood serenely in the void, gazing at Lu Changsheng, and spoke slowly: "You still have a chance to concede now. Otherwise, once I strike, your inner world will thoroughly crumble..."
A World Master would not truly die.
Yet having one's world collapse required an immense span of time to recover in the Boundary Sea.
In that sense, Yuan Jiuzhen was showing mercy, unwilling to antagonize Lu Changsheng to the death.
Part of it was consideration for Mount Feilong, but more importantly, Lu Changsheng was a World Master whom Yuan Jiuzhen could not permanently kill.
If he could not kill him once and for all, why make an irreconcilable enemy?
Yuan Jiuzhen understood the wisdom of leaving a way out for future encounters.
Lu Changsheng did not take offense; instead, he nodded. "I still have one final method. If Fellow Daoist Yuan can withstand it, I will concede immediately."
"You have another method? By all means, show it."
Yuan Jiuzhen paid it little mind.
As a World Master, wasn't Lu Changsheng's greatest strength his inner world?
What other means could he possibly possess?
As long as it was not a fifth layer, Yuan Jiuzhen feared nothing.
Around the arena, everyone looked on in curiosity.
At this stage, what else could Lu Changsheng do?
Lu Changsheng took a deep breath.
*Hum.*
Suddenly, destructive power erupted.
It burst forth with thunderous fury from the depths of his True Realm.
This was true destructive power.
It was far more terrifying than the destructive power born of Zi Qianying's Three Thousand Smelted Daos.
After all, Zi Qianying's destructive power had merely been simulated through three thousand Daos.
Lu Changsheng's, however, was no simulation.
It was genuine destructive power born of the creation and annihilation within his inner world.
True destructive power, accumulated bit by bit by Lu Changsheng over twenty long years.
As it erupted, the void instantly annihilated.
Even Lu Changsheng's True Realm suffered from the backlash.
Yet compared to Lu Changsheng, Yuan Jiuzhen's expression changed drastically.
He sensed pure destructive power.
It was a destructive force so profound that it made his heart palpitate with dread.
"What kind of power is this? It feels like utter annihilation... destructive power?"
"Like Zi Qianying's destructive power?"
Though a chill gripped Yuan Jiuzhen's heart, he still trusted his physical defense.
Even if it was destructive power, could it truly destroy his body?
At that moment, Lu Changsheng hesitated no longer.
He released every shred of destructive power accumulated over twenty years.
The vast tide surged forward, crashing upon Yuan Jiuzhen in an instant.
Immediately, the halos of light shattered one after another.
*Crack!*
The light broke and vanished.
Layer upon layer.
In the blink of an eye, all nine halos shattered like dry twigs before a storm.
"What?"
Yuan Jiuzhen's heart skipped a beat.
He had never expected his defenses to be breached so swiftly.
With the protective halos destroyed, the destructive power bore down directly upon his flesh.
This was a pure clash between physical might and destructive power.
*Sizzle.*
A small portion of Yuan Jiuzhen's flesh was annihilated.
Yet his body strained with all its might to resist.
He truly lived up to his reputation for invincible physical defense; his durability was formidable indeed.
Even pure destructive power could not eradicate his flesh in an instant.
A stalemate ensued.
Yet it lasted only a brief moment.
Yuan Jiuzhen quickly found himself unable to hold out.
The pure destructive power relentlessly eroded his body, which began crumbling bit by bit.
Ten percent, twenty percent, thirty percent...
Everyone could clearly see Yuan Jiuzhen's physical body collapsing.
When half of it had crumbled away, Yuan Jiuzhen spoke: "I concede."
"I truly never expected you to wield genuine destructive power. Even my body could not withstand it... Still, if I am not mistaken, your destructive power must be limited, yes? Otherwise, it would have annihilated my body in an instant."
"Alas, my body was not strong enough. Had it been just a bit stronger, allowing me to drag this out, the victor would not have been so certain..."
Lu Changsheng neither confirmed nor denied it.
In truth, Yuan Jiuzhen's guess was entirely accurate.
Lu Changsheng's destructive power was indeed limited; after all, it had only been gathered over twenty years.
Had Yuan Jiuzhen's body been slightly tougher, he might well have weathered it, turning the fight into a battle of attrition to see who would run dry first.
If it had come to that, the outcome truly would have hung in the balance.
Of course, Lu Changsheng could also accumulate power for far longer.
If he gathered it for a century, or several centuries, or even a millennium, what could Yuan Jiuzhen have done to stop it?
Thus, such hypothetical musings were entirely pointless.
The reality was that Lu Changsheng had won, becoming the new Invincible-tier defender.
That was all that mattered!
*Boom.*
As Yuan Jiuzhen surrendered, thunderous cheers erupted around the arena.
Most spectators looked as if they had lost their parents, but a small portion celebrated wildly.
These were the ones who had steadfastly backed Lu Changsheng.
"Hahaha! I knew it! Since Lu Changsheng dared to challenge Yuan Jiuzhen, he had to have a trump card! Look at that—didn't he defeat Yuan Jiuzhen just as expected?"
"Indeed! Ever since I lost a fortune betting against Lu Changsheng the first time, I've put everything on him to win, and he hasn't let me down once! Today was no different!"
"Lu Changsheng has ascended to become an Invincible-tier defender! Even Yuan Jiuzhen was no match for him! And his payout odds were three to one..."
"That method Lu Changsheng used just now—was that destructive power? It resembles Zi Qianying's technique, but seems different. Could he have drawn inspiration from her?"
"Zi Qianying used three thousand smelted Daos to create destructive power. What did Lu Changsheng use to forge his?"
For a time, discussions raged.
Many had noticed Lu Changsheng's "destructive power."
Yet they only knew of the destructive power born from Zi Qianying's Three Thousand Smelted Daos, with no inkling of how Lu Changsheng had produced his.
With Lu Changsheng's victory, Fang Chuan and Lin Qingluan let out sighs of relief.
"Changsheng, congratulations on your victory."
"Hahaha, Junior Brother Lu, I truly did not expect you to defeat Yuan Jiuzhen so cleanly! This time, you have become a bona fide Invincible-tier defender!"
Both Fang Chuan and Lin Qingluan were elated.
Fang Chuan in particular was thrilled.
Lu Changsheng represented Mount Feilong, while Yuan Jiuzhen represented the Divine Alliance.
Their clash was akin to a contest between Mount Feilong and the Divine Alliance.
Lu Changsheng's sweeping triumph was Mount Feilong's triumph as well.
For all of Mount Feilong, this was an immense fortune.
"Changsheng, from the wagered source crystals, we earned sixteen million two hundred and sixty thousand in total. Adding the challenge reward of a full million source crystals, that comes to seventeen million two hundred and sixty thousand."
Lu Changsheng received the source crystals.
Over seventeen million source crystals—a staggering sum.
His True Realm required vast amounts of source crystals to expand.
Even without the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp, this amount was enough for his True Realm to birth the Divine Realm.
However, Lu Changsheng knew well that above the Divine Realm lay the Supreme Realm.
When the time came, the source crystals his True Realm consumed would reach an astronomical, bottomless figure.
Accumulating as many source crystals as possible now was thoroughly necessary.
Yet the most crucial gain was fortune.
Lu Changsheng could already feel it—an ocean of fortune surging toward him in an overwhelming rush.
"I will return first to digest this fortune..."
With that, Lu Changsheng immediately returned to the secluded chamber of his cave dwelling.
Day after day passed.
In the blink of an eye, three months went by.
Lu Changsheng opened his eyes.
He had mostly digested the fortune.
This influx had far exceeded any before.
Lu Changsheng immediately summoned his attribute panel to inspect it.
**Host:** Lu Changsheng
**Comprehension:** Top-tier comprehension
**World Master:** First Realm
**True Realm:** 100% (144 expansions)
**Soul:** 90% (Incomplete)
On the attribute panel, his soul progress had reached a full 90%, leaving just 10% before perfection.
Of course, it was still labeled an "incomplete" soul.
Whether reaching 100% would turn it into a complete soul was something Lu Changsheng did not yet know.
He eagerly anticipated reaching 100% to see what transformation would occur.
Unfortunately, he was still a sliver away.
"This time, I have fifty years to rest!"
"An Invincible-tier defender is granted fifty years. Over fifty years, my fortune will continue to grow bit by bit, making it very likely to reach one hundred percent. I won't even need to wait for the next battle—within fifty years, my fortune should be sufficient to push my soul to completion..."
Lu Changsheng was filled with anticipation for what would happen.
With that, he began expanding his True Realm once more.
In any case, expanding his True Realm again and again would not hinder his absorption of fortune, nor would it impede the growth of his soul.
Chapter 513